The following weeks they worked concentrated and well synchronized together. They got themselves a name between all the special teams and no matter which team they met or which base they went to their reputation preceded them. Especially the new EOD's tried to get Mac's attention. He was very friendly, seemed to be close but his conversation was always about his work. Every time Jack noticed how less the boy talked about himself.

In the beginning of a new day, a mission sent them both into the North. The area in the mountains was unknown to them and more than usual Mac looked out on the street during their drive. Especially the small roads through the hills were used for traps or mines. His expectations weren't disappointed.
"Stop!"
Jack instantly stepped on the break and the Humvee stood still. Mac pointed at the side of the road and Jack saw what he meant. Loose gravel covered a mine with carefully piled stones at the side as a hint. Jack looked around, couldn't find any suspicious movements between the rocks. When he was sure, that there wasn't any actual danger he hinted to Mac that he could leave the vehicle. The blond went to the explosive device. After a short inspection he whistled through his teeth.
"Uh- that will take some time. Go for a good place to stay."
"Okay."

Jack went back to the Humvee, took his rifle out and searched for a position where he could see the road and Mac at the same time. Like always he started to talk while Mac began to start working. From far away he detected a group of five horsemen coming nearer.
"We get guests. I care about them you can go on."
Mac held his SAK between his lips, while he tried to loosen a few wires with his fingertips from a sticky mass. He nodded short and made an incoherent noise.

Jack saw it through the scope of his sniper rifle and turned around to the oncoming group. They followed the road and as long as Jack wasn't sure whether they were harmless or not he didn't want to shoot.
They wore no seeable weapons. The men didn't notice him and would have gone by instead but then they would have come straight to Mac. That wasn't Jack's intention. He stood up and two of the horses shied. One of the men went down, the other one could calm his horse nearly instantly. Now Jack saw that the horsemen were armed, but the carried long knives, wooden bats, but no firearms. Before the man on the ground stood up, Jack held him in a chokehold grip with his own knife at his throat. It caused chaos with a lot of screaming and horses going wild. Jack tried to keep track of things, but he was soon surrounded by the four riders. Over his earwig he heard Mac take a deep breath. He knew that his EOD had reached a critical point. Without any comments he attacked the enemies. Against five men, four of them on horses his fight wasn't that easy. His rifle was to no avail at this short distance, so he had left it at his hideout. Hopefully these men didn't find it. Then there were suddenly sounds again over his comms and finally he heard Mac.
"Done."

Jack tried to keep a horse at a distance, while he avoided an attack of the knife of another rider. The first of the insurgents laid unconscious on the ground.
"Jack?"
He couldn't answer. With a fast movement he got hold of the reins, pulled them down to the ground, that caused the horse to stumble, and the man fell off. Jack knocked him out. Something hit his shoulder and short after also his head. For one moment he saw stars, and everything turned black. He closed his eyes and when he opened them again, he saw the other horsemen flee. Moaning he held his head. Only now he noticed that he was down on his knees. Painfully he turned around.
"I think the hit was too hard."
Behind his back a few yards away Mac still aimed with Jack's rifle at the fleeing men. Jack wiped with one hand over his eyes.
"You should leave my stuff alone."
Mac grinned. "No problem. I didn't change anything. It looked like you needed a hand."
"Everything under control." Jack tried to go up but swayed dangerously. Mac was at his side to support him.
"Looks like that," he stated sarcastically, but was earnest one second later. "Slowly. You got a hard hit. Let me see."

Mac's fingers touched carefully the spot where the baton hit Jack's head. Mac felt sticky blood but not too much. The swelling started to get bigger.
"Come on, I take you out of here."
Jack tried to nod but regretted it. Instead of that he just groaned.

When they both finally reached their new camp, Jack vomited two times and tried to close his eyes permanently. Only hardly Mac could hold him awake.
Finally, Jack was at the medical tent and Mac reported to his new superior and gave over the pieces of the mine. After that he entered the field hospital again. His partner slept in one of the beds. A nurse told him, that he suffered a concussion with a small laceration but no further injuries. Two or three days in quiet and everything should be as new. Mac nodded and sat down beside. He tried to get comfortable, but the simple plastic chair wasn't made for comfort.
Eventually he got a coffee, a blanket and a dry sandwich. His partner didn't come back to life. Mac snuggled into the blanket, pushed the chair nearer, so he could sit down and lay his feet onto the bed. His left hand rested on the comforter next to the one of the patient. Their fingers touched softly and that calmed Mac. After all he slept.