A Family Affair: A MacGyver Story
By Judybear
So Pete has this great idea to maybe play cupid with Mac, but of course, whenever MacGyver is involved, things don't go exactly according to plan!
Chapter 1:
Pete was standing at his desk, one hand on the intercom, "Nancy? Isn't Mac…?"
Just then MacGyver entered Pete's office, dropping himself into one of the easy chairs facing the desk."Hi, Pete. Sorry it took so long…"
Pete was speaking at the same time, "MacGyver! Where have you been? It's been over an hour since you said you were leaving…"
"Whoa, Pete, slow down! I'm here, OK? Now, what's so urgent it couldn't wait?"
Pete sat at his desk and took a deep breath, "You could have called, you know."
MacGyver shifted his position to sitting crosswise in the chair as Pete frowned at him. "I'm sorry, but the car needed…"
"Oh, never mind that. Look, what I need you for is something a little bit out of the ordinary … well, not THAT out of the …" He looked up to see Mac folding a sheet of paper into an airplane. "Are you paying attention?"
"Of course I am. Now what is it that you're trying not to say?"
Pete looked at MacGyver and shook his head, "OK. There's a waste-treatment plant in Wisconsin – the ABD Corporation. They've applied to expand their operation, but they don't have a very commendable track record. AND it looks like they may be implicated in some shady deals and deliberate dumping."
Mac continued to fiddle with the paper airplane, "If it's deliberate, why haven't they been shut down? No proof? Disappearing investigators?"
"Actually, a little of both."
Mac sat up, becoming more interested in the topic, "But, if they're applying for an expansion permit, won't they be denied, based on the evidence?"
"But that's just it: there IS no evidence. All we have to go on are a bunch of rumors. And it's no coincidence that ABD has some key town officials on their board."
"And why doesn't the town just revoke their license?"
"Their treatment facility covers parts of three counties: it's in one township in the corner of one county where it abuts one township in another county and two more townships in a third county!"
"Yeah. And they play one district against the others and come out on top. So, what makes this project so special?" MacGyver looked askance at Pete, "Hm? I mean, why are you so worked up about this?"
Pete was getting flustered, being put on the spot like this. "There's… I'm not worked up! I'm …"
Mac looked at his plane, then with a slow drawn out "Pe-ete?"
Pete gave him an impatient look, "You know? Sometimes I hate how well you know me!" He stood up and started pacing, "It's… an archeologist who's working on a project in the same area that I'd like you to keep an eye on – a Dr. Johnson."
"An archeologist?" Mac looked like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. "Now, why do I get the feeling that there's more to this? I mean, what damage can an archeologist do?"
Pete came to rest on the corner of his desk nearest to MacGyver, heaved a resigned sigh. "That's not it, Mac. It's … she's my niece."
Mac looked up, incredulous, "SHE? Your Niece?!" He soon had a sour expression on his face, "Pete, why not hire a private investigator?"
"Because you'd fit right in! She'll never suspect you! And you can investigate what's going on there at the same time! There's been some trouble and…"
"Pete, I'm still doing the paperwork for the Campbellsport Project …"
Pete shot Mac a hopeful smile, "She's pretty."
Mac looked at him reprovingly, "Pete! (sigh) Look, of course I'll do it, but can it wait a day or two? I've only been back for two days… I haven't even had time to do my laundry yet!"
Pete smiled, knowing that Mac was hooked, but needing to say more, "Look, I know I'm asking a lot, but you can have a month off when you finish this assignment."
"You want this that bad?" Mc sighed, thinking, then nods, "OK. When do I leave? Er, you HAVE made arrangements?"
"What? Me? MacGyver, would I...?"
His intercom chose that moment to interrupt with Nancy's voice, "Mr. Thornton, the airport just called to confirm Mr. MacGyver's flight for 7:30 AM tomorrow, leav…" and the machine let out a loud "SQUAWK!" As Pete rushed to shut it off.
MacGyver waited, watching Pete, knowing what was coming next and that Pete knew he knew but didn't want to admit that he'd tipped his hand. Finally Pete sighed and grudgingly slid some papers from under his desk blotter and thrust them at MacGyver, "Here! Now will you get out of here? I have work to do!"
Mac walked over and took the papers, grinning, "Aw, come on, Pete. We know each other too well to hide things from one another." MacGyver reached out to shake Pete's hand and they embraced.
Pete was suddenly overcome with emotion. "MacGyver, do you know how much it means to me to be able to touch another person? All day long I'm surrounded by faceless voices! I want to touch every sound, to verify that it's real!"
Mac thought for a moment, "Yeah. I think I do, a little anyway. Remember that sensory deprivation thing I did a few years ago?"
"That's right! You went around touching and hugging everyone… for a long time afterward…" At first Pete's expression had livened up as he remembered Mac's actions, but then it turned more grim.
Mac looked at him with sympathetic understanding, "But there's one big difference."
"Yeah. .. Say, don't you have some laundry to do, or something?"
MacGyver started to leave, grinning, then turned back as a thought occurred to him, "Say, Pete? One more thing… She knows, doesn't she? About you?"
Pete suddenly found something on his desk that needed doing, "Uh, no. I haven't gotten around to…"
"You're going to have to tell her."
"I KNOW! I know… Just, not yet… MacGyver? Be careful. … and… Thanks."
"Yeah." And he left the office deep in thought about how he was going to handle this.
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And that's your introduction! R & R