Not by blood, but by fire and water

Chapter 18

Jack watched that familiar look wash over his partners face as his mind switched into high gear. Mac never failed to amaze him with that big beautiful brain of his: it didn't seem to matter what was going on or how dire their situation was, the kid always thought of a way to save their hides.

"Looks like it's time… to do your thing brother," Jack put on a smile and gave Mac's hand a firm squeeze in an attempt to reassure the young agent.

"Riley keep him talking, while I get ready for our guests." Mac put the phone on speaker and laid it next to his friend. He covered the speaker with his free hand and locked eyes with his partner. "Don't die on me Jack… please," Mac stated pleadingly.

"You know me, Bud… I ain't the… quittin' type," Jack replied, offering him the best cocky grin he could muster.

Mac noticed Jack's shivering had gotten worse, so he took off his leather jacket and laid it over his friend. Mac hesitated a moment longer, still reluctant to leave him, then he rushed off into the warehouse.

'What if those were Jack's last words? What if… dammit! What the hell is my problem!' Mac chastised himself for the direction his mind had taken. Stressing out over 'what if's' sure as hell wasn't going to help his best friend.

Besides, the quicker he got done, the quicker he could get back to Jack.

He roughly shoved his hands through his hair, desperately trying to force his brain to function properly. Patches of dried blood had made his hair stiff.

'That's more like it.' Mac thought to himself as a plan began hatching. He dashed around the warehouse gathering up everything he would need to make it work.

Once he had the items required for phase one of his plan, he broke the window, on the far side of the large room, away from the loading dock and his partner. Mac poured the concoction of combustible agents on two of the nearby wooden crates. Lifting one of the crates he slid it out the window, then he ran to the truck to hunt for an ignition source.

The truck had a cigarette lighter so he pushed it in and waited for it to heat up. His attention landed on the bound and still unconscious bad guy, with everything that had happened in the last hour, Mac had completely forgotten about the man. He would need to get him clear of the warehouse.

The lighter popped up signaling it was ready. He ran back to the window and without hesitation he reached outside the broken pane and touched the glowing red hot end to the wooden crate outside. With a whoosh, fire engulfed the entire crate. Mac shoved the second crate so only the end was exposed outside the window.

Flames licked the underside of the crate until it too was blanketed in fire. Mac needed the first part of his plan to be more incendiary than explosive. Hopefully some or all of the bad guys would focus their attention on trying to extinguish the fire and they stay far away from Mac and Jack, buying the agents those precious minutes needed for their chopper to arrive.

Mac required explosives for the next phase of his plan, the more boom the better. He had already located a box of land mines, which would be perfect for taking out any trucks that came up the road. He grabbed a nearby ammo bag and loaded as many as it would hold.

"Jack…can you tell me what your dad was like?" Riley had only heard an occasional story about Jack's father, she had never broached the subject before because of the sadness it brought to his eyes.

Jack smiled as he imagined what it might've looked like if the two of them had met and known each other. "You are a lot… like him actually... he was real sharp… witty, funny… and a bit ornery. He would've... loved you."

Jack got lost in thought picturing the two of them mischievously conspiring against him and laughing together at his expense.

Riley grew concerned the longer the silence grew. "Jack, you still with me?"

"I just wish... you could have… known him, Ri. He was... a good man… one of… the best."

"So are you, Jack," Riley stated without hesitation.

The lump that formed in his throat robbed him of the ability to speak until it dissipated. "Hey Ri?"

"Yeah?" Riley answered.

"If I don't… make it back… I ne-"

"No Jack! Don't talk like that! You are going to be fine! You have to be… " Riley demanded.

"Listen, honey… if I die… the only family… Mac will have left… is you and Boze. When he's hurtin'… he can get a little… self destructive… just be… there for m'... kay?"

"Of course I will, Jack. Just hold on a little longer, okay? Help is al-" The phone went silent and the screen turned black as the last remaining battery drained from the device. Jack felt like the same thing was happening to him, but instead of a battery it was his life. 'If only it were as simple as plugging into an outlet to get "charged" full of life again.'

"Dammit! No!" Riley shouted at the large monitor on the wall in the war room. She desperately tried to re-establish the connection to no avail. Bozer walked up behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder. The usually tough as nails hacker dropped her face into her hands and broke down.

To be continued…