Chapter Text
It’s been one month since the events of Miami. After admitting how they feel about each other and finally embracing, Mac and Riley have officially began dating. They are enjoying themselves and finally happy, with their friends even being happen for them, particularly Bozer.
Outside a cafe at Downtown LA...
Mac and Riley are enjoying their date. It’s a lovely day, people around them are smiling at who they are with and most importantly of all, the couple have some time off from work. They can’t stop smiling at each other.
“So, it’s been one month today since we’ve been together.” Mac tells Riley.
“I know. It’s kinda crazy because well... it’s us but I have never been more happy.” Riley responds, with a smile still on her face. Riley’s mind was screaming of happiness and pure joy inside. “I can’t believe it. It’s been a month with Mac and I have nothing to complain about. Why would I complain ? It’s Mac. He makes me happy.” She thought to herself.
Mac grabs her hand. “Yeah, I know. I didn’t know if this would ever happen but being with you has been the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.” He tells her.
Riley smiles, while slightly shaking her head. “What ?” Mac asks, looking a bit confused.
“Not with just what you build but even what you say, you cease to amaze me, you know ?” Riley tells him.
“ I aim to please.” Mac responds, while smiling. Riley laughs then leans in for a kiss. It was all peaceful for the couple, until Mac’s phone starts going off... buzz kill.
He looks at his phone. “Unknown number.” He says. He answers the call. “Hello ?” Mac asks.
“Oh Boy Scout, how I have missed hearing your voice.” Mac’s eyes open wide open, with Riley noticing something is up. “Murdoc.” Mac answers back. Riley’s eyes opened wide open after hearing him say that. “Got it in one but then again, I expect nothing less from you.” Murdoc says. “How did you get a phone and this number ?” Mac asks, with some anger building up.
“Oh, how can I put this in a short context ? Well, I managed to break out of that hell hole of a prison, killed some guards along the way, taking a gun for protection. I luckily found a car, drove all the way until it unfortunately ran out of gas. I can’t tell you where I am right now because where would the fun be in that ?” Murdoc says, with a smirk. “Thought I’d let you know that I was out myself before your rag tag team told just for the fun of it. Got to go, see ya soon, Boy Scout. Bye for now.” Murdoc says before cutting off. “Murdoc wait... damnit !” Mac shouts. Right after that, Matty calls him immediately. Mac answers. “Mac, we’ve got a problem.” Matty tells him. “Yeah, we already know. Murdoc just called me. We’re on our way to Phoenix.” Mac informs Matty.
At the Phoenix war room...
Mac and Riley enter the war room, with Matty, Bozer and Russ already there. Desi is once again busy with another op. “Please tell me you found him.” Mac asks the team. “Kinda. There’s something Murdoc didn’t tell you during your phone conversation with him.” Russ says. Matty shows security footage of the escape on the screen. “Helman escaped too.” Matty informs them, making Mac put his hands on his face in despair and Riley shaking her head with her eyes closed. Mac finally lets go of his face. “You said kinda ?” Mac asks Russ. “We tracked the phone he used before he turned it off. It ended here, at a small bar outside the city of LA.” Russ tells them, as he points to it on the screen. “There’s multiple heat signatures inside, so we believe he has hostages.” Bozer informs them. “What about Helman ?” Riley asks. “We don’t know. We discovered that he ended up in a abandoned warehouse not too far from the prison but other than that, we know nothing. He could still be there or not. It’s a big place, so tracking him through heat signatures is taking time, time which we don’t have to waste.” Matty addressees to the team. “So, what’s the plan ?” Bozer asks. “We split up into two teams. Bozer and I will go after Helman, with tac teams in tow. Mac; you, Riley and Russ will go after Murdoc. Everyone ok with that ?” Matty tells them. Everyone nods their heads. “Ok, wheels up in 5.”
At the bar outside LA...
Mac, Riley and Russ arrive. Riley looks at her phone, tracking heat signatures. “We still got multiple signatures inside. He must be still here.” Riley informs them. Mac attempts to open the door but it’s locked. He gets out his knife and uses it to pick the lock successfully. He opens the door and they enter inside to see Murdoc and 4 hostages. “Oh MacGyver you came, I knew you cared.” Murdoc said with a smirk on his face. “Riley, good to see you but you ?” Points at Russ. “You I don’t know. Who are you ?” Murdoc asks. “Russ Taylor.” Russ responds with. “Ooh, he has a British accent, I like that.” Murdoc replies, looking at Mac and Riley. This kinda creeps out Russ a bit. “Let the hostages go, Murdoc. You got our attention, they have nothing to do with this.” Mac tells him. “My sweet MacGyver, it’s not that simple. If I let them go, I have no leverage into making you help me.” Murdoc tells Mac. “Help you with what ?” Riley asks. “You help me kill Helman for good this time. Sure, I could escape but knowing you lot, you’d just eventually track me down, even though I am excellent at hiding and going off the radar.” Murdoc responds, while praising himself. “No no, i’d rather spend the rest of my life in that hell hole of a prison alone, with just my thoughts than spend another day staring at that son of a bitch Helman across the room, waiting for him to escape and try to kill me. You may have heard that he escaped too.” Murdoc tells them. “Yeah, we know.” Mac responds. “Good, you can see why i’m desperate for your help. He almost killed me during the escape, it’s how I got this wound on the head, you know.” Murdoc says, pointing to his injury with his gun. “It’s a shame he didn’t succeed.” Russ says. “Now, that hurts more than my head injury.” Murdoc says to Russ, looking insulted. “Murdoc, we’re not going to kill Helman but if you let the hostages go, we can try to... can’t believe i’m gonna say this... protect you.” Mac says but inside his head, his mind hated him saying that. Murdoc pauses for minute, still aiming the gun at the hostages. “What do you purpose, Boy Scout ?” He finally asks. “We bait him, with you. You know me, you know us. We will find a way to stop him, while keeping you... safe.” Mac says with a shrugged face, with his mind hating him for saying that as well. Murdoc ponders the offer but quickly accepts. “Ok, they can go but only British here leads them out and doesn’t come back in. You and Riley stay to tell me your plan.” Murdoc responds, aiming the gun at Mac and Riley. They agree, even though Mac doesn’t like Riley still being aimed at gunpoint, he had no choice. Russ leads the hostages out, then calls for tac teams to arrive at his location. Inside the bar, Mac and Riley look at each other, making sure that both are still ok. Murdoc notices this, sparking interest. “Ooh, they way you two are looking at each other is giving me couple vibes. Murdoc says. He turns to Mac, putting his hand across half of his own face. He whispers; “Is it serious ?” With a curious and smiling face. “Shut up, Murdoc.” Both Mac and Riley say at the same time.
At the abandoned warehouse...
Matty and Bozer search for Helman with tac teams. Multiple teams are split, searching each section of the place but to no success. Eventually, everyone at the location meet up. “No sign of the target, director Webber.” Says a agent. “Same here.” Another agent says. Matty looks more concerned, with Helman not being caught, he’s still a threat. “I think we’ve been played here, Bozer.” Matty says, looking at him. “Yeah, I think you’re right. It’s Helman after all, he’s smart. He knew we could come after him. He may have been here but I think he’s long gone. Question is; where to ?” Bozer asks. “I’ll call Mac, see how he, Riley and Russ are doing with Murdoc.”
Back at the bar...
Matty calls Mac through comms, with Riley listening through her own comms. “Mac, you there ?” She asks. “Yeah, Matty we’re here. Me and Riley have Murdoc aiming at us at gunpoint but we’ve come to a deal with him. Russ is outside with the hostages.” Mac responds. “Mac, Helman isn’t here, we’ve searched the whole place. No sign of him.” Matty tells him. “What ? Where could he be ?” Riley asks. “What’s going on ?” Murdoc asks them. “Helman wasn’t at the location we tracked him to. He’s gone.” Mac informs him, making Murdoc more alarmed. “Well, where the hell is he ? !” Murdoc shouts. Before anyone can respond, a noise is heard through the back. A back door is kicked open, with someone entering straight after, armed with a pistol. “Hello, old friend.” Helman says, with a grin on his face.
Continued in the next chapter.