Really enjoying the story - well done bluegirl!
Am waiting in anticipation for the next chapter.....Starting Point - a MacGyver FanFiction
Re: Starting Point - a MacGyver FanFiction
I'm with ergomac23 - poor Mac! But I do like some whump, even if Mac has to suffer for our enjoyment........
Really enjoying the story - well done bluegirl! Am waiting in anticipation for the next chapter.....
Really enjoying the story - well done bluegirl!
Am waiting in anticipation for the next chapter.....
Re: Starting Point - a MacGyver FanFiction
Just curious - have you read my other stories as well? If you have, you could be aware that 'the whump' might not be over yet...
And if you have... I´d be interested in your feedback/thoughts on those...
Consider waiting for the next chapter like an enlarged commercial break...
Thanks for your praise of my work!The stuff is already there. I just find a different way to use it.
Re: Starting Point - a MacGyver FanFiction
Hi bluegirl
Yes - I've read your other stories and loved them all - long may there be Mac and whump!! Waiting expectantly and holding my breath for the next chapter.....
Yes - I've read your other stories and loved them all - long may there be Mac and whump!!
Waiting expectantly and holding my breath for the next chapter..... Re: Starting Point - a MacGyver FanFiction
Glad to hear that!
But don´t hold your breath for too long - if you´d suffocate, you won´t be able to read any more!
The stuff is already there. I just find a different way to use it.
Re: Starting Point - a MacGyver FanFiction
Good point bluegirl!! ....and breathe.....!!!
Re: Starting Point - a MacGyver FanFiction
Hi, bluegirl . I 'm a little late for the praise but better late than never 
You have done a great job !!!! ( as I know you would as always ). Thank you !
You have done a great job !!!! ( as I know you would as always ). Thank you ! Re: Starting Point - a MacGyver FanFiction
I´m thankful for your praise! I was getting worried aou wouldn´t find the time to read along - I always look forward to your feedback/thoughts/comments...
As for done a great job - we´re just getting started! (prologue + 13 chapters...)
The stuff is already there. I just find a different way to use it.
Re: Starting Point - a MacGyver FanFiction
A happy Sunday evening (at the moment near Vienna) to everyone!
Just got ready to share the next chapter with you! Consider yourselves warned - this one will raise the action level considerably! 
Let´s get going:
Part 4
MacGyver was out of breath when he, several minutes later, reached the huge tree and leaned his forehead against it. The worst of his dizziness passed within a few seconds, yet he still felt lightheaded when he turned his gaze down to the compound. From his position on the slope a little above the airplane, he could overlook the whole area. He quickly spotted Thornton as the older man reached the edge of the forest. MacGyver couldn´t suppress a sudden pang of guilt while he watched his boss check his surroundings and then carefully step out into the open. The senior agent covered the few yards to the generator´s hut quickly and disappeared momentarily from Mac´s sight.
MacGyver drew in a deep breath as his thoughts ran wild.
I should be down there. Getting that camera. At least, I should be there to watch Thornton´s back. But I´m not in the physical shape to. Because I´ve gotten myself into a serious mess. Because I´ve gotten caught. Judging by how angry he got, I´ve badly disappointed my boss. Because I failed to complete my assigned task. Because I´ve disregarded the limits he´d set for me. Because I haven´t met the expectations and high hopes Thornton had for me.
MacGyver lowered his eyes for a moment and sighed deeply. ‘You´re among the best recruits we´ve ever had…’ Thornton´s words on that evening in his apartment echoed inside his head.
“Yeah, sure…” he growled sarcastically to himself. He hoped that the intel he´d gathered would allow him to redeem himself… at least a little. With another deep inhale, Mac turned so he could lean his back against the tree and raised his eyes to scan the camp.
His thoughts were cut off abruptly when he saw Moreno and his pilot step outside of the farthest of the larger barracks. His body stiffened with the sudden rush of adrenaline into his veins. A glimpse at his watch told him they´d finished their breakfast earlier today – probably due to the plane´s engine problems. MacGyver drew in a sharp breath, pushed himself off the trunk, and straightened himself.
With the generator currently up and running, Thornton wouldn´t hear them coming… and with the generator´s hut blocking his sight, he wouldn´t see them either – until they were way too close for a safe escape. If they spotted Thornton… if he got caught with the camera… they´d both be in serious trouble.
All these thoughts flashed through MacGyver´s head within seconds as he observed the scene unfolding. His mind hit overdrive. He had to come up with something if he wanted to protect and help his new boss. If he wanted to make sure Thornton and the camera had a secure way out. And he only had a few moments to do it.
Moreno and his pilot were engrossed in conversation and stopped after only a few steps. Moreno still seemed angry and was gesticulating wildly toward the weapons storage shed and the plane while he talked to his pilot.
MacGyver´s eyes raced across the whole camp. He was too far away to be able to warn Thornton … so he had to somehow distract Moreno and his pilot … and draw their attention to something important for them. Mac´s gaze caught on the plane… on the workshop next to the airstrip… and the fuel-filled barrels stacked up along its walls. An idea rose within him and without hesitation, his pain and dizziness forgotten, MacGyver rushed downward between trees and thickets to the workshop.
His hand went into his pocket automatically and felt for his Swiss army knife and the matches, he usually carried, but then remembered that Moreno had forced him to empty his pockets after they had caught him for the second time, after he´d tried to escape. He reached the tree line only a moment later and stopped briefly to check on Moreno´s and the pilot´s position. Pleased to see, that they hadn´t moved in the meantime, Mac´s eyes returned to the barrels, and his second hand checked the pocket on his other side.
He knew he´d find some rags inside the workshop, right next to the door, but he needed some means to set them on fire. Just then, his fingers caught on something small in the folds of his left pocket. MacGyver puffed out a relieved breath as he pulled out a single match, and then hurried to cross the little distance to the shed.
He slid inside quickly through the half-open door, picked two of the oiliest rags lying on the workbench, and also grabbed the petroleum lamp hanging from a hook in the wall. He shook it softly to determine the amount of oil still in it and nodded to himself when he found it almost full. MacGyver struck the match on some wooden board, lit the lamp, and left the workshop, holding the rags in one hand, the lamp in the other one.
A sideways glance confirmed the two men still standing in the distance, and Mac turned around the corner to the barrels. Hurriedly, he screwed off the cap of one of them, drew a brief grimace at the intense smell of the fuel, and threaded one of the rags partly inside. With the help of the lamp, he lit his makeshift fuse. MacGyver took a second to assess his work, then picked up the remaining rag and the lamp and ran toward the airplane.
Knowing he might be visible from where Moreno was standing, and that he only had a couple of moments before the barrel behind the workshop would blow up, Mac quickly opened the fuel tank in the plane´s wing and stuffed the second rag into it.
The more fires I can start, he thought, the longer they´ll be occupied with fighting them, and the better are the chances of Thornton getting away with the camera.
He raised the lamp, lit the rag, and then turned toward the huge shed acting as the weapons storage. His gaze crossed the generator hut, caught a small movement in it, but then settled on Moreno talking to his pilot.
I just gotta make them believe, I got killed during my attempt to destroy their operations base, MacGyver mused. Or they´ll be searching the whole forest for me. Meaning, I have to get the timing right if I don´t wanna get killed for real.
A sideways glance at the barrel confirmed that it could blow any second. MacGyver drew in a deep breath, determinedly stepped further away from the plane, and straightened himself with the lamp in his hand. Out into the open space, where Moreno would be able to see him. As would Thornton.
Now for the tricky part. Gotta get Moreno´s attention and warn Thornton at the same time, he thought while he strove to recall which part of the ravine next to the airstrip he would have to use to get to the river … where the slope wasn´t all too steep and rocky, so he could rather slide than fall downward … and had a chance of surviving it.
MacGyver tightened his grip on the lamp.
“Moreno!” he then called out.
The arms dealer´s head snapped around to him almost instantly with a confused stare.
“You know, I can´t let you get away with those weapons!” Mac continued and again saw movement inside the generator hut.
Part of Thornton´s face was visible to him above the barrels, with a puzzled and surprised expression. Their eyes met for a split second, and MacGyver tried to communicate the impending threat to his boss wordlessly, fervently hoping that his message and his doing were understood. Then his gaze returned to the now angry Moreno, who barked some orders at his pilot and turned around completely to MacGyver while he drew his pistol from his belt holster.
Alright, that´s my cue to leave, Mac noted mentally and threw the petroleum lamp toward the crates filled with weapons, ammunition, and explosives.
The glass protecting the flame broke when it crashed sideways against the wooden surface; some petroleum leaked out and was instantly ignited. Only the blink of an eye later, the barrel behind the workshop blew with an earsplitting bang into a huge fireball. Mac felt the wave of heat from the distant explosion rush over his skin, saw Moreno briefly distracted by it, but then raise his pistol and take aim.
Without another conscious thought, suddenly acting purely on survival instinct, yet still following the plan he´d formed in his head, MacGyver turned and ran off. He ducked through under the wing of the airplane, heard gunshots from behind, felt bullets whizz by him, and hit the ground way too close for his comfort. He had only just passed the plane when the fuel tank blew, engulfing everything behind him in flames.
The heat- and shockwave threw him forward, causing him to stumble in his full run toward the cliff. MacGyver´s idea of a controlled slide down the slope evaporated when he saw the edge nearing, sensed parts ripped from the plane fly by him, and noticed he couldn´t avoid losing his footing.
“Aw, man!” he gasped as he reached out with both arms to absorb some of the force of his tumble. Despite his effort, Mac hit the ground hard, rolled over dazed by the impact, staying just aware enough to feel his fear of heights kick in as the ground dropped away below him when he passed the edge, and he sensed himself falling.
++++++++++
Peter Thornton was fully concentrating on what MacGyver had told him as he took the last, quick steps toward the generator and ducked into the shed that was protecting it. He allowed himself a moment to catch his breath and accommodate his ears to the dull roar of the machine. It blocked out almost all sounds of his surroundings which made Thornton slightly nervous. He wouldn´t hear anyone coming closer. But MacGyver had assured him those goons would be busy with their meal for some time to come anyway.
Thornton took a deep breath and oriented himself. He looked to the left, toward the barrels, and moved to them cautiously between the generator and wall; one of the only two walls of this shed. But both of them kept him from seeing what was going on in the rest of the camp… behind his back… leaving him virtually blind and deaf to probable danger. He didn´t like the feeling at all and chose to hurry.
Being more rotund than his lanky, young rookie, Thornton had to be careful not to tip anything over when he crouched down next to the barrels. He quickly tested how much they weighed to find the empty ones and soon discovered the pile of dirty rags between them. One after another, Thornton removed them until he saw the camera case underneath.
Just as the kid has told me, he mused with a little relief while he took off his backpack. His thoughts trailed off. Back to the young man he´d left behind in the forest. Back to the young man who´d been the reason why he had come out here in the first place. Of course, he´d also come here to gain information about the arms dealers – and he´d prioritized the intel when he´d argued about leaving with his department chief – but in his mind, the search for and probable rescue of MacGyver had been a main point for self-assigning him to this mission.
With a small sigh, Thornton opened his backpack and admitted to himself that despite his effort to remain professionally detached, he cared about this particular rookie. Watching Mac getting beaten had bothered him more than it should have; finding Mac unconscious and injured had worried him more than it should have. He was becoming attached to the young man.
Whether it had to do with MacGyver´s unique attitude to his new job and life in general, or that he had lost his father at a very young age and his mother while he´d been away on a military assignment, Thornton couldn´t tell. He also wasn´t sure why MacGyver´s admission that he´d gone beyond his assigned task had a bit surprised, but even more so angered him. After how the young man had acted throughout his training for the job, he should have expected it. He just hoped that MacGyver would make it safely to their meeting point. After he´d left the kid behind in the forest, an uncomfortable sense of foreboding had settled inside Thornton´s gut.
He shook his head to clear away the thoughts and concentrate back on his objective and reached out for the camera. He had just picked it up when he heard someone shout Moreno´s name over the constant drone of the generator and froze instantly. Even if it was hoarse, he knew that voice.
MacGyver! What the heck…! I told him to stay put!
Thornton´s paralysis loosened after only a second; he stuffed the camera into his pack quickly and stood up to gaze over the barrels, toward where MacGyver just continued to address Moreno. Perplexed, he saw the young man standing out in the open, between plane and storage shed, with a lit petroleum lamp in his hand. Thornton´s first impulse was to get angry at the kid for disobeying his orders… again… but then MacGyver´s dark eyes met his for a moment.
The rookie was tense, fully alert, worried… and not because Thornton had seen him. His look communicated a silent warning and then snapped back to something or someone beyond the generator shed. In the next second, Thornton heard Moreno´s furious voice, shouting at someone to get the other men, quite close to the hut he was hiding in, and he understood why MacGyver was out there, warning him… and distracting the men that would have discovered his presence real soon. But Thornton had no time to remain baffled anymore because then everything seemed to happen all at once.
He spotted the burning rag on the airplane´s wing at almost the same moment that MacGyver threw the lamp toward the stored weapons and flinched when the blink of an eye later something behind another shed blew up in a huge fireball. Thornton watched MacGyver run off, heard gunshots from where Moreno´s voice had sounded, and saw the bullets hit the ground just beside MacGyver´s feet. Thornton´s body tensed up, preparing to flee as he subconsciously shouldered his backpack, yet couldn´t take his eyes off the scene unfolding in the clearing.
He´d only rescued the young man from his prison a little while ago – and now desperately hoped it had not been just to witness him getting shot. An icy cold traveled down Thornton´s back as he observed MacGyver rush through under the plane´s wing and head toward the edge of the cliff. In the next split second, just as Thornton was about to check if his escape route to the forest was safe, the kerosene in the plane´s tank caught fire. First the wing, and then the entire airplane were ripped apart by an enormous explosion.
The senior agent flinched back with sudden shock and instinctively raised one hand to shield himself from the wave of heat hitting him. As soon as the noise from the explosion had died, Thornton heard several men hurrying closer from the barracks, and Moreno barking orders at them in his rage, part English, part Spanish. In the next moment, the men ran toward the storage shed, intending to save their weapons shipment, and Thornton tore his eyes off the spot where the plane had blown.
Flames, smoke, and debris obscured his sight anyway; he couldn´t see if his young rookie had been torn apart by the explosion. But he realized, it was his cue to get away.
Moreno and his men were tied up with fighting the fire the petroleum lamp had caused, frantically trying to protect the crates. Thornton threw a glance toward the forest´s edge, then made sure no one was looking in his direction before he ran off toward the tree line. He slowed down a little once he reached the first thicket, careful not to make too many rustling sounds that might have alerted Moreno and his men, so no one would notice his departure. He hurried on until he arrived at the tree that MacGyver had pointed out earlier to him.
Only then he stopped with a panting breath and turned back to look toward the camp. Even from up here, he couldn´t make out any trace of MacGyver, but he spotted Moreno. He was standing behind the plane´s wreck, at the edge of the cliff, staring down into the ravine, with his gun still in his hand. Quickly Thornton dug out his binoculars, determined to find out what had happened to his young agent. He scanned the devastated area and watched the guys busily saving the shipment for a few moments before he turned to Moreno. Thornton couldn´t see the bottom of the ravine or the slope from his point of view, yet a couple of seconds later, he watched as Moreno angrily kicked some gravel over the edge, stuffed his gun back into his holster, and then turned to his men. And a sudden realization hit Thornton.
The distraction, MacGyver has conjured up… has assured Moreno and his men still know nothing about my presence… they won´t search the forest for me…
Thornton sighed with relief, but then his heart sank with the next thought surfacing in his mind.
And Moreno seems to believe, MacGyver got killed by the explosion… or the fall… otherwise, he would already be going after him…
Thornton lowered his glasses and let his gaze drop to the ground. He hung his head. The young man had put his own life in the line of fire – and saved Thornton´s by creating this distraction. For another time after pulling him out of the quicksand many years ago… and of course the two times during the Murdoc incident. Thornton sighed deeply. He owed MacGyver… who had possibly died during his attempt to warn him… and his only way to repay at the moment was to ascertain what had happened to him… or to at least find his body.
Thornton strove to recall the maps and satellite pictures he´d memorized yesterday. MacGyver had stated that it would be easier to go around the ridge rather than cross over it – because the ground wasn´t as rough. Thornton forced himself to gather some energy and straightened himself while inwardly he felt some grief about the probable loss of the kid taking hold of his heart. He´d only known the bold, but humble young man for about three months, but he knew he´d miss him. He´d been one of a kind.
Not quite what I had in mind for him when I recruited him… or supported and supervised him through his training and the certification… guess, I should have known that he would go beyond any limits if he felt the situation called for it. Thornton sucked in a deep breath and forced his concentration back to his mental maps. He looked toward the direction Mac had indicated earlier. If the terrain is, in fact, easier along this way, he thought, maybe I will be able to get to the bottom of the ravine from there… and find out more about his fate.
++++++++++
About one month ago…
MacGyver was not only out of breath but also thoroughly exhausted. Not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally worn out. But there was no way he could stop or give up… not yet. He slid slowly and carefully into the shadowy side street only a few blocks away from the Federal Building he was so desperately trying to reach. Glancing forward and backward every few steps, he made sure that no one was following him as he moved along the small alley. When he felt certain that he really was alone, Mac stopped beside a large waste container and leaned against the wall with a deep sigh. Automatically, he felt for the papers safely hidden in the inner pocket of his jacket while he allowed himself a break and the memories of the hellish rollercoaster ride of the last one and a half days to pass through his mind.
He´d been summoned for his certification test yesterday morning. Early on some abandoned airfield he´d never been to before in some sleepy town at some distance from Los Angeles. He had met a few of the recruits, he´d already known from previous trainings and lectures once arriving there. Due to not knowing what exactly awaited them, the atmosphere had been tense when Agent Carlyle had welcomed the small group and had taken them into an old warehouse on the grounds. He had shown them around briefly, had told them where they would get something to eat and to drink during their breaks, and then had led them upstairs. Several agents had been waiting for them in a large room, with separate desks for each one of the aspiring agents. There they had started their theoretical exams. They´d been allowed to take pauses between the different tests, and the longer they´d been at it, the more the recruits had separated during those breaks, each dealing with the pressure in their own way.
MacGyver had been the first to complete the science exam in the early afternoon and had opted to go outside and get some fresh air before the next one. But just a few moments after he´d returned inside, just after he´d grabbed another bottle of water from the refrigerator downstairs, all hell had broken loose.
First, he´d heard agitated shouts, quickly followed by gunfire. After a brief moment of shock and surprise, MacGyver had rushed up the stairs, only to see one of the agents who´d helped supervise the tests shot down in the middle of the corridor. But before he´d even had the chance to get to him and check if the man was still alive, Agent Carlyle had run toward him, his drawn revolver in one hand, and a manila folder in the other one. He´d stopped MacGyver´s rush, had hastily handed him the folder, and ordered him to take the classified papers inside to the headquarters, preferably to Peter Thornton personally… at all costs. And to talk to no one about it.
Mac had tried to object, had offered his help against the armed assault, but Carlyle had told him something about a mole, most probably among the recruits, someone who had betrayed the Department and spilled the secluded location of this test to ‘the other side’… enabling this attack. He´d said, the folder held the latest information about all new trainees and was vital for further investigation.
Then they had been cut off by masked and armed men entering the hallway. Carlyle had shoved MacGyver back toward the stairs, shouted at him to go, and then turned to their attackers and answered their fire. For a few seconds, Mac had thought about disobeying, but when bullets had come flying his way and impacted the wall above and beside his head, he´d ducked, hidden the papers inside his jacket, and chosen to leave.
He had encountered more armed goons outside and hadn´t been able to make it to the parking lot and use one of the cars there for his getaway. It had taken quite some hiding and sneaking around the attackers from him to just get off the airfield unseen and unharmed. MacGyver had spent the rest of the afternoon, the evening, and most of the night fleeing cross-country until he´d reached the outskirts of L.A.
He had felt somewhat safer in the big city, and had thought he hadn´t been tailed, but real soon he´d been forced to realize they had known about him escaping and had been searching the greater area for him. He had planned to hitch a ride or commandeer a car or motorcycle toward the downtown district, yet those armed guys had rather forced him to continue on foot and create some distractions to cover his escape route. It had taken the rest of the night and almost all of today to get to where he was now.
MacGyver drew in a deep breath and puffed it out quickly before he pushed himself off the wall. He didn´t know if any word of the attack had reached headquarters by now. He didn´t know if anyone but him had made it out of there alive. Since he had no idea how long the certification tests had been scheduled to last, he didn´t even know if the department had tried to contact Carlyle and the other agents in the meantime. Mac hadn´t called in either, since Carlyle – not knowing how big the leak was – had warned him to trust no one but Peter Thornton. He just hoped there hadn´t been too much bloodshed, but feared the worst, since all recruits had gone into the theoretical exams unarmed.
By now, he was only a few blocks away from completing what Agent Carlyle had ordered him to do. Deliver the files. Then help investigate the assault.
MacGyver shot both directions a probing glance, then left the shadowy corner behind the waste container and walked on toward the Federal Building. As exhausted as he was after more than 24 hours on the run, with little or no chance to rest or even sleep, his adrenaline kept him going and still on full alert. Since ‘the other side’ hadn´t gotten hold of him yet, he expected them to wait for him, to cover the area.
Mac had only just finished the thought when he reached the corner and spotted a man he´d seen yesterday, close to the airfield, on his route along the main street, watching out for him. MacGyver froze, but it was too late. The man had noticed his movement and was already coming toward him. His hand traveled under his jacket, probably to a gun hidden in a shoulder holster.
MacGyver instantly withdrew back to the alley as his mind went into high gear. Outrunning the man was out of the question; Mac was certain he was armed and wouldn´t hesitate to shoot him. He frantically looked around himself and then hastily picked up a three-foot wooden pole lying next to the waste container. Quickly he hid next to the wall, close to the corner, gripping the pole tightly, preparing to defend himself.
Only seconds later, his attacker came around the corner, a revolver readily pointing forward in his hand. Without having to think about it consciously, MacGyver reacted. He brought the pole down hard on the man´s hand, knocking the revolver out of it and stunning him momentarily. But before he could follow up with another hit, the man had recovered, grabbed Mac´s jacket with his other hand, and rammed MacGyver forcefully backward into the wall.
Mac gasped when the air was driven out of his lungs and his head connected painfully with the bricks, knowing he had to hang in there and couldn´t allow himself to pass out if he wanted to live through the day. Stars danced before his eyes when he felt his attacker loosen his grip a little and reach for the pole in Mac´s hand. MacGyver was still quick-witted enough to let go of the pole and use the small opening the man was giving him for a punch to his face. When his attacker drew back a little, Mac followed him and drove his knee into his stomach. This made the man double over and Mac sent his fist against the man´s jaw once more.
The goon dropped to the ground motionless, and MacGyver shook his aching hand briefly before he retrieved the gun from the ground and threw it into the waste container. Then he turned on his heels and ran off, not waiting for how quickly the man would recover. With the Federal Building already in sight, MacGyver hurried on on the main street, pushing back the throbbing in his head and trying to control the dizziness he sensed by taking deep breaths. He had to stay alert if there was more trouble ahead.
Partly relieved, he reached the building without further harm. As he dashed through the front door, Mac instantly slowed down, not wanting to draw any unnecessary attention. The entrance guard eyed his slightly disheveled appearance all over, but didn´t say a word about it while MacGyver signed himself in, and then hurried to the elevators.
Only when the elevator´s doors had closed and he was on his way up, alone in the carriage, MacGyver relaxed a bit and leaned against its back wall while he drew in a slow, deep breath. He made a mental note to check back with one of his trainers after all this was over. Hand-to-hand combat had always been one of his weak points, and the last 24 hours had proven – even if he had survived – that he needed to polish up his skills. He gingerly felt for the sore spot where the side of his head had hit the wall and sighed when his fingers came back red and sticky with a little blood.
He just hoped that Thornton was there, in his office.
MacGyver straightened himself, ran his fingers through his hair, and puffed out a breath as the elevator arrived at the correct floor. He should have felt safer by now but sensed another surge of adrenaline flow into his veins when the doors opened with a ping. He wiped his bloody fingers clean on the side of his jeans and managed to slow his breathing and appear unfazed as he stepped off the elevator. Mac hurried along the corridor toward Thornton´s office, muttering only curt greetings to whomever he met on the way.
He knocked on the door once he´d reached the correct one and entered the office without waiting for Thornton´s answer. He was truly relieved to see the senior agent sitting behind his desk, concentrating on some files in front of him. Thornton looked up quickly and a bit startled at him while Mac hurried to close the door behind himself and only then allowed himself to briefly still and draw in a deep breath.
“MacGyver?” Thornton asked perplexed. “Aren´t you supposed to be at the certification test?”
“I was,” Mac replied a little breathlessly and stepped closer to the desk.
In those few seconds, Thornton had noticed Mac´s disordered appearance, the tiredness showing on his features, and the bloodstain on his jeans. He instantly straightened in his chair and his surprise was replaced by concern.
“Then what´s the matter?” he queried. “What are you doing here? And what, in God´s name, happened to you?”
“We were attacked,” MacGyver stated quickly. “Yesterday, early afternoon. I was downstairs for a break when I heard shouts and gunfire. I ran back up to help, where Agent Carlyle stopped me. He ordered me to leave and to take these papers back to you. Personally. And to talk to no one else about it.” MacGyver pulled the sheets out of the inside pocket of his jacket and handed them to Thornton. “Carlyle said something about a probable leak among the recruits, and that the files would provide vital information for further investigation.”
Thornton´s expression darkened with his words.
“That was about 24 hours ago.” he probed. “What happened to everyone else?”
“Don´t know.” MacGyver shook his head, careful not to worsen his dizziness, and lowered his eyes to the ground. “I saw one agent who´d been shot down in the corridor, but Agent Carlyle shoved me back and out of the way when our attackers spotted us… before he returned fire. It took me some doing to get off the airfield and back here without getting caught… or killed… has no one of them called in? Has no one else returned?” A dreadful feeling settled into his gut. Was he the sole survivor?
“No.” Thornton shook his head. “Would you be able to identify those men?” he then asked.
“The ones on the airfield wore masks, so no,” MacGyver recalled. “But I´ll certainly recognize the one that attacked me a few blocks from here.” He subconsciously felt for the cut on the side of his head again. Thornton´s eyes, of course, followed his hand.
“Are you alright?” he asked worried and pushed himself out of his chair.
MacGyver pushed back the image of the bleeding man lying in the hallway to the back of his mind and slowly returned his gaze to the senior agent.
“Yeah,” he assured slowly. “I´m fine. Nothing serious.”
Thornton scrutinized him closely and silently for a moment, then dropped the papers on his desk, and reached for his phone.
“You don´t look like ‘nothing serious’, kid.” he assessed flatly. “I´ll have someone take you to our doctors and have you checked through.”
Mac´s eyes followed the files to the desk. As much as he appreciated Thornton´s concern for his health… the intel on those sheets was supposed to be important… and he hadn´t even looked at them yet. Let alone made any attempt to find out what had happened to all the other men at the airfield… beyond questioning Mac. Some confusion mixed with some anger rose in MacGyver. Was this how the department dealt with attacks? Was this how the department dealt with possible casualties?
“No, thanks,” he replied sharply and straightened himself. “With all due respect, Sir… shouldn´t we rather be trying to find out if anyone else has survived the assault on the airfield? I could be of help out there… and shouldn´t we be digging into this information?”
His confusion grew as he watched Thornton pull his hand back, then relax in front of him and saw a smile widening on his face.
“We should.” His boss agreed slowly. “And we would have every man on the move by now… had this been a real incident.”
“What?” Mac frowned at him, still tense, not yet comprehending what Thornton was talking about.
“Our certification scenarios are supposed to feel like the real thing… for obvious reasons.” Thornton continued quietly and more serious now. “We need to make sure our field operatives will come through… and you´ve definitely passed the final test… not that I ever doubted you would.” Then he smiled again. “Congratulations, MacGyver.”
MacGyver stood still, stunned and caught between confused and shocked, speechless for a couple of seconds.
“Wait a minute…” He drew in a deep breath. “All of this was a test?”
Thornton nodded silently.
“It wasn´t a real attack?” Mac asked, still uptight, and leaned forward, resting both hands on Thornton´s table.
Thornton shook his head reassuringly.
“But they used live rounds!” Mac´s exasperation took over. “A man was shot down…”
“He wore a ballistic vest and used fake blood,” Thornton said firmly, calming down the young man in front of him. “You wouldn´t have fallen for blank rounds, would you?”
After a moment of thinking about it, MacGyver relaxed a little. His sudden irritation deflated.
“No… I guess not.” he agreed hesitantly. “But what about the other recruits?”
“Some of them were agents posing as recruits,” Thornton explained with a small chuckle. “For some, it was set up as a training scenario… and two others were also taking their final test, but were sent off with different objectives.” He grinned at MacGyver´s still incredulous and surprised look. “MacGyver, this is the DXS… deception and making someone believe is part of our job, remember?”
MacGyver nodded slowly as his superior's words sunk in and registered in his mind. As he allowed himself to fully relax, as his adrenaline rush took a nosedive, he realized for the first time just how worn out he was. Thornton noticed his thorough fatigue as well.
“Sit down, will you, MacGyver,” he suggested with a gesture toward the chair across his desk. “To my knowledge, you´re the first to complete the task appointed to you.” He tried to cheer the young man up. “Don´t worry, everyone´s fine… even the man you struck down a few blocks away.”
Mac nodded again and exhaustedly dropped into the chair in front of Thornton´s desk. He´d emotionally struggled with the fact that he had left all his colleagues behind at the airfield to a potentially deadly fate for the whole time he´d been on the run– even if he´d been ordered to do so by Agent Carlyle. His mind still replayed the pictures of the man lying in the corridor, shot down, bleeding… whom he hadn´t been able to help. He had trouble wrapping his head around the fact that the man hadn´t needed his help anyway. That all of it had been a very elaborate set-up. He rubbed his hands over his face and then buried it in them for a couple of moments.
Wait, Carlyle stopped me before I even had the chance to get close to the wounded man, he suddenly realized. And I didn´t see Carlyle firing back at the masked attackers… I was too far down the stairs by then… all the bullets ‘aimed’ at me went wide or too high… all the traps they´d set for me… but it felt so real… MacGyver barely heard Thornton talking on the phone as relief settled within him, and at the same time, his exhaustion finally caught up with him.
“Craig? … Could you come over to my office and pick MacGyver up for a medical check-up? … Yes, he´s back already… No, he seems fine for the most part, but I want our doctors to have a look at him. Just to be on the safe side… Thanks.” Thornton set down the receiver after finishing his call, walked around his desk, and leaned against it right in front of MacGyver.
“We needed to put you through a kind of worst-case scenario for your certification.” The senior agent softly addressed the young man. “I know, it was a rough ride… so I´m asking you again, MacGyver… are you alright?”
MacGyver slowly raised his head, looked up at his boss, saw him honestly concerned, and leaned back in his chair. With his inner tension wearing off, the bruises he´d sustained during the last 24 hours and the throbbing on the side of his head made themselves clearly known. But he´d been through much worse during his time in the army.
“Yeah,” he answered with a lopsided and feeble grin. “For the most part.”
Thornton smiled back at him when he heard the young man quote his words on the phone.
“Haven´t lost your sarcasm… good,” he replied with a little relief, but then his expression went somber again. “So MacGyver, after all we´ve put you through… not only during this test but also the past months… and before I pass the result of your certification on to my department chief… are you still sure, you want to take this job? Do you feel ready for it?”
MacGyver drew in a slow, deep breath. He hadn´t expected those kinds of questions at this point. They caught him unprepared. His thoughts were cut off though by someone knocking at the door before an answer had even fully formed in his head.
“Come in!” Thornton called.
MacGyver only half-turned to see who was joining them, but his eyes instantly went wide when he recognized the man he´d seen lying shot down in the hallway. Alive and well. Mac was tense with surprise within the blink of an eye.
“MacGyver, meet Agent Craig Bannister.” Thornton introduced the man that was smiling broadly at Mac.
MacGyver got up as if in half-trance and shook the man´s hand.
“Keeping up with you was quite a challenge for us,” Bannister said appreciatively. “Good work.”
“Thanks.” MacGyver nodded somewhat automatically as he felt another wave of relief wash through him, and then looked back at Thornton.
“He´ll take you down to our doctors. For a check-up.” Thornton explained to Mac. “Just to be sure… do me that favor, will you?”
MacGyver nodded and turned to leave the office, intent on following Bannister to the corridor, but Thornton´s voice stopped him.
“Take some time to recover, MacGyver,” he advised. “But then…” his words trailed off as Mac looked back at him over his shoulder.
“Then?” Mac echoed questioningly.
Thornton drew in a deep breath and gave him an earnest smile.
“Then let me know if you´re sure about joining our line of work.” Thornton completed his sentence.
MacGyver took a long moment to let not only the last day but also the months since they´d met due to Murdoc pass before his mental eye. This last day hadn´t changed his motivations for signing up for this job. On the contrary. His eyes met Thornton´s and held his gaze. He sighed and shot the older man a lopsided smirk.
“If you´ll allow me some rest and recuperation on a regular basis after assignments like this…” Mac replied slowly, closely watching Thornton´s expectant expression. “Then I am sure.”
Just got ready to share the next chapter with you! Consider yourselves warned - this one will raise the action level considerably!
Let´s get going:
Part 4
MacGyver was out of breath when he, several minutes later, reached the huge tree and leaned his forehead against it. The worst of his dizziness passed within a few seconds, yet he still felt lightheaded when he turned his gaze down to the compound. From his position on the slope a little above the airplane, he could overlook the whole area. He quickly spotted Thornton as the older man reached the edge of the forest. MacGyver couldn´t suppress a sudden pang of guilt while he watched his boss check his surroundings and then carefully step out into the open. The senior agent covered the few yards to the generator´s hut quickly and disappeared momentarily from Mac´s sight.
MacGyver drew in a deep breath as his thoughts ran wild.
I should be down there. Getting that camera. At least, I should be there to watch Thornton´s back. But I´m not in the physical shape to. Because I´ve gotten myself into a serious mess. Because I´ve gotten caught. Judging by how angry he got, I´ve badly disappointed my boss. Because I failed to complete my assigned task. Because I´ve disregarded the limits he´d set for me. Because I haven´t met the expectations and high hopes Thornton had for me.
MacGyver lowered his eyes for a moment and sighed deeply. ‘You´re among the best recruits we´ve ever had…’ Thornton´s words on that evening in his apartment echoed inside his head.
“Yeah, sure…” he growled sarcastically to himself. He hoped that the intel he´d gathered would allow him to redeem himself… at least a little. With another deep inhale, Mac turned so he could lean his back against the tree and raised his eyes to scan the camp.
His thoughts were cut off abruptly when he saw Moreno and his pilot step outside of the farthest of the larger barracks. His body stiffened with the sudden rush of adrenaline into his veins. A glimpse at his watch told him they´d finished their breakfast earlier today – probably due to the plane´s engine problems. MacGyver drew in a sharp breath, pushed himself off the trunk, and straightened himself.
With the generator currently up and running, Thornton wouldn´t hear them coming… and with the generator´s hut blocking his sight, he wouldn´t see them either – until they were way too close for a safe escape. If they spotted Thornton… if he got caught with the camera… they´d both be in serious trouble.
All these thoughts flashed through MacGyver´s head within seconds as he observed the scene unfolding. His mind hit overdrive. He had to come up with something if he wanted to protect and help his new boss. If he wanted to make sure Thornton and the camera had a secure way out. And he only had a few moments to do it.
Moreno and his pilot were engrossed in conversation and stopped after only a few steps. Moreno still seemed angry and was gesticulating wildly toward the weapons storage shed and the plane while he talked to his pilot.
MacGyver´s eyes raced across the whole camp. He was too far away to be able to warn Thornton … so he had to somehow distract Moreno and his pilot … and draw their attention to something important for them. Mac´s gaze caught on the plane… on the workshop next to the airstrip… and the fuel-filled barrels stacked up along its walls. An idea rose within him and without hesitation, his pain and dizziness forgotten, MacGyver rushed downward between trees and thickets to the workshop.
His hand went into his pocket automatically and felt for his Swiss army knife and the matches, he usually carried, but then remembered that Moreno had forced him to empty his pockets after they had caught him for the second time, after he´d tried to escape. He reached the tree line only a moment later and stopped briefly to check on Moreno´s and the pilot´s position. Pleased to see, that they hadn´t moved in the meantime, Mac´s eyes returned to the barrels, and his second hand checked the pocket on his other side.
He knew he´d find some rags inside the workshop, right next to the door, but he needed some means to set them on fire. Just then, his fingers caught on something small in the folds of his left pocket. MacGyver puffed out a relieved breath as he pulled out a single match, and then hurried to cross the little distance to the shed.
He slid inside quickly through the half-open door, picked two of the oiliest rags lying on the workbench, and also grabbed the petroleum lamp hanging from a hook in the wall. He shook it softly to determine the amount of oil still in it and nodded to himself when he found it almost full. MacGyver struck the match on some wooden board, lit the lamp, and left the workshop, holding the rags in one hand, the lamp in the other one.
A sideways glance confirmed the two men still standing in the distance, and Mac turned around the corner to the barrels. Hurriedly, he screwed off the cap of one of them, drew a brief grimace at the intense smell of the fuel, and threaded one of the rags partly inside. With the help of the lamp, he lit his makeshift fuse. MacGyver took a second to assess his work, then picked up the remaining rag and the lamp and ran toward the airplane.
Knowing he might be visible from where Moreno was standing, and that he only had a couple of moments before the barrel behind the workshop would blow up, Mac quickly opened the fuel tank in the plane´s wing and stuffed the second rag into it.
The more fires I can start, he thought, the longer they´ll be occupied with fighting them, and the better are the chances of Thornton getting away with the camera.
He raised the lamp, lit the rag, and then turned toward the huge shed acting as the weapons storage. His gaze crossed the generator hut, caught a small movement in it, but then settled on Moreno talking to his pilot.
I just gotta make them believe, I got killed during my attempt to destroy their operations base, MacGyver mused. Or they´ll be searching the whole forest for me. Meaning, I have to get the timing right if I don´t wanna get killed for real.
A sideways glance at the barrel confirmed that it could blow any second. MacGyver drew in a deep breath, determinedly stepped further away from the plane, and straightened himself with the lamp in his hand. Out into the open space, where Moreno would be able to see him. As would Thornton.
Now for the tricky part. Gotta get Moreno´s attention and warn Thornton at the same time, he thought while he strove to recall which part of the ravine next to the airstrip he would have to use to get to the river … where the slope wasn´t all too steep and rocky, so he could rather slide than fall downward … and had a chance of surviving it.
MacGyver tightened his grip on the lamp.
“Moreno!” he then called out.
The arms dealer´s head snapped around to him almost instantly with a confused stare.
“You know, I can´t let you get away with those weapons!” Mac continued and again saw movement inside the generator hut.
Part of Thornton´s face was visible to him above the barrels, with a puzzled and surprised expression. Their eyes met for a split second, and MacGyver tried to communicate the impending threat to his boss wordlessly, fervently hoping that his message and his doing were understood. Then his gaze returned to the now angry Moreno, who barked some orders at his pilot and turned around completely to MacGyver while he drew his pistol from his belt holster.
Alright, that´s my cue to leave, Mac noted mentally and threw the petroleum lamp toward the crates filled with weapons, ammunition, and explosives.
The glass protecting the flame broke when it crashed sideways against the wooden surface; some petroleum leaked out and was instantly ignited. Only the blink of an eye later, the barrel behind the workshop blew with an earsplitting bang into a huge fireball. Mac felt the wave of heat from the distant explosion rush over his skin, saw Moreno briefly distracted by it, but then raise his pistol and take aim.
Without another conscious thought, suddenly acting purely on survival instinct, yet still following the plan he´d formed in his head, MacGyver turned and ran off. He ducked through under the wing of the airplane, heard gunshots from behind, felt bullets whizz by him, and hit the ground way too close for his comfort. He had only just passed the plane when the fuel tank blew, engulfing everything behind him in flames.
The heat- and shockwave threw him forward, causing him to stumble in his full run toward the cliff. MacGyver´s idea of a controlled slide down the slope evaporated when he saw the edge nearing, sensed parts ripped from the plane fly by him, and noticed he couldn´t avoid losing his footing.
“Aw, man!” he gasped as he reached out with both arms to absorb some of the force of his tumble. Despite his effort, Mac hit the ground hard, rolled over dazed by the impact, staying just aware enough to feel his fear of heights kick in as the ground dropped away below him when he passed the edge, and he sensed himself falling.
++++++++++
Peter Thornton was fully concentrating on what MacGyver had told him as he took the last, quick steps toward the generator and ducked into the shed that was protecting it. He allowed himself a moment to catch his breath and accommodate his ears to the dull roar of the machine. It blocked out almost all sounds of his surroundings which made Thornton slightly nervous. He wouldn´t hear anyone coming closer. But MacGyver had assured him those goons would be busy with their meal for some time to come anyway.
Thornton took a deep breath and oriented himself. He looked to the left, toward the barrels, and moved to them cautiously between the generator and wall; one of the only two walls of this shed. But both of them kept him from seeing what was going on in the rest of the camp… behind his back… leaving him virtually blind and deaf to probable danger. He didn´t like the feeling at all and chose to hurry.
Being more rotund than his lanky, young rookie, Thornton had to be careful not to tip anything over when he crouched down next to the barrels. He quickly tested how much they weighed to find the empty ones and soon discovered the pile of dirty rags between them. One after another, Thornton removed them until he saw the camera case underneath.
Just as the kid has told me, he mused with a little relief while he took off his backpack. His thoughts trailed off. Back to the young man he´d left behind in the forest. Back to the young man who´d been the reason why he had come out here in the first place. Of course, he´d also come here to gain information about the arms dealers – and he´d prioritized the intel when he´d argued about leaving with his department chief – but in his mind, the search for and probable rescue of MacGyver had been a main point for self-assigning him to this mission.
With a small sigh, Thornton opened his backpack and admitted to himself that despite his effort to remain professionally detached, he cared about this particular rookie. Watching Mac getting beaten had bothered him more than it should have; finding Mac unconscious and injured had worried him more than it should have. He was becoming attached to the young man.
Whether it had to do with MacGyver´s unique attitude to his new job and life in general, or that he had lost his father at a very young age and his mother while he´d been away on a military assignment, Thornton couldn´t tell. He also wasn´t sure why MacGyver´s admission that he´d gone beyond his assigned task had a bit surprised, but even more so angered him. After how the young man had acted throughout his training for the job, he should have expected it. He just hoped that MacGyver would make it safely to their meeting point. After he´d left the kid behind in the forest, an uncomfortable sense of foreboding had settled inside Thornton´s gut.
He shook his head to clear away the thoughts and concentrate back on his objective and reached out for the camera. He had just picked it up when he heard someone shout Moreno´s name over the constant drone of the generator and froze instantly. Even if it was hoarse, he knew that voice.
MacGyver! What the heck…! I told him to stay put!
Thornton´s paralysis loosened after only a second; he stuffed the camera into his pack quickly and stood up to gaze over the barrels, toward where MacGyver just continued to address Moreno. Perplexed, he saw the young man standing out in the open, between plane and storage shed, with a lit petroleum lamp in his hand. Thornton´s first impulse was to get angry at the kid for disobeying his orders… again… but then MacGyver´s dark eyes met his for a moment.
The rookie was tense, fully alert, worried… and not because Thornton had seen him. His look communicated a silent warning and then snapped back to something or someone beyond the generator shed. In the next second, Thornton heard Moreno´s furious voice, shouting at someone to get the other men, quite close to the hut he was hiding in, and he understood why MacGyver was out there, warning him… and distracting the men that would have discovered his presence real soon. But Thornton had no time to remain baffled anymore because then everything seemed to happen all at once.
He spotted the burning rag on the airplane´s wing at almost the same moment that MacGyver threw the lamp toward the stored weapons and flinched when the blink of an eye later something behind another shed blew up in a huge fireball. Thornton watched MacGyver run off, heard gunshots from where Moreno´s voice had sounded, and saw the bullets hit the ground just beside MacGyver´s feet. Thornton´s body tensed up, preparing to flee as he subconsciously shouldered his backpack, yet couldn´t take his eyes off the scene unfolding in the clearing.
He´d only rescued the young man from his prison a little while ago – and now desperately hoped it had not been just to witness him getting shot. An icy cold traveled down Thornton´s back as he observed MacGyver rush through under the plane´s wing and head toward the edge of the cliff. In the next split second, just as Thornton was about to check if his escape route to the forest was safe, the kerosene in the plane´s tank caught fire. First the wing, and then the entire airplane were ripped apart by an enormous explosion.
The senior agent flinched back with sudden shock and instinctively raised one hand to shield himself from the wave of heat hitting him. As soon as the noise from the explosion had died, Thornton heard several men hurrying closer from the barracks, and Moreno barking orders at them in his rage, part English, part Spanish. In the next moment, the men ran toward the storage shed, intending to save their weapons shipment, and Thornton tore his eyes off the spot where the plane had blown.
Flames, smoke, and debris obscured his sight anyway; he couldn´t see if his young rookie had been torn apart by the explosion. But he realized, it was his cue to get away.
Moreno and his men were tied up with fighting the fire the petroleum lamp had caused, frantically trying to protect the crates. Thornton threw a glance toward the forest´s edge, then made sure no one was looking in his direction before he ran off toward the tree line. He slowed down a little once he reached the first thicket, careful not to make too many rustling sounds that might have alerted Moreno and his men, so no one would notice his departure. He hurried on until he arrived at the tree that MacGyver had pointed out earlier to him.
Only then he stopped with a panting breath and turned back to look toward the camp. Even from up here, he couldn´t make out any trace of MacGyver, but he spotted Moreno. He was standing behind the plane´s wreck, at the edge of the cliff, staring down into the ravine, with his gun still in his hand. Quickly Thornton dug out his binoculars, determined to find out what had happened to his young agent. He scanned the devastated area and watched the guys busily saving the shipment for a few moments before he turned to Moreno. Thornton couldn´t see the bottom of the ravine or the slope from his point of view, yet a couple of seconds later, he watched as Moreno angrily kicked some gravel over the edge, stuffed his gun back into his holster, and then turned to his men. And a sudden realization hit Thornton.
The distraction, MacGyver has conjured up… has assured Moreno and his men still know nothing about my presence… they won´t search the forest for me…
Thornton sighed with relief, but then his heart sank with the next thought surfacing in his mind.
And Moreno seems to believe, MacGyver got killed by the explosion… or the fall… otherwise, he would already be going after him…
Thornton lowered his glasses and let his gaze drop to the ground. He hung his head. The young man had put his own life in the line of fire – and saved Thornton´s by creating this distraction. For another time after pulling him out of the quicksand many years ago… and of course the two times during the Murdoc incident. Thornton sighed deeply. He owed MacGyver… who had possibly died during his attempt to warn him… and his only way to repay at the moment was to ascertain what had happened to him… or to at least find his body.
Thornton strove to recall the maps and satellite pictures he´d memorized yesterday. MacGyver had stated that it would be easier to go around the ridge rather than cross over it – because the ground wasn´t as rough. Thornton forced himself to gather some energy and straightened himself while inwardly he felt some grief about the probable loss of the kid taking hold of his heart. He´d only known the bold, but humble young man for about three months, but he knew he´d miss him. He´d been one of a kind.
Not quite what I had in mind for him when I recruited him… or supported and supervised him through his training and the certification… guess, I should have known that he would go beyond any limits if he felt the situation called for it. Thornton sucked in a deep breath and forced his concentration back to his mental maps. He looked toward the direction Mac had indicated earlier. If the terrain is, in fact, easier along this way, he thought, maybe I will be able to get to the bottom of the ravine from there… and find out more about his fate.
++++++++++
About one month ago…
MacGyver was not only out of breath but also thoroughly exhausted. Not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally worn out. But there was no way he could stop or give up… not yet. He slid slowly and carefully into the shadowy side street only a few blocks away from the Federal Building he was so desperately trying to reach. Glancing forward and backward every few steps, he made sure that no one was following him as he moved along the small alley. When he felt certain that he really was alone, Mac stopped beside a large waste container and leaned against the wall with a deep sigh. Automatically, he felt for the papers safely hidden in the inner pocket of his jacket while he allowed himself a break and the memories of the hellish rollercoaster ride of the last one and a half days to pass through his mind.
He´d been summoned for his certification test yesterday morning. Early on some abandoned airfield he´d never been to before in some sleepy town at some distance from Los Angeles. He had met a few of the recruits, he´d already known from previous trainings and lectures once arriving there. Due to not knowing what exactly awaited them, the atmosphere had been tense when Agent Carlyle had welcomed the small group and had taken them into an old warehouse on the grounds. He had shown them around briefly, had told them where they would get something to eat and to drink during their breaks, and then had led them upstairs. Several agents had been waiting for them in a large room, with separate desks for each one of the aspiring agents. There they had started their theoretical exams. They´d been allowed to take pauses between the different tests, and the longer they´d been at it, the more the recruits had separated during those breaks, each dealing with the pressure in their own way.
MacGyver had been the first to complete the science exam in the early afternoon and had opted to go outside and get some fresh air before the next one. But just a few moments after he´d returned inside, just after he´d grabbed another bottle of water from the refrigerator downstairs, all hell had broken loose.
First, he´d heard agitated shouts, quickly followed by gunfire. After a brief moment of shock and surprise, MacGyver had rushed up the stairs, only to see one of the agents who´d helped supervise the tests shot down in the middle of the corridor. But before he´d even had the chance to get to him and check if the man was still alive, Agent Carlyle had run toward him, his drawn revolver in one hand, and a manila folder in the other one. He´d stopped MacGyver´s rush, had hastily handed him the folder, and ordered him to take the classified papers inside to the headquarters, preferably to Peter Thornton personally… at all costs. And to talk to no one about it.
Mac had tried to object, had offered his help against the armed assault, but Carlyle had told him something about a mole, most probably among the recruits, someone who had betrayed the Department and spilled the secluded location of this test to ‘the other side’… enabling this attack. He´d said, the folder held the latest information about all new trainees and was vital for further investigation.
Then they had been cut off by masked and armed men entering the hallway. Carlyle had shoved MacGyver back toward the stairs, shouted at him to go, and then turned to their attackers and answered their fire. For a few seconds, Mac had thought about disobeying, but when bullets had come flying his way and impacted the wall above and beside his head, he´d ducked, hidden the papers inside his jacket, and chosen to leave.
He had encountered more armed goons outside and hadn´t been able to make it to the parking lot and use one of the cars there for his getaway. It had taken quite some hiding and sneaking around the attackers from him to just get off the airfield unseen and unharmed. MacGyver had spent the rest of the afternoon, the evening, and most of the night fleeing cross-country until he´d reached the outskirts of L.A.
He had felt somewhat safer in the big city, and had thought he hadn´t been tailed, but real soon he´d been forced to realize they had known about him escaping and had been searching the greater area for him. He had planned to hitch a ride or commandeer a car or motorcycle toward the downtown district, yet those armed guys had rather forced him to continue on foot and create some distractions to cover his escape route. It had taken the rest of the night and almost all of today to get to where he was now.
MacGyver drew in a deep breath and puffed it out quickly before he pushed himself off the wall. He didn´t know if any word of the attack had reached headquarters by now. He didn´t know if anyone but him had made it out of there alive. Since he had no idea how long the certification tests had been scheduled to last, he didn´t even know if the department had tried to contact Carlyle and the other agents in the meantime. Mac hadn´t called in either, since Carlyle – not knowing how big the leak was – had warned him to trust no one but Peter Thornton. He just hoped there hadn´t been too much bloodshed, but feared the worst, since all recruits had gone into the theoretical exams unarmed.
By now, he was only a few blocks away from completing what Agent Carlyle had ordered him to do. Deliver the files. Then help investigate the assault.
MacGyver shot both directions a probing glance, then left the shadowy corner behind the waste container and walked on toward the Federal Building. As exhausted as he was after more than 24 hours on the run, with little or no chance to rest or even sleep, his adrenaline kept him going and still on full alert. Since ‘the other side’ hadn´t gotten hold of him yet, he expected them to wait for him, to cover the area.
Mac had only just finished the thought when he reached the corner and spotted a man he´d seen yesterday, close to the airfield, on his route along the main street, watching out for him. MacGyver froze, but it was too late. The man had noticed his movement and was already coming toward him. His hand traveled under his jacket, probably to a gun hidden in a shoulder holster.
MacGyver instantly withdrew back to the alley as his mind went into high gear. Outrunning the man was out of the question; Mac was certain he was armed and wouldn´t hesitate to shoot him. He frantically looked around himself and then hastily picked up a three-foot wooden pole lying next to the waste container. Quickly he hid next to the wall, close to the corner, gripping the pole tightly, preparing to defend himself.
Only seconds later, his attacker came around the corner, a revolver readily pointing forward in his hand. Without having to think about it consciously, MacGyver reacted. He brought the pole down hard on the man´s hand, knocking the revolver out of it and stunning him momentarily. But before he could follow up with another hit, the man had recovered, grabbed Mac´s jacket with his other hand, and rammed MacGyver forcefully backward into the wall.
Mac gasped when the air was driven out of his lungs and his head connected painfully with the bricks, knowing he had to hang in there and couldn´t allow himself to pass out if he wanted to live through the day. Stars danced before his eyes when he felt his attacker loosen his grip a little and reach for the pole in Mac´s hand. MacGyver was still quick-witted enough to let go of the pole and use the small opening the man was giving him for a punch to his face. When his attacker drew back a little, Mac followed him and drove his knee into his stomach. This made the man double over and Mac sent his fist against the man´s jaw once more.
The goon dropped to the ground motionless, and MacGyver shook his aching hand briefly before he retrieved the gun from the ground and threw it into the waste container. Then he turned on his heels and ran off, not waiting for how quickly the man would recover. With the Federal Building already in sight, MacGyver hurried on on the main street, pushing back the throbbing in his head and trying to control the dizziness he sensed by taking deep breaths. He had to stay alert if there was more trouble ahead.
Partly relieved, he reached the building without further harm. As he dashed through the front door, Mac instantly slowed down, not wanting to draw any unnecessary attention. The entrance guard eyed his slightly disheveled appearance all over, but didn´t say a word about it while MacGyver signed himself in, and then hurried to the elevators.
Only when the elevator´s doors had closed and he was on his way up, alone in the carriage, MacGyver relaxed a bit and leaned against its back wall while he drew in a slow, deep breath. He made a mental note to check back with one of his trainers after all this was over. Hand-to-hand combat had always been one of his weak points, and the last 24 hours had proven – even if he had survived – that he needed to polish up his skills. He gingerly felt for the sore spot where the side of his head had hit the wall and sighed when his fingers came back red and sticky with a little blood.
He just hoped that Thornton was there, in his office.
MacGyver straightened himself, ran his fingers through his hair, and puffed out a breath as the elevator arrived at the correct floor. He should have felt safer by now but sensed another surge of adrenaline flow into his veins when the doors opened with a ping. He wiped his bloody fingers clean on the side of his jeans and managed to slow his breathing and appear unfazed as he stepped off the elevator. Mac hurried along the corridor toward Thornton´s office, muttering only curt greetings to whomever he met on the way.
He knocked on the door once he´d reached the correct one and entered the office without waiting for Thornton´s answer. He was truly relieved to see the senior agent sitting behind his desk, concentrating on some files in front of him. Thornton looked up quickly and a bit startled at him while Mac hurried to close the door behind himself and only then allowed himself to briefly still and draw in a deep breath.
“MacGyver?” Thornton asked perplexed. “Aren´t you supposed to be at the certification test?”
“I was,” Mac replied a little breathlessly and stepped closer to the desk.
In those few seconds, Thornton had noticed Mac´s disordered appearance, the tiredness showing on his features, and the bloodstain on his jeans. He instantly straightened in his chair and his surprise was replaced by concern.
“Then what´s the matter?” he queried. “What are you doing here? And what, in God´s name, happened to you?”
“We were attacked,” MacGyver stated quickly. “Yesterday, early afternoon. I was downstairs for a break when I heard shouts and gunfire. I ran back up to help, where Agent Carlyle stopped me. He ordered me to leave and to take these papers back to you. Personally. And to talk to no one else about it.” MacGyver pulled the sheets out of the inside pocket of his jacket and handed them to Thornton. “Carlyle said something about a probable leak among the recruits, and that the files would provide vital information for further investigation.”
Thornton´s expression darkened with his words.
“That was about 24 hours ago.” he probed. “What happened to everyone else?”
“Don´t know.” MacGyver shook his head, careful not to worsen his dizziness, and lowered his eyes to the ground. “I saw one agent who´d been shot down in the corridor, but Agent Carlyle shoved me back and out of the way when our attackers spotted us… before he returned fire. It took me some doing to get off the airfield and back here without getting caught… or killed… has no one of them called in? Has no one else returned?” A dreadful feeling settled into his gut. Was he the sole survivor?
“No.” Thornton shook his head. “Would you be able to identify those men?” he then asked.
“The ones on the airfield wore masks, so no,” MacGyver recalled. “But I´ll certainly recognize the one that attacked me a few blocks from here.” He subconsciously felt for the cut on the side of his head again. Thornton´s eyes, of course, followed his hand.
“Are you alright?” he asked worried and pushed himself out of his chair.
MacGyver pushed back the image of the bleeding man lying in the hallway to the back of his mind and slowly returned his gaze to the senior agent.
“Yeah,” he assured slowly. “I´m fine. Nothing serious.”
Thornton scrutinized him closely and silently for a moment, then dropped the papers on his desk, and reached for his phone.
“You don´t look like ‘nothing serious’, kid.” he assessed flatly. “I´ll have someone take you to our doctors and have you checked through.”
Mac´s eyes followed the files to the desk. As much as he appreciated Thornton´s concern for his health… the intel on those sheets was supposed to be important… and he hadn´t even looked at them yet. Let alone made any attempt to find out what had happened to all the other men at the airfield… beyond questioning Mac. Some confusion mixed with some anger rose in MacGyver. Was this how the department dealt with attacks? Was this how the department dealt with possible casualties?
“No, thanks,” he replied sharply and straightened himself. “With all due respect, Sir… shouldn´t we rather be trying to find out if anyone else has survived the assault on the airfield? I could be of help out there… and shouldn´t we be digging into this information?”
His confusion grew as he watched Thornton pull his hand back, then relax in front of him and saw a smile widening on his face.
“We should.” His boss agreed slowly. “And we would have every man on the move by now… had this been a real incident.”
“What?” Mac frowned at him, still tense, not yet comprehending what Thornton was talking about.
“Our certification scenarios are supposed to feel like the real thing… for obvious reasons.” Thornton continued quietly and more serious now. “We need to make sure our field operatives will come through… and you´ve definitely passed the final test… not that I ever doubted you would.” Then he smiled again. “Congratulations, MacGyver.”
MacGyver stood still, stunned and caught between confused and shocked, speechless for a couple of seconds.
“Wait a minute…” He drew in a deep breath. “All of this was a test?”
Thornton nodded silently.
“It wasn´t a real attack?” Mac asked, still uptight, and leaned forward, resting both hands on Thornton´s table.
Thornton shook his head reassuringly.
“But they used live rounds!” Mac´s exasperation took over. “A man was shot down…”
“He wore a ballistic vest and used fake blood,” Thornton said firmly, calming down the young man in front of him. “You wouldn´t have fallen for blank rounds, would you?”
After a moment of thinking about it, MacGyver relaxed a little. His sudden irritation deflated.
“No… I guess not.” he agreed hesitantly. “But what about the other recruits?”
“Some of them were agents posing as recruits,” Thornton explained with a small chuckle. “For some, it was set up as a training scenario… and two others were also taking their final test, but were sent off with different objectives.” He grinned at MacGyver´s still incredulous and surprised look. “MacGyver, this is the DXS… deception and making someone believe is part of our job, remember?”
MacGyver nodded slowly as his superior's words sunk in and registered in his mind. As he allowed himself to fully relax, as his adrenaline rush took a nosedive, he realized for the first time just how worn out he was. Thornton noticed his thorough fatigue as well.
“Sit down, will you, MacGyver,” he suggested with a gesture toward the chair across his desk. “To my knowledge, you´re the first to complete the task appointed to you.” He tried to cheer the young man up. “Don´t worry, everyone´s fine… even the man you struck down a few blocks away.”
Mac nodded again and exhaustedly dropped into the chair in front of Thornton´s desk. He´d emotionally struggled with the fact that he had left all his colleagues behind at the airfield to a potentially deadly fate for the whole time he´d been on the run– even if he´d been ordered to do so by Agent Carlyle. His mind still replayed the pictures of the man lying in the corridor, shot down, bleeding… whom he hadn´t been able to help. He had trouble wrapping his head around the fact that the man hadn´t needed his help anyway. That all of it had been a very elaborate set-up. He rubbed his hands over his face and then buried it in them for a couple of moments.
Wait, Carlyle stopped me before I even had the chance to get close to the wounded man, he suddenly realized. And I didn´t see Carlyle firing back at the masked attackers… I was too far down the stairs by then… all the bullets ‘aimed’ at me went wide or too high… all the traps they´d set for me… but it felt so real… MacGyver barely heard Thornton talking on the phone as relief settled within him, and at the same time, his exhaustion finally caught up with him.
“Craig? … Could you come over to my office and pick MacGyver up for a medical check-up? … Yes, he´s back already… No, he seems fine for the most part, but I want our doctors to have a look at him. Just to be on the safe side… Thanks.” Thornton set down the receiver after finishing his call, walked around his desk, and leaned against it right in front of MacGyver.
“We needed to put you through a kind of worst-case scenario for your certification.” The senior agent softly addressed the young man. “I know, it was a rough ride… so I´m asking you again, MacGyver… are you alright?”
MacGyver slowly raised his head, looked up at his boss, saw him honestly concerned, and leaned back in his chair. With his inner tension wearing off, the bruises he´d sustained during the last 24 hours and the throbbing on the side of his head made themselves clearly known. But he´d been through much worse during his time in the army.
“Yeah,” he answered with a lopsided and feeble grin. “For the most part.”
Thornton smiled back at him when he heard the young man quote his words on the phone.
“Haven´t lost your sarcasm… good,” he replied with a little relief, but then his expression went somber again. “So MacGyver, after all we´ve put you through… not only during this test but also the past months… and before I pass the result of your certification on to my department chief… are you still sure, you want to take this job? Do you feel ready for it?”
MacGyver drew in a slow, deep breath. He hadn´t expected those kinds of questions at this point. They caught him unprepared. His thoughts were cut off though by someone knocking at the door before an answer had even fully formed in his head.
“Come in!” Thornton called.
MacGyver only half-turned to see who was joining them, but his eyes instantly went wide when he recognized the man he´d seen lying shot down in the hallway. Alive and well. Mac was tense with surprise within the blink of an eye.
“MacGyver, meet Agent Craig Bannister.” Thornton introduced the man that was smiling broadly at Mac.
MacGyver got up as if in half-trance and shook the man´s hand.
“Keeping up with you was quite a challenge for us,” Bannister said appreciatively. “Good work.”
“Thanks.” MacGyver nodded somewhat automatically as he felt another wave of relief wash through him, and then looked back at Thornton.
“He´ll take you down to our doctors. For a check-up.” Thornton explained to Mac. “Just to be sure… do me that favor, will you?”
MacGyver nodded and turned to leave the office, intent on following Bannister to the corridor, but Thornton´s voice stopped him.
“Take some time to recover, MacGyver,” he advised. “But then…” his words trailed off as Mac looked back at him over his shoulder.
“Then?” Mac echoed questioningly.
Thornton drew in a deep breath and gave him an earnest smile.
“Then let me know if you´re sure about joining our line of work.” Thornton completed his sentence.
MacGyver took a long moment to let not only the last day but also the months since they´d met due to Murdoc pass before his mental eye. This last day hadn´t changed his motivations for signing up for this job. On the contrary. His eyes met Thornton´s and held his gaze. He sighed and shot the older man a lopsided smirk.
“If you´ll allow me some rest and recuperation on a regular basis after assignments like this…” Mac replied slowly, closely watching Thornton´s expectant expression. “Then I am sure.”
The stuff is already there. I just find a different way to use it.
Re: Starting Point - a MacGyver FanFiction
of course we know mac survives but what a story blue girl I'm on the edge of my seat for the next chapter Re: Starting Point - a MacGyver FanFiction
Hmmm... yeah, he´d better survive... since this story is meant to tell about the 'beginning' of Mac´s and Pete´s friendship...
The stuff is already there. I just find a different way to use it.