February 13 --- Merry-Go-Round

Holiday: Blame Someone Else Day


"Explain to me again, Lieutenant, how we ended up here?"

"I told you, Hannibal, it wasn't my fault. I had that woman eating out of my hand." Face turned and glared at Murdock. "But 'Wild Bill Hickock' decided to make an appearance."

"I was not 'Wild Bill Hickock'. You have a very short memory, Face."

"And you're going to have a very short lifespan, Murdock."

"I was only trying to warn you that Ristow was on his way."

"You didn't have to come in waving those damn popguns!" Face turned away from Murdock, sending his glare at Hannibal. "And you! You're the one who let him come with us dressed that way - again!"

Hannibal frowned. "He wasn't supposed to be going along with you on the scam, Face. That was your choice."

"Choice? What choice? My ride...," Face angrily gestured across the small room at BA, "was getting a tune up. I had no choice!"

"I wasn't tunin it up. Takin that back road out here messed up the suspension. And that was your idea." BA turned his glare toward Hannibal.

"We couldn't very well parade through town. All Ristow's goons were there. Which they wouldn't have been if someone hadn't tipped our hand at that truck stop." Hannibal looked at Face, eyebrow raised.

"I was merely trying to get the intel you wanted on the town's layout. Which you could have gotten from the client, if you'd thought to ask."

"Did you have to bring up Ristow?"

"How was I supposed to know she was his girlfriend?"

"It wouldn't have mattered if you hadn't made a play for her."

"I did not make a play for her. She was tipped off by you three parading around the place. And him with that damn Range Ryder mask hanging around his neck!"

"It's a western town, Face! How was I supposed to know they didn't have cowboys?"

"It wouldn't have been a problem if Hannibal would just learn to say no!"

"I believe you broke him out of the VA, Face."

"After you gave me thirty minutes notice. I didn't have time to make him change."

Hannibal sighed. "Well, it doesn't really matter now, does it? We need to get out of here." He looked over at BA. "Can you break loose?"

"No. That fool had to start tellin him how to rope a calf..."

FINI