Puppy Love
The following morning MacGyver wandered through the empty rooms at Challengers alternately jamming his splayed fingers through his hair and scrubbing the back of his neck as he recalled, in vivid detail, his recent conversations with Joanna. He had sent Cynthia home, giving her the rest of the week off to make up for all the extra hours she had put in covering for both him and Jo, but now he wished she were here as he really didn't care to be alone with his thoughts right now. He had assumed surprising Joanna at church would have been a good thing given her strong faith. Apparently not. She had been as ornery as a snapping turtle and he had no idea why...until he spoke to her the next day. His all-American male ego urged him to be angry and jealous because Joanna had gone out with other men while he was away, but the bigger part of him, the part that loved her in a way he had never loved any woman before, refused to blame her for her actions. She had been confused and scared and honestly believed he would sooner or later decide to leave. While it stung that she had such little faith in him, who was he to throw stones? She was only trying to protect her heart, and if her tears last night were any indication, she had failed miserably. What's more, she wasn't the only one at fault. After all, he had bailed on her instead of standing his ground and insisting they work things out. Had he done that, the story would read a whole lot differently. But he felt as if he'd been placed between a rock and a hard place. No matter which decision he made, it would have been the wrong one in her eyes at the time. But that was all water under the bridge. He was home to stay and Joanna still loved him. Everything else would eventually work itself out...he hoped.
Mac stopped at the long table where half-finished posters encouraging kids to stay away from drugs and gangs lay. While some were simple and to the point, others were creative and more artistic. His heart swelled with pride, not only because the Challengers members were doing something productive for the community, but because Joanna had thought of and initiated this project all on her own. This club was as much hers as it was his and he suddenly understood why she had petitioned for him to give up his rights to the place when she believed he wasn't going to return. She was making sure that Challengers would continue to exist and be a vital part of the city with or without him. How could he fault her for that?
MacGyver was about to head to his office when he heard the front door creak open. He made a mental note to oil it later. He turned around to find a lanky teenage girl looking warily about the place. Her hair was cut short and straight and she wore a tattered flannel shirt underneath an equally tattered denim jacket. Her blue jeans were threadbare and dirty.
"Hey there," Mac greeted her in a gentle voice.
"Hey," the teen responded, so softly he almost didn't hear her. "What sorta place is this?" she asked, eyes darting around the room but never making contact with his.
"It's a boys and girls club, but everyone is welcome," MacGyver replied as he tried to assess her situation.
"Oh, I thought it was a shelter or something."
"It's that, too. Basically it's anything you need it to be." When the girl didn't reply, Mac pressed on. "Are you in some kind of trouble?"
The disheveled teen shook her head.
"Do you know someone who is?"
"Maybe," she mumbled, looking up and finally meeting his gaze.
"What's your name?"
"Jaime."
"Nice to meet you, Jaime. I'm MacGyver but everyone calls me 'Mac'. The place is empty now, but feel free to hang out if you want," he offered.
"Naw, thanks," Jaime said with a shake of her head. "I gotta get goin'."
"All right, feel free to come by any time."
The girl nodded in agreement and MacGyver thought he saw a slight smile tug at her lips before she walked out.
XXXXX
Later that afternoon Mac watched from his office doorway as club members trickled in. It wasn't long until Joanna arrived and encouraged her recruits to finish their posters. On her way to her office, MacGyver gently snagged her arm.
"Got a sec?" he asked.
"Sure. What's up?"
MacGyver pulled her into his office. "I signed the papers for the townhouse a couple hours ago. How about we go out to dinner later to celebrate?" He stepped close and bent to give her a quick yet tender kiss. When he pulled away, he was gutted by the haunted look in her eyes.
"Mac, after everything that's happened between us these past weeks we can't just hit the rewind button and pick up where we left off. I told you last night, I still have some things to figure out."
MacGyver stepped back and jammed both his hands through his hair. "I'm trying to be understanding, Joanna. I really am. But I feel like we keep having the same conversation over and over. We promise each other we'll trust, we'll commit. Then one of us messes it up! Maybe you're right after all. Maybe we aren't meant to be together." The grief on her face ripped at his heart, but frustration kept him from reaching out to her.
"Do you really mean that?" she asked, her voice thick with emotion.
Mac scrubbed the back of his neck. "No, I-". His response was interrupted by a ruckus in the recreation room.
"Mom! Everyone! Come look what I found!" Raul called from the main entrance.
"Mijo! Calm down!" Rosie, who was working at the reception desk, admonished her son.
"Hurry!" Raul urged.
MacGyver and Joanna hurried to where the boy stood, Rosie and a handful of teens behind them. There, on the top step, was a large cardboard box with high sides and no lid. Mac threw a quick glance over his shoulder, but Jo just shrugged. Weak mewling sounds came from the mysterious box and when he looked in he found five balls of fur, whimpering and crawling over each other as they jockeyed for space. Puppies.
"Can we keep 'em?" Raul asked.
"Yeah, can we?" his peers echoed.
"First let's get them inside and take a closer look," MacGyver suggested, dodging the teens' questions for the time being.
He picked up the box and carried it inside. Club members scurried ahead of him to remove their posters from the table and make room for the new additions. It was then that Mac saw a piece of white paper folded up and stuck in a corner of the box. He reached in carefully and snagged it. Surrounded by curious eyes, he unfolded the note and read the short message: Please keep them safe.
"That means they're ours!" Raul crowed as the others cheered. The sudden noise sent the puppies tumbling to the safety of a corner in one large ball of fluff.
"Raul, you're scaring them!" Rosie once again scolded. "All of you, go back to what you were doing. You can see the puppies later."
MacGyver sent her an appreciative smile as the club members moaned their displeasure but obediently headed back to the activities they had previously been engaged in. Mac felt Joanna press against him, her breath tickling his neck. "Oh, they're precious," she crooned, leaning in to get a better look. "I wonder what breed they are?" she asked, more rhetorically than to him, but nevertheless he reached in and carefully cradled one of the pups in his large hand. Distinctive black, copper, and white markings on its face, legs and chest as well as chocolate brown eyes gave him the answer.
"They're Australian Shepherds, or Aussies, and they look pure-bred," he told her as she gently smoothed the puppy's coat with her index finger.
"How can you tell?" she asked in a soft voice so as not to frighten the little animals.
Still holding the pup, MacGyver quirked his lips. "I grew up in rural Minnesota, remember? They were often used as herding dogs, but they make great pets, too."
"How old do you think they are?"
Mac regarded the warm, quivering body in his grasp. "Probably not more than six weeks, I'd guess."
"Isn't that awful young for them to be away from their mother?"
"Yeah, it is."
"Where on earth did they come from?" Jo asked, watching Mac tenderly place the puppy back into the box with its littermates. He had been wondering the same thing himself until his hand brushed a soft piece of fabric. He gently disentangled the Aussies and pulled out a tattered flannel shirt that he immediately recognized from this morning.
"Jaime," he whispered.
"Who?" Joanna asked.
MacGyver told her about the teen he had met earlier and suddenly her question made sense. "She asked if this was a shelter. I told her it was."
"But where would a girl like that get dogs like these?"
"No idea," Mac frowned, but his brain was already in high gear eager to solve the puzzle that had literally landed on his doorstep.
"Can we see the puppies yet?" Raul asked, approaching the table.
MacGyver sighed and smiled. No sense delaying the inevitable. He just hoped the kids wouldn't bond with their temporary visitors, but that was like asking the grass not to turn green. "Sure," he replied. "But you come up one at a time for a quick peek. No talking and no touching. They're just babies and they're scared right now."
Surprisingly, Raul stepped aside and let the younger kids look first. When it was finally his turn, the boy pointed to a pup that had settled itself apart from its littermates.
"Why is that one so little?" he asked. "Is he sick?"
MacGyver regarded the dog in question. "Looks like he's the runt of the litter." When Raul continued to look at him, he continued, "It's not unusual for there to be one puppy that's smaller than his brothers and sisters. If he gets proper care he'll grow up to be big and strong, just like the rest."
Seemingly satisfied with this answer, Raul walked away. Once everyone had had a chance to peek into the box, Mac reached to pick it up and take it to his office, but Joanna's index finger stabbing him in the bicep stopped him.
"What is it?" he asked her.
"I think we forgot about someone."
He followed her gaze to the floor and found Frog looking up at them, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth, eyes curious.
"Hey buddy," Mac greeted the canine as he crouched down, box in hand. "We've got some friends for you." MacGyver set the box on the floor and Frog simply stared at it. He then scooped up one of the pups and held it for Frog to see. The bull dog took a couple lumbering steps towards him before sniffing the strange animal and giving it a gentle lick. Apparently accepting the intruders, he headed back to his bed in the corner and quickly fell asleep.
"That went well," Jo remarked, her voice tinged with surprise.
"Yeah," Mac agreed in the same tone. "We'll see how he does when they start getting more attention than him."
Straightening to his full height, MacGyver once again picked up the box and headed to his office, Joanna following of her own accord. Knowing she loved animals just as much as he did, her actions did not surprise him. In fact, when he had been in Alaska cleaning wildlife that had been caught in the oil spill, he had often imagined her working beside him in easy comradery. Instead, he had stood next to Jack.
"What do we do now?" Jo asked, interrupting his wayward thoughts.
"Call the police," he said, trying to ignore the frown she wore as she watched the puppies sleep. "You know it's the right thing to do, Jo." She nodded her acquiescence as he picked up the phone and dialed the non-emergency number. When his call was answered, he put it on speaker so they both could hear. After stating the situation and being put on hold a couple times, a friendly sounding female voice finally came on the line and she introduced herself as Officer Carter.
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. MacGyver, but we've been inundated with similar calls the past couple of days."
Upon hearing this, Mac and Jo exchanged curious glances.
"Really?" Mac responded.
"Unfortunately yes. People are finding boxes of puppies at hospitals, libraries, even individual homes." Carter replied.
"Any idea what's goin' on?" MacGyver asked.
Officer Carter sighed. "Near as we can tell, some grass roots animal rights activists are hiring kids off the street to steal them from a puppy mill."
"Puppy mill? Here in Milwaukee?" Jo asked incredulously.
"I'm afraid so, ma'am."
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Mac asked.
"Well, the local animal shelters are already filled to capacity and veterinarian clinics are overrun. I've heard a lot of good things about Challengers Club and wondered if you'd be willing to take care of the puppies. At least until the Humane Society is able to take in more. I can give you a number to contact to get instructions on how to-"
"That's not necessary," MacGyver interjected. "I know what to do."
"Good," Carter responded. "We're getting a task force together to deal with this issue. I'll check in with you as soon as I can."
Mac hung up the phone and looked at his watch. "I'm gonna hit the pet store for some supplies before they close. Would you mind watching these little guys while I'm gone?"
"Of course not," Jo replied, holding a squirming little fur ball up to her cheek. "But why do you keep assuming they're all male?"
"I don't know," Mac shrugged. "Why don't you check 'em out while I'm gone and see if there are any girls in the group." He turned and headed out of his office, laughing as Joanna pulled a face behind his back.
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Joanna watched as MacGyver spread out an old blanket on the floor in front of his desk. He then placed five small bowls on it and gently set a puppy beside each one. He explained that he was serving kibble soaked in canine milk replacer. When he took the last pup from the box, he sat on the edge of the blanket, looking up at her expectantly. Able to read the question in his eyes, Jo lowered herself so she was kneeling on the opposite edge of the blanket, ready to wrangle any runaway Aussies.
"So, what did you discover while I was gone?" he smirked.
"There's only one female in the litter," she sighed sadly.
"What's wrong with that?"
"She's the runt," Joanna replied with a frown. "While you were gone I was watching them and none of her brothers wanted to play with her." Unbidden tears burned at the back of her eyes."
"Hey, you heard what I told Raul. There's every chance she'll grow up to be just like her brothers."
"I know," Jo murmured.
"You know what I think?" Mac asked.
Joanna shook her head but didn't say anything.
"I think she'll grow up to be the prettiest Aussie anyone's ever seen and these guys here will be beating all the other male dogs off with a stick!"
Jo couldn't help but chuckle at the image that formed in her mind. At the same time, her heart warmed because she knew Mac understood she wasn't just talking about the puppy, but herself as well. Did he really think she was the prettiest girl around? Or should she be offended that she had just been compared to a dog? She decided to go with the former. They sat in companionable silence, watching as the pups worked the tiny pieces of food around in their small mouths before she noticed something.
"Mac, she's not eating," Joanna observed, eyes fixed on the runt that sat beside her.
"That happens sometimes," he assured her. "Try helping her out." He demonstrated by picking up a bit of kibble and offering it to the dog closest to him.
Joanna mimicked his actions, but the undergrown female wouldn't even open her mouth. "It's not working."
"Try holding her," Mac suggested.
Jo scooped up the pup and cuddled her gently before presenting her with another piece of food, but the result was the same. She was getting genuinely worried now.
"I got an idea," MacGyver said, sensing her concern as he rose from the floor. "I picked this up just in case we had problems." He produced what looked like a small baby bottle from the bag he got at the pet store. He went into the staff kitchen and when he returned it was full of warm milk replacer. He handed it to Joanna.
"I've never done this before," she told him, hoping he wouldn't notice her trembling hand.
"First of all, you need to relax," Mac told her, crouching down and placing a hand on her shoulder causing a stream of awareness to course through her body. "Now, just hold the bottle up to her mouth."
Joanna gingerly followed MacGyver's instructions and soon the pup was suckling eagerly from the rubber tip.
"It's working!" Jo exclaimed in a whisper, beaming up at Mac.
"See. I told ya," he smiled back.
When the puppies' appetites had been sated, MacGyver carefully returned them to the large box with the old shirt and a hot water bottle he had found to help keep them warm. Joanna wished they had better accommodations, but she understood that they needed the familiarity and comfort of their current surroundings. With their new charges settled in for the night, or at least the next couple of hours, Jo and Mac took a seat on an old couch he had commandeered for his office.
"So what's your plan?" Joanna asked, stifling a yawn.
"What plan?" MacGyver looked as bewildered as he sounded.
"The plan to track down Jaime and have her lead you to the puppy mill so it can be shut down."
"You heard Officer Carter, they're getting a task force together and don't need us in the way."
Jo stared at Mac incredulously. "So that's it?! You're not gonna do anything?!"
"I'm already doing something. I'm gonna stay here and take care of the puppies."
"Then I'll help you," Joanna declared.
"No you won't," MacGyver countered. "They'll need at least one more feeding during the night and you have work in the morning."
"So do you," Jo argued.
"Yeah. Here. Where I can nap while the pups are sleeping. You can't exactly doze off while you're teaching."
"I hate it when you're right," Joanna frowned.
"I know," Mac chuckled.
When Jo got home that evening she quickly told her parents about the puppies and promised her dad she wouldn't bring one home...at least not to stay...and then hurried to her bedroom where she set her alarm clock for an hour earlier than usual. She was already anxious to return to Challengers and spend more time with the Aussies...and Mac.
Joanna arrived at Challengers the next morning to find the parking lot empty except for MacGyver's Jeep. She found him in his office, slouched against the base of his desk, legs straight out. His head was tilted at an odd angle, causing his bangs to fall freely across his forehead. His eyes were closed and he snored softy. Jo's heart sped up and she couldn't tear her gaze from him. He looked so carefree and vulnerable. As she studied his softened features she noticed he cradled a squirming puppy against his chest, a bottle of milk lay next to him on the floor. She took a deep, fortifying breath before she turned into a puddle of mush at the sight. Mac's love and tenderness knew no bounds and she was on the verge of throwing it all away. The little dog's whine refocused Joanna's attention and she carefully took the creature from Mac's hand, picking up the bottle and offering it to who she immediately recognized as the runt. She was returning the pup to the rest of the litter when she heard MacGyver groan in his sleep. Kneeling beside him, she lightly brushed the hair off his face. Why could she not open her heart completely to this man?
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MacGyver felt something gently brush across his forehead. His eyes drifted open and he groaned when he tried to straighten his neck. When he turned his head, his eyes slammed into Joanna's and took his breath away.
"Are you stiff from sleeping like that?" she asked softly.
"Yeah," he replied absently, reaching up to massage his tight muscles with one hand as he looked around for the puppy he had been holding before he dozed off.
"I fed her the bottle and put her back with her brothers," Jo informed him.
"How do you always seem to know what I'm thinking?" he asked, still a bit dazed from his nap.
"It's a blessing," she shrugged, "or a curse. I haven't decided which."
Her playful smile did something odd to his stomach...in a good sort of way. She had been so sad and serious lately, that it was good to see her sense of humor return. He reached up with his other hand to try and ease the pain in his neck.
"Here, let me," she offered. "Just turn a little bit."
Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he obeyed. At first, her touch was soft and hesitant and he was saddened to realize that this relatively intimate gesture they used to indulge in had now become uncomfortable for her yet again. Before his worries could take root, her ministrations became stronger, more sure, and while she focused on relaxing his neck muscles, she allowed her hands to explore his shoulders and upper back as well. He tried to remain still and quiet, but then her fingers hit a spot just right and he couldn't help but let out a moan of pleasure. She giggled and he smiled to himself. She began to play with the hair at his nape and a shiver darted down his spine. If only this moment would last forever, but he knew that all too soon reality would smack him in the face. It always did.
"I hope you don't mind that I came by so early," she said huskily, the impromptu massage apparently affecting her as much as it did him.
"I can't think of a better way to start the day," he assured her, turning so they were facing each other, their lips tantalizingly close. While she didn't lean in, she didn't pull away, and for the first time since returning home Mac felt as if they were back on solid footing. No longer able to resist, he tenderly cupped her cheek in his hand and tilted his head, moving ever so slightly. Suddenly, a snuffle, a snort, and a woof coming from the doorway caused them to jump apart as if hit by a bolt of lightning.
"You got really lousy timing, Frog," MacGyver muttered under his breath as the dog remained in the doorway, staring guilelessly at them.
"He probably has to go out," Joanna surmised.
"I'll get his leash," Mac grumbled as he rose from the floor. "Would you mind keeping an eye on the pups 'til we get back?"
Joanna glanced at her watch and smiled. "No, take your time."
Biting back some choice words for his canine companion, MacGyver led the dog out the door and across the parking lot when Frog put on the brakes almost causing Mac to go flying over him.
"You're really trying to ruin my day, aren't you?" he asked testily, trying to meet the dog's gaze, but his eyes were focused back towards the building they had just left. Mac turned to see what had gotten Frog's attention just as a shadow of a figure disappeared around the corner. MacGyver dropped the leash and took off in pursuit confident that the bow-legged bull dog would follow. As he raced around to the back of the building, he found a lanky teen with short brown hair attempting to scale the chain link fence on the boundary of the property.
"Jamie!" he called, knowing without a doubt it was the young lady he had met yesterday. She ignored him but two large steps brought him to her. He grabbed onto her leg, even as she tried to kick him away, and managed to get her safely to the ground.
"Whoa!" he said, holding her tight as she struggled against him. "What are ya doin' here?"
"I just came to check on the dogs," she mumbled.
"Then why did you run?"
"I don't know! I just did!" she spat.
"It wouldn't have anything to do with those dogs you've been paid to steal now, would it?"
Jaime suddenly stopped fighting and turned to face him. "You're crazy! I ain't gettin' paid to steal those dogs! I'm gettin' paid to keep 'em alive and I'm tryin' to get them outta that place before they're sold to the highest bidder!"
"You sayin' you work at a puppy mill?" Mac asked more calmly.
"Wow, you're just a real Einstein, aren't you?"
"And you're a smart aleck," MacGyver shot back. "Come with me. We need to talk."
Mac placed a guiding hand on Jaime's shoulder and herded her back inside Challengers with little protest. They found Joanna in the small staff kitchen preparing the milk-soaked kibble that would be the puppies' breakfast. Once introductions were made and the pups fed, Jo excused herself and left for work, leaving MacGyver alone with Jaime who was sitting cross legged on the floor playing with one of the dogs. Mac lowered himself and sat next to her.
"Mind telling me how you got yourself mixed up in this?" he asked, keeping his voice as non-threatening as possible.
The girl shrugged. "One day a guy came up to me on the street and asked if I'd like to earn some extra money. Cash. No strings attached. I mean, who wouldn't? So he took me to this warehouse and told me all I needed to do was make sure the dogs had food and water. There were other kids my age there, too." Here she paused, head down. "It was horrible, MacGyver! They had all these little puppies crammed into wire cages that never got cleaned or anything and we were only allowed to feed them once a day but a lot of them hardly ever ate. I think they were sick. The older dogs were thin and tired. The guy would come and take them away but never brought them back."
"How come the Aussies you left here are so healthy?" Mac asked.
"I made some friends there. We decided to start sneaking the new puppies extra food and made sure they had clean water to drink. We knew we needed to get them outta there so a couple weeks ago we started taking a few here and there and leaving them someplace where we could trust the people to take care of them."
Mac sighed. "You know you should have gone to the police or at least the Humane Society and reported this instead of taking matters into your own hands."
"I know," Jaime answered softly. "But we were afraid we'd get in trouble too."
"Listen, I called the police yesterday and they're setting up a task force to take down the puppy mill. Since you've actually been there, I'm sure they'd appreciate any information you could give them."
After several moments Jaime nodded and MacGyver placed a call to Officer Carter. Their conversation was short and to the point.
"Jaime, can you come back about six o'clock tonight? The cop leading the investigation would really like to talk to you and she promised me you won't get in any trouble if you cooperate. Do we have a deal?"
The teen glanced at the clock on the wall. "Yeah, sure, whatever. I gotta go," she said nervously and got up and quickly left the building.
XXXXX
At five thirty that afternoon, MacGyver, Joanna, and Officer Carter closeted themselves in Mac's office where he explained everything that Jaime had said earlier in the day. In return, the police officer shared the information the task force had uncovered. It seemed that an abandoned warehouse had been sold to a businessman looking to relocate a few months ago. The same man had also leased office space in a large building downtown. On the surface, everything appeared legit. However, when the task force began investigating newly acquired real estate in the area it turned out this particular buyer had used a fake identity.
"We could bring him in for fraud," Carter explained, "but it'd be better if we could prove he's running this puppy mill so we're setting up stakeouts at both locations to get enough cause for a search warrant."
"Won't that take awhile?" Jo asked with a frown.
"Maybe," the cop replied, "but I'm hoping Jaime can give us some inside info to speed up the process. However, the last thing we need is to bust this guy and then not have it stick."
At six o'clock the trio moved into the recreation area and waited by the reception desk for Jaime to arrive. As the minutes ticked by, Mac's discomfiture grew. When half an hour had passed and the girl had not arrived, MacGyver caught the skepticism in Carter's eyes, but it was Joanna's expression of concern and compassion that captured his attention. More than likely she knew what he was thinking, and she was thinking the same...that something bad had happened to Jaime. If Jo could read him so well, how could she not know how much he loved her and wanted her in his life forever? Perhaps she did know and that was the problem...she was scared. Carter's voice broke into his musings.
"Looks like your little friend decided not to show," she remarked sarcastically.
"She'd be here if she could. Something must have happened," Mac replied.
"Yeah, she got a bad case of 'cop-itis'. Happens all the time with kids like these," Carter scoffed.
"Jaime loves those animals as much as any of us here!" he rounded on the officer. "She's already proved that. She's in trouble and needs our help!"
"And how can you be so sure of that Mr. MacGyver?"
"I feel it in my gut. We need to find her."
"Unfortunately, a gut feeling isn't enough cause to put out an APB on a runaway teen," Carter all but snarled.
"Look, you can either help me find her or you can get out of my way. Now, what's the address of that warehouse?"
MacGyver could see Carter's mental struggle. Finally, she rattled off the address with the promise to send in backup while she and another unit checked out the downtown office.
"Thanks," Mac called as he charged out the door and headed to his Jeep.
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The evening twilight cast an eerie glow over the now-defunct industrial area where the alleged puppy mill warehouse was located. MacGyver doused his headlights and let up on the gas as he approached the only building with artificial light pouring from its windows which were surprisingly all intact. He slipped out of the Jeep and hurried to the back entrance, careful to stay in the lengthening shadows. There were no other vehicles in the area, including police back-up, but that didn't mean he was alone. The hairs standing up on the back of his neck told him as much. The windows were set too high for him to peek through so he'd have to go in blind. He tested the rusty knob on the solid steel door and it turned with surprising ease. The old hinges complained as he pushed the door open just enough for him to squeeze through. He ducked behind a pile of cardboard boxes and waited to see if anyone had heard him enter.
After ten minutes, Mac was fairly certain no one was in the building so he took the opportunity to survey his surroundings and what he saw made him sick to his stomach both figuratively and literally. The large facility was filled with wire kennels and cages stacked one upon the other in long rows with only narrow aisles separating them. He quietly walked up and down these aisles, fighting his gag reflex as the cloying smell of days old feces, urine, and vomit hung in the air like toxic fog. The smaller cages held puppies weaned too early and suffering from malnutrition and other conditions he rather not identify. Most slept, their little rib bones already showing. Some looked at him with hopeful eyes, others with emptiness or fear. He bent down to look in the larger kennels. Adult dogs laid listlessly in their own filth. As with the pups, many were just skin and bones. Others were plump and most likely only days from giving birth. Perhaps his most unsettling observation was the preternatural quiet. Here and there a dog whimpered or wheezed but if he hadn't seen them with his own eyes, he would never know that he was standing among what had to be hundreds of canines. His tour ended in a dark corner where heat emanated from an ancient but still operable incinerator. Mac swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. He knew enough about puppy mills to know that this was where the female dogs were disposed of when they became too sick or too old to breed.
MacGyver took a deep breath and refocused on why he was here in the first place and that was to find Jaime. A sudden bang came from behind a door next to the incinerator. Then another, and another along with what sounded like muffled cries for help.
"Jaime?!" Mac called, "Jaime! Is that you?!"
More banging.
MacGyver tried the doorknob, but of course this one was locked.
"Hold on, I'll get you out!" he hollered through the door as he reached into his pocket for his Swiss Army knife. As he did so, he felt the tingle of a presence behind him. He turned only to have something heavy and blunt connect with his temple. He felt himself slump to the cold, concrete floor before unconsciousness claimed him.
Yips, yaps, barks, and a persistent pounding sounded at a distance as Mac struggled to push through the darkness that had claimed him. Dogs. Jaime. He needed to rescue them. He slowly peeled one eye open and immediately slammed it shut against the bright light. He moved his hand to rest on his forehead. He was hot...so hot. Clenching his teeth he forced his eyes open and found the source of the heat. Wooden pallets stacked along the walls of the warehouse were on fire, tongues of flame flared into the air. He scrambled to his feet, ignoring the pain in his head. Fumbling with his pocket knife, he clumsily picked the lock on the door and opened it to find Jaime and a boy about the same age with gags in their mouths and rope binding their wrists and ankles. He quickly freed Jaime's hands and gave her the knife to work on the rest of their bindings as he watched the fire grow and move closer. A quick glance around the small space told him they were in some kind of storage closet. Unfortunately, it was the kind that did not contain a fire extinguisher. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied two large tarps rolled up against a shelving unit. He grabbed one, quickly unfurled it, and tossed the other to the still nameless teenage boy who was now on his feet. Together, they started batting down the flames as Jaime followed close behind.
"We have to save the dogs!" she yelled over the crackling flames.
MacGyver nodded, but his first priority was to get the humans to safety. Thankfully the fire concentrated itself around the large perimeter allowing them to safely reach the door that Mac had used to enter the building not that long ago.
"The dogs!" Jaime cried as she lunged back toward the engulfed warehouse. MacGyver grabbed her around the waist, holding her back.
"You stay out here," he instructed. "Your friend and I will hand you the cages." It would be quicker and easier to simply open the kennels and allow the dogs to make a run for it, but most weren't strong enough and there was no guarantee they would head for the door. Mac heard sirens wail in the distance as he and the other teen began grabbing cages and passing them to Jaime. Bystanders appeared out of nowhere and soon formed a human chain, passing the kennels along to safety. MacGyver saw Joanna jump from a squad car and join in as fire trucks rolled up and began pumping water on the inferno while other firefighters and policemen joined in the frantic effort to rescue as many animals as possible. Mac's arm muscles screamed from the repeated lifting of heavy loads and his legs felt like jelly, but he didn't slow down even as a familiar haze threatened to envelope him. He coughed, choking on the acrid smoke, but still he kept grabbing kennels full of frightened puppies until a pair of strong hands grasped his shoulders and steered him out through the door. To MacGyver's chagrin, his legs soon gave out and he slumped against the sturdy form that propelled him to an area filled with flashing red, white and blue lights.
Still in a daze, Mac allowed the paramedics to perform a cursory exam before he was coaxed onto a gurney, a plastic oxygen mask placed over his nose and mouth, and was loaded into an ambulance that immediately headed to the nearest hospital.
Upon arriving at the emergency room, MacGyver's head wound was cleaned and stitched up before he was taken to radiology for a CT scan. By the time he was returned to his designated bed, he was fully conscious, alert, and seeking answers from those around him. Unfortunately, those around him, namely police officers including Officer Carter, had just as many questions for him with a few reprimands thrown in for good measure. It was only the sight of Joanna standing at the foot of his bed that assuaged his frustration.
"Were they able to save all the animals?" he asked, his gaze locking with hers.
"There were too many," she told him softly. "They were weak and the smoke was thick."
Mac squeezed his eyes shut and pushed his head back, deep into his pillow.
"We got the majority of them out," Officer Carter informed him. "They're at various veterinarian clinics as we speak. It could have been a lot worse."
"Did you get the jerk behind all this?" he croaked, his throat still sore from the smoke he had inhaled.
"Yeah," Carter confirmed. "We caught him several blocks away. Not only is he facing the slew of charges that go along with illegally operating a puppy mill, but we're also charging him with arson, assault, and three counts of attempted homicide."
"Good," Mac murmured, even though he couldn't think of a harsh enough punishment for such an unspeakable crime. Just then a grey-haired middle-aged man in a white coat entered and introduced himself as MacGyver's doctor. Thankfully, he ordered everyone out of the room, with the exception of Joanna, so he could speak with his patient.
"What's the verdict, doc? When can I get outta here?"
The man sighed, adjusted his reading glasses, and looked at his chart. "You're in good shape considering the danger you put yourself in. Obviously you have a laceration to your temple and some minor smoke inhalation which may cause you some discomfort for the next few days, but my main concern is the hit you took to your head. The scan shows a mild concussion and your medical records indicate this is not the first."
MacGyver almost laughed out loud. That was the understatement of the decade! He also knew the spiel that was about to come.
The doctor took off his glasses and looked at his patient. "Is there someone at home who can keep an eye on you for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours?"
Mac bit back a mischievous smile as he turned his attention to Joanna and waited for her to do the fiancé/wife routine they had perfected so well, even in the early days of their budding friendship, but she averted her eyes and spoke to the doctor.
"No. He lives alone," she stated.
MacGyver felt the blood drain from his face as shards of emotional pain sliced through his body. Over the past few days he had allowed himself to believe that Jo was breaking down whatever barriers she had put up as together they tended the abandoned puppies. From the neck massage to the almost-kiss he was positive that their relationship was once again moving forward. Now, with a simple statement, it had all but collapsed, at least as far as he was concerned. She had barely known him when he sustained his first concussion in Milwaukee, yet she insisted on playing nursemaid and stayed overnight at his apartment, waking him hourly to make sure he was okay. Fast-forward to today, when they were supposed to be an engaged couple, and she totally bailed on him.
"Well, in that case," Mac heard the doctor say, "I'm afraid I need to admit you for observation for at least the next day. I'll have someone come in and take care of the paperwork."
MacGyver nodded mechanically and watched as the doctor turned and left the curtained-off bay, Joanna right behind him, her head down.