This is the third part of the "After the Widowmaker". Mac is healing from his wounds in part 2, and finds a soft way to kill time.
Here is someone winking at Rocket, and tvero sees her wish fulfilled
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Cassy was sitting on the sidewalk in front of the hardware store. From there, she could look down the street and have a glimpse of the sea. She sat there a lot, waiting for her mother to come home and make the diner. Her mother was working hard to make a living, so Cassy was much on her own. She was a reasonable kid to be 8 year-old, still, time went slow after all her friends had gone home to their families. She could always go to Mrs Austin, a woman living a little higher in the street. She had offered to take care of her many times. Her mother had encouraged her to go, but Cassy did not like the lady. She was a little bit strange and far too fussing for Cassy's taste. Her mother had told her that Mrs Austin had lost her boy some years ago, the 4 year-old kid had drowned in the harbor. Mrs Austin never really came over it, and Ma had explained that Mrs Austin missed her little boy and wanted to take care of every child as if it were her own. Cassy could understand and felt truly sorry for Mrs Austin, but still, she did not like the fuss. She prefered to stay out in the street, looking at the sea down the road and wait for Ma. She dreamed of ships sailing from there to exciting places, and imagined the lives of the people on the over side of the ocean. She liked to read too, which fed her imagination. She could never be bored when she looked at the sea! Mr Huntman, the owner of the hardware store, sometimes joined her and stood for a while, looking at the sea with her. Then, he used to sight and say: “So Cassy. Where is the ship sailing today?” Cassy would smile and tell him what she had dreamed about.
Cassy: “Today it went up the West coast to Alaska. There are big forests on the mountains, it is grand and silent. Sometimes, a whale blows far away, but that's all.” Mr Huntman smiled and patted her head: “You are a good kid Cassy. Your Ma will be here any minute now, it's time to close the shop.” He grabbed one of the wooden crates that had been standing in front of the shop and took it inside for the night. He was taking the last one in when a jeep stopped and a man with bushy hair rushed out of it, a worry look on his face: “Hey Huntman! Am I too late? You closed?”
Huntman: “Hi MacGyver! No, come in, I could not refuse one of my best clients, even if you were half an hour too late!” They smiled, clapped each other on the shoulder and went in. Cassy remained at her post, observing the men inside. She had seen that customer before, he was a regular. There were so many strange things in the store, she wondered what he would buy. But she did not want to go in and be curious. Then, a bus stopped in front of their block and Ma came out. Cassy run to her and they went home. MacGyver had just ruined the blade of his Swiss army knife and had rushed to buy a new one. Along with it, he had also bought two rolls of duct tape and a new radio antenna for his jeep, as he had used the former one to stop Murdoc at Pete's cabin. His pockets full again, he felt the world was his, nothing could stop him!
The doctor had said it would take some weeks before Mac's ribs healed. Unfortunately, it meant that he had to be careful with what he was doing, and he could not be as active as he used to. Violent sports were of course out of the question, and that was bad enough, but also more sensual games had to wait for his ribs to be less tender. The whole thing was getting very frustrating! Noticing that his mood was suffering from inaction, Pete had given him the charge of establishing a preliminary study on heavy metals. He was to collect samples at different stations, which would imply much driving but no difficult hiking nor danger. Coming back to the Foundation after a 2-days trip to Northern California, he delivered the samples to the lab, and went up to Pete's office. Tired, he collapsed on the sofa: “Oh man! I think I'll take the bus next time, I nearly fell asleep on the way back!” he said rubbing his eyes.
Pete: “Yeah, why not? You can rent a car at destination so as to get your samples, I see no problems with that.”
Mac: “Good idea. These locations can be quite far from town. How are things around here? Anything new?”
Pete: “Well, you know, same old stuff, always happening something but nothing uncommon really.” Mac extracted himself from the sofa: “aow..” he moaned as his belly muscles stretched on his ribs.
Pete: “Still tender uh..?”
Mac: “Don't tell me! I can't do a thing without feeling those damned ribs! I never knew I had so much use for them...”
Pete: “How long time did the doc say it would take?”
Mac: “Three to six weeks!!! No hockey, no running, no... er.. well, nothing! I hate it.”
Pete: “Don't know what to do with your energy uh? Hey, it's been nearly three weeks already, the worst is done, just be a little more patient” he said with an encouraging smile. Mac did not find much comfort in the idea, but he knew his friend meant well and tried to show a happier face. “Yeah, thanks for trying Pete. I don't have much of a choice anyway. Good you had that heavy-metals case for me, so I won't turn completely nuts staying home.” he said on his way out. Pete chuckled and turned his attention back to work. Meanwhile, Mac went to Nikki's office, knocked and went in.
Nikki: “Just a minute please...” she said, her eyes fixed on the computer. Mac tiptoed to the back of her chair and kissed her in the neck. “Mac!” she cried. “So good to see you! When did you arrive?” Smiling, he sat on the desk: “Just now. Delivered the samples and said hello to Pete”.
Nikki, teasing: “So you go to say hello to Pete before you come and see me?”
Mac: “Keeping the best for the end my dear.” he smiled. “You have much left to do?”
Nikki: “Not much. If you let me finish this paragraph, I'll be done for the day.” Mac nodded and went to sit on one of the seats under the window. He observed her, how her eyebrows moved when she was thinking, the golden spots that showed in the brown of her eyes, her delicately chiselled nose, the determined line of her jaw leading to the curve of her neck. Her chest lifting with her breath, the curve of her waist, the... “Maaac?!” she interrupted. He jumped and looked at her face again: “Er... what?”
Nikki: “What were you thinking about? I called your name three times!” He smiled: “Are you finished yet?”
Nikki: “Well, no, my keyboard won't work properly, I heard a little cracking sound and the e-key stopped working. Writing this could take ages! I will have to take it to the technical department but then, I'll have to finish typing at home tonight. Or perhaps you want to have a look? You think you could fix it? It's the “e” key and sometimes the “a” one that don't work as they should.”
Mac: “Let me have a look, it sound like the springs.” He fetched his brand new Swiss army knife and opened the keyboard. “See, this one is broken, and this one is soon out too. Can you give me that ball-pen?” He removed the spring from the pen, cut it in short ones and fixed them under the defect keys. “There, it should hold for tonight, then the technical department can replace them with original keys for tomorrow.” She gave him a kiss “Thank you, you are a sweetheart! Give me five minutes and I'll be ready.” With his boyish look, he just said: “Yes m'am!”
At last Nikki turned the computer off. Mac took the keyboard and delivered it at the technical department while Nikki was packing. They met again on the parking lot: “Oh, it will be good to take a shower! The roads up there were so dusty, I feel like I'm mummified!” he said.
Nikki: “It's your Indiana Jones look, I like it”
Mac: “Right, then I'm glad it was only the dust, and I skipped the giant spiders!”
Nikki: “Was it your last trip?”
Mac: “I still have one place, far north-east, I want to take the buss this time so I won't have to drive that long way. I'll leave tomorrow morning and I'll need two or three days there, then I'm done.”
Nikki: “Three days... You know, I never thought I would miss you so much. The afternoon is quite OK, I work late or I manage to find something to do, but evenings... It is so empty, so lonely...”
Mac: “Yeah, I know what you mean.” he said, taking her in his arms for a hug. “Aow!” he moaned when she pressed too hard on his ribs.
Nikki: “Oh sorry! I forgot.”
Mac: “Don't worry. Come here.” he said, kissing her. They heard the elevator stopping, and separated rapidly. They did not want colleagues to know too much about the new nature of their relationship. Mac sat carefully in the jeep.
Nikki: “We can go at your place, you'll want take some fresh clothes before you leave again tomorrow. Go and take your shower, I'll pick some Chinese food on the way and I join you. Do we need anything for breakfast?”
Mac: “No I think it's OK, I was gone only for two days you know.”
Nikki: “Yes, but these were especially loooong days, remember!” They smiled, then Mac started the jeep and drove away. The elevator had opened on Bannister who was now coming toward Nikki, as his car was parked beside hers.
Bannister: “Hi Nikki, was it good old MacGyver driving away? How is he?”
Nikki: “Oh, hi Craig. MacGyver looks fine, but he got some broken ribs after those Russians tortured him and it looks like he is still hurting.”
Bannister: “Yeah, bad injury to get, it always takes so long time to heal... I broke four when I was younger, playing rugby you know”
Nikki: “I didn't know you played rugby?”
Bannister: “Well, that was in my young days. Now I am more careful with my health, hehe! Listen, you have any plan for tonight? Perhaps we could have diner together?”
Nikki: “Oh, that's nice of you Craig, but I have already promised a friend of mine. Sorry.”
Bannister: “Bad luck... An other time perhaps. Enjoy your evening Nikki!” he said sitting in his car.
Nikki: “Thanks, the same to you.”
She went to her car, thinking of Bannister who had shown a little too much interest for her in the last few months. After he discovered his wife had been a Russian agent who had brainwashed and used him, he had had a tough time and she had supported him but he had obviously turned the page now, starting a new chapter of his life, and he was looking for more than friendship. She did not want to be rude by turning him down too clearly, but she had consequently refused to have diner with him and he did not get the hint. She was afraid she would have to be more direct next time...
On her way home from school, Cassy stopped at Mr Li's shop, and taking from her pocket the list Ma had given her in the morning, she went around, finding the items she needed. Conscientiously, she counted the money to pay Mr Li, and she took the groceries home. On the kitchen table, Ma had written a note with her chores for the day. She had already done her bed and bought the groceries, and after her homework she had to take the laundry from the clothes horse before she could go out and play with her friends. It was a rainy day and she was afraid most of them would stay home, but she did not feel like staying alone in the flat so she went out anyway and sat under the entrance porch. She had not been there for ten minutes that Mrs Austin came, an umbrella over her head: “Come child, you can not stay out in such a weather, I'll make you a good cup of cocoa. Wouldn't you like that?” she said with her best smile. Cassy did not really want to go to Mrs Austin, but she also knew none of her friends would come out now, so she could as well please the lady and have a cocoa at her place.
It was very silent in the house boat, and Nikki figured that Mac was still upstairs. She put the Chinese food on the bench and was on her way up when she spotted Mac on the couch, his hair still wet from the shower, drying in any direction the cushion would give it. Nikki tiptoed to his side and kneeling down, she studied his face and breath carefully to see if he was or was not asleep. After careful observation, she decided he was, and gave him a soft sweet-dreams kiss on the cheek. She got up again but his arm reached after hers and dragged her down again, which she willingly did to offer the long, languid kiss he tried to wake up for. “Oh, have I missed you!” he said. “I missed you too, Sleeping Beauty. Come, the food's going to be cold.” she said, helping him up. “Food! Sounds wonderful! You sure know how to speak to a starving man!” he said, staggering after her. They sat and chatted over their meal.
Mac: “You know, the place I'm going to now is beautiful. Why wouldn't you join me for the week end? By plane it would not take so long.”
Nikki: “Why not! It could be nice, I could actually take my Friday off too if I manage to finish this report on time. Would I be in your way if I come one day earlier? Oh! But, what am I saying!! I can't take Friday off, I've got that meeting with the Chineese delegation. Sorry about that.”
Mac: “Too bad! We still have the week end though. It is quite much hiking, but easy ground.”
Nikki: “That's settled then.” Later on, she asked: “Mac, did you tell anyone about us?”
Mac: “Why no, I had to tell Pete but I don't think any one else knows. Why?”
Nikki: “I suppose some people have noticed that you come more often in my office and that you don't yell on your way out anymore...”she smiled. “I think Cathy guessed. And probably Marion too. Do you think we have to keep it secret much longer?”
Mac: “I see no reason for telling people. I mean, we don't have to lie if they find out, but it's none of their business either. Besides, it could be wise not to make it known as we have enemies that may use it against us.”
Nikki: “Tell me about it! That's what the Russians did. But we had not said a word to anyone, and we were just recently together. So enemies looking for that kind of information would find out anyway. No, I was thinking about Craig actually...”
Mac, surprised: “Bannister?”
Nikki: “Yes... he... kind of.. hopes I would go for a date with him. I have refused all his invitations so far but he does not take the hint... I don't want to be rude after what he has gone through with Ingrid, but it would perhaps be easier for him if he knew I'm seeing someone.”
Mac: “Ah. And you think he has to know that that someone is me?”
Nikki: “Yes... no... no, he does not have to. But when he knows I have someone, I guess it will not take him long to figure out who it is, don't you think?”
Mac: “I suppose, yeah... It's just.. I don't feel comfortable having people knowing too much about my private life you know.”
Nikki: “I know, I noticed that. Never knew who you were dating and for how long!”
Mac, surprised: “Were you actually following?”
Nikki: “Oh yeah! Bachelors' love life is a great subject of conversation at the coffee machine!”
Mac, on the rand of panic: “WHAT?” Nikki laughed: “Come on Mac! Of course it is. We women care about people around us. We want to see them happy ever after!”
Mac: “Ever after?! What you mean?!”
Nikki: “You know... marriage, children... happy ever after...”
Mac, not enjoying himself at all: “Oh come on Nikki, stop it will you? You can't be serious!”
Nikki, aware that she was on an uncertain ground, took a concerned voice: “I am serious Mac. We care. I care. I want to see you happy. But I am not stupid, I know you must have good reasons for keeping that bachelor's lifestyle of yours. One day perhaps, your reasons won't be good enough and you will change your mind. Or perhaps it will never happen... It is your choice, your life...”
Mac relaxed a bit as she let go, but still, he kept an eye on her while she was filling the kettle and preparing a pot of tea. Some of his former girlfriends had tried to play therapist with him, to change his mind, to have him promise things... He knew how to deal with that, and it usually meant the end of the relation at some point. But Nikki's approach was new. And because she did not ask nor expect anything from him, there was no pressure to flee from, he felt free to start thinking about it...
He remained very still for the rest of the evening, and Nikki was wise enough to adapt. She sat on the couch before him so it would be his choice to sit close to her and put his arm around her. Which he luckily did before pressing the remote control to start the movie. She had noticed that he had chosen a movie that was more in her taste than his, which meant he would not be fully concentrated and would either fall asleep, or use the time to think of something else. She was hoping for the latest, but in the middle of the movie she felt his head getting heavier and heavier, and soon he was sleeping on her shoulder. She smiled to herself and put her arm around him so they would be comfortable. He was so cute when he slept, and yet, so handsome... She carefully run a hand through the bushy hair, stroke her thumb on his freshly shaved jaw, barely touching his cheek with the top of her fingers. Softly, she kissed his lips, nested his head deeper in her neck and returned her attention to the movie. After the final scene, she pressed the remote control to rewind the tape, then she moved her numbed arm a little so that her hand would wake up. Obviously, Mac's hand woke up too, as it began to find its way from her lap to her chest, and his lips were searching their way to her mouth. As it went, he pushed her slowly down on the couch and began to open her blouse while exploring her skin. She had managed to pull his sweater over his head and freed his arms from it. As their skins enjoyed each other's warmth and softness, his hands became more demanding and found their way under her skirt. Although she was dying with desire, she stopped him: “Are you sure you can?” she said, concerned by his wounded ribs. “No I can't, it would be too painful” he whispered. “But you can.” he said before burying his face in her blouse.
As dawn found them, Nikki's naked body was rolled in a soft plaid and she rested on Mac's bare chest. He was contemplating the ceiling, one arm around her, thinking about how strange life was. His wound had prevented him from satisfying his own body, yet he had found a great pleasure in giving her his full attention. He felt as happy as if they had made love. He was also deeply touched by the respect and understanding she had showed him when the conversation had gone on the subject he feared most. He had not realized it then, but the more he thought of it, the deeper the feeling of her respect for him touched him. If she could keep it that way, he felt he actually could come to be less afraid by the idea of commitment.. It was too early to know of course, they had only been together for a few weeks but it felt good and secure. As for children... He always thought he would like to have one, he loved kids and they usually loved him too. But never having been able to commit to a potential mother, he had always kept away from the idea. It would be nice to have kids. Wasn't it strange to feel less scared of having a kid than to commit to a woman? Having a child was the strongest commitment he could ever make, and yet, it did not scare him. That kind of commitment felt just fine, he knew he could be a good father. A very good father indeed. But well, again, it was just an idea, it would probably never happen. He wondered what Nikki's dreams were when it came to children?
As sun rays entered the house boat, Mac stood up, found his sweater and went silently to the kitchen to prepare some pancakes. As he was opening the oven to keep the first ones warm, Nikki woke up: “Hi. Mmmm, that smells good! What are you doing?”
Mac: “ My famous whole wheat banana pancakes! Slept well?”
Nikki: “Wonderful. Your couch is very comfortable you know?”
Mac: “Yeah, I've had a couple of nights on it myself.” Nikki stood up, and warping the plaid around her she joined Mac in the kitchen. She cuddled up with him: “I had a wonderful night, thank you.” He smiled and kissed her softly. “I don't think you'll have time for more than a very quick shower before this is ready. But you'll find a robe in the bathroom, could be more convenient than the plaid to eat your breakfast.” When she came down, the table was dressed and warm pancakes awaited. “Splendid!” she said appreciatively. “Or how to start a delightful day.” He smiled at her before pouring tea in her cup.
Mac was sitting in the bus, waving to Nikki who grew smaller and smaller as the bus drove away. There was only three other passengers and they sat each at their end of the bus, so Mac rolled his jacket under his head and was soon dozing. He woke up in the middle of the day and had a snacks while he looked around at the landscape. He was glad that he was not driving that never-ending road himself. At last he arrived at destination. The car-rental was just back the bus-stop, and he could see a sign to the motel a little further up the road. That was a little town alright! He walked to the motel to drop his stuff and phone Pete and Nikki, letting them know he had arrived. Then he went to the local bar and enjoyed a simple but large meal. The day had been long, sitting in that bus, so he decided to take a walk before sunset. The nature was beautiful but he knew it could get quite chilly at night so he took a little rucksack with an extra jacket and some snacks. He run the first kilometers so as to use some of his energy, as well as for checking how his ribs would respond. He could feel it was not completely healed but he managed to run and was happy to be able to do so. The day after, he walked from the motel on a large round trip that covered five of his sample spots. Then he would have eight left for the day after, but he would need to rent a car as the area was too far away to walk to.
It was dark when he came back to the motel after his first day. A car was now parked in font of the room next to his, and he could hear a child complaining from inside. He went to his room to drop the rucksack and take a shower, then he went out again to get some food. While he was eating a well-earned meal, he studied the map over the area he would cover the day after. Back at the motel, he did not switch the lights on but went directly to the bathroom, then to bed. He was taking his clothes off when he noticed a shadow in front of his window, someone was trying to see inside his room... The door knot was slowly turned, and as the door was locked, the knot was turned silently back to place. The shadow walked past his window again and disappeared. Mac run to the window, trying to see who it was and where it went. It looked like the person went in the room next to his, and he heard the door closing. This was very strange!! His first thought was the Russians. But he knew they were in jail. Then Murdoc. But even if Murdoc was alive, he would probably not be fit enough to follow Mac so soon after his fall from the Widowmaker. Who could that be?! Mac slowly opened his door and had a careful look through the neighbor's window. He could only see a woman with a woolen shawl and a little boy with jeans overall and very short ginger hair. The boy was sitting on the bed, sobbing, the woman speaking nicely to him, offering a cup of what looked like warm cocoa. The boy refused it and turned his back to her, so she put it back on the table. Mac could see nothing strange. He waited a little so as to see if there was someone else in the room, but as he could not see anything alarming, he went back to his room, wondering if the shadow could have been the woman? Perhaps she wanted to check that they had no neighbor so as to make sure the child would not disturb anyone? He went to bed and mentally prepared his trip for the day after, when he jumped as the child next room was suddenly shouting. He could not distinct the word, but that child was angry alright. Angry and... scared? There was something in the tone of the boy that made Mac run to the bathroom to fetch a glass which he applied against the wall. He pressed his ear against it and listened. “I want to go home!” cried the child. “Take me back, I want my Ma!” The voice of the woman came muffled and it was difficult to understand the words, but she was speaking calmly. It sounded like she managed to calm him down and it went silent again. Mac kept listening for a while but did not hear more. He wondered what that was about, was the child on a trip with some relative and did not want to go? Well, that was probably nothing to worry about. He went to bed and fell asleep.
Early in the morning, Mac parked his rented car on a rest area along the road, and taking his backpack he walked toward the first sample spot on the map. The forest was damping from the night's humidity and he enjoyed the scents of humus, the sound of a running creek and the birds' songs. He felt he was lucky who had such a job that sent him on missions feeling more like holidays than work. He checked his GPS, followed the creek for five more minutes and fetched a test-tube in the rucksack. He filled it with water from the creek, corked it and put it back in its holder in the backpack. Then he walk toward the next plot on his map. The round trip for all the five samples took him four hours. He enjoyed his lunch on a little hill from where he had a nice view. The rest area was within a stone's throw away, so he could hear before he saw that someone was having troubles with a car back there. When he arrived, a woman was trying to open the smoking hood of a brown car. Mac let his backpack in his car and went to her: “Hi.” he said, which made the woman jump in surprise. “Sorry, I did not mean to scare you. Mind if I have a look?” The woman smiled at him in a strange way, like she wasn't really happy for the company but felt she did not have much choice. However, she used a very friendly tone to answer: “Yes of course, please! I don't know what happened to this car, I never had problems with it before.”
Mac: “Well, it looks that it got too warm, that's all. We will have to wait so that it cools down before we can open the radiator and fill it.” Mac recognized his neighbor from last night, the woman with her woolen shawl and her calm voice.
Mac: “You're not usually driving long distances with that car, right?” Looking reluctant to answer his question, the woman just shook her head. He insisted: “I don't know how far your car can hold before you have to pay a visit to a garage.” The explanation seemed to relax the woman's suspicion. She told him that the car was mostly used for short distances but that she and her son were taking a holiday and they would be driving quite much, so if he could help them to fix the car she would be most grateful.
Mac: “I can check the liquid levels for you but without tools there isn't much more I can check. Do you have a bottle or something? We will need some warm water to fill the radiator.” The woman went to the car and found an empty bottle. “Charlie!” she said to the boy in the car “You will go to the lavatories and get some warm water please.” Without a word, the boy took the bottle and went to the lavatories. Mac couldn't help noticing that he had gone to the ladies.
When he came back, he handled the bottle to Mac but did not let go of it. He was looking at Mac as if he had seen a ghost... Mac smiled and thanked him. Then the boy released the bottle and cast a glance at his mother, who was observing him carefully. “Go back in the car now Charlie please.” she said in a soft but yet cold voice. Menacing, thought Mac... The boy was hesitating. “Er... Yes Mother.” Mac filled the radiator, advised the woman to stop at the next garage to get the car checked, and wished her and her son a pleasant holidays. Then he sat in his own car and drove away. He had had an unpleasant feeling about this woman all along and was glad to leave. He had noted her car number, just in case. There was probably nothing but he had a feeling...
The next sampling area was a little more than one hour driving away, but he had only three samples to take there. As he passed a little town on the way, he filled the tank and phoned Pete about the car. Then he bought some snacks and phoned Pete again to hear if he had anything on the woman.
Pete: “The car is registered to a Mrs Austin. Do you have a description of this woman? She live in the same neighborhood as a little girl that disappeared yesterday.”
Mac: “She had a boy with her, no girl. She is of middle height, bony profile, protruding blue eyes, reddish hair, in her forties.”
Pete: “Sure it was a boy? Got a description of him?”
Mac: “Very short ginger hair, freckles, brown eyes, about eight, ten year-old. She called him Charlie.”
Pete: “Then it is probably nothing wrong with her. Want me to check with the police?”
Mac: “You are probably right, but check it out anyway. I had a strange feeling, something was not as it should be. There was something the boy said yesterday... That he wanted to go home to his mom or something. I thought then that she would be some relative, but today he called her Mother.”
Pete: “I'll check. Give me a call in one hour.”
Mac: “Pete, I'll drive to my next area. I phone you as soon as I find a phone, right?”
Pete: “Right. Drive carefully now.”
Mac: “Yes mom.”
He was driving through a no man's land and it took a while before he could find a gas station from where he could call Pete back.
Pete: “Ah! It's you! What took you so long?!”
Mac: “Well, there was no...”
Pete: “Doesn't matter, listen! The description of the woman you saw corresponds to this Mrs Austin. She is living alone, not very social. Her caretaker says she never took a holidays since she moved inn 4 years ago. And that she has no children.”
Mac: “No children? So the boy...?”
Pete: “Exactly! The police is closing the roads to Canada now.”
Mac: “I told her to check on the car in the next town, want me to drive back?”
Pete: “No Mac, she's probably passed you by now, but the police is informed, they will have an eye on her and this little girl. There's no much more you can do now, nice job!!”
Mac left the main road to a forest lane and followed it for some miles before he spotted the path he was looking for. He grabbed his rucksack and the map, checking on the GPS that it was the right place to start from, then he walked briskly toward the first afternoon's sampling spot. It was about five o'clock when he placed the day's eighth sample with the others in the backpack's holder. On his way back, he spotted a cabin with smoking pipe, which was uncommon this time of the year as the area was mostly used by town people during week ends and holidays. Feeling social, Mac made his way toward the cabin. Someone was sitting on a chair under the porch. The poor man had bandages on the head, plaster cast on one arm, and from the look of the blanket on his lap, he also had one on a leg. At first Mac felt compassion for the wounded man, but as he came closer, he froze in astonishment and horror!! Murdoc had also recognized him and was pulling a bazooka from under his blanket!! “Hello MacGyver!!” laughed the madman, aiming at him. Mac, running away for dear life, felt the blast and the warmth from the explosion in his back. He heard yelling as Murdoc was calling for his accomplices to run after him. “It's not possible! It's not possible!! He is dead! He has to be dead!! That's a nightmare!!” thought Mac who could not make sense of it! Bullets were fired at him but they were still far away, he had a fair chance to escape. He run all he could to the car, but as he spotted it, he brutally stopped. Someone was standing there. It was the boy with ginger hair!
Coming back to his senses, Mac run to him: “Charlie? What are you doing here?”
Charlie: “Please don't be mad at me!”
Mac: “Are you alone here? Where is your mother?”
Charlie: “She is not my mother. I don't want to go back! Please!! Don't take me back to her!”
Mac, trying to calm the child down, made him climb in the car and, checking for Murdoc's accomplices, he drove away as fast as he could. Then, he asked the boy to tell him what had happened. “I saw you at Mr Huntman's shop the other day. You are the man with the jeep, you were late. I saw you, I often sit there after school. When I recognized you this morning, I thought you could take me home so I hide in your trunk when Mrs Austin told me to go back in her car.”
Mac: “In my trunk? Oh man!!!” he sighted.... “You've been in my trunk all afternoon?? And Mrs Austin? She's the woman who was with you? I thought she was your mother.”
Charlie: “No, she is not! She took me to her flat yesterday, it was raining and she said she would give me a cup of cocoa. Then, I fell asleep. When I woke up, we were driving in her car. She said I had to call her Mother. She thinks I am Charlie, but I am not, he is dead.”
Mac: “Er... What? Wait a minute! Who is Charlie then? And you... Who are you?”
Charlie: “Charlie is her boy. He drowned in the harbor when he was 4. She took me with her and cut my hair so I would look like a boy, she thinks Charlie's come back. But I am not Charlie, my name is Cassy and I want to go to my Ma.”
Mac was driving back to the motel, looking for a phone on the way, Cassy sleeping on the back seat. He had done and heard many things in his life but this was nuts! First Murdoc in that cabin pulling a bazooka from under his blankets, then the girl hidden in his trunk for hours! That poor mother back home, she was probably scared to death... And Mrs Austin, where would she be now? Poor soul... It was awful to think about what she had gone through, loosing a young child and stealing someone else's. At last he found a gas station. Cassy was still sleeping and he wondered if it was safe to leave her in the car, knowing that Murdoc could be after him, and Mrs Austin after her.
Mac: “Cassy? Hey, Cassy! You have to wake up, we will call the police so that your Ma knows you are OK.” Cassy woke up slowly, wondering where she was at first, but the nice man smiling at her was reassuring and she remembered. She followed him to the phone. After they had spoken to the police, Mac offered her a snacks and phoned Pete. He told him about Cassy, and about his encounter with Murdoc. He had also told the police about Murdoc but he did not think they would find any track of him at the cabin. He had certainly vanished already. Pete did not like what he heard. “Mac!” he said. “I want you to come back at once. I don't want to have you wandering in the forest with this madman around!”
Mac: “Come on Pete! The man is wounded, he can't walk. And now that he is discovered, I bet you anything that he has moved to an other part of the country already.”
Pete: “You don't know that! He could send his men on your tracks. No Mac, these samples can wait. Please come home. Take the first plane will you?”
Mac: “Now you are over reacting Pete. I have all your samples but I had planed to take the week end here.”
Pete: “Call me what you want but come back home. Please.”
Mac: “Oh man!! Murdoc knows where I live too you know?!”
Pete: “Yeah, well. What about the child?”
Mac: “The police will be here soon, They'll take her back home to her Ma.”
Pete: “OK then. Do as you want.”
The police arrived at the same moment and Mac had to hang up. They took his declaration and informed him that they had arrested Mrs Austin already. She had spent much time at the rest area, looking for the child in the wood. They took the girl with them but she refused to climb in their car and run back to Mac. “I want to stay with you, I don't want to go with the police!”
Mac: “Honey, the police will take you home to your Ma, you'll be fine”
Cassy: “Why can't you take me?”
Mac: “It's the police's job, they know just what to do when a little girl has to go back to her Ma.”
Cassy: “Pleease?”
Policeman: “We can't let you do that sir, it's a matter of security. That child is our responsibility.” The policeman tok Cassy's hand and wanted to lead her to the car, but she fought her hand out of his and run back to Mac, hiding back him. “Er... right.” said Mac, looking at the policeman who was as embarrassed as he was with the situation. “Look. I'll have a phone call to make, and the car to deliver back at the car-rental, then I can come with you OK?” Both Cassy and the policeman were happy with that, and the little girl hold his hand firmly to be sure he would not change his mind. Mac took the phone to explain the situation to Nikki, who was supposed to join him the day after. Thanks to a little plane, they were back in Los Angeles by evening. An inspector and Cassy's mother were waiting for them, and they had to answer some more questions before they were free to go. The little girl hadn't let go of Mac's hand since he had agreed to come with her, and even though she was now in her mother's arms, she was reluctant to see him leave. “I'll see you at Mr Huntman's shop Cassy. And perhaps I can visit you, if it's OK with your Ma?”
Cassy: “Do you have kids MacGyver?”
Mac: “No Cassy. I don't.”
Cassy: “Then, perhaps you could borrow me sometimes?”
Mac: “Yeah Cassy, I'd like that.”
They smiled at each other, and leaving with her Ma, Cassy waved him goodbye.
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Hope you enjoyed
he just had to drop by and say hello 
