"No way, fool!" B.A. roared his displeasure at Murdock's choice of name for a small grey bunny happily hopping in an outdoor pen. "You ain't naming that rabbit Slinky."
"You said...you said I could name any bunny I wanted," Murdock pouted.
"Look at it, man! Does it look like a slinky to you?"
Murdock wheeled his chair a bit closer to the pen and slanted his head. "You're right. He looks more like a Skippy." Murdoch grinned.
B.A. shook his head in annoyance.
"What? You don't like that name either?"
"Skippy? Ain't it the kangaroo?"
"So? He does hop like one."
B.A. signed in exasperation and walked away. Murdock turned to the enclosure where the little critter was now munching on a carrot stick. "You like that name, don't you? Then Skippy it is. Don't let that bark fool you. Down inside he's a soft teddy bear." His attention was suddenly drawn to a small trailer truck driving up the driveway. With growing curiosity, he veered his wheelchair to the right and helmed it toward the unknown visitor.
"Jimmy, what brings you here this fine Monday morning?" Mrs. Baracus asked the young man as he parked the truck.
"A new boarder for your farm, Mrs. Baracus. Hope you have room," he said while heading to the back of the truck with Evelyn and B.A. in tow. "It's a beautiful white mare whose career in obstacle races came to an abrupt end yesterday." He unlocked the trailer door and steered the injured animal out. "She had a bad fall and hurt her left hind leg. The injury wasn't deemed severe enough to put her out of her misery, but the owner can't keep her seeing how she'll never be able to jump again. So naturally I thought of you."
"Good call, Jimmy. Let me take a look at her leg." Mrs. Baracus ran a gentle hand alongside the injured limb."
"Mama, is it serious?" B.A. asked with genuine concern.
"I don't think so, Baby. Anyway I'll have our vet do a thorough examination to make sure."
"You might want to take the pressure off that leg," Murdock suggested as he slowly approached the subdued horse. "She's a beautiful animal," he rhapsodized over the majestic shiny-coated equine.
"He's right," Jimmy agreed. "That's what the vet suggested. I can help you set it up."
"I'd appreciate it, Jimmy. Take her to the stables." Evelyn started for the barn behind Jimmy when she noticed Murdock not following. "Murdock, son, aren't you coming?"
"Thanks but I think you have the situation under control."
"You appear to have knowledge of what needs to be done."
"That's 'cause I've seen this type of injury before during my short stint as a stable boy."
"Then you qualify. Come on, let's go. B.A. will would take your friend down to the stables?"
"Euh... if you don't mind I'd rather do it myself. No offense Big Guy, but you drive like a maniac," Murdock chaffed, getting a scowl in return.
"Why you..." a playful Murdock was off before the irked B.A. could collar him.
On Murdock's instructions, the horse was blindfolded and then eased into a body sling that was slowly elevated to suspend the animal inches above the floor, therefore releasing tension on all four legs. The farm's vetenarian was called to consult on the animal's injury and issued a satisfactory prognosis. The horse would survive the sprain but could never compete again.
While Jimmy, B.A. and Evelyn were assisting the vetenarian in fixing the contraption under Murdock's watchful eye, Face and Hannibal returned from their short visit to the Evans' house. Amy greeted them as they exited the van.
"What's the news?"
"Prescott's still at large," Hannibal informed.
"Are the Evans alright?"
"Holding their own," Face conveyed unconvincingly. "Fortunately Evans did heed our warning and moved his family to a remote location for the time being. Hopefully the police'll nail Prescott with the help of one of his watchdogs. If he spills the beans that is."
"I'm sure the authorities will cut him a nice little deal."
"Let's hope so. I'd hate for Meghan to be hurt again," Amy sighed. "You can't begin to fathom what that little girl went through."
"Where are our two musketeers?" Hannibal asked as he scanned the area looking for the two missing members.
"In the stables. They brought in an injured mare a while ago and they're all in there fixing her up."
"Even Murdock?" Face queried.
Amy smiled thoughtfully. "Yeah, even Murdock. I suspect he took a shining to her. I even heard him laugh for the first time since the accident. I tell you Hannibal, that horse might be what the doctor ordered."
"Well, who would have known," Face expressed with content.
"Well, looks like my young cyclist friend was right. I've found the rabbit lair," a maniacal voice wafted from behind a thicket, with two darting brown eyes peering through the thick brush. With a vengeful grin on his face, he relished the taste of his imminent victory over the enemy.
He waited for the threesome to disappear into the barn to discreetly shoulder his way out of the bush. He threaded lightly and circumspectly to the main house, heedful to remain inconspicuous as he raked the surrounding area for any sign of people roaming about. He quickly assessed the current situation while considering the human factor bound to hinder his moves and stand in the way of his goal. "I need to get to the girl. She's all the insurance I need," he cowed to himself with a Cheshire grin.
One last glance around the premises and he snuck back behind the thicket where he parked himself on a small boulder to cogitate his Machiavellian plan based on the information he gathered so far.
Not a creature stirred for nearly twenty minutes. The shadow seized the quietness to his advantage by collecting missing pieces to elaborate his scheme. Silence was broken by the sound of laughter coming from the barn. He swiftly ducked his head behind the bush wood to spy on the gang ambling out of the stables. "Damn!" He cursed inwardly upon seeing Murdock in his wheelchair. "Who's this guy? Must be the one Hannibal said was wounded in the accident. No sweat, he's crippled and so is the big jug. He's only got one good arm. He can't be too much of a nuisance." He shook his head in annoyance at the potential glitch in his otherwise seamless plan.
He remained in his concealed spot until both Jimmy and the vetenarian bid goodbye and drove away. He dismissed the two visitors on his master plan, but set them aside as likely stumbling blocks. "I've only got one shot. I can't blow this one," he vowed privately before he quietly made himself scarce.
No sooner had Murdock shown progress that his spirits took a tumble. All were baffled at the sudden turnaround in their friend's demeanour but nonetheless, they were doggedly intent on not forsaking him, regardless of the amount of time required to invest in boosting his morale. They refrained from addressing his handicap as they suspected it to be the triggering element to his relapse.
Fifteen days had elapsed since the day the team arrived at the farm and neither the wheelchair-bound sour puss nor the mare that Murdock affectionately named 'Lady', had made significant progress.
Early one morning, Amy wandered into the stables searching for the missing party at the breakfast table. Sure enough, she found him by Lady's stall lovingly patting the animal's neck.
"I thought I might find you here. We missed you at breakfast."
"I wasn't very hungry," Murdock simpered without making eye contact with Amy.
She came to stand before him to pat the horse's head. "You've been saying that for over a week. You hardly touch your food at meal time."
"Yeah, well, I could stand to lose a few pounds," his attempt at a joke fell flat.
Amy remained silent and veered off the subject by turning her attention to the mare. "She's a beauty, isn't she?"
"She is one splendid animal," Murdock agreed. "She and I are very much alike."
"How so?"
"Haven't you noticed? We're both crippled," he quipped.
"It's temporary," Amy stated with a hint of bitterness.
"I'm no fool. I've figured out your little plan. You thought that perhaps by coming here the great outdoors would do me good, Well you're wrong. Clean air isn't going to cut it," he slashed cynically.
"We came here to get away from the recent events."
"By that you mean my predicament."
"Why you ungrateful egotistic bastard!" she fumed at Murdock's selfishness. "You think the world revolves around you? Well it doesn't. B.A was also hurt in that accident or have you forgotten it? Oh yeah sure, you might downplay his injury compared to yours. B.A got lucky. He only broke his arm. Hey! That's nothing!" she rambled on sarcastically. "As for me, I was terrified that I might gett killed in cold blood. I had to act tough in front of the little girl so to reassure her that everything would be alright when I knew it wouldn't." She paused and stepped closer to the Murdock. "So you see, it's not just about YOU, my selfish friend." she lashed out with tears of anger polling in her smouldering eyes.
Murdock leaped in on similar tone, "Oh I realize it's not only about me, but you guys sure go out of your way to make me feel like it is and that's what bugs me."
"You want to help you get better and perhaps we're going the wrong way about it."
"You're smothering me. I need some breathing space. Don't tell me I'm supposed to be walking by now when I can't. I've tried, Lord knows I've tried to stand on those legs but they're not responding, dammit!" he snarled between teeth gritted in suppressed anger while pounding his fists against his legs.
"You've changed, Murdock," she confided morosely. "A few years ago you never would have allowed this adversity to beat you. But now, you're giving up. You're throwing in the towel. Is it because you're tired or that you just don't care anymore."
"I haven't given up the fight, Amy. Do you think I enjoy being bound to this chair?"he seethed.
"I wonder," she answered aloofly, catching Murdock unawares. "I seriously wonder." An eerie silent fell as she headed out of the barn, leaving a contrite Murdock in her wake.
She ambled on to the horse paddock and leaned against the fence, hoping that her scorching arrow had hit the mark. Much to her delight, Murdock wheeled himself out of the stables and came to rest next to her.
"I'm sorry, Amy. You're right, I'm a selfish bastard," he atoned.
A triumphant curl of the lip appeared on her face at the thought of having cracked the tough armour.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to you, guys, but you must understand that I need to do this at my own pace."
She turned around and grabbed him by the shoulders to get her point across the thick skull. "And understand that we care about you and we want to help you get better. We want to old Murdock back in our mist."
"Give me time...I'll get there," he choked out with emotions.
"Deal!" She extended her arm to shake his hand. He took the offering and pulled her in a tight embrace. As they pulled apart, they stood transfixed, eyes locked in a tender gaze. Time froze as they slowly leaned into each other, only to snap out of their trance before the inevitable occurred.
Peering through the livingroom window, Face fashioned an elated smile at the scene unfolding before him "The miracle worker strikes again!"
"How do you figure?" Hannibal asked in puzzlement as he approached the window.
"I saw smiles and a big hug."
"At least someone's getting through to him," B.A. grunted with relief. "And to think, I'm the stubborn one,"
With Lady taking her first wobbly steps on firm ground, all expected Murdock to follow suit, but the enthusiasm was soon dampened by the Captain's failure to stand on his two feet.
The lack of improvement over the last days suggested the possibility of a concealed ailment that is impeding any movement and making it harder for Murdock to achieve what his friends are hoping for. B.A.'s mother offered to contact her family physician to consult on Murdock's condition and thus determine whether or not it was an actual physical problem and not a mental one.
Hannibal wasn't too keen on the idea of strangers roaming on the premises, ones who could possibly identify them as the infamous fugitives but considering how Murdock was never linked directly to the A-Team, he agreed.
While awaiting the doctor's visit, Murdock decided to take one last shot at standing on his legs. When that umpteenth attempt failed miserably, the irritated man wheeled himself outside and visited with his pet rabbit, Skippy, to drown his sorrow. Talking with the little critter actually released some of the ablaze frustration and soon a smile crossed his face.
Without any warning, all ears pricked up. The rabbit froze and turned toward the ominous sound. Murdock picked up on the animals' restlessness and followed their gaze to the thicket across the field. "Something's out there." His own instincts were kicking in. An eerie feeling formed in the pit of his stomach. He turned to the house, hoping someone was watching him so he could motion them to come and investigate with him.
"Don't move," the voice threatened from behind.
"Bad choice of words, fella," Murdock mocked.
"Alright, don't make a sound or I'll put a slug into your skull."