A/N: I asked Cass the other day where I should stick MacGyver asleep, and she instantly responded with "suitcase." This is what popped into my head first. XD It's not technically a suitcase, so I'm working on one with a suitcase proper.

"Mac!"

Nikki started and spun on her heel to angrily shush Jack, who just gave her a confused look. Nikki silently wondered how the pilot hadn't gotten MacGyver killed before now. "Subtlety" didn't appear to be in Jack's vocabulary.

Nikki considered sending Jack outside as bait, but rejected the thought almost as soon as it occurred to her. It would be a little irresponsible to let MacGyver's friend get himself killed.

There was a more important issue to deal with, anyway. MacGyver had gone missing the previous night, and a series of clues had finally led the Phoenix Foundation to an airport on the edge of town. More agents were outside, keeping eyes on the smugglers MacGyver had been investigating while Nikki moved in alone to locate MacGyver to ensure he wouldn't end up in the line of fire. Along the way, she'd encountered Jack, who was also searching for MacGyver and knew the airport better than Nikki.

Hearing footsteps approaching, Nikki dragged Jack into one of the rooms full of luggage. The two of them ducked behind a pile of suitcases and listened to the hurried footsteps.

Jack made a questioning gesture, offering to jump whoever had entered. Nikki scowled and shook her head, waving at him to wait. They didn't want to bring any attention to themselves, not if this person could lead them to MacGyver…

The smuggler moved to the back of the room. Chains rattled softly, then the smuggler made a satisfied noise before hurrying back out.

"Lock the door," Nikki said, springing to her feet.

Nikki went to the back of the room, but didn't see anything unusual. There were only trunks lined up against the wall, a couple of which were secured shut with slim chains. More product, Nikki guessed, so where was MacGyver?

"Did you find him?" Jack asked, running up beside Nikki.

"No, he isn't-"

Jack broke in with a worried noise. "Nikki, help me!"

Jack ran to the biggest trunk and started fiddling with the padlock and chains. Nikki watched him in confusion.

"This is it!" Jack declared.

"What is?" Nikki asked, exasperated.

"This is the only trunk that's Mac-sized," Jack said.

"Mac-si- what?"

Nikki looked at the trunk. It was big enough to hold a person, but…

"C'mon," Jack said, "You're a Phoenix agent, can't you pick the lock?"

Nikki put a hand over her pocket. In it was MacGyver's lockpick set, which she'd found during her search for him. She could pick the lock, yes, but she didn't want Jack to see inside.

"Hello?" Jack said impatiently. "Let him out!"

"Jack," Nikki said, her voice softened by a surge of pain, "MacGyver's been missing for too long and he… couldn't breathe inside a trunk like that."

Jack raised an eyebrow and pointed. "Air holes. Are you sure you're with the Phoenix Foundation?"

Nikki did a double-take at the trunk. Yes, there were several holes punched deliberately in the lid. Was it possible…?

"Keep watch," Nikki ordered.

"Yes, sir! …ma'am?"

Ignoring Jack, Nikki knelt and picked the lock. She and Jack threw the chains aside and, warily on Nikki's part, opened the lid.

MacGyver was, indeed, inside. He was on his back, knees curled against his nose in the tight quarters with his arms jammed at his side. His eyes were close and he was unresponsive, but Nikki saw in an instant that he was breathing.

"Told ya," Jack said. He leaned over the trunk. "Mac? Hey, Mac, buddy? Yoo-hoo, time to rise and shine."

Nikki shook her head and nudged Jack aside. She inspected MacGyver as well as she could without removing him from the trunk, afraid of jostling broken bones.

A brief inspection later, Nikki leaned back on her heels. "Well, he looks alright. A bump on his head, but nothing else that I can see… he should have woken up by now, though."

Jack snorted. "Mac, you choose the worst places for naps."

Nikki side-eyed him. Jack was amused, but didn't appear to be joking. Nikki had heard the stories amongst Phoenix Foundation agents about the strange places MacGyver had been found asleep, but those had just been stories!

Right?

"He can't just be asleep?" Nikki couldn't stop herself from making it sound like a question. "That's absurd!"

"That's Mac," Jack chuckled. "My best guess is that they shoved him in here to keep him out of the way. Mac's feet fell asleep, and he decided to join them."

Nikki almost laughed at the theory, but put her skepticism aside when MacGyver gave a low noise. He shifted, but had no room to do more than lift his knees a bit.

"MacGyver," Nikki said, touching MacGyver's leg, "It's us, Nikki and Jack. You're safe now."

MacGyver's eyes slid open. He blinked once, twice, then his eyes crinkled with a grin.

"What took you so long?"

Nikki resisted the urge to slam the trunk's lid shut again. MacGyver was already trying to sit up, anyway, and getting exactly nowhere.

Nikki raised her radio. "We have MacGyver. Everyone, move in now."

Confirmation came from the other agents. Nikki put the radio away and debated on the best way to get MacGyver out.

"Are you hurt?" Nikki asked first.

"Head's pounding like a drum," MacGyver admitted. "They snuck up on me."

"Well, if that's all, good. Jack, grab his other foot."

Nikki carefully pulled one of MacGyver's feet out of the trunk, moving slowly to avoid yanking on the doubtlessly stiff limb. Jack was less careful, yanking MacGyver's other leg free so abruptly that MacGyver yelped and jerked, knocking his head against the trunk's inside.

"Oops." Jack let go of MacGyver's foot to raise his hands sheepishly. "Sorry, Mac."

MacGyver grimaced at him. Then his eyes closed and his lips drew back in a pained moan.

"What's wrong, MacGyver?" Nikki asked urgently.

"Feet fell asleep," MacGyver said through grit teeth. "I'll be fine. Keep going."

Jack was immensely more careful when he and Nikki moved onto MacGyver's arms. Once MacGyver's limbs were free, they had to take a break while MacGyver regained feeling in them.

At MacGyver's nod, Nikki and Jack each took a hold of one of MacGyver's shoulders. They wriggled and tugged, working MacGyver's shoulders free and moving him up until he was sitting upright in the trunk with his legs folded loosely in front of him.

Nikki checked the progress of the other agents, then told MacGyver, "Take it easy for now. We have a bit before it's clear outside. Unless you've found any injuries."

MacGyver shook his head. "Just stiff."

MacGyver gingerly rotated his shoulders. Nikki watched him sympathetically, though a question persisted in her mind.

"MacGyver?"

"Yeah?"

"You didn't…" Nikki smiled awkwardly, "You didn't really fall asleep in there, did you?"

"I did," MacGyver said, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"...why?"

"Well, it had been a long night and I wasn't going anywhere… and after my feet fell asleep, it seemed like a good way to pass the time."

Nikki's mouth fell open, but she couldn't even care. MacGyver just shrugged at her with a carefree grin.

Jack snorted. "Told you."

A/N: How MacGyver got into the trunk is exactly what he said, nothing exciting. However, if anyone wants to know how Mac got into the prisoner situation of chapter two, keep an eye out for Elusion Illusion, which I'll start posting this week!