Chapter Four Promises are Made
Matty did not bother knocking before she entered Oversight's office as she didn't want to give him any chance to prepare for her questioning. If she had the element of surprise at hand then maybe it would make her confrontation more effective. James was looking over some files. He shut them suddenly when he heard the door open and saw who it was, which implied that Matty did not have the clearance to know its contents. That was a puzzle to be solved another time.
"I know what you did." Matty barked not allowing James to say a word about her unannounced entrance. She was being deliberately vague. It was an interrogation technique she learnt a long time ago in the CIA. It was, therefore, not unexpected when it didn't work on James. The man had been CIA too and had even taught Matty a few of the techniques she practised so well.
"Are you going to expand on that? What exactly is it I have supposedly done?" He matched the tone his director was speaking to him in. His emotionless stare eyed her dead on. Matty's glare was just as unwavering.
"I know you hit Mac." She accused.
James' expression did not falter even for a second. He was too well trained to give up any more information than what was already put forward. He knew Matty could read people like a book. They all could. When you were a spy it was a necessary skill. It was also a necessary skill to build a shield to protect yourself from such an attack.
"If that's all, I have a clandestine organisation to run. And I believe Agents Dolton and MacGyver will be arriving from Colombia soon, so you'll be busy debriefing. Which by I only agreed to let happen because you persuaded me that it was needed." He dismissed calmly. He had not been happy to let Angus back in the field so soon when he was still be punished for his last transgression. Matty however insisted that his skill set was required and that his son was a good agent. She had also tried to argue that he hadn't made any mistakes in the last mission, but he hadn't listened.
"No. That is not damn well everything. I will not stand by and let you hurt him." Matty snapped.
"Theoretically, if I did hit Angus, and I didn't, it wouldn't be any of your business. Nor would it be in your interests to intervene." James declared.
"Like hell, it isn't! Mac is my agent and-" Matty began contesting but was quickly interrupted by her boss.
"You are mine. Which makes him my agent too. That means his discipline is my prerogative, particularly as he is also my son. So, if I did hit him, which I didn't, then it would be perfectly justified." James finished.
Really, this was all a big fuss over nothing. So, what if he had slapped his son? Angus deserved it for daring to disobey him. Once Matty saw how disrespectful and undisciplined his son was, she would stop complaining. For now, though he would have to deny it.
"He is not a child." Matty pointed out, not that she would agree with such treatment if he was. It was quite the opposite actually.
"No, he is not. So, he doesn't need you to question his boss or his father's methods. Not that I did hit him of course."
"Let's stop the games, James. We both know you hit him."
"But you can't prove it."
"We both also know I don't need proof. I know about your treason."
"And I know of yours. Be careful Matty."
"Is that a threat?" She asked daringly.
"It's a promise to deal with issues that annoy me," James answered calmly though his tone held a degree of threat and warning in it.
"Then I guess I promise you the same thing." She retorted just as calmly.
"Frankly I would be disappointed if you didn't."
Matty narrowed her eyes at her boss. She wasn't one to be intimidated and wasn't about to start now. She certainly wasn't going to give in to the whims of James MacGyver. But her team would be landing soon, and it would look suspicious if she wasn't there when they did so.
There wasn't much she could do right now. She had as much dirt on him and he had on her. Without proof, even she couldn't go after the head of Phoenix. He could just as easily turn this around and pin it on her. Then she'd be whisked away, and Mac would be left open. She did not doubt that James would take it out on him. So as much as she wanted to throw James down a hole so he would never see any daylight again, she couldn't. She had to be smart about this and that meant patience. Jack then could not find out. Not yet.
Somewhere over the Mexican Gulf…
Exact location Unknown – We're going at 610 MPH
"So now we're safely out of danger to do you wanna tell me about your sparing session?" Jack coaxed.
"What's there to talk about? I just wanted to practice some landing techniques and some self-defence so that I wouldn't be caught unawares the next time a combatant hides in an alcove."
Jack studied his friend's face and believed his word. He just didn't understand why he had decided to spar with his father of all people. If Mac wanted a training session he would have volunteered. He would have preferred it. At least that way he knew Mac wouldn't come to any real harm.
"Why didn't you ask if you wanted to spar with me?"
"Because I know your moves. My father's skills are unknown just like the combatants I will be fighting in the field."
It was a reasonable explanation. If you spent too long sparing with a single partner, then you started to get used to their moves. That often made you sloppy and made you rely on the familiarity of your opponent. That familiarity is not something you should account for and fighting other enemies. However, seasoned operative like MacGyver already knew this and how to account for it.
"Well, I hope that you managed to land a few hits of your own."
"Of course." Mac lied effectively. If they had been sparing he would have landed a few punches of his own. But when his father was disciplining him, fighting back would only serve to anger him.
"Next time you wanna spar with an unknown partner let me know. We have lots of agents at the foundation. I'm sure plenty of them would only be too happy to battle with you."
"I'll try to take that as a compliment."
"You should. They pretty much all look at you in awe."
Mac doubted that was true. People just didn't do that. He wasn't like Jack or Matty. He wasn't a legend amongst the recruits. He wasn't like Bozer or Riley either. The lab techs didn't think he was a genius. He was just average. He wasn't special.
Phoenix War Room…
Debrief time…
"I've heard from Agent Philips. He's going well and thanks to Mac for his first aid skills. He wanted me to tell you that that Passionflower worked better than anything else he's had."
"Of course, it worked Matty! He's Mac." Jack defended.
"Today you saved not only the life of a CIA agent but the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. You also made the head of the CIA owe us a favour. Brilliant work everyone."
"Having the CIA owe us a favour is something I could get behind." Riley commented.
Owing each other favours was how everyone got business done when you were in the business of espionage. It quite literally saved lives sometimes. The head of the CIA would be a great asset now he owed them. And judging by the way he asked them to save his agents, it was a personal favour. That kind of favour was the most powerful.
"I'll let you get home. Get some rest everyone and good work today." Matty dismissed. Her gaze lingered on Mac a little longer than the other two. Just as the group went to leave she spoke again. She wasn't sure if she should speak to him just yet but at the last minute she made up her mind.
"Just a minute Mac. I won't keep you long."
Mac waved off Jack and Riley and after silently deliberating for a few seconds they left. Matty gave them a reassuring glance to show them they wasn't anything to worry about. She needed to speak to Mac alone and they gave them the room but Matty was certain that Jack would be waiting outside.
"I'm sorry." Mac apologised once they were alone.
Matty, who dreaded the feeling of déjà vu raising inside her, sighed.
"What are you apologising for?" She wondered.
"I'm sorry but I don't know ma'am. Whatever it is I've done to make you angry."
Was it really that obvious? Matty thought she had masked her emotions quite well so either she wasn't as good as that as she thought, or Mac was better at reading people than she'd realised. It was likely the latter. She never ceased to be amazed by him.
"It's Matty and I'm not angry. Well, I am, but not at you."
"Then who are you angry at?"
"Your father. I know that he hit you." Matty answered.
Mac let out a bated breath. There was little point in denying it. Once Matty was sure about something it was hard to get her to change her mind. Even more so when she was right. Try and he might he could never successfully lie to Matty. It was just like he could never lie to his father He tried not to see the significance in that.
"I deserved it. I know better than to be insolent." Mac insisted sadly.
"You didn't deserve that Mac. He had no right to hit you and you were not insolent."
"We'll have to agree to disagree on that one Matty. Just don't tell Jack. He wouldn't understand. Can I go?"
Matty nodded. She wasn't going to tell Jack just yet; he would be too much of a loose cannon and would do more harm than good. When it came to protecting his kids, there was no reasoning with him. He would put a bullet in James' brain if it meant Mac was safe. The only problem would be the blowout. Jack had a tendency not to think these things through. When it came to family hindsight wasn't his skill set.
Oversight's house
Yes. He actually has one.
Mac knocked on his father's door. He didn't know why he had been asked to report here rather than his father's office, but it didn't bode well for him. He didn't have to wait long before the door opened.
"Good. I'm glad you are here on time that is one last thing we have to talk about."
Yeah, whatever his father called him here it wasn't good. He didn't like the sound of that. He had a feeling wasn't going to enjoy this meeting.
James stepped aside and allowed his son to enter. Mac charged in, eager not to anger his father or give him any reason to lash out. As he scooted past his father he kept himself at an arm's length knowing from past experience that it wasn't going to lead to anything good.
"Go at wait for me in my office, I'll be there shortly."
Any chances of it being a pleasant conversation were quickly dashed. When he was a kid his office was where he was sent when he'd royally screwed up. Did his father want to 'discuss' him going to Colombia? He had been told that he was to stay at the foundation, but he'd forgotten all about that until he was in the rainforest. Besides, when Matty told them he needed to go he assumed he was allowed. He obeyed his father, but the impending sense of doom was growing.
"Do you know why you are here?" His father's voice made him turn around.
"No sir." He answered honestly.
"First of all, you went to Colombia without my permission."
"I'm sorry sir." Mac apologised "When Director Webber gave me the assignment I assumed I had permission."
"No matter. I've decided that while you should have informed the Director that you were grounded to the foundation, I'm not going to punish you for going. I am also prepared to let you back into the field."
"Thank you, sir."
"I'm not done Angus," James stated. For the first time, Mac noticed that he had a black box in his hand. He opened it and turned it to face his son. Inside was a Glock 23 complete with a silencer and holster.
"What's that?"
"Really Angus are you that stupid that you can't tell a gun when you see one?"
Mac bristled at the insult. That had been a stupid thing to ask. The real question was: why? Why was his father showing him a gun?
"Sorry, sir. I mean why are you showing it to me?"
"I would have thought that was obvious, even to you Angus. I want you to start carrying it. Too long you have been allowed to walk around unarmed. You are a government agent, not a college professor."
"So, I have to carry this if I want to be in the field?"
"You'll carry it regardless. Whether or not you are allowed in the field is up to you."
"No." Mac shook his head determinedly.
"This isn't up for discussion Angus."
"You're right, it's not." Mac agreed "Because it's not going to happen."
He turned to leave. Part of his brain yelled at him for leaving without a dismissal, but his moral part of his brain made him ignore it. He did not carry guns. Their only purpose was to kill or maim, and Mac didn't do that. Besides he didn't need a gun to subdue someone. Before he could blink he was being shoved onto the desk. He tried to get up, but his father was quicker. Mac paled he felt his shirt being raised and heard the tell-tale sound of a belt snapping together.
"I gave you a chance. I warned you what would happen if you continued to disregard my rules."
Crack! Mac heard the belt fly through the air before he felt the burning sting against his back. Crack! Crack! Crack! Mac tried to get up, but his father was too strong and overpowered his struggle.
"You are not making this easy for yourself Angus. I would stop struggling." James ordered crisply.
"Please, sir…"
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
"I thought I taught you better than to beg. You deserve this punishment."
Finally, Mac gave in to the onslaught his father brought down. It hurt so much but the sooner he submitted to it the sooner it would be over. Crack! Crack! Crack! Ow. Ow. Ow. Mac just hoped the welts on his back as a result of this would heal quickly.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
He didn't remember it hurting this bad when he was a kid. It had been a while since that last happened. Mac wasn't stupid though. He knew his father was being easy on him compared with other times. Finally, a few more rather vicious licks it was over and heard his father replace his belt. Mac stayed down and let the tears fall before his father barked at him again.
"Get up Angus."
Mac did what he was told being careful not to allow his father to see his tears.
"Now are you going to carry the gun, or do I need to spend longer persuading you?"
"I'll carry it, sir."
James smiled and patted his son on the back. Mac jumped at the painful touch. He let his father place the gun at his hip and pressed the permit in his hand.
"In case anyone stops you." James informed him.
"Thank you, sir."
"I will be checking to see if you are carrying it. If you disobey me there will be consequences."
Mac figured that would be the case. There were always consequences when it came to his dad. That was why he was so surprised when he let Colombia go so easily. Mac realised with terrifying certainty that he hadn't been let off at all.