The heat was suffocating inside the abandoned warehouse at the edge of the Sonoran Desert. Jack Dalton wiped the sweat from his forehead with a trembling hand. At his feet, Angus MacGyver—his brother-in-arms—lay unconscious, a gash on his temple from a brutal rifle butt.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MuFiTTOOp
And standing before him: the enemy. Not some local thug, but Vicente Torres, an ex-soldier turned mercenary, armed to the teeth and clearly very, very angry.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66ZtUWDDf3
“You think you stand a chance without him, Dalton? Mac’s the brain. You’re just… the driver!” Torres sneered, aiming his assault rifle at Jack.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hcprFJZc4
Jack glanced around. They were trapped in an old mechanics’ workshop. Rusty tools, wires, dead batteries, duct tape, a fire extinguisher, a toaster, and a stash of industrial soap.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwY4HzvDBkZ
No weapons. Just junk. Mac would make it work. But Jack?
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKFZujFU2y
“Come on, think, Dalton. Think like Mac…” he muttered to himself.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOya48awEp
Torres began to approach. Jack slowly backed toward an old workbench and rested his hand on a small canister of flammable liquid.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7zMsnVKyZ
Step 1: Evaluate the resources.
— Flammable liquid, improvised fuse (greasy string), lithium battery…
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDiuvVYWCD
Step 2: Improvise a diversion.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9R8AMvFHs
He unscrewed the cap, soaked a rag, and stuffed it into the neck of a glass bottle. He set it on the battery and positioned two metal pieces to cause a short circuit. The fuse would catch fire soon.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrfLsL9YvC
Jack clenched his jaw. “This is totally nuts. It’s dangerous. It’s exactly what Mac would do.”
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKA3p8JTtcy
A spark. Then the rag ignited. Jack hurled the burning bottle across the room, behind Torres. The makeshift explosion blew apart a metal shelf with a deafening crash. Screws and bolts flew everywhere.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjh9jZvOJq4
“You wanted to play hero? You just signed your death warrant!” Torres shouted, distracted, as Jack dove behind a workbench.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWH6vZbMbq
Step 3: Use the chaos.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzQbc2TlEy
Jack crawled toward the fire extinguisher. Empty. But the tank still held enough pressure for one last burst. He unscrewed the nozzle, jammed in a compressor hose fitting, secured it with wire, aimed by ear—
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHD9SdVtasV
BOOM!
The gas blast launched the extinguisher’s head like a missile. It hit Torres in the collarbone with brutal force. The man staggered back, grunting in pain.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAm5kMJ3I3O
Jack leapt to his feet, grabbed a rusty chain, and used it like a whip to knock the gun from Torres’ hands. No time to grab it. Jack rolled forward and delivered a spinning kick to the mercenary’s knee, followed by a sharp right hook. Thank you, military training.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeR9tCHc3o
Torres collapsed. KO.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3bIdtI5wq
Panting, Jack leaned against the table, arms shaking. He heard a weak moan behind him.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1leqlK66H
“Mac!”
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5UqHzM157
He rushed over. MacGyver was slowly opening his eyes, pupils dilated, dazed.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBarZtx3kE8
“You’re alive… I missed you, Mac. But you should’ve seen me. I thought like you. I used a fire extinguisher to launch a… projectile! Made a Molotov out of a battery and… man, I’m you now!”
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGL6W5WV3r
Mac looked at him a moment, then winced and grinned.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHCpnXFqPU
“You threw… a fire extinguisher? You’re totally nuts, Jack.”
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQyi7C9za7
“Yeah, but I’m not the one who got knocked out cold.”
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lIOQHMXfn
Sirens echoed in the distance. Reinforcements were coming. Jack glanced at the smoldering flames, the chaos, and especially Torres—still unconscious.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJ2RtU9ZeQ
He put a hand on Mac’s shoulder.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlShVuHaEQ
“You’re not alone in your genius anymore, brother. I can jury-rig stuff too.”
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdRhzZSTPe
And Mac, eyes half-shut, murmured:
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡduUy6HeRbp
“Just… promise me you’ll never do that again.”
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2ZYSeaTyi
Jack burst out laughing.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRSCBv1SF3
“No promises, Mac. No promises.”
ns216.73.216.109da2
