Hello everyone!
I´ve always wondered... after the backstory of how MacGyver and Pete had met (thanks to Murdoc ) we were told during 'Partners'... and since the MacGyver we meet during that backstory is kind of an apprehensive, cautious and shy guy... what happened after that building collapsed onto Murdoc? What happened that made MacGyver become a government agent (since he obviously wasn´t one during that story) permanently (not just for catching Murdoc)?
And what about the 'camel story'? How does it fit in?
So... I drew inspiration from various episodes - 'Partners', of course - but you may also find references to 'Friends', 'Deathlock', 'The enemy within', 'Blood Brothers' and a few more... and from a song I heard on one of the 'Miami Vice'-soundtracks -
Lives In The Balance by Jackson Browne - especially its second part...
I've been waiting for something to happen
For a week or a month or a year
With the blood in the ink of the headlines
And the sound of the crowd in my ear
You might ask what it takes to remember
When you know that you've seen it before
Where a government lies to a people
And a country is drifting to war
There's a shadow on the faces
Of the men who send the guns
To the wars that are fought in places
Where their business interests run
On the radio talk shows and TV
You hear one thing again and again
How the USA stands for freedom
And we come to the aid of a friend
But who are the ones that we call our friends
These governments killing their own
Or the people who finally can't take anymore
And they pick up a gun or a brick or a stone
And there are lives in the balance
There are people under fire
There are children at the cannons
And there is blood on the wire
There's a shadow on the faces
Of the men who fan the flames
Of the wars that are fought in places
Where we can't even say the names
They sell us the president the same way
They sell us our clothes and our cars
They sell us everything from youth to religion
The same time they sell us our wars
I want to know who the men in the shadows are
I want to hear somebody asking them why
They can't be counted on to tell us
Who our enemies are
But they're never the ones to fight or to die
And there are lives in the balance
There are people under fire
There are children at the cannons
And there is blood on the wire
So I took all this and unleashed my imagination once again... and here´s the result.
Please... read, enjoy and let me know what you think!
Starting Point
by bluegirl
Prologue
Present time…
It was anything but early morning silence.
The dull and constant roar of the engine working hard. The whole thing was vibrating. The sharp tapping noise of the rotors outside, struggling against the wind. Occasionally, some turbulences added to the movement that could be felt inside the helicopter.
Peter Thornton tried to sit perfectly still in the military helicopter. He was holding his backpack close with one arm wrapped around it and seemed calm on the outside. But inside his head, his thoughts were running wild. Although he knew, he´d checked his gear for the upcoming mission at least twice for completeness – he was mentally going through all items he´d packed once again, asking himself if he´d missed anything he might need real soon.
He would be dropped off in the woods in a couple of minutes, all on his own, and was doing his best to conceal his inner turmoil. As he had been trained to. As he should be able to… after being a government agent for quite some years. Thornton tried to focus on what lay ahead of him, especially on the route through the woods he would have to take until he would reach his final destination, and onto his mission objective.
Intelligence reports about what might await him there had been sketchy at best. Blurry satellite pictures had shown what was likely to be a camp and a probable small airstrip close to a river. But of course, those pictures had told Thornton nothing about how many men of the arms dealer ring would be present. Neither had he any idea if he would be able to gather any information that might help bring those men to justice.
Musing about the evidence took his thoughts instantly to the second main reason why he was sitting in the helicopter; why he had prepared to go on this mission alone and on very short notice. Thornton´s mind abruptly concentrated on the young man he had met several months ago.
The young man who should be out there, close to the camp, investigating it, gathering information. At least Thornton suspected him to still be there… hopefully also still alive.
By now he doubted if he had been correct about choosing this assignment to be the first official solo mission for the young one. Not that he doubted his decision to recruit the young man as an operative for the department in the first place. Not at all. The guy had a very unique set of skills that should fit their line of work perfectly. If he managed to survive.
That was where Thornton´s concerns started. Although it was obvious he knew his way around handguns and rifles – he had effortlessly passed the shooting training and test required for field certification for the DXS – the kid had flat-out refused to take a gun with him on his assignment. He´d only stated that 'he did better without them'. Thornton had tried to reason with him, but to no avail. And he had stopped arguing with the rookie real soon because Thornton had already noticed during the training how uncomfortable the young one felt with guns around – although he handled them quite confidently. Back then at the beginning of summer… several weeks ago.
When the information about the arms trafficking ring getting a new and large shipment soon had reached Thornton´s desk – just a week ago – Pete had been forced to act quickly. He had sent the rookie off to retrieve some intel from behind the Iron Curtain right after he had completed his training and passed the certification test, but he´d been accompanied by Craig Bannister then.
This time, all experienced agents had been out of the country or busy with different matters. Pete Thornton had asked the man if he felt ready to 'fly solo' and he had agreed. In fact, he had been eager to do something about those illegal weapon dealers. Especially since they had chosen to situate one of their main operation bases in the USA.
Thornton had had no doubts back then to send the man off – after all the assignment had been meant to be only about reconnaissance, about finding out more details about their operation base, so the DXS could work out a solid plan on how to take the arms dealer ring down. Since the camp was located in a wilderness area of the northwestern US, hidden in some densely forested valley of the Rocky Mountains, the newbie had seemed like a good choice. He was a seasoned woodsman; the tests had proven that.
But had it been too soon? Had he really known what and whom he would be up against? Had he really understood his objective was to only gather information and not attempt to take them down single-handed?
All those questions circled in Thornton´s head while he sat in the helicopter, strove to block out the noise, and watched the country pass by below through the side window. Ever since the young one had taken on the assignment, he had reported in via radio every evening, right on schedule, like clockwork. He had told them, he´d found the base, had been able to come quite close without being spotted, and had shared some intel about what he´d been able to observe so far. He´d been able to take some pictures, which would have been helpful to the DXS – had the department received the films as planned.
But three days ago those check-ins and reports had abruptly stopped. On the first evening, Pete Thornton hadn´t been all too concerned because of reports of fierce thunderstorms passing through the region. When there still had been no word from the man 24 hours after the storms had subsided, Thornton had gotten a bit worried. But as soon as he hadn´t turned up for his scheduled pick-up and flight back home to L.A. on the next morning those worries had mounted. What if the kid had gotten caught?
Pete Thornton knew that in his business, sometimes, there was the sad possibility to lose an operative… and that he shouldn´t let it get to him… but with this young man… he had his difficulties. He knew the kid closer for only a few months and he´d already grown quite fond of him. Despite his urge to stay professionally detached and to deny it, Thornton felt responsible. He had sent the guy off. He had known about the whole extent of the danger those arms dealers posed.
What if the young hotshot had gotten too eager to stop them? What if he had gotten in way over his head, not realizing that his assignment had been limited to recon due to his lack of experience?
Thornton sighed deeply. The kid may very well be dead by now. Those goons weren´t known to keep their prisoners alive for a long time. That was why he´d chosen to go on the trip himself. That was why he was sitting in this noisy chopper, was being taken to a very remote forest, and had prepared for a three-day hike. Today to at least reach the top of the mountain ridge the compound was located behind, tomorrow to find out whatever he could, and one more day to return to the site where he would be dropped off. With all intel possible. Hopefully also together with the young man. Preferably alive. Another helicopter flight was scheduled to take them back home.
It had been a while since he had taken on a wilderness mission like this one. He´d been in a way better shape back then. But he had to do this himself – and it had taken some persuading to get his department chief to agree due to his current workload. He had to make sure what had happened to his young rookie. No matter how hard he tried to deny it outwardly, he liked the man, he was worried about him and whatever had gone wrong. More than he was supposed to.
Perhaps it had to do with how they´d met in the first place. A few months ago. The 'Murdoc' incident. The kid had gotten himself involved way over his head back then as well. Bold… trying to help the 'lady'… not knowing anything about the true situation… but also careless and ignoring the possible danger. But… he´d gotten them out of their predicament as well. And in the end, Murdoc had been killed under the building that had collapsed onto him.
"We´re almost there, Sir." The voice of the co-pilot cut through Pete Thornton´s musings. "The clearing´s just ahead. Get ready."
Thornton straightened himself a little and adjusted his grip on his backpack so he´d be able to shoulder it quickly once he´d gotten off the helicopter. His eyes stayed fixed on the mountain ridge they were flying along as he nodded. The DXS regularly asked for and got the help of the military on urgent missions. He was used to the feel of those large Huey choppers.
"Thanks, Captain."
The chopper was following the bends of the valley now, and Thornton knew the pilot couldn´t take him any higher to give him an overview of the area or go closer to the camp because of the risk that they might be spotted or heard. He had to rely on his maps and blurry satellite pictures for his trip through dense forest and rough terrain.
He took a deep breath when he saw the small clearing he would be dropped off on come into view and felt the momentum of the helicopter change. Just then he felt adrenaline rush into his veins. Just then he noticed how wound up he was inside. After all the military and intelligence work he´d done over the years, Thornton still sensed his tension rising. His focus moved to the co-pilot only seconds before the chopper touched the ground.
"Day after tomorrow? 18.00?" he asked.
"Correct, Sir." the Captain confirmed. "That´s when we´ll be here to pick you up again."
"Us, I hope." Thornton shifted his weight, preparing to depart from the helicopter. "I plan on returning together with our missing operative."
"Of course, Sir." The co-pilot half-turned around to him and saluted. "Good luck."
Thornton reached for the handle and pulled the door open.
"Thanks, Captain!" he half-shouted over the noise before he climbed out of the chopper as soon as it had steadied. "I´ll see you then!"
He slammed the door shut and ran keeping his head down toward the tree line with his pack flung over one shoulder. Only then he turned and saluted the already departing pilots in the helicopter. Thornton watched it fly away for a couple of moments before he let his eyes do a quick scan of the area. He compared what he saw to his mental map, adjusted his backpack on both shoulders, and then determinedly walked off into the forest.
The noise of the helicopter faded soon and the following silence allowed his thoughts to wander off again while he started his way toward the top of the ridge. His mind traveled back to a morning only a few days after they had chased Murdoc into the demolition zone. He had asked the young man to come to his office… primarily for completing the paperwork…