MICHAEL SIMMONS

Michael Simmons had been the Director of Project Development at Vectrocon Systems, a corporation that dealt in top-secret technology. Charles Banning, the head of the Banning crime family, was involved in selling government information to foreign agents, and to do so he had tapped Michael Simmons to steal technology from Vectrocon and make the sale to East Germany.

Simmons was motivated by simple greed and had no qualms about betraying his country or the crime boss for whom he worked. After several successful transactions, he arranged for the sale of NavCom-24, the most sophisticated navigation system ever developed, for three quarters of a million dollars in cash, and he informed the East Germans that they would find the shipment at the pier drop in crates labeled "sauerkraut." In fact, the crates contained nothing more than sauerkraut, which made Simmons a target not only of the East Germans, but also of Charles Banning and of the US government.

The federal government was concerned that a full-scale investigation would tip off the East Germans, so the Phoenix Foundation was handling the case, and MacGyver was given the assignment to investigate and apprehend Simmons. Meanwhile, Banning sought retribution for Simmons' double-cross and ordered that he be killed. He called Jimmy "The Eraser" Kendall, a hitman who had once worked for him, out of retirement and ordered him to take the contract on Simmons.

MacGyver and Jimmy both made inquiries at a bar and a car lot that Simmons owned. Upon learning that they were both searching for the same man, Jimmy suggested that they cooperate, and he set about earning MacGyver's trust by fabricating the story that Simmons was his estranged son.

MacGyver broke into Simmons' office at Vectrocon and learned about Simmons' girlfriend, Linda. She had been instructed to buy two tickets for Rio and to meet Simmons in preparation to leave the country together. MacGyver followed Linda to the Brownstone Hotel, and by rewiring her car's security system he was able to apprehend Simmons and send Linda on her way.

It was only after he had Simmons in custody that MacGyver learned that Simmons' father had died six years before and that they were in fact being set up for a hit. Jimmy and Ralph, one of Banning's bodyguards, pursued MacGyver and Simmons into a warehouse. There, face-to-face with Jimmy, Simmons tried first to bargain for his life with the three quarters of a million dollars he was carrying. However, it was MacGyver who was able to reach Jimmy by reminding him that he had wanted to retire and leave the life of crime behind. Jimmy relented and let Simmons go with MacGyver, a decision which would make Jimmy another target of Charles Banning. However, with Simmons in custody, federal agents were able to get the information they needed, to apprehend the East Germans as they boarded a plane, and to shut down the espionage pipeline. Simmons would likely be tried and convicted for his crimes.

Portrayed by: Morgan Stevens

Cross Reference: Charles Banning, Brownstone Hotel, Jimmy Kendall, Linda, Ralph, Vectrocon Systems

Episode Reference: The Eraser