After three weeks
above the Arctic Circle monitoring whale migration,
I truly felt there was no place like home.
No howling subzero winds, no shifting ice,
no wandering polar bears.
No sushi sandwiches.
Just the simple comforts of my own domain.
Jack?
Yo, MacGyver. You're home.
Just in time, I might add.
I can't quite figure out how slide bolt B
fits through flap hydraulic A-B-left.
Or is it slide bolt A that goes through flap hydraulic Q-S-right?
Jack...
Jack, what are you doing?
What do you mean?
I mean, it isn't obvious?
Gee, I thought it was really starting to take shape.
I can see it's a plane.
Oh, then I am making progress.
What did you do to your finger?
Frostbite. Forget my finger.
Look at my place!
All my stuff...
You know, you, you are unbelievable.
I let you stay here for three weeks
and you turn my place into a... a plane hangar!
Hey, take it easy, MacGyver.
It's no big thing.
You see, it's an ultra-light.
The wings are collapsible, removable.
The engine and the carriage
will go right out through your front door, no problemo.
Good, fine, show me.
Now!
Boy! Testy, testy.
- Anybody home? - Pardone me...
Hey, hey, Gertie.
Well, look what the cat dragged in.
Now, now, be nice, or I'll buy a mean dog.
- Whatcha got? - What you owe.
Looks like they all found you, Jack.
Time to move again...
- Bye, Gertie. - Bye.
Batteries.
Dirty, stinking batteries in my refrigerator!
That's it. You're out of here.
If I have to get a court order
to get you banned from these premises, I will...
do it.
Jack?
It's him.
It's him, gotta be.
Him who?
My father.
There he is in the cap, see?
Recognize the good looks? I know I do.
That kind of says it all.
"Jack,
I wish you could have known your father
and he could have known you.
Unfortunately, the war in Korea
took him away from all of us too soon.
I know that what I loved in him must surely be a part of you.
God bless you and keep you."
"A friend?"
So my old man's dead.
That answers that.
What? You didn't know?
I never even knew what he looked like till now.
Jack, I don't understand.
Eh, I'm not sure I do, either.
Why is she doing this?
Why, after 37 years?
Who are you talking about?
My mother, who else?
What kind of friend writes a letter like that, huh?
What kind of friend would send four packages in ten days...
all of them with your father's personal effects.
Look at this, MacGyver. Look at this. You see this?
"Captain Jack Dalton, Senior."
Must have been some kind of hero, huh?
I got this cap about three years ago.
Before that, zip.
Then this stuff starts arriving in the mail.
You don't understand?
I don't understand.
I never did.
Jack, who were those people you were living with in high school?
Foster parents.
Nice people.
And what happened to your real mom?
I never knew her.
She, uh...
She gave me up for adoption while I was still in diapers.
Why didn't you tell me any of this before?
Too busy aggravating you, I guess.
No. I...
I just sort of...
pushed it all over to the dark side of my brain
a long time ago.
I... didn't need to keep reminding myself
I wasn't good enough to keep.
Well, I don't buy that.
Read between the lines, Jack.
If this "friend" really is your mother,
it's obvious she's trying to reach out.
Reach out?
Isn't it a little late for that?
I don't know. Is it?
My sources at the Pentagon
confirmed the I.D. number on the bomber.
The pilot, Captain Jack Dalton,
was assigned to the Fifth Air Force's 67th Flight Squadron.
The plane was shot down over Kim Po Airfield,
January 8, 1951.
"Captain Dalton was, uh... posthumously awarded
the Distinguished Flying Cross
for staying at the controls of his plane
until his three surviving crewmen,
Greer, Zisco and Akers, could bail out."
Well, Dad, you did good.
Anything in there about a wife and son?
Yes.
Uh, it says that there was a wife and that, uh,
she put in for maternity benefits at Lakeland Military Hospital.
A child was born... February 3, 1951.
But there's no further documentation.
What was my mother's name?
Come on, Pete.
Your mother's name is Francine Dalton.
Francine? Francine!
The foxy lady painted on the bomber!
Jack, Mrs. Francine Leyland Dalton
is a fugitive from justice.
And she has been for the past three years.
What?
On what charge?
She was arrested along with her employer, an investment broker,
named Arthur Bandel.
He was indicted as the kingpin
of a multi-million dollar stock swindle.
It says here your mother was charged as co-conspirator.
She, uh, jumped bail after arraignment.
My mother a wanted felon. What a day.
And from everything I've read,
this Arthur Bandel has used every legal means
at his disposal to keep this thing from going to court
for the past three years.
It seems like, uh, neither one of them wants to face the music.
Yeah. Well, so much for him.
And so much for dear old mom.
If the law can't find her, we never will.
Well, if you wanted to try,
you might start by paying a visit to the bondsman who put up her bail.
- Might find out something. - Yeah, that's a good idea.
Mothers.
Sometimes they're more trouble than they're worth, you know?
Jack?
Is she more trouble than she's worth?
Or do you want to dig a little deeper?
I'm here to help if you want.
Thanks.
I didn't punch the cop, you did.
I didn't set the bail, the judge did.
The bond is ten grand, you got it?
A personal check? Get real!
I want cash or your pink slip, bozo!
You can go right in.
Then fine, enjoy life on the inside.
Make new friends.
Needle-neck jerk!
Felony or misdemeanor?
Uh, neither. I'm Jack Dalton.
This is my friend Mr. MacGyver.
What do you want?
Francine Dalton.
Well, you ain't alone on that score, pal.
That whacked-out, double-crossing broad
is gonna cost me a hundred G's on a forfeited bond.
That "broad" happens to be my mother.
Your mother, huh? My apologies.
Mr. Ricco, all we want is some information.
You put up the bail for her and Arthur Bandel, right?
Yeah, and she skipped.
For three years, I've been out a whole lot of money,
which I stand to lose permanently
if she doesn't show up for trial.
Wait a minute, the Bandel case is going to trial?
Set for the 17th.
That's Monday. Today is Saturday.
That's not much time, is it?
Do you have a copy of the police custody record?
Sweetheart,
do you think you can find the Dalton file?
Sometime today?
All ready for Monday, Marty.
So, whatcha looking for? Hot tip?
Let me guess.
The phone number of the person she called
the night she was arrested. Am I right?
- Sam Greer. - You know him?
Lives in Lakeland. Owns a bar... The Wingman.
We checked him out right after she skipped.
He loaned her some traveling money. End of story.
Thanks, Mr. Ricco.
We'll let you know if we find anything else.
You do that.
Look!
If you can somehow manage to bring her in,
in the next 48 hours...
I'll pay you the same commission
I'd pay any licensed bounty hunter.
You're a very sick man, Marty.
Let's go, MacGyver.
Stay in touch, you hear?
Colton! What's up?
I heard it all, Marty.
Francine Dalton is mine.
Sam Greer. That's our lead, Jack.
They've already checked him out.
Sam "Sparky" Greer was on your dad's bomber crew.
It's all in that file that Pete gave us.
Old Marty in there doesn't seem to know
that your dad saved Greer's life.
Hey, maybe Sparky's the friend that mailed
all my dad's photos and medals and stuff, you think?
Maybe.
Let's get to The Wingman and find out.
Sam Greer's a dead end.
He told me nothing.
But you ain't Francine Dalton's son.
Now, if you want to cop your fee,
you'll follow her boy out there, find her,
and bring her back here before midnight Sunday.
You got that?
They're moving.
Dawn, I'm on a bromo run.
Yes?
Hi, Mr. Bandel. This is Dawn.
Do you remember that fur coat you promised me?
I just earned it.
What do you have, Dawn?
A couple of very interesting people
paid a call on Marty.
One of them was a Mr. Jack Dalton.
He says he's Francine Dalton's son.
Francine Dalton has a son?
Surprised me, too.
W-Where is he?
A bar in Lakeland, called The Wingman.
Marty seems to think they're going to look this guy up, Sam Greer.
Dawn... Dawn, did I ever tell you,
you... you are beautiful?
No.
Ken, David, come in here.
Yes, sir?
Good, Kenny. Francine Dalton.
For three years, she's had a noose around my neck,
and now I think I can do something.
I've finally got some leverage.
Seems she has a son. Jack Dalton.
I want you to go over to Lakeland to this bar and find him,
and bring him back to me.
And what about Francine Dalton, sir? Do we take her out?
No, Dave.
Francine Dalton has evidence
detrimental to Mr. Bandel's case.
The idea is to trade the evidence for her son.
Am I right, sir?
Yeah, that's right, Kenny.
Now, stay clear of Francine.
We don't want her to push any panic button.
And if he finds his mother, all right, fine.
Let them get together for a final family reunion.
Then... bring Jack Dalton to me.
How you doing?
- Let me get that one. - How's everything?
The Wingman Bar. You've got to love it.
Gad, I'd almost stay grounded to own a joint like this.
Jack...
take a look behind the bar.
I think I need a drink.
Let me have three drafts, a Scotch,
and one Irish up.
Thank you, Sparky.
What can I do for you boys?
A "hello" would be nice, Sparky.
I'm Jack Dalton,
Jack and Francine Dalton's son.
Jack, my God, if you aren't the spitting image!
This is my friend, MacGyver.
- Hi. - Hi.
Well, how'd you boys track me down?
Well, you are the friend that sent my dad's things along to me, aren't you?
Yes sirree, that's me.
Do you always sign your notes, "A Friend"?
Oh, listen, I-I just felt it was...
best to pass along the stuff anonymously.
I... I didn't know if it was gonna upset you or make you proud.
But you should be proud.
Your father was the salt of the earth, son.
He gave his life to, uh... save mine and...
Ernie's and Bud's.
Well, anyway, now that you found me,
how about a drink... on the house?
H-two-oh on the rocks for my friend,
and I'll have whatever my mom's drinking these days.
She, um...
used to drink Irish.
Straight up, as I recall.
You seen her, heard from her at all lately?
No. Not for a while.
How long would that be, Mr. Greer?
About three years?
Mr. Greer, we know Francine Dalton called you
the day she was arrested.
And we know it would be next to impossible
for you to have tracked down Jack on your own.
Sparky, she's my mother.
For better or worse, I just want to meet her.
Come on, Sparky, you said yourself
you owed my dad one, a big one.
And I'm honoring that, believe me.
Look...
I can tell you this.
Your mother is alive and well and safe.
And if you want to keep it that way,
then just leave it alone.
Jack?
I think we found her.
Upstairs?
Too late boys. Last hand of the day. Sorry.
Well, that's a straight.
Ace high.
Say good night, everybody.
Next time, Franny.
Next time, make it interesting, Charlie.
Bring more cash.
Yeah, sure thing.
Hey, Nick, I'll buy you a beer. Hang on.
Great.
Francine Dalton?
Fran Leyland. You got the wrong address.
No, I don't.
I'm Jack Junior. I'm... your son.
I don't have a son.
Yeah, you do.
Leyland's your maiden name. You're Francine Dalton.
You married Jack Dalton.
He died, you had a son.
You gave him up for adoption in 1951.
Well, you did your homework.
So what do you want, a gold star?
How about hello?
I said goodbye to you a long time ago.
So that's it?
Over and out.
No regrets, huh?
Look, is that why you came here?
To see a guilt-ridden old woman?
Are you saying you had nothing to do with contacting Jack?
You didn't send along his father's pins,
medals, photos these last few days?
That weak-kneed, sentimental old fool Sparky
did that without asking me.
Look, I'm sorry he wasted your time.
And mine.
Hey, Mom, so am I.
Jack.
Hey, Jack!
Count your money later.
I want to know what kind of mother gives up her son
twice in one lifetime.
Look, if you're his friend, don't make a scene.
Just take him away from here and keep him away.
Maybe what I should do is take you to the police.
That is the last thing you want to do.
Look, I don't think you understand.
I am trying to save his life.
And mine.
- What are you talking about? - It's none of your business.
Just leave it alone. It's my problem.
Does that problem include...
...Arthur Bandel?
Oh, you two have really done your homework, haven't you?
Yeah.
Arthur Bandel.
The man wants me dead,
and the only reason I'm not is that I'm holding evidence,
evidence that would put him away.
But the Justice Department can't get a conviction without it.
And I won't be harmed as long as I've got it.
Bandel's afraid to come near me.
But if he finds out that I've got a son...
he's gonna hunt him down,
and he's gonna use him against me.
And I will not allow that to happen.
Now do you understand?
Yeah. I understand.
But you got to make Jack understand.
You can't leave him hanging like this.
I am telling you I never wanted to hurt him.
I prayed I would never hurt him again.
Then tell him the truth.
How'd it go with your mother, Jack?
What do you think, Dave?
Look at him.
Go ahead, blow. You'll feel better.
- Who are you? - Bandel's escort service.
Please, no sudden moves. I hate making a mess.
I hate when you do.
Come on, Jack, let's go.
Jack!
Are you all right?
Yeah.
- Who are those guys? - They're Arthur Bandel's men.
They found out about Jack. It's just what I was afraid of.
Francine, I've been looking for you.
There you go, that ought to hold you.
- Ow! - And I'll just take this knife.
Let me guess.
Marty Ricco's bounty hunter, right?
Only when the price is right.
And the price on her head is gonna get me out of this pitiful racket,
and into the island life.
Coconuts and hula girls.
That's where I'm headed, Jack.
Gee, that's great, but, in the meantime,
two of Bandel's men just kidnapped my friend.
My son.
Not my problem.
Francine!
Sparky!
Why don't you go fix somebody a drink?
Move!
Hey.
Now, listen to me.
That man is going to take evidence to the authorities,
and as soon as he does that, my son's gonna be killed.
Cry me a river, lady.
Francine, what are you talking about?
Sparky is my safety valve.
He has instructions to take a computer disc with the evidence
against Bandel to the Justice Department.
Bandel will kill Jack just to spite me.
We've got to stop Sparky.
Hey, uh...
how about letting me go?
What do I look like, some kind of rookie to you, pal?
Ain't nobody ever come back to bushwhack me before a delivery,
and I ain't about to let it start happening now.
Are we being clever?
Your feet.
Take it.
I can't get us loose until we get him out of the van.
How do we do that?
Think of something.
So... what's your name?
Colton.
Tell me, Colton, what's that lowlife, Marty Ricco,
paying you for this?
Five grand?
Hey, don't sell yourself cheap, lady.
You're worth at least 15.
I'll tell you what.
I'll give you $25,000 if you take me back to the bar.
I've got the money in the safe.
Now, that way I can stop Sparky,
and you could make yourself $10,000 more.
You all just order room service.
I got a phone call to make.
She's offering $25,000, Marty's offering $15,000.
Marty's gonna have to do better.
Hey, Marty, yeah, I got her.
Francine Dalton?!
Nah, your mama -- who else, sucker?
Colton, that's great!
I don't care what I said about you before, man.
You are the best.
- You hear me? The best. - Yeah, gee, whiz.
Well, I really do appreciate that, Marty.
I don't even know your name.
MacGyver.
Francine.
It's a pleasure.
Look here, man. I got a problem.
I mean, it's getting real confusing out here.
What, what?
Well, you're offering me 15 to bring her in;
she's offering me 25 to let her go.
I think I'll let her go.
What?!
Colton!
There must be something wrong with the connection.
30 grand, Marty.
Huh? Huh?
How's your connection now?
Marty... I knew you'd see it my way.
Hey!
Hurry, MacGyver, we've got to stop Sparky.
Yes, um... Justice Department, Investigations, please.
I know it's Saturday.
Can you give me your weekend command center?
I'm-I'm looking for a Mr. Stephen Jastrow.
The deputy... de-deputy attorney general.
Yes, I'll hold.
Your mother used to work for me
on the trading floor at the stock exchange.
She was a tough trader.
She knew when to gamble,
she followed my instructions to the letter,
and she didn't ask too many questions.
You gonna give me her resume or get to the point?
The point is the Justice Department
started asking a bunch of questions.
Your mother became a liability I couldn't afford.
On top of that, your mother managed to jump bail.
She disappeared with a computer disc
that had enough evidence on it to bury me in court Monday.
So now I'm supposed to be collateral, is that it?
Well, good luck, bud,
'cause my mother couldn't give a tinker's damn
whether I'm alive or dead.
Well, we'll soon find out, won't we?
No! I already checked with command center in Washington.
They told me to call you.
Yes. Stephen Jastrow.
I don't know, you spell it.
Will you bureaucratic numskulls just patch me through?
This is an emergency!
Hurry. Hurry.
Yes, Mister Jastrow.
Finally.
I'm calling for Francine Dalton.
Uh, she has this computer disc she wanted me to forward to you.
Me?
Well, my name is...
- Sparky! - Francine!
Who are you calling?
Nobody.
Daggone it, Francine, you scared the daylights out of me!
Sparky, it's Bandel -- he's got Jack Junior.
Oh, my Lord.
Well, what do we do now?
I don't know; the whole plan has gone up in smoke now.
What plan?
I was gonna show up in court day after tomorrow,
with the disc.
To prove my innocence and put Bandel away.
Once again, the best-laid plans seem to end in disaster, don't they?
Now, wait a minute.
They've got Jack, you've got the disc.
I suggest we set up a trade.
Hello?
This is Francine Dalton.
Mr. Bandel...
Francine Dalton.
Francine?
My son for the evidence, Arthur.
You get your case thrown out of court.
We'll be even Steven.
We make the trade tonight, agreed?
No, we'll make the trade tomorrow morning.
It's nice and quiet out here now.
Besides, I can see you coming.
7:00 a.m., alone, Francine.
No problem.
It'll all be over soon, huh?
For both of you.
There's only one thing keeping me
from blowing your head off, slick --
the Dalton woman.
Where is she?
Can we negotiate?
Okay!
She's on her way.
She's trying to save her son.
That story again?
It happens to be the truth.
But if you don't let me go in there and help her,
we can kiss them both goodbye.
Look, I ain't taking no more of your tap-dancing, slick!
All right.
Okay.
Will you just do me one little favor
and point that thing someplace else?
All right, just relax and listen.
Francine Leyland wants to appear in court tomorrow.
As soon as her son is safe,
she's yours -- you can have the commission.
Until that time, you've got a choice.
Either get in the way,
or help.
Now, what's it gonna be?
Good choice.
There's a guard in front.
Why don't you take him out?
Then keep an eye on things
till I can get them all out of there.
Thought you said you were in a hurry.
She's here.
Looks like she's alone.
Francine...
where's the disc?
Where's Jack?
You all right, Jack?
Well, the last 37 years have been kind of tough.
Get in the elevator, Francine.
Ken, you bring the other elevator.
Lock it off on the fourth floor.
Then bring her to my office.
Yes, sir.
You look good, Francine.
Kenny, get the disc.
Sit down, sit down.
I didn't think you'd show up.
I said what I said to keep you away from all of this.
I'm sorry, Jack.
We've lost power.
Dave, check it out, will you?
Power's back, but I still can't get in.
Francine, I'm getting sick and tired of your games.
I want you to tell me that password, now.
Not until Jack is safe.
We had a deal.
Kenny?
The password, Francine.
Okay. Just don't hurt him.
The password
is Jack.
Hey, there.
Bingo.
All right, let's make sure we have 'em all.
Check out the shell companies.
You shouldn't have given it to him.
- You're my son. - Since when?
Here we are.
I know I deserve that.
Why?
I've always wanted to ask you that.
Jack, please, try and understand.
I was a bride, a mother,
and a widow, all at the age of 17.
Your father was the only man I ever loved.
When he was shot down, I went out of my mind.
I couldn't even take care of myself, much less my own baby.
I never forgave myself for giving you up.
Can you forgive me?
They're all there.
Swiss bank account numbers, phony companies, the lot.
Yeah, the companies might be phony,
but the profits are real enough.
Power's gone again.
Francine, I told you to come up here alone.
Kenny, go on up there, see what's going on.
There's no power failure.
Must be rats. This place is full of 'em.
Come on, move it. Let's go.
What next, a little one-way drive in the country?
Just move.
You can do better than that.
The least you could do is come up with something original, right, Mom?
Arthur never did have much imagination.
Oh. Just shut up, Francine. Keep moving.
Forget it! Forget it! Drop it!
Drop it, Bandel.
Drop it!
No! You drop it.
You drop it.
That woman's coming with me, Bandel.
I don't think so.
We're gonna walk out of here,
and if anyone comes near her, she'll get blown away.
Shoot her.
Go ahead and shoot her.
Price on her head is just as high
whether she's dead or alive. Shoot her!
Come on, you got what you want. Leave her, take me.
No, I think I'll just keep her with me.
Oh, come on, Bandel.
You're over your head, now.
Money's one thing, but murder
and kidnapping is something else.
Give it up.
Man makes good sense.
I'd listen to him.
In fact, I'd jump all over that idea.
Now I'm warning you, stay back.
Stay back!
That's it.
On your feet.
Thank you.
Well... payday.
Uh, Colton...
Why don't you give them a couple of minutes?
They've waited 37 years for this.
"To my friends --
Thanks again for making it happen.
If you're ever craving chocolate macadamia nuts,
come and look me up. Jesse Colton."
Now that Colton is one happy fella.
How about that Bandel? Now there's one unhappy fella.
I don't know.
Federal prison is a good place for a guy as industrious as Arthur.
He might even amount to something in 20 or 30 years.
So how about you?
What's it like to know there's nobody looking over your shoulder?
Well, for one thing
it makes you want to look ahead instead of behind.
I, uh, haven't got much experience as a mother.
I hope you're going to be patient with me.
Are you kidding?
I've never really been anybody's son before, either.
We'll fake it.
Deal.