Rock and A Hard Place
Ch. 5
--
Face peered out the window quickly, then turned back as BA approached.
"What are we gonna do Face man? Can we really leave Hannibal like this?"
Face sighed. "No way BA, he wouldn't leave us, we're not leaving him."
"So what's the plan?"
"Put our heads on straight that's what. Decker is expecting us to give ourselves up so that's what we're going to do."
"What? Face…we'll be dead men."
"Listen, there has to be some of the bomb device left from its original place, see what you can find…a bomb got us into this place, maybe a bomb can get us out."
BA nodded. "I'll go see what I can find…and if I do …"
"We'll detonate it, it'll be far enough away from us that it'll cause everyone out there to think its collapsing…we're gonna move Hannibal out to that fire escape…" Face points down to the 3rd floor escape.
"Face that escape is dangling off the building man, there's no way we can climb and carry Hannibal at the same time."
"Yes there is BA. See those cables…we're gonna lower him down, it has to work…and if it doesn't…well… that'll be it…" He shrugged.
"Alright Face, let's do what we do." BA replied, smacking Face on the shoulder.
"I'll figure a way to get Hannibal out…I'm counting on you BA…"
"No worries Face man, we ain't leaving here without a fight."
Face nodded, sending up a silent prayer in the process. It had been the first time he'd prayed at all during this whole ordeal, and he knew it wouldn't be the last time.
He looked down quickly at the dangling fire escape and contemplated. While he was contemplating Murdock yelled.
"Face! Come here quick…he stopped talking to me…he…he's dead…he died…left us…he…"
"Easy Murdock," Face placed a hand on his shoulder as he knelt down.
"Hannibal?" Face asked almost desperate, his heart pounding. He reached around his Colonels neck for a pulse.
He sighed and fell back on his heels. Murdock read his body language like a book.
"He did…he did leave us…what…what are we gonna do!...he really left…me." He wept.
Face lifted up his head at Murdock's last word. He didn't say us as in the team anymore, he said "me."
"Easy Murdock…" Face turned and lifted Murdock up from under his shoulders, taking him away from the Colonels body. "Let me talk to you…calm down…now listen…"
The two talked for a while until BA returned, they exchanged a few words then got right down to the business at hand. They still had to escape and they knew then exactly how they were going to do it.
--
"Sir, we should move in, the building isn't going to come down."
Decker grinned. "Even if it doesn't, and Colonel Smith is hurt, they won't leave him behind…we got them right where we want them…"
Just then a huge explosion was heard centralized near the back of the building.
"They won't get out that easy…" Decker sent his men out quickly. As they reached the back they saw a cable fall from a window sill.
"That's them! They're sending something down sir…looks like a body."
"Dear God." Decker exclaimed, then realizing perhaps Colonel Smith hadn't made it, perhaps this really was the end of the A-Team as he knew them. "Get that body…and send some men up that escape to that window.
"But sir, the building…it's not stable!"
"You get up their Corporal, or you'll have KP duty for the next 18 months!"
"Yes sir."
Decker ran quickly to the body that had been lowered down. He was solemn as he uncovered the large debris. He swallowed hard at the sight before him. "It just can't be true…"
--
"I cannot believe it…I just cannot believe it." BA said as he started up the van. "It worked. We made it."
Face sighed at the word "we," and looked behind him at Murdock.
"Get us to Davidson's as quick as you can without drawing too much attention BA."
"Right!" BA nodded.
"It's gonna be alright Murdock…we're out…they didn't get us…"
"Not all of us." He replied simply.
The team arrived at their destination with no problems. Face's friend Davidson raced out to meet them.
"Bring him in…this way!" He waved.
The side door flung open and Face helped Murdock carry Hannibal's body out over his shoulder. BA quickly took his body from the two and walked quickly into the house.
"Lay him down right here…"
BA did just that. His Colonels blood soaking through his own clothing. They had applied pressure to his wounds best they could.
The Doctors face almost turned white. "Go on, get out of here, I'll contact you Tem. When it's safe."
Decker's men and law enforcement were combing the area, and there was no way they could stay.
Murdock bent over and softly kissed the Colonels forehead. "You made it this far Colonel…don't bail on us now…we need you…I need you." He paced backwards as kept the Colonel in sight as long as he could before leaving.
The three got into the van solemnly. They felt like they were abandoning him, but there was no other choice. Davidson could give him the medical attention he needed and there was no sense staying in a situation that could end up just like the one they had escaped from.
The ride out of town was quiet, and as hours passed, all they could do was wait for the phone to ring.
--
Decker re read the note the A-team had left him for the last time. He finally crumbled it and through it to the floor, storming away.
A Corporal picked it up, unraveling it to read what it said. "HERE LIES JOHN HANNIBAL SMITH'S DEBRIS…DO SEE IT GETS A NICE FUNERAL SERVICE.
-YOUR FRIENDS AND FOES, THE A-TEAM."
With a smirk, the Corporal crumbled it back up and tossed it in the same spot he had picked it up.
--
Murdock finally broke the silence. "So can I just ask what I know both of you are thinking?"
"No." Both BA and Face replied in unison.
"Well I don't care, cuz I cant keep gazing out the window wondering what you two are thinking while I may be thinking the same thing or not at all…"
Face turned back. "Okay what is it?"
"Well you know…if the Colonel dies…what will we do?"
Again there was silence. Until the phone rang.