The Day Ambrosia Stood Still, Part 1 of 4

Chris: Hi, this is Chris. Welcome to a special presentation of Adventures in Odyssey: The Last Chance Detectives. Join Mike, Ben, Winnie, and Spence as they try to unravel one of their biggest and strangest mysteries yet. Like to know more? Log on to lastchancedetectives.com. Meanwhile, please keep in mind that Last Chance is aimed at a little older audience and may be intense for listeners under the age of 10. So kids, make sure your parents are listening with you. Now, let's join Jason Whittaker as he travels across the Arizona desert on his way to meet the Last Chance Detectives.
Jason Whittaker: I really don't know when I'm going to be back, Dad. It depends on how well the case goes. They offered to fly me down, but it's been such a long time since I went on a road trip. I thought I'd take the old Route 66 and make it an adventure. It's been great. Well, up until now. I don't remember it raining so hard in the desert. This is a pretty bad storm. Maybe I should call you back later. Okay. Bye-bye, Dad. What was that? Come on, turn off. What's going on? My brakes!
Mike Fowler: Hi, my name is Mike Fowler. When I was six years old, my dad was my hero. As a fighter pilot, Dad went on dangerous missions. One night, he didn't return. They never found him. So now, I work on my detective skills. One day, I hope to find my dad. My clubhouse is a B-17 bomber. My three friends and I solve mysteries in the town of Ambrosia. Together, we're the Last Chance Detectives.
Jason Whittaker: You okay?
Frank Montrose: Yeah, thanks. I'm fine. I'm going to need some help, though. Any chance I can get a ride from you? I need to get a tow truck out here. Did you hear me?
Jason Whittaker: I'm sorry. I thought you were somebody else. My name is Jason. Could I get that ride?
Frank Montrose: I'm kind of late for something.
Jason Whittaker: Well, then you get to wherever you're going. But would you mind calling a towing service for me? Is there a hospital around here? My head's bleeding.
Frank Montrose: There sure is. Can you see it? Does it look like it's going to need stitches?
Jason Whittaker: I don't know. Here, take my handkerchief. Put some pressure on it.
Frank Montrose: Thanks.
Jason Whittaker: I'll take you to a phone. Can you get out of there?
Frank Montrose: Yeah, I think so. Come on. My name's Frank Montrose. Where are you headed?
Jason Whittaker: Black Sands. Hey, thanks a lot for the ride.
Frank Montrose: Sure.
Jason Whittaker: That was the weirdest thing that happened back there. My radio just started blaring out of nowhere, and I couldn't turn it off. And then my horn started honking. I couldn't get that stopped, either. I lost my power steering, and then my power brakes went.
Frank Montrose: That is weird. Must have been the storm.
Jason Whittaker: I guess so. I wonder if this is happening anywhere else. Mind if I turn on the radio?
Frank Montrose: Go ahead.
Martha Whitefeather: My name is Manama Whitefeather, but most people call me Martha. I've lived on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Ambrosia all my life. Throughout that time, Ambrosia has been a community of honesty and integrity. If we bring gambling to our city, I believe that corruption will come with it. Do we really want to risk that? Bringing a casino to Ambrosia would devastate the values that we have always stood for. I urge you to vote no on Issue One.
Frank Montrose: People against a casino. Always preaching. Well, here we are.
Jason Whittaker: The Astro City truck stop. You wouldn't happen to have a tow truck, would you?
Frank Montrose: Not yet. My wife and I just bought this place a week ago.
Jason Whittaker: Well, then I'm going to need to make a few calls if that's okay.
Frank Montrose: Sure. I've got some bandages in the back.
Jason Whittaker: Thanks.
Selena Montrose: Frank, is that you?
Frank Montrose: Yeah.
Selena Montrose: So what happened? Did you finally find... who is this?
Frank Montrose: This is Jason. He was headed to Black Sands, and his car went off the road. I had to give him a ride.
Selena Montrose: I see. I'm Selena. Nice to meet you, Jason.
Jason Whittaker: Same here.
Selena Montrose: Frank, could I talk with you in the back?
Frank Montrose: Okay.
Jason Whittaker: Excuse me, do you mind if I use your phone?
Selena Montrose: Sure, go right ahead.
Jason Whittaker: Hello, Chuck? This is Jason. Look, I got into a car accident. No, I'm okay, but the car's not looking so good. Listen, I'm at a truck stop just west of Ambrosia, Arizona. I know it's urgent, but what am I supposed to do? Do you have someone looking into it? I'll tell you what, if it gets any more serious, you send a car out for me, all right? Look, I've got to go. Bye. Thanks for letting me use the phone.
Selena Montrose: Oh, sure. Is everything okay?
Jason Whittaker: Oh, yeah. Sure. I just had to check in with the boss.
Selena Montrose: I see. You said you were going to Black Sands. Are you in the military?
Jason Whittaker: No.
Selena Montrose: Really? Then you have relatives there?
Jason Whittaker: Actually, no.
Selena Montrose: I see.
Jason Whittaker: It's a business trip. Excuse me.
Martha Whitefeather: Hello. Can I help you?
Guest (Male): Yes, could we use your phone?
Selena Montrose: Sure. What's the matter?
Guest (Male): Well, I was on our way into town, and we saw a car in a ditch on the side of the road. It looked like there'd been an accident of some sort.
Jason Whittaker: Oh, that's my car. And I'm okay, thanks.
Martha Whitefeather: Did you hurt your head?
Jason Whittaker: Well, a little. But I checked the mirror, and it doesn't look like it's going to need stitches.
Martha Whitefeather: Are you sure? I could take you to the hospital.
Jason Whittaker: No, I won't need a hospital. But you know what? Is there a place in town that can tow my car?
Martha Whitefeather: Sure. Pop's Garage. He's a good friend of mine.
Jason Whittaker: Any chance I could get a ride there?
Martha Whitefeather: Yes, certainly.
Jason Whittaker: Great. My name is Jason Whittaker, by the way.
Martha Whitefeather: Martha Whitefeather. Nice to meet you. Why don't we head out then?
Jason Whittaker: Great.
Selena Montrose: Oh, don't rush off. After all, this storm doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon. So why don't you stay and have some dinner or something?
Jason Whittaker: No, thanks. We're eating at the diner in Ambrosia.
Selena Montrose: Okay. Well, come back anytime.
Martha Whitefeather: Thanks. Right this way, Mr. Whittaker.
Jason Whittaker: Great. And thank you for your hospitality.
Selena Montrose: The door is always open.
Martha Whitefeather: Mr. Whittaker, I'd like you to meet my granddaughter, Winnie.
Jason Whittaker: Hi.
Winnie: Hello. It was Mr. Whittaker's car we saw on the side of the highway. Oh, that was so freaky. Your car is exactly like ours, same color and everything. And to see it in the ditch like that, it was almost like seeing a vision of the future or something.
Jason Whittaker: I imagine that would seem a little strange. Well, I'm glad you guys came by. I don't think that woman back there liked me very much.
Martha Whitefeather: Really? She seemed nice.
Jason Whittaker: That's what was weird. She was nice to my face, but then I could hear her in the background scolding her husband for picking me up.
Martha Whitefeather: Why would she be mad about that?
Jason Whittaker: I have no idea.
Winnie: Do you know her, Mr. Whittaker?
Jason Whittaker: No, I'm not even from around here. I'm just passing through.
Winnie: Well, people around Ambrosia aren't usually like that.
Martha Whitefeather: True. That's good to know. Oh, I'm sorry. Do you have enough room back there? You can move those flyers over if you want, just to give yourself a little bit more room.
Jason Whittaker: Flyers? Ambrosia Natives Against Indian Gaming. Oh, yeah, I heard a radio commercial about this. How they're thinking about building a casino here.
Winnie: That's Grandma. The woman in the commercial, that was her.
Jason Whittaker: Of course. I thought I recognized your voice. Wow, I didn't realize I was riding with such a celebrity.
Martha Whitefeather: Oh, no. More like public enemy number one.
Jason Whittaker: Why? Are you taking heat for it?
Martha Whitefeather: Let's just say we get a lot of hate mail.
Jason Whittaker: Well, if it's any consolation, I'd vote with you.
Martha Whitefeather: Well, thank you. Let's hope people who actually vote in this district agree with you. Are you hungry, Mr. Whittaker?
Jason Whittaker: You bet.
Martha Whitefeather: Then I've got just the place for you.
Winnie: The Last Chance Gas & Diner. Best greasy spoon west of the Cadillac Ranch.
Jason Whittaker: Greasy spoon, huh? Sounds great.
Frank Montrose: This is ridiculous, Selena. I'm getting soaked, my pants are all muddy. What are we even doing out here?
Selena Montrose: I didn't like him, Frank. I think he suspected something.
Frank Montrose: Suspected what? He just came in because he had a car accident.
Selena Montrose: Did you hear him on the phone? It sounded like some kind of emergency. And he was looking around, scoping the place out. It wouldn't surprise me if he was a cop.
Frank Montrose: That's why you want to go through his stuff, to see if he's a cop?
Selena Montrose: Well, he said he was on his way to Black Sands.
Frank Montrose: Come on, there's no way.
Selena Montrose: Well, I'm not taking any chances. Can you get the door open?
Frank Montrose: Fine. What are we looking for?
Selena Montrose: Anything that shows he might be a cop. Go through that bag over there.
Frank Montrose: He uses Old Spice. Is that a cop's deodorant?
Selena Montrose: Keep looking. Aha!
Frank Montrose: What is it?
Selena Montrose: Well, it looks like Mr. Whittaker's a little bit careless.
Frank Montrose: How?
Selena Montrose: He left his wallet in the glove box.
Frank Montrose: Anything interesting?
Selena Montrose: Well, Jason Whittaker's his real name. Cops are usually honest. Library card. Cops have to be able to read. They read you your rights and all. Wait a minute. Look at this.
Frank Montrose: What?
Selena Montrose: That's a US government ID.
Frank Montrose: So he works for the government. So what? He could be a president's valet.
Selena Montrose: Or he could be in the FBI or the NSA. This is not enough to go on.
Frank Montrose: Well, it's enough for me. Come on.
Selena Montrose: What? We have to do something about him.
Jason Whittaker: Wow, I haven't been in a diner like this in years. Hey, is that a real B-17 out front?
Martha Whitefeather: Yes, it sure is. Pop flew that plane in World War II. But I'll let him brag on it. Winnie, would you mind working on those posters now? I need about 200 for tonight. And if you kids could start placing the signs for the carnival, that would be great, too.
Winnie: No problem. The guys are probably in there right now. Bye, Mr. Whittaker.
Jason Whittaker: She's going into the plane?
Martha Whitefeather: Yes, the kids use it as their clubhouse.
Jason Whittaker: You're kidding. Wow, all I got was a refrigerator box when I was a kid.
Martha Whitefeather: Oh, it's quite the setup. Come on, let me introduce you to Pop. Pop? Pop!
Pop: Hey there, Martha.
Martha Whitefeather: Pop, this is Jason Whittaker. Jason had a little accident a few miles down the road and could use your help.
Pop: Oh, need a tow truck?
Jason Whittaker: That'd be great.
Pop: Is it towable?
Jason Whittaker: I'm not sure. It's stuck in a ditch.
Pop: Well, you know, with this rain, that might be a little tricky. We probably should wait until morning.
Jason Whittaker: That's okay. I was planning on staying the night anyway.
Pop: That'll be fine. I'll set you up at the Wigwam Motor Lodge.
Jason Whittaker: Sounds great. But if you don't mind, I do need a ride back to my car. I left my wallet in the glove box.
Pop: Don't worry about it. I'll spot you until we can get your car tomorrow.
Martha Whitefeather: Well, it sounds like you're well taken care of, Jason. So if you don't mind, I need to go. It was very nice to meet you. Oh, and Pop? Don't forget about the debate tomorrow. I need all the support I can get.
Pop: I'll be there with my megaphone. That's my guy. Okay, great. Bye-bye.
Jason Whittaker: She said you flew that B-17 in the war?
Pop: That's right. The government was practically giving them away in the '50s, so I figured I'd buy her back. Been great for business, too.
Jason Whittaker: Well, it's gorgeous.
Pop: How'd you like to take a peek inside? I'll introduce you to the kids.
Jason Whittaker: I'd love to. Martha said that they use it for a clubhouse.
Pop: Oh, don't let them hear you say that. They like to think of it as their headquarters.
Jason Whittaker: Headquarters? For what?
Pop: The Last Chance Detectives.
Mike Fowler: Okay, how about this, Winnie? "Don't gamble away Ambrosia's future. Vote no on Issue One."
Winnie: I don't know, Mike. Perhaps it's a bit overly dramatic. I say we tell it like it is. "Gambling is for morons. Vote no on Issue One."
Mike Fowler: It doesn't really present the point in a persuasive way.
Ben: If she says it with her teeth clenched like that, I'm persuaded.
Spence: Ben, you won't see her teeth on the sign. Fine, Spence, you're the brains of this outfit. You come up with something.
Ben: I will, but I need to formulate my slogan with a philosophical approach. What Aristotle postulated: three argumentative appeals. Logical, ethical, and emotional. Of course, the strongest argument is a conjunction of the three.
Pop: Kids, I want you to meet someone. This is Jason Whittaker. He had some car trouble, so he's staying in town for the night and he wanted to check out your headquarters. Mr. Whittaker, this is Mike, Ben, Spence, and you've already met Winnie.
Jason Whittaker: Hi, nice to meet you guys. Well, it sounds like you're preparing for war in here.
Mike Fowler: It's going to be one. We're trying to think of slogans for the anti-casino campaign.
Jason Whittaker: Well, I guess it's appropriate your headquarters is a warplane then, huh? It's very impressive.
Pop: You want to look around? I need to go tend to the diner, Jason. Do you want something to eat?
Jason Whittaker: Sure. No, thanks. I'll come in after a while.
Mike Fowler: Back here's the bomb bay. We made it into a darkroom. The radio room is up there, and it's a forensics lab.
Jason Whittaker: A forensics lab? I guess you take this investigating seriously.
Mike Fowler: Yeah, we've already solved some pretty important cases.
Jason Whittaker: So is it safe to assume that you'll be going into law enforcement someday?
Mike Fowler: No, I'm going into the Air Force to be a pilot.
Jason Whittaker: No kidding.
Mike Fowler: Yeah, just like my dad and my grandfather.
Jason Whittaker: Wow, three generations of Air Force pilots in the family, huh? That's great. So is your dad still flying?
Mike Fowler: Well, he's overseas right now.
Jason Whittaker: Really? Where?
Mike Fowler: I'm not sure.
Jason Whittaker: Oh, top secret, huh?
Winnie: Mr. Whittaker, Mike hasn't heard from his dad in a long time. He's missing in action.
Jason Whittaker: Oh, I'm sorry, Mike.
Mike Fowler: It's okay. Hey, let me show you the rest of the plane.
Ben: Okay, I got it, Mike. How's this? "Casiners are for weiners." You like it?
Mike Fowler: That's good, Ben. Did you tell that one to the others?
Ben: Well, you know, they don't understand my subtle humor.
Jason Whittaker: Yeah, I'm fine, Dad. It was just a little scary, though. Well, I'm spending the night here. They said they'd get in touch with me if the situation gets any worse. Listen, my cell phone's out, so let me give you the number here. Dad? Dad? Hold on, you're breaking up. I can't... Dad!
Pop: What was that?
Jason Whittaker: I have no idea.
Ben: Did anybody else hear those creepy voices?
Spence: Yeah, I heard them. And all the appliances went crazy. The dishwasher, the blender.
Winnie: But look outside. The streetlights are still on.
Mike Fowler: So it only happened in the diner? There must have been some kind of power surge.
Ben: It had to be more than that. Didn't you guys see the silverware? It was moving by itself!
Brian: So, how'd you like today's show? I'm Brian, and we'd like to hear from you. Just drop us a note in the mail. Send it to The Last Chance Detectives, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80995. In Canada, that's PO Box 9800, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4G3. You can log onto our website at lastchancedetectives.com. And if you'd like a copy of today's show, just mention the title, "The Day Ambrosia Stood Still, Episode 1." Now, here's a preview.
Mike Fowler: Something really weird and dangerous is going on here.
Winnie: What do you think it is?
Mike Fowler: I don't know, but I have this feeling it has something to do with Jason Whittaker.
Spence: I know where the signal's coming from! It's moving, and Mike, it's coming straight for you!
Mike Fowler: What?
Spence: Get out of there! It's an outside force, something we don't understand. Somebody out there can change or destroy everything we invent, and they're targeting us.
Ben: Aliens! Uh oh, it's happening again!
Winnie: We got to get out of here! My brain's going to explode!
Guest (Male): Would everyone please remain calm and file out of the building! Grandma!
Brian: The Last Chance Detectives is a presentation of Focus on the Family, created by Robert Vernon. "The Day Ambrosia Stood Still" was written by Marshall Younger and Robert Vernon, directed by Marshall Younger. Mike was played by Adam Wylie, Winnie was Mae Whitman, Spence was A.J. Noel, and Ben was Daryl Sabara. Our cast included Townsend Coleman, Jim Custer, Susan Silo, Matt Hurwitz, and Kat Cressida. Engineered by Jonathan Crow, sound design by Gap Digital, and our producers were John Fornof and Bob Hoose. Hope you enjoyed today's show. You're always welcome back for another mystery adventure of the Last Chance Detectives.
Pop: This look all right to you, Jason? Jason?
Jason Whittaker: Huh?
Pop: The motel. It's called the Wigwam Motor Lodge. Does it look all right to you?
Jason Whittaker: Oh, yeah, sure. This will be great, Pop.
Pop: It's the only place in the Southwest where you can sleep in a 100% authentic concrete Indian teepee.
Jason Whittaker: Well, I think I could sleep anywhere right about now.
Pop: Well, go on up to the guy at the desk. That's Jonesy. Tell him Pop's taking care of the bill. Sorry about that earthquake or whatever it was. That's never happened around here before.
Jason Whittaker: You know, I have a feeling that was no earthquake.
Pop: What do you think it was?
Jason Whittaker: Well, I'm pretty sure I know, but I probably shouldn't say just yet. I need to investigate some things first.
Pop: Well, don't keep yourself up tonight. Mike and I will be by first thing tomorrow morning to pick you up. We'll tow your car to the shop, and I'll take a look at it right away. Talk to you tomorrow.
Winnie: Bye, Mr. Whittaker. Good night now.
Jason Whittaker: I can't believe it's happening.
Pop: Mr. Whittaker? Mr. Whittaker, are you there?
Mike Fowler: Maybe he's in the shower.
Pop: Could be. I don't hear any water running, though. Well, why don't we go tow the car ourselves? We don't really need him. He said it's right there on 66. Doesn't make sense, Mike. He said the accident was a couple of miles from the truck stop.
Mike Fowler: Well, it's not like we could have missed it.
Pop: How could a car just disappear? Wait a minute. What was that?
Mike Fowler: What?
Pop: I saw tire marks right over there.
Mike Fowler: Yeah, this was an accident. Look at the dirt over there. Looks like it was hit by a meteor.
Pop: There's another set of fresh tracks here. Do you think he towed it himself?
Mike Fowler: Without telling us? Doesn't seem real likely.
Pop: No, it doesn't. Let's head back to town. Surely he'll be back by now. Mr. Whittaker, are you there? The door's open. Well, we need to make sure he's okay. Mr. Whittaker?
Mike Fowler: What in the world?
Pop: The whole room's been destroyed.