notjustaface | Separation, Anxiety

It hadn't been a particularly hard mission, at least not by comparison to some of the stunts they've managed in the last ten years, but there was one fatal point where it could fall apart. Face had approximately sixty seconds to make it from tunnel to the next - a journey that shouldn't take more than forty-five seconds - before enemy's defensive explosion went off leaving him not only trapped but pinned down and unable to escape assuming he survived the event.

An unexpected sniper cut thirty seconds off the time he had. He was four seconds too late... just behind enough the blast didn't take him out - but not out. He was trapped behind the line, and utterly fucked.

"Put her in the air, Captain." Hannibal says softly, staring at the plume of dust and debris for any sign that Face had made it through last second. There was none.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

notthatcrazy

There's no question about that in his mind. Not going back is not an option.

"You mind if I stay here for a while?"

He's usually the last person BA wants to be around after a flight, and he really doesn't want to be alone.

From:

notjustaface

BA's a whole other can of worms, but they all know nobody wanted to leave him behind. It was just protocol.

He nods silently and slides the bottle toward him, if anyone needed a stiff drink he figured it'd be Murdock.

From:

notthatcrazy

His hand shakes a bit as he takes the bottle.

"You think he made it?"

His voice is barely louder than a whisper, and he almost doesn't want to hear Hannibal's answer, but he has to ask.

From:

notjustaface

He takes a long time to answer, and when he does his voice is calm and steady.

"Doesn't matter what I think," he says, head still down as he traces over the path again, doing the calculation in his head of the area where Face must have gotten pinned down by someone.

From:

notthatcrazy

And that non-answer speaks volumes.

He rests his head on his hands, staying silent as he watches the colonel think things through. There's still a good bit of anger mixed with his own guilt and fear, even though he knows it's not really anyone's fault... it was just a matter of timing.

From:

notjustaface

He's thinking, and it doesn't look good. Not the way the exit fell... there would have been too many men inside. If he survived he was captured.

"It's all right to be upset, Murdock." He says calmly, finally looking back up at him with an intent gaze. "I know what this means for you."

From:

notthatcrazy

"Do you?"

Some of that anger can't help but slip out as he catches his gaze.

"You ever loved anyone that much?"

From:

notjustaface

Hannibal knows the pain, Murdock sure is hell isn't the only one hurting here - the team is like his family. Leaving a man behind goes against everything he believes in. But there's risk and then there's suicide.

Biting back the urge to respond with that same frustration, he shakes his head slowly.

"I've had to give the order to leave a man behind."

From:

notthatcrazy

It's not really what he means at all, but he resists the urge to snap at him again. Picking a fight won't help anyone.

"When we go back, I want to be there."

No waiting in the wrings on this mission.

From:

notjustaface

And that draws out another long silence as he looks back down at the map and then takes another drink.

"Murdock..." He sighs, shaking his head. There's no easy way to say it.

From:

notthatcrazy

There's an odd mixture of defeat and disbelief as he catches the hesitance.

"What are you thinking?"

From:

notjustaface

He traces over the map, letting his finger linger on the red 'x' where they made their escape. "If he survived the blast..."

And it's a big 'if'. A big enough 'if' that he's even questioning the wisdom of hope.

From:

notthatcrazy

"I know what we're up against."

He settles his hands on the table to stop the shaking.

"But I have to know for sure."

From:

notjustaface

"Do you really know?" He spits back, taking a deep breath to calm himself before speaking again.

"We'd need at least... I don't know maybe ten... fifteen men. A strike team. They'll have him lacked down - interrogating him. Trying to find out who we're working for."

From:

notthatcrazy

He makes a strangled sound and buries his head in his hands again. It's going to be a while before he's composed enough to continue talking about this.

From:

notjustaface

"I'm not telling you this to hurt you, Murdock..." Hannibal's voice softens again, the frustration tapering back to the sinking pain in his gut.

"We need to think about this before we run in there half-cocked. It won't do him any good if we're captured... or worse."

From:

notthatcrazy

"No... I know."

He looks up after a moment, wiping his face on his sleeve.

"We gotta think of something."

He may have some issues with him on a personal level, but things will have to be seriously fucked up before he loses faith in Hannibal's strategizing abilities.

From:

notjustaface

Hannibal nods, staring down as he searches for some sort of answer.

"I'm working on it."

As fast as his mind can work, considering Murdock isn't the only one shaken by the loss.

"But you have to be ready for this to end badly."

From:

notthatcrazy

He nods, looking miserable as he tries not to break down again.

"I just need to know."

It's going to devastate him if they lose him, but not knowing is killing him.

From:

notjustaface

As he takes another drink, Hannibal's eyes narrow down to a small black mark where he'd initially considered going in but avoided once he found a much more secure route.

"I know..." he says softly, tapping his finger on the mark.

It'd be a gamble... and hell of a lot of sneaking for the three of them... but it wasn't impossible.

From:

notthatcrazy

He knows Hannibal well enough to sense that he's had an idea, but he knows better than to interrupt him. He pulls his jacket tighter around himself as he leans in to look.

From:

notjustaface

Hannibal leans forward, setting down his drink to trace the old route as the other hand withdraws a pencil from his breast pocket.

"It's a long shot..." he barely whispers, licking his lower lip.

From:

notthatcrazy

He sighs.

"Seems like everything we do's a long shot."

Still... a slim chance is better than none.

From:

notjustaface

It's different when it's a situation like this - an extraction that just might be a funeral.

After a long moment, he sighs again and downs the remainder of his drink before saying; "If we go in through this mineshaft, we'll come out behind their border and about half a mile from the cave-in."

They could start there, and assuming they don't find a body...