Mission Five: Chapter 20 - “If you have something to say BA, I would really like to hear it."

Hannibal was in his office by eight forty five, even though his mind was on Face, wondering how bad the morning traffic was and if the kid had made it onto Route 26 yet. He’d left messages for BA and Murdock asking them to come and see him as soon as they could, and he wasn’t surprised to hear the soft knock at nine ten that announced their arrival.

 

He greeted them openly, politely, but he knew they could sense the slight formality in his movements and that was all part of the plan, that was why he’d had this little meeting in his office and not at the house. It was also why he was wearing his class B greens instead of the more usual BDU; he might run a relaxed ship, but it was still an army ship and he wondered if everyone in his team fully understood that.

 

“Right,” he started briskly, “down to business,” Hannibal noted the quick look that Murdock shot at BA and felt a pang of guilt shoot through him; he could sense the pilot’s unease and he just hoped they could get this over with as quickly and painlessly as possible. “We need a thorough debriefing after the Russian mission, and having spoken to Face, there are now a number of issues I would like to discuss with the two of you.”

 

Murdock’s face paled and Hannibal could see his fingers busily fiddling with the Velcro fastening on his pocket. BA’s expression, meanwhile, simply settled into a deep scowl.

 

“Where is Face?” Murdock asked nervously, his eyes flitting round, almost as if he expected him to leap out from behind the desk at any second. “Is he okay?”

 

“He’s fine,” Hannibal assured him, “he’s taking some leave. Has a few things that need sorting out.”

 

This news only seemed to heighten Murdock’s concern while BA’s scowl deepened still further and Hannibal picked up the soft humph that came from the big man’s mouth. Pale blue eyes turned on him and Hannibal looked on in silence for a moment before asking, “Problem, corporal?”

 

Silence stretched all around them before BA eventually answered, “No, sir.”

 

Hannibal held his eyes, “You sure? If you have something to say, BA, I would really like to hear it.”

 

“No, he doesn’t, boss,” Murdock put in, leaning forward in his seat now, trying to put himself between Hannibal and BA, but BA spoke over the top of him.

 

“It’s nothing. Was just gonna say how it didn’t take long for that pretty boy to go bleatin’ to you about me did it?”

 

Murdock froze as the temperature in the room suddenly dropped about ten degrees and Hannibal sat himself up a little straighter, “By that I presume you mean Lt. Peck?”

 

BA nodded.

 

“And why do you think he would have mentioned you to me?” Hannibal’s voice was calmness personified, but Murdock’s leg was dancing out a desperate jig nervous enough for the whole room while BA suddenly started to look a little on the uneasy side as well, as if it was suddenly occurring to him that perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea.

 

The silence stretched out again until eventually BA answered, “It’s nuthin’ boss, it’s all good.”

 

There was no way that that was enough for Hannibal though, no way at all. “I’m waiting,” he said quietly, “and I won’t ask again. Why would Lt. Peck have cause to mention your conduct on the mission to me?”

 

BA frowned at the way that Hannibal had managed to flip that around on him, and realised that he had actually backed himself into a corner. Well, he pulled himself up taller in his chair, no one could ever accuse BA Baracus of lacking courage, “The LT thinks I didn’t follow his orders right enough.”

 

Murdock’s arms were now folded tight across his chest and he was desperately chewing on the skin of his finger while his foot continued to bounce frantically on the floor.

 

“And why would he think that?” BA frowned as he hit another corner. Damn! How did this guy keep doing this to him? “Did you follow his orders?”

 

BA had to think about that question. Had he followed Face’s orders? He certainly thought so. “Yes, sir,” he answered confidently.

 

“In a timely and appropriate manner?” Hannibal shot back quick as an arrow and that had BA floundering.

 

“His orders was wrong!” BA shot back darkly.

 

Again the temperature dropped significantly and Murdock’s bouncing was now audible in the still of the room. “Captain?” Hannibal said gently, turning his eyes from the corporal, “You are dismissed for now. Please go back to your duties and return here at 1100hrs so that we can conclude your debrief.” Murdock was obviously torn between wanting to bolt out of the door and wanting to stay with BA. He rose to his feet, eyes flicking anxiously between Hannibal and BA before Hannibal reminded him with a quiet, “Captain...” and he turned and almost fled the room.

 

As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, Hannibal turned his eyes back to BA. “Please refresh me about the parts of your training that covered the selective following of orders?”

 

BA rolled his eyes, “Oh, come on boss! He was wrong! Kid was on a tear, was gonna get us all killed with his crazy stunts! Couldn’t take the pressure!”

 

“The pressure?” Hannibal snapped in. “What pressure would that be then? Was that the pressure of suddenly finding himself in charge of the unit when his CO was compromised, or was it the pressure of his team refusing to do as they were damn well told?”

 

BA leaned forward in his seat. “He needed reelin’ in!” he whispered. “Man is a damn liability!”

 

“Did he find me? Release me? Neutralise the immediate threat? Get the whole team through the mission in one piece and out the other side again successfully?”

 

“Well, yeah, but-”

 

“But nothing, corporal! Your behaviour on that mission nearly got you all killed!” BA frowned in confusion. “The second that soldiers start querying their commanders, answering back, dragging their feet, is the exact second that people start dying!”

 

“But he was wrong!” BA insisted, “He ordered a retreat instead of just gettin’ you outta there straight away!”

 

“Really?” Hannibal pretended to be surprised by this news, “And what would you have done in those circumstances then?”

 

BA was relieved that Hannibal seemed to be listening to him at last, “Well, I’da fought on!” He answered immediately, “Wouldn’ta left you with them fools for twenty four hours like he did!”

 

“Right...” Hannibal nodded calmly, “So you’d have fought on. What would you have done with Murdock while you were fighting like this then?” BA frowned. “I understood he was groggy, unsteady on his feet, needed supporting? But you’d have fought on anyway, the three of you, or would you have left Murdock on the ground somewhere are just you and Face headed up the attack?”

 

“I’da found somewhere safe for him,” BA qualified, “an’ then me an’ Face woulda got you back.”

 

“How much ammo you’d have then Bosco? Enough to shoot through twenty men armed with Kalashnikovs? You know where you were? Where you were going? You know who you were up against? What their plans were? You know where I was? Or were you just gonna go on shooting and hope you didn't hit me?” BA opened his mouth but no words came out and Hannibal pressed on. “If you’d stayed and fought then you would all be dead now, all three of you, and me as well by now. Face did the right thing, the only thing that anyone could do. And you bitching and moaning about his orders could have brought the whole gig crashing down around you!” BA just looked at him and Hannibal sighed. “Bosco, you’ve been DDd once already for your attitude towards your superiors, and when I offered you this job, you swore to me those days were over, you swore your loyalty to me.”

 

“To you, yes sir!” BA exploded, “But not to that jumped up, talentless prick!”

 

Hannibal’s fist came down onto the table with an almighty thump, making coffee leap out of his cup and all over that morning’s mail, “You do not have the luxury of deciding which orders you are going to follow and from which superior officer!” he boomed out across the desk. “Lt. Peck is my XO and a damn fine one at that, the best I have ever had! You follow my orders? You follow his orders, wherever and whenever they are given! Do you understand that?”

 

BA just glared at him.

 

“Do not make the mistake of underestimating him based on either his looks or anything of a personal nature that you might know about him,” Hannibal narrowed his eyes meaningfully, “or I promise you, you will regret it!” He forced himself back in his chair and took in a long deep breath. “Now, is that clear, corporal?”

 

BA was shaken by the way this conversation had gone. He had never expected Hannibal to jump to Face’s defence so viciously, but, more than that, he had never expected his own arguments to be picked apart so convincingly... “Yes, sir.”

 

“I want you on this team,” Hannibal told him, “I went twelve rounds with three separate Generals to get you back into this army, son,” BA looked up guiltily, “and I don’t intend to be proved wrong at any point in the future. But you need to get your head round this attitude you have and do as you are damn well ordered. When we are planning, when we are discussing, your input will always be listened to and appreciated, but when we are out in the field, your insubordination to me or to Face will cost someone their life.” BA held his eyes. “And don’t ever under-estimate Face. I have worked with that kid for eight years and he still surprises me all the damn time. He is in this team because he is the best, just like you, just like the Captain, and don't you forget that. None of this is personal, BA, it’s all business, that’s the way it has to be and, if I am reading the situation right with you and Murdock, that’s something you will have to learn pretty damn quickly.” Hannibal could see the flush under the dark skin. “But if you push me on this one, Bosco, it will be you that goes. You understand that? Not my XO.”

 

Tension crackled in the air, “Yes, sir.” 

 

Hannibal reached out and moved his mail out of the growing coffee spill, deep furrows across his brow. He let out a long sigh, “You are dismissed, corporal.”

 

BA stood up and snapped off a quick salute before heading to the door. He reached out for the handle and paused, turning back as Hannibal mopped up the mess with a tissue. “I’m sorry I disappointed you, Colonel,” he said, “an’ I’m sorry I let the LT down. It won’t happen again.”

 

Hannibal looked up, the creases easing slightly from his forehead, “It takes a big man to realise when he was wrong Bosco, I knew I hadn’t made a mistake in choosing you.” BA nodded and turned back to the door. “Oh, one more thing,” Hannibal added, stopping him in his tracks again, “Face never said one word of complaint about you or Murdock. Not one word. He’s too busy blaming himself for every damn thing that went wrong.”

 

BA frowned, “That why he’s gone on leave then, boss?”

 

“Yes,” BA couldn’t miss the way that Hannibal’s expression darkened, “he’s having a crisis of confidence at the minute. One I hope he can get himself out of.”

 

Nodding slowly, BA met Hannibal’s eyes, “I’ll apologise to him, boss, make sure he knows I was wrong.”

 

Hannibal’s eyes were appraising, “Good,” he answered, as he returned to the task of mopping up the spilt coffee, “And if it was me, BA, you’d acted up like that with, you’d be in disciplinary procedures by now, so count yourself damn lucky Face decided to cut you some slack.” He threw the coffee stained tissue into the bin as a thoughtful and subdued BA quickly let himself out of the office.

 

_____________

 

Face felt the tug of the ocean on his shorts as the tide pulled back, trying to drag him with it. The power of the sea always awed him, how something so fluid and beautiful could be so dangerous. A smile pulled at his lips as he thought of Hannibal.

 

Diving under an approaching wall of surf, Face struck out for deeper, calmer waters and marvelled that it was Thursday morning already. The boss would be here tomorrow, that thought warmed him against the cold sea, and as much as he had missed them being together, being here on his own had been good, a chance to just relax and think. He’d slept a lot, through the day and the night, had a Die Hard marathon right into the early hours, swam and body boarded, run on the beach in his bare feet, floated in the pool, just chilled really – but was still no nearer to making a decision than he had been when he got here. Maybe he was even further away, he was already missing the purpose he felt as being part of the army, the knowledge that he was doing someone some good somewhere in the world, but on the other hand, the thought of getting out there and doing that again was petrifying; the possibility that he would fuck up a constant terror.

 

He turned and caught a wave, laughing as it tried to bundle him upside down in its power as it swept him back towards the shore, and noticed a car parked next to his at the side of the house. He struggled to his feet in the sand, the wave tugging around his waist, trying to pull him down and shaded his eyes against the sun as he looked up. For a glorious, hopeful minute he wondered if it was Hannibal, finished early, come to surprise him, but the figure walking down the beach towards his pile of clothes in the sand was too small and slight to be the Colonel, or BA for that matter. Face struck out for the shore, lazy breaststrokes that surged along with every wave, keeping his face up out of the water as he watched the lone figure on the beach, wondering if it was Murdock, and then deciding that no, the figure was too short for the Captain too. Concern niggled at the back of his mind as he swam in.

 

The visitor had been surprised to hear from Hannibal when he did. A late night text from a man he hadn’t seen or spoken to in over six months would always concern him, but from Hannibal who was not known for his frivolous chat, it was something to wonder about. It wasn’t even as if the text had really said anything much, just that Face would be here on these dates if he wanted to call over and see him. It wasn’t an idle text though, Hannibal Smith didn’t waste his time on idle chit chat. If he was being told that Face was here on these specific dates, then Hannibal wanted him here as well – why, he had no idea.

 

As he pulled up at the front of the huge, glass and aluminium beach front property, a low whistle slipped from his lips. The Colonel was obviously getting paid a lot more than he was these days if he could afford something like this. But then, he rationalised, Hannibal didn’t have five tiny little demanding mouths to feed back home, a wife that couldn’t work due to the exorbitant price of childcare and anyway, the house was probably just rented. He parked next to a classic Ford Cougar and smiled enviously as he realised that Face still had his love of nippy little two seaters. But again, he reminded himself as he locked up his Space Cruiser, baby seats and pushchairs weren’t something that Face had to worry about at the moment, and of course, as long as he stayed with Hannibal, he never would. He turned away from the cars and walked up to the front door.

 

Just as he reached out to ring the bell, he noticed a small coloured heap on the beach, just where the dry sand started, and looking more closely, realised that it was a pile of clothes and a towel. Squinting into the surf he picked out a lone figure, diving into the pillows of white foam and smiled fondly as he headed for the path round the house. Damn kid always did have a weird sense of fun.   

 

Face hiked his shorts up as he left the water and continued to stare at the newcomer, making out his baggy tailored shorts and polo shirt, the cap pulled down low over his eyes and frowned. Only Hannibal knew he was here, and the place was so out of the way – who else would be around? He was just starting to feel nervous, he never liked being on the back foot with anything, when the mysterious visitor pulled his cap off to run his hand through his hair before shoving it back on again and holding up a hand in greeting. Feeling a real, genuine smile crack over his face for the first time since he’d got here, Face waved back. “Piper!” he called surprised to hear the sound of his own voice after all the silence, “Good to see you!”

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