فصل چهاردهم

chapter-14

On Saturday morning, Kyle and his new partner, Abia Sulayman, met in the Book Nook Café.

Kyle was dressed according to the instructions texted to all twelve data dashers: “Wear comfortable clothes. Something to run around in. Perhaps a tracksuit but without the track tie.” He’d chosen sweatpants, a sweatshirt, and running shoes.

Abia, however, was wearing a peasant-style blouse over a long-sleeved shirt, jeans, and a hijab—the veil covering her head and chest. It was decorated with tiny roses and completely hid all of her hair.

“Um, good morning,” said Kyle. “I, uh, like your scarf.”

“It is called a hijab, Kyle Keeley. Many Muslim girls wear one.” “I know. I mean I’ve seen some at school. I sometimes wear a baseball cap….” Abia glared at him. “I am not pleased that Mr. Lemoncello has paired us together, Kyle Keeley.” “Because I beat you in that flying dinosaur race during the Olympics?” Now she rolled her eyes. “Pterodactyls were not dinosaurs.” “Well, they kind of looked dinosaurish….”

“This is your problem, Kyle Keeley. You make assumptions. You go for the easy answer. These skills will not serve us well in a research-based competition.” She went back to eating her yogurt.

Kyle dunked a jelly doughnut into his hot cocoa as his eyes drifted around the room to study the competition.

Akimi was teamed up with Angus Harper, the scrappy kid from Texas. They were yukking it up over bowls of cereal. Angus was hanging a spoon off his nose and making Akimi laugh. That used to be Kyle’s job.

Sierra Russell was with Jamal Davis, a bright kid from Seattle who wore thick black-rimmed glasses. They kept passing books back and forth across their table, reading favorite passages and completely ignoring their chocolate croissants.

Elliott Schilpp, the skinny boy from Maryland who loved to eat, and Katherine Kelly, the girl from Missouri, were NUM-NUM-NUMing their way through a tray stacked with doughnuts, bagels, muffins, croissants, and hard-boiled eggs.

Miguel and Pranav Pillai, who’d been on the West Coast team at the Library Olympics, were swapping library stories.

“When I was young,” said Miguel, “I once mis-shelved a human anatomy book in the insects section. I thought it was a book about ants!” The two laughed so hard, chocolate milk came squirting out of their noses.

Andrew Peckleman, who whined a lot but definitely knew his way around a library, was teamed up with Diane Capriola, from Georgia, who could ace any riddle you tossed her way.

“I wish you were Sierra Russell,” Andrew complained, sliding his glasses into place.

“And I wish you’d stop doing that slidey thing with your glasses,” said Diane.

Kyle’s eyes drifted back to Abia.

She was scowling at him and shaking her head.

“This is so unfair,” she sighed. “How did I end up with you?” Finally they had something in common. Because Kyle was thinking the exact same thing.

“Will all fact finders kindly report to the Rotunda Reading Room?” purred a soothing female voice from the ceiling speakers. “Thank you.” Everyone grabbed their final bites, placed their trash in the appropriate recycling bins, and hurried out the door.

Mr. Lemoncello, flanked by the security guards Clarence and Clement, stood in the center of the rotunda, waiting. He was wearing long black robes with a white pilgrim collar and a fake white beard. He held a brass telescope and looked like an astronomer from the Middle Ages. Overhead, the Wonder Dome was filled with spinning planets and the sparkling constellations of the night sky.

“Good morning!” said Mr. Lemoncello. “Why am I dressed like Galileo Galilei, whose last name is almost the same as his first and, like Old MacDonald, has a lot of e-i, e-i, o action going on? Because as an icebreaker to help you new teammates learn to work together, we will play a quick picture puzzler. The answer is a famous quote by Galileo. When you know the answer, rush up to Ms. Waintraub and tell it to her. The order of your answers will determine the order of your departures in our amazingly awesome research race.” Mr. Lemoncello clapped his hands. The research librarian materialized behind her desk, and the Wonder Dome’s stars and planets dissolved into a giant, complex rebus puzzle: Kyle scanned the dome. Worked the puzzle in his head.

“I’ve got this,” he announced.

“Are you certain?” said Abia. “Perhaps there will be a penalty for a wrong guess.” “Mr. Lemoncello didn’t mention one,” said Kyle.

“That doesn’t matter. There are always consequences for faulty logic….” “My logic isn’t faulty. It’s a rebus. I play Mr. Lemoncello’s Amazingly Baffling Picture Puzzlers all the time! Come on.” “But…”

Kyle rolled his eyes, grabbed a stubby pencil and a slip of paper, and wrote down his answer.

“Here,” he said, showing her what he had written. “Check my work.” “ALL TRUTHS ARE EASY TO UNDERSTAND ONCE THEY ARE DISCOVERED; THE POINT IS TO DISCOVER THEM.” Abia studied the images projected on the ceiling. Reread Kyle’s answer. Nodded grudgingly.

“That seems to be correct. Well done, Kyle Keeley.”

Okay, the ice wasn’t completely broken. But at least it was starting to defrost.