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One of the problems of flying a jet is that you don't have a lot of time to admire the scenery.
I just entered pakistani airspace, and already the Afghan border was coming up fast.
One of our early satellites fell out of orbit, and wouldn't you know it, it landed just inside Afghanistan.
Now, the satellite has a small capsule in it with a lot of classified data we didn't want the Russians to get their hands on.
And it's funny when you remember that we brought those early satellites back to Earth with wings on them.
He's crossed the border, sir.
He's over Afghanistan.
- So far - So good.
I can be pretty sure of one thing: My arrival will be causing more than just a little activity down below.
Warning to unidentified aircraft.
You are violating Afghani airspace.
Identify yourself on frequency 116.
Couple of more minutes and he's there.
- No! - Ah, yes.
No! Don't do this to me! Please! Unidentified aircraft, you have been warned.
punitive action is being initiated now.
Prepare to fire missiles.
Fire one.
Fire three.
- Missiles heading right for him.
- How long? I think the fact I didn't reply annoyed him just a little.
The sky was suddenly full of unfriendly fire.
I was thinking it was about time to leave.
They shot down another plane.
He's out, sir.
Well, scratch one obsolete jet.
I can just hear old pete Thornton saying, "Why does he always have to wait till the last possible second?" He always waits until the last possible second.
- He timed it perfectly, sir.
- He certainly did.
- Nice job, fellas.
- He gave me a heart attack.
Well, we were in a time lock on this one.
It was the only way to get him to target fast.
Now, if they just believe that he went down with the plane, it should make things a little easier for him.
- Get my horse.
- You're not my father.
I don't have to.
- Do it yourself.
- No! Ahmed, go get the horse.
Now! The Soviets will pay for any part of that plane.
If there is a pilot, they will pay even more.
Mother, you're bleeding.
No company waiting for me.
That's a good beginning.
Hiding the parachute was standard operating procedure.
But if the Russians know I'm here, it's not gonna make much difference anyway.
Dawn's coming, so the chance of being discovered increases.
On the other hand, I'm getting closer to where the satellite hit.
I found it, lieutenant.
Some of it is still burning.
Don't touch anything.
We will bring the experts from Kabul.
Lieutenant.
There, on the cliff.
There's no way off that mesa except the way he went up.
He's trapped.
Let's go.
He's on the mesa.
A month's pay to the man who brings him down.
You heard the lieutenant.
Let's go! There it is.
Just about where they said it would be.
It's all too easy.
Maybe for once, it is really gonna work out the way it was planned.
The data capsule is ***-trapped, of course.
But they told me I'd have plenty of time to disarm the mechanism.
Well, they told me I'd have plenty of time.
From the sound of things, I'm about 20 seconds away from becoming a part of the landscape.
Okay.
And there it is.
pete said it would be simple.
Looks like he was right.
Straight up the mountain! There's no way to get down but through us.
Oh, wonderful.
What happened to simple? Make sure you clear the ridge.
It's hard to believe this plastic had been in space for 15 years.
I was kind of glad it was partly intact.
Lord, I hate heights.
Quickly! Quickly! Get up! Get up or they'll kill you! - Please! - I don't think I can.
It may be Allah's will that you will die here, but I will help you.
Quickly! Get on the horse.
Hang on.
We must leave the river before they come.
- My name is Ahmed.
- MacGyver.
- Where are we going? - To my house.
- Are you an American? - Yeah.
I don't think your father's gonna be too happy about you bringing a stranger home.
Don't worry.
There's no one ever at my house besides my mother and me.
- Why are you helping me? - Because they killed my father.
- The Russians? - No.
A man named Khalil and his band of traitors.
No! No! I tried to shoot him, but I was struck down.
- Where is he? - He got away.
- But he was wounded.
- Wounded.
- And you let him get away? - He cannot have gone too far.
No, don't! I beg you, don't! The pilot will bring a fat price, my children.
Bring him to me.
I have unfinished business to attend to.
You know where to find me.
This is my house.
You are bleeding badly.
God in heaven, who is this man? Khalil's men shot him, and the Soviets are looking for him.
- He's an American.
- Ahmed, we can't have him here.
- It's too dangerous.
- But, Mother, they'll kill him.
If Khalil finds him here, he'll kill us.
He could help.
I've seen him fly in the air like a spirit.
And then wounded, as you see, he fought one of the militia and knocked him into the river.
I am sorry to bother you, ma'am.
Please.
Please, Mother.
All right, he can stay just for tonight.
Ahmed, go outside.
If Khalil comes, warn me.
- But, Mother - Go! Sit up.
We must stop the bleeding.
- Where is your mother? - It does not matter where she is.
- She's finished with you.
- What? There is another to take your place.
You're an ugly toad, and the man with her will kill you.
- Woman! - Khalil.
- I'll go out to him.
- No, no, no, wait.
- Is that cylinder filled with butane? - Yes.
Let him come to us.
You are the offspring of a diseased goat.
And my mother is with another man.
I will kill them both! Shoot him.
Shoot him! He killed my father.
He shot himself.
He's dead.
The Afghan militiamen report the American was wounded twice.
In the shoulder and in the hand.
- Then where is he? - Hiding.
Bleeding to death.
We'll find him.
Why is this so important? Because of that spy satellite.
I have a technical expert coming down from Kabul.
But we still have to know why the American is here.
- To contact the resistance.
- You mean the bandits.
Bandits, of course.
I keep forgetting.
In any case, I want every available man out on patrol tomorrow, - including the militia.
- We're short of personnel, sir.
Well, then use Sergeant Borisov.
His tank will not be operational for a few days anyway.
And what about Khalil? Where is he? You can use him.
I don't know, sir.
I'll send him to you as soon as he comes in.
It is done, and I'm glad.
He was a pretty big guy.
How'd you do that? We dragged him to his grave like a dead dog, behind his horse.
This is Khalil's whip.
When you are well, you will beat me with it.
Beat you? Why? I lied to you.
I told you there was never anyone at my house besides my mother and me.
I promised my mother I would rid her of this terrible man.
But I wasn't strong enough, so So you used me.
When I saw the way you could fight at the river, I knew you could defeat Khalil.
- Is your mother aware of all this? - She's a woman.
She doesn't know about men's business.
So where is she now? Milking the goat.
- Isn't that your job? - It's not a man's work.
The goat doesn't like me.
She won't give me milk.
I saw you fly like a bird.
But how did you make part of our stove fly? Well, now, that's a professional secret.
Can you make other things fly? - Can you teach me how to fly? - Ahmed, leave MacGyver alone.
He needs rest, not questions.
- But you saw what he did.
- I saw.
How is it? Oh, you know, I think I'm gonna live, thanks to you.
And, of course, to the man of the house.
Ahmed, go set the horse free.
But he's a beautiful horse, and he has a bridle made of real silver.
- Worth much money.
- He's Khalil's.
He must not be found.
Get rid of him quickly.
Go! Hey, don't forget your whip.
So how long before Khalil's people come looking for me? - I don't know.
- I think you do.
I think I'd better start getting out of here before something happens.
You can't.
There's no need.
If they come, we'll hide you.
You can barely walk.
You must stay.
You must heal.
- I think you're right.
- Does it hurt? Yeah.
The arm? Just the shoulder.
Let me look at it.
It has been infected.
It has to be cauterized.
You are so beautiful.
I wish I could keep you.
My mother doesn't understand.
This silver bridle, I'll keep it.
It'll come in handy.
Bite.
How is it you know so much about treating bullet wounds? Since the Russians came, all Afghans know about bullet wounds.
Bite.
Mother, is he dead? It's all right, Ahmed.
He's only sleeping.
We have his trust, and he's healing now.
Will he stay? I don't think so.
There is nothing for him here.
But there's the mountains and the barn and the house.
I'll even show him my secret place.
There's so much to do.
He'll stay.
I know he will.
We need him.
- Mother, when will he wake up? - Soon.
He slept all night again, and this morning there was no infection.
At first you said he couldn't stay, but yesterday you said Good morning.
- Morning.
- What are you doing out of bed? Well, to tell you the truth, I was starting to feel a little - Hungry? - Hungry.
That's a very good sign.
I'll get you some food.
Ahmed, get me some water.
Excuse me.
Just one thing.
I put them on you while you were sleeping.
They belonged to my husband.
Oh, this horse of Khalil's.
Just as mean and treacherous as he is.
Where is his silver bridle? Lieutenant, this is Khalil's horse, but Khalil is nowhere to be found.
Perhaps an ambush? The stupid pump is broken, and so is my back.
Well, how long has it been since it's worked? Years.
It makes sounds, but no water.
I told you it doesn't work.
It's not creating a vacuum, that's why.
Machines never work very long, and I cannot fix them.
You gotta have a little patience.
Like you should with the goat.
Backtrack the horse.
You follow me.
Yes, sir.
You see, wrapping the plunger with this material will make it airtight.
Gotta make sure there are no wrinkles in this.
The packing has gotta be smooth.
All right.
Let me see the end of the pump now.
That fits.
Let's try it.
You got it? All right, hold it down real tight.
I'm gonna test it before we screw down that baseplate.
It works! You see? MacGyver can do miracles.
If you stay, you can fix the house and the barn roof and teach me to fly.
Oh, you bet.
Any time.
No problem.
This dispatch is from Captain Oseranski.
He's very unhappy to have not found hide nor hair of this American.
Or of Khalil either.
- What do you suggest I tell him? - I'm sorry, sir.
We have searched the caves, the wadis and all but a handful of homesteads.
We have found nothing, - except for a few concealed weapons.
- And Khalil? We lost the horse's trail on rocky ground.
Khalil is dead or drunk.
Who knows which.
You expect me to make this report to Captain Oseranski? Sir, there are only a handful of farmhouses left.
I'm sure we will find him in one of them.
I hope you're right.
I have been in this godforsaken wilderness for two years.
I hate it.
But I suspect it might be considerably better than a stockade.
- You take my meaning, sergeant? - Yes, sir.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you.
It's not important.
- You leaving tomorrow? - Yeah.
The longer I stay, the more dangerous it is for you and Ahmed.
It meant a great deal to Ahmed to have you here.
You're crying.
It's very difficult to say goodbye to someone who means so much.
- So where's Ahmed this morning? - I sent him out to look around.
I'm sure they're still looking for you.
- You're staring at me.
- I just want to remember.
- Do you mind? - Not at all.
Mother! MacGyver! Soviets! Soviets! They're coming! Get inside.
MacGyver, this way.
All right, I'll take it from here.
You get inside.
Get to the table.
Eat! Eat.
What do you want? In the house, woman.
My son, Ahmed.
Smells good.
You're Khalil's woman, the one who was married to the resistance leader? The one who Khalil shot.
In the back.
Why not? He kills everything that keeps him from getting what he wants.
When did you see him last? Yesterday.
Day before.
Who remembers? I'll get you some more.
What is this? What is this? Where is Khalil? Answer me, woman! Where is Khalil? Kill him.
Kill him, MacGyver.
He's the enemy.
Get out of here.
Go on.
Run! Go on.
- Why? - Because I didn't have to.
That should be reason enough for anybody.
You know the Red Army's gonna be here in no time.
All we can do is go.
Yes.
I'm sorry.
We have no life here.
There's only killing.
We are ready to go.
- Where? - Well, we got transportation, a little bit of a head start, and the Pakistani border's real close.
Why don't you get what you can.
Help your mother, go on.
- What's this? - Wait! Stop! Wait! Wait! - What happened? - The American.
Shut up.
Get in.
Quickly! The quickest way is through that pass.
Are you sure? These hills are my home.
Well, that's good enough for me.
If it was not for my desperate need of noncommissioned officers, I would have you shot.
One man.
One single, wounded man, and you lose your vehicle, your weapons and the man! - You are going back out on patrol.
- Yes, sir.
Take the tank.
And if you find the American, you'll only lose your rank and six months' pay.
- But, sir - If you do not find him, I will have you court-martialed for dereliction of duty.
Now, go! The border is just beyond this rise.
There they are, on the ridge.
They're heading for the border.
Quickly, drive! This looks like a good place.
Stop here.
It'll be a good field of fire.
Stop! Get the bazooka.
Again.
Another round.
What can we do? Just hang on.
Move right.
- Is everybody okay? - I'm okay.
- Yes, fine.
- It's dead.
- And so are we.
- Maybe not.
It is impossible to fight them.
We could if we had some heavy artillery.
And this is jeep will position them just right.
- That's water.
- Yeah, help me carry it.
Come on.
- What are you doing, MacGyver? - Making that artillery, I hope.
Ahmed, get that water up here.
- What are you gonna use it for? - I've got an idea.
Pour it in here.
- I don't understand.
- Well, it was freezing last night.
These rocks are already cold.
The fire extinguisher uses carbon dioxide, which produces a much, much greater cold.
Stand back.
- I still don't understand.
- Well, water's funny stuff.
When it gets cold enough, it expands.
And there's only so much room between these rocks.
A little more water and a little more ice, and then we'll help it along some.
- It froze! - Yeah.
The water's expanding.
All right, get back down there.
Their jeep, it is disabled.
They could not be far away.
Down through there and two kilometres.
Easy walk to the border.
Piece of cake.
Come on, Ahmed.
That's the soldier you let go.
- MacGyver! - Easy, now.
As long as we're alive, there's still a chance.
American! If I had seen you, I might tell you, the border is two kilometres due east.
But next time, American, next time I drop roof on your head.
If you had shot him like I asked, there would be another one to take his place, and he would have killed us for sure.
Something to think about, isn't it? Still two kilometres left.
Plenty of time for two men to say goodbye.