Maximum Carnage Issue Gamma - "Mind Game" by Justin Anderson March 7, 1987. 7:38 PM He was marched to the cell. Handcuffed, dressed in a basic, non-detailed uniform. His face still carved in the same stone expression it always was. The face of a Colonel who did things the hard way. People would get hurt under him, but he didn't care. And how did they pay back his two years of work? They let those men go! And when he protested..... they called him crazy. Okay, so maybe he made a mistake by attacking that Senator. But they wouldn't listen to him! The orderly stopped him at the cell. Second to the last on the left. "Remember....don't talk to the guy in the next cell! He didn't say a word to the large black man. He simply entered his cell. As the door closed, he stuck his hands through so the orderly could remove the cuffs. The man walked off as he sat on his bunk. "....new company" He looked up. It had come from the cell next to him, further down the hall. "I was told not to speak to you" "Yes, they always say that to.....new people. May I ask your name" He stood and wlaked over to the wall so his neighbor could hear it very clearly. "Roderick Decker. Colonel, US Army. That's all you're getting from me" He turned back to his bunk, uninterested in a conversation right now. "Decker.....yes, I've heard that name before...." Decker spun. The psycho had access to the news. "Just who are you?" "Oh, yes, how rude of me. Doctor Lecter. You may call me Hannibal" The name hit him like a hail of bullets. "Smith..... you have nothing better to do than play a sick game with me, is that it?" The voice didn't reply. It wasn't Hannibal Smith's voice. It was British, calm. But Hannibal was a master of disguises. "Oh, no..... I am a prisoner, like you" Decker had a realization. He knew what was going on. Not one of Smith's mind games. He knew exactly who he had been stuck with. "Hannibal the Cannibal.....the doctor who went insane and ate his patients! Well, you can be guaranteed I'll be out of here someday, and you can share a cell with Smith. Being named Hannibal must drive people crazy!" "Oh? Funny, I knew you were assigned to catch them..... but you sound... obsessed" "None of your business!" Decker walked back to his bunk and laid down. He was not about to let some crazy person get on his nerves. And he wasn't going to tolerate being tormented by someone with the name of his rival. "Decker....." "Save your breath, murderous freak...." "Murderous? Well, I can probably give some insight into that! You....you are a hard nosed Army Colonel, probably served in Vietnam. I'm guessing this Hannibal....Smith was there too. And I would assume the reports of him helping people were accurate. But you.... you're not like him. You can't tolerate it. He cares about life. You, I imagine you enjoyed killing Charlie. Probably a lot of innocent people in the way too. I see you pulling the trigger on entire families" Decker tensed at the mention of families. How could he have known? "You see things that just aren't there..." "Don't lie to me, Colonel. But please, tell me about Hannibal Smith. And remember, I will know if you are lying" Decker wanted to strangle the man. It was like the man was deliberately using his own name to torture him. He hated it. He could see this man. Thin, gray hair, smile on his face....the way Hannibal Smith looked when he taunted Decker's failures. "Fine, you sick pig! Hannibal Smith is nothing more than an outlaw who enjoys stepping on authority with his band of outlaws. They thought that by doing good deeds, people would believe they were set up in Vietnam. They robbed a bank, killed their CO, and ran. But Smith....he likes using his genius to toy with his superiors...." "Oh.....yes, well, so do I. But go on" "He makes jokes when those he hates fail. He acts like a God, while he destroys military careers. Then he gets that pardon..... he bribed or threatened someone" Decker looked at the wall, waiting for a quick response. But none came. "....what, no smart remark? I hit a nerve with you?" "Oh, no, Colonel. Just a thought.... Hannibal Smith is a lot like me, indeed. Intelligent, cunning, resourceful..... but he wouldn't harm a fly. Scum like you he makes exceptions for, and even then, he hurts your pride. And did you ever think that maybe....just maybe, you were wrong?" "You hateful old man. You kill and eat people, why should I even consider listening to you?" "Because, dear Colonel....you know I'm right. You know it, I know it, everyone knows....but you won't admit it. Besides, how many have you needlessly killed?" Decker had had enough. Just because he was forced in here didn't mean he had to be tormented. His heart pounded, his adrenaline flowed. "I think Colonel....no, I know....you are insatiable hate machine, so obsessed with revenge and payback, you will ignore the truth. Because, to put it in words you may understand....you are a 'sad, old, hateful fuck who refuses to know the truth' " That set Decker off. He jumped from his bunk, to the opposite wall. He pounded on the bricks, hoping to break through. "YOU WANT TO TALK TOUGH! SMIIIITH!!!! YOU CAN'T FOOL ME! GET OUT HERE!" The door to his cell swung open as several orderlies ran in to restrain him. He had become violent....too violent to give him any drugs. They pulled him from the cell, dragging him up the hall. But not even they could hold him for too long. He broke free, and made his way to the glass wall. He was right. An older man, gray hair, and a wicked smile. "Crack that smile when I'm pounding on you!" "Yes, Colonel Decker....do come in....for dinner" By this point, the rest of the prisoners in the hall had begun screaming and rioting at the commotion. Decker was held once again by the trio of orderlies. He calmed as the needle was stuck in his arm, the drugs sedating him. He got one last look at th ecell as he was hauled away. Hannibal simply paced over to his own bunk and sat down. "Disturbed man....poor man. But that Hannibal Smith....I must meet him some day. A test of wits is in order. But that can wait. Good things always come that way. Sleep well, Colonel Decker" THE END Author's Notes: This ties in to my A-Team cross over is issues 16 and 17. A look at what happened to Decker to make him hunt Smith once again. But I like how this can be taken as a simple A-Team/SOT Lambs cross over, don't you? Notes: Basically set in the Marvel Universe, I will be using a lot of my own continuity for this series, and generally focus on the main characters. Appearances by Marvel's universe will be special occurences. Crossovers with characters/titles from other companies will be treated as "single universe", not as "2 universes crossing temporarily". I will also try to ignore major Marvel comic story arcs. Cletus Kasady, Carnage, and other Marvel characters are copyright Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. Other characters are either my creation(copyright myself), or copyright their specific owners if non- Marvel licensed characters. Characters used without permission/not for profit. These are strictly fan stories. Permission to reprint extends to placing this text, unaltered, elsewhere online. It may not be altered, and especially NOT TO BE SOLD, unless Marvel wishes to license this series from me.