April 27 --- Chapters

Holiday: Tell A Story Day


It's time to write a new story. - Anon




Hannibal carefully buttoned his shirt, not caring at the moment that he really needed a shower. All he was thinking about was getting home, taking said shower, and enjoying a quiet cigar, a cold beer, and a pizza. That, and that he wouldn't have to check the call sheet and get up at some ungodly hour tomorrow. All the reshoots were done, the film in the can, and damn, it felt good to just relax again.

It wasn't until the next morning as he wandered around his backyard that the familiar melancholy struck. He called it boredom. Itching for something to do. Something more than mowing the lawn or deadheading the flowers.

Flowers. Whatever made him think he was a gardener?

Shit.

He called it boredom, never wanting to admit any kind of vulnerability. Not wanting to admit that he just missed his team...

*****

"Uh, I wanted to ask you something, Colonel."

Hannibal looked quizzically at Murdock. The pilot was looking everywhere but at him, shuffling his feet.

"What's up?"

"Well, it's... it's about going back to LA."

"Okay."

"See, it's... it's just that I've been spending a lot of time with Erica, and... I really like her, y'know? So, I was just thinking that, maybe I could just, uh, meet you guys out there a little later."

Hannibal straightened up a bit more. He hadn't considered anyone staying in Langley, least of all Murdock.

"How much later?"

"Well, I'm, I'm not sure, exactly." Murdock finally looked at him. "It's just that I'd like to spend more time with her, see if, well, if anything might come of it, y'know?"

"We really need the team together, if we're going to go back to our usual work."

Murdock shuffled his feet. Again.

"Just think, if we get a pardon we may never have to eat a knuckle sandwich again."

Hannibal took a deep breath, slowly letting it out. "How does Erica feel about all of this?"

"I think the feelings are mutual, Hannibal. It won't be for long, I promise. Just until I know, well - "

"Alright, Murdock. It's okay. You stay here, see what happens. Just... let me know when you know, okay?"

*****

He drove into town, to the little grocery store owned by an older couple. They didn't have a large selection, but cooking for one person didn't take a lot. He thought regretfully of all the food gone to waste before he figured that out. But he liked the guy, who'd also served in Korea. They'd often sit in the small office at the back, reminiscing about the war. Sometimes they'd talk about 'Nam, though the grocer had been too old to serve then. But they liked comparing the two.

Sometimes.

Today, the old man was busy. Hannibal had known he would be - delivery day. He'd planned it that way so he'd have an excuse to just get what he needed and leave. He was still tired from the long shooting schedule. A few more days and he'd be ready for one of their talks.

He shook his head as he pulled into his driveway, remembering how it felt to race off the scene, just ahead of Lynch or Decker, and then go on to meet with a new client. A lot more energy back then. Or maybe just that recycling of energy between the four of them...

*****

They were sitting at the back of the building, appreciating the new and enlarged patio. Mama B was upstairs, fixing lunch with 'help' from Frankie. Old Mr Berry had recently passed on, but the co-op was working well.

In a way.

The renovations to the building had taken a lot more time and effort than anyone had imagined. And while Mr Berry had put what was left of his money in a trust for the building's care, the residents had to watch their pennies. BA wasn't happy about that - especially after looking over some of the bills from contractors.

"Some of these guys are okay, but others - Hannibal, they robbing my mama and the others blind!"

Hannibal knew where this was heading. It wasn't the first time during their stay that BA had grumbled about what it was costing, what hadn't been done yet, or what hadn't been done 'right'.

Well, it wasn't like they'd immediately be taking on new clients when they got back to LA.

"Why don't you stay for a while, BA? Get things straightened out."

"Hey, I ain't gonna pull a Murdock or - "

"It's okay, BA. You need to take care of your mother. You make sure things are squared away for her, then meet us out there. She's family, after all."

BA scowled, looking around the patio. "I don't know how long it will take, Hannibal."

"You'll know when it's done. Just... let me know when you know."

*****

The light was blinking on his answering machine. Despite all the time that had passed, he was still fool enough to feel his heart beat just a bit faster.

"Hey, Johnny, it's Frankie! Look, give me a call when you get this, okay? I rigged up something really special to show you - but we, uh, should probably go out in the boonies for it, you know? So anyway, call me and we'll set it up. You'll love it! And, uh, maybe put in a word about it on the next film. Ciao!"

He smiled, shaking his head. Frankie and his new tricks. Still hoping to give his 'career' that boost, get it going again. Lucky if Hannibal could get him hired on when the next B-movie started. Everybody getting into this computer stuff for their special effects. Hannibal kept telling him to move to television, but it hadn't sunk in yet.

The way things were going, he might have to go that route himself.

He grabbed another beer from the fridge, sat on the couch. Stared out the window for a few minutes. Sighing, he grabbed the phone and dialed.

*****

"Chasing thugs through the park. It's got a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

"It has a terrible ring to it."

Hannibal should've remembered that remark. He remembered most of that conversation. Why not that? Because he was used to those little biting comments. They'd gotten more and more frequent the longer they were with Stockwell. But he ignored it, forgot it, and now here was Face, telling him he wasn't going back to LA.

"I talked to Ellen a couple weeks ago. She found some more of Bancroft's diaries. Personal ones, this time. She said there were things about Samantha in a couple of them. And... me. So we decided I should go down to see her - them."

"She can't send them to you?"

Face just looked at him, and Hannibal knew that had never even been considered. He could be so stupid, sometimes. Of course Face would want to take the first opportunity he had to go see his sister. Half-sister. And find out more about his family.

"Okay, so how long before you come back to LA? We're going to have to set up again, you know."

"I'm aware of that. But I don't know how long it will take until I see what's in those diaries. I mean, who knows? Maybe I - maybe I can find her."

"Face - "

"I have to at least try, Colonel." He turned, started walking away. "I'll let you know what happens."

*****

Frankie was talking a mile a minute, but Hannibal just let the words run past him. He really didn't care about this new gimmick, especially when it meant a long drive out to nowhere. Damn. Getting so he didn't really care about much of anything any more. Almost two years now, and he was tired of hanging by the phone, waiting for his agent to call with the next bomb.

Maybe he needed to start thinking about a whole new career path. Hell, he knew enough about dealing with bad guys to set up a security firm. But that would mean hiring new people. He didn't want that. He still thought about them. Murdock, BA... Face. Hannibal still didn't know if that one hurt the most because he'd been the first, or because it was Face.

He shifted in his seat. Maybe he could just be a consultant. A hands-on consultant, though. Not sitting in some office writing reports. He needed something to make him feel alive again.

"Just up here, Johnny. Hang a left."

They pulled up next to a dilapidated motor home, sitting on the edge of a small grove of trees. The rest of the area was more or less dirt and prairie grass. A few yards away he could see what looked to him like a pile of metal. Must be the new gizmo.

"Okay! I gotta get things set up - why don't you go ahead and wait inside? I left the windows open so it should be pretty cool in there."

"Sure, Frankie. Take your time."

He watched Frankie grin and trot off toward his baby. He had to smile a bit - at least Frankie was consistent. Always enthused.

Or just naive...

He pulled open the door and stepped inside. The motorhome was somewhat cooler than outside, but dark. And something else...

"Hey, man. 'Bout time you showed up."

"Yeah, Hannibal. Billy's been going nuts waiting."

He turned, looking at the third shadow. It stood up and moved toward him, stopping less than a foot away.

"Hello, Colonel."

"Hi, Lieutenant."