Chapter 21

Sam drove a Jeep borrowed from Santini Air and brought Jack Dalton with her to Las Vegas leaving Dom and Catlin to standby with the chopper. It wasn't that she wanted to bring Dalton with her; she simply didn't trust him to be left alone with Airwolf. Thus, she packed him along with her bags and headed towards Las Vegas to talk some sense into MacGyver. As the made their way towards Las Vegas they made a stop in a gas station. It was the same gas station her counterparts stopped by earlier in their trip. She pulled up to the pump and shut off the Jeep.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom and you pump the gas, Jack." She ordered and climbed out of the Jeep.

Dalton climbed out and went to the pump; he called out as she went towards the station, "Blondie!"

Annoyed she turned and asked, "What Jack?"

"Get me a six pack and a pack of cigars when you are in there," he stated.

Sam cocked her head to the side and gasped, "You're supposed to be driving the next leg of the trip."

He shrugged, "So."

"You can't drink and drive," she huffed.

He looked about, "I don't see any cops."

She rolled her eyes, "Just fill up the tank," she walked into the bathroom reeling from the request. When she emerged from the bathroom she turned the corner and walked right into a man coming around the corner. She was suddenly knocked to the ground.

He stated, "Oh gosh, I'm sorry." He knelt down to help her up.

She looked up and her eyes settled on the most perfect face she had ever seen. He was gorgeous and had blue eyes with thick curly dark hair. He wore a black leather jacket and was busy helping her to her feet.

"I'm okay," she blushed.

"Here, let me help you," he offered her a hand.

Embarrassed she thanked him, "Thank you. I'm Sam," she informed upon getting her footing."

"Name's Michael," he smiled with most perfect white teeth.

"What a lovely name," she stated please to make his acquaintance. "I'm Sam." she repeated.

"It's nice to meet you," he assured. "I'm real sorry…I didn't see you coming…" then suddenly a black Trans Am with a red light in the nose of the hood pulled up beside them. The door swung open and Sam got a good look of the inside of the car.

The car spoke, "Michael…We must go now. I have located…"

Sam pointed towards the car and stated the obvious, "That car is talking and driving itself."

Michael looked for an excuse, "Um…It's just a radio. It's a new car with a loud radio." He went for the car and took one last look at Sam, "Maybe I will see you again, Sam?" He smiled at her.

Sam insisted, "That car just talked to you."

"It's a new radio," he slunk in behind the wheel, closed the door and was gone in a flash.

Sam stood shaking her head most confused, "A talking, self-driving Trans AM? What the hell? No one is ever going to believe this." She walked back to the Jeep and found Dalton had finished pumping the gas. She asked, "Did you see that black Trans AM?"

Jack Dalton shook his head "No…Why?"

"Never mind," she climbed into the passenger's seat and sat down.

Dalton looked over and asked, "Where are my beer and cigars?"

Sam rolled her eyes and complained, "For crying out loud, Jack! You are not going drink and drive."

He gasped, "Can you at least get my cigars?"

"Fine," she huffed and got back out of the Jeep to go inside and buy his pack of cigars.

"Wonder what's her problem?" huffed Dalton.

Las Vegas

Marella spent the evening in Daniel motel room. The pair was up all night talking and talking and talking. They found much in common and Daniel discovered Marella's job was anything but being a secretary. Intelligence operated on many fronts and Daniel of all people should have understood just how many fronts the CIA can operate on. It was an eye-opening conversation for the linguist who found Marella was equally intelligent and as competent as Sam and Janet. His biggest regret was she would never work for the SGC for he could see her working there. Marella's fear was Daniel would go back home and she would never see him again. Spy work was dangerous and her life was in constant danger whenever she ventured out on assignment.

Teal'c spent the night in MacGyver's room. It was much like being with his old friend Jack once more as they watched TV. Teal'c discovered the televisions did not have a remote control and only three channels would come across the broadcast. He also discovered a show he had never heard of before called the Dukes of Hazzard. He was most impressed with the car and the stunts. He also fancied Daisy Duke but so did many other fans.

Hawke woke up with Janet snuggled up in his arms. Once again his fears got the best of him and he quickly got up and dressed. He was beginning to push Janet away, an old habit he could never seem to break. Janet was growing concerned for Hawke was starting to distance himself from her and she didn't like that at all especially now she was starting to see the real man under the macho façade.

She sat up in bed and watched as he quickly got dressed. She asked, "Going so soon?"

"Have a lot to do today," he informed.

"Yes, sitting in a nightclub watching pole dancers while tailing an assassin who is noted for ridiculous disguises is a lot of work," she huffed.

"What? He asked. "You want me to stay here all day? I got work to do."

"Would it hurt you to spend a little time here since I let sleep in my bed last night?" she asked.

"I've got work to do," was all he would say as he buttoned up his shirt. The shirt smelled like smoke from the club and he really needed a shower as well.

Janet crawled out of bed and confronted him, "You're pushing me away aren't you?"

"I'm not pushing you away," he lied. "I've got work to do."

Janet cocked her head to the side, "You're afraid that something bad will happen to me. Aren't you?"

"I don't have time for this, Frasier," he snorted.

She crossed her arms, "Oh, so now we are on last name bases. You know, even in the future you call me by my first name."

"I have work to do," he insisted.

Janet got in his way preventing him from reaching the door. She stood her ground and wanted answers as to this irrational fear he was displaying.

"You are practically running out that door," she informed.

"Will you get out of the way?" he asked her.

She shook her head, "No."

"Frasier," he became stern, "move."

She informed, "I'm the Chief Medical officer in the SGC. I pull rank over you. So, you cannot order me around."

"I'm not in the SGC," he countered.

"You will be," she huffed.

Hawke huffed, "You know…You really are a Napoleon power monger."

"I can be," she agreed.

Hawke tried a different method, "Okay…Will you please move so I can get back to work?" he asked.

Janet shook her head, "You're gonna have to make me move because we're not done talking yet."

"Fine," he stated and then physically picked Janet up across his back and placed her on the bed.

Janet grabbed his collar holding him on the bed and snorted, "We are not done talking yet."

"Let go," he tried to pull away.

"You are exhibiting some serious issues and we need to talk," insisted Janet who certainly didn't like the way she was being treated.

"Fine," he huffed. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Why are you pushing me away?" she demanded.

"I'm not…" he started.

She retorted still holding his collar, "Yes you are."

He looked into her hazel eyes and confessed, "I don't want anything to happen to you. Gabrielle died and she promised she would come back. She didn't come back."

Janet insisted, "I'm not Gabrielle. I'm Janet Frasier and we are not going to see each other for a long time. I don't want to go back home with you pushing me away like this."

"I don't mean to push you away," he confessed. "Just promise me you won't die."

"I can't make that promise," she replied. Her eyes softened, "No one can make that promise. But I'm here now. I know this is going to sound ironic coming from me but we cannot worry about what the future holds."

Hawke gave a look and then agreed, "You're right. That is ironic coming from you." He started to chuckle at the irony.

Janet smirked, "I said it was ironic…Not that it was funny."

"It's hilarious," he told her still chuckling.

Janet released her grip on his collar and placed her hands on his shoulders, "Look at that," she mentioned, "Who would have thought Stringfellow Hawke has a sense of humor."

"That's a secret," he teased. "You can't tell anyone."

The next thing Janet knew she was kissing Hawke. She started to run her fingers through his hair as the kiss continued. She closed her eyes and simply didn't want it to end.

Then the door swung open as Marella returned to the room. She had interrupted them but with Hawke being on top of Janet and her in a nightgown on the messy bed they appeared to have spent the night making love when in fact they had not.

"Am I interrupting something?" asked Marella most surprised for she assumed Janet had spent the night alone.

Hawke looked over from the bed and held up a finger, "This isn't what it looks like."

Janet rolled her eyes, "Oh, just get off me."

Hawke looked back down at her and stated, "You are the strangest woman I have ever met."

"I'll take that as a compliment," replied Janet.

Hawke crawled off the bed and helped Janet to her feet. He needed to go but now he didn't want too. He hung about for a moment.

Janet mentioned, "Don't you have work to do?"

"Yeah," he nodded with his eyes lingering on her.

"We can pick this up later," she whispered to him.

Hawke agreed, "We're not done talking about this yet." He then walked out the door slowly closing it behind him.

Marella grinned, "Wow, you broke through to him."

Janet asked, "Is he really cursed?"

"Some say he is," she admitted. "His parents died in a boating accident and then his brother went missing in Vietnam. Everyone he ever gets close to dies or vanishes."

Janet informed, "He's convinced that if he gets close to me that I will die."

"That's a possibility," warned Marella. "He has the worst luck."

Janet rebutted, "I don't believe in luck or curses. I believe a curse only becomes real when you think it is."

Marella agreed, "I would have to agree with you."

Janet wondered, "So, how did it go with Daniel?"

"It was nice…We talked just about all night," she reported.

Janet asked, "That's it…You just talked?"

Marella took a seat on the bed, "Yes…We just talked."

"That's strange," stated Janet.

"Why is that strange?" she asked amused.

Janet informed, "Because you are the spitting image of his late wife."

"I am?" she asked surprised.

"You are," nodded Janet. "You look just like her…Expect the hair."

"My hair?" she asked unsure.

Janet informed, "Marella…You will be so happy when perms go out of style."

Meanwhile

Sam arrived in town with Jack Dalton in tow. Dalton was happy to be in Vegas where he could help his friend capture the famed assassin. She found the motel and MacGyver's room. She went to the room and knocked on the door with Dalton still in tow.

Mac opened the door and spotted Sam and Dalton, he grinned, "I see you both made it." he opened the door for them to enter.

"Hey Mac," grinned Dalton as he walked into the room.

MacGyver now dressed in jeans and a red button down shirt closed the door behind them. Inside the room Sam found the team had gathered for a briefing.

Daniel asked, "You are done with training Sam?"

"For now," she gave a nod and looked over the curious faces. "I heard you located Murdoc."

Daniel reported, "We did. He likes to hang out in this local gentleman's club. Teal'c got a job as a bouncer there. Janet and Marella got jobs there to help us tail him and get more information."

Sam asked, "Why haven't you just shot him yet?"

Daniel sighed, "Because we decided to try to capture him instead. He's already a wanted man and will spend the rest of his life in prison."

Sam countered, "That wasn't the mission, Daniel. Even from behind bars he could direct another assassin to kill the colonels. We don't have time to complete the whole mission and Trust will remain."

Daniel held up a hand, "Sam, Murdoc is not the master assassin we were expecting."

Sam cocked her head to the side and asked, "What do you mean?"