Cabin Fever

"They're here!" Murdock burst in on Hannibal who was feeding bits of interior wall into the incinerator. "The Mounties! They're here!" He ran back out again. Hannibal tossed the wood aside and followed him. They both ran straight out of the fire exit beside the incinerator room door, even though neither of them was dressed for the outside.

A large helicopter was descending, to the south of the station. The crest of the Canadian army decorated the side. Its rotors whipped up the light covering of fresh snow that had fallen, making Hannibal and Murdock retreat inside until it landed and the rotors started to slow down. Face, BA and Decker came out of the kitchen door and like Hannibal and Murdock ran towards the chopper.

The door opened and the first person to disembark was a tall man in a Parka and a Klondike cap. In an instant the team and Decker surrounded him, laughing and chattering, almost babbling. Hannibal found he couldn't stop looking at the man's face. The sheer novelty of someone new after four months hypnotised him. He was a clean cut young man, in his early thirties and Hannibal saw the name tag sewn on his coat read Baker.

He grabbed Baker's hand, shaking it enthusiastically, grinning hugely.

"Captain, good to meet you at last."

"And you, Colonel Smith." Baker gave only a small smile, his eyes stayed serious. He shook each man's hand in turn. "I think we should we go inside now."

He was right, Hannibal thought, all five of the station inhabitants were shivering. The weather was certainly better than it had been, but there was still a thick covering of snow on the ground and the wind was bitter.

"This way, this way!" Murdock grabbed Baker's arm and led him into the station though the kitchen door. Hannibal saw three more men dressed identically to Baker disembark. The two pilots stayed with the chopper, though one got off and lit a cigarette. He was in uniform too, but army, not police. Hannibal glanced at Decker, who flashed him a dirty look in return. So far the exact personnel they'd expected.

Hannibal had stood over Decker two days ago as Decker had gone on the radio to confirm their departure details with Baker.

"You know what to ask him," Hannibal said as Decker started to tune the radio.

"What if he can tell there's something wrong? I'm not an actor." Decker glared at Hannibal. "Or a practised liar."

"You'll manage, Decker."

And Decker had managed, double checking the number of men who'd be coming on the chopper, the number of men in the army reception committee back at the RCMP station. And one final bit of crucial info Hannibal needed.

"Medical facilities?" Baker sounded puzzled.

"Captain Murdock may need attention. His mental state is deteriorating every day."

"I see. Well here in town we have a small clinic and the army have medics with them."

"And where's the nearest hospital?" Decker asked. Baker paused.

"He's that bad?"

Decker didn't answer for a moment, until Hannibal frowned at him. "Well, just to be on the safe side."

"Of course. The nearest hospital is in Inuvik, about fifty miles north west of here."

Perfect.

Feeling like things were off to a good start Hannibal followed Baker and the others into the kitchen. The other three cops followed and stood around trying to look unobtrusive. They all carried side-arms.

Baker took off his fur hat as he came inside, revealing neatly cropped blonde hair. Face brushed his own hair out of his eyes looking self conscious. Hannibal smiled. Should have let barber Murdock fix you up, Face. Hannibal had pictured Baker as an older man, and he wondered if Face had done too and now worried he had a rival for Shila's affections.

"I wish we could offer you coffee, Captain," Murdock said, grinning. He still clung onto Baker's arm as if afraid the man wasn't real and only holding onto him made him so. "But let me show you around, we've made a few modifications, some areas are so much more open plan now!"

"Actually we have coffee on the helicopter," Baker said. "As soon as you all gather your things and we lock down the station we can go." He smiled. "I expect you're all quite eager to leave."

Baker had been politely trying to pull his arm away from Murdock for the last thirty seconds, but Murdock wasn't letting go.

"I love your helicopter!" Murdock enthused. "Can I fly it?"

"Um, no," Baker looked at Murdock nervously.

"Murdock," Face said, in a quiet voice, a warning tone.

"No, you ain't flying it!" BA chimed in. "And I ain't flyin' in it!"

Hannibal sighed, well here we go again. "BA, we discussed this, there's no other way out of here."

"Send a dog sled!"

"Is there a problem?" Baker asked.

"Sergeant Baracus doesn't like to fly," Decker said.

"Well I'm afraid you don't have a lot of choice," Baker said.

"You try to put me on that chopper I'll knock out you and your horse!"

"You have a horse?" Murdock asked, sounding delighted.

"Well no -"

"That's great, I love horsies! Can I meet it when we get there?"

"I don't -"

"Murdock." Face took Murdock's arm and gently disengaged his grip on Baker. "Can you come with me a second?"

"Sure, Face." Murdock hurried off with Face in the direction of the infirmary.

Hannibal gave a sigh. "He's a little over excited."

"No helicopter!" BA yelled.

"Him too." Hannibal saw a look pass between Baker and Decker and Decker gave a long suffering 'I've been putting up with this crap for months' look. Hannibal had to fight to keep a grin off his face. Decker had said he wasn't an actor, but Hannibal decided he was selling himself short.

In fact, thought Hannibal, there was quite an ensemble performance going on for Baker's benefit. Murdock was playing up to the crazy rep to lend credence to Decker's enquiry about the hospital. And this time Face and BA knew he was acting and Face was doing a good job of appearing worried about Murdock's behaviour. Hannibal wondered if he'd underestimated Face's acting ability. Decker had to pretend that he didn't totally despise the team and wasn't under their control. Hannibal meanwhile had to act like Decker was almost a friend now.

"Okay, Rod," Hannibal said, smiling, a teasing expression on his face. "We're your prisoners, so I guess that means it's up to you to figure out exactly how we get BA onto that chopper."

~~~~

Baker had to be wondering what the hell he'd got into, Hannibal thought. After a prolonged chase though the station, his men managed to catch BA and hold him down long enough for Decker to inject him with a sedative. While that was going on Hannibal and Face gathered all the team and Decker's belongings together and Murdock sat on a chair in the kitchen, playing with Hannibal's clockwork elephant, smiling a lot and singing to himself. Face had brought Murdock back from the infirmary much calmer, saying he'd given him a little something to take the edge off.

"Okay," Baker said. "The generator is off, the furnace is doused, and your bags are on the chopper." Baker turned to the team and Decker who stood in the kitchen, in their coats and boots and hats. BA, unconscious, was supported by Face and Hannibal. Baker paused for a second. "When you're ready. I'll see you outside." He left and closed the exterior door behind him.

The four men still awake looked around the room. Hannibal saw Murdock looking up at the ceiling above the stove, at the washed out, but still visible chilli stain and the cracked plaster. Decker walked away from them and stood looking out of the window, arms folded, back stiff.

"Okay, next winter we go to Tahiti," Face said.

"Forget that, I'm going straight for the surface of the sun." Murdock grinned. "Should be just about hot enough to warm me back up."

"Hell of a winter," Hannibal said. He put a hand in his pocket, touched the clockwork elephant, perhaps for the memories, perhaps for luck. "Okay, you all ready?" Face and Murdock nodded. "Decker?" Hannibal said. Decker looked back at him and nodded once. "Then let's go."

~~~~

Baker left them un-cuffed on the chopper and when lunchtime came around he handed around packets of sandwiches, bags of potato chips, cake and -

"Fruit!" Murdock gasped. He snatched an apple from the paper bag Baker handed around. "Oh my god, look at it." He held the apple up letting the light play over the red skin. Then he polished it on his fur hat and held it up again, turning it this way and that in his hand. "So beautiful."

Baker stared at him, Murdock just smiled back. He sniffed the apple. Slowly he twisted the stem until it broke off and then took a bite, a huge bite, almost half the fruit gone. He chewed, eyes closed, swallowed and then fell back in his seat, limp, boneless looking. After a moment he half opened his eyes, lids heavy, eyes dark and smouldering.

"Oh yeah, that was good."

"Thank god I didn't bring any chocolate," Baker muttered and passed the bag of fruit on.

Hannibal selected a banana and an apple from the bag, Face found a peach and spent several minutes just stroking it gently. Decker took a couple of apples and ate looking straight ahead, stone faced.

~~~~

Hannibal glanced at his watch, estimated their position from the flight time. Baker was talking on the radio, checking in with his base and the reception committee. Hannibal heard him sign off with an ETA of twenty minutes.

Hannibal had been seated next to Decker, at Decker's request. He sat back in his seat, and then spoke without looking at Decker, his eyes instead on the cops watching all of them closely.

"Okay, it's your big moment, Decker. Go for the Oscar."

Decker started small, building up the picture, for anyone watching him. He rubbed his chest then his shoulder and arm, looked unhappy, uncomfortable. Hannibal saw one of the cops frown and lean over to Decker,

"Are you feeling okay, Colonel?"

"I... feel dizzy..." Decker began, his voice faint. And then he went for it, as Hannibal watched with a certain amount of admiration. The man could act. Decker gasped and clutched at his chest, started breathing fast, gasping. The Mountie jumped up.

"Captain Baker!" He called, bringing Baker rushing over from his seat.

"Colonel?" Baker said, bending over Decker.

The team, except for the still comatose BA, took their cues and played their parts.

"What's wrong with him?" Murdock cried, hanging over the back of the seat.

"Colonel?" Face called out, standing up beside Murdock.

"Rod?" Hannibal went for Best Supporting Actor as he leaned over Decker, pasting a look of fear onto his face. "Rod!"

"Can't... breathe..." Decker wheezed.

"It's his heart!" Murdock shouted, sounding scared. "Lie him down."

"No, he should sit up," Face argued.

"Quiet!" Baker snapped. He pulled off his gloves and put a hand on Decker's neck feeling for his pulse. Decker let out a pained moan and panted some more, his eyes closed.

"He needs a doctor!" Hannibal grabbed Decker's hand and held it in both his own. "Hang on, Rod, just hang on."

Baker turned away and ran forward to the pilots. Hannibal kept the scared face fixed in place, fighting the smile that longed to escape as he heard Baker say the magic words.

"Divert course to Inuvik!"

~~~~

As the helicopter approached Inuvik, Hannibal heard the pilots requesting priority landing clearance. He guessed the only welcoming committee would be an ambulance for Decker and maybe a few extra Mounties. But Baker was no fool; he'd drop Decker off and want to take off again right away and head for their original destination where the army waited.

So Hannibal had tucked an ace up his sleeve, or rather into the waistband of his pants. While the team had surrounded Decker, concerned and solicitous and blocking the view of the police officers, Hannibal slid Decker's pistol out of its holster and it was now concealed under the back of Hannibal's coat.

They touched down and as Hannibal expected were greeted by an ambulance and couple of police cars. Baker ordered the team to stay in their seats and had their hands cuffed in front of them while the paramedics took the still moaning Decker off the helicopter.

Hannibal took advantage of the momentary distraction of the Mounties as they helped deal with Decker, manoeuvring him out of the door, awkward in the confined space. He picked the moment. Only one officer was still on board, the rest were outside. Hannibal turned his back to Face, who pulled the gun from its hiding place and put it into Hannibal's cuffed hands.

"Hey!" One of the Mounties shouted as he turned from the door and saw Hannibal rising with the pistol in his hands. He pulled out his own gun and BA, who'd apparently still been asleep, exploded out of his seat and knocked the Mountie flying. BA grabbed the gun as the officer bounced off a bulkhead and crashed to the deck. BA left him there and headed straight for the cockpit. Hannibal heard him ordering the pilots to give up their weapons.

A second later Baker burst back onto the chopper, gun raised, and found himself looking straight down the barrel of the pistol Hannibal held in both hands. Hannibal and Baker both froze in place, their pistols so close the muzzles almost touched. Hannibal heard a lot of commotion start up outside, but nobody else tried to get back aboard.

"Drop your weapon." Hannibal made his voice harsh. No time for the Jazz here. He wanted this to be over before anyone started blasting. He tried to project as much hardened combat vet vibe as he could, trying to intimidate Baker into giving up fast. His face, his voice, his body language all said, you're a civilian, you don't want to mess with soldiers like us, you really don't.

Baker scowled back at Hannibal. He made no move to dump the weapon. His eyes flickered around the cabin. Murdock had, as per the plan, crouched down behind a seat appearing terrified of the guns being waved around. Face stood in front of him. Baker scowled, eyes on Face.

"I see I was right to warn her about you."

Hannibal resisted the instinct to glance back and see how Face took that. He could guess. Baker looked back at Hannibal as Hannibal spoke again.

"I don't want to hurt you or your men, Captain. But I'm getting my unit out of here." Hannibal softened his voice just for a moment. "Be smart, Eric. This isn't your fight."

Baker looked around, at the cramped space. He knows it will be carnage if we start firing in here, Hannibal thought. And he knows I'm a lot more used to carnage than he is.

"I won't give up my gun," Baker said, looking back at Hannibal, meeting Hannibal's eyes steadily. After a moment Hannibal nodded.

"Alright then, holster it and put your hands on your head. Him too." He nodded at the officer still sitting on the floor. The two did as Hannibal told them. "BA, bring the pilots out here! Face, take Murdock up there."

Hannibal heard all the movement going on behind his back, kept his eyes fixed on Baker. The rotors start to turn. After a moment Face yelled, "Ready!"

"Okay, over here, boys." Hannibal beckoned the pilots, pointed them at the door. "You, on your feet." Baker helped up the man BA had knocked over. "On three you're all going to jump out the door. Keep your heads down. One, two…"

"Don't ever come back to Canada, Colonel Smith," Baker said. "I mean it."

"Three."

The Mounties and the two pilots jumped out, Baker last of all, flashing Hannibal a filthy look. Well, that's the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to add to my list of enemies, Hannibal thought. He grabbed the hood of BA's coat and hauled him away from the door as BA tried to follow the cops out. BA lost his balance and fell down. Hannibal sprang forward and closed the door as the helicopter left the ground.

"Don't even think about it!" Hannibal snapped as he turned to see BA opening his mouth to start the usual tirade. Hannibal hurried forward, as Murdock took the chopper up fast. Gunshots sounded, impacted on the helicopter.

"Get your heads down," Murdock ordered Face and Hannibal, who dropped to the deck. After a moment the chopper was out of range and they sat up. They tried to stand up but the helicopter wobbled, knocking them back down. A yell of rage came from the cabin.

"Are we damaged?" Hannibal asked, clinging to the co-pilot's seat.

"No." Murdock didn't take his eyes from the controls, but he did give a sheepish grin. "But I'm so very out of practice. Especially on a bird this size."

After a moment he managed to even the helicopter out and Hannibal and Face got to their feet.

"Well they say the Mounties always get their man, so I don't think I'll be coming back to Canada for a long time," Hannibal said. Face looked out of the window at the snowy landscape they were leaving behind. Hannibal heard him speak softly.

"I'll be back. Soon."

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© Elizabeth Charles 2006