Episode Name: The Case of the Pardner in Crime
Written By: Ardwight Chamberlain and Reed Shelly
Character Appearances: Johnny Yuma, Bullet-Proof, Barricade, Mainframe, Sundown, Turbo Tu-Tone, Big Boss, Buttons McBoomBoom, Berzerko, Rock Krusher
Significant Events: The first appearence of Johnny Yuma; first significant appearence of Sundown; Scenes from this episode are used in "The Case of COPS File 1" when they are researching Sundown.

Episode Synopsis: We start the episode in the work area of a state penitentiary where Johnny Yuma and another criminal are working on some laundry...a large aircraft lands inside, dropping off more prisoners. As the aircraft takes off, Yuma ropes it with a clothesline and is yanked off to freedom!

In an Empire City train station, a robot newspaper deliveryboy named "Frontpage" tries to sell a paper to the wrong guy, and Yuma tells him to deliver a message to Sundown of the COPS...they have some unfinished business. The robot gives the message to the COPS and Bullet-Proof relays the history between Sundown and Johnny Yuma:

The two used to be fellow Texas Rangers who were the most feared tandom of Law Enforcement officers in the west...but Yuma got too greedy for his own good, and tried skimming some cash from their busts. Sundown caught him, but Yuma escaped and went on an unparalleled crime spree. Sundown caught up to him again, and this time Yuma ended up behind bars, something that Yuma never forgave Sundown for...and something perhaps Sundown never forgave himself for.

Bullet-Proof finishes the story, and Mainframe wants to tell Sundown that Johnny's looking for him...however, Bullet-Proof thinks that's a bad idea, and wants to get more information before passing on the message, so Sundown doesn't rush into anything. They all agree to investigate further, unaware that Sundown is sleeping in the next room, and heard everything they had said. He knows this isn't just COPS business...this is personal.

Johnny Yuma continues to hang around the train station, waiting for his message to be answered...and as he's leaving, Turbo Tu-Tone seems him and recognizes him, then gets orders from Big Boss to follow him wherever he goes. Yuma's first stop is a museum where he goes to the Outlaw Hall of Fame, and steals his lasso from one of the statue replicas. But, Sundown knew he'd be going after it, and he shows up at the museum, trying to talke Johnny out of his life of crime...Yuma's not listening, though, and snags Sundown in his lasso. Trapped on an out of control mechanical bull, Sundown activates his homing beacon, and Mainframe and Barricade are there to receive the signal. They charge into the museum as Sundown is launching around on the back of the crazed mechanical bull...Barricade tries to stop it with his mule, but it gets knocked out of his hand, and he gets cornered! It looks bad, until Mainframe yanks the Bull's power cord and stops it in its tracks.

Barricade tries telling Sundown he's off the case...it's too personal. But Sundown lassos him and Mainframe and ties them up, then dashes off, swearing to stop Yuma before he commits another crime. The Crooks are meeting in Big Boss' high rise and Turbo reports in, revealing that Yuma is apparently planning on robbing the "Silver Bullet Express" train. Big Boss decides he wants Yuma to be a part of his gang, and he orders Berzerko to track him down and "recruit" him however he can. Berzerko, Buttons, and Rock Krusher head out to track down Yuma. The three Crooks (plus Turbo) find Yuma pretty quickly, but he's not interested in joining the gang, and he demonstrates this by lassoing all three of them and depositing them in a nearby pond. Berzerko and the crew are understandably annoyed at this, and swear to rob the Silver Bullet Express before Yuma gets to it.

At the precinct, the COPS are trying to figure out what Yuma's plans might be, so Mainframe runs a check on his criminal profile, meanwhile Yuma himself is waiting for the train to pass through a long, dark tunnel. The train passes and Yuma rides his motorcycle up to it and leaps aboard the train, then separates the security car from the rest of the train with some fancy lasso work. He climbs up on top to prepare to rob it, when Sundown suddenly appears, saying he tracked him down "Texas style". Sundown tackles him, but before they can fight too long, the Crooks show up on Air Speeders, laying down the lead. The two former Texas Rangers are forced to take cover. The Crooks bust into the train and start loading up on loot, but Yuma and Sundown move in to stop them. With some fancy lasso work the two cowboys hijack some air speeders and bring down Berzerko and his thugs. Turbo tries to escape, but the COPS reinforcements arrive in the form of Mainframe, Bullet-Proof, and Barricade, and quickly bring him in.

As the Crooks are being relayed into the paddy wagon, Sundown lets Yuma know that when he finishes his prison sentence, he still has his Ranger badge if he wants to join back up. Yuma is honored, and the two friends shake hands before parting ways.