Summary: After the events of Wheel of Fortune, what happens when Murdock
takes Jody Joy to Hawaii instead of Face?
Disclaimer: I don't own the A-Team, if I did season 5 would have been way better. :) I do this for fun, please don't sue.
Rated PG-13 for some language and violence.
Thanks to Tori Sakana for help on the last scene!
1 Wheel of Misfortune
by ReySolo
Face looked down at his suit. No hole. He put his hand to his abdomen, and felt no pain. 'No, I can't be,' he thought. 'I'm... dead?'
He looked around. He stood on a beach, with women in bikinis running across the sand. 'Well, looks like I'm in the right place to be, though I have no idea how I ended up here...'
Face walked up to a group of young ladies rubbing sun block on each other. "Uh, excuse me, ladies, I'm new here, and..."
None of the three responded to him in any way whatsoever. "Um, hello?" He reached out to tap the nearest girl on the shoulder...
...And gasped as his hand went right through her. Waving his arms around, he found that his arms moved through all three of the girls as if they were thin air.
"No, no, no..." he whimpered to himself. Either he was dreaming... or he didn't get past those pearly gates after all.
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
"HM, I'm gonna go change into my swimsuit so we can play in the surf, okay?"
Murdock sat in the lawn chair overlooking the surf and grinned at Jody Joy. "Sure, Hun. Hurry back!"
He watched her walk across the beach toward their hotel room, then turned back, his eyes catching on a familiar figure. "Faceman?" He stood and walked across the beach. "Faceyman, what are you doing here?" He grinned at his friend, hoping his question was taken as the surprise it was instead of accusation. He'd felt bad that he took Jody Joy instead of his best friend along on his newly-won trip to Hawaii, but she'd helped him out a lot during his kidnapping and the surrounding events. Besides, Murdock spent a lot of time with the team on missions anyway, and rarely had any time for a love life like Face got all the time. But if Face had managed to scam his own ticket, maybe his friend wouldn't feel as bad and they could spend some time together, too.
Face didn't appear as happy as Murdock would expect if he were truly joining in the vacation. In fact, he appeared somewhat distraught. "Murdock! You--you can see me?"
"Well, yeah, I can see you. What'd'ya expect? Whatcha doin' here, anyway? Are the others with you? Nah, there's no way you'd get the ugly mudsucka on a plane, and Hannibal's still in Rio, isn't he?" He took in his friend's troubled features. "Faceman, what's wrong?"
He saw his friend hesitate. "I, uh, I think I'm dead."
Murdock gave a sympathetic grin. "What'd you do this time? Trick BA into getting on the plane? Mess up Hannibal's chances with those twins he was hanging out with?" He half turned back toward his lawn chair, reaching out to put a hand on his friend's shoulder. When he felt nothing, he turned back. "What's...?" He gasped as he saw his arm sticking right through Face's chest. He looked back up at his friend's forlorn expression. "Faceman, wh-wh-what do you mean you're dead?" he demanded, suddenly serious.
Face looked at him intently. "I mean the last thing I remember before standing on this beach is lying on the ground bleeding with a knife in my side. Now I'm standing here unable to touch anything or anyone. I think that means I'm dead." He gave a humorless chuckle. "Well, at least you're here, and you're not dead, so that probably means I'm just stuck in the land of the living instead of in hell where I thought I was."
Murdock shook his head jerkily. "No, no, you're not dead--Face isn't dead. You're just a figment of my imagination, aren't you? Stop messing with my head, here. Billy's more real than you are." He closed his eyes to shut out the image of his friend.
"Murdock... Murdock, look at me, dammit!" Face's voice demanded.
Murdock opened his eyes, trying to keep an accusative look on his face to hide his fear.
"If you don't believe me, call my place, or my 'Vette, or BA's van. I won't be there, and BA won't be able to find me. Unless..." The image of Face swallowed. "Unless they decide to dump my body there as a message to you..." His eyes lit up in alarm. "Murdock, you've gotta be careful, they're looking for you, they want you dead, too..."
Murdock glared at the image of his friend. "I'll call, and Face'll answer the phone, and say everything's goin' hunky-dory, except that he wishes he were here in Hawaii right now instead of sitting around watching football with BA. And he'll ask if I'm okay, and I'll say 'Sure, except I'm hallucinating your ghost here, but there's no problem now,' and then you'll disappear, okay?"
The Face mirage sighed, looking resigned. "Just call, okay, Murdock? If everything's fine there, I promise I'll leave. But if it's not, you'll listen to me, okay?"
Murdock nodded, but continued to glare at the image. "Deal."
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
Standing in a phone booth with his friend's image beside him, Murdock called Face's scammed apartment first, but hung up after six rings. He then tried the phone in Face's Corvette. When no one answered there, he tried the van. On the third ring, he heard BA's voice, "Lou's delivery."
"Hey, big guy, it's me. Is Face there?" Murdock asked while looking the image of Face straight in the eye.
"Nah, he's at the apartment, why?" BA asked.
"I just called there, and there was no answer. You sure he's there?" Murdock was getting more nervous, but tried to remain optimistic.
There was a pause before BA responded again. "Could've gone somewhere in his 'Vette, don't know where, though. Seemed like he didn't really have plans for the next two weeks..."
Murdock felt a sting of guilt at that statement. "I, uh, tried calling the 'Vette, too. But if he went somewhere he wouldn't be in the car the whole time..."
"Why you lookin' for him so hard, fool?" BA was starting to sound a little confused, with a bit of concern.
"I just got a, a hunch, that's all." Murdock looked at Face's image staring pointedly back at him. "But... BA?"
A sigh was heard from BA. "You want me to go check and see if he's okay?"
Murdock nodded, though he realized BA couldn't see it. "Yeah, could you? It's not that I... Well, Face is free to go wherever he wants, but..."
"Yeah, Faceman can take care of himself, Murdock, but if it'll make you feel better, I'll head there right away and call you back in about fifteen minutes."
Murdock sighed. "Thanks, BA. But, uh, I'm at a payphone, maybe I should just call you there in twenty minutes?"
"All right. I'm sure Face is fine, fool. Call there in twenty minutes and I'll let you know for sure." BA hung up.
Murdock hung up and looked forlornly at his friend's image. He still refused to accept it as his friend's ghost. "I'm gonna call Face's place again in twenty minutes; BA'll be there and tell me if Faceman left a note or something about where he was going."
The image of Face sighed. "Murdock, I didn't leave a note when they *kidnapped* me. If he finds a note, it'll be from those goons, and it won't say everything's going fine."
Murdock raised his eyebrows. "If you say so. So, if you really are Face's ghost, who was it who... took you, anyway?" The question was stated calmly, but with a thinly veiled interrogation-like quality behind it.
Face's voice answered just as calmly. "It was those guys who kidnapped you from the VA, to rob the casino. The leader said his name was Joshua, I think. They escaped from the cops, and they want revenge on you, Murdock. You have to be careful."
Murdock thought for a moment. "They want revenge on me, so they took you? Does that mean Jody Joy might be in trouble, too?" As much as he wanted to avoid this line of thought, it needed to be considered.
The image looked pensive. "They didn't mention anything about her specifically. Yeah, I think that if she gets in the way they won't have any problem just killing her, but they aren't after her, they're after you."
"Then I should stay away from her?" Murdock reasoned.
Face's visage appeared concerned. "Maybe, but don't go off alone, Murdock. Go back to BA, and get Hannibal. They can protect you."
"Like they protected you?" Murdock asked, still trying hard not to give in yet.
"They didn't know, Murdock!" Face sounded distraught. "But now you know about the danger, you can avoid it, but you need their help."
Resigned, Murdock nodded. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jody Joy walking back out to the beach. She looked around the area where he'd been sitting.
Murdock glanced at his friend's image, then walked over to her. The Face image followed silently. "Jody, uh, there might be a problem." She looked up, concerned. "My friends could be in trouble, I might have to go back to LA."
"But what about--?" she began to protest.
He interrupted. "You can stay here, finish up the trip and the money and everything. There's no reason for you to get involved."
Jody looked almost pouty. "It won't be anything exciting that I'll miss out on will it?" she asked.
He pondered how to answer. "Jody Joy, I won't do anything that you want to be involved in, okay? I don't even know if I'm going yet, I have to call BA back in a few minutes. Then I'll come tell you what I'll be doing, okay?"
She reluctantly agreed, and he headed back to the payphone, Face's image following behind him.
They stood in silence for the last few minutes before Murdock called Face's apartment again. This time the phone was picked up after the first ring. "Yeah?" BA's voice sounded strange, tight.
"Well, what did you find?" Murdock asked impatiently.
"I found Face." There was a pause. "He's dead, Murdock..."
Murdock barely felt the phone drop from limp fingers as he slid down the side of the phone booth. No. It couldn't be. Face was... He looked up at what he knew now to be his friend's ghost. "I'm so sorry," he whimpered. "It's my fault. It's all my fault. I let them kill you. Oh, God, Face..." He began to sob as Face crouched down beside him.
"Murdock... Murdock... Murdock!" he spoke quietly but firmly until Murdock looked up at him. "It is NOT your fault. None of it. Now," Face gestured to the phone dangling from its cord. "You'd better talk to BA before he starts to get REALLY freaked out..."
Murdock nodded and stood slowly, sniffling as he spoke into the phone to a frantic-sounding BA, "I'm here."
"Fool, don't do that to me! With Faceman..." BA seemed unwilling to say the word again. "And this note they left..."
"Note, what note?" Murdock asked. Face stood with his ear near the phone so he could hear what BA said as well.
"I found a note next to the bod--Face. It says, 'You're next, Captain Murdock. Just give yourself up before someone else you care about gets hurt.' It's signed 'Joshua'--those guys who wanted you to help them rob the casino?"
Murdock swallowed. "I..." He looked to Face for guidance.
BA spoke again. "Just get a plane back here ASAP, Murdock. I'll pick you up from the airport, and I'll get Hannibal back here, too."
"Hannibal doesn't--?" Murdock began.
"No, I didn't call him yet. Damn, I don't want to have to..."
"I can call him," Murdock suggested quietly, hoping BA didn't take him up on the offer.
BA seemed to sense that. "No, you just get yourself a ticket back and let me know when to pick you up. We're gonna protect you, understand? These sons of bitches ain't gonna hurt another one of my friends."
Murdock felt a tear slide down his cheek as he said, "I'll call you soon," and hung up.
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
"Mr. Smith, phone for you..." A man handed Hannibal the phone, and Hannibal freed one arm from the twins draped over him to reach it.
"Yeah?" he asked, not happy to be interrupted on his vacation... er, work.
"Colonel, you gotta get back here," BA commanded.
Hannibal frowned, too busy thinking about the girls beside him to notice the strange tone in his friend's voice. "Look, I told you guys, BA, the photo shoot got extended two weeks, I want to make the most of it..."
"Are you sitting down?"
At that question, Hannibal felt all thoughts of women flee and his heart leapt into his throat. "Why, what's wrong?" he asked.
He heard a sigh and a pause on the other end. "Hannibal... Faceman's dead."
Hannibal froze. His eyes shut, and he rocked back on his heels, though he managed to remain standing. Maggie and Lauren, seeing his expression, tried to comfort him by massaging his back, but he waved them off. "How?" was all he could ask.
There was a hesitation. "Those guys who grabbed Murdock a week ago, they... Look, Hannibal, you gotta get back here, the fool might be in danger too, plus he'll be blaming himself for this..."
Sighing, Hannibal replied, "Okay, I'll get a flight back as soon as I can. Does he know yet?"
"Yeah. Didn't take it too well, though I guess I wouldn't expect him to," BA told him.
"Do authorities know, are they gonna be crawlin' all over looking for us?" Hannibal asked.
"No, the bastards left his body in our apartment so I'd find him when I got home."
Hannibal's voice hardened. "We're gonna get these bastards, BA, and they're going to pay."
BA's voice carried the same vehemence. "Oh, they gonna pay, all right."
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
It took Murdock a while to get a flight back, since he had to fly standby. As he waited, he paced back and forth in the airport, flashing Face depressed glances.
Once aboard, he spent a good portion of the flight talking to his friend's ghost in the airplane's lavatory, to avoid strange looks from other passengers. Murdock had to wonder how Face, in ghost form, could not touch anything, yet did not fall through the floor of the plane, or the ground on the beach earlier for that matter. When he posed the question to his friend, the matter was not resolved.
"How should I know, Murdock? I've never exactly been dead before... Though I can say that when I was alive, I had a very remarkable experience in one of these, and I wasn't alone then either..." Face smiled in remembrance.
Murdock looked at his friend, aghast. "Faceman, you can't mean that you've engaged in sexual activity in an airline lavatory? Why, that's against FAA regulations!"
Face sighed. "Murdock, every time you've flown a plane since your license was revoked was against regulations, and very seldom does anything else we do with the aircraft actually follow any rules in any way!"
The pilot shrugged, looking suitably abashed.
Face grinned. "Besides, you should have seen this girl's..."
Murdock shook his head and rolled his eyes, opening the door to go back to his seat.
"Wait, Murdock! Don't you want to hear about... ah, never mind..."
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
BA picked Murdock up from the airport, but neither said much for the entire ride back to the apartment. When they arrived, Hannibal was on the couch, talking on the phone. "Well, call us if you find out more," he said, and hung up. "I'm working on getting an explanation for how the hell those guys broke out so soon, and where they might be now."
Murdock nodded. After a pause, he asked, "Where is he?"
Hannibal and BA exchanged a glance. "His bedroom," Hannibal answered, "But are you sure--?"
"I gotta see him," Murdock stated stubbornly, and glanced to his friend's ghost still standing beside him. Would Face follow him to see his own dead body?
Face seemed to know what Murdock was thinking. He shook his head. "Nah, uh, I think I'll stay out here," he said, obviously shaken by the idea.
Murdock didn't react visibly. He and Face had discussed many things on the plane, and both decided it would be better if Hannibal and BA didn't know that Face was still somewhat with them. It was likely that they would both just assume Murdock had just gone over the edge after his friend's death; and though they could probably prove otherwise, it was not worth the time required and the added stress it would cause for all.
Murdock slowly entered the bedroom, BA following behind to offer support if the sight was too much for him. Strangely, though, it did not affect him as much as he'd expected. The murderers had placed Face's body on the floor there after death, so there was not a great deal of blood. Someone had lain him so that Face appeared to be sleeping, except that he was far too pale and motionless. Murdock looked down at the body solemnly, then exited the room, barely giving BA a glance.
"It's all my fault," Murdock stated as he entered the main room.
As Hannibal and BA exchanged glances again, Face sighed. "Murdock, we've been over this..." He trailed off as Hannibal began to speak.
"Murdock, this is in no way your fault. You didn't tell those guys to grab Face, you didn't ask them to kidnap you before, and you did not kill Face."
BA agreed. "Yeah, fool, this ain't your fault. And they want you, too, so you gotta focus on stayin' alive 'stead of blamin' yourself."
As Face nodded at their words, Murdock shook his head in disbelief. "I didn't bring him with me to Hawaii, and when they found out I wasn't here they took Faceman instead. If I had invited him..."
"If you had invited him," Hannibal countered, "Maybe they would have grabbed one of us instead. Maybe they'd have gone after you to Hawaii, and killed both of you. 'What if's never accomplish anything, Murdock. You had no way of knowing they'd even escaped."
Murdock was still stubbornly holding onto the blame. "But it's still my fault he was here, Hannibal. I went to Hawaii and invited a girl I'd known for mere days, instead of bringing my best friend. How could I do that?"
"Captain, Face of all people could not blame you for that. Yes, he was jealous, but what do you think he would have done under the same circumstances?" Hannibal pointed out.
Murdock wanted to get mad at that remark, but he saw the guilty expression Face wore. "Yeah, I'd probably have done the same thing, Murdock," his friend gently replied. "We're guys, it's Hawaii, not exactly the place to go with another man, you know?"
The pilot nodded, giving in a bit. BA and Hannibal exchanged glances, both sensing that their friend was finally starting to believe he wasn't to blame. Face smiled.
"Now we gotta make sure the crazy fool is safe, and put those slimeballs who are responsible away for good," BA changed the subject.
Hannibal nodded. "We're gonna get them." He grinned. "I've got a plan."
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
When Hannibal was done explaining his plan, the room was silent for a moment. Well, not totally silent. Only Murdock could hear Face ranting, "That's a terrible plan! The front door scenario again? I don't want the rest of you getting killed, too. Come on, Murdock, tell him his plan sucks."
BA grimaced. "It's not the same without Faceman here to say the Colonel's plan sucks."
Hannibal sighed. "Yeah, I gotta admit I was expecting that, too."
"See? He knows it's a terrible plan! And he's gonna do it anyway!" Face complained.
"Well, Colonel," Murdock began, "I do see one way we could make the plan better. I, uh, I've been teaching Billy to do sign language, you know, with his ears," he held up his hands near his head as if to demonstrate, "He can go check out the place before we go in, and tell us if it's safe." He glanced toward Face, who grinned as he realized what his part was to be.
BA and Hannibal exchanged worried glances. "Murdock, the dog don't exist, he ain't gonna help us," BA stated firmly.
Hannibal shook his head slightly. Murdock could tell his commander was worried that he might be closer to the edge of true insanity due to the loss of his best friend. "Okay, Captain, Billy can help, but make sure you're on the lookout, too; Billy might not see everything."
Murdock nodded. He knew Face was definitely going to be keeping his eyes open plenty, but the Colonel wanted reassurance that Murdock was up to this. And if this meant catching the bastard's who had killed Face, he was more than up to it.
"All right, we wait for my contacts to get me the rest of the information we need, then we move out," Hannibal ordered.
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
"There's somebody coming, wait two minutes," Face called to Murdock.
"BA, wait," Murdock whispered to his friend, who was starting toward the house. "Billy says it's not safe to go in yet. Someone's coming to the door."
"There ain't no dog, fool!" BA grumbled back, turning toward Murdock and back under the cover of the bushes. "And if there were, he wouldn't do sign language with his ears, anyhow. So quiet your jibber jabber and cover me..."
Just as BA was about to step out from behind the bushes again, the door not fifty feet away opened, and a man reached down for the newspaper and walked back in.
Murdock just raised his eyebrows in a way that clearly stated, "I told you so." Aloud, he retorted, "Now you're gonna listen to me when Billy gives a warning."
BA looked shocked for a second, then his expression switched back to a glare. "So can we go in now?" he asked impatiently.
Murdock glanced over at Face, who was nodding and gesturing them forward. "Yup, Billy gives the all clear," Murdock replied cheerfully.
They moved toward the house and took positions on either side of the door, and waited for Hannibal's signal.
Suddenly a loud explosion was heard from the back of the house.
"There's Hannibal's signal," Murdock stated, and BA moved into position to break down the door. At a suggestion from Face, Murdock protested, "Wait!"
"What now, fool?" BA looked exasperated.
Murdock reached out and turned the doorknob. It opened.
BA glared at the door, then at Murdock. "Don't tell me that was Billy."
"Well, can't hurt to check to see if it's locked before breaking it in, can it?" Murdock grinned, then turned to follow Face into the house.
BA sighed and followed behind.
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
At a gesture from Face, Murdock stopped. "They know you're coming," Face warned. "Get out, now!"
BA barely stopped in time to avoid colliding with Murdock. Before the big man could complain, Murdock shook his head vehemently and gestured for them to move back toward the door.
They were almost out when a blond man stepped out in front of them and pointed a gun at BA's chest.
"So kind of you to come visit, Captain," Joshua sneered. "You are going to pay for ruining our plans."
"No, you gonna pay for murdering our friend!" BA retorted.
As his other goons came into the front hall, Joshua laughed. "I hardly believe you are in the position to make threats." He turned to Murdock. "Are you ready for another of your friends to die? Just because of what you did to ruin our plans?"
Face spoke, "Now, Murdock, you know it's not..."
Ignoring Face, Murdock glared at Joshua, his voice cold. "It's not my fault that you are a murderer. I *will* kill you for what you did to Face. If I have to come back from the grave to get you, I will, and you will suffer so horribly you'll be begging me to kill you."
Face was speechless, and even BA appeared shocked.
Everyone was silent for a moment, then the silence was broken by gunfire. Murdock and BA ducked and ran toward the back, where Hannibal was giving them cover. "All of you, drop your guns, NOW!" the Colonel ordered.
BA and Murdock reached Hannibal, then pulled out their own weapons to encourage Joshua and his men to drop theirs.
The men did so, and Murdock moved forward to grab the guns, staring coldly at Joshua. The blond man's eyes shifted to look behind Murdock for a moment, then smiled.
"Mur--!" Face's shout was cut off as a gunshot echoed in the air and Murdock felt a burning, ripping sensation through his chest.
"MURDOCK!" he heard three voices cry at once. Turning as he fell, he saw the kid pilot, Jeremy. He was standing in a part of the hallway where Hannibal and BA couldn't have seen him.
Face knelt down beside him with a look of horror. Murdock heard shots in the background, but could only pay attention to Face, who was muttering, "I'm so sorry, Murdock, I should have seen him, it's all my fault..."
And then he heard no more.
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
Murdock awoke abruptly and looked around his room. Why was he back at the VA? Wait a minute... He stood quickly and yelled out his door. "What day is it? Hey!" he spoke to a nurse walking by, "What's today's date?"
"The twentieth of April," she stated calmly, used to much more nonsensical questions after working in a psychiatric ward for some time. "Now, Mr. Murdock, please stop yelling, it's still quiet hours."
Murdock's eyes widened, and he began pacing his room. If it was the twentieth... that meant nothing in the past few days had happened... It was all a dream... going to Hawaii, Face being dead... He gasped and ran to his phone. He quickly dialed a number and held his breath as it rang.
After the third ring, he heard a grumbled, "Yeah?"
"Face!" Murdock shouted joyfully, then quieted down so the nurse wouldn't come back and yell at him. "You're alive!" he whispered vehemently.
Face groaned. "Murdock, you call me at five thirty in the morning to tell me I'm alive?"
Murdock heard a groggy BA in the background asking why 'the fool' was calling. Realizing he'd awoken both his friends, he was immediately apologetic. "Oh, sorry, Faceman. I, uh..."
"Wait--" Face interrupted. "Did you just wake up from a weird dream?"
Murdock didn't reply for a moment. "Well, not all that *weird*, I could tell you about some of my other dreams, but it was, well..."
"About my death?" Face supplied. "And my ghost coming back to help you and the guys catch Joshua and them again? And then you..."
Murdock nodded shakily. "Uh, yeah. You had the same dream, didn't you." It was more a statement than a question.
"Yeah."
There was a moment of silence.
"So you wanna come with me to Hawaii?" Murdock asked.
"Of course!" Face exclaimed.
"After we make sure that Joshua and his goons are still locked up?" Just in case.
"Definitely."
"Facey?" Murdock asked hesitantly.
"Yeah, Murdock?"
"It was still all my fault."
"MURDOCK!" Face sounded exasperated.
"It was," Murdock insisted.
"Was not," Face replied.
"Was."
"Was not."
"Was." Murdock felt a smile forming on his lips.
"Was not." From the tone of voice, Face was smiling as well.
Murdock heard a BA's voice in the voice in the background grumbling, "Tell the fool to shut up, and whatever it is, it was not."
"BA says--" Face began to relay the message.
"I heard," Murdock said with a grin.
"See? BA's usually ready to blame you for anything, and even he knows it wasn't your fault."
"Was," Murdock replied gleefully.
"Now you're just doing this to be annoying," Face complained.
"Was."
"I'm going to sleep now, Murdock."
"Was."
"Goodbye, Murdock." There was a click as Face hung up the phone.
"Was," Murdock spoke once more into the receiver, then hung up.
finis
Some final notes:
1 - Yes, I realize that the scene with BA telling Hannibal kind of couldn't exist in a dream that Murdock and Face had. Well, they could always dream they weren't themselves, right? Oh, well. I felt like leaving it in anyway. :)
2 - Originally, I was going to have the team get the bad guys and have it all okay except for Face being dead, so you could choose whether to stop there with it only a little sad or continue on to the overused "It was just a dream." However, I made the mistake of letting my characters do their own thing... so I didn't see Jeremy standing there, until he shot Murdock. It's not my fault! So unless you don't care that half the team is dead, you can just put up with the cheesy "just a dream" ending. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own the A-Team, if I did season 5 would have been way better. :) I do this for fun, please don't sue.
Rated PG-13 for some language and violence.
Thanks to Tori Sakana for help on the last scene!
1 Wheel of Misfortune
by ReySolo
Face looked down at his suit. No hole. He put his hand to his abdomen, and felt no pain. 'No, I can't be,' he thought. 'I'm... dead?'
He looked around. He stood on a beach, with women in bikinis running across the sand. 'Well, looks like I'm in the right place to be, though I have no idea how I ended up here...'
Face walked up to a group of young ladies rubbing sun block on each other. "Uh, excuse me, ladies, I'm new here, and..."
None of the three responded to him in any way whatsoever. "Um, hello?" He reached out to tap the nearest girl on the shoulder...
...And gasped as his hand went right through her. Waving his arms around, he found that his arms moved through all three of the girls as if they were thin air.
"No, no, no..." he whimpered to himself. Either he was dreaming... or he didn't get past those pearly gates after all.
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
"HM, I'm gonna go change into my swimsuit so we can play in the surf, okay?"
Murdock sat in the lawn chair overlooking the surf and grinned at Jody Joy. "Sure, Hun. Hurry back!"
He watched her walk across the beach toward their hotel room, then turned back, his eyes catching on a familiar figure. "Faceman?" He stood and walked across the beach. "Faceyman, what are you doing here?" He grinned at his friend, hoping his question was taken as the surprise it was instead of accusation. He'd felt bad that he took Jody Joy instead of his best friend along on his newly-won trip to Hawaii, but she'd helped him out a lot during his kidnapping and the surrounding events. Besides, Murdock spent a lot of time with the team on missions anyway, and rarely had any time for a love life like Face got all the time. But if Face had managed to scam his own ticket, maybe his friend wouldn't feel as bad and they could spend some time together, too.
Face didn't appear as happy as Murdock would expect if he were truly joining in the vacation. In fact, he appeared somewhat distraught. "Murdock! You--you can see me?"
"Well, yeah, I can see you. What'd'ya expect? Whatcha doin' here, anyway? Are the others with you? Nah, there's no way you'd get the ugly mudsucka on a plane, and Hannibal's still in Rio, isn't he?" He took in his friend's troubled features. "Faceman, what's wrong?"
He saw his friend hesitate. "I, uh, I think I'm dead."
Murdock gave a sympathetic grin. "What'd you do this time? Trick BA into getting on the plane? Mess up Hannibal's chances with those twins he was hanging out with?" He half turned back toward his lawn chair, reaching out to put a hand on his friend's shoulder. When he felt nothing, he turned back. "What's...?" He gasped as he saw his arm sticking right through Face's chest. He looked back up at his friend's forlorn expression. "Faceman, wh-wh-what do you mean you're dead?" he demanded, suddenly serious.
Face looked at him intently. "I mean the last thing I remember before standing on this beach is lying on the ground bleeding with a knife in my side. Now I'm standing here unable to touch anything or anyone. I think that means I'm dead." He gave a humorless chuckle. "Well, at least you're here, and you're not dead, so that probably means I'm just stuck in the land of the living instead of in hell where I thought I was."
Murdock shook his head jerkily. "No, no, you're not dead--Face isn't dead. You're just a figment of my imagination, aren't you? Stop messing with my head, here. Billy's more real than you are." He closed his eyes to shut out the image of his friend.
"Murdock... Murdock, look at me, dammit!" Face's voice demanded.
Murdock opened his eyes, trying to keep an accusative look on his face to hide his fear.
"If you don't believe me, call my place, or my 'Vette, or BA's van. I won't be there, and BA won't be able to find me. Unless..." The image of Face swallowed. "Unless they decide to dump my body there as a message to you..." His eyes lit up in alarm. "Murdock, you've gotta be careful, they're looking for you, they want you dead, too..."
Murdock glared at the image of his friend. "I'll call, and Face'll answer the phone, and say everything's goin' hunky-dory, except that he wishes he were here in Hawaii right now instead of sitting around watching football with BA. And he'll ask if I'm okay, and I'll say 'Sure, except I'm hallucinating your ghost here, but there's no problem now,' and then you'll disappear, okay?"
The Face mirage sighed, looking resigned. "Just call, okay, Murdock? If everything's fine there, I promise I'll leave. But if it's not, you'll listen to me, okay?"
Murdock nodded, but continued to glare at the image. "Deal."
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
Standing in a phone booth with his friend's image beside him, Murdock called Face's scammed apartment first, but hung up after six rings. He then tried the phone in Face's Corvette. When no one answered there, he tried the van. On the third ring, he heard BA's voice, "Lou's delivery."
"Hey, big guy, it's me. Is Face there?" Murdock asked while looking the image of Face straight in the eye.
"Nah, he's at the apartment, why?" BA asked.
"I just called there, and there was no answer. You sure he's there?" Murdock was getting more nervous, but tried to remain optimistic.
There was a pause before BA responded again. "Could've gone somewhere in his 'Vette, don't know where, though. Seemed like he didn't really have plans for the next two weeks..."
Murdock felt a sting of guilt at that statement. "I, uh, tried calling the 'Vette, too. But if he went somewhere he wouldn't be in the car the whole time..."
"Why you lookin' for him so hard, fool?" BA was starting to sound a little confused, with a bit of concern.
"I just got a, a hunch, that's all." Murdock looked at Face's image staring pointedly back at him. "But... BA?"
A sigh was heard from BA. "You want me to go check and see if he's okay?"
Murdock nodded, though he realized BA couldn't see it. "Yeah, could you? It's not that I... Well, Face is free to go wherever he wants, but..."
"Yeah, Faceman can take care of himself, Murdock, but if it'll make you feel better, I'll head there right away and call you back in about fifteen minutes."
Murdock sighed. "Thanks, BA. But, uh, I'm at a payphone, maybe I should just call you there in twenty minutes?"
"All right. I'm sure Face is fine, fool. Call there in twenty minutes and I'll let you know for sure." BA hung up.
Murdock hung up and looked forlornly at his friend's image. He still refused to accept it as his friend's ghost. "I'm gonna call Face's place again in twenty minutes; BA'll be there and tell me if Faceman left a note or something about where he was going."
The image of Face sighed. "Murdock, I didn't leave a note when they *kidnapped* me. If he finds a note, it'll be from those goons, and it won't say everything's going fine."
Murdock raised his eyebrows. "If you say so. So, if you really are Face's ghost, who was it who... took you, anyway?" The question was stated calmly, but with a thinly veiled interrogation-like quality behind it.
Face's voice answered just as calmly. "It was those guys who kidnapped you from the VA, to rob the casino. The leader said his name was Joshua, I think. They escaped from the cops, and they want revenge on you, Murdock. You have to be careful."
Murdock thought for a moment. "They want revenge on me, so they took you? Does that mean Jody Joy might be in trouble, too?" As much as he wanted to avoid this line of thought, it needed to be considered.
The image looked pensive. "They didn't mention anything about her specifically. Yeah, I think that if she gets in the way they won't have any problem just killing her, but they aren't after her, they're after you."
"Then I should stay away from her?" Murdock reasoned.
Face's visage appeared concerned. "Maybe, but don't go off alone, Murdock. Go back to BA, and get Hannibal. They can protect you."
"Like they protected you?" Murdock asked, still trying hard not to give in yet.
"They didn't know, Murdock!" Face sounded distraught. "But now you know about the danger, you can avoid it, but you need their help."
Resigned, Murdock nodded. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jody Joy walking back out to the beach. She looked around the area where he'd been sitting.
Murdock glanced at his friend's image, then walked over to her. The Face image followed silently. "Jody, uh, there might be a problem." She looked up, concerned. "My friends could be in trouble, I might have to go back to LA."
"But what about--?" she began to protest.
He interrupted. "You can stay here, finish up the trip and the money and everything. There's no reason for you to get involved."
Jody looked almost pouty. "It won't be anything exciting that I'll miss out on will it?" she asked.
He pondered how to answer. "Jody Joy, I won't do anything that you want to be involved in, okay? I don't even know if I'm going yet, I have to call BA back in a few minutes. Then I'll come tell you what I'll be doing, okay?"
She reluctantly agreed, and he headed back to the payphone, Face's image following behind him.
They stood in silence for the last few minutes before Murdock called Face's apartment again. This time the phone was picked up after the first ring. "Yeah?" BA's voice sounded strange, tight.
"Well, what did you find?" Murdock asked impatiently.
"I found Face." There was a pause. "He's dead, Murdock..."
Murdock barely felt the phone drop from limp fingers as he slid down the side of the phone booth. No. It couldn't be. Face was... He looked up at what he knew now to be his friend's ghost. "I'm so sorry," he whimpered. "It's my fault. It's all my fault. I let them kill you. Oh, God, Face..." He began to sob as Face crouched down beside him.
"Murdock... Murdock... Murdock!" he spoke quietly but firmly until Murdock looked up at him. "It is NOT your fault. None of it. Now," Face gestured to the phone dangling from its cord. "You'd better talk to BA before he starts to get REALLY freaked out..."
Murdock nodded and stood slowly, sniffling as he spoke into the phone to a frantic-sounding BA, "I'm here."
"Fool, don't do that to me! With Faceman..." BA seemed unwilling to say the word again. "And this note they left..."
"Note, what note?" Murdock asked. Face stood with his ear near the phone so he could hear what BA said as well.
"I found a note next to the bod--Face. It says, 'You're next, Captain Murdock. Just give yourself up before someone else you care about gets hurt.' It's signed 'Joshua'--those guys who wanted you to help them rob the casino?"
Murdock swallowed. "I..." He looked to Face for guidance.
BA spoke again. "Just get a plane back here ASAP, Murdock. I'll pick you up from the airport, and I'll get Hannibal back here, too."
"Hannibal doesn't--?" Murdock began.
"No, I didn't call him yet. Damn, I don't want to have to..."
"I can call him," Murdock suggested quietly, hoping BA didn't take him up on the offer.
BA seemed to sense that. "No, you just get yourself a ticket back and let me know when to pick you up. We're gonna protect you, understand? These sons of bitches ain't gonna hurt another one of my friends."
Murdock felt a tear slide down his cheek as he said, "I'll call you soon," and hung up.
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
"Mr. Smith, phone for you..." A man handed Hannibal the phone, and Hannibal freed one arm from the twins draped over him to reach it.
"Yeah?" he asked, not happy to be interrupted on his vacation... er, work.
"Colonel, you gotta get back here," BA commanded.
Hannibal frowned, too busy thinking about the girls beside him to notice the strange tone in his friend's voice. "Look, I told you guys, BA, the photo shoot got extended two weeks, I want to make the most of it..."
"Are you sitting down?"
At that question, Hannibal felt all thoughts of women flee and his heart leapt into his throat. "Why, what's wrong?" he asked.
He heard a sigh and a pause on the other end. "Hannibal... Faceman's dead."
Hannibal froze. His eyes shut, and he rocked back on his heels, though he managed to remain standing. Maggie and Lauren, seeing his expression, tried to comfort him by massaging his back, but he waved them off. "How?" was all he could ask.
There was a hesitation. "Those guys who grabbed Murdock a week ago, they... Look, Hannibal, you gotta get back here, the fool might be in danger too, plus he'll be blaming himself for this..."
Sighing, Hannibal replied, "Okay, I'll get a flight back as soon as I can. Does he know yet?"
"Yeah. Didn't take it too well, though I guess I wouldn't expect him to," BA told him.
"Do authorities know, are they gonna be crawlin' all over looking for us?" Hannibal asked.
"No, the bastards left his body in our apartment so I'd find him when I got home."
Hannibal's voice hardened. "We're gonna get these bastards, BA, and they're going to pay."
BA's voice carried the same vehemence. "Oh, they gonna pay, all right."
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
It took Murdock a while to get a flight back, since he had to fly standby. As he waited, he paced back and forth in the airport, flashing Face depressed glances.
Once aboard, he spent a good portion of the flight talking to his friend's ghost in the airplane's lavatory, to avoid strange looks from other passengers. Murdock had to wonder how Face, in ghost form, could not touch anything, yet did not fall through the floor of the plane, or the ground on the beach earlier for that matter. When he posed the question to his friend, the matter was not resolved.
"How should I know, Murdock? I've never exactly been dead before... Though I can say that when I was alive, I had a very remarkable experience in one of these, and I wasn't alone then either..." Face smiled in remembrance.
Murdock looked at his friend, aghast. "Faceman, you can't mean that you've engaged in sexual activity in an airline lavatory? Why, that's against FAA regulations!"
Face sighed. "Murdock, every time you've flown a plane since your license was revoked was against regulations, and very seldom does anything else we do with the aircraft actually follow any rules in any way!"
The pilot shrugged, looking suitably abashed.
Face grinned. "Besides, you should have seen this girl's..."
Murdock shook his head and rolled his eyes, opening the door to go back to his seat.
"Wait, Murdock! Don't you want to hear about... ah, never mind..."
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
BA picked Murdock up from the airport, but neither said much for the entire ride back to the apartment. When they arrived, Hannibal was on the couch, talking on the phone. "Well, call us if you find out more," he said, and hung up. "I'm working on getting an explanation for how the hell those guys broke out so soon, and where they might be now."
Murdock nodded. After a pause, he asked, "Where is he?"
Hannibal and BA exchanged a glance. "His bedroom," Hannibal answered, "But are you sure--?"
"I gotta see him," Murdock stated stubbornly, and glanced to his friend's ghost still standing beside him. Would Face follow him to see his own dead body?
Face seemed to know what Murdock was thinking. He shook his head. "Nah, uh, I think I'll stay out here," he said, obviously shaken by the idea.
Murdock didn't react visibly. He and Face had discussed many things on the plane, and both decided it would be better if Hannibal and BA didn't know that Face was still somewhat with them. It was likely that they would both just assume Murdock had just gone over the edge after his friend's death; and though they could probably prove otherwise, it was not worth the time required and the added stress it would cause for all.
Murdock slowly entered the bedroom, BA following behind to offer support if the sight was too much for him. Strangely, though, it did not affect him as much as he'd expected. The murderers had placed Face's body on the floor there after death, so there was not a great deal of blood. Someone had lain him so that Face appeared to be sleeping, except that he was far too pale and motionless. Murdock looked down at the body solemnly, then exited the room, barely giving BA a glance.
"It's all my fault," Murdock stated as he entered the main room.
As Hannibal and BA exchanged glances again, Face sighed. "Murdock, we've been over this..." He trailed off as Hannibal began to speak.
"Murdock, this is in no way your fault. You didn't tell those guys to grab Face, you didn't ask them to kidnap you before, and you did not kill Face."
BA agreed. "Yeah, fool, this ain't your fault. And they want you, too, so you gotta focus on stayin' alive 'stead of blamin' yourself."
As Face nodded at their words, Murdock shook his head in disbelief. "I didn't bring him with me to Hawaii, and when they found out I wasn't here they took Faceman instead. If I had invited him..."
"If you had invited him," Hannibal countered, "Maybe they would have grabbed one of us instead. Maybe they'd have gone after you to Hawaii, and killed both of you. 'What if's never accomplish anything, Murdock. You had no way of knowing they'd even escaped."
Murdock was still stubbornly holding onto the blame. "But it's still my fault he was here, Hannibal. I went to Hawaii and invited a girl I'd known for mere days, instead of bringing my best friend. How could I do that?"
"Captain, Face of all people could not blame you for that. Yes, he was jealous, but what do you think he would have done under the same circumstances?" Hannibal pointed out.
Murdock wanted to get mad at that remark, but he saw the guilty expression Face wore. "Yeah, I'd probably have done the same thing, Murdock," his friend gently replied. "We're guys, it's Hawaii, not exactly the place to go with another man, you know?"
The pilot nodded, giving in a bit. BA and Hannibal exchanged glances, both sensing that their friend was finally starting to believe he wasn't to blame. Face smiled.
"Now we gotta make sure the crazy fool is safe, and put those slimeballs who are responsible away for good," BA changed the subject.
Hannibal nodded. "We're gonna get them." He grinned. "I've got a plan."
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
When Hannibal was done explaining his plan, the room was silent for a moment. Well, not totally silent. Only Murdock could hear Face ranting, "That's a terrible plan! The front door scenario again? I don't want the rest of you getting killed, too. Come on, Murdock, tell him his plan sucks."
BA grimaced. "It's not the same without Faceman here to say the Colonel's plan sucks."
Hannibal sighed. "Yeah, I gotta admit I was expecting that, too."
"See? He knows it's a terrible plan! And he's gonna do it anyway!" Face complained.
"Well, Colonel," Murdock began, "I do see one way we could make the plan better. I, uh, I've been teaching Billy to do sign language, you know, with his ears," he held up his hands near his head as if to demonstrate, "He can go check out the place before we go in, and tell us if it's safe." He glanced toward Face, who grinned as he realized what his part was to be.
BA and Hannibal exchanged worried glances. "Murdock, the dog don't exist, he ain't gonna help us," BA stated firmly.
Hannibal shook his head slightly. Murdock could tell his commander was worried that he might be closer to the edge of true insanity due to the loss of his best friend. "Okay, Captain, Billy can help, but make sure you're on the lookout, too; Billy might not see everything."
Murdock nodded. He knew Face was definitely going to be keeping his eyes open plenty, but the Colonel wanted reassurance that Murdock was up to this. And if this meant catching the bastard's who had killed Face, he was more than up to it.
"All right, we wait for my contacts to get me the rest of the information we need, then we move out," Hannibal ordered.
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
"There's somebody coming, wait two minutes," Face called to Murdock.
"BA, wait," Murdock whispered to his friend, who was starting toward the house. "Billy says it's not safe to go in yet. Someone's coming to the door."
"There ain't no dog, fool!" BA grumbled back, turning toward Murdock and back under the cover of the bushes. "And if there were, he wouldn't do sign language with his ears, anyhow. So quiet your jibber jabber and cover me..."
Just as BA was about to step out from behind the bushes again, the door not fifty feet away opened, and a man reached down for the newspaper and walked back in.
Murdock just raised his eyebrows in a way that clearly stated, "I told you so." Aloud, he retorted, "Now you're gonna listen to me when Billy gives a warning."
BA looked shocked for a second, then his expression switched back to a glare. "So can we go in now?" he asked impatiently.
Murdock glanced over at Face, who was nodding and gesturing them forward. "Yup, Billy gives the all clear," Murdock replied cheerfully.
They moved toward the house and took positions on either side of the door, and waited for Hannibal's signal.
Suddenly a loud explosion was heard from the back of the house.
"There's Hannibal's signal," Murdock stated, and BA moved into position to break down the door. At a suggestion from Face, Murdock protested, "Wait!"
"What now, fool?" BA looked exasperated.
Murdock reached out and turned the doorknob. It opened.
BA glared at the door, then at Murdock. "Don't tell me that was Billy."
"Well, can't hurt to check to see if it's locked before breaking it in, can it?" Murdock grinned, then turned to follow Face into the house.
BA sighed and followed behind.
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
At a gesture from Face, Murdock stopped. "They know you're coming," Face warned. "Get out, now!"
BA barely stopped in time to avoid colliding with Murdock. Before the big man could complain, Murdock shook his head vehemently and gestured for them to move back toward the door.
They were almost out when a blond man stepped out in front of them and pointed a gun at BA's chest.
"So kind of you to come visit, Captain," Joshua sneered. "You are going to pay for ruining our plans."
"No, you gonna pay for murdering our friend!" BA retorted.
As his other goons came into the front hall, Joshua laughed. "I hardly believe you are in the position to make threats." He turned to Murdock. "Are you ready for another of your friends to die? Just because of what you did to ruin our plans?"
Face spoke, "Now, Murdock, you know it's not..."
Ignoring Face, Murdock glared at Joshua, his voice cold. "It's not my fault that you are a murderer. I *will* kill you for what you did to Face. If I have to come back from the grave to get you, I will, and you will suffer so horribly you'll be begging me to kill you."
Face was speechless, and even BA appeared shocked.
Everyone was silent for a moment, then the silence was broken by gunfire. Murdock and BA ducked and ran toward the back, where Hannibal was giving them cover. "All of you, drop your guns, NOW!" the Colonel ordered.
BA and Murdock reached Hannibal, then pulled out their own weapons to encourage Joshua and his men to drop theirs.
The men did so, and Murdock moved forward to grab the guns, staring coldly at Joshua. The blond man's eyes shifted to look behind Murdock for a moment, then smiled.
"Mur--!" Face's shout was cut off as a gunshot echoed in the air and Murdock felt a burning, ripping sensation through his chest.
"MURDOCK!" he heard three voices cry at once. Turning as he fell, he saw the kid pilot, Jeremy. He was standing in a part of the hallway where Hannibal and BA couldn't have seen him.
Face knelt down beside him with a look of horror. Murdock heard shots in the background, but could only pay attention to Face, who was muttering, "I'm so sorry, Murdock, I should have seen him, it's all my fault..."
And then he heard no more.
*@*@*@*@*@*@*
Murdock awoke abruptly and looked around his room. Why was he back at the VA? Wait a minute... He stood quickly and yelled out his door. "What day is it? Hey!" he spoke to a nurse walking by, "What's today's date?"
"The twentieth of April," she stated calmly, used to much more nonsensical questions after working in a psychiatric ward for some time. "Now, Mr. Murdock, please stop yelling, it's still quiet hours."
Murdock's eyes widened, and he began pacing his room. If it was the twentieth... that meant nothing in the past few days had happened... It was all a dream... going to Hawaii, Face being dead... He gasped and ran to his phone. He quickly dialed a number and held his breath as it rang.
After the third ring, he heard a grumbled, "Yeah?"
"Face!" Murdock shouted joyfully, then quieted down so the nurse wouldn't come back and yell at him. "You're alive!" he whispered vehemently.
Face groaned. "Murdock, you call me at five thirty in the morning to tell me I'm alive?"
Murdock heard a groggy BA in the background asking why 'the fool' was calling. Realizing he'd awoken both his friends, he was immediately apologetic. "Oh, sorry, Faceman. I, uh..."
"Wait--" Face interrupted. "Did you just wake up from a weird dream?"
Murdock didn't reply for a moment. "Well, not all that *weird*, I could tell you about some of my other dreams, but it was, well..."
"About my death?" Face supplied. "And my ghost coming back to help you and the guys catch Joshua and them again? And then you..."
Murdock nodded shakily. "Uh, yeah. You had the same dream, didn't you." It was more a statement than a question.
"Yeah."
There was a moment of silence.
"So you wanna come with me to Hawaii?" Murdock asked.
"Of course!" Face exclaimed.
"After we make sure that Joshua and his goons are still locked up?" Just in case.
"Definitely."
"Facey?" Murdock asked hesitantly.
"Yeah, Murdock?"
"It was still all my fault."
"MURDOCK!" Face sounded exasperated.
"It was," Murdock insisted.
"Was not," Face replied.
"Was."
"Was not."
"Was." Murdock felt a smile forming on his lips.
"Was not." From the tone of voice, Face was smiling as well.
Murdock heard a BA's voice in the voice in the background grumbling, "Tell the fool to shut up, and whatever it is, it was not."
"BA says--" Face began to relay the message.
"I heard," Murdock said with a grin.
"See? BA's usually ready to blame you for anything, and even he knows it wasn't your fault."
"Was," Murdock replied gleefully.
"Now you're just doing this to be annoying," Face complained.
"Was."
"I'm going to sleep now, Murdock."
"Was."
"Goodbye, Murdock." There was a click as Face hung up the phone.
"Was," Murdock spoke once more into the receiver, then hung up.
finis
Some final notes:
1 - Yes, I realize that the scene with BA telling Hannibal kind of couldn't exist in a dream that Murdock and Face had. Well, they could always dream they weren't themselves, right? Oh, well. I felt like leaving it in anyway. :)
2 - Originally, I was going to have the team get the bad guys and have it all okay except for Face being dead, so you could choose whether to stop there with it only a little sad or continue on to the overused "It was just a dream." However, I made the mistake of letting my characters do their own thing... so I didn't see Jeremy standing there, until he shot Murdock. It's not my fault! So unless you don't care that half the team is dead, you can just put up with the cheesy "just a dream" ending. :)