Ten
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 episodes "The Bells of St. Mary's" and "A Small and Deadly WR" including but not limited to St. Mary's School, Angels Guardians, Sr. Catherine, Ed Maloney, Billy Rey King, Charlotte King, The Bells, Dave Luna, and Zeke Westerland.
Timothy, Miss Chambers, Coach Boggs, Sr. Ruth, Sr. Paulette, Mr. Scott, Brenda Westerman, and Wallace Westerman 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: The Team drops the hammer on the bad guys.
Return to St. Mary's: A Case Close to Their Hearts: by LAGC
Chapter Nine: Ringing the Bad Guys' Bells.
Hannibal stood boldly, and cockily lit his cigar.
'Nice Guys, This will do just fine." he congratulated as he surveyed their handiwork. BA had repurposed the pitching machines and set them up in the trophy hall of the school.
"I took the safety settings off the machines, Hannibal. A direct hit from these balls ought to knock the stuffing out of any turkey who's fool enough to invade this school." BA decreed while grinding his fists together in anticipation.
"Yes sir-ee our line of offense is all set to go, Colonel." announced Murdock as he juggled three baseballs.
"Hey put those back! Stop messing with my ammo you walking, talking box of cracker jacks!" flustered BA. Murdock sheepishly complied.
"You're rather quiet, Lieutenant anything on your mind?" Hannibal asked Face. Immediately Face came to full attention and reflexively denied any concerns.
"Then why are you huddled in that corner lost in thought?" Hannibal challenged.
"Alright. I just wish that Sister Catherine had agreed to leave the campus. She and Lily don't need to be here." admitted Face.
"I understand your point, Face but they have made up their minds. As long as they stay locked in Sister's office they'll be fine." Hannibal replied.
Just then the walkie-talkie on Hannibal's hip buzzed to life. The Colonel responded to it and Sr. Catherine's voice came over the line, "Hannibal, we can see two men slipping in by the cafeteria windows. We see them clearly on BA's cameras."
"Roger that Sister. We'll take it from here. And for Face's sake please double check the lock on your door."
"Tell Templeton that we've placed my armchair against the locked door." Sister affectionately replied. Face smiled, comforted by this information.
"Ok men, places." ordered Hannibal
# # # # #
(At that moment)
Scott and Westerman finished slithering past the window and crept through the cafeteria. They were their way down the middle school hallway.
"It sure is a lucky break that there aren't any miserable brats here today." yammered Wally.
"Just keep your mouth shut and your mind on the job. You can't screw up this time!" growled Scott "The kids may not be here but I guarantee the A-team is."
"Brenda said she had a plan for that too." snapped Wally.
By this point they reached the end of the corridor, where it connected into the trophy hall. At the far end of that space the two ruffians ogled the trophy case. In the middle, bathed in a warm light, was the coveted gold record. Wally giggled greedily. After scanning the hallway and determining it empty, the men approached the case. Scott tried to open the sliding glass front and learned it was locked. Impatient beyond control, Wally used the pipe in his hand to smash the glass.
As the shards fell to the floor Hannibal emerged from the nurses office and stood authoritatively behind the invaders.
"Now now, is that anyway to treat school property? Looks like you boys want detention."
Wally and Scott swirled to confront their antagonizer.
"Good to see that your hair grew back Ryack." quipped Hannibal.
"You're not going to win this time old man." sneered Scott as he lunged toward Hannibal.
Wally was about to follow suit but he had failed to notice Face emerge from the coaches room right behind the trophy case. Face dove and tackled the dimwitted thug before he could move. Those two wrestled on the floor while Hannibal and Scott boxed it out, exchanging harsh blows.
# # # # #
(Meanwhile in the main office)
Sister Catherine and Lily were keeping watch on the cctv screen. They watched as Scott and Westerman snuck down the corridor. Then the system switched to the view of the front door.
"Oh no! That's Timothy lurking in the bushes! He must be trying to help again." Lily announced.
"That child! I swear I haven't had one like him since...since Templeton was that age. I was a lot younger and had more stamina then." declared Sister, worry darkening her eyes. Before the women could react they saw a Blond grab Tim by his shirt collar and drag him to the intercom at the main door. Then they heard the call buzzer hum.
Sister Catherine opened the line, "Yes?"
"If you want to keep this kid alive you best come to this door." hissed Brenda waving her pistol near Tim's head.
# # # # # #
(Back in the Trophy Hall)
Face and Hannibal had taken the upper hand in their battle. They shoved Wally and Scott up against the wall. Face was brandishing the steel pipe that he'd seized from his opponent. He was fighting the urge to inflict more damage onto the creep who had injured Sister Catherine. Hannibal was just about to deliver one of his classic zingers when he was interrupted by a cruel almost maniacal voice,
"Don't gloat too much Whitey. You're in no position to do so."
The heroes turned to look at their new problem. Face paled.
"Drop the pipe Blue Eyes or this nun has breathed her last lungful," demanded Brenda as she thrust her gun up against Sister's ribs. Sister gasped in pain.
A furtive glance to his Colonel was met with a small nod and Face instantly released the pipe.
"Get the damn record, Wally!" Brenda ordered then she added, "And you two. Move over to that janitors closet."
"Aw sweetheart. We are the least of your worries just wait until dear Uncle Zeke hears about all this. There won't be any place for you to hide then." taunted Hannibal as he and Face slowly approached the closet.
Brenda laughed coldly,"I've gotten away with it for years Smith. This here record will give me access to all that's left and trust me, it's enough for me to disappear so well that no one -not even Zeke -will ever find me."
"God will always be able to find you, dear." interjected Sister Catherine. Face shot her a look that pleaded for her to remain quiet.
"God gave up on me a long long time ago Mother Superior." snarled Brenda.
They were at the closet door now. Brenda ordered Face to open it and told her henchmen to shove the heroes inside and jam the lock. She forced Sister to hold the record.
As soon as Face flung open the door, he and Hannibal dropped to their knees. A barrage of baseballs erupted from the room followed by BA and Murdock pushing two hyper powered pitching machines. Murdock was loudly and operatically singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". Bruised and dazed Wally made a run for the nearest corridor, with Hannibal hot on his tail. Scott tried to hold his ground and quickly found himself exchanging fists with BA. Murdock took a moment to turn off their baseball cannons.
Face sprung forward to rescue Sr. Catherine. Brenda was dragging her toward the main office with the intent to escape out the front door. She saw Face pursuing her and jammed the gun against Sister's chest. Face paused, raised his hands, and went into negotiation mode.
He didn't need to speak though, because at that exact moment Lily materialized behind Brenda and whacked her soundly upside the head with Wally's discarded pipe. Brenda collapsed like a deflated bounce house. Sister ran to Face.
In mere seconds Murdock and Hannibal cuffed the semi lucid Wally and Scott together and chained them to the support pole in the middle of the hall. Brenda was completely unconscious. After a quick check to ensure that she was breathing, Hannibal cuffed her as a precaution and moved her near the goons. BA went to call Maloney so he could send officers to arrest the sorry bunch.
Face had checked over Sister Catherine and determined that she was unhurt then he'd gone to Lily. She was still standing in the doorway utterly stunned. Face gently relived her of the pipe which was still in her hand and led her over to a bench in the hall.
"Lily? Are you alright?" he asked. She nodded mutely. Sister handed him a paper cup with some water from the nearby bubbler.
"Here, Lily, drink this." he said. She began to come out of her daze, looked around at the aftermath and began to laugh. Laugh as only the truly relieved can.
"Oh wow! You guys did it! We did it. Even I did it!" she stammered. Sister and Face joined in on her contagious laughter.
"Yes Miss Chambers, you certainly did. Thanks for the assist. Hey with a swing like that you might consider trying out for the Dodgers." teased Hannibal
BA returned from the main office with a very excited Timothy in tow. He'd seen the entire battle thanks to the cctv. Brenda had thought she'd left him and Lily tied to the radiator when she took Sr. Catherine hostage. But Tim was crafty enough to have palmed his pocket knife so once Brenda left he was able to free himself and Lily. For once he'd been obedient and stayed in the office when Lily had run out to help rescue Sister Catherine.
The adrenaline started to wan and everyone began to relax. Murdock suddenly chirped, "Oh no Faceman!" Everyone anxiously look to the pilot. He was near the shattered trophy case, holding a mangled plaque.
"I'm sorry Face, but those goons busted up your 1968 All City Quarterback award. Your Number 8 looks like a sad little squiggle now." Face looked a bit crestfallen.
"Don't worry Captain Murdock. I have duplicate photographs. Templeton was always willing to pose for multiple pictures." said Sister Mary. Now everyone laughed wholeheartedly.
Hannibal unleashed a dashing devilish smile and declared,
"I love it when a plan comes together."