MacGyver (1985–1992): Season 1, Episode 13 - Flame's End - full transcript

( Phone ringing )

Westport nuclear processing.

Amy Austin.

Kramer: Yes, this is
sergeant Kramer, state police.

Uh, what is it, sergeant?

Do you know a
Mr. Gerald hillman?

Of course.

He's my boss, but I'm
afraid he's not here right now.

He left several hours
ago for New York.

Why? Is something the matter?

Yes, ma'am.



We're still investigating, but
for some unexplained reason,

his car ran off the
road, hit a bridge.

And Mr. Hillman? He's...

I'm terribly sorry, ma'am,

but he's dead.

Ready?

Three-to-one.

I love it, MacGyver.

You got lucky, eh?

I used to date Wayne gretzky.

Come on, stop stalling.

Once more for all the marbles.

Okay.

All right, Hoser.



Here we go, eh?

Don't want you to be
nervous or nothin', you know.

( Laughs )

I mean, I'm part Canadian,
you know what I mean?

- You look it.
- ( Beep )

And there's the face-off

At the start of
the defensive end.

Oh, I have a great block!

Oh, it's a beautiful
pass on the wing.

Makes a shot over another wing!

- Oh, you're a dead man!
- And there's a shot! Oh!

I appreciate the call.

Thank you, sergeant.

( Raspy breathing )

( Raspy breathing )

MacGyver: Oh, and the lady
gets faked out of her socks.

Oh, here... good.

Come on!

( Laughs ): Give me that.

They look a little slow today.

Must be the humidity, eh?

( Mutters )

- Grim and determined.!
- Almost...

Shot into the corner!

( Laughs ): Oh! Hey!

Oh! Almost!

Which counts for
absolutely nothing.

( Alarm buzzing )

( Raspy breathing )

( Raspy breathing )

( Buzzing continues )

He's about to break away.

Takes a shot. He
shoots! He scores!

Unbelievable!

- Off the face!
- Shoot!

Trickled into the net,
and that's the game!

( Sighs )

The fans go crazy.

( Imitates crowd cheering )

Now, that was
for all the marbles.

MacGyver...

Susan...

Are you gonna play fair,
or do I spread the word

about how totally
dishonest you are?

Totally, eh?

Okay, one more time.

One more time, eh?

Yeah, I like that accent.

What accent, eh?

Waiting for the face-off.

This one literally for all...

- ( Beep )
- The marbles...

( Phone rings )

I'm not home, okay?

Come on!

MacGyver: Hello.
This is not MacGyver.

So, obviously, you've
reached a wrong number.

But if you need to
leave a message...

Shoots... unbelievable!
Off his face again!

If he happens by.

( Beep )

Amy: Mac, if you're home,

pick up the phone.

I need to talk to you!

This is Amy Austin.

Hold it.

Yeah, Amy?

Mac, Mac, I'm in trouble.

Amy, what is it?

Oh, Mac, I need you.

Look, if it's real serious, I
can be there by tomorrow.

I'll catch a plane out tonight.

What's wrong?

Well, I don't really know.

I mean, a friend
of mine died, and,

oh, I don't know who to trust.

Mac, please, please,
I need your help.

I think someone's
trying to kill me.

Look, look, I know I
don't have any right

to involve you in this, but...

Hey, wait a minute.

You've got every right.

Where do we meet?

The beach, our beach.

( Raspy breathing )

Amy: Oh my god!

Amy, can't you tell
me a little bit about...?

Amy? Amy?!

Amy, are you there?

( Raspy breathing )

am...

Mac, you okay?

( Suspenseful
theme music playing )

♪ ♪

( Adventurous theme plays )

♪ ♪

MacGyver: The past
is a strange country.

You go back,

but it doesn't recognize you.

I'd changed in
ways I didn't know,

And if I was a
stranger, so was Amy.

Used to be Amy and me, one word.

Back in that
time, in this place.

( Seagulls screeching )

Amy stayed.

I've moved on.

And what had been
between us changed,

Stretched out over
distance and time.

I remember this beach.

There were palm trees then.

♪ I remember when
rock was young ♪

♪ me and Suzie had so much fun ♪

♪ holding hands and
skimming stones ♪

♪ had an old gold Chevy
and a place of my own ♪

♪ but the biggest
kick I ever got ♪

( Laughs )

♪ Was doing a thing
called the crocodile rock ♪

♪ While the other kids were
rocking round the clock... ♪

Well, right on time, as usual.

Well, I had a good
excuse, as usual.

Hey, I thought you
wanted to have a major talk,

or did you mean some
serious making out?

( Laughs ): Oh, ho, ho, ho.

You look like
you're about to burst.

So, what is it?

You remember that
freighter I told you about?

Uh, yeah, something
about bucketing around

the mediterranean
ocean or something.

Yeah, it's a sea,
and it's the adriatic.

Oh.

Amy, it's the Greek islands.

It's sicily, north
Africa, and it's all set.

You and me.

I talked to the captain.
He needs a cook.

He'll sign us both up.

- Mac, you signed me up?
- You bet.

Oh, honey, that's crazy!

Yeah, it is!

Come on, we talked
about this. Traveling.

Yeah, talk.

And what about your degree?

I mean, Mac,

ten miles down that coastline,

they're-they're building a
nuclear processing plant.

They're gonna need
people with science degrees.

Mac, we could have
a real future there...

Together.

Amy,

I took physics because
it was interesting,

and it excited me,
not to buy myself a job.

Amy, come on, there's
a world out there!

Let's go look at it!

Being something different!

I don't want to be different.

I want a life I can count on.

Yeah, that's what i'm
talkin' about... countin' on...

Us, together.

Not some executive recruiter

or a pension plan.

Mac, I can't.

I mean, I never really thought

that you meant
something this crazy.

Crazy?

Finding out who I am?

Well, maybe.

Maybe you ought to go.

♪ If words could make
wishes come true... ♪

Just like that?

♪ I-/////! d save every day... ♪

I don't know.

♪ Like a treasure and then ♪

♪ Again, I would
spend them with you... ♪

( Engine starting )

( Horn honking )

( No audio )

MacGyver?

It's Tim... Tim wexler.

Tim. It's been a while, huh?

Yeah.

( Sighing )

The police called the plant.

They told us... about Amy.

Were you here
when this happened?

All of it.

Her car just blew up?

I don't think it
just blew up, Tim.

Well, what then?

Well, Mr. MacGyver said
Amy called him last night

And said she thought
somebody was trying to kill her.

Well, then this
wasn't an accident?

Detective: Well, my lab people

Tell me the evidence shows
it might have been a gas leak.

Tailpipe got too hot,

she stopped here and...

Damn shame.

Lord knows she
had enough trouble.

What troubles?

Well, her daddy
and mama got killed

in a plane crash
about a year ago,

and then just last
night her boss got killed

When his car
went out of control.

Jerry hillman.

The, uh, general
manager of the plant.

State police

Found his car.

He ran right into the
old bridge at south fork.

Train: Knew them both.

I tell you, sometimes this
job is just plain god-awful.

Yeah, I can imagine.

Listen, chief...

would you mind having
your boys at the lab

take a close look at this
piece of gas tank I found?

Sure. What, what
do you have in mind?

Well, if the tank
caught on fire,

it would have blown out, right?

Yeah.

Well, look at that
little hole there.

It's blowing in.

And I'll bet the boys at the
lab will be able to tell you

that white residue there
is magnesium oxide.

Magnesium oxide... you
mean that stuff they...?

That's, uh, the explosive
bullet, like a mag point?

Yeah, I don't have
any better answer.

If you're right, we're sure
going to start looking for one.

I'd appreciate it.

( Sighing )

Her folks are gone, right?

What about aunt min?

Or, um, Toby jenson?

Someone she may
have been close to

that she talked to?

Well, min moved
over five years ago,

and I haven't seen
Toby in, uh, a good year.

But what about, uh,
Amy's roommate, Bonnie?

Oh, yeah. We
tried to contact her.

She took Friday off.

Probably went away for a
long weekend somewhere.

I don't think she
knows about this.

She probably won't make it back

for the funeral.

When is that?

It's tomorrow morning at 10:00.

It's a coroner's case.

Uh, you don't have to go.

Yes, sir, I do.

So, today, we are to consecrate
the memory of Amy Diane Austin,

whose untimely, tragic death

ended a joyous
and loving young life.

We all knew Amy,
and cherished her.

We all mourn the passing

of a young and
beautiful woman...

A life ended too soon.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

"The body returneth
to the earth,

And the eternal spirit
unto god, who gave it."

Amen.

Mourners: Amen.

Mac.

Don't turn.

Amy!

Just drive to my dad's
old place, okay? Please?

( Sobbing ): Oh, thank god!

Thank god you're here!

( Engine starting )

MacGyver: My god, Amy!

I arrive here yesterday,
in time to see you die,

And just ten minutes
ago saw you buried.

Amy: I know it's a
shock to you, but...

That's one way of putting it.

I mean, here you are...
You're talking, breathing.

Mac, I had no choice!

I believe you, Amy, but
somebody died in your car.

Who was that girl?

( Sobbing ): Bonnie, Mac.

That was my roommate Bonnie!

She was supposed
to come pick you up

because I was too scared.

And she was killed.

She was killed

Because somebody
thought she was me.

And you let them Bury her

With everyone
believing it was you?

Do you have any
idea what it did to me

watching them lower
your coffin into a grave?

What it did to
everyone at that funeral

who loved and cared about you?

You don't think I thought
about that, or about Bonnie?

I haven't slept in 36 hours.

Mac, I don't

Know what to do.

( Crying )

All right, come here. I'm sorry.

( Crying ): Oh, Mac...

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

All right, tell me what's
going on... slowly.

Okay.

I'm director of research

at the nuclear
processing plant now.

Three days ago, I found

that somebody had
messed with the records

to cover up the theft
of enough uranium

To build a nuclear bomb, Mac.

A nuclear bomb!

Who else have you told this to?

My boss.

The two of us searched the plant
from top to bottom, and nothing.

I think we better go inside.

Come on.

Your boss, Jerry hillman?

I see you heard about
his so-called accident.

Jerry took a copy of my records,

and he took off to catch
a plane for Washington.

He made it two miles
outside of town, Mac.

That's when you called me?

Someone was after me.

I mean, that's why I
sent Bonnie to meet you.

Mac, I never dreamt
somebody would kill her

Because they thought she was me.

- ( Crying )
- All right, all right, all right.

Come on, I think
we could both use

a cup of coffee, don't you?

Sounds good.

Kyle: Tim, you want some coffee?

Tim: No, thanks.

"Most likely to succeed"?

Boy, you sure had

them fooled, huh, Tim?

( Chuckling softly )

Yeah. Ever wonder why we
hang onto these yearbooks?

Oh, my wife and I
pulled ours out last week.

It's just kicks, that's all.

Yeah. A chance to remember

Those bright hopes
for the future, huh?

How we were going
to get to be somebody,

do something really worthwhile.

( Phone ringing )

Westport nuclear; Tim wexler.

No, nothing.

What?

W-When did that come out?

My god.

Yeah. Yeah, okay.

Thanks.

What is it?

Tim?

Uh... coroner's office just
made their findings public.

Amy Austin isn't the girl
that burned up in that car.

Here. Drink.

Mac, I can't.

Drink.

Better?

( Quavering breath )

I'm sorry.

Look, have you got a
handkerchief, or something?

Uh, yeah.

Yeah, I think so.

You always carried
a pocketful of junk.

Yeah.

And you always fixed everything.

( Sobbing )

I'm sorry.

( Sobbing )

I'm okay now.

Honest?

Honest.

How long has it been
since we were together?

A lot of time.

Not much else.

Christmas card now and again.

And one red Rose
from you every birthday.

Well, you used to
like that kind of stuff.

I still do.

Yeah?

Mm-hmm.

Mmm.

I still remember how you taste.

Thank you, Mac.

Thank you for coming.

Everyone I could
possibly turn to is...

They're already dead.

I'm here, Amy.

And we'll get to
the bottom of it.

All the way.

This audit report you hid.

Does it show theft
over a period of time?

Yeah, little by little.

They must have hidden it away.

Well, must be somebody
from the plant then.

Or an inspector, or a supplier.

I mean, lots of
people had access.

Well, it's probably
a group then.

We are talking
about big bucks here.

Sure adds up.

The question is, what do I do?

We get your report...
Then we tell the world.

We'll get them to listen.

Mac, it's Sunday.

There's hardly
anyone even there.

Security's there.

Phones are there.

Yeah.

♪ ♪

( Sighs )

do you really
think it's possible

the uranium's
still at the plant?

Well, it's the only reason

I can come up
with for two killings.

How 'bout you?

I'm right out of
explanations, Mac.

Right now, I'm just
barely hanging on.

You always were
pretty good at that.

Uh-uh.

I let go too easily once.

Shall we?

MacGyver: So,
where'd you hide it?

The last place anybody'd
look: The disposal chamber.

They only backwash
the reactors once a week.

I figured it'd
be safe till then.

MacGyver: Last
place I'd want to be in.

Hey, nice.

Love what you've
done with the place.

It's a beauty.

It does the job.

Look, trust me, MacGyver,

if we were in here when
this valve cranks open,

we'd be fried to a crisp.

5,000 gallons of
radioactive slush

comes pouring in here
to be decontaminated.

Slush? Ooh, not
the time to be in here.

What do you say
we get the report?

Right.

Well, all there.

Then it's all
downhill from here?

Oh, god, Mac!

Damn!

( Alarm buzzing )

What's the setup on this door?

Uh, an electronic time-lock,

but, Mac, once it's been set,

It can't be opened for
60 minutes minimum.

Mac, it's been activated!

Excuse me, Amy, um,

How soon before that sludge
comes racing out of there?

It's already started.
I can feel the heat.

And how hot is it
going to get in here?

Mac, before it
reaches this room,

it'll get too hot
for us to breathe.

Oh, wonderful.

And how long
before that happens?

About ten minutes.

Great.

Well, I'll tell you,
I sure don't feel

like sitting around
and being chewed up

By your radioactive garbage
disposal, that's for sure.

Our only hope is control.

I mean, if they
look at the board

and see the chamber
door indicators,

Mac, they're going to
know something's wrong.

It's Sunday.

Don't you think
that's asking a lot?

Announcer: Parsons
hits a long fly ball

- into right center...
- Kyle: All right.

Parsons a double
to center field,

and here comes jacamazzi.

Safe. I got your
five bucks, Tim.

I got it.

We'll see.

( Beeping )

What about climbing up
through the valve opening?

Where's that go?

Straight to the core.

Forget it.

Oh, come on, think, Amy, think.

All right, wait a minute.

Bottom line, the
only way out of here

is through that door.

Mac, we've already
been through that.

Time-locked, right?

Time-locked, pick-proof.

Electric time clock?

With 59 minutes to go.

Mac, we've got nine.

Unless we do some time travel.

Meaning?

Electric time clock
measures time

with an oscillating
quartz crystal,

So if we can hit it with
a hot electrical surge...

But wouldn't that
just burn it out?

Well, that'd be the
end result, yeah.

The immediate result
would be to set up

a violent secondary vibration.

Which would speed up the clock.

It should.

Oh, I don't know, Mac.

I think they ought
to just run you

for president or something.

Oh, no thanks.

I'd rather have this
problem than his.

( Beeping )

All right, watch yourself.

( Rapid beeping )

Announcer: Bottom of the
eleventh, the score is still tied two-two.

Hey, Tim, what's happening
with the disposal chamber?

Well, this is strange.

The manual override's activated.

I can't shut it down from here.

( Rapid beeping )

( Electrical sizzling )

( Hissing )

Shut it, quick!

Mac!

Amy!

I-I-I just heard on
the phone that...

What are you...?

Uh, I mean, who's in the...?

- Wha-wha-what's going on here?
- Tim...

It's a long story.

It's just nice to know
we have time to tell it.

Let's go.

Come on.

Tim: Well, I still think
you're suiting up for nothing.

MacGyver: Well, maybe, but I'm
convinced the uranium is still here.

This kind of stuff just doesn't
happen in westport beach.

Read the report,
Tim. It's happening.

That door didn't close
on us by accident.

So... what do we do?

You call the nuclear regulatory
commission, get them down here

- along with the police.
- We'll try and find

That missing uranium.

It should make a heck
of a press release, eh?

Just like our college days, huh?

Never a dull moment
with MacGyver.

He does a lot of that...
Thinking about the past.

Like me.

Mac, this film badge
reacts to radiation.

If you're near anything
hot, it starts to turn black.

And when it's all black...
They give you a new one?

When it's all black,
they give you a coffin.

Oh.

Good.

Come on.

I don't know what you
expect to find in here, Mac.

Jerry and I checked
every container

against the records.

There aren't any extras.

Well, this is the only place
high-grade could be kept, right?

Of course... the alarm
system would explode

if any high-level
radioactive material

Got anywhere but
here or the reactor itself.

Well...

if I was going to hide
high-grade uranium,

I'd put it in with a bunch
of other high-grade,

So you couldn't
sort out the readings.

Maybe you guys
just overlooked one.

Mac, that's filled
with concrete.

We use it as a sign post.

I'd be willing to bet

this is filled with a lot
more than just concrete.

( Detector crackles rapidly )

Take a listen.

( Detector crackles rapidly )

You were right, Mac.

So far,

so good.

All right.

Now we have some evidence.

Step two is finding
out who put it there.

Hi, Tim.

You don't look
very surprised, Mac.

No...

More disappointed than anything.

But it all adds up, I guess.

Had to be somebody
with run of the plant,

somebody who knew how to handle

Radioactive material.

Tim, I can't believe this.

We grew up together,
and you tried to kill me?

And you killed Bonnie?

I never killed anybody.

I never expected anybody to die.

I didn't want this to happen.

Put the gun down, Tim.

No.

No, it... it's too late for that

now.

I... I have to lock you up...

Both of you.

I don't think either
one of us wants

to be locked up right now.

There's too much at stake.

I can't help that. I'm in
too deep now to get out.

Come on, Amy.

Tim: I'll shoot.

I mean it, Mac.

No, I don't think so.

Tim, I don't know how
you got involved in all this,

but somewhere along
the line, you had to decide

whether you're going
to be a killer or not.

You're going to have
to live with that decision.

MacGyver!

I'm warning you!

Wexler: MacGyver, stop!

Mac, just how well
do you read people?

I'm taking the final
exam right now.

Wexler: MacGyver, I'll shoot!

MacGyver!

( Sobbing )

Kyle, key the red
line to Washington

And call the police.

We've got...

Kyle?

Afraid he can't do that, Amy.

Well, the other conspirator.

Or are there more?

Just the customers we're
going to meet in Canada.

30 kilos bring in a
pretty hefty price, chief?

$50 million.

Amy: That's if you deliver.

Not if... when.

For god's sakes, train.

You're selling enough
weapons-grade uranium

to make a nuclear bomb.

Train: What happens
to it after I deliver it

Is no concern of mine.

And you're not
going to care, either.

Train, no! Listen.

There's been
enough killing already.

We-we can tie them up.

Leave them behind.

If we let them live,

our face will be
on the front desk

of every law enforcement
organization in the world.

( Grunting ): No!

( Gunshot )

Computer voice:
Pressure overload.

Pressure overload.
Relieve manually.

Mac, he shorted out
the monitor circuits.

The reactor's
going out of control!

What does that mean?

Meltdown!

Oh, my god.

( Alarm blaring )

Tim, can we stop it?

I don't know.

The board's half wrecked.

When that reactor
temperature hits critical, we're...

you know a meltdown won't fry

just everybody
here in the plant.

We're talking about
the contamination

of half the state.

Computer voice:
Cooling system failure.

Commence evacuation procedure.

( Alarm blaring )

Amy: It's heating up fast.

Computer voice: Procedure
red. Procedure red.

Commence evacuation.

You got to get out of here.

There's nothing more I can do.

Tim, make the
call to the nrc first.

We might still be able to
get a couple miles of away

before the reactor goes.

Just make the call and go.

And what about you?

Check me on this.

We've got a reactor
that's heating up fast.

No coolant getting in, right?

That's it.

In about 12 minutes,
it's going to blow.

What about the high
pressure injection system?

It's operative.

But there's nothing
getting into the reactor.

There's a blockage.

That's what I figure.

So, if I can open it manually,
we're home free, right?

Mac, no... it'll kill you!

No way!

I haven't paid my taxes yet.

Nuclear processing
corporation, westport beach plant.

We have an incident.

I repeat, we have an incident.

MacGyver: A marine
sergeant once started a charge

by yelling at his men,

"come on, you
want to live forever?"

now, I used to think

that was about the
guttiest thing ever said.

But of course,
the older you get,

The more nervous you get.

And I was getting.

We need to do a
high-pressure bleed and feed.

We get the coolant pressure up,

and if MacGyver could
unblock that reactor feed,

then she should cool down.

I had the theory,

but I'm a long
way out of practice.

Pressure's coming up.

Time's running out.

( Gunshot )

Amy: It's on automatic.

It just needs flow regulation.

I can handle this.

But I need you.

You know, um...

Chances are we,
we might not make it.

Look, it's worth trying.

See you around.

You can't run forever, MacGyver.

MacGyver: Train, are you crazy?

We got a runaway
reactor to worry about here.

Train: That's what I'm trying

to help you with.

Stop all that worrying.

MacGyver: Isn't 30
kilos of nuclear explosive

enough for you?

My god, it's enough
to level a whole city,

Enough to kill a quarter
of a million people!

Nobody says that's what
they're going to do with it!

MacGyver: Yeah, right!

Who are you trying to kid?

Besides yourself?

It's more money than
you could ever dream of...

That's what counts.

And the meltdown... ( Laughs )

that'll cover all the traces.

( Grunting, then gunshot )

( Groaning )

Oh, god!

What are you... What
are you looking at?

Amy: Your badge... it's black.

Ed, you've been hit

With a major dose of
radioactive material.

You're contaminated.

MacGyver: Put him in washdown.

That's all we can do.

Train: Hurry up!

Get me to the shower!

( Rapid beeping )

Kyle, get out of here.

There's nothing you can do now.

What about you?

It's too late for me.

Way too late.

Okay, but...

Amy: I'm going with you.

Look, Mac, there's
washdown water up there,

and you are going
to need it to survive.

MacGyver: What about the
high pressure injection system?

It's on line.

Tim's standing by
in the control room.

Looks like you passed
that final exam, Mac.

Yeah, so did Tim.

I know.

Amy: Something wrong?

MacGyver: Yeah. I hate heights.

Amy: Oh, I forgot that.

MacGyver: And I thought
you remembered everything.

Amy, give me some water!

Amy: Is it moving?

It's stuck!

MacGyver: Damn!

Oh, no!

You'll never get it off
without that wrench!

Amy, give me train's gun!

Please! Come on!

More water, Amy!

MacGyver: I hate heights,

And I despise guns.

So, how the hell did
I get myself up here?

Come on, please...

Do it, Mac!

MacGyver: Hot damn!

There she blows!

First time in my life
I've ever been happy

To have my hands on a gun!

Yeah!

We did it! Okay!

Oh, we did do it!

Oh, yeah!

( Rapid beeping
steadily slowing down )

a lot of strong memories
you've stirred up

here in westport
beach, Mr. MacGyver.

Well, you've kind
of conjured a couple

That I'll be taking home
myself... miss Austin.

And I'll be hanging onto
them for quite some time.

You know, sometimes I wish

We could find a way back
to that crossroad, Mac.

Yeah? What do
you think we'd find?

Just what we have...

Our friendship.

Did you ever wonder

How we kept hold of
that through everything?

Well, that's easy.

It's how we started.

( Engine starting )

( Theme music playing )