32 Confession

Disclaimer: I do not own The A Team movie or television series or any of the delightful characters found on The A Team.

In three quick strides, the Sergeant grappled the pilot from behind, pinning both of his arms to his sides. There was a blood-chilling howl of pain as B. A. squeezed Murdock's wounded arm with his muscular bicep.

Hannibal winced, realizing B. A. didn't want to cause Murdock pain but had no other way to control him.

"Let go o' me!" Murdock screamed, kicking and fighting furiously to escape.

"Can't do that, fool," the Sergeant muttered, holding on tighter. The pilot's movements became even more frantic and then weakened.

Moments later, Murdock dangled limp in his hold. Gently lowering him to the ground, B. A. sat back on his heels and sighed in relief, waiting for Hannibal and Face to join them.

"For someone hurtin' as much as he is, he sure put up a fight." The Sergeant scowled at the unconscious Captain and rested a hand on his forehead. He looked with worried eyes at Hannibal. "He's burnin' up, Colonel. He needs a doctor real soon."

"Well, someone's got to stay here to keep an eye on these two stalkers." Face knelt next to his friend and glared at the Colonel. "What's your plan now, Hannibal?"

"B. A. and I'll stay here and try to get some information from our two friends. Face, see if Melody will drive you in to Canby and get Murdock to a doctor." The Colonel was all business now that the crisis had passed.

Still, I won't rest easy until I know Murdock has received some medical attention. Something more than I can provide.

"Closest emergency room is in Alturas and that's about thirty miles from here." Melody stood behind Hannibal, her arms wrapped around herself. She was still in shock over everything that had happened in less than an hour.

The Colonel flashed her a grim look, then motioned with his head for Face and B. A. to lift Murdock between them and carry him to Melody's car. He followed them, his hand pressed against the small of the woman's back, guiding her gently.

As they went, he wondered again who these two were that had tailed the young actress and then shot at her.

"Face, get in the back seat and keep Murdock as comfortable as you can. When you get to the hospital, Melody, follow Face's lead in whatever cover story you're going to use." Before they took off, he added, "And Face? If anyone starts nosing around, leave Melody with Murdock and get out of there. Got it?"

"And leave him all alone there with strangers? Whatever happened to not leaving a man behind, Colonel?" Face snapped back, squeezed between the seats and kneeling on the floor so his friend could have the entire rear bench seat to himself. He was in the process of wiping the clammy sweat from the pilot's whitened face with his own monogrammed white linen handkerchief.

I guess I deserve that for misjudging Murdock's condition.

"If Decker gets you, he has a way of getting all of us. Melody will stay with Murdock and we'll sneak in there when the coast is clear." Hannibal pierced Face with a look that demanded obedience. "Hopefully, it won't come to that. Now get him to the emergency room."

With a grim set to his mouth, the Lieutenant nodded, a brief up and down of his head. "Let's go, Melody," he grumbled.

The kid's angry with me for how this whole plan went sour. I guess I don't blame him.

Hannibal waited until the tail lights of the car disappeared down the hillside road before he turned back toward the van.

"Let's get our friends inside and find out what their business is with our hostess."

Between them, they dragged the men, one at a time into the cabin and deposited them on the floor face down.

The first captive to wake up was the man from the outhouse. He groaned and, finding his hands bound tightly behind him, wriggled himself to lie on his side where he could glare at his captors.

Hannibal removed the gag from his mouth and backed away as the stalker tried to kick at him.

"Now that's not very nice." The Colonel stood out of reach, his arms folded. "But what can we expect from someone who shoots through windows and terrorizes young ladies?"

The man on the floor narrowed his eyes and glanced around him.

"Lookin' for somethin', sucka?" B. A. gripped the man by the back of his black canvas jacket and lifted him into a sitting position against the wall.

"If you're looking for Miss Raymond, she's gone. She took one of my guys to the hospital in Alturas." Hannibal lit his cigar and drew in a breath. He had a smile on his face but his eyes glittered with icy anger.

"Yeah. Cause one o' you jokers put a bullet in 'im," B. A. growled. Towering over the intruder, he clenched his fists.

"Now why were you shooting at this cabin and what do you have to do with Melody Raymond?" Hannibal gestured for B. A. to give the man some room. The bound man sneered at them, his eyes defiant and mouth closed.

The other stalker stirred. When he realized what had happened to him and saw B. A., he shimmied away from him as fast as he could. He ended up close to where the other captive sat.

The trespasser from the van sputtered in surprise "Jack said there were three of them, Frankie. Where's the other guy?"

"Shut up, moron!" Frankie hissed a warning to be quiet but it was too late.

"Hannibal, I smell a set up," the black Sergeant muttered. "How well didya say ya knew Melody?"

"Evidently not well enough," the Colonel answered, suddenly sickened by what the blurted confession meant.