33 All's Not What It Seems
Disclaimer: I do not own The A Team movie or television series or any of the delightful characters found on The A Team.
What kind of trap did I send Face and Murdock into?
No time for regrets. He was sure these guys weren't working for Decker but someone may have sent them to capture the three fugitives for the bounty on them.
Or it's someone we dealt with in the past come back to take revenge.
In either case, his two men were likely being driven into a trap by a woman Hannibal thought he knew fairly well.
"We goin' after her, Colonel?" B. A.'s gruff question interrupted Hannibal's thoughts and forced him to focus.
"What do you think? We can't let her deliver Face and Murdock to whoever she's working for." The Colonel checked his pistol as he spoke.
Murdock wouldn't be able to defend himself or escape if they met up with Miss Raymond's cohort, and Face would not leave him, even if it meant being sent back to military prison.
B. A. avoided the Colonel's eyes. Clearly, he believed Hannibal was partly responsible for their predicament.
But Melody was so convincing about her stalkers, Face and Murdock both trusted her. B. A. reserved his judgment. Hannibal believed her, too. Maybe that made it easier for the others to accept her without question.
How could I have been so blind? Of course she was convincing. She's an actress.
"Got a big head start on us. What d' ya wanna do with these two goons?" B. A. scowled at the bound men.
"We leave them here. We have to travel light in case we manage to catch up with Miss Raymond and can get Murdock and Face back. If these two manage to get loose, they'll have to walk out of here." The Colonel readied a syringe. "But just in case . . . " He plunged the needle into a struggling Frankie's neck and prepared another dose of etomidate as the belligerent stalker slowly slumped to the floor in a deep sleep.
"Hey, now, maybe I can help you guys!" The trespasser from the van stuttered his plea, wide eyes trained on his accomplice. "Please?"
He obviously wasn't sure what was in the syringe that put the other man down so quickly.
Hmmm . . . that could work to our advantage.
"Now what can you offer us that we need, pal?" Hannibal paused with the hypodermic needle a foot from the man's neck.
The stalker whimpered and twisted away. "My name's Scott. I can tell you who sent us and where they are. If Jack's men manage to run Miss Raymond off the road and get your friends, I can lead you to where they would take them."
"Wait a minute." Hannibal withdrew his hand and put the cap back on the tip of the syringe. "Run her off the road? What part does Miss Raymond have in all of this?"
Maybe we weren't wrong after all about her.
The stalker got a sly look on his face and shook his head. "Uh uh. Bring me with you and then I'll start talking. But not until then."
Hannibal scrubbed his face with a gloved hand and nodded to B. A. "Alright, Scott. I won't give you a lethal dose of what I gave your friend. We'll play it your way for now. Get him to the van and make sure he's not going to escape. I'll pack our gear. I'm sure we're not returning to this cabin."
You could make this whole episode into a Hollywood action movie and no one would believe it.
B. A. made sure the unconscious trespasser was securely bound and then lifted his companion to his feet and forced him out of the door.
Hauling everything that belonged to them back out to the van, Hannibal had time to consider what they would do if the young actress had been forced off the road. It was obvious whoever Jack was, he wasn't overly concerned for her wellbeing. He wouldn't be concerned about Murdock either except as a lure to bring his team mates in. After that . . .
The Colonel felt a chill travel from the base of his neck down his spine. He tossed the last sleeping bag in the back of the van and climbed in the back seat with their captive. "Go, B. A.!"
As the van traversed the muddy drive, Hannibal lit a cigar and gave the intruder an icy stare. "Okay. We're on the road. Who's Jack and what does he have to do with Miss Raymond?"
Scott shook his head stubbornly. "Only as you have need to know. Let's just say Melody Raymond was not the target she thought she was. She made some wrong decisions about who to trust."
Boy, 'stupid' must be this guy's middle name.
Hannibal chuckled and contemplated the man beside him. "Well then, it isn't too difficult to piece together why Melody thought she had a stalker. Let me guess. Jack's an ex-boyfriend or ex-husband."
The Colonel saw Scott frown. "How'd you know that?"
Hannibal waved away the question, "Whatever he is, he saw an opportunity to get us through her. Maybe recognized Face at that art festival, figured out she'd rendezvous with him somewhere and had you guys follow her. How am I doing?"
Scott swallowed, then smiled as a thought came to him. "But you don't know where they'll be taken when Jack gets hold of them. That's my ace in the hole."
Maybe he isn't as dumb as he looks.
Before Hannibal had an opportunity to ask anything else, B. A. skidded to a halt and pointed to the tree line across the ditch.
"Accident, Hannibal. Looks like a bad one."
As dark as the cloud-cast night was, it was difficult to see what kind of car was crumpled like an accordion against the pine. Nothing was moving except the steam rising from the still-warm engine.