CHAPTER 32
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Dave read the e-mail quickly the first time through, then slowed down and read it again slowly, shaking as he read:
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We have your wife and kids.? They're unharmed and will remain that way if you do as you are told.? Nuclear power is unsafe and we intend to take control of The Headlands tonight to prove it.? You will be contacted later with specific instructions.? Hold power at 100 percent.? Do NOT reduce power.? Do NOT discuss this with anyone on your crew, your supervision, or the police, or we'll kill your family.? We have someone inside the plant and will know if you talk to anyone.
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That was it.? That was all.?
Dave stood up, pacing his office, trying to think of what to do.? He needed to talk with someone about this, needed to figure out what to do, but if the note was legitimate, how could he do that without bringing harm to Kay and the kids?? His heart was pounding and random bits of information started imploding in his mind.? The note said they had someone inside the plant.? That was incredible!? Who could that be?? It could be anyone.? Would they really know if he called or e-mailed someone?? What if he talked to someone directly?? But what if that's the person they have 'inside'?? An operator?? Security?? This was nighttime, so there weren't many people out there.? And what did they want him to do?? He had control over the entire power station.? He knew how to run the plant safely, which meant he knew what could cause damage to the plant too.? Was he going to be asked to jeopardize the safety of the public?? He'd do anything to save his family . . . but would he hurt other people . . .?
He was startled as the Unit 1 control room supervisor came into his office saying,? "Time for shift brief, boss."
Trying to appear calm, Dave said,? "Be right there."? He couldn't think straight and was near panic, but he needed to focus.? "Do something normal and it will help you feel normal," his mom would tell him as a young boy. ?He didn't believe it then and wasn't sure he believed it now, but he had to move.? He would do the shift briefing and then figure out what to do.? Yes, that's what he'd do.? He looked for his notebook and a pen, forgetting the one in his shirt pocket.?
The shift briefing was held in the control room 30 minutes after the crew took the watch, which allowed everyone time to walk down their watch-stations so they could come to the brief informed.? The control room operators weren't allowed to leave the control room unless relieved by someone, so the in-plant operators had to come to them allowing everyone to be in on the briefing at the same time and hear the same things.?
Each of the eighteen guys on shift was polled on the status of the equipment under their control, but Dave wasn't paying any attention.? He was in a daze.? He needed this briefing to be done with so he could get back in his office and stay by the phone and check e-mails. ?One by one, each operator gave a short status of his watch.? This was agonizing to Dave.? He didn't care what the operators would be doing tonight or what their plans were for the watch.? He just wanted the brief to end.
When it came time for him to summarize work for the shift, he said, "We have no maintenance or surveillances scheduled for the shift.? It's going to be a quiet night.? Let's keep it that way."?
Turning to the two control room supervisors, Dave said, "I want you to run all work requests through me tonight.? We're expecting some weather," he lied, "and I want to make sure we don't do anything to jeopardize load."?
That didn't sound unreasonable, so nobody objected.? "End of briefing," he stated matter-of-factly, then turned around and went back into his office to stare at his computer.
Dave was a man of action by nature and by training, and not doing anything at all was agonizingly painful.? He had to do something-he just didn't know what that should be.? Then it occurred to him that maybe this was a trick of some kind.? Why, he couldn't imagine, but if it was, there must be some way he could verify it.? He could respond to the e-mail.? He could write back and see what was going on.? Maybe he could call the computer geeks and have them trace the e-mail.? But they weren't there this time of night.? Besides that, the sender said he would be watched. ?He wasn't thinking clearly or he would have quickly realized all he had to do was call her cell phone.? Of course!? Just call Kay!?
He stopped pacing, sat down at his desk, picked up his phone, and presses '9' to get an outside line.? He heard a click then the familiar dial tone.? Did he always hear that click?? He couldn't remember now.? He never paid attention before.?
With shaking hands, he dialed Kay's cell phone number.? It was evening, so she'd be at Nana's house by now with the kids, either getting them ready for bed or they were already in bed, worn out from the day in the Magic Kingdom and the long drive.? The phone rang and almost startled Dave as it did so.? His heart was racing. ?Just pick up the phone!? Please, pick up!? The longer it rang, the higher his anxiety.? Twice; three times.? He was afraid of what he might hear if it was answered and almost hung up.? It seemed like a lifetime to him.??
On the fourth ring, a man's voice answered, "Was the note we sent you not clear enough?"
Dave almost fell over.? He tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but his mouth had no spit in it.? "Who are you and what do you want?" he said, not really knowing what to expect.
"Who I am is unimportant," said the voice in a calm, yet threatening manner.? "You will do exactly what we tell you to do, when we tell you to do it.? If you call the authorities, we will kill your wife or one of your kids."
Dave's mind didn't know how to comprehend what was happening.? All he could do was respond with the first thing that came into his head.? "How do I know you really have them?" he asked, knowing that of course they did.? They had his wife's cell phone.?
The man on the other end of the phone described what Dave's wife and children were wearing, and the name and room number of the motel where they'd been staying.?
"Do as you're told and no harm will come to them!"
Dave wanted to ask to speak to Kay, but the phone went dead before he had a chance.? He slumped back in his chair and his eyes filled with tears.