Operation River Clean-up
The second Saturday of May found Joanna sitting on a park bench near the shores of the Milwaukee River tugging on knee-high rubber boots over her thick wool socks. While the weather, itself, was mild, the ground was muddy, damp, and cold and the water in the river even colder. As she donned protective rubber gloves, her mind wandered back to the night she had spent at Charlie's. She always slept better when MacGyver was near, and knowing that he was just on the other side of the wall gave her a sense of peace she had rarely known. Of course, she knew there was a very good chance he had conked out on the couch downstairs while watching an old Western on TV, but it didn't matter. She glanced around and found Mac watching her, pinning her eyes with his as a slow, crooked grin formed on his lips warming her from head to toe. An invisible jolt of electricity sizzled between them. Did he know what she was thinking? Did he feel the same? Perhaps it was time to start some serious wedding planning.
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MacGyver looked up from pulling on his rubber boots and caught Jo's eye. He held her gaze and allowed a slow, lazy grin to tug at his lips. Something had shifted in him the other night when she stayed over at Charlie's. He usually didn't mind being alone, and he rarely considered himself lonely, until now. Having Joanna a few steps away gave him a feeling of completeness he didn't know he was lacking. He had fallen into a blissful slumber on the couch and dreamed of the day she would forever be at his side.
"Hey Mac!" Geena called, breaking him out of his reverie.
"Huh?"
"Did I interrupt something?" the older woman asked with a sly wink punctuating her question.
"No. I was just thinking about the clean-up plan," he replied.
"Mmmm, okay, we'll go with that for now," Geena conceded, "But I came here to tell you that some of your volunteers aren't too happy with the location of our assigned clean-up site."
MacGyver looked over to where a small group of older teen boys stood, arms crossed defiantly across their chests, muttering to one another.
"What seems to be the problem guys?" he asked.
The self-appointed leader of the group, a boy Mac recognized as Darius, stepped forward. "When you said we'd be cleanin' up the river, we thought you meant we'd be goin' out in boats and haulin' in all sorts of cool stuff like tires and shoppin' carts. One dude who did this last year said they even snagged a couple bicycles! Instead we get stuck cleanin' up this creek!"
Mac cocked his head and squinted at the teen. "Have you ever heard the saying, 'There are no small parts, only small actors'?"
"What's this gotta do with actin' man?!"
MacGyver sighed to himself. "It means that every job here is important no matter how insignificant it may seem. Look at it this way. The Menomonee River is one of three main tributaries of the Milwaukee River. That means that all the debris in and along this river will eventually find its way to the larger one. Think of what we're doing as a preemptive strike."
The boys frowned and shook their heads.
"Alright, how about this," Mac continued in an authoritative tone. "You don't have to participate in the clean-up project." Suddenly the group perked up, hope shining in their eyes. "Instead, you can get in the van and Miss Geena will drive you back to Challengers where you can each write a one thousand word essay on the cause and effect of pollution in the ecosystem and the steps individuals can take to combat the issue."
The leader of the group stepped forward once again. "Hey, man, we didn't mean we weren't gonna help!"
"Right," MacGyver confirmed, staring the boy down. "Why don't you get your boots and gloves on and get to work."
The young men immediately set out to the staging area to gather their supplies which also included buckets, long-handled garbage pickers, and trash bags.
"Nice job," Geena murmured under her breath as she passed by Mac who was unable to suppress a self-satisfied grin.
XXXXX
The Challengers team worked for two hours cleaning up the riverbank and produced several buckets and bagfuls of various thoughtlessly discarded items including plastic water bottles, cigarette butts, aluminum cans, and cellophane food wrappers. MacGyver watched as more experienced volunteers trolled the river in a small motor boat using a fishing net to snag larger items from the murky water. Suddenly, the voice of the project leader echoed from a bull horn instructing volunteers to gather the refuse they had collected and return to the staging area. Mac grinned as some of the teens gave a whoop of delight while others complained that there was still more work to be done. He was about to join Joanna and Geena in rounding up a few wayward volunteers when he heard someone call his name.
"Hey, MacGyver! You gotta come see this!" Raul yelled from upriver.
Mac headed in the boy's direction as Jo and several others followed. With a quick glance it was obvious what Raul had found. The water in this part of the river was cloudy, the edges by the shore thinly coated with a slimy blue-green substance and several dead fish either floating in the water or lying on the riverbank.
"Ewww, gross!" someone remarked.
"I think I'm gonna puke!" another loudly announced as most of the others simply backed away.
"What is it?" Joanna asked, wrinkling her nose as she came to stand beside Mac.
"Looks like an algae bloom, or the start of one."
"Algae like in an aquarium?" Raul asked.
"Yeah."
"It kills fish?!"
"Not normally," MacGyver began to explain to the teen. "But if there's too much of it in one place, this is what can happen."
"How did it get here?"
Mac admired Raul's thirst for knowledge. "It was probably caused by fertilizer in storm water runoff or even waste from water animals."
"You mean like fish poop?"
"Sorta," MacGyver chuckled.
"Do you think the proper authorities are aware of this?" Joanna inquired, tilting her head to indicate the polluted river.
"They should be, but I'll mention it to someone when we get back to the staging area."
"What do they mean 'their hands are tied'?!" Geena asked from the seat behind Jo as MacGyver drove the battered old van he had recently purchased and its occupants back to Challengers.
"It's politics," Mac muttered, his hand clenching the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white in order to contain his anger and frustration.
Joanna turned from where she sat in the passenger seat to face Geena. "They mean they don't have proper government funding to clean up that mess," she clarified for the indignant receptionist.
"Well, what's gonna happen then?"
"The algae bloom will grow over time and eventually flow into the Milwaukee River making the underwater habitat unlivable."
"You aren't gonna let that happen, are you?" Geena demanded.
"Not if I can help it," Mac replied.
XXXXX
"Thanks for the info, Willis," MacGyver said as he scribbled a name and phone number on a notepad before disconnecting the call later that afternoon.
"Well, is he going to help?" Joanna asked from where she sat on the other side of Mac's desk at Challengers.
"He gave me the contact information for the Director of Environmental Research and Development at Chicago's Phoenix branch," he told her as he picked up the phone and dialed the number Willis had given him.
"Hello?" a seemingly annoyed female voice answered.
"Hi," Mac greeted, trying to sound cheerful, "I'd like to speak with Dr. Jordan Banks."
"This is she," the voice replied tightly. "May I ask to whom I'm speaking?"
"Name's MacGyver."
"Ah, yes. The infamous MacGyver." Mac winced and could swear he felt his cheeks turn warm. He had never intended to become 'infamous' and to be honest he was quite uncomfortable with the legacy he had apparently left behind. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" Banks asked in a clipped tone.
Mac took a breath and proceeded to tell her about the river clean-up project and the discovery of the algae bloom.
"What do you want from me?" she asked, sounding not only annoyed but impatient as well.
MacGyver ground his teeth knowing he couldn't let her attitude get under his skin. He needed to remain cordial if he had any chance of getting help from Phoenix and the good doctor.
"I was hoping you could come up and assess the bloom and help us get rid of it."
Silence stretched for so long Mac feared they had been disconnected when Jordan finally spoke. "Fine. I'll come take a look at it," she agreed, much to MacGyver's surprise.
XXXXX
There was a sharp knock on MacGyver's front door at exactly eight o'clock Monday morning. He opened it to find a young, petite woman with long, riotous curls of red hair tamed into a ponytail and impossibly clear green eyes looking up at him.
"Mr. MacGyver, I presume?" she greeted him.
"Ms. Banks, thanks so much for agreeing to meet on such short notice. Would you like to come in?"
"I'm on a very tight schedule. Could you please just take me to where you found the bloom?"
"Sure. No problem," Mac replied, grabbing his keys from the hook beside the door before escorting Jordan to the Jeep.
"So, how long have you been working at Phoenix?" he asked the curt female beside him as he drove toward the river.
"I don't see how that's relevant to my being here today."
"It's not. I was just trying to make small talk," Mac explained.
Jordan turned toward him as much as her seatbelt would allow and speared him with her gaze. "I know you're wondering how someone my age could be qualified for this position." Well, okay, she kinda had him there. "I received my PhD. in environmental studies when I was twenty-three and was hired on as a researcher for the Phoenix Foundation two years later where I worked hard to get promoted to my current position."
"Very impressive," MacGyver acknowledged as he pulled the Jeep to a stop and killed the engine. "We're gonna have to hike in from here," he told her.
A few minutes later, Mac directed her to the slime-covered water Raul had discovered. She barely gave it a second glance before turning her attention back to him. "This is it?" she asked with a frown. "You took me away from my research and made me drive all the way up from Chicago for this?"
"Yeah," MacGyver replied, a little perplexed and a lot annoyed at her dismissiveness. "I don't have the proper equipment for a full analysis, but my guess is that this is a toxic blue-green algae bloom, or at least the beginning of one."
"I would agree with that hypothesis," Jordan sniffed. "What have your local water management authorities said?"
"They recognize the problem but don't have the funds to deal with it right now."
"So you come running to the Phoenix Foundation for assistance? This is quite a small bloom and will most likely die off once it's nutrients are gone in a few months."
"Or it could continue to grow and ultimately get into the city's water supply," Mac countered.
"Look, Mr. MacGyver," Jordan huffed. "I have much more important projects to work on, like getting clean water to thousands of children in Third World countries. I don't have time and money to waste on minor local issues. Now please, take me back to pick up my car."
Mac couldn't believe what he was hearing, but he could tell that Ms. Banks was not in the mood to be persuaded. "Fine. But before you go, tell me how to clean this up."
Jordan studied him from head to toe as if he were one of her specimens. "I'm sure you'll figure out something. I hear you're very good at that."
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MacGyver leaned back in his chair and squeezed his eyes shut tight. They were beginning to burn from hours of scouring the internet for viable solutions to the algae problem in the Menomonee River. A knock on his office door caused them to pop open again.
"How did it go this morning?" Joanna asked eagerly.
"Lousy," Mac moaned, scrubbing one large hand down his face.
"What do you mean?" Jo's brows were knit with concern and confusion as she took a seat across from him.
"I mean Jordan Banks doesn't consider our problem worth her time and effort," he sneered.
"So you mean ain't nobody gonna do nothin' about the slime we found?" Darius asked from the open doorway where he had obviously overheard their conversation.
"I didn't say that," MacGyver replied with more confidence than he felt if only for the boy's sake.
"Is there anything we can do to clean up the algae bloom?" Jo asked.
Mac sighed. "I've been researching exactly that most of the day. We'd first need to evaluate the types of organisms in the river to determine which biological method would be most effective. Then, from what I found, our best bet would be to skim off as much of the bloom as possible before introducing herbivorous, surface-feeding fish like the South Asian catla to consume the algae."
"That sounds good," Darius, who was now sitting next to Joanna, remarked. "Let's do that."
MacGyver quirked a brow at the teen wondering exactly how much the boy had actually understood.
"It's not that easy," Mac informed him. "It's a pretty expensive process and since we're dealing with a public waterway we'd need to cut through a lot of bureaucratic red tape."
"Red tape that Phoenix could easily get around if Jordan had agreed to help," Jo concluded.
"Exactly," MacGyver replied with a sigh.
"But y'all are still gonna do somethin', right?" Darius insisted, scooting forward in his chair. "I mean, there's gotta be somebody else who can help."
Mac admired the young man's eagerness and determination. And Darius was right...they couldn't give up now.
"I have an idea," MacGyver announced, reaching for the phone.
Mac had been put on hold for so long and transferred so many times that Joanna and Darius had long since disappeared by the time he finally completed his call. He stepped out of his office to go in search of them, only to find that they had been hovering near his door the entire time.
"How'd it go?" Jo asked eagerly.
"I got five Phoenix board members to agree to an emergency meeting day after tomorrow so I can argue my case in person," he announced.
"Hey, I wanna talk to those dudes, too!" Darius interjected.
"Yeah! Me too!" Raul added. "After all, I was the one who found the gunk!"
A small group of teens began to gather around them, all nodding and murmuring their desire to be a part of the meeting. Mac caught Joanna's eye and hoped she would hear his silent plea. When she began to chew on her bottom lip, he knew she was thinking of a plan.
"Well," she began slowly, "The kids in biology class did just complete a unit on environmental pollution issues and the Challengers members in my class submitted their persuasive argument essays. I could speak with Mrs. Varga tomorrow and make a case that it would be an educational field trip for those that participated in those classes as well as the river clean-up as long as they get parental permission."
The teens began to cheer and MacGyver wanted to kiss her soundly, but he settled for a satisfied grin. "Sounds like a plan," he confirmed.
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Wednesday morning Mac pulled the Challengers' van into the high school parking lot where Darius, Raul, and a handful of other students quickly climbed aboard, permission slips in hand. MacGyver had chosen to wear a suit and tie and was glad to see the teens had upped their wardrobe game as well. They arrived in downtown Chicago by mid-morning and soon descended on the glass and steel building that housed the Phoenix Foundation. Their little group garnered some stares and whispers as they made their way to the designated conference room where an efficient office assistant seated them and offered them something to drink. Minutes later, the board members walked in and took their place at the head of the table, followed by Jordan Banks and her direct supervisor.
When directed, MacGyver rose and, for the official record this time, once again explained the Challengers river clean-up project, the discovery of the algae bloom, the inability of local authorities to eradicate it, and his call to Phoenix for assistance. He had barely taken his seat when Jordan stood and presented her side of the story, including the reasons why, according to her, Phoenix need not get involved as her superior smiled at her approvingly. With both sides having spoken, the board members adjourned to an adjoining room to make their decision. It didn't take long before they returned, all keeping their eyes steadfastly away from MacGyver and the club members. The designated spokesperson for the board was just about to announce their decision when Darius interrupted.
"I got somethin' I wanna say," he said.
"Young man, this is most inappropriate. Mr. MacGyver has already spoken on your behalf," the senior board member admonished him.
"He didn't say everything," the teen countered as the four others on the board looked to one another and Mac ran his index finger around the inside of his collar which suddenly seemed too tight.
"We don't need to hear anything this hoodlum has to say!" Jordan's supervisor blurted out. His moment of indiscretion cost him, though, as the spokesman skewered him with a steely gaze.
"Due to that unnecessary outburst, I would like to hear what the boy has to say."
MacGyver saw beads of sweat begin to roll down the teen's forehead as a hush fell over the room and all eyes turned to him.
"Go on, young man. What did you wish to say?" the spokesman prompted.
"Well...ya see...when we got to the river, some of us, including me, were disappointed because it was so small. We wanted to go out on a boat and snag us some really cool stuff like old tires and other trash we'd heard about." Here Darius stopped, shifting his weight from one foot to another and looked to MacGyver who gave him an almost imperceptible nod, but it was enough to bolster his courage to continue. "But Mac here told us that even the little jobs, like picking up candy wrappers, were just as important. Now it seems that Ms. Banks is saying that only big problems are worth your time and money and that little problems, like our algae bloom, aren't important. So who's right?"
Mac could literally see the blood drain from the spokesman's face and watched as Jordan's boss hung his head as if in shame. An ember of hope began to warm his stomach.
"Given this new, um, perspective," the spokesman choked out, "I believe we need to take a few moments and reexamine our verdict."
The five board members made quick work of huddling around the head table and murmuring amongst themselves. Heads would shake and then nod. Eyes would glance one way, then another. After what seemed like an excruciatingly long time, they returned to their assigned seats.
"Before I announce our decision," the spokesman began, "I have a few words for you, Ms. Banks." The smug expression she had been wearing throughout the morning began to fade. "The mission of the Phoenix Foundation is to provide aid to anyone who asks, be they rulers of foreign lands, starving children in war torn countries, our federal government, as well as our next door neighbor. No cause is too big...or too small. You are an extremely intelligent and talented researcher and could be a great asset to Phoenix. However, before that can happen, I must ask you to reevaluate your goals, both personal and professional, and decide if Phoenix is the best fit for you."
Jordan responded with a stiff nod, her cheeks turning bright red as she sought support from her supervisor who refused to meet her eyes.
"Now, as for you and your friends, Mr. MacGyver. It is the decision of these Phoenix board representatives that your project be the recipient of any and all pertinent research and assistance to be determined upon meeting with the proper agencies in Milwaukee, Wisconsin."
"Does that mean they're gonna help?" Darius asked, turning wide eyes on MacGyver.
"It sure does!" Mac laughed both relieved and satisfied.
"Yes!" Darius punched the air with his fist. "We did it!"
"No," MacGyver sobered. "You did it! They were ready to side with Ms. Banks before your speech. They wouldn't even look at us. This is your victory, Darius." Unable to contain his excitement, the teen wrapped Mac in a bear hug before turning and joining the others in high fives and gleeful cheers of victory. As the celebration wound down and the group headed for the door, Mac heard the spokesman call his name.
"Mr. MacGyver, we have one last piece of business we'd like to discuss with you."
Mac felt his heart drop to his shoes as he approached the board. The feeling of a teenager being called into the principal's office washed over him. What now?
"Prior to this meeting, I made a point to research your Challengers Club and noticed that Phoenix provides a substantial amount of funding if certain criteria continue to be met at each six month review."
"That's correct," MacGyver answered, his mouth dry.
"Given what I just witnessed here today, I am going to see to it that your next review is canceled."
"Sir?" Mac tried to swallow but couldn't. He could barely hear the spokesman over the sound of his own heartbeat. Was Phoenix pulling its funding? But why?
"The latest progress report states, in no uncertain terms, that Challengers members must participate in projects to better their community if the club is to receive further funding. Today's meeting showed that your club members are willing to go above and beyond to do just that. Not only have they learned an important lesson, they've acted upon it and are to be commended. It is the opinion of this board that Challengers has met the criteria of the report and will now be placed on the normal yearly review cycle. Congratulations, Mr. MacGyver."
Trying to process what he had just heard, Mac cordially shook hands and offered 'thank-you's' before leaving the office and meeting the kids at the elevator.
"You okay, Mac?" Raul asked. "What happened back there?"
"I'll tell you on the way home," MacGyver replied, a smile spreading across his face. "In the meantime, what do say we go get some ice cream?!"
A/N: Dear Readers, I wrote this chapter well over a month ago. Last week on the local news I heard that Milwaukee will begin a multi-year project to remove toxins from rivers including the Menomonee and Milwaukee. Guess life imitates art after all!