CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Stockwell was still staring at Emily and she was staring back at him. The silence was almost too much to bear. She'd had enough, she wanted her father to get here and get her and the guys out and then she wanted to go home.

'You look a lot like your father.' He said in silken tones.

Emily rolled her eyes. 'And that's supposed to mean what? I'm not going to trust you ok; I trust most people but not you.'

The smile did not leave Stockwell's face. 'So I hear. Do you trust your father to get you out of here?'

'Yes.' She answered in cool tones. 'I do and if this is leading up to asking me to join you like you did Mike then you can forget it!'

'I have no intention of doing such a thing. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you.' He pressed a button and the door opened. 'You have no choice.'

Emily stood up furiously, she clenched her fists. 'Leave us alone, just because you hate my father.'

Stockwell smiled tightly and in her fury Emily slapped him. There was a dead silence and Stockwell stared at her. Then without saying a word he reached under the desk and pushed a button.

A man entered. 'Put our guest somewhere safe until she is required again.' At that the man approached Emily and took her arm in a tight grip.

Stockwell leaned back in his chair and rubbed his cheek. Maybe there was more to Emily than he'd thought. He switched on the big screen monitor which showed BA, Hannibal and Face making their way out of the building. He smiled as he saw them surrounded by guards with no possible way out.

The door burst open and Murdock entered with Brandon following, he was dragging a bound and gagged Miguel.

Stockwell raised one eyebrow. 'You're early Mr Murdock.'

Murdock looked at Brandon and nodded. Brandon dropped Miguel and approached the desk; he grabbed hold of Stockwell and threw him out of the open window, dangling him out the window by his feet.

Murdock approached the window. 'So.I wouldn't be wriggling if I were you, Brandon might accidentally drop you and it's a long way down there.' He looked down into the crowded street.

'What do you mean accidentally drop people Murdock? I don't accidentally drop people.' Brandon said and as if to prove his point he let the guy's ankles slip just a bit.

'Sorry. Now, I'm gonna say this once Stockwell, where is my daughter and where are my friends?'

There was a cruel laugh which sounded strange coming from the upside down man. Brandon pulled Stockwell back into the room. 'Better tell us now sucker!'

Murdock was staring at the TV screen where he could see his friends being led away by guards. He untied Miguel and pulled off the duct tape over his mouth.

'You ok there?'

'I'm fine. You'd better go find your little girl.'

Murdock nodded. 'Sure when Stockwell tells us where she is.'

Miguel smiled and approached Stockwell who looked at him with an expression of intense dislike.

'Well hello Hunt, nice to see you again. Still trying to bump me off I see.'

Stockwell glowered, his usually calm façade was gone; the atmosphere was so thick Murdock almost couldn't breathe.

'I love how you put family first Hunt.' Miguel continued. 'You won't get the money that is all there is too it.'

Murdock looked confused, Brandon's face also showed a similar look. 'What's going on?'

Miguel smiled. 'Hunt here is my half-brother. We had the same father and our father hated him so much, Hunt being the low life scum that he is, that in his will he left everything to me. He's been trying to kill me off for years but of course he didn't want to do the dirty work himself.'

Stockwell got up and brushed off his suit. 'You took the will and replaced it with a fake one with no mention of me.' He sneered at Miguel.

'No, I didn't. You've always hated me and you've made no secret of that fact Hunt, so don't try and lay blame on me. You've wanted me out the way ever since you found out about me.'

Murdock decided it was time to intervene. 'Ya know I hate to interrupt the little family therapy session, though you guys are really doing well working out your issues but I'd like to know where my daughter is.'

Miguel looked at Stockwell disdain for his brother written all across his face. Stockwell ignored Murdock as if he wasn't there concentrating instead on Miguel.

'I had a good reason for wanting you out of my way Miguel.' The battle between brothers didn't falter an inch; Murdock might as well have not spoken.

Stockwell seemed to lose some of his cool, calm and collected air as the argument with his brother grew more heated. 'You were nothing and you will always be nothing.' Stockwell drew himself up to his full height and looked Miguel straight in the eye. 'You were never anything more than the common little bastard that my father stupidly made the mistake of calling his own. I no longer have any use for you in my life, I told you to go but you decided to disregard those instructions. You must have been aware that there would be consequences.'

Miguel's dark eyes flashed angrily and Murdock decided that he'd had enough of this. He grabbed Stockwell and slammed him against the wall which was probably nothing compared to what Miguel seemed to want to do to him at this moment. 'Ok Stockwell, enough of this, where is Emily?'

Brandon's radio buzzed into life and he grabbed for it. 'Yeah?'

'Brandon, we're nearly there, we'll meet you up on the roof. Keep me posted.' Michael told him, his voice sounding strange over the radio.

'Sure thing, thanks Mike. They're nearly here Murdock.' Brandon said replacing the radio on his belt.

'Ok.' He turned back to Stockwell. 'So..?'

At that moment on of the doors burst open and Hannibal, Face and BA entered. Stockwell looked mildly surprised. With them was Emily. Instantly Murdock released Stockwell and strode over to Emily, he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.

'I'm so sorry.' He said embracing her tighter; he didn't seem to want to let her go.

'It's ok.' Emily told him her voice muffled against his chest. Finally Murdock let go of her and looked at Brandon.

Brandon came forward without question and gently took hold of Emily's arm. Her eyes went wide. 'What.Dad?'

'Just go with Brandon, sweetie, I'll be following right after you, just got something to finish here. Don't worry.' Seeing that she was going to worry anyway he took his cap off and placed it on her head. 'See, I've gotta come back now to get my hat.'

Emily nodded and reluctantly went with Brandon. Murdock turned back to the team and Stockwell. He looked at Miguel. 'Best you go too, make sure they're ok.'

With one last look at Stockwell Miguel went, leaving the general in the room alone with the A-Team.

BA shifted uneasily and Murdock eyed Stockwell wondering how much damage he could get away with. This man had taken his son from him and tried to take his daughter too. Murdock was mad as hell and crazy and angry really didn't mix well.

'What do you want now?' Stockwell asked, he seemed as unruffled as ever but Murdock thought he could detect just a hint of unease in the general's posture.

'Call it a lesson in why not to mess with the A-Team.' Hannibal said.

'We thought we'd teach you some manners.' Face put in.

'Yeah cos you don't have any.' Murdock added his lip curling. Face tossed him a gun and he caught it neatly. As soon as it was in his hand the years seemed to roll away and he was 36 again.

BA shifted again a sure sign that he was ready to start some pounding. Stockwell eyed each of them carefully.

'Gentlemen.' He began but BA didn't let him get any further. He shoved Stockwell into a chair.

'Shut up!' He barked. 'We ain't workin' for you anymore so we don't got to listen to you.'

'So.' Face asked. 'What are we going to do with him?'

Hannibal grinned his famous grin again and Murdock felt the faint stirrings of the Jazz, whatever it was it would be good, just like the old days.

*** As Brandon hurried her out of the room Emily was met with the sight of Danny, Johnny, Nick and Joseph fighting guards left, right and centre. Brandon shoved a guard out the way and pulled Emily through. He was jumped by a guard and as he dealt with him, Emily saw Jason coming towards her. She looked around for an escape and could find none.

Jason grabbed her. 'Going somewhere?' He started pulling her away and Emily started yelling.

Nick, busy with a guard saw what was going on. As he swung a right hook at the man he called out. 'Brandon! My sister! Help her!'

Brandon grabbed his guard by the belt and threw him into the wall then he turned back to Emily who was struggling against Jason. She was trying to hit him but he had her by the wrists and was dragging her backwards.

Brandon walked towards the man, grabbed his head and started lifting. With an agonized scream Jason let go of Emily who scrambled away. Brandon let go of Jason's head and slammed the man's head into his knee. As Jason's head came back up he kicked the man in the face, two tricks he'd learned from Murdock. Jason collapsed to the ground, his nose broken and bleeding.

Brandon went over to Emily. 'You ok Little Mama?' He asked gently. Emily looked at him and realised for the first time just how nice his eyes were. 'I'm fine, thank you.'

He smiled and taking her by the arm led her towards the roof.

***

Murdock looked at Stockwell and tightened the knots just a little. 'Guess you should have thought twice Stocky.' He said, unable to resist baiting the man further.

Stockwell's eyes were as cool as ever but Murdock knew that tied up like he was he couldn't be comfortable. Also his face was probably hurting a whole lot, BA had nearly broken his jaw and his eye was already starting to puff up where Murdock himself had hit him.

He looked at Hannibal. 'Colonel?' He asked, stepping back to admire his handiwork. Stockwell was firmly tied up, a long length of string trailed around the desk where it was tied to one leg of the desk.

Hannibal nodded and Murdock opened the window as BA grabbed hold of Stockwell who even though he couldn't speak was threatening them with his eyes. BA all but threw Stockwell out the window. He went hurtling down towards the street, the desk moved along the floor and then stopped wedged against the window. Stockwell hung from the window, much as Brandon had dangled him earlier.

BA looked at Stockwell and chuckled. Then he and Face lowered the sign down that they'd made. It read: 'I am a criminal, please arrest me.'

Murdock grinned satisfied, it might not be much but it was enough. He was not about to stoop to Stockwell's level and start shooting people.

***

Out on the roof Emily and Brandon ran for the helicopter. They jumped in and Emily hugged Michael glad to see that he seemed ok. Michael too was glad to see her, he realised that out of all the people he'd left behind she was one of those that he'd missed the most.

Miguel got in the back next to Brandon and Michael started the chopper.

'Wait!' Emily cried. 'What about Dad?'

Michael pressed a button and spoke into his head set. 'Dad, you read?'

'I'm here muchacho.' Came the answer in his ear. 'Everything ok?'

'Fine, we got Emily and Brandon. Miguel's here too.'

'Good.' Came his father's reply. 'Now get outta here and let us know where you end up, we'll come meet you.' 'Sure Dad.'

'And Mike.'

'Yeah?'

'No crazy flying stunts, fly safe. Don't want hear that you made your sister sick with your dangerous flying.'

'You got it. See you later.' He pressed the button again. 'They're following us in the vans. We've got to radio them when we land.'

Michael took the helicopter up and headed for safety.