Chapter 7: No Where To Run
As they drove down the streets, Mac looked at them relieved. "You didn't have to wait around for me, but I am glad you did."
"No one gets left behind." Hogan said sternly. They ducked as a couple of gunshots rang out. "We are not out of trouble yet."
Hogan and Newkirk took position at the back of the truck to shoot at the men following. Mac lay down in the back of the truck to keep from being shot. Carter swerved all over the road in the hopes of making it harder for them to be hit.
Newkirk shot his gun, but nothing happened. He checked the chamber and saw it was empty. He reached for another clip, but found none. "Colonel, I'm out of ammo." he stated lying low in the truck.
Hogan checked to see if he had any more clips and found none. "So am I."
"Colonel, what are we going to do now. They are still coming, and there is no way this truck is going to outrun those cars?" Carter exclaimed.
"I'm working on it."
Mac took the jars out of his pockets "Carter slow down some and stop swerving."
"Are you balmy? Did they 'it you too many times in the 'ead? We are wantin' to get away from them not for them to catch us." Newkirk stated
"Trust me."
Carter looked to Hogan to see what he should do. Hogan gave a nod. "I hope you know what you are doing."
Carter slowed down and drove straight so one of the cars could get right beside them. Mac took out his Swiss army knife and cut a slit in the side canvas and dropped one of the jars into the front seat of the car. When thejars broke and the chemicals mixed, it createda gas,that causedthe driverto loosecontrol of the vehicle and it went off the road and hit a tree.
"Great job MacGyver!" Hogan congratulated. "How many more of those gas jars do you have?"
"Just one."
"But there are two cars left." Newkirk commented
"Yea and one of them is Hochstetter's." Hogan said dryly
"This is your operation Colonel, which one you want me to get?" Mac asked
Hogan thought a moment. "Which ever one you can stop for certain. We will just have to deal with the other one when the time comes."
Mac waited to see which one got the closest. This task proved to be more difficult since the people in the two cars were shooting at them.
One of the cars was close enough to throw the jar in, but because of the shooting, he couldn't stand up to throw it. "Colonel, you and Newkirk aim your guns like you are going to shoot. I hope that buys me enough time to throw the jar in the car."
Hogan nodded to Newkirk who lifted up enough for them to see the guns and believe they were going to start firing. When Mac heard the brake in firing, he jumped up and threw the jar in the car. It created the gas and caused the driver to loose control of the car.
"Now what are we going to do about…" Was as far as Newkirk got before there was a loud pop. The truck started to swerve as Carter fought to gain control. Unfortunately, control could not be gained and the truck flipped on its side.
It didn't take long for Hochstetter and the guard with him to get to the truck with their guns drawn. "Everyone out with your hands up."
Hogan held his ribs with one arm and the other held his head trying to get the white-hot pain to disappear. Newkirk rubbed his sore leg as he got repositioned so he wasnt sitting on it. Mac rubbed his aching head and went to see if he could help anyone.
Carter held his arm hoping that the pain would subside soon. Everything around him was spinning. He lifted his goodhand to his head and felt a warm, sticky supstance.Blood! This is not good.he looked in the back to see how the others were and noticed that Hogan was in alot of pain and Mac was trying to help him.
He made his way to the back with the others. A warning shot and some more shouts from Hochstetterreminded them that this was just the begining of the torment they would experience.There was no where to run. With no ammunition left, they had no choice but to comply.
They all stumbled out of the truckwith their hands raised. Hogan did his best to not show his pain. He didn't want to give Hochstetter the satisfaction in knowing his weakness. "Why Colonel Hogan, this is a pleasant surprise. I guess London really did decide to send Papa Bear to free White Fox." Hochstetter walked up to Hogan and ran is hand over the fresh cut on his face. When Hogan flinched at the touch, Hochstetter smiled evilly. "You shall fell much worse pain before I am through with you. I shall pay you back for all the grief you have given me over the last few years. I promise you Papa Bear, that I will make you feel more pain than you can imagine. As for you MacGyver, it was a nice gester on your part, but very foolish. Since you made the claim of being Papa Bear, I will treat you the sameway. As for the rest of your men…"
Hogan didn't give Hochstetter the chance to finish. He stepped forward "Now wait a minute Major. These men were just following my orders. Just send them back to camp. You have what you always wanted. There is no reason for you to have them."
Hochstetter laughed and gave a nod to the guard. The guard hit Mac in the stomach with the butt of his gun, sending him to his knees.
"Leave him alone!" Hogan yelled as he took another step closer to Hochstetter. Hochstetter promptly struck Hogan on the side of the face with the gun. The pain he was already feeling intensified greatly sending him to the ground. Part of him wanted to accept the comforting embrace of unconsciousness, but now wasn't the time.
"Take those two over there and have them kneel." Hochstetter ordered. The guard took Newkirk and Carter to the spot Hochstetter had pointed and made them kneel. Hogan's heart stopped with anticipation of what was going to happen. "Was the cost worth it Papa Bear? The lives of your men, that I know you care deeply about."
The guard shouldered his rifle and took out his side arm and put it to Newkirk's head. Hogan knew that begging was useless and he wasn't going to give Hochstetter the satisfactions of listening to him beg for anything. Hogan just stared at his two friends with a look of sorrow in his eyes. Being dead was better than being tortured.
Newkirk couldn't stand the hurt look in Hogan's eyes and stared at the ground. There, lying in front of him was the possible chance to still get out of this. With lightning speed, he picked up the stick and hit the gun away from him.
Without thinking, Carter leaped to his feet and over Newkirk to tackle the guard. Hochstetter spun so he could shoot the prisoners, but Hogan lunged forward tackling Hochstetter. Hogan used the adrenalin to give him the strength to do what he needed to, to save his men. Even though his head felt like it was going to explode and his ribs begged him to stop moving, he wasn't going to give up until Hochstetter was stopped once and for all.
Hogan froze when he heard a gun fired and saw Carter lay still on the ground. That gave Hochstetter the opening he needed. He punched Hogan with such force, that it sent Hogan flying off of him. Hochstetter jumped to his feet and took off running in the woods.
Newkirk preceded to knock the guard unconscious while Mac ran to see if he could help Carter. Hogan saw Hochstetter's gun lying on the ground. He picked it up, aimed it at Hochstetter and pulled the trigger. Hochstetter fell to the ground, struggling to still get away. Hogan was so focused on Hochstetter that it completely blocked out his pain. Slowly, he walked toward him, keeping the gun trained on him.
Carter was still alive. The bullet wentthrough his side. Mac took out his duct tape and put a piece of material over the wound and taped it into place. Mac saw what was happening between Hogan and Hochstetter and went to intervene.
About time Hogan reach Hochstetter he was standing with his one hand over the bullet wound in his shoulder. Hogan aimed the gun at his head. "How does it feel knowing you are going to die a failure. You have tried for years to catch Papa Bear and never could."
Mac moved to stand between them. "Put the gun down Colonel. Lets send him to England along with the guard so he can stand trial for war crimes."
With a cold, emotionless look in his eye, Hogan answered. "This man has committed many crimes and no matter what punishment they give him, it wouldn't do justice."
"And revenge is justice?"
"You have no idea what this man has done. The torture of innocent people, maiming and abuse of civilians. He has broken just about ever part of the Geneva Convention where prisoners are concerned. Do you realize that if you were there longer, he would torture you until you begged for death and then torture you some more for the fun of it."
"Yes I know what he is capable of. Before London sent me here, they suspected the same thing you did and had me read his file. I know about the crimes he has committed, including things he has done to you. You are a good man trying to do the right thing. No matter how evil this man is, it is no reason to kill him in cold blood. Let the courts decide his fate." Hogan still stared unmoving at Hochstetter, who was looking at Mac confused.
"MacGyver, why are you protecting me after all I was going to do to you?" Hochstetter asked.
"Trust me Major, I am not doing this for you. I am doing it for Colonel Hogan. Killing out of revenge can destroy a good person, and I don't want to see that happen. Please Colonel, lower the gun."