The intruders searched the cabin, for any signs of anyone else there and
what was kept there. Any money or anything worth taking when they left.
The leader sat and stared at his captives, he was in his forties with
dirty greying black hair, he had dark eyes that were bloodshot and ringed
with black circles. He sported a few days growth of beard that was more
grey than black. He wore ripped jeans and an old leather jacket that had
torn patches all over it.
His cohorts were dressed in a similar way, all were wearing leather jackets
looking like rejects of the fifties.
They were all armed with various sized pistols and rifles, as they took
up different places to keep watch.
MacGyver squirmed a little, trying to reach into his back pocket for his
swiss army knife. Out of the corner of his eye he caught the a glimpse of
a bag filled with money sitting near the feet of the apparant leader.
They must have been the ones who had done the big robbery at the mills
a few days ago, it had been broadcast all over the news. Great, he thought
to himself, so much for my quiet vacation, first I get stuck with the big
guy now this, he raised his eyes skyward for a moment, what did I do this
time?
Hercules looked down at MacGyver and watched him for a moment, then he
looked back at the others, something just didn't feel right about all of
this.
"Hey Stu'!" a voice came from the kitchen, "these two have heaps of food
here.........they were sure planning a cosy time by the look of it!"
"get in here with some of it then...Johnno..don't just talk about it
get the grub in 'ere!" Stu watched Hercules and MacGyver a moment longer
then he turned and went over to where the food was being put out.
Hercules looked at MacGyver and winked, then he gently flexed his massive
arms, the ropes binding his wrists snapped easily. MacGyver looked at him
unbelieving, then he shrugged he should have guessed the ropes wouldn't
hold Hercules for long.
Before they could do anything though, the leader of the so called gang
came back and stood directly in front of them, waving his gun menacingly
in front of them.
"I'm in the mood for some fun......you think so!" he snarled as he grabbed
MacGyver and pulled him to his feet. The sudden movement made his knife
slip from his hand onto the floor.
"What's this?" Stu asked bending down he picked the knife up, "Well, well
look what we have here!" he shoved it into his pocket and flicking his
wrist he punched MacGyver on the side of the head, dazing him.
Hercules, now feeling the anger rise, jumped up with a roar and sent Stu
flying across the room, then he turned on the others, a glint of his
old self shon in his eyes, as he waded into another fight. MacGyver sat
on the floor stunned for a moment, watching Hercules fight, he had never
seen a one man army before, it was amazing watching him.
Panting slightly, Hercules looked over to MacGyver over the pile of
unconcious men.
"Let's get out of here before they wake up!" he said simply going to
grab the cronus stone, then he went to grab the gun weapons and threw them
out of the window with such force they disappeared from view.
MacGyver found his knife and grabbed his knapsack and followed Hercules
out still in awe of the big man's incredible strength.
They hiked up the side of the mountain, in silence determined to put as
much distance between them and the bike gang as they could before dark.
There was a rangers station on the peak, where MacGyver was sure they
would find help.
Finally they stopped for a rest bracing themselves against shady trees
from the bright sunshine, although neither one of them really rested
both listened for sounds of them being followed.
Hercules sat staring at the stone, wondering what to do to get it to
take him home. He looked up at MacGyver, his eyes misted a little as he
thought of home, his Mother, Iolaus everyone. "One thing I don't understand
though, why did it bring me here MacGyver and not stay in Greece, how
did I get here and how do I get home?" he asked sadly.
"Honestly.........I don't know yet......but we will work it out Herc, we
will find a way....but first we have to get out of here and get some
help before we get caught by that Stu and Co, somehow I don't think we
will escape if they find us!"
"yeah we had better keep moving.......Mac.....I um thanks for helping
me I don't know what..!" Hercules said as he stood up and brushed his
pants down.
MacGyver looked briefly at Hercules then turned away shrugging "no problem!"
he muttered as he started walking up the mountain.
He shuddered looking at the steep rise they were about to climb, he looked
down briefly and shut his eyes. Heights.
Hercules looked questioning at him and kept walking, "anything wrong?"
he asked as he passed MacGyver.
"No just heights, I hate heights!" MacGyver ground out as he shook himself
and started off again, "so tell me Herc, what do you remember just before
you ...ummmm......came here?"
"well,my friend Iolaus was hurt, I was arguing with Autolycus, as we
grappled with the cronus stone......." Hercules looked down at the stone
still clutched in his hand, "I .......I remember........there was a flash
of lightening just before I ...well........but there was no ra...Hera!"
Hercules stopped dead, as he started to remember everything that had
happened, he could still hear her laughter ringing in his ears.
She had done it this time.
MacGyver looked at Hercules, but he seemed not to look at him but was
in deep thought. Suddenly he smiled and looked at the big guy, "I think
I know what happened.......when the lightening hit, which was must have
been when the stone was activated...however that works...the electricity
from the lightening must have reacted with whatever happens when the stone
works and pushed you through a portal, another dimension you might say,
but landed you here instead of Greece, sounds too ridiculous for words
though!" he finished shaking his head to confused too admit it could have
been a real possibility.
A loud bang interupted their discussion, MacGyver grabbed Hercules by
the arm and pulled him down behind a tree, as another bang sounded and
a whistling sound whizzed passed their heads.
Hercules looked down at MacGyver ready to question him again on why he
acts so strange and what that was, when he saw the paleness of MacGyver's
face and the blood appearing on his right shoulder.
"Mac?" he asked gently probing the area, how could he be injured when
no one had touched him.
"It's nothing........just a bullet graze..." MacGyver gritted out through
his teeth. Gingerly he tried to pull his jacket off, but fell back against
the tree, losing all colour in his face.
Hercules helped him pull the sleeve off and then undid his shirt, glancing
briefly at MacGyver, Hercules looked closely at the bullet wound, mystified,
there was a small hole, that was crusty with drying blood, it looked red
and raw, there was no other sign of an injury or anything, the blood still
dripped from the opening.
"Herc.......is there a......did the bullet go straight through?" MacGyver
panted, dizziness was taking over and he could feel himself wanting to
fall into the safety of unconsciousness, the blackness and unrealised pain.
Hercules gently moved the shoulder and inspected it closely, "no..there
is only one hole........how....what made this happen?"
MacGyver looked up at Hercules increduoulsy, then he grimaced as another
wave of pain hit him, "remember I told you about the gun........well it
shoots a bullet, a small metal thing, that can rip into you...."
"like an arrow?" Hercules, struggled to understand these strange weapons,
"yeah.......like an arrow except smaller......a bullet goes right
in .......you can't see it when it hits you!"MacGyver explained slowly,
he could feel the darkness creeping around him.
Hercules felt the frustration of helplessness all over again, he was
not going to lose another friend. He looked around searching the area
for somewhere safe to take MacGyver, if the men who are chasing them, had
shot the bullet arrow then they would not be far away, he needed to find
shelter before he could try and help MacGyver.
He could hear voices drifting up with the breeze, the daylight was disappearing
and the temperature was dropping rapidly, he had to do something soon.
Gathering MacGyver into his arms, he effortlessly lifted the other man
up and kept moving up the mountain slowly, trying not to jar him and the
wound much.
Hercules found a shallow cave, warm and dry enough to protect MacGyver
until he could work out what to do.
MacGyver groaned and opened his eyes.......it was all happening and not
a bad dream......damn. The pain shot through his shoulder and down
his arm, grunting he tried to sit up, somehow he had to get Hercules
to remove the bullet for him.
Thunder rumbled through the mountains, as rain started to pour down,
the cave stayed dry enough, but the wet weather made it even more
chilly in there.
Slowly MacGyver pulled a book of matches out of his jeans pocket and tossed
them to Hercules, "here think it is pretty safe to light a fire, with
the storm brewing outside!" he muttered.
Hercules looked at the strange thing MacGyver threw at him, and looked
at MacGyver questioningly. Shrugging he gathered some sticks and dried
leaves and put together a fire the way he knew how to.
soon the cave was warmer and lit a little better, he glanced over at
MacGyver, worry played across his handsome face, they had no food
or drinkable water at hand and it appeared as if MacGyver had a fever, he
tossed restlessly, his eyes clouded and red, the bleeding had stopped for
now but blood poisoning would start soon.
He turned the cronus stone
around in his large hand, staring out at the lightening as it flashed
across the sky through the tree tops.
MacGyver looked over to where Hercules was staring, then back at the stone
in his hands, "Herc....you have a chance.......the lightening....it is
similar conditions....use it!" he coughed out.
"No I am not leaving you here MacGyver.......I may have lost one friend
already I am not going to lose you....anyway who would tell me how to
get around here?" Hercules tried to smile, but the worry was there.
Hercules watched the lightening for a moment longer, in the distance he
could hear voices calling and cursing, their pursuers were getting closer
he had to think of something.......
Finally he took the cronus stone in his hand and with a grim look of
determination he helped MacGyver up. Sucking in his breath, MacGyver
limped, favouring his injured side, as he lent against Hercules, actually
pleased the big man was so strong. They slowly left the cave and made
their way up the mountain once again, the heavy rain making their path
very slippery and it took most of Hercules' strength to keep them both
walking.
They finally reached a clearing, near the peak of the mountain, there
was a crop of large rocks on the edge of it, trees scattered around but
the centre was clear and exposed. A large bolt of lightening hit a tree
further down the track, MacGyver sank down onto the ground grimacing with
pain, he tried to manage a weak grin through the rain up at Hercules.
Holding his shoulder tight he braced himself a little from passing out
again, just as he was about to speak he heard loud shouts from just below
the gang that was chasing them was getting closer, struggling to stay upright
he pulled out the contents of his jacket pockets, Hercules gazed in
amazement at what came out of the pockets. He could not believe all of
the strange objects and scraps of paper that came out in a soggy pile.
"We need to go on!" he yelled through the rain, worried about MacGyver
being chilled in the wet and dying from the cold.
"You have to get back!" MacGyver yelled back, "we have to get the stone
working with the lightening that should boost you back!"
"I'm not going back until you are safe, we need to get to help first!"
Hercules replied anger creeping into his voice, he was not going to lose
another friend, he was determined of that.
MacGyver grabbed the stone and inspected the damage around the base, then
he scrummaged through the pile of junk from his pockets, he found some
duct tape and a couple of paper clips, his hands wet from the rain, made
him fumble a little, but he managed to get the base reattached to the
stone, then he looked up at Hercules and handed it back, hoping the
metal from the paper clips would act as a conductor for the lightening,
he hoped he had recreated the circumstances enough to send Hercules
back the right way. He laughed to himself for a moment, MacGyver had
finally accepted Hercules' bizzare story as truth, he was actually helping
him return to the past.....the ancient past.
"They're over here!" a voice screamed out very close to them, a sudden
bang sounded, the guns were firing again, Hercules looked around him and
then down at the injured MacGyver, he could easily defeat them hand to
hand but how could he protect MacGyver at the same time. Then he bent down
and put his arm under MacGyver's good arm and helped him to his feet,
"What are you doing?" MacGyver yelled angerily, "leave me here and get
going before the storm blows over!"
"Hold on!" Hercules yelled back as he activated the stone.