8. A Lesson in Teamship
AN: Gratiot Township no longer exists. It was incorporated into the city of Harper Woods in 1951. The city is about twelve miles northeast of Detroit, Michigan. The East Side Drive-In Theatre no longer exists. It opened for business in 1938 and closed in 1977. The character Jack Harmon was introduced in the Season Four episode "Blood, Sweat and Cheers" and was played by Stuart Whitman.
Disclaimer: I do not own The A Team movie or television series or any of the delightful characters found on The A Team.
"Jack, when I say 'Run,' you run as fast as you can and distract them. I'll get Corinne and make sure Ackery never tries this again." John "Hannibal" Smith shot an icy blue-eyed glance at his best friend as they watched the scene in front of them.
Jack Harmon crouched beside him. They were hidden from view behind one of the garbage cans near the concession stand. In the semi-darkness the two seventeen-year-olds could see the scattered remains of soft drink cups and popcorn boxes, the refuse of a Saturday night at the East Side Drive-In Theatre.
They could also see Lyle Ackery and two of his friends forming a tight semi-circle around a defiant Corinne.
Jack Harmon and John Smith had driven separately to Gratiot Township outside of Detroit that night. Both knew Corinne Schaefer was working and needed a ride home. Neither expected to see the other. They certainly didn't expect to see Ackery and his friends there.
Several minutes before, while the ending credits rolled for the final feature of the night, Back to Bataan, she locked the ticket booth. Getting on the bicycle used to patrol the grounds during and after the double feature, she lazily pedaled to the ladies' restroom to clean it. Most of the cars remaining were either teen couples too passionately involved to realize the movie was over or employees like her quickly doing their jobs so they could get home.
It was when she dismounted and wandered to the janitor's supply room that the threesome confronted and backed her up against the wall.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" John hissed as he watched Kyle move closer to the girl. The smirk on his face and his swagger told them everything about his intentions.
"You're the one that's co-captain of the Dearborn High School track team. You can sprint faster than me." Jack turned his suspicious dark brown eyes on his friend. "Besides, why should you be the one to rescue the damsel in distress?"
Ackery raised his hand to cup Corinne's chin at the same time his two friends pinned her arms to the concrete block wall behind her.
Seeing the threat, John let out a frustrated growl. "Okay, okay! The lady needs help now. We'll both free Corinne from those slimeballs."
"First one to get two out of three wins the girl. Deal?" Harmon cocked one bushy black eyebrow at him and grinned.
"No deal." The future Colonel shook his head furiously. "On the count of three we attack. One . . . two . . . three!"
The two teens knocked over the garbage cans as they burst out from their hiding place. The cans rolled downhill toward the restroom building and crashed against the wall, spilling their contents.
Seconds later John gripped a handful of Kyle Ackery's T-shirt as Jack grappled with one of the two startled teens who had been holding Corinne.
John drew his fist back and landed a solid punch to Kyle's jaw that drove the back of his head into the block wall behind him. Ackery sank to the ground unconscious.
"That was one," Smith yelled to Harmon. He reached for the third member of the trio and wrestled him to the ground. Forcing the teen onto his back, his fist connected twice. As the young man wrapped his arms over his face to protect an already bleeding nose, John sat back, still straddling him in case he tried anything. "And this is two. You hear me, Jack?"
"Are you alright, Corinne? Do you need a ride home?" Jack's tone was full of "the jazz." From the direction of the voice, John knew his friend was already consoling the girl they both loved.
"Hannibal" Smith staggered to his feet and watched Ackery's two friends collect his unconscious form and drag him toward their waiting car. Jabbing a finger in the air after them, he shouted a warning. "You tell Ackery he'll get double what he got tonight if he messes with Corinne again."
Rubbing his knuckles he approached Corinne and Jack where they stood waiting for him.
He was bewildered to see the young woman shaking her head and smiling at both of them in turn. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come to my rescue. But I do have to finish my job before I can even think of going home. My father should be here in about twenty minutes to pick me up. But now I'll have to also get that garbage back in those cans." She arched an eyebrow as she put an arm around both of their waists. "Unless, of course, you two wouldn't mind . . . "
John looked at Jack and grinned. "Whoever gets their garbage can filled first?"
"No deal, buddy. Now let's just help the little lady out and let her father get her home. This time."