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‘How are you doing Mac?’
‘If you would quit japing in my ear, I would be going faster.’
‘Don’t get your knickers in a twist. But please, pretty please with a bow on top, just blow this thing so we can get the hell out of here.’
‘I need to get this thing to base, Jack, it’s…’
‘Mac! watch out…!’
But the warning is too late and Mac is suddenly surrounded by insurgents. Raising his hands, he is pistol whipped from behind. Jack can see Mac is going down, blood streaming over his neck but one of the men is keeping him upright, using him as a shield.
Jack can see through his scope the men are shouting at a disoriented Mac, he can also hear it through the comms. Mac won’t make a chance if these insurgents are able to move him to another location. Jack switches the channel on his comms and contacts HQ. Explaining what happened, he can see Mac being pulled up standing. The kid is wavering in place. Three men walk away, Jack can only guess what they are planning but one guy stays with Mac and he stays out of the line of Jack’s fire. The moment a van stops and Mac is pulled towards it, he knows he will have to do this. He aims and without overthinking pulls the trigger. Mac goes down, taking the insurgent behind him down. The van speeds away and Jack closes his eyes for a second, taking a deep breathe. He then quickly packs up his rifle and runs down the stairs. By the time he arrives in the street, the van is nowhere to be seen. Mac and the insurgent are laying in the street. Jack runs towards Mac and while he comes closer he realizes there is too much blood.
‘No, no, no Mac!’
He drops to his knees next to Mac. He must have hit an artery. He checks Mac, finding the entry wound and pushes down on it. The fact that the kid doesn´t respond, is worrisome. Next, he tries to turn Mac while maintaining pressure. He needs to find the exit wound. Thanking the gods that he finds it almost immediately, he presses down as good as he can on both wounds. While he was running down towards Mac he contacted HQ for a medevac, so all he can do now is wait.
‘Come on Mac, don’t do this to me! I… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.’
* * *
Jack starts awake when Anita, Mac’s day nurse on shift enters to check up on him.
‘Sorry Jack, I didn´t mean to wake you.’
‘That’s alright, how is he?’
‘Holding his own. He is a fighter.’
‘Yeah, he is.’
‘Go get some breakfast Jack! Seriously, you need to take care of yourself.’
‘Yeah, you are right.’
‘Mac and I will wait for you.’
‘Thanks.’
Jack gets up and leaves for the mess. Anita starts taking Mac’s vitals. When his brow moves, she smiles.
‘Mac, can you open your eyes?’
It’s clear Mac can hear her.
‘Oh Mac, Jack is going to be so pissed you decided to wake just as he is getting breakfast.’
Jack’s name seems to trigger Mac because Anita can see her patient trying to claw his way back to consciousness.
‘Hi Mac, there you are. You’re in hospital. You’re safe. Jack is just getting some breakfast, boy is he going to be pissed.’
It’s clear Mac is doing his best to become clearer. Anita helps by running a wet washcloth over his face. She also makes notes in his medical dossier before the doctor arrives. When she is finally done, mac is already dozing off, his eyes closed.
‘Hey Mac, I can hear Jack entering, want to surprise him?’
He opens his eyes, acknowledging that he heard her.
‘So, how is the kid?’ is the first thing that comes out of Jack’s mouth.
‘Good, he is doing good. Look for yourself.’
She steps to the side, revealing Mac.
‘Jack?’ he croaks.
‘Mac? Oh my God Mac! The moment I step out of the room, you decide to wake up.’
A small groggy smile appears on Mac’s face.
‘Wh’t h’ppened?’
Jack sighs, ‘you were diffusing a bomb when you were taken by insurgents. I…’
‘You were hit over the head with something hard, like a gun. And if that wasn´t enough, you were shot Mac, it was supposed to be a clean shot. Unfortunately a blood vessel was hit and you lost a lot of blood.’ Anita jumps in, ‘You rest Mac, your body needs to heal.’
Mac closes his eyes and his breathing evens out. He clearly needs the sleep.
‘Don´t beat yourself up Jack, you did save his life.’
‘Yeah, but at what cost? Will he even trust me again?’
‘Of course he will, don´t underestimate him, Jack.’