AN: And here's the start of my 3rd MacGyver story! (But the 2nd one I wrote, chronologically.) Hope you enjoy, and happy new year!
Angus MacGyver was running his usual route around the fringe of MIT's campus when he heard the noises.
A loud clunk, the sound of metal on metal, then another clunk that sounded a lot more like metal hitting someone's foot, followed by loud swearing.
Mac slowed down and jogged past a gym, towards the auto repair shop next door that the swearing was coming from.
Just inside the garage, a tall, muscular man with close-cropped hair was glaring into the open bonnet of a car, hands deep in its engine.
'What is wrong with you, you silly girl?'
Of course, when I was a kid, I was told not to talk to strangers, just like everyone else.
And yes, walking in to a garage randomly to help a guy I've never met is possibly dangerous and definitely weird…
But I like helping people, and I'm pretty handy with this sort of stuff…
'Excuse me, would you like a hand?'
The older man turned, surprised, taking on an almost-defensive stance, as if he were expecting to be attacked. As soon as he saw Mac, taking in his skinny frame, MIT T-shirt too loose on his body, and youthful appearance, he relaxed.
Mac tried not to be offended, and instead gestured at the car.
'I don't mean to be rude, but I heard you having some trouble with that car…and well, I've got a bit of a knack for mechanical things…'
The mechanic looked a little sceptical, but waved a hand at the car anyway.
'You're welcome to take a look, kid. I'm warning you, she's been driving me crazy all day. Four years' as a mechanic, and I've not seen-'
Mac, who had been examining the car as the other man spoke, suddenly started grabbing some of the spare parts lying nearby, picked up a couple of tools, and began to work on the engine.
The mechanic just watched, shocked.
A few minutes later, Mac nodded, seemingly satisfied. He closed the lid on the bonnet, and gestured at the still-shocked other man, who automatically reached in through the driver's window and turned the key in the ignition.
The car purred to life.
'Well, I'll be…' The mechanic wiped his hands on his trousers, and held one out for Mac to shake. The younger man took it. 'I'm Jack, Jack Dalton.'
'Angus MacGyver, but everyone calls me Mac.'
Jack looked him up and down for a moment.
'How old are you, kid?'
'Sixteen.'
Jack raised an eyebrow.
'And you're at MIT?'
'First year, doing electrical engineering as my major and mechanical engineering as a minor.'
Jack let out a low whistle.
'How'd you learn to make repairs like that?'
He gestured to the car.
Mac shrugged a little awkwardly.
'I've always liked figuring out how things work, how to fix them, taking them apart, putting them back together again, making them better…I guess I just picked it up?'
The older man shook his head, and reached out and clapped Mac on the shoulder.
'Kid, how'd you like a job? I could use another set of hands around the shop.'
Mac took a look around the garage, then looked at Jack for a moment.
Well, he didn't have a job.
Some money would be good.
And he did like fixing things.
He smiled.
'I'd like that.'
Jack nodded, grinned, and clapped him on the back.
'Welcome to Dalton Auto Repair, Mac.'
'Thanks, Jack.'
Mac unlocked the door to his dorm and slipped inside.
His roommate, Charlie Robinson, fellow engineering student, called out a greeting.
'Hey, Mac. How was the run?'
Still processing the day's events, Mac walked over to his bed and pulled off his sweat-and-grease covered T-shirt.
'I just got myself a job.'
Charlie, still engrossed in his assignment, gave him a thumbs-up.
'Nice going, Mac!' The eighteen-year-old typed some numbers into his calculator, and shook his head. 'Hey, can you look over what I've done for Pena's assignment so far? I'm not getting anything that makes any sense, and you're the only one I trust to help me out with this…'
