Chapter 11: Murdoc's Suprise

Sorry that my update is late. My brother came up from Brighton and I wanted to spend the day with him and his girlfriend. I hope you that you enjoy this chapter.

War Room…

It's that time again…

I know. Murdoc. It's never good when Murdoc is involved. Why on earth would my fath- oversight talk with Murdoc? I am sure they weren't talking about the weather. We were about to find out.

"Murdoc!" Jack spat the name out like it was poison.

A certain atmosphere hung over the three members of the Phoenix Foundation – and for good reason. Each time they faced Murdoc it had disastrous consequences for all those involved. The charismatic psychopath was a cunning and ruthless individual. Underestimating Murdoc would be a deadly mistake and now it seemed Oversight had been in contact with him. They doubted they were talking about the weather.

"Why would Oversight want to talk with Murdoc?" Riley asked, "The man tried to kill his son."

"That man is no father to Mac," Jack growled. "After what he did he's lucky he's still alive."

Riley frowned. She knew that Mac's relationship with his father was about good as Riley's was with Elwood. Of course, she knew that Jack hated James. He made no secret of his thoughts for a man that could abandon his kid. But Jack's anger was about something else, something more and something that she didn't know about.

There wasn't time to ask though because just then. Riley found out something. That something was even worse than the idea that Murdoc and Oversight had been talking about.

"Matty…" She wavered.

Matty turned and faced Riley. She was immediately aware that Riley was on edge. There was a sense of urgency in her voice that Matty hadn't heard before. Whatever it was that got the girl's attention, it wasn't good.

"Murdoc escaped from his CIA black site 36 hours ago," Riley explained before Matty could ask what had gotten her so alarmed.

"What?!" Matty outcried. Her face went from an angry shade of red to an even angrier shade of scarlet. Riley had never seen her boss this pissed off – not even when Jack skipped ex-fil. It wasn't surprising. If Murdoc escaped they should have been the first to know. They had a history with him, and that history wasn't one filled with sunshine and rainbows.

See now what I mean about not trusting the CIA? They hadn't told us about that. Boy, I kind of feel sorry for them. I wouldn't like to be im their shoes when Matty tears them a new one!

"Why the hell weren't we told?" Jack demanded as though Riley were the one that decided to keep the information back. Riley opened her mouth and closed it again like a fish. She found she had no answer to that question and why would she? The CIA wasn't known for information sharing.

"That is exactly what I plan to find out!" Matty grunted, pushing past Jack and storming out of the War Room like a tornado.

"Hell, hath no fury like a woman scorned," Jack quoted smirking at Riley "That's Shakespeare."

"Actually, you have the wrong William. That's Congreve." Riley corrected.

"How did you know that?"

"Because I know things. Jack, what did Mac's dad do to him?" Riley questioned. She had enough of their banter and needed to shift the conversation onto the concern she had over Mac.

Jack sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. He had been expecting the question since Matty had called Riley in. It didn't mean that Jack liked it. He had tried to delay the questioning as long as he could. Just because he was prepared though, didn't mean that he liked it though. He was beginning to get a headache.

"Jack?" Riley prompted when he didn't speak for a while.

"I'm sorry Riles, but I can't tell you. Yes. Something happened between them and I won't lie and say everything's fine, but I can't go into details. That is Mac's story to tell and he'll tell you when he's ready to." Jack answered.

Riley thought about arguing but at the end of the day Jack was right. Just like she had to right to decide who knew about her father, Mac had the right to decide who knew about his. If she found out that Jack had told someone about that without asking then she would be pissed. Worst still, she would be hurt at the betrayal of trust. She didn't want that for Mac. So as much as she wanted to know what Oversight had done to her friend, she would have to wait and hear it from him. So, instead, she just nodded.

"OK, Jack," Riley agreed.

That was when Matty returned. It was clear by the cut of her jib that her conversation with the CIA had not gone well – for the CIA. Her face was scrunched up in anger and she gritted her teeth. That second one was a true sign that she was truly angry at their current predicament.

"So, they decided that Murdoc's escape was not something we should be informed about," Matty told them irritated. "Never mind the fact I've left strict instructions to the contrary."

"Well there's nothing we can do about that now," Riley pointed sensibly

"No, but we can try and track Murdoc down. Riley-"

"I'm on it." Riley interrupted already typing. Matty smiled. She had a good team around her. She was glad that Riley wasn't like some of the other mindless drones of the Phoenix that showed no initiative. Half the time Matty expected to have to tell them to sneeze.

"Jack, I've told Bozer and Mac to come to the Phoenix. With Murdoc out, we must take precautions and you know the obsession he has with Mac."

"I'll go and get them," Jack responded already making his way to the door of the War Room.

"No Jack," Matty halted his movements with a hand on Jack's arm. The hold wasn't hard, and it would have been easy to break out of it. He didn't though out of respect for Matty and the situation they were in.

"I'd feel better if I were there to pick him up."

"I get that, but we don't have the time. The sooner that they get here the better. Anyway, you know our boy he can take care of himself."

Jack knows I can look after myself. He has never douted me but he always wants to protect me himself too.

Jack didn't have any doubt that Mac could look after himself, it didn't mean that he should. For the sake of Mac, he had been willing to come to Phoenix and take care of Oversight before making a hasty journey back to the house so that he could take care of his kid. However, several things had gotten in the way and he'd already spent more time away from Mac than he'd liked. Now, with the possibility that Murdoc may be on the warpath and the fact that he'd escaped in the mix Jack wanted to personally ensure Mac's safety.

"If anything happens to him, I'll never forgive you," Jack threatened coolly. He was still pretty annoyed with her because of the way she handled the Mac situation. If Mac came to harm because Matty didn't let Jack collect him, it would be the straw that broke the camel's back. He wanted to make sure that Matty made no mistake. He may have agreed to follow the order but that didn't mean he liked it.

"He'll be fine," Matty answered but it wasn't clear if she was trying to convince Jack or herself. It was likely that it was a mixture of both.

Mac's house…

It's time to leave again…

"Bozer!" Mac ran into his best friend's room where the man was sat on his bed reading a book.

"Mac?" He questioned wondering what had got his friend so wound up.

"I've just had a phone call from Matty," Mac informed him. "We have to get to the Phoenix. Now. Murdoc's escaped!"

Bozer dropped the box in his hand. It fell on the side of his bed before bouncing off the wooden frame. When it hit the floor, it flipped over before coming to a stop snuggly next to his rug. Murdoc was not a name he wanted to hear, not now and not ever. If Bozer never met him again it would be too soon.

"That creep?" Bozer growled.

Mac gave no verbal response. Instead, he just nodded and look Bozer by the arm. Soon the two of them were in Mac's car making their way to the foundation. The two of them barely had time to grab their IDs from the counter before Mac had ushered them both in the vehicle. He certainly had a sense of urgency when it came to Murdoc. After the way Bozer was introduced to the psychopath, he didn't blame him.

"What does Murdoc want?" Bozer quizzed after they had been on the road for a few minutes.

"Matty didn't say. I don't blame her. It was too risky to talk shop over the phone. Whatever it isn't good and I'm not taking any chances with your safety. If he wants me he won't hesitate to go through you to get it. The Phoenix is the safest place right now." Mac replied. He looked into the rear-view mirror to check for any tails. He had thought that a green Sedan had been following him, but it turned a corner and went in a different direction.

"Not that I'm grateful but you should be concerned for your own safety first," Bozer commanded.

Mac took his eyes off the road just long enough to give Bozer a rueful smile. He turned off and went through the secret entrance to the hidden road. The doorway recognised his biometrics and allowed him access. It was just one of several precautions he was making. If someone was following him, this would prevent them from finding him.

"You're more important Boze," Mac responded adamantly.

"Why because you're a seasoned agent and I'm just a rookie?"

Mac nearly crashed the car at that question. Where had that come from? He filed away that question for later. He didn't look at Bozer if you asked he'd tell you that it was because he was concentrating on driving. The truth was he was scared of what he might find there.

"You're not just anything Boze, not to me and not to anyone that matters," Mac assured him firmly. Bozer meant everything to him. He was never 'just' anything. "But you are my brother and you are a better man than me. You don't deserve to hurt."

"Neither do you!" Bozer snapped though he looked a little abashed for assuming the worst "And I am not a better man than you. You are a good person Mac."

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. What is true though is that your life is worth more than mine."

If James Bond were to appear and start demanding dry martinis shaken not stirred, Bozer wouldn't be as stunned as he was now. Mac honestly thought that Bozer's life was worth more than his. He knew that Mac often had issues with self-worth worth particularly in his youth, but Bozer didn't know it was this bad.

"You really believe that," Bozer realised sadly "You really think that your life is worthless."

"Not worthless exactly, I can be very useful. Just not worth a lot."

"There's a lot to unpack in that statement," Bozer commented unsure as to what he should say. If Mac's sense of worth correlated to how useful he thought he was there was a lot they needed to discuss. Not for the first time was Bozer thankful he had loving and amazing parents and nor was it the first time did he realise how the way he was raised screwed Mac up.

"Later," Mac promised as he reversed the car into a free space. "We've arrived."

Phoenix Foundation…

Somewhere in Las Angeles…

As soon as they stepped through the threshold of the foundation, Mac was enveloped into a hug by Jack. Seeing Mac for himself allowed him to reassure himself that the kid was safe. Seeing Bozer standing next to him caused him to give a guilty sigh of relief. He hadn't exactly forgotten that Bozer had been in danger too but with anything that happened recently, Mac had been his prime concern. He was no less relieved when he saw that he too seemed unharmed and was now in the safe hands of the Foundation.

"Mac! Bozer!" He boomed "I'm glad you're OK."

"Where's Murdoc? What's happening and what does he want?" Mac demanded, getting straight to point as usual.

Jack's smiled faded. He looked around the foyer. There were too many people around.

"Come to the War Room, we'll explain."

Bozer and Mac were led to the War Room where Matty quickly and precisely told them what was happening. Bozer almost exploded when he found out that Oversight was in league with Murdoc of all people. Why would he hire Murdoc to kill Walsh anyway? He must be desperate. Either that or he cared only for Murdoc's success rate and not his history.

"That Rat-Bastard!" Bozer growled when Matty had finished explaining.

"How are we doing on tracking him down?" Matty asked Riley.

"Not well." Riley "I've been keeping an eye on any chatter, but you know Murdoc, he's brutal but he's smart. I don't think we're going find him until-"

Riley was cut off by a series of blaring alarms that filled the room. Before Matty could jump into action the screens changed and showed the very man they were looking for. It was Murdoc. He had a shit-eating grin stuck on his face.

"Riley!" Matty shouted urgently.

"It's no good it's a pre-recorded message."

"Hello, Phoenix team! You are probably wondering what is going and why those very loud alarms are going off! Well, some has just noticed that your Oversight-" Murdoc cut himself off as he considered something and laughed "No pun intended I assure you! Anyway, he's gone. Sorry, Matilda. I guess your security just wasn't up to par! Don't worry Boy Scout, I'll take care of Dear Old Dad! I would hate to a father away from his son."

The screen flickered away. Riley tried to find out how the Murdoc had managed to infiltrate the foundation and bypass their security. Meanwhile, Matty yelled out orders to check on Oversight and to try and track both him and Murdoc down. Soon the foundation was alive with activity. But it was no use. James MacGyver had escaped and now he was with one of the world's most deadly assassins.