Seeley apparently didn’t hear MacGyver, and yelled again, this time louder. “Mac! Wake up!”

MacGyver wriggled his wrists in the cuffs, noting even if he could dislocate his thumb, he wasn’t going to get free – they were too tight. “Will you hush? I’m not asleep, I’m thinking.”

“Yeah, well, we’re about to take a permanent snooze if we don’t get free to release the cable if this bird gets launched,” Atkins retorted sarcastically.

MacGyver sighed. Atkins was right. He looked around the cockpit for anything to work with, but the glider was empty. He couldn’t even get a hand to his pockets for a paperclip to work the cuffs. And that was if Zito’s people hadn’t emptied their pockets while they were unconscious anyway. “Seeley, can you see anything sharp back there?”

“No,” Atkins sighed. “And I’m cuffed; no way can I get to my pockets. How long do you think we have before they fire the winch? Zito’s people are probably giving us enough time to wake up, so we know where about to be cow fodder in that field over there…”

Mac stopped and looked out the canopy to see cattle grazing in the distance. It was ironic, but Mariotte was probably somewhere watching and enjoying this too, especially given the “aircraft” connection.

The thought spurred MacGyver on. There had to be a way to beat both his adversaries, there was always a way, if you just remained calm and thought things through. Seeley is a pretty straight laced, suit wearing agent – a real man in black. He always looks pretty well fettled…right down to his tie pin!

“Atkins, are you wearing your tie pin?” Mac’s tone was urgent, but composed at the same time, a quality he had down pat. “Can you get to it wearing the cuffs?”

There was a pause, and then Seeley slowly answered. “Yeah…I’m wearing it, but what good will it do us if I die looking well-groomed?”

“You need to pick the lock on the cuffs with it!” Mac couldn’t believe Atkins hadn’t figured that out himself.

Another pause, then a quietly spoken response from Atkins. “Okay…except I’ve never actually picked a lock of any kind.”

MacGyver shook his head. “Take the pin, insert it in the mechanism nice and slow until you feel the ridges inside. There’s a knack to it, but I’m hoping you’re a quick study.”

There was a huff from the rear of the glider, but no actual reply as the ex-fed followed Mac’s instructions. Every few seconds, Mac would hear a low growl of frustration, but after what seemed a lifetime, Seeley gave a whoop of delight, and MacGyver imagined his companion shaking his fist in the air in the rear of the aircraft in celebration.

Except it wasn’t over yet.

The cuffs had barely dropped from Atkins right wrist when the glider bolted forwards as the winch it was attached to snapped into action. The two-seater was launched skywards and Seeley released the tow cable just seconds before it was too late.

With MacGyver still cuffed, Atkins grabbed at the joystick in front of him and took shaky control of the craft. “Ugh…Mac? I’ve never flown a glider before! This puppy needs an engine and fast!” There was tension as he rapidly said the words.

“Relax, neither have I, but it can’t be too hard. All we have to do is catch the right thermals and we can stay airborne for hours. Trust me, it’s just like hang gliding, and I’ve done plenty of that.” MacGyver looked at the instruments in front of him and began relaying instructions to Seeley, slowly and deliberately.

After five minutes, Seeley was hooked. “Ah man, I so need to get me one of these things!” He swallowed, buried his teenage enthusiasm and his usual stoic façade returned. “Now what? Do we land, or try and make it to the zoo in this thing?”

“I think we can make it near enough to the zoo.” MacGyver checked the dials again, wishing he could take control. Instead he gave Atkins more instructions, and within twenty minutes, they were bouncing down on a flat section of desert just outside Albuquerque.

The glider bounced hard, tearing up cacti as it slewed to a halt, one wing tip digging into the sand so deep the aircraft almost did a one-eighty.

The dust was still settling as MacGyver opened the canopy and clambered out, dropping down onto the desert floor with a grunt. “I thought you were good at landings?” He teased.

Seeley straightened his tie, undid Mac’s cuffs, and then replaced the pin. Yeah, well my instructor sucked,” he joked back, and then pointed. “Road’s over there, and I think I see a truck coming this way!”

Mac turned to look and spotted an old GMC with a flatbed trundling towards them rather slowly. He broke into a jog after it, and Atkins followed obediently. As they grew closer, MacGyver began to wave, hoping the driver would stop. It seemed to take him a long time to even notice them in the road, but eventually he ground to a halt, his ancient chariot’s brakes screaming in protest at actually having to work.

The truck was rusted, and one front headlight hung limp on the fender. The owner didn’t look in much better condition. If MacGyver had to guess, the man was ninety if he was a day. “Excuse me, Sir, but we need to get to the local zoo, and fast.” Mac reached into the pocket of his jeans for his I.D. expecting it to have been removed, and was shocked when it was still in place. Why hadn’t Zito’s people emptied their pockets? He offered up the badge. “Name’s MacGyver, and this is Seeley Atkins. We work for the Phoenix Foundation.”

The old boy snorted. “Name’s Al, and I ain’t never heard of no Phoenix Foundation.” He wiped his nose on his sleeve as if it was perfectly acceptable. “Guess you can have a ride, though.” He patted the bench seat like it was a luxury Cadillac whilst chowing down on what looked like tobacco.

“You’ll take us to the zoo?” Mac confirmed, climbing in anyway after Atkins took the lead.

Al sniffed. “Well, I sure can take you, but I can’t think why you’d wanna be there right now. Haven’t you heard? Some kind of idjit let a whole lot of animals out their cages and says he’s planted a bomb there too!” He cranked down his window and tapped the gas pedal as Mac closed his door. Then he turned a huge knob to switch on the antique radio. The announcer confirmed the story.

…Armed police have surrounded the zoo with tranquilizer weapons, but a source at the scene tells us they’re reluctant to enter the building due to the additional bomb threat. A disposal unit is on route, but not expected to arrive for another twenty minutes…

MacGyver winced as the newswoman continued. The bomb was definitely another message for him. Zito had known all along that Mac wouldn’t be foiled by the glider incident, and as bomb disposal was one of MacGyver’s previous vocations, this was just another sick taunt.

What if Sam is in the zoo, or Nikki? Or both?

Seeley read his thoughts. “You can’t assume they’re in there, you know that, right?”

“Can you imagine what some of those animals would do if they smelled Sam’s blood?” Mac couldn’t shake the imagery of Zito letting a lion or a wolf loose on an already injured Sam. He felt moisture well in his eyes, but somehow held it back. He had to be strong now, more so than he ever had in the past.

Al's expression said he sensed MacGyver’s pain. “I don’t claim to know what’s happening, but I feel for you, son.” He smiled half-heartedly, then pulled the old truck up as they reached a police road block. They’d gone as far as was going to be allowed, at least in the truck.

MacGyver nodded his thanks to the old man and climbed out with Atkins in tow. There was yellow tape across the road in front of the zoo, and a plethora of armed officers taking cover behind a line of cop cars that encircled the zoo entrance.

How were they going to get past the blockade?

MacGyver walked casually along the sidewalk, taking in the scene and anything he might use to their advantage to get to Sam. There were plenty of SWAT trucks, police bikes, ambulances and fire engines. And between the blockade and the zoo gate was a dead jaguar the cops had taken down to stop it reaching the general public.

MacGyver sighed – another senseless, pointless death, even if it was that of an animal. He moved on, saddened at what mankind had let itself become. Zito wasn’t alone in the world or treachery, and his kind grew in number every day.

Mac stopped as he came to a café with a large flapping canopy. The name was emblazoned on the pink and white material in onyx font – Café & Bytes.

“We’ve had it.” Seeley shook his head as he watched the police presence milling around them. “No way can we get into the zoo now.”

MacGyver wasn’t so sure. “Maybe we can.” He jerked a thumb to the café without drawing attention to himself. “You’re good with computers, so I need you to go inside and fake us some orders to be here. I have bomb disposal experience, and Phoenix have helped out on stuff like this before. I once worked on a bomb on an ocean liner, even.”

Seeley blinked, like he was confused. “Just how do I get orders from a café?”

“It’s not just a café,” MacGyver explained quietly. “It’s something new called an online café, where people can grab a coffee and go on the web. I had no idea there was one here, but the first one stateside opened a short while ago in Dallas.”

Atkins eyes lit up as he had a light bulb moment. “Oh yeah! I remember seeing something about it on the news. The High Tech Café!” Without asking more he nodded and slipped through the door, giving a small thumbs up as he headed for an empty seat with a terminal.

While Seeley worked on the fake orders to be sent through to the police incident commander, MacGyver decided to go in search of props, and something he could use as a diversion to take the cops’ attention while they got inside.

First up, he climbed into an empty SWAT truck and began to look around. He grabbed two tactical vests from a hook, one of which he slipped on, the other was Seeley. Then he opened an equipment cabinet that had hastily been left unlocked.

MacGyver smiled as he turned a smoke grenade over in his hand, then stashed it in a pocket of his vest. The grenade was quickly followed by a CS canister and a small back pack for other things he found along the way. Finally, and with regret, he chose an automatic rifle from the racking to his left. He would never use it – the weapon was merely a prop to convince the police chief they meant business – but nevertheless, it made him cringe.

Clambering back out before anyone could spot him, Mac noticed an unattended ambulance and couldn’t believe his luck – two lots of bounty for the price of one. He eased through the open rear door and licked his lips. What could he use here that would compliment the items he’d already taken?

He noted a small oxygen cylinder under the empty gurney, and unfastened it. This just might work…

Mac hid the cylinder in his backpack and was clear of the ambulance just in time to meet Seeley emerging from the café. He handed Atkins the vest he’d stolen, and Seeley eyed it with disdain before removing his jacket and replacing it.

“I got the orders sent straight to the incident commander’s cruiser, but whether he buys it or not is another thing,” Seeley offered, raising a brow as they approached the police line. “He looks a hardball to me.” He nodded towards a short, thin man that’s body language said he had issues with the world in general before he even spoke.

He turned as Mac and Atkins approached him, as if he sensed they were encroaching on his territory, like a wild animal defending his pack. “Just who the hell are you two, and what are you doing behind my police lines? Are you dumb? Or maybe just blind?”

Seeley took point, flashing his Phoenix badge. “We’re here to help,” he said smoothly. “Your precinct asked our people for a couple of bomb disposal guys, and here we are.” He smiled affably, but his expression said he was thinking something else entirely about the man before him. “You must be Captain Morton? You should have received word we’re coming by now?”

The cop’s eyes narrowed and he leaned inside his vehicle to check the computer screen on the center of the dash. “I see it, but it makes no difference,” he said as he re-emerged. “Nobody is going in that zoo, and I mean nobody. I don’t care if you’ve come from the White House, the Kremlin, or the North Pole, ya got me?”

Seeley opened his mouth to argue, but MacGyver pulled him gently backwards out of Morton’s line of fire. He’d been afraid this might happen, and he was also prepared for it. “We’ll see what our boss has to say about this!” He pretended to argue. “I think you’ll find we have jurisdiction here…”

Mac continued to back away, ignoring Morton’s snide responses until they were clear of him and back behind one of the SWAT vans.

Atkins was confused and scratched at his short dark hair in bewilderment. “Why did we give in to that guy?”

“Because he has an army of cops behind him,” Mac pointed out. “But it doesn’t matter, I’ve got it covered.” He patted the backpack that was slung overt his shoulder and then began to jog away from the main area of the police cordon to the rear of the zoo, where there was a lesser presence of officers.

Ducking behind a parked Buick, he pulled out the oxygen cylinder and began fastening the smoke grenade to it with duct tape.

“You ready with that weapon of yours?” Mac looked up.

Seeley frowned. “Why?”

“Because you better be as good as your record suggests, or this is so not gonna work!” MacGyver rolled the canister to the rear entrance of the zoo, as Atkins pulled his automatic from under his vest unsure of what was expected next.

The canister clanked across the asphalt and hit the closed gate with a metallic twang.

“Shoot it now!” MacGyver barked urgently. He knew they only had one chance, and the explosion he’d planned wasn’t big enough to hurt anyone, but the bang and the smoke from the grenade would make it seem far worse than it was and hopefully cause the distraction they needed.

It did.

There was instant panic and confusion as the police, and the gathering crowd thought the bomber had activated his device. Cops readied their weapons as civilians ducked into doorways and behind parked cars.

In the madness, MacGyver and Atkins dodged across the road and into the now open entrance, their SWAT vests making all but the untrained think they were under orders to go inside.

MacGyver paused as he ducked out of view of the cops outside and caught his breath. Seeley slipped in beside him, gun still drawn and readied in both hands at his chest.

“It’s pretty quiet for a zoo?” Seeley pondered, a worried look on his face.

“Tell him that!” Mac pointed to a gorilla that was happily swinging from the top of a kiosk. “It makes you wonder what more deadly animals might be on the prowl.”

Atkins snorted. “The only deadly animals I’m worried about right now are Zito and Mariotte!” The gorilla dropped from its perch and scrunched up its nose, staring at them intently. Seeley changed his mind. “Okay, so what other wildlife do you think might be around?” He swallowed hard and his tie bobbed with the motion.

“Relax, if we don’t startle them, they’ll be fine. I’ve worked with a lot of wildlife for Phoenix.” MacGyver put a hand on Atkins automatic. “No shooting anything okay? It’s not the animals fault they’ve been released.”

“Yeah? Well tell him that!” Seeley raised his gun anyway, and Mac turned to see what he was aiming at.

A pack of Mexican wolves had just rounded the corner by the kiosk, and the lead animal had blood dripping from its muzzle. It paused, and licked away some of the red oozing liquid. “We should be more worried about who that blood belongs to…”

Seeley eyed the creature with disdain, but didn’t fire – possibly because of the look MacGyver was giving him that screamed “don’t you dare!” “Man, we’re about to be had for chow.”

The wolves didn’t move, but simply watched, their eyes furtively glancing from each man, and their muzzles twitching ever-so-slightly.

“They’re scenting,” MacGyver informed. “They have a sense of smell about a hundred times greater than a human.”

Atkins wasn’t convinced. “Yeah, well I don’t think it’s my cologne they’re appreciating right now…” His shoulders were tense and his gaze never left the pack for a second as he spoke.

The lead wolf acted much the same, it held its tail high and stood tall, while all its companions had their tails between their legs and hunkered low. The alpha male and his subjects in all their glory.

MacGyver recognized the behavior at once. “Take it easy,” he told Seeley, “there’s no need to shoot. Right now the alpha has his ears back and is kinda squinting, that means he’s suspicious of us, but not angry or about to attack.”

Seeley still didn’t budge, and beads of perspiration began to form on his brow. “Says you…” he offered skeptically.

“Hey, they’re a great animal if left in their own habitat, just like the shark,” Mac responded calmly.

“So how do we get past them without suspicious turning into meal time?” Atkins lowered his automatic just a touch as he spoke. This was all about trust, not of the wolves, but of MacGyver.

“They’re not gonna attack if we don’t run or turn our backs. Wolves like to take their prey while it’s trying to get away, because the action in itself shows fear.” Mac looked at Seeley pointedly. “Also, don’t try and stare the lead wolf out, they see that as a threat.”

Seeley’s eyes moved just a tad. “And again I ask how do we get past them if we can’t move? I still think we should go with plan B.” He wiggled his gun.

MacGyver took a moment to think. If the wolves could scent a hundred times better than a human, then what he and Atkins needed right now was a more interesting scent for the pack to follow. “Stay here, I have an idea…”

“Stay here? While you leave? Are you nuts?”

“I’m not leaving. I’m going back to the entrance, and that dead jaguar outside.” MacGyver pulled out his knife and looked slightly saddened. “If I can cut some strips of flesh from it, maybe I can entice the wolves away.” It wasn’t a pleasant thought, but the cat was already dead, and its sacrifice might save others.

When Seeley didn’t argue further, Mac began to carefully back away. The alpha male watched him, taking in every movement of his boots. Eventually, it seemed to grow bored, and its narrow eyes refocused on Atkins.

MacGyver noted the transition and slipped into a jog back to the gate. Outside, it was still chaos from the explosion he’d created at the rear of the building, and he used that to his advantage.

Grabbing the jaguar’s’ two front legs he dragged it out of view and cut a few small strip of flesh, being careful not to get any of the blood on his hands or clothes that the wolves might scent.

With several garish pieces ready on a torn section of his shirt, Mac had a new problem – how to get the flesh away from where they wanted to be so it lured the pack out of the way. What he needed was a catapult to toss the meat high into the air and away from Seeley and the walkway.

Mac looked around, his eyes scanning anything and everything nearby. There was a wrought iron fence around a lot of the zoo areas, including where he was standing. Each “post” had ornately carved tops. They reminded him of the uprights on a slingshot, but to use this to his advantage, he needed something flexible to wrap around them with very stretchy properties.

He jogged into the next area, his gaze bouncing from one display to another until he arrived at the snake section. There was an exhibit in the corner that caught his attention, and ran to it intrigued. Sitting in the middle of a large glass case was a lifelike rubber example of the extinct Gigantophis from the dinosaur age.

MacGyver cheekily climbed up and reached into the case, pulling out the fake snake and stretching it in his hands. It was perfect for what he needed! Racing back to the wrought iron posts, he quickly tied each end of the “snake” down securely, and then quickly fired off his meat slices as accurately as he could.

Mac swallowed. The question now, was would the wolves take the scent and move away from the walkway? He ran back, becoming breathless from the day’s exertion and fatigue.

When he arrived, Seeley had lowered his weapon, and the wolves were gone.

“Just how’d you do that?” Atkins asked, apparently not aware of the flying jaguar parts that had soared overhead moments earlier.

MacGyver shrugged. “It’s not important. What is important is that we get out of here before thy come back!”

Seeley nodded, and then moved on, pushing further into the zoo under a darkened canopy covered with fake foliage. A wooden carved sign, obviously meant to look like it belonged in a jungle told them they had reached the ape house.

The gate used by the keepers to tend the animals hung open, and Mac and Seeley stepped cautiously inside and then stopped in their tracks.

A body was hung from the ceiling by tied hands, and a pool of blood lay underneath it that was far too big for the person to be still alive. A gorilla like the one they’d seen earlier was poking at the corpse absently, as if it expected it to move. Eventually, it grew bored and sauntered off to poke at something hidden in yet more foliage.

MacGyver moved to rush forwards, but Atkins stopped him, putting a disapproving hand in front of the trouble shooter. “Even I know gorillas can be violent and dangerous, and hey, I hate to say it, but the body could be a trap?” He raised a brow.

MacGyver nodded, shaking slightly as he slowed his gait. This could be Sam or Nikki.

Seeley reached the body first, and after holstering his weapon, he gently spun it until the victim’s face was looking at them. He blinked, obviously shocked by what he saw.

At his side, Mac’s eyes widened. Of all the things he had expected, this was not one of the scenarios he’d imagined. He let out a long sigh of relief.

The body wasn’t Sam or Nikki, but Roger Mariotte. He hung lifelessly, his face a mask of shock and pain.

“Mac, take a look!” Seeley was pointing at Mariotte’s arm – the hand was missing. “I’m guessing those are the body parts you got, not Sam’s!” He looked closer, pulling away some of Mariotte’s clothing. “Looks like our friends the wolves took a bite outta this guy too.”

MacGyver winced. He’d despised Mariotte for the atrocities he’d performed in the name of revenge, but no man should have to suffer the way he apparently had. Mac suspected he’d been alive until the wolves had finished him off. If Zito had done that, Sam and Nikki might have had a reprieve, but they were far from safe. What if they’re dead too? After all, there had been no proof to make them think otherwise.

Behind them, the metal gate suddenly slammed shut with a grinding twang. Mac and Seeley reflexively spun around, but it was too late, they were locked in. A crackle erupted from the zoo’s loudspeaker system, quickly followed by the unmistakable voice of Zito. “Man came from the ape, and he hasn’t really evolved all that much, has he MacGyver? Apart from a few special individuals, like us, eh, MacGyver? People who can see beyond the horizon on a higher plane, people who…”

Mac cut him short. He was angry at being compared with a madman, angry for Sam, and Nikki. “I’m nothing like you, Zito. Mariotte was more your style.”

Zito chuckled. “My my MacGyver, you should know by now that Mr. Mariotte was just a pawn in the game, just like all my little helpers. And in chess, a pawn, or even a higher piece sometimes has to be sacrificed to win the game.” There was a pause as if he was thinking. “And besides,” he continued, “Mr. Mariotte was really only interested in money and a little revenge. How boring, mundane, and very ape-like was that? Where was the challenge?”

“What about Sam and Nikki?” Seeley interrupted, raising a brow.

“Ah yes, Mr. Atkins, so nice of you to join us on this little adventure. Sam and Nikki are two of Mr. MacGyver’s pieces I’m afraid I’ve already taken from the board. Should I give them back nicely, or continue until it’s checkmate?”

MacGyver couldn’t hide the urgency in his voice. “What do you want,” he snapped. “You hold all the aces; we have nothing, why don’t you just kill us?”

Seeley looked horrified at Mac’s suggestion.

“Ah, but it’s not the killing that’s the fun,” Zito retorted cheerily. “It’s the mental challenges along the way that make the final deaths interesting. And I have a new challenge for Mr. MacGyver…and your friend Mr. Atkins too…”

“What makes you think I’ll play?” Seeley’s eyes narrowed. “There’s nothing in it for me?”

Zito chuckled again, but didn’t directly respond. Instead, he began his next challenge. “Sam and Nikki are in the Reptile House – they’re on two small piers. Each pier is set up to blow, dropping them in with some rather nasty creatures. They will both fall at the same time, so which one will you save? Oh, and to make it more interesting, and because Mr. MacGyver is so good at these kind of puzzles, he doesn’t get to actually play.”

“Then how can we save them?” Mac demanded without thinking – which was exactly what Zito apparently wanted.

“Mr. Atkins has to solve the riddle for you or both Sam and Nikki will drop,” Zito’s voice oozed malevolence as he spoke. “You can’t see me, but I can see your expression Mr. MacGyver. You don’t trust Atkins, do you? Why, when Sam was in the hospital after Flight 4177 landed, you wouldn’t even get some sleep and leave Seeley to guard your son, now would you? Do you recall that Mr. Atkins? Or can I call you Seeley?” He laughed like he had already won the game.

MacGyver looked across, and it was clear from Seeley’s expression that Zito had hit a nerve, and maybe Zito was right. Mac hadn’t trusted Seeley back then – he hadn’t even known him, but things were different now.

Zito carried on his tirade anyway, apparently seeking to drive a wedge between the two men. “You’ll always be Phoenix’s No2 while MacGyver is around. How does that feel, Seeley? Are you now willing to put your own life at risk, for someone who doesn’t trust you?”

Atkins stepped away from the hanging body of Mariotte into the direct center of the Ape House. He looked up to the ceiling, addressing the invisible Zito. His expression said he was but his tone was defiant. “I’m ready, Doc, let’s do this so I can get to whoop your ass.”

The metal gate behind them buzzed, then clicked open.

“The exit is for Mr. Atkins only,” he warned. “If you try to leave MacGyver, I’ll blow the piers right now, and end the game with your dear son food for the gators, and Nikki Carpenter as the dessert…”

MacGyver watched helplessly as Seeley left him behind. Now, there was no way of talking with Atkins to help him with the puzzle – and Seeley wasn’t a puzzle man. A sense of dread began to fill the pit of Mac’s stomach, and all he could do now was wait.

* * * *

Reptile House
Five Minutes Later…

Atkins skidded into the Reptile House and stopped dead as he saw Sam and Nikki on the central piers. They were tied to a chair, just like Zito had described, and they were both alive – for now. He swallowed hard and approached them, his inner gut churning as his mind screamed “You can do this” over and over again.

MacGyver was a good man, not really a friend yet, but someone Seeley respected highly, almost as much as his own father, in fact, and that was high praise indeed.

He rubbed at his chin and realized it was covered in stubble, he and Mac had been at this far too long, they were tired, they could make mistakes.

Seeley slowed his gait and approached Sam first. He didn’t let the kid see him – not just yet. First he needed to see the bomb. Moving to the edge of the jetty, he dropped down onto his stomach, letting his head hang over the side. The wiring for both devices hadn’t been hidden. In fact, it looked like the person who planted it had enjoyed showing off the intricate wiring that joined both seats.

It was just like Zito had said. If one explosion occurred then both people were going in the drink with the gators. If he tried to save one, the other person was going too –this wasn’t a game, or a puzzle, it was a nightmare.

Seeley pushed back up into a sitting position and scratched his head. He had more knowledge of computers than bombs, how the heck was he going to solve this without Sam and Nikki dying?

* * * *

Ape House

MacGyver didn’t like being locked out of the action, and he didn’t like the fact that Dr. Zito was somewhere watching his every move. Exactly where is he anyway?

Mac spun around on the spot until his head hurt looking for a clue. The Ape House had an enclosed viewing platform were more important visitors could watch and where zoo staff could narrate to visitors from. That had to be where the doctor was watching from, and why he was able to use the loud speaker system.

If that’s the case, why has he been so dang quiet since Seeley left?

Mac’s brow furrowed. Could Zito have left to watch Atkins attempt to save Sam and Nikki? More to the point, could he risk that Zito had and try to escape, knowing that it could put his son and friend in even more danger?

MacGyver sucked down a breath and weighed up his options and the risks. Seeley was a superb operative – too good for his FBI origins, even. But Seeley wasn’t used to Zito’s tricks. Could he rescue Sam and Nikki on his on without being another victim himself?

Mac trusted Atkins, but in the end he wasn’t ever going to be the kind of person that stood around and waited for someone else to do his dirty work. He made a decision, hoping that Zito had left the Ape House for more fun viewing. Tentatively, Mac moved for the gate, waiting for the evil chuckle of the doctor to chill his bones, but there was silence.

He reached out to inspect the lock and mechanism type to see how he could bypass it, but then suddenly recoiled. This was all too easy. The lock was something he could pick with just his knife, and Zito would know that.

MacGyver stepped back, his eyes searching for something he could toss at the barrier. He found a stone, and threw it hard at the metal gate. Instantly, he was greeted with hot fizzing sparks – Zito had electrified the only way out.

The gate, however, was not Mac’s first problem. The flash of crackling electricity had caught the attention of one of the larger gorillas still in the enclosure. It drummed its fists angrily on its chest like something out of a Tarzan movie, and MacGyver suddenly realized his biggest enemy right now, wasn’t a human after all...

* * * *

Reptile House…

Seeley Atkins looked at his watch and wondered just how much time he actually had. He’d read Zito’s profile on several occasions, and it suggested the doctor would almost always slant the odds his way – and that meant less time, not more to solve the puzzle.

Deep in his mind, Atkins suspected there probably was no real way to save Sam and Nikki, even though Zito had intimated there was. He was a madman, and a mass murderer, after all.

Drawing down a breath, Atkins finally approached Sam and let the younger man see him. He held out a hand, speaking quietly. “I’m here to help,” he almost whispered.

Sam nodded, apparently recognizing Seeley. “Where’s my Dad? Why isn’t he here? Is he okay?” The questions came out rapidly and urgently, and it was quite clear he was more afraid for his father than he was himself.

“It’s okay,” Seeley soothed, whilst bobbing down to get a closer look at the wiring on Sam’s chair. “Your dad’s here, and he’s fine, but he’s locked in the Ape House. Zito thought it would be fun if I played this part of his whackadoodle game.”

Sam nodded as if he understood. “Dad’s told me about him, but I never expected to find him working with Mariotte. That is until…” He winced and closed his eyes as if he were seeing something horrid.

Seeley guessed he’d been witness to Mariotte’s death, and that wouldn’t have been pretty. Something else that wasn’t pretty was the device Sam was attached to. Atkins had the skills to disarm regular, run of the mill bombs, but not this one. The trigger that would drop Sam and Nikki in with the hungry wildlife was a complex one, just like Zito.

Not to mention, Seeley was convinced there would be another booby trap somewhere. Zito would want everyone dead at the end of this grudge match, not just the minor players.

“Kid, I gotta admit that I can’t disarm what you and Nikki are sitting on. I don’t have Mac’s skills when it comes down to this kinda puzzle,” Seeley sounded defeated, grim even as he sat back on the jetty, his eyes closed in dismay.

Sam, however, was truly his father’s son. “Hey! If Dad taught me one thing, it’s that you never give in, not ever.” He shouted loud enough that Atkins was actually startled and jumped back to his feet. “We don’t give in until we’re dead, okay?”

Seeley swallowed and regained his composure. “I don’t plan dying just yet,” he countered. “So tell me, Mac junior, just how do we avoid that?”

“You can’t disarm the bombs, right? So both piers are going to drop when they go off, but Nikki and me will be alive when we hit the water?”

Seeley nodded apologetically. “Yeah, Zito doesn’t want you hurt, he just wants you to be live gator food…”

“So…why can’t you just stop our chairs falling when the piers blow?” Sam offered without having to hardly think about it. “Just because the jetty has to fall into the water, doesn’t mean we do. We’re not glued to them! They’re just chairs with motion sensors!”

Seeley bobbed back down and took a second look. Sam was right. The chairs were just plain and simple wooden affairs – it was the motion sensors that did all the work. If the sensor tripped, the bombs would blow and everything would fall – but the chairs weren’t actually fixed to the piers. He scratched at his head, not seeing the significance. How the heck do I stop the chairs falling? Magic?

Sam seemed to sense the unspoken question and looked up…

* * * *

Ape House

MacGyver’s mind raced as he tried to come up with a plan to open the gate before the gorilla decided to pound on him. He couldn’t pick the lock, and he couldn’t batter it down with one of the many logs in the enclosure, it was far too strong.

Then it hit him, apes were smart, but not as smart as humans. The pen had been built with that in mind, so perhaps he could find a way to go up and over the high mesh fencing.

The gorilla snorted and eyed him, moving closer as if it sensed he was trying to escape. Mac was forced to back up until his spine hit something hard. He looked over his shoulder and realized he’d bumped into a tree. A shadow caught his attention, and he turned further to see a rope hanging from one of the branches for the apes to play on.

The twine instantly hit a nerve in MacGyver’s brain, and he pulled out his knife, cutting through the rope to retrieve as much of it as possible. He wound it carefully, swung it over his shoulder and then quickly began to climb the tree away from the still angry ape.

He reached the highest point in just a minute, and paused to regain his breath, and to look around for his next move. There was security wire at an angle over the top of the electrified fencing, but the two weren’t connected. Even so, the barbs would rip him to shreds if he caught himself on it going over.

Mac tugged off the SWAT vest he’d taken earlier and tossed it over the barbs on the fence. Gathering his rope next, he threw it as hard and as far as possible over a metal beam the other side, lassoing it. He tied the free end off on a branch of the tree above him, and then pulled the automatic rifle he’d brought for show from his shoulder.

MacGyver wasn’t going to shoot man nor beast, but the gun’s strap was going to come in very handy. He unfastened it from the butt and barrel and then threw it loosely over the rope so he had something to hold onto. Pushing away with all his weight from the tree, Mac part swung, part slid out of the enclosure Tarzan style. For a second, he dangled freely the other side, before dropping hard to the ground as the bemused gorilla looked on.

Mac smiled. Who knew it, the SWAT gear had been useful after all? And he’d even managed to impress a primate.

There was no time to ponder the gorilla’s expression right now, though. Sam, Nikki, and maybe even Seeley needed him thinking clearly.

MacGyver moved on cautiously until he reached the Reptile House. Sounds echoed over his head of jungle animal cries, all supplied by the zoos speaker system to add to the visitors experience. The noise hid other important sounds – including what Zito might be up to, and Mac desperately needed to know.

The good doctor wouldn’t be in plain site, so where would he go? Maybe the viewing platform again?

Mac took the stairs to the podium two at a time, careful not to make any noise. At the top, he paused, daring to peek around the corner.

Zito was there, his back to MacGyver as he watched what transpired above the deadly waters below him. In his hand, there was some kind of device Mac recognized as a detonator. As they’d suspected, Zito was ready for one last dirty trick if Atkins actually managed to free Sam and Nikki.

Mac’s heart felt like it was going to tear from his chest, but should he confront Zito, or would that make the doctor press the button on the device?

* * * *

Below the platform, Seeley followed Sam’s gaze, and realized what the kid was looking at. All around them were fake vines – an attempt by the zoo to make the area look more like a jungle. And those vines were about to save the day.

Atkins guessed Sam’s idea was to tie some of the overhead vines to the chairs, so that when the piers blew, the chairs would still be suspended above the water. The chairs didn’t need to be moved to perform the task, so the motion sensors wouldn’t be tripped, and there was no need to defuse any explosives. The bombs could go off, the pier would drop, but Sam and Nikki would go nowhere.

Seeley had to hand it to the kid, he was definitely a MacGyver – no way would he have ever thought of such a thing. He reached up to cut vines, tie them to more vines, and then to Sam’s chair.

“Man, you’ve earned your surname, alright!” Seeley commented quietly as he worked.

Sam grinned, obviously seeing the other man’s point. “Actually, my surname is Malloy,” he teased, correcting Atkins.

Seeley’s brow furrowed, then he remembered reading Mac’s file and nodded, before moving to work on Nikki’s chair. So far, she’d been quiet as a mouse, but only because Zito had seen fit to gag her.

Atkins pulled out the cloth keeping Nikki silent, and then abruptly wished he hadn’t.

“Hey, don’t you know ladies should be first?” She sassed fidgeting just a little too much for Seeley’s comfort.

“You’ll be first alright!” Seeley grumbled. “First to explode if you don’t sit still!”

“Oh funny guy…” Nikki rolled her eyes, but there was a tinge of fear there as well as sarcasm. “Mac’s never sarcastic,” she complained half-joking. “And he’s faster too…”

Atkins didn’t answer; he’d only just finished working on her chair and the vines, when a very familiar voice echoed overhead. It was Zito.

“Very impressive Mr. Atkins.” Zito purred. “However, I’m afraid you’ve actually forfeited the game. You see, it wasn’t really your own idea now was it?” He moved forwards on the platform until he was at the edge of the safety railing and in full sight. He held out the hand with the detonator in, taunting them as if he wanted them to see him enjoy his moment of triumph. “This is the final culmination of weeks of work and planning…” Zito spun around unexpectedly, catching Mac watching him. “So nice of you to join us Mr. MacGyver. I was wondering when you would rejoin the game. It’s no fun playing with lesser minds than oneself.” He smiled as if he’d expected Mac to escape all along. “And now we’re all together for my check mate move…”

Surprising even MacGyver, Seeley moved first, lunging forwards whilst rolling and pulling out his automatic. Even more surprisingly, he didn’t fire on Zito, but at the motion sensor under Sam’s seat.

The trigger tripped, sending a cacophony of sound reverberating through the Reptile House as the small explosive charges detonated. In an instant, the jetty supports gave way, dropping the wooden piers into the murky waters with a crashing splash.

The move was so unexpected, Zito balked. He stood momentarily gaping as Sam and Nikki were magically suspended above the mayhem below, gators thrashing madly in the pool.

After a second, he composed himself, but it was too late, MacGyver had been given just enough time, and dived on Zito impacting one of his famous swinging punches on the doctor’s jaw.

A man of words more than action, Zito stumbled, arms flailing and the detonator dropped from his grasp. He tried desperately to grab the railing he’d stood over moments earlier, but his momentum was too great and he lost all footing.

MacGyver reached out to grab him, he loathed Zito, but he didn’t want it to end like this. The moment, however, was lost and Zito fell helplessly over the barrier, careering into the water below. He bobbed up just once, screamed and was gone.

* * * *

Sometime Later…

The zoo was an area of controlled mayhem. Police and SWAT officers swarmed all over the grounds, searching for evidence, bagging clues, taking photographs. It would be weeks before the whole thing had been sorted and categorized into anything that resembled common sense – if that phrase could even be used when Zito was involved.

Keepers mingled between the cops, attempting to get some of the less dangerous animals back in their cages and assigned areas.

MacGyver watched, arms folded as everything played out, and a separate set of specially trained officers drained the gator pool. They were searching for Zito’s body, or possibly what was left of it if the gators had been hungry.

The thought pained him; no one should die like that, not even a madman. He took his eyes from the ever decreasing waters to look across at Sam. Sam was talking with Nikki and Seeley quite happily, as if he’d been on a zoo tour rather than kidnapped by two lunatics. Was I like that at his age?

Pete Thornton broke the thought. He’d managed to hitch a ride on an army transport plane and arrived far faster than commercial flights would have allowed. It was lucky too, because he’d spent the last hour trying to save Mac and Seeley from a prison sentence after the police incident commander had threatened to press charges.

“You know, sometimes I feel like I’m only here to get you out of trouble?” Pete teased as he used his white cane to guide him to Mac’s side. “That’s one very angry cop,” he continued with a sigh. “Lucky for you two I know his boss pretty well.”

Mac smiled. “You know everyone that counts pretty well.”

Pete huffed. “Yeah, that’s called getting old,” he admitted with a chuckle.

Sam sauntered over, joining the conversation by hugging his dad like a limpet attaching itself to a boat hull. “Boy, we gotta stop doing this, Dad!” he said with a sigh. “I can’t believe the last time I saw you, it was out with those mustangs…”

MacGyver just smiled wanly. Sam had no idea the hoops Zito had forced him and Atkins to jump through, and Mac wouldn’t never tell. Sam had been through enough of an ordeal of his own.

Mac pulled away gently. “We really do have to stop doing this,” he agreed.

“Ugh oh, here comes your favorite cop,” Pete interrupted. “I can smell his awful cologne a mile off!”

The incident commander huffed as if he’d heard, but he didn’t comment on it. Instead, he sucked down a breath and then offered up potentially more bad news. “There’s no body in the water, and while the gators could have eaten Zito, there’s no evidence of it. Any prey those gators can’t swallow and eat in one go, they usually roll, drown and store, or tear into smaller pieces, and there’s nothing in the water or the bottom of the pool.” He looked pointedly at Mac. “Could this Zito character have gotten out?”

MacGyver looked straight across to Seeley and both of them shook their heads simultaneously.

“I don’t think it would be possible without one of us seeing him,” Mac said with a frown. “Although, I guess our attention was on getting Sam and Nikki off the chairs.”

“If he’s not in the pool, and he’s not gator fodder then…” Seeley’s voice trailed and it was obvious he was thinking Zito had somehow escaped.

MacGyver was almost sure of it, and it churned his stomach to think what they’d let loose on the world. Zito may not have won the war, but he had in a sense, won the battle this time. That meant at some point he would probably kill again, or even go after Sam again.

Pete apparently sensed Mac’s torment and gently patted him on the back. “There’s at least one consolation in this mess,” he offered soberly. “Mariotte isn’t a threat to anyone now, even if he did get a nasty end.”

“Somehow, even that’s not comforting,” Mac admitted, putting an arm around Sam like he was still just a kid – but then to MacGyver, a little part of his son always would be. “What say we go pay the mustangs another visit?”

“I’d like that,” Sam confirmed. “Maybe a small vacation on our bikes out there, away from everything? Right now, it kinda sounds like heaven.”

Seeley raised a brow. “You know I’ve never been out to that particular Phoenix reserve, I hear Nevada is nice this time of year?” He smiled cheekily, revealing a less rigid side to his nature.

“Do you have a bike?” Sam teased back. “’Cause you gotta have a bike to ride with us…”

Seeley straightened his tie, cleared his throat, and actually sounded like he was considering it. “Um nope, but I could sure get one?”

Mac slapped him on the back. “Sgt. Cooper did say I’d soon knock you into shape, didn’t he? Guess he was right. If you’re serious, you’re welcome to come along. Right, Sam?”

Sam nodded with a huge grin playing across his features, like he was suddenly enjoying the conversation. “How can I refuse the man who just saved me?”

Atkins was quiet for a second, but his gaze drifted to Pete as if asking for approval for a sudden vacation.

Inexplicably, Pete sensed what the silence meant, even though he couldn’t see the man’s expression. “Just go, will you?” Pete chuckled. “It will do you good to get away from the Foundation for awhile, you’re a bigger workaholic than Mac!”

Seeley showed a rare and genuine smile and MacGyver couldn’t help but wonder about him. Why was he so uptight most of the time? The fact that he was considering their road trip probably meant no wife? Maybe no real friends? Mac made a mental note to read more of Atkins’ file sometime – he knew there was a kid, so what had happened?

“I guess we should make a move,” Sam suggested. “Sounds like we have a lot of planning to do!” The group began to move off toward the zoo exit, chatting about the proposed adventure.

“You think I should get an Indian?” Seeley questioned Sam, who he’d obviously deemed the bike expert.

Nikki huffed playfully as she brought up the rear. “Huh! So how come I haven’t been asked to join this little party? I can ride a bike just fine!” The grouching continued as they headed for Pete’s limo. “In fact, how do you know I don’t have a bike? Maybe my dad was a Hell’s Angel! Heck, maybe I delivered pizza in another life! Maybe…”

Suddenly everyone turned and stared at her in unison, but all Nikki did was raise a brow.

“Fine.” MacGyver smiled. “You can come along too. In fact, the more the merrier.”

“Right…” Pete chimed in. “Just leave your poor old blind boss behind! I can ride pillion, you know..?”

All eyes moved to Pete, and Mac quickly realized he wasn’t joking.

* * * *

The Zoo Main Gate…

The keeper looked saddened as he arrived to move the big cat’s body. He laid out a black zippered bag – somewhat smaller than used for humans at the morgue. Opening it up, he gently lifted the jaguar inside and then closed it again.

Around him, cops still filled the zoo and surrounding area with their presence, still looking for evidence. He ignored them, focusing on the task at hand. With a sigh, he carried the body bag to a truck marked for zoo use and opened up the tailgate, placing it inside.

Once secured, the keeper climbed into the cab and slowly, as if reverently drove off through the police lines and off into the desert. The cops knew it was a dirty job, he surmised, but somebody had to do it. No one paid him any attention. He was just doing his job, nothing more, nothing less.

Once out onto the empty desert highway, the keeper pulled off his zoo motif baseball cap and mopped his brow to reveal his grey hair, and very grey beard.

Zito smiled at himself as he looked in the rearview.

This game had only just begun…

The End