Part Five
The next morning, the kids were up and sitting around the kitchen table eating
breakfast when Ronin came in. "Morning, guys, what's for breakfast?"
Todd looked up. "Eggs and hash browns. Aunt Rita said to help ourselves. "
"Thanks, I think I'll just have a bowl of cereal." Ronin went over to the
refrigerator, opened it up and took out the milk. He returned to the table and
saw that Brandi had gotten the cereal. "Thanks, Brandi."
Brandi nodded. Ronin sat down at the table with a far away look in his eyes.
Todd watched his brother. He had seen that look before. It always meant that
Ronin had something on his mind. "Hey, Bro? Are we still going to meet at the
tree house?"
Ronin shook his head as he poured milk into his cereal. "No, there's been a
change of plan. Uncle Face over heard us talking . He had a long talk with me
and we decided it would be best not to jump into something we really don't know
about. Uncle Face thinks it would be a good idea if they had a talk with us."
Todd gave a heavy sigh of relief. "I'm glad. I wasn't sure if I really wanted to
handle that Robbins guy."
Brandi looked over at Ronin. "By 'they' I presume you mean our parents?"
"Well, I think our fathers, actually," replied Ronin.
Rita entered the kitchen. She smiled at the young people. "Morning."
"Morning," they answered her.
"Mom, where's Dad?" asked Dani.
"He went to pick up Murdock."
"This early?" asked Ronin.
"Yes. Murdock called and asked Tem to come so he could be there when the Doctor
released him."
The kids nodded.
Todd turned back to the others. "Ronin, what did Uncle Face tell you?"
"Just what I said, that we're not ready to go up against Robbins."
"Of, course you're not ready to go up against Robbins."
They all turned but it was Todd who reacted first. He jumped up, knocking over
his chair as he went to give his father a hug.
Murdock almost lost his balance from his son's hug, but quickly recovered as he
returned it with a huge grin. "Now, what did I do to deserve that?"
Todd didn't answer, just gave his father a small smile.
Face was just coming in. "You know, Murdock, you should have waited for me.
You could have stumbled."
Murdock turned to his friend, "Face, I'm fine. I'm not helpless." Face sighed as
Murdock turned back to the kids. "Now, what's this about them wanting to go
after Robbins?"
"Calm down, Murdock, and let's hear what Ronin has to say," said Face.
Murdock nodded and sat down, his younger son beside him. "All right, Ronin, you
have the floor. I promise I'll hear you out."
"Thanks, Dad. Last night when you were shot, I knew Mr. Robbins would stop at
nothing to get the house, and there's no way a slip of paper is going to make
him back down. So I decided a new team must be made to stop him."
Murdock eyebrow's furrowed, but he remained quiet, waiting for his son to
finish.
We had planned to meet at the tree house and we were going to become the New
A-Team. Uncle Face overheard me and Brandi talking and, well, he put a stop to
it for now. Dad, I want to help stop that Robbins creep."
Murdock stood up and moved over to his son. "Ronin, Mr. Robbins is a very
dangerous man."
"Dad, I would have done anything to stop him. Even if it meant killing him."
Murdock gave his son a worried and painful look. "Ronin, I don't ever want to
hear you say that again. Killing a person is wrong. There are other ways to deal
with those types of people."
"Dad, you've killed and I'm sure my real dad has, too."
"Yes, we have, but those were different times, a different world. We were at
war. They killed us, we killed them. But this is different. When we helped a
client we contained the baddy, we never killed them. We always left them wrapped
up to be delivered to the police. Robbins is dangerous. And there is no way you
kids are going to be part of this."
Ronin clenched his fist, trying to keep control of his anger. He knew getting
angry would not help. "Dad, I'm not a kid any longer. I know you'd like me to be
but I'm not."
Murdock stared at his son, reminded once more just how much like Hannibal Ronin
was. "Ronin, I know to you I sound unfair, but I just don't want anything to
happen to you or the others."
Ronin nodded. He was trying his best to see his father's point of view. But he
also wanted his father to see his. "I know we're inexperienced but you could
teach us or at least me."
Todd stared at his brother but remained quiet.
"Son, I just don't want you involved."
"Murdock, can I speak with you for a moment? In private?" asked Face.
Murdock nodded as the two men went into another room. "Face, if this is about
teaching Ronin, no way."
"Murdock, this is up to you, But Ronin is twenty one years old. He's an adult
and if he chooses to do this, you really can't stop him. You learned to use a
gun at an age younger then Ronin is now.
"That was different, Face."
"Is it? I know you don't want Ronin involved in this. I wouldn't want my girls
involved either, but Ronin is Robbins' nephew; he is involved whether you like
it or not. If Ronin was my son, I would want him to be able to protect himself.
He's not my son, but I think you should at least teach him the basics."
Murdock thought for a moment. "Face, I know you're right, Ronin should learn the
basics. I'm just not crazy about it."
"I know, Murdock. We all want to protect our kids from the world we live in. But
they've got to grow up some time and we can't always protect them."
"Yeah, I know," Murdock sighed. "I'll teach him how to use a gun."
Face wrapped his arm around his friend's shoulder. "Well, at least it's a
start."
The two men made their way the kitchen. Murdock went over to his son.
"Son, this was something I never wanted for you. But it's out of the bag now. I
don't want you to go off on your own and get yourself killed, so we're going to
train you. But only you. And please listen to us, your life may depend on it."
Murdock moved his attention to his friend. "Face, can I see your 9 mm? I want to
start Ronin out on it."
Face nodded as he went over to his gun cabinet. opened it and took out the gun.
Returning to his friend he gave the gun to him. Murdock nodded his thanks . He
then carefully check to make sure it wasn't loaded . Once he was satisfy he
placed the gun on the table.
"Ronin, this is a big step. It's hard sometimes for me to see that you are no
longer a child. Learning how to use a gun is a big step, but I have confidence
that you will manage it."
Ronin gazed down at the gun.
"Go on, pick it up and get to know the feel of the gun."
Carefully Ronin picked the gun up. He felt the cold steel of the gun as he
carefully checked it over. Murdock held his hand out and Ronin returned the gun
to him.
"Dad, was my real father killed by a gun?"
Murdock shook his head. "No, Ronin. Your father enjoyed his cigars and they
caught up with him. He died of lung cancer."
"He refused treatment. I argued with him; treatment would have at least
prolonged his life, but he refused it," Face said sadly.
Ronin nodded and took the gun back from Murdock. "Thanks for giving me this
chance, Dad. I promise I'll listen."
Murdock turned to his other son. "Todd, I need to know if you 're okay with
this?"
"Dad, I'm not really crazy about it. But I do understand."
"I know, son, but it will be okay."
Later that day Murdock and Ronin were at the firing range practicing. "Okay,
son, I showed you how to load the gun. Now find your sites and gently pull back
on the trigger. Here, let me show you."
Murdock then proceeded to show his son how to fire a gun.
An hour went by and Murdock told Ronin to remove his ear protector as he removed
his. "Ronin, that's enough for today. I believe you've learned a lot. I'm very
proud of you. Why don't you get your stuff from the locker? I'll wait for you in
the car."
Ronin nodded and headed for the locker room and Murdock went to the car. He was
standing at the trunk to open it when he felt the cold steel of a gun in his
back.
"Mr. Robbins wants to see you," a raspy voice whispered
"Tell him I'm busy at the moment," Murdock replied sarcastically.
"Sorry. Mr. Robbins don't like to be told no," replied the man as he brought his
gun down on Murdock's head.
The ex-pilot saw stars right before he passed out.
Ronin walked out of the gun club just in time to see his father being put in
back of a black sedan. The man got in and took off. Quickly Ronin jumped into
his car and took chase.
The dark blond man looked out the rear view mirror. "Hey, we're being followed.
You better lose him."
The driver sneered. "Yeah, I see him. Hold on."
The two cars drove down Main Street, nearly hitting other cars trying to move
out of the way. Down alleys, around alleys, in and out of alleys, but the driver
couldn't shake Ronin. "I can't get rid of him."
The other man took out his gun and checked to make sure it was loaded. "You just
drive. I'll take care of our shadow."
The man placed his head out of the car window and aimed it at the other car's
tires and fired his gun several times. Soon the bullets hit their mark. The car
swerved as Ronin fought hard to maintain control. It spun several times before
it finally came to a halt only inches from a tree. Ronin sat there for a moment
catching his breath.
Shaking, Ronin slowly got out and fell, down on the ground. He could hear the
sirens. Two highway patrol cars pulled up beside him. One officer went up to
him. "Son, are you okay?"
Ronin sat there for a moment, not saying anything. He had a far away look in
his eyes. The officer looked concerned as he bent down to see the boy face.
"Son, are you okay?" The officer asked again. "Do you need to see a doctor?"
Ronin stared up at him. "They took my father."