Original subtitles

( Horn honking )

I'm Alex Mack.

I was just an average kid

until an accident changed my life.

And since then...

Nothing's been the same.

( Zapping )

My best friend Ray thinks it's cool.

My sister Annie thinks I'm a science project.

I can't let anyone else know.

Not even my parents.

I know the Chemical Plant wants to find me

and turn me into some experiment.

But you know something?

I guess I'm not so average anymore.

Alex: You guys want to go grab a soda?

I don't know, I've got homework.

Yeah, me too.

I have homework from last year

I haven't gotten to yet.

So what are you guys saying?

Are you in?

Yeah, I'm in.

It's Friday, we've got all weekend.

Let's rock.

Want to come to the half-life?

Are you serious?

I have a math exam Monday

worth half my grade.

Come on, you could stop studying now

and ace it.

For your information, Louis

good grades aren't just luck.

You have to work hard.

Don't get so upset.

What would I know about good grades?

( Laughing )

Sure you don't want to take

a study break, Nicole?

See, I heard that if

you study too much you can get ulcers

and stress-related illnesses.

I'll see you guys later, okay?

Wow, she is wound up tight.

I've never seen Nicole like that.

Her family is all achievers.

Making the honor roll is expected.

If she doesn't get an "A" in math, she won't make it.

I know about not living up to

family academic traditions.

But Nicole's an incredible student.

Who cares if she doesn't make honor roll?

She does.

Her parents do.

Personally, I don't do well

with that kind of pressure.

I totally wilt.

Anything we can do to help?

When Nicole gets like that

she's a wreck.

You can't talk to her.

And we're not the ones

to help with her math, are we, Alex?

Yeah, I guess not.

Mr. Mack: I couldn't believe it myself.

GC-161 is a far more powerful substance

than any of us first thought.

I see.

From everything that I can see

GC-161 could alter

human genetic structure.

Can I assume this is good news you're telling me?

Not exactly.

The Chemical may now fall into

a group of class-d substances

that the government won't allow

much experimentation on.

As usual, very good work, Mack.

I want you to put GC-161 aside now.

Do you have another project you can work on?

The household projects division

asked me to look

at toxic levels in our new air freshener.

You do that.

Oh, just one more thing, Miss Atron.

Remember that truck accident

last year near the schools?

There was a rumor going around

that a child was possibly doused

with an enormous amount of GC-161.

If that's true

I fear for that child.

That was only a rumor.

And it happened long ago.

If anything serious had happened

someone would have come forward by now.

I guess so.

I'll stay in touch.

And in the meantime

keep this to yourself.

All right?

Vince, get in here immediately.

Annie: Nicole, wait.

Nicole?

What happened?

She came over to see

if I could help her with trig

so I explained it to her

and after ten minutes

she got really frustrated.

What did you do?

Nothing.

I was very nice.

It's so strange.

It's not.

It happens a lot at my school.

Some kids are such great students

but they get overwhelmed

with this pressure to succeed.

It can be debilitating.

Can be what?

It can prevent you from doing anything.

Why can't you just say that, then?

( Dialing phone )

Hi, Ray?

It's me.

I need you to go back to school with me.

I know you just escaped from there

but we have to.

It's for Nicole.

We knew this would happen eventually.

I didn't think

it would happen so soon.

Mack's good at what he does.

Can we trust him?

He seems loyal to the organization.

But...

But you can't be sure.

Exactly.

See, he mentioned the truck accident

and his concern over the kid

splashed with the chemical.

Why would he care about that?

Unfortunately, Vince

some people have

what's known as a conscience.

Miss Atron, I'm in charge

of protecting the Plant's security

and this strikes me

as a great threat to the GC project.

Although nothing in Mack's files

indicates a problem

I think he needs to be monitored closely.

Agreed.

I want a plan by the end of the day.

And you will have one.

I can't believe you.

Ray, keep it down.

I ask you to help me like this

and you turn me down.

This is different.

No, it's not.

You're stealing the test.

That's all I wanted you to do.

First of all

Nicole works hard at her school work.

And you don't.

That's why I need the help more.

You'd want to steal the test

to cheat right off it.

I'll just use it to help her study.

I won't even tell her I have it.

What a waste.

Just keep a lookout, okay?

If anyone comes

knock on the door.

Just be quick.

Raymond!

Oh, uh-uh...

Hi, Mr. Sperry.

How are you?

I'm fine, Ray.

What are you doing here?

School's been out for some time.

Uh, I forgot a book.

Uh, I was hoping I'd run into you.

You have.

Excuse me?

You've run into me. What can I do for you?

You really never congratulated me

on my final grade last semester.

Your final grade?

I believe you got a C-plus.

I know.

If you saw what I'm getting now

you'd know what an achievement that was.

It was nice talking to you about the old days.

I know my day is now complete.

Bye.

Ray: Keep in touch, Mr. Sperry.

( Knocking )

Is someone in here?

What is going on?

Hmm.

( Zapping )

( Zapping )

( Knocking )

Come in.

Annie: Nicole... hi.

Hi.

Did you come to study some more?

Um... Actually

I came to study with Alex.

With Alex...

Yeah.

We're okay.

You can go now.

Just... go.

Okay.

Alex, this is crazy.

I know you're worried about me

but there's not much you can do to help.

I think I can.

Annie had sperry for trig

and gave me some areas you should focus on.

What good would it do?

You know sperry brags

about how he never gives the same test.

Please let me help.

I really think I can help you.

I guess it couldn't hurt.

Great.

We'll start with polar coordinates.

Alex, we didn't spend that much time

on polar coordinates.

Trust me.

Mr. Mack: I had no idea

GC-161 contained those properties.

To tell you the truth, it's frightening.

What's up, Dad?

Oh, it's something I discovered at work

about GC-161.

George, what are you saying?

This chemical

you've been working on can actually

change our genetic makeup, our DNA?

Believe it or not, yes.

And someone may be exposed to it

in large doses.

Oh, you mean the child

in the truck accident.

Right.

Who knows how it'll affect him?

I feel guilty for being involved

in the research.

Don't feel guilty.

You were doing your job.

If a kid was contaminated by GC-161

he'd need regular and complex testing

to make sure he was okay.

Well, maybe that's happening.

I know you're trying to make me feel better

but only a few of us know anything about GC-161.

Well, you know more

than most of our researchers.

To think that...

I could've had any involvement at all in...

In ruining some kid's life.

It will be fine, Dad.

If some kid was harmed

we would have heard about it.

Annie's right, George.

I hope so.

I really hope so.

Vince: I'm worried about Mack.

His office phone calls have been monitored

and he's not saying anything

about GC-161, but...

But... who knows what happens

when he gets home?

Exactly.

I think a few well-placed surveillance devices

could go a long way to easing our concerns.

I don't know what you're talking about, Vince.

But... I approve of your judgment.

And I appreciate that approval.

Starting tomorrow

we will hear just about everything

coming out of the Mack home.

Alex: We'll study more tomorrow.

Thank you so much.

Bye.

We've got to talk.

What's up?

Dad made this huge discovery today

about GC-161.

He knows how powerful it is.

He's upset about the kid

that got hit by the truck.

You mean me?

Yeah, you.

He doesn't know it's you

although I almost told him.

Annie, are you sure I'm okay

and not going to blow up someday?

Yeah, I'm sure.

I mean, I'm pretty sure.

I'm sure as I can be.

( Tires screech )

Mm-hmm.

( Truck door closes )

( Doorbell rings ) Mm-hmm.

Okay, so did you remember to study

solving inequalities?

All right.

( Doorbell rings ) Try number two in our book.

I'll get it.

Hello.

( With Southern accent ): There's phone line

trouble in the area.

Take me a second to check your wires.

Come on in.

There's a jack over here.

Alex.

The phone man needs the phone.

So all you have to do

is study the chapter on identities.

Okay, bye.

So, you're helping Nicole.

Alex: She's my friend.

She's comfortable with me.

You'd make her nervous.

Annie, when you helped her

she went running from the house.

I better check the one upstairs, too.

Oh, okay, sure, follow me.

Alex: You're right.

That's why I'm glad

I have an advance copy of the test.

What?

How?

Well, I was worried about her.

So yesterday after school

I sort of snuck back in

and got into Sperry's office

and took it.

Alex, I cannot believe

that you would do something so unethical.

And how did you get into the classroom?

Alex: How do you think I got in?

I used my powers.

Louis: Wait till you see this.

People will make total jerks of themselves

for ten bucks.

I used to do this all the time

back in Cincinnati.

Someone's coming.

( Fishing reel clicks )

( Ray giggles )

( Reel clicking )

( Giggling )

( Both cackling )

That's great.

Well, everything checked out here.

If you hear a slight clicking

in your phone for a while

just ignore it.

Okay, well, thanks so much.

Can you see yourself out?

Of course.

Okay.

I almost got caught.

Sperry came in

and I didn't have time to morph.

I was sending out zappers

shutting off lights

trying to hide in the dark.

Annie: You sound proud, Alex.

Are you ever going to stop

using your powers in public?

( Snickering )

Hey, some guy's coming out of Alex's house.

Do it again.

No problemo.

( Fishing reel clicks )

Oh, ho-ho.

Some poor slob lost a ten spot.

What?

Uh-oh!

( Grunting )

Come back here, punk!

If I catch you, you're dead!

( Screaming )

You're mine, punk!

Leave me alone!

( Screaming in distance )

Annie!

You know Vince just came out of your house?

Vince?

Oh no.

( Beeping )

Alex: What is it?

What is it?

That so-called phone guy

was Vince

and he just bugged our house

probably to tape Dad.

Wow!

Good thing you found it

before we said anything stupid.

Alex, we already said something stupid.

After he planted this

you told me power by power

how you stole that test for Nicole!

Where is he?

Chasing Louis.

I don't even want to know the details.

Quick, Ray, here's what we'll do.

( Dog barking in distance )

( Birds chirping )

Can I help you?

You with the phone company?

Yes.

Good. We have problems

with the lines at my house.

Could you take a look?

I'm off to another job.

Please.

Guess you didn't hear me.

I said, I don't have time.

Are you sure you're with the phone company?

Yes, I'm sure.

Because if you can't take a look at my phone

I'll just take down your license plate number

and talk to your supervisor.

I, I guess I can spare a minute.

Good.

I live right over here

in one of the nicer homes on the block.

We've got to get inside.

Mrs. Mack: If we make a presentation

on the third

that'll give us two weeks to deliver.

Man: I think we can make it.

Mrs. Mack: Tomorrow we can

go over this again.

Do me a favor

and transfer me to Rick?

Man: Hi, this is Rick.

Mrs. Mack: Rick, I need to push

my 3:00 Monday to 4:30.

Can you do that for me?

Rick: Sure, anything else?

Vince: Nothing we can do about that, chief.

Ray: ...Someone who knows what he's doing.

I told you yes.

Now will you just leave me alone?

( Starts engine )

( Tires squealing )

Is she...?

( Tires squealing )

( Rattling )

Surveillance device is in place.

I'm on my way back.

Yes, ma'am.

( Tires squealing )

( Groaning )

( Sighs )

Hey.

What's wrong with you?

I'm feeling a little guilty.

Nicole's brilliant

and I've given her

this unfair advantage

over the rest of the class.

If she makes honor roll because of this

it won't mean anything.

Hey, I've seen this test before.

I showed you.

No, I took it last semester.

It was ugly.

You said

sperry never gives

the same test twice.

He doesn't.

This test says, "first semester."

We're in the second semester now.

Nicole!

Nicole!

Nicole!

Alex, what's up?

You don't have to worry about me.

You really did help.

I'm totally psyched.

Yeah, well, you don't have to concentrate too much

on that stuff we went over.

What do I know?

What?

Now you tell me, right?

Look, I'm just saying, you know...

Luck!

I'll never steal again.

I'll never steal again.

( Rings )

So how'd you do?

He didn't test us

on a single thing you told me he would.

( Laughing )

Dad, will you tell us that story

about when you went bowling with scooter

and you got your fingers stuck in the ball?

Annie, dear... ( Chuckles )

I think we've all heard that one quite enough, don't you?

No, Mom, I'd actually like to hear it again.

Sure, if you want.

It seems like you're asking to hear

all my favorite stories tonight.

Well, we both went looking for a ball

and there weren't many left.

So I picked up this really small one

( beeping ) And before I knew it

( snickering ) I had my thumb

wedged in the hole in the ball.

I thought it would come off

when I rolled it

but I went flying into the alley.

( Giggling )

You know, they really grease those things up

with polyurethane.

So, they called for the manager and it took him 15...

So, do we have anything to worry about?

No, and I have listened

to hours and hours of tapes

and not only has he not once mentioned GC-161

he is also the most boring human being

I have ever come across.

Okay, Vince, you can back off.

For now.

( No audio )

Mr. Mack: ...you have to realize

how cold the water was.

( Knocking at door )

( Clicks off )

Yeah?

It's Nicole.

Oh, no.

Come in.

Hi.

Hi.

( Sighs )

You know, like I told you, Alex

you totally led me in the wrong direction.

I'm sorry, Nicole.

The good news is

I didn't need you.

Sperry called me--

I got a 96 anyway.

Oh my gosh!

That's great!

Congratulations.

Thanks.

I asked your mom

if I could buy you a soda to celebrate.

You up for it?

Definitely.

See you later.

Okay, see you.

( Door closes )

( Beeping )

( Beeping )

Captioned by Grant Brown