CHAPTER 3
Back at the station, Fraser was pouring over a pile of papers that Elaine had printed out for them about Alfie Anderson. Diefenbaker, who'd spent the day at the station being fussed over by Elaine was sniffing about looking for food. Fraser was ignoring him. Anderson appeared on the surface to be a model citizen, without a criminal record. "Mr Anderson was unaware of our presence at the warehouse earlier Ray," Fraser scratched at his left eyebrow as he spoke, "so of course he has no idea that we witnessed the incident. You could simply arrest him for his actions."
"Not worth the paperwork," sighed Ray, "he didn't fire a single shot and he didn't admit to anything." Fraser nodded. He knew Ray was probably right. "You know something Benny," Ray continued, "I still can't believe that you're letting those guys get away with having unlicensed weapons."
"Ray, I'm not letting anyone get away with anything," insisted Fraser. "It is my intention to pursue the issue regarding outstanding firearms licenses as soon as the future of the Kraeley Toys warehouse is secured. In the meantime, I believe their intentions are entirely honourable."
Ray nodded, but he wasn't really listening. He had been distracted by something he was reading. "Fraser," he said suddenly, passing a piece of paper across his desk, "read that. Angry Anderson's been buying up property all over that part of town, but he's been spreading the deals across all of his different companies."
"Alfie Anderson," corrected Fraser. "I believe that Angry Anderson is an Australian recording artist."
"I know," replied Ray, "not about the Australian guy, I mean I know what our guy's name is."
"Ah." Fraser nodded. "That particular name does seem rather appropriate. It would appear that he has been attempting to close these property deals without drawing too much attention to himself."
"Looks like he's pretty determined too," added Ray, "a lot of those businesses have been there for years, just like the Kraeleys."
"He must have a very good reason," concluded Fraser. "Perhaps we should return to speak to the sisters again."
"Yeah OK Benny," grinned Ray with a wink.
"I fail to see what's so amusing in this situation Ray?" Fraser frowned.
"Nothing's funny," replied Ray, trying to keep a straight face. He wasn't quite sure if Fraser really was oblivious to the attention he got from the opposite sex, or if he was so uncomfortable with it that he pretended not to notice. He got up from his chair and Fraser did the same, picking his hat from Ray's desk and putting it on.
"Are you coming this time?" Fraser asked Diefenbaker. The wolf barked twice and ran ahead of them towards the door. Fraser shook his head. "If he thinks I'm going to buy him doughnuts then he's very much mistaken," Fraser spoke to Ray as he followed him.
As they passed Elaine's desk, the Civilian Aide called out to them. "Fraser," she said, waving a piece of paper in the air, "here's that other information you asked for."
"Thank you kindly Elaine," Fraser smiled at her as he took the print out from her hand and followed Ray out of the door.
"Anything for you Fraser," said Elaine under her breath with a sigh.
As they walked down the stairs, Fraser was reading the information that Elaine had just given him. Suddenly he stopped half way down the stairs. Ray carried on for a few more steps, but then he was aware that his partner wasn't right behind him any more. He stopped too and turned around. "What is it Benny?" he enquired, concerned at the look on Fraser's face.
"I asked Elaine to see if she had anything on The A Team," explained Fraser, "but I wasn't expecting this." He handed the page to Ray.
Ray took it and scanned down the text. "Wanted by the military police!" he exclaimed. "We have to make a call," he said and he began running back up the stairs.
"Stop Ray," Fraser called out. Ray did just that. "I think we at least owe them a chance to explain. A lot of the information pertaining to their alleged crime is classified. We are not really in a position to make a judgement."
"We don't have to make a judgement Fraser," said Ray, incredulously, "we just have to call this Colonel Decker, tell him where they can find The A Team and collect a huge amount of Boy Scout points. C'mon!"
"No Ray," Fraser was determined, "I do not believe that these men could possibly have committed a crime of such seriousness. They are good men Ray, they help people who no one else can help. If they've been on the run from the military for this long then they must be quite determined to evade capture and yet they regularly risk just such an occurrence by continuing their good deeds."
Ray shook his head. He did agree with Fraser to some extent and he was curious to know why they hadn't simply changed their identities and disappeared. He sighed, knowing that he was going to regret agreeing with the Mountie again. "OK Benny," he said, reluctantly, "we'll go and talk to the Kraeley's about Anderson and then we'll talk to The A Team, but I'm not making any promises. I will make that call Fraser and I can't believe you haven't made it yourself already."
"Ordinarily Ray, I admit that the thought of allowing fugitives to evade justice is abhorrent to me," nodded Fraser, "however in this instance, I cannot seem to justify it to myself."
"Not going on a hunch are you Benny? That's not like you," grinned Ray.
"Not at all Ray," replied Fraser and he walked down the stairs to catch up with Dief who was already standing by the Riv. Ray suppressed a chuckle and followed his friend out to the car park.
xXx
As they arrived at the warehouse, the roller shutter opened and Ray drove in. It was no surprise to either of them that someone was keeping a lookout. Fraser, Ray and Diefenbaker got out of the car as Hannibal approached. "Good afternoon Colonel Smith," said Fraser, "I assume that you are aware of the two vehicles parked outside?" Ray wasn't sure what Fraser was talking about as he hadn't noticed them on the way in.
Hannibal laughed. "Thanks Constable," he said, "they've been there for the last hour. I guess Anderson's keeping an eye on things. Who's this?"
"This is Diefenbaker, my wolf," explained Fraser. Hannibal seemed to take this information in his stride. Ray was always surprised how easily people accepted the animal's presence in Chicago. Although it was possibly no stranger than a Mountie walking about in his dress uniform, Ray thought.
"We got some info on Anderson and his dodgy dealings," explained Ray, pulling a crumpled pile of papers from his jacket pocket.
The others appeared and they all sat around a table while Fraser and Ray explained about Anderson's latest property acquisitions. "Unfortunately we have been unable to ascertain the reason for Mr Anderson's keen interest in this area," sighed Fraser, "but we have someone still working on that."
Hannibal nodded. Murdock suddenly produced Constable Handy Left again. "Don't worry Constable," said Murdock's hand, "we'll get to the bottom of this."
"I'll get to the bottom of you, crazy fool!" snarled BA, getting to his feet and lunging at Murdock. He snatched the cardboard Stetson from his hand and threw it across the floor. Murdock immediately stood up and glared at Murdock.
"Guys, guys," Face now stood up too and put himself between his two friends. "There's no need for this."
"But he's crazy man!" yelled BA.
"Yes I am," agreed Murdock, "and I got papers to prove it."
Fraser picked up the cardboard hat and handed it back to Murdock. He addressed BA. "Sergeant Baracus," he began, "in future, I respectfully request that you show more respect for the uniform of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police." BA growled at him.
"Hannibal," Jenny called out suddenly. She'd been standing by the window, but now she came running across to the table. "They're getting out of the cars. They've got guns."
Janelle looked terrified. "Not again, please, you can't let them do this again. We've barely had a chance to clean up after this morning." She looked around despondently.
"Get in the van," ordered Hannibal and he ran to open the shutter doors. BA jumped into his beloved van and started the engine while Face helped the girls climb into the back with Murdock before jumping in himself. "You guys coming?" he shouted to Fraser, before sliding the van door shut.
Fraser ran towards the Riv with Dief, but Ray hesitated for a moment. They had no idea what they were getting themselves into, although that was nothing unusual these days he thought and ran after Fraser.
BA drove the van at top speed out of the warehouse and Ray followed. BA stopped the van just long enough for Hannibal to jump in after he'd set the shutter doors closing behind them. Anderson's men were completely taken by surprise at the sudden appearance of the two vehicles hurtling towards them. They ran back towards their own cars, spinning them around and driving off with the van and the Riv in hot pursuit.
Ray hated high speed chases in his car. They charged along alleys and crossed junctions, somehow managing to avoid causing any accidents or injuring any pedestrians. Every now and again, Fraser would call a quick apology out of the window to someone as they picked themselves up from the floor. "Ray," he said, frowning as he clung onto the dashboard to stop himself sliding about, "you do realise we are driving at significantly above the posted limits."
"Fraser!" Ray exclaimed. "We're chasing armed and dangerous criminals, I think it's OK."
"In that case," replied Fraser, "I believe you should have your light on." Ray sighed and reached down to pick up his flashing red light. He handed it to Fraser who switched it on and put it on the dashboard. "Additionally," continued Fraser, as they screeched around another corner, "if this is an official high speed police chase, shouldn't we call for back up?"
"Call it in then," said Ray, turning sharp left to follow the black van. Fraser grabbed the door handle to keep himself upright and reached for the radio, but before he could make the call Ray added, "but don't forget The A Team are fugitives on the run from the military police. If we get a whole bunch of squad cars involved, someone's bound to run the plate from the van. I thought you wanted to give them a chance to explain themselves?"
Fraser replaced the radio, somewhat reluctantly. Ray was right, he didn't want to alert the US military to the location of Colonel Smith and his men just yet. He had a feeling that it would be the wrong thing to do in this case, although he was having to fight his Mountie training at every turn. Ray had seemed surprised that he wasn't going by the book on this occasion, but Ray didn't know him that well yet. Yes he was a stickler for the law, for rules and procedures, but only because in the past he had found that the rules were usually there for a very good reason. However, it was not that unusual for him to bend a rule, just a little, if he felt that it was the best way to ensure that justice was eventually served. Ray would come to learn that about him soon enough, he thought.
The chase continued out of the city centre and onto quieter roads. The two cars in front made sudden turns, trying to lose their pursuers, but to no avail. BA followed their every move and Ray did the same. Some of the minor roads were a little bumpy and Ray was becoming increasingly worried about the suspension on the Riv. Fraser began to wonder where Anderson's men were going. He wasn't sure if they were simply trying to evade capture, or if they were deliberately leading them somewhere. Suddenly they made another sharp turn down a dirt track and the van skidded as it followed them. Unfortunately, Ray wasn't quite quick enough and he skidded to a halt just past the turning. "They went down there Ray," Fraser pointed out.
"I know Benny!" yelled Ray, restarting the engine and spinning the Riv around and driving off down the track. He was just about to add something sarcastic about Fraser's last comment, when he saw one of the cars in front hit a rock and spin through the air. The car rolled over and over down an embankment and crashed into a tree. "Geez!" yelled Ray.
The A Team van continued its pursuit of the other car, but Ray skidded the Riv to a halt and he and Fraser leapt out of the car. Fraser had assumed he would find the occupants of the vehicle either dead, or at least very seriously injured after such a high speed accident, but miraculously, the two men crawled out of the wreckage rubbing their heads. They started to climb up the embankment and Fraser and Ray went to help them. Suddenly, without warning, the car exploded, sending the four men sprawling onto the ground.
Fraser was the first to his feet, dragging one of the men with him. Ray did the same with the other man. "Chicago PD," said a slightly stunned Ray. "You two are under arrest for shooting up the Kraeley Toys warehouse this morning and there's probably a whole load of traffic violations that my friend here can add to that later." He pulled the man's arms behind his back and snapped handcuffs onto the man's wrists, looping them around a metal fencepost to ensure he was restrained. He threw a second set of cuffs to Fraser who did the same with the other man as Ray recited their Miranda Rights.
"You can't just leave us here," shouted one of the men, as Fraser and Ray headed back to the Riv.
"Don't worry you jerks," replied Ray, "I'm going to get someone out here soon to pick you up."
"In the meantime," continued Fraser, reaching into the Riv and producing two bottles of water, "you must ensure that you keep yourselves hydrated." He rolled the bottles across the the men.
"How can we drink these?" asked the other man, angrily. "You cuffed us to a fence."
"You'll need to work together in that case," replied Fraser. "It is perfectly possible to open a bottle and drink the contents using teamwork and cooperation."
Ray tried not to smile. He assumed that teamwork and cooperation were not concepts that those two were familiar with. "Nice Benny," he said as he started the engine again.
"Thank you Ray," replied Fraser.