A/N: Murdock's thoughts are in italics. *The voices in Murdock's head are shown with asterisks.*
Hannibal was really beginning to think that he should have made Murdock stay with Richter. Ever since they had seen Henry at the gas station, Murdock had clung to Face like his life depended on it. He no longer responded to their voices, he just stared straight ahead.
Face continued to talk to him. In fact, the con man was starting to lose his voice. "Look at me, buddy. You're safe. Murdock, please look at me."
BA looked around the town they were driving through. He pointed out a road sign to Hannibal.
"Hm, a camp ground. Good idea, BA. Let's stop there for the night."
The camp ground was perfect. It was too early in the year for family camping trips. They had the whole place to themselves.
"BA, after we get Murdock out, why didn't you drive back into town and pick up something to eat. Don't forget to get something healthy, like Richter said."
Opening the sliding door and climbing in, Hannibal carefully approached Murdock, not wanting to scare him. "Murdock? Time to get up."
Murdock still showed no sign of awareness that anyone was talking to him. When Hannibal gently pulled him to the door, he meekly followed. Once outside, with Face and Hannibal on either side of him, Murdock walked around the parking lot. Face wanted to cry. Murdock was acting like a well behaved robot, blindly following commands.
When BA returned, Hannibal, Face, and Murdock were laying on the ground, cloud watching. Face had thought that maybe the sky would bring Murdock around. But the pilot still stared, unseeing.
Hannibal went to see what BA had brought. "What's for dinner?"
BA grinned sheepishly and held up a paper bag.
"BA! I don't believe Hamburger Heaven is on Richter's list of healthy places to eat."
"Why not? They got lettuce and tomatoes. Them's vegetables, right? Besides, I thought the fool would like this."
Hannibal thought for a moment. "Lettuce and tomatoes. We'll tell Richter that he had a salad!"
Face helped Murdock sit down at the picnic table while Hannibal and BA brought the food over. Hannibal unwrapped one of the burgers and held it in front of Murdock. After smelling it a few moments, Murdock tried to focus his eyes on it. He was hungry. He reached for it, but his shaking hands couldn't quite get ahold of it. Hannibal gently put the burger in the pilot's hands.
Murdock slowly brought it to his mouth, but between his hands shaking, not being able to see it clearly, and not having very much strength, he can't get a bite. He tried a few more times. Soon he had ketchup and mustard all over his face, in his hair, and down his shirt.
*Useless! You can't even feed yourself.*
*No wonder your team left you.*
Murdock threw the burger to the ground as hard as he could.
*Oh, look at that. Now you're having a temper tantrum like a two year old!*
He tried to reach for something else to throw, but BA grabbed his arms and held him. Murdock struggled against the big man, tears falling freely.
*You're trapped now!*
*They've pretended that they're your team. They're going to take you back to Henry. That's why you saw him. He's coming for you!*
'Noooo!'
*Where's your precious team now?*
The voices in his head grew louder and multiplied. Murdock just wanted to get away. He continued to try to free his arms until he heard, "That's enough, Captain!"
'Hannibal?' Murdock stopped fighting as he looked up at his commanding officer.
Hannibal saw Murdock's eyes start to clear. He put his hand on Murdock's shoulder, patting it gently to reassure the pilot.
*That's not Hannibal. He's just pretending.*
'Shut up! That's Hannibal! That's my colonel. My team is here!'
Murdock grinned at his team.
BA gladly surrendered his third hamburger to Murdock. Hannibal helped him eat it. Face had a huge grin plastered on his face as he watched Murdock's now clear eyes sparkle again. Everything would be okay now, he just knew it!
~~AT~~AT~~AT~~AT~~
Henry sighed with relief. He had been following the A-Team all day and it finally looked like they were going to stop for the night. At last he could have a break! He was exhausted. He wondered idly where they were going. There wasn't much along this stretch of road.
Henry's frown deepened when he realized what the next town was. Surely the A-Team wasn't going to stop at that bump-in-the-road town? The only things there were a gas station, a small grocery store and post office, and a pharmacy.
Henry's eyes widened. Surely the A-Team hadn't found out about the lab! But why else would they be driving this way? Driving as fast as he dared on the narrow, winding road in the dark, Henry hoped that he wasn't to late to warn the staff and hide the Vero.
~~AT~~AT~~AT~~AT~~
Murdock was already asleep in the back seat for the night. Hannibal, Face, and BA sat in their seats watching the captain.
"He still ain't said nothin'."
"Hannibal, you don't think that he can't talk, do you?"
"I don't know guys. The drug is capable of causing brain damage, especially considering how long he was on it. But I think we should give him more time. Maybe he'll come around."
The three of them settled in for the night, listening to Murdock's heavy breathing. None of them wanted to accept the fact that Murdock might not be able to talk. The possibility of the hand shaking being permanent was bad enough. But if he could talk, why hadn't he?