Transitions

MacGyver rattled around his apartment for the next two days, keeping the cordless phone handset close by in case Pete called with an assignment. By the middle of the third day, he had to get out. Go somewhere, do something, anything! He grabbed his jacket, keys and flipped on the answering machine before heading the Nomad toward downtown Los Angeles and the Challengers Boys and Girls Club where he had volunteered for several years in a variety of capacities from mentor to handyman. The inner city center was a safe place for youth to congregate, recreate, and receive academic assistance all with the goal of keeping them off the streets and away from gangs and violence.

Mac parked his car in a lot surrounded by a tall, chain-link fence and soon found himself pulled into the middle of a pre-teen street hockey game. After several minutes of purposely muffed shots and one goal, MacGyver made his way to the door of the building.

"Hello!" he called. "Anybody home?"

"No way," a deep voice boomed from across the large rec room. "That can't be MacGyver I hear!"

Mac heard heavy, sure footsteps approaching before being soundly embraced by a large, African-American man. MacGyver heartily returned the greeting before breaking away to assess his friend. About 10 years Mac's senior, R.T. Hines was a former U.S. Marine who had taken over the operation of Challengers from the Club's founder, Cynthia Wilson, a few years earlier. Tough, unyielding, but with a heart of gold, Hines ran the center with a steel fist and warm heart, treating each member as if they were his own child. Judging from the pick-up hockey game outside, the large number of teens vying for turns at the game tables in the recreation hall, and another group of kids planning what Mac assumed was the annual New Year's Eve party, it was obvious the club was indeed in good hands.

"I didn't know you were back in town."

"Yeah," Mac replied. "Got back in November."

"And it took you this long to come by and see us?!" Hines mockingly scolded.

"I had some things to take care of first, ya know?"

Hines squinted his eyes and examined MacGyver's face. "Yeah, sure, I understand."

The air hung heavy between the two men. Hines knew Mac well enough to know there was a lot he wasn't saying. He also knew that Mac couldn't be forced to talk about anything he didn't want to. The ex-Marine sighed in resignation and decided to change the subject.

"So, did Peter Thornton tell you about the school?" Hines asked with renewed enthusiasm.

"Actually, Pete and I haven't had the opportunity talked about Challengers," Mac answered.

"Well, then come on over and let me get you up to speed!"

Hines led MacGyver to a far corner of the rec room. Vending machines stood sentinel against the wall and there were several mismatched sets of dining tables and chairs.

"Pick your poison, I'm buying," Hines addressed Mac, nodding toward the machines.

"Got any orange juice in one of those?"

"One OJ comin' right up!"

Hines handed the bottle of juice to MacGyver who broke the plastic seal and uncapped the bottle, taking a long drink before casually leaning back in his chair. Across from him, Hines chugged a soft drink before he, too, leaned back contentedly.

"So, what were you saying about this school?" MacGyver asked.

"Ah, piqued your curiosity, did I?" Hines teased.

Mac raised one eyebrow in response.

"Alright then," Hines coughed and turned serious. "Shortly after you and Sam cut out, the Phoenix Foundation received a large sum of money from an anonymous philanthropist with one request: That the money be used to fund programs designed to educate at-risk youth. So, to make a long, bureaucratic story short, the Phoenix Board of Directors, along with Mr. Thornton, started Challengers Academy, a co-ed high school for teenagers who have been in juvie, are in juvie, or are on the path to juvie."

"Sounds like an interesting concept," MacGyver mused as he drained his bottle of orange juice.

"It's more than a concept, Mac. It's an honest-to-goodness state accredited school that's been up and running for about two years now. You know that old brick building next door?"

"Yeah, the one the kids are constantly trying to explore."

"Well, that's the school now!"

Mac thought back to the building he had passed on his way in. In a former life it had been a bustling warehouse, but a declining economy had forced its doors closed and time had taken its toll on the large structure. From the outside, it still appeared to be the abandon warehouse MacGyver had scoured more than once for wayward teens hungry for adventure.

"That's a school?!"

"Sure is! I know it doesn't look like it from the outside— "Mac interrupted with a grunt but Hines continued, "but with the hard work of a construction team, community volunteers, and dedicated teachers we turned it into a model educational center."

Hines could see that MacGyver still had his doubts. "How about we go over there now and I give you the grand tour? School is out for winter break so there aren't any teachers or students around, but you'll get the general idea."

"Sure, what the heck," Mac shrugged. "I've got some time on my hands." Too much time, he thought dejectedly.

As the two men entered the old building and Hines threw on the lights, MacGyver could hardly believe what he saw. Long, bright corridors were flanked with what Mac could only assume were classrooms. At the end of one hallway was a room labeled 'Office' and another 'Teachers' Lounge'. Hines kept up a steady narrative, clearly enjoying showing off the place.

"We have state-of-the art classroom facilities and highly trained instructors. Students engage in a rigorous curriculum of all core subjects plus electives such as Music and Physical Education in order to obtain their high school diploma."

Mac stopped and poked his head into what appeared to be a large study hall.

"That's the Learning Center," Hines replied before MacGyver could question him. "Any student is welcome there at any time for extra assistance with academics. It also serves as the computer lab. The teachers take turns staffing it and provide any assistance a student may need." Mac nodded, clearly impressed.

"So how many students come here?"

"We have 120 students enrolled and our absenteeism rate is quite low," Hines answered proudly. "Of course, a lot of our success is due to the fact that we have abbreviated schedules. Most students only attend a few hours a day as opposed to traditional schools where students are generally required to attend around 7 hours each day."

"Sure wish I could have gone to school for only a few hours a day," Mac smirked. "But seriously," he continued thoughtfully, "with that many at-risk kids in the building at the same time, aren't you concerned about safety and discipline problems?"

"Absolutely!" Hines exclaimed. "In fact, that was one of the most challenging aspects of getting the school up and running. Phoenix was kind enough to loan us a security expert in the beginning to help set up surveillance cameras and an emergency communication system. All teachers and staff are trained in basic self-defense skills as well as strategies to recognize and de-escalate potential trouble. There is also a uniformed officer at the front door whenever school is in session to screen students as well visitors who enter and leave the building."

"Is he armed?" Mac asked.

"Only with Mace, a radio, and his wits. Our goal is not to have the students fear us, but rather work with us to keep the school community safe and conducive to learning and interacting with others. The participants know the rules and expectations. It is a privilege to attend here that can be taken away."

Mac nodded, duly impressed.

They continued to the far end of the building where a large, multi-purpose gymnasium awaited, complete with retractable bleachers.

Mac let out a low, appreciative whistle and Hines beamed with pride. "Here is where our physical education classes take place. We also play team sports here including basketball, volleyball, and sometimes even tennis and soccer. If our funding continues, we have plans to buy up surrounding properties to convert to a baseball diamond and football field."

"Very impressive," Mac responded as he continued to survey the gym. "Any plans for a hockey rink?"

Hines let out a belly laugh. "I should have known you'd ask about that! Unfortunately that would require a whole other building and a lot of maintenance. Not to mention the cost of the required gear."

"Have you approached Phoenix about it?"

"Whoa, one step at a time, Mac," Hines cautioned. "Besides, academics come first around here."

"As well they should," MacGyver conceded, as Hines steered him back through the maze of corridors and back out to the parking lot.

MacGyver tacked up the new calendar on his kitchen wall and then went to look out the rain-splattered window as thunder rumbled in the background. January 1995 was starting out as gray and depressing as he felt. He had spent New Year's Eve at Challengers chaperoning their yearly party. He was assigned to stand guard at the refreshment table to ensure that no one spiked the punch. A job he took very seriously since his experience at Mama Lorraine's Christmas party. He enjoyed talking with the teens, reuniting with many he used to spend time with on a regular basis. Unfortunately, that enjoyment was short lived. It would soon be a week since he asked Pete for an assignment at Phoenix, and he had yet to hear from his friend. He knew Pete well, and he knew that no news was bad news. He flopped on his couch, grabbed the TV remote, and tuned into a college football bowl game. "Happy New Year, Mac," he grumbled to himself.

The sky continued to spit rain late into the evening as the final game of the day was in its waning minutes. Mac was dozing when the shrill ring of his telephone jerked him awake. He fumbled for the receiver.

"Hello," he said groggily.

"Happy New Year, Mac!" Pete exclaimed cheerfully.

"Not so far."

"Oh, I think you'll change your mind when you hear what I have to say," Pete replied, the smile on his face somehow coming through the receiver to Mac.

"You got an assignment for me, Pete?" MacGyver asked as he rose from the couch now fully awake and trying to quell his excitement.

"I do," Pete assured him. "That is, if you still want it after you hear about it."

"I want it! I want it! What is it?!"

"Whoa, calm down. Meet me at Phoenix tomorrow at 10am and I'll give you all the details."

"C'mon Pete, can't you just tell me now?"

"Sorry, Mac. You'll just have to wait. But look on the bright side, I hear that patience builds character," Pete chuckled as the line went dead.

MacGyver arrived early to the Phoenix Foundation the following morning. The last time he had been there was for his MRI results. Today he clipped on his ID Pass and roamed the once-familiar halls to check out some of the projects the think tank was working on. As he poked his head in various labs and offices, he found few faces he remembered and garnered cautious stares from the new employees. He couldn't believe how much things had changed since he left.

He made his way to Pete's office. Helen, his secretary, was seated at her desk, holding down the fort as always.

"Hi Helen, how're you doing?"

"MacGyver!" The older woman hopped out of her chair faster than Mac thought possible. Before he knew it, he was wrapped in her arms and relishing the motherly hug she saw fit to bestow on him.

"And here I thought you didn't care," Mac said facetiously.

"Of course I care," she said as she pulled away and swatted his shoulder. "Whenever Pete sends you out on an assignment I never know if you'll come back in one piece what with all those stunts you pull! It's no wonder you're still single. And at your age! Well, I guess no woman in her right mind is going to want to marry the likes of you…never knowing when, or if, you'll come home. Such a shame…" she continued to cluck like a mother hen and MacGyver was amazed at how the woman had managed to make him feel ten years old again.

Soon her intercom buzzed and she instructed MacGyver to enter the inner office. Pete sat at his old desk, a few members of the Board standing behind and to the side of him, hidden in the shadows. Pete was taking the lead on this case, but he was being watched carefully.

"Hiya, Pete! Whatcha got for me?"

"Ah, hello MacGyver, thank you for coming down on such short notice. Please, have a seat," Pete gestured toward where he knew a chair would be.

Mac's senses immediately went on high alert. Why was Pete being so formal? And who, exactly, were the guys in the shadows?

"No problem," MacGyver said, deciding to play along with the formality as he settled into the chair across the desk from his friend.

"So, I heard you paid a visit to Challengers. Mr. Hines said you seemed quite impressed with the school they started." Pete settled comfortably into his chair.

"Yeah, I did and I was," Mac replied, a bit confused at where this conversation was going.

"I'm glad you feel that way, MacGyver," Pete began, as he slid a thick manila file across his desk towards Mac's voice, "because I'm assigning you to oversee security at our other Challengers Academy."

"You mean there's more than one?" Mac asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yes. When the one here in L.A. saw such immediate success, the donor asked that we open another school in a different part of the country that also has a large population of at-risk teens. You will find all the information you need in that file, and Helen has dossiers on all the staff members. Please review the files and be prepared to leave by the end of next week."

Pete stood up and the shadowed figures moved forward signaling the end of the meeting. Mac shook Pete's hand, nodded at the other gentlemen, and left to pick up the files from Helen.

"What just happened in there?" Helen asked in a loud whisper as she handed the pile of files to MacGyver.

"I'm not sure," Mac replied slowly, "but I definitely intend to find out".

Leaving the heap of files in his car, MacGyver hurried into his apartment, peeled off his jacket and flung it across a chair as he picked up the phone and dialed Pete's private line at Phoenix. At least he hoped it was still Pete's private line.

"Hello?" Pete answered.

Mac let out a sigh before turning indignant. "What the heck was that all about, Pete?" he demanded.

"I'm sorry I didn't have time to warn you, Mac—"

"Warn me about what?!"

"When you left the Foundation…the way you left…well, it ruffled some feathers. The Board members were not pleased that I allowed our top field agent to fly the coop so easily."

"Cute metaphor Pete."

"Today's meeting was as much about me as it was you. I had to prove to them that I was still your boss and could make you toe the line if I'm to oversee your assignments," Pete explained. "By the way, thanks for playing along."

"No problem. Sorry I got upset. I'm just not used to—"

"Forget about it, MacGyver. Look, Connie is serving apple pie ala mode for dessert tonight. Why don't you come to the house where we can talk freely and I'll tell you all about your new assignment. Deal?"

"Anything for ice cream, Pete," Mac teased before disconnecting the call.

That evening found Pete and MacGyver at the Thornton's kitchen table savoring Connie's dessert as they discussed the details of Mac's new assignment.

"Did you read through the files I gave you?"

"You know how I feel about dossiers, Pete," MacGyver replied before quickly shoving a huge forkful of pie and ice cream into his mouth.

"I know," Pete answered with a long-suffering sigh. "You prefer to talk to people, get to know them, listen to your gut."

MacGyver just nodded, still chewing the large piece of dessert.

"MacGyver?"

"Oh, sorry Pete," he said around a mouthful of pie. "I forget you can't see when I nod."

"Did you at least look at the file about the Academy?"

"No. I left it in the car."

Pete rolled his eyes. MacGyver was a meticulous genius, but he was also one of the most unorganized bachelors Pete had ever met.

"Well, then, I guess we'd better start from scratch," Pete proclaimed as they headed into the living room and more comfortable seating.

"After you and Sam left, Phoenix opened a satellite office in Chicago. It seemed sensible that the second Challengers Academy be located there as well. Unfortunately, the Illinois Department of Education had some 'issues' with our little project so we were forced to look for a different location. We decided on the next largest city in the same general area and voila Challengers Academy-Milwaukee Campus was born!"

Mac remained silent.

Pete forged ahead. "And I thought, given your involvement with Challengers here and you being raised in that area of the country, it seemed like a natural fit."

"So what, exactly, do you need me to do?"

Pete grinned satisfactorily. He had piqued MacGyver's interest. He was going to take the assignment.

"Well," Pete cleared his throat, "your assignment is actually two-fold. Like I said at the office, you will be going in as the new security advisor. They've run into some problems in that area and I know you can do the job."

"That's not a problem," Mac replied confidently. He had a great deal of experience in setting up and testing security systems for some of the most sensitive and vulnerable government agencies in the country.

"And then there's the second part," Pete continued. "The Foundation wants you to submit a report on the growth and success of the program for future funding purposes." Pete braced himself for the response he knew would follow.

"Aw, c'mon Pete!" MacGyver complained. "You know I hate anything having to do with politics and bureaucracies. Besides, what do I know about education? Don't ask me to be the one to give or take back funding."

"Now settle down, Mac," Pete said calmly. "Phoenix is only asking for your observations and opinions about the school. The Board will have the final say, as always. And it's not an issue of taking away funding. Thanks to the generous donation of our anonymous benefactor, we have a surplus of funds. We just need to decide how best to use them and your reports will be considered when the Board makes their final decisions."

Mollified by this explanation, Mac asked, "So how long will this assignment last?" He was supposed to have another MRI in a few weeks and, if all went well, could be cleared for active field duty within a month.

"Well, that's still a bit unclear," Pete hedged. "When you get to the school you will contact the administrator, Evelyn Quinn, who can give you a better idea of what needs to be accomplished. However, I'd say to plan to stay for at least a couple months. Possibly until the end of the semester if you run into setbacks."

"And by 'setbacks' you mean if I don't pass the Foundation's concussion protocol."

"I'm afraid so," Pete said flatly. "And don't worry," he continued quickly, "Phoenix is providing you with a company credit card and expense account. You also have a furnished apartment near the school."

Mac wasn't too keen on the idea of such a long term assignment. Especially since he'd only been home for less than two months. But, if he wanted back into Phoenix, he'd have to pay his dues.

"So, when are they expecting me?"

"As soon as you can get there."

"Great. Just great."

MacGyver spent the next few days preparing for his trip. Pete had offered him a plane ticket, but Mac preferred to drive the two thousand some odd miles that would take him to his next assignment. He gazed longingly at the Nomad and shook his head.

"Sorry ole girl, driving halfway across the country in January is not something I want to put you through." So he put the classic car back up on blocks and pulled out the battery to hide in Pete's garage.

"Just in case Jack gets a hankering for a road trip," he had explained to Pete.

"But he could just buy a new one," Pete replied.

"Jack? Buy something?!"

"You got a point, Mac."

Nevertheless, Jack Dalton was his best friend since childhood and, since Jack was currently between 'lucrative business prospects', MacGyver had invited him to stay in the apartment so Mac wouldn't have to put everything into storage….again. Jack had jumped at the offer and MacGyver had a feeling he had just made a really dumb decision.

All that was left was to load up the Chevy Blazer the Foundation had provided for him. Mac was used to traveling light, so he made quick work of packing. Jack and Pete stood on the sidewalk in front of his apartment as he stowed his duffel bags in the back of the SUV, followed by his hockey stick, helmet, and favorite pair of gloves. He then bid his two friends a fond farewell with promises to keep in touch and stay alive.

After three days on the road and a snowstorm that followed him like a lost puppy, MacGyver finally arrived at his destination. He pulled out the piece of paper Pete had given him with the address of his apartment and maneuvered the vehicle through the slick city streets until he found the building he would be living in for the next several weeks. He parked the Blazer by the curb and stepped out to survey the non-descript two-story apartment building. "Home sweet home," he murmured, "for now….."