S3 E1: Time to Come Home

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It's starting. There are kids in this world who are different. Special. I think it's a hoverboard. They look like us and they act like us. But they are not us. You're... Mother Nature. Who wants a selfie with the Grim Reaper? There's a girl flying in the water. Find her treasure. She belongs to the world of good. It's a broken locket exactly like mine. Dog! Mars out. Imagination amplified.

There are kids in this world who are different. Especially, they go to school in a place you can't find on a map. And they're about to get a new classmate. friends to the Elixir Academy on beautiful Elixir Key, Florida. I hope you enjoyed your short boat ride from the mainland. No questions, please. It is my honor to show you around this unique and exclusive school for special teenagers like me.

But the real honor, of course, is yours. Just being allowed on this island and on these hallowed grounds is a rare privilege made even more so by having yours truly as a guide. Did you know that admission to the Academy is by invitation only? Looking around at this group, it seems unlikely that any of you will be invited, but you never know. This way, please. Would you mind holding the doors? Oh, sure. I got it. Uh, not you. They're made of rare snake wood, and your hands look used. Allow me.

Thank you, Jude. Jude is our student body president and a certified genius. On my good days. Enjoy the tour, everyone. They will. As you follow me into the Grand Entry Hall, I'd like to point out that the Academy was built by grants from our generous benefactors. Thus, it is tuition free. The teaching staff is recruited from all over the world to- I'm sorry, do you have your hand up?

I specifically requested you save your questions for, well, someone who feels like answering them. But now that you've interrupted my flow, go ahead, I guess. This had better be insightful. Um, yeah, I have a question. Where's the bathroom? The bathroom. That's your insightful question? It may not be insightful, but it is kinda urgent.

Down the hall, last door to the right. Hurry and please catch up to the rest of the group after you're done scrubbing your hands. Got it. Great tour, by the way. Awesome guiding. And everyone continue to follow me down this hallway toward the awareness room.

Case, I'm in. Copy that, Sci-Fi. I see your beacon. The hallway splits. Which way do I go? We don't exactly have solid intel on the school. Which way? to head for the restricted corridor due west. Due west? Pronto? You don't say pronto. I say pronto. And in this situation, I say... Restricted corridor access achieved. What's next? What should be next is you getting on a boat and heading...

Holiday and Cam are on a climate mission in the Arctic. Birdie and my parents are busy fending off some threat at Holiday Corp. Robotics convention in Miami. A fake one. Right. Okay, I'm looking at a big stone door that I assume leads to the tunnels, but it has some kind of electrical lock. Look at you with the... Yeah, yeah. And from a healthy distance. It's called training, sci-fi. I can do all sorts of new zap-zap tricks. Impressive. Although...

It looks like you shorted out the lights down there, too. Oopsie. No worries. Got my flashlight. I'm going in. What do you see? Huge steps. Carved into rock, like some kind of cave? Because nothing says no worries like a secret cave. Cavendish says there's a whole network of caves down here. The interior chamber we're looking for is only accessible through a small tube-like opening near the bottom of- And there it is! Oh! Tighter than I expected. Looks like I'm gonna have to crawl through.

That sounds like a terrible marvel. No good, very bad idea. And yet... That's it. If you won't listen to me... I'm calling you know who. No! Sci-fi? No, she can't know about this. I sent her something, just in case, but no matter what happens, you can't tell her. Cyrus. Promise me. Okay, okay. I'm not a rat, but don't talk like that. Nothing's happening to you. Huh. That's... interesting. This moss on the cave wall feels... synthetic? Who would want to make fake moss? Uh oh.

Uh-oh, why? Hey, you're not supposed to be down here! Don't move! Uh, double uh-oh. Sci-Fi? What's going on? Come on, get it! Guards, gotta go through now. Hey, get out of there! Get out! Cyrus? I'm in the tube. Oh, it's dark in here. Tight. What's that? I don't know. It's coming from the other side. I don't like this. Turn around. No can do. Those guards are right behind me. I'm almost at the other side. Okay, I'm out. Whoa.

This is not a cave. There's hydraulics and some kind of weird light. The air feels electric. Is that you? Not me. Cyrus, turn around, please. Feels like it's coming from this... This what? What is it, Cyrus? Hang on. There's someone down here. I can't see. It's... It's... Cyrus, get away from there. Go! Cyrus! High five.

Hello there. Ready for your driving test? Bryn Leg, is it? Bryn Lee? Pasternak, sir? The G is silent. And I'm going to make this soups easy for you. Test taking? Kind of my jam. Along with oboe playing, solving unsolvable math equations, hunting wild game. Glad to hear that. I'm sure you're anxious to get your license. Sure. I mean, Daddy let me drive this truck from the time I could reach the pedals.

Anyway, let's get this over with. I have a very busy day ahead of me. I'm leaving for New York City tomorrow. Seatbelt buckled. Look both ways. And pull out. Smooth, right? Very nice. So, what's New York? Only everything. Culture, food, opportunity. I was accepted into a very prestigious high school for the arts. And not that there was any doubt. Full scholarship, by the way. Well done. Let me see you make a left turn. Right. I mean, left.

You're going to ignore that, obviously. Uh-huh. Casey's calling me? Why? Doesn't matter who's calling. Eyes on the road. This will just take a second. Hands free, of course. Hello? Hi. It's your good buddy, Tiffany. With a G. Kinda busy here, Electro Girl. So unless this is an emergency... It's Cyrus. They found him unconscious in the Everglades this morning. What?

Hang up the phone, please, Miss Pasternak. Is he okay? Like I said, unconscious. So, no. It's like when we rescued him from Neverland. What? Where is he now? They're flying him back to Holiday Corp HQ. But maybe you should... What are you doing? We're in the middle of a road test. Renly, are you there? Change of plans. We're going to see my ex. Are you insane? You can't just...

Okay, okay, I'm good. There, a perfect parallel parking job proves I'm an expert driver even under the most stressful circumstances. I passed, right? Well, uh... If not, expect to hear from Holiday Corp's lawyer. Miss Pasternak... Sorry, but I have to go kill my ex before he dies. Have a good day.

It's Kazu. She was just here. She says she's going to New York tomorrow. She knows about the Anders kid. You got it. Plan is in motion. Please be okay. Holiday Corp. Roof. Heliport. Have a nice day, Burnley Pasternak. Yeah, whatever, Ivan. Have we gotten any more information on Cyrus's condition? No, but he should be arriving any second.

Birdie, you okay? I see the helicopter, Dad. Where is he? Where's Cyrus? Brinley. What are you doing here? Casey called you. I don't care who called her. Brinley lost all Cyrus' rights when she broke his heart and... and dumped him last month. It wasn't like that. See, I knew I was leaving for school at the end of the summer and we'll talk about it later. They're here. Let's get them off the helicopter now.

What's this condition? Syrus? Can you hear me, big brother? It's gonna be okay, birdie. Yeah, he'll get through this. Syrus, it's me, Brinley. I'm here. Wait, he's got something in his hand. A scrap of paper? That's Cyrus's chicken scratch handwriting. What does it say? Cadence Cavendish. What did you say? That name sounds familiar. Brinley, you know this person? I used to. Cadence Cavendish is my mother.

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There's only two weeks left of podcast summer camp. Stay tuned to the end of this episode for more details. Hey, Prinsters! It's me! Brinley A. Pasternak, aka Brainy Brinley, aka the world's greatest oboe-playing, game-hunting, mystery-solving podcast host, slash, influencer. And before you ask, no, there is no second place.

The creators of your other favorite podcast, Six Minutes, have finally gotten smart enough to give me my own show. Brainy Brinley. That's Brainy with a G-H and Brinley with a G-H. And you can only listen to it on the GZM app. So download it now. and prepare to have your world changed forever. Peace, love, and ovos!