“Here goes nothing!” MacGyver listened as the cold engine whirred and spluttered, then coughed into life. “YES!” He put the old bus into gear and they set off into the dark. In the rear-view mirror, the bandit’s headlights dipped and swerved as they raced their car along the mountain road.

“They’re gaining!” Gloria swung out of her seat and down the swaying bus to wipe at the condensation fogging the back windows. The bus jolted over a rock and Gloria fell against the back of the bus, popping the back window open.

“Are you OK?” MacGyver glanced in the rear-view mirror before returning his attention to the rough road.

“I’m fine, but they’re definitely catching up!” There was a flash from the car and a bullet smashed the window next to Gloria, making her scream.

“Get down!” MacGyver flinched as another shot took out his wing mirror. He coaxed more speed out of the ancient bus, trying to think of a way to get rid of the bandits. If they couldn’t speed up, they’d have to slow the bandits down…

“Gloria, come up here and drive, OK? Stay low.” MacGyver waited while she crawled back to the cab. “Take the wheel.” He stood up, letting Gloria slide into the seat behind him and take the wheel. Another shot rang off the bus’s metal skin and they veered crazily across the road. MacGyver crouched down low.

“Where’s Billy’s box?”

“Under the seat. Why?” Gloria swung the bus around a bend as fast as she dared.
“I got an idea.” MacGyver shone the remaining flashlight into the shoebox, rummaging through the contents. Finding what he needed, he crawled to the back of the bus and pulled one of the spare gas cans free. Another shot shattered the back window panel, showering him with glass.

“MacGyver! The road splits! Which way do I go?” Gloria’s shout was panicked, but MacGyver daren’t even look up.

“I dunno. Um… Left! Go left!” Hopefully they could sort out any mistakes when they’d dealt with the bandits. MacGyver hunched down as far as he could and used Billy’s duct tape to fasten the firework to the mouth of a gas can. He lit the touch paper with a match and bobbed up just long enough to dump the can upside down out of the broken window. The can bounced and skidded on the rough road, the firework fizzing and sparking in the darkness.

Half buried under fallen shoeboxes and supplies, MacGyver peered through the broken window. Stars exploded from the firework and lit the gasoline. A wall of flame roared up and MacGyver heard squealing brakes and shouting and the bandits’ car slewed to a halt. There was a screech of metal and a bang, and MacGyver saw, bathed in the firelight, the bandits’ car crashed into the rock face.

Breathing a sigh of relief, MacGyver headed up to the front of the bus.

“I think we lost them.” He gave Gloria a reassuring pat on the shoulder and peered through the dusty windscreen. “Where are we?”

“I have no idea.” Gloria unclenched her hands from the steering wheel and eased her foot off the gas. “We guessed at that last turning and the bandits stole our map. We could be halfway to Mexicali by now!” Gloria sighed. “Mexico’s a really big place, MacGyver – if we’re lost, we could be in real trouble.”

“I know.” MacGyver rolled down his window, trying to orient himself by the stars. The icy wind blew down his neck and he pulled his jacket tighter around him. Right in front of them hung a bright start that he didn’t recognise. A satellite, he thought, orbiting close enough to be visible. He pulled his head back inside and rolled the window shut.

“We’ve been heading roughly south and east ever since we crossed into Mexico. If we’re where I think we are, we need to head as much east as we can to find Santa Rosa. But if we miss it in the dark, we’re a real long way from anywhere.”

“Which way now?” Gloria pulled up at a fork in the road.

“Probably left.” MacGyver opened the door and hung out, shining his flashlight into the darkness. Above him the stars glittered bright and cold. The satellite had moved, now clearly above the left fork. “Yeah, let’s go left.”

Gloria put the bus in gear and they swung left up an even steeper hill. MacGyver listened to the engine, privately praying that his improvised prop shaft would hold for long enough.

“Which way?” Another fork in the road showed up in the dim headlights, frost glistening on the tall cactus beside them. “Maybe right?” MacGyver tried to calculate angles and distances in his head.

“Are we following that star?” Gloria’s tone was amused and MacGyver laughed.

“The satellite? No. Besides, if we were then it’s got to be behind us now…” He trailed off, peering through the grimy windscreen at the bright point of light now hovering above the right fork. Gloria smiled, easing the bus along the rough track.
“I think after the trip we’ve had, we’re due a little Christmas magic. What do you say?” She looked across to see MacGyver shaking his head.

“It may not even be the same one as before.” He looked back, but no satellite shone through the broken rear windows. He turned around again. “If we get another choice, we should probably keep heading uphill – Santa Rosa’s pretty high in the mountains.”

“OK.” Gloria steered around another bend and slowed as a turning came into view. She smiled when she spotted the bright light above the steep track and turned to MacGyver.

“Still think it’s a satellite?”

“Yes!” MacGyver held up his hands. “But we’re going that way anyway, so I guess we follow your Christmas star!”

The dirt road wound higher up into the mountains, getting steeper and narrower. Gloria changed down to first gear and they crept up the track, loose stones and dirt falling away under their wheels. At the top of the ridge the track forked again.

“Which way?”

“Left…” MacGyver sounded unsure. “I don’t think we’re far from Santa Rosa but I can’t see any lights.”

“They may not have power back yet.” Gloria stared through the glass, seeing the star hanging above the right fork. “I think we should go right.”

“Because of the satellite?” MacGyver tried to keep the doubt out of his voice. "Gloria, I don’t think...” He broke off, hanging onto the seat as Gloria nosed the bus up the narrow track.

“Satellites don’t move around like that. You said so.” Gloria’s tone was firm. “It’s guided us well so far, so I’m following it. I have faith.”

Man, I sure hope you’re right – if we find out we’re on the wrong road it’s going to be impossible to turn around.” MacGyver frowned at the steep cliff face picked out in the headlights.

“I have faith.” Gloria stared ahead, guiding the bus around another hairpin bend. Straight ahead, the bright star twinkled in the dark sky.

An hour later, they ran out of gas.

Gloria refilled the tank from the last of their spare cans and MacGyver checked the mended prop shaft.

“Let’s hope it’s not much further.” He brushed dust off his jeans and stood up, blowing on his hands to warm them. The night was bitter cold and silent. He gave the satellite a doubtful glance, still shining brightly ahead of them, and then his gaze wandered across the dark landscape, now showing just a hint of dawn on the horizon. He blinked and looked again.

“Gloria? Do you see what I see?” He pointed as she moved to stand beside him.
“Lights! MacGyver, we’ve found it! We’re nearly at Santa Rosa!” She pulled at his jacket sleeve and hurried to the front of the bus. “What are you waiting for?!”

MacGyver pushed his unruly hair out of his eyes and shook his head at the satellite, shining brighter than ever above a small cluster of lights not far away.

They arrived in Santa Rosa just as dawn was breaking. The landslide had levelled half the village and although repairs were underway, a lot of people were still living in tents straggling across the hillside.

Father Juan greeted them at the doorway of his church. The church itself was filled with people, some asleep or injured and others wide awake and keen to help with unloading the bus.

“How did you find us?” Father Juan listened to MacGyver and Gloria’s story as he passed out shoebox presents to the children. He watched them exclaim over the simple gifts with a delighted smile.

“We followed a star.” Gloria handed a present to a kid who looked a lot like Billy and turned back to Father Juan.

“There’s a satellite orbiting, and it happened to be in front of us a lot.” MacGyver put down the crate he was carrying and rubbed his cold hands together. Father Juan exchanged an amused glance with Gloria.

“And where is your satellite now?” Father Juan looked up at the lightening sky and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his oversized woolly cardigan. MacGyver looked up too, but the satellite had disappeared.

“It was right here...” MacGyver spun on the spot, looking for the bright light. Father Juan nodded.

“Or maybe God sent you a star to follow just like he sent for the shepherds and the wise men, hmm?” He grinned and turned back to the pile of presents, leaving MacGyver frowning at the sky. Beside him, Gloria stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Merry Christmas, MacGyver.”

Behind, in the church, someone switched on a radio and the sound of Christmas Carols filled the cold morning.

“Yeah.” On the horizon MacGyver saw a bright point of light flash once and then disappear. He smiled. “Merry Christmas.”