by Mark Lemke
CHAPTER 46
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Marti was in her office trying to remain calm.? It was after 2 a.m., and the adrenaline coursing through her veins because of the unfolding events did the trick to keep her awake.? She didn't know what lay ahead, but she knew she wanted to be able to contribute in some way.?
She also wanted to spend a bit more time with this new person in her life, Nick.? She was strangely attracted to him but didn't know if it was his inexplicable and alluring charm or just the circumstances surrounding their meeting.? This was typical for her-always overanalyzing.? As she sat there thinking about what it would be like to be close to him, her phone rang and jolted her back to reality.?
"Hello?" she said, hoping it was Nick.
"Ms. Callahan, this is Dave Street, shift manager.? I need you to listen to me carefully.? Do you know Nick Connor?"
She hesitated for a moment.? She didn't know how much to divulge.? She knew who Dave was, but at this point she didn't know whom she could trust.? So she hedged her bet with a noncommittal,? "Why do you ask?"
"Do you know where the package boiler room is?"
"The package boiler?? No, I'm afraid not.? What does that have to do with Nick?" she asked-puzzled.?
"Nick asked me to have you meet him there ASAP."
"Nick is here, on site?" she asked in a rush.? "Did they let him in?"
"Not exactly.? Nobody knows he's here but me and you, and we need to keep it that way for the time being."
"How did he get in then if nobody knows he's here?" she asked.
"I'm sure he'll tell you later," Dave said, trying to hurry her along.? "In the mean time, he needs to see you."
She felt her heart pounding in her ears.? "So just where is this package boiler room?"
"Go over to the Unit 1 turbine building and exit outside on the 85-foot elevation by the main transformers.? Walk east and you'll come to a set of stairs that go up toward the ventilation area.? You know where I mean?"
"Yes, I think so.? I don't go out there much."
"Okay," he continued.? "Just before you head up those stairs, there's a door on the side of the building.? It's not labeled.? That's the package boiler room.? Go inside and you should see an old boiler-cold iron and shut down."
"But what if . . ."
"Just go, and try not to talk to anyone on the way.? I have to go."?
With that, Dave hung up the phone.? He wasn't so sure about any of this.? He didn't know what Nick wanted with the senior resident inspector. He didn't know Marti well other than the occasional inspection hours she'd logged in the control room and the periodic meetings they were both in at the same time.? But this was out of his hands now.? He had other things to worry about and was already moving.??
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