Chapter 12: Land of confusion

MacGyver and Murdoc had crashed down in a world consisting entirely of whiteness, now wrestling each other; both rolling around trying to get the upper hand.

Managing to finally stop their momentum, MacGyver ended up on top. But before he could get the complete upper hand, Murdoc managed to aim a forceful knee to the stomach, sending MacGyver spinning through the air, crashing back first onto the white hard substratum. Gasping for air, he remained lying grasping his aching abdomen. Murdoc pushed himself up onto his knees and stood.

"Sorry, MacGyver, but this is only business. Can't leave the land of the living without taking my number one target with me. It would ruin my otherwise spotless reputation as an assassin. There is nowhere out of here. I've heard about this place and no one can get back once they've walked into the light."

MacGyver didn't stand. He remained down: in defeat. What was the point of struggling? He would never see his son again, never go out on adventures together or be able to embrace him. He had failed.

Back at the hospital, the doctors worked feverishly. A moment ago the middle-age man in room 304 had been on the way of recovery, when he suddenly collapsed.

The defibrillator went warm, but there was absolutely no response to the resuscitation attempts. The Doctor recharged over and over again, but no matter how many times the defibrillator hit the body with its electric current, it made no difference. There simply was no sinus rhythm. After multiple attempts, the female Doctor looked sadly over at Sam and Pete.

"Still no response. I'm calling it. Time of death, 01:59."

Pete stood quiet in shock. Next to him, Sam's knees buckled beneath him as he shocked took in the scene in front of him. This had to be a nightmare. It couldn't be happening; this couldn't be real! His father couldn't be dead! Without realising it, his legs had managed to find power enough to drag him over to the bed, where the pale body resided. Sam started screaming for his dad.

"NO! DAD! YOU CAN'T BE DEAD! YOU JUST CAN'T! DAD, YOU CAN'T LEAVE! DO YOU HEAR ME? YOU MUST COME BACK! PLEASE, COME BACK! DAD! YOU MUST FIGHT THIS! FIGHT!"

Those words echoed not only through the eerily empty hospital, but also into the other realm. MacGyver's head snapped up at the sound of his son's voice.

Fight. It was almost something magical about that word today, because it triggered the voice of MacGyver's grandfather who had said the exact same word earlier. Harry's voice followed suite after Sam's.

I've lived a long life, Bud... During all my years, I've learned one thing. There is always a way! As long as you don't give up! If you care about something, you fight for it! Look me in the eyes, Bud, and tell me you're gonna leave Sam alone after all this!

No! He wasn't going to leave his only son alone! Sam needed him, and MacGyver needed Sam. Forcing himself onto his knees and elbows, he stated the facts in his mind. Giving up is not an option. He had to give his all, for Sam.

MacGyver stood on shaking legs, finding a shocked Murdoc staring at him. Apparently he thought he had completely broken his nemesis this time.

How wrong he was.

"I. WON'T. LET. YOU. HARM. SAM."

He once again charged at Murdoc. The second snapped out of the shock at the last second to fend of what he thought was a right hook from MacGyver. The latter had anticipated this, and instead grabbed hold of the man, flinging him away with all his might. Murdoc flew away; crashing hard on something solid among all the whiteness and fell into a heap on the ground.

This gave MacGyver some time. He looked around the white place, searching for something. But the space was empty. No rolls of duct tapes or paperclips. But that wasn't entirely true, as Mac suddenly remembered something. Placing one hand in his pocket, he pulled out a single tiny paperclip. Murdoc who had gathered himself mockingly took in the little thing.

"What are you supposed to do with that?" He challenged cockily. "Stab me to death? There's nothing you can do here with something as useless as a paperclip."

"You still haven't learned, Murdoc, that it's the smallest of things which can make the biggest difference."

With that said, MacGyver bent out the paperclip and turned around. He raised his hand and felt after something. Suddenly, he took the paperclip and placed it in front of himself; twisting it in mid air.

Horror filled Murdoc's eyes as he watched a door materialize out of nowhere right next to MacGyver. A sign on it read '304'. As MacGyver grabbed the doorknob and allowed the door to slowly swing open, they both once again saw the inside of the hospital room. MacGyver looked over his shoulder with an unreadable look in his eyes.

"Goodbye Murdoc." He said before taking a quick step through the door. Just before he shut the door to the world of whiteness, he could hear Murdoc calling out his name.

"MACGYYYYYVEEEEEEEER!"


A/N: Chapter Song: Land of Confusion – Genesis.