Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to my loyal reader and reviewer Sanguine and her special friend.
Into the Past
MacGyver glanced at the calendar hanging on his office wall as he prepared to leave for the day. He couldn't believe Sam had been gone for a month already and that Challengers Academy would be closing its doors for good in another sixty days. As promised, Joanna wore her third of the Mizpah coin on a dainty gold chain every day. Mac had put his on a long, thin leather cord and wore it tucked into his shirt. He rarely removed it as well. On his way out, he peeked into Jo's empty office. Ironically, since they had decided to give a more-than-just-friends relationship between them a try they had seen less and less of each other. At least now he could take comfort in the fact that Joanna wasn't purposely avoiding him, she was just busy, as was he. With the closing of the school imminent, they both wanted to spend as much time with the students as possible. In the evenings, Mac still coached the hockey team. Even though it would dissolve at the end of the school year, the kids had asked that he keep working with them. He figured this kept them off the streets and out of trouble. Joanna had stopped by a few times to watch from the stands, but there was no chance for any quality time with her in front of several pairs of curious, teenage eyes.
Mac was unlocking the door to his duplex when he saw Charlie, his landlord and neighbor, heading toward him.
"Hey Charlie, how's it goin'?" MacGyver greeted him with a friendly smile.
"Oh, I can't complain, son. Can't complain," Charlie replied in his usual jovial tone. "A registered letter came for you in the mail today. Hope you don't mind, but I signed for it. Figured it had to be pretty important."
"Thanks, Charlie," Mac said as he opened his door and took the letter from his landlord. The front of the envelope was scribbled with crossed out addresses and forwarding requests. He saw it had originally been sent to the marina in L.A. where he had kept his houseboat. That had been ages ago.
MacGyver tossed his keys on the kitchen counter, tore into the envelope, and quickly scanned the neatly typed missive. It was a note regarding his late grandpa's will. There had been an unforeseen development that required Mac's attention. His brow furrowed as he wondered what it could be. Harry had died several years ago and MacGyver assumed everything had been settled.
Shrugging out of his leather bomber jacket, Mac grabbed the phone and punched in the numbers for Wilton Newberry, attorney at law. The receptionist informed him that Mr. Newberry was gone for the day but had left explicit instructions to schedule a meeting with MacGyver. The following week was spring break so Mac could make the trip home and not miss any work. He set a day and time to meet with the lawyer and clicked off the call. He hadn't planned on going anywhere over spring break, hoping instead to spend some one-on-one time with Joanna. Just as his disappointment started to build he got an idea.
The next morning MacGyver got to work extra early and was already at his computer when he heard Joanna arrive. He gave her a few minutes to get settled before he went and tapped on her office door.
"Hi Mac," she greeted him with a happy, unguarded smile. She shuffled through papers on her desk as he sat in a chair across from her.
"I was wondering if you had any plans for next week."
"Nope," she replied without missing a beat. "Not unless you count sleeping as 'plans.'"
"Oh," MacGyver responded, unable to hide his discouragement.
"Why?"
"I need to go back to my home town next week to take care of something and I thought you might like to come along." What he didn't say was that he had been living in Joanna's world for over a year now and really wanted her to see what had once been his world, his friends, his hangouts. Would she feel as comfortable there as he felt in Milwaukee, or would she be out of place in the northern Minnesota town? It really didn't matter since he never planned to return there permanently, but it was suddenly important for him to share this part of his life with her.
Mac could practically see the wheels in her head spin as she weighed the pros and cons of his invitation before making a decision.
"I'd love to go," she finally answered with conviction. "I wanna see where you grew up." She smiled slyly and MacGyver already had visions of her huddled with his long-time friends as they spun stories about the past…and him. Perhaps he should have thought this through a bit more, but there was no going back now.
It was mid-afternoon on Monday when MacGyver guided his Jeep through the clean, tree-lined streets of Mission City, Minnesota and parked in front of the converted home that served as the law offices of Wilton Newberry. He was reminded of five years ago or so when he came to the same building to receive the codicil to his grandfather's will that bequeathed him the Nomad. He felt a pang of guilt that he had not had the time to begin restoring the classic car, but that could wait until school let out.
MacGyver looked over at Joanna. It had been a long drive and she had eventually dozed off. He gently shook her shoulder to rouse her.
"Are we there?" she asked, a bit disoriented from sleep.
"Yep," Mac replied. "And just in time for my appointment with the lawyer."
Together they entered the building and were shown into Mr. Newberry's office. The dark-haired, bow-tie-wearing man was shorter than MacGyver and appeared slightly nervous. His office was neat and well-kept. After exchanging greetings they all took a seat.
"Am I to assume we have a Mrs. MacGyver here?" Newberry asked, folding his hands on top of his desk.
"Um, no. She's just a friend," Mac responded, hating to down-play their relationship yet not knowing quite how to explain it.
"And do we have a first name for you yet?"
"Nope. Still just 'MacGyver'," he said with a crooked smile.
"Well, then. Let's get down to business, shall we?" Mr. Newberry opened a file, skimming its contents as Joanna and MacGyver exchanged curiously amused glances.
"You may or may not be aware," the attorney began, "that Harry Jackson, you're grandfather, owned a small cabin up on Bell Lake that he willed to his friend Stanley Hubbard."
MacGyver had forgotten about that cabin but nodded his head in response.
"Unfortunately, Mr. Hubbard passed away a few months back. According to Harry's will, the cabin and property now revert back to you, Mr. MacGyver."
Newberry then pulled out several legal documents and began instructing Mac where to sign and date each form. MacGyver complied though he was still processing the fact that he was now a landowner…no matter how small the piece of land. As he signed his name here, and put the current date there, Mac began to remember images of the cabin from when he was young and soon became eager to get out and explore the old place. Once the paperwork was satisfactorily completed, Mr. Newberry held out a key to MacGyver.
"Here you are, Mr. MacGyver. You are now the official owner to do with the land and property as you see fit."
"Thank you," Mac nodded with a smile as he took the key. "Do you mind me asking how Stanley Hubbard died?"
Mr. Newberry leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "It was a sad thing, really. It appears he went out in a snowstorm to gather more logs for the fireplace when he had a heart attack and collapsed. By the time he was found, the authorities could not determine whether he did from the attack or frost bite."
"I'm sorry," Mac offered, not knowing what else to say.
"Yes, well," Mr. Newberry glanced at the clock. "I do not wish to be inhospitable, but it is two minutes past closing time. You're Grandpa Harry valued punctuality and he would not want me keeping you from getting settled in, so if you don't have any questions I'll let you be on your way."
"Mr. Newberry is quite an interesting fella," Joanna observed when the couple returned to the Jeep. "I'm guessing your grandfather was, too."
"You could say that," Mac replied as fond memories of Harry surfaced in his mind's eye. He glanced at the sky and then at his watch. "It's getting late. How about we grab a bite to eat and then check into the motel?"
"Aren't you anxious to see the cabin?" Jo asked, unable to mask the eagerness in her own voice. "We could stay there instead of waste money on two motel rooms," she suggested.
MacGyver's eyebrows shot up at her proposal. "I have to warn you, the cabin is a lot more rustic than what you're used to."
"How rustic is it?" she asked warily.
"If I remember correctly it has indoor plumbing and electricity, but that's about the extent of its luxuries."
"Sounds good to me," she smiled back at him as if issuing a dare.
After supper at a local café, MacGyver drove north to the cabin. He turned off the paved highway onto a narrow, rutted dirt road that had turned to mud with the spring thaw. A couple miles later he pulled up to a dilapidated log home and turned off the engine.
"Here we are," he announced, as Jo stared out the windshield studying the structure.
"There's still time to go back," he told her.
"No." She set her chin and climbed out of the vehicle. Mac shrugged and followed after her.
"The place is probably pretty dirty," he warned as he slid the key into the lock. The door swung inward and Mac felt along the wall until he found the light switch connected to a dim bulb. MacGyver's jaw dropped and he felt Joanna push past him to get a better view.
"This is your idea of dirty?" she asked him.
The pair stood and took in the large room that made up Harry's cabin. Though the furnishings were decades old, tattered and worn, there was not a speck of dust or hint of cobweb to be found.
"I guess someone's been looking after the place," MacGyver muttered as he made his way around room, turning on lights. Long-forgotten memories slammed to the forefront of his mind as he took in the space. Next to the door was a small kitchen area with a table, sink, refrigerator, and electric stove top. In the middle of the room sat a pair of threadbare recliners, a crooked coffee table and an old television behind which was an old stone fireplace. The far wall was occupied with a well-worn wood desk with a double bed on one side and a narrow cot on the other. A door at the foot of the cot led to the bathroom.
"Are you sure you want to stay here?" Mac asked Jo one last time. He was trying to give her an out.
"Would you stay here if you had come alone?" she caught and held his gaze.
"Yeah, sure," he admitted. "But—"
"'But' nothing! If it's good enough for you it's good enough for me. I'm not some prissy city girl who's afraid of breaking a nail you know?"
"I never said that," MacGyver defended himself.
"You didn't have to."
"I don't suppose you brought any hiking boots with you?"
Joanna looked down at her feet with a frown. Mac's heart twisted. She was doing her best to fit into his world and he had pushed too far. He crossed the room, tucked a finger under her chin and raised her head so he could once again see her eyes.
"No problem," he assured her. "We'll go into town tomorrow and pick up supplies," he promised.
That night, MacGyver insisted that Joanna take the bed and he would sleep on the cot. He offered to rig up a line and hang a blanket over for some privacy, but he had already decided to sleep in his clothes and Joanna contended that flannel lounge pants and an oversized sweatshirt were less attractive than jeans and a t-shirt so there was no need for him to bother with a 'wall'. How could she still not realize that it was her he found attractive? That she could entice him wearing a burlap sack! Mac watched as she crawled under the covers and curled into a ball. He groaned and rolled on his side to face the wall vowing that tomorrow the blanket would go up.
They drove into town early the next morning to grab a bite to eat before heading to the sporting goods store that was owned by Chuck, MacGyver's childhood friend. As luck would have it, his other long-time friend and police sergeant Neil Ryder was also there. The men embraced upon seeing each other before Mac introduced them to Joanna. They all shook hands and exchanged pleasant greetings.
"I never thought I'd see the day when MacGyver settled down," Chuck quipped.
"So, what brings you to town?" Neil asked, saving Mac from having to respond to Chuck.
"My Grandpa Harry, actually. I sorta just inherited his old cabin up on the lake. We're staying up there for a few days and need some supplies."
"That place must be a mess," Neil said. "Can't believe you guys are actually staying there."
"Actually it was surprising clean," Mac replied. "Any idea who might be looking after it?"
Both men shook their heads and let the subject drop.
Chuck helped Joanna pick out a pair of hiking boots, a couple flannel shirts and an all-weather jacket. Once Mac was satisfied she had everything she needed they headed to the grocery store and stocked up on convenient foods that could be easily prepared in the cabin's basic kitchen.
"Do you mind if we drive around a little before we head back?" MacGyver asked.
"Of course not!" she exclaimed. "That's what I came for. Give me the grand tour of Mission City!"
The first place Mac showed her was his old neighborhood and the house he grew up in. For the first time, he noticed how similar it was to the area of Milwaukee where he now lived: The middle-class homes, neat lawns, and tree-lined streets. No wonder he chose to move there instead of returning to Los Angeles. They proceeded to drive by the large high school he had attended, the ice rink where he had played hockey, and several other places that held fond memories for him before returning to the downtown street that housed Chuck's store as well as many others.
"Well, what do you think of my hometown?"
"I'm impressed," she told him. "The way you always talk about it I was expecting something a lot smaller and backward. This is a nice little city. I can see why you liked growing up here."
"Thanks," Mac said, delighted by her response. "What do you say we head back and try out those new hiking boots of yours?"
MacGyver unlocked the cabin door, crossed the threshold and tossed his keys on the kitchen table. It was then that he saw a blank white envelope next to where his keys had landed. He stopped so abruptly that Joanna bumped into his back.
"Mac…" she began to whine until her gaze followed his.
"Please tell me you put that there," he said quietly.
"I'd love to, but I didn't," she responded softly. "Was it there when we left this morning?"
"Nope," Mac answered as he slowly approached the table.
"That means someone broke in here after we left?" she asked, a couple paces behind him.
"Yep," He responded.
MacGyver reached for the envelope and opened it carefully. His pulse kicked into overdrive as he read the short, handwritten note.
Welcome Home, MacGyver
I knew you couldn't stay away. I do hope you are enjoying your late grandfather's cabin. I fixed it up especially for you and your lovely guest. Please don't plan on leaving anytime soon…if ever.
M~
The blood drained from MacGyver's face. Murdoc.
"Mac, what is it? What does it say?" Joanna asked anxiously. "You look as if you've just seen a ghost."
"I think I have," he replied ominously.
Joanna. He had to keep her safe and away from this madman.
"Stand against the wall and don't move until I tell you," he commanded. She arched an eyebrow in displeasure at being told what to do but quietly obeyed.
MacGyver spent the next several minutes combing the cabin for any sign of a booby trap, bomb, or some other device Murdoc may have cooked up. He found nothing.
"Okay, it's all clear," he announced, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Do you mind telling me what's going on?" Joanna asked indignantly.
Mac motioned for her to have a seat at the kitchen table as he sat down across from her, stabbing his fingers through his hair before beginning the story he had hoped to never tell again.
"There's this guy name Murdoc. He's tried to kill me on several occasions. Sometimes as an assignment, sometimes for revenge. He always makes some sort of game out of it, and he uses people I care about to get to me. I can't believe he's back." At this point MacGyver looked into Joanna's eyes, willing her to understand the danger he had unwittingly put her in.
"And no one's ever caught him?" she asked.
"No. What's worse is that he should have died several times over, but he somehow always survives even the most horrific events. He's like a cat with nine lives."
"So how many lives has he used up?"
"At last count I think it was five, but I could be wrong," Mac replied.
"This is crazy, Mac. I think you're jumping to conclusions. How do you know for sure it was Murdoc who wrote that note?"
"It was him," MacGyver growled, his jaw clenched.
"But you're two thousand miles from Los Angeles! How on earth did he find you? Do you think he tracked your cell phone like Stern?"
Mac shook his head. "No. That would be too easy. Murdoc likes a challenge."
"Well, if he is here, what do we do next?" Joanna asked.
"We don't do anything. You are going home and I'll stay and deal with Murdoc."
"No way," Jo rebutted. "I'm not leaving you alone out here. We can at least go tell Neil what's going on and let the police handle this."
"No! This is between me and Murdoc. I don't want anyone else getting involved," MacGyver insisted gruffly.
"You're being irrational," Joanna huffed.
Mac reached across the table and took her hand in his. "Maybe I am, that's all the more reason for you to leave. Now. Please at least go back to town. I'll meet you there as soon as I can."
After what seemed like an eternity, Joanna finally relented.
"Fine. I'll go back to town." She squeezed his hand before releasing it and heading for the door. Mac tossed her the car keys and followed her outside.
"Just stay on the dirt road until you run into the highway and then head south. And don't stop for anyone or anything, do you hear me? Do. Not. Stop."
"I hear you," she mumbled as she got into the Jeep and reached out to put the key in the ignition.
"Don't move!" Mac suddenly commanded.
"Why?"
"Didn't you hear that 'click' when you sat down?"
Jo shook her head. "What's going on Mac? You're scaring me!"
"It's about time," he muttered, as he lowered himself to the ground and cautiously looked under the driver's seat. Just what he thought. A bomb. Murdoc had rigged the Jeep while they were inside. His nemesis had been yards away, but Mac had been too distracted by Joanna to notice. All the more reason she had to leave once he kept them from getting blown to smithereens.
"Mac, what's going on?" Joanna moved and the seat wiggled.
"Don't move," he said again, trying to stay calm. "There's a bomb under your seat. Your body weight activated it. If you move or get up it'll blow. Just sit still."
"What are you going to do?"
"Diffuse it." What choice did he have?
MacGyver pulled out his Swiss army knife and moved closer for a better look. The bomb was simple. All he had to do was snip a couple of wires and they were home free. Or were they? Was the bomb only meant to look simple, forcing him to cut the wrong wires? Did Murdoc plan on him overthinking this? Or not thinking enough?
"How's it goin' down there," Joanna called. He admired her bravado, but he also heard the crack in her voice.
"Fine. Just stay put." Perspiration beaded on his forehead. He had to make a decision. Trust his gut. Ever so slowly he reached out and snipped one wire and then another. He waited for a deafening explosion that didn't come. Instead, the little red light that indicated the bomb had been activated went dark. He let go of the breath he'd been holding and stood up.
"You can get out now," he offered his hand to Jo and she grasped it as she tumbled out of the Jeep and into his waiting arms. He hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head, never wanting to let her go. Suddenly he was aware of pressure on his chest as Joanna pushed away from him.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"You're squishing me!"
Mac's lips turned up in half a smile as he released his hold on her.
"You gonna be okay?" he asked, not trying to hide the concern.
"Yeah, I'm good," Jo replied, though her voice shook a bit.
"Go in the cabin and relax while I take care of this," Mac replied, gesturing toward the Jeep with his chin.
Once Joanna had gone inside, MacGyver went about removing the bomb from the seat of the car before dismantling it and destroying its components. When he entered he cabin, he found Joanna sitting at the kitchen table, a glass of water in front of her. He sat down across from her once more.
"Will you please pack some things and stay at a motel in town tonight?"
Joanna nodded wearily and got up to gather some necessities.
The sun was setting as MacGyver slid the key into the lock that opened the door of the motel room he had rented for Joanna. He ushered her into the room and did a quick walk-through to be on the safe side.
"I wish you'd stay in town, too."
Mac sighed. "I'm not gonna run from Murdoc."
"What do you plan to do?"
"I don't know yet, but I'll think of something. I always do," he grinned. After kissing her forehead and making her promise to stay locked in the room and not open the door for anyone but him, he drove back to the cabin.
Darkness had fallen as MacGyver pulled out various pots and pans from the kitchen cabinets and tied them to lengths of fishing line. He then went outside and strung the lines between the trees surrounding the cabin, covering the pots with twigs and brush. It was probably the world's oldest burglar alarm, but it could still be effective. Once he secured the perimeter, he went inside, plopped down in one of the old recliners, turned on the TV, keeping the volume low, and waited.
Mac awoke with a start. He instinctively listened for the clatter of his booby trap but heard nothing. It took him a minute to notice that the TV was blank and the room dark. The power had gone out…or someone had cut it. After giving his eyes time to adjust to the blackness that surrounded him, Mac did a slow visual survey of the room to ensure he was alone. Once convinced there was no one else in the cabin, he felt his way to the kitchen drawer and grabbed a flashlight but did not turn it on. Not yet. He stepped outside and made his way around the cabin, keeping his back against the roughhewn logs. After finding nothing suspicious, he inspected his 'burglar alarms' which appeared to be undisturbed. Perhaps he had just blown a fuse and the sudden silence from the TV had woken him. Feeling more confident, he flicked on the flashlight to check his Jeep, just to be sure. His stomach dropped to his boots when he saw a plain white envelope tucked under one of the windshield wipers. MacGyver gingerly removed and opened the envelope. There was no note this time. Only a small, gold charm. The middle third of a Mizpah coin. Joanna's!
MacGyver forced himself to take slow, calming breaths. He needed to stay rational. Think this through. Otherwise he could get both of them killed. He hurried back into the cabin and put the charm on the kitchen table as he tugged his own piece from around his neck. He laid them side-by-side. They didn't fit. Mac sighed with relief. He remembered Sam saying he had the charms specially made. There was no way Murdoc could exactly replicate the zig-zag cut. Nevertheless, he had to get to Jo and see with his own eyes that she was safe. He grabbed his keys and approached the Jeep only to find that all four tires had been slashed. Terrific. Back inside the cabin he pulled out his cell phone and called Joanna's motel room. The phone rang several times, his heart rate increasing with each one, before he heard a clang, a thud, and finally a mild curse.
"Hello?" Joanna muttered, clearly annoyed.
"It's me. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"By calling in the middle of the night and scaring me half to death?"
"Sorry," he apologized.
"Mac, did something happen?"
If he told her the truth she would only worry and possibly try to come to him. He had to keep her calm and safe.
"No. Everything's fine. I just…missed you," he pinched the bridge his noise as he offered the lame excuse.
"You could have waited and told me that in the morning."
"Yeah. I didn't mean to scare you. Go back to sleep and I'll see you soon." He clicked off the call and returned to the old recliner, but sleep was no longer an option.
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Joanna awoke to bright sunlight seeping in around the window shade. She had been unable to go back to sleep after MacGyver's phone call, but she must have dozed off before sunrise. She pushed back the bedcovers and started toward the bathroom when she noticed an envelope that must have been slipped under her door during the night. Her entire body tingled with fear as she gingerly picked up and opened the envelope. She was unprepared to catch the gold charm that fell out and landed silently on the carpet at her feet. She searched the envelope for a note but found none before picking up the charm. She knew what it was even before she looked at it. MacGyver's piece of the Mizpah. This had to have come from Murdoc. He had Mac!
As Joanna's panic rose, she unwittingly grasped the charm that hung around her neck. She had to stay calm if she was going to be of any help to MacGyver. She had to let go of the fear, take a step back, and think like Mac. With shaking hands she unclasped the gold chain and laid her pendant on the nightstand, placing the one from the envelope next to it. Her pent up breath came out in a rush when she realized the pieces did not fit. She reached for the phone and punched in the numbers she had memorized long ago. Her heart fell when a recording stated that the cellular customer was out of range. Not knowing what else to do, she disobeyed Mac's instructions and dialed 911. When the operated answered, Joanna asked to be connected with Sgt. Ryder. He agreed to meet her at the motel in twenty minutes.
Neil Ryder knocked on her motel room door just as she finished tying the laces on her new hiking boots. She peeked around the window shade to see his squad car parked nearby and checked the peep hole to make sure it was, indeed, Mac's old friend before she opened the door and invited him to have a seat at a small, round table.
"I know how insane this sounds," Joanna assured the sergeant after she told him everything she knew about MacGyver and Murdoc. "But I wouldn't have called if I didn't believe it was true."
Ryder studied his hands before responding. "Mac always did have a way of finding trouble. Or should I say trouble had a way of finding him? I'll take a couple officers up to the cabin and check things out." He rose and headed for the door.
"I'm coming with you," Joanna announced determinedly.
"I wouldn't expect anything less from a friend of Mac's," Neil smiled as they exited the motel room.
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This was going to end, and it was going to end today. Murdoc was on MacGyver's turf now. The tables had turned. Mac had the advantage and he needed to put it to use. As soon as the sun had cleared the horizon, MacGyver set out on a systematic search. If Murdoc was hiding in the woods that surrounded the cabin, Mac would find him. Ground still wet from the melting snow made it easy for MacGyver to pick up and follow boot tracks that were not his own. Tracks that had stepped over the fishing lines he had rigged. Every now and then he stopped to examine the bent or broken twigs of bushes and trees. He listened carefully to the forest life around him. Silence. That was a bad sign. No whistling birds or chattering squirrels meant something, or someone, had disturbed their habitat.
As MacGyver went further into the woods, he found an area of depressed weeds and grass along with a stone ring and burnt logs indicating a recent campfire. Careful to avoid the poison ivy that grew in the area, Mac searched carefully for further evidence and soon found tire tracks that looked as if they belonged to an ATV. He followed those tracks and soon found a pile of dead tree limbs and shrubs covering the vehicle. Unfortunately, there was no sign of Murdoc. MacGyver began to carefully retrace his steps back to the cabin when he felt a tingle crawl up his spine. No sooner had he stopped to look for an intruder than he heard the cock of a gun hammer behind him.
"Good morning, MacGyver," a menacing voice greeted him. "I see you are out enjoying the day."
Mac slowly raised his hands in surrender before turning to look down the barrel of the handgun Murdoc had pointed at his chest.
"Finally, after all these years, you are going to die today."
"Aw, c'mon Murdoc, this isn't your style. Shooting an unarmed man in cold blood? Where's the challenge in that? Have you lost your edge?"
After a moment's consideration, Murdoc reached behind his back and pulled a second handgun from his waistband and tossed it at MacGyver's feet.
"There you go. Now we're even."
Mac stared down at the weapon.
"Go ahead, pick it up MacGyver," Murdoc teased.
"You know that's not my way," Mac said evenly as he kicked the gun under a bush.
"In that case, any last words?"
"Yeah. How did you find me?"
"I didn't find you, MacGyver. You found me," Murdoc explained slowly as if speaking to a child. "You see, I know how much you value family and knew you would come back to your grandfather's cabin if given the chance. It didn't take much to lure old Stanley outside. Poor fellow had a weak heart. I'm afraid I gave him a bit of a scare and well, the rest is history as they say. I just had to wait for you to walk into my trap. I must admit I wasn't counting on you bringing a friend, but no matter. It's you I want. Not her."
Relief washed over MacGyver knowing that Joanna would be safe from this mad man. If nothing else, Murdoc was a man of his word.
"Now, are you ready to die, MacGyver? Just think, I will be the last person you ever see!" Murdoc let go with an evil laugh and began to slowly squeeze the trigger when he suddenly began wheezing and gasping for breath. Murdoc dropped the gun, causing it to discharge a bullet harmlessly into a nearby tree as he grasped his throat, struggling for air. His face, which had been flushed, turned a deathly shade of pale as he dropped to his knees, his eyes wide with fear.
MacGyver rushed over to the man who had now toppled to the ground. Mac felt for a pulse, finding it weak and rapid. Murdoc's arms were covered with welts.
"Help," Murdoc rasped. "Allergic."
Mac knelt close to his would-be foe. "Stay with me, Murdoc," he commanded as he loosened the buttons of the man's shirt. "What are you allergic to?"
"Ivy." Murdoc's whisper was barely audible.
"You're allergic to poison ivy? Do you have an Epi-pen?"
The distressed man slowly turned his head from side to side. "No ivy in L.A."
"Stay calm. I'm calling for help. You're gonna be okay." Mac pulled out his cell phone and dialed 911 giving them directions to their position the best he could.
"The paramedics are on their way. Stay with me," he told Murdoc as he watched the life slip from the man who had escaped the most unimaginable, life-threatening situations time and again but was now felled by something as mundane as a wild plant.
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Joanna, Neil and two of his officers were examining Mac's Jeep when they heard the echo of a gunshot in the woods behind them. The men took off running with Joanna close on their heels. MacGyver never used a gun. That had to be Murdoc! The group slowed up when they neared the area where the shot had sounded. Sergeant Ryder silently motioned for his men to spread out and for Joanna to stay hidden behind a tree. The officers finally came upon a clearing and found MacGyver kneeling next to a prone figure, his head bowed.
"Mac!" Neil called to him.
MacGyver turned his head toward the voice and locked eyes with Joanna.
"He's dead," Mac said flatly, turning back to body.
"I'll radio for help," Neil said.
"I already called. They're on the way," MacGyver said as lifeless as the man that lay on the ground.
"What happened?" Neil asked, bending down on one knee next to Mac.
"He's been camping out here and got into some poison ivy. He's allergic and went into anaphylactic shock. He didn't have an Epi-pen. I couldn't save him." His voice was monotone. He was grieving because he had failed to save the life of a man who had lived to take his.
Soon the quiet area swarmed with paramedics and more police officers. Evidence was collected and Murdoc was pronounced dead at the scene after life-saving treatment failed. Back at the cabin, his body, now in a black bag, was hoisted into the back of an ambulance. After Mac patiently described the events of the last twelve hours and answered numerous questions from a police officer, Neil ushered him and Jo into his vehicle and headed toward town.
"My Jeep," Mac said weakly.
"I've already called for a tow," Ryder told him. "Should be able to drive it back by the time we're done at the station."
Once at the precinct, Joanna and MacGyver were led to separate interrogation rooms to retell their stories and sign off on their statements. After the paperwork had been taken care of, they were reunited in the lobby.
"You guys on your way out?" Neil asked, slapping Mac on the back.
They both nodded before MacGyver turned to his friend.
"Could I ask you for a favor?"
"Sure thing. What do you need?"
"I need to see Murdoc one last time."
"C'mon Mac," Neil scolded. "Don't do this to yourself."
MacGyver stared at the sergeant until he gave in. Joanna followed them to the morgue where the coroner was in the process of examining the corpse. Neil and Jo stood in the doorway as Mac entered and approached the doctor who glanced up at him in surprise.
"Sorry," Mac offered. "I just had to see for myself that he is really dead."
"Oh, he's dead all right. X-rays look like this guy's been through a trash compactor more than once. Hard to believe someone could survive these injuries and then die of an allergic reaction to a weed."
"Yeah," MacGyver mumbled.
"Did he have a family?"
Mac shook his head. "Just a sister in Los Angeles."
"You tell the cops?"
"Yeah. I gave them all the information I had."
"Well, I guess that's it. Unless you want to hang around and help me load him into the cooler."
"Thanks for your time, doc," Mac said as he turned to leave the room.
Joanna and MacGyver left the building to find Mac's Jeep waiting for him with four brand new tires.
"Want me to drive?" Jo asked, taking in MacGyver's pale face and weary eyes.
"I'm good," Mac replied. He started the Jeep and put it in gear, but he took one last look at the building that housed Murdoc's dead body before pulling away from the curb.
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The following morning found MacGyver sitting on the hood of his Jeep, watching the sunrise through the budding trees. Upon returning to the cabin yesterday, he found the electric company had already repaired the cut lines. Joanna fixed a light meal for them while he collected the booby traps he had set so no animal or unsuspecting hiker would get caught in them. They both went to bed soon after, neither one feeling much like making conversation or watching some insipid television program. Mac slept well and awoke early. Hearing the soft snores of a still-sleeping Joanna coming from the other side of the blanket barrier, he took care to sneak out of the cabin and not wake her. He now heard the squeak of the door opening and her soft footsteps heading in his direction. She scooted unto the hood of the Jeep and sat next to him, staring out at the brand new day.
"You wanna talk about it?" she asked gently.
"I still can't believe he's dead. That it's all over," Mac replied around a lump in his throat.
"How does it feel?"
"I'm not sure. I can't remember a time when a part of me wasn't looking over my shoulder, waiting for Murdoc to show up. I guess I feel relieved. Like a weight has been lifted off of me."
"But?"
Mac stayed silent for several minutes before answering. "No matter how sadistic or evil Murdoc was, he also had a very human side." He finally turned to look at Jo. "I didn't see it a lot, but it was there."
"And you're grieving for that part of him."
MacGyver nodded. "I guess I am. No matter how much we hated each other…no matter how many times we tried to kill each other, there was a level of respect, maybe even admiration, between us. Don't get me wrong. I'll always despise the despicable things he's done and I'm glad to be free of him. I guess it'll just take some getting used to."
He felt Joanna put her hand on his knee and give it a gentle squeeze that made him smile.
"Why don't you get your things together so we can get outta here," he suggested.
"What are you going to do about the cabin?"
Mac sighed and wiped his face with his hands. "Keep it, I guess. It's the only link to family I have."
"You should bring Sam up here sometime," Jo suggested.
"Yeah. Sounds like a plan," MacGyver agreed.
He took Joanna's hand from his knee and wrapped it in his own before they both slid off the hood of the Jeep and headed back to the cabin to pack, still hand-in-hand.
Author's Note: Murdoc may be gone (perhaps?), but not forgotten...stay tuned...
