Connections

Chapter 1: The Rise

Chapter 1: The Rise

(Follows S1E1: The Rising)

"You know, you could always take Nikki to that new French restaurant she's been talking about." Cara MacGyver lounged in the passenger seat of the Mercedes, carefully applying the last of her red lipstick.

"This isn't the time to talk about this." Her brother, Angus MacGyver--Mac for short--guided the car through a turn so smoothly that Cara barely even felt it. That was probably why everyone always let Mac drive instead of her.

"We still have a few minutes before we arrive," she said, shutting her pocket mirror and shifting slightly in the seat to look at her twin. "I'm just saying that you've been together for a long time and you've told me that you want to live together. Maybe it's time to have that conversation."

"What and leave you on the streets? You know I couldn't do that to my favorite sister." Mac shot her a grin.

Cara rolled her eyes. "I'd get the house, of course. Bozer and I need it more."

Mac sighed as he pulled the car into the courtyard, parking it easily. He pulled out the little box containing their comms for the evening and pulled his out. "This really isn't the time to talk about this."

Cara shrugged as she took the box and put her own earpiece in, fixing her hair around it as Mac got out of the car. Her twin buttoned his tuxedo jacket as he walked around to her side, graciously offering her a hand out of the low-seated car so that no one would get a look up her dress.

"How do we look?" Mac asked through the comms. He was dressed in a striking black tuxedo with a bowtie (much less prone to getting caught in things than a regular tie). Cara, on the other hand, was dressed in a mid-length deep green gown. It was one of her favorites in the DXS closet and had been dying for the chance to convince Thornton to let her wear it.

"Yummy," a female voice said through the comms. Nikki Carpenter...the team's senior analyst, Cara's confidant, and Mac's girlfriend. "You really should wear a tux more often, Mac."

"It doesn't really go with the grease underneath my fingernails." Mac adjusted the cuffs on his tuxedo while Cara discreetly looked around at the rest of the attendees.

"Well, if you decide to ditch it...keep the tie," Nikki added. "I'm sure you'll find other ways to use it."

"I've already got a couple ideas," Mac shot back, smiling even though Nikki couldn't see. Cara fake gagged and elbowed him, skirting just out of the way before he could elbow her back.

"Guys, you know this is an open channel and we can hear you, right?" Jack's voice came through comms next. Jack Dalton, ex-delta force and total badass with a passion for punching things. Whereas Mac was Cara's brother by blood, Jack was her brother by choice.

"I'm more offended that you didn't mention me, Nikki," Cara quipped. Mac pulled out a handkerchief and knelt down by the front of the car, acting like he was tying his shoe.

"Don't worry C, you're still my favorite MacGyver." Nikki's laugh filtered through the comms and Cara stuck her tongue out at Mac when he sent her one of his famous looks. "Mac, what are you doing?"

"Well, I'm going to need a fingerprint to access that safe," he said as he swiped around the exhaust, balling up the dirty fabric and putting it in his pocket. If Nikki was tech and Jack was muscle, Mac was the brains--always able to find a solution in every situation.

"So, does it bother anyone else that we don't know exactly what's in that safe?" Jack asked. He was likely at the dock by then, getting in position for a speedy getaway if needed.