فصل شانزدهم

chapter-16

Rocky had done its job.

Kyle—and everybody else locked inside the library—was definitely awake.

Even Charles Chiltington had come down to the Rotunda Reading Room from Mr. Lemoncello’s private suite. The only essay writer not with the group was Sierra Russell, who, Kyle figured, was off looking for another book to read.

“We’re still locked in?” squealed Haley Daley.

“This is so lame,” added Sean Keegan. “It’s like eleven-thirty. I’ve got things to do. Places to be.” “Look, you guys,” said Kyle, “they’ll probably open the front door right after we eat or something.” “Well, where’s that ridiculous librarian?” said Charles Chiltington, who was never very nice when there weren’t any adults in the room.

“Yeah,” said Rose Vermette. “I can’t stay in here all day. I have a soccer game at two.” “And, dudes,” said Sean Keegan, “I have a life.” “Do you children require assistance?” said a soft, motherly voice.

It was the semi-transparent holographic image of Mrs. Tobin, the librarian from the 1960s. She was hovering a few inches off the ground in front of the center desk.

“Yes,” said Kayla Corson. “How do we get out of here?” The librarian blinked, the way a secondhand calculator (the one your oldest brother dropped on the floor a billion times) does when it’s figuring out a square root.

“I’m sorry,” said the robotic librarian. “I have not been provided with the answer to that question.” “Will we be doing brunch here this morning?” Chiltington asked politely. “I’m not hungry, but some of my chums sure are. After all, it is eleven-thirty.” “The kitchen staff recently placed fresh food in the Book Nook Café.” “Thank you, Mrs. Tobin,” said Chiltington. “Would you like anything? A bowl of oatmeal, perhaps.” “No. Thank you, CHARLES. I am a hologram. I do not eat food.” “I guess that’s how you stay so super skinny.” Kyle shook his head. The smarmy guy was oilier than a soggy sack of fries. He was even sucking up to a hologram.

Chiltington and the others traipsed off to have breakfast, but Kyle and Akimi stayed with the holographic librarian.

“Um, I have a question,” said Kyle.

“I’m listening.”

“Is the library lock-in over? Are we supposed to go home now?” “Mr. Lemoncello will be addressing that issue shortly.” “Okay. Thanks, Mrs. Tobin.”

“You are welcome, KYLE.”

After the librarian faded to a flicker, Akimi said, “By the way, Kyle, before we leave, you need to check out that room I slept in last night.” “The Board Room?”

“Yeah. They call it that because, guess what? It’s filled with board games!” “All Lemoncellos?”

“Nuh-uh. Stuff from other companies. Some of it goes way back to the 1890s. I think it’s Mr. Lemoncello’s personal collection. It’s like a museum up there.” Kyle’s eyes went wide. “You hungry?” he asked.

“Not really. We ate so much last night.” “You think we have time to check out this game museum?” “Follow me.”

The two friends bounded up a spiral staircase to the second floor, where they found another set of steps to take them up to the third.

When he entered the Board Room, Kyle was blown away. “Wow!” The walls were lined with bookcases filled with antique games, tin toys, and card games.

“This is incredible.”

“I guess,” said Akimi. “If, you know, you like games.” Kyle smiled. “Which, you know, I do.”

They spent several quiet minutes wandering around the room, taking in all the wacky games that people used to play. There was one display case featuring eight games with amazingly illustrated box tops. A tiny spotlight illuminated each one.

“Wonder what’s so special about these games,” said Kyle.

“Maybe those were Mr. Lemoncello’s favorites when he was a kid.” “Maybe.” But the slogan etched into the glass case confused Kyle: “Luigi Lemoncello: the first and last word in games.” “But these aren’t Lemoncello games,” he mumbled.

The first spotlighted game in the case was Howdy Doody’s TV Game. After that came Hüsker Dü?, You Don’t Say!, Like Minds, Fun City, Big 6 Sports Games, Get the Message, and Ruff and Reddy.

“It’s a puzzle,” Kyle said with a grin.

“I thought they were games.”

“They are. But if you string together the first or last word of each game title …” He tapped the glass in front of the first box on the bottom shelf. “You get the message.” “Really?” said Akimi, sounding extremely skeptical. “You’re sure it’s not just a bunch of junk somebody picked up for like fifty cents at a yard sale?” “Positive.” Kyle pointed to each box top as he cracked the code. “Howdy. Dü you like fun games? Get Reddy.” Miguel Fernandez barged into the Board Room.

“Here you are! We need you guys in the Electronic Learning Center. Now.” “Why?”

“Charles Chiltington wolfed down his breakfast, then raced up here to finish the game he started last night so he can enter his name as the first high scorer.” “So?”

“The game he’s playing is all about medieval castles and dungeons!” This time Akimi said it: “So?”

“He’s escaping through the sewers. The game has smell-a-vision. You ever smell a medieval sewer? Trust me, it is foul and disgusting.” The three of them dashed up the hall and entered the stinky room where Charles was sitting in a vibrating pedestal chair, thumbing his controller. As his avatar sloshed through a sewer pipe, the subwoofers built into his seat made every SQUISH! and SPLAT! rumble across the floor.

“Whoa!” said Kyle. “Knock it off, Charles. You’re pumping out total tear gas.” “Because I’m in the sewers underneath the horse stables. It’s the secret way out of the castle. I’m going to win another game. That’s two for me, Keeley. How many for you?” “Yo,” said Miguel. “This room is two stories above the café. The ductwork is connected.” “What’s your point?”

“You’re making everybody’s food downstairs smell like horse manure!” “Who cares? I’m winning.”

Charles’s chair went FLUMP! again.

But this time, Kyle smelled … pine trees?

Like one of those evergreen air fresheners people hang inside their cars.

“Aw, this stupid thing is broken.” Charles jumped out of the chair and reared back to kick it.

“Um, I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” said Kyle.

“Why not?”

“Because there’s a security camera over there and it’s aimed right at you.” “What? Where?”

“See the blinking red light?”

Suddenly, an image of Kyle pointing up at the camera lens appeared on every video screen in the Electronic Learning Center.

Until he was replaced by Mr. Lemoncello.