Air! There was air! Okay, it was humid and rather hot air, but it was air! I could breathe!

Did I mention the air?

Not that this made everything okay, you understand. My lungs still felt stifled and I wondered if I'd inhaled enough of that stuff to cause permanent damage. As for my eyes...

Actually, maybe I oughta try my eyes, see if I was still seeing triple.

I opened my eyes as far as I could (about a quarter of an inch) and came face to face with my worst nightmare.

"Peck."

"DECKER?"

Okay, so maybe not my worst nightmare. I mean, it wasn't like the one I have about the dark room (don't ask) or the one about the rhinos and the Cheez-Whiz (really don't ask), but it was still pretty bad.

But you know, the funny thing about it was that I wasn't really surprised. Sure Decker was here. It was the only thing that could make this whole experience even worse, after all. And it did have one advantage; seeing him dumped so much adrenalin into my body that I was wide awake and alert in an instant, taking in my surroundings.

The first thing I noticed was that this room was full of water.

Well, not full. Not in the sense of floor to ceiling. But there was a slightly raised platform, which the three of us were perched on, and stairs leading out of the water to a door at the far end some fifteen feet away. I had to admit, after the last room, I'd been expecting something a little more, well, frightening. Maybe there were piranhas in there or something.

I hovered a hand over the water but didn't put it in. Even at a distance, I could feel the heat. It wasn't exactly boiling, more like the state water gets to just before it boils. You know, when you can see tiny little bubbles starting to rise to the surface. There was no way any of us were going to be able to swim across without being scalded half to death, and at fifteen feet it was too far to jump.

"What the hell's causing this?" I wondered aloud. I wasn't really expecting an answer, but Nadia spoke up anyway.

"I think it's the mats down there."

I knelt down, gripped the edge tightly and peered over. I could see what she was talking about; several strips of a black substance had been placed on the floor beneath.

"They're like underwater heaters or something," Nadia volunteered. "Like people use with tropical fish to keep the water warm."

That made sense. I guessed she had an aquarium at home or something. Funny; I never thought that people used heating mats in tropical fish aquariums, but then, I'd never kept tropical fish. I did catch a small brown fish in the pond once and tried to keep it in a jar, but it died after two days and one of the nuns flushed it down the toilet. I'd missed that little fish.

I let out a barely audible groan. My thoughts were beginning to fog over, and I couldn't tell whether it was because of the gas or exhaustion or mental strain or what.

"Great," was what I said aloud. "Well, you guys let me know if Flipper shows up and offers us a ride over or something."

Nadia (I noticed she didn't seem too badly affected by the gas) shook her head. "I think we're supposed to use that."

I looked to where she was pointing. It wasn't easy – my vision kept dancing in and out of focus – but eventually I managed to make out...a boat?

I blinked hard and shook my head a few times, which seemed to help with the vision. At least I wasn't seeing triple anymore. And yes, that was definitely a boat. The trouble was, it was on the other side of the water.

I stared at it. "Well, great, but how did it end up over there?"

Decker shrugged. "Drifted."

"Drifted? Ten feet?" I shook my head. "How? This is like a swimming pool, Decker! There are no currents or waves for it to drift on! Do you at least have any idea where we are? I mean where this building is?"

A beat, then Decker shook his head. I could read him like a book: he didn't like talking to me, he didn't like not being able to arrest me, but he wasn't stupid or stubborn enough to let that stand in his way. We were both trapped here. It didn't look like we had much choice but to work together.

"No. Someone hit me from behind."

"You too, huh? Did you wake up in here?"

Another head shake. "No. I was in a room full of bags."

I nodded, hesitated, then turned to face him fully. "That wouldn't be the same room full of bags with a certain blade infested corridor, would it?"

"Yeah."

"How'd you get through it?"

He blinked, then seemed to decide the question wasn't too personal to answer.

"I used the desk."

My heart dropped. "Desk?"

"Yeah. It had wheels on the legs, along with several cuts in the wood, so I figured that was my way out. I sat on top and pushed myself along. Why? Did you find another way?"

"No. I was just hoping you had." Well, there was no way I was going to tell him I'd overlooked something like that. Anyway, my way was cooler. "But there must be another way. That desk was back in its place when I woke up there, which means means that whoever's doing this has some way of getting to the rooms which doesn't involve the main doors. Between your going through them and my going through them, that person found a way to sneak in and reset all the rooms."

Decker considered this, then nodded reluctantly. "Yes, that makes sense. And...you and I being here, that can't be a coincidence. Whoever did this must know we're enemies."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, Decker. Half a dozen Wanted posters on every street corner with my picture and the words PLEASE CALL COLONEL DECKER scrawled underneath...yeah, we're dealing with a real mind here. What happened? They call that hotline and lure you to a remote little out of the way place with the promise of getting your hands on us?"

Decker apparently decided not to dignify that with an answer, which was as good a way as any of telling me that that's exactly how it hadhappened.

"Okay. Yeah, I get it. What happened to the others?"

Decker half turned to look at me. "Others?"

"Oh, come on, Decker; you never go after us by yourself! Even you're not that arrogant. What about Crane and your little MP lackeys? What happened to them?"

"I was called about you, Peck, not the rest of your team, and I don't need backup to bring a pretty-boy like you in."

I glared at him. I don't mind the rest of the Team ribbing me about enjoying the finer things in life, but I was damned if I was going to take it from this guy.

"Oh, for crying out loud, Decker! Do you think I got my Special Forces beret out of a Christmas cracker? Do you think those guys would have even considered taking me if I crumpled into a little puddle of angst and insecurity and bawled my eyes out every time things didn't go the way I wanted?"

Decker shrugged. "There was a war on, Peck. I imagine they had to take what they could get, even if that included the dregs."

I really was going to punch him if he went on like this. I wasn't sure who'd come out the best in a fistfight – Decker was the more experienced soldier, but being a part of the A-Team meant I probably got in a whole lot more practice – but I was willing to find out.

"One more word outta you and I'll—" My voice degenerated into a coughing fit as I moved too quickly and I sank against the wall, dire threats unspoken. Guess my lungs weren't quite clear yet.

Decker raised his eyebrows. "Fine, Peck. You do that."

I glared at him, then down to where my hand had landed on a rock. Well, more like a brick, actually. I picked it up and showed it to Decker.

"Did you bring this along?"

He looked surprised. "No. Where did you find it?"

"Right here on the floor." I looked at the brick, then at the boat and an idea came to mind. "Decker? Don't take this the wrong way or anything, but I'm gonna need you to take your clothes off."

He folded his arms and stared at me, jaw set in an obstinate line. "Was there a right way to take that, Peck?"

"I need your clothes."

"Oh, you do, huh? I see. And what's wrong with yours?"

"Nothing, I guess, except I've already taken off about all I can take off! I used up my t-shirt getting over those fences and my pants are shot to hell! There's a good chance we're going to come face to face with whoever's behind this at some point and when that happens, I don't wanna be in my underwear! Look, Decker, it's you or Nadia, and if you're suggesting I ask a fifteen year old girl to take her clothes off, you're even crazier than I thought!"

That convinced him, as I knew it would. Decker might be crazy and utterly ruthless, but when it comes to females, he's pretty honorable. I was sure that even if I died, he'd do his utmost to get Nadia out safely.

Shrugging off his top, he handed it to me. I grabbed it and held out my other hand, flexing the fingers in a gimme-gimme gesture.

"And the rest of it! I'm outta clothes and if I have to go topless here, I don't see why you shouldn't."

Scowling, Decker did as I said. Well, it was too humid to wear much in this room anyway.

"Okay. Nadia? Hand me that rock over there, would you?"

Nadia obeyed. The rock in question was about the size of a brick. It would do nicely for what I had in mind.

Taking hold of Decker's clothes, I ripped them into strips and tied those strips together to make a rope, then tied that rope around the rock. It didn't take Decker long to figure out my plan.

"Do you really expect this to work, Peck?"

"Do you have a better idea?"

"What happens if you sink the boat?"

I gave him my best impression of the Hannibal Stare. It deserves the capital letter; the Stare has the ability to silence any junior officer who dares to criticize Hannibal.

"What would have happened if I hadn't thought this up? Decker, right now we're stuck on the wrong side of a deadly lake with a boat we can't get to, and if I sink it we'll still be stuck on the wrong side of a deadly lake with a boat we can't get to, so I fail to see how it would make even the tiniest bit of difference to our situation! Now shut up while I try to aim this thing."

I aimed. And missed. Several times. Why the hell Hannibal never thought to include a Hooking-Boat-With-Makeshift-Rope-And-Brick section on his training courses was beyond me. I mean, just think how useful it would have been in a situation like this!

"So—" Decker's voice was neutral as I whirled the brick around for another try, but I knew, just knew he was smirking— "how's it going?"

"What do you mean, how's it going? You can see how it's going, Decker, and if you want to take over at any time, be my guest!" I turned to glare at him and accidentally let fly with the brick, which landed perfectly in the boat.

Trying very hard to look as though I'd planned this, I glanced down at the makeshift rope in my hands, then up at Decker.

"Alright. I suggest we put our differences aside, we work together and we get outta here. In case it slipped your notice, Decker, you can't arrest me when you're dead and you can't arrest me when I'm dead either!"

Decker stared at me, lip curled. "Do you really think you're in a position to bargain with me, Peck?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Well, let me see. We're trapped on a man-made island that none of us can swim away from, and I'm holding the only available boat. Yeah, Decker, I think that puts me in a pretty strong bargaining position. I'll help you on one condition: you take off for the rest of the year. Head for New York, or Texas, or Philadelphia, or some place we're not gonna be and don't pick up our trail again until January, and that includes not arresting me the second we escape. And stay out of Chicago, okay? I think BA'd like to visit his mom for Christmas this one time."

"We'll see, Peck."

I'd heard that one before, although admittedly not from him. As a child I'd learned very quickly that we'll see meant the answer's no, but I don't have the balls to tell you. One of the reasons my teenage self had been so fascinated by Hannibal when we'd first met was that he always gave me a straight answer to any question I had, even if that answer was sometimes that's none of your business, Lieutenant.

"Decker, if you have any illusions about grabbing the rope off me, let me just point out that I can throw it into the middle of this water faster than you can get to me."

When he didn't answer, I hauled the boat in. It was small, but sturdy, and I thought it would take the three of us easily.

It wasn't until the three of us had actually boarded the damn thing that Nadia raised her hand as if she was in class.

"Um. Face?"

"Yeah?"

"This is a really nice boat and everything, but how do you make it move?"

I opened my mouth, paused as her question hit me like a freight train and then shut it again.

"Well, we...uh...we just..." I hesitated and then did the unthinkable. "Decker?"

Decker looked cruelly amused as he answered, "Don't look at me, Peck; you were the one who was so determined to get the thing. I assumed you knew how to get it moving."

I glanced at the exit, then at the railings, then at my brick and rope combination. Well...why not?

I threw it twice before Decker caught hold of my wrist.

"Alright, enough of this. Peck, if we wait for you to throw the damn thing accurately, we'll be here until doomsday! Give it to me."

"What? No! No, I think I've got my eye in now." I also thought that I wasn't happy about putting a brick in Decker's hand all the time I was within striking distance.

I didn't have any choice, however, since Decker wrested it out of my hand, spun it a few times and then threw it. The brick flew through two of the railings and caught on one. Handing the end of the makeshift rope back to me, Decker sat back and folded his arms.

"My eye was never out, Peck."

"Lucky shot, Decker." I pulled the rope very gingerly, not wanting to jerk the brick free, and the boat moved through the water while I wondered just where the hell Decker had learned that trick. I mean, seriously, was there a Throwing-Brick-And-Rope Army training course I'd somehow missed out on?

We progressed in silence through the water. I don't know what was going through Decker's mind, but what was going through mine was that the silent travel by boat in a hot, humid environment while being watched by unfriendly eyes was far too much like Vietnam for my liking. I'm not saying I had flashbacks or anything – that's Murdock's department, not mine – but still, I was glad to reach the other side.

I was less glad when I realized that the stairs were attached to a platform, and the platform was underwater. I didn't think it was deep underwater, just deep enough to scald the soles of your feet.

Steadying myself with one hand on Nadia's shoulder (I didn't trust Decker not to throw me in the water) I put a tentative foot on the platform.

I'd been right; the Army boots I was wearing were high enough to protect me from the worst of it. Pushing up a little, I stepped fully onto the platform. A few seconds later, Decker joined me and then we both turned to look at Nadia, who was still sitting in the boat and wearing open-toed and very flat sandals. Good for partying, I've no doubt, and she could probably run faster in them than in a pair of heels, but no good for, say, protecting her feet from a thin layer of boiling water.

I met Decker's stare again. "Alright. You can carry her to the door."

Decker raised his eyebrows. "Oh really? Why me?"

Something inside me snapped and I turned. He wasn't wearing any clothes I could grab and use to pull him into me, so I used his throat instead.

"Because, as you with your expertise in psychology pointed out, one tiny little hint of pressure or physical pain and I'm going to curl up into a fetal position and sob about how unloved I am and how everyone I care for always abandons me! That's what I do, right Decker? You know, maybe you should change the wording on those damn posters of yours: First Lieutenant Templeton "Faceman" Peck, Ex-Green Beret, AKA the Whiny, Radically Insecure Little Crybaby Of The Team. That's First Lieutenant, by the way, not Captain. You know, I love promotions as much as the next soldier, but if you're going to hunt me and my friends down for a crime we didn't commit, you can damn well get my name and rank right!"

There was a long, dangerous silence, then Decker said tightly, "I shouldn't have said that, Peck."

It was the closest I'd ever got to an actual apology from the guy, and pure shock caused me to lower my hands and back off a step. Stupid move, but Decker didn't try and jump me. I think on some level he knew what he'd done: you do not insult another soldier's unit. Not seriously; there's a certain amount of friendly rivalry between various Army units and some not-so-friendly rivalry between the Army and the Navy, and the Marines.

Much as I hated having him here, though, I had to admit that Decker's presence was good in one respect: it meant that once we were out of here, I could abandon Nadia. I wouldn't be leaving her in very polite company, but I knew Decker wouldn't hurt her and he'd make sure she got home safely, which would buy me enough time to make sure that I could get home safely as well.

I walked up to the door and examined it for wires. An electrified door in a room full of water seemed very much in keeping with the general theme of this place.

I couldn't see any, but that didn't mean the door was safe.

Alright, kid, Hannibal-Voice spoke up. Think. There's got to be a way you can trick Decker into opening the door for you.

Actually...on second thoughts, Hannibal probably wouldn't have said that. I thought of that scene in Macbeth, where neither character trusts the other enough to go through a door ahead of him. How had they solved that in the end?

Oh right; they'd walked side by side.

I looked at the door, then at Decker – who had just deposited Nadia on the steps – then back at the door. Nope. Not an option; if we walked side by side through this door, we'd just wind up getting stuck in it. I was sure Decker wouldn't trust me behind him and I knew damn well I didn't trust him behind me, so that only left one option.

"Alright. Well, I don't think the door's booby-trapped or anything, so I tell you what, Decker. You go first, Nadia can go in the middle and I'll bring up the rear."

"Right, and have you slam the door the minute we're through it."

I met Decker's gaze squarely. "Doors tend to slam on their own in this place, or hadn't you noticed?"

"Forget it, Peck. You're expendable. You go through first."

We might have gone on like this all day (or night; I had no idea what time it was) but Nadia, with a guttural exclamation that sounded suspiciously like, "Men!" pushed past Decker and me, opened the door and stepped through it.

About two seconds later, she screamed.

Okay, so that's it for this chapter :) Hope you enjoyed it and if you read, please review!