Red North!

by Mark Lemke

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  ?

  I heard a PA announcement from my position behind the boards in the control room.?

  "Security event in progress!? All personnel stand fast.? Do not move.? Security event in progress!"?

  That was my cue.? I took a breath, let it out, and with both hands holding the Glock out in front of me, I moved out from behind the boards and toward the door to the shift manager's office.?

  As soon as I stepped out from behind the boards, a control room operator spotted me and shouted, "Gun! Gun in the control room!"?

  He shouted loudly but took no action against me.? These were technical people, not soldiers, and I counted on them not approaching me, so I ignored them. ?They were no immediate threat to me, other than giving away my presence there.?

  I looked into the shift manager's office and saw Dave and Marti sitting in chairs, stone-faced and worried.? Despite the announcement, they hadn't moved, confirming that someone was in there with them.? I immediately scanned as much of the room as I could. ?Then I saw him-the armed responder sitting across from the two hostages.? The man turned and saw me at almost the same time.? He moved to stand up and tried to bring his weapon to bear on me.? He was too late.?

  My world and everything in it slowed down. Operating on years of training now, my weapon was already up and aimed directly at his chest.? Without hesitation, I opened fire.? The first bullet through the glass shattered it, sending shards all over the room.? This momentarily caused me to loose sight of the man.? The best I could do was to continue to fire where he'd been standing and hope that once the glass broke the next five rounds would find their target.

  That's exactly what happened.? The man was knocked backward from the force of the bullets, arms splaying wildly over his head as he lost his balance . . . and consciousness.? He fell over the chair he'd been sitting in and crumpled to the floor.?

  The operators in the control room were transfixed and stopped shouting.? They didn't know who I was but they were sure I'd just opened fire in the control room, into the shift manager's office!? I knew their shock would wear off quickly, and I needed them to know I was on their side.?

  Weapon still at the ready, I shouted, "US Army!? Stand down, gentlemen!"? I wasn't really, but knew that would give them some sense that I was on their side.

  My attention was still on the terrorist on the floor as I moved quickly into the shift manager's office and cleared the room by looking around and seeing no one other than Dave and Marti.? Jansen's man was dead and presented no further threat.? Glass and the acrid smell of gunpowder was everywhere.

  I lowered my weapon and relaxed my posture.? Marti flew into my arms and hugged me this time, not caring who was watching.? I liked that very much and wrapped a free arm around her waist to pull her in.? There was a dichotomy about her softness as she rested in my arms, and the hardness I felt as a warrior who'd just shot a man to death.?

  Without letting her go, I looked at Dave and said, "Please go out there and tell your boys I'm on your side.? Do it quickly."

  Dave did just that.? The control room operators didn't know what to do but took comfort in the fact that their shift manager was alive, unharmed, and standing in front of them telling them they were okay.

  Marti eased up on her hug but didn't completely let go of me.? She blinked back tears in her eyes.? I looked at her and held her gaze, wanting nothing more than to kiss her.? By the pleading in her eyes, I was sure she wanted the same thing.?But this wasn't the time.?

  I gently released her from my grasp but slid my hand down to take hold of her warm and trembling hand.? I stepped back slightly and looked at her now with a more clinical view, to make sure she was unharmed.?

  "Are you okay?"? I asked.

  All she could do was nod her head.?

  Satisfied that she was, I told her, "Stay in the control room.? You'll be safe here."

  As hard as it was, I released her hand and stepped into the control room.? Dave was standing there, looking haggard and worn.?

  I gave him a warm smile. "Your family is safe.? They're on their way to Ukiah with a member of my team.? You can talk with them in a bit.? But right now, the plant is under attack."

  Dave's mouth fell open as he stood there looking dumbfounded.? 'Your family is safe' was all he heard.? But he also had a dead guy on the floor of his office.? And the plant was under attack.? That was a lot to process for anyone.?

  "You're sure my wife and kids are okay?"

  "Yes sir.? That's what Marti was on her way over here to tell you."

  Unabashed tears of relief started to stream down Dave's face.? He hung his head for a moment, sobbed a bit, and tried to gather himself.? He knew everyone was staring at him.? They had no idea what was going on.? He looked up at me again.?

  "I suggest you brief your crew.? Marti can stay here to help you with that."? I knew that familiar faces were important right now.? And I needed to leave the control room.? I had something else I needed to do.? "The best thing you can do," I added, "is to stay calm, stay here, and keep the unit on line.? Keep the doors closed and lock them if that's possible.? There may be explosive charges placed in the plant, and we're looking for them right now."

  Dave said, "We can inflate the door seals.? Nobody will be able to get through them once we do that."

  "Good.? I have your private number.? I'll use that if I need to get in touch with you."

  Marti came out of the shift manager's office looking drained and exhausted and took hold of my hand.? She gave it a squeeze as if to convey a message that we'd see each other again.?

  With that, I left the control room.? It was time to end this.?