فصل چهل و دوم

chapter-42

Peering over the railing on the third-floor balcony at close to two a.m., Andrew Peckleman saw Sierra Russell sitting all alone in the Rotunda Reading Room.

Andrew had spent the night on the third floor losing video games to Charles.

And being reminded about how much he needed to break into Community Meeting Room B to “borrow” any clues Kyle Keeley’s team had gathered, to pay Charles back for wasting so much of “the team’s time” on the Anne of Green Gables clue due to his “foolish fear” of heights.

Andrew had promised Charles he’d do whatever it took.

“If anyone on Team Keeley is going to help us break into their headquarters,” Charles had said, “it will be the shy girl who is constantly reading. Have you noticed what Sierra Russell uses for a bookmark?” “No,” Andrew had honestly answered.

“Her library card, which of course doubles as a key card for Meeting Room B. Find a way to borrow it.” “Isn’t that illegal?”

“Of course not. This is a library. People borrow books, don’t they?” “Well, yeah …”

“Did I mention that I have three thousand Facebook friends? Two thousand Twitter followers? Each and every one of them will hear what a weenie and wimp you are if you don’t do this thing to guarantee that our team wins.” So Andrew made his way down to the first floor.

Sierra, as usual, was reading a book.

As he moved closer, Andrew saw a flash of white.

Charles was right. Sierra was using her shiny white library card to mark her place in the book’s pages.

He made his way to the cluster of overstuffed reading chairs.

“Good book?”

His voice startled her.

“Oh. Hello. Yes.”

“Mind if I join you?” He slid into a crinkly leather seat opposite Sierra. “So, um, what’re you reading?” “Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl.” “Oh, yeah. I’ve heard about that book. Where’s the rest of your team?” “They went to bed. Want to get up bright and early. Before the doors on the second floor open again.” “Yeah. Haley and Charles conked out, too. Guess it’s just us bookworms, huh?” “Well, it is kind of late,” said Sierra. “I’m going to go upstairs and …” “May I take a look?”

“Hmmm?”

“At your book. I’ve never actually read it. I just tell people I have.” “Oh. Sure.” Sierra handed it to him.

“Thank you.”

Andrew flipped through the pages until he found the spot where Sierra had tucked in her library card. “Wouldn’t it be cool if this library had a flying elevator like in that Willy Wonka movie? Especially if you could use it to crash through the roof like Charlie and Wonka did. That’d be a pretty cool way to escape from the library, huh?” “Yeah. I guess.”

That was when Andrew made the switch. He slipped his library card into Sierra’s book and palmed hers.

Charles would be so proud of him!

“So,” he said, closing the book, “did you ever read The Elevator Family?” “No. I don’t think so.”

“It’s all about this family that lives in the elevator of a San Francisco hotel. And let’s just say, the book has its ups and its downs!” Andrew laughed hysterically, because it was one of the funniest jokes he knew. Sierra sort of chuckled. He handed back her book.

Overhead, the Wonder Dome dissolved out of its Dewey decimal mode and, with a swirl of colors, became a bright green bedroom with a pair of red-framed windows looking out on a blue night sky with a full moon and a blanket of twinkling stars. In the great green room, there was a telephone, and a red balloon, and a picture of a cow jumping over the moon.

The ceiling had become the bunny’s bedroom from Goodnight Moon.

A quiet old lady bunny in a frumpy blue dress hopped into the Rotunda Reading Room. Two tiny cats followed her.

“Great,” said Andrew. “Another stupid hologram.” “I think she’s cute,” said Sierra.

“Hush,” said the bunny. “Goodnight clocks and goodnight socks. Goodnight, Sierra.” “Goodnight, Bunny.” Sierra took her book and headed upstairs.

“Goodnight, Andrew,” said the bunny.

“Right.”

He pocketed the purloined library card. He couldn’t do anything with it right away. Not while the holographic bunny’s handlers were watching on the spy cameras.

But first thing in the morning …

“Goodnight old bunny saying hush,” he called out.

And then, under his breath, he muttered, “In the morning, our competition we’re gonna crush.”