Chapter Twelve: Teamwork

"Mr Mac! MacGyver! Please!" There was a sob of desperation in Cindy's voice, and MacGyver put on an extra burst of speed, knowing now that this was no prank.

As he burst through the trees, he saw Cindy sitting on Derrick's legs, hanging onto his shirt to keep him from falling in as he lay with his head and upper body disappearing into a deep hole in the ground. In the hole, Dylan's head was just visible.

Broken boards littered the area; they had obviously covered the hole, but, rotten, had given way when Dylan stepped on them. By some miraculous good fortune, the boards had caught partway down the pit, giving Derrick just enough time to grab Dylan's hands.

MacGyver took in the whole situation in an instant, the next moment flinging himself full length and grabbing Dylan's wrists just as his hands slipped from Derrick's, the boards creaking ominously. *

Dylan's yelp of fear was cut off as he felt his wrists grasped secularly.

"All right, Dylan, I have ya," MacGyver assured him. "Cindy, help your brother up."

"Mr Mac?"

"Cassie! Stay back!" MacGyver shouted, absolute authority in his voice.

Without need for direction, Cindy reached down a hand for Derrick's. He pulled himself up out of the hole, and not until he had rolled to safety on the edge did Cindy get off his legs.

"Back up, both of ya!" MacGyver warned. "Don't let Cassie get close!"

Only when he was sure the others were safe did MacGyver turn his full attention to Dylan, who was whimpering softly. "Shh, buddy, it's all right; we'll get ya out of there," he crooned. "Let's see if I can pull ya up. One…two…three!"

"Ow!" Dylan screamed. "It's poking me!"

"Okay, okay…I stopped. You're all right, buddy; you're gonna be fine. Stay calm, son; I'm not gonna let ya go."

Almost at the point of hyperventilating, Dylan gradually calmed at MacGyver's soothing tones.

So, up wasn't going to work. Down might; it wouldn't take much for Dylan to break through the boards completely. But there was no way to release his weight and keep hold of him at the same time…or was there?

Twisting his neck to look above him, MacGyver spotted a sturdy limb almost directly over the pit, and an idea crystalized in his mind.

"Derrick! You or Cindy run an' get me the coil of rope from the shed."

"I'll go, Mr Mac!" Cindy called, her voice fading as she ran off. Moments later, he heard her footsteps returning. "Got it!"

"Good. Tie a rock on one end; Derrick, toss it over that branch to Cindy. Keep hold of the other end so ya won't lose it if ya miss."

"I won't miss!" Derrick said scornfully.

His boast proved good, the rock sailing cleanly over the branch on the first try. "I got it!"

"Good. One of ya know how to tie a slip noose?"

"Like this?" Cindy questioned, forming a loop in the rope and holding it where MacGyver could see.

"Yeah…perfect. Now don't get too close, but ya need to toss that over Dylan's head and arms."

It was tricky aiming into the pit, and it took several tries before the rope settled around Dylan's shoulders, resting on MacGyver's hands. "Good; ya got it! Okay, Dylan; this part's gonna be a little scary, but I won't let ya fall, I promise."

Tightening his grip with one hand, he briefly let go with the other, letting the rope slide down Dylan's arm and catching his wrist again almost before he could yelp.

"Okay…it's all right…I've still got ya. Now the other one…hey, it's okay, buddy. Cindy! Tighten that noose up under his arms!"

Cindy obeyed, shaking the rope when it seemed to have caught, until it was snug under Dylan's armpits.

"Now the two of ya pull it taut over the branch. Stand back so ya get good leverage, and wrap it around your hands so it won't slip when I let Dylan go."

"No!" Dylan whimpered.

"We got it, Mr Mac!" Derrick called.

"It's all right, buddy," MacGyver assured him. "You feel how tight that rope is? Derrick an' Cindy are hangin' onto it; they're not gonna let ya fall. But I hafta go help them if we're gonna get ya out of there."

He released Dylan's wrists cautiously, ready to grab them again in an instant if it seemed as if the rope wouldn't hold. As soon as he was sure it would support the boy, he jumped to his feet, glancing to be sure Cassie was a safe distance away even as he ran to join the older kids. Grabbing it ahead of their hold, he wrapped it around his left hand. "All right…give me some slack here, but don't let go." He wrapped the rope around his other hand, leaving two or three feet of rope loose between them. "Hang on back there in case it slips through my hand," he warned. *

"Got it," Derrick assured him.

With a quick twist, MacGyver released the rope from his left hand.

For an instant, the boards supported Dylan's entire weight. Then they gave way, and Dylan screamed as he fell.

MacGyver grunted as the rope caught Dylan's weight and dug into his hand through he handkerchief he had bound around it. "Dylan! Dylan, buddy, you're all right; the rope caught ya. Now, Derrick, Cindy, let's pull him outa there!"

He glanced a little anxiously at the tree limb, wishing there was something to pad the rope. But it probably wasn't necessary; no one part would be rubbing long enough to fray.

With the kids hauling behind him, MacGyver gradually pulled Dylan up until his feet dangled a good two feet above the mouth of the pit. "Okay," he panted. "You two got a good grip?"

"Yeah."

Cindy wrapped the rope once more around her hand for good measure and nodded.

Trusting them, MacGyver released the rope and hurried back toward Dylan. He slowed as he neared the pit, and when the ground slid beneath his foot he stopped instantly and took a quick step back; it would do no one any good for him to fall in himself.

"Dylan! Do you know how to pump yourself on a swing?"

"Uh – uh-huh."

"Grab onto the rope with both hands, and start pumping."

"I need someone to start me!"

"No, you don't. C'mon, pump; swing yourself over to me."

Dylan whimpered again but began moving his legs. It was slow getting started with nothing to push off from, but gradually he swung closer to MacGyver's waiting hands.

"Just a little further; I've almost got ya," MacGyver encouraged. On the next swing, he reached out and grabbed Dylan's leg, pulling the boy to his arms. "Let the rope go; I've got him!" In an instant his knife was out, cutting the rope from Dylan's waist as the boy clung fiercely to his neck, shaking violently.

"All right, I've got ya; you're safe now," MacGyver soothed.

Running up to MacGyver, Cindy threw her arms around his waist and burst into tears. "I thought you weren't coming!" she cried as MacGyver put an arm around her shoulders.

"I wasn't," he said almost coldly. "After all the tricks you kids played, I shouldn't have. We can all just be glad I'm a sucker whenever anyone asks me for help."

Cindy's sobs increased, and MacGyver softened. "All right…shh…I'm sorry." He gently rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "It's all right…everyone's safe now. C'mon. Let's head on back to the house."

Next chapter coming next week!

* Illustration for this scene can be found at

www . deviantart . com [slash] femalechauvinist [slash] art [slash] In-the-Nick-of-Time-883530602

www . deviantart . com [slash] femalechauvinist [slash] art [slash] Haul-Away-883530669

I proofread all my stories at least once before posting, but if you see any mistakes I might have missed, please let me know!

Please note that I have only minimal internet access, and may not have time to respond to all reviews/messages. (But they are much appreciated, even if you're reading this story long after I originally post it!) If you have questions regarding my MacGyver alternate history, check my profile first to see if they're answered there. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie