Argent Glass

Chapter 39 - Bolt - Andrew

Andrew stood with Robin's and Evan's arms around his waist. He wiped the sweat from his eyes and gave his mom a brief hug. Everyone had stopped to take a short rest following the first climb after running from the vent. Like a trail of ants, Jordan and Jinho had led the group away single file and up the mountain, expecting to hear an explosion behind them at any moment. From the back, Robin had kept reminding everyone to stay low and keep cover behind rocks and bushes as they climbed, but the real struggle was to keep everyone moving after their energy flagged. On several occasions, she had moved to assist someone as they fell to their knees, giving words of encouragement and telling them they were doing great.

It reminded Andrew of all their expeditions together when he was younger. When he would want to rest, she would point to the next boulder or tree and tell him, "That looks like a better spot to rest. I think I see a dinosaur bone sticking up beside it." He would look hard for the bones she claimed to see and, years later, he realized she would say anything to challenge him to push through his exhaustion or his boredom to prove to himself that he could do it. She was doing the same thing now with everyone from the dome.

After cresting the ridge, Michael collapsed into a pile, panting and holding his side. Sweat poured down his face and dripped into a gas mask tucked under his chin. He pulled the mask off and tossed it to the ground. Marybeth joined him.

While the others came over the ridge, Robin surveyed the uneven plateau they had stopped on. Dry grasses sprung up in defiant patches, but there was nothing to provide relief from the ugly glare of the sun. She squatted and passed Michael a bottle of water from her bag. "Don't get too comfortable. I think we should still try to get further away. I'm not sure how far glass will fly, but I'm certain we don't want to be hit by any of it."

Marybeth nodded and handled a bottle to Farmer who took a quick drink and passed it to the scientists who had huddled together with Mandy and were murmuring quietly to themselves.

"Mom," Andrew pointed to the far side of the plateau where Jordan and Jinho had sat down. "Listen."

Everyone paused. Evan had started to sit down, but stood up straight and pulled Jordan into a jig. She resisted which encouraged him more. "The chopper! We're saved!"

Jordan snatched her hands away. Andrew hobbled after his mom who had run past Jordan and Jinho. Evan gave Jordan a dirty look and ran after them, only to skid to a stop. Robin caught him at the edge of the mountain where it had been sheared off to a smooth face by the winds of time. Loose pebbles hung in the air and then finally hit the ground below.

Off in the distance, a helicopter was tilted in full-speed headed toward the dome. Robin cupped her hands to her mouth and yelled, "Hey!" with little effect. She started waving her arms and Evan joined her. Farmer and Dr. Galen had joined them at the ledge and everyone began jumping up and down to get the pilot's attention.

It didn't look like they had been noticed, but just before it disappeared behind another mountain, it made a slow arc and headed their way. Danny was piloting. He said something into his headset and nodded and the helicopter lifted a bit and moved over the mesa. The scientists had moved back toward the ridge from where they had all come and Michael had rolled to his feet to join them to give the helicopter room to set down in a whirlwind of loose debris. The tail of the helicopter came around until it was facing back out toward the desert where it had been headed.

Evan shielded his eyes from the dust and leaned over so Andrew could hear him. "That's the guy from your house. The mystery man."

Andrew frowned. "I know."

"Danny," reminded Robin. "And Finnegan. Farmer, why don't you see if you can get everyone rounded up and ready to board."

The rotors continued spinning and Finnegan hopped out to meet Robin outside the arc of the circling blades.

"Get them all in the chopper!" he shouted.

She waved at everyone to join her and spun back to follow him. As he reached the chopper, she caught his arm. He leaned back while opening the door behind his seat so he could hear her. "We have to wait for Pierce and Minjun."

He tapped the headset over his ears and raised his eyebrows.

"We have to wait for Pierce!"

He turned his mic back to his lips and said something. The pilot glanced over his shoulder and responded, and Finnegan turned back to Robin. He put his arm around her shoulders to lean into her ear. "It's going to be a tight fit! We'll come back! We need to get moving! Low fuel!"

Robin nodded and held a hand out to Andrew. She put an arm around his waist and leaned into him. "I'll wait for Pierce! Get in!"

Andrew hesitated. He leaned into the opening to look at the pilot. Danny was staring straight out the front window and tapping his fingers on the pitch level. "I'm not going if you aren't."

"I'll go!" Evan tried to slide past them, but Andrew grabbed his arm.

Farmer had gathered everyone together. Some of them stood with their hands over their ears, but everyone was trying to see what was going on and why they were stuck in queue unable to board.

"Get in the damn bird!" Finnegan shouted.

"Not without Pierce! Andrew, get on!"

"Not without you!"

Finnegan held up a finger and leaned back into the opening of the chopper. When he turned around, he held an MP5 pointed toward the ground. It's coal-colored body snapped left to right with aggressive command. "Get in!"

Robin had her Beretta in her hand in an instant and had twisted her body in between the soldier and Andrew within the same smooth movement. "What the hell are you doing?!"

A bullet ricocheted off the helicopter. Everyone flinched except Robin and Finnegan. They faced off waiting for the other to make a move. Evan dropped to the ground and curled up in a ball and Andrew bent down to pull him up. The soldier's eyes flicked downward to track the two of them and Robin shoved her gun back into its holster. She held her hands up and looked over her shoulder.

"That's Pierce! He won't let you do this!"

The soldier's eyes bounced away from Robin's and she grabbed at the MP5. They wrestled and a short burst of bullets sprayed out of the gun. Robin shoved hard against him and he lost his balance when he stepped on Evan, still curled up on the ground. As he tripped, he lost his grip on the gun. In one smooth move, Robin pulled the MP5 free and smacked him in the head with the butt of it.

Andrew and Evan stared face to face with Finnegan. He was out cold.

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