Chapter 7

Chapter 7 If You Can't Take the Heat, Get out of the Computer Lab! "Okay, new idea." Harper was determined to figure out how to stop the air-conditioning from turning the school into an ice block. Every problem had a correct solution; all she needed to do was think of it. That was her job. "We hit it with a hammer until it stops working."

"I do not know about a hammer, but you could use my pickaxe!" Eek offered. Harper laughed. "No, it's fine. I'm just joking." She sighed. "But I am sorry. When you are all working so hard in the game, it's my job to fix things out here. And I haven't done anything right today." "It's not your fault Principal Ferris is so… weird," Jodi said, peeking out from under her blanket. "And actually, it doesn't feel so cold anymore. Maybe I'm getting used to it."

Harper hadn't shivered in a minute, either. And her teeth weren't chattering. She actually felt comfortable. "You're right. It's warmer!" Theo nodded. "Maybe Doc got her hacking device to work?" "Never found it!" Doc waved from the closet. "But I did reorganize all my spark plugs!" However it happened, Harper was relieved. Now they could get back to the plan. "Once we find a fortress, we'll be looking for a room with a blaze spawner."

"I know how fortresses are usually set up!" Theo said. "I can lead everyone to it." "Great. Once we're there, we'll need to defeat the blazes protecting it without destroying the spawner. If you need to stop the spawner from making blazes, put torches around it on all sides. That way we can still see it, but it's blocked." "Got it!" Ash said into her microphone. Po and Jodi both nodded. "Eek, I know you've gotten good with boats, but you should stay behind the others. These mobs don't move in ways you're used to, and they also won't fall for that trick. There will be a lot of fighting in there." "I understand," Eek agreed. "I will not get in the way." "Good." Harper was feeling confident. "Then we just need to find it. If you leave Eek in the lava while the three of you go onto land occasionally,

you might find a fortress sooner. It could be connected to a different lava flow. Just stay close enough that Eek can hear us. And—Phew." Harper was out of breath after all that talking. The air in the computer lab was feeling a little muggy, too. She looked at Theo and saw him taking off his hat and wiping sweat off his forehead. She saw Jodi take the blanket off her

shoulders and toss it onto the ground. She felt a knot of worry crawling up in her stomach again. Without saying another word, she walked over to the wall and reached her hand up to feel the air vent. "Ouch!" she yelped, pulling her fingers back. The air was blowing full force, and it was hot. Really hot. "That's like concrete-parking-loton- a-summer-day hot."