A soft touch at his shoulder and bright sunbeams illuminating the interior of the medical tent woke him up again. A nurse stood at his side.
"Don't worry, specialist MacGyver, your OMT is sleeping for a longer time. Captain Morrows wants to talk to you."
Mac stretched, looked over the sleeping form of Jack and freed himself from the blanket.
"How's he?" His voice was still scratchy from sleep.
The nurse smiled comforting. "Very well. He got a light med for sleeping, so he can rest easily. The stitches on his wound are healing without problems but the swelling will bother him for some more days. He should rest today and maybe tomorrow and then you can take him."
Mac nodded. „Thank you. I go for the Captain's tent to hear what he wants from me. Then I come back."
The nurse explained that she would watch out for Jack. Mac stood up, stretched his legs again, coughed a bit and went out into the sunlight.
He knew the way to the tent of the leading commander, Captain Morrows, from his arrival. When he told the captain about their problems on the way to the base, he became clairaudient. The Taliban were never before this close to their position. When Mac entered the tent he still tried to get over the stiffness of his limbs from sleeping in such an uncomfortable position. This chair wasn't meant as a sleeping place, but after all that Jack risked for him on a daily basis it was the least he could do for him. Staying at his side when he was injured.
"Captain Morrows, specialist Angus MacGyver reports as ordered." Mac saluted perfectly. The Captain responded.
"At ease, specialist."
Mac followed that order also instantly.
"You were send to us because we find more often explosives which are difficult for our two EOD's. I'm sorry about, what happened to Sergeant Dalton, but I can't allow myself the luxury to wait until he recovered."
The captain made a pause and Mac wasn't sure about what was expected of him right now.
He couldn't read the mind of someone else also some of the superiors at the army seemed to expect exactly that.
"Sir?"
In Mac's opinion this question was not intrusive but showed enough interest. Fortunately the captain seemed to have the same opinion.
"Early this morning specialist Andrews died trying to defuse one of these new bombs. The teams found three more of them at a short distance. I can't order you to look after these bombs, because I got you and your OMT with the strict order that you exclusively work together. But I can't wait even one more day until Sergeant Dalton is ready to go out again."
Mac guessed to what this monologue would lead. He learned at the army not to guess what his superiors wanted, although he should foresee it, but to hear the instructions. To follow the command was a totally different thing-
"Sir?"
"Can you go out with another overwatch and care about these explosives, specialist MacGyver?"
Mac didn't have to think long about that. It was more a rhetorical question from his point of view. If the captain wanted he could have ordered him to go out with someone else. No matter which agreement was made. Mac gave the captain that he requested him.
"Sir, yes, sir. I'm honored to fulfill this mission. When and with whom do I go?"
The captain relaxed. "Sergeant Lewis will be with you. He gives you all the information about the location. Departure in one hour. Thanks, specialist MacGyver."
Mac saluted again and was allowed to go.
When he went back to the medical tent he whispered to himself. "Jack will not like that."
He should be right. Jack woke up when Mac stepped next to his bed.
"Hey, sleepy head, you're again among the living."
Mac tried to chit-chat. Jack mumbled something incoherent than he inspected the younger man. With a slight fingertip on his bed he forced his partner to sit down. Mac took a place slowly at the edge of the bed.
"What-" Jack's voice rasped. He coughed. „What's wrong here? What did I miss?"
„Nothing, Jack." Mac tried to avoid the intense gaze and the question. "Nothing. You need to recover. That's most important."
"You're a terrible liar!" Jack's fingers closed strong around Mac's wrist. „Don't dare try to fool me!"
Mac gave up. He told Jack about his mission.
"I don't like that at all, boy." Jack watched his EOD closely who squirmed under the brown eyes. "I have to make sure you're safe, I have to watch out for you. I can't do that as long as I'm here and you're out there!"
"I know, Jack. But I can't say no, because we're here exactly for these modified bombs. One of their EOD's died today. They have only one more. I can't leave the soldiers here on their own. They need me, they need my knowledge. You rest here, get coddled by nurse Caren and I'm back again in the evening. Maybe you can leave with me tomorrow if you behave properly."
Jack protested lamely but he knew he couldn't say anything against Mac's arguments. The boy was stubborn.
Finally he agreed. „Be careful, kid. I want to bring you home in one piece."
„Will do, Jack. I'm back in no time."
Mac went to the exit, turned around for a second, winked to Jack and left to get his gear.
Lewis waited for him at the truck.