Authors Note: This series of stories was written when I was 15 years old. I was obsessed with The A-Team so much so that I even had all the action figures and built myself a house for those figures. I even had a van that I built with wood and paper mache’. I’m not near to being that obsessed about The A-Team anymore (Bonanza took over), but these stories had been written. It’s taken me awhile to type them, since they were all hand written and pretty messed up. I struggled with editing, since I was a fouled mouth teenager then and don’t usually swear at all now. I tried to keep the stories as close to what I originally wrote. I fixed the major grammar boo boo’s and hopefully they make sense now. I wouldn’t rate this series any higher than PG13.

I never realized it until I joined Ficster.org, that all of my stories are Alternative Universes. I always seem to change something. This series is no different. The intro relates to the TV version but these stories have a different twist. I added a character named Max, who is Face’s twin brother (not in the first story though). There isn’t a whole lot with Max though. I also have all of the team living together in a house. There are continuity problems, but I fixed most of them. Please remember I wrote these more than half my life ago, so if you don’t like them please don’t flame me. Everything from this point on was written when I was 15.

The A-Team is a group of four men from the Vietnam War who were accused of a crime they didn’t commit. They were ordered to rob the bank of Hanoi. Their commanding officer said it would help to end the war. He was later killed when their headquarters was attacked. The team had left for the mission three days before a cease-fire was called. The war was over when they hit the bank, but the team didn’t know it. The team was captured and convicted but they escaped to the Los Angeles underground. There they help people in heed, always one step ahead of the military. In 1986, they were captured, tried and convicted of murdering their commanding officer. With the help of a special effects man they escaped the firing squad, barely. The last season they were working for an ex-general of the government. They worked suicide runs to obtain a presidential pardon.

Meet The A-Team:

Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith – People just call him Hannibal after Hannibal the Great. Hannibal loves to make his pursuers go around in circles. As a master of disguise, he can fool anyone, even the other team members. He seems to enjoy when the team bicker among themselves and laughs at the senseless arguments, but is all military when things need to be serious. Hannibal loves a good cigar and the "jazz". (I guess is like sticking your finger into a light socket) Hannibal "loves it when a plan comes together."

Lieutenant Templeton "Faceman" Peck – With his good looks, he was nicknamed "Face". He’s a con artist who could probably con the babies in a maturity ward. Templeton was an orphan all his life and he lived in an orphanage run by nuns, strict ones. He once stated that he joined the army because he needed a father figure. Face is easily distracted by a pretty woman and loves fancy clothes and cars.

Captain HM "Howling Mad" Murdock - Murdock is the pilot of the team. If it has wings or a propeller, Murdock can fly it. The army doesn’t know Murdock is part of the team anymore, because he now lives at the VA hospital’s psychiatric ward. Is Murdock crazy? No one really knows, but he certainly acts the part.

Sergeant Bosco Baracus – Everyone calls him BA, for "Bad Attitude" and it fits. He’s a genius mechanic but hates to fly, especially with Murdock. The Team has to knock him out in order to fly on a mission. He owns a black van with a red pinstripe and treats it like an equal member of the team. BA acts tough, but he has a big heart.

The A-Team – A group of men who, with their various personalities and talents, stomp out the bad all across the world. They may all have their differences but when faced with a conflict, they all work together like a well-oiled machine.

Early one summer morning, Murdock got up and went to do his chores. When finished, he went into the storeroom and got out his paint and rolling brushes. As he was walking toward the back door, BA stopped him. "Where ya going fool?"

"Outside to finish painting my shed." Murdock replied.

"Did you bring in the firewood?"

"Yes I did. What’s it to you?" Murdock said as he walked out the back door singing Yankee Doodle. BA just shook his head and placed a piece of paper on the bulletin board by the phone. It read:

Hannibal,

Meanwhile, Hannibal was upstairs trying to get Face up. "Face get your lazy butt out of bed."

"Just a couple more minutes."

"You have exactly two minutes to get out of bed or you’ll march double time into town and back."

"Colonel, I was out late last night."

"That’s not my problem Face. I told you to be back early." Hannibal left while Face got up and dressed. As Face was walking down the stairs, he met Murdock, who was all covered in paint.

"What in the world happened to you?" Face exclaimed.

"I fell in some paint."

"Some? It looks like you rolled in a barrel of it."

"I have to go wash up before Hannibal sees me." Murdock passed Face and headed to the bathroom.

As Face reached the bottom of the stairs, he stopped at the kitchen door and poked his head in to see who was cooking.

"Face, what do you want for breakfast?" Hannibal inquired.

Face replied with a polite ‘nothing’ then walked into the living room to watch the news. About twenty minutes later, Murdock came downstairs all spanken clean. Then Hannibal asked him if he wanted any breakfast, and he said that he had already eaten. Hannibal approached Face and said, "I want you to eat something."

Face replied rudely, "I don’t want anything."

Murdock looked at Hannibal and asked, "What’s wrong with him?"

"I don’t know. I’ll have a talk with him, but first you have an appointment at the VA, so please go get ready."

"Otay Buckwheat."

"Just go Murdock." After Murdock left, Hannibal went into the living room. "Face? What’s the matter?"

"Nothing." Face replied with a sneer.

"I want you to tell me or you can sulk in the stockade."

"I’m tired of being treated like a damn child!"

"Well, I don’t know any rational people who talk like that. What can I say? Don’t act like a child and you won’t get treated like one."

"That’s helpful." Face said sarcastically.

"Quit feeling sorry for yourself." As Hannibal left the room, Face focused on the real reason for being depressed. Face got up and walked out to the front yard to think. Whenever he was troubled, Face would find pleasure and relaxation in nature. Mind you, he didn’t like to get dirty, but he still enjoyed the quiet of nature. Face’s girlfriend Charlene was a lot like nature; a pleasant breath of fresh air. Templeton Peck has had many girlfriends and a few one-night stands, but this one girl has him hooked on the word ‘commitment’. The Faceman’s problem was more than just being depressed, he has a broken heart. Templeton Peck, top love pilot, has been grounded by a beautiful blonde. Face really loves Charlene and that’s why he’s depressed. Charlene hasn’t called in three weeks and he can’t get a hold of her. He’s out of touch with the world and he can’t understand why she hasn’t called.

"Face! Face where are you?" Hannibal screamed. Face had fallen asleep thinking about Charlene. "Lieutenant! Where is he?" Hannibal walked outside to look for Face. To his surprise, he found Face sleeping on the lawn. Hannibal shook Face’s shoulder and said, "Face, wake up."

As Face woke, he asked, "Where am I?"

"As I picture it, you’re sleeping in the grass."

"Nay, really?" Face relied sarcastically.

"Get Up. I don’t know what’s wrong with you, but I want you to snap out of it. NOW!" Hannibal grabbed Face’s arm and they both walked into the house. "Face, I have to go to the studio. BA is gone and I’m taking Murdock to the VA so behave yourself."

"Be serious."

Hannibal slapped Face’s arm. "Stop being a wise ass or you’ll be doing dishes for a week."

"I’m sorry." Hannibal and Murdock left and Face went into the living room to sulk. About two hours passed and the phone rang. Face jumped up quickly, hoping that Charlene was calling. Out of the excitement, he forgot the phone procedure and picked it up and said, "Hello."

"Faceman, you aren’t supposed to say ‘hello’. What’s wrong with you today?"

"Murdock, what do you want?"

"I want you to pick me up?"

"Isn’t Hannibal around to do that?"

"No. He’s at the studio. Pick me up."

"Can’t it wait a while?" Face huffed.

"No. Now pick me up or I’ll tell Hannibal how you answered the phone."

"Blackmail doesn’t suit you Captain."

"Well I don’t like it either, but it works."

"Okay! Okay! I’ll pick you up." Face hung up the phone and headed out. When they got home, both started arguing. Finally Murdock yelled, "If you’re so worried about Charlene, why don’t you call her." Then he stormed to his room. The Lieutenant started to think, so he picked up that phone and dialed Charlene’s number. He got no answer. Now even more depressed, Face went to his room to take his mind off Charlene. By the time Hannibal had gotten home, Face had fallen asleep and Murdock was downstairs watching cartoons.

"Face? Where are you?" Hannibal screamed as he walked through the door.

"He’s upstairs sleeping?" Murdock relied.

"Why on earth is he sleeping again?"

"He’s depressed about Charlene."

"Murdock, leave him alone about Charlene."

"Well, if he doesn’t start using the phone procedures, he’s going to put us all in danger."

"What do you mean?"

"I called today so he could pick me up and he just said, ‘hello’."

"I’ll have another talk with him." Hannibal, somewhat cross, went upstairs to talk to Face. When he got up to Face’s room, he saw that Face was sleeping with Charlene’s picture next to him. "Face wake up."

"Hannibal? What are you doing here?" Face asked with a yawn.

"I live here remember?"

"You don’t live in my bedroom, do ya?" Face sat up in bed. Hannibal had his hands on his hips ready to yell at him, when Face asked, "Can I tell you something?"

"Sure. Go ahead."

"Well today, when Murdock called me to pick him up, well I was so depressed that I forgot the phone procedure."

"Oh?"

"I just said ‘hello’ and I’m sorry and I’ll accept any punishment you see fit."

"Murdock already told me what happened."

"He tried to blackmail me. He said he wasn’t going to say anything. I’m sorry."

"I’m glad you told me anyway. You’ve been through a lot of stress the past few days. You’ll get over it."

"I’m glad somebody thinks so."

"I do. And for punishment, don’t worry about it. Now are you going to fix dinner?"

"Yeah." Face stood and started to walk out the door.

"Good." Hannibal smiled as he patted Face’s back.

"Oh Hannibal?"

"Yeah Face?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"Being there when I need someone."

"Quit being sappy and get your person downstairs." Hannibal said with a smile. Hannibal headed for his own room as Face went downstairs. As Face was walking passed the living room, he heard cartoons on TV.

"Face!" Murdock yelled from the living room.

"What do you want snitch?"

"I’m sorry. Did you get in trouble with the big bad Colonel?" Sneered a totally unsympathetic Captain Murdock.

"I will not dignify that comment with a reply." Face left the doorway, headed for the kitchen, when BA came in all wet and in a most foul mood.

"What in the world happened to you?" Exclaimed Face.

"It’s raining out. Haven’t you noticed?" BA snarled.

"Sor-ry. What would you like for dinner?"

"Whatever you have, but lots of it." BA started to leave for his room when he said, "Oh Face?"

"Yeah BA?"

"Charlene…"

"Charlene? Did you hear from her?"

"Will ya let me finish?"

"Yeah go ahead, but quickly."

"Well, she called early this morning ‘fore I left."

"What did she say?" Face said with excitement.

"That she’s out of town visiting her mom. She would have called sooner but her mom’s sick and she didn’t have time."

"She should have tried to reach me, and not make me worry."

"She did call before she left. She said she talked to the fool. He knew she had to go and where too."

"I’ll kill him." Face was seeing red.

"Calm down. Besides, Hannibal would never let you. You’d rot in the stockade."

"I don’t care." Face headed out of the kitchen yelling for Murdock. "MURDOCK!"

Murdock replied, "What can I do ya for?"

"You could get hit by a bus!" Face exclaimed as grabbed Murdock and pushed him up against the wall.

"What’s the matter with you? Put me down."

"I should beat you to death with my bare hands."

"You’ve gone nuts!"

"Well then, you can excuse me for doing this." Face punched Murdock in the jaw, forcing the helpless Captain to fall over the coffee table and onto the floor. Hannibal heard the crash and rushed downstairs to see what was up. When he got to the living room, he saw Face repeatedly punching Murdock in the stomach. He immediately grabbed Face and threw him up against the wall.

"Break it up!" Hannibal screamed.

"Why!" Face screamed back.

"What did you say, Lieutenant?"

"Nothing." Face replied in a more relaxed tone.

"I want an explanation this instant." Hannibal ordered while he helped Murdock to the couch. "NOW, Lieutenant!"

"I have nothing to say."

Hannibal pinned Face up against the wall and screamed, "I demand to know what this is about." With no reply from Face, Hannibal released him and said, "Don’t move," then started to clean Murdock’s split lip. After helping Murdock to his room, the angry Colonel confronted Face. "What the devil do you think you were doing?" Hannibal demanded. Face didn’t reply. "I see your going to be stubborn about this, so you can sit in the stockade until you’re ready to talk. Do you understand?" With no reply again, Hannibal became even angrier. "I said, do you understand me Lieutenant?"

"Fine."

"Move it." Face pushed himself away from the wall and walked to the small room they use for the stockade. Hannibal locked the door at the same moment BA entered. BA noticed Face in the stockade and said, "What did I tell ya Face?"

"BA? Do you know what the fight was about?" Hannibal asked.

"Yes sir."

"Well Mr. Stubbornness won’t tell me, so give."

"Well, it’s like this…"

"BA, you big mouth." Exclaimed Face "You have a mouth the size of the Grand Canyon."

Hannibal turned to Face and said, "Face, shut your mouth. You had your chance." Turning back to BA, he said, "Go on BA."

"Well, Charlene called and Murdock took the message but never told anyone."

"On purpose?"

"Don’t know, all I know is Face wasn’t thrilled to find it out." BA said. "He didn’t care either. Was just gonna kill the fool."

Hannibal sat down to calm himself. "BA. Will you start dinner while I take care of this mess?"

"Sure." Hannibal went upstairs to talk to Murdock. When he entered, he found Murdock holding an ice pack to his swollen lip.

"BA tells me Charlene called before and you took the message."

"Yeah? What’s that got to do with Face pounding the daylights out of me?"

"You never relayed the message." It was a statement not a question.

"I didn’t? I could have sworn I had." Murdock said unsympathetically.

"Murdock? Tell me the truth. Did you do this on purpose?"

"Well, not exactly." Murdock said shyly.

"Murdock?" Hannibal warned.

"Yes." Murdock hung his head.

"Why didn’t you tell him?"

"Because of something he said last week."

"And what was that?"

"It’s to foul mouthed to repeat."

"Try me."

"He called me a …" Murdock paused.

"What?"

"And SOB and a high rank brown nose."

"What?"

"I told you, you wouldn’t like it."

"You were right there Murdock. I’ll deal with it. You shouldn’t have retaliated though. I want you downstairs for dinner and then to bed. You need your rest." They both walked down to the kitchen where they ate dinner.

After dinner, Hannibal sent Murdock to the stockade with some food for Face. When he got there, Face knocked the food to the floor and put Murdock in a headlock.

"COLONEL!" Murdock yelled.

"You’ll pay Murdock." Face said in anger. At that moment, BA came up behind Face and pulled his arms behind his back, releasing Murdock. At the same time, Hannibal prepared a tranquilizer shot. (The Face is afraid of shots.)

"NO!" Face screamed.

"Stay still fool." BA yelled.

"NO, Colonel. Please no, no needles, Colonel?" Face pleaded. As Hannibal gave him the shot, Face still mumbled ‘no’ as he relaxed. "Colonel? Please," Face continued to mumble and cry as BA settled him on the cot.

"Hannibal? If you don’t need me anymore, I’m going to bed."

"Fine BA. Thanks." Hannibal covered Face up with a blanket and wiped away the tears. He smiled sadly as he relocked the stockade and settled in to watch the late news. After the news, Hannibal checked Face again, before heading to bed. One final check on Murdock and BA, and Hannibal retired to his own room, hoping everything would be better tomorrow.

The End (for now)

Part II - Studio Blues

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