I got this chapter down surprisingly fast, so here it is. Thank you once again for all the support I have received from reviews, likes, and follows. Also, I have been thinking up the ending of this story and have two possible ideas. If any of you want to message me or help me decide on it, feel free. The help would be more than welcome. Well, that's that, and if at first you don't succeed, skydiving isn't for you.

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I really need to stop waking up like this, Mac thought with a painful throb in his skull, hoping that the impact from Birkshire's blow didn't fracture anything. Groaning slightly as he began to open his eyes, Mac was puzzled by the fact that he still couldn't see anything.

Man, did he hit me harder than I thought? The phoenix agent's question was answered for him as he began to sense the cloth near his face, telling him that he had some sort of bag over his head.

Mac moved his head slightly, trying to get it back to normal after being knocked unconscious. His mouth tasted dry, and his head was still killing him. Mac tried to take in what he could of his current surroundings, but he couldn't focus on any sounds that were coming through to him. All he could sense was everything around him jostling around.

Oh, I'm in a car. Good to know. Mac shifted around once more, trying to get out of the position he had landed, one that he was sure would have had Jack complaining for weeks about back pain. Where is Jack?

As he moved, Mac felt something dig into his wrists once again, which he just realized were behind his back. How did it take me that long to realize it? Mac was seriously starting to wonder why his brain wasn't functioning.

"Do you think he's awake yet?" A voice came from the opposite side of the car or van he was in. He noticed it didn't have the annoyingly cocky British hint to it, and the EOD tech wondered if that was a good thing or not. He realized it wasn't as he felt a heavy boot connect with his stomach, making him let out a pained groan.

"I'd say so," another voice rang, clearly the one who had just slammed his foot into Mac. The young agent fought the oncoming nausea as a pair of firm hands pulling him into a sitting position, an action quite difficult with him arms behind him.

Mac squinted at the sudden light when the bag was ripped off his head, the difference causing the jackhammering in his skull to increase. He blinked rapidly, probably more than necessary, then looked up at the three men sitting across from him in the van. Hmm, there's a third. That makes this a little harder.

The three-armed mercenaries looked at the young agent, with a mix of confusion and anger all at once. Mac looked to the one in the middle, who was sporting some fresh looking burns on his face. His mouth curved into the slightest smile to see that the one to his right was also showing signs of the burns, thanks to his homemade jet fuel reaction.

Upon seeing the smirk on the agent's face the right one scowled, trying to make himself look more menacing, but failing because of the heart shaped blister on his cheek. Clearly aggravated by the blond agent's lack of fear, he leaned forward and sent a right hook right into Mac's face, sending stars spiraling into his vision.

"Hey, Ricardo," the third man's voice came, much quieter but with more authority. "Boss said he wants him alive."

"C'mon, you saw what he did to my face." The heart soldier said, pointing to his injury. "At least let me pay him back."

"Sit down," Mac was surprised to see that the man obeyed the order and reluctantly leaned back into his seat. "Jensen, put the bag back on, we won't be there for another half an hour." The middleman was about to replace the fabric on Mac's head but stopped as the agent started talking.

"Where are we going?" Mac was surprised at how scratchy his voice sounded, but right now that was the least of his worries. He was more worried about the childish grin spreading across the right man's face.

"You'll find out soon enough, hotshot," and motioned for his colleague to resume putting the bag over their prisoner's head.

"You know," Mac stalled, trying to get as many clues about the van as he could before he was once again blinded. He looked to the hot headed one on the right. "It's really not that smart to keep touching that burn. By the looks of it, you didn't run it under cold water or put gauze over it, so if you want to keep it from becoming infe-"

"Gag him too. We don't need his commentary on the ride." The demanding third voice said, and a piece of cloth was shoved in his mouth, followed by the bag once again.

Why does that tactic always work for Jack, Mac sighed as he got used to the unwanted cloth in his mouth, starting to think up any possible way to get out of his current situation.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Jack walked back into the war room, hoping his boss had some good news for him about Mac. Matty turned around as her agent came in and motioned for him to sit down.

"Riley found Martin Hendricks and I pulled a few strings at the FBI to get him released. He should be here within the hour. We were lucky he was being kept in California." Matty didn't sound her usual bossy self, and Jack took a second to wonder how much Mac's abduction had affected the rest of the team as well. Riley looked sleep deprived, Matty was less intense, and Bozer was rocking back and forth in his chair checking in with Riley every five minutes.

"Any luck tracing where they took Mac?" Jack turned to the hacker, still hoping their luck would turn around and they wouldn't have to hand over a terrorist to a psychotic British man.

"I've been running every facial recognition and plate software I have access to for the past hour. Still no hits," she said in a defeated tone.

"Alright, we have 18 hours left on Birkshire's clock," Matty called the team back into order, snapping out of her odd behavior and becoming the boss lady again. "We need to start on every possible lead we can get. See if there is anything else we can use as leverage against Birkshire. Family, friends, anything. Riley, keep working at any bank account even remotely tied to S-45. I want to know everything about this guy. Boxer, get the lab to-" Matty's orders were cut off as Mac's phone began ringing. They looked at the device, which had been sitting on the war room table since the last call they received.

Everyone stared at the phone, realizing it was not a good sign for Birkshire to be calling this soon before the deadline was up. Finally, Bozer accepted the call, putting it on speaker so that everyone could hear. There were a few seconds of an odd static before the drawling British voice came through.

"I see you paid a visit to my warehouse," Jack clenched his jaw, realizing what his action might have cost Mac.

"I seem to remember telling you to stay clear of trying to follow us," the voice pierced through everyone's mind, worried about what may have happened to Mac.

Jack grabbed the phone and spoke through gritted teeth. "I swear, if you so much as touch Mac, I will make sure that you can never speak in that cocky British accent ever again."

"Relax, your friend is still very much alive, just a few more bruises to add to his collection," at this every one in the room looked up, wondering how bad their boy was actually faring. "The surprising thing is, that was entirely his fault. He really is much more resourceful than I had given him credit for." At this, Jack felt a tiny bit of pride come through his anxious demeanor, hoping that Mac had given these guys a run for their money.

"Anyway, just wanted to call to make sure you have everything I asked for. You see, I obviously couldn't just let the fact that you disobeyed my explicit directions slide by unnoticed. So rather than kill your friend MacGyver, I just decided to move up the deadline. You have one hour."

The entire team gasped at the new instruction Birkshire had just given them. Matty looked around at her agents, then decided to try her luck at getting them more time.

"That's not possible, Birkshire. We put in the transfer for Hendricks, but he won't arrive by then. We need at least three hours to get you what you need." Riley leaned in to see what the terrorist would say to her boss's request, and was dismayed when she heard a cruel British chuckle.

"Ah, director Weber. You and I both know that's not true. We both know that my associate is currently on his way to your building and will be there within the hour. And we both know that in our previous conversation I said that negotiation is futile." Bozer's head drooped even lower after the attempt failed so miserably. "You have one hour to get me Martin Hendricks, half a million, and a helicopter. You will go to the Bolsa Chica Basin State Marine Conservation area. If you are late, or bring anyone other than the four people I am speaking with right now, well… let's just say I will get the pleasure of putting a bullet in MacGyver's head once and for all." The receiver clicked off, and the team was left wondering if the trade was the only option they had left.