Shhh...don't tell Ratty...I'm actually posting the first part of that fanfic I've been workin on for so long!

I figure I've got to just break down and post the thing or it'll never get finished! You all should feel real special cuz I almost never let anyone (even my hubby!) read a PART of a story that's not finished! And I can't guarantee how soon the next part will come cuz I've got a bug to work out, but I'll try really soon!

Part 1's not real long, and you'll recognize some of it from the Drabbles...enjoy!!!



Social Conscience: Part One

The phone rang as he pushed the door shut with his foot. He plunked a couple of brown grocery bags on the counter, letting the machine answer it.

“Mac? You there?”

“No, I’m not,” MacGyver said to Jack’s voice, shrugging out of his jacket.

“Hey, you gotta call me...I really have a legitimate business opportunity, and I know a do-gooder like you won’t be able to resist...”

MacGyver flinched. Not again. He would not pick up. No way. He did not need another one of Jack’s... He picked up. “Hi, Jack.” He’d regret this later...he just knew it.

“MacGyver! Buddy! You’ll never guess...”

“Jack, listen to me.”

“...what I...What?”

“No.”

“No? No what? C’mon, Mac, you sleep-deprived or something...you’re not making any sense.”

MacGyver couldn’t help bringing out that reasoning-with-a-child-tone he used with Jack all too frequently. “I’m making perfect sense. Whatever it is, Jack, no.” Stopping Jack when he had one of his brilliant ideas was like stopping a freight train. Not impossible, but always messy in the end.

“Aw, c’mon...at least hear me out, Mac!”

MacGyver shook the phone since Jack wasn’t at hand. “Go for it, Jack. And that doesn’t mean yes.”

~~~~~

MacGyver arrived at the hangar an hour later. He’d been briefed in classic Jack style...very lean on details. He realized actually getting in his Jeep and driving here would reinforce his friend’s plan to hijack his weekend. But he was resolute. He had a date with a backpack and a tent, and he didn’t intend to miss it. But, as usual, Jack had given him just enough information to make him curious...and string him along.

The big hangar door was open and he went in. He found Jack closing up the cargo doors in the back of the plane.

“Mac! I knew you couldn’t resist!” Jack headed up the rickety metal steps to the open side hatch, waving for him to follow. “C’mon, I’ll show you.”

MacGyver took a deep breath, counted to 10, and followed.

“All we’ve gotta do is fly to Bolivia and drop off this here crate I told you about.”

“What’s in the crate and just how do you know this guy’s legitimate?”

Jack looked at MacGyver in mock offense. “I’m hurt. You don't trust my instinct. Have I ever intentionally led you astray?”

Mac’s eyes narrowed. His mouth moved. Nothing came out.

Jack quickly added, “Don’t answer that.”

MacGyver finally found his voice. “Instinct?! I’m supposed to get on this plane and fly to South America with a crate of who-knows-what based on your instinct.” He threw up his hands as if imploring the ceiling of the hangar to impart reason.

“I know what’s in the crate...you just didn’t give me a chance to tell you what’s in the crate.” Jack managed to look properly indignant.

MacGyver gave in, gesturing expansively toward the big wooden box.

“What we have here, Mac me-boy, are supplies for a clinic. Our man Vernon directs the relief organization in charge of sending this stuff...problem is he suspects the distributors at the usual drop-off point are pirating the supplies, sellin’ everything on the black market. He wants me to fly the crate directly to the clinic...well, as close as I can get and keep the plane in one piece...”

MacGyver’s resolve was crumbling, even as he cringed inwardly. He had to admit it was a noble cause, especially for Jack. It still made him suspicious. “What’s in it for you?”

Jack was getting surprisingly better at the I-can’t-believe-what-you’re-implying-look. “Haven’t you ever heard of storing up your treasures in heaven, Mac?”

“Not from you.”

Jack relented. “So, there’s a tidy little sum involved...but not to worry! I might even have enough left after my expenses to pay you back for those parts.”

MacGyver shook his head, rolling his eyes. There were so many parts, it didn’t matter which parts any more. “Do you know how sophisticated these distributors are?”

“You mean, will they try to stop us?” Jack shrugged. “Apparently, this kind of thing brings a pretty penny if you know the right people, which they do. So, to answer your question...I don’t think they’d shoot us outta the sky and draw attention, but since we can’t rule out anything, we hope they don’t figure us out, and if they do, we hope you’ve got some tricks up your sleeve!” Jack clapped him on the back and climbed out of the plane.

MacGyver was painfully aware that Jacks’ left eye hadn’t twitched once.

End of Part One

I think that may be a first! This sounds very promising so be sure not to take too long or I might

Why not? I haven't harassed you that much have I? Sorry!

Good girl!

Well if someone had told me this was here I would have said -
Yay!!! Amy is posting her fanfic!

Funny.

This is a good start Amy! I'm looking forward to part 2! Want to know what trouble Jack will get Mac in to this time!



But...since no one has told me - I’m saying nothing!!

Well, I s'pose you ought to keep harassing me...cuz otherwise Part 2 might never get posted, knowing me! You do know you're bugging me is sole reason Part 1 made it here, right??? Keep up the good work, Ratty...I wouldn't want Pseodo to !!

Wow, now feel even more honered. You gave me the story to read it before you posted here. Thanks

Wait a minute ... you got me hooked so I would join to get to read the second part. Sneaky!!! But you were right it's a funny place!

So egg-xactly Mac and Jack! Way to go!

Snowdiver

Muahahaha...My evil plan worked.... Glad you're here!

Thanks!

This is great! I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Apologies! I've been so busy, I've been away from my story...and MOL (for more than a quick check) recently!!! I've missed you guys... *hugs* all around. OK...Ratty's not harrassing me enough! But I've been working on part 2 and hope to add it shortly! I just need a little help... *jaunts off to a new thread*

You're right! i'm sorry! I haven't been anywhere near annoying enough!
Don't worry - I'll fix it!

Be prepared for daily PM's hassling you to post part two!

OOO! I like, I like! Tis very good so far, keep bothering them! Snrk. Maybe I should recruit you to bother me with my stuff...

hehe...got the first installment! You really are very good! Have you ever thought about becoming a motivational harrasser when you grow up?

Sounds like you'd already have another client!

Thanks Lee! I need to go back to my help thread and mull that over and get my behind (I mean keyboard) in gear! My little boy's been sick and home from school all week and I spent 2 of those days A) Losing my inbox and fighting with our internet connection, and B) researching highspeed internet because I'm fed up with dial up! I've been a busy housewife/mommy. Of course that doesn't count the time I HAD to spend on the couch cuddling my little guy and watching GI Joe with him... (Did I mention I have another obsession?)

what do you mean, when I grow up?!
I'm already properly grown up!!! I am!...Aren’t I?

No matter.
I'm off to plot what to write in todays "motivational" PM.

You are most welcome! Jack and Mac are like a PB&J. Hard to mess up, and OH so much fun... Sorry to hear about your munchkin. I have no excuses along those lines...

OK...well I guess I'm well out of excuses...Isaiah's all better, Chuck's all better...Still fighting with the internet...but hopefully that'll be fixed by the weekend!
So, without further ado....


(it's not as much as I'd hoped at this point...but, hope you like!)

NOW, without further ado...

Social Conscience: Part 2

“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.

End of Part 2

Ah! There it is! You trying to hide part 2 from me?

Oh Hector sounds like he’s going to be trouble.
Mac shouldn’t let Jacks good behaviour so far lull him in to believing everything is going smoothly.

It sounds like Hector isn't going to make this very easy for Mac and Jack. Continue soon

Oh how well we know our dear friends....

Psuedo! You didn't blow up!!!


Hector's a meanie...

Fortunately not...but it was close. Let's make sure I don't this time either.

I may have guessed that...just maybe. Although who knows maybe deep down he is actually a really nice guy, maybe he is just misunderstood...or not...

Good job! Just found it. Aww, just when you think Mac's finally gonna catch a break...