فصل چهل و هفتم

chapter-47

Switching on their flashlights, Kyle, Abia, and Miguel made their way down the steps into the library’s cavernous basement.

In the dim light, Kyle could see that the very long, very wide cellar was just as he remembered it: filled with tidy rows of floor-to-ceiling shelving units, all of them jam-packed with cardboard cartons.

“I hope the shelves don’t start attacking you again,” joked Miguel.

When Kyle had come down to the stacks searching for a clue in the escape game, the walls of heavy metal bookcases automatically slid and skated around, forming a moving maze that nearly crushed him.

“Me too,” said Kyle.

The shelving units were individually labeled with red LED signs that glowed in the dark like cat eyes. They were in a section filled with magazines from the 1940s.

“We put the boxes with stuff from Mr. Lemoncello’s early business career on a shelf labeled ‘The Imagination Factory/Year One.’ ” “So where is it?” asked Kyle.

“I remember it was pretty close to the book-sorting machine,” said Miguel. “I think.” “Great,” said Kyle. “Lead the way.”

Miguel headed up one wall of shelves, turned down an alleyway where that wall ended, turned left, then right, then right again, and right one more time. A shadow flickered across the wall.

“What was that?” gasped Miguel.

“My flashlight,” said Kyle.

“Don’t do that, man!”

“You have no idea where you put those boxes, do you, Miguel Fernandez?” demanded Abia after they ended up back where they had started.

“The lights were on when we did it,” said Miguel.

“Think, Miguel,” said Kyle. “This is really, really important.” “I’m sorry. But when Andrew and I were organizing the boxes, we just basically loaded up the robots and followed them to the right spot.” “The robots!” said Kyle.

The Lemoncello Library employed an army of robotic, computerized book carts that crawled around on tank treads through the stacks finding requested research material.

Kyle dug the Nonfictionator out of his backpack and scrolled through the options for the universal remote.

“Robotic Research Assistant” was listed right after “Refrigerator.” Kyle thumbed the robot icon.

With the hum of an electric motor and a whoosh of hydraulics, a robotic cart with blinking green headlights scooted up the aisle. It stopped at Kyle’s feet and just sat there. Blinking at him.

“Now what?” said Abia.

“You have to tell it what you’re looking for,” said Miguel, stepping forward. “Hello, Researchio.” The robot scanned Miguel’s face with its green lasers.

“That’s its facial recognition software kicking in,” he explained. “Andrew and I were prescreened to use the robots so we wouldn’t have to go upstairs to the reference desk every time we wanted to move a box.” “Welcome back, MIGUEL FERNANDEZ,” blurped the robot. “How may I be of research assistance today?” “We’re looking for Luigi Lemoncello’s original patent and accompanying materials for the board game titled Family Frenzy.” “One moment,” said the robot. “One moment. Searching. Searching. I have an original patent document and accompanying materials for a board game titled Family Frenzy in section twelve. Is that what you are searching for, MIGUEL FERNANDEZ?” “Yes,” said Abia. “That is precisely what he asked you to find.” “Yo, Abia, ease up,” said Miguel. “He’s a robot. That’s just how they programmed him.” “Sorry,” said Abia. “My bad.”

“You are forgiven,” said the robot. “Please. Follow me.” The robot beeped a few times, twirled to the right, and rumbled down a sideways corridor between bookshelves.

“Way to go, Miguel!” said Kyle. “This is actually going to work!”