XVI

"So?" BA asked once the door was closed.

"I don't know." Face said. He sat on the bed and covered his eyes with his hands. "I don't want to make this decision."

Murdock moved to the bed and sat on the other side. He was tense and sat rigid as their options whizzed through his mind. "We gotta make sure we make the right decision."

"I can see a downside to whatever we choose." Face said, moving his hands.

"Okay, so let's think about our options. Firstly, we can stay working for Stockwell, if he survives, and Hannibal will be taken care of without any hassle. Secondly, we say to hell with Stockwell and take Hannibal to some place ourselves. I think the only way that's gonna work out is if we leave the country. Then there's the secret third option." Murdock didn't say anything else.

Face looked at him, knew it would be something they didn't really want to hear. "Go on."

"We leave it all behind. Hannibal, Stockwell, the lot."

"Can't just leave Hannibal."

"Just listing the option, big guy, didn't say what we should do." Murdock said. He didn't like any of the options either, but they had to know all the possibilities.

"Well, whatever we decide has got to be right for all of us. If we can't all agree... well, I don't know. Guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." He turned his attention to the mechanic. "BA, what's your answer?"

"We can't just dump Hannibal. He can't be blamed for what he's done."

"So who is to blame?" Murdock challenged.

"Guess we already know your vote, you wanna run." BA said angrily, closing some of the space in between him and Murdock.

"I didn't say that." Murdock said as he stood up. "But don't forget I know more about what Hannibal's thinking right now than you do. And just defending his actions regardless won't help."

"Guys, come on, we gotta stick together." Face said, concern evident. "From what Hannibal said to me, he knew what he was doing, he just... didn't seem to realise it was so wrong."

"He was aware, just didn't think about the consequences." Murdock sat back down again. "We stick with Stockwell." Murdock said. When no one said anything he looked to the other two men. "BA's right, we're not just gonna ditch Hannibal. Even if we took him away from here; it just wouldn't work out."

"BA?"

"Yeah, we gotta stay with it. Work for those pardons."

"I agree." Face said. "We'll have to talk this all out sooner or later. How things are gonna work without him. But for now, we just gotta see that he gets some help."

Face stood and made his way to the door and back out to where Carla was waiting. BA and Murdock flanked him.

She turned to them expectantly, her face gave nothing away.

"We'll stay where we are." Face said.

She smiled ever so slightly. "There's a car waiting for you outside. Colonel Smith is already inside. It will take you to the facility that he'll be treated at, so you can see for yourselves that he will be cared for extremely well."

"After that, will we be able to visit as we like or will we need your permission every time?" Murdock asked a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"It will be limited access at first, Captain, while he settles in and begins treatment. Surely you remember how unsettling it was for you."

"No, I don't." Murdock said coldly, more truth to the statement than she'd ever know.

"Well, after a month or two, dependent on his progress, access when you wish shouldn't be a problem." Carla said.

"C'mon, let's get going." BA said.

The three of them made their way out to the car that awaited.

Ready to see what Hannibal's future held for him.

"Well?" Face asked after viewing the hospital where Hannibal would be treated.

BA shrugged his shoulders.

To him it was a hospital and a white wall and padded cell were all the same.

He really didn't want to think that Hannibal was staying here, and a part of him thought that it was some elaborate plan... but the bodies.

He shook his head, not wanting to think about it.

Face caught the gesture and frowned. "You're not happy?"

"No, man. It's Okay." BA said. "I'm gonna get some fresh air. I'll wait for you outside."

Face nodded his head and watched BA go.

Once BA was out the doors, he turned his attention to Murdock.

The pilot was looking in the direction the mechanic had gone.

They stood in a waiting room that was private and nice, except that people probably came in here to cry after seeing a friend or relative as they'd never seen them before.

Murdock moved away from the door and across to the window. "You think BA's Okay?"

"Are any of us." Face replied.

Murdock turned from the outside world and looked at his friend. "You?"

"Worse day of my life." Face said honestly. He held onto his emotions. There was a better time to deal with them rather than here and now.

Murdock moved to one of the chair and perched on the edge.

Face could see he was restless, a little twitchy. It was too much to really deal with, for all of them.

Although outwardly Face appeared calm, his mind was working overtime. He kept thinking about whether they'd missed some obvious clue to Hannibal's state of mind.

"What'll we do now?" Murdock asked.

"I think we should go see Frankie."

Murdock stood and nodded his approval. He started towards the door.

"Murdock."

The pilot stopped and looked back to where Face was still standing. Murdock automatically walked back further into the room, closing the gap.

"Hannibal told me about Erica. About the baby." Face said, almost gently.

Murdock didn't say anything for a while. "I wasn't gonna say anything." Murdock said, absorbing Face's words.

Silence grew between them again.

A frown appeared on Murdock's face. "It's all such a mess."

"We'll work it out." Face said, stepping closer.

Something flashed across Murdock's features, unreadable. He took a step back.

"We should go see Frankie."

With that he turned and walked away, leaving Face behind.