Mac sat on the deck and gazed into the small fire as if he were looking for the meaning of life. Mac closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was a beautiful night. Far away he could hear the surf sounds of cars and city life and see the multi hued lights. From his deck, the city looked like a paler Emerald city, a Diamond city? Mac frowned. He was sure there was another city with that nickname- somewhere in Arkansas? Or maybe in a game? Mac let out a deep breath and glanced at his watch-only an hour to go. This year's Perseid shower was expected to be historical. Mac smiled as he saw two lights streak down. In an hour the shower would be at its peak. Being so close to the light of the city Mac knew he wouldn't be able to see the smaller ones, but he'd seen some pretty good shows since he'd moved into this house.
Mac sipped the coffee on the table beside him and glanced over to the Griffith Observatory; he could just make it out. Mac could hear the distant orchestra play Beethoven's Ode to Joy. Mac closed his eyes and leaned back. He felt his muscles unwind for the first time in...Mac didn't even know when. The team had just finished a mission in South Africa; it hadn't gone as planned Mac had used himself as bait, unfortunately underestimating the terrorist cell's technical savvy. His com had fritzed out immediately. It had taken him two days to escape. He'd been in worse situations, but being held prisoner always took its toll. He felt exhausted inside and out. Although he'd only taken a moderate beating, his team slid into their usual hen picking; Mac needed some time to regroup. Tonight the Phoenix was having a celebration party; Mac had ducked out preferring to spend his night with falling meteors.
Four bright meteors streaked down to the city vanishing in seconds. Mac stretched his back. It may have only been a moderate beating, but it left some serious bruising. He heard voices behind him and sighed shaking his head.
"Hey, any asteroids hit earth yet?" Jack said plopping in the chair beside Mac. He set down a six pack of long necks and handed one to Mac. Mac took a sip.
"Meteorites, Jack."
"Same thing."
"No, no they are not," Mac muttered. Jack looked at him with the steady gaze that seemed to cut Mac to the bone finding every pain and hurt inside and out. As Jack got all of his scientific knowledge from watching Armageddon, Mac decided to let it go. He looked up as a hand full of lights blipped across the sky.
"See that?" Bozer enthused as he set down his own six pack and stood looking up from leaning against the railing. Riley grinned in wonder as the meteors started falling by the handfuls.
"Great night for wishing on a falling star." Mac sat back and closed his eyes. He was glad to have his friends here, but he'd wanted to spend time alone.
"How are you feeling?" Mac opened his eyes and turned to Jack laughing.
"What?" Jack asked his forehead wrinkling in confusion.
"I just won a bet with myself," Mac said sipping his beer.
"Oh?"
"I bet myself two tacos that you'd be the first one to ask." Jack shrugged.
"Sounds like a win-win, but you didn't answer my question."
"I'm all right." Mac huffed. Riley turned to face them reaching to snag a beer from Bozer's six pack.
"So did you make a wish?" She asked. Mac shook his head.
"Wishing on falling stars is preposterous. Meteorites aren't even stars and even if they were stars are billions of miles away there's absolutely no way they can 'fall.'" Mac growled. "And wishes?" Mac just shook his head leaning forward to throw another thick stick into the fire.
"C'mon Mac. What would you wish?" Jack asked curiously. Mac glared at him.
"Nothing. What's the point?"
"Well, I tell ya what I'd wish for…" Bozer began.
The red carpet glittered under strobing paparazzi flashes. Bozer's limo drove up to the velvet roped entrance. Jack, his driver, opened the door and helped Bozer's star Riley Davis out of the car. She looked stunning in Versace and over a million dollars in loaned gems…
"Why do I have to be the driver?" Jack interrupted.
"And I'm your star?" Riley glared. Bozer ignored them and continued with a dreamy smile.
His movie All American Spy Story was the complete and genuine biography of the world's best-loved spy-Angus MacGyver…
"Bozer, the best spy wouldn't ever have a movie made about him." Mac chuckled.
"Hey, just go with it," Jack said with a smile. They were all leaning forward getting into the story. Above meteors began to fall like leaden hail.
It won three Oscars including best movie, best actress, and best screen play. It had cleaned house at Sundance and Cannes. Bozer couldn't go anywhere without being recognized, and millions adored him and belonged to his fan clubs. The masses were clamoring for part two…
"Alright, alright!" Mac said holding up his hands in surrender. "I think we get the idea."
"What about you Riley?" Jack asked curiously. Riley looked up at the bright lights falling to earth.
"I don't know. I don't have Bozer's imagination."
"Well, what's your dream?" Bozer asked. Riley bit her lip and frowned in thought a long minute.
Riley was co-director of the Phoenix; she led a massive department devoted to stopping and preventing cyber crime. Riley smiled over the shoulder of her assistant, Jack.
"Assistant? What the hell?" Riley ignored Jack and kept talking.
Jack was slow with computers but made a damn cup of coffee.
"What? I'm not that bad on comp-"
"Yes, you are." Mac interrupted finishing his beer.
"And sorry Jack, your coffee kinda sucks too," Bozer said waving his bottle in the air.
"Fine, I see how it is," Jack grumbled.
One of her top agents, Wilt Bozer, had discovered money funneling from the Animal Rescue League to fund cyber terrorism. Riley went to her best tech; Mac looked up wide-eyed and scared…
"Seriously?" Mac interrupted with a raised eyebrow.
"See not so much fun when you're a grunt, is it?" Jack said. Mac rolled his eyes and turned watching the fast sprinkling of meteors above.
So Riley decided this had to be handled and sat down typing furiously. In seconds the terrorists were out of business and all their assets liquidated and given to the ARL
"Awww, puppies got paid," Bozer said. Riley blushed and took a deep drink from her beer.
"No, that's ok, Ri. I think it's a good idea. I might mention it to Matty." Jack said seriously. The others stared at him. "What? Hey, I'm down with a little computer Robin Hooding." Mac reached over for another beer.
"I know I'm going to regret this, but what about you Jack?" Jack grinned and rubbed his hands together winding up into the story.
Jack and his wife, Sarah, owned the largest ranch in Texas. They raised horses, cattle, pigs, everything. They made real money, and the ranch was a great place for their five little Jack's and two little Sarah's.
"You can't have five little Jacks, Jack." Bozer protested.
"Sure I can."
"Gonna name them all Jack?"
"Maybe."
"How come there's only two little Sarahs?" Riley wondered out loud. Jack glared at her. Riley held up her hands. "Hey, just saying."
Jack had the largest classic car collection in the world perfectly maintained by Uncle Mac. The ranch manager Aunty Riley and Uncle Bozer-who often helped shovel the stables, lived in the bunk house with their spouses and kids.
"What? Dude, I do not shovel stables! Do I look like someone who'd work around horses? And I totally wouldn't live in no bunkhouse. Nah, I'd be the chef." Mac rolled his eyes and set aside his second beer. The lights above were falling slower now.
Uncle Bozer who was also a world class chef,
"Now that's what I'm talking about." Bozer applauded.
The ranch was called the Three Thundering Stallions, and their Arabians had won the Triple Crown several times, the horses had pedigree better than Secretariat, but loved to let the kids ride and nuzzled up to ya like great big loving dogs.
"So that's it?" Mac asked with a side ways smile. "I would have thought you would have been an MMA badass or something."
"I already am, Dude," Jack said grinning. The other three groaned. Jack laughed. He looked at Mac with an earnest curiosity. "So what about you, Mac?" Mac rolled his eyes, stood up and stretched.
"I told you it's pointless to…"
"C'mon, bud! Surely you must have a dream or two." Mac sighed and looked up. The sky was only trickling meteorites now. In another hour or so it would be over. Mac furrowed his brow. What would he wish? Mac thought of his mom and dad, the familiar pain tightened in his chest. Mac turned and looked at his three team mates. He remembered the care they had given him, no matter how mean he was to them. Mac thought about the day Mac showed up on Bozer's doorstep with nowhere to go, terrified. Mac thought of Riley, how loyally she defended him and helped him whenever he needed it. Then Mac thought of Jack, how many times the man had put Mac's needs above his own, how often Jack comforted him after nightmares, how many times he'd come to Mac's rescue. Mac swallowed around a knot and blinked his eyes.
"You ok, Mac?" Jack asked crossing to him. Mac nodded and looked up at the last falling star of that night.
"I don't need to make any wishes," Mac said. "I have everything I ever wanted."