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INSIDE THE HEADLEANDS SECURITY CENTER
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Ted settled in for a long, slow night at The Headlands security center, known as the Central Alarm Station, or CAS.? The graveyard shift was like that-long and boring.? It was only about 7:30 p.m., which was too early to start eating his 'lunch,' and he didn't feel like having a snack just yet, though he always had a Diet Coke somewhere nearby.? Ted was in his late forties, though he often felt older.? Shift work can do that to a guy.? Being in a union shop where he had seniority meant he was first in line to pick the job he wanted.? So he opted to work nights, and in CAS.
Working 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. had its advantages.? There were fewer management people around to get in his way, and the pace of the shift was generally slower.? But working nights wore him out, both physically and mentally, and he was sure it aged him prematurely.? He reasoned it was the price he paid for better pay and fewer hassles.
Most of the 1,395 plant personnel who worked at the plant had left for the day.? It was already dark outside, with a freshening wind coming in off the northern California coast, bringing with it bits of sea foam that landed on cars in the parking lots, on fences, and on security cameras.? A winter storm with a cold rain was on its way, kicking up waves and generally wreaking havoc on the video cameras stationed around the plant near the fence.? Because the cameras were outside in the weather, they were susceptible to the corrosive sea air.? Sea foam and mist generally covered the lenses, so they had to be washed frequently to keep them clear.
Sitting in the darkened security room, Ted scanned the bank of video monitors that showed whatever the various remote cameras were aimed at. It was tedious work to constantly scan the monitors, which was why he relied on his Diet Cokes to help keep him alert.
Something caught his eye on one of the monitors, from the camera pointed to the northwest quadrant of the plant, outside the turbine building.? It was movement of some sort just inside the fenced-off protected area-the kind of movement that looked unusual for a plant employee to be making, and in a location where no one should have been at that time of night.
As he focused on this one monitor and looked closer, he could see two people, moving together, and moving quickly, carrying things in their arms.? He took manual control of that camera and using the track-mounted joystick, zoomed in to get a better look.? He instinctively leaned forward as if this would allow him to see more clearly.? He couldn't believe what he saw!? Intruders!
"Red North!? Red North!" Ted barked into the radio indicating a security breach on the north side of the plant.? He used the radio to get the word out to the various security officers stationed around the large industrial site, while knowing that the others in CAS would hear him at the same time.
"We have two perps inside the fence!" he said urgently.? "Looks like they're carrying weapons, moving fast, heading toward the turbine building!? I repeat, Red North!"
Immediately on alert now, sitting straight and tall, Ted and his partner, John, started a fast but methodical scan of all monitors.? Hector, the security shift supervisor, jumped up from his desk.? Looking over Ted's shoulder, he asked, "What've we got?"
"We've got at least two perps," Ted replied, talking fast now as his adrenaline kicked in. "Looks like they're carrying weapons, and knapsacks, heading for the plant."
Knapsacks!? Hector knew that meant they were probably carrying explosives.? He was more worried about that than the weapons they were carrying.
Hector asked, "How the hell did they get inside the fence without our knowing?"
"Don't know boss, but they did."
Just then, the radio crackled with incoming reports from the security officers stationed around the plant.
"This is Delta 2.? I'm heading to intercept!"
"This is Delta 4.? I got 'em!? I got 'em!? I'll be in position in a few seconds."
Then John, who was looking at other monitors, spoke with the same sense of urgency in his voice, "We've got two more, east side of the yard by the transformers, moving fast toward the auxiliary building!"
"Pull up the video capture and replay it!" Hector immediately ordered. "I want to see what we're dealing with."
The plant perimeter had two ten-foot-high fences around it.? Each fence was lazy fence, not tight and tensioned, because loose fencing is much harder to climb.? It's like climbing up rope instead of a ladder.? On top were several interlocking loops of razor wire, which would slice open hands, legs, arms, or anything that came in contact with it, hurt like hell, and made you think twice about continuing.
As forbidding as they were, those fences weren't designed to keep intruders out indefinitely, as many people thought.? They were only there to slow down the bad guys until the internal security force could arrive and neutralize them.
The area in-between the two rows of fences was originally for specially trained attack dogs.? But local humanitarian groups complained about what they considered to be inhumane treatment of the animals.? The interveners were always looking for ways to shut down the plant, and they used the dogs as yet another way to create negative publicity for the station.? So the dogs were removed some time ago.
Hector cursed under his breath for not having the dogs now.? But even without the dogs, he didn't know how the perps managed to penetrate the perimeter without his guys knowing first.? That was something he'd have to look into later.
Delta 4 called in with urgency in his voice. "We've got an explosion!? Repeat, explosion at door B-17!? Shots fired!? One intruder is down.? Looks like the other perp gained entry to the emergency diesel generator corridor!"
Hector knew where that door was.? Years of experience allowed security personnel to talk in code, which was much quicker for them.? He knew door B-17 opened into the Unit 1 turbine building on the ground floor near the emergency diesel generator rooms.
"Where're the other two guys headed?" Hector commanded Ted and John. "Find me those other two guys!"
Hector then got out one of the worn binders containing the classified security procedures and started looking at the section labeled 'target sets.'? He needed to look at what combination of equipment and power supplies the intruders might be targeting, so he could get a better feel for where they might be headed.? If he knew that, he could get his guys there first.? That was the plan, anyway.?
He knew that the emergency diesel generators were key to most target set combinations required to help keep the nuclear core stable.? Power was everything. Without it, they couldn't run pumps or have instruments, which provided indications of what was going on inside the massive reactor vessel.? He was familiar with the target sets involving these two areas of the plant; but by procedure, he needed to confirm it. Taking out diesel generators he understood.? He also knew he had a security officer heading there from inside the power plant, and his men already got one of the bad guys before he apparently blew the door.? The situation near the diesels appeared to be contained. He was more concerned about where the other two intruders were headed.? If he could figure that out, and do it quickly, he could deploy his limited resources accordingly.? Hector knew he had only minutes to get all this done.
John almost shouted, "I got 'em, boss!? They're heading up the back stairwell, toward Unit 1 containment!"
Hector relaxed.? He was confident that containment couldn't be broken into. If it could, it'd be a nightmare scenario, because the nuclear core was inside containment.? Damage to that would be unthinkable.
"Good work, John!? Get Delta 7 and 8 to intercept them at the emergency airlock."? Hector felt certain that he'd have them boxed in any minute now.
"Already on it, boss!" John said.? Then, "Wait one . . . more shots fired.? Shit!? I don't believe it.? Look at this!"? John was staring at the monitor that covered the back area of the plant.? "Looks like Delta 7 is down.? Delta 8 is taking cover inside the fuel-handling building!"
Hector was no longer as confident about the odds of success as he had been just seconds ago.? "Get the R
over up there NOW!"? The Rover was a security officer that has no pre-designated place to be.? He was available to be dispatched to wherever he was needed most.?
Ted said, "I got Video Capture up, Boss.? Looks like the two guys heading toward containment are carrying large knapsacks."
"Copy that," Hector acknowledged.
More knapsacks!? Hector turned to the section in his procedure for protecting containment, quickly scanning the first page, then picked up a phone and dialed the number for the control room shift manager. ?The phone was answered within three rings.
"Shift Manager Dave Street."
"This is Security Watch Supervisor Gonzalez.? We have a security event in progress on the north side of Unit 1. Looks like they're headed for the containment emergency airlock.?We have officers down. My procedures say to recommend you take actions for 'Imminent Security Threat' and shut down Unit 1!"
"Understand, Imminent Threat, security event in progress, Unit 1.? You have casualties and are recommending we take Unit 1 off-line."
"That's correct.? Notify whomever you need to call, and I'll get in touch with local law enforcement.? I'll call back in a few minutes with more info."?
With that, Hector hung up the phone, not waiting for a reply.? He knew the shift manager would want more information, but this was either going to be over in a couple of minutes, or they'd all have more serious issues to consider.
Just then, the secure door to CAS opened and Lynn, the watch commander for the shift, came in.? Even though she had overall charge of the security personnel for the shift, she knew better than to interfere with Hector and what he was doing.? She opted to stand back and observe-for the time being.
John spoke up without taking his eyes off the monitors, "Boss, looks like we got the two guys out back.? But they didn't go down without a fight.? They took out Delta 7 and 8."
"CAS, this is Rover.? Two confirmed intruders down by containment. I got 'em!"
Just then, Ted shouted, "What the . . .!? Incoming aircraft from the northeast!? Looks like a helicopter!"
Hector turned and yelled, "That can't be!? Are you sure?"
Ted replied, "Helo is already over the roof of the fuel handling building and appears to be hovering.? Boss, they came out of nowhere.? Wait . . . two guys fast roping down.? Looks like they have weapons and satchels with them!"
Hector, a former Marine, had seen his share of action in Iraq.? He recognized professionals when he saw them.? That helicopter appeared from nowhere, and the two men fast roping down were on the roof of the building and heading for the stairwell before he could do anything about it.? He shook his head, pissed, recognizing that the two others they'd been chasing were sent in to clear the way for these guys.? And now his forces are spread too thin to provide effective coverage.? He also now knew the target.? He didn't have to look it up in the book.? The fuel handling building was adjacent to the emergency airlock of containment.? If they got in the airlock, they'd have access to containment, and he wouldn't be able to get them out-at least not before they did what they were sent there to do.? It was clear to him now. Containment was their target!? His Rover would not be able to stop them. He knew that within a minute they'd be inside containment and out of his reach.
Just then a cell phone rang behind him.? Having a cell phone ring in CAS was unusual.? Cell phones don't work in CAS because of the hardened nature of the building.? Yet this one did, startling everyone.? Hector just turned around and glared at the man holding the cell phone, who'd been standing there silently for the last half hour, watching events unfold.?
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