9. Just One More Game
Disclaimer: I do not own The A Team movie or television series or any of the delightful characters found on The A Team.
Hannibal squinted at Face from over the top of the ten cards in his hand. The kid was definitely holding something. Any moment now, Face was going to make his final meld and lay his cards down.
With a slightly raised eyebrow and a smile that showed his gleaming white teeth, the Lieutenant nodded to the draw pile. "I believe it's your turn, Colonel."
From the bunk in the next cell, B. A. grunted his disapproval. "Man, you been playin' that since we got locked up in here. Thought ya'd have a plan by now, Hannibal."
The Colonel peered down at his cards through a cloud of cigar smoke. "Escape plans take time. You have to know the people who have you imprisoned and the place you're being held. Just as to win at gin rummy, you have to out-think your opponent, plan your strategy."
Face gave the older man another dazzling smile and addressed the Sergeant without looking in his direction. "That's right, B. A. That's the reason I've won three out of the last four hands."
His smile turned into a pained grin as he overheard the black man mumble, "Bet ya found a way ta tip the scales in yer favor. Couldn't be skill."
Hannibal tapped the cards he held while he thought.
Murdock was somewhere out there in the desert town and Amy was with him. Sullivan, the man who was trying his hardest to steal their clients' mom and pop variety store and turn it into a combination of massage parlor, men only sauna and front for prostitution, was out there, too. Sullivan had the three of them arrested when they were found in his office going through his papers.
Hannibal examined the expression of the man sitting in front of him on the bunk. The police chief had placed his personal seal on their arrest. The side of Face's lip stopped bleeding by now but it was still a bit swollen. A request for ice for the swelling lip and black eye was met with a snort of derision.
"So sue me for police brutality," Police Chief Garcia smirked before closing and locking the door leading to the cell area of the jail.
Face leaned back a little. "Whenever you want to make your move, Colonel."
I wonder if he's collecting kings.
Hannibal touched the king of diamonds in his hand and then thought better of it. Tossing the ace of spades on the discard pile, he cocked his head and returned his Lieutenant's smile. His smile quickly faded. "Not again," he groused.
"Mm-mm-mm. You weren't trying to hold out on me, were you, Hannibal?" Face scooped up the ace and quickly laid down all four aces, all four tens and the jack, queen and king of hearts. "Gin."
A small disturbance from the office area of the jail drew the attention of all three men. They looked up as the door was unlocked to the sound of a wheezing elderly man's voice.
"Now, Sarah, I ain' gonna listen t' ya no more. Th' boy's been trouble since th' day we 'dopted 'im 'n' he's gotta learn." The aged man who followed the officer into the cell area was thin and walked with difficulty, leaning on a cane as he went. Even though his shoulders were stooped, he was still taller than the man ahead of him. And as he gazed at Hannibal from under bushy gray eyebrows and a shock of equally gray hair, he gave him a cautious wink and a lopsided grin, unseen by the officer.
The Colonel shot his Lieutenant a knowing glance and, with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes, watched the scene play out.
The gray-haired woman with the man wore a dark blue calico dress and gold wire-rimmed 'granny glasses.' Her wrinkled face was contorted and flushed with the tears she had been shedding. Like the man, she was taller than her bent back would seem to indicate.
"But Henry, he don' know no better, comin' from th' orphanage lak he did. All he needs is a li'l love 'n' attention." She gripped the younger man's shoulder as he shut the door to the outer office. "Don' you agree, sonny?" Quickly lifting her skirt, Amy removed a Smith and Wesson from the garter around one of her support hose and stuck the barrel in his ribs. "And I'm sure he wouldn't mind havin' one of these while he's at it."
"Now if you wouldn't mind, we'll have those keys and take our 'son' and his friends out of here." The elderly man straightened to his full six foot, two inch height and pressed the officer's back into his chest. Using his cane to throttle the younger man by the neck, he edged close to the cell where Hannibal waited to remove the keys from the belt.
"Little slow, fool." B. A. grumbled his greeting as Murdock tossed the officer into the newly vacated cell from which Face and Hannibal emerged.
"What d' you mean 'slow?'" The pilot turned indignant brown eyes on the black man. He handed him a pistol from Amy's straw purse.
"Our escape was a bit slower than usual. We managed to get in five complete games of gin rummy this time." The Colonel blew a cloud of cigar smoke toward the captive officer. "Sorry we can't stay to play a few rounds with you but we did leave the cards so you can have a game or two of solitaire."
And Hannibal chuckled.