Disclaimer: I do not own either of the Mission: Impossible series or any of the characters therein. I receive no compensation or any other tangible benefit from this story. I am just a fan who enjoys taking the team out for an adventure every now and then. 🙂
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Nemesis Chapter 17
While his partner slept, Grant's mind wandered, as Max's had before him. He thought about Jim, Nicholas, and Shannon - wondered if they were safe, if they knew about the helicopter crash, if they thought he and Max had been killed.
Grant stole a glance at the chopper debris and shuddered, knowing how close that was to being true. Suddenly, Grant realized that he didn't remember getting out of the wrecked machine. He had been knocked unconscious in the crash and woken up on the soft ground where Max now slept.
Grant's stomach lurched as he realized that Max must have pulled him from the chopper before the explosion, broken arm and ribs and all, and possibly when it was already burning. His heart surged with fresh gratitude for his friend. He'd have to remember to thank Max for that.
Grant stared again, almost hypnotically, at the pile of metal. He could see hotspots still smoldering here and there. Then his eyes fell on something glistening. What the hell was that? He decided to get up and investigate. It wasn't easy with one injured shoulder, not to mention the fact that his stomach churned when he did so. As he drew closer, he peered at the wreckage and his breath caught in his throat.
It was a piece of something silver.
A tiny piece of chrome had somehow survived the explosion. Max had looked earlier, but it was no wonder he hadn't seen it. Grant wouldn't have seen it either, had it not been for the angle of the moon and the redness of the hot metal next to it that was more apparent in the fading light.
He couldn't get it now; it would still be hot to the touch, and he couldn't see quite well enough in the darkness. But now he knew where it was, and in the morning he and Max would try to break it free. If any sort of aircraft happened by, they would be able to signal it and get out of here.
Grant stood next to the wreckage, once again breathing a silent prayer of thanks that Max had saved him. Suddenly, he heard his teammate cry out, and he hustled as best he could back to Max's side.
"Grant!" Max yelled again.
"I'm here, pal. What's wrong?" Grant said softly. But then he realized that his friend was still asleep.
"We're gonna crash!" Max screamed.
He's having a nightmare, Grant realized, as Max's chest heaved with rapid gasps.
Grant laid his hand on Max's shoulder and shook him gently. "Max, wake up."
Suddenly, Max's body launched into a half-sitting position as he jerked awake. Instantly, the pain from his broken ribs hit him like a lightning bolt and he couldn't keep from crying out.
"Shhhh, Max," Grant soothed, as he wrapped his good arm around his trembling, hurting, gasping friend and held him close. "Take it easy. It was just a dream. We're both safe."
Grant continued to speak softly to his friend until the worst of the pain passed, until the trembling lessened and his breathing evened out. Finally, Max smiled wanly at his partner. "I'm okay now. Thanks, buddy."
Grant shook his head. "No," he whispered, and even in the moonlight Max could see that Grant's cheeks were flushed and a hint of moisture glistened in the corners of his eyes. "Thank you, for hauling my ass out of that chopper, even though it must have hurt like hell." Grant's eyes caught Max's and held on. "I'd be dead right now if it wasn't for you."
Max laid his right arm across Grant's back, careful not to touch his broken collarbone, and smiled at his partner. "That's what friends are for."
His expression suddenly sobered and he stared worriedly at Grant. "You feel hotter to me. I think your fever is spiking."
"I still feel okay," Grant assured him. "A little nauseous, but that could be from hunger."
"Yeah, there's nothing around here I'd really trust enough to try to eat," Max agreed. "I just wish I knew how we were getting out of here."
"I may have an idea," Grant advised him. Max raised an eyebrow questioningly, and Grant led him to the wreckage and showed him where he'd found the glistening metal.
"It'll be daylight in a few hours," Grant mused, looking at his watch. "Then we'll dig it out and wait for someone to fly by."
"You sound so optimistic," Max quipped, in a voice which clearly indicated he did not share the feeling.
Grant gazed at his friend, and his brow furrowed worriedly. "Max," he said gently, "you barely slept an hour before that damn nightmare. You need some more rest." Anticipating Max's protest, he quickly added, "You'll need your strength later."
Yeah, Max thought to himself as he noticed that Grant's cheeks were still flushed. I'll need it to take care of you. But he remained silent, and did not argue. Instead, he laid back down and quickly dozed back off to sleep.
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(c) 2016
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