Several hours had passed by the time Murdoc awakened. Walking into the main room, he found MacGyver was still asleep on the cot, and Pete was pacing by the window. "He'll be here soon, Pete. We need a plan," he said softly, so as not to wake MacGyver.

Pete stopped pacing and turned to Murdoc. "Is there some way we could get him out of here before then? He's not up to any confrontation with Dmitry." He gestured to MacGyver.

"No, he may have some friends watching the mountain road as we speak. Unfortunately, he may have to be the bait a little while longer."

"What do you know about this Dmitry fellow?" Pete asked, crossing his arms and gave Murdoc a suspicious look.

"He's a killer—top of his class and trained in the Russian style. He may be young but don't underestimate him. He's cocky and clever but not as smooth as a veteran assassin like me. He is straight to the point. I feel like he'd rather just shoot someone from behind rather than following an elaborate design and taking a unique photo op like yours truly."

"In that case, do you have any firepower I could use?"

Murdoc held his coat open, revealing pockets with guns, knives, a grenade, poison pens, ninja stars, and a series of unidentifiable and seemingly deadly objects. "Take your pick."

"Oh, um." He reached for a gun and cocked it. "Thanks."

"My pleasure," he replied, letting the flaps of his coat fall. A movement outside the window caught his eye. "He's here," he said with urgency in his voice. "MacGyver wake up. He's here."

MacGyver stirred and removed the black cloth from his eyes. He blinked in the evening light that was streaming through the windows. "What's the plan?"

Murdoc paused for a moment to question MacGyver, "Do you ever have a plan?"

"Good point," MacGyver said, sitting up in the cot. "Help me up, would you, Pete?"

Pete went to MacGyver's side and wrapped his arm around him, easing him to his feet. "Can you stand?"

"Yeah, I think so."

All the sudden, there was the sound of shattering glass as a big black and brown animal catapulted through the air directly towards MacGyver.

Meanwhile Dmitry jumped through the window and threw himself at Murdoc with a gun. Pete whirled around and knocked the gun from Dmitry's hands. As he scrambled for it, Murdoc rammed into Dmitry, knocking him to the floor.

MacGyver was knocked backwards by the weight of the dog. His hands flailed and he felt the strap of Murdoc's backpack. He reached in its open mouth as he wrestled with the dog and groped blindly with his hand. The dog was heavy on his chest and the snapping teeth were inches from his face. He pushed back with all his might and then his hand closed on a tranquilizer. The dog latched on to his wrist, eliciting a yell. He pushed back the pain and prepped the tranquilizer unsteadily. Then he struck out at the dog, stabbing it in its tender underbelly. The dog struggled briefly and stilled. MacGyver pushed him to the side and yelled for Pete to get the police.

Pete clutched the gun and hearing MacGyver's command, answered, "Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine!" he shouted, nursing his bleeding wrist. Pete nodded and dashed out the door to the car.

Murdoc and Dmitry circled each other and exchanged punches. Finally, in a burst of motion, Murdoc delivered two solid punches to Dmitry's nose, sending him straight to the floor. Dmitry was out cold. Murdoc turned, huffing, and watched out the window as Pete accelerated down the mountain road to get the police.

A faint sound caught Murdoc's attention and he turned to see Dmitry pulling a knife from within his coat. Almost in slow motion, Murdoc withdrew a ninja star and rushed toward MacGyver, shouting, "MacGyverrrrr!" He threw the star towards Dmitry as Dmitry's knife, intended for MacGyver, buried itself in Murdoc's chest. He crumpled to the ground, landing hard on his side. MacGyver hurried over to Murdoc. "No, don't take it out! Check Dmitry."

MacGyver stood up and recoiled at the sight of the ninja star imbedded perfectly between Dmitry's two eyes. "No worries, Murdoc. He's dead." He returned to Murdoc and sat down on the floor, keeping Murdoc's head elevated on his knee.

Murdoc panted and warily replied, "Don't worry. I won't make you take a picture." He laughed at his own feeble joke and ended up coughing. "The files…they're in the other room under the loose floorboard." Murdoc's face was devoid of color and his breaths were ragged.

"Yeah, I'll see that Pete gets them later. Maybe you shouldn't talk right now. Save your strength. Pete should be back soon."

"No…My file is hidden behind a loose brick…at the Phoenix Foundation parking garage…in the 1A section…In—" He swallowed hard. "In that file is my will, bank statements, and something for my…my dear Penny. See that she gets it MacGyver, since I won't get to say goodbye."

"Don't talk like that, Murdoc. You're not going to die."

"Let's face it, MacGyver. This Houdini won't escape this time…This was my last trick, and I'm stuck in the box with no way out…It's only a matter of time." He groaned and clutched his chest. His face was growing deathly pale and sweat was beading on his forehead. "I never thought it'd end like this…with us being allies."

"Not allies, Murdoc. Friends. Allies don't take one for the team like this." He motioned to the knife. "Thank you," he added softly.

The far-off sound of sirens prompted MacGyver to pat Murdoc's shoulder. "Help is on the way. Hang on just a little bit longer."

"It's too late, MacGyver." He closed his eyes.

MacGyver grabbed Murdoc's head and held it in his hands, forcing Murdoc to open his eyes. "It's never too late. It's never too late," he repeated.

"If only…I could believe that." A sharp pain overtook Murdoc, making him jerk. "So long, MacGyver," he rasped. With one final breath, he went limp and moved no more.

MacGyver sat still in shock of everything as Pete burst through the door with the policemen and paramedics.

"Is he…?" Pete asked, pointing to Murdoc.

MacGyver swallowed hard. "Yeah, he is."