Hello again-

Thanks for the kind feedback. Here is another installment. I'm going to try to switch gears out of inner monologues into outer monologues here pretty soon, so I'm hoping to use the type of lingo I feel each character would banter about. There will likely be a few days between this chapter and the next as I haven't really started much writing on #5, so...patience I suppose, but I'll get' er done as soon as I can. Thanks again!


::Jack::

He sat there behind the wheel solemnly for a few minutes trying to come up with the best approach for reaching out and getting a read on how his partner was feeling.

To generate the appearance of keeping things low key, Jack decided to stick to the usual post-mission routine of grabbing a cold six pack, dressing down into his most comfortable Black Sabbath, Metallica, or NIN T-shirt (really whatever was in the clean clothes pile) and heading over to Mac's to put in some 'Brewski time'. He could decide whether to make it a movie night, cooking night, or deep conversation night depending upon what state he found the kid.

Broaching sensitive topics like these sometimes needing easing into with his partner. Mac wasn't a particularly closed individual, but sometimes the guy barely knew what he was feeling much less how to express it, so Jack generally tried to let the his partner set his own tempo when it came to bro-to-bro talks. Jack just made sure he provided ample company to allow the young man to open up when he felt like it.

Mac seemed to do better that way.

::Jack::

The Dodge Challenger pulled into Mac's driveway with little more than the purr of the engine cutting out giving it away. As Jack stepped out, he froze. Something was wrong and Jack was immediately overcome by a feeling of unease.

Mac's car was parked in the usual spot, but all the lights in the house were off. His partner almost always left at least a porch light on. This of course being a joint agreement they made after Jack tripped over Mac's DIY projects strewn about the yard for what seemed the thousandth time during one of his frequent, unannounced late-night visits. Afterwards Mac would quip that he agreed to the light just as much to save his projects from Jack as it was to save Jack from a broken ankle. Jack just enjoyed the chance to give Mac a hard time about his nerd play-pen.

Tonight though, was a far cry from any gentle ribbing between the two amigos. The absence of the porch light meant trouble.

Jack grabbed his personal Beretta from under the Challenger's driver side seat and secured it in the back of his waist band. One of the hazards of being a top-secret agent whose best friend was another top-secret agent is that members of the opposite team can sneak up on you at any time anywhere. Including a place of residence.

Precaution was a necessity in their line of work.

He quietly made his way to the front door trying to listen for any signs of Mac in trouble or otherwise.

Sensing no movement, he decided to make a bold move by sticking with his usual entrance style- a quick hammering on the door followed by him barging in and hollering some witty announcement of his arrival. Despite the façade of careless bravado, Jack was indeed on high alert.

His signature over-the-top greeting was met with more silence and Jack's internal alarms immediately went from DEFCON 4 to a full blown DEFCON 1. Mac usually answered with one of his snarky comments about Jack not respecting any sort of personal space, guest rules of engagement, etc. The lack of any acknowledgment at all tightened up Jack's nerves like a live wire.

It was then that he noticed a curious movement to the air of the kitchen, as if an outside door had been left open somewhere else in the house. Jack started his inner mantra of 'This is not good, this is not good, this is not good' as he strained to hear any signs of life.

Jack gently placed the beers down onto the kitchen counter and pulled his Beretta out from beneath his belt as he began to assess the current space for threats. After clearing the kitchen, he cautiously made his way back towards the deck area.

Just as he was about to call Mac's name again, gently this time, his breath caught in his throat.

One of the panes of the large bay windows overlooking the city below had been broken inwards, leaving glass shards everywhere. A thousand horrible scenarios raced through Jack's mind as real fear started to burrow it's way down into his gut.

Suddenly a light turned on in the room and Jack swung around fully prepared to fire at any oncoming hostile.

"Hi Jack" was all Macgyver said with barely a flinch at the weapon trained directly at him.