Adventures in Odyssey

Guest (Female): Hi, this is Chris. Welcome to Adventures in Odyssey!

Guest (Male): Oh hi there. I'm John Avery Whittaker, but you can call me Whit. We were just getting ready for a time of wonder, excitement, and discovery. You care to join us? You never know what will happen next when you have an adventure in Odyssey.

Guest (Female): Well, it says here you have 27 books overdue.

Guest (Male): No! No! I just knew that someday I'd get back at them! No! Please!

Guest (Male): Okay class, I've graded your tests, and I have to say I was disappointed. Some of you need to improve your study habits. Okay? Here you go. Mary. Sam.

Guest (Female): Well, how'd you do, Sam?

Guest (Male): I'm afraid to look.

Guest (Male): Joe. Mark.

Guest (Male): Oh great. Really?

Guest (Female): Cindy.

Guest (Male): Oh boy, I bet I didn't do any better.

Guest (Male): Isaac, here's your test.

Guest (Male): Thank you, Mr. Gardner.

Guest (Female): Susan.

Guest (Female): How'd you do?

Guest (Male): Jacob.

Guest (Male): Terrible. I can't believe it. I mean, I studied hard for this test.

Guest (Male): Sally. We did have two students who had excellent grades. Nikki and Rusty once again got 100 percent on their test.

Guest (Male): 100 percent! All right! That's four in a row! High five, Rusty baby!

Guest (Male): All right.

Guest (Male): I don't get it. I mean, how did those guys do it? Neither one of them ever listens in class. I mean, they never take notes. I never see them studying.

Guest (Male): Nikki's one of those genius types. The kind that can do trigonometry on his hands.

Guest (Male): Yeah, I could see that with Nikki. But Rusty? He's in the Bones of Wrath. They foam at the mouth if you even mention the word "study."

Guest (Male): What are you getting at?

Guest (Male): I don't know. I just think that something strange is going on here.

Guest (Male): Hello, Isaac, Sam. What can I do for you today?

Guest (Male): A soda for me, please.

Guest (Male): Oh, coming right up. Isaac? Isaac?

Guest (Male): Uh-huh?

Guest (Male): What can I get you?

Guest (Male): Oh, just some water, please.

Guest (Male): Okay. Are you all right?

Guest (Male): Who, me? Yeah, sure. He thinks there's some kind of scam going on at school.

Guest (Male): Sam, well, I don't know.

Guest (Male): A scam? What kind of scam?

Guest (Male): Well, Rusty's been getting straight As lately, and it doesn't seem right.

Guest (Male): Straight As, huh?

Guest (Male): Yeah, and he's with the Bones of Wrath. They think studying is for wimps.

Guest (Male): Well, maybe he's matured a little and realized how important studying is.

Guest (Male): Do you really think so?

Guest (Male): Not really. I'll think about it while I get your drinks.

Guest (Male): You know, Sam, Rusty's been hanging around with Nikki a lot lately.

Guest (Male): So?

Guest (Male): I can't picture Rusty and Nikki as friends, can you?

Guest (Male): Stranger things have happened.

Guest (Male): Yeah, but it doesn't fit. Nikki plays with computers all day, and Rusty beats up kids on the weekends. They have about as much in common as a pitchfork and a carton of eggs.

Guest (Male): What? What is it?

Guest (Male): Sam, look over there. Don't look like you're looking. Just kind of casually look over that corner booth.

Guest (Male): Okay.

Guest (Male): Okay, okay, stop looking, stop looking.

Guest (Male): What? What was it?

Guest (Male): Didn't you see it? Nikki and Rusty in the corner talking to Charles.

Guest (Male): Yeah, so?

Guest (Male): Well, why would Nikki and Rusty be talking to Charles?

Guest (Male): Maybe they're friends.

Guest (Male): Oh, come on, Nikki and Charles? This is getting really weird, Sam. Can I look? What are they doing now?

Guest (Male): It almost looks like some kind of business deal. Wait, Charles is leaving. Don't look, don't look. Let's go get him.

Guest (Male): Who?

Guest (Male): Charles.

Guest (Male): Here you go, boy. Isaac? Sam?

Guest (Male): Hey Charles! Charles!

Guest (Male): Huh? Oh hi, Isaac. Hi, Sam.

Guest (Male): Hi. So, how's it going?

Guest (Male): Okay, I guess.

Guest (Male): I just saw you and Nikki and Rusty talking at Whit's End.

Guest (Male): You did?

Guest (Male): Yeah. I was just wondering what you were talking about.

Guest (Male): Well, we were talking about math class. That's all. Math. Yeah, we're going to study together.

Guest (Male): You and Nikki and Rusty?

Guest (Male): Yeah. I need some help with math.

Guest (Male): But Rusty? How is he going to help you?

Guest (Male): He's just going to help me. You know, he's going to teach me about things like math skills and adding. He's just helping me, okay? I'm not breaking the law, am I?

Guest (Male): I didn't say anything about breaking the law, Charles.

Guest (Male): I have to go home.

Guest (Male): Look, Charles, whatever's going on, it'll come out sooner or later.

Guest (Male): I don't know what you're talking about. See you later.

Guest (Male): See you, Charles. Maybe they are just studying together, Isaac.

Guest (Male): I don't believe it. Did you see how scared he was? There's something going on here, and I'm going to find out what it is. Keep an eye on him, will you?

Guest (Male): What? I have stuff to do tonight.

Guest (Male): I didn't say you have to sleep under his bed. Just watch him around school. I think we're onto something big here.

Guest (Male): Big?

Guest (Male): Big.

Guest (Male): Isaac, you're not going to believe what I saw! I can't believe this! We're really onto something!

Guest (Male): Shh! Lower your voice, not so loud!

Guest (Male): I was doing my paper route this morning and saw Charles out bright and early.

Guest (Male): Yeah?

Guest (Male): He was at Nikki's house! He went to Nikki's house before school!

Guest (Male): Uh-huh?

Guest (Male): He went inside. Two minutes later, he came back outside and started washing Nikki's bike.

Guest (Male): Washing his bike?

Guest (Male): Waxed it too. He washed and waxed Nikki's bike before school.

Guest (Male): That's not all. I found out that Charles got a 20 out of 20 on a pop quiz in history.

Guest (Male): You're kidding!

Guest (Male): He even spelled Roosevelt correctly.

Guest (Male): This is incredible. Charles got an A on a pop quiz. Everyone in this school knows he panics on pop quizzes.

Guest (Male): Well, what are we going to do?

Guest (Male): I think we better have a little talk with the new improved Charles.

Guest (Male): Hey Charles, congratulations on that pop quiz this morning.

Guest (Male): Thanks. Well, I'll see you later.

Guest (Male): Charles! Would you do me a favor? Spell Roosevelt for me.

Guest (Male): What?

Guest (Male): Roosevelt. You know, as in Franklin D. who used to be president.

Guest (Male): Oh yeah. I'm not very good at doing that on the spot.

Guest (Male): Funny, you did it on the spot in history today.

Guest (Male): I have to go.

Guest (Male): Get his arms, Sam!

Guest (Male): What are you doing?

Guest (Male): What are you going to do with him, Isaac?

Guest (Male): Tickle him.

Guest (Male): What? Do you know what it's like to be tickled so much that you want to throw up?

Guest (Male): Let me go! I didn't do anything!

Guest (Male): Charles, somebody gave you those test answers for the pop quiz in advance, right?

Guest (Male): I don't know who!

Guest (Male): Don't play dumb with us, Charles!

Guest (Male): You asked for it! No, please, wait!

Guest (Male): It has something to do with Nikki, doesn't it?

Guest (Male): Nikki? What does Nikki have to do with it?

Guest (Male): Answer the question!

Guest (Male): I can't!

Guest (Male): But you will! Stop! Please!

Guest (Male): You'll feel better if you do.

Guest (Male): Okay, okay, stop! I'll tell you everything.

Guest (Male): Okay, good. Now, tell us what Nikki is up to.

Guest (Male): He's got access to the school computer files. He can look into everything. Teachers' files and even principal files. Attendance records, everything.

Guest (Male): Including copies of tests?

Guest (Male): Right, some of them. He knew I was having a hard time with history and said he could help me.

Guest (Male): By giving you the answers in advance.

Guest (Male): I was afraid my parents would be upset if I failed history.

Guest (Male): Who else is in on this?

Guest (Male): He's probably got 20 people working for him. He trades tests for stuff that he wants.

Guest (Male): Like washed and waxed bicycles?

Guest (Male): Isaac, you don't know what you're doing. Don't mess with him. With his computer, he can break into every school record in this place. He can change history if he wanted to!

Guest (Male): It's not right, Charles. He can't get away with this.

Guest (Male): Just wait. You'll be at your high school graduation and they'll call you back because your record suddenly showed that you got an F in second grade because you couldn't do a pull-up in gym class. He can do that! He's powerful!

Guest (Male): Calm down, Charles. He's just Nikki, not Adolf Hitler.

Guest (Male): You'll see! You'll see!

Guest (Male): Bye, Charles. Thanks for your help. Well, what are we going to do?

Guest (Male): We're going to tell the principal. We can't let Nikki get away with this.

Guest (Male): Hey Nikki, your mom told me to come on up.

Guest (Male): Hello, Rusty. I need to talk to you.

Guest (Male): Give me a minute, will you? Where's my notebook? There it is.

Guest (Male): Notebook?

Guest (Male): When I was just a little tyke, I used to keep a record of everyone who made fun of me. I just knew that someday I'd get back at them. Well, Rusty, buddy old pal, it's time!

Guest (Male): Oh, here it is. First entry, March 10th, 1986. Robert Skiad called me a "dreebzoid." Good old Robert. From what I recall, that dreebzoid crack hurt pretty bad. What's a good punishment for our friend Robert?

Guest (Male): Let's see here's his file. Very impressive. Honor roll three times, very, very good. A perfect record. Until now!

Guest (Male): But wouldn't it be better if I just got the Bones of Wrath to pound him?

Guest (Male): That comes later if necessary.

Guest (Male): Yeah, but I'd like to do it now, if you know what I mean.

Guest (Male): Rusty, you need something from me, don't you?

Guest (Male): Well, you see, I've been late for school a bunch of times this year already. 14.

Guest (Male): 14 already?

Guest (Male): Yeah, and if I do it one more time, the principal's going to kick me off the team. I just know I'm going to be late again. I don't get up too good in the morning.

Guest (Male): Well, that's interesting. I really wish I could help you.

Guest (Male): Yeah, well, I figured that maybe my attendance record could somehow magically be changed.

Guest (Male): Really? And what would you be willing to give up in return for that piece of magic?

Guest (Male): Oh, I'd do anything.

Guest (Male): Anything? Hmm. There are a number of guys in our school who would very much like to hurt me very badly. I don't like to be hurt. It's very painful. Very. Could I possibly count on your protection? You know, be my bodyguard?

Guest (Male): You bet. I can take on anyone in the school.

Guest (Male): That's what I'm counting on. Okay, Rusty, your attendance record is looking a little better already.

Guest (Male): Here's your drink, Charles.

Guest (Male): Oh, thank you, Mr. Whittaker.

Guest (Male): Are you feeling all right? You look a little pale.

Guest (Male): Yeah, I'm okay. Honest, honest.

Guest (Male): Well, just let me know if you need anything. Hello, Nicholas, Rusty.

Guest (Male): Good afternoon, Mr. Whittaker.

Guest (Male): Hiya.

Guest (Male): You boys want anything?

Guest (Male): I just have a word or two with Charles.

Guest (Male): Okay. Charles, call me if you need anything.

Guest (Male): Thank you.

Guest (Male): Charles, we need to have a talk.

Guest (Male): We do? You want me to clean out your hamster cage again?

Guest (Male): No, Charles. Funny thing happened to me at school today. Principal Skinner called me into his office.

Guest (Male): Oh yeah?

Guest (Male): He told me that someone accused me of having access to school records.

Guest (Male): Really? Who was it?

Guest (Male): He wouldn't tell me. I was kind of hoping that you would.

Guest (Male): Who, me? I don't know anything about...

Guest (Male): Who did you tell, Charles? Come on, you can confide in me.

Guest (Male): Honest, Nikki!

Guest (Male): Rusty, what would it take to get Charles outside and tickle him?

Guest (Male): Not much.

Guest (Male): No, wait!

Guest (Male): Yes?

Guest (Male): It was Isaac Morton.

Guest (Male): Hello, Isaac. Have a seat.

Guest (Male): Thank you. Am I in trouble for something?

Guest (Male): Well, no, not exactly. Listen, I had Nikki in here yesterday, and we talked about what you and I had discussed. He denied everything, and so I decided to check things out for myself. Isaac, his record is as clean as a whistle.

Guest (Male): Well, yeah, but that's because...

Guest (Male): He came in this morning, and he said he had a feeling you were the one that had told me about him because you and he had a little fight. Is that true?

Guest (Male): A fight? No, sir.

Guest (Male): Are you certain?

Guest (Male): Yes, sir. I've never been in a fight in my life.

Guest (Male): That's not what your record says. Apparently, you've been reprimanded a number of times for starting fights and lying.

Guest (Male): What?

Guest (Male): Since I'm new here, it's hard for me to vouch for your character, Isaac. But the computer shows that you're terribly inconsistent with the handing in of your homework assignments.

Guest (Male): Mr. Skinner, don't you see? This is exactly what Nikki does. He breaks into our files and changes them. These are all lies!

Guest (Male): Lies? But I spoke with a couple of your teachers from last year, and they confirmed that you often put things off to the last minute. Besides, computer files are virtually impossible to access.

Guest (Male): But he's done it!

Guest (Male): Well, you can be sure I'll be watching both of you. You're dismissed.

Guest (Male): I can't believe it. He's even got the principal on his side now. He can do anything he wants. Anything.

Guest (Male): I'm not done with him yet.

Guest (Male): Are you kidding? He could squash you like a bug in just a couple of keys on his keyboard.

Guest (Male): Yes, I'd like to check out these two books, please.

Guest (Female): Okay. Can I have your library card, please?

Guest (Male): Sure. Look, Sam, don't panic yet. I still haven't run out of ideas.

Guest (Male): If I were you, I'd just give up and give him your allowance for the next 20 years. Maybe that'll keep him off you.

Guest (Female): I'm sorry, but you can't take out those books.

Guest (Male): Why not?

Guest (Female): The computer says you have some overdue books. You have to pay your fines before you can take another book out.

Guest (Male): I don't think I have any books out. How many?

Guest (Female): Well, it says here you have 27 books overdue.

Guest (Male): What?

Guest (Female): Well, that's a fine of $26.40.

Guest (Male): That's impossible! I mean, I never... Oh boy. Okay, thank you. I'll come back later.

Guest (Male): Isaac, you're in big trouble now. This is just a sign he's ready to tear you down whenever he wants to.

Guest (Male): Calm down, Sam.

Guest (Male): Are you kidding? Nobody knows how much he has control of. He may even have access to government records, bank records. He could break your entire family!

Guest (Male): Hey, you! Morton!

Guest (Male): Hi, Rusty.

Guest (Male): You got something against my friend Nikki?

Guest (Male): Nikki? No.

Guest (Male): You make one wrong move, and you'll find yourself breathing out of your eyelids.

Guest (Male): Oh boy.

Guest (Male): You understand me?

Guest (Male): Yeah, sure, Rusty. I understand.

Guest (Male): Good.

Guest (Male): Bye, Rusty.

Guest (Male): You're dead, Isaac.

Guest (Male): Sam...

Guest (Male): What am I even doing standing around here talking to you? I can't afford to get nailed by Nikki.

Guest (Male): Calm down!

Guest (Male): I don't want my parents' phone bill to say I made 68 calls to Rome last month! Honest, Isaac, this is dangerous. I'll see you later.

Guest (Male): Sam, come on! Thanks, friend.

Guest (Male): Oh boy.

Guest (Male): Hello, Isaac.

Guest (Male): Hello, Mr. Whittaker.

Guest (Male): There's a storm kicking up outside. You've been sitting here long? Where's Connie?

Guest (Male): I think she's up in the Bible room.

Guest (Male): Anything I can do for you?

Guest (Male): Only if you want to get into the computer hacking business.

Guest (Male): What?

Guest (Male): I'm in big trouble, Mr. Whittaker. Nikki has me in a half-Nelson.

Guest (Male): Nicholas does? Really?

Guest (Male): He made me lose my best friend. He has my teachers thinking I'm a liar, and the principal thinks I start fights, and Nikki's henchman is waiting around every corner to beat me up. I can't do a thing about it. Not a thing. All because of a computer.

Guest (Male): A computer, huh? I have some experience with those.

Guest (Male): He's the most powerful kid I've ever met. He knows how to get into everything.

Guest (Male): Oh, that's a shame. He used to be such a nice kid. Something went wrong, I guess.

Guest (Male): I'm going to be his slave for the rest of my life, just like Rusty and Charles. He's got me.

Guest (Male): Well, if everything you say is true, Isaac, then now isn't the time to give up. This has to be stopped.

Guest (Male): That's what I said and tried to. It's all blown up in my face. What am I going to do?

Guest (Male): You know, the first thing I suggest...

Guest (Male): Tell my parents?

Guest (Male): Oh, that's number two. First thing is to pray. I think God's a bit more powerful than Nicholas and his computer.

Guest (Male): Yeah, I guess.

Guest (Male): Come on up to my office.

Guest (Male): Rusty, I think we're going to have to take care of Isaac Morton once and for all.

Guest (Male): What are you going to do?

Guest (Male): Well, this is what you call winging it. I'm going to call up his record and have a field day with it.

Guest (Male): Sounds like fun. How about getting me something to drink?

Guest (Male): Get you something to drink? Do I look like your servant?

Guest (Male): I want a drink, Rusty, or this computer could get turned on you.

Guest (Male): And this fist could get turned on you, geek!

Guest (Male): Physical violence, how quaint. But beating me up won't rescue you from three years in the same grade. How would you like to graduate from high school at, say, age 24? My drink, please.

Guest (Male): Yeah, yeah.

Guest (Male): Let's see, Isaac Morton. Hmm. I wonder what his parents' financial records look like. Very clean. Well, I can take care of that.

Guest (Male): There's your drink.

Guest (Male): Ah, thank you. There's nothing like the sweet smell of power, Rusty. Computers are the gateway to the future, the pathway to advancement for kids like me.

Guest (Male): What happened? Why'd the lights go out?

Guest (Male): Must have been the storm.

Guest (Male): Your computer's dead.

Guest (Male): Ah, but not for long. The power's back. All I have to do is reboot my little toy here and...

Guest (Male): And what?

Guest (Male): Let's see.

Guest (Male): What's wrong?

Guest (Male): I'm not sure.

Guest (Male): Is it supposed to smoke like that?

Guest (Male): Be quiet, will you?

Guest (Male): What's that message mean? Unrecoverable disk error. What does that mean?

Guest (Male): That normally means my disk is erased! But that can't be! It's just not possible! I have to check the hardware. Come on, come on!

Guest (Male): How about that button?

Guest (Male): Get away! Don't touch anything!

Guest (Male): What happened?

Guest (Male): The lightning must have caused a power surge. Oh no, no! My hard drive! Boards! Everything is ruined!

Guest (Male): You can't get them back?

Guest (Male): No, they're gone! Completely gone! No! No, it's dead! Worthless!

Guest (Male): Worthless.

Guest (Male): What am I going to do?

Guest (Male): You mean worthless as in you can't get into the school files anymore?

Guest (Male): Worse than that! I couldn't spell my own name on this thing! It's dead and gone! All my access numbers and passwords!

Guest (Male): No more changing attendance records or test scores?

Guest (Male): What are you babbling about? Do you know how much this equipment cost? It'll take me years to replace it!

Guest (Male): And there's nothing you can do. You're powerless.

Guest (Male): I'm powerless.

Guest (Male): In that case, do you remember what I told you about my fist?

Guest (Male): What? No, no wait, Rusty! You're supposed to be my friend!

Guest (Male): Give me a drink.

Guest (Male): Stay away from me! Stay away from me! No! No!

Guest (Male): Isaac! Isaac!

Guest (Male): Hi, Sam. Oh, you're talking to me again? Isn't that risky? Nikki might see you.

Guest (Male): I'm not afraid of Nikki.

Guest (Male): How brave of you.

Guest (Male): I mean, nobody is afraid of Nikki anymore.

Guest (Male): What are you talking about?

Guest (Male): Didn't you hear about the storm last night?

Guest (Male): I would have had to be in another country not to hear the storm.

Guest (Male): About the storm. It blew out Nikki's computer equipment. He lost everything.

Guest (Male): What does that mean?

Guest (Male): He can't get into the school files anymore. He can't do anything anymore.

Guest (Male): You're kidding!

Guest (Male): When it happened, he was messing around with some financial network, and they were able to trace it back to him. He's in big trouble.

Guest (Male): No way.

Guest (Male): Wait, there he is now. Black eye and everything.

Guest (Male): A black eye?

Guest (Male): Rusty.

Guest (Male): You can stare now, but a week ago I was your best friend!

Guest (Male): Nikki!

Guest (Male): Yes, Mr. Skinner?

Guest (Male): I'd like to see you in my office now.

Guest (Male): Oh no.

Guest (Male): Hey Nikki, how does it feel to be powerless?

Guest (Male): I'll be back! I'll be back! You'll see! I'll be back and I'll be stronger than ever!

Guest (Male): Only as long as the electricity holds up. That was the only power you ever had.

Guest (Male): I guess that storm was a break for you, huh? It wrecked Nikki's computer just in the nick of time.

Guest (Male): Yeah. Thanks, God.

Guest (Male): Huh?

Guest (Male): Oh, nothing. That's just what I get for praying.

Guest (Male): We rely on a lot of things to give us power, like our knowledge, talent, appearances, and strength. Some rely on their possessions. For Nikki, it was his computer equipment. For other people, it might be having big houses, fast cars, or large bank accounts.

Guest (Male): But wherever we think our power comes from, we have to remember that it's only temporary. Only God's power will last, and it's the only power we should ever count on. Thank you for joining us on our adventure.

Guest (Male): Don't forget, if you ever want to write to us, our address is Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80995, or in Canada, write to Box 9800, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 4G3. And don't forget to ask how you can get a copy of today's episode. It's called "The Power."

Guest (Male): The address once again is Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80995. Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family. "The Power" was written by Marshall Younger and Paul McCusker and directed by Phil Lollar.

Guest (Male): 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.