Argent Glass

Chapter 27 - Stow - Andrew

"What is that place?" Andrew grunted as he stepped on a stone and lurched sideways. With Jordan and Jinho on either side of him, they had moved at a steady pace. Evan followed close behind taking his turn carrying the backpacks.

"A do-" Jordan said but Jinho cut her off.

"A helidrome."

"A heli-what?"

"That's a very good question, Andrew. Please, Jinho, I beg you. Enlighten us. What is a helidrome?" Jordan put extra emphasis on the second half of the word.

"It is a collection of systems inside a sealed environment-"

To Jinho's dismay and Jordan's amusement, Evan interrupted. "So, it's a biome."

"Oh boy, here we go." Jordan shook her head, rolled her eyes, and ruefully added, "He just couldn't let him go."

Jinho opened and closed his mouth, then snorted. "No, not a biome, but similar if you can't grasp the technical differences. Similar to a biome, a helidrome is a sealed system for fostering verdure in a secure environment. However, it is also a collection of independent living spaces. All life inside is completely dependent on the sun. We use the sun not only to grow crops but also to support all the energy consumed on the inside."

"It runs on solar power?" Andrew asked.

Like a teacher instructing a pupil, Jinho continued, "Precisely. Transparent luminescent solar concentrators are in the solar panels on the top half of the dome. They create solar energy."

Flabbergasted, Andrew stared at Jinho. Jordan snorted from under his shoulder and muttered, "You had to ask."

Not hearing her, Jinho continued. "The transparent photovoltaics are extremely efficient because of the sheer size of the helidrome. The panels are secured to tempered glass that is extremely durable."

"Fascinating. Is he always like this?"

Jordan nodded. "I tried to warn you. We can push him into the next gulch if you want. I think Evan and I can get you to the cave from here."

"We're going to a cave?" He stopped, forcing Jordan to walk out from under his arm, then abruptly spun around dragging Jinho with him. "Are we being followed?"

Everyone stopped to listen and look back.

"I didn't hear anything. Nobody will be able to see us once we are in the chute," Jordan said.

"Sounds ominous," said Evan. "What's a chute?"

Jinho rushed to answer, "It's a-"

"What's a chute?" Andrew looked pointedly at Jordan.

"It's this crevice that leads into a cave. The rocks reach overhead and touch in a lot of places so it's like a tunnel through the rocks."

When they reached the chute, Jordan and Evan hopped down, then helped Andrew. They picked their way among splintered rocks that had fallen and collapsed in on themselves and finally squeezed between two stones that came face to face with a stone wall.

"Where's the cave?" Andrew asked.

"Almost there," Jordan replied, leading the way. She disappeared between a pair of boulders. Andrew followed behind and bumped into her when she paused to flip on her light.

"I can't see a thing, " Andrew said behind her. "There's a headlamp in my pack."

"Just stay close. This is a short tube."

After a couple of yards, the light beam spread out and Jordan stood up. Andrew stood beside her and stretched, groaning and clutching his side.

Jordan shined her light at Andrew as Evan and Jinho came out of the tube behind him. Fresh blood had left a dark spot on his shirt. She peeled his shirt to take a look and sucked in her breath. The tape had not stuck where the blood had pooled, and it was leaking below the edge of the tape.