فصل سی و دوم

chapter-32

Kyle was starting to panic.

If Marjory Muldauer solved the next “mathematical” picture puzzle, her team would have three medals, just like Team Kyle.

They’d be all tied up.

Again.

And once they were tied, it’d be much easier for the Midwest team to slip into the lead. Kyle’s cake day might never come.

“Time for our second mathematically inspired picture puzzle,” announced Mr. Lemoncello. “This one is the answer to a trivia question. Dr. Zinchenko, if you please?” Dr. Zinchenko read a question off another yellow card. “In the year AD 35, the Roman emperor Caligula tried to ban a book because it expressed Greek ideals of freedom, which Caligula did not like, because Rome was occupying Greece at the time. Which book did the Roman emperor try to ban?” A new image filled the inflated screen:

Kyle stared at the second puzzle.

He needed to decipher it, fast. No way was he letting Marjory Muldauer snag this one, too.

Three home runs minus the symbol for the United Nations.

That had to be HOME RUNS minus UN, or HOMERS!

“I think I know this,” whispered Sierra.

Kyle’s world shifted into super slow motion. In his head, he heard Miguel saying, “I think the answer is Flubber.” The last time a game was on the line and Kyle listened to someone who “thought” they knew the answer, he’d lost. To his mom. And that was just a board game. This was way more important.

Kyle ignored Sierra. Made his mind race as fast as it could. He was the team’s “game guy.” That was what everybody kept telling him back when he had wanted to quit. Well, this puzzle was a game. It was his job to win it, no matter what.

THEATER minus EAT minus R equaled THE.

The last two lines were the hardest

ODD (numbers) minus D plus GOAL minus E plus a backward GOAL, or LAOG, equaled ODGOALLAOG.

Sierra tried to get Kyle’s attention again. “Caligula was the Roman emperor in AD 35 and the book he banned was—” “Hang on,” said Kyle. “I just need to unscramble the last jumble.” “Yo, Kyle?” said Miguel. “Sierra has the answer.” “So do I,” said Kyle. He turned to face Dr. Zinchenko and hollered, “Homer’s The Good Ol Gala!” “Wha-hut?” said Akimi the second Kyle blurted it out.

“Sorry,” said Dr. Zinchenko, “that answer is incorrect.” “Homer’s The Odyssey,” said Marjory very coolly.

“Ha! That’s wrong!” cried Kyle. “She didn’t even use the ‘G,’ ‘O,’ ‘A,’ or ‘L’ from ‘goal’!” “Of course I didn’t,” said Marjory. “Because I believe that symbol is supposed to represent the word ‘yes,’ which backward would be ‘s-e-y.’ But I didn’t need the puzzle pictures. I knew the answer because, unlike some people, I’ve actually read a few history books.” “That’s how I knew it, too,” sighed Sierra.

“Ms. Muldauer’s answer is correct,” said Mr. Lemoncello. “The Midwest team has won two out of two, and therefore, they have also won the Rebus medal. And, if my own mental math is correct, the Midwest team now has three medals, which equals the same number currently held by the hometown team. It’s a three-for-all! A tie! Wow, isn’t math marvelous?” “Way to go, mon capitaine,” said Akimi, knuckle-punching Kyle in the arm. “Next time, try to remember you’re on a team.”