I don't own the anything A-Team related or any other known characters that may be referred to during my story. O/C are mine.
BA had grabbed a jeep and took off just a few minutes after Murdock ran out of the motor pool, but all the way to Murdock's quarters there was no sign of the pilot anywhere on the road. When BA arrived at Face and Murdock's building he put the jeep in the visitors' spot and ran up to Murdock's room. He noted the police tape adorning Face's door as he ran by to find the pilot.
When BA arrived, Murdock's door was unlocked so he just went in. The pilot's Converse shoes were tossed on the floor between the kitchen and the bedroom and a grey printed t-shirt was on the floor in front of the closed bedroom door. BA knocked on the door and was about to announce himself when it swung open.
"Hey good thing you're here Bosco. Would'ya happen to have a jeep?" Murdock asked as he tied his tie.
"Yeah I got a jeep, did ya think I'd just run here like a crazy man?" BA retorted.
"Good. I need to get to the MPs station; you should know it's only a two minute run here from the motor pool, if you cut through the woods over there." Murdock said gesturing to the trees as he put on his jacket ignoring BA's insult.
"I'll drive – but what's the plan?" BA asked.
"I dunno. I'm making this up as I go." Murdock said as he grabbed his beret off the bed and headed for the door.
As the two men walked down the hall the conversation continued "Hannibal didn't tell you what to do?" BA grilled.
"No, I think he assumed I'd figure it out. Like a 'big boy'." Murdock snapped. "You know BA, for the record, I've been in charge of guys before. Back, before Mexico… and after that I didn't want to anymore 'cause being in charge just sucks. That's a hard lesson to learn but I did, so I'm goin' to get Face home, fix Carter's little red wagon, strap that twerp to it and push him down the biggest hill I can find; then it isn't my problem anymore – is that alright with you?"
BA turned to Murdock, but found he had nothing to add. The Captain never talked about anything that happened before Mexico and BA figured that this wasn't the time to ask. Instead he just got into the drivers seat of the jeep with Murdock riding shotgun, and drove to the MP station. Both men were secretly wishing that Hannibal was here.
Face was in a small grey room. There he sat at a small metal table, and across from him a large mirror was set into the wall. Next to it there was a dark grey door that hadn't opened for over an hour. Face hated this room. He hated how he felt after his night out with the guys, his head was pounding. He didn't understand why MPs had burst through his door at 0600 shouting and ordering him down on the floor.
He remembered telling them that Colonel Smith was his CO and 'remembered' to say that his XO was Captain Murdock. In fact, he even told them the captain lived just five doors down from the room they were dragging him out of in nothing but his boxer shorts.
Now, he was just pissed off. It had to be almost 0930 and no one had even brought him some water or let him go to the john. It was at that moment the door flew open and a man a little older then his self walked in. He was wearing a tan sports coat, had short dark hair and had a sour expression on his face – Face just knew this was not going to be his day.
"Good morning Lieutenant, I am Detective Saunders. Do you know why you are here?"
"Not a clue, but did you call Captain Murdock? I am sure he can help sort this whole thing out." Peck smiled trying to actually co-operate so he could get the hell out of this room. Hannibal had emphasised that Face needed to put faith in Murdock, but he was still not really sure what the captain's antics could do to help things along.
"No, and to be honest, it's not really any of his business Peck. You see when you stole General Matheson's Corvette it became my business, not his." hissed Saunders. "And that stereo, the toolbox, the tires from the motor pool and the pair of riffles from the range. Any of this ringing any bells, kid? You have access to all those locations thanks to your buddies."
Face just blinked. Part of him wondered if he was still asleep and just dreaming all of this, maybe he was still drunk. "You can't be serious! I didn't take anything, w-what proof do you have?"
"I have an informant who is willing to testify that he saw you in the General's car last night and we have been tipped off to your stash of stolen goods. MPs are over there now." Just then there was a knock at the door and it opened as a younger man peeked in, looked around and addressed Saunders.
"Sir, you are needed out here… immediately."
The detective walked to the door and turned back to Face. "I'll be right back to read you your rights Lieutenant." He smiled as he walked out of the room.
Saunders walked down the hall, grinning to himself. His informant had made this an open and shut case. He spotted the young man who had called him out of interrogation talking to an Army Ranger Captain. As Saunders approached the man he reached out his hand and said "You must be Captain Mur…"
But before he could finish the captain cut in, ready for a fight, eyes lit with anger "And you must be the S.O.B who should have called me this morning when Lieutenant Peck told you I was his XO!" Murdock hollered so the entire room stopped what they were doing and focused their attention on the now paling Saunders "Why the hell wasn't I informed you had my boy? I just found out from your… associate here that he was dragged out of his room at 0600 – well it's damn near 1000 and I'm still waiting for a goddamn phone call! Do you care to explain this to me?"
Saunders was taken aback as the captain that was described by others as happy-go-lucky was the same infuriated man he was dealing with now. As the detective tried to find words to explain, Murdock was off again "What time was this damn car supposedly taken by the Lieutenant, huh? Do you have that answer for me? Speak up, boy!"
Saunders jumped at the opening "At 2040 the car was reported as stolen by the General. We have an eye witness who…" Murdock cut him off again.
"Did you check the guard house logs, that will show you that the Lieutenant, Sergeant Baracus and myself left the base at 1830 last night and did not return until 0215 this morning?" Pausing for effect but still not letting Saunders get a word in the captain continued "No I didn't think so. In fact I'm willing to bet you haven't dug at all because the morning the stereo was stolen Peck was with Baracus and Colonel Smith in my quarters eating breakfast and none of us have been questioned yet regarding that incident. Are you seeing a pattern here Detective? I sure as hell am."
The captain added one last thing for the detective to chew over "I bet I even know who your eye witness is. It's Lieutenant Douglas Carter, isn't it? He's had a bone to pick with Peck since the night we got here and I know for a fact he was in the barracks without just cause the day the stereo was stolen. And with that, I see no further reason that you need to hold Peck any longer. So if you go get him, I'll be more then happy to take him home now… Detective."
Saunders looked at Murdock, not sure if he should say anything more to the enraged man. He did wonder about the look in the captain's eyes – it was somehow, just wrong.
After ten minutes BA was getting impatient. After twenty he was restless but after thirty minutes it was taking every bit of self-control he had to stay in the jeep as Murdock had ordered him to. That was too weird - BA wasn't sure if the captain had ever issued an order in the time he had known him, but after forty minutes he decided was going to have to break it.
BA stood up and took two steps towards the station when he saw Murdock bound out the front door, followed closely by Face who was only wearing his silk boxers and Murdock's Ranger uniform jacket. The coat was a little tight, but better then nothing on a cool spring morning. A smile spread across BA's face at the fact the lone pilot had managed to get Face out of this very sticky situation so quickly.
Face jumped into the back of the jeep and Murdock reclaimed his seat up front. "C'mon BA, let's get back to my place for some lunch." Murdock offered.
With no complaint from Face and a "Hell yeah!" from BA they were off.
As they drove Face asked "How the hell did you do that buddy? I mean that guy was ready to send me off up the river without a paddle when he left that room. Then I heard you yelling, and just ten minutes later we're here in the jeep."
"They had nothing on you really. Just a bad informant and circumstance; you probably would have been acquitted before you even went to trial." Murdock replied.
BA glanced over at the captain and inquired "What did you tell them to get him out so quick?"
Murdock shook his head slowly "You ever hear, 'If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit'?"
Both Face and BA looked at each other through the rear view mirror and in unison replied "Yeah!"
"It's a lot like that." He grinned like the Cheshire Cat, "I just threw it in the Detectives' face that he had no proof. A simple look at the guard house log would'a gave you a decent alibi for last night. All while channelling Jack Nicholson from 'A Few Good Men'. I really wanted to shout 'You can't handle the truth!' but I just couldn't fit it in. Too bad, really. I love that movie."
BA and Face once again exchanged glances and begin to laugh so hard it eventfully prompted Murdock to recommend they pull over. He had already been in one crash this morning; he didn't want to make it two before noon.