Social Conscience – Part two

“So the regular drop-off point is the closest airstrip to the clinic?”

“Egg-zactly. They’re supposed to bring everything from there by chopper. There’s a good-size plateau a half mile or so from the clinic. If Vernon remembers correctly from his trip last year, we should be able to land there.”

“Should be able to land?” MacGyver grimaced. Noble cause and two perfectly eventless fueling stops or not, this had Jack Dalton written all over it.

“That’s where the chopper lands…when Hector and his lackies decide to let some supplies trickle through to appease the locals.” Mac was surprised at the somber tone Jack’s voice had taken on. “Anyway, Vern says it’s relatively flat and we should have enough room to stop this thing. Elena from the clinic will meet us there with a cart to move everything.”

“This really matters to you, doesn’t it?”

Jack became preoccupied with a dial.

“Jack?”

“Huh? Oh. Yeah. Sure it matters.”

MacGyver studied him a moment. “Have you gone and developed a social conscience on me?”

Jack tapped the glass covering the dial. Apparently satisfied with what he saw, he visibly relaxed and glanced at Mac. “Hey, it’s a job, right, amigo?”

The corner of MacGyver’s mouth quirked, and he almost forgot they were, in fact, not in a helicopter and planning to land on ‘relatively flat and good-sized’ shelf of rock. He was actually kind of glad he came along. With a sly look from the corner of his eye, he spoke one word. “Elena?”

Jack’s teeth flashed under his unruly mustache. “That’s Doctor Elena to you, buddy,” he said with a wink.

~~~

“Attention passengers: Directly below you’ll see the lovely Lake Titicaca and the meandering ranges of the Andes Mountains. To the east you’ll catch a glimpse of the capital city of La Paz. In another 200 miles or so we’ll be arriving at our destination, a lonely little plateau nestled in the Altiplano of Bolivia…”

MacGyver grunted awake at the droning commentary. “Altiplano? I’m impressed.” His voice was gravelly with sleep.

“Every good pilot knows his territory. Just a hop and skip now, Mac. Hope you brought your parka!”

MacGyver blinked the haze out of his eyes and looked out the window. He was met with a spectacular view of snow capped peaks and rocky slopes contrasting with sparkling rivers and lush greenery. In the west, he could see where Peru, or maybe Chile, eventually gave way to the Pacific. Looking out over the nose of the plane he briefly saw the city sprawling over the mountainside before it disappeared from site.

Jack caught his eye. “Tell me you’re not enjoying all that, Mac!”

MacGyver lifted a hand in token surrender and allowed a smile that carved deep lines around his mouth.

The plane was low from the north. Too low to make it to the airstrip. At that altitude, there was only one place it could be going. It had drawn Hector’s attention, too.

“You think Vernon’s sending a shipment around us?” Ramón asked.

Hector squinted at the sky. “It is 2 weeks past due.” He rubbed his jaw, considering the plane’s trajectory. “It would seem so.”

“I told you that pilot would rat on us sooner or later.”

“No. He was too well paid…and that on top of what Vernon paid him.”

“Still, if Vernon suspects, he will cut us off.” Ramón indicated the plane. “Maybe he has already.”

“I don’t think so, yet. Just testing the waters maybe. We’ll just have to ease that suspicion.”

Ramón was excitable. “Whoever’s flying that plane will confirm his suspicions when they return from the clinic!”

Hector fixed his eyes on Ramón. “Going to a remote part of a foreign country can be dangerous, Ramón. You never know what could happen.”

~~~

As Jack banked the plane, scouting the best way to land on the plateau, MacGyver took in what he assumed was the clinic complex. It consisted of a couple of small, rough buildings tucked into a curve formed by the mountains and he could see a faint path meandering from it toward the meeting place. He thought he could make out a slightly more defined road making it’s way down into the valley below where a glistening river fed a large lake. He guessed this clinic attempted to serve all the wide-flung settlements dotting the feet of the mountains and the narrow valleys in the range. It was easy to see why medical supplies would be such an important commodity in this rugged area.

The landing was less than perfect and jolting. Jack seemed to be enjoying the challenge, reversing the engines a moment before touchdown to slow dramatically, and making the most of the greatest distance he could find on the plateau. He even managed to maneuver the plane so it was generally aimed for take off.

When MacGyver opened the cargo doors, the blast of chilly wind was bracing and he was indeed glad for his red parka.