Story: Lionel E. Siegel
Teleplay: Tom Greene
Director: Phil Bondelli
A brand new world has just opened up to young Andy Sheffield ever since the bionic implants. He’s still amazed at the fact that he can walk around without a wheelchair, a dream he never thought would be possible, until the OSI came along. He and Steve walk around town, greeting people. The boy feels in top shape.
Later Steve introduce to his hero, football player Frank Gifford. His idol autographs a ball for him and he and Steve teach him a few techniques.
Andy attempts to copy the moves and surprisingly surpasses the two men’s expectation, prompting Steve to suspect a malfunction with the boy’s legs.
When the exploit is repeated, this time with Andy jumping six feet into the air, Steve alerts Rudy who assures that a mere technical adjustment is needed to address the problem. Steve is to watch for any sign of further bionic feats in the coming days accompanied by twinges of pain.
Back at home Andy’s sister Valerie surprises him with driving lessons. Steve comes along for the ride to watch Andy’s performance. The lesson goes smoothly until the town newspaper editor Vernon Craig suddenly crosses the street, prompting Andy to slam on the breaks.
His bionic kicks in and the pedal goes through the metal. Steve tries to minimize the incident by convincing the old man the his floor board is like thin foil and demonstrates his point by crushing a piece of metal to dust.
Steve reports the incident to Rudy. The strength in Andy’s legs appears to be increasing which each incident. Even Dr. Melville concurred that the power was increased fivefold.
Meanwhile, editor of the Kanab Crier town newspaper Vernon Craig ferrets about in the hospital store room and notes down numbers on a crate. He later asks an old college friend information about their meaning and is stunned to discover what bionic means.
Rudy’s examination of Andy’s legs reveal that they are now six times their normal strength. Given the critical circumstances, Rudy suggests they head back to Washington to address the problem before there is an atomic overload that could eventually have dire consequences for the boy. Andy is afraid that they might find that the implant has failed and therefore requests to postpone the trip twenty-four to allow him to take Judy to the dance and tackle Joe Hamilton in the football game they agreed upon. Rudy hesitates but agrees, providing Andy reports the slightest twinge of pain to Steve.
Later as they escort their dates to the dance Andy and Joe disagree on how the game should be played out tomorrow. Joe sneers at Andy’s firm belief that he’s fully recovered and that he will emerge as the victor.
During a slow dance with Joe’s girlfriend Colleen, smitten Andy is hurt to discover that the girl’s true purpose behind her teasing is to make Joe jealous and that she had never fancied Andy. Dismayed Andy returns to his date, Judy, and apologizes for his insolent behavior.
Meanwhile his sister Valerie seems to have more success with her suitor, Steve.
Andy is shocked to learn that a friend of Judy’s saw him at Haunted Mountain and she wonders why he would consider going back to that place that nearly killed him. This is a touchy subject that Andy prefers not to discuss. Suddenly he feels a twinge in his leg but dismisses it as a shoe being too tight.
Vernon Craig drops by the social event to show Valerie and Steve tomorrow’s headline that reveals the truth behind Andy’s miracle legs. Steve appeals to Andy’s longtime friend and not the dutiful journalist to wait until he and the boy are out of town tomorrow before releasing the news that will label him a freak.
Andy learns about the headline and goes to Craig to confront him about his article. Pleading doesn’t melt the heart of the hardened reporter who insists that the news needs to be told about Washington turning him into a robot. Angry Andy throws a tantrum and breaks a shelf. Steve arrives to take him away before he does anymore damage.
With tears in his eyes, Andy recalls the story of how his father confided in Vernon about the burial ground on Haunted Mountain. When Andy’s father was killed by that rockslide, Vernon cried that the man’s foolishness alone caused his early demise and nearly killed his own son. Andy has had to live with that shame ever since the accident and vows to make the reporter eat his words when he proves his father right by finding that treasure.
On the field, the players are ready to dispute the match. Andy gives the ball a bionic kick that sends the ball flying clear across the field under astonished looks. Joe catches it but Andy stops his run. When Andy has the ball his bionics thrust into motion and runs all the way to mark the score for his team.
But not is a well for the boy. His legs are hurting but knows that if he reports the pain to Steve, he will have him on the first plane to Washington. He needs the use of his legs to perform one last task, which is to climb up Haunted Mountain and find the Red Clay Indians burial ground and its treasures.
Andy goes to teammate and asks to switch places with him. He then catches a ride with a friend to his destination.
With his bionic Andy easily climbs up the mountain.
Back at the field, Steve and Valerie become worried that Andy is nowhere to be found. Judy as an idea of where Andy might be and after speaking with the boy’s friend on the field, Steve hurries up to Haunted Mountain.
Steve calls Rudy who urges him to bring Andy back to Washington before his implants backfire. He then notifies Dr. Melville and Penny to prepare for emergency surgery on Andy’s legs.
At the bottom of the mountain, Steve spots Andy and goes after him. During the climb, Andy’s feet trigger a rockslide that catches Steve off guard, but he manages to dodge the rocks and continues his climb after the boy.
Andy is obsessed about getting to Eagle’s Point and climbs further up despite the debilitating pain in his lower limbs. He must find the burial ground at all cost before his legs completely give out on him.
Steve tries to get the boy’s attention but to no avail. Then he continues his climb. Andy becomes more and more incapacitated but stubbornly moves on until he finds the cave.
Finally Steve reaches a crippled Andy who excitedly invites him to feast his eyes on the treasures around him. He succeeded in proving his father right. Steve picks up and item to bring back as proof and then carries the crippled Andy on his shoulders down the mountain. p>
At the Army hospital, Andy undergoes emergency surgery while Steve and Valerie nervously await the outcome. Valerie confesses that she was unaware of her brother’s obsession with finding the buried treasures, and wishes his foolhardiness will not cost him his hope of living a normal life. Steve is a bit pessimistic, as he believes the damage has already been done. If Andy had spoken earlier about the twinges in his legs, he might not have to suffer the consequences now.
Rudy comes in with encouraging news. The implant was neutralized and with any luck, the boy will be walking again.
Back at Kanab, a party is organized in honor of Andy’s birthday. Vernon Craig’s gift is a newspaper headline proving his father’s theory about the burial ground, to which Andy is grateful.
Valerie fears that now that the doctors are packing up the equipment at the hospital and leaving Kanab, Steve will be joining them. The smitten girl’s face lights up when her handsome suitor tells her that he intends to stay a while longer.
Andy stands on his wobbly legs and thanks everyone present for all they have given him. He feels blessed and cannot wish for anything more than he already has.
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