Chapter 12 – The A-Team in Action
"Let's go B.A. These guys are only here cleaning up and then they're headed back to the college. I think it's getting ready to go down. We missed stopping them here, so let's go, we have to get that bomb located NOW."
Without a word, B.A puts the van in gear and peels out, tires squealing and rubber flying. It doesn't matter if they're seen now, because by the time those two get there car out, they'll be long gone. B.A. isn't quite sure how to get to this college, so Face types it into the van's GPS system, a nice touch to the van that they didn't have in the past. The annoying voice starts telling B.A. which way to go. Turn left in three hund…, now right in fifty ya…, the poor thing can't even get it out before B.A., driving at breakneck speed, has already traveled the distance and moved on.
"You should've started it after I got on the freeway. That thing is annoyin'! I should've left it out!"
"Well if it gets us to that school faster, I think it is a great addition."
"Yeah, big guy, it's kinda fun hearing someone order you around like this. Hey, Face, maybe we could get it programed to Hannibal's voice, then B.A. wouldn't take it so rough."
Face says, "right." He's thinking, Murdock is talking about Hannibal and none of them are flinching. Either we're all doing okay, or maybe it's just because our focus is somewhere else right now.
."B.A., when we get there, we need to stash the van and find out where this building is that Murdock saw on the plans. We want to keep it close so we can all get back to it in a hurry if need be."
"Sure, but how are we gonna know which building. What if this place has twenty buildings! Do ya think we can possibly search all those buildings before the bomb goes off?"
"No, no I don't. I have to admit that right now I am winging it. We're just going to have to get the lay of the land and go from there. Murdock and I will go in as teachers." He turns to Murdock, "We will have to get rid of the real teachers and try to locate the two rooms you saw on the building plan."
"Man, I almost forgot, I found a list with ten names on it." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a slip of paper. It has ten names, three girls and seven boys. "It's probably the kids they are going to ransom."
"Well, we could go to the dean at the school and try to get all the kids out, but the slimeballs might just blow the building anyway, and then there goes the neighborhood, so to speak."
"No Faceman, I think I have a better way to get everyone out, but it will take some time and it could alert the bad guys to our position. Maybe they only want the kids for ransom, and they won't blow up the bomb, if they can't get their money. I mean, what purpose would that serve. They would go up with the building, too."
"I don't know. That's a lot of ifs and buts and maybes. We better just hang loose and see what happens as we go along."
Face calls Det. Johnson and clues him in. He tells him not to come barging into the school with sirens blaring.
"Just give us a chance to do what we do best. If things go bad, you'll know, but don't tip them off early, or they will know something is wrong and who knows what they'll do then. … Okay, thanks and good luck to you, also." He hangs up the phone and turns to B.A. "Did you get the tools you need to block cell phone transmissions so the bomb doesn't go off accidentally?"
"Yeah, but Face, if they can't use cell phones, won't they get suspicious?"
"Maybe, but let em. I mean if they can't call out, maybe it will shut down the operation for a while and give us time to locate that bomb."
"Almost there, I'm pretty sure that's the college just up the road."
"Hey, I think we are in luck," Murdock states. "There is only one three story building on this campus!"
"We just got very lucky. Okay B.A., let's find a parking space where we can get out of here in a hurry, if we have to."
"Faceman, what are we going to do with that bomb if and when we find it?" Murdock asks the question they have all been thinking about, but were afraid to ask.
"You know Murdock, I'm not sure, but let's worry about finding it first! Maybe Det. Johnson has an idea of where to go with it from here. I hate to do this, guys, but we need to leave our cells here in the van. We won't be able to talk to one another, but if B.A.'s device works then we can't use them anyway, and if it doesn't we don't want to be the ones to set off the bomb."
"Whadda ya mean, if it works?" I always hold up my end of the plan. It'll work just fine!"
"Okay, let's go." Face takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, focusing his mind on the next few minutes, or hours, whatever it takes to put a stop to this.
"By the way Murdock, we are going to have to get rid of the teachers in those classes. So come up with something you can tell your prof to get him, or her out of the room. You okay?"
"Fine, let's get this show on the road. You are in room 218. I'm taking the lab, because I have some chemistry to get going, which may help us get out of here when the time comes."
They get out of the van and B.A. heads to the back. He hands both the guys a handgun and takes one for himself. "You know we can't get caught with these, or this could get real hairy."
"Right, guns on a college campus is bad, and we don't want to be the ones caught and locked up."
They put their guns down the back of their pants waistband, hoping they won't need them. B .A. is going in first. He is dressed in a janitorial shirt and jeans to ward off suspicion. He finds a back door, and locates the closet where cleaning supplies are kept. He grabs a mop and push bucket to use as part of his cover. He fills the bucket half full of soapy water and starts down the hall toward the electrical panels. Opening the panel, he places a jamming device inside to keep the detonator from going off from any stray radio, or cell phone signals. Now he will use his cover to move around and look for the bomb, escape routes, possible hideouts, any type of surveillance that might help the team. He will also look for a good spot to step into the fray, if everything goes bad in a hurry.
Face heads in the front door and goes up the stairs to the second floor. The room he is looking for is 218. Great, the classroom is empty. He will have a few minutes to set up undisturbed. He doesn't want to alarm the terrorists to what's about to happen so they have a chance to do anything about it. If he looks like a professor and can get the students out of the building, he might just save some lives, and he does. He is wearing casual slacks, a shirt and tie, and a sport jacket. He has also added a pair of glasses, to make himself appear more scholarly. Once inside the classroom, he pulls the gun from underneath his jacket where he has it tucked, places it in the top desk drawer of the teacher's desk and sits down to wait. While waiting, he is trying to figure out what he is supposed to be teaching. There is one comment on the board. It says "read Chapter 12- Ancient Military Strategies Used During the Viet Nam War. "Are they kidding? Do they really teach this stuff? Hannibal did you write a book and not tell us?" He really can't believe his luck. This is something he has firsthand knowledge of and can maybe even talk intelligently about. He scans the room for objects that can be of help if necessary, other ways out of the room, and how heavy this desk is if he needs to hide under it to escape gun fire. The bell should be ringing in about two minutes if his watch is the same as the school's clock. He is tense, but focused and ready for action. Okay, he thinks, here comes the real professor.
"Good morning professor…?"
"Whitley"
"Yes, Whitley. I am here to teach a special class on the importance of leadership during the Viet Nam era. You know, the different generals and colonels and how they used their knowledge of ancient military actions to try to win that war."
"I'm afraid I don't know anything about this. Who are you anyway?"
"I'm Professor Peck from West Point. Yes, you see I was sent out here to help with this particular group of students because they have parents who have strong ties to the military framework of this wonderful nation, and they requested this lesson be taught by me as I have firsthand knowledge of this particular subject."
"How would the parents know anything about my schedule and why would they care? These students are barely staying awake in this class and I don't think they will be impressed by a West Point professor any more than they are of me!"
"Look Professor Whitley, all I know is I was summoned here by the head of this university to teach this particular lesson. If you have an issue with it, you can go talk with your chair head, or the president of the college, or whomever you need to, but I am teaching this class because I have orders to teach this class and you will not stop me from doing it."
"Well, I'll just call Dean Jergins and see what he has to say about this."
"Be my guest."
The professor pulls out his cell phone. He must have Dean Jergins' number on speed dial, because he only presses one button and then waits for it to ring. He gets a puzzled look on his face and tries again. Then he closes his phone loudly and utters a sound of disgust.
"Stupid cell phones, half the time I can't get through in this building. Okay, I am going to speak with him directly, but I will be back!" With that he turns and leaves the room, slamming the door behind him.
"Don't make it too quick professor, or you might end up in the middle of something you don't want to be involved in", Face says to the slammed door.
Just then the bell rings and he hears students heading out of rooms, talking loudly and going on their way to wherever. A few students start coming into his room and taking desks. They give him puzzled looks, but for the most part are ignoring him. I guess the professor is right, they don't seem too excited to be here, but then why should they. This isn't the reason I went to college; ancient history, no, but making history, yes, that and finding a date for Saturday night. Okay, well that's not the reason I am here, so focus and see what I can do to get these kids out of here in one piece.
Murdock locates the lab that was marked on the plans in the warehouse. He is posing as a chemistry professor. He is dressed in what he hopes looks like scientist garb. He put on a shirt and bow tie, and a white smock, similar to a doctor's coat. He is also wearing glasses, so he looks more like a professor. He does have on tennis shoes, which tend to squeak as he moves about the room. He is picking the locks on several cabinets, looking for chemicals which can aid in the escape when the time comes. He locates several items and places them on a portable cart, and pushes it to the back of the room. There is a large table he can use for setting everything up and it is out of sight from the door. He locates three beakers, and a glass stirring rod, also a syringe that can hold 500 c.c. of liquid and a hot plate to get things warmed up. He pulls the folded piece of paper out of his wallet to check one last time that he has all the ingredients. Yes, that looks like everything. One more glance at the process he has to follow, and then he puts the paper back away. This is going to be fun, he thinks to himself. He has a few things hidden up his sleeve and he puts his gun into a cabinet for safe keeping. It wouldn't look right, if he got caught with a gun on him. Just then the teacher walks in the door.
"What's this?" He is looking at the stuff Murdock has set up on the table.
"Hello Professor. I am here to run a special experiment and you can have the time off to do whatever you like."
"Really? That's great! I have this experiment I am working on in my other lab, and I could really use the time. I was thinking about cancelling this class today anyway, but now I won't have to. What are you teaching?"
"Oh, just a little something I found on the internet." Murdock tells him the truth as he steers him toward the door and out in the hall. "Believe me, if all goes well, this experiment will make history."
"Maybe I should stay and watch. If it is new, I could learn something from it."
"No, no, no, no that would not work. You see, I'm a little nervous about teaching it and I don't want any colleagues critiquing me before I try it out. No, you just go on your way to your own experiment and I'll handle the class just fine. I'll let you know how it goes and then we'll sit down and discuss the results. Bye now, take care." He manages to get him out and moving down the hall before the bell rings. He can't wait for class to start, and there is the bell.
Students start pouring out of classrooms, heading for their next class, whether in this building or another. Unbeknownst to the guys, these are the only two classes taking place in this building now. All the other students head out the door and go to other buildings for their next class, or home. The kidnappers have done their homework. The ten students that are on Mr. Thompson's list move into their respective classes. Six students, Keri, Michelle, Greg, Thomas, Ben and Ron, go into the history class that Face is teaching. The other four, Kendra, Danny, Bill, and Paul move to Murdock's chemistry lab. Now only time will tell. All the players are in place.