For the past two months,
I'd been taking groups of Phoenix Foundation field operatives
into the wilderness,
pitting them against nature and themselves.
If they made it through the three grueling days of survival testing,
they were recertified for field duty,
and life went on pretty much the same as always.
If they didn't make it, like Bill Foy,
they were reassigned to other duties.
I was tired.
I smelled like a monkey cage, and I felt like a prize fink.
Who was I to judge my peers?
Rough day at the office?
Pete.
Just the man I wanted to see.
You've got to get me off this assignment.
I just washed out Bill Foy.
Bill Foy?
Yeah, and I don't feel too good about it, either.
Well, you do realize he's ten years younger than I am.
Well, I guess he just spent too many years behind a desk.
He was out of it by the end of the first day.
And... he broke his leg.
Well, that's what I'm here to tell you.
You've got, uh, one more party of one
and then you get your rotation off the assignment.
One. Must be somebody pretty important.
- Yeah, it is. - Yeah? Who?
Me.
You want some stew?
I made it myself.
Well, out of a can.
It's hot.
Yeah, word came down about a week ago.
No exemptions from recertification.
I put it off as long as I could.
I didn't think anybody as high up as you had to go through this.
Listen, I set this program up myself.
Years ago.
Because I believed that field operatives
had to be ready for anything.
Otherwise they couldn't be trusted.
And, uh... now here I am,
and, uh...
I let myself get just a... little bit out of shape.
You're not worried about this, are you?
Worried?
Listen, what's to worry?
I've just got to face it. Either I make it, or I don't.
You're worried.
Yeah.
Look, Pete, I'd be lying to you if I said this course was easy.
But it's nothing you haven't been through before.
Yeah. I aced it once.
Last time, I even enjoyed it.
Of course that was...
a hundred years and 30 pounds ago.
Well, it... isn't anything I haven't done before.
Right?
Follow me.
Closely.
- Pete, you okay? - Yeah.
That's kind of a tough landing.
Oh... lucky I've got the padding for that, eh?
So, what's next on the list of tortures?
Well, I call it an obstacle course.
Some of the others call it MacGyverland.
MacGyverland?
Okay, I've done that.
Now what?
All right.
Ready for this?
The first move is up the ladder.
Then you're out to the rope...
crawl across here...
ease yourself down the rope.
Hang onto the rope for this.
Keep your feet together.
A little flourish at the end...
See, it's not so bad.
MacGyverland, huh?
How did Bill Foy do here?
Well, actually, this is where he broke his leg.
Oh.
Take it easy now.
Come on Pete, let me give you a hand.
I think I could use a whole body.
Here...
Ow!
Thanks.
So, uh...
level with me, MacGyver. How am I doing so far?
Better than Bill Foy.
Next stage is over here.
Oh, that workout this afternoon wasn't bad enough.
Now we've got to put up with lousy weather.
I'm going to sleep right here.
On my pack.
And if I need anything more to eat than this orange,
I'll eat my shoe.
If I can get it off.
Oh. Has it really come to this?
Oh... middle age, fallen arches...
blisters.
And now acute humiliation.
Well, there's no reason to be humiliated.
This is a tough course.
Yeah. And I'm washing out on it.
I saw you writing in that notebook.
Don't you think the first day is a little early
to be judging something like this?
That's just the point.
It is only the first day.
Look Pete, the only thing you should be concerned with right now
is finding some food and bedding down.
Don't patronize me, MacGyver.
I don't think I can stand that.
You think that's what I'm doing?
No. I think that's what you're trying not to do.
You know I asked for this recertification...
before you got rotated off the assignment.
Why?
Because if I am going to wash out...
I want to do it in front of a real friend.
Pete, if the absolute worst happened,
and they reclassified you out of field operations,
where would you transfer?
I wouldn't.
I'd retire.
Yeah. You tried that once before, remember?
It took you two days and you were climbing the walls.
You might as well just admit it,
you were not meant to be inactive.
Hmm...
Besides, you're too valuable to the Phoenix Foundation.
Well, that's just it, see?
Because I still feel valuable.
I know I'm valuable.
I mean, if I can't go out into the field, and actually
do some real good...
what does it all add up to?
Besides, what would you do without me?
To bail you out of all the trouble you're so good at getting into.
That's a good question.
Yeah.
And in keeping with that sentiment...
what do you say we go gather some nuts and berries?
And some more wood.
Attaboy, never say die!
You betcha! Full speed ahead.
Blisters and all.
What is it?
Not good.
From the condition of the bodies,
they couldn't have crashed more than ten or 12 hours ago.
Look at that. Camera mountings.
"Breck Taylor.
Drug Enforcement Administration..."
Air surveillance. Gotta be.
Oh... what a waste.
Hey, Pete, take a look at this engine.
Or what's left of it.
Well, the whole exhaust system has been blown away.
That's the hottest part of the plane.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Heat-seeking missile?
Yeah, I'd be willing to bet these guys were shot out of the sky.
Well, you know they're gonna send out search planes.
I mean, if whoever did this is still out there,
it could happen again.
Yeah, well, we can forget that radio.
The crash pretty much fried it.
There wouldn't be enough juice in that battery
to transmit very far anyway.
Listen, we've got to notify somebody, somehow.
I know, Pete.
The problem is, it's a three-day trek out of here.
Well, if they were photographing when they crashed,
this camera ought to let us know what they were looking at.
Yeah... if we had some way to develop the film.
Do we?
Well I'll need some battery acid,
which I can get from the plane...
potassium bromide, bicarb...
Well, we can get those from the first aid kit.
Ammonia capsules. They'll be in the kit, too.
And I can use the juice from one of your oranges.
Orange juice?
MacGyver, come on, that... that's amazing.
- Are you sure that's gonna work? - Nope.
I covered the bodies the best I could.
Wish I could have done more.
How's it going?
Well, it's been long enough.
Let's try it.
Now it's gonna go dark in a few seconds, so look fast.
That's a lake, and a seaplane...
Two men, running.
Look, one of them's holding something.
Maybe the missile launcher.
Right there.
That's where they fired the missile.
The rest of them are blank.
We're looking at high-tech munitions,
cold-blooded murder, and a DEA plane.
It smells like a heavy drug operation to me.
Yeah, well, this is the right area for it. It's perfect.
The only lake around here that's big enough to support
a seaplane is Crystal Lake.
Well, how far is it?
About six hours, over rough terrain.
You up to it?
Well, I have to be.
Have you got a plan?
I think we should try to get to their plane and radio for help.
Oh, that's simple enough.
Tough part's getting there.
I'm not gonna slow you down.
Okay.
Looks like the one in the picture.
That's definitely headed towards Crystal Lake.
From the direction, I'd say it was coming from the open sea.
Mother ship operation?
Yeah, they're getting very popular on the west coast.
Someone's gonna come looking for that plane we shot down.
It's been almost 24 hours now.
I say you call in your distributor
and we get this thing over with now.
We have two more runs to make to the ship.
My people are expecting 1,800 kilos in that cave.
If their customers get a partial delivery, they'll kill us.
Is that simple enough for you?
This operation was supposed to be undetectable!
The very best.
You know, I'm gonna tell you, Crandall.
I don't like how this is going.
I hired you to fly, and that's what you'll do.
Now let's get it done.
MacGyver!
I know I said I wouldn't hold you up, but I got to stop.
Just for a minute.
Well, we got 'em.
There's a seaplane on the south shore.
Looks like they're getting ready to leave.
So what do we do?
They could be making another run.
I say we check out their camp.
We could be there in a... quick, two-hour hike.
You know, I would think, out of respect for an older man,
and your superior,
you would have the common decency to be a little bit winded.
Let's pack 'em a little higher this time
and get it over with.
Yeah, I'll go for that.
Looks like the plane was moored here.
Well, there's no campfire,
ashes, anything.
I say we look for a stash.
Now I like that, Pete.
You're thinking like a smuggler.
Well, the brain is the last thing to go.
Yeah, what's the first?
Uh, can't remember.
All right.
We'll radio on the way back.
Have the next load on the launch by the time we land.
Hey, Pete...
It's a generator.
Here... take my flashlight.
Here, let me get your light.
No one home, huh?
Well, let's take a look.
Well... look what they've got behind door number three.
Talk about a stash.
There's got to be more than a ton here.
Yeah, I'd be willing to bet somebody's coming back.
Whoa!
That's coke.
Must be $50 million worth here.
Take one of these along for evidence?
Yeah. Good idea.
- Do you hear that? - What?
Listen.
Let's get out of here.
Pete... wait a minute.
They've still got to unload.
Let's hide down in there.
When they're both in the storage area, let's make a move to the plane.
All right.
Right there.
Turn off your light!
Crandall!
Someone's been here!
You hear me? Get in here!
Pete!
Suck it up.
Suck it up!
I am.
Wilcox! Over here.
Let's go, Pete!
- There's two guys. - Could be D.E.A.
Whoever it is, they're not getting away.
Stay here and cover 'em.
Looks like this is as far as it goes.
Get ready to run.
Get down, Pete!
Pete?
Yeah...
- Pete. - Yeah.
You okay?
Oh... ow! Ow.
I'll live.
I'll hurt, but I'll live.
Sealed tight.
MacGyver, we would need wings to get up to that hole.
Maybe not.
I think I can work a route.
There's still a chance we can stop 'em,
if we get out of here together.
Are you suggesting that I climb that?
One step at a time, Pete.
Let me have your hammer.
You and your heavy artillery.
You know you're lucky
you didn't bring the whole mountain down on us.
Quit your whining. Let's just get it done.
Grappling hook, right?
Right.
I was afraid of that.
Good job.
Oh, thanks.
Told you I could do it.
All right, Pete.
I want you to wait until I get over there till you start out.
Yeah, sure.
Oh, one more thing, Pete.
Yeah?
Don't look down.
Okay.
All right, Pete, nice and easy.
That's it...
Take it slow...
Come on, fatso, you can do it.
You said you could do it, now do it!
What's that?
Nothing, I'm all right.
Come on, a little more.
Come on.
You've got it.
Attaboy!
See?
That wasn't so bad, was it?
No. It was fine.
One more pitch from that ledge and we're out of here.
Great.
So uh, when do your customers pick up the stuff?
Early in the morning.
By then we should be sitting in my office.
When they find the coke
they radio us and uh, we collect our piece.
This next part might be a little tricky.
You mean uh, compared to the day at the beach we've had so far?
Yeah.
Piece of cake.
All right, Pete, it's your turn.
It's kind of a rough go.
Give it a shot. You got to do it.
Yeah, sure.
Give it a shot.
Hang in there, Pete.
Thanks.
I did it!
Yeah, you did.
All right, give me your hand.
Did you hear something?
No...
Take a look.
See you up top.
Yeah.
Okay, you ready, Pete?
Yeah.
Hold it! I hear company.
Catch!
What?
Oh!
You see anything?
Nothing.
Well, then get down here. Let's go.
Yeah, yeah.
Pete.
Yeah?
Pete?
What?!
- You okay? - Yeah.
But I missed the rope.
What? Where is it?
It's 30 feet down.
Oh, man.
Can you reach me?
No.
It's too far.
You're gonna have to climb.
All right.
Here I come.
That's right. Come on.
There's a foothold right by your right foot.
Where are they?
So we're finally back to your simple plan, eh?
Yeah, I think I know how to do it, too.
How did I know that?
We got to get them both away from the plane at the same time.
I'll make my way down to the lake, get their attention,
then head in that direction. I'll try not to lose them.
And while you take them for a stroll,
I'll make the call on the plane radio.
Yeah. Once you do that, get out of there.
- I'll meet you back here. - Right.
Now give me your coat.
My coat?
MacGyver, it...
Never mind. I don't want to know.
Give me a hand.
- Hey, look. - What?
There he is! Get him!
There!
Phoenix Outpost. Come in.
Phoenix, come in please.
This is Phoenix Base. Go ahead.
Phoenix. Listen carefully.
This is Peter Thornton. Crystal Lake, south shore.
- Aw... - What?
One of them's still back there.
Your friend's not here.
I shot him.
He wasn't, uh, built for heroics.
You know, you've caused me an awful lot of trouble.
Well, we tried.
Pete!
Does this count towards my recertification,
or do I have to go back to MacGyverland?
You just saved the teacher's life.
Of course you passed.
DEA is really high on you two.
The rumor is, they're thinking of giving you medals.
Medals?
I had my heart set on a chocolate shake and a cheeseburger.
Well, I'm glad to see you still have your sense of humor.
Since the rest of me is lost forever, you mean?
We'll get you out of here in the chopper
as soon as it's gassed up.
Anything I can do for you in the meantime?
Could you arrange to have me put to sleep?
Oh, come on, Pete, it's not that bad.
Nah.
I'll live.
I owe you big.
If it wasn't for you,
I wouldn't still be a certified field agent.
That's important to me.
Well, just consider it a down payment on an old debt of mine.
What debt?
All the years I've looked up to you.
Yeah?
You never told me that.
Huh... Hey.
You know, I lost six pounds out there.
I may start dating again.
Oh, nurse.