Gathering Thunder

Focus on the Family: Previously on Adventures in Odyssey.
Guest (Male): There’s been an alarming pattern of mystery vandalism and other petty crimes on the rise lately in Odyssey. Mr. Allen, looks like your building was hit by the vandals last night.
Guest (Male): This is really unbelievable.
Guest (Female): Do they know who did this?
Guest (Male): Looks like something the Bones of Wrath would do. Sam Johnson, if you want your bike back, come to the WonderWorld treehouse.
Guest (Male): You the guy I talked to on the phone?
Guest (Male): I’m him. Both bikes are in the cave.
Guest (Male): Thank you very much.
Guest (Male): Get the mask!
Guest (Male): Got it!
Guest (Female): Butch, you stole our bikes?
Guest (Male): I didn’t steal them. It was a mistake.
Guest (Male): Are the Bones of Wrath behind this?
Guest (Male): I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Guest (Female): Whoa, hey, let go!
Guest (Male): Just take it easy.
Guest (Female): Mr. Allen, what are you doing here?
Guest (Male): First the vandalism, and now good deeds. No one really knows who is doing either.
Guest (Female): You think Sam and Jack are responsible? I don’t know, so we’ll stake out Sam’s house at dusk and follow him when he leaves. Don’t get too close. He’ll hear us. Stop!
Guest (Female): Ow! What do you want?
Guest (Male): Just come with us.
Sam: Right in here.
Lucy: This is really weird. A cave? Somebody better start explaining.
Connie: Yeah, what’s going on?
Sam: Connie, Lucy, this is Billy McPherson. We’re part of a group called the Israelites.
Connie: Wait a minute. The Israelites. Where have I heard that before?
Lucy: Is that why you’re dressed up like you’re about to do a Bible play?
Billy: We wear these to disguise ourselves. We don’t want people to know who we are or what we do.
Lucy: What do you do?
Billy: Random acts of goodness, you could call it.
Connie: Random acts of goodness? Jack said something like that. Does he have something to do with this?
Billy: He took on what Whit started years ago.
Connie: That’s right, the Israelites. Whit led a group of kids that went around town doing good deeds.
Lucy: So you’re the ones who’ve been cleaning up all the vandalism?
Billy: Yep.
Connie: And it’s just the two of you doing all this?
Billy: No, there are a few others: Erica, Charles, Courtney, other kids around town.
Sam: I was part of the original group you were talking about, the one Whit put together. Jack Allen asked me if I would be the group leader of this one.
Lucy: Sam, why didn’t you just tell me?
Sam: I couldn’t. That’s one of the rules. We’re not allowed to let anyone outside of the group know what we do.
Connie: Then why are you telling us now?
Billy: Because we’re asking you to join us.
Lucy: You want us to be Israelites?
Billy: Yeah, we need all the help we can get to fight off the vandalism. Plus, we could really use your connections with the Odyssey Times, Lucy. Will you do it?
Lucy: Well, sure! I’d love to do it.
Connie: Yeah, me too.
Billy: Good. There’s some extra disguises in the back, but we need to hurry. We’ve gotten word that the Bones of Wrath are going to hit the War Memorial sometime tonight.
Doug: Hey Mom, it’s Doug. Listen, I’m going to need a ride home. I’m at a pay phone in Memorial Park, right by the War Memorial. What do you mean you have to wait for Tim? So how long is it going to be? All right, I’ll be at the... Hey, there’s some guys messing up the memorial. No, with eggs and tomatoes and stuff. Do you think I should call the police? Okay, I will. See ya. Yeah, I want to report an act of vandalism. When? Well, right now. It’s happening right now. It’s a group of kids trashing the memorial. One, two, three... about seven, I’d say. They’re really doing a lot of damage. Wait a minute. They stopped. Something’s got their attention. Okay, they ran away. Now there’s some others coming. It looks like the entire cast of Lawrence of Arabia. They’re wearing bed sheets and they’ve got buckets of water. Yeah, it’s soap and water. They’re cleaning off the memorial. How funny. It’s a gang of Arabian janitors. Can I hang up now? I’m going to call the Odyssey Times. What a great story!
Bart: You want something, Pop?
Guest (Male): Yeah, get in here. You know about last night.
Rodney: Yeah, whoever’s vandalizing our vandalisms is going to get a severe pounding when we catch them.
Guest (Male): It’s too late for that. Look at this article.
Rodney: It was in the paper?
Guest (Male): Somebody saw the whole thing. You’re telling me you didn’t scout the place before you did it?
Rodney: I didn’t figure anybody would be out there at that time of night.
Guest (Male): Well, it looks like everybody and the kitchen sink was out there at that time of night. You blew it, Rodney, and the man wasn’t too happy about it.
Rodney: He knows?
Guest (Male): He read the paper and he called me this morning. Said he was tired of waiting for you to get it right. So, you are being replaced.
Rodney: Replaced?
Guest (Male): They got a guy to take over the operation.
Rodney: Somebody else is going to lead my gang?
Guest (Male): I don’t like it either, but you’re not doing the job. He sounds like a pro. Watch him. You could learn something. That’s him. Hiya, come on in. I’m Bart.
Jellyfish: I know who you are. I’m Jellyfish. And you must be Rodney.
Rodney: Yeah, that’s me.
Jellyfish: So, you’re the former leader of the Bones of Wrath, huh?
Rodney: Yeah, about that.
Jellyfish: Don’t worry. After our mission is over, you can have your little gang back. But for now, I call the shots. You got it?
Rodney: You don’t look so hot. What makes you think you could do a better job than me?
Jellyfish: For one thing, I wasn’t beaten last night by a group of Middle Eastern ten-year-olds armed with sponges and dishwashing liquid.
Rodney: So what’s your point?
Jellyfish: My point is that you should be ruling this town by now, but all you’ve done is waste time. Now, if you listen to me and do what I say, you might have a chance of doing some damage. But if you can’t handle that, get out of here right now and I’ll take over the Bones. Believe me, they won’t miss you. Now, what’s it going to be? Are you with me?
Rodney: Yeah.
Jellyfish: Then let’s get started. I got jobs for both of you. Bart, you own a suit?
Guest (Male): Uh-huh.
Jellyfish: Put it on. I set up a spot for you on the local news. You’re going to do a guest commentary for today’s newscast.
Guest (Male): I am? About what?
Jellyfish: I’ll let you know exactly what to say.
Guest (Male): Oh, I am good at saying stuff on the TV.
Jellyfish: Well then go get ready.
Guest (Male): Be back in a flash.
Jellyfish: And hey, do something about your hair, huh?
Guest (Male): Like what?
Jellyfish: Check the attic. Maybe you can find a comb.
Guest (Male): All right.
Jellyfish: Rodney.
Rodney: Yeah?
Jellyfish: I’m curious about something.
Rodney: What?
Jellyfish: How do you think this group of kids keeps finding out where you’re going to hit?
Rodney: I don’t know. It’s weird. It’s like they’re reading our minds.
Jellyfish: So you don’t think maybe somebody simply told them where you were going to hit?
Rodney: Yeah, I guess that could be too.
Jellyfish: And if someone did tell them where you were going to hit, it would have to be someone that knew where you were going to hit, right?
Rodney: Well, yeah.
Jellyfish: Are you getting this, Rodney?
Rodney: Getting what?
Jellyfish: This guy’s the leader. Rodney, we got to do something about your gang.
Rodney: What do you mean?
Jellyfish: You have got a spy.
Rodney: What?
Jellyfish: Somebody on your team’s been ratting on you and telling these kids your plans.
Rodney: How do you know that?
Jellyfish: I think the correct question is, how don’t you know that? Anyway, we got to find out who it is, and we got to get rid of them.
Focus on the Family: There’s a new mystery in Odyssey. Jones and Parker are on the case. Your kids will love the new book, Jones and Parker Case Files: The Nemesis. 16 new mysteries to solve, full of fun and faith for ages 8 to 12. Go to adventuresinodyssey.com/jonesandparker.
Newscaster Jim: And the ordinance passed by a vote of seven to two. The Odyssey City Council feels confident that this will open up new avenues of discussion with state officials. And now on Viewpoint, we have a guest commentary from Bart Rathbone, owner of Rathbone’s Electric Palace. As you may remember, Bart was a candidate for mayor in the last election but lost to Tom Riley. He has a few words to share with us. Bart?
Guest (Male): Yeah, yeah, thanks there, Jim. You’re probably wondering why I’m dressed up in this nice suit and handkerchief. It’s because I got something important to tell you. Now, there’s been a lot of things going on around town lately, bad things: broken windows, messed up lawns. And you want to know the reason? The economy is terrible. People don’t have no money, and they are upset. And when they get upset, they break stuff. Now, let me give you an example of how bad the economy is. Just the other day, the Electric Palace had extension cords on sale for a low, low price of $5.99 plus tax. Normally, the place would have been packed with people by 9:00 in the morning. But the place was empty. Now, what kind of town do we live in where people can’t even buy inexpensive but quality extension cords for $5.99 plus tax? And you know who I think is responsible? Now, I won’t mention any names. But don’t you think it’s strange that none of this stuff happened before Tom Riley became mayor? I think we should all call up Riley and tell him to start doing his job. Okay, Jim, I’m done.
Newscaster Jim: Thanks, Bart. And just a reminder, Bart’s opinion does not necessarily reflect the opinion of this station. When we return, Bill has a great weather forecast for you.
Guest (Male): How do I get this microphone off?
Rodney: Okay guys, listen up. This is Jellyfish. Jellyfish, these are the Bones.
Jellyfish: So, this is the tough gang you were talking about, huh?
Rodney: Some of them. A lot of the guys show up when we destroy stuff.
Jellyfish: Well, I must say, I don’t think I have ever worked with a group of finer looking men.
Rodney: Really?
Jellyfish: Give me a break, Rathbone. I could find better material to work with inside my shoe. But hey, I’m on your side now, and that means things are going to be different. From now on, you answer to me. This is not kids’ stuff you’re doing anymore. You’re not putting shaving cream inside somebody’s locker. This is serious business. And that means we’re going to have a strategy now. We’re not just hitting places on a whim. We gotta have a reason, a plan, which leads us to our first mission. After scouting the town for the last 24 hours, I figured out that the kids responsible for undoing all that you’ve done are connected with an ice cream place near McAlister Park.
Rodney: Whit’s End?
Jellyfish: Yeah, that’s the one. And we’re going to hit it tonight.
Butch: We already hit Whit’s End.
Jellyfish: And we’re going to hit it again.
Butch: Why? What would it prove?
Jellyfish: What’s your name?
Butch: Butch.
Jellyfish: Well, Butch, there are two things you better learn about me and fast: one, I don’t like being questioned, and two, nobody questions me. You got it?
Butch: Yeah.
Jellyfish: Good. Get the rest of the gang together and meet me back here at 8:00 tonight. We’re going to go to the movies.
Sam: Come on, Butch, where are you?
Butch: I’m right behind you.
Sam: Butch, you didn’t use the signal.
Butch: I’m not making owl noises, thank you. Nobody’s around, I checked.
Sam: Good. You got anything?
Butch: Yeah. There’s a new guy leading the Bones now. He calls himself Jellyfish.
Sam: Jellyfish? What kind of a name is that?
Butch: I don’t know. Maybe he’s slimy or a good swimmer or something. Anyway, it looks like he really knows what he’s doing. He’s got all these plans.
Sam: What plans?
Butch: I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell us anything specific. The only thing I know is what we’re doing tonight. We’re going to hit Whit’s End.
Sam: Again?
Butch: I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn’t budge.
Sam: Okay, when?
Butch: We’re meeting at 8:00. But we’re going to the movies first.
Sam: What? The movies?
Butch: Yeah, I’m as confused as you are. He wouldn’t tell us why or when or anything else.
Sam: Weird. Where did this guy come from?
Butch: Rodney said the boss sent him. Whoever that is.
Sam: The boss? You mean there’s somebody telling Jellyfish what to do?
Butch: I guess.
Sam: Wow.
Butch: Listen, maybe you should stop spying for us. It looks like this whole thing may be getting too big.
Sam: I’ll be okay.
Butch: But it could get dangerous. It’s starting to sound like organized crime or something, and I don’t know if you...
Sam: Butch, I’ll be okay. Just do your job. I’ll do mine.
Butch: I should never have let you do this job.
Sam: No, no, I’m glad you asked me. I want to do it. It’s important.
Butch: I’m going to feel really bad if you get hurt.
Sam: You always were a worrywart.
Butch: I am not!
Sam: Give me a break. You were the only third grader in history to stay inside during recess because you were concerned about global warming.
Butch: I read an article. It was really scary.
Sam: Oh, brother.
Butch: I don’t worry that much anymore, only if it’s really important. Just do your job.
Sam: I will. I’ll tell the gang and we’ll stake out Whit’s End tonight. Anything else?
Butch: That’s it.
Sam: I’ll see you later then. Be careful, Butch.
Butch: Yeah, you too.
Jellyfish: Hey, Rathbone.
Rodney: Yeah?
Jellyfish: What are you doing?
Rodney: I was just in the hardware store. I was buying some spray paint for tonight.
Jellyfish: Really? Could you maybe go back in and purchase some brains?
Rodney: What?
Jellyfish: Never mind, you couldn’t afford it. You wouldn’t get anything for your trade-in.
Rodney: I don’t follow you.
Jellyfish: You actually went into that store, picked out three cans of spray paint, and had a clerk ring them up for you?
Rodney: Sure.
Jellyfish: Don’t you think the clerk might get a little suspicious when he reads the paper tomorrow and sees that Whit’s End had been vandalized with candy apple red spray paint?
Rodney: I didn’t think of that.
Jellyfish: I guess not. Look, just warn me next time you’re going to try to think for yourself.
Rodney: All right. Hey.
Jellyfish: What?
Rodney: There goes Sam Johnson.
Jellyfish: Who’s that?
Rodney: Just a kid. We stole his bike and hid it a couple of days ago. Now I wonder how he got it back.
Jellyfish: Where’d you hide it?
Rodney: In a cave. There’s no way he could have found it.
Jellyfish: Really? Hey, is there anybody in the Bones a friend of his?
Rodney: Nah, he’s just a pipsqueak. Butch used to be a friend of his.
Jellyfish: Butch?
Rodney: Yeah, but not anymore.
Jellyfish: That’s interesting. It’s very interesting. Okay, looks like the theater’s packed. Good. Now, here’s the plan. You guys go on in, sit in the back of the theater. Rodney.
Rodney: Yeah?
Jellyfish: I want you and some of the others to yell at the screen a couple of times early on during the movie. Not too much, Rodney, just a couple of times. We want a lot of people in the theater to notice you’re there, but we also don’t want them to notice when you’re gone.
Rodney: Okay.
Jellyfish: Now, at exactly 9:15, I want the three of you—Rodney, Butch, and Rusty—to go to the bathroom one at a time. The rest of you, stay in the theater and yell at the screen some more. Now you three, slip out the bathroom window. It opens into the alley. I’ll meet you out there. Then we’ll head over to the Harlequin separately. Now don’t let anyone see you.
Butch: Wait a minute, the Harlequin?
Jellyfish: Yeah, didn’t I tell you? I changed my mind. We’re going to hit the Harlequin Dinner Theatre tonight instead of Whit’s End.
Butch: Why?
Jellyfish: Because I said so. You got a problem with it? All right. Now go on in.
Rodney: Ha! My grandmother could take you!
Guest (Male): Yeah, my grandmother’s teeth could take you!
Butch: Hey, Rodney.
Rodney: Yeah, Butch?
Butch: I’m going to go out for a second and get some popcorn.
Rodney: Yeah, sure.
Butch: Hey, is there a phone around here?
Clerk: Yeah, it’s right there.
Butch: Thanks. Great. Phone book. Whit’s End, Whit’s End... Ah.
Jellyfish: Hey, Butch.
Butch: Hey, Jellyfish.
Jellyfish: So, you’re making a phone call?
Butch: Yeah. I just remembered that I didn’t tell my parents where I was going tonight.
Jellyfish: Really? How conscientious of you. Your parents must be very proud. So why are you looking in the yellow pages?
Butch: Because they went to dinner and I had to get the restaurant number.
Jellyfish: Do you need to use the phone?
Butch: Yeah, but I’ll wait.
Jellyfish: Okay.
Butch: I guess I can call them later.
Jellyfish: Good idea. I’ll go back in the movie now. Another good idea. And I suggest you stay close to the gang until our little mission is done. You got it?
Butch: I’m sure. Yeah.
Jellyfish: See you later, Butch-y.
Sam: So how long did you and Billy stay at Whit’s End after I left last night?
Lucy: I guess it was about 11:00.
Sam: And they never showed up?
Lucy: Nope.
Sam: Well, that’s really weird. Butch said they were going to hit Whit’s End.
Billy: Somebody’s coming. Hey, guys.
Sam: What’s the matter?
Billy: Did you read the paper this morning?
Sam: No.
Billy: They hit the Harlequin Theatre.
Lucy: Oh, no!
Billy: Yeah, and they did a lot of damage, more than ever. Apparently, Edwin Blackwood’s pretty shaken up about it. He was gone when it happened.
Lucy: Well, did they catch the Bones?
Billy: The police didn’t come up with anything.
Sam: Well, can’t they arrest them anyways? I mean, we know the Bones did it. They just changed their minds about what to hit at the last minute.
Billy: There’s a problem with that.
Sam: What?
Billy: The Bones didn’t do it.
Lucy: What are you talking about?
Billy: The police have over 20 witnesses who say they were at the movies last night.
Lucy: Butch did say something about the movies.
Billy: There’s no way. The Bones don’t go to movies together. They did last night. The movie ran from 9:00 to 11:15. The police say the vandalism took place somewhere between 9:30 and 10:00.
Sam: There’s something fishy here. It does seem awfully convenient. Who’s there?
Butch: It’s me.
Sam: Butch?
Butch: Yeah.
Sam: What are you doing here?
Billy: What happened, Butch? You gave us bad information.
Butch: Yeah, that’s why I came. I wanted to explain. This new guy that I told you about, Jellyfish, he switched to the Harlequin Theatre at the last minute.
Sam: See? You guys did do it!
Butch: Yeah, we went to the movies together and some of us slipped out when the lights were down.
Billy: I wonder if it was some kind of test.
Butch: What do you mean?
Billy: I mean, if Jellyfish is as good as he appears to be, he probably figured out that the Bones had a traitor. Maybe he set it all up to find out who it was.
Butch: Come to think of it, he did catch me trying to make a phone call to Whit’s End last night.
Billy: He what? Butch, you gotta get out of here!
Sam: He’s right. If they see you here, they’ll know you’ve been spying for us.
Billy: Thanks for your help, but you need to stay as far away from us as possible.
Butch: Okay, okay. I’ll call you if I hear anything about what’s going on tonight.
Sam: No, you’re not telling us anything else.
Butch: Why not?
Sam: It’s too risky.
Butch: But I want to help you guys.
Billy: We’re not going to let you.
Butch: So, you just want me to stay with the Bones? I can’t do that. I just can’t go along with them and do whatever they do.
Lucy: But you did it before.
Butch: Yeah, well, that was... things are different now. I don’t know. It’s all this stuff we’re doing. I think it started when I stole your bikes. I was in charge of that. I went to Trickle Lake and I hid the bikes in a cave. Then I sat down and I thought, what am I doing? Why am I going along with this? This is all really stupid. Every time I do things with the Bones, I feel stupid. Whenever I do things with you guys, I feel like I’m doing something good. And I don’t do good things very often.
Sam: So why don’t you quit the Bones?
Butch: I want to be your spy.
Sam: You’re putting yourself in danger.
Butch: I’ll be careful.
Sam: That doesn’t matter.
Butch: Don’t worry, I’ll be okay. I gotta get out of here.
Jellyfish: Hello, Butch.
Butch: Jellyfish!
Jellyfish: Rodney and me were just taking a little stroll through the woods. What are you doing?
Butch: I was just strolling, just like you.
Jellyfish: Yeah, just like me. Hey, Butch-y, I think you got some explaining to do. And if I were you, I’d tell us everything.
Sam: Butch!
Butch: What?
Sam: Let me in!
Butch: Go away.
Sam: Open up! Come on. I saw your bike in the woods. I thought something happened to you.
Butch: Just leave, please.
Sam: Come on, Butch. At least you could open the door just for a minute. Is this what you came to see?
Butch: Butch! Yeah, not pretty, is it?
Sam: The Bones beat you up?
Butch: No, the Vienna Boys Choir. Yes, the Bones did it.
Sam: So I guess they know you’re the spy.
Butch: Yeah.
Sam: Well, how did they find out?
Butch: Jellyfish put the pieces together.
Sam: He gave you the black eye?
Butch: Actually, Rodney did. Jellyfish gave me the fat lip, and the bruises were a group effort.
Sam: Did you go to the hospital?
Butch: No, I don’t need a hospital. Though my parents will probably take me when they get home.
Sam: Butch, I’m really sorry.
Butch: It’s not your fault. I never should have gotten involved with those guys. Just get out of here, okay? Believe me, you don’t want to be seen with me unless you want the same thing to happen to you.
Sam: But you’re my friend.
Butch: You don’t seem to understand something, Sam. These guys are serious and dangerous. You’re not just doing good deeds around the city anymore. You’re in a war.
Sam: That doesn’t mean we should just fold up.
Billy: He only did it because he thought somebody could get hurt.
Sam: So, we’re just supposed to let these guys own the town?
Lucy: It’s gotten too serious, Billy. They’re out of our league.
Sam: What’s going on?
Billy: We’re retreating.
Lucy: Protecting ourselves.
Sam: Running away with our tails between our legs. What are you talking about?
Billy: Butch’s parents came home and saw what happened to him. They took him to the police and he told them everything: about us, about the Bones, everything.
Sam: So the police know that the Bones beat up Butch?
Billy: No, they have witnesses who say the Bones were at the library when Butch was being beaten up.
Sam: The library?
Billy: Yeah, I know. Anyway, Butch’s parents came here straight from the police station, yelled at Jack for a while, demanding to know how he could endanger their son by making him a spy.
Sam: But Jack had nothing to do with it!
Billy: Well, it doesn’t matter. Jack was really upset about the whole thing and he made a decision.
Sam: What?
Billy: He’s shutting down the Israelites.
Sam: What?
Billy: He forbids us to be involved anymore.
Lucy: I can’t believe it.
Billy: Believe it. The Israelites are finished. The Bones of Wrath have won.
Focus on the Family: Is this really the end of the Israelites? I guess we’ll find out in the days to come. Proverbs 11:11 says, "The influence of good people makes a city great, but the wicked can destroy it." Maybe Butch understands that now. He was right when he said that doing good makes a lot more sense than doing wrong. Doing good helps other people, helps our communities, and most importantly, it pleases God. Well, that’s all for now. If you ever want to write to us, just send your card or letter to Adventures in Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80995. In Canada, write to Box 9800, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4G3. Don’t forget to ask how you can get your own copy of today’s episode. It’s called "Gathering Thunder." Adventures in Odyssey’s a presentation of Focus on the Family. "Gathering Thunder" was written by Marshal Younger and directed by Paul McCusker. Our production engineer was Mark Drury, and our executive producer was Chuck Bolte. And I’m Chris, hoping you’ll join us again next time for more Adventures in Odyssey!