Mac bent and caught the bag with the eggs in it before it fell out of his hand. He gritted his teeth as the paper store. As always, he could hear Bozer's voice. "Don't take it all at once, man. Two trips! Two!" Mac shook his head. It was an argument the pair have had since they were seven. Mac hated making multiple trips for groceries; it was inefficient. Mac did have to admit he hadn't quite gotten the proper configuration down yet to avoid-

Of course, it happened again. The bag died with a rip.

"Dammit!" Mac growled. He watched as the eggs landed on the tar and exploded. Cans flopped out bouncing painfully off his toes then rolled in all directions. The fruits, vegetables, bread and beef landed with broken splats. Mac's shoulders slumped. He held a gallon of milk and part of the torn bag. He shook his head and began to gather the scattered groceries.

If he had remembered the reusable bags, if the grocery store hadn't run out of plastic bags, and if...ok, Mac sighed, if he'd finally conceded the win to Bozer and made multiple trips...this wouldn't have happened-again.

Mac climbed under a Tahoe to retrieve a can of asparagus. He heard the scuff of shoes beside him. He wasn't sure if he was more embarrassed about being caught kneeling under this guy's truck or knowing someone had watched his groceries explode.

"Sorry about all this…" Mac kept low narrowly missing cracking his head against the front axle as he backed out snagging a wayward can of beets as he crawled backwards. He rose to his knees and turned to look at the driver.

"Hello, MacGyver." Mac's heart stopped. The cans hit the ground again. Murdoc. Mac's mouth dried and his heart pounded in his ears. Murdoc stood wearing his long black coat his hands in his pocket. His black eyes roamed the parking lot around them, "Where's your pet monkey?"

Mac gritted his teeth and stood with much less grace than he wanted. He squared his shoulders and didn't try to hide the cold hatred on his face.

"What do you want?" Mac growled. Murdoc turned and smiled. As usual, Mac felt a cold snake coil in his gut.

"Why, Angus, I'm here to save your life." Mac narrowed his eyes. Murdoc was different. Like any true sociopath, he could control his expressions perfectly, but Mac could definitely see nervousness or fear…?

"What are you talking about?" Murdoc rolled his eyes. He reached out to grab Mac's arm. Mac stepped back automatically thrusting the milk between them. He winced at the amusement in Murdoc's flat smile. Mac felt his face flush a shade. Murdoc huffed.

"I hate to use trite quotes but, 'Come with me if you want to live.'" Mac scoffed.

"You're joking." Mac scanned the parking lot his brain furiously trying to figure out Murdoc's plan. The dawn sun was just over the horizon bathing the world in soothing golden light. It was already pushing 80 degrees, but the breeze coming in from the ocean was cool and crisp. There were only a handful of cars in the parking lot and a pair of Gelson's employees trotted toward the door their voices distant murmurs. Mac saw nothing out of the ordinary. Except Murdoc. Mac couldn't think of a place the black clad menace ever would look ordinary.

"What is this?" Mac growled stepping back. Murdoc pulled a hand out of his pocket. Mac wasn't surprised to see a pistol with a silencer.

"I told you this is a rescue. Obviously your pet gorilla isn't here, so it's up to me. Get into the Tahoe, now or we're both dead." Mac straightened an eyebrow cocked.

"Or what you'll kill me?" Murdoc rolled his eyes. He raised the gun aiming at Mac's leg. Mac braced for the pain. His body flinched with the impact. Mac looked down surprised. The milk exploded in his hand. How'd Murdoc do that? Mac felt as if he'd been hit in the back with a baseball bat.

"Angus." Murdoc cried out as he dove for the ground taking Mac down with him. Mac fell to his knees puzzled. Everything moved slowly frame by frame. He stared at the milk gushing from a red-rimmed perfectly round hole. He lifted his hand. Covered with blood. Nothing hurt. How did Murdoc shoot him from the back? Mac blinked at Murdoc confused. The assassin opened the back door of the Tahoe and dragged Mac in. Murdoc glared at Mac with annoyance.

"Angus, if you die I'll be very disappointed." He growled. Murdoc slid Mac onto the back seat then crawled over him. Mac was suddenly very tired and out of breath as if he'd run a mile. The world became a shaking spinning thing. The Tahoe was moving he realized. Mac's mouth watered and his forehead flinched. He felt lightheaded and nauseous. Shock? From what? Mac closed his eyes, suddenly very tired. Mac wondered why the perfect day was sinking into foggy night and pain..

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Jack glared at his watch. Where the hell was Mac? They were supposed to meet the others at their rental yacht in Marina del Rey in twenty minutes. On the best days that was an hour's trip. Mac should have been back from Gelson's over half an hour ago. Jack grabbed the last of the fishing gear and headed for the Shelby. He moved fishing gear. They would have to put the groceries in the back seat. Jack slammed the trunk and looked up with relief as he heard wheels screech toward him. His relief was short-lived.

Two black vans squealed across the lot toward him. Jack was moving before his brain completely processed what he was seeing. He scooped his Beretta 93R out of its familiar home at the small of his back. The vans screeched to a halt and the back doors flew open. Seven men in black TAC jumped out and headed his way. Jack dove behind the tenuous cover of his neighbors Ford. The long volley of fire shredded it. Jack grimaced as he felt a bullet burn across his left rib cage. Jack's right leg kicked out from under him. Jack went with the motion and dropped to the ground he rolled toward the car beside him firing as he went. Two enemy went down. One shot between the eyes, the other in the chest. Jack assumed he was down but not out. Kevlar was standard in any TAC kit these days. Jack rolled to his feet ignoring the pain burning in his thigh. Either another graze or a through and through.

Jack ducked low and dashed zigzagging as he sprinted along the front of the row of cars. Explosions of glass, paint and shards of plexiglass and steel flew around him as he moved. He finally reached the cement sign with the property's name. Jack ducked low breathing hard. His side and leg were slick with blood.

More screeching. He didn't have to see, to know the vans had pulled closer. Jack stood and ducked out. He snap-aimed and took out three more guys. Jack ducked back as the side of the sign was gnawed by 5.6mm teeth. Heckler and Koch 416 A5, Jack thought as he checked his own ammo-nowhere enough to walk away from this. Jack shortened his profile then bobbed out of cover. He banged out three shots then ducked back. He missed one, the other two were wounds, but not serious. Jack glanced around him furious.

"Mac, where are you when I need you?" Jack heard another vehicle rev toward him. Not a van. Jack grinned, "Yeah, baby!" He yelled as he stepped out and took advantage of the distraction. He dropped three more before his Beretta clicked empty. Jack saw his attackers instantly regroup. Professionals, probably special forces-tough sons of bitches. Jack jumped over dead body and snap-kicked a soldier trying to rise to his feet. He snatched the man's rifle absently pleased he'd been right about make and model. Vaguely interesting that it was painted with jungle camo.

Jack zipped off three controlled bursts putting down two wounded and one still standing. Jack ducked his head and sprinted around the back of the van.

"Am I glad to see yo-" Jack skidded to a stop his brain taking a minute longer to catch up. Murdoc stared at him gun raised-Glock .45 cal, Jack automatically catalogued. One of the deadliest guns in the world for accuracy and stopping power. Jack raised his Beretta. Murdoc smiled and fired. Jack flinched but felt no impact. He whirled to see two attackers drop dead behind him.

"What the fu-?"

"Get in if you want to save, Angus?" Even in the fast paced fight, Murdoc's voice was calm almost bored. Jack growled. He could see the final stragglers behind him regrouping.

"This is such a bad idea." Jack muttered under his breath. He ran to the side of the Tahoe and froze, his eyes wide. Mac laid sprawled on his back. A wad of blood-soaked dressings covered his chest. Jack looked at Murdoc a promise of murder in his eyes. Murdoc smiled.

"Get in, Jack. Don't you know a rescue when you see one?"