CHAPTER SIX
The voice on the other end of the intercom was composed and self-assured, not at all what Michael had been expecting.
'Ah Mr Murdock, I've been expecting you.' There was a note of arrogance in the man's tone and Michael was taken completely by surprise. He'd never imagined that Stockwell would know who he was much less that he was looking for him.
The door buzzed and Michael opened it and went through into a spacious hall. A man approached him. 'Sir, if you'd like to follow me, the General is waiting for you.'
Michael swallowed hard and nodded. The man executed a sharp turn and walked off leaving Michael no other choice but to do as he was told. All his confidence had leaked away, he realised now that this was not going to be about him confronting Stockwell but rather about Stockwell confronting him.
The man in front of him, clearly some kind of guard, walked at a steady pace up stairs and round corridors. For something that didn't look much on the outside, Stockwell's home was one big maze inside. Already Michael was lost, desperately trying to remember landmarks for when he wanted to leave.
The guard stopped before a set of double doors and without saying another word to Michael, he turned and walked away. Michael straightened his cap, tugged on his jacket and pushed open the door.
The man seated behind the large desk that dominated much of the room was as much of a surprise to Michael as everything else so far had been. He was older than Michael had expected him to be, closer to Hannibal's age, whereas Michael had so far thought him to be the same age as his father.
But one look at the man told him that he was indeed a General, his whole bearing screamed out that one fact. Michael would have known that Hunt Stockwell held some sort of high rank just by looking at him, even if he had not known before. He'd been around enough army buddies of his Dad's to be able to stop a military man a mile off, especially those who were higher up the ranks.
He stepped forward into the room; feeling strangely underdressed though he had no idea why. Stockwell's eyes were piercing and he said nothing as Michael approached the desk, just watched him carefully. He was well- dressed and Michael got the feeling that here was a man that you did not want to cross. For the first time he wondered if he was doing the right thing, if maybe talking to Stockwell would only make matters worse instead of better. If maybe the answers that he so badly needed were not really answers at all.
Stockwell rose and walked round the desk towards Michael. He held out his hand towards Michael. 'General Hunt Stockwell.'
Michael took the hand and shook it even though he really didn't want to. 'I'm M.'
'Michael Jonathon Murdock. Yes I know.'
Michael was unable to keep the curiosity from his face and Stockwell gave a low chuckle. 'Never mind how I know, you came here for a reason.'
Michael wasn't sure how to begin; this man seemed to know more about what he was thinking than he did. 'I.yes I did, you worked with my father, I want to know what happened, and I want answers.'
Stockwell smiled a shrewd smile and leaned on the edge of the desk. 'First let me make you aware of one important fact. I didn't work for your father, he worked for me. And as for answers, for me to give you any answers at all you have to know what the questions are. And I don't think you really do. Let me ask you something, if you want these 'answers' so badly, why come to me? Why not ask him?'
Michael looked at him and his gaze hardened. 'Because I want the truth.'
Stockwell raised one eyebrow and the smile that curved about his lips seemed suddenly less cruel. 'I see and you don't believe that he will tell you the truth.'
'I know he won't. He hasn't so far.' There was a hard note of anger and betrayal Michael's voice.
'What makes you so sure that I hold all the answers Michael?'
Michael smiled tightly. 'Because he wants me to stay away, if you couldn't tell me anything he wouldn't care if I came here or not.'
Stockwell nodded, still studying Michael very carefully. 'You look a lot like him. Are you close?'
Michael hesitated, remembering all the times he'd gone flying with his father, ball games and a hundred other things. 'We used to be.' He said finally, aware that he was now washing his hands clean of any relationship he might have had with his father.
'I see. Why are you really here Michael? What do you think I can provide?'
The intercom on the desk buzzed before Michael could answer.
*** Even Nicky had to agree that Maria drove like a maniac though he had to admit that this was what came of having his father teaching anyone to do anything. Murdock drove like he flew, crazy. And now Maria apparently thought that this was the way everyone drove; by trying to kill themselves. Nicky made a mental note to teach his father to drive properly, Maria wasn't even attempting to jump over things in her 'vette. The BA Baracus way was the much better way to drive; thank God BA had taught him to drive properly, now if only Maria would give him the wheel.
'MARIA!' Emily yelled from the back seat. 'Slow down!'
Maria didn't appear to hear her and kept on driving like a bat out of hell. She jammed on the brakes in front of the address that she'd got from her brother and Nicky and Emily both breathed a sigh of relief.
Nick glared at her. 'I drive on the way back!'
Maria just shrugged. 'You said you wanted to get here before your dad. We're here before them, just. Now stop complaining and let's go get Mike.'
Emily got out of the car and tried not to collapse onto the pavement. She'd been hanging on with dear life throughout the whole white knuckle ride, she'd wanted to get to her brother as fast as possible but she'd been hoping to get there in one piece.
Nick slammed the door and headed for the front door. He jammed his finger on the intercom button and held it there. 'Yes?' A voice said on the other end and Emily felt a shiver go down her spine, she just knew that the person who was talking was Stockwell.
'I'm Michael's brother, Nicky. I want to see him.' He demanded. Maria yanked him away from the intercom.
'General.' She said instantly slipping into persuasive mode. 'We'd really like to see him, obviously we appreciate that you must be a very busy man, and we don't want to take up much of your time. We're here for the same reason Michael is and we'd like to talk to you as well. If you could just spare us a few minutes.'
Stockwell sounded amused. 'By all means.' The door buzzed and Maria pulled it open, glaring at Nick.
'You didn't have to be like that, he could have refused to let us in.'
He just shrugged at her. 'Then we'd have gone in the back way. Come on Maria, our parents didn't teach us all that stealth stuff for nothing.'
'Actually our parents didn't teach us it at all Nicky.' Emily said. 'You just watch too many James Bond movies.'
Her brother just grinned. 'Same thing.'
As they stepped into the entrance a man greeted them. 'If you'll follow me, the General is waiting.'
Nick grinned and whispered to them. 'Wow, Stockwell has his very own Igor. Wonder if he's got a coffin hidden in the basement.'
'Nick.' Maria said sharply, following the guard.
Nick sighed. 'No one appreciates my sense of humour.' He muttered and shut up. As he and the others followed the guard, he wondered if this had been such a good idea. Sure he wanted to make sure Mike didn't do anything stupid but maybe bringing the girls along hadn't been such a smart move. His dad sure was gonna be mad when he found out about this.
*** BA followed Brandon's van carefully until it drew up beside the house Stockwell was living in. Instantly Brandon, Johnny and Danny were out of the van and throwing open the door.
Murdock, BA, Hannibal and Face got out too and rushed for the door but just as Danny slipped inside the door slammed shut; Murdock grabbed for the handle and yanked on it. The door didn't move, a frustrated howl escaped his lips. 'No! Come on open!'
Hannibal punched the intercom button. 'Stockwell!' He said. 'Open up!'
Stockwell's voice came through the intercom sounding extremely pleased with himself. 'I'm sorry Colonel, I'm afraid that simply isn't possible.'
Murdock jumped forward. 'Stockwell!' He bellowed. 'You open this door right now!'
'I'm sorry Captain, I sincerely regret that I can't hold a reunion with you today but I'm afraid I have business to attend to. Your son really is an interesting young man.'
Murdock jabbed the button angrily. 'STOCKWELL!' There was no reply.
He looked round at his friends, the kids were inside and they were stuck here on the outside without a way in.
The voice on the other end of the intercom was composed and self-assured, not at all what Michael had been expecting.
'Ah Mr Murdock, I've been expecting you.' There was a note of arrogance in the man's tone and Michael was taken completely by surprise. He'd never imagined that Stockwell would know who he was much less that he was looking for him.
The door buzzed and Michael opened it and went through into a spacious hall. A man approached him. 'Sir, if you'd like to follow me, the General is waiting for you.'
Michael swallowed hard and nodded. The man executed a sharp turn and walked off leaving Michael no other choice but to do as he was told. All his confidence had leaked away, he realised now that this was not going to be about him confronting Stockwell but rather about Stockwell confronting him.
The man in front of him, clearly some kind of guard, walked at a steady pace up stairs and round corridors. For something that didn't look much on the outside, Stockwell's home was one big maze inside. Already Michael was lost, desperately trying to remember landmarks for when he wanted to leave.
The guard stopped before a set of double doors and without saying another word to Michael, he turned and walked away. Michael straightened his cap, tugged on his jacket and pushed open the door.
The man seated behind the large desk that dominated much of the room was as much of a surprise to Michael as everything else so far had been. He was older than Michael had expected him to be, closer to Hannibal's age, whereas Michael had so far thought him to be the same age as his father.
But one look at the man told him that he was indeed a General, his whole bearing screamed out that one fact. Michael would have known that Hunt Stockwell held some sort of high rank just by looking at him, even if he had not known before. He'd been around enough army buddies of his Dad's to be able to stop a military man a mile off, especially those who were higher up the ranks.
He stepped forward into the room; feeling strangely underdressed though he had no idea why. Stockwell's eyes were piercing and he said nothing as Michael approached the desk, just watched him carefully. He was well- dressed and Michael got the feeling that here was a man that you did not want to cross. For the first time he wondered if he was doing the right thing, if maybe talking to Stockwell would only make matters worse instead of better. If maybe the answers that he so badly needed were not really answers at all.
Stockwell rose and walked round the desk towards Michael. He held out his hand towards Michael. 'General Hunt Stockwell.'
Michael took the hand and shook it even though he really didn't want to. 'I'm M.'
'Michael Jonathon Murdock. Yes I know.'
Michael was unable to keep the curiosity from his face and Stockwell gave a low chuckle. 'Never mind how I know, you came here for a reason.'
Michael wasn't sure how to begin; this man seemed to know more about what he was thinking than he did. 'I.yes I did, you worked with my father, I want to know what happened, and I want answers.'
Stockwell smiled a shrewd smile and leaned on the edge of the desk. 'First let me make you aware of one important fact. I didn't work for your father, he worked for me. And as for answers, for me to give you any answers at all you have to know what the questions are. And I don't think you really do. Let me ask you something, if you want these 'answers' so badly, why come to me? Why not ask him?'
Michael looked at him and his gaze hardened. 'Because I want the truth.'
Stockwell raised one eyebrow and the smile that curved about his lips seemed suddenly less cruel. 'I see and you don't believe that he will tell you the truth.'
'I know he won't. He hasn't so far.' There was a hard note of anger and betrayal Michael's voice.
'What makes you so sure that I hold all the answers Michael?'
Michael smiled tightly. 'Because he wants me to stay away, if you couldn't tell me anything he wouldn't care if I came here or not.'
Stockwell nodded, still studying Michael very carefully. 'You look a lot like him. Are you close?'
Michael hesitated, remembering all the times he'd gone flying with his father, ball games and a hundred other things. 'We used to be.' He said finally, aware that he was now washing his hands clean of any relationship he might have had with his father.
'I see. Why are you really here Michael? What do you think I can provide?'
The intercom on the desk buzzed before Michael could answer.
*** Even Nicky had to agree that Maria drove like a maniac though he had to admit that this was what came of having his father teaching anyone to do anything. Murdock drove like he flew, crazy. And now Maria apparently thought that this was the way everyone drove; by trying to kill themselves. Nicky made a mental note to teach his father to drive properly, Maria wasn't even attempting to jump over things in her 'vette. The BA Baracus way was the much better way to drive; thank God BA had taught him to drive properly, now if only Maria would give him the wheel.
'MARIA!' Emily yelled from the back seat. 'Slow down!'
Maria didn't appear to hear her and kept on driving like a bat out of hell. She jammed on the brakes in front of the address that she'd got from her brother and Nicky and Emily both breathed a sigh of relief.
Nick glared at her. 'I drive on the way back!'
Maria just shrugged. 'You said you wanted to get here before your dad. We're here before them, just. Now stop complaining and let's go get Mike.'
Emily got out of the car and tried not to collapse onto the pavement. She'd been hanging on with dear life throughout the whole white knuckle ride, she'd wanted to get to her brother as fast as possible but she'd been hoping to get there in one piece.
Nick slammed the door and headed for the front door. He jammed his finger on the intercom button and held it there. 'Yes?' A voice said on the other end and Emily felt a shiver go down her spine, she just knew that the person who was talking was Stockwell.
'I'm Michael's brother, Nicky. I want to see him.' He demanded. Maria yanked him away from the intercom.
'General.' She said instantly slipping into persuasive mode. 'We'd really like to see him, obviously we appreciate that you must be a very busy man, and we don't want to take up much of your time. We're here for the same reason Michael is and we'd like to talk to you as well. If you could just spare us a few minutes.'
Stockwell sounded amused. 'By all means.' The door buzzed and Maria pulled it open, glaring at Nick.
'You didn't have to be like that, he could have refused to let us in.'
He just shrugged at her. 'Then we'd have gone in the back way. Come on Maria, our parents didn't teach us all that stealth stuff for nothing.'
'Actually our parents didn't teach us it at all Nicky.' Emily said. 'You just watch too many James Bond movies.'
Her brother just grinned. 'Same thing.'
As they stepped into the entrance a man greeted them. 'If you'll follow me, the General is waiting.'
Nick grinned and whispered to them. 'Wow, Stockwell has his very own Igor. Wonder if he's got a coffin hidden in the basement.'
'Nick.' Maria said sharply, following the guard.
Nick sighed. 'No one appreciates my sense of humour.' He muttered and shut up. As he and the others followed the guard, he wondered if this had been such a good idea. Sure he wanted to make sure Mike didn't do anything stupid but maybe bringing the girls along hadn't been such a smart move. His dad sure was gonna be mad when he found out about this.
*** BA followed Brandon's van carefully until it drew up beside the house Stockwell was living in. Instantly Brandon, Johnny and Danny were out of the van and throwing open the door.
Murdock, BA, Hannibal and Face got out too and rushed for the door but just as Danny slipped inside the door slammed shut; Murdock grabbed for the handle and yanked on it. The door didn't move, a frustrated howl escaped his lips. 'No! Come on open!'
Hannibal punched the intercom button. 'Stockwell!' He said. 'Open up!'
Stockwell's voice came through the intercom sounding extremely pleased with himself. 'I'm sorry Colonel, I'm afraid that simply isn't possible.'
Murdock jumped forward. 'Stockwell!' He bellowed. 'You open this door right now!'
'I'm sorry Captain, I sincerely regret that I can't hold a reunion with you today but I'm afraid I have business to attend to. Your son really is an interesting young man.'
Murdock jabbed the button angrily. 'STOCKWELL!' There was no reply.
He looked round at his friends, the kids were inside and they were stuck here on the outside without a way in.
