Disclaimer: MacGyver and Pete aren't mine, I'm just borrowing them. This story is a throwback to those eps when Mac ends up with some troubled kid and they have to fend for themselves. If you like those types of stories, read on.Voiceover in italics, plus a flashback.
Warning: If you like this story, I just might threaten to post more stuff here.
You've been warned.
Enjoy.
Outside the Phoenix Foundation – Day
Pete Thorton and MacGyver came out of the Phoenix building with a man who was about MacGyver's height and build but with shorter and grayer hair. The man walked with obvious discomfort in the tie and sport jacket he was now wearing as they approached the curb, shrugging his shoulders as if trying to dislodge something very uncomfortable.
There's an old saying that the biggest difference between friends and family is that one you can choose, the other you're stuck with for life. If you're lucky though, every so often you make a friend that you wouldn't mind being stuck with for life. Take my friend and colleague Neil Williams, for example. I had first met him when I joined the Phoenix Foundation, and he went with me on my early assignments as a favor to Pete to see how well I'd do out in the field. After that we didn't see much of each other, mostly because we managed to always be working on opposite sides of the world. It didn't matter though cause we were still friends, and on those rare occasions when we actually did see each other, we'd just pick up where we'd left off. Of course it also helped that we both had a love for the great outdoors. It made for some great camping and fishing trips.
"Ya know," Mac observed, "if you keep fidgeting in that jacket the judge is going to think you brought something else back from South America besides a tan."
"If he does its your fault. I can't believe I'm borrowing one of your jackets."
Today, Neil was facing something tougher and scarier than any assignment he'd ever been on. Today he was going to meet the 12 year old son he never knew he had and try to convince a judge to let him into his son's life. To help him out, Pete and I had volunteered to be character witnesses on Neil's behalf at the custody hearing.
Neil looked at his watch again, then out towards the main street which was crowded with lunchtime traffic.
"So", asked Pete, "does the second hand move any faster the more you look?"
"Very funny," Neil answered, "I've spent the last 13 years in the field, and then I come back home and learn that a woman I knew gave birth to a son I didn't even know I had and gave him up for adoption to some rich family. What am I going to say to him? The closest thing that ever had to depend on me was Jango."
Pete looked at MacGyver for an explanation. "Australian cattle dog."
Pete tried to allay Neil's fears. "Look, Neil. I wish I could say he'll jump out of that car and give you a big hug, but I know that's not how it works. You're just going to have to give yourself some time to get used to each other."
"Yeah, he can get used to his father not living in one place for more than a month at a time. I guess weekend visits are out of the question."
"What, are you kidding?" Mac asked, "What kid wouldn't want to visit his dad in some distant country and go exploring?" Off Neil's doubtful look he continued. "Look, Neil its going to be fine. He's your son, which mean half of what makes him who he is comes from you."
"That's a great thought, except what if he takes after his mother's side of the family?"
From across the street a man casually dressed sat in a parked car, his binoculars combing the area in front of the Phoenix Foundation building until he spotted who he was looking for in the group of three men standing by the curb. A few moments later his partner, also casually dressed, opened the passenger door and slid in.
"Well?" the driver asked.
"The one dressed in a sport coat with the graying hair. His name is Neil Williams, works for the Phoenix Foundation as some environmental do gooder. Two weeks ago he helped some government people down south of the border bring down a local drug making operation. They want him dead. Now. They said to call them as soon as we finished the hit."
"What, in broad daylight? Are they nuts?"
"Quit worrying. There's enough people around at this time. Everyone's on their lunch break. We walk over, pop him with a silencer and walk out...let's go."
Meanwhile in a black car approaching the Phoenix Foundation...
Inside, 12 year old Kevin Watts was oblivious to the world, blocking it out to the beat of the music coming from his headphones. His mother Andrea tried to get his attention.
"Kevin, we're almost there. Turn that thing off."
Kevin ignored her through the din of his music. She was going to pursue the matter further, but her husband Roger waved her off. "Let him go. He'll have to face this mess soon enough."
Andrea sat back in her seat. "I can't believe you actually agreed to meet them before the hearing. Did you see what our lawyer dug up on this man? No house, a small apartment in town, a ten year old car. I am not going to let the judge give any thought to giving this man even partial custody. It's hardly any way for Kevin to live."
"Well, hon, the world needs it's waiters, bellhops and....whatever it is he does. What does he do again?"
"He's a consultant for the Phoenix Foundation, traveling the world doing humanitarian work it said in his folder. Probably goes to all those poor countries and hand out bowls of rice to starving children or something."
Across the street from the Phoenix Building,the hit men got out of their cars and crossed at the intersection with a crowd of other people and approached the three men at a brisk walk from behind as...
The black car pulled up and the two adults got out dressed in high end designer clothes, right down to the shoes.
MacGyver was not impressed. "Okay, they don't flaunt their money too much," he muttered to Pete.
"Well this is a custody hearing, after all. Looks like they're pulling out all the stops."
"I know, but it's like their ganging up on him. I mean, look at them...and look at him."
Pete smiled. "I wouldn't worry about it too much. I happen to have a friend who knows this judge, and believe me, she's not going to be fooled by anything flashy."
"Well good. At least it'll be fair."
The hit men approached the group at the pace of the crowd around them, careful not to draw attention. Luckily, their target was approaching the driver's side of the black car parked in front.
Neil approached the couple and extended his hand. "Hi. I'm Neil, Kevin's father."
"My husband is Kevin's father." Andrea shot back.
MacGyver practically winced at the venom implied. "Ouch."
Neil stood his ground. "Look, I know this isn't going to be easy on any of us, but"
"Then why are you doing it? He's been our son for 12 years. He didn't even know you existed."
Roger shot his wife a look. "Andrea that's enough." He turned back to Neil. "I'm sorry. It's just that, Kevin's the closest thing to a child of our own we'll ever have. We're the only parents he's ever known, and I won't have you take that away from him."
Inside the car, Kevin waited for his father to give him a knock the door to come out. So far things had been quiet, which was fine with him. Like his mother, he had no intention of going with this man who claimed to be his father, especially since the guy didn't even own a house....
The hit men approached, and some instinct of MacGyver's made him turn to his right as the hidden handguns with silencers were raised just enough towards their targets.
"Neil!" Pete got out before trying to tackle one of the hit men, sending them both to the ground in a heap. The other hit man fired four shots. Neil, Andrea, and Roger crumpled to the ground...
MacGyver took on the second gunman and they struggled, both of them hitting the side of the car. Kevin jumped at the sound outside and saw the ensuing struggle. The hit man looked in the window, and the two of them locked eyes, one set determined, the other terrified.MacGyver was in a hand to hand struggle with his assailant as the man seemed determined to point the gun barrel at Mac's chest. Another gun shot went off. Both men froze in shock...but it was the hit man who fell back to the ground dead.
The other hit man panicked and pulled away from Pete, taking off through the traffic to a car parked on the other side before getting in and peeling away, leaving black tire scorch marks behind.
Pete and MacGyver looked at each other, not believing what just happened. On the ground behind MacGyver, Neil moaned. He had taken two shots in the chest, and was already gagging on his own blood. Mac scrambled over, the blood from the hit man evident on his own shirt as he tried to help his friend.
Mac reached one hand towards Neil's neck, checking for a pulse. It was enough for Neil to open his eyes. "Kevin....is Kevin okay?" Mac spared a glance up at the car and saw the boy sitting in the back seat with the car door opened and a stunned look on his face.
"He's fine Neil. Your son's fine. Just hang in there until the ambulance gets here." MacGyver practically choked on the words, trying to stay reassuring but dread quickly taking over. Unshed tears were filling his eyes. It wasn't fair, damn it. Why him? Why these people?
Mac was vaguely aware of Pete approaching and kneeling down beside him. Mr. and Mrs. Watts were both dead. Mac nodded, not taking his eyes off Neil as the other man went into a coughing fit, his lungs filling with blood. His right hand trying to grab onto something, anything. MacGyver reached down and took the older man's hand in his own, trying to will him to hold on. Neil's eyes tried to focus on the younger man kneeling next to him. "Mac? You...you take care of him for me?"
"Neil, I..."
"...Please..."
MacGyver looked at Pete helplessly, then back at the dying man. "Just until you're better. You're not getting out of being a dad that easily. Okay ?"
"'kay" The desperate look went out of his eyes and his face visibly relaxed. Mac felt the grip on his hand go limp.
"Neil?" He put his left hand on Neil's neck. No pulse. "Come on, Neil, don't do this." He put his ear to Neil's chest. Nothing.
The wailing of an ambulance finally approached through the lunch-time traffic. Unnoticed and temporarily forgotten, Kevin Watts watched helplessly, the image of his dead parents and the one man who had gotten away forever burned into his mind.
One Week Later – Northern California - Morning
The surrounding forests and mountains rose up around the cabin and the adjacent lake in all their majesty against a clear blue sky, creating a breathtaking view. Ironically, the two people at the cabin were in no mood to appreciate it.
Kevin sat on the dock of the lake with his back against one of the supporting pylons, headphones on and staring out at nothing, vaguely aware of the man in the cabin behind him. The last week had been a blur, but the one thing that had come through loud and clear was that he was going away because they believed someone would try to kill him.
On that note, Kevin's mind flashed back to the moment he heard the thud outside car and had seen the man who had killed his parents. Without realizing it, his hand went to the small caliber handgun his father had once owned, now stashed inside his jacket. He wasn't going down the same way...
Inside the cabin, MacGyver was putting the finishing touches on two omelets he had cooked in a frying pan on the small stove, then slid them onto two plates and put them on the table to join the silverware, buttered whole wheat toast, and orange juice. He slid the frying pan into the sink to soak then went to the front door.
"Kevin! Breakfast is ready. Let's go."
No response. Great. Another day, another battle of wills.
The phone rang. He looked at his watch, then answered it. "Hey Pete. Right on time. What's up?"
From the confines of his office, Pete Thorton looked through the folder of papers that had been brought in, not liking what he read. "A lot. We've been able to i.d. the car and the other driver. Both men were known freelance hit men. We think the connection was to a job Neil did about two weeks ago when he destroyed a cocaine processing plant. The cartel was run by a Ricardo Rivera, and our sources say he wasn't too happy with Neil's work. Based on the description, we have people looking at all points of exit in the country so he can't leave, and we've got the local DA willing to put the murder trial on the fast track once we find him."
"You mean if you find him."
"Oh, we'll find him, don't worry about that. In the meantime, how's our star witness doing?"
MacGyver kept his eyes on the unmoving teen by the dock. "We've established a routine."
"Well that's good news at least."
"Sure, if you like silence, withering stares, slamming doors and untouched food at meal times. It could be worse though, at least he hasn't tried to take off into the woods."
"I don't think there's much of that happening. From what I've been able to get his parents kept him in the upper-class suburbs pretty much his entire life. I'm guessing his survival instincts probably tell him to hold out a thumb and hope a chauffeured car picks him up."
"So much for taking after his dad." MacGyver paused, thinking of the fight they had the previous night. "Its hard Pete. He's so angry at the world, and the closest person around for him to take it out on is me."
"And you let him get away with that?"
Mac felt a tinge of anger. Let him get away with it? As if this kid was making any of this easy... "He saw his own parents get murdered Pete, and saw the guy who did it. How do you suggest I deal with him?" He studied the unmoving boy, and a sudden feeling of déjà vu reared its head. Something about that sullen look of wanting to be left alone.
"Well, I had this friend once who was determined to push everyone away after a mountain climbing accident that killed his best friend. He just sat up at my cabin and sulked for about two weeks so he wouldn't have to deal with his life."
Mac almost smiled. He had an idea where this was going. "Yeah? So what did you do?"
"I didn't do anything. But this friend of his decided she was going to pay him a visit to snap him out of it. I heard it was rough going at first, but eventually he realized that if he didn't all the guilt he felt inside would eventually eat at him until there was nothing left."
The Widowmaker...it had been awhile to be sure, but Pete's words brought the feelings of guilt he had gone through back from his memory. With it came a new sense of determination.
"Sounds rough."
"It was rough on everyone. The thing is, no matter how much this friend wanted to run from his problems, he always ended up taking them along."
"Guess he wasn't thinking straight....Thanks."
"You're welcome. Let me know how it turns out, okay?"
"You got it." Mac hung up the phone and regarded the breakfast sitting on the table. It was time for plan B.
A few minutes later he strode out of the cabin in the brisk morning air and towards the edge of the dock with an folded box and duct tape serving as a tray with breakfast balanced on top. Kevin was staring out across the lake with his headphones still on. Mac kneeled down, put the "tray" on the dock and reached one hand out to touch the boy's shoulder, not wanting to scare him. "Hey. I made you some breakfast."
No response. Well, at least he was consistent. "Look, unless you've got some MRE's stowed in that jacket, I'm guessing you haven't eaten since yesterday morning." Kevin looked at him, then at the food sitting just a few feet next to him. Mac grinned...the way to a growing boy's heart was always through his stomach.
Without warning, Kevin's foot shot out and kicked the tray, sending the whole thing into the lake before getting up and retreating from the edge of the dock. After recovering, MacGyver chased him down cut him off about halfway to the house. "Hey! What the hell is your problem?'
"I told you to leave me alone."
"That's no excuse for what you just did. You know, if this lake wasn't a 10 foot drop off the dock I'd make you jump in and fish out everything you just kicked in." Kevin tried to walk past him, but MacGyver reached out and grabbed his arm automatically, trying to stop the boy so he could find out what was wrong.
Kevin wrenched his arm away, then without thinking pulled the gun out of his jacket and pointed it at MacGyver, who froze at the sight of the gun barrel less than three feet from his chest and the angry boy wielding it.
His voice lost all its anger, trying to calm the boy down. "What are you doing Kevin?"
"I'm staying alive. I'm not dying like my parents did, so just...just leave me alone."
"You know I can't do that."
Kevin waved the gun for emphasis. "Sure you can. I don't mean anything to you right? I'm just a witness to some stupid trial."
"That's not true. There's a lot of people who care about you."
"I don't care about all those other people. Not you, not the police, or the judge, or anyone else."
"Kevin, listen to me." Taking a chance, MacGyver stepped forward and was rewarded by the gun hammer being pulled back. He froze. If that hammer fell accidentally or otherwise he was dead. With an effort he managed to drag his eyes from the barrel to Kevin's face and saw the barely disguised fear behind the anger. Disarming a bomb with a paperclip seemed preferable at that moment...and a lot less risky. "Do you really want to kill me, Kevin? Because if you pull that trigger that's what'll happen, and then you really will be all alone out here. Is that what you want?"
The answer barely came out as a whisper. "No."
"Okay. Then I need to point the gun away from me and slowly put it down on the ground. Can you do that for me?"
Kevin did as he was told, the gun now laying on its side. Kevin looked down, suddenly ashamed at his behavior.
"Who's gun is this?" MacGyver asked while taking out the gun's clip and checked for one in the chamber. It was there all right.
"It was my dad's" answered a shaky voice that was ready to break at any moment. Kevin stood rooted to the spot, not trusting himself, but Mac understood and stepped forward.
"C'mere" Drawing him into a hug he felt Kevin stiffen at first, but finally the 12 year old's control crumbled and he began to cry. Mac held on and didn't let go.
Later that afternoon, Kevin reeled in the fishing line for the hundred time, again with no fish attached to the other end...and sighed. The empty bucket next to him served as a stark reminder to his current predicament. If he didn't catch any fish he'd be forced to suffer through one of MacGyver's "health food" dinners, or as he secretly referred to them – "hell food". Honestly, you'd think the guy had never heard of a bacon cheese burger.
Behind him and next to the cabin, MacGyver had discarded his light jacket and was cutting his way through a stack of wood for the fireplace with an axe. The days had been a bit chilly, but that was nothing to compared to the recent nights. Kevin held the rod for a moment longer and then gave up, propping the rod up and heading back towards the cabin. In his mind, he prepared a quick speech about the value of American fast food and how vital it was to a growing boy....
MacGyver saw him coming out of the corner of his eye and decided that now was as good as any to take a break. He took a grab for his water bottle and sat down on a pile of fresh cut logs. "Hey. How's the fishing going?"
"Its not. I'm starting to believe there aren't any fish out there."
"Oh believe me, they're out there all right. Did you use the lure I made for you?"
Kevin rolled his eyes. "You mean that piece of foil? Please."
"Hey, don't knock it. My grandpa taught me how to make those. We used to catch fish all day with stuff like that."
"Yeah right. So how come they don't sell gum wrappers in the bait shop?"
"Gotta keep the bait people in business somehow. Getting people to buy lures is one way of doing it."
"Yeah, whatever. What I want to know is why we can't just order out for some pizza and burgers instead of all that health food stuff. I mean come on MacGyver, I'm a growing boy here. I need real food, like hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, tacos...not tofu and sprouts. I'm a guy, not a groundhog."
MacGyver wiped the rest of the sweat of his face and took another drink. "Look, the whole idea of you being out here is to keep you out of sight. That's not going to work very well if you're seen in every restaurant within a forty mile radius."
"I'll take my chances. I'm not cut out for all this wilderness stuff."
"Hey, this is nothing. Your dad had to once survive on crickets and water for six days after being caught between two rebel armies in west Africa."
"What are you talking about? My dad's never been out of California in his entire life."
MacGyver was about to say something and realized they were talking about two different people. "I meant Neil."
There was an awkward pause. "Oh."
Meanwhile:
The muddied SUV pulled up to the Ranger Station and the driver got out, his attire making him indistinguishable from the rest of the campers/hikers around him, which was just the way he liked it. The clean shaven face previously sported in front of the Phoenix Building was now hidden behind a substantial growth and itching like crazy, but well worth it.
He entered the Visitor's Center and headed for the section marked "Maps/Trails/Cabins." Ten minutes later he walked out with several maps and the location to a certain cabin by a lake. He climbed back into the truck which was stocked with camping and survival gear, the rifle broken down and in a case, the handgun stowed in some supplies. He smiled despite himself. The city hit had been doomed from the start, but this was much better. After all, he was a trained wilderness survivalist. This was going to be much easier.
Pete's Office
His assistant came in with more faxes off the machine and handed them over. "Okay, here's the last of them. Looks like your hit man has turned into the invisible man."
"You gotta be kidding. Nothing? I was sure this guy would've tried to make a break for it. Something's not right here."
"Well, maybe running isn't on his mind," Gladys added. "My daddy used to say that sometimes a good offense was the best defense...or was it the other way around? He was always mixing his sports metaphors. Used to drive my mother to distraction, which now that I think about it probably why she..."
Something clicked in Pete's mind and he cut her off. "Offense and defense. Oh god." Off Gladys's look, "He's not trying to run...he's going after Mac and Kevin. Get those pictures we have of this guy out to all the local rangers and law enforcement areas within a 200 mile radius of the cabin."
"You got it."
The Cabin
Stood empty while its two occupants were hiking about a mile away...
The Trail
Well, at least one of them was hiking. The other one was trying not to trip over the dense cover of sticks, rocks, roots, and uneven terrain hidden underneath. Both had hiker's backpacks on, but Kevin walked like he was carrying double his weight as MacGyver forged ahead in an easy gait, accustomed to years of wilderness adventures.
Wilderness hiking is a bit like learning to walk for the first time as a little kid. Its all a matter of knowing how to keep your balance and where to put your feet while you travel. Growing up in Minnesota, learning how to hike the trails, ice skate, and to walk are pretty much learned at the same time as basic part of life. I guess that's why its easy to forget sometimes that not everyone had that advantage.
After my conversation with Kevin I realized that one of the things Neil would've done with his son was teach him about the great outdoors, so I decided to give him his first lesson by taking him on a five mile hike through some trails, after which we'd camp for the night and I'd show him what he'd been missing out on. I had a feeling that Kevin had the makings of an outdoorsman buried deep inside. It was just a matter of digging it out.
Kevin stopped, exhausted and practically doubled over. "All right its official. This sucks."
Yep, that "inner outdoorsman" was buried a lot deeper than I thought.
MacGyver stopped, turned. "What's wrong now?" Off the disgruntled boy's look, he added"Tell ya what. We're less than half a mile from where we were going to stop. If you can make it there, I'll set up camp. How's that?"
Kevin mulled it over for a moment. "Fine...Whatever. Let's go."
He started back up the trail with MacGyver leading the way. Mac gave him another look before turning west up a another slope. "Ya know, you're way too enthusiastic about this hike."
"Very funny."
The Visitor Center
The supervisor on duty was getting ready to turn the lights off when the fax machine beeped to life, and a single fax page came out the other side with several different versions of a man's face on it. Curious, he pulled the just finished pages out and noted the address as the Phoenix Foundation. What caught his eye was the artist's sketch of a bearded man, and the words "wanted by authorities" underneath. The Supe's eyes went back to the image, and knew without question he had seen this man in the Center this afternoon. He noted the phone number listed on the bottom and reached for a nearby phone.
Pete's Office
Pete was heading out the door after a long day when the phone on his desk rang. He picked it up...
Visitor Center
The supervisor had his attention on the terrain maps when the other end picked up.
"Pete Thorton."
"Hi, is this Mr. Thorton from the Phoenix Foundation?"
"Yes. Who is this?"
"My name's David Payer, I'm a Ranger supervisor up here near Tolanga Lake. We got just got your fax, and I wanted to let you know that this guy is definitely in the area. He stopped here at the Visitor's Center a few hours ago and picked up some maps."
Pete's heart skipped a beat. "You're sure it was the same guy?"
"Yeah I'm sure. He had a beard, but it was definitely him. He was driving a black SUV, all dressed like the campers up here but there was definitely something not right about him."
"Okay, thanks. How are you guys fixed for law enforcement up there?"
"Well, to tell ya the truth we're set up more for catching bears than people. There's a local unit about 100 miles from here. I can give them a call and have them come up."
"Yes, do that. I'll be leaving shortly with some of our people to join you. I can give you the location of the cabin we believe he's heading for, but I advise your people to just close the roads off. This guy is a professional assassin, and we don't need anyone else getting hurt."
"You got it."
Pete's office
Pete put Payer on hold, and then began dialing the phone number to the cabin. He only hoped he wasn't too late.
The Cabin
The SUV pulled up to the empty cabin and the man got out, handgun already stashed in his coat and rifle assembled and in the cab. The front door was locked, but there was no sign of a hurried departure and the Wrangler was still parked out front. He approached the door and picked the lock as the distinct sound of a ringing phone could be heard from outside.
Inside on the kitchen table was a map of the area and a trail drawn out, no doubt in case they ran into trouble so someone would know where they were. There was also a small radio to patch into the local airwaves. How convenient.
And still the phone rang....and rang...and rang.
Ignoring the phone, he went back outside into the growing darkness, took out a light and shined it on the ground surrounding the cabin until he found what he was looking for.
There were two sets of footprints, and they headed off in the same direction.
The hit man looked at the quickly setting sun outside and then at his watch, doing the calculations. He would have no trouble catching up if he left at dawn tomorrow...no trouble at all.
The Campsite – Dusk
MacGyver dumped a sizable pile of rocks and sticks in front of Kevin, who was sitting on a raised tree root going through his backpack, searching. "Okay, now just set the rocks up in an unbroken ring and then stack the kindling how I explained before. As soon as you're done with that I'll show you how to get the fire started." No response. "Hey, I need you to pay attention here. If we don't get this fire going soon we'll be in trouble." No response. "By the way, if you're looking for your music its not in there. I took it out so you could fit a flashlight in the extra compartment."
That got a response. "Oh man, why'd you do that for? That's like the only thing to do up here. What am I supposed to do now, stare at the fire?"
"Well, that would assume you actually built it first, now wouldn't it. You better hurry before the wind kicks up. After that it'll be a lot harder to start a flame going."
"What are you, my drill sergeant?."
Okay, time for a change in tactics.
"Get up." Without waiting he pulled Kevin to his feet and pointed to the sky. "You see those clouds? That means there's a storm coming, which means possibly rain tonight, which means if you don't get this fire going we're not going to have any fire to cook dinner."
"I don't know how."
"That's why I'm teaching you."
"Why though? What's the big deal about all this? Why can't we just stay in the cabin until its safe to go home? Why are you so hung up on teaching me all this outdoor survival shit?"
Without thinking, MacGyver grabbed Kevin by the jacket and shot back, "Because your dad didn't live long enough to do it himself. That's why." Stunned silence ensued before Mac let go of him. They just stood looking away, anywhere but at the other's expression of hurt.
Kevin sat back down next to the pile of sticks and rocks. Mac walked back to where the tent was being set up. Both worked alone...and in silence...for the next hour.
Later That Night
The fire had settled to an even flame against the drop in temperature, but it wasn't so cold as to be frigid, at least not for tonight. They each sat on the same side of the fire, their backs to the tent and the lean-to MacGyver had made to shield them from the wind. Mac checked his watch, and realized he had missed his call in to Pete since they had set out this afternoon. He'd just have to call in to the ranger station and have them forward the message.
"Kevin. Let me have the radio, will ya? We're overdue to check in."
"The radio?"
Off Kevin's look he got all he needed to know and sighed. "I told you to make sure you had room in your pack for it because there was no room in mine, remember?"
"Oops."
"Great." MacGyver shook his head. How many other things could possibly happen tonight?
A silence settled between the two of them, but Kevin's thoughts wouldn't let go of the one question that had been on his mind.
"Hey MacGyver...what was my dad like?"
Mac paused, trying to figure out how to best sum up the man he had known for almost ten years. "He was good guy. No....he was a really good guy who would do anything to help out a friend in trouble, or anyone less fortunate then himself."
"Is that why you're looking after me? Cause he was a friend of yours?"
He mentally braced himself for what was coming. He had been both looking forward to this subject and dreading it. "That day in front of the Phoenix building, after your dad got shot, I went over to try to help him and you know what the first words out of his mouth were?...He asked me if you were okay." Mac studied the boy sitting next to him. He had a confused look on his face. "Yeah. He hadn't even met you yet and he was more worried about your safety than his own." Mac could see the boy struggling with this and tried to help. "You were his son, Kevin. It didn't matter that you hadn't met yet. Do you understand? You were his son, and he wanted to make sure you were going to be alright."
Kevin put two and two together. "You promised him, didn't you? You promised him that you'd look after me and show me all this Daniel Boone stuff cause he didn't get a chance."
Mac could barely get the words out. "Yeah," he whispered, "I did." He stared back at the fire in silence.
"So, MacGyver." They locked eyes, and Kevin actually smiled. "You gonna teach me how to tie those knots now or what?"
Mac almost smiled back. "Okay."
The Next Morning
There's something about early morning in the wilderness that has a calming effect like no other, and after last night I had a feeling that not only had Kevin and I reached an understanding, but that maybe there was a chance we could actually start to be friends.
Mac took a walk to an overhanging cliff and got out his binoculars, scanning the terrain and valley below, then back down to their cabin and the lake...and caught a flash of light of the early morning sun from a reflection near the cabin. Upon a closer look, he froze at the sight of a black SUV parked off to the side...but not out of view.
His heart starting to pound, he trained the binoculars on the path they had taken the day before and spotted the hit man almost ¾ of the way up the trail towards them and moving at a brisk pace.
So much for our quiet weekend
Mac ducked back into the brush and back to camp where Kevin was just now waking up and noticed MacGyver's obvious look of worry.
"What?"
"Big problem." Mac reached for his pack and began throwing stuff in, his mind trying to decide what to take and what to leave behind. "The man who killed your dad is about fifteen minutes from here and moving fast. We gotta get out of here. Grab your bag and get ready to go."
"Whoa, wait a second. He's here? Now? What are we going to do?" Kevin asked as he scrambled for his pack.
Mac had the trail maps out and was looking over them. "Run. Just trying to figure out to where." In moments he read the terrain map and noticed the river that ran south towards the Ranger Station.
"You gotta be kidding me. Why don't we just go back down the mountain a different way?"
"Because that trail we took up IS the only way up or down, We try going off the path and we'll run the chance of either you getting stuck or found out. From what I've seen this guy knows exactly what he's doing, which is bad for us."
MacGyver was worried....which made Kevin very worried. "Okay...but you can take him right? I mean if he does get up here?"
MacGyver looked at their location and then the location of the river. Four miles northwest through uneven terrain. Difficult but doable. He just hoped that Kevin's hiking skills had taken a drastic improvement since yesterday.
"MacGyver? You can take him, right?"
Mac looked up from the trail map at the worried boy next to him., then thought of the man coming to kill them. "Maybe...but not if I'm worried about him killing you, too. That's why we're not waiting for him."
He folded the maps up, then grabbed the folded plastic tarp, some rope and stuffed it into his backpack. There was no time to pack much of anything else. "You all set?" Off Kevin's nod they set off as fast they could.
Above them, a cold front moved in and began filling the sky with storm clouds.
9:00 AM – Ranger Station
Pete Thorton pulled in that morning to the sight of five cop cars and three Ranger vehicles parked outside. Inside the station it was a hive of activity. One Ranger was monitoring the radio while two others worked on the terrain maps. Introductions were made all around..
David Payer saw Pete coming and waved him over. "Pete, over here."
They huddled around the conference table and the maps. "Okay everyone listen up. This is Pete Thorton from the Phoenix Foundation. Two of the people we're looking for belong to him. The other one is an armed criminal who's been charged with three counts of murder. Now I've already paid a visit to the cabin in question, but the only thing we found are two unoccupied cars. Given the time of sunrise and the optimum walking speed for this kind of terrain, we're talking about a possible search radius circled here." He pointed at the large red circle with the cabin at its center. "As most of you know, most of this area is accessible only by chopper, and the current on the river requires a heavy duty engine to go upstream into white water."
Payton paused, and a Ranger handed him the latest weather report. "Damn."
Pete didn't like the sound of that. "What is it?"
"Weather report. We've been keeping an eye on this storm that was in the area, but it picked up speed and moved in faster than we thought. The winds are picking up too, which means the chopper is only going to be able to go up for a short time. I don't suppose you can give us an idea of where MacGyver would likely head do you? We're going to have less than an hour before we have to ground the chopper."
"Then we better get going."
11:00 AM – The River
MacGyver and Kevin made their way towards the sound of running water knowing that the river was nearby, then stepped out of the foliage to see their destination. MacGyver stood in silence at the view before him. It wasn't exactly what he had been expecting...or hoping for.
Kevin said their mutual thought out loud.
"Oh...shit."
Instead of standing on a river bank, they were face to face with a simple rope bridge span going over the rushing river 40 feet below. To the left (south), the river dropped off into a waterfall, where it continued on its way in a less volatile state.
MacGyver looked at his watch. By his calculations that had still managed to keep a twenty minute head start on the man trying to kill them. It was time to extend that lead.
"Okay. Piece of cake. We get to the other side, cut the bridge and head south. Let's go." He started across, then noticed that Kevin was not following. "Kevin."
"Uh-uh...no way."
MacGyver sighed. Everything was going to have to be done the hard way. He could just tell. He thought about the man following behind them and came back to the entrance.
"There has to be another way across, doesn't there?"
"Yeah, maybe further south, but its not going to help us." Kevin kept staring down at the 40 foot drop. There was no way he was going to do this. MacGyver's mind raced, searching for a solution. He saw the long overhanging branches on the other side of the bridge and got an idea.
Twenty minutes later, the hit man emerged from the woods hot on their trail. He stopped and noted the foot prints that led to the bridge. On the other side, one of MacGyver's patented "timers" in the form of a lit piece of string that tied back some branches burned away, then broke and created a rustle of activity on the other side of the bridge. The hit man, sensing his target was near took off across the bridge as fast as he could, unaware that MacGyver was hiding on the side he just came from getting ready to disconnect the bridge the moment the hit man got across. Behind MacGyver, Kevin was hiding near the edge of the river trying to keep still...which was not his strong point.
Curiosity overcame common sense and the boy took a step forward to see what was going on.
The twig snapped like a shot.
On the bridge, the hit man heard the noise and looked back, locating Kevin and raised his rifle to take a shot. MacGyver cursed to himself , charging out from hiding and onto the bridge to surprise the hit man. The two men struggled on the bridge over the river as Kevin looked on helplessly.
MacGyver got an uneasy sense of déjà vu on the bridge as he struggled with the larger man, who finally got a good enough grip on him to send Mac over the edge of the rope bridge and dangle from underneath using both his hands. He looked up and spotted the hit man's boots and realized there was only one way to get enough leverage. Freeing one hand, he dug out his army knife and cut one end of a rope strand loose, the looped it around one of the hit man's boots and pulled.
The hit man lost his balance but barely managed to stay upright, then tried to stomp on MacGyver's hands below. Wincing as the boots came down on his fingers but still determined, MacGyver grabbed back on anyway, this time with his other hand as well and pulled the hit man off the bridge, hoping he'd be able to grab back on as the man fell below him.
The man toppled through the rope bridge. MacGyver tried to grab back on to the bridge...and missed. He fell, hitting the water with a hard, dull thud. The icy liquid instantly shocked his system as he went under and felt himself being dragged by the current towards the waterfall. Before he could pull himself back up to the frigid water's surface, MacGyver's head came in contact with a large rock underwater, and darkness claimed him.
MacGyver opened his eyes and was surprised to find himself sitting back on the lake's dock. A fog had completely surrounded the lake, cutting off visibility to the world. Before he could gather his wits he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"I die, and look at the mess you get yourself into."
Mac looked right to see his grandfather Harry leaning against one of the tall pylons, regarding him with a look he had grown up recognizing as mild disapproval.
"Harry?"
"If I didn't know better I'd swear sometimes you had a death wish, you know that bud? I don't know how your mother and I kept you alive long enough to see you get past your childhood."
"Okay, so give it to me straight. Am I dreaming or having another...unpleasant, near death experience."
"What do you think?" Off MacGyver's look he continued. "What's the last thing you remember?"
"Falling into the river."
"Very good. In fact, right now you're floating unconscious downstream with a broken leg and god knows what else. Oh and by the way, there's no rescue coming today, bad weather and all that."
"And you're telling me this because..."
"You've got a choice to make bud. You can stay here, or you can fight to stay alive. I just think you should know you're in for a world of hurt if you decide on the latter. This isn't like waking up from a coma, bud, and personally I have my doubts about that youngster trying to see you through this. He's got as much survival sense as a sock."
"MacGyver!" Kevin watched in horror as both men floated down the river and headed for the waterfalls. Kevin looked downriver closer to the base of the mountain and saw that the river, while in the early stages of a whitewater current, was actually more accessible to the shoreline. . There was also a set of rocks that extended out past the shore to the water rushing by.
Without another thought, Kevin grabbed MacGyver's own pack with his own still on his back and headed down the mountain as fast as he could, his eyes never leaving the trail in front of him as he tried to balance speed with the importance of staying upright.
It was a mixed success, but he reached the bottom about a minute ahead of the two bodies floating downriver towards him.
Not really sure of what he was doing but knowing he had to do something, Kevin quickly dumped the contents of his bag and took out the rope that had ended up in his pack. In less than a minute he had one end tied around a tree on the shore, the other end tied to his waist as he ventured out onto the rocks and towards the current. For the first time in his life, Kevin stepped into the icy cold water of a rapid moving river, his eyes searching for the man who just saved his life.
A few moments later he spotted the first body floating towards him along the currents and reached out, grabbing hold and turning it over. The eyes were wide open, staring, and completely lifeless. Kevin released the hit man's body and let it float downstream.
A short time later he spotted the second body, equally as limp as the first but grabbed for the familiar blue jacket anyway, its material bloated from the water. Pulling with both hands, he dragged MacGyver's body out of the water and towards the shore, afraid to check for signs of life until he got the unconscious (or dead) man to shore.
MacGyver's expression changed as an image of being pulled from the river came to him. He looked back at Harry. "How do I go back this time?"
"Well, that's simple bud. Ya never left."
MacGyver was suddenly aware of pain as he coughed up the remaining water in his lungs. Through a haze, his mind registered that he had been rolled over to his side to cough up. Whether that had been a dream or otherwise, Harry had called it. His left leg was definitely broken, and he felt a heaviness in his chest that was definitely not water.
When he finally recovered and rolled onto his back, his view was filled with the face of a 12 year old staring back at him. Above them both in the sky, a not so distant rumble of thunder and darkening skies announced the storm's presence. Great, he thought, more water.
"Hey...um, anything broken or...stuff?"
"Left leg," he managed to say in between clenched teeth, trying not to pass out again. He decided not to mention the heaviness in his lungs "Other guy?"
"Floating downstream somewhere. He died."
"Ah."
"So, I guess this is the part where I have to start setting up something before it rains, huh?"
A few ominous drops fell, then the heavens opened in a torrential downpour.
Noon – Ranger's Station
Pete stood looking outside at the storm, hoping that MacGyver had managed to find safety. Payer got off the phone as everyone else tried to dry out their gear.
"Okay, thanks." Off Pete's look he explained. "Some campers about fifteen miles upriver spotted a body floating downstream right before it started to rain but they weren't able to retrieve it. They only said it looked like a guy, maybe over six foot tall and fully dressed."
"Did they say what color his jacket was?" Pete held his breath as Payer checked the description.
"They think it was tan or brown. Why, does that mean something?"
Pete sighed in relief. "MacGyver doesn't own a tan or brown jacket. He almost always wears blue. The body they described wasn't him."
"Well, I hope that means he's still alive. Either way we won't be able to find out until this storm passes."
Pete nodded, then turned his attention back to the storm outside. Hang on MacGyver, he thought, we'll find you.
2PM – Near the River
After being flung over a sturdy- low lying branch and secured into the ground, the blue tarp at least served as a roof and two sides over their heads. The space inside was barely enough for the two of them and their packs. The tree's wide trunk was blocking the wind from one side, leaving only one exposed opening. It wasn't perfect by any means, especially since it was built by a first-timer, but it provided some protection from the wind and rain assaulting them and provided a splash of color to the now-dreary landscape..
Inside the "tent", MacGyver continued to shiver from being submerged in an icy river, despite being currently wrapped up in Kevin's blanket. Fortunately he had left his pack with Kevin when they had tried to trick the hit man, so he had a spare sweatshirt tucked away but not much else. To make matters worse, Kevin had been forced to literally split the left pant so he could build (under Mac's cringing supervision) a passable splint for the broken bone.
MacGyver coughed again, and this time he tasted the blood spit up into his mouth. It wasn't a taste he enjoyed but said nothing to the boy huddled near the modest tarp's entrance finishing wringing out his socks. Mac noticed that he too was shivering, probably from the cold. The temperature had dropped considerably, but there was no way to make a fire with the storm raging outside
"I really messed things up, didn't I?" Off Mac's silence he continued. "Its okay, you can tell me the truth. It's not like I had any delusions that I was going to be any good at this."
Mac tried to say something, but the effort was too much and it came out as barely a whisper. Kevin got up and approached Mac, leaning close to hear him. "What?"
Mac tried again. "Not...your fault." He shivered again. Kevin caught it and without another word took his jacket off and laid in on top of the blanket as an extra layer, then adjusted the blue jacket that was serving as a support for Mac's head.
"Sorry I don't have any more stuff. You should try to get some sleep or something."
"You too."
"Yeah, right." Kevin paused, realizing that sarcasm was the last thing either of them needed right now. "Sorry. Not a very helpful attitude." He reverted back to a sulking silence.
"Hey." Off Kevin's doubtful look he managed to add. "We'll figure...something.... out. We just....have...to think....okay?" Mac wanted to say more but his injuries and exhaustion claimed him and he passed out.
8 PM – Same
The two unconscious figures were huddled next to each other under the 'tent', MacGyver bundled under the blanket and jacket while Kevin was curled up next to him in just shirt and jeans, shivering...
12 year old MacGyver looked out the back window of the cabin at the wilderness just out of reach as his grandfather and mother were getting their coats on. The sun was just beginning to set, and MacGyver's thoughts went to the new tent that was packed in his room, begging for its first expedition.
As his mother searched for her purse, Harry eyed the boy looking out the back window and approached. "I mean it bud. I don't want to see that tent out there tonight when we come home. If I do you'll be getting your driver's license before that tent sees the great outdoors again."
"Aw c'mon Harry. I can take care of myself. I just want to try it out, that's all."
"Some other time, kiddo."
"Why?"
"Because I said so, that's why." Off the boy's look he softened his tone slightly and explained, "Weatherman says we've got a storm coming this way, and I don't want you in it."
"It looks okay to me." Harry said nothing, but the boy read the look perfectly. 'No' meant 'no'. "Okay, I'll stay in."
"Don't worry bud, we'll get some use out of it soon enough, alright?"
MacGyver nodded, then went back to watching outside as Harry and his mom got in the car and drove away. Their destination was 60 miles away. That gave him at least two hours. Plenty of time.
A tremendous BOOM of thunder echoed over the 'tent'. Kevin tossed in his sleep. Mac didn't even move...
The storm had come out of nowhere, darkening the sky in literally moments as young MacGyver popped his head out of his tent and saw the trees swaying in the wind, then saw the cabin on the property. At that moment it seemed an awful long distance away, and his fears were compounded by the lightening that was lighting up the sky.
12 year old MacGyver froze, too scared to stay in the small tent, too scared to make a break for the cabin during the lighting strikes. So he just huddled under the tent's opening, waiting...
Another BOOM awoke MacGyver from his sleep, and it took a good minute to realize where he was. The rain was still coming down, and the lightening flashes were appearing in smaller intervals, which meant the heart of the storm was practically on top of them. The temperature had dropped a few more degrees since the afternoon, making it downright impossible now to stay warm.
With a tremendous effort he managed to move his head just a bit to see, in the lightening flashes, Kevin curled up next him, shivering in just his shirt and jeans.
MacGyver studied him a bit longer and then, trying not aggravate his own injuries, he managed to slide half the sleeping bag and jacket over to cover Kevin so they were both huddled underneath. Unfortunately, the movement had jostled his ribs just enough to make him cough. When he reached one hand up to wipe his mouth and looked down at it, he saw blood. His fingers found a discarded piece of cloth from when Kevin made the splint for his leg and he wiped his mouth, then tried to get some more sleep.
The Next Morning – The Ranger Station
Pete and David Payer made a beeline for the waiting chopper. The storm had moved out, and the glaring morning sun gave little hint of what had transpired the night before.
As they climbed in and took off, Pete pulled his own set of binoculars out and set his sights on the great outdoors.
At the River – same time
Kevin had MacGyver's binoculars out scouting the area. Now that he took a good look around, it was a nice place to hang out, at least when someone isn't trying to kill you. He imagined the look he'd probably get from MacGyver if he admitted as much to him, then decided to see how he was doing. After all, they still had to figure out a way to get down river.
He entered the tent and approached the still figure. "Hey MacGyver, wake up." No response. "MacGyver?" He gently shook his shoulder, which dislodged his arm...and the cloth he had been clutching in his left hand.
Blood.
What the hell? Then he thought of the coughing from the previous night and his heart sank.. "MacGyver wake up." He shook him harder this time, and the movement caused enough pain for Mac to actually wake up. Upon doing so he was seized by a coughing fit, and Kevin had to prop him up so he wouldn't choke, the coughed up blood now obvious.
He grimaced in agony. "Oh...god." More coughing mixed with raspy breathing. Incredibly, Kevin actually heard the sound of the approaching chopper, and hesitated on his next course of action. Through a haze of pain, MacGyver saw Kevin "think of something". In moments he dug through his own backpack and found a small mirror, then gave MacGyver a questioning look. What do you think?
"Go" he rasped out.
Kevin bolted from the tent to the shoreline in a few precious seconds as the chopper began to make its sweep of the area. Stepping into a pool of sunlight, Kevin held up the mirror and reflected it in the chopper's direction.
In the chopper, Pete spotted a bright flash off to his right and tapped Payer on the shoulder, than indicated the direction of the flare. The pilot turned in the direction indicated and swept down as low as he dared, then finally spotted the source of the light.
Through binoculars, Pete could see the blue "tent" and Kevin Watts outside trying to signal them. MacGyver's absence hit him like someone had punched him in the gut.
"We need to land. Something's wrong."
"It's tight, but I think we can do it. Hold on.'
Kevin watched as the chopper circled, then came in for a landing on the shore...barely. Half the landing gear, in fact, ended up in the shallow edge of the river. Pete and David Payer both got out, heading for him. Kevin came forward.
"Where's MacGyver?" Pete asked, suddenly afraid of the answer he was going to get. Kevin led him to the "tent", and Pete entered. Kneeling down next to his best friend, Pete couldn't help but be alarmed at what he saw. MacGyver was deathly pale, shivering and unconscious, but alive. Pete reached down and tried to wake him, trying to be mindful of more injury.
"Mac? Mac wake up. Come on."
With an effort, MacGyver managed to open his eyes just enough to see Pete Thorton kneeling next to him. "Pete?"
"Yeah. You had me worried when you missed your call time."
"Sorry."
"Apology accepted. We've got a chopper with a stretcher inside to go. Think you're ready to go home?"
MacGyver actually managed to grin...sort of. "Sure."
Two weeks later – At the houseboat
MacGyver idly tapped his crutches as Pete pulled up the to houseboat, hoping for nothing more than a quiet recovery at home. "Pete you don't have to come in if you don't want. I'm sure you have a lot of work piling up."
"You're right, which is why I have no intention of going in today. C'mon let's go."
The car was parked and he got out, balancing his crutches with practiced ease as Pete got out and escorted him.
MacGyver opened the door, and had just enough time to wonder why it was so dark when all the lights came on and a group of people yelled "surprise!" Mac looked at Pete with mock accusation. "Don't look at me, I'm just the driver."
As everyone came forward to say welcome back, Mac spotted the back profile of a certain 12 year old standing just outside his rear door. He turned to Pete, who caught his look. "Run a diversion for me here, will ya?"
"You got it."
Using his crutches to get past the crowd, MacGyver approached the rear doors and opened them. Kevin was leaning against the back wall gazing out at the bay beyond.
"Hey."
"Hey," Kevin answered back. There was a silence between them. "I wasn't really sure if I should come, seeing as how I'm the one who caused this whole mess to begin with. I mean lets face it, if I hadn't..."
"Oh stop it, will ya? It wasn't your fault."
He dug in his jacket and pulled out a small wrapped present and held it out to Kevin.
"Here."
"You do know this is your party right?"
"Oh for cryin out loud, just take it already will ya?"
Kevin took the offered box and had it unwrapped in moments and froze. It was a brand new Swiss Army knife...exactly like MacGyver's. He looked at MacGyver in surprise.
"You earned it. Just promise me you'll never leave home without it. Speaking of which, Pete tells me you've been accepted into his witness relocating program. Any ideas where you want to live? "
"I hear Minnesota's good if you like to fish."
"Land of a thousand lakes."
"Know any good ones?"
"Well, there's a cabin in northern Minnesota at the base of the mountains near this lake where the fish are almost this big." Mac held both his hands wide apart.
"Sounds like fun."
Mac was about to say something else when two men in suits got out of a car parked at the ramp. Mac visibly tensed. Kevin caught his look and followed his gaze. "Its okay. Pete got some bodyguards for my trip to the airport." Pete came out to meet them, then indicated for them to stay put. "I gotta go now."
"Okay."
Kevin paused, and Mac knew that look of indecision but let the boy ride it out. "I've been thinking... I may not have gotten to spend time with my dad, but I have a feeling he was a lot like you.."
MacGyver leaned on a wall to free himself from his crutches and offered his hand. "Good Luck, Kevin."
Kevin looked at the hand but didn't take it... then gave MacGyver a hug instead. Mac was too moved to say anything but return the gesture, his thoughts and feelings a jumble. A moment later Kevin stepped back, turned and left, walking around the edge of the house boat towards the dock and a waiting car.
"Thanks" MacGyver whispered back towards the departing figure.