Chapter Five
MacGyver wasn't going to let it go, Sam realized. He kept staring at her, his dark eyes focused and concerned. She gave an exasperated sigh and folded her arms across her chest, not really wanting to show just how delusional her brother could be. And yet, if it would ease the worry in those eyes that were so like the ones she had lost herself in in her dreams, she didn't care what anyone thought of her insane brother.
"All right," Sam relented and told him everything her brother had told her.
"And," MacGyver asked, his eyes looking off into the distance, as though he were thinking, "You said this Shanahan character knew all about the Stargate program?"
Sam's lips tightened and she nodded tightly, feeling defensive for some reason. How dare he judge her?
"Then...that wasn't Pete I was just talking to," MacGyver said absently, his face going white again.
"What do you mean, that wasn't Pete you were just talking to," Daniel asked, standing up and placing his hand on MacGyver's shoulder in concern.
Sam felt an inexplicable annoyance at that. This man was not Jack O'Neill. He hadn't proved himself worthy of their trust and affection. On some level she was horrified at herself for thinking this--it wasn't MacGyver's fault his uncle had up and died--but the rest of her was too angry to care.
"How the hell could you know that?" Sam hissed, "Especially after you just told us the man was perfectly fine?"
MacGyver blinked at her, his expression hurt and confused. At that moment he looked so much like Jack it caused a physical ache somewhere in the vicinity of her chest, and she had to take a few short breaths to ease the tightness. "He asked how I was doing at the SGC," MacGyver responded in a subdued voice, "I told Pete I was working for NORAD. Murdoc can disguise his voice--he can even sould like a woman," he further explained when Sam started to open her mouth, "Listen, this guy...he's not sane. And he's used friends of mine before to get to me. I'm asking--no I'm ordering--all of you not to leave the base for any reason whatsoever."
"Who says we're your friends," Sam retaliated, then wished she had kept her mouth shut. She hadn't meant to say it. Damn Jack O'Neill for dying on her and causing her so much grief and confusion. First she had caused her brother pain, and now MacGyver and neither one of them deserved to have her emotional distress taken out on them. "I'm sorry I've got to go. To my lab," she qualified when MacGyver would have stopped her, "I..sorry."
She turned and left, leaving them to stare after her. She knew they were probably confused and appalled at her behavior but...no Daniel, at least, probably knew something of what she was going through, if not the whole story. In any case, she needed some time alone.
MacGyver watched Sam leave, his guilty conscious grinding painfully into his ribs. It was his own fault she didn't want anything to do with him. He should have just told Steve the entire story. Heaven knew the man had the right security clearance, and even if he hadn't, Mac could have granted it to him. But no, his conscious wouldn't let him continue that charade. And now look where it had landed him--the same river in a different boat.
A gentle nudge on his shoulder brought him back to the situation at hand with a jolt. He took in the concerned gazes of Teal'c, Daniel and Jonas and sighed. Pete was in danger--that was the immediate problem he needed to deal with, not Carter. She obviously needed time alone--and once again he cursed Murdoc for hurting one of his friends. Only this time, he was more angry because Sam was more than a friend--at least in his own dreams.
"Like I said," he told them when he realized they were expecting a response, "No one goes off base. That might not stop him for long, but I have a feeling the fact that I'm here is what has set his newest plan into motion."
Daniel nodded and gripped his shoulder in sympathy.
"Is there nothing we can do, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked solemnly, "We have faced down numerous Goa'uld and emerged victorious."
"Actually Teal'c, I was just about to..." Mac stopped and looked at the Jaffa. There had been no change in his expression, but Mac felt flustered nonetheless. "I'm MacGyver," he told him, gently, as though he were an understanding friend. Unfortunately it came out more as panicked and petulant. He should have known Teal'c wouldn't have forgotten that little incident earlier in the week.
"My apologies," Teal'c apologized, not sounding sorry at all.
Jonas and Daniel were both looking at him, the former grinning from ear to ear and the latter with a speculative gleam in his eye. Crap. Good thing Carter had left already. Jonas reached over and patted him on the other arm.
"We know who you are," Jonas said impishly, "You don't have to tell us."
And suddenly Daniel was grinning. Double crap. Stupid Jaffa and their long memories. Sure, it served them well in holding a grudge--or not so well considering what had happened with Tanith and Teal'c being stuck in the Stargate--but at this moment it was damn inconvenient. MacGyver searched his mind frantically for some way out of this, some way to keep from having to explain everything. If the NID--or heaven forbid, Kinsey--were to get their hands on that information, everything they had worked so hard on for the past eight years.
"We shall speak of this later...MacGyver," Teal'c intoned, "For now we must plan upon what we shall do to rescue your friend Peter Thornton."
"Yeah," Daniel agreed, "Sam said something about him remaining here in Colorado Springs. Maybe that was just his excuse to keep Mark from inquiring into his reasons for being here. If he's as diabolical as you make him out to be, he's bound to know Mark is friends with Thornton."
Jonas just kept grinning.
MacGyver felt that strange feeling he always got when his team's thoughts were in accord with his own. Oh--judging by the look Daniel was giving him--he was going to have to explain at some point--and make it sound damn convincing too. But for now, he was safe while they worked together yet again to avert an emergency.
"We should probably have Sam in on this too," Jonas said suddenly, "I mean, the fact that he's her ex-boyfriend has to mean something. Especially if you're right about your presence being the catalyst for this plan of Murdoc's."
MacGyver nodded slowly, and suddenly dreaded the moment when he'd have to tell all. Daniel, Jonas and Teal'c he could handle, but his confused emotions concerning Colonel Samantha Carter were going to make it difficult for him. With the way his luck was running lately, she'd probably hate him forever. No wait, what was he thinking? This would give him some time to come up with a reasonable excuse. They might think he was O'Neill, but they had no proof. They didn't actually know.
Besides, not just the SGC would be at stake if this leaked out--Steve could possibly be killed--or worse. Damnit. Why did Murdoc choose now to make his presence known?