Chapter Six: Barnyard Brawl

MacGyver pulled off his sunglasses as they entered the dimness of the barn. Purdey quickly scrambled up to the hayloft, running to look out the great window up above. "They're driving across the field after us!" she cried in warning.

With one impulse, MacGyver and Gambit quickly moved to stand on either side of the barn doors, Gambit's gun drawn and ready. Peering cautiously out, they watched as three men got out of the car. Two veered off to search around opposite sides of the barn, while the third came straight toward it.

Gambit looked up, and meeting MacGyver's eyes, saw a flash of the same connection he shared with Steed, the one that made Purdey declare the two men could read each other's minds. They waited as the man came closer, and finally Gambit nodded. As one, they slammed the heavy doors shut, striking the man and knocking him out.

The sound of his fall was enough to alert one of the other two, and as Gambit and MacGyver swung the doors open, he came around the corner of the barn. "Freeze! Come out with your hands up!" he ordered in German.

Gambit's hand flashed to draw the gun he had previously holstered, aiming with instant precision at the weapon the other man held. But when he pulled the trigger, there was only a disappointing click as the gun jammed.

Gambit didn't waste time on thought. Still sure of his connection with MacGyver, he tossed the gun to him without looking and dashed forward. With one blow he knocked the gun out of the man's hand, and stunned him with a second.

MacGyver had caught the gun reflexively, looking at it with distaste. "See, you don't need this thing," he remarked, joining Gambit at the fallen man's side.

Gambit grunted. "I have stopped bullets with my bare hands, but I don't like to make a habit of it."

With an ease that belied his infrequent use of them, MacGyver emptied the faulty gun of bullets, pocketing them before handing the weapon back to Gambit.

Gambit raised an eyebrow, but didn't remark as he shoved the broken gun into his boot. Then he picked up the one the fallen man had dropped, checking its load before holstering it at his side in place of his own. MacGyver shook his head, wondering again how some people could insist on being dependent upon something that could kill so easily.

"Let's get 'em inside," he suggested, grabbing the man's arm. Gambit took the other, and together they dragged the man into the barn.

"Watch out!" Purdey cried from above them.

Spinning, MacGyver and Gambit were just in time to see her drop from the hayloft onto the third assailant. MacGyver moved to run to her aid, but Gambit held him back. "She can take care of herself," he assured him, "and she wouldn't thank you for a rescue."

"Just as well," MacGyver muttered, looking at his knuckles in remembrance of the pain knocking someone out always caused him.

Despite his words, Gambit remained tense, ready to step in if Purdey needed him. But she proved him correct, ably disarming and incapacitating her opponent.

Only then did MacGyver run out to help her drag the man inside. "Here, we can tie 'em up with this," he offered, swinging the coil of rope off his shoulder and pulling out his knife to cut it.

The three of them made short work of tying up the two men. As MacGyver tightened the ropes around one man's hands, he stirred, moaning. "None of that," MacGyver told him in German. Pulling the roll of duct tape from his pocket, he tore a piece off and slapped it over the man's mouth before tossing the roll to Purdey. "Better gag that one, too."

"I thought you couldn't speak German," she remarked as she tore off a piece of the tape.

MacGyver waggled his hand in a gesture of vagueness. "Only enough to get by, and yesterday I could barely think straight in English." He held out a hand, and Purdey tossed the roll of tape back to him.

As he put it back in his pocket, a sound of a car door slamming made him look up quickly, just in time to see the third man driving away. "Drat, there goes our ride!"

Gambit jumped to his feet, running out after the disappearing car. "He took the other two guns!" he exclaimed in disgust.

MacGyver raised his eyebrows. "Don't you already have enough guns?" he questioned with a touch of irritation.

"Two working, plus the one Purdey has…" Gambit considered.

"Don't mind him," Purdey told MacGyver brightly. "Steed says he's not happy unless he's a walking arsenal."

"Great," MacGyver muttered.

"I just think we'd be safer if the guns were with us than with him," Gambit insisted.

"You've got a point there," MacGyver admitted.

"We can't stay here; if he brings back reinforcements they'll find us," Purdey remarked.

"They won't be expectin' us to go back to our car," MacGyver suggested. "If we can get the spare tire on, maybe any other damage is minor enough to patch up, and we can be on our way."

Purdey and Gambit looked at each other, but neither had a better suggestion, and they joined MacGyver in skirting around the edges of the field.

Next chapter coming next week!

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 or Avengers alternate history, check my profile first to see if they're answered there. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie