Glad you all are enjoying the story and thanks for the reviews!
Chapter 6:
Murdock and B.A had just returned to the hotel, expecting Hannibal and Face to be there. They walked in and were disappointed when only Frankie emerged.
Murdock frowned when he got an uneasy feeling. He didn't often get those feelings, but when he did one of team was usually hurt. A brief look at B.A told him he also felt it. B.A headed for the phone and dialed the number to the van. When no answer was forthcoming, Murdock grabbed Frankie and the three of them headed out the door.
They hailed a taxi and had it drop them a few blocks from the docks. After walking a bit, B.A immediately spotted the van.
"Ain't nuttin in the van, let's head to that warehouse down there. Hannibal said that's where they were goin."
Before they could take 2 steps a shot rang out. They instantly drew their weapons and took cover behind the van. They waited and gradually looked around. After several minutes they cautiously made their way to the warehouse.
Hannibal felt the wind get knocked out of him as he was slammed to the floor. He opened his eyes and was surprised to see Face on top of him.
"Face? You ok kid?"
Hannibal received no answer and carefully brought his hand up to nudge his lieutenant. It was then he noticed it was covered in blood, and his heart skipped a beat. He quickly checked Face for a pulse and relief washed through him as a weak beat fluttered beneath his fingertips.
"I warned you Smith. Now Peck here is of no use to me. Shame really. I wasn't going to kill him, but now I guess that fault lies on your shoulders. What to to do now? Oh I guess I could kill you, but where is the fun in that? You can spend the rest of your life thinking about how you killed your lieutenant and with his last thoughts being of how you betrayed him. I like that idea better, don't you Stockwell?"
Stockwell looked a little apprehensive at first, as if he didn't know that the men he associated himself with were cold blooded killers.
"Uh, yeah that sounds good Lorenzo. I say let Smith go, the guilt will eat him alive."
It had just occured to Hannibal that these men all thought that the gunshot had killed Face. He prayed that Face was stay unconscious long enough for him to get them out of here.
"Come on guys, let's get outta here before someone calls in that gunshot. " Lorenzo said laughing.
Hannibal held his breath as one person after another left the room, finally only Stockwell remaining.
"You should have left colonel. Peck would still be alive. As I said, your pardons are in Luck to you."
"Your time will come Stockwell, and when it does, not even those guys can stop me." Hannibal said jerking his head to where Lorenzo and his men had just left.
Stockwell and Hannibal locked eyes, and Stockwell smiled.
"We are each our own devil colonel, and we make this world our own hell."
With that said, Stockwell left the room and Hannibal let out the breath he had been holding. He immediately turned Face over and cringed as he saw blood flowing freely from his chest. He put pressure on it and looked around hoping to find something to help carry Face out of there.
It was then that Murdock, B.A and Frankie burst through the door, weapons drawn. Hannibal could've kissed them had he not been holding pressure on Face's chest.
"What the hell happened?" Murdock asked bending down next to Face and checking his pulse.
"We don't have time to talk about it now, we have to get Face to the hospital. B.A go get the van, it's parked-"
"I know where it is man." B.A said jogging out the door.
Hannibal nodded and turned back to Frankie and Murdock.
"Murdock you and I will carry him between us, Frankie, keep pressure on that wound."
Hannibal and Murdock lifted the unconscious man as Frankie pressed down on the wound. Quickly and efficiently they made their way to the van. They laid Face down in the back and jumped in beside him. B.A made sure they were in, and sped off.
Face began moaning turning his head side to side.
"No...Hannibal...please...lied..."
Murdock looked up at Hannibal, confused.
"What's he talking about? Who lied?"
Hannibal didn't answer just continued to hold pressure.
Murdock, was trying to get more clarity out of Face, wanting to know who did this to his best friend.
"Face, come on muchacho, open your eyes. Stay with me."
Face weakly opened his eyes and managed a ghost of a smile when they landed on Murdock.
"That's it buddy. Now, who lied? What happened?"
Before Face could answer, B.A pulled into the emergency entrance of the nearest hospital and ran in. Seconds later several doctors and nurses with a gurney ran out and transfered Face onto it.
Murdock jumped out and ran with the gurney, demanding to know what happened.
"Face, who lied to you?"
"Hannibal...lied to us...to me.."
Murdock stopped in his tracks, not believing what he had just heard.
Hannibal, who had been standing in the background, closed his eyes after hearing Face's words. When he opened them, he was staring straight into the cold angry eyes of his team.