Original air date: March 20, 1999

Written by: Andrew Dettmann & Daniel Truly

Directed by: Chuck Bowman

Jarod is just one step ahead of Miss Parker as he races to break a man out of a Mexican prison so that the man can help his desperately ill son.

Jarod’s Discoveries: Toy Airplanes

Jarod’s Occupations: School Bus Driver, Church Volunteer, Surgeon

Jarod’s Aliases: Jarod

Behind the scenes insights and the Creator’s Take

Official Synopsis

Jarod travels to Mexico to free a ruthless prison inmate whose son is in desperate need of a kidney transplant.

Jarod parks an old school bus in front of a modest church in San Diego, California.  Reverend Collins thanks Jarod for repairing the vehicle and taking his congregation on field trips.  Jarod is more than happy to lend a hand, especially since he befriended young Ryan Wells, an eight-year-old boy whose father couldn’t make the trip.  Ryan’s mother, Cindy, stops by the church.  She tells Jarod that her son’s father, Ted, has been away on business and was unable to attend the field trip.  As Cindy drives Ryan home, her car collides with a truck.  The pair are rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors inform Ted Wells that Cindy suffered minor injuries.  Ryan, however, suffered severe abdominal trauma and must undergo a kidney transplant.

At the Centre, Broots shows Miss Parker news footage of a reporter covering the automobile accident.  Jarod can be seen amongst the bystanders.

Jarod speeds along Ryan’s blood work by impersonating a lab technician.  During the process, he discovers that Ted is not a match for Ryan…nor is he his father.  In private, Cindy tells Jarod about Ryan’s biological father, Luther Ecksley, whom she met when she began dating Ted.  Cindy came to realize that Luther was a dark and dangerous man.  She ended their relationship soon after it began.  When she became pregnant with Luther’s child, Ted assumed the baby was his own.  Cindy never told her husband the truth.  Jarod urges her to do so.  A short time later, he begins accessing police records in hopes of locating Luther.

Jarod ascertains that Luther was arrested for smuggling drugs out of Mexico.  His search leads him to a seedy bar, one of Luther’s former hang outs.  Jarod begins asking questions, hoping someone will know of Luther’s current whereabouts.  Suddenly, the bartender strikes him with a pool cue, knocking him to the floor.  One of Luther’s friends, a thug named Ray, informs him that Luther is serving a long sentence in a Mexican prison.

Meanwhile, Broots and Miss Parker interview Reverend Collins, who mentions Jarod’s intention to travel across the border.  Miss Parker receives a lucky break when she discovers a crumpled mug shot of Luther Ecksley inside Jarod’s trash.

In the guise of an international aid worker, Jarod infiltrates the prison.  Luther is agreeable to the idea of donating a kidney, labeling it an act of redemption.  Shortly thereafter, Jarod asks no-nonsense prison warden Anita Esparza for Luther’s temporary release.  She rejects the request.  But Esparza, who has children of her own, encourages Jarod to consider using “extreme measures.”  As Jarod listens, she instructs a subordinate to place Luther in a work detail at the prison’s loading dock that afternoon.  Jarod reads between the lines.  He drives a produce truck up to the prison’s loading dock.  When the guard isn’t looking, he pulls Luther into the truck and shows him a hidden compartment.  Luther climbs inside.  Jarod stops the truck at the front gate to speak with a guard.  Moments later, a car containing Broots and Miss Parker pulls up outside the gate.  The pair do not notice Jarod as they pass by.  Later, Jarod stops the truck on a deserted roadside.  Luther jumps out of the cargo area and listens to Jarod’s plan for getting them back into the United States.  Suddenly, Luther strikes Jarod in the head, knocking him unconscious.

When Jarod regains consciousness, he realizes he must start the hunt all over again.  Meanwhile, Broots continues his research on the return flight to the U.S.  He pinpoints a young boy in San Diego on a kidney donation list.  Miss Parker instructs the jet to land in San Diego.

Luther telephones Ray and arranges to meet him at midnight.  He vows to find the man responsible for tipping police about his drug smuggling activities…the same person who made off with 10 million dollars of his money.  When the telephone conversation ends, Ray exits the bar.  Unbeknownst to him, Luther is watching his movements from afar.  Jarod suddenly approaches Ray.  He tells him that Luther is setting him up… and is well aware that he is responsible for stealing the money.  Ray expresses skepticism.  Suddenly, Jarod pretends to get into a physical altercation with him.  During their struggle, Jarod tells Ray to look over his shoulder.  Ray sees Luther sitting in a Porsche.  Jarod warns him that Luther is after the money, and will trail him until he finds out where it is hidden.  Moments later, Ray pretends to shoot Jarod.  Ray then drives off in his car, with Luther in pursuit.

Unbeknownst to Luther, Jarod is hiding in the backseat of Ray’s vehicle.  Ray drives to the warehouse where the money is hidden.  Luther finds Ray and pushes a gun in his face.  He instructs him to retrieve the cash.  Ray, however, loses his nerve.  He calls to Jarod…who at that moment is sneaking up behind Luther.  Luther turns, pointing his gun.  He fires, sending Jarod diving for cover.  Moments later, Ray strikes Luther in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground.  When Luther regains consciousness, he finds himself in a motel room, strapped to a bed.  The room has been sterilized, an open ice chest waiting nearby.  Jarod places an anesthesia mask over Luther’s horrified face and sets to work.

At the hospital, Jarod informs the Wells that the transplant operation is going smoothly and Ryan is expected to recover.  He notices Broots and Miss Parker pushing past some nurses at the far end of the hallway.  He quickly makes his escape.  Later, Warden Esparza and San Diego police bust down the door to the motel room, where they find Luther resting comfortably.  He is transferred back to jail.