Torque Wrench

By

A. Rhea King

Tiraspol, Moldova

It was a warm July night and the city of Tiraspol was active and alive.

MacGyver sat at an outdoor café, pretending to read a book. He kept glancing up, watching a tall man sitting at the furthers table from him.

"Any movement?" Desi asked in MacGyver's earpiece.

Mac turned the page, murmuring, "Uh-uh."

"Matty, are you sure this guy's a Russian spy?"

"North Korean, and yes."

"He doesn't look North Korean," Bozer retorted.

"You don't look smart, but we give you the benefit of the doubt," Riley quipped.

"And we imbue a lot of doubt in that," Desi added.

MacGyver chuckled, even as Bozer cried out, "HEY NOW!"

His humor vanished when he saw a man walking toward the alleged spy. "Might have contact."

"Hi," he heard a woman say behind him and then she sat down at MacGyver's table.

She was young and beautiful, and at any other time, MacGyver would have welcomed her company at his table. But he only glanced at her before looking back at his target.

The second man sat down with the spy. The two were talking but they were too far away for MacGyver to hear their conversation.

"My name is Stefandia," the woman told him.

"I'm sorry. I'm really into my book."

"Are you?" She reached out, running a finger along his arm.

MacGyver pulled away. "I'm not interested. Please. Leave."

The briefcase was sat on the table and the alleged spy opened it. Mac couldn't see what it was in it and he couldn't ask the others if they could with the woman sitting right there.

"Why don't we go back to my place and you could read it to me?" she suggested.

"I am not interested. Please leave."

"She's got the hots for you, Mac," Desi teased.

MacGyver thought, 'No. She has the hots for my wallet.'

"We could have a lot of fun." She moved closer to MacGyver.

He put his hand against her shoulder, gently pushing back. "I am not interested. Leave. Now!"

She said something in Romanian and stormed off. MacGyver looked at the table. Both men were gone.

"I lost them," MacGyver said as he stood up.

"She was probably sent to distract you. We need eyes on the guy now, people," Matty ordered.

MacGyver spotted a bench nearby. He dropped his book on his table and trotted over to it, jumping onto the bench. Able to see over heads, he spotted the spy quickly walking down the street.

"Got 'im," MacGyver said.

He jumped down and jogged after the man. He caught up and stayed close enough he could keep eyes on the man. The man stopped at a car, unlocked it, and got in.

"He's getting in a silver sedan. License PBX2384."

"Searching for the address," Riley said.

Matty ordered, "Do not lose him!"

MacGyver looked for anything he could use or steal. There were mopeds around, but none without someone on or next to them. There were no other cars on the street.

"There's nothing here for me to use," he told Matty. "And he's already on the move."

"Mac, there's an alley up the street from you. Go a block over," Desi said. "I'll pick you up. Riley, text me the address."

"On it."

MacGyver trotted down the street and turned into a barely lit alley. He slowed to a walk, keeping an eye on the dark doorways as he approached them.

A dark form stepped out of a shadowy doorway and he stopped. The figure slowly walked toward him, their shoes clicking on each step.

"Guys, I may have a problem," MacGyver quietly said.

The woman who'd tried to talk to him earlier came into the light and his guard lowered a little.

"What? What problem?" Matty asked.

"I'm still not interested," he told her.

She smiled and his guard shot back up. There was nothing seductive in that smile, only pure evil.

"But I'm interested in you, Angus MacGyver," she said.

"Who are you?" MacGyver asked.

Before he could turn, MacGyver felt a sharp pain in his neck. He grabbed for it, but everything faded fast.

"Dez…" was all he could get out before collapsing.

-0-

Desi hit the brakes and the van's tires slid to a halt on the alley cement. She jumped out, following the dot on her cellphone screen. It stopped moving and she looked up, expecting to see MacGyver. She started searching the alley, tossing garbage bags, discarded items, and pallets. She froze when she uncovered MacGyver's clothes. She picked them up, uncovering his shoes, phone, wallet, and underwear. Under them were the smashed remains of his comm earpiece.

"What the…" Desi whispered.

"What?" Matty asked over her earpiece. "Did you find him?"

"No. His clothes are here, everything is here."

"And by everything you mean…"

"Everything, Matty. They even left his underwear."

For a moment, no one spoke.

"Desi, get to that address and find out where Mac is," Matty ordered. "Riley, find a camera that can tell us how they got him out of the alley. We need to find out who grabbed him and would have left everything he had in that alley. I will be at the safehouse in 18 hours."

Desi gathered up MacGyver's belongings and ran back to the van.