Adventures in Odyssey

Chris: Hi, this is Chris. Welcome to Adventures in Odyssey!

Whit: Oh, hi there! Welcome to Odyssey. I'm John Avery Whittaker, but most folks around here call me Whit. Why don't you get the whole family together and join us for another exciting Adventure in Odyssey!

Lawrence: You halt! Come on, Doc, this jar won't hold it for long, we've got to go!

Smith: Stop struggling, you!

Lawrence: Hiya!

Harlo: Ooh, clever.

Eugene: They aren't Destructo guys, they're bootleggers.

Harlo: Well, they can't do that, it's illegal.

Lawrence: Agent Hodges to HQ.

Guest (Voice on Radio): This is headquarters, Hodges.

Lawrence: I've infiltrated Destructo's science labs and I'm outside the Inner Sanctum where the doctor's being kept.

Guest (Voice on Radio): Excellent. Met with any resistance?

Lawrence: Negative. I've avoided contact with the guards so far, and since they have laser cannons, I want to keep it that way.

Guest (Voice on Radio): Where's the doctor?

Lawrence: Standing at a lab table mixing some chemicals.

Guest (Voice on Radio): Get him out quickly and quietly.

Lawrence: Roger, Hodges out. Okay, here goes. So much for quick and quiet. You halt!

Hate to disappoint you guys, but I can't stick around. Have some tear gas, on me! Come on, Doc, this jar won't hold it for long, we've got to go!

Eugene: What are you doing? I'm right in the middle of an experiment.

Lawrence: There's no time for that, they're coming!

Eugene: Who?

Lawrence: The guards from Destructo, that's who! Don't you know where you are?

Eugene: Of course I do, but apparently you don't. Get down!

Lawrence: They're breaking through! Hodges to HQ, Hodges to HQ! Send reinforcements immediately! Do you copy HQ? Send reinforcements!

Eugene: Mr. Hodges.

Lawrence: Huh? Oh, hi Eugene.

Eugene: What are you doing?

Lawrence: Just playing.

Eugene: Playing? Do you realize your playing may have ruined my mixture?

Lawrence: Really? What are you mixing?

Eugene: A fluid preparation of floral essences and a fixative used for scenting.

Lawrence: Really? Wow, it smells like some sort of perfume.

Eugene: It is perfume, or it was. All of the chemicals are mixed up. Now I'm unsure what I've created. Lawrence, have you no restraint?

Lawrence: That depends.

Eugene: On what?

Lawrence: On what restraint is.

Eugene: Self-control. Why must you always let your imagination run away with you?

Lawrence: Does this mean you don't want to play anymore?

Eugene: No.

Lawrence: Then I have only one thing to say.

Eugene: And that is?

Lawrence: Look out! Destructo agents all around us! Hodges to HQ, I'm leaving the compound. I'll recontact you outside.

Eugene: What have I created here?

Lawrence: Hodges to HQ, I'm outside the compound. Enemy agents in pursuit. One of the Destructo motorcycle corps is on my tail. I've got no choice but to attack. Standby. Come on, a little closer. Hiya!

Harlo: Nice shot, Lawrence.

Lawrence: You know my name?

Harlo: Of course I do, unless you've changed it.

Lawrence: Who are you?

Harlo: You don't recognize me?

Lawrence: No.

Harlo: Maybe I changed mine.

Lawrence: I don't recognize you because you have your helmet on.

Harlo: Oh, yeah. There we go.

Lawrence: Mr. Doyle!

Harlo: I knew I didn't change my name.

Lawrence: Where did you get that moped?

Harlo: That's my latest crime-fighting tool. Came over to show Whit. What do you think?

Lawrence: Cool.

Harlo: Sure is, especially when it's got a good wind going.

Lawrence: You're taking an awful chance riding it through Destructo territory.

Harlo: Destructo doesn't scare me. Who's Destructo?

Lawrence: An evil subversive organization who will stop at nothing to take over the world.

Harlo: Well, like I said, just the... what?

Lawrence: This area is crawling with their agents, and they love motorcycles.

Harlo: Great Barrier Reef! Whit's End, a bedrock of evil.

Lawrence: Look out! Phew, that was close.

Harlo: It was?

Lawrence: Yeah, he was carrying a micron bomb. Could have taken out the whole neighborhood. I got him before he could detonate it.

Harlo: Nice shot, I think. Any others around?

Lawrence: Not that I can see, but you never know when or where they'll turn up.

Harlo: Shouldn't we do something like call the police, or better yet, get out of here?

Lawrence: The police can't stop them. There's only one way they can be stopped.

Harlo: Asking politely?

Lawrence: No.

Harlo: Begging and pleading for mercy?

Lawrence: No, by infiltrating and destroying their headquarters.

Harlo: Well, yeah, there's always that, but you know.

Lawrence: Fortunately, I know where their headquarters are.

Harlo: I had a feeling you were going to say that.

Lawrence: And I'm going to need your help to do it.

Harlo: Had a feeling you were going to say that, too. All right, I'm in.

Lawrence: Good. You can take us there on your moped.

Harlo: Right. Here, put on this helmet and climb aboard. Only my visor up this time, easier to hear myself think. Ready?

Lawrence: Roger.

Harlo: No, Harlo. Harlo Doyle, private eye.

Lawrence: I meant I'm ready.

Harlo: For what?

Lawrence: To go!

Harlo: Oh, right. Roger.

Lawrence: No, I'm Lawrence.

Harlo: Oh, yeah. Then who's Roger?

Lawrence: I don't know. Look, how do you expect us to destroy Destructo if you don't know all the facts?

Harlo: We'll figure it out on the way, okay? Roger, let's go.

Whit: Eugene, I'm back from the store. Eugene? Eugene, wake up. Come on now. There, there, that's it. Come on, wake up.

Eugene: What? Where am I?

Whit: Well, you're in the workshop. Are you okay?

Eugene: Yes, I believe so. My head is clearing so much.

Whit: Well, let's get some fresh air in here. What happened?

Eugene: I'm not sure. The last thing I remember was Lawrence.

Whit: Lawrence did this to you?

Eugene: Indirectly. I was mixing some chemicals in an effort to produce a fluid preparation of floral essences.

Whit: You mean perfume?

Eugene: Precisely. Then Lawrence burst in playing some sort of game. His action startled me and I mixed up the chemicals. I recall smelling it, then waking up a few moments ago.

Whit: Oh, you must have turned the perfume into some sort of chloroform.

Eugene: Evidently. Mr. Whittaker, I know you hold that imagination aids creativity. However, I submit that Mr. Hodges needs less fantasy and more realism. One of these days, his imagination is going to send him right over the edge of sanity.

Whit: Oh, I don't think it's quite that bad, Eugene.

Lawrence: Help! Help! Mr. Whittaker, help! Oh, help!

Whit: Lawrence, Lawrence. Now just calm down. Calm down. What's the matter?

Lawrence: Something terrible has happened. Harlo Doyle has been kidnapped.

Chris: Now on the Adventures in Odyssey Club, Bridget starts classes at Campbell College and a familiar face is waiting.

Bridget: Hi, Candy.

Candy: I need you to do something for me.

Chris: Candy has plans to use Bridget's connection to Renee.

Candy: You want to bond with her, right? You should definitely ask her to be your mentor.

Bridget: Isn't that a little manipulative?

Candy: If you're doing it right.

Bridget: You said you were looking for volunteers for a fundraiser?

Candy: I am.

Chris: How will Bridget navigate these tricky relationships? Find out now, only on the Adventures in Odyssey Club.

Whit: Harlo Doyle has been kidnapped?

Lawrence: Yes! Call the police, the FBI, the National Guard!

Whit: Lawrence.

Lawrence: Dial rescue 911! Get Captain Kirk on the phone!

Whit: Lawrence! We've got to do something, Mr. Whittaker!

Lawrence: Well, we're not going to do anything until you calm down. All right, I'm calm. I'm calm.

Whit: Good. Now, you want to tell us what this is all about?

Lawrence: Me and Mr. Doyle took a ride on his moped up to the secret cave near Trickle Lake. Only when we got there, two guys were unloading boxes into the cave from a van. We decided to split up and spy on them, so I took off into the forest.

About five minutes later, I heard Mr. Doyle yell, the van started up, and this loud grinding sound. When I got back to the cave, Mr. Doyle, the van, and the two men were gone.

Eugene: Mr. Whittaker, a pertinent question if I may?

Whit: Go ahead.

Eugene: Lawrence, why did you and Mr. Doyle go up to a secret cave and spy on these men in the first place?

Lawrence: Well, we were storming Destructo headquarters.

Eugene: Mm-hmm.

Lawrence: No, I know what you're thinking, but I didn't make this up. It's real!

Eugene: Just as it was real earlier when Destructo caused you to ruin my experiment?

Whit: Now hold it. Hold it. Lawrence, you said Harlo, the two men, and the van were gone, but what about the moped?

Lawrence: I think it was still there.

Whit: And the boxes in the cave?

Lawrence: I didn't go in, but they're probably still there, too.

Eugene: Mr. Whittaker, you're not actually thinking of going to this alleged cave, are you?

Whit: As a matter of fact, I am.

Eugene: You can't be serious. This is obviously another fabrication.

Lawrence: No it isn't! What does that mean?

Eugene: A fantasy.

Lawrence: No! Look, I know I've made up stuff in the past, but not this time. Mr. Doyle could be in real trouble.

Eugene: Poppycock. It's simply squandering valuable time in pursuit of an untameable waterfowl.

Lawrence: Huh?

Eugene: A wild goose chase.

Whit: Precisely. Well, the only way to know for sure is to check it out. Come on, Lawrence.

Lawrence: There's the cave, Mr. Whittaker.

Whit: I can see why you called it a secret. It's pretty remote.

Lawrence: Yeah. This is where Mr. Doyle and I split up. I went to the right and he went to the left.

Whit: Well, we can't tell anything from here. Come on, let's get close.

Lawrence: How come you didn't drive up, Mr. Whittaker? I mean, the kidnappers got their van up here.

Whit: Well, if they want to ruin their van, that's their business, but this road is too rough for my car. Besides, Lawrence, I don't see any evidence that anyone has driven up here.

Lawrence: What?

Whit: Well, there are no tire tracks of any kind, van or moped.

Lawrence: Well, they might not show up here, but they have to be at the cave. Come on!

Whit: Okay, come on. Well, is this where the van was parked?

Lawrence: Yes, but...

Whit: No tracks, Lawrence.

Lawrence: It was here! Honest, Mr. Whittaker, it was right here!

Whit: Okay, okay. Well, tire tracks are only one possible clue.

Lawrence: Yeah. But I don't see the moped around here, either.

Whit: Well, they could have hidden it in the forest. I tell you what, you look around for the moped, and since I have the flashlight, I'll search the cave for the boxes, okay?

Lawrence: Okay.

Whit: Meet you back here in 10 minutes.

Lawrence: Right. And Mr. Whittaker?

Whit: Yes?

Lawrence: Thanks.

Whit: You bet, Lawrence.

Lawrence: At least he believes me. I've got to find that moped. I've got to find something. Anything. This is Sherlock Hodges, world-famous sleuth on the trail of clues in the case of the missing detective.

No, this is no time for games. Got to keep my mind on what I'm doing. What's this? A bottle. Lots of bottles. Someone had a party around here. Like maybe the kidnappers? Wait a minute. That's the same noise I heard when Mr. Doyle was... oh no! Mr. Whittaker! I've got to warn him!

There's the cave. Mr. Whittaker! Mr. Whittaker! Oh no! His flashlight! Mr. Whittaker's been kidnapped, too!

Whit: Stop struggling, you! Harlo! Harlo, are you all right?

Harlo: Yeah, you?

Smith: He's fine. For an old man, he's got plenty of struggle left in him. Tie him up, Jones.

Jones: I'm telling you, this ain't good, Smith. This ain't good at all.

Smith: I know, I know. This place is getting too hot. I've got to get out of here.

Whit: He's right, you're already in a lot of trouble. Kidnapping is a federal offense.

Smith: Ooh, I'm scared.

Whit: Well, you should be. You've made a big mistake.

Smith: And you're going to make a bigger one if you don't keep quiet. What are we going to do?

Jones: Finish boxing up everything down here. You go up to the cave and load up that stuff up there and then come back down here and pick me up.

Smith: What about them?

Jones: We'll figure that out later. Now get going.

Smith: All right. Gentlemen, I'll be working in the other room here. But don't get any ideas about leaving, because even if you do get untied, the only way out of here is through this door.

Harlo: Ooh, clever. I can't believe they caught you, Whit. How did they do it?

Whit: Smith snuck up behind me.

Harlo: Snuck up behind you? These Destructo guys know every trick in the book.

Whit: They aren't Destructo guys.

Harlo: They aren't? Whoa, they're even more clever than I thought. But if they're not Destructo, then who are they?

Whit: You've been tied up next to a still all day and you don't know who these guys are? They're bootleggers.

Harlo: Bootleggers?

Whit: You know, guys who make and sell homemade liquor.

Harlo: Well, they can't do that, it's illegal.

Whit: And kidnapping isn't?

Harlo: Ooh, good point. We can't let them get away, Whit.

Whit: Well, I'd like nothing better than to stop them, but I'm a little tied up at the moment. I only hope Lawrence has figured out what's happened by now.

Harlo: Lawrence?

Whit: He brought me up here to investigate your disappearance. Please God, let him get help.

Lawrence: Eugene! Call the police, call the police!

Eugene: Not again. Where's Mr. Whittaker?

Lawrence: That's what I'm trying to tell you, he's been kidnapped! Call the police!

Eugene: Absolutely not.

Lawrence: But Eugene!

Eugene: Lawrence, this delusional behavior of yours has gone on long enough.

Lawrence: It's not whatever you said, it's real! Mr. Whittaker has been kidnapped!

Eugene: Nonsense.

Lawrence: If it's nonsense, then how come he's not with me?

Eugene: Well, he probably went shopping again.

Lawrence: Then why do I have his flashlight?

Eugene: Because he asked you to bring it back here.

Lawrence: No, it's because he's been kidnapped. Please call the police.

Eugene: Negative.

Lawrence: Then I'll call them.

Eugene: No, you won't. Lawrence, put down that phone.

Lawrence: Then you have to come with me and see for yourself.

Eugene: I shall do no such thing.

Lawrence: Then I'll call the police from a payphone.

Eugene: Wait, Lawrence, no! You can't watch me all the time, Eugene. Either you come with me or I'm calling the police. Oh, very well.

Lawrence: We're calling the police?

Eugene: No. I have to take this knockout perfume you and I inadvertently concocted this morning to the college.

Lawrence: Knockout perfume?

Eugene: Yes, it happens to put people to sleep.

Lawrence: Cool.

Eugene: No, it isn't cool. I can't figure out why it's doing it, so I'm having it analyzed at the science lab. On the way over, we can stop at your cave under one condition.

Lawrence: What?

Eugene: When we find nothing there, you'll drop this silliness about kidnappings once and for all. Agreed?

Lawrence: Agreed. Let's go.

Chris: It's hard to trust a lot of entertainment these days, especially when you want your kids to learn Christian values. Even shows that seem good at first could end up teaching them all the wrong things. But you can always trust Adventures in Odyssey.

For over 35 years, Adventures in Odyssey audio dramas have been teaching kids biblical truth through fun, heartwarming stories. Many kids have even come to Christ because of the show.

And with an Adventures in Odyssey Club membership, you can get even more episodes that will keep them on the right path. Play an episode in the car, before bed, or any other time you just need a moment to breathe. You can rest easy knowing every story is teaching them to be more like Christ.

To find out how you can join the Adventures in Odyssey Club today, go to adventuresinodyssey.com. That's adventuresinodyssey.com.

The stories we hear help shape who we are. The right stories teach us to be brave, to be kind to others, to be godly people. These are the kinds of stories your children hear with each episode of Adventures in Odyssey audio dramas.

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You'll get access to devotionals, games, comics, and other fun activities. Keep giving them stories that will live in their hearts forever. Teach them to be wise like Whit, to be compassionate like Connie, to hold on to the biblical values they learn even when you're not there to remind them.

Try a membership for 14 days to see if it's right for your family. Go to adventuresinodyssey.com to start your free trial. That's adventuresinodyssey.com.

Can't get enough Adventures in Odyssey? Then go behind the scenes with the official Adventures in Odyssey podcast. I'm Bob, producer of the Adventures in Odyssey Club. And I'm Jesse, editor of Focus on the Family Clubhouse magazine.

We're the podcast hosts and we're excited to show you all the fun behind your favorite episodes. When you tune in, you'll learn more about the actors behind your favorite characters.

Connie: Hi, this is Katie Leigh, the voice of Connie. Welcome to the official Adventures in Odyssey podcast.

Chris: You'll hear how the writers come up with their ideas and how the sound designers create all those amazing effects. Just watch out for spoilers. You'll also get the opportunity to ask questions of your own. The team answers questions from fans like you.

Guest (Male): How often are the writers meetings and how many albums do you plan ahead?

Chris: There's a bunch more stuff we haven't even mentioned. So what are you waiting for? Peek behind the curtain by listening to the official Adventures in Odyssey podcast.

Find it wherever you get your podcasts, or better yet, visit adventuresinodyssey.com/podcast. See you soon.

Want to contact us about the episode you're hearing? Visit our website at adventuresinodyssey.com or talk to someone at Focus on the Family. Call 1-800-A-FAMILY, with a parent's permission, of course. We always love hearing from you.

Lawrence: We're almost at the turn-off, Eugene.

Eugene: I still can't believe I'm doing this. I know we'll get up there and find absolutely...

Lawrence: Ha! See! Mr. Whittaker's car. If he went shopping, then why is it still here?

Eugene: No, I must admit that is a bit suspicious, but hardly proof of kidnapping.

Lawrence: Then let's get up to the cave and find more proof. Come on, Eugene, hurry up.

Eugene: Lawrence, I'm moving with all the alacrity I can muster.

Lawrence: Quiet! There's your proof. Look.

Eugene: The van.

Lawrence: And one of the guys I saw before. And the boxes. See, I told you.

Eugene: But what motivation would these men have for kidnapping Mr. Doyle or Mr. Whittaker?

Jones: Jones, you there?

Smith: I'm here. I got the rest of the booze loaded.

Eugene: Booze?

Jones: Make sure you pick up any loose bottles lying around.

Smith: Don't worry, I did. What are we going to do with the old man and that loony private eye?

Jones: Only thing we can do. Get back down here.

Smith: Roger. Over and out.

Lawrence: That's the grinding sound I heard when Mr. Whittaker and Mr. Doyle were kidnapped. Look at the bushes next to the cave. They're opening up.

Eugene: They must be attached to some sort of gate. The grinding sound is a motor that opens them. Concealing a road that leads to their hideout. He's gone.

Lawrence: Who are these guys anyway?

Eugene: They're bootleggers, Lawrence. They make illegal distilled liquor. We've got to report them to the authorities at once.

Lawrence: But there's no time for that. Didn't you hear what he said about Mr. Whittaker and Mr. Doyle? They're in danger.

Eugene: Hmm, yes, that does pose a problem. Very well, you shall contact the police.

Lawrence: Finally. What about you?

Eugene: I'm going to try to help Messrs. Whittaker and Doyle.

Lawrence: But how are you going to go up against two bad guys, Eugene?

Eugene: I don't know. I'm making this up as I go along. Now flee!

Lawrence: All right, I'm going, I'm going.

Eugene: Two of them and only one of me. If only I had some sort of weapon. Weapon?

Jones: Well, gents, our work here is done.

Whit: What are you going to do with us?

Jones: Only thing we can do.

Harlo: You mean...

Jones: Yeah, leave you here.

Harlo: Well, that's not the only thing you can do. You can kill us.

Whit: Oh, thanks for reminding them, Harlo.

Harlo: Oh, what are you, nuts? We're bootleggers, not killers.

Whit: This cabin is very concealed. If we're not found, we could die anyway.

Jones: You're strong, you'll survive. Now, if you'll excuse us. Sayonara. That's sayonara, you dodo. Always forget.

Whit: Harlo, scoot around so our back-to-back and see if you can untie my hands.

Harlo: Right, Whit. Oh, what was that?

Whit: Oh, I kicked over a broom and hit a valve on the still.

Harlo: A valve? Let me see. Oh-oh.

Whit: What do you mean, oh-oh? That's the release valve. It's blocked. The still's starting to overheat.

Harlo: Meaning?

Whit: Well, if it isn't cooled, it'll blow up and take half the cabin with it.

Harlo: Oh, which half?

Whit: Harlo, if the still blows, we'll be leading the way. Well, don't just sit there. Keep trying to untie my hands. And pray, Harlo. Pray.

Jones: Stay there! Oh, come on, Smith, let's go.

Smith: All right, all right. Where are the keys?

Jones: Well, I left them in the ignition.

Smith: Well, they ain't here.

Eugene: Of course not, I took them.

Jones: Who are you?

Eugene: Eugene Meltsner from the Knockout Perfume Company. Here, try our latest scent.

Jones: Oh, I don't want no perfume. Give me those keys, you lousy...

Eugene: Yes, it is a nice scent, isn't it? Perfect for those pressing social engagements, like jail. Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe there are two more prospects inside. Hurry, Harlo!

Harlo: Can't get a hold of the knot.

Eugene: Mr. Whittaker, Mr. Doyle!

Whit: Eugene, in here!

Eugene: Ah, there you are. It may interest you to know that I have successfully knocked out your captors.

Whit: Never mind that, the still's going to blow!

Eugene: It is?

Whit: Use the water hose from the condenser and put out the fire and cool down the boiler.

Eugene: But the hose is bolted to the condenser. I don't have any tools.

Whit: Then break it, Eugene! Hit it with the broom handle.

Eugene: Oh, yes, of course. Broom handle. Hit it again. With all your strength behind it. One, two, three! The fire's out. The boiler's cooling.

Harlo: Thank the Lord.

Whit: Amen.

Eugene: That's it for now, Whit. You'll need to come down to the station and file formal charges, though.

Whit: I'll be right behind you, officer. Lawrence, I believe I owe you an apology.

Lawrence: Thanks, Eugene.

Whit: I think you owe Eugene one, too, Lawrence.

Lawrence: For what?

Whit: For messing up his perfume experiment.

Lawrence: But it ended up helping.

Whit: Lawrence.

Lawrence: Okay, I'm sorry, Eugene.

Eugene: Well, thank you, Lawrence. But I hope you understand now why you shouldn't let your imagination run away with you.

Lawrence: Yeah, after a while nobody believes you. Come on, Lawrence, just because we've solved one case doesn't mean we can rest. We still have to destroy Destructo.

Eugene: Well, almost nobody. Bye.

Whit: But Lawrence! Ready to go?

Lawrence: Roger.

Harlo: Harlo. Who is this Roger guy?

Chris: Proverbs 14:7 says, "Stay away from foolish men, for you won't find knowledge in their mouths." It's pretty obvious that if Lawrence hadn't let his imagination run away with him so many times before, it would have been a lot easier for Eugene to believe him about Harlo Doyle and Whit.

Hopefully he's learned a little bit about the truth found in Proverbs 14:25: "A truthful witness saves." And that's it for today. If you ever want to write to us, we'd sure love to hear from you. Just send your card or letter to Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80995.

Or in Canada, write to Box 9800, Vancouver, BC V6B 4G3. And when you do, don't forget to ask how you can get your own copy of today's episode. It's called "The Boy Who Cried Destructo."

That address again is Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80995. Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family. "The Boy Who Cried Destructo" was written and directed by Phil Lollar. Our production engineer was Bob Luttrell, and our executive producer Chuck Bolte. And I'm Chris, hoping you'll join us again next time for more Adventures in Odyssey.