Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Macgyver. They belong to Henry Winkler, Paramount and associates.
*'s indicate one's thoughts
Chapter 6: Hyde and Seek
Her own hand shaking, Nikki reached out to touch Jack's crystallized
mustache. She placed her two fingers against his carotid artery. His pulse was sluggish but steady. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be steady for long if they didn't get out of there soon.
As if Mac's split personality played a game of hyde-and-seek, he suddenly whirled around. Wide-eyed, Nikki stared up at him in fear.
"Hey," he said softly. He knelt down beside her. "What's wrong?" Glancing around the freezer, the sudden chill on his skin let him know right away. "How did we get in here?"
Avoiding his eyes, Nikki refused to look at him. "You helped Deborah lock us in here."
Macgyver stared at her in shock. "What about Jack?"
"She did that herself."
"What's that smell?"
"Gunpowder, why?"
Curious, Nikki brought herself to watch him. He followed his nose to the thick slab of meat with a bullet embedded in it. "Hmm." After a few tries, he managed to pull out the greater part of the bullet, getting a thin layer of gunpowder on his hands. "Nikki?" he asked suddenly, "do you have something I could use as a fuse?"
Carefully, he sprinkled gunpowder residue in the tiny crack between the door and frame.
"A fuse?" She dug around in her pants pockets, nothing. "No." Her heart sunk. Suddenly, an idea struck her. Nikki felt along her waist and tugged at her belt in excitement. *Braided rope!* "Here, I've got it Macgyver!" Quickly, Nikki slid her belt out of the loops and gave it to Macgyver.
"Terrific!" he beamed at her. Taking out his pocket knife, he began to saw the edge off.
Rubbing her bare arms briskly, Nikki urged him on. "Huur, hurry up Maccgyver," her teeth chattered.
He looked at her sheepishly. "Well actually, I need one more thing. lighter fluid."
"Sheesh! I don't smoke."
"No, but Jack always carries one on him. And if I'm correct, it's a butane lighter at that."
Nikki wasted no time. Fumbling through Jack's pockets with half-frozen hands, she finally found their treasure. "Ah ha! I've got it!" Clumsily, she tossed it to him. Easily catching it, he lit the edge of jagged rope, which was jammed next to the bullet remnant and gunpowder.
"Go!" he cried, shooing Nikki back to a far corner of the room.
Quickly, he grabbed Jack under the arms, dragging him. In turn, Nikki turned around and went back for Mac, attempting to pull him along faster.
"Hey, I thought I told you to go hide!" he admonished angrily.
"Not without my friend.." Nikki was cut off as the loud explosion sounded in their ears.
Nikki frowned and stood up as the smoke cleared. "Hey, I thought it was supposed to break down the door?" she questioned.
Mac grinned slyly. "Nope, not enough gunpowder. But, if we're lucky, it loosened the door due to force of the explosion or heat expansion." Cautiously, Macgyver examined the door while Nikki tried to revive Jack.
"Nikki, how good are you at swinging a bat?"
Nikki stared at him, puzzled. "Fairly good, why?"
Mac smiled. "How about stepping up to the plate with a hock of ham? Grab the small one using your good arm."
She nodded, pulling it up and over the hook, while Macgyver grabbed the bullet tainted slab of beef. "The door is nearly broken off the hinges, which is what I was hoping for. Now, all we need is a little leverage."
Together, they hammered the meat against the steel door. With a few swings, the door crashed to the floor with a groan. Ignoring the stabbing pain in her injured shoulder, Nikki helped Macgyver drag a still unconscious Jack out into the warm air.
Quickly releasing Jack's shoulders, she straightened up and vigorously rubbed her arms, wishing she had more than a thin blouse and vest on. Mac stood up and watched her in concern. "Here." He took off his blue long-sleeved shirt and ordered Nikki to raise her arms. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she did as he instructed.
Tugging the long, flannel shirt down over her hips, Macgyver asked, "You okay? Your shoulder I mean."
"Just a little sore."
"Your face didn't register 'just a little sore,' a minute ago," he countered, busily tying the shirt at her waist. With a final tug, he pulled her a step closer to him. Close enough to where Nikki could stare into his golden, brown eyes. Eyes that exuded warmth and friendliness, not cold, calculating hatred. Taking a deep breath, she quickly turned away. Mac, not seeming to notice, quickly left her side to rouse Jack. Gently slapping his face, he called cheerfully, "Up and at em Jack!" Groaning, Jack stirred. Macgyver looked back at a silent Nikki. "Besides, usually you argue and you were uncharacteristically silent," he finished off-handedly.
"You noticed that huh?" she asked, a slight grimace shadowing her smile.
"Hey Mac, too bad Nikki's face isn't the first one I get to wake up to," Jack said with an impish grin as Mac helped him sit up.
"You're welcome," Mac retorted.
"I think we should call the police," Nikki announced. Mac nodded his agreement.
"And we should have you checked out," Mac pushed.
"I'm fine, really." For emphasis, she swung her shoulder in an arc. Very bad idea, she quickly realized as shooting pain wound around her shoulder like a vice. Mac was at her side in an instant, taking in her ashen face.
"If you'll excuse us a moment Jack. I'll be right back." Ushering Nikki out the front door, he hustled her into the jeep like a mother hen. Carefully he closed the door. "Stay here, and that's an order!"
"Yes Colonel," Nikki responded sarcastically. Mac watched, satisfied, as she leaned her head back against the head rest.
"I'll be right back."
Mac walked over to Jack, now standing just outside the shop entrance. "Jack, did you see the person who locked you in the freezer?"
"Unfortunately, no." Jack grinned wolfishly. "Although, the build was definitely a woman's. She had a ski mask on, so, unfortunately, I couldn't see her face. I'm gonna have a killer headache though, she clocked me good." Gingerly, he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Jack, are you sure you're alright? Why don't you come with us to the hospital," he coaxed.
"Nope, I'll be fine Mac. Besides, the cops are on there way and I don't want to disappoint them," he said with a grin. I'll call you tonight with any info, if something turns up. Besides, I don't want to spoil the moment." Mac looked at him strangely, not sure what Jack meant by that last comment. He had no time to press further though, as he looked back at an exhausted-looking Nikki resting in his car. Waving good bye to Jack, he hopped into the jeep and threw it into reverse.
"So, tell me how you and Jack met?"
Macgyver looked over at her. "I thought you were asleep?"
Nikki opened one eye. "Are you kidding, and miss all the excitement!"
Mac smiled. He sighed. "It's a long story."
"From the looks of it, I have plenty of time."
"And that's it," Mac finished as he pulled into the hospital parking lot. "Jack always manages to make any simple assignment I may have, an adventure."
"You know you love it," Nikki said, gingerly attempting to sit upright.
Macgyver smiled wide. "Yeah, I do."
"I get the feeling Jack was not tailor-made to be a butcher?"
Mac released the steering wheel and sat back against the seat. "Nah, probably not. Jack always changes trades. Though, I have to say, one of his most interesting jobs was his magic act. He was pretty good at it too," Mac finished, gazing intently at Nikki.
"What?" she asked, cautiously turning her body to his.
"Nothing. You just remind me of a close friend I knew a long time ago." Shaking out of his reverie, Mac unbuckled his seat belt. "Come on, let's get you inside."
"You didn't have to take me home tonight," Nikki protested as Mac walked her to the apartment door.
"After staying at the hospital for a few hours as they prescribed new pain medications for you, gave you some home exercises to follow and made sure that you hadn't pulled your shoulder out of socket, yeah I do. All that tugging, lifting and swinging you did this afternoon with both arms," he raised an eyebrow pointedly, "probably pushed your shoulder beyond it's limits."
"And nothing I did today you ordered me to do. In fact, most of it you forbade me to do," Nikki said frankly. "I did what I had to." Macgyver nodded slowly, her tone of voice leaving no room for argument. *What can I say, she's right.*
"Listen to me-just this once anyway. Take it easy and get some sleep, alright?" Nikki stared into his pleading eyes.
"Okay," she consented.
Macgyver's own sleep was lengthy and peaceful, until he awoke to a soft voice in his ear, and the feel of cold steel at his throat.
*'s indicate one's thoughts
Chapter 6: Hyde and Seek
Her own hand shaking, Nikki reached out to touch Jack's crystallized
mustache. She placed her two fingers against his carotid artery. His pulse was sluggish but steady. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be steady for long if they didn't get out of there soon.
As if Mac's split personality played a game of hyde-and-seek, he suddenly whirled around. Wide-eyed, Nikki stared up at him in fear.
"Hey," he said softly. He knelt down beside her. "What's wrong?" Glancing around the freezer, the sudden chill on his skin let him know right away. "How did we get in here?"
Avoiding his eyes, Nikki refused to look at him. "You helped Deborah lock us in here."
Macgyver stared at her in shock. "What about Jack?"
"She did that herself."
"What's that smell?"
"Gunpowder, why?"
Curious, Nikki brought herself to watch him. He followed his nose to the thick slab of meat with a bullet embedded in it. "Hmm." After a few tries, he managed to pull out the greater part of the bullet, getting a thin layer of gunpowder on his hands. "Nikki?" he asked suddenly, "do you have something I could use as a fuse?"
Carefully, he sprinkled gunpowder residue in the tiny crack between the door and frame.
"A fuse?" She dug around in her pants pockets, nothing. "No." Her heart sunk. Suddenly, an idea struck her. Nikki felt along her waist and tugged at her belt in excitement. *Braided rope!* "Here, I've got it Macgyver!" Quickly, Nikki slid her belt out of the loops and gave it to Macgyver.
"Terrific!" he beamed at her. Taking out his pocket knife, he began to saw the edge off.
Rubbing her bare arms briskly, Nikki urged him on. "Huur, hurry up Maccgyver," her teeth chattered.
He looked at her sheepishly. "Well actually, I need one more thing. lighter fluid."
"Sheesh! I don't smoke."
"No, but Jack always carries one on him. And if I'm correct, it's a butane lighter at that."
Nikki wasted no time. Fumbling through Jack's pockets with half-frozen hands, she finally found their treasure. "Ah ha! I've got it!" Clumsily, she tossed it to him. Easily catching it, he lit the edge of jagged rope, which was jammed next to the bullet remnant and gunpowder.
"Go!" he cried, shooing Nikki back to a far corner of the room.
Quickly, he grabbed Jack under the arms, dragging him. In turn, Nikki turned around and went back for Mac, attempting to pull him along faster.
"Hey, I thought I told you to go hide!" he admonished angrily.
"Not without my friend.." Nikki was cut off as the loud explosion sounded in their ears.
Nikki frowned and stood up as the smoke cleared. "Hey, I thought it was supposed to break down the door?" she questioned.
Mac grinned slyly. "Nope, not enough gunpowder. But, if we're lucky, it loosened the door due to force of the explosion or heat expansion." Cautiously, Macgyver examined the door while Nikki tried to revive Jack.
"Nikki, how good are you at swinging a bat?"
Nikki stared at him, puzzled. "Fairly good, why?"
Mac smiled. "How about stepping up to the plate with a hock of ham? Grab the small one using your good arm."
She nodded, pulling it up and over the hook, while Macgyver grabbed the bullet tainted slab of beef. "The door is nearly broken off the hinges, which is what I was hoping for. Now, all we need is a little leverage."
Together, they hammered the meat against the steel door. With a few swings, the door crashed to the floor with a groan. Ignoring the stabbing pain in her injured shoulder, Nikki helped Macgyver drag a still unconscious Jack out into the warm air.
Quickly releasing Jack's shoulders, she straightened up and vigorously rubbed her arms, wishing she had more than a thin blouse and vest on. Mac stood up and watched her in concern. "Here." He took off his blue long-sleeved shirt and ordered Nikki to raise her arms. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she did as he instructed.
Tugging the long, flannel shirt down over her hips, Macgyver asked, "You okay? Your shoulder I mean."
"Just a little sore."
"Your face didn't register 'just a little sore,' a minute ago," he countered, busily tying the shirt at her waist. With a final tug, he pulled her a step closer to him. Close enough to where Nikki could stare into his golden, brown eyes. Eyes that exuded warmth and friendliness, not cold, calculating hatred. Taking a deep breath, she quickly turned away. Mac, not seeming to notice, quickly left her side to rouse Jack. Gently slapping his face, he called cheerfully, "Up and at em Jack!" Groaning, Jack stirred. Macgyver looked back at a silent Nikki. "Besides, usually you argue and you were uncharacteristically silent," he finished off-handedly.
"You noticed that huh?" she asked, a slight grimace shadowing her smile.
"Hey Mac, too bad Nikki's face isn't the first one I get to wake up to," Jack said with an impish grin as Mac helped him sit up.
"You're welcome," Mac retorted.
"I think we should call the police," Nikki announced. Mac nodded his agreement.
"And we should have you checked out," Mac pushed.
"I'm fine, really." For emphasis, she swung her shoulder in an arc. Very bad idea, she quickly realized as shooting pain wound around her shoulder like a vice. Mac was at her side in an instant, taking in her ashen face.
"If you'll excuse us a moment Jack. I'll be right back." Ushering Nikki out the front door, he hustled her into the jeep like a mother hen. Carefully he closed the door. "Stay here, and that's an order!"
"Yes Colonel," Nikki responded sarcastically. Mac watched, satisfied, as she leaned her head back against the head rest.
"I'll be right back."
Mac walked over to Jack, now standing just outside the shop entrance. "Jack, did you see the person who locked you in the freezer?"
"Unfortunately, no." Jack grinned wolfishly. "Although, the build was definitely a woman's. She had a ski mask on, so, unfortunately, I couldn't see her face. I'm gonna have a killer headache though, she clocked me good." Gingerly, he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Jack, are you sure you're alright? Why don't you come with us to the hospital," he coaxed.
"Nope, I'll be fine Mac. Besides, the cops are on there way and I don't want to disappoint them," he said with a grin. I'll call you tonight with any info, if something turns up. Besides, I don't want to spoil the moment." Mac looked at him strangely, not sure what Jack meant by that last comment. He had no time to press further though, as he looked back at an exhausted-looking Nikki resting in his car. Waving good bye to Jack, he hopped into the jeep and threw it into reverse.
"So, tell me how you and Jack met?"
Macgyver looked over at her. "I thought you were asleep?"
Nikki opened one eye. "Are you kidding, and miss all the excitement!"
Mac smiled. He sighed. "It's a long story."
"From the looks of it, I have plenty of time."
"And that's it," Mac finished as he pulled into the hospital parking lot. "Jack always manages to make any simple assignment I may have, an adventure."
"You know you love it," Nikki said, gingerly attempting to sit upright.
Macgyver smiled wide. "Yeah, I do."
"I get the feeling Jack was not tailor-made to be a butcher?"
Mac released the steering wheel and sat back against the seat. "Nah, probably not. Jack always changes trades. Though, I have to say, one of his most interesting jobs was his magic act. He was pretty good at it too," Mac finished, gazing intently at Nikki.
"What?" she asked, cautiously turning her body to his.
"Nothing. You just remind me of a close friend I knew a long time ago." Shaking out of his reverie, Mac unbuckled his seat belt. "Come on, let's get you inside."
"You didn't have to take me home tonight," Nikki protested as Mac walked her to the apartment door.
"After staying at the hospital for a few hours as they prescribed new pain medications for you, gave you some home exercises to follow and made sure that you hadn't pulled your shoulder out of socket, yeah I do. All that tugging, lifting and swinging you did this afternoon with both arms," he raised an eyebrow pointedly, "probably pushed your shoulder beyond it's limits."
"And nothing I did today you ordered me to do. In fact, most of it you forbade me to do," Nikki said frankly. "I did what I had to." Macgyver nodded slowly, her tone of voice leaving no room for argument. *What can I say, she's right.*
"Listen to me-just this once anyway. Take it easy and get some sleep, alright?" Nikki stared into his pleading eyes.
"Okay," she consented.
Macgyver's own sleep was lengthy and peaceful, until he awoke to a soft voice in his ear, and the feel of cold steel at his throat.
