Original subtitles

VOICEOVER:Previously, on Itch...

All we need is a distraction

to get Flowerdew out of the classroom

and then swipe the rock.

What exactly are you making?

It's a noise grenade.

(EXPLOSION)

The rock, I think it's a new element.

Nothing yet. We'll keep looking.

I'm so sorry about Cake. He sent a message to go see him,

and I didn't know he was your dad.

I'm telling them about the rock.

He said no-one could know.

We have to get the rock out of here.

I can get the rock.

I just need more time.

We'll get the rock tested,

give any information we find to the hospital.

I'll do it.

Meet me at the Mining Institute in an hour.

It's perfect.

Here.

(METAL CLANGS)

Lucy!

Hey.

Hi.

So, who are we meeting?

Dr Alexander. He and Dad used to work together.

Lucy.

Dr Alexander.

Why don't you come with me?

I've got it in sight.

Sending the location now.

This rock you were telling me about,

you said it was somehow special, one of a kind.

We did some tests.

The Geiger count was more than 10,000 clicks per second.

Are you sure? That's unheard of.

Let's take a look at it.

If I hadn't seen it myself,

I wouldn't have believed it.

It can't be a new element...

That's what we think.

Where on Earth did you find it?

Cake found it after the earthquake, near the old mines.

Don't know exactly where.

Ever since that earthquake a couple of weeks ago,

Greencorp have taken over the area.

My team wanted to do some tests -

they were denied access.

Why wouldn't Greencorp want you doing tests?

Do you think there could be more rocks there?

I can't begin to imagine what it might mean if there were.

This one rock alone could power entire cities,

start 10 nuclear reactors.

It's quite possibly

the most powerful energy source on the planet.

It could change the world.

Wait, you said nuclear reactors.

That means it could be used for nuclear weapons too, right?

In theory, all powerful energy can be used as a weapon.

That's why Cake didn't want anyone to know about it.

Because that power can do more than change the world -

it can destroy it.

It's imperative that we keep it somewhere safe.

Wait here.

(ELECTRICITY BUZZES)

(DOOR BUZZES)

Yes, right away.

Puts our school lab to shame.

They have holmium oxide!

Oh, it's one of my favourites. Mine too.

And it's so hard to get in its pure form.

Oh, you're joking.

Yes.

Did you know holmium has the highest magnetic permeability

of any element?

Did you know I'm really thirsty?

Got any money?

Get something I'll like.

What, like sparkling mercury?

That would actually kill you.

What's taking Dr Alexander so long?

(DOOR BUZZES)

Hey.

We've got a problem.

The biker guys that have been following us,

they're here.

(WHISPERS) They want the rock.

(PHONE RINGS)

(STAMMERS)

GIRLS: They're coming.

Get the door. Quick!

Everyone hold it.

Hey, dorkus,

Mum's starting to ask questions

about why you've been gone so long.

OK, see ya.

I have an idea.

This isn't the time to add to your element collection.

Defensive supplies. Who knows what we might need?

Oi! In here.

Guys, I found a fire door. Through the back. Go.

Come on!

I'll buy you time. I can hold them off.

Taekwondo champion, remember?

Use this if you have to. What is it?

Sodium chloride, hydrogen and oxygen.

What? No way.

It's just salt water, but they don't know that.

It's OK, I'm here to help.

Yeah, how? By putting Itch in the hospital again?

OK.

Easy.

I know what I did was wrong.

And I'm so sorry, Itch,

but I told you these people were dangerous.

And I don't want that rock ending up in their hands any more than you do.

Now, I'll explain everything later, but we need to go - now.

Stop.

This is sodium chloride, hydrogen and oxygen.

One more step and I'll throw it.

Don't come any closer.

I will throw this.

My car's right here.

Please.

Good thinking, Itch.

You're a nice girl.

You won't hurt us.

You're wrong.

(GASPS)

It's just salt water. Smart kid.

ITCH: Are you OK?

JACK: Yeah, I'm fine, but they're coming after you.

Where'd you go?

We're with Flowerdew.

What? Yeah, he helped us get away.

Hey!

You need to hang up.

They can track your phone.

You have no idea what these people are capable of,

or what technology they've got access to.

I've got to go.

I'll call you later, but don't talk to anyone.

Don't tell anyone anything.

We're going to have to stick to the back roads

so those bikers don't catch up.

Give me your phones so I can stop them

from using them to find you.

Can't we just turn them off?

They could still detect a signal.

Here, pass them up.

What's the deal with this car?

(CHUCKLES) It's the best I could do at short notice.

Hey! What?!

It's the only way to make sure they don't follow us.

Did you speak to Itch?

Still waiting on him to call back.

He's probably just trying to learn how to do a fly kick.

Well, when he does finally resurface, can you tell him

that I just got a call from the police?

They want to speak to him.

What do they want?

They have questions about Lucy's father. Apparently, Itch

was one of the ones who found him when he got so sick.

That boy is a magnet for trouble.

I don't know who they were.

And you?

Given the rock's potential capability,

it could be any number of organisations.

And what about Itch?

Where is he now?

We need to find him, and this rock everyone's after.

I don't know where he is.

He went through the fire exit, and that's the last I saw of him.

Can I go now?

My mum will be worried. OK.

But if you hear from Itch, tell him to call.

ITCH: (ON VOICEMAIL) You've called Itch. Please leave a message.

Where are we going?

You said you'd explain everything.

We're heading for Perth.

I have a friend who runs a lab there.

We can run more extensive tests on the rock,

find out the true extent of its power.

Can we trust this friend of yours?

I've known Professor Isaacs for years.

We went to university together.

(MACHINE BEEPS)

Hey, I think you've got the wrong room.

I'm Jack, Itch's cousin. Is he OK?

Yeah, he's fine, no thanks to you.

That rock's serious trouble. You could have warned him.

You can turn down the aggro a notch, eh?

I'm a sick man, remember? (COUGHS)

Look, I didn't know the rock was poisonous, honest.

I ran some tests on it.

I think that's what did me over.

It took a while for the effects to kick in,

but once I realised, I...I tried to get it back.

Fine.

Please tell me he's still got it or it's somewhere safe.

Itch has it. He got away.

Yeah, good.

Where is he now?

Where? Please, I need to know.

He didn't say, but he's with our teacher, Flowerdew.

What? No!

Flowerdew's the one who's after the rock.

Time to go. Visiting hours are over.

I just need five...

Yeah, he needs his rest.

You can come back later.

Jack.

You have to warn Itch.

Can I help you? I only want five minutes.

Sorry, we have visiting hours for a reason.

He needs his rest.

Do you have any idea how much my company donate to this place?

Itch, call me.

And ditch Flowerdew, ASAP.

OK, go ahead.

Yes, I'll have confirmation of those figures for you shortly.

What about the stipulations in my email?

That's your best offer?

Do you have any idea how rare that rock is?

It's the only one of its kind.

Yeah, well, listen, you call me when you're ready to do business.

You're going to sell it. Yes.

Yes, I am.

And it's going to make me unbelievably wealthy.

Oh, and if you're thinking of escaping, don't bother.

Aside from the dangers of jumping from a moving vehicle,

that door won't open from the inside.

(CLICKING)

What are you going to do with us?

Well, that depends.

If you sit there quietly, everything will be fine.

But if not...

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Oh, Jack.

What's up?

I hear Flowerdew attacked your cousin.

What's it to you? Nothing.

Just glad someone finally took care of him.

Why don't you just back off?

Maybe I would if he stopped trying to crack onto my girlfriend.

Scared she might actually like him?

Just tell him he'd better watch his back.

Or what?

Thought so.

We hope Itch is OK.

Hey, is Itch back?

No, and he's not answering his phone.

OK, thanks. Wait.

You have to tell me what's happening.

The cops want to talk to him, and Mum's cracking it.

Um, he's...

Jack, is he OK?

He was when I last spoke to him.

You know that rock he had? Yeah.

Turns out it's a new element

that could either solve climate change

or be turned into a doomsday weapon.

It's so powerful a whole heap of people are after it.

Itch got away and is trying to keep it safe.

I helped him escape from them.

But...?

But he escaped with Flowerdew.

Are you kidding me?

Itch said he helped him, but then I went to hospital,

and Cake said Flowerdew's part of it all.

Part of what?

I don't know exactly.

It's all to do with that rock.

Flowerdew used to work for Greencorp.

Maybe that's something to do with it.

OK. Time to do some digging.

How can you just sell it?

It's the greatest discovery of all time!

Which is why the rock's worth millions.

You did me a favour by stealing it, Lofte.

If I'd just given it to Greencorp,

I would have just got my old job back.

This way, I can sell it to the highest bidder.

You could use it to create clean energy and still make money.

It's not just about the money.

My terms include a world-class lab in which I'll head up

the research into element 126.

What more could a scientist want?

After all, isn't that why you broke into school to get it back?

We have more in common than you think, Lofte.

Got it. Here's an article

about Flowerdew being fired from Greencorp.

"Dr Nathaniel Flowerdew, Greencorp scientist"

"was acquitted of all charges"

"relating to the Malaysia oil spill."

I remember that spill being on the news.

It was massive.

People died.

And Greencorp was behind it.

But I thought Greencorp did good stuff.

They sponsor the music program

and all those environmental days at school.

Maybe it's trying to make up for its mistake?

Wait.

I know that woman.

She was at the lab today.

She works for Greencorp.

And Roshanna Wing was at the hospital.

She must have been there to see Cake.

They're after the rock, too.

We haven't been able to talk to Cake,

so we can't confirm if he found the rock at our site.

MAN: (OVER SPEAKER) Our readings suggest it's likely.

But YOU haven't been able to uncover more like it.

Then we'll keep looking.

If more rocks are found,

we'll start studying their green energy capabilities.

We're more interested in its military capabilities.

You want to weaponise the rock?

Do you have a problem with that?

No, sir, I just didn't realise the extent of your vision.

Good.

We don't care how you do it, just get us that rock.

Yes, sir.

(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

Compressed air.

Do either of you have any mints?

What are you doing back there?

Nothing. Just having a drink.

Now.

Ah!

Hey, get away!

Let go!

(TYRES SQUEAL)

Captions by Red Bee Media

Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation