Jack had the mother of all headaches. He rubbed his eyes which felt like they were doing a cartoon bounce out of his skull. He held up a hand.
"Ok, how the hell did Murdoc know Mac was here?"
"Mac went to a non-secure hospital." Riley said. Her voice was subdued. Jack glanced at her and saw the guilt they all felt. Mac had laid paralyzed on that mat and they had walked away then went to an unsecured hospital so they wouldn't know. When would Mac ever trust them with his pain?
"I'd be surprised if Murdoc didn't have spies and stuff everywhere." Bozer said. Jack nodded. He took in the room and picked up the box of paperclips. He'd always thought Mac's need to bend the things into tiny art was stupid. He knew it was the kid's way of keeping his restless brain and hands busy. Jack thought about his brother staring at the paper clips so close and yet unable to even pick up the box. Then to be trapped in total darkness. Jack carefully set down the box instead of throwing across the room. He gritted his teeth.
Jack knew part of his restless frustration was from the extra adrenaline he had coursing through his veins. He stood up and started to prowl the room back and forth.
"Has TAC found anything?" He asked Matty.
"No, everything is normal on all the other floors and in OR, the surgery is just starting now." Jack froze and looked at her strangely. "Jack, what are you thinking?"
"What has always been Murdoc's end game?"
"To kill Mac." Bozer said. Cage stepped forward tapping her chin.
"No, if he wanted Mac dead he could have done that already." She said.
"Exactly, Mac fascinated Murdoc. He wants to break Mac, what would be better than sabotaging the operation so Mac would be trapped in his body forever." Jack said. They paused a heart beat imagining the terrible things Murdoc could and would do to a helpless MacGyver.
"But if he doesn't want to kill him outright, why would he stop the only thing that could save him?"
"Because he's fucking nuts!" Jack yelled. He rubbed his face, "Sorry, Ri. I have to see Mac." Jack turned for the door.
"Jack, he's in surgery." Matty protested. Jack barely glanced at her as he pushed by her.
"Exactly, what better time to get to Mac." Riley, Cage, and Bozer followed on his heels as they ran from the room.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
"Left, Jack!" Riley yelled breathlessly. Jack sprinted to the left. He stopped beside a hall that announced it was Surgery. A busy waiting room bustled with murmurs around him. He peeped around the corner. He ducked back muttering a swear. No TAC soldiers. He turned to the others.
"Look TAC is gone. Riley, Bozer, You two clear this room and wing as much as you can." They nodded and turned walking to the check in desk. Jack looked at Cage. They both pulled out their pistols, "Ready?" Cage gave him a vulpine smiled.
"Absolutely." Jack nodded and spun around the corner. The hall was short then led to a circular area that opened into three anterooms, each leading to an operating room. Jack took the first one to the right, Cage the first one on the left.
Jack found the anteroom covered in blood. He swore. Through the window he could see into the OR. It was littered with black clad bleeding bodies. Shit. Jack dashed to check if any were still alive. None. He crept out of the room. Cage held the door open as a blood spattered group of doctors and nurses worked over a draped surgical patient as they ran out of the OR. Both watched over the group until they turned the corner to the lobby. Cage and Jack crossed to the last door and nodded at each other. The anteroom was dark lit only by the surgical room. Mac laid un moving on the gurney as the doctors and nurses gathered the needed equipment. Standing over him was Murdoc about to lower a gas mask.
"Son of a bitch!" Jack growled. He tried to open the door to the OR but it was locked. He glanced at Cage who nodded. Jack raised his pistol and shot out the window aiming above the level of the table. Jack was moving before the glass hit the floor. He backed up and jumped through the open area. He was dimly aware of screams and protests. He landed in a tight roll and came up.
"You can't…" Dr. Sanha yelled. Murdoc rose up behind her smiling his shark teeth. He raised a Beretta M943-a pistol with an inbuilt sound suppressor. Murdoc aimed it at the surgeon. Jack had to admit that was a pretty good tactical move-no way in hell he was going to let Murdoc do that.
Jack whirled on his back and swept the doctor's legs out from under her. Cage fired at Murdoc.
"Don't fire, the gas." Jack bellowed. Murdoc smiled and ran for the door. Jack rolled to his feet and chased him, "Help Mac!" He yelled over his shoulder. He climbed out the broken window and saw the scrub clad assassin enter the circular hall. Jack growled and jumped like a cheetah. He grabbed Murdoc around the abdomen and brought him down face first. Murdoc exploded into action before he hit the ground. He pivoting bringing Jack down with him side by side. Murdoc slammed an elbow back. Jack's head snapped back and he dropped his Beretta. Murdoc laughed. Son of a bitch. Murdoc crouched to jump away. Jack reached up and yanked Murdoc by the neck of his scrubs and pulled the man back over on his back. Murdoc sprawled his legs hanging over Jack. Murdoc raised a foot and kicked at Jack's head.
Jack reached up and snagged the foot with both hands he twisted with all his strength. Murdoc grunted in pain and rolled with the motion. Jack bounced to his feet and kicked the man in the kidneys twice. Murdoc half pivoted and raised his beretta. Jack kicked Murdoc's wrist and the gun went flying. Murdoc leaned back curving his back and kicked Jack across the face.
Jack shook his head and stepped back. Murdoc flipped to his feet and turned toward the lobby. Jack growled. He grabbed Murdoc's hair and pivoted using his weight to slam the assassin through the recently vacated surgical suite. Murdoc gasped as he sprawled on the bloody operating table. He pivoted and grinned.
"Aren't we having fun now?" He sneered.
"You took the words right out of my mouth." Jack yelled. Murdoc jumped onto the table and rolled to the other side. There was a bowl of bloody surgical instruments on a cloth covered table behind him. He pivoted and threw this at Jack. Jack nimbly stepped aside. Jack recovered quicker than Murdoc expected. Jack took three steps jumped onto the table and kicked Murdoc in the face. Murdoc slammed into the covered table. It collapsed with an echoing crash. Murdoc got tangled in the table's frame.
Jack grabbed the stainless steel top where it had flown and slammed it down. He aimed for Murdoc's head but he was in the wrong angle. The gleaming steel banged against the up turned table legs like a gong. Murdoc kicked Jack in the chin. Jack jumped back wincing at the blood in his mouth. Murdoc whirled onto his stomach and attempted to crawl free of the broken table.
Jack hopped forward and kicked the assassin in the ass. Murdoc fell face first with a loud whumph. Jack stomped on his back. Murdoc's body thrashed with the shock and a cry of pain escaped. Jack grinned reached down and grabbed the man by the back of his neck and the seat of his pants. Jack whirled and slammed Murdoc face first into a glass fronted cabinet of medical supplies. Jack leaned back moved his feet for better leverage then did it again, harder. Murdoc yelled. Jack yanked the man back and kicked him three times in the side. Murdoc curled forward. Jack slammed Murdoc headfirst into the bloody floor. Murdoc sprawled like a squished spider.
Jack rolled the man over, straddled him and banged his face side to side with a six punch right and left combo. Jack leaned back taking a deep breath. Murdoc looked up through swollen eyes. Jack saw a gleam of fear in the psychopath's eyes and grinned.
"Very well, Jack. You got me. I'm ready for the handcuffs." Jack leaned forward his brown eyes burning coals.
"See, Murdoc. That's your biggest mistake. Matty and Mac want you behind bars, I don't. I want you dead." The last was said with all the cold violence in Jack's heart. Murdoc's eyes widened. In his eyes Jack saw a flicker of fear. Jack grinned. Murdoc gritted his teeth and tried to buck free under Jack's weight. He grinned again.
"Well played, for an ignorant redneck." Jack bashed him with a flurry of punches. It didn't come from a place of blind red rage, but from a cold surgical precision. Jack knew how to hit with maximum hurt without killing Murdoc. He broke Murdoc's jaw, Zygomatic, nose, and both orbits holding Murdoc's eyes. Murdoc's eyes closed. Jack looked down huffing in air. He felt dizzy and his pains were beginning to flare into life.
"An ignorant redneck who just kicked your ass, you sick psycho son of a bitch."
