"Dad?" I heard Jared say with a tremble in his voice.

"It's alright, Jared." I said trying to sound calm.

I knew we were in trouble. But I also knew I couldn't let Murdoc see that. I had to keep my cool, had to keep my son safe.

"Now, step out of the vehicle, MacGyver," Murdoc demanded, the gun still firmly against my temple.

I gave a slight nod, motioning to Jared to do the same.

"You can let go of the gun," I said calmly, "We're not going anywhere."

He gave a slight snicker, "I don't think so."

We stepped out of the jeep, the gun still glued to my forehead. The heat from the flares was intense, and the smoke was getting thick. The chaos outside was growing louder by the second as the flames were fast approaching.

"Now," Murdoc said, his voice cold and calculating, "Give me the real documents."

I raised my eyebrows, "Real documents? What are you talking about?"

Murdoc's smile grew wider, "You think I don't know your tricks? That was a clever ruse with the smoke bomb, but it won't work twice."

I had to admit, he had me there. But I hadn't come this far to back down now.

"Alright, Murdoc," I said, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice. "You win."

I reached into my jacket and pulled out the manila envelope, the one I had hoped would be our ticket out of this mess. I handed it over, watching as his eyes lit up with triumph. He snatched it from me, his grip on the gun loosening ever so slightly.

This was my chance, I knew it. The moment Murdoc took his eyes off me to look at the envelope, I acted. I gave him a quick punch which made him fall to the ground dropping his gun. I kicked it into the shadows and grabbed back the documents. He was unconscious, but he wouldn't be for long.

"Let's go." I said to Jared as I gestured to the car.

Jared didn't need to be told twice. He scurried over to the jeep, his eyes still wide with fear. We climbed back in, and I turned the key, praying it would start. The engine roared to life, and I could feel the tension in my body release just a bit.

But we weren't out of the woods yet. The flames were closing in, and the garage sounded as if it would give way anytime soon. I knew we had to get out, and fast.

Pushing the gas, I steered the jeep towards the garage's exit. The wire fence loomed ahead of us, tall and unforgiving. There was no way around it. We had to go through it.

"Hold on tight, Jared!" I yelled over the roar of the fire.

He nodded, his eyes wide but determined. We were so close to freedom, I could almost taste it. But that wire fence was the final barricade between us and safety.

Gripping the steering wheel, I took a deep breath and floored the gas pedal. The jeep roared forward, picking up speed as the flaming wreckage of the compound grew smaller in the rearview mirror. The wire fence grew larger and larger until it filled the windshield. I could feel Jared's hands tighten on the dashboard.

We hit the fence like a battering ram, the metal barrier screeching and buckling under the impact. Sparks flew everywhere as we smashed through the barricade, the wire snapping and curling around us. But we didn't stop. The jeep kept going, tearing through the metal mesh like it was paper, the flames licking at our heels. We reached the other side, freedom.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I looked over to Jared, "You ok, bud?"

He looked a little shaken up, "That... was... AWESOME!"

I couldn't help but chuckle, "Glad you think so, Jared." I said, patting his shoulder.

"Where are we going, now?" he asked.

"To meet up with Jack."

His eyes widened, "Uncle Jack's here too?"

"Yes, he's waiting for us at the plane." I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"This is the coolest day ever."

I couldn't argue with that. Despite the danger, Jared's excitement was infectious. We had to get to the airstrip where Jack was waiting with his plane.

"There you a..." Jack said, "Where did he come from?" he said, gesturing at Jared.

"It's a long story," I said, cutting him off. "But we need to get out of here, now."

Jack looked at us, his eyes full of questions, but he knew better than to argue when things were this hectic. He got the plane started and we jumped in. Within a few minutes, we were in the air.

"Nice to see you again, Jared."

Jack's voice was a welcome relief in the chaos. He had always been the cool head in the storm even if that head needed to be checked a few times for screws.

"You too, Uncle Jack." Jared smiled, "Boy, this is the craziest night ever!"

We both chuckled, was he right about that.