FIVE
Disclaimer: I do not own, nor did I create, any of the A-team characters (main or support) nor do I own, nor did I create, any of the episodes. That credit is due to Stephen J. Cannell and his associates. Any familiar catch phrases or settings also belong to the Cannell team.
Spoiler Alert: References characters, locations, plot, and revelations from Season 3 Episode 11 "The Bells of St. Mary's". including but not limited to St. Mary's School, Angels Guardians, Sr. Catherine, Billy Rey King, Charlotte King, The Bells, Dave Luna, and Zeke Westerland.
Timothy, Lily Chambers, Coach Boggs, Sr. Ruth, Sr. Paulette, Mr. Scott, and Ms Westerland are my OCs, as are any of the assorted students at St. Mary's
Author's Notes: This takes place in my "A-team World" which I set up in my story "Chronicles of a Colonel". The Team has received not just pardons but full exoneration. They are free men and have established a private security company called A-team Security Co. After all who are better trained to chase thugs than these guys.
The seed for this story was planted by Peppe1951 who requested a story about the Team and their security company.
Summary: Hannibal stages an epic lesson. Face makes a discovery.
Return to St. Mary's: A Case Close to Their Hearts: by LAGC
Chapter Five: Afternoon Adventures
Face returned to St. Mary's just as the younger students were heading out to lunch recess. He dodged children eagerly running out to the playground as he climbed the entry steps. Sr. Mary and Miss Chambers were at the doorway supervising the stampede. He flashed a dazzling smile up to the ladies as he ascended the granite staircase. Sister Catherine instantly recognized the triumphant gleam in his blue eyes.
"Oh, Templeton. I know that look. You have good news." greeted the nun.
"I do, Sister. You're going to like my news as well, Lily." replied Face.
Both ladies looked at him expectantly.
"I signed up Baxter Boots and Howard's Hardware at one thousand a piece. Also Gregg's Bakery and Books-a-Plenty have upped their pledges."
"Wow. That's awesome! I've been trying to meet with Howard's for weeks." exclaimed Lily.
Face smiled beguiling at her praise. "Do either of you ladies know where Hannibal is? I have to update him on the case."
"Have you discovered anything?" asked Sister
"Possibly. I want to run it past Hannibal first to see if he agrees with my theory. I promise to update you as soon as I'm sure." answered Face.
"He's out in the empty field with his ninth grade class. Something about reenacting some of General Grant's best battle strategies." Lily said.
Face thanked the women and headed off toward the "battlefield" Part of him was curious to see what his Colonel had cooked up but another piece was a bit terrified. "Hannibal, on the jazz, with twenty fourteen year olds. What could go wrong?" he thought to himself. On route to the field he met up with Murdock and BA. They too were off to see what mayhem Hannibal was orchestrating.
"Good to see that you're not limping any longer, BA." Face teased.
"Yeah. Lucky for him, the Fool didn't do any permanent damage." he replied while Murdock looked sheepishly relieved.
"Do either of you know what the Colonel is up to?" asked Face.
Everyone shrugged then continued on to the field. There they were met with quite a spectacle. The student were all wearing either purple or orange bandanas tied around their arms. They were brandishing self crafted styrofoam weaponry. Hannibal was earnestly giving instructions.
"Oh no, field maneuvers! Hannibal has them engaged in war games!" exclaimed BA.
"Well the Colonel always told us that we could read theory of tactics and strategies until our eyes bled but if we couldn't put it into action on the battlefield it'd be our chests that bled." Murdock explained somberly. Then in a lighter tone he added, "Besides, we all know how Hannibal idolizes U.S. Grant. How couldn't he not plan a reenactment?."
Face added worriedly,"I still have a scar on my shin from one of Hannibal's immersive lessons from back when I first joined the Team."
By this point they were close enough to overhear Hannibal's instructions. "Okay kids here goes. Half of you are the Purple Platoon, the other half are the Orange Army. Now armed with your styrofoam weapons, and the two Grant quotes, you will design and implement a mock war battle."
"What two quotes, Mr. Smith?" piped up a clearly distracted boy.
"The ones from our classroom lecture Sherman." Hannibal said with displeasure. "Fundamental survival lesson Number One: ALWAYS pay attention to EVERYTHING. Fortunately for you I've given a written copy of the quotes to each of your generals. General Dean you're in command of the Orange Army. General Jane you're leading the Purples. Go to opposite sides of the field. You'll have 10 minutes to design your strategy, operations, and tactics. Upon my whistle let the battle begin." instructed Hannibal.
The student dispersed, some more enthusiastically than others.
Face, Murdock, and BA approached a smiling Hannibal. "Which quotes did you provide the recruits with, Sir." Murdock formally asked.
"Ah a couple of my favorites: 'The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving.' and 'In every battle there comes a time when both sides consider themselves beaten, then he who continues the attack, wins.'"
"Oh no…those two…talk about bringing back memories of team basic training from when we were overseas! Damn, Hannibal, you hollered those two quotes at us night and day for a week." complained Face.
"Man, I could hear them in my dreams. Actually wrote them, accidentally, in one of my letters home to Mama." BA reminisced
Hannibal only grinned wickedly. "And they have never failed us since. Makes every job a piece of cake."
All three of his men groaned their disagreement. But then turned their attention to the students at work.
"Ah nice. Looks like General Jane understood the classroom lecture well. Grant was all about tempo. Hit the enemy hard, fast, and persistently. NICE. She isn't even waiting for the ten minute planning period to expire she's already moving her troops."
"Looks like she's going through the front door with a half pincer, Colonel. Have you been lecturing them on your methods too?" Murdock added.
Within ten minutes, with much yelling and styrofoam swatting, the Purple troops had overwhelmed the Oranges. General Dean offered up an unconditional surrender which was magnanimously accepted by General Jane.
As the troops began to leave the field one teen suddenly stopped and picked up something from the ground. She excitedly showed her friend and the two came running over to Hannibal,
"Mr. Smith, we just found this in the field." said Kerry as she passed her find over to the teacher.
It was a wallet. Face immediately took it from Hannibal and began to search it.
"Mr. Smith! You need to come here right now," hollered a boy named Kevin.
The alarmed tone of his voice propelled all four men to rush toward the student. His classmates were gathering around Kevin and Hannibal directed them to all "Stand down."
BA translated this by telling the confused kids to "Back away and give us teachers some room."
Kevin pointed down to a gun lying in the weeds.
"Ok class this is enough field work for today. For your homework tonight you'll need to write an assessment of the triumphs and failures of your 'enemy's troops'. Class dismissed to your next period." Hannibal said to restore some normalcy to the nervous class.
Picking up on Hannibal's intent BA calmly stated, "That's actually perfect, Mr. Smith. They have my class now. All of you. Off to the gym. Assemble on the bleachers."
"But what about our discoveries? "objected Kevin
"What do they mean?" Jane chimed in.
"Don't none of you bother with those things. Mr Smith and the other men will handle it. You all did the right thing showing us right away. I'm going to make sure that Sr. Catherine hears how smart you all were. Now get to the gym." BA said authoritatively.
"Mr. Baracus why don't you lead your class into the gym. And I'll follow along since I am covering your class today so you can drive Sr. Catherine to her appointment." BA nodded his approval and thanks to Murdock and off they all went.
Face and Hannibal began to inspect the finds. Hannibal donned his leather gloves before he picked up the gun. He disengaged the ammunition and inspected it for any clues.
"Just your standard .38." he said to Face. "I wonder when this was dropped?"
"The night the locker room was attacked? The assailants ran off this way." speculated Face
"What does the wallet tell us?" asked Hannibal.
"A name ….Wallace Westerman." stated Face. "And I know someone with that last name."
******about two hours later*********
School had just let out when Sr Catherine returned from the pediatrician with Timothy and BA. The boy had received a clean bill of health from the doctor. Everyone was glad to hear that. The group, sans Timothy, gathered in Sister Catherine's office and brought her up to date on the case. She was beyond grateful that the four men had been present when the gun was recovered. She was also thankful that it was found by responsible older students who had the sense not to touch it. She fretted about what might have happened if one of the younger children had discovered it. The Team comforted her by reminding her that "what ifs" are just that "ifs" and weren't worth her energy. She felt much better when she left to join Tim who was in Lily's office. The social worker would be driving them home to Angel's Guardians.
Face laid out all the information he had uncovered and his suspicions about the Damon Construction Co. He described how rude the CEO Mr. Scott had been and the coincidence that Scott's secretary had the same last name as the guy whose wallet they had recovered.
"Westerman is not a common surname. This can't be random." commented Murdock.
Face was flipping through the white pages phone book and suddenly said, "Here's a possibility, a listing for a W. Westerman. Hannibal, read off the address from the driver's license please."
"1212 East Mockingbird Drive." Hannibal supplied
"Bingo! I best be returning this fellow's wallet wouldn't you say?" suggested Face, a scam dancing across his eyes.
"Take Murdock with you. We don't know what you'll be walking into. Besides it might be better to not let the secretary see you."
"Ok Colonel. What will you be up to?" asked. Face
"BA and I are gonna tail Scott and see what snake hole he leads us to. Once you two make contact with Wallet Wallace get back here to patrol. I don't want to leave this place defenseless."
"Understood, Colonel." Murdock replied as he and Face left the office.
Additional Author Notes:
Source of U.S. Grant's quotes: authors/ulysses_s_grant
Historical reference material source
.edu/articles/us-grant-and-operations-0
**US GRANT and Operations as printed in the Ohio State University eHistory page.