IX
Hannibal glared at his watch as though it would make something happen.
BA and Frankie both stood still, waiting as they had been for sometime.
Waiting for Hannibal to say something.
Waiting for Face and Murdock to show up.
"I don't think they're coming Johnny." Frankie said softly. They were an hour late already.
"Maybe we should do the training and they can do extra when they get here." BA suggested. He had rarely seen Hannibal so mad, although he was handling it pretty well. BA did feel a swell of pity for the others when they did arrive as Hannibal would surely chew them out. But they knew they were supposed to be here.
"Good idea BA. I'll think of something appropriate for them. Lets get started."
Murdock opened his eyes slowly. Everything was a little bleary and out of focus.
He thought back to the night before and realised he was suffering the consequences of too much to drink.
Closing his eyes, he turned over so he was laying on his back. He felt a coldness on his leg and opened his eyes.
He saw his completely naked lower body and just to the left of him, the half naked Gabrielle. He groaned inwards. Just the right way to complicate both their lives a little more.
He sat up carefully trying not to wake her up, but he wasn't very successful as she shot up in bed and quickly elbowed the figure next to her.
"Ow!" Murdock said, as she connected with his ribs.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry."
"It's Ok." Murdock said.
He wondered where the 'gentlemen' he'd promised to be had gone last night.
Hannibal watched as Frankie and BA went back into the house after the run to get some drinks before the next leg of their training.
Murdock and Face were now both over two hours late. There was a time when he would have gone to look for them, making sure they were alright, but knowing how things had been lately, he assumed that Murdock had gone top work, he didn't seem keen on the idea in the first place and that Face had spent another night as Jessica's.
After Murdock had washed and dressed he considered calling Hannibal, but decided against it. He wasn't in the mood to listen to whatever abuse he'd get, plus he'd rather take it face to face.
However, he did need to speak to Erica and she was easier to talk to over the phone.
Before he picked up the receiver, the phone started ringing.
"Hello?" Murdock said, guessing that it was Erica calling after the row they'd had yesterday and her harsh words. He was wrong.
"Murdock." Face said, sounding a little surprised as though he hadn't meant to call the pilot.
"Yeah, it's me. What's up?" he asked.
"Can you come over, real quick. Somethings wrong."
"What? Are you OK?" Murdock asked a little worried.
"Please, be quick. I'm at Jessica's apartment."
"Where?"
"You know where the Cinema is by the mall, the one you go past on your way to work? It's the apartment block opposite. 42C."
"I'm leaving now." Murdock said, hanging up. He looked round, seeing Gabrielle standing there.
"Your ex?" She asked.
"No, my best friend. I gotta go. Stay here or you can let yourself out." Murdock pulled out a set of keys from a drawer and passed them to her. "That's the spare key. I'm sorry, I gotta go."