Rating: T for violence and adult situations.

Disclaimer: MacGyver doesn't belong to me. Nothing in this story is based on real life, nor would I want it to be real. And no, I have no idea where it comes from!

AN: For all those loyal readers who have missed me, all I can say is, I'm sorry. I had three jobs and five classes. Now I am down to two jobs and three classes. Yay! I will get back to Rodney soon, sorry SGA fans. For now, enjoy my longest single story to date. I'm up to 40K words and I'm not done yet. Enjoy!!

MacGyver: Test, Trials, and Persecution

Chap 1

"Welcome to my game, MacGyver," Murdoc said, sneering happily down at the bleary man.

"Murdoc?" MacGyver asked, blinking slowly as awareness returned. He felt drugged, only half-aware of his surroundings. He seemed to be lying on the floor of a mid-sized, white, industrial-looking room that he didn't recognize. But one thing was clear- Murdoc was back from the dead once again.

"Not quite awake yet, are we?" Murdoc said snidely, fingering the knife he held casually in his left hand.

MacGyver sat up, noticing the chain around his ankle only as it dug in painfully when he tried to stand.

"What in the world?" he mumbled, still confused.

Murdoc chuckled, "This is my game, MacGyver. My… test. You see, after the last time you defeated me, I wondered… is there anything you can't do?"

"I seem to have a fear of commitment," MacGyver muttered, tired of the cliché monologue already.

Murdoc ignored him, "And then I thought… Is there anything you won't do? With the proper persuasion, of course. So I compiled a list of your 'won'ts'. Won't use a gun, won't drink, won't kill- although that seems a little flimsy to me… etcetera, etcetera. You get the picture, don't you MacGyver?"

Mac grunted noncommittally, already formulating a plan to escape from this madman for the umpteenth time.

"So I devised a series of tests for you, MacGyver. Think of it as a test of your… morality," Murdoc spat the word like it was dirty.

MacGyver looked up, meeting Murdoc's eyes for the first time.

"I don't think I like the sound of that," MacGyver said warily.

Murdoc grinned and pressed a button on the remote he had strapped around his wrist. From up out of the floor raised a table, and on that table lay a girl, unconscious, gagged, and tied ankle and wrist.

MacGyver tensed immediately, "Who is she? What's she doing here?! This 'game' is between you and me, Murdoc!"

Murdoc laughed, "You and your 'morality'. Don't worry, she's no innocent bystander. In fact, I was paid to make her disappear. It seems she's inconvenient for someone. But for my purposes, she'll do just fine."

"Your purposes?! She's a person!"

Murdoc chuckled, "Yes, she's a person. A very beautiful person."

"What?!" MacGyver exclaimed, looking at the slim form lying on the table, "She's- she's a child!"

"No, not a child," Murdoc said, slinking up to the table and sliding the knife along her body.

"What are you doing?!" MacGyver cried, pulling against his ankle restraint to try to stop Murdoc.

Murdoc's knife slid up her pale leg without leaving a mark, though MacGyver saw her bare toes twitch, up to the mid-calf denim skirt that it sliced through cleanly, farther up through the thin material of her pink t-shirt, sliding to a stop along her fingertips, and then changing direction to trace along her collarbone, slicing through the collar of her shirt and the thin straps of her bra without a drop of blood being spilt.

MacGyver watched in silent horror and fascination, holding his breath in anticipation of Murdoc's 'accidental' slip that never occurred.

Murdoc took hold of her clothes, and, like a two-bit magician, pulled the clothes out from under her.

Stepping back to survey his work, Murdoc smiled smugly in MacGyver's direction.

"Not a child," Murdoc said, lasciviously eyeing the woman's body, "She's very beautiful, MacGyver. A perfect specimen."

"For what?" MacGyver asked warily.

Murdoc looked at him and grinned, "For you to rape, of course."

MacGyver gaped at him openly, "W-WHAT?!" he asked, mouth hanging open in shock.

Murdoc strode over to a concealed doorway that slid up for him at the push of another button on his remote. At the same time, the previously white wall became transparent, morphing into a large window. Murdoc slid into an oversized leather armchair, leaning back comfortably as the door slid shut once again. Through a speaker in the wall- embedded behind a series of steel bars- Murdoc's voice echoed in the room.

"The test begins, MacGyver," he said, a smug smile on his face as he pressed the button that released MacGyver's ankle from its restraint, retracting the chain into a slot in the wall.

Immediately, with a wary eye on Murdoc, MacGyver surveyed the room, looking for an opportunity to escape. Running his fingers along the walls, he felt for any more hidden doors.

He stopped, frustrated, as he failed to detect the presence of the door that had been open just a moment ago. He turned his attention to the woman, who was, indeed, attractive. Her pale skin contrasted sharply with her brown-red hair, the pale tan-lines only accentuating her powder-white skin and the faint smattering of freckles that trailed across her cheeks. He checked his eyes from roaming further down, denying himself the opportunity to freely look her over.

She moaned and stirred, her eyes flickering under her eyelids. MacGyver abruptly came back to his situation and began to look through his pockets for his Swiss Army knife. Nothing. In fact, even the lint was gone! MacGyver turned to glare at Murdoc.

"I've learned not to leave you with any tools, MacGyver. Give me some credit."

MacGyver turned back to the woman, examining the ropes around her wrists. The knots were up to Murdoc's usual standards. The more pressure that was put on them, the tighter they got, and the harder they were to untie.

As MacGyver was examining the knots, the woman finally opened her eyes and jerked away from his touch, her breath coming in frantic gasps through the gag as she realized she was naked and tied down. She pulled against the ropes, twisting wildly on the table.

"Whoa! Whoa there! Calm down! It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," MacGyver said gently, holding his hands up to show he meant no harm.

She stilled and met his golden eyes, her dark brown eyes wide with fear. She mumbled something from under the gag.

"Looks like you're going to have a hard time with her," Murdoc said.

She looked past MacGyver towards the new voice, glaring at Murdoc through the glass.

"Ignore him," MacGyver said dismissively, "Let me get that gag off for you."

She flinched away as he reached toward her face and he froze.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," MacGyver repeated as he slowly slid his hands behind her head to untie the knot.

The gag fell loose and MacGyver pulled it free of her chapped lips, tucking the length of material into the pocket of his black leather jacket.

She kept her eyes warily upon him, licking her too-thin pink lips.

"W-Where am I? What's going on?" she asked hoarsely, her dark eyebrows furrowing in confusion, her eyes still blurry from whatever drug Murdoc had given her to render her unconscious.

"I'll answer that!" Murdoc boomed, sitting up in his chair, "You, my dear, are merely a tool; a factor in a great experiment. The man standing next to you," Murdoc gestured grandly, "is going to decide your fate."

Her eyes flickered between Murdoc and MacGyver in alarm.

"What do you mean? W-What are you going to do to me?" she asked, her voice quivering slightly.

"Nothing!" MacGyver said firmly, "No one's going to do anything to you," he said to her, and then turned to face Murdoc, "Let her go! This is between you and me!"

Murdoc smirked, "I don't think so, MacGyver. You know that my test is only beginning. She is an integral part. You have two choices, MacGyver. Rape her… or watch her die."

The woman gasped at Murdoc's words and began to struggle with her bonds once again.

"Murdoc!" MacGyver snarled.

"Better make up your mind, MacGyver. Time is running out," Murdoc said, pressing a button on his remote. The low grind of machinery rolling into motion sounded in the room, and MacGyver turned quickly back to the woman.

She flinched as he turned her way, her expression terrified.

"Please… don't hurt me," she pled.

MacGyver strove to lighten the stormy expression on his face and reassure her, "I'm not going to hurt you," he said, listening for the source of the noise, knowing that anything Murdoc had planned wouldn't bode well for her.

He drew closer to her table as he realized the source of the noise came from under the enclosed slab itself.

"Stay away!" the woman cried as he reached the table.

"Shh!" MacGyver commanded, listening intently. She glared at him and he shrugged, cocking his head to hear better. He crouched down to examine the base of the table, the seamless metal offering no clues save a faint vibration and the low pitched noise.

"M-Mister…" the woman said, her voice tight.

MacGyver looked up.

"The rope- it's getting tighter," she whispered.

MacGyver's eyes opened wide in realization. Murdoc was going to pull her apart.

"Hold still," MacGyver said shortly, his fingers prying frantically at the tight knots, knowing that every bit of pressure that was added made them that much harder to untie. The woman obediently stilled as he leaned over her, his serious face inches from her own.

The rope began to cut into her wrists and ankles and an unconscious whine escaped her pursed lips. MacGyver's already frantic pace sped up, his nimble fingers prying at the rope- to no avail.

A hiss of pain drew his attention to the woman. Her face was scrunched in pain, her eyes squinted to slits. She was being pulled, spread-eagle, limb from limb. And he wasn't going to be able to stop it. Not in time.

"This is the best you could come up with, Murdoc?! Medieval torture?!" MacGyver shouted, still struggling with the bonds.

"I find that the old ways still work the best, MacGyver. They have a certain… finesse. Don't you agree?" Murdoc said snidely.

The woman moaned loudly as the rope pulled tighter, spots of blood appearing beneath the bonds.

"Stop this, Murdoc! She's not part of this! Please!" MacGyver begged, turning to face Murdoc, defeat in his posture.

"Only you can end this, MacGyver. You have a choice. Make it," Murdoc said.

"I can't! I won't! I won't make that kind of decision!" MacGyver cried.

The woman cried out as one of her joints popped loudly, unable to stand the ever-increasing pressure.

"Then watch her die," Murdoc said coldly, "What will it be, MacGyver? Murder or rape? Which one will be harder for your 'morality' to take?"

"M-Mister," the woman whimpered, drawing MacGyver's attention back to her. Her dark eyes were moist with unshed tears. "I-I don't want to die," she whispered.

MacGyver winced at her words, running his hand through his unruly blonde hair.

"You don't understand!" MacGyver said to her, "He wants me to…"

She whimpered loudly as the ropes tightened again.

"I know!" she said firmly, her voice quivering only slightly, "I do not want to die. Not like this. Not when I have a choice."

"You're asking me to…?" MacGyver questioned quietly, stomach churning at the thought.

She nodded, and a single tear escaped, rolling down her cheek and dripping, with an ominous finality, onto the table.

MacGyver closed his eyes, straightened, and turned towards Murdoc.

"Turn it off, Murdoc," MacGyver said evenly, his voice steel.

"I told you, MacGyver…"

MacGyver cut Murdoc off, "I made my decision," he said flatly.

Murdoc grinned, "Did you? How interesting. Tell me, what is your choice?" Murdoc goaded, wanting to hear MacGyver say it, wanting to hear the pain in the other man's voice.

"I'm…" MacGyver cleared his throat and continued, "I'm going to rape her," he spat, eyes burning in anger.

With deliberate slowness, Murdoc casually pressed the remote and the room fell eerily silent.

MacGyver stood there a moment longer, glaring daggers at Murdoc, the woman's harsh breathing echoing in the quietness of the room. Murdoc languidly pressed another button and the machinery's growl started again, accompanied by the woman's sigh of relief.

MacGyver turned to check on her. The ropes had loosened just enough that, though she was still tightly bound to the table, the strain was not enough to keep her in constant pain.

As silence fell again, Murdoc said, "Well, get to it, MacGyver."

MacGyver's shoulders tensed, but he approached the table.

Turning slightly to Murdoc, MacGyver said, "When I'm… done… you will release her. Her part in this is done."

"Of course, MacGyver! She'll be released… and the next part of the test will begin," Murdoc said.

MacGyver nodded once, his head bobbing down in terse acknowledgement of their agreement.

As he reached the table, the woman's eyes were closed tightly. He brushed his fingers across her cheek and her eyes snapped open.

"What's your name?" MacGyver asked quietly.

"Melody," she whispered. He felt her trembling beneath his fingers and his hatred of Murdoc grew.

"Mine's MacGyver," he said. She nodded, her thin bottom lip clenched between her teeth in apprehension.

MacGyver climbed onto the table, eyes on her face, trying his best to touch her as little as possible.

She watched his every move, her body tense and quivering like a bow string.

His face hovering above hers, he asked the most important question, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she breathed, barely audible.

He leaned down and kissed her. After a moment she responded, allowing his gently probing tongue into her mouth. He pulled away long moments later, his hand sliding down to unzip his jeans. The zipper sounded loudly in the hushed room.

Melody paled and swallowed.

"It won't hurt, will it?" she asked fearfully.

MacGyver froze.

"You've never…?" he asked, paling himself.

She shook her head, her lower lip trembling fiercely. MacGyver closed his eyes, fist clenching at his side.

"No," he whispered without opening his eyes, "It won't hurt."

"O-okay," she whispered.

With a deep sigh, MacGyver opened his eyes and met hers.

"Try to relax," MacGyver said, a small smile flitting across his face at her incredulous expression.

He kissed her again and positioned himself so he could run his hands down her body. Melody stared intently at his face, her body shuddering as his hand brushed down her side.

She gasped quietly and he froze, his attention refocusing on her face. Her eyes were half-closed and she grumbled deep in her throat, pressing up lightly against him. MacGyver responded, lowering his body onto hers.

She moaned loudly; a low growl that vibrated against his cheek, his face buried in her neck. She gasped and pressed into him. She screamed.

Catching his breath, MacGyver pulled back and looked down at her. She was flushed pink, from the tip of her nose to her splayed fingers, her eyes wide and dilated and focused on him.

"Are you okay?" MacGyver asked quietly.

"It didn't hurt," Melody said huskily, a tinge of awe in her voice.

"Good," MacGyver said simply, sliding off the bed and zipping up his pants before turning towards Murdoc.

Nearly shaking in repressed fury and excess adrenaline, MacGyver faced the smirking man with his fists clenched tightly at his side.

"It's done. Let her go," MacGyver said coldly.

Murdoc chuckled, his thin body spasming with malevolent mirth.

"As we agreed, MacGyver; she's released," Murdoc said, pressing yet another button.

With a loud snick, the bonds were cut.

Melody immediately rolled off the table, so elated to be free that thought was secondary to action. Her legs, however, remembered their confinement and refused to hold her up. She fell gracelessly to the floor.

MacGyver strode to her side and knelt beside her.

"I'm fine!" she insisted, blushing in embarrassment.

"Let me help you," MacGyver said, gently taking her wrist and helping her to stand.

The rope hung in foot-long segments from her wrists and ankles. Holding onto her wrist, MacGyver gently untangled the knot, pocketing the rope as it slid loose. He repeated his motion with her other wrist and then knelt to do the same to her ankles as she rubbed the raw, red abrasions on her arms.

Finished, he stood and faced her.

"Thank you," she said quietly, and then she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. As she pulled away, MacGyver cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"You're going to need something to wear," he mumbled.

"My clothes…" she started to ask, but he cut her off.

"They're gone. Here," MacGyver said, removing his jacket and stripping off his black t-shirt. He handed her his shirt and then pulled on his jacket, keeping his eyes firmly on fastening the jacket and not on Melody slipping into his long black shirt.

"Thanks," she said again and he looked up. His shirt was long enough to cover everything important, except for those long, creamy legs…

MacGyver cleared his throat, "Yah, no… no problem."

He turned to Murdoc, "Okay, now let her out of here!"

"Now, now, MacGyver! That wasn't part of our agreement. I only said I would release her, and I did!" Murdoc said slimily.

MacGyver's anger flared, "You agreed to let her go free, Murdoc! You agreed that the rest of this test would be between you and me!"

"I agreed to release her. And besides, you are really in no position to make demands. Someone wants her out of the way, MacGyver, and has paid me a great deal of money to make certain of it. So you see," Murdoc said, raising a camera and waving it slightly, "she can't come out of here… alive."

Melody whimpered quietly, and MacGyver unconsciously stepped over to place himself between her and Murdoc. He could feel the warmth of her body through his jacket as she slid closer to him.

"I won't let you hurt her, Murdoc!" MacGyver said.

"Of course not, MacGyver- that's your job," Murdoc said darkly.

MacGyver clenched his fist, the urge to lash out almost uncontrollable. Somehow Murdoc always knew just how to make him angry.

"But that's later. For now, I need my rest. And so you can enjoy your last hours alive, I have prepared a room for you. Goodnight, MacGyver. Sweet dreams," Murdoc grinned, a hidden door sliding open to the rear of the room. With another push the room went dark, the only illumination flickering firelight from the newly revealed room.

After standing there in silence for a few moments, MacGyver felt Melody move, her bare feet slapping softly. He turned and grabbed her wrist, only her silhouette visible in the dim light. She turned towards him and cocked her head in question.

"Let me go first," MacGyver said, "Murdoc likes to set traps," he explained as he released her wrist and strode past her.

MacGyver entered the new room, pausing just inside the doorway to look around in sick fascination. Fitting with the medieval theme, it was lushly appointed, the large, dark four poster bed dominating the room, the snapping artificial fireplace, the tapestries portraying poorly rendered knights and damsels… It was a porno Camelot.

"You have got to be kidding!" MacGyver exclaimed.

"What?" Melody asked, pushing past him to look into the room. They both stood there in silent distaste before a giggle escaped Melody's tenuous control.

MacGyver looked down at her and raised an eyebrow.

She continued to giggle hysterically, catching her breath long enough to say, "It's been a very strange day."

MacGyver nodded, keeping an eye on her as they stepped farther into the room.

"Oh, no!" Melody said through her chuckles.

"What?!" MacGyver asked in alarm, looking around quickly.

She pointed up at the tapestry, "The knight looks like you!"

MacGyver looked closer and, indeed, the knight had a startling similarity. He looked down at Melody, who had finally gotten control of her nervous laughter.

"Handsome devil," he said dryly. They looked at each other in silence for a moment before breaking into gales of laughter.

"It's been a truly weird day," Melody said, attempting to lift herself up to sit on the elevated bed and failing, sliding off the edge of the satin sheets.

MacGyver shook his head as she tried again, and failed again, huffing in frustration.

With a smile, he took her by the waist and sat her up on the bed.

"Thanks," she said, blushing slightly at her need for help. She scooted back on the bed to lean comfortably against the pile of throw pillows.

MacGyver took his time checking the room for booby traps, until it was obvious that he was just avoiding conversation.

"Well, are you coming up here, or what?" Melody demanded, lying on her stomach with her feet kicking the air, looking innocently seductive in his shirt.

"Yah," he mumbled, sliding carefully onto the bed next to her. She shifted position, sliding under the blankets and shivering slightly.

"It's cold," she said, eying him in his jeans and jacket lying on top of the covers, "Aren't you going to take off your jacket or get under the blanket or anything?"

"No, no, I'm fine, really!" MacGyver insisted uncomfortably. Melody sighed impatiently.

"Look at me, MacGyver," she said sternly. He looked over, feigning ignorance. She continued, "You didn't do anything wrong. You saved me. In fact," she said, sliding closer, "you did a very good job saving me."

"Melody, I…"

She cut him off, "My name is Melody Jones. I am 25 years old. I'm a manager for a small company, and I hope to someday have a farm in the country. I have no family, except for my biological father, who I've never met, but he is probably the one who hired Murdoc. I have few friends, am very stubborn and manipulative, and I haven't had a boyfriend in… well, a long time. I tend to get over-focused in my work. I've never had sex before today. I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs. Any questions?"

MacGyver's mouth hung open, speechless, "No… I think that about covered it…" he said warily, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Okay, now let me tell you about you. Your name is MacGyver. You're 35? And you have a dangerous occupation to meet a man like Murdoc several times. Not military, at least not recently. You don't have any family either, or Murdoc would have used them in this 'test'. You have a lot of friends, but only a few close ones. You're too protective for your own good. You're selfless… to a point. You're shy," she grinned at this, eying his jacket, "And you're a loner. You like to stick to the rules, but not within the lines. How did I do?"

"Pretty… pretty good, actually. Add discerning to your list of traits," MacGyver said, relaxing a bit.

"Hmm, thought I did," she said impishly.

"Why would your father hire Murdoc?" MacGyver asked, changing the subject.

She frowned, "He's a politician… need I say more?"

MacGyver raised an eyebrow. She sighed.

"He's running on a platform of 'high morals'. It wouldn't look good if the media found out he had an illegitimate child."

"Oh," MacGyver said quietly, "sorry. But you think he'd really have you killed?"

Melody shrugged, "He wanted Mom to have an abortion… Somehow, I don't think he's too concerned about my welfare. I don't want to talk about this anymore," she said, turning away.

MacGyver looked over in concern. He was at a loss. She was… frustrating. First you couldn't shut her up, and then you couldn't get her to talk!

"Melody?"

"I'm tired," she mumbled, her face pressed into the pillow.

"Melody," MacGyver said again, leaning close to gently turn her over to face him.

She looked up at him, her face wet with tears, "I'm scared," she said softly.

MacGyver pulled her into a hug, her face pressing into his chest as she returned the hug, clinging tightly.

"Murdoc's not going to let us go, is he?" she asked, her voice hopeless.

MacGyver was silent for a moment, debating against the honest answer, "No, probably not," he said finally.

Her grip tightened before she pulled away and looked up at him, "Then we have to find a way to escape."

MacGyver looked down with a small smile, "Any ideas?"

A calculating look fell over her face. It made MacGyver nervous.

"Melody?"

"Shh! I'm thinking!" she admonished, her gaze looking beyond him, deep in thought.

Her eyes lit up and she opened her mouth to speak, but MacGyver kissed her before she could get a word out. She started to pull away, but he didn't let her, continuing until he had to pull away for a breath.

"What?" she asked breathlessly, confused but not displeased.

MacGyver leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "He's listening… and watching."

She grinned wolfishly, "Then we'll give him something to watch… if that's okay with you."

He looked at her, puzzled but internally hopeful. She made the first move, her fingers sliding up his jacket, the fasteners snapping open like gunshots. She continued until her fingers played over his bare chest and down to his waistband.

She shifted over, lifting the blankets slightly in invitation. His eyes glassy, MacGyver let his jacket slide from his shoulders onto the floor and slipped under the covers.

Melody leaned over him, her body pressing across his, and trailed kisses up his neck, pausing at his ear.

"Here's the plan," she said, interrupted by the kisses she left as a distraction for Murdoc, "You ever see North to Alaska? John Wayne?"

"Yah. I like cowboy movies," he mumbled, trying to keep his mind on what she was saying and not on the feel of her body pressed against him.

"Good, then this is what we're going to do…" she said, whispering her plan in parts while still assuring that Murdoc would be too distracted to notice.

"Got it?" she asked finally, her face hovering inches from MacGyver's, her body now fully on top of him.

"Uh huh," he said huskily, panting slightly, his eyes glazed.

"You better," she said playfully, "I hope some of the blood is still getting to your brain!"

He blushed, "Sorry," he mumbled, acutely aware of the effect her actions had on him.

"I'm not," she grinned mischievously, "I told you I was manipulative…" she said, her hand slipping down to his jeans, the zipper sliding down silently under her dexterous fingers.

He moaned loudly as she pushed his jeans down over his hips, her chest pressing against his. He slid her shirt up, his hands sliding over her hips, over her narrow waist, sliding under the shirt and up her ribcage.

She moaned this time, allowing him to turn them over, his jeans slipping out from under the blankets and pooling on the floor next to his jacket.