Papa Resek rode hard, and by evening of the same day he left Chris, he had reached Smokergard, a tall tower built by the bridge of the path towards the Middle School. The SITES people had built it in their days of glory, but upon the coming of Merrill, they had fled and she had claimed it as her own. When Papa Resek approached, Merrill was waiting at the base of the tower, apparently aware of his coming from far away.
�You have come because you too have seen the smoke. You seek my advice.� It was not a question.
�Yes,� said Papa Resek, nodding his head rapidly. �Conner is massing her legions of janitors, and soon she will have an army great enough to overcome all of North Olmsted. We must act, and act quickly.�
Merrill glanced at him. �Without knowledge of the Disk�s location, we have no hope of defeating Conner. We do not know whether she has already found it. The Nine crossed Burns Road two weeks ago. They were looking for the Disk, but I do not know whether they have found it yet.�
�But I know where it is,� interjected Papa Resek. Merrill looked at him sharply. �It has been on Butternut all this time, virtually right under Conner�s nose. Susan Glassburn stole it from Mattapp during a band practice, and it has since passed to her brother Chris.�
�And yet you did not inform me until just now.� There was a trace of anger in Merrill�s voice, and also an unnaturally green glint in her eye. Papa Resek continued, oblivious.
�I did not know until two days ago,� explained Papa Resek. �I came as soon as I found out what it really was.�
�You did not know?� Merrill shouted hysterically. �A Disk which destroys all electrical equipment within a four-mile radius upon its usage, and you didn�t figure it out until just now? How stupid are you? How many drugs was Chris lacing your food with when you went over there?�
�Chris is a nice guy,� said Papa Resek defensively. �Once, he let me pet his purple elephant. And another time, we listened to the color green. That was quite a concert. And Chris let me hear it for free.� He sounded almost plaintive. Merrill�s response was to slap him quite hard with the back of her hand.
�You . . .ignorant . . .FOOL!!� She ground out each word separately. �There are no elephants the color of squashed blueberries. You cannot hear a color. We do not have time for you to go off on an LSD trip every time you turn around. Conner is forming a huge army.�
�You know this?� Papa Resek asked. �How?�
�Because I�m not smoking weed,� Merrill said. �I have seen it with my cameras on the Goodyear Blimp.�
�But Blimps are dangerous,� Papa Resek said, his voice quavering. �You do not know else may be using the Blimp to take pictures of YOU.�
�The hour is later than you think,� Merrill said easily. �I have told you before, though perhaps you were not paying attention, that Conner�s forces are already moving, searching for the Disk. The Nine are disguised as old black VW Beetles. They have no doubt reached Butternut. They will find the Disk. . .and kill the one who carries it.�
�Butternut?� Papa Resek asked breathlessly.
�You did not seriously think that a student could contend with the power of Conner?� Merrill sneered.
�Chris!� Papa gasped. He rushed for the door, but they all slammed shut in a very melodramatic manner at a simple gesture from Merrill.
�What is the meaning of this?� demanded Papa Resek.
�Against the power of the Disk, there can be no victory,� said Merrill, staring gloomily at the floor, �We must join with her, Papa Resek. We must join with Conner. It would be wise, my friend.�
�Tell me, �friend�, when did Merrill the Wise abandon reason for madness?!?� On the last word, Papa Resek reached for his copy of Winesburg, Ohio, but Merrill was quicker. She already had in hand a copy of Beowulf, and she threw it with great force at Papa Resek�s head, temporarily stunning him and causing him to drop his book.
�So you elect to challenge me in an English duel,� Merrill laughed gleefully. �Very well. I accept. What is the name of Beowulf�s opponent?�
�Grendel,� replied Papa Resek. �Who wrote The Good Earth?�
�Please,� mocked Merrill. �Pearl Buck. Why is it that The Canterbury Tales, while theoretically written in English, is impossible to understand, even to someone fluent in English?�
Papa Resek fell to his knees, unable to answer. However, as Merrill advanced on him, he had a quick retort.
�What is the theme of Winesburg, Ohio?�
�Nothing.� said Merrill. �The book makes absolutely no sense, so there can be no theme.�
�Wrong!!� shouted Papa Resek, and Merrill was thrown backwards against the wall. Grimacing in pain, she picked herself up and launched a new assault against Papa Resek.
�What is a gerund?� Papa Resek, already beaten down, was now somersaulted neatly onto his back, groaning with agony. However, he thought he still had one trick up his sleeve.
�List the FANBOYS,� he yelled desperately.
�Even Kohanski could answer that,� she sneered. �For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. I gave you the chance of . . .aiding me . . .willingly. But you . . .have elected. . .the way of PAIN!! Give an example of a verb in the past conditional tense!!.�
�Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!� screamed Papa Resek, blood pouring from his ears. �Make it stop!�
�Wrong,� said Merrill smugly. �If Captain Nemo is 20,000 leagues under the sea, how many miles is that?�
�No . . .fair,� gasped Papa Resek. �That�s . . .a math . . .question. . .�
Then he blacked out.