The cold slap of stone against his head startled Jack awake. He moaned and rolled into a ball. His gut felt full. Not good. He squinted up and closed his eyes. Of course, it was the wicked mother from hell. She stood with her hands on her hips and screeched at the two men who had dragged Jack into a control room.

Jack bit his lip to stay silent as he took in the room. He grinned. Mac laid on a tilted bench. Jack's grin vanished when he took in the bruises and the tilt of his left shoulder- dislocated. His collar bone was broken. The kid was a ghastly sallow and his belly retracted every time he took a breath. Jack's anger washed away his pain.

"...I told you to take care of him! Why is he here?" Jack laid his head on the stone and took several breaths trying to build energy. He smiled. The boot less than a foot from his face had a shin sheath holding a beautiful black K-Bar 11" straight edge. He moved with thought.

Fast as a rattler he snapped it out of its sheath and slashed the closest knee. The soldier to his right dropped to the knee screaming. Jack sat up and flipped the knife in his hand giving the notch over his windpipe a straight jab. Jack hissed in pain as the other soldier grabbed him by the shoulders of his sweater. Both sleeves fell off at the shoulders. Jack fell to his knees. Jack grunted and stabbed straight out. Jack turned aside as blood sprayed from the goon's femoral aorta.

Jack flailed as he was grabbed from behind. He reached back tangled his fist in Hanna's long black hair and heaved. Jack cried out as he bent over to toss the woman over his shoulder. Hanna yelped and hit the ground face first. She rolled over and grinned. Blood ran down her forehead and from her nose. She held up a remote control.

Jack whirled as he heard the grinding of motors. His eyes widened as he saw Mac's arms and legs pulled farther apart. Mac cried out his bright blue eyes shaded with pain. He managed a grimace, the closest he could get to a smile, when he saw Jack.

"Mac!" Jack wheezed as he crawled toward his partner.

"Jack...be...hind…" Mac gasped as loudly as he could. Jack rolled onto his back in time to see Hanna coming toward him insane fury in her eyes. Jack waited until she stood over him then threw the K-Bar with all his might. It slipped in his blood covered fist and flew higher than he intended.

Hanna's eyes widened as the knife slammed into her chin. The top of the blade stuck out the ruin of her nose. She gurgled then fell to the floor twitching. Jack stared at her a long time. Mac's half swallowed scream jolted Jack out of his stupor. He held his abdomen with his bloody right hand as he scrambled for the remote. He pulled himself up to Mac's side. The buttons blurred before his eyes. He pressed a button the motors whined louder. Mac screamed.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry…" Jack pushed another button and the manacles fell open. Mac laid back with a moan. Jack grinned and reached out brushing his fingers on Mac's necks. Jack slumped in relief at the fluttering he felt there. Mac groaned and slowly turned to face Jack. He smiled.

"G...glad...you...finally got...here." Mac gasped. Jack hunched forward. Mac blinked taking in his partner's pallor. Mac howled in pain as he forced his right arm to his side. He reached over and grabbed his left arm lowering it. Mac closed his eyes sucking in air as everything faded for a second. Sweat beaded, chilling his body.

"Mac?" Jack whispered. Everything was swirling. Mac shook his head and raised himself on his right elbow. Jack grunted as he helped Mac sit up. They both sat staring at each other for a long minute.

"You 'k?" Mac asked. His voice was husky. Jack grimaced, but didn't answer. Mac looked behind Jack, "Where's Hanika?" Jack closed his eyes, bracing himself. Mac took in the older man's grim expression. Mac reached out and grabbed Jack's forearm.

"Jack, where's Hanika?"

"Mac, listen we don't have much time." Jack closed his eyes forcing himself to remember what Hannika had told him to tell Mac." She said you need to turn the scoop's scuttle to 90 degrees and that she has the antenna at plumb." Jack opened his eyes pleased he'd gotten it right. He frowned, Mac was scooting toward the edge of the table holding his left arm in his right.

"Where is she? We have to get to her!" Jack leaned over and blocked Mac's way with a hand across the younger man's chest. Mac's eyes were wild with pain and worry.

"MAC! You have to do what I just said! Or everyone is dead, not just us EVERYONE!" Mac stared at Jack for a long minute.

"Where is she, Jack?" His voice was soft. Jack leaned onto his elbows, "Jack?" Jack looked up, his eyes meeting Mac's. Mac shifted his head and closed his eyes. Jack felt his breath hitch at the pain on the kid's face.

"I'm sorry, kiddo." He whispered. Everything swirled around him.

"JACK!" Mac cried as Jack folded and collapsed to the floor. Mac slid off the plank and sank to his knees. HIs heart pounded. Hannika was gone, like Zoe...Mac shook his head and swallowed the agony. He hissed in pain as he gently rolled Jack onto his back. The older man's skin was cool and pale. Mac's hand shook as he felt for a pulse. He let out a long relieved breath. One handed Mac checked over his partner.

Mac frowned, he couldn't find a wound...he froze when he lifted Jack's shirt. Mac didn't think he'd ever seen a worse bruise. Jack's abdomen was hot to the touch, swollen and hard. Internal wounds. At least two broken ribs. Mac paused shutting his eyes against the dark sparks crossing his vision. He reached over and dug his fingers into his swollen shoulder. Mac fell forward screaming. Everything went white. Mac sucked in air and shook his head. His body shook, but he could feel adrenaline pumping throughout his body.

Mac took in the room. He thought of what Hanika wanted and turned to the control panel. Mac staggered to the bloody K-Bar. He studied the bullet holes and torn wires. He fell to his knees. The control panel was too damaged, but if he could get behind it… Mac smiled. He crept over to Hanna's rack and bent holding onto the wooden table. He looked up. Jack was under the center of the Bromine donut. He'd be safe there. Mac lifted the remote and hit a button. The cable unspun from the hitch.

Mac pulled himself to his feet, pausing as everything swirled around him. Sweat ran down his face like tears. He grabbed the closest manacle and dragged it over to the control panel. He fell to his knees and clipped it onto the overhang with the buttons. He fell back on his ass and pushed his butt until he was out of the way. He raised the remote.

The winch squealed and the cable twanged as it pulled taut. Mac wiped his face with his right forearm. The wall screamed and the control panel skittered away from the wall. Mac coughed at the dust and fiberglass blown into the air. He stopped the winch and crawled behind the console. He bit his lip and squinted at the plethora of wires and cables in front of him. He didn't know which colors led to which system, but if he had fretted about that he would never have been an EOD.

Mac's chest burned like it was full of fire ants. Mac coughed and ignored it. Finally he twisted two copper wires together. He winced and shook his hand as electricity arced across the connection. He could feel the floor below him shake as the giant motors at the bottom of the castle roared into life. Mac sank back against the dirty metal.

"H...m...e?" Mac's head snapped up. He followed the sound to a small speaker at the top of the console. He smiled and followed the wires. He cross wired it to another system and wiggled it until he could hear the voice.
"I don't know if you can read me, Mac? Jack? Are you there?" Mac's heart plummeted. Hanika. He glared in the general direction of Jack. Jack hadn't lied to him, but he might as well have. Mac scrambled through the broken switches and wires.

"No, no, no...hold on, I'm coming…" Mac grumbled.

"I'm sorry, Mac. I don't know if you're there. The sky is beautiful, every bit as beautiful as that time in Santa Monica...I loved the pier…"

"No, dammit!" Mac fell against the sharp edge of the console. His chest spurted blood as the sharp metal cut into his skin. He didn't notice.

"Mac, I'm sorry, so sorry. Don't be mad at Jack, I made him promise to not come get me and to keep you from coming to me. I'm sorry." Mac could hear her voice hitch with tears.

"Hanika!" Mac growled pounding his fist against a panel of broken lights. Sparks flew. He bit his lip thinking. She had to be in the observatory. He knew what she'd done and knew she would die. Mac scanned the cat's cradle of wires and flickering lights. There had to be a way. Mac's eyes alighted on the dead soldiers. He pulled himself along the instrument panel.

"Mac, I'm...it won't be long now. I can see the flare of the sluice. Stay under the Bromine dome, you hear me! I...I need to know you're ok. I have to believe you are going to live. To remember me…" Hanika broke off. Mac couldn't tell if she was crying or choking. He fell to his knees and yelled in rage as he crawled to the closest soldier. He patted down the guy's pockets. He found a lighter and pack of cigarettes. He tossed them aside.

Crawling through the lake of blood between the two men, Mac yelled in success as he pulled a cell phone from the man's pocket. Mac tried to rise to his feet, but slipped and fell to the stone. Mac screamed as he landed on his bad shoulder. He laid on his side panting.

"M...M...M…." Hanika's voice vibrated like she was standing in front of a fan. Mac slid himself forward.

"Hold on, I'm coming…" He grunted. He cursed his brain as it concisely ran down what was happening to her body. The EMP was redirected full force along the antenna. The size of the blast would overload all the electricity in her body frying her nerve system then all of her cells would lose their coherence, "No, Not again, dammit!" Mac reached the corner of the console. He braced himself and stood up leaning on the metal as he staggered around to the wires. If he could…

"MAAAC! AHHHH!" There was a loud snap and everything blew in the console. Mac was thrown to the floor. He broke into a painful gag raising on his good arm. Thick plastic smoke billowed in the air. Mac ignored it pulling himself toward the useless control panel. There had to be a way…

"Hanika…" Mac grumbled. Suddenly hands grabbed him around his chest. He pulled against the grip. He had to get to the wires, there was still a possibility if he…

"Mac, quit it." Jack grunted. Mac squirmed against his partner's hold.

"Jack, let me go...I have to…"

"Mac, it's too late!"

"NO, I have to…" Mac managed to break from Jack's grip. Jack cried out and fell back. Blackness wobbled his vision. He coughed and looked up. The fire was moving from the rubber wiring to the plastic lights. Mac was oblivious. Jack gritted his teeth and grabbed Mac. Unfortunately the only limb in range was his bad arm.
"Sorry, kiddo, sorry…" He hissed and he tugged back. Mac flopped back and screamed in pain. Jack could feel tears wetting his face. He closed his eyes when he felt the bones of Mac's shoulder grate together. When he was close enough, Jack lifted Mac and pulled him close to his chest. Jack pushed them both back until they were in the center of the round room. Jack fell backwards trying to breathe through the agony wracking his torso. He felt Mac pull away from his grip.

"Mac, don't…" Jack managed. He reached out for his partner. He couldn't feel the kid or see him, "MAC?" Jack had a note of panic in his voice.

"I'm here, Jack." Mac's voice was soft, flat, dead. Jack felt his heart shatter for his partner.

"I'm sor…"

"Shut up, Jack." Mac grumbled. Jack ran his hand over his face.

"I promised, Mac. I had to leave her…"

"SHUT UP!" Mac roared. His voice reverberated off the glass. Jack closed his eyes giving up and letting his tears fall.

"I'm so sorry." He murmured. Mac didn't answer him. Jack could feel the rage flood from his partner. Mac would forgive him, he just needed time. Jack told himself. Still, he couldn't close the open wound in his heart, "I'm so sorry." He repeated in a whisper.