Writer: Harold Livingston
Dir.: Barry Crane

Jim Phelps: Peter Graves
Paris: Leonard Nimoy
Dana Lambert: Lesley (Ann) Warren
Barney Collier: Greg Morris
Willy Armitage: Peter Lupus

Jorge Cabal: Joe DeSantis
Robert Siomney: Lou Antonio
Frederico: Lee Duncan
Luis Cabal: Ron Castro

Paris is leaving the scene of a completed IMF mission and is thanked by an official for his part as "an extremely rich official businessman". His departure is watched by Robert Siomney and Frederico, two terrorists. They are working for Jorge Cabal and his Revolutionary Front and abduct Paris, who notices that the car's locks automatically are locked and gas entering the part of the cab where he's sitting. His attempts to free himself are in vain and he awakes in the van of the terrorists. 

Cabal blackmails the government threating to kill Paris if they aren't going to release soon his son, Luis Cabal, and two other terrorists, who are imprisoned. Before Paris is put in the terrorist's jail, he manages to grab some poisonous berries. After eating them Paris develops a fever and explains to Siomney, who had been a doctor, laughing though in fever that he has got Hodgkin's disease and is useless as a hostage – unless he gets a very special medicine and states to Siomney: "You should have stayed with your profession". 

I am worthless as a hostage

He is allowed to contact someone to ask for the medicine and he asks whether he may send greetings to his family and his son. He is allowed to do so – a gun pointing at him and the text given to him saying that he is fine and well cared for. Paris emphasizes certain words in the message to his son, which give the IMF the description of the place where he is held. The IMF finds out about the whereabouts of the place by placing a transmitter in the medicine. 

Cabal is awaiting the decision of the government to exchange the hostage for the terrorist as Luis' fiancee, Dana, enters the scene. Jim becomes active as a government prosecutor and orders the death of the three terrorists held by the government. Jim announces that the three will be shot, if the American is not released and now Luis' fiancee tries to save his life. She’s interviewed while "visiting" Luis. Then Dana comes to the place the terrorists are holding Paris asking Cabal to free the American in order to save Luis’ life. Siomney does not believe it – since Luis never mentioned a fiancee, but Cabal trusts her. 

She came in Luis' car and she knew where the place is. But he does not free the American though he believes Dana loves Luis very much, because of the ideals they are fighting for – they are more important than his son's life, as painful as it is to him. The shooting of the first two terrorists (on the way to the execution they are replaced by a dummy) is officially aired on TV. Cabal and Siomney watch with mixed feelings. Now Cabal hopes to be able to save his son, and Siomney is afraid their plans might be jeopardized. He orders Frederico to kill Dana and then Paris. In the attempt to kill Dana Frederico is overwhelmed by Barney who has posed as one of the terrorists. 

Barney makes a mask of Frederico's face by using plastic liquid and replaces him. He enters Paris' cell and gives him a curare medication which leaves him like dead for about 15 minutes. Paris lies down dead and gets the necessary red blood stain on his chest to indicate a bullet shot. Just the moment Cabal hopes to exchange his son for the American, a shot is heard. He rushes to the cell and sees Frederico besides the dead American. He is not sure of Siomney's and Frederico's loyalty any more. When "the government" radios again, he confesses that the American is dead. Jim offers another exchange: The dead American, Siomney and Frederico in exchange to his son. Cabal agrees and his son’s death sentence is altered into imprisonment. 

On their way out of the camp the car stops beside a waiting van. Siomney witnesses Paris getting up again, Barney taking off Frederico's mask, Jim and Barney bringing the unconscious Frederico into a van of the government, and all IMF leaving with Dana without saying a word.