As Mac was going through his own personal hell the team had a week of hell themselves, there were no new tangible leads and Matty had just finished a meeting with Oversight, telling her that she was to scale back the search. She couldn't believe the man was so heartless, his best agent was missing, kidnapped by a madman and he wanted to call off the search, saying that they were using too many resources on a dead end. Were they supposed to just give up on Mac and move on with their lives, she didn't think so.
"Director these have just come for you," her assistant said, handing Matty same folders.
"Thanks Melony," Matty said, opening the envelopes, hoping they were what she was expecting.
They were, finally, she'd managed to get the records of the investigation into James MacGyver, she got them out and started going through them.
An hour later and she was feeling sick, this man was evil, oh god she hoped he wasn't treating Mac like he'd treated some of his prisoners. A knock to the door had her looking up. "Come in."
"Am I disturbing you?" Cage asked, walking in the door.
"No, come in," Matty said, looking down at the files again.
"What are you reading?"
"Reports from James MacGyver's investigation, it's a fascinating read, really gives an insight into the man. Although I wish I hadn't read all of this."
"How so?"
"There are records in here about some of his interrogation techniques and to say they were brutal is being nice, the man was sadistic. Charges were filed against him after a couple got too out of hand."
"Sometimes interrogators have to be a little sadistic," Cage responded, being one herself.
"Look I understand that enhanced interrogation is necessary sometimes, I haven't worked for government agencies for as long as I have to not know this. But these techniques, read for yourself."
Cage took the papers and began reading, wincing once she got to the end. "I see what you mean."
"If he does any of that to Mac, it'll break him," Matty said, taking the folder back.
"Mac's stronger than people think," Cage replied.
"Oh, I know how strong blondie is and that's what worries me, he'll resist, fight back and that'll just make it so much worse."
"We still don't know the real reason why James took Mac. Why are you so convinced he'll torture him?" Cage said, stating 'real reason' as they'd been given some clues by the footage they'd seen.
"We know he's already been hurting him. And I know from what Mac has said that the man was controlling, it's just a feeling I have."
Cage nodded; she knew all about gut feelings. "If he breaks him, we'll just have to fix him."
Matty liked the way Cage was so matter of fact about things. "I just hope it's that simple."
They sat in silence for a few minutes and then Matty asked Cage what she'd come to see her about.
"I'm worried about Jack," Cage responded, and Matty was surprised, she would have expected to her that from Riley or Bozer, but not Cage.
"I am too, and I'll be even more worried when I tell him Oversight's decision."
"He's calling off the search?" Cage asked, shock on her face.
"He might as well be, he's pulled most of our resources, says it's a dead end. It's been two weeks Cage and we've had no decent leads."
"Jack won't except that, hell I don't except that."
"You're preaching to the choir Cage, but it's out of my hands. I know we don't have leads and I understand where Oversight is coming from, he has to think of the whole of the agency, not just one agent."
"There won't be any leads if no one's looking for them. Look I appreciate what you're saying and to an extent I agree as well. Doesn't he realise that most of us are still doing our jobs. I'm going on assignments with other teams, Riley is running tech support, Bozer is working in the lab."
"And Jack, one of Oversight's best agents is sitting on the side-lines."
"He can't expect Jack to just brush this off and get back to work, this is Mac we're talking about."
"If he wants to keep he job, he's gonna have to!" Matty exclaimed, leaning back in her chair. "Oversight wants him out on assignment as soon as possible."
Cage left soon after those words to be replaced by Jack, summoned to the director's office.
"Have I done something wrong Matty, it's not often I get called to the principal's office," Jack said, smiling as he sat down.
"Hilarious Dalton," Matty said, glad that Jack still had his sense of humour. "Anderson's team have an assignment in Peru tomorrow, I need you to go with them."
"You want me to do what now?"
"You heard me Jack, you have to be wheels up 0600."
"That's not happening Matty, I can't be leaving the country," Jack replied, staring pleading eyes at his boss. "Please don't make me have to do that."
"I'm sorry Jack, it's not my call, Oversight wants things to start getting back to normal."
"Normal," Jack cried. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"As normal as thing can be, without," Matty paused. "Without Mac here."
"So, you want me to get on a plane, with another team and do what I do best, and what? Just forget about Mac? Pretend he isn't going through all amounts of hell, with his monster of a father, somewhere all the brightest minds in LA can't find. Is that what you want me to do?"
"If you want to keep your job, then yes," Matty said, the hardest words she had to say, knowing that her friend was hurting.
"Well you know what you can do with your job then, don't you!" Jack exclaimed, getting up.
"Jack wait."
"I'm gonna spell this out for you director, there is no way on this god's green earth I am leaving this country while my kid is missing. You really think it's a good idea with where my head is at to send me on assignment? I'll end up getting someone killed, or I'll end up getting myself killed."
Jack stood, gripping the back of the chair he was standing behind, breathing deeply.
"You're right," Matty said.
"Excuse me?"
"I said, you're right. We don't make a habit of sending compromised agents out into the field, your head isn't on straight. You've got some leave due, take it."
"Now wait a minute Matty, I can't go on leave."
"You can and you will. If you decide while you're out there to look for Mac, then that's your prerogative. I'll call you if we get any news."
Jack smiled, going around the desk and giving his boss a hug. She pushed him away smiling herself. "Get lost Dalton."
"This feels wrong," Riley said, as the team sat on Mac's deck later that night.
"Mac would want us to be here," Bozer said. "And I'm glad you guys are, it's been hard, being here by myself."
Riley looked up, realising how horrible things must have been for Bozer, first his place was a crime scene, then every time he had to come home it was to an empty, quiet place.
"Well, we should do this more then, I don't want you to be here by yourself."
Bozer smiled up her the girl he still liked, glad that she was here keeping him company.
"So, what are your plans Jack?" Cage asked, he'd told them all that he'd taken some leave.
"I'm not sure yet, I think I'm gonna go drive up to the house where Mac was kept, poke around the area, see if anyone remembers seeing anything."
"That's a good idea, I've been scrubbing every camera I can get my hands on, but there aren't a lot of them around there. James picked a good place to stay off the radar," Riley said, typing on her rig, the thing like an extra appendage.
"What about where the car was found?" Bozer asked.
"Nothing, again, no cameras."
"Unfortunately for us, James is old school, he started at the CIA when there wasn't a lot of digital knowledge, it seems like he's mostly stayed away from it," Cage added, sipping her drink.
"No one can stay away from it forever," Riley replied. "Eventually he'll slip up and I'll find him."
"We know you will Ri," Jack said, smiling at his girl, she was so smart it was scary. "How about that programme you've been telling us about?"
"The surveillance one, it's almost ready, a few more days and I can give it a trial run. Maybe if you're gonna be driving around all over you can be my guinea pig."
Jack smiled again. "If it helps us find Mac, I'll be whatever you want."
"Why is this so hard!" Riley exclaimed, pushing her computer away. "We should have him home already; he should be here with us right now."
"He will be," Jack replied, really hoping that he was telling the truth.
"I can't stop thinking about what's happening to him," Bozer said. "I feel guilty getting into bed at night, taking what I want out of the fridge, hell even sitting here talking to you guys."
"If you think like that you'll make yourself go crazy," Cage said. "I know it's hard, but we have to stop wondering what Mac's going through now and think about what's going to happen when he comes home."
"I'm never letting him out of my sight again," Jack said.
"I'm gonna cook him all his favourite foods and not even roll my eyes when he tells me useless facts about it all," Bozer added.
"I'm gonna give him a big hug," Riley said.
"That's what we need to focus on, those things."
"What about you Cage, what are you gonna do?"
"I'm going to tell him that I'll be there if he needs to talk, and I'll wait however long he needs."
They all smiled, thinking about the next time they saw Mac, rather than the last time or worrying what was happening to him. Because if they knew, they'd all feel sick and they would do even more than they were to get him home.