"Run, Steve, Run"
(Original air date 04/26/74)
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Steve retreats on a friend's ranch to flee from a mysterious pursuer
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Writer: Lionel E. Siegel
Director: Jerry Jameson
Steve goes to a construction site to meet with his friend Art Ramirez (Victor Millan) who offers him a job as director of his company, but Steve declines stating that he's not one to sit behind a desk discussing business all day.
Unbeknownst to Steve, two men observe him from a building across the street. They are infamous robot maker Dr. Jeffrey Dolenz (Henry Jones) and crime Lord Mr. Rossi (George Murdoch). Rossi wants Dolenz to create an army of androids to use to rob the gold at Fort Knox but in order to build the perfect cyborg, Dolenz requires further data on the bionic mechanisms, and therefore insists on conducting tests on Steve Austin.
Seconds after Steve gets on the lift, Dolenz activates a small explosive device that sends the elevator plummeting to the ground. He then calculates the strength summoned in Steve's bionic arm to bring it to a halt before it crashes. The results are staggering. To save time, Rossi suggests to kill Austin and study the parts, but Dolenz convinces him otherwise.
Back at the OSI, Steve vainly tries to convince Oscar that his brush with death was no accident and that someone is gunning for him. While Oscar browses through documents, Steve pouts in a chair and recalls his foes.
Once springs to mind: Dr. Stanley Bacon (Don Porter), a mad scientist seeking the secret of bionics. Although Oscar assures him that the man is dead, Steve remains doubtful.
Oscar dismisses Steve's qualms as pure paranoia and proposes that he takes some time off.
On the plane to Salt Lake City, Steve recalls yet another enemy: Alfredo Tucelli (John Van Dreelen) who had kidnapped Rudy Wells (Alan Oppenheimer) to impel him to build him a cyborg and by the same occasion, force Steve to offer him a sample of his bionic prowesses.
At the airport, Rossi and Dolenz nonchalantly walk by the telephone booth in which Steve is conferring with Oscar about Tucelli. Again, Oscar tries to put Steve's mind to rest by assuring him that Tucelli and his brother are both in jail. He begs Oscar to verify and to reach him at his friend's Tom Molson's ranch where he'll be spending the next few days.
Barely has Steve hung up the phone that Tom's employee, Suzie Lund, (Melissa Green) offers him a ride to the ranch.
At the ranch, Steve and Tom (Noah Beery) exchange a hearty handshake and begin reminiscing over old times.
Later that day, Rossi and Dolenz stand atop a hill, observing the action down in the horse paddock as Suzie gets thrown off a wild mustang. Much to their dismay, Steve doesn't kick into his bionic gear.
The next morning, Steve recalls Dolenz and his robot made in the image of his best friend, Fred Sloan (John Saxon). He gets on the phone to Oscar and requests that he rings him back with the confirmation that Dolenz is indeed behind bars.
Steve and Suzie go on a ride together during which the churlish girl softens towards the charming man who insists on treating her like a woman instead of one of the rugged boys.
They come across two stray horses. Suzie mounts the first horse while Steve slowly ropes the second one. Atop the hill, Rossi orders his men Cliff (Mike Henry) and Bill (Fred Lerner) to fire a few shots in order to spook the horses.
Suzie's mount rears up and scurries away. Just as predicted, Steve takes off in a bionic sprint after the runaway horse to save its rider.
Rossi is getting restless of all these studies that he deems a waste of time. He is relieved to hear Dolenz say that tomorrow they shall capture Steve Austin for the final analysis.
Steve and Suzie bring back the horses to the ranch just as Tom prepares to bust a wild bronco. Unfortunately he ends up in the dirt. Steve on the other hand has better luck at breaking the ornery stallion with the help of some bionic muscles.
Oscar contacts Steve with the news that Dolenz is out of prison. He confirms his presence in Washington at the time of the lift incident, and that according to the passenger manifest, Dolenz was aboard the same plane to Salt Lake City. He insists Steve return to Washington but Steve believes that running away is not the best solution. Instead, he intends to let Dolenz catch him.
Steve asks Tom for a fresh horse and provisions for a two-day ride. Suspicious, Suzie follows Steve who orders her to double back to the ranch.
She grudgingly accedes to his demand. She rides back a few feet, then hides behind a tree to witness Rossi's men shoot Steve with a tranquilizer.
She hightails it back to the ranch to inform Tom that Steve has been abducted and taken to the old Sanderson place. Tom gathers a few of his men to ride to Steve's rescue.
Meanwhile, an unconscious Steve is held in shackles while Dolenz pours fresh cement at his feet to hamper his movements.
Later while the cement is hardening, Dolenz riddles Steve with questions about the glaring flaws he noted in his previous robots. Steve humors him as he proceeds to conduct further tests.
As Tom and his men surround the place, Steve seizes the moment of confusion to break out of his bonds.
Rossi and his men flee in a van. Steve takes off on a horse but seeing how he's not gaining enough ground, he dismounts and continues on foot. He jumps on the roof of the van and forces the fugitives to stop the vehicle by smashing the windshield with his fist.
Tom and his men apprehend Rossi and his cohorts. However Dolenz manages to slip away.
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