Chapter Three: Treed

Monday

"Strike three!" MacGyver called. "You're out, Cindy!" He glanced at the position of the sun overhead. "I'm heading in to fix us some lunch; you kids can stay out an' play until it's ready." Turning, he missed the look Cindy and Derrick shared.

"Pitch me, Cindy!" Dylan asked, picking up the bat she had dropped.

Cindy shook her head. "Not now, Dylan. C'mere, you two."

Soon the four had their heads together, whispering conspiratorially and giggling as they cast glances toward the house where MacGyver fixed lunch, completely unsuspecting of the plans being laid against him.

oOo

"Mr Mac!" Cassie cried, bursting into the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" he demanded, spinning around.

"Dylan's stuck in the tree! Come quick!" Grabbing his hand, she tugged him toward the door, and he followed her across the yard at a half run.

Cindy and Derrick stood at the bottom of a giant pine, staring up into its branches. Cindy turned as she heard MacGyver coming. "We told him not to climb up after that squirrel!" she declared.

Stopping beneath the tree, MacGyver squinted up through the thick branches. High overhead, Dylan's bright shirt was just barely visible. "Dylan!" he called, cupping his hands around his mouth. "C'mon down the same way ya went up!"

"I-I can't," Dylan's whimper floated thinly down. "I'm too scared, Mr Mac!"

"Aw, man," MacGyver groaned. "All right, stay where ya are and hold tight; I'm comin'!" Grabbing hold of the first limb and trying not to think of how high the boy was, he pulled himself into the tree.

MacGyver didn't try to keep sight of Dylan as he concentrated on climbing higher into the tree. When at last he looked up to see how close he was, there was no sign of the boy. "Dylan? I'm comin', buddy; where are ya?"

There was no response, and MacGyver grimaced as he risked a quick glance down. The boy couldn't have fallen, he reasoned; either he or his siblings below would have screamed. Presumably he was simply too scared to answer, and most likely a branch was hiding him from view.

MacGyver resumed climbing more cautiously now, wary of the branches that grew ever smaller as he neared the top. After only a few more feet he stopped again. "Look, ya gotta give me a sign here, Dylan."

A giggle came from just below him, and MacGyver looked down quickly, just in time to see Dylan scrambling down as nimbly as a squirrel. *

With a groan, MacGyver closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the tree, wondering if the little scamp had known he hated heights. It hadn't been so bad when he had Dylan to think of, but now for a moment a wave of dizziness washed over him as he considered just how high up he was.

But he wouldn't let himself give in for long. Lifting his head, he shook it to dispel the remnants of vertigo and slowly began the climb back down.

Trees were marginally better than rocks, he mused. There was more to catch hold of if you fell, and all the branches kept you from really seeing how far away the ground was. But that didn't mean he enjoyed climbing them any more, and it was with a sense of deep relief that he finally dropped to the ground.

Three of the kids stood in a row staring solemnly at him, and out of the corner of his eye MacGyver saw a fourth figure running off toward the shed. But he let Dylan go for the moment, focusing instead on the three here in front of him.

"Dylan was never stuck, was he?"

Cindy grinned. "Nah; he climbs that tree all the time."

"Mummy says he's gonna break his neck," Cassie added solemnly.

"So…ya knew he wasn't stuck when ya came runnin' to get me?" MacGyver asked the little girl.

Cassie nodded, her eyes wide, and Cindy pulled her back against herself. "We told Cassie to do it; it wasn't her idea," she defended.

MacGyver raised an eyebrow, impressed in spite of himself at Cindy's loyalty and protection of her little sister.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, lunch is just about ready. I'm gonna go talk to Dylan; you three wash up and wait inside."

Recognizing for once the voice of authority, the kids turned and ran toward the house as MacGyver headed for the shed.

Next chapter coming next week!

* Illustration for this scene can be found at www . deviantart . com [slash] femalechauvinist [slash] art [slash] Wild-Squirrel-Chase-877081294

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