by Cindy Combs
Evening, somewhere in Wyoming
"I don't know." Jim shook his head as he stared at the cabin rafters above him. "Aliens that take humans for hosts but their eyes glow? Warriors who incubate the baby aliens in a pouch cut out of their abdomens? Traveling from world to world by circles with shimmering centers? Talking with humans from other planets whose ancestors were Celts? Sounds more like you've been watching too much Star Trek again, Chief."
"Jim..." Blair began, setting his drink on the table made of scrapes of wood as he prepared to argue.
Jim held up a hand, though he didn't move from his reclining position on the couch. His leg hurt enough as it was. "No, I don't doubt you. Just that it's going to take me a while to absorb this."
"It would explain the name 'Star Gate' for the project. Here I figured it was just one of those weird word combos the Pentagon picks at random." Mac stared at his glass as he thought over what Blair had described. "You know, the shimmering could indicate that the device creates a wormhole."
"A wormhole?" Blair's eyes lit up with awe at the thought. "That would be so cool! It would also explain how you could go from one place in the galaxy to another so fast."
"It would also explain your friend Botolf's description of coldness and light," Mac added. "The molecular change would..."
"Damn, I AM stuck in a Star Trek episode," Jim moaned, plopping his head back onto the pillow. Then he raised up again. "Except for one thing." Blair and Mac turned in their chairs to meet Jim's serious eyes. "If all this is true, these aliens could be a major threat to Earth. As in our planet. As in our only home. And we don't have the Enterprise or even phasers to stop them."
All three fell silent for a moment. Then Blair softly asked, "So what do we do? Go back and join up? Return to Cascade and pretend this never happened? Disappear into the night? What?"
"Staying in that underground hole isn't an option." Jim stared into his guide's eyes, begging him to understand. "I'm being drawn back to Cascade."
Blair blinked a moment, then snapped his fingers. "Of course!" He jumped up and began to pace.
Mac gave Jim a puzzled look. Jim returned a slight smirk. "Hang on, I think we're on the fast track into the Sandburg Zone." Mac only looked more puzzled.
"This is just like Chicago, right Jim? You said that wasn't your place, right? Oh man, that makes so much sense." Blair paced a few more steps then turned back to his partner. "Did you have any job offers anywhere else besides Cascade after you quit the Army, Jim?"
"Several."
"Did you even consider taking them?"
Jim paused a moment. "No, not really."
Blair began to pace again, much to Mac's amusement. "But why? You hadn't spoken to your father or brother in years, so it wasn't due to family. There was no girlfriend waiting for you, no close friends. You hadn't lived there in years. There was nothing to bring you back. Why go there? It would make more sense for you to want a clean start somewhere else."
"After Peru I just wanted to go home," Jim replied simply.
"Of course you did!" Blair pounded a fist onto his other hand to emphasis his point. "You spent your entire childhood in Cascade. It was your home, your territory, your tribe. In Peru, your sentinel senses were renewed and strengthened. Your instincts sent you back to your territory, even though you didn't understand why. It would take a major catastrophe destroying Cascade to force you to change territories." Blair waved his arms in the air. "It makes so much sense. Some sentinels would be nomads because their tribes wandered. Yet other tribes had definite locations or lands that they called home. You never wandered during your childhood. Your territory is Cascade."
"And if I met a wandering sentinel? Or simply another sentinel in their territory? Would I react like I did with Alex?" Jim asked.
"What did you feel in the Stargate complex?"
Jim and Mac shared confused glances. "What do you mean?"
"What did you FEEL?"
"Well," Jim slowly drew out the words, "I did feel kind of, I don't know, tense. Like all my nerve endings were ready to fire. Like, Like..."
"Like you did with Alex?" Blair questioned, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice.
"Not exactly," Jim replied, trying to remember. "More like in expectation of something, well, good."
"That's because you were approaching a good sentinel." Jim and Mac both stared at Blair. Blair grinned widely. "Marston, Botolf's sentinel, came with him through the Stargate. You felt him, Jim. Yet somehow, your instincts were telling you that he wasn't a threat."
"Are you sure, Blair?" Mac asked carefully. "Could it have been simply because you were on neutral territory?"
Both Blair and Jim shook their heads. "I met Alex on neutral territory. And I did try to protect her. But that was more, well..." Mac was surprised to see tough man Ellison actually blush.
"That was more a mating sort of thing," Blair declared, wagging his eyebrows suggestively. Jim's blush grew deeper. Mac couldn't keep from chuckling. "So there's no question. We have to go back to Cascade because that's your territory."
"Are you sure, Chief? You used to travel quite a bit during your childhood and with your education. After all that's happened, do you really want to return to Cascade?" Jim steeled himself for the answer.
"Yes," Blair replied with conviction. "I am a sentinel's guide, a weardian's witan, a detective's partner. Botolf left his village to join Marston's. In fact, maybe guides are the ones that travel, looking for their sentinel." Blair waved his hand at his father. "Mac has traveled the world and so is Sam at the moment. Maybe something within them is searching for their sentinel. I'm just the one lucky enough to have already found mine." With a wide smirk, Blair declared, "Your territory is my territory."
"So I guess it's up to me to make sure you both can return." Mac stood up and stretched.
"Are you sure going with Thornton and Nikki is a good idea?" Jim asked worriedly. "They could arrest you, you know."
Mac shrugged. "They can try. But then they'd have to explain why I broke in, which means they'd have to confess to abducting a civilian." Mac gave Blair one of his slow, reassuring smiles. "I have all the information, so I am the one who can make the best deal. Just be prepared for plan B if the word is sent."
Both Jim and Blair nodded solemnly. Mac had already gone over the details if they needed to go into hiding. "Though I'd rather not have to go that route," Blair added.
"You won't," MacGyver vowed.
Same evening, O'Neill's house, Colorado Springs, CO
Daniel found Jack right where he expected: on the roof of his home, sitting by his telescope and staring at the stars. Quietly, the young archeologist sat down next to his friend. Just as quietly, Jack reached down and pulled out a beer from the cooler at their feet. Accepting the cold glass bottle and unscrewing the top, Daniel also leaned back to study the stars. As always, he first checked the star grouping that contained Abydos. He missed the planet where he and Sha're had been so happy.
Taking a sip of beer, Daniel covertly studied his friend. There was a moodiness about Jack that signaled he was thinking of the past. Jack still felt the death of his only son deeply. Also, he was worried about Skaara, the boy he had befriended on Abydos, now lost among the stars as a host of a Goa'uld. Noting the framed picture of Blair with his family resting in Jack's hand, Daniel knew what had set off the brooding episode. He returned his gaze at the stars, hoping that maybe Jack would want to talk about it, but knowing better than to push it. He picked out the constellations he knew as he listened to the crickets and the faint sound of a dog barking in the distance.
Several minutes later, Jack did break the silence. "Did you bring the folder?"
"Yeah, right here." Daniel laid the file on MacGyver on the camp stool between them. He stole a glance at the older man. "Have you ever heard of him before?"
"Hell, yes," Jack replied. He took a swig of beer, staring straight ahead. "Not a lot about him, but like Carter said, he's a legend with the covert ops guys. Mostly rumors
of him helping soldiers and pilots caught behind enemy lines, even though he didn't carry a gun or any weapon other than his pocket knife. Supposed to be able to make almost anything explode. I wasn't even sure the guy was real before now. Hell, I don't think I've ever heard his first name."
Daniel chuckled. "That might have been on purpose." Jack turned to his friend and raised an eyebrow. "His first name is Angus."
Jack winced. "Ouch. Certainly not on the top ten list of baby names." He stared at the label on the beer bottle. "Anything else?"
Daniel smiled, knowing Jack was more interested than he was letting on. "He's originally from Minnesota, now lives in L.A., but has traveled all over the world. Worked with the DXS for a while, most of which is classified, of course. Now he's a troubleshooter for the Phoenix Foundation. Never been married as far as we can tell. No living family that we can tell, either."
Jack raised the picture. "What about the other kid?"
"All we could find is that he paid the bills for a Sean Malloy to go to college. However, considering that Sean's middle name is Angus, Sam and I suspect there's a connection."
Jack chuckled. "Yeah, I'm sure there's not too many American kids running around with 'Angus' as part of their name. Is Malloy still in school?"
"No, he's graduated and is now an international photojournalist."
"Oh man, a reporter?" Jack frowned, not liking the idea of another reporter sniffing around the Stargate project again.
"Thankfully, most of his work is out of the country. Though if we still had Sandburg, I don't know how long that would last. I know I'd be digging if my brother suddenly disappeared." Daniel sighed. "But what I don't understand is why there isn't any obvious connection between MacGyver and either Blair or Sean. Doesn't he want to admit they're his sons?"
Jack leaned back and stared at the stars above him. "In his line of work, he's certain to have made a lot of enemies. He's probably trying to protect them, especially the reporter if the kid's overseas a lot. If Malloy was running around with the last name of MacGyver, it could unexpectedly get him into trouble with the wrong people. Besides, the guy just broke into a high security, secret military base where he could have been shot if discovered, just to rescue Sandburg. Doesn't sound like someone who ignores his sons to me."
Daniel noticed that Jack was falling back into his brooding, most likely thinking of his own young son that he had failed to protect. Trying to break it before Jack got too deep, he asked, "What's going to happen now?"
Jack blinked, then shook his head. "Not sure. We still need Sandburg's expertise, especially if he's really a witan. Would be helpful to bring Ellison on board, too, if what you and Carter suspect is correct. Yet it doesn't do us any good if they don't want to help us."
"Blair was very definite about not wanting to work for us," Daniel pointed out. "He wants to stay in Cascade."
"Then we'll have to see if we can work out some kind of deal." Jack ran a hand through his hair. "I won't have that kid forced into anything, though. I've fought against countries that abduct their citizens off the street just because they want to. I'll be damned if I'm going to be a party to that in my own country."
Next day, Denver, CO
MacGyver took a deep breath before following Nikki Carpenter and Pete Thornton into the conference room Phoenix had rented. No matter how confident he had sounded to Blair and Jim the evening before, he still wasn't sure what was going to happen in this meeting. However, he knew he had to be here. Thanks to Blair's 'conversation' with Botolf, he now possessed highly classified information he didn't dare pass on even to his closest friends. He rather wished he didn't know that Earth was threatened by superior aliens. But it was information he would use to gain his son's freedom if he had to.
Waiting inside were the representatives from the Stargate project. MacGyver barely noted the General or the pretty blonde with the captain's bars. He did make note of the Colonel with the swollen nose whose nametag read 'Maybourne'. He would deal with him later. For right now, he was staring at the man who could have been his twin.
In spite of all the other times Jack O'Neill had faced a double, for some reason this was different. Perhaps because he knew this one hadn't been made by aliens trying to duplicate him. MacGyver was a homegrown Earth boy like himself with his own extensive background and accomplishments. Maybe that also explained why he instantly felt at home with this man, even though he was another damn scientist.
Nikki watched as the two men stared at each other. She carefully leaned over to Pete and whispered, "Blair was right. O'Neill does look exactly like MacGyver."
"Just as long as we remember he isn't MacGyver," Pete gently reminded her. He was almost glad he couldn't see his friend's double. He wanted to keep his mind on the business at hand. He laid his folder on the table Nikki had led him to, then spoke loudly. "I'd like to get started."
Maybourne growled, "What is HE doing here? He should be locked up for breaking into a high security military facility!"
"Hello, Colonel Maybourne." Nikki broke neatly into his tirade without raising her voice. She had come prepared for this. "I've been wanting to meet you. I am Ms. Carpenter, Assistant Director of Operations for the Phoenix Foundation. This is Mr. Thornton, the Director of Operations." She indicated Pete with her hand. "We are Mr. MacGyver's employers. If you insist on having Mr. MacGyver arrested, we will be forced to have our friends in the FBI issue this warrant for your arrest." She pulled out thick folder and slapped it down on the table, letting out a little of her anger. "It outlines the charges against you for the assault and abduction of Mr. Blair Sandburg outside his home in Cascade, WA. The FBI was particularly interested in the fact that you transported Mr. Sandburg against his will across state lines to Colorado. We have detailed descriptions of you and your associates from both the neighbors in Cascade and from the victim himself. I assure you, Colonel Maybourne, your military contacts will not get you out of this one. So, shall I call the FBI?" Righteously defiant eyes stared at the Colonel, causing the much bigger man to wilt. Jack could barely contain his smirk.
Once she was sure she had made her point, Nikki then asked, "I'm assuming you are with the Stargate project. May I inquire who we are speaking with?"
After the introductions were made, everyone sat down with the four Air Force personnel on one side of the table and the three Phoenix people on the other. Pete cleared his throat. "We understand that your project has made an offer to hire Mr. Sandburg. Yet at this time, Mr. Sandburg does not wish to join your operation in a full time capacity. However..."
"He WILL join us!" Maybourne snarled as he stood. "It's a matter of National Security!"
MacGyver lifted his eyebrows. "Are you going to tell us what National emergency so desperately requires my son?"
Maybourne glared at him. "It's top secret. None of you have the clearance required."
"Then my son will chose for himself what he wants to do. It's his right as an American citizen."
Ignoring the glare from Hammond, Maybourne sneered, "Are you sure about that? He should first consider the fate of the occupant in room 103 of a quaint hotel in Turkey."
Everyone else glanced at each other in confusion as MacGyver casually shrugged his shoulders, hiding his anger. "Are you sure you know who's in room 103?"
"Of course we know a reporter named Malloy is there," Maybourne returned smugly. Nikki's eyes widened with anger at the implied threat to Sam.
Jack felt his own temper rise at the mention of the other young man in the picture. "What did you do, Maybourne?"
"He can't do anything," MacGyver quietly broke in. "Sam's not there anymore because I told him to disappear for a few days. My son can speak four languages fluently and knows enough of seven others to get by. He can blend in anywhere he wants. You'll never find him."
"The bird of prey was sent away," Carter softly whispered to O'Neill.
Jack was still glaring at Maybourne. "Carter, do you remember the dialing coordinates to P2A-509?"
"Taldor?" Carter asked, remembering the horrible prison planet with no way to dial out. "Of course. I want to make sure we never go back there again."
"Good, because Maybourne will be taking a one way trip if he goes anywhere NEAR Sandburg or Malloy again." Jack shot his most deadly glare at the other Colonel.
"If there's anything left of him after Ellison gets done," MacGyver added matter-of-factly. "He's rather protective of both my sons. And he did spend all those months learning from the Chopec warriors."
Maybourne glanced back and forth, not sure which look-a-like was more dangerous at that moment.
"Colonel Maybourne, I believe you are hindering these proceedings. Will you please remove yourself." Hammond's tone made it obvious the request was really an order. Maybourne glared at everyone as he left the room. "Now, may we see what kind of deal we can make?"
Three weeks later, private ranch, Colorado Rocky Mountains
Mac sat on a sun-drenched boulder, watching from a distance as Daniel Jackson interpreted between the two pairs of weardians and witans. He could tell that Blair was having a ball, barely waiting for Daniel to translate before hopping to the next question. Even Jim looked semi-relaxed, examining Marston's knife. He hoped that Botolf could give Blair the information his son was craving to learn.
It hadn't taken long to strike up a deal with the Stargate project once Maybourne was out of the loop. It soon came out that O'Neill and Carter suspected that, contrary to Blair's press conference, he and Jim were a witan/weardian pair. Once that was out in the open, MacGyver informed the trio that Jim's territory was Cascade and that to move them to Colorado might be detrimental to the weardian. He also told them about the communication between Blair and Botolf, providing just enough information so that the General and his people believed him. Then Mac assured them that he, Jim and Blair would keep the project secrets if they weren't coerced into anything.
Thus, Blair and Jim had been signed up as 'consultants', on call in case the project needed them. Blair was also committed to notify Stargate if he and Jim ran into any other sentinels and guides so that they could be used if required. Since Earth's only weardian and witan pair understood the danger that threatened their home, it was something they were willing to do. In return, Jim and Blair could continue their lives in Cascade.