Grand Opening

Whit tells Tom Riley that Mitch bought Novacom's supply of miniature surveillance cameras. Tony identified a different man as the one who arranged the spying in Whit's office, so Whit suspects a larger operation rather than a single culprit. Both men like Mitch and hope he has an innocent explanation, especially because Connie has become so fond of him. Whit keeps the purchase secret from her for the moment while watching the situation closely.

Unaware of the new evidence, Connie lets Mitch lead her blindfolded to a cliff overlooking Trickle Lake. He has prepared a picnic with her favorite sandwiches, chips, and chocolate milk. They watch the clouds, walk together, and gather flowers before rain ends the outing. His care feels genuine, and Connie returns to Whit's End delighted that they also plan to go bowling that evening.

Whit leaves the camera from his office in plain view when Mitch comes to discuss a Novacom community forum. Mitch immediately recognizes it as a type used at the station and readily admits that he picked up a large order. He says Novacom is preparing a real-life spy program that requires hidden cameras. The explanation is reasonable, but the discovery that one appeared in Whit's office still unsettles him. He leaves to think before taking Connie bowling.

At Novacom, Mitch asks to see Arthur Dent and instead meets a stranger who calls himself Mr. Charles. The man praises Mitch's work and promises advancement if he continues helping the organization place Whit in a useful position. When Mitch asks direct questions, Mr. Charles orders him to forget the hidden camera and obey without seeking information beyond his assignment.

Mr. Charles also says that Dent has been relocated because he was not a team player and suggests that Mitch may soon replace him. More disturbingly, he knows about Mitch's evening with Connie and approves of establishing a relationship with her. Mitch firmly says that Connie is none of his business, but Mr. Charles implies that the organization may decide otherwise. Mitch leaves with less understanding of his employer than before.

At the school computer lab, Sarah and Cal wait until AREM finally appears with only minutes remaining before the system's automatic shutdown. The hacker directs them to an Andromeda website about radio-wave research, supplies the fourth-level password “bluegill,” and tells them to download a medical report. They cannot find a disk, and the printer has no paper. By the time they reload it, only one page emerges before the network shuts down. The printout appears to be meaningless computer symbols.

At Wonderworld, Alex discovers ordinary letters scattered among the symbols. The children extract them one by one and reconstruct the title and author: the document reports on converting brain waves into radio waves, and Eugene Meltsner wrote it. His secret Campbell College experiment is therefore connected to a protected Andromeda site. The children still cannot explain how Eugene, AREM, Jared, the cameras, and the hidden modem fit together.

Connie accompanies Mitch to his apartment before bowling because he has forgotten his shoes. While he searches, she looks at his computer and sees AREM appear on its display. Mitch returns before she can investigate and reacts strongly enough to startle her, though he says she can leave the computer alone and does not explain what has happened.

From the bowling alley restroom, Connie secretly calls Whit. He reminds her that AREM has appeared in many computer systems and cautions that this alone may prove nothing. Nevertheless, Connie's fear and suspicion ruin the date. She throws bowling balls into neighboring lanes and finally admits that she no longer knows whether she can trust Mitch.

Connie questions how he can work for a company involved in so many secret activities. Mitch tells her that he cannot yet reveal everything that is happening and asks her to trust him. Connie is unwilling to set the concern aside for a pleasant evening and asks to go home. Their conversation ends without establishing whether Mitch is concealing wrongdoing, protecting confidential work, or struggling with dangers he has only begun to recognize.

Alex, Cal, and Sarah take their discovery to Whit. He recognizes that Eugene's research fits the larger pattern he has been investigating, though he still cannot explain it. He permits the children to tell their parents but forbids them to share the information more widely or contact AREM again. They must notify Whit if the hacker approaches them.

After thanking them with ice-cream sundaes, Whit remains alone with a frightening new question. Eugene's work now appears inside Andromeda's protected files, while Novacom, hidden surveillance, AREM, and the company's interest in Whit's End draw closer together. Whit can only wonder what his trusted friend has become involved in.