Chapter 2: WHERE are we?!
Zip-zoom went the data packets. Rumble rumble went the friendly voice of Sam the Server, far off in the distance. And was that the whine of a cyber rat bike? Never mind, Cursor the Cat was out there on patrol somewhere.
Dot, Mister Mouse and Wizard were back on the Net again. Only this time - thanks to a bored Mr Mouse - they were on a cheese hunt!
Quicker than you can think their journey was over. They'd arrived. The three friends peeped out through the computer screen to make sure it was safe, then tumbled out in their usual heap.
But something was wrong. Very wrong. They seemed to be in an office somewhere - but it was strange: the big picture windows of the room looked out onto the most amazing sight.
Deep below them in a huge hole in the ground - like a disused quarry where people had dug up stone years ago - and gleaming in the late afternoon sun, were 2 fantastic domes. They were high and broad and just massive - each one could have easily swallowed up all of the houses in Dot's road, with room to spare for the local shopping centre!
The two big domes each had two smaller ones next to them, linked to a long low building in the middle. The way they were built was like a honeycomb, with thousands of six-sided shapes joined together with steel rods. Each of these 'hexagons' was covered with what looked like very strong kitchen cling film.
And there was no Edam cheese - or cheese of any kind - anywhere!
As the three friends watched, a man in a bright yellow helmet suddenly appeared through a hatch on one of the big domes' roofs - higher up than a tall church spire - walked casually right across the 'cling film' and disappeared over the giant curve of the dome. The three friends gasped. But where on earth were they?
"Mister Mouse" said Dot sternly. "What's this place got to do with Edam cheese? Where are we?"
A strange expression crossed Mr Mouse's face. He was so cool - of course - that he rarely smiled. But this time he did - and in a distinctly sheepish way.
"Er...well...erm" he began "I think I must have..."
But just as he was about to explain, they heard the sound of footsteps, from just outside the office. Their adventures had got them so used to being where they won't supposed to be that it was the work of a moment to look round and find somewhere to hide. But in a corner of the office there was a big comfy sofa, with a load of brightly coloured cushions on it...
Dot, Wizzy and Mr Mouse were behind it in a second. But only just in time - Wizard's tail whisked away out of sight as the door crashed open and a man with a cloud of curly fair hair strode in, slamming the door behind him. He looked worried and upset. He went straight over to the desk, tapped on the computer keyboard, let out a big sigh, and grabbed the phone.
"Robin? It's Tim. We have got a big problem here... and if we don't get it sorted out the Eden Project is toast!!!"
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