Ravine Riddle

Ravine Riddle is the sixth episode of spin-off, Sworn to Secrecy, and the sixth episode of season one. In this episode, a bus traveling on the Whaleblubber bridge falls off the edge and into the ravine below. The bus driver Harris Bichir, who survived the crash, does not recall any of the events prior to crashing. Inspection from the police claim that the bus parts were fine and were not responsible for the crash. The doctor claims that Harris did not take any medication before driving. What could be the cause of the wreck?

Characters

 * The ERGBB team
 * SpongeBob SquarePants
 * Sandy Cheeks
 * Squidward Tentacles
 * Patrick Star
 * Harris Bichir/Bus Driver (debut)
 * Norman Fishlab/Repairman (debut)
 * Noble Coralback (debut)
 * Miscellaneous Children Fish
 * Child 1
 * Child 2

Transcript

 * [episode begins with the camera panning with a school bus; the loud chatter of the students inside of the bus can be heard; the camera cuts to the inside of the bus; children are throwing paper and other miscellaneous items]
 * Bus Driver: Don't these children care about my focus on needing to drive? [looks back at children] Keep it down back there, children! I'm trying to drive! [looks back at road]
 * Child 1: [offscreen] Oh yeah, well I'm trying to read a book, but I'm too distracted by your faulty muffler.
 * Bus Driver: [sighs] Why can't these children just go away? Sometimes I wish these children could just jump off the bus.
 * Child 2: Oh, you do?! Well, I'm not doing it unless the bus crashes! [child hits the wall; his head hits the window, shattering it]
 * [camera cuts to the exterior of the bus; the bus is dangling off the side of a bridge; the bus finally falls off the bridge into the ravine below]
 * [the camera pans to a medium shot of the town; the camera begins panning around the town, panning from fish to fish, to building from building, and other spots; the camera finishes its pan at the ERGBB agency's exterior; the camera cuts to the main hallway, where SpongeBob is walking with a stack of papers]
 * SpongeBob: Squidward. Oh, Squidward. Where are you? Oh, Squidward. [walks into Squidward's office] Well, well. Why didn't you answer me?
 * Squidward: Because, well, I didn't really want to. And, well here you are. You found me, right?
 * SpongeBob: Right in the knick of time that is, Squidward. We have a very unsettling case.
 * Squidward: Does it involve me not finishing my morning coffee. That really unsettles me.
 * SpongeBob: This is serious, Squidward. [gives sheet of paper] A school bus is reported to have fallen off of the Whaleblubber bridge and into the ravine below it. Ten students were killed. The other nine were seriously injured. The bus driver survived as well with no injuries.
 * Squidward: [drinks coffee mug] Hmm. You're right. We should get down there and investigate it.
 * SpongeBob: Don't you have morning coffee to attend to?
 * Squidward: No. I have your dumb team meeting yesterday to attend to, which I chose not to. [turns around in seat back to computer] Told you I could be unsettling when my morning coffee is disturbed.
 * [scene cuts to the Whaleblubber bridge; the team, along with police officials, are investigating the scene]
 * Patrick: [offscreen] So, explain the situation, Mr. Bus Driver.
 * Bus Driver: Yes, Mr. Star. My name is Harris Bichir by the way. Well, I was driving a whole bunch of annoying children in my school bus. And then, well, poof. We've fallen into a ravine under the bridge we're standing on.
 * Patrick: And you do not recall any of the moments prior to the incident?
 * Harris: Not at all.
 * Patrick: [looks at crane pulling up the bus] Maybe the problem wasn't you, Mr. Bichir. It may have been something with your bus over there.
 * Harris: [looks at bus] Huh? Maybe so. I don't know if they'll let you look at it, though. When the police confiscate stuff, it becomes untouchable.
 * Patrick: I'll be the judge of that. [walks toward the bus]
 * [scene cuts to Sandy, inspecting the engine of the bus]
 * SpongeBob: [standing beside Sandy] Is there anything unusual in there, Sandy?
 * Sandy: The only unusual thing is that you are asking me these needless questions when you know I will inform you about anything weird inside of the bus.
 * SpongeBob: [sighs] Fine. What have you found out so far?
 * Sandy: If you must know, I have found that the engine is in good shape, which is normal for a bus. Yet, usually it's the parts inside of the engine that causes these types of accidents.
 * SpongeBob: You mean accidents such as a school plummeting off the side of a bridge?
 * Sandy: No, Mr. Literal. Yet, finding out which part it is specifically is difficult. It would have to be someone who last repaired the bus and added a new part.
 * SpongeBob: Hmm. [walks to Harris] Hey, Harris. I have just one question.
 * Harris: [turns away] Ask away.
 * SpongeBob: When was the last time this bus got repaired?
 * Harris: Oh, actually a few days ago. Luckily it was a weekend.
 * SpongeBob: Do you have his or her business card?
 * Harris: Yep. Yep yep. [takes out business card] Vehicle Automotives and Refinery Adjustments Inc. They're located just a few miles east of downtown.
 * SpongeBob: I see. Looks like our team is making a litttle trip to the car shop.
 * [camera cuts to the medium shot of the town; the camera pans around the town quickly; stops quick pan at the repair shop's main workshop]
 * Manager: [walks into workshop] He's right here.
 * SpongeBob: [walks in first] Great.
 * Repairman: Hey. What is this, Mick? I thought today wasn't going to be a visiting day.
 * Michael: Well, the ERGBB team is here to just ask you a few questions. And please refer to your boss as Michael when company is here. [walks out of room]
 * Repairman: Can do, Mick. So, [looks at team] what brings you guys down to our little shop.
 * Squidward: Well, a bus has fallen into a ravine under the Whaleblubber bridge.
 * Sandy: And you were the last person to make repairs on it.
 * SpongeBob: So we just have one question: what's the big idea?
 * Repairman: Well, first, I need to know what the part that was faulty was.
 * SpongeBob: Well, Mr...uh...[looks at card] Norman Fishlab, we believe that part was a piston.
 * Sandy: And according to the bus driver, you last made a modification to said piston.
 * Norman: Uh...huh. Well, I didn't make a modification on that piston. I just straight-up replaced it. If you want to look at the one I replaced it with, here it is. [picks up piston and throws it to team] You can inspect it if you want.
 * SpongeBob: Can do. [walks out of door] Let's go team.
 * [scene cuts to a medium shot of the ERGBB agency; the camera cuts to a room under an ultraviolet light; Sandy is inspecting the piston on an island in the middle]
 * Sandy: Well, the bearings seem fine. The piston rod is thick enough. Good size for a bus. [takes off goggles] There's nothing wrong with this piston.
 * Patrick: [walks into room; turns on normal lighting; holding piece of paper] Not to mention this police inspection report. There was nothing wrong with the axles, the wheels, the engine itself, or the transmission. That only leaves one thing.
 * Sandy: Yep. It had to be Mr. Harris himself. Do you think he'll mind us bugging him again?
 * Patrick: He may mind. [smiles] I don't.
 * [scene cuts to Mr. Bichir's home; the team pull up in the driveway]
 * Sandy: [unbuckles seat belt] Let's go, team.
 * [rest of team hops out of car without using doors]
 * Sandy: That's not what I meant.
 * SpongeBob: It was open to interpretation. [walks up to door; knocks on door] Open up, Mr. Bichir. We just have a few more questions.
 * Harris: [offscreen] Eh. What else is new? [camera reveals to be looking out of window near edge of house] Climb through this window. The door doesn't work.
 * [team climbs through window]
 * SpongeBob: You know, if I cared enough, I would give you a ticket for negligence of self-safety.
 * Sandy: [interrupts] But that's not what we're here for.
 * Harris: Right. You're here to ask me a couple of questions.
 * SpongeBob: That's right. Number one: Where were you on the day of today?
 * Harris: Really?
 * Patrick: What he means to say is the police claim nothing was wrong with the bus itself. [hands police inspection paper to Harris]
 * Harris: I don't believe this. You guys really believe I did such a thing?
 * SpongeBob: I know this is difficult to believe, Mr. Bichir, put please understand that this is hard for us too. We believe that you may have been under the influence of a brain-deteriorating substance.
 * Harris: No way. Just no way. You come into my house, accuse me of killing eleven children, and assume that I must be on drugs. Just my day, huh? [laughs angrily] Well let me tell you something. I will find a way to get you away from me and my wife, even if I have to get a restraining order. Yeah, that's what I'll do.
 * Sandy: Please, Mr. Harris. We're doing our best. I believe it is in everyone's best interest if we could search your house.
 * Harris: I can't believe this. You don't even have a...
 * Patrick: [takes out search warrant] search warrant? I can assure you we are liscensed. Now if you excuse us...
 * [team begins walking around house, searching]
 * SpongeBob: [walks into bathroom; opens medicine cabinet] Let's take a look at the medicine cabinet, shall we?
 * Harris: You won't find anything in there except for some pain relievers and ibuprofen, which I think I should use now.
 * SpongeBob: Not just yet. [inspects bottle of ibuprofen] Hmm. Seems legit. Immuno-relief glycosine benzoate. I don't see any prescription, now do I?
 * Harris: Maybe not from there.
 * SpongeBob: I don't think I'd be able to see an over-the-counter prescription from here either, now would I? [reads back] May cause drowziness, now does it?
 * Harris: Sometimes. I don't see how that comes into play.
 * SpongeBob: Well, being an ERGBB agent, I do. Who knows. Maybe you took a pill or two and feel asleep behind the wheel. It explains how you don't remember what happened prior to the crash...or the crash.
 * Harris: Oh please. I didn't have any pills before I drove a bus full of children.
 * Sandy: [walks into bathroom] We'll be the judge of that. [places Harris's hands behind his back; places handcuffs on him] Harris Bichir, you are temporarily under arrest for the possession of unprescribed pills and the negligent murder of a minor or minors. In this case, it's minors.
 * Harris: This is crazy. You can't be doing this to an innocent man!
 * SpongeBob: For negligence, we can. Let's get him back to the agency and interrogate him.
 * Harris: How much can a fish take?
 * [scene cuts to the agency's interrogation room; Harris is sitting in a seat in front of the team]
 * SpongeBob: So, you're telling us you had no pills prior to driving the bus this morning?
 * Harris: That's right.
 * Sandy: Well, how else do explain the crash, Mr. Bichir? There was nothing wrong with the bus. Nothing on the bus could have done it. That doesn't really leave that many options.
 * Harris: I didn't do it, I tell you.
 * Patrick: You had to. It's the only possible explanation as to how the bus could have slipped into the ravine.
 * Harris: Look. I'm an innocent man being questioned for no reason. I have kids too you know, and I treat them very nicely. I wouldn't treat the kids in that bus any differently than I treat my own kids. I wouldn't and couldn't have done anything to change that. I believe we are done here.
 * [the team exchange looks]
 * Sandy: Sorry to waste your time, Mr. Bichir. [team departs interrogation room]
 * SpongeBob: Guys, I think we've done the wrong thing. Maybe he is innocent. Maybe we do have the wrong guy.
 * Sandy: Well, if that's the case, then there has to be a factor that caused the accident that was neither Harris nor the bus.
 * Squidward: [looking at picture of Whaleblubber bridge] Hey. How about the bridge?
 * Patrick: Maybe so. There's only one way to find out.
 * [scene cuts to the ERGBB team at the bridge, where the police are still investigating the problem]
 * Squidward: [to police officer] So, what's the durability of this bridge right here?
 * Police Officer: Oh, pretty good. Some of my guys checked it out earlier today. The bridge is fine. Only things missing from the bridge is the railing that the bus crashed through.
 * Squidward: Yeah, I guess. Well, if there's nothing for the bridge, the bus, or the bus driver, then what could have caused the wreck?
 * Police Officer: I'll leave that to you guys to figure out. [laughs with Squidward]
 * Squidward: Say, who were you guys?
 * Police Officer: Oh, just a few members from the Bridge Sustainability and Repairing Association.
 * Squidward: Whoa. How did you get them down here?
 * Police Officer: Oh, it wasn't easy. We still have the manager down here if you need him.
 * Squidward: I would love to speak with him.
 * [camera cuts to Squidward, walking over to the manager of the BSRA on the bridge]
 * Squidward: So, you're Steve Cod?
 * Steve Cod: [walks to Squidward] Yep. You're probably a member of the ERGBB, coming to ask me if this bridge is in good shape. [smiles] Well, it is. Everything's ship shape. According to our records, [holds up laptop] the Whaleblubber bridge has had no prior damage or destruction. It's perfectly safe.
 * Squidward: Well that's just great. Now we have nothing.
 * Sandy: [walks into scene] Let's head back to the agency and search our evidence. We have to find something from it.
 * [scene cuts to the agency; the team is inside of the interrogation room, reviewing their evidence]
 * SpongeBob: Let's see. [holds up police inspection paper] According to the police, all of the parts of the bus are fine.
 * Sandy: And according further to the police, nothing on the bus could have triggered the crash.
 * Squidward: And that only leaves one thing...[holds up ibuprofen bottle] the medicine. The doctor claims that Harris showed no signs of drowziness earlier today.
 * Patrick: Hmm. I think we may need to pay that doctor a little visit just to be on the up and up.
 * [scene cuts to the Bikini Bottom Hospital; the team is inside of Harris's doctor's office]
 * SpongeBob: [knocks on door] Hello? Doctor? Are you in here?
 * Doctor: [walks up to door] Yeah. I'm right here. And who are you?
 * SpongeBob: [holds up badge] We're the Espionage and Reconnaisance Group of Bikini Bottom, better known as the ERGBB.
 * Doctor: Oh, well in that case, I won't call security. I'm Noble Norman Coralback, but my friends just call me "Noble".
 * SpongeBob: Well, that's great. Then you should be truthful when we ask you a few questions.
 * Noble: Sure. What do you want to know?
 * Sandy: Mr. Coralback, we think you've heard about the news concerning a bus falling into a ravine.
 * Noble: Goodness no! Is everyone okay?
 * SpongeBob: Pretty much, especially the bus driver. We understand the bus driver is a Mr. Harris Bichir, one of your patients.
 * Noble: Oh. Well, what's the trouble?
 * SpongeBob: We believe that one your prescribed medicines influenced his driving, therefore causing the accident.
 * Noble: The ibuprofen. Well, all it does is cause a little drowziness.
 * SpongeBob: Well, yeah. We think that's the cause.
 * Noble: Well, according to my records, Harris hasn't taken his medicine today.
 * Patrick: Well, did he visit here today?
 * Noble: Yeah. He came to get his physical. But he didn't have any medicine before he left to drive the children to school.
 * Squidward: I see.
 * Patrick: Wait a minute. I just remembered. We have a meeting to attend right now.
 * SpongeBob: [looks back at Patrick strangely] Uh...yeah. Back at the agency. Sorry for wasting your time, but we have to get going.
 * [team departs the doctor's room]
 * Noble: No problem. [closes door]
 * Sandy: Okay, Patrick. What's up?
 * Patrick: I think we were just talking to our criminal.
 * [rest of team gasps; scene cuts to the agency, where the team is searching for the records of Noble Coralback]
 * SpongeBob: What have you found, Sandy?
 * Sandy: Well, according to this, Mr. Noble's father's name is...Norman Fishlab Senior.
 * Patrick: What?! What does this mean?
 * Sandy: Well, the doctor we saw was his son: Norman Fishlab Junior. Yet, when Norman Junior got married, he changed his name to Norman Coralback, hence his wife's name, yet changed his middle name to his last name and went by that at his part-time job: a repairman.
 * Squidward: Does this mean what I think it means?
 * Sandy: Yep. We have ourselves a doctor-repairman criminal responsible for the death of eleven school-goers.
 * Patrick: I thought it was ten.
 * SpongeBob: I counted him losing his bus driver's license. That's a year of paperwork and driving school that will never be regained.
 * Sandy: Well, there we go. Let's go cuff our culprit.
 * [scene cuts to the doctor's office of Norman Coralback; the team knock on the door again]
 * SpongeBob: [knocks on door] Open up, Norman! We have another question!
 * [no response]
 * SpongeBob: Okay then. [kicks open door; sees an attempting escape Norman Coralback trying to crawl out of the window]
 * Patrick: Not so fast! [grabs Norman; throws him onto ground; turns him over and handcuffs him] You're under arrest, doctor! Diagnosis? You're a criminal. [picks up Norman]
 * Norman: I don't understand. How did you piece it together?
 * SpongeBob: It was pretty simple. We did some research on your family tree. Need I say more?
 * Sandy: Actually, yes. Your real name is Norman Fishlab, which is the same name of the repairman we talked to earlier.
 * Patrick: You sabotaged the bus Harris was driving.
 * Norman: How do you know that?
 * Patrick: You gave us a false piston. The police found that the piston inside of the bus was a Mark 2. The one you gave us was a Mark 3. The Mark 2 was faulty and needed to be replaced, yet you allowed it to stay in, therefore shutting down the bus.
 * Sandy: Not to mention that after every physical, you give the patient water. Yet, you crushed up an ibuprofen pill or two into the water to make sure he would become drowsy. The pill showed up in Harris's system.
 * Norman: What else do you have?
 * SpongeBob: With the piston distraction, you took it upon yourself to hack into the BSRA computer to make it seem as though the Whaleblubber bridge suffered no damage prior to the crash. Although, when fixed, revealed that the barriers were in need of replacing due to the increasing heat. Yet, you knew that this, and knew the bus could crash through the barrier easily, falling into the ravine below.
 * Norman: So, you've pieced it together. Now what?
 * Patrick: You're going to jail. That's what. [walks out of room with Norman] Let's get going.
 * [scene cuts to SpongeBob's office at the ERGBB agency]
 * Squidward: [walks in] What are you doing?
 * SpongeBob: [leans back] Oh, leaning. Drinking coffee. [drinks from coffee mug] I can see why you don't want it disturbed. This is delicious. No...paradise.
 * Squidward: Yep. It'll do that to you. Hey, where's Norman?
 * SpongeBob: Behind bars.
 * Squidward: And Harris?
 * SpongeBob: Back at home, enjoying himself. [drinks mug] Anything else?
 * Squidward: Yeah. Where's my mug?
 * SpongeBob: [camera reveals text on mug saying "Number #1 Squid] Uh...no idea. It must have fallen into a ravine.
 * Squidward: Uh huh. Well, I'll check if you go down there...without a rope. [walks away]
 * SpongeBob: [laughs] He's right. He can get ornery when his coffee is disturbed. [drinks from mug]
 * [episode ends]