CHAPTER 3

The elves all helped The A-Team as they fixed the workshop, everyone working exceptionally hard and fast as the sooner the workshop was mended, the sooner they could start doing the most important thing, remaking the toys. In fact, the only time they stopped their work was when Mrs Claus walked into the workshop, holding a large tray full of cookies. All of the elves stopped what they were doing immediately and rushed towards her.

'Elves just love their cookie breaks' Murdock explained to his bemused looking friends. The A-Team carried on working as the elves devoured their cookies. Mrs Claus walked over to the four men with the remainder or the cookies.

'Here you go dears, have a rest and eat these' She smiled, and then frowned slightly at their reluctant looks, 'I know there's a lot of work to be done, but you can't be doing all work with no play, now can you?' Mrs Claus held out the tray and all four men grabbed a cookie and thanked Santa's wife.

'I guess a little break won't hurt' Hannibal shrugged, and with that all four men went to mingle with the elves.

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Face was chatting to Fidgely when he felt a tap on his shoulder, 'Would you like some milk?' he heard a female voice ask, he looked around quickly before he turned to her, noting that most of the elves were already happily drinking, then grinned slightly when he caught sight of BA, four milk cartons in front of him.

'No Th-' He began, but paused as he saw the very beautiful looking elf, 'Um, yeah, sure, milk would be great' he quickly added. She smiled and passed him a carton, 'My names Templeton Peck, but most of my friends call me Face'

'Yes, I know' She smiled.

'Right, and your name?' He smiled back.

'My names Colozea'

'Ah, Colozea, what a beautiful name' Face placed his arm around her, turning on his charm, 'so, tell me a little about yourself.' Both of them began to walk off together, when Face stopped suddenly and turned round to Fidgely who was giggling to himself.

'What?' Face questioned.

'Isn't she a little old for you Face?' He asked.

'Old?' Face replied, sounding confused, he then turned to Colozea, 'how old are you?'

'Two hundred and forty-four' Colozea replied, 'I'm one of the younger elves'

'Two hundred an-' He exclaimed, then he stuttered awkwardly, 'ah, um, well, I guess I'd best be getting back to work, there's lots to be done' Face fiddled with his collar and then headed quickly towards Hannibal, shouting 'um, nice meeting you' back as he was hurrying away.

'What's up with you?' BA asked as he saw a very flustered Face approach.

'You're not loosing your charm with the ladies now are you lieutenant? Hannibal smirked, Face just rolled his eyes.

'Murdock could have warned me about the elves ages'

'Speaking of Murdock, where is he?' Hannibal scanned the workshop. Face and BA copied their CO; Murdock was nowhere to be seen.

'Fools probably wondered off somewhere and gotten himself lost' BA huffed.

'Shall I go and look for him?' offered Face, as he said it, Murdock returned and Hannibal and Face shot amused looks at each other.

'How do I look?' Murdock Beamed. The tall lanky pilot was wearing a green Elf suit, hat, and some stick on elf-like ears.

'Stupid' BA answered, 'where'd you get a suit big enough to fit?'

'Mrs Claus made it for me; she sure is fast at making clothes' Murdock answered.

'Well I think you look great Murdock' Face spoke up.

'So do I' Hannibal agreed, 'Ok, breaks over, time to get back to work' Hannibal announced, and with that his team and the elves all continued with the work at hand.

An hour or so later and it was all finished. The elves danced around merrily whilst the four men just stood and stared at the finished workshop, now it really did look magical. Rows of work tables where at each side of the room, left side red, right side green, which were elegantly carved with snowflakes on them, the cracks from where they had been broken up and then stuck back together again barely visible from the new layers on paint on them. Tinsel with pictures of each of Santa's reindeers on attached to the front of each table. Walls full of beautiful looking old-fashioned wooden shelves. A large colourful machine in the middle of the room, which was puffing out smoke from a pipe at the top, and a moving conveyer belt coming off the front of it, which was split in two at the end, one part which went onto a box attached to the floor, with a sign saying 'Good Toys' and the other attached to a box saying 'Faulty Toys'. The machine had been covered with layers of paint to hide the splits and scratches from the when it got smashed up.

Apart from the actual work area, the room itself was full of the most spectacular looking Christmas decorations they had ever seen, no decorations they had ever seen before even came close to the ones in the room they were in now.

'So what now Colonel? Murdock asked.

'Now we help the elves make new toys, and also keep a look out for any unwelcome elves who may decide to turn up'

TBC…