I'm sorry it took so long for me to post this next part. This new job I have consumes a lot of my time!
Enjoy!
Sunset in Tuscany Part Three
Rated: PG
“My dear, this wine is excellent,” Jack said, holding up his glass as Iris filled it. “Do you make it yourself?”
“Yes, right here on this vineyard,” Iris said, turning to pour more wine in Jesse’s glass.
“Amazing,” Jack said. “Maybe when I retire and live the good life, I’ll do the same thing.”
“Can I get you anything else?” Iris asked.
Jesse looked down at his empty plate and held his stomach, smiling. “No, I think I’m pretty full,” he said. “Thanks for the good meal, though.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“Yeah, and keep the wine coming, would you? That stuff is delicious!” Jack said.
Iris smiled. “I’ll see what I can do,” she said, gesturing toward the grapes in the fields. “I’m not likely to run out any time soon.” She winked.
Jesse pulled out a deck of cards and began shuffling them. “So Jack, what do you say we play a game of poker while we’re lazing around and enjoying this beautiful place?” He asked.
“Sure, how much do you want to play me for?” Jack asked.
Jesse laughed. “Nothing,” he said. “I know you cheat.”
“Cheat? Moi?” Jack asked, looking innocent.
“Yeah, you’d take me for everything I got if you had the chance,” Jesse said. “I ain’t no dummy. I listen to MacGyver when it comes to you.”
“Ah, well MacGyver’s lying about me half the time,” Jack said. “I’m not a cheat. I’ll play you fairly.” His eye began to twitch.
“You see? You’re lying already,” Jesse said.
Jack held his twitching eye. “How do you know?” He asked.
“Your eye,” Jesse said. “MacGyver told me about that, too, so don’t be thinking about pulling anything over on me. I wasn’t born yesterday, you know.”
“All right, fine, we won’t bet,” Jack said. “Let’s just play.”
“That’s right,” Jesse said. “We’re just going to have ourselves a friendly game.”
Jack looked over at MacGyver. “Hey MacGyver! Come join us in a game!” He shouted.
“No thanks, Jack,” MacGyver said. “You cheat.”
Jesse laughed.
“Where is this reputation of me as a cheater coming from?” Jack asked.
Jesse looked up from the deck of cards and watched as Iris returned to MacGyver’s table. The expressions on both of their faces looked serious. He returned to the cards, shuffling them thoroughly.
“Ah man, Mac doesn’t want to play with us,” he said, nodding in the direction of MacGyver and Iris. “He’s talking to his lady friend. Let’s deal.”
“I’m ready,” Jack said. “Let’s see what you’ve got!”
***
“Iris,” MacGyver said, “what’s wrong?”
Iris said nothing for awhile, watching as Jesse and Jack began playing their cards and drinking their wine. The sun was beginning to set, casting the landscape in a golden glow.
“Iris,” MacGyver said, “when I mentioned Lucien…you seemed upset. What is it?”
Iris sighed. She looked at MacGyver. “I know him all right,” she said, anger and disgust in her voice. “He tried to buy this place from me. He was persistent. For awhile, he wouldn’t leave me alone. I had to arm several of my field hands just to keep him away from here.”
“So, what happened?” MacGyver asked.
“He finally bought his own place, bigger and better than mine, as if he was trying to send me some kind of message about his superiority. He’s left me alone since then, since he got what he wanted. He’s into fancy things, the more of them the better, like he’s some kind of collector of wealth and luxury, but you can’t buy taste, MacGyver, no matter how hard you try. Lucien is a slime ball who would do anything to acquire what he wants. If he hadn’t found that larger villa—well, who knows what would have happened to me. He was threatening. He frightened me a little, and I don’t consider myself someone who gets scared easily. Something about him isn’t right.”
“Where is his villa?” MacGyver asked.
“Just up the road a few miles,” Iris said. She frowned at him and cocked her head. “Why are you after him, MacGyver?” She asked.
MacGyver sighed. “He’s a wanted criminal,” he said. “I was sent here, along with Jesse and Jack, to bring him into custody.”
Iris laughed slightly. “You’re going to capture him? With those two?” She asked, pointing at Jack and Jesse. The two men were getting pretty drunk by that point, laughing loudly and arguing over their cards.
“Yeah, I know it doesn’t seem likely,” MacGyver said, “but Jesse is a bounty hunter, and there’s an over 50 million dollar reward for bringing this Lucien guy in, so we’re going to do it.”
“I don’t understand,” Iris said. “Why don’t you just let Interpol or the FBI handle this? Why are you doing it? Is it for the money?”
“You know me,” MacGyver said. “I don’t do anything for money. I’m just here to see that he gets justice. Jesse and Jack are here for the money. Besides, it’s taken international agencies years trying to find him. You tell me he lives down the road from you. I think those are pretty good odds that we’ll catch him before they do.”
“Mac,” Iris said, gently touching his hand, staring into his eyes. “I don’t want you to get hurt. This Lucien is dangerous. I could feel it. Once he wants something, he becomes obsessed with it, and he won’t stop until he gets exactly what he wants. If anyone gets in his way…well, I’m just worried about how far he might go if he learns you and your friends are after him.”
MacGyver smiled, gently touching her face, remembering how soft her skin felt. It used to be a lot creamier before the Tuscan sun tanned it, but it was still beautiful. She leaned her face into his hand, closing her eyes.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll be careful.”
“No! That’s an Ace, I tell you! I swear!” Jack shouted in the distance.
“You’re such a damn liar!” Jesse shouted, laughing.
Iris looked in their direction. “Are you sure you’ll be careful with those two around?” She asked.
“Hey, at least their argument is good-natured,” he said, “no fists flying yet.”
“MacGyver,” Iris said, “I’m being serious.”
MacGyver looked at her. “I know,” he said. “They’re just being a little rowdy right now, but Jesse’s one of the best bounty hunters out there, and Jack’s my friend. We’ll do fine with just a little teamwork.”
“I hope you’re right,” Iris said. She watched as the sun sank lower below the hills, creating a more vibrant color of orange across the sky. “It’s getting late,” she said, looking at MacGyver. “You and your friends are welcome to spend the night.” She looked back at her large house. “As you can tell, I have plenty of room.”
He smiled. “We appreciate it,” he said.
***
Morning light spilled in through a window in the guest bedroom where MacGyver slept, casting a beautiful glow over him and the large, intricately hand-carved and antique wooden bed frame. Iris passed his room and was about to keep going when she couldn’t resist stopping to watch him as he slept. She felt a little guilty about it, since he wasn’t aware of her presence and they were no longer in an intimate relationship, but watching him sleep had always been one of her favorite pastimes. She was always an early riser and a light, anxious sleeper, as if she couldn’t wait to begin a new day. Sometimes, MacGyver could be that way as well, but he was mostly a deep and late sleeper. She used to tease him that he valued sleep the way a cat did, but then again, she knew he was an extremely busy man who needed rest whenever the opportunity presented itself. She loved how boyish he could look when he was asleep, his face relaxed and his mouth slightly open. He began to stir, and she quietly turned to leave.
“You don’t have to go on my account,” MacGyver said sleepily, opening his eyes and smiling at her.
“Did I wake you?” She asked.
“No,” he said. He turned to look out the window, the bright sunlight hitting his eyes and causing him to squint. “Actually, I was thinking it was about time to get up. What time is it?”
“A little past ten, local time,” Iris said.
“Wow,” MacGyver said, falling back against the pile of pillows on the bed and covering his face with the back of his arm. “I’ve been asleep for a long time.”
“Tell me about it,” Iris said, smiling. “Your friends have been awake since eight this morning, and they consumed half of my stock of wine. I haven’t seen you sleep like that since that time you passed out at my father’s estate.”
MacGyver dropped his arm from his face and looked at her. “Passed out?” He asked.
Iris laughed slightly. “Yeah, don’t you remember?” She asked. “My father invited you to lunch, and he conned you into drinking this fruit concoction that he said was a protein drink.”
MacGyver propped himself up with his arm. “As I recall, it was anything but,” he said.
“It was kind of his version of a wine cooler,” Iris said. “You couldn’t detect the taste of alcohol in it, so you just kept drinking it and drinking it. I remember that you got pretty drunk.”
MacGyver looked down at the lace sheets, blushing from embarrassment. “I should have known there was alcohol in that drink,” he said.
“Well, it was hard to tell,” Iris said. “I didn’t even know it was alcoholic. Besides, I think you would have put my father off just a little if you had brought your lab equipment to test it for alcohol content.” She winked.
“I don’t remember much of what happened,” MacGyver said. “I hope I didn’t make too much of a fool of myself.”
“No, you didn’t,” Iris said. “You mostly tried to walk around, but you were unsuccessful. You just kept wobbling around, talking gibberish to yourself. Finally, you passed out in one of our guest bedrooms.”
“I remember the hangover from the next morning,” MacGyver said. “I never felt so sick in my life.”
“I know,” Iris said. “I was furious with my father for what he did. I think he did it to get back at you for not being a drinker. He was a wine maker, and you didn’t appreciate his product.”
“Yeah, your father never really did care for me much.”
“I’m sorry that happened,” Iris said. “That was an immature prank for him to play on you.”
“Hey, it’s okay,” MacGyver said. “At least I lived—barely.” He grinned.
Iris stared at him. “I watched over you that night,” she said. “I watched as you slept. That was the first time I heard you say that you were cursed with women. You mumbled it in your sleep.” She looked down at the wooden floor.
“Iris,” MacGyver said, looking into her eyes with his pleading brown eyes. “I really am sorry I ever said that.”
Iris sighed and did her best to smile at him. “It’s all right MacGyver,” she said. “That’s in the past. Come on, let’s get some breakfast—that is, if your friends haven’t already eaten it all.”
***
“Well, look who’s finally decided to join us,” Jesse said, watching as MacGyver entered the kitchen, complete with a massive brick oven.
“Yeah, you would have thought he was the one partying all night, not us,” Jack said.
“Who won the poker game?” MacGyver asked, rubbing his eyes.
Jesse laughed. “No one,” he said.
Iris set down a plate for MacGyver filled with an omelet colorful with fresh garden vegetables and herbs.
“Mmm, doesn’t that look great?” Jack asked, pointing at the plate. “Jesse and I already had ours. She’s as good a chef for breakfast as she is for dinner.”
“Oh, this was easy to make,” Iris said, smiling and sitting with them. “I can teach you how to make one sometime if you’d like, Jack.”
“Yeah, if you want to see your kitchen go up in smoke,” Jesse said, laughing.
“I’ll have you know I am a world class chef myself,” Jack said, looking at MacGyver. “Right, Mac?”
“Oh sure,” MacGyver said, looking at Jesse. “Scrambled eggs and chocolate sauce. It’s as gourmet as it gets.”
Jesse laughed.
“So,” Iris said, “MacGyver tells me you guys are looking for Lucien.”
“Well, yeah,” Jack said. “Do you know him?”
“She knows where he lives,” MacGyver said, taking a bite of his omelet.
“Well all right!” Jesse said, slapping his hand on the table. “Now we’re talking! Where does he live?”
“Just up the road,” MacGyver said.
“Let’s go grab him, then,” Jesse said, standing. Jack also stood.
“Come on, Mac, hurry up and finish those eggs,” he said. “I know they’re tasty, but we’ve got a job to do.”
“Now hold on just a minute,” Iris said. She looked at MacGyver with concern. “I was telling Mac last night how dangerous this man really is. If you want to catch him, you’re going to have to do it very carefully or he’ll suspect you immediately and flee before you have a chance.”
“Which means we’re going to have to be patient, something neither of you seems to excel at,” MacGyver said, taking another bite of his eggs.
“What are you talking about? I can be patient,” Jack said.
“Yeah, me too,” Jesse said.
MacGyver looked at them doubtfully. “First, I’m going to finish this delicious breakfast,” he said, smiling at Iris. “Then, we’ll go. Understood?”
“Yeah sure,” Jack said, looking disappointed.
“Whatever you say, slick,” Jesse said, also looking like a disappointed child, staring down at the floor.
“Just be careful,” Iris said, gently gripping MacGyver’s arm and looking into his eyes.
“We will, I promise,” MacGyver said, smiling and taking her hand.
***
MacGyver borrowed one of Iris’ Italian sports cars to drive to Lucien’s villa. He parked it behind some bushy trees, close enough to observe Lucien’s movements but far enough away to be concealed from his sight. He had a pair of binoculars and he was watching the estate. He then handed them off to Jack and Jesse and they kept alternating, taking turns until one of them saw something.
“Would you look at this place?” Jack asked as he scanned the massive villa through the binoculars. “It’s even bigger than your gal’s, Mac. We may never find him in there! It could take him years to come out of a place like that! It’s a mansion—no, a castle!”
“I still don’t see why we can’t just barge in there and grab him,” Jesse said.
“Oh yeah right,” MacGyver said. “That’s a terrible idea.”
“Why? Listen Mac, I’m used to moving in and taking,” Jesse said. “I don’t like to wait too long, or he could slip through my fingers.”
“Jesse, this isn’t one of your average criminals,” MacGyver said. “This guy is serious business, which means we’re going to have to take this slowly. We need to catch him by surprise somehow.”
He took the binoculars back from Jack and watched the estate again. He saw movement on one of the balconies, and as he focused in closer, he saw a trim, attractive man of average height with dark hair, wearing impeccable, expensively tailored clothing. The man descended the main stairs leading to the driveway and got into a flashy red sports car, nodding curtly to the servant who opened the driver’s side door for him.
“I think I see him,” he said.
“Lemme see,” Jesse said, taking the binoculars. “Where?”
“At the main entrance.”
Jesse pointed the binoculars in that direction and grinned when he saw the man in the sports car. “It’s Lucien all right,” he said. “It has to be. I recognize him from the pictures I have.” He pulled out his gun and stood. “Let’s get him!”
“Wait!” MacGyver said, grabbing his arm and pulling him back down. “Not yet!”
“Mac, he’s going to get away!” Jesse said.
“Let’s follow him first, see where he’s going,” MacGyver said.
“Oh, I like this idea,” Jack said, grinning.
***
They followed Lucien to one of the main squares in town where farmer’s markets and other outdoor merchants hawked their wares in charming stands, a large fountain bubbling in the center of the square, sparkling in the perfect, warm, Tuscan sunshine. They parked not too far away from his car and followed him at a distance as he entered the square, visiting the stands, seeming to see if anything was to his liking, a pleased grin on his face as he considered different items for sale.
“So great, we’re following him on a shopping trip,” Jesse said. “Wonderful.”
“Look, we have to lull him into a false sense of security,” MacGyver said. “I don’t want him to know that we’re on to him. We need to strike when he’s completely off guard. You heard what Iris said. He’s potentially dangerous. If we had surprised him by jumping out of the trees, who knows what he would have done? We have to approach this situation cautiously.”
“Maybe Mac’s right,” Jack said, watching as Lucien strolled through the square, his bearing proud, one hand tucked into his Italian silk suit as if he was stroking his chest. “He could be here for a drug deal or something. This could get exciting.”
They continued to watch as Lucien explored the square. He paused for a moment and looked around self-consciously, as if he knew he was being watched. MacGyver, Jesse, and Jack hid behind one of the buildings in the square and waited until Lucien looked away and continued to walk. He stopped at a flower stand and began chatting in vivacious Italian to the man in the white apron behind the stand, stroking the large, vividly colored petals admiringly. The man selling the flowers beamed as Lucien bought a full, luscious bouquet.
“Flowers?” Jesse and Jack asked simultaneously.
Lucien turned and began walking toward where he had parked his car.
“That’s it?” Jack asked. “That’s all he’s buying?”
“What did you expect?” MacGyver asked. “He’s not going to buy drugs out in the open like this.”
“He’s coming back this way,” Jesse said. “What do we do now?”
“Let’s try to beat him back home,” MacGyver said.
***
It wasn’t easy getting onto Lucien’s property. He had security cameras and guards everywhere. MacGyver tore off a piece of clothing to blind the camera nearest to them and gathered several stones.
“What are you doing, slick?” Jesse asked.
“We’re going to distract those guards,” MacGyver said.
“A diversion! I love it!” Jack said.
“Yeah, well we’ll have to move fast,” MacGyver said. “These stones aren’t going to keep them busy for long.”
“What’s the plan?” Jesse asked.
“Once we get inside the mansion,” MacGyver said, “We wait for Lucien to come home, and then we strike. The element of surprise, remember? He won’t be expecting us, and we can catch him completely off guard.”
“Sounds good to me,” Jack said.
“Let’s do it,” Jesse said.
MacGyver handed them each some stones. “Throw these in that direction, towards those bushes over there,” he whispered.
Jack and Jesse nodded. They threw the stones and they hit the bushes, causing them to rustle and alert the attention of the guards that were nearby.
“All right! Go!” MacGyver whispered.
They jumped over the stone barrier surrounding the property and ran toward the nearest entrance they could find to the main house. MacGyver tugged on the door, but it was locked.
“Hurry, Mac!” Jack said.
MacGyver opened his knife and picked the lock open. They quickly rushed inside and he locked the door again behind them. They crouched down and waited, hearing the guards walk by. Once they were gone, they stood and looked around. The interior of the mansion was just as imposing as it was outside, filled with richly upholstered furniture and tables covered in genuine gold leaf.
“Man, would you look at this place? It’s a palace,” Jesse said.
“Fit for a king all right,” Jack said.
Carefully, they explored more of it, finding collections of rare artifacts from several countries and cultures on display throughout various rooms as if they were trophies.
“I’ll bet you he got most of these on the black market,” Jesse said. “That’s his specialty. He’ll do anything to acquire the riches he wants, including murder.”
“Iris told me he was threatening,” MacGyver said as he looked around the vast and overwhelming collection of priceless artifacts. “He tried to force her off her land until he found this villa.”
“Yeah, well it won’t be his home much longer,” Jesse said.
They stopped when they heard a gun click behind them.
“You are trespassing on my property, messieurs,” a man said with a thick French accent. It was Lucien.
To be continued…
"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer."
--Henry David Thoreau
brains+brawn+beauty+personality=MacGyver
