Where It Began
March 31, 1998
MacGyver opened his eyes and immediately squinted at the bright shaft of sunlight piercing through the grungy window. He looked at his watch, chagrined but not surprised to find that it was already mid-morning. Scrubbing his face with his hands, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and yawned. His flight from Los Angeles to the Twin Cities the day before had been delayed...twice. And then, instead of taking a connecting flight to Mission City, he had chosen to rent a 4X4 figuring the solitude of the drive would give him time to think. Instead, he had brooded big time. It was exactly one week ago that Joanna had told him to leave. Had told him she needed to figure out if she truly belonged in his life. Had, in her mind, set him free when all he felt was tied in knots of despair. In hindsight, he now wondered if he did the right thing by doing what she asked, or if he should have stayed and fought for their relationship. It was a vicious rhetorical circle that was making him dizzy. By the time he pulled up to his grandpa Harry's cabin in Northern Minnesota all he wanted to do was fall into bed, which he did, fully clothed. He pushed himself upright and shuffled to the kitchen area, grimacing at the dust that had gathered in the one-room hideaway. After pouring himself a lukewarm glass of water from the cranky faucet, he opened the door and breathed in the early spring air. There was something about this place that always soothed his soul, no matter how torn and beaten it was. Perhaps it was the fact that he knew it would always be here for him and would never change. At least he hoped that was the case.
He was about to turn and go back inside when something by the gravel drive caught his eye. It had been well after dark when he pulled in last night, but now, in the light of day, little red and yellow flags sticking out of the ground were obvious against the still-brown grass. MacGyver considered them for a moment. They had most likely been placed by the DNR or Forestry Service to mark something. Perhaps there were plans to repair and widen the deeply rutted road. Or maybe they were indicators of where trees were to be planted or taken down or both. With a mental shrug, Mac grabbed his car keys and headed into town for supplies.
As was his ritual, he first stopped to check out the house he had grown up in. Now a nursing home for more years than he could remember, the lawn and yard were perfectly manicured despite the harsh winter. A sudden yearning to walk through the rooms of his old home tugged at his heart, but he doubted the elderly residents would take kindly to his trip down memory lane so he kept his feelings at bay. Instead, he shifted into gear and headed toward the heart of town. He was a couple blocks away from the supermarket, his main destination, when he glimpsed flashing red and blue lights in his rearview mirror and the single whir of the siren signaling him to pull over. MacGyver groaned but obeyed and watched as the officer slowly climbed from his car and approached the rented vehicle. Mac rolled down the window and waited. This day was not starting out well.
"What seems to be the problem, officer?" MacGyver asked, turning toward the cop and summoning what he hoped was a friendly, innocent smile.
"MacGyver?!"
"Neil!" Mac exhaled when he recognized his childhood friend and Mission City police sergeant, Neil Ryder. "That you're way of welcoming back an old friend?" he asked with a grin.
"Oh, sorry about that. I got a call from the nursing home about a possible stalker and your vehicle matched the description."
"A stalker?"
Neil shrugged, "What can I say? The town is growing every day and those folks aren't accustomed to strangers. So, I guess you're here for the big town hall meeting tomorrow night, eh?"
"What meeting?"
"Didn't you get the letter?"
"No. I didn't get a letter." Mac was quickly losing patience with his friend.
"That's odd," Neil mused.
"Well, I haven't exactly been home a lot lately. Would you just tell me what you're talking about?"
"An outfit called North Star Real Estate Developers is proposing to buy up a bunch of land around Bell Lake and build luxury condominiums. They've already been here talkin' to your neighbors."
"Neighbors?"
Neil chuckled, "I know Harry's place is secluded, but you do have neighbors, ya know."
"Well, they can't be very happy about these plans," Mac observed, steering the conversation away from the fact that he had never really considered himself as having neighbors up here.
"On the contrary, some are seriously considering the developer's offers."
"What about you? You still got the cabin?"
"Naw. I sold it after Sean started college. He didn't have time to hang out in the woods with his old man anymore," Neil replied with a wry grin. "Look, I gotta get going. Come to the town hall meeting in the high school gymnasium tomorrow evening at seven o'clock. In the meantime, let me know if you need anything."
"Thanks, I will," Mac muttered, his friend's words swirling around in his brain.
After making quick work of his grocery shopping, MacGyver walked into the local sporting goods store owned by his other good friend, Chuck.
"Mac! How the heck are ya?!" the larger man greeted him with a bear hug.
"Good," Mac grunted, relieved when his friend backed away allowing him to breathe again.
"Guess you're here for the big town hall meetin' tomorrow."
"Yeah." At least he was now. "What do you know about that anyway?"
"Not much, I'm afraid. I don't own property up there so they ain't interested in me. But they've been up there surveying the area." That would explain the little flags MacGyver had found by his drive. "How much they offer you?"
"They haven't approached me yet," Mac told him.
"Whatcha gonna tell 'em when they do?"
"I'm gonna turn them down like everyone else will."
Chuck shook his head slowly. "I wouldn't be too sure about that, buddy. Rumor has it they're playin' fast and loose with their cash. Might make ya an offer ya can't refuse."
"I doubt that," Mac replied. "Harry's cabin isn't for sale."
"Yeah, right," Chuck smirked. "We'll see what ya have to say after tomorrow night when they offer ya a big fat check for that rundown place. If I were you, I'd take the money and run."
"Well, you're not me, and I doubt I'm gonna change my mind," MacGyver retorted. "Now if ya don't mind, could ya get me some live bait?"
Chuck's eyebrows came together as he frowned. "Awful early in the season to be fishin'. Lake's hardly thawed."
"Great! Then I'll surprise the fish!"
Back at the cabin, Mac stowed his groceries before grabbing an old fishing pole from the storage closet and heading to the rickety old pier. The late March wind blowing off the water definitely had a bite to it, but MacGyver didn't really plan on catching anything. He just needed to think. And soaking a line had always been a great way to do that. He inhaled the clean, fresh air while taking in his surroundings. Pine and spruce trees stood tall and green while sunlight poured down through the still-bare branches of the deciduous trees that also populated the area. While he had planned on considering ways to bring his wayward fiance back to her senses, his mind kept wandering to what Neil and Chuck had told him about North Star Real Estate. The unsullied space around him was a priceless refuge. He would go to that meeting tomorrow, politely turn down any offer that might be made, and spend the rest of the night driving back to Milwaukee. Driving home. End of story.
A soft but steady beeping sound pulled MacGyver from his reverie. He looked to find an elderly man walking the rocky shoreline, a metal detector in hand. Mac smiled, picturing Jack Dalton years from now still searching for his elusive fortune.
The man turned and caught sight of MacGyver. "You livin' in the old Jackson place?" he asked.
"Nope. Just visiting," Mac replied. "What about you?"
"Me and the missus live around that bend in the lake," the man pointed in the direction he had come.
"Finding anything good?" MacGyver asked, nodding his head toward the device in the man's hand.
"Naw," he sighed dejectedly. "Just some fishhooks and a couple coins, but this cockamamie thing keeps goin' off like the Titanic was buried here."
"Well, keep at it," Mac encouraged as he pulled his fishing line out of the water. "Maybe I'll see ya around."
"Yeah, sure," the older man replied absently as the beeping grew more frantic. Probably another fishhook, MacGyver thought.
XXXXX
Wednesday evening, Mac slipped into an empty chair in the back of the high school gymnasium shortly before seven o'clock. A small stage had been set up at the other end of the room where a middle-aged man, casually dressed in khakis and a polo shirt, methodically set up various maps and charts and readied his slide projector. The gym was packed to capacity so the man gently tapped the microphone with his finger to get everyone's attention. Once all eyes were on him, he introduced himself as Bill Lichtman, the CEO of North Star Real Estate. MacGyver leaned back, crossed his arms over his chest, and took in the presentation. He had been to more than one of these things during his time with Phoenix and he had to admit that this guy was good. He warmed up the crowd by praising the fine citizens of Mission City before cracking a couple jokes that native Minnesotans could easily relate to before drawing their attention to his company's plans and vision for the future.
MacGyver kept his gaze trained on the audience, watching as people whispered into their neighbors ear while others nodded at what Bill was saying. There was a certain energy in the room that Mac found unsettling. Once Lichtman was done with his spiel, he opened up the floor for questions. At first, most inquiries related to the development itself, but soon a woman wearing a state DNR uniform stood up and asked about the impact the project would have on the lake, game, fish, and waterfowl. Mac leaned forward in his chair, knowing that this was where things were going to get interesting. Bill Lichtman gave a smooth, and obviously well-rehearsed, reply about his company's shared concern for local wildlife and natural resources and assured everyone that several studies had been conducted in order to find a way to make the transition as harmless as possible. MacGyver scoffed to himself knowing full well how these operations worked, always leaving the land raped and pillaged. A murmur slowly rose from the crowd and Mac waited for protests to arise, but other than a few more head nods no one else spoke up. They couldn't possibly be buying into this guy's slick explanations! Were the citizens of Mission City going to allow a heartless development company like North Star run roughshod over Bell Lake and the surrounding land?!
In less than sixty minutes the entire event concluded. MacGyver watched as most audience members headed directly for the exits, many of them chatting happily and even laughing. Others stayed behind and visited in small groups while Bill Lichtman stepped down from his platform and mingled with those remaining. Mac soon caught sight of the developer speaking with an elderly couple. He recognized the husband as the man he had seen the day before scavenging with the metal detector. He waited until Lichtman took his leave before approaching.
"Hi there," Mac greeted the couple before turning his attention to the man. "I believe we briefly met the other day. I'm staying at the Jackson place."
"Of course!" the man exclaimed, recognition dawning in his eyes. "I'm Arthur and this is my wife, Maggie."
Mac smiled and shook their hands. "Name's MacGyver. Harry Jackson was my grandfather."
"Ah, good ole Harry," Arthur replied. "Bit of a loner but a heck of a fisherman!"
MacGyver nodded in agreement. "So what do you make of this whole business with North Star? Have they made you an offer on your place yet?"
"Oh, they've been an answer to our prayers!" Maggie gushed. "We just can't take care of our house like we used to and have been wanting to move to Minneapolis to be with our children and their families, but who wants to buy a place that's literally falling down? Then Mr. Lichtman came along and made us an offer we couldn't refuse!"
"So you're selling, then?" Mac asked feeling both surprised and dismayed.
"We finalized the deal earlier today," Arthur confirmed. "Just came by tonight to thank Bill again for the generous offer."
"Excuse me, did you say your name's MacGyver?"
Mac spun around to find Bill Lichtman standing behind him, a wide, friendly grin on his face. How long had he been there?
"That's right," Mac said as Arthur and Maggie politely took their leave.
"I've been wanting to speak with you, but you're a hard man to pin down," Lichtman said, still grinning.
"If this is about me selling the cabin, you can save your breath. It isn't gonna happen."
The developer's smile slipped just a bit. "Now, now, Mr. MacGyver. Let's not be hasty. You haven't even heard my offer."
"It's not for sale," Mac told him firmly.
"Perhaps we could negotiate?" Lichtman handed MacGyver a piece of paper with a price written on it. Mac's eyebrows shot up to his shaggy bangs. There were way too many numbers before the decimal point.
"Mr. Lichtman, you and I both know Harry's cabin isn't worth a fraction of this!"
"On the contrary, your grandfather's cabin is the only piece of real estate standing in the way of our plan and worth a great deal to my company. I'd be more than happy to add to that number if it would get you to change your mind."
Mac's stomach fell to the floor. All his neighbors had sold out to North Star?! But then again, if Lichtman offered them anywhere near what he was offering MacGyver, he could hardly blame them.
"I told you, I'm not selling," MacGyver reiterated between clenched teeth before heading to the door.
XXXXX
The following morning, MacGyver took his fishing pole down to the dock to think. He couldn't believe that all the owners of land around Bell Lake had already sold out to North Star Developers. Arthur was once again combing the shore with his metal detector, gently tapping the device against a rock every now and again assumedly in response to false readings. The older man looked up and waved to Mac who smiled and returned the gesture. Just then, the whine of a small airplane engine began to grow louder. MacGyver looked to the sky, shading his eyes with his hand, as he watched the yellow and white plane approach and begin to circle over the lake several times, its altitude never changing until the pilot began making larger sweeps just above the top of the tree line. After ten minutes of making progressively larger circles the plane turned and headed back in the direction it had come, leaving Mac with an uneasy feeling. He needed to talk to someone, and who better than his two life-long friends.
"I've just got a weird feeling about this whole thing," MacGyver insisted as he leaned on the counter inside Chuck's store while his friend stood on the other side with Neil, in uniform, next to Mac.
"You just need time to get used to the idea," the police sergeant reasoned. "North Star's been up here surveying and holding meetings like the one last night for months now. Sure, in the beginning, folks were wary, but most of us have come to realize that this condo development is a real good thing for the town."
"How so?" MacGyver challenged. "How is polluting our lake and taking away our woodlands a good thing?"
"Lichtman promised his company is just as concerned about the environment as we are," Chuck pointed out.
"Plus, this project will bring in more jobs which will build a stronger economy," Neil reasoned.
"I know," Mac mumbled, jamming his fingers through his hair.
"Then why don't you tell us what's really bothering you?" Chuck prodded.
"I guess it's the idea of losing Harry's cabin," MacGyver grudgingly admitted. "There are a lot of good memories in that place and I like knowing it's always here."
"We get that," Neil agreed, "But you gotta think about this logically. How often do you come up here anyway? And you know that cabin is fallin' down around you. Are you really willing to put in the time and money to keep up the old place when you could sell it and use the money for anything you wanted?"
Mac thought about how much Challengers desperately needed extra funds. Was he being selfish? Keeping a place just to know it was there for him, for when he had to run away? But there were bigger issues at stake also, he argued with himself.
"Thanks for the talk, guys. I think I'm gonna take a drive and clear my head."
"You gonna be okay?" Chuck asked, his face full of concern.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," Mac assured his friend. And he would be, once he drove out to the airport and discovered why that plane had been circling the lake earlier.
Like everything else in his hometown, the Mission City Airport had grown considerably, but he was still able to easily find the small yellow and white plane from that morning. A stocky, balding man in soiled overalls was examining the engine.
"Excuse me," Mac called as he approached. "That your plane?"
The man looked up, "No sir, this here's a rental, but I'm afraid it's booked for the day. Pilot reported some engine trouble so I'm checkin' it out before he takes it back up."
"I'm gonna be in town for a while and might wanna take her out. Mind if I look around?" MacGyver asked casually.
"Suit yourself," the man grunted before returning his attention to the machine.
Mac slowly strolled around the plane as if inspecting the fuselage until he came to the passenger side door. Standing on tiptoe he looked in the window and paused when his gaze fell upon a small black box tucked securely between the two front seats. After making sure the mechanic was still ignoring him, MacGyver opened the door and climbed in for a closer look. On the top of the box were a couple knobs and a small readout screen. Wanting to confirm his suspicions, he pulled out his Swiss Army knife and unscrewed the top panel to look inside. Sure enough, it was a proton magnetometer. Mac carefully re-secured the metal panel and exited the plane, heading back to chat with the mechanic.
"If you don't mind me asking, who rented this plane for today?"
The man looked up, clearly frustrated with MacGyver's presence. "Look buddy, I just fix 'em. All the business takes place in the office." Mac turned to where the man pointed with his wrench.
"Thanks a lot," he replied cheerfully. "Maybe I'll be seein' ya around." The man once again returned to his work while MacGyver walked to the rental office.
The little bell above the door jangled as Mac crossed over the threshold and strode to the counter. When no one appeared, he slipped around to the other side and found the reservation book laying open beside a computer monitor. Written in large letters under the day's date were the words 'North Star'. The unsettling feeling he had been having since Neil had told him about the development plans came back in full force as he quietly exited the office and headed for the 4X4.
Back in town, MacGyver walked into the library and headed for the section dedicated to the history of Mission City. Hours later he feared he would be permanently cross eyed from studying decades worth of historical data and geological maps. He longed to bounce his thoughts off his friends, but he needed more evidence before he shared his accusations against North Star Developers with Neil and Chuck.
Mac had just started a roaring fire and was about to crash on Harry's old, thread-bare couch when there was a knock on his door. He opened it to find Arthur standing just outside, holding his metal detector.
"Hope I'm not disturbin' ya," the older man said in way of greeting.
"No, not at all. Please come in."
Arthur took two steps into the room and stopped. "Harry once mentioned he had a grandson who could fix just about everything. You wouldn't happen to be him, would ya?"
"I'm afraid so," MacGyver chuckled. "That thing acting up on you again?"
Arthur nodded. "Durn thing keeps beeping at me wherever I go. Would ya mind takin' a look at it?" he asked sheepishly.
"No problem. Put it on the kitchen table and let's see what we got."
Using his pocketknife and the few meager tools his grandfather had left behind, Mac dismantled, fiddled with, and reassembled the device.
"I can't find anything wrong with it," MacGyver finally sighed. "Let's take it outside and test it."
Arthur held a flashlight as Mac swiped the metal detector back and forth over the ground outside the cabin. He had covered a few square feet before the device squawked to life. MacGyver bent down to brush away the twigs and dried leaves from the autumn before that covered his 'treasure'.
"Just another rock," Arthur observed dejectedly as Mac reached for the object that had triggered the detector.
"Yeah, just a rock," he muttered under his breath.
"Sorry to have bothered you," he heard Arthur say.
"No problem. Maybe you should look into takin' up a new hobby," he suggested with a grin.
"Yeah," the old man laughed as he headed down the path toward his home.
MacGyver sat on the couch and stared at the flames dancing in the fireplace, the rock he and Arthur had found still in the palm of his hand. The puzzle pieces were beginning to fall into place, but he didn't like the picture they were forming. From everything he had seen, North Star Developers had been doing some serious land and aerial surveying including mineral deposit detection given the magnetometer he found in the plane. That, in itself, was standard procedure. However, the one thing that bothered him most was the extraordinary amount of money they were paying people for run down homes and cabins. And then there was Arthur, his wacky metal detector, and the rock from tonight. Was North Star really doing what he thought they were doing, or was this his psyche's way of giving him a reason to resist selling the cabin?
Mac leaned his head against the back cushion and sighed. Up until a couple years ago, he had forgotten this place even existed. Since then, it kept pulling him back and unearthing long-forgotten memories from his childhood. This city, these woods...this was where it had all begun for him before wanderlust overtook him and he fled the small town for the far reaches of the earth. But he knew he could always come back. His roots were here and always would be. His tired, traitorous mind then strayed to thoughts of Joanna. There was no doubt she and her family had strong roots of their own. Would he be able to give her the same? He glanced at the telephone mounted on the kitchen wall. He wanted to talk to her. He needed to talk to her. But he knew he had to respect her wishes if he wanted to keep her hard-won trust. Even so, a glimmer of a plan began to take form in his mind, but he quickly squashed it. He had other things to take care of first.
Early Friday morning MacGyver drove to the nearby university and headed straight to the geology department. He knocked on the office door of the head professor.
"Is there something I can help you with?" the lanky, bespectacled man asked.
"I sure hope so," Mac replied, quickly introducing himself. "I was doing some exploring with my metal detector around Bell Lake and it went crazy over this rock." MacGyver pulled said rock from his jacket pocket. "I was wondering if you could examine it. See if it's valuable."
The man looked at him over the rim of his glasses. "I don't get these requests very often, but I could take a look."
Mac followed the geologist into the lab where he inspected the rock with different types of instruments. Finally he returned to where MacGyver stood waiting and gave him the information he had been looking for.
That afternoon once again found MacGyver, Neil and Chuck leaning against the glass display case in Chuck's store.
"I've been doing some investigating and I think Bill Lichtman plans to do a whole lot more than build luxury condos," Mac proclaimed.
His two friends groaned and rolled their eyes.
"Would you just stop with this nonsense, Mac?" Neil implored. "You don't wanna sell Harry's cabin, we get that. But don't go making trouble where there isn't any!"
"I'm not making this up," MacGyver retorted. "Now just hear me out."
Chuck and Neil sighed but gave Mac their undivided attention.
"Yesterday before I came into town I saw a small plane circling the lake. After we talked I went to check it out. Turns out it's a rental and North Star had it booked for the entire day."
"That's not a crime, Mac," Neil interrupted with a scowl.
"I know that," MacGyver replied sarcastically. "But when I looked in the cockpit I found a portable magnetometer."
"A what?" Neil asked.
"Think of it as a souped up metal detector. It measures the earth's magnetic field and records the data. Geologist use them to find mineral deposits. I went to the library and did some research. This whole area of the state used to be the largest producer of iron ore in the country, but since all the high grade ore is now gone, the mining industry is turning its focus to taconite, an iron-bearing rock. North Star isn't planning on building condos, they're planning on stripping and mining this land!"
"Mac, that's a pretty serious accusation you're making," Neil cautioned.
"I know that," MacGyver concurred. "But it makes sense, especially when you consider how much Lichtman is paying for properties!"
"But you don't have any solid proof!"
"I have this." Mac held out the rock from the night before. "I found it by the cabin and took it to the university and had it examined. It contains trace amounts of taconite and if my neighbor's metal detector is accurate, there's a whole lot more all around the lake."
"Sounds like he's onto something," Chuck observed.
"I'd have to agree," Neil conceded.
"What all do you know about North Star Developers anyway?" Mac asked.
Neil winced, "Apparently not enough. I'm going back to the station and do some digging, no pun intended. I'll let you know if I find anything interesting."
MacGyver had just finished heating up some canned stew for a late supper when there was a knock on the door. He opened it only to come face-to-face with Bill Lichtman.
"How many times do I hafta tell you I'm not selling?" Mac asked, his frustration mounting.
"That's not why I came," Lichtman replied coldly. "I came here to get rid of something that's in my way." The developer reached into the front of his overcoat and pulled out a small handgun.
MacGyver instinctively put up his hands and slowly backed away as Lichtman moved forward into the cabin keeping the weapon trained on Mac's chest.
"Hey, let's not be hasty here," Mac urged. "Everyone's got their price, right? Can't we negotiate?"
"It's too late for that, Mr. MacGyver. I don't have the time nor the inclination to let some environmentalist tree-hugger get in the way of my real estate project."
"Don't you mean your mining operation?"
The words were barely out of Mac's mouth before two well-built men in ski masks slipped into the room, each grabbing one of MacGyver's arms.
"Ya know, a gunshot can echo for miles up here. There's no way you're gonna get away with this," Mac argued as he struggled against the men holding him.
Lichtman's laugh sent shivers up and down MacGyver's spine. "You think I'm that stupid? No, you're going to die and everyone will believe it was simply a tragic accident."
Mac watched as the developer once again reached into his overcoat. This time he pulled out a neatly folded white handkerchief and a small bottle of clear liquid he instinctively knew was chloroform. He quickly weighed his options. He could easily take out Lichtman, but the two other men were a bit more problematic. He could try and fight all three. That could be very problematic, but he was out of time. As Lichtman raised the cloth, MacGyver began to try and extricate his arms from the masked men while kicking out at the developer as well. The man on his left landed a hard karate chop to the back of Mac's neck. His knees buckled and he slid to the floor. That was the opening Lichtman needed to press the chloroform soaked handkerchief against his mouth and nose. MacGyver held his breath until his lungs burned and he had no choice but to inhale the slightly sweet poison.
"Go ahead and toss him in the lake. Everyone will think he drown." These were the last words Mac heard before unconsciousness claimed him.
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It was mid-morning when Neil pulled his cruiser up in front of Chuck's store.
"Hey Chuck, have you seen Mac around today?" he asked upon entering and finding his friend stocking shelves.
"Naw, he's probably fishing up at the lake. Why?"
Neil rubbed his brow that had furrowed with concern. "I thought he'd be chomping at the bit to find out what I learned about North Star. You know how he is once he gets an idea in his head."
"Yeah," the other man chuckled. "What did you find out anyway? I mean, they're on the up-and-up, right?"
"I wish that was the case," Neil said, blowing out a breath. "Turns out North Star Real Estate Developers is a shell company, and 'Bill Lichtman' is just one of many aliases the man uses. He's been running schemes across the country for a couple years now. There's a federal warrant out for him so I called the FBI and they're sending someone from the nearest field office before this yahoo can bolt again."
"So was MacGyver right? About the mining, I mean," Chuck asked.
"I couldn't tell, but we'll find out when we get Lichtman, or whoever he is, in custody." Just then, the walkie-talkie on Neil's police utility belt crackled to life.
"Dispatch to Sergeant Ryder."
"This is Neil. What's up, Betty?"
"I figured you'd want to know we just received a 911 call requesting an ambulance up at the Jackson place."
"Thanks, Betty. I'm on my way!"
"Something must've happened to MacGyver!" Chuck exclaimed as he grabbed his jacket and followed Neil out the door, locking it behind him.
"We don't know that. It could've been Mac who made the call, but I still wanna check it out."
The two men piled into Neil's cruiser and arrived at Harry's cabin just in time to see MacGyver's unconscious form strapped to a stretcher that was being loaded into the back of the ambulance. Neil sprang out of the car and jogged toward the emergency vehicle.
"What happened?" he demanded from one of the EMT's.
"Won't know for sure until we get him to the hospital. The guy over there found him lying on the shore this morning and called it in."
"Thanks," Neil said, clapping the EMT on the shoulder. "Take good care of him, okay?"
"You got it, Sarge."
Once the ambulance pulled away, sirens blaring even though the road was deserted, Neil walked over to the man who had found MacGyver.
"Hey Arthur, looks like you've had a pretty exciting morning. Mind telling me what happened?"
The elderly man looked pale and frazzled. "I was taking my daily walk around the lake and a few yards past the old pier I found MacGyver lying face down on the rocks. His clothes were wet and there was a gash on his forehead that was bleedin' pretty bad. When I couldn't wake him up I called 911. What do ya think happened to him?"
"I don't know," Neil admitted. "Hopefully he'll be able to tell us when he regains consciousness." Then the police officer turned his attention to Chuck. "C'mon, let's head for the hospital."
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It was dark and cold. So very cold. MacGyver clawed at the water surrounding him but his limbs were stiff and heavy. A jackhammer was going off in his head. His survival instinct told him he had to keep moving, but he was tired. Just a little further, his gut told him. He clawed some more. It felt like hours before his almost completely numb hand touched a rough rock. The shore! Fighting the exhaustion that threatened to claim him, he pulled himself out of the water and groaned as his head hit the jagged edge of a boulder and he drifted off into oblivion once more.
XXXXX
Home. MacGyver was in his childhood home watching his mother prepare the traditional Sunday pancakes for his breakfast. Harry sat at the table grumbling about the weather, but Mac didn't care. He was safe and warm.
A cloud drifted over the scene, blocking it from view. When it passed, MacGyver stood in his houseboat. No, wait. His houseboat had burned down. He was in his apartment, but it was much larger than he recalled. More like an actual house. Joanna was there, beaming as she prepared his favorite pancake breakfast. Each of them wore a gold wedding band. She gazed lovingly at him and opened her mouth to speak, but when the words came out, it was not her voice.
"Mac. Hey Mac, can you hear me?"
He knew that voice. Had heard that voice since his childhood. He peeled one eyelid open but immediately slammed it shut as harsh, bright light assaulted him along with the antiseptic smell of what he knew was a hospital. He took deep breaths to calm the pounding in his head and reached up to touch his temple, only to feel a heavy gauze pad taped to him. Not again. He did a quick mental inventory and when the events of the past few days came flooding back he breathed a sigh of relief. At least this time he didn't have amnesia.
"C'mon Mac. It's me. Chuck!"
MacGyver slowly opened his eyes and looked up into the face of his friend who was leaning over the bed.
"You gave us quite a scare there, buddy," his friend said, his voice more relaxed now.
"Yeah, tell me about it," Mac groaned. "Where's Neil?"
"He's talkin' with the FBI."
"What?! What's happened? How long have I been out?"
"Your neighbor found you about seven hours ago. We were hoping you could tell us the rest."
Mac squeezed his eyes shut. "Get Neil. He needs to hear this," he commanded weakly.
MacGyver gingerly raised the head of his hospital bed as Chuck, Neil, and the FBI agent gathered around him while he recalled his encounter with Lichtman and his thugs the previous evening. When he had finished, Neil told him what he had learned about Lichtman and North Star and the FBI agent assured everyone that the con man was in custody and currently being questioned.
"I'm sorry about what happened to you, Mr. MacGyver," the agent said. "But if not for you refusing to give in to Lichtman he could very well still be on the loose. The government has offered a reward for his capture and I'll see to it you get your share."
"Thanks," Mac mumbled as his eyelids slid closed and his head lolled to one side indicating he had fallen asleep.
XXXXX
"When can I get outta here, doc?" MacGyver asked Sunday morning as the physician examined his pupils with a bright penlight.
"Slow down, Mr. MacGyver. You haven't even been conscious for twenty-four hours. If you continue to improve, I'll sign your release papers first thing tomorrow. You do have someone to check on you, right?"
"Yep! I got that covered!" Chuck proclaimed as Mac glared daggers at him.
"What'd you go and say that for?!" MacGyver scolded his friend once they were alone in the room.
"Geez, take it easy," Chuck drawled. "If you wanna get outta here, you hafta tell the doctor what he wants to hear. And trust me, I have no intention of playing nursemaid."
The next day, Neil drove MacGyver home from the hospital.
"Are you sure you're gonna be okay out here?" he asked.
"I'll be fine," Mac promised dutifully. "What's gonna happen to all this property now that Lichtman, or whoever he is, got caught?"
Neil sighed as he guided Mac into the cabin. "That's up to the courts and it's a pretty complex case. I suppose some landowners will be able to opt to turn over the money they were paid and keep their places. Of course, some people have already started spending the payout they received from North Star. It's gonna be a sticky situation."
"No kiddin'," MacGyver agreed as he gingerly lowered himself onto the couch. "I'm glad I don't have to deal with it."
"So, what's next for you?" Neil asked.
What was next for him? It was now two weeks since Joanna had asked him to leave. Being back in his hometown had gotten him thinking.
"I think I'm gonna hang out here for a few more days before heading home. I have some plans I need to hammer out."
Neil looked at him expectantly, but that was all Mac planned on sharing.