by Mark Lemke
CHAPTER 49
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Just as I'd said that, the door to the package boiler room opened abruptly.? I pulled the Old Man back behind the old boiler.?
I whispered in his ear, "Stay here!"?
This wasn't good, and there was no place to go.? I needed to take control of the situation.? I had to move to intercept whomever just came in the room, where I could get up close and had more options.? If we were caught hiding, it would only look worse.? So, with one hand behind my back on the Sig Sauer in my belt, I walked out from behind the boiler.
"Hey, how's it going?" I asked lightly as I moved toward the person, who was dressed in security garb, standing in the room, just this side of the door.
"Stop right there!? Identify yourself!" he said loudly and authoritatively.
"Hey, take it easy man.? My name's Bob.? I'm an operator just checking out this equipment for the shift manager.? You know Dave, right?" I kept talking and moving closer to the security person.?
"Bob, my ass.? How are you, Nick?? And I'll ask you to stop immediately and put both your hands in front of you where I can see them," he said, drawing his own side arm and pointing it at me.?
I stopped moving, still a few feet way.? If I sprang at him right then and there, I'd have a chance to take the guy down.? Always go in.? They don't expect that.? Instead, I stopped and showed my hands as instructed. ?Marti had done her job.? There was no way Hector would have come in here for any other reason.? And, as he was alone, it likely meant he was on our side.? I breathed a sigh of relief.
"How are you, Hector?"
"I'll tell you that when you tell me how the fuck you got on site?? I know for a fact you didn't come in through the front door."
"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you, so I won't bother.? But we need to talk.? I assume we're on the same side?"
"Depends.? Where's your buddy?"
"Depends on what?" I said as I continued to try to talk him down a bit.? Keep the conversation going.? It distracts the person.? I was pretty sure Hector was on our side, and he just didn't know it yet.? But in case he wasn't, I wanted to keep my options open.
"Depends on which side you're on," Hector said.? "I won't ask again.? Where's your buddy?" as he cocked the trigger on the weapon he has pointed at me.
"He's just an old man.? Take it easy, would ya?"?Without taking my eyes off Hector, I tilted my head toward where the Old Man was hiding and said, "Come on out.? It's my buddy Hector."
The Old Man moved slowly out from behind the boiler and walked over to me.? I was sure he didn't like having a weapon pointed at him any more than I did.? But he seemed to sense what I was trying to do, so he said in an affable way, "Howdy, officer!"
Hector moved slowly away from the door, keeping his weapon on me, covering our exit should we try to make a run for it, but positioning himself to see around behind the boiler.? When he was convinced we were alone, he backed over to the wall where he could more easily cover both the door and the two of us in front of him.?
I noticed what he was doing.? "Nice work.? Good way to cover a room.? I assume you learned that in the Marines?"
"I did, and I don't much care for you or what you think, so don't press me.? I'd just as soon shoot you as look at you.? You're trespassing on a nuclear facility and odds are you're carrying.? I could drop you both right now and sleep really well tonight.? Now, what are you doing here and how did you get into my power plant?"
"Look, you know who I am and where I come from.? We don't have a lot of time here.? You're either on Prichard's side or you're one of the bad guys.? I assume because you haven't called for backup or come with any support, you're one of the good guys.? So please lower your weapon so we can talk.? We're here to help you, as I'm sure your NRC resident inspector told you."
Hector looks pissed as hell and not all that sure whom to trust, but he knew I was right.? He was here alone but kept his guard up all the same.? "I'm listening . . . "
"Your plant is under attack right now."
"Yeah, I know all about the threat.? Big deal.? They're not getting in here."
"They're already here."
Hector remained impassive but I noticed his breathing changed ever so slightly.?
"Let me tell you a couple of things you don't know.? Rob's running interference for a guy named Jansen, ex-military guy, who's running an op on you.? They're the ones who killed Brenda and put her in the drink.? The threat is a smoke screen for what they're really doing.? Rob gave my report to Jansen and he's using it against you right now.? He had a small team in the hills behind the plant, right where my report said was the best place from which to begin an assault."
I could see Hector was losing his edge.? His elbows unlocked, his eyes were darting back and forth and his body posture slumped a little.? "How do you know all that?"
"Because my team found them right where we thought they'd be and killed them all."? I picked my words carefully.? I was transitioning from being Hector's buddy to being the guy in charge, and I needed to do that carefully.? I didn't want to spook him.??
Hector lowered his weapon slowly to his side but maintained a two-handed grip on it.? He was thinking about what he'd just heard.? Based on what Marti had told him a few minutes ago and what I'd just told him, Hector's face revealed that he was now seriously worried about what was going on, but that he was also starting to believe that I might be on his side after all.
I pressed on.? "Prichard asked us to help him out.? So that's what we're doing.? The FBI is outside and planning to come in tomorrow, late as usual, but things have changed and we need your help.? This thing is going down tonight.? You in, Marine?"
The military reference snapped Hector out of his daze. ?He looked up and held my gaze for a moment.? I was sure Prichard had told him something of my background, which I'd hoped allayed his immediate concerns.? I could tell he was also processing the information I'd just given him, that I'd somehow managed to breach the plant security system without him knowing about it, had security intel he didn't have, and may have a kill squad of my own in the hills behind the plant.? Right now, I was sure I looked every bit the Special Forces operative he'd been was told I'd been.?
"Okay.? I'm in.? But I'm still going to keep my eyes on you," he said, holstering his side arm.? "Who's this?" he asked, pointing at the Old Man.?
"Let's just say he's my technical consultant."
Hector didn't like my response and didn't know if he should press me on it or not.? But he'd made his decision now and he had to go with it.? "Okay, what's going on and what's the plan?" he asked, all business now.? I gave him a quick rundown on what we knew so far, including Dave Street's issue.
"It's starting to make sense now.? Rob gave us this cock-and-bull story about keeping an eye on Street tonight.? Some B.S. about fitness for duty.? We found him meeting with Prichard a little while ago in the plant.? So if Rob's batting for the other side, it all makes sense."
The Old Man spoke up. ?"We need to get into SAS.? We need some intel about what's going on inside the plant, and the secondary alarm station is the best place for that.? Can you help us out?"
"Why the secondary alarm station?" Hector asked.? "Why not come into the central alarm station with me?"
The Old Man replied, "CAS is in the security building, which is way too visible for us.? Nobody knows we're here, and we'd like to keep it that way.? Besides that, SAS is just outside the control room and that might come in handy later on."
"How do you know so much about our power plant?"
I smiled and said, "He's annoying that way, isn't he?? I told you, he's my technical guy."
"So, can you get us up there?" the Old Man persisted.
"You realize by my helping you, I'm breaking a few hundred federal laws.? My ass is hanging out there a mile."? Hector had already made up his mind to help us but made one last attempt to clear his conscience.? He'd had to say it out loud, recognize the risk, and then move on.?
"Well, if we actually survive this thing and get r
olled up by the FBI and go to prison, I'll give you the window cell," I said.?
Hector visibly relaxed at the gallows humor.? "All right.?Let's go."
"Wait a minute," I said.? "Before we go, can you trust the guys on your team?? Rob is bad and we don't know if there are others."
Hector was in action mode now.? "We'll just have to play that by ear.? I can tell you if one of my team crosses me, I'll fucking shoot the bastard myself."
I had no doubt he would do just that.? I was starting to like Hector.?
He then turned, opened the door, looked around, and moved off quickly toward the plant.? We followed close behind.?