- MacGyver and the team board a plane that's mid-flight when the pilot has a heart attack, and discover the medical emergency was intentional.
- Aboard the Phoenix jet, MacGyver and the team discover the pilot of a passing-by private plane, flying with his young son, is unconscious after a heart attack, expected to crash. After mac improvises a radio to alert the brave boy to prepare for receiving a toggle cable, Mac and Desi board the plane mid-flight and discover that the medical emergency was perpetrated. During the rescue, Russ and Matty disagree over the ultimate authority to make critical judgment calls during an active operation. Russ later agrees that Matty is most qualified.—KGF Vissers
- The team are returning from a secret mission, and are arguing about Star Wars. Russ has his own opinion and Riley storms off. Sitting down, Russ tells Macy that Mac's father James is still pursuing Mason for burning down Mason. He explains that Mac hasn't returned James' call, and Russ points out that he saved Mac's life. He suggests that Mac apology, and Desi listens in and argues with Mac about their relationship.
The plane shakes and the pilot tells them to put on their seat belts. An F-16 gives them a flyby, and Matty reports from Phoenix that the fighter was scrambled to check out a ghost plane near the team's jet. The plane is registered to Ben Reinman, and Bozer reports that Ben missed his flight without a transmission when he flew by with a Cessna. They listen in to the F-16 broadcast, and Desi points out that the pilot can't fly slow enough to check out the Cessna. Their jet can fly slower, and Russ agrees to have Mac redirect the plane to check out the Cessna.
The team's jet approaches the plane, and they determine that the pilot is unconscious and the plane is on autopilot. Mac spots a kid inside and they agree that the situation is worse than they thought.
The two planes continue on, and Bozer confirms from their description that the boy is Asher, Ben's 10-year-old son. The radio goes through the unconscious Ben's headphone so they can't reach Asher, and Mac builds a transmitter to generate sound through the fan in the airplane. Once they contact Asher, Desi gives him directions on how to turn on his radio. Once the boy does, Mac has Asher describe how his father passed out. Asher says that Ben looks bad, and Mac directs him on how to check Ben's pulse. Russ figures that Ben had a heart attack.
Desi has Asher check the fuel and he confirms he's flying on one-quarter tank. Mac calculates that the Cessna only has 45 minutes in the air, and Mac tells Desi that she'll be landing the Cessna since she's the only one who knows how to fly it. All they have to do is get her from their jet to the Cessna.
The two planes continue on, and Bozer and Matty try to work out a way to get Desi over on the whiteboard. Russ has Bozer talk to Asher, and Matty looks for an airport where Desi can land. They set up a zip line, and Mac builds the line from parts from the jet. Bozer discusses video games with Asher, and Matty tells the airport crew to get moving. Asher says that Ben travels money and talks about how his mother died when he was 7. He wonders if his father is going to die as well, and Bozer tells him to hang on.
Mac makes a zip line out of seat covers and hooks, and Riley tells the pilot to fly ahead and above of the Cessna. Following Mac's direction, Asher finds a long-handled squeegee and a wire hanger. Mac has him bend the hanger into a hook, and Asher talks about how he has a friend named Jeff who builds things out of junk. Asher hooks himself in and Mac has him open an exterior door. Russ does the same on their jet, and Mac lowers him the emergency tow cable with a case attached to it for weight. Asher pulls it in with the hook he made, and hooks it to a seat, and before she goes Mac says he wouldn't change a thing. She wants Mac to feed the parakeet they bought together, then slides down the zip line to the Cessna. Mac starts to go down but hesitates, and Russ is glad to give him a shove.
Mac slides down the line but the anchor case in the jet breaks free. Mac gets to the Cessna and Desi pulls him in as he hangs from the doorway. The case bangs into the back of the Cessna, and Mac and Desi can't unhook the line because of the winds. The case threatens to pull the Cessna down, and Desi finds a piton and hacks at the cable. It breaks, releasing the case.
Light aircraft are banned from the nearest airport because it's in a canyon and the winds are too turbulent. Russ warns that they're just is running low on fuel and they fly off to land. While Desi flies the Cessna, Mac checks Ben's pulse and warns Asher that it's too low. He uses the airplane batteries to shock Ben's heart into beating again. Ben wakes up, and he and Asher hug. Mac introduces himself and Riley confirms that Ben had no history of heart problems. There's a rash on Ben's arm, but he doesn't remember touching anything toxic. Riley checks the hangar footage and sees a mechanic go out of his way to touch Ben's arm where the rash is. Mac figures someone poisoned Ben and warns that they need to identify the poison and save Ben.
Bozer calls the airport police and learn that the mechanic is leaving. Matty finds a farm airstrip and sends Desi the coordinates. As she flies there, Desi calls Mac up and asks how Ben is doing. Mac warns that he's not doing great but there's nothing more they can do. He suggests that they clear the air between the two of them, and suggests that they act like professionals. Desi agrees that they'll discuss things if they survive.
At the private airport the Cessna took off from, Bozer can't get in past the security. Russ is familiar with the airfield and makes a call, and gets Bozer in. Bozer goes to the terminal and spots the mechanic, who has just charted a private fleet. Matty tells Bozer to wait for backup, but Bozer warns that the man is leaving. Russ tells Bozer to take him now, and Bozer wonders who is in charge. Matty cuts Russ off and tells Bozer to stand down. Bozer reluctantly does so and the mechanic goes to his private flight.
Ben gets worse and the Doppler radio goes out. Desi warns that it could mean there's a larger issue, and has Mac look outside. He discovers that the landing gear has broken off, and Asher wonders how they can land. They only have 15 minutes to figure things out before they land. Mac and Desi argue, and Asher reminds them that they said they would act professional. Riley and Russ have landed at the nearby airport, but it doesn't have an emergency truck. Mac walks them through how to make foam out of soaping elements, but they need more time then the Cessna has. Mac suggests that they extend their fuel by going to a higher altitude and glide. He has Desi fly to a nearby mountain.
Bozer's backup is delayed, and Bozer tells Matty that he can't wait. Bozer runs to the flight and attacks the mechanic, managing to subdue him. The police arrive but first the mechanic smashes a vial into Bozer's arm.
Russ and Riley get a tanker with the soaping element and head to the farm airstrip. Meanwhile, Matty discovers that the person who hired the mechanic works at Ben's company. Mac questions Ben, who explains that he inspects new planes. They're launching a new flagship jet and there's a lot riding on it, and he found a major engine flaw that will delay the construction by an air. The project manager was the only one who knew about Ben's report, and Riley accesses Ben's computer and discovers the file has been deleted. Matty sends the police to arrest the manager.
Mac has everyone strap in and explains that mountains have an updraft that will raise them without their fuel. Asher wonders how Mac knows everything, and Mac says that his father taught him. Mac has Desi lift at the proper moment to catch the updraft. They reach the necessary height, and Russ and Riley report that their three minutes away. Another car hits their tanker and they check the tank, and discover that the release valve for the soap is broken.
The Cessna is out of fuel and Desi takes it in for a landing. Mac gets an idea and has Russ and Riley drive the track to the landing field. He explains that Russ will match their airspeed, he'll magnify the plane using the battery so they "stick" to it, and they'll land on top of the tanker truck.
Russ matches the Cessna's airspeed, and Desi brings the plane down to land. Mac rigs the electromagnet, and Desi lands on the tanker truck. The plane is attracted to the tanker and Russ brakes the truck, and the emergency vehicles arrive.
Later at the hospital, Bozer and Ben get the antidote. Mac tells them the FA review Ben's inspection report and halted the plane/s production. The mechanic and the project manager are both in custody. Ben thanks them for everything, including saving Asher. Asher goes to get some water and Mac follows him and asks what's going on. The boy is crying, and Asher finally says that he wishes Ben was around more. Mac says that when he was Asher's age, his father was gone a lot. He tells Asher that Ben keeps people safe, but he cares more about keeping Asher safe than anyone else. They look over at Ben, who nods to Asher.
That night, Russ calls Matty to Mac's house and says that he wanted to talk on neutral ground. She doesn't apologize for muting Russ, and Russ admits that she was right and tells Matty to make the final call on future missions. Touched, Matty thanks him and then thanks him for saving Phoenix. She gives him a list of operational requirements, and Russ agrees.
Inside, Desi tells Mac that he's exasperating but was there for her when she needed him. They figure that it's the adrenaline, and Mac says that Desi deserved better than him. Touched, Desi tells Mac that he was her best friend, and Mac suggests that they just be friends. She then tells him that he should fix his relationship with James or he'll regret it the rest of his life. Mac says that it's on James because he broke everything they had, and Desi tells him to let it go because James did it all for Mac. When Mac wonders how to fix things, Desi tells him that he'll figure it out because it's what he does.
The next day, Mac gets James' old jacket from a pawnshop. He puts it on and looks at it in the mirror, and the pawnbroker asks if he's going to buy it back. After a moment, Mac turns to him and smiles.
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