MacGyver
"Trophies"
A Script Treatment
by Vina Pike
April 18, 2006
MacGyver
Trophies
A note about format: This story is written in the format of a script treatment—not a shooting script, but a treatment, also called a story outline. This means it reads like a regular story written in present tense, but is set up like a one-hour TV drama in 4 acts and an epilogue, and each act is broken down into scenes.
MacGyver and Pete Thornton characters are © Paramount Pictures; all other characters are
© Vina. For those who haven't read my other stories, the characters of Randi Brennan and Gary Brennan were introduced in "The Assistant Genius" and "Judgment Call" included in this folder.
Act One
Scene 1
MacvGyver drives into the Phoenix parking garage in his Jeep, pulls into a parking space and gets out, heading toward the building entrance. He turns as he hears a shout from behind him.
"MacGyver!"
MacGyver sees a young man of about 30 with black spikey hair running toward him. He recognizes him as Gary, the older brother of his computer assistant Randi Brennan. He turns and tries to walk faster toward the entrance.
"Hey!" shouts Gary. "MacGyver! Wait up. I gotta talk to you!"
Gary picks up his pace and gains on MacGyver, who gets a pained look on his face, but finally stops and turns.
"Look…Gary, isn't it? I don't wanna fight with you. If you have any concerns about your sister, you should talk to her," Mac says.
Gary catches up with him and stops. "Hey, man. I don't wanna fight with you."
"Well, you sure gave a different impression the first time we met," Mac reminds him. "What was it you called me? A beach boy? And you accused me of trying to take advantage of your sister."
Gary tries to shrug it off. "Hey, look, I'm sorry about that beach boy stuff. I just…didn't have my head on straight, you know?"
"Oh and now you do?" MacGyver asks, looking skeptical.
"Well, I'm tryin' to anyway. Look, I need a favor, OK?"
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" says Mac who turns to keep walking.
"Now, wait a minute," Gary says as he grabs Mac's arm roughly.
Mac stops cold and looks down at Gary's hand on his arm. "Is that how you handle everything in your life?" Mac asks, trying to keep his temper under control.
Gary lets go. "I'm sorry. OK? Look, I'm not asking for a handout or anything. My aunt kicked me out. She said I'm 33 years old and I need to get a life….and she's right, I know. I've seen how good Randi's doing at the Phoenix Foundation. I mean, I know she's a lot smarter than me, but I asked around. And I heard you guys have training programs…you know, for kids with no money…and…who get in trouble."
MacGyver's expression is beginning to soften as he senses something sincere in Gary's voice.
"I know I'm not a kid, but they didn't say there was any age limit on who can apply for those programs," Gary pleads. "I just want to apply, that's all."
Mac is still looking at him, sizing him up.
Gary looks at him somewhat sheepishly. "Look, I know I'm asking a big favor…especially after I didn't make such a good first impression…but…I just want a chance."
Mac sighs. "All right," he says. "Come on…I'll see what we can do. But I can't promise anything."
"That's OK. That's great! Uh…" He hesitates and does not follow Mac.
Mac stops and turns around. "Now what?" he asks.
"Uh…I need another favor…a real small one," he says, indicating small with his fingers.
"What?" Mac asks suspiciously.
"I uh, locked my keys in my car. I've heard you're real good with stuff like that, so I thought maybe you could get 'em out."
Mac sighs again. "Where're you parked?"
"Thanks, man. I'll show you," Gary says and they start in the other direction toward Gary's car.
Scene 2
They approach a very beat-up and rusty old Camaro. Mac shoots Gary a look of disbelief.
"This is your car?" he asks.
"Well, hey…I don't have much bread to spend on a car. In fact, this one was given to me," he says.
"You should've given it back," Mac says as he peers in the window.
Gary laughs, but Mac says, "Well…you left the windows rolled all the way up. So a coat hanger's not gonna do it."
"You're not gonna have to break the window, are you?" Gary asks, looking worried.
"No," Mac says as he thinks a minute. "What is this, about a 68?"
"Yeah," Gary says. "Why?"
Mac goes around front and pops the hood. "Well, models from around that time have a lock mechanism inside the door that's pretty easy to open…" He pulls out the oil dip stick and looks around. "Can you find me a rag or something to wipe this off with?"
Gary goes to a nearby trash can and pulls out a crumpled paper towel. "How 'bout this?"
"Yeah, that's fine," Mac says as he takes the towel and wipes the oil from the dip stick.
"But what're you gonna do with that?" Gary asks.
Mac takes the dip stick to the driver door of the car. He carefully slides the thin metal stick down into the space where the window glass rolls up and down inside the door. "If you can slide something thin enough down between the window and the inside of the door…you can find the lock mechanism…" He probes gently with the dip stick and suddenly the lock button pops up. "And just pop it up."
"Whoa, man! That's so cool!" shouts Gary. "You did it!"
"Yep," says Mac as he opens the car door.
"I was sure you'd have to break the window! And I'd never have the cash to fix it. How did you know how to do that?" Gary asks him.
"You just think about how something works and consider all the options," Mac says as he reaches inside, pulls out the keys and hands them to Gary.
"Yeah? That's great, man, that's great! I wish I could do that," Gary says as he locks the car and puts the keys in his pocket. "But my sister got all the brains."
Mac smiles. "You don't have to be a genius, Gary. You just have to change the way you look at things. Come on, let's go see the Phoenix training manager and see what we can come up with," he says as they head back toward the building entrance.
Scene 3
Randi Brennan is in her office working at her computer. She's deeply concentrating on the screen. She catches a glimpse of something over the screen and glances up to see Mac standing in her doorway. She looks slightly embarrassed.
"Mac! Hi…why didn't you say something?"
MacGyver smiles. "I didn't want to break the intensity of that concentration," he says as he enters the office and leans against the corner of her desk. "How you doin'?"
"Fine…" she says somewhat suspiciously as she looks up at him. "Why?"
"Oh, I just wondered," Mac says, trying to look innocent.
"Uh huh," Randi says. "What's going on?"
"Nothing," he says, then begins to finger some of the articles on her desk. "It's just…um…I ran into somebody you know this morning."
Randi looks puzzled. "Somebody I know?"
"Yeah. Gary."
"My brother Gary?" she asks, alarmed.
"Yeah, but it's OK. He was OK. He wants to get into one of the training programs here at Phoenix."
"Oh my God, Mac!"
"I really think he's trying to turn his life around," Mac says.
"And you bought that?" she asks, shocked.
"Well, yeah…"
"Boloney!" Randi says. "Helena kicked him out again, didn't she?"
"Um…yeah, he did say that. But I think we should give him a chance. Don't you?" Mac says persuasively.
Randi sits looking at him with dismay. "What about the way he acted when you first met?"
"He apologized for that," Mac says.
"MY brother actually apologized for something?" she asks, still looking skeptical.
"Yes, he did. Let's just give him a chance and see what happens. OK?" Mac says, cocking his head and smiling at her.
Randi's attitude visibly softens. "OK. But don't say I didn't give you fair warning," she says and smiles back at Mac. "So what's he up to?"
"I started him in basic testing and assessment to see where his abilities are, and then he'll go through entry level field training," Mac explains. "Wanna go see how he's doing?"
"Sure, why not," Randi says, getting up from her desk and following Mac.
Scene 4
Mac and Randi approach the door to the room where testing takes place. Mac stops before they go in and turns to Randi.
"You know…I think Gary's a little intimidated by your intelligence and your track record," he says gently.
Randi looks puzzled. "But I've never made a big deal about that or thrown it up to him," Randi says in protest.
"I know you wouldn't do that," Mac says softly. "But I still think he feels inferior. Just give him a lot of encouragement. I think it would help a lot if you show him you believe in him."
Randi shrugs. "OK."
They walk into the room where Gary is seated at a table, working on a written test. The testing supervisor, a young man in his mid-thirties, with a shirt and tie, is sitting at another table in the back of the room, scoring some tests Gary has already filled out.
Mac gives the supervisor a slight wave, then stops beside Gary, who looks up to see Mac and Randi.
"Hey, Tiger Lil!" Gary says warmly to Randi. Then, a little sheepishly, "I hope you're not mad at me for horning in here, kid."
"Of course not," she says, smiling. "I'm glad you're here."
"Yeah, I bet," Gary says, a bit skeptically, but smiling at her.
"So, how's it going?" Mac asks him.
"Man, I feel like a kindergartener trying to get into college," Gary says.
"Oh, now, it can't be that bad," Mac says. "Excuse me…I'm just gonna talk with Michael a minute."
Randi and Gary make conversation as Mac walks to the back of the room and talks to the supervisor.
"So, how IS he doing?" Mac asks.
"Not bad, actually," Michael says. "Pretty average, a little below average in some areas like reading and comprehension. But coming from his background on the reservation, that's really better than I expected. Only about 40 of Navajos have a high school diploma, compared to 75 of the rest of the country."
"Uh, yeah, Michael, I know that," Mac says. "How is he in general intelligence?"
"Oh, he's actually very bright…just lacking in education," Michael says.
"That's about what I figured," Mac says. "And psychological factors…emotional stability, attitude, temperament?"
"Some difficulty with anger management and a need to be in control," Michael says. "But he shows a lot of enthusiasm and potential for learning."
"Yeah? Great! And I think we can guide that anger and controlling nature in a positive direction," Mac says with a smile. "Thanks, Michael."
"Sure," Michael says as Mac walks back toward Randi and Gary.
Randi is saying, "Come on, Gary. You're smart. You're just a different kind of smart than I am. I'm not much good if I'm not sitting behind a computer. But you've always been good at taking charge and being a leader."
"Yeah, well that just gets me into fights," Gary says.
Randi turns to Mac. "I try to say something good about him and he turns it into a negative," she says somewhat frustrated.
"Look, I'm just being honest," Gary shoots back. "You and Helena are always telling me I should admit when I'm wrong—"
"Fine!" Randi interrupts him. "But I was trying to give you a compliment. I'm trying to be supportive and you—"
"Whoa! Whoa!" Mac says, waving his hands for time out. "You're both right, so let's not start an argument. OK?" He looks from one to the other.
They look back at him sheepishly and agree, "OK."
Mac shakes his head, then smiles at them.
Montage of Short Clips with Music Background
Gary begins basic field training, required for all entry-level Phoenix agents...
MacGyver puts him through his paces in hand-to-hand defense techniques. Gary shows his obvious aptitude by throwing his instructor and looking quite proud of himself. MacGyver, who is observing, approaches Gary as if to congratulate him, but turns the tables on Gary and throws him.
Gary pores over a written test as the instructor in the background eyes a stopwatch, then clicks it and reaches for Gary's paper. Gary looks a bit pained as he has to stop before finishing.
MacGyver looks over Gary's paper later, shows an expression of approval and smiles as he writes his comments on it.
MacGyver is the instructor as Gary and two other trainees are put through a mock assignment. Gary and a female agent must extract the third male trainee from a warehouse set with booby traps. MacGyver watches as the two enter, and disarm the booby traps to free the mock hostage agent successfully. MacGyver walks up to the three, nodding, and obviously saying, "Not bad," but then reveals a fake tripwire to a bomb across the building exit that they did not see. The three look at each other, realizing they still have a lot to learn.
Gary and MacGyver are in a Phoenix lab looking at a map on a table as Gary explains his plan for a mock stakeout. Gary is enthusiastically pointing out things on the map and using his hands as he talks to MacGyver, who stands with his arms folded, listening intently. As Gary finishes, MacGyver smiles and pats him on the back.
Scene 5
MacGyver, Gary and Randi are talking in one of the Phoenix classrooms.
"So, how is my brother the star pupil?" Randi asks.
"Aw, c'mon, I'm not exactly the star pupil," Gary says.
"Mac?" Randi asks.
"He's doing good...real good. In fact, he's done better than most trainees on the mock assignments so far," MacGyver says, smiling at Gary.
"See!" she says, smiling at Gary. "That's great! I'm proud of you big brother."
Gary can't help but smile. "Thanks, kid. That means a lot."
Pete walks by and leans in the doorway. "MacGyver? Randi? I need you in my office. I've got an assignment for both of you. Oh, hello Gary," he adds.
"Hi," Gary says with a little wave.
"Sure thing, Pete," Mac says as he and Randi turn to follow him. "Catch you later, Gary. Keep up the good work."
"Yeah, thanks, MacGyver," Gary says as they leave.
Gary stands and watches them wistfully, obviously wishing he could go with them. As Mac and Randi disappear around a corner, he suddenly looks up and down the hall, sees no one coming, then hurries on down the hall toward them. He stays back so they don't see him following and when they reach Pete's office, Gary peers around the corner and notices that Pete's secretary is not at her desk in the outer office.
Mac and Randi enter Pete's office, but do not close the door. They take seats in front of Pete's desk, where he has a small TV and VCR set up.
Gary slips into the secretary's office and stands inside her doorway where he can see and hear what's going on without being seen.
As Pete sits down at his desk, he says in a serious tone, "I'm about to show something you've probably never seen before—and it may shock you, but it's what your next assignment is about."
Gary looks intensely interested as he waits to hear what the assignment is.
Act Two
Scene 1
Pete turns on the VCR. The videotape that plays was obviously shot by a non-professional as it lurches and dips in its shots. The scenario that unfolds shows a group of men gathering around a pick-up truck that pulls up in front of the camera. They are dressed in jeans and hunting jackets and carry hunting guns, rifles and such. Various breeds of hunting dogs also roam about in the scene. The man in the truck gets out and opens a cage on the bed of the truck and lets loose a small black panther. The animal jumps off the truck bed, but looks about in fear as the hunting dogs catch sight of it and begin to approach it. The cat runs a few feet, but the dogs surround it immediately and so it turns and tries to hide under the truck. The dogs however, flush it out from under the truck. It turns in confused circles with nowhere to run or hide.
Mac and Randi both watch the tape first with expressions of confusion, then with growing horror.
Then, the hunters begin shooting at the panther, which is never able to get more than a few feet from the truck without the dogs barking and swirling around it. The cat is hit a couple of times before it falls, then stops moving as the dogs swarm over it. The men begin to cheer and congratulate each other as they move in to claim their "trophy."
Pete turns off the video. Mac and Randi are both speechless, with horrified looks on their faces. Pete looks at them, waiting for a reaction.
In the outer office, outside of Pete's office, Gary is watching the scene through the partially ajar door. He looks shocked as well.
Mac finally speaks in a somewhat strangled voice, "What in the name of...was that?"
"That was a video taken off one of the participants in this outrage by the county sheriff who arrested these men for carrying out an illegal 'canned hunt'," Pete says, somewhat angrily.
"A what?" Mac asks.
"A canned hunt," Pete repeats with disgust. "So-called hunters shooting animals that have no real chance of escape."
"Hunters?" Mac says, his eyes wide. "I'm no hunter, but even the ones I do know would never consider the atrocity I just saw a legitimate hunt."
"Exactly," Pete says. "These people violate the rules of sportsmanship and fair chase that legitimate hunters swear by. The deck is stacked against the animals—they're often too tame to fear humans, on top of the fact that they have no chance to escape. In this case, the panther was a surplus zoo animal. And it's all in the name of getting a hunting trophy the easiest way possible—the more exotic the animal, the better."
"This isn't legal, right?" Mac asks.
"Not in the state of California," Pete says. "But it is in 28 other states. In fact, this is small potatoes…just some locals having their own private hunt. But it's become a big business with so-called game ranches with all kinds of native and exotic animals. They hand raise a lot of them, so they're almost tame, and they keep them on a fenced range where hunters come in and shoot them for a fee."
"Are you serious?" Mac asks. He suddenly realizes Randi has been silent through this and turns to look at her. "Hey," he says softly to her. "You OK?"
She looks toward him, looking like she might cry, but manages, "Uhh, yeah. I'm just...stunned."
"Yeah, me too," Mac says sympathetically.
Randi finally lets loose. "I mean, how could anyone congratulate themselves for shooting a helpless animal with no cover and a pack of dogs crawling all over it? That's horrifying!"
"Yes it is," Pete agrees. "Unfortunately, that tape was shot in California where this is illegal. But the good news is, one of the men arrested in this escapade gave information about one of these game ranches operating right here in California. It's been suspected for some time, but it's also heavily concealed and protected. The county sheriff's office has limited resources for undercover operations, so a friend of mine who works for them suggested asking the Phoenix Foundation for help."
"What about the guy who gave the information?" Mac asks.
"He won't testify to anything on record for fear of reprisal. So, we need to get proof—legal evidence—to shut them down," Pete says.
"So what are you thinking?" Mac asks.
"The informer said they keep a computer database of their animal inventory," Pete explained. "He says you choose the animal you want from the computer database, sign up for it, and the ranch facilitates your kill. Of course, it's in the best interest of the ranch to make it easy for the hunter, since they guarantee you get your kill or you don't pay."
Mac looks sick, then shakes his head. "So you want us to hack into the database?"
"It's worth a try," Pete says. "Randi?"
"Sure. I'll do anything I can to stop this."
"Of course, hacking their database won't be legally admissable evidence," Pete says. "I think we need to put somebody in there who can be an eyewitness, or better yet, get a video of our own."
"Yeah...that's what I was thinking," Mac says.
"And you're thinking you would do it?" Pete asks. "You, who never uses a gun? Mac, you'd have to be convincing—"
"Just because I hate guns, doesn't mean I don't know how to handle them," Mac protests.
"I know you know how to handle them," Pete argues. "But can you go in there and shoot an animal—an animal that's been raised to be virtually tame and that's probably standing at a feeding station with no idea of what it means to be shot at?"
Mac winces. "Well..."
At that moment, Gary bursts into the office.
"I could do it," he says enthusiastically. "I've been shooting a rifle since I was 12. I can even miss and make it look real!"
Everyone in the room is looking at him with surprise and somewhat sternly.
"I-I'm sorry, I couldn't help overhearing...well, OK, I WAS listening in," he says. "But only cause I'm itching to get involved in a real assignment...something where I can really make a difference. And this I can do!" He looks around the room hopefully.
"He is a crack shot with a rifle," Randi says to Mac.
"Oh no, no way," Mac says firmly. "You're a trainee, Gary, you've had no field experience. It's too dangerous."
"I can handle it, MacGyver," Gary says. "Look…it's part of my Indian heritage to respect animals. My Dad and my uncles taught me to hunt when I was just a kid, but they taught me to kill only what we need to live and then do it as quickly and humanely as possible. We take pride in aiming straight into the heart or brain and killing an animal instantly with no suffering. So I learned how to shoot fast and accurate. Not like some city guy who pays to shoot a penned animal just to hang its head on a wall."
"Gary," Mac says. "I understand how you feel. And I admire your heritage and your enthusiasm. I do. But you don't have the experience—"
"C'mon, MacGyver, I really wanna take these guys down! You told me I did better than most trainees on the mock assignments. You said that. And I'll do everything exactly the way you tell me, I swear. Test my marksmanship. I'll prove how good I can shoot. I know I can do this!"
"Pete..." Mac says to Pete, looking for support.
"I don't know, Mac," Pete says. "It might not be a bad idea. I've got the evaluations you handed in on him..." He searches through papers on his desk. "Here..." he says looking over the papers. "You seemed to think he was handling himself exceptionally well." Pete reads from the paper, "Shows good judgment, not over-confident, excellent reasoning skills..."
"All right, all right..." Mac sighs. "Looks like I lost the argument to myself."
"Man, that's great, MacGyver!" Gary says excitedly.
"Just slow down," Mac says. "We've got to work out a plan and you've got to go through some heavy evaluation and briefing before I'm comfortable with this."
"I agree," says Pete. "I don't want this to be any more risky than it has to be."
"Anything you say, boss!" Gary says smiling.
Scene 2
Mac and Randi are walking down the hall at the Phoenix Foundation.
"You've been pretty quiet about this whole thing with Gary," Mac comments. "You OK with it?"
"Yeah…I think so," Randi says thoughtfully.
"But you have your doubts?" Mac asks.
They stop outside the computer bay where Randi works.
"I know Gary is pretty excited about the chance to do a real assignment…especially this one that we both feel so strongly about." She looks at Mac. "I just hope he doesn't get carried away and decide he doesn't have to do things the way you tell him…like his sister did once," she says sheepishly.
Mac smiles and pats her on the shoulder. "Hopefully, he'll learn that lesson from your experience. So, you think you can hack into this so-called game ranch?"
"Well, let's see," she says, sitting down at one of the computers.
Mac hands her a sheet of paper. "Here's the intel we got from the sheriff's office…location, phone numbers, and they have an Internet connection through CompuServe."
"Yeah, I can probably get in through CompuServe." She starts to work on the computer. After working for a few minutes, she says, "Firewall. But I think I can get around that." She works for another minute or so, then turns to Mac. "Piece o'cake."
"Way to go!" Mac says as he sits down beside her and begins to read from the screen. "'Red Canyon Ranch. Hunting is done from the comfort of a large enclosed all weather blind with sliding window overlooking feeding stations regularly stocked with corn. We do everything possible to make your hunt a 100 success. No kill, no pay, guaranteed.' Oh, man…" Mac sighs painfully and looks at Randi. "It's bad enough this goes on at all, but here it is right here in California where it's supposed to be illegal."
"They sure make it easy, don't they?" Randi says. "Where's the so-called sport? Or skill? What skill do you need to shoot an animal standing at a feeding station?"
"Easy killing in air conditioned comfort," Mac says with disgust.
Randi searches through some more screens. "Here's the inventory and price list. Thompsons gazelle $800…impala $1,000…wild boar $1,000…water buffalo $3,500…"
Mac reads over her shoulder, "Barsingha deer, Elds deer—those are endangered species!"
Randi continues reading, "Oh my God, angora and pygmy goats, Corsican sheep—" she suddenly turns to Mac in shock. "Zebras! Maybe I'm naive, but why would anyone want to shoot a zebra?"
Gary walks into the computer bay in time to hear this. "Man, that's just sick," he says.
"Instant safari without having to go to Africa," Mac says and falls back in his chair, rubbing his forehead. "Obviously, they'll shoot anything they think will make a good trophy."
"Trophy!" Gary shouts. "That's a trophy of shame—not pride! These guys are butchers!"
"All right, settle down," Mac says. "We've got to get our emotions under control or we won't be able to do this job effectively."
"Yeah, Gary," Randi says. "Don't let yourself get so carried away—"
"Me carried away?" Gary shoots back. "You haven't been the picture of calm, either—"
"Well, at least I'm not shouting—"
"Hey, hey!" Mac interrupts. "What did I just say? That means putting aside the sibling rivalry too."
"Sorry, Mac," says Randi.
"Yeah, sorry Boss," Gary says. "So what's the plan?"
"That's better," Mac says warily eyeing them both. "What we need most is a video, so I gotta figure out the best way to get that."
"What about me wearing a hidden camera?" Gary asks.
"You've been watching too many TV news shows," Mac says with a teasing smile. "I need to get in there first…scope out the place and see what we have to work with."
"Cool!" Gary says. "I can help you do that."
"Uh, no…" Mac says. "I don't want you anywhere near the place till you walk in there as a paying customer."
"Mac, how does Gary get in there even as a customer since the place is a well-kept secret?" Randi asks.
"Very good question," Mac says. "The guy who informed the sheriff about the ranch gave us a code name these guys use when they make contact. We just have Gary give that code name when he calls to set up his hunt, and they think he got it from another legitimate customer."
"Great, man! I can't wait to nail these guys," Gary says enthusiastically.
"OK," Mac says. "So, let's see this fancy shooting of yours."
Scene 3
Mac and Gary are on a Phoenix practice shooting range. Looking like he has handled a gun all his life, Gary takes aim at the targets with a rifle from quite a few yards away. He hits each target dead center five times in a row. Mac looks impressed, though slightly uncomfortable in the presence of the gun.
"OK, that looks good, right?" Gary says. "Now watch this...I can miss so close you'd never know I wasn't trying to hit dead center."
He fires the rifle five more times, hitting each target within four to six inches from the first bullet hole. He turns back toward the booth where the target operator is.
"Now, run the moving ones," Gary calls to the operator.
The stationary targets collapse and a series of moving targets run horizontally across the range in front of Mac and Gary, each at a different speed. Gary takes aim and calls "Dead center!" as he hits the first two in the bullseye, then calls out, "Near miss!" as he deliberately hits the next three in the areas ranging from six to twelve inches from the center.
"Wow!" Mac says and shudders slightly.
"I probably wouldn't be as precise with a handgun," Gary explains. "And anybody can shoot to miss, but it would be pretty obvious they were trying to miss. You know? But put a rifle in my hands and I can look like I'm aiming right at the animal and miss so close you'd never know I did it on purpose."
"Hey, you've convinced me," Mac says as they begin walking away from the shooting range.
"So, how come you never use a gun?" Gary asks him.
"Let's just say I don't think they're the best way to solve problems. I like to find better solutions...ones that don't end up taking somebody's life," Mac says.
"That makes sense," Gary says, pondering. "I never shot a person, you know. I did run with a gang of kids for a while, and they messed around with guns. Shot a couple guys too. But I wouldn't. I guess it's my upbringing...guns were only for hunting and hunting was only for surviving. Target practice was just for sharpening your skills so you could kill an animal clean and quick. Those kids could never understand that, so I never really fit in."
"That's good," Mac says. "That's the kind of fitting in you don't need."
"Yeah, but I never managed to fit in anywhere else either," Gary says quietly. "My sister got the brains and I got the hot head and loud mouth. Not much you can do with those."
"Oh, I don't know," Mac says as they stop at his Jeep. "Brains work in different ways. Randi's good at following logic and figuring out solutions with computers. From what I've observed, you're more instinctual. You know your capabilities and you're confident about taking charge and applying what you know to solve a problem. Like using your sharp-shooting skills to be convincing as a trophy hunter without actually having to kill an animal. I wouldn't have thought of that."
"Really?" Gary asks him.
"Really," Mac says as he pats Gary on the back and they get into the Jeep.
Scenes 4 & 5: Montage of Intercut Scenes in Randi's desk in the computer bay and Red Canyon Ranch with a music background.
In Randi's office, Gary and Randi work out their plan to set up Gary's hunt. She prints out information from the computer and goes over it with Gary.
Mac is seen riding in a small plane over the game ranch, taking aerial photos as he directs the pilot where to fly.
Pete joins Randi and Gary in her office, looking over their work and offering advice.
Mac is parked on a deserted canyon road, studying an aerial photo of the ranch to locate the best way to slip onto the property undetected. It is nearly dark as he climbs a fence on a remote and deserted corner of the ranch. He surveys the grounds, the feeding stations and hunting blinds. He enters one of the blinds, a small building camouflaged with branches and rustic wood to blend into the landscape. It's just big enough for about three people to sit comfortably inside. Mac sees three folding chairs, a sliding window overlooking the feeding station outside, and a small cabinet with a coffeemaker. He looks at the coffeemaker and shakes his head. As he looks around, he notices a small surveillance camera with an antenna mounted in the corner near the ceiling and begins to examine it.
In Randi's computer area, Gary is on the phone with the ranch, setting up his hunt. When he hangs up, he and Randi high-five each other.
Mac steps outside the hunting blind, and as he examines the feeding station, he hears something rustling the leaves behind him. He turns suddenly and reacts with surprise at what he sees.
Act Three
Scene 1
A large doe is standing not four feet from Mac, staring at him expectantly. Mac looks somewhat painfully surprised, but steps toward the animal, holding out his hand. The deer walks right up to him and sniffs his hand, apparently expecting something to eat. Mac looks even more distressed, realizing how tame the animal is. He gently strokes her nose.
"Sorry, girl, I don't have anything for you right now," he says softly.
The doe turns and walks off into the woods. Mac watches her go, then turns and heads back toward where he left his Jeep parked.
Scene 2
Back at the Phoenix Foundation, Mac, Randi, Gary and Pete meet in Pete's office.
"OK, Mac, what did you find out?" Pete asks.
"First, we got lucky. They have a surveillance system on the property—probably to cover themselves in case of any disputes with hunters or even shooting accidents," Mac explains. "I found wireless video cameras in the blinds, so all we have to do is pick up the video transmitter frequency with our own equipment and I can record from that. That way, we don't risk Gary getting caught with a wire or placing a hidden camera."
"Great," Pete says. "So how are you going to set that up?"
Mac lays a large aerial photo on Pete's desk and they all gather around to look at it.
"I can set up my receiver and video recording equipment here," he points to a remote area of the ranch on the photo. "There are no blinds or feeding stations around here, so there's no reason for any ranch staff or hunters to be in this area. There are 3 blinds...here...here...and here," he says as he points them out on the photo. "I'll tap into the video signals from the cameras until I get the one Gary is shooting from. Randi, I can use your help with the equipment. We can monitor the equipment, make sure we get what we need and keep an eye on Gary at the same time."
Gary makes a face, which Mac sees.
"I'll be less than 5 minutes away in case you get into any trouble," Mac says firmly. "It's for your own protection as well as the protection of the operation. They won't be too happy with you if you don't kill anything and you don't have to pay."
"Yeah, I know," Gary says reluctantly. "But I can handle it. You've briefed and double-briefed me. I know exactly what to do."
"Just so you do exactly what Mac told you to do," Randi interjects.
"Are you gonna start that again?" Gary says.
"I'm just offering a piece of advice—" Randi says.
"Easy..." Mac says.
"Here we go—"Gary says as he throws up his hands.
"Easy..." Mac says louder.
"Based on my own experience, that's all," Randi continues.
"I get it, OK?" Gary answers back.
"Time out!" Mac shouts, waving his hands. "What is it with you two? And what are you grinning at?" he asks Pete who is trying to stifle a snicker.
"Oh, nothing," Pete comments. "Looks like you've got everything under control, MacGyver."
"Yeah, makes me glad I'm an only child," Mac mutters as he herds Randi and Gary out of Pete's office.
Scene 3
Mac, Gary and Randi stop the Jeep on the wooded road far enough away from the ranch entrance not to be spotted. Mac and Randi get out and retrieve their equipment from the back. Gary gets into the driver's seat.
Mac leans in the window of the Jeep. "Remember, don't try to be a hero. Just do a good job of acting like you're disappointed when you don't make a kill. We'll take care of the rest."
"Don't worry," Gary says. "I can handle it. I won't let you down, MacGyver."
Randi starts to say something, but Mac interrupts.
"Aah!" he says, holding up his hand to her to be quiet.
"I was just gonna say—"
"Ah!" Mac says again. "Don't say it," he says.
Randi looks chagrined and Gary chuckles. "Don't worry, Sis!" he says as he takes off in the Jeep.
She mockingly repeats, "Don't worry, Sis."
Mac and Randi head off into the trees.
Scene 4
Gary pulls up at the ranch entrance. He stops a moment and looks up the road that curves away under a large wooden sign that reads "Red Canyon Ranch. Private Property—No Trespassing."
"No trespassing," Gary says to himself. "Unless you know the secret word."
He drives on up the road under the sign and follows the curve. It leads around through some trees, then opens onto a fenced area with a locked gate at the entrance, a few cars parked inside, and a log cabin lodge with a sign that says "Office." Gary pulls up at the gate. A man comes out of the office and approaches the gate with a rifle in one hand and a clipboard in the other.
"Help ya?" the man says gruffly.
"Yeah, I'm Gary Brennan. I'm here for my baggage claim," he says, emphasizing the words baggage claim.
The man looks down at his clipboard. "K, you're on the list," he says. "Got some ID?"
Gary fishes in his pocket, pulls out his wallet, and shows the man his driver's license. "You're not too trusting, huh?" he says.
"Nope," the man says. "Can't afford to be. Park over there," he points toward the other cars. He unlocks the gate and Gary drives in.
Scene 5
Mac and Randi climb the fence where Mac had been before and enter the secluded little clearing to begin setting up their equipment. Mac sits on the ground and takes equipment out of the back packs. He sets up a receiver unit and hooks up a small video monitor and VCR. He begins scanning for the video frequency of the ranch's wireless cameras. Randi is standing beside him watching.
"I'm sorry about all the arguing between me and Gary," she says finally. "I'm just worried about him. You know...I know this first assignment means a lot to him, but he's such a hothead sometimes."
Mac looks up and smiles at her. "I know. Can you get me the signal booster?"
She digs in her pack and hands him a small piece of equipment with an antenna that he hooks up to the transmitter. The video monitor is showing snow and making static.
Mac looks up at her again. "Sit," he says, patting the ground beside him and she sits down beside him. He watches the lights blinking in a series on the receiver as he tunes it to pick up the frequency he's looking for.
He turns to Randi. "I know you care about Gary. And I know you want him to succeed. You just need to have a little confidence in him. I think he's gonna be fine."
"Well, he had a good teacher," she says, smiling at Mac.
Mac smiles back at her and, suddenly, the video monitor clears and shows an image inside an empty hunting blind.
"All right!" Mac says. "Now, you keep an eye on the monitor and roll the tape when we find the blind where Gary's shooting from. I'm gonna see if we can pick up some audio too." He turns up the audio on the monitor and continues to make adjustments on the receiver and the signal booster.
Scene 6
The inside of the ranch office is fairly spartan, though several trophy animal heads with large racks of antlers hang on the wall. Gary waits with his rifle slung over his shoulder on a strap. Two other men come out of one of the rooms. One is dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt with an orange hunting vest. The other is dressed in a fancy flack jacket and carries an automatic rifle with a huge telescopic sight on it. The man in jeans walks over to Gary.
"Mr. Brennan?" he asks.
"Uh, yeah, Gary, please," Gary says, trying to keep from smirking at the over-dressed hunter.
"I'm Dirk Bonner, your guide," the man in jeans says. "And this is Mr. Robert Grieve. I'll be escorting you both on your hunt today."
They shake hands all around. Grieve looks coldly at Gary as Gary offers his hand. He shakes it reluctantly, then walks away. Gary rolls his eyes. Bonner takes two more orange vests out of a box and hands one each to Gary and to Grieve.
"Is that really necessary?" Grieve asks.
"Yes, sir, Mr. Grieve. We don't want any casualties, so we observe all the rules of hunting here," Bonner answers.
"Except sportsmanship and fair chase," Gary mumbles to himself.
"I'm sorry?" Bonner asks Gary.
"Oh, uh, I said except the animals," Gary says. "We want them to be casualties, right?"
Bonner chuckles. "Oh, well, of course. No kill, no pay. We aim to please, you know," Bonner laughs. "Aim to please!" he repeats. "That's a little joke."
"Yeah," Gary smiles and forces a little laugh. "Sure is."
"Well, gentlemen," Bonner says. "If you're ready, we'll proceed to one of our blinds and get you ready for your hunt."
"So, Bob," Gary says to Grieve as they head out to the woods. "What's your target?"
"Corsican ram," Grieve says haughtily. "And it's Robert, if you don't mind."
"Ah, sorry," Gary says. "Corsican ram, huh? Sheep. Good climbers, you know, but not much good as runners. Should be pretty easy to hit, eh Robert?"
"I'm interested in the horns," Grieve says. "Those magnificent curling horns will be the finishing touch to my trophy room. They're going right over the mantle."
Gary momentarily looks sick, but forces a grin. "Yeah, nothing like a pair of ram's horns over the mantle to show the world what kind of man you are."
Bonner pulls out a two-way radio. "Jim?" he says into it. "Is party B's baggage ready?"
Through some static, they hear, "Ready and waiting...blind number 3."
"All right, gentlemen," says Bonner, pointing out a small golf-cart type vehicle. They all climb in and Bonner drives them off into the woods.
Gary leans forward from the back of the cart and asks over Bonner's shoulder, "So, just how do you get the animal we signed up for to show up at the appointed blind?"
Bonner answers Gary over his shoulder as he drives off. "We give 'em a little help...keep 'em from feeding the day before so they're hungry, then lead 'em in the right direction...toward the feeding station that's near the blind you've been assigned to."
"Ah," Gary says, leaning back in his seat. "Leading the lambs to slaughter."
"Yes sir," Bonner laughs. "All you have to do is shoot 'em!"
Gary turns his face away from them, looking both sick and angry, but controls himself as they drive on.
The cart pulls up behind the blind. They climb out of the cart and enter the small building.
"Here you are, gentlemen. Everything you could need for a comfortable wait until your target arrives. There's fresh coffee brewing. Help yourselves," Bonner explains. "I'll be here if you need any assistance, or you can just pretend I'm not here, if you like. Once you've harvested your target, I'll radio for our prep team to come in and photograph you with your kill, then prep the remains for butchering and taxidermy. Enjoy yourselves, gentlemen."
Gary looks around at the chairs, the cabinet with coffeemaker and mugs. He walks over and looks out the narrow horizontal window, which has been opened for shooting. There is a feeding station about 15 yards from the blind that has been filled with bright yellow corn.
Meanwhile, Grieve is fiddling awkwardly with his gun. Gary looks at him doubtfully. "You do know how to use that thing?" he asks.
Grieve glares at him. "Of course I do," he sneers. "And just how long have you been hunting?"
"Since I was 12," Gary says absently as he continues to look around the blind, discreetly noticing the wireless camera mounted in the ceiling corner.
"I suppose your father taught you," Grieve says.
"Yeah, as a matter of fact, he did," Gary says.
"Well, I'm a lifetime member of Safari Club International," Grieve says proudly. "I've had professional instruction."
Gary just smiles and shakes his head.
Scene 7
Back in the clearing with Mac and Randi...
Their video screen switches from a shot of an empty blind to a shot of a blind with Gary looking up into the camera and Grieve adjusting his telescopic sight on his gun.
"Got him," Mac says. "Camera 3...I'm gonna presume that's blind number 3 as we see them laid out on the aerial photo." He holds up the photo and points out the blinds for Randi to see. "So I have a good idea of where Gary is from here."
"And we're here?" Randi points to their location on the photo.
"Yep...OK, you rolling?" Mac says as they turn back to the video screen.
"Rolling," Randi says as she starts the videotape.
The video screen shows a wide angle of the entire inside of the small blind. Mac and Randi can also see the shooting window and most of the area directly in front of it with the feeding station. They see the tall horns of a Thompson's gazelle as it gingerly approaches the feeding station and begins to munch the corn.
"That must be your target," they hear Grieve say to Gary.
Scene 8
In the blind...
"Ah, yeah." Gary goes to the window, positions his rifle, crouches slightly, aims, then fires. His shot hits the corn feeding tray close to the gazelle's head, splintering some of the wood. The gazelle rears back from the feeder, stunned for a moment.
"Aw, man," Gary says. "Almooooost..." He aims and fires again, the bullet whizzing just past the gazelle's head, and the animal takes off running into the woods.
"Damn!" Gary curses.
"Don't worry, Mr. Brennan, we'll round it up and send it back so you can try again," Bonner says. "Good shooting, though."
"Thanks." Gary says. "I'll get 'er the next time."
"Looks like it's my turn now," Grieve says as they see a large, shaggy sheep with huge curled horns trotting toward the feeder. Grieve scrambles to get his rifle aimed at it.
Gary stands to the side as far as possible so everything is in the camera's view. He waits, trying to control his patience, while Grieve fiddles with the telescopic sight and jiggles around positioning himself.
Suddenly there is a loud blast as Grieve fires the gun. They hear a loud screaming bleat and see that the ram is hit in the leg. The ram stumbles and the leg drags as he tries to run. There is another loud blast and bits of the long, shaggy hair fly and blood sprays from the ram's hip as his hind quarters crumple under him. He still tries to run, scrambling desperately with his front legs.
Scene 9
In the clearing...
"Oh God!" Randi cries and turns away from the video monitor.
Mac watches the monitor with a painful expression as he puts a hand on Randi's shoulder to comfort and steady her.
Scene 10
In the blind...
"Kill it, for God's sake!" Gary cries.
"You're criticizing me?" Grieve protests. "You couldn't even hit your target!"
"Gentlemen, gentlemen..." Bonner says, trying to calm them.
Grieve fires again, hitting the ram in the back. More blood spurts down the ram's back and side as he lurches forward trying to drag his hind quarters. He paws at the ground, bleating pitifully.
"Aw, geez!" Gary moans, shoving Grieve violently aside and aiming at the ram. Gary fires, hitting the animal directly in the head. The ram falls and lays quiet on the ground.
"That was my kill!" Grieve screams at Gary.
"Well, you didn't kill it, did you? You were just torturing it!" Gary shouts back.
Grieve lunges at Gary. "You had no right!" he yells, the rifle still clutched clumsily in his hands.
Gary holds up his rifle crossways toward Grieve, using it as defensive protection as Grieve comes at him.
"All right, gentlemen, please calm down," Bonner says as he steps in, trying to keep them apart.
The scuffle between the three men causes Grieve to lose his balance, falling forward and down toward Gary. Grieve's rifle butt hits the ground and the gun goes off—the blast hitting Gary in the stomach. Gary drops his rifle, falls on his back, looks down at the blood coming from his wound and slowly passes out.
Grieve, on his knees, stares in shock at Gary. Bonner, standing over them, is also momentarily in shock.
Scene 11
In the clearing...
"He shot him!" Randi screams as she jumps up and backs away from the video monitor. "Oh God, Mac, he shot him!"
Act Four
Scene 1
In the clearing...
"Easy," Mac says as he gets up and takes hold of Randi to calm her. "Let's see if they call for an ambulance."
They watch the video screen as Grieve now panics. "Oh my God, he's dead!" he shouts as he runs out of the blind. "I've got to get out of here!"
"Wait! Wait! Mr. Grieve!" Bonner cries. He grabs Grieve's gun, runs out, jumps in the cart and drives off after him.
"They're running!" Randi cries. "They're leaving him! They don't even know if he's alive!"
"Oh man," Mac moans. He takes Randi by the shoulders. "OK, leave the equipment, but grab the tape—we can get to Gary in about two minutes."
Randi ejects the tape from the VCR, stuffs it in her jacket, and the two of them take off through the woods.
Scene 2
Mac and Randi approach the blind through the trees. They look around, but see no one, so they both run inside the blind. They both kneel over Gary. Tears are running down Randi's face as she strokes Gary's hair and watches Mac check his neck pulse.
"He's alive," Mac says.
"Oh, thank God," Randi says as she brushes at her tears.
Mac begins pulling away Gary's clothing to examine his wound. His hand is immediately covered in blood. He looks at Randi who looks almost panicked. He examines Gary more closely.
"He's pretty torn up, but it's more his side than his stomach." He looks into Randi's eyes. "I think he'll make it, but I need to stop the bleeding. He's losing a lot of blood. Look around and see if there's a first aid kit," he tells Randi.
She jumps up and begins searching the small cabinet where the coffeemaker sits. She rummages through the inside, pulling out items.
"I don't see any first aid stuff...just coffee, filters, bottled water, tea bags, packs of sugar..."
Mac looks up at her. "Tea bags?" he says. "How many?"
"A box full," she says.
"Bring me the whole box and the bottled water," he says.
Randi kneels beside Mac and Gary and hands Mac the box of tea bags.
Mac looks at her. "Uh, give me your jacket, too," he says.
She takes off her long-sleeved jacket and hands it to Mac, stuffing the videotape into one of the pockets on her cargo-style pants. "What are you gonna do with tea bags?" she asks.
"Well, the tannic acid in the tea has astringent properties that should help stop the bleeding, or at least slow it down. I'll pack the wound with wet tea bags," he says as he spreads a layer of tea bags over Gary's wound, then wets them with the bottled water. "Then use your jacket to make a bandage." He wraps the long sleeved jacket around Gary's waist, covering the wet tea bags over the wound, and ties the jacket sleeves securely.
"Oh, Mac," Randi sobs. "If you weren't here..."
Mac touches her face gently to calm her. "Now I need you to get to the car phone in the Jeep. Just follow the path back to the office and parking area, but stay back in the trees, off the road. You've gotta get there fast and without being seen. Can you do that for Gary?"
"Yes," she says, nodding and looking determined.
"Call Pete and tell him to get the sheriff and a medical transport helicopter up here—we don't have time to wait for an ambulance. I'll stay with Gary."
They suddenly hear a sound outside. Mac peers out of a corner of the sliding window, careful not to be seen, and sees Bonner coming down the path in the golf cart.
Mac grabs Randi and pulls her to the door of the blind. "Go—now! Around back before the guide sees you."
Randi slips out of the blind, running behind it, then into some bushes for cover. When Bonner is out of her sight line, she sprints through the trees toward the path leading to the parking area.
Bonner pulls up in front of the blind, stops the golf cart and gets out. As he enters the blind, Mac is crouching beside the doorway. Mac grabs Bonner around the legs, pulling him down and they start struggling.
Scene 3
Randi runs out of the woods near the parking lot and gets to the Jeep. She jumps in and calls Pete.
"Pete, it's Randi. Gary's been shot. We need a medical transport helicopter up here now and the sheriff. Yes, yes! We've got everything on tape!"
Scene 4
Pete is on the phone at his Phoenix Foundation desk.
"The sheriff is standing by just a mile or two up the road," he says. "He'll be there shortly and we're notifying the medical flight now," he says as he motions to his secretary, who immediately goes to her phone. "Is Mac OK?" Pete asks.
Scene 5
Randi is on the phone in the Jeep. "I don't know," she says. "The guide was coming back, when Mac sent me back to the Jeep."
Sirens are heard outside the ranch entrance.
"Pete, the sheriff is here," Randi says and hangs up the phone. She jumps out of the Jeep, and runs back into the trees surrounding the road to the entrance gate as other men are coming out of the office to investigate what has happened.
Scene 6
Back in the blind, Mac finally knocks Bonner out, rubbing his fist slightly. He lifts Gary and carries him outside to the golf cart, securing him carefully in the back seat, then jumps in the driver's seat and heads toward the office and parking area.
Scene 7
At the ranch entrance gate, the sheriff orders one of the ranch employees to open the gate. He reluctantly complies.
Three sheriff's department cars drive up the road to the office and parking area. Just then, Mac drives up the path from the woods with Gary in the golf cart and the helicopter is heard approaching. The sheriff and his deputies begin taking people into custody as the Mac jumps out of the golf cart and signals the helicopter to land in the open area of the parking lot.
As Randi is watching the paramedics run from the helicopter and get Gary onto a gurney, she sees Grieve peering out from his hiding place in the woods behind the ranch office.
"Mac!" she cries and waves toward the woods. "It's Grieve!"
Grieve turns and tries to run as Mac runs after him. Mac easily catches him and leads him back to the sheriff.
The helicopter is now ready to lift off, so Mac runs over and hugs Randi. Then she pulls the videotape out of her pants pocket and hands it to him as she climbs into the helicopter to ride with Gary.
Scene 8
Mac walks into the hospital waiting room where Randi is sitting by herself. He sits beside her.
"How's he doin'?" he asks.
"He's in surgery," she says. "They took a sample of my blood to make sure I can give blood for him, since he lost so much." Then she starts to cry. "Sorry, I can't hold back any more."
"Come here," Mac says softly. He puts his arms around her as she lays her head on his shoulder. He holds her for a little while, then she looks up at him.
"Is he gonna be in trouble for shooting that ram?" she asks.
"No..." Mac says. "I think he did the right thing."
"You do?" Randi asks.
"Yeah, I do. It took guts to step in and put that animal out of its misery," Mac tells her. "He didn't act rashly, he gave the guy his fair chance, but when he saw how much suffering Grieve was causing the animal, I think Gary was justified in killing it. It wasn't his fault Grieve flew into a rage and got him shot. With the whole thing on tape, when the authorities see it, I think they'll agree. And, of course, the Phoenix Foundation will back Gary up. You should be proud of him."
Randi looks infinitely relieved. "Oh, Mac, I just hope I get the chance to tell him that."
"You will," Mac says, smiling at her. "You will."
A doctor approaches them. "Miss Brennan?" he asks.
"Yes," Randi says.
"I'm Dr. Scofield. You're Gary's sister, right?"
"Yes."
"Gary's still in surgery. He seems to be hanging in there. But unfortunately, I have to tell you we can't use your blood for transfusion. Your blood types don't match," the doctor says.
Randi looks shocked. "But, I'm his sister!"
"Well, siblings don't always have compatible blood types. You get your blood type from both of your parents, but the children may not all have the same types," he explains. "Each of you probably matches one of your parents, but you are type A and Gary is type B. The two are not compatible. We're very low on blood right now. We could locate some in another blood bank, but we really need the blood right now if we're going to—"
"I'm B," MacGyver interrupts him. "I'll give blood for him."
"Well, that's wonderful, Mr..."
"MacGyver," Mac answers. "I guess you could say I'm Gary's boss."
"Mr. MacGyver. Of course, we'll have to type and cross match you to make sure," the doctor says. "If you'll come with me, I'll get you set up."
"Sure," Mac says and gets up.
Randi jumps up too and throws her arms around Mac. "Thank you, Mac!"
"Yes, it's very generous of you, Mr. MacGyver. We will need quite a bit of blood. The bullet didn't hit any vital organs," the doctor explains, "but at such close range, it tore up a lot of tissue, resulting in a lot of blood loss. If some ingenious person hadn't had the insight to pack wet tea bags against the wound to help constrict the blood vessels, he might not have even made it to the hospital."
Mac and Randi look at each other. Their eyes lock for a moment and Randi's fill with tears. Mac flashes a shy smile at her, then says, "C'mon, you can keep me company while they siphon off my blood."
Mac puts his arm around Randi's shoulders and they follow the doctor down the hall.
Scene 9
In the hospital blood lab, Mac is lying back in a reclining chair. A nurse is unhooking the blood collecting devices from him.
"I think that's about all you can spare, Mr. MacGyver," she says. "Your friend will be bringing you something to help you get your strength back before you leave the lab."
Randi approaches with a glass of orange juice as the nurse leaves. As Randi hands it to Mac, she says, "You deserve a lot more than orange juice for what you've done, Mac."
He just smiles as he sips the orange juice.
At that moment, Pete walks into the room. "Hey, MacGyver, how ya doin'?"
"Hi Pete," Mac says softly. "A little weak at the moment."
"I guess so after giving all that blood. I just talked to the surgeon," he says. "He'll be coming in to talk to you too, Randi. Gary is gonna be fine. The surgery went well, he's in recovery, hooked up to MacGyver's blood. He should be out of the hospital in a couple of days. With your videotape, we've shut down the illegal game ranch, and effectively convicted Robert Grieve on charges of assault with a deadly weapon."
"That's great," Mac says.
"What will happen to the animals, Pete?" Randi asks.
"Phoenix is shipping them to various animal sanctuaries we work with around the country," Pete says.
Randi jumps up and hugs Pete. "Thank you, Pete."
"Sure," he says, "but it's really MacGyver you should thank..."
"It wasn't just me," Mac says. "It was ALL 3 of us. We were a team."
Randi leans down and kisses Mac on the cheek. "But we learned everything we know from you," she says.
Epilog
Randi is sitting beside Gary's hospital bed. He stirs and opens his eyes, turning to see Randi sitting there smiling at him.
"Hi, Pan," she says. "How's my favorite hero and big bro feeling?"
"Pan?" he says a little groggily. "You haven't called me that since we were kids, Tiger Lil. Ohhh," he moans as he tries to move a little.
"Take it easy. You were shot, you know," Randi says.
"I know," he says. "And I don't know about bein' anybody's hero. I screwed up again, didn't I?"
"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Mac says as he walks into the room.
Gary looks up at MacGyver, somewhat apprehensively. "Oh, MacGyver. Sorry I lost it, man. I just—"
"It's OK," Mac says, sitting on the corner of the bed. "You did good. I would've done the same thing if I'd been in your place."
Gary looks skeptical. "You would?" he says. "But I lost my temper..."
"You had good reason to," Mac says firmly. "If you hadn't been moved to put that poor animal out of its pain, I'd have been disappointed. But you used good judgment. You gave Grieve every chance, then you stepped in and did the right thing. And we've got it all on tape, so the ranch is out of business. I'm proud of you."
"You are?" Gary smiles slightly and looks at Randi.
"Me too," she beams.
Gary smiles broadly. "All right!" he says. Then he notices the bandage on Mac's arm where his blood was drawn. "What happened to you?" Gary asks.
Mac just shrugs, but Randi says, "He only gave you his own blood after rescuing you from the blind, single-handed."
"So, you mean I've got MacGyver blood in me now?" he says.
"Yep. And your little sister made it to the Jeep to call in the sheriff and medical help—without getting caught—and she kept the video safe," Mac says. "So, you should be proud of her, too."
"Cool! Way to go, Sis!" Gary says.
Mac smiles. "And for once, you two aren't arguing," he says. "Uh…you are gonna have a nasty scar from that gunshot wound, though," Mac says.
"Hey man, that's OK," Gary says, grinning. "That scar's gonna be MY trophy for takin' those guys down!"
Launch into MacGyver End Theme Music
THE END