Eagle Bay

By Christy Wood

Eagle Bay is a fiction based on a true story. The manuscript is a unique mix of a suspense thriller and the true story of management ethics in a Nuclear Power Plant.
Two young engineers, Valerie and Joe, are working at a nuclear power plant in upstate New York. These two diverse and likable characters are thrown together to work on a major problem which has occurred in Eagle Bay’s most crucial piece of equipment – the nuclear reactor. Joe, a hotshot clean cut engineer is a new arrival, contracted by management to analyze the plant’s procedures for flaws. Valerie is employed by the plant as a procedures engineer.
Their work group is made up of a young and enthusiastic group of engineers, a funny and endearing bunch overseen by the disorganized but kindly supervisor, Sam. The flies in the ointment are the overly militant Plant Superintendent and his hopelessly geeky, annoying (and very entertaining) plant assistant, Howard.
The attraction between Val and Joe sparks from the get-go, and Val lets her guard down quickly, needing Joe to help her as the problem with the reactor intensifies and the need for a solution grows. In short, tubes which pass through the reactor vessel are becoming blocked, one after another. If enough of these tubes become blocked, the plant will be forced to shut down. The plant owners and operators become desperate to find a solution to the problem, which has also begun occurring in other plants.
Under huge amounts of pressure to find a solution, Joe and Val work together to devise a specific tool to identify the source of the problem. If by chance their tool were to damage the walls of the tubes within the nuclear reactor, it could have catastrophic results, both to the reactor and the operators.
In a dangerous and exciting procedure performed while the reactor is operating at full power, Joe unwittingly stumbles across a method to use the tool to actually resolve the problem and is able to keep the plant operational.
Throughout their adventure, Joe becomes increasingly close to Val, in spite of the high maintenance girlfriend, Suzanna. (She is the ‘character you love to hate!’) Joe and Val develop a spirited and highly entertaining roller coaster ride of a relationship that continues to deepen throughout the story.
Although the procedure appears to have been successful, Val and Joe discover that the tool did cause damage to the tubes which could have resulted in a catastrophic accident. The plant superintendent, fiercely dedicated to his work but not above deceit, is desperate for a quick fix and chooses to cover up the evidence proving the tool is faulty. He then secretly distributes it for use in other plants, disregarding the danger in lieu of keeping the plants open at any cost.
Val and Joe, who have been intentionally removed from anything to do with the problem, learn that the faulty tool is being used by other power plants when a fatal accident occurs at one of the plants during its use. The accident portrays the inside viewpoint of what happens during a nuclear incident.
Shocked by this turn of events, Joe attempts to steal evidence of the tool failure to incriminate his deceptive plant superintendent, but is arrested in the process. That is the final straw for his girlfriend, Suzanna, and she leaves with a good deal of drama. With Joe in jail, Val takes the risk to sneak into the plant and get the evidence herself, but ends up in a perilous situation which ultimately leads to a shocking ending.
The story, though fictionalized, is based on true events that co-author, Doug Kane, actually experienced.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christy Wood
• Release date: Jul 21, 2011
• ISBN: 9781466009271

Christy Wood

Author - Christy Wood was born and raised in Oregon and has been a writer all her life. After attending The College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, she lived for several years in Cleveland, relocating to Oregon in 2000. Along with free-lance writing, she has also worked in a large law firm, as a court transcriptionist and proofreader, as a trainer for General Electric, and currently works for the State of Oregon, Department of Transportation. Her free-lance writing experience has included promotional marketing/advertising for newspapers, private individuals and companies; work on a celebrity cookbook; writing a professional user's manual; legal and medical technical writing; script writing; writing a regular feature on an internet site for a soap opera; covering the Atlanta Olympics; and other various travel articles. Her passions are writing, worldwide travel, snorkeling, her family, friends and two cats, and the study of words and language.

Book preview

Eagle Bay

Christy Wood

A suspense thriller based

on real life events of Doug Kane

Copyright 2011 by

Christy Wood

Smashwords Edition

Prologue

The reactor Containment Building of the Eagle Bay Nuclear Generating Station sits like a sleeping giant alongside beautiful Silver Lake in upstate New York. Inside the domed structure is a massive silent, open space; dark, eerie, warm and steamy, vaporous, the thin atmosphere deliberately set at a low level. Different levels of grated flooring expose pumps, monstrous pieces of bulky equipment, scattered about like toys, played with and forgotten, and a complicated web of pipes disappearing down into the depths of the building five stories below. Two huge steam generating tanks tower over everything; giant monoliths. Wisps of steam drift up from various areas, like a large kettle. Dimly glowing green phosphorescent lights set down into the depths throw mysterious shadows interspersed with dark spaces, into the huge volume.

Looking up, the emptiness stretches fourteen stories high and the domed roof disappears into the darkness. Small lights burn dimly near the top of the dome, leaving the dark expanse of the interior unbroken. The thin air is laced with wispy clouds of vapor. In the midst of this alien environment, the nuclear reactor sits, nestled deep in a thick concrete bunker. The rounded top of the reactor is the only portion visible, its shiny stainless steel without flaw or fingerprint.

In contrast, the space within the reactor explodes in a continuous burst of atomic energy, as bright as the sun, un-viewable to the human eye. The vessel itself is densely packed with equipment; over one hundred towering fuel assemblies producing massive amounts of energy - this energy powerful enough to vaporize a human instantly. Remotely operated from the station’s control room, a tiny sensor attached to a cable is navigating its way methodically through these towers of energy, carefully measuring their immense power. The thin cable passes through a tube in the center of a fuel assembly and proceeds all the way to the top. It begins taking its reading as it withdraws, retracing its way back down the guide tube. It moves back to the beginning, inserts itself into the next guide tube and methodically continues. Starting with outer assemblies, it works its way to the middle of the reactor, one by one, tube by tube, where the maximum amount of energy peaks, like the center of the sun. It performs this maneuver robotically, following the computerized route it has followed thousands of times before. The sensor begins its journey through guide tube #35, near the center of the core and suddenly encounters the unthinkable: its path is blocked.

It stops.

Chapter 1

Joe Mansfield stood stiffly in the Control Room of Eagle Bay Nuclear Generating Station surveying the complex array of instruments and controls laid out before him on the console and the large panels covering the walls.

It was Joe’s first day at the nuclear power plant. Standing next to him, hands drawn behind his back in a classic military pose, was Dan Keating, the plant superintendent. The superintendent was less than enthusiastic about Joe’s arrival. Dan’s former Navy Commander persona manifested itself in every aspect of his life: he was a disciplined taskmaster in every way – daily regimented workout, clothing so stiffly starched it could stand up by itself, and a severe crew cut with the gray in his hair evenly distributed. He drew a hard line when it came to the people who worked under him. No one was exempt. Dan was not an easy person to talk to, or, Joe suspected upon first impression, to like. Passionately devoted to his job, Dan was always intensely focused on the operations of the entire plant as a whole, but also tried to stay aware of every minute detail. The pressure was enormous.

Despite official paperwork, which had been sent regarding Joe’s assignment at Eagle Bay, Dan spent the better part of a half hour grilling Joe about his qualifications as the newcomer appeared too young and boyish-looking to measure up. In addition, Dan was annoyed that his assistant, Howard, was not there to take Joe around and introduce him. Dan had no extra time to waste on this kind of thing, but he’d had no choice since he’d sent Howard on a short, mandatory vacation.

He cleared his throat. These are our two shift operators, Andrew Sanderson and Matt Fischer, and that’s Lyle Flanigan over there; he’s our shift supervisor. Dan waited with a stern expression while the two operators turned from the console.

Call me Andy, Andy told Joe with a grin, while Matt nodded casually toward Joe.

Lyle greeted Joe quickly by saying, Hey, how ya doin’.

Joe felt the hum of tension in the room and did not miss the fact that Dan had failed to introduce Joe in return.

Matt turned back to the control room console where he was monitoring the progress of the Flux Mapping System, or FMS, used to measure the flow of neutrons as they collided within the nuclear reactor. The FMS indicator panel was round, showing a cross-section of the actual nuclear reactor, with small red lights representing each of the systems sensor guide tubes. One by one they lit up as the sensor moved within the reactor, gathering data on the power produced by the nuclear reactor.

Breaking the momentary silence in the room, an alarm on the control panel suddenly began buzzing loudly. Everyone’s heads snapped around in that direction.

Matt reached over and hit a button that silenced the alarm, saying, Andy, log this... guide tube #35 is blocked.

That’s the tenth blocked tube, Lyle stated, glancing nervously at Dan.

What the hell is going on? Dan exploded. "We’ve only been online for nine months and we’ve lost ten tubes! We’ve got nine months left until the next refueling. Is anyone doing the math? At this rate, we’re going to burn through our next eight – eight, people! We’ve got eight tube failures left before they shut us down! I repeat – what the hell is going on?" Dan’s face had turned a dull brick red and he was yelling so loudly that Joe’s ears were ringing. He was careful to stare straight ahead at the console with no expression.

I&C’s been working on it, but I don’t think they have a clue, Lyle told him.

That’s your answer? ‘They don’t have a clue?’ That’s completely unacceptable! I want Javier Quintero to see me about this... call and get him into my office... NOW…ah, hell— he glanced over at Joe, THIS AFTERNOON!

We don’t know your schedule; shouldn’t Howard set that up for you?

Joe expected Dan to start pounding on something; his fists were clenched and a vein was popping out in his forehead. Just do it, Flanigan. Call Quintero, Dan seethed through clenched teeth.

Howie’s on vacation, Andy mouthed to Matt, who grimaced back, Ohhhh.

What’s the problem? Joe asked mildly.

Ahhh... Lyle said disgustedly, it’s a problem we’ve been dealing with since the last refueling.

And that’s too damn long! shouted Dan.

Joe had been involved in the disaster at Three Mile Island. Since then, his senses had been on full alert. It was obvious that this was not some small malfunction.

Matt retracted the sensor out of guide tube #35 and said, Okay Andy, go ahead and isolate this one.

Andy adjusted the computer so the tube would no longer be used. He then manually restarted the procedure, and the sensor continued on, pushing its way into guide tube #36.

Chapter 2

Freed from the suffocating tension of the Control Room, Joe and Dan headed outside into the sunny June morning. The air was crisp and cool and the sun sparkled blindingly off Silver Lake at the bottom of the hill.

Dan started ranting the minute they left the building, words pouring out in a torrent. Joe listened intently and stored away bits of information for future use.

"This has been going on since the last refueling nine months ago. It’s so frustrating; some of the most brilliant minds in the country work here and we can’t figure out what this damn problem is! We’ve been losing access, one damn tube at a time. This is the only serious problem we’ve had this run. We have such a good chance of going the whole 18 months, which would be the best operating schedule we’ve ever had. Dammit, we’ve got to hit that 18 month mark! I swear I don’t know who’s going to lose it first, this system or me. I’m going to have a damn stroke if we don’t do something! We’ve already had ten blocked tubes, if we lose eight more we’ve got to shut down and I just can’t let that happen! Damn! Quintero better have some answers! I mean, hell, the first tube blocked less than three weeks after we went critical!"

In the midst of Dan’s tirade, Joe nodded in greeting to some guys walking by carrying armloads of files and papers. They nodded back and glanced at Dan out of the corner of their eyes without saying a word. It appeared everyone was equally intimidated by the big boss.

"I’m almost positive we didn’t make any changes during the last refueling. Wait – Dan stopped abruptly, frowning, – or did we? I think there might have been a change in the guide tube inert gas – I’ll have to ask Javier about that." After a few seconds, they started walking again.

There’s no specific pattern, but it’s averaging about one tube a month... he trailed off, thinking hard.

Joe interjected into the momentary pause, Do you know if any other plants are having trouble with this same thing?

Huh? Dan glanced over, as if just remembering Joe was there, and reluctantly answered him. Uh, I don’t know. I’ve got to check that out. Dan sighed loudly as if he were disgusted with himself for verbalizing his problems to a relative stranger.

Joe’s mind had already kicked into problem-solving mode as they walked by the Auxiliary Building. The area was an active one with people coming and going, singly and in groups, some in a hurry while others took their time and enjoyed being out in the fresh air rather than sitting behind a desk. Eagle Bay was literally carved into the east side of a huge hill and faced west, with several flat terraces on varying levels on which sat the various buildings: the Containment Building, which held the reactor, the Turbine Building, the Auxiliary Building and the Control Room, the Engineering Building, plus a parking lot and several temporary trailers, used as office space. Lower down the hill was the gigantic Cooling Tower. Finally, at the bottom was Silver Lake. Its natural beauty was marred by the presence of a big platform with four large pumps and several automatic control valves, but with the tall trees towering protectively around the plant, there was still a secluded and cozy feeling at this scenic spot.

Dan stepped ahead of Joe and pushed open the door to the four-story Engineering Building. He’d run out of words, but Joe could’ve sworn he could still hear Dan’s mind going, planning what he was going to say to the I&C supervisor at their meeting later. He smirked sympathetically; he didn’t envy Quintero being on the receiving end of that conversation.

Dan led the way past offices and down the hall toward the stairwell. The upper floors were used by other engineers, managers and directors. Joe noted that similar to the Three Mile Island plant, there were heaps of paper scattered in thick piles everywhere, overflowing into file boxes on the floor; endless stacks of notebook binders scattered throughout with more paper spilling out of them, and row upon row of filing cabinets stuffed to the gills, some neatly closed, others hanging ajar with papers pushing out as though trying to escape. Throughout the building there was a buzz of activity, people maneuvering through the jungle of paperwork, talking on the phone, or gathered in twos and threes at various desks and in the halls.

The Procedures Group, the engineers charged with writing all technical procedures for the plant, was located in one corner of the basement. This office space was enclosed with walls and separated off from the chemical and engineering laboratories and workshops. It felt quiet and isolated from both the bustle of the upstairs offices and the light and sunshine. There were cubicles along the back wall, a couple in the middle area, and filing cabinets along the right hand wall. There was also a resource library. Clearly, a small forest had been sacrificed in worship to this kingdom of paper.

The two men stepped into a messy private office nearest the stairwell entrance. Like the other areas, papers and files cluttered the room, but there were also several used coffee cups littering the desk and tops of the file cabinets, a couple old half-eaten doughnuts, and some styrofoam leftover containers on the floor. Garbage was spilling out of the can in the corner and a coat hung crookedly off a chair, its seat piled high with file folders. Sitting behind a desk so full of paper that no portion of the desktop was even visible, a dark haired man looked up and peered over his half-moon rimmed glasses. Joe’s first impression of the Procedures Group Manager was that the guy had been sitting for a week in a clothes dryer – his dark hair was rumpled with a dip in the middle, his white oxford shirt was hopelessly wrinkled, even the wrinkles around his eyes were rumpled looking.

Sam, this is Joe Mansfield. As you know, he’s the new consultant joining your team. Joe, Sam Chapman. You’ll be working with his engineers and reporting directly to him.

Joe stepped forward, narrowly missing sliding on a crooked pile of papers near his shoe, while Sam stood, removing his glasses with his left hand and extending his right. He was tall and moved a little awkwardly. When he leaned over to grasp Joe’s hand, his shirttail, half hanging out, brushed the desk knocking an unsteady pile of loose papers onto the floor. Sam did not appear to notice.

Joe, nice to meet you. I heard you were coming, so I cleaned up the place, Sam deadpanned.

Nice going, now you won’t be able to find anything, Joe shot back and their eyes met; they decided they liked each other.

Instantly, Dan broke in. So, Sam, are you guys ready for this Three Mile Island Analysis project?

Yeah, I think so. If I’ve understood the memos correctly, and the discussion I had with the B&W rep, the engineer, well, that’d be Joe here, Sam waved his glasses in Joe’s general direction, is to review our procedures so we don’t end up having a repeat of what happened at Three Mile Island. That your understanding as well, Joe? You look pretty young, son, you sure you’re in the right place? Sam put his glasses back on and peered at Joe through them like he was studying a bug on a microscope.

Uh, yes, sir, Joe answered, amused.

I hear Hank McMenamin sent you over. I know Hank, and he knows his stuff. At any rate... Sam turned back to address Dan. Joe’s eyebrows shot up as Sam came close to bumping a half-full cup of coffee that was teetering precariously on the edge of the desk. I’ve assigned Valerie. She does most of our reactor and coolant systems procedures, Sam added for Joe’s benefit. She’s preparing the information for Joe’s review and I’ll have her work with him to support his analysis.

Dan was already halfway out the door as he said, Yeah, that sounds good, Sam. Keep me informed.

Dan’s quick footsteps died away. Joe thought, "Boy, that guy doesn’t waste a single moment on anything." He wondered if Dan had his bathroom visits timed. The good thing about these types of guys was that you always knew where you stood.

C’mon, son, I’ll introduce you to the group, whoever’s here, and you can get started, Sam told him. So I hear you were at Three Mile Island. Bet you have some interesting stories to tell. Were you in the thick of it or just a sideliner?

It got pretty thick, Joe said quietly.

Hey, Scotty, Stu, Val, Vandy, Frank! Sam called out. Above the cubicles, two heads popped up and a hand waved from another one, its owner apparently on the phone or in the middle of something. Scotty Mercado... Aaron Vanderveen... this is Joe Mansfield, he’ll be joining our group to work on the TMI Analysis. Are Stu and Valerie not here?

Nope, they’re out. Frank’s on the phone... Hi Joe, I’m Scotty, Steam Generation Systems. Let me know if you need anything.

I’m Aaron Vanderveen, they call me Vandy... Cooling Water and Auxiliary Systems.

Joe shook hands with both guys, both seemingly affable and friendly. Frank Rozelli, over there, takes care of Power Generation, Sam explained and started moving around the office waving his hand freely, gesturing at things as he showed Joe the Procedures Group area.

Here’s where you’ll be working, Joe, Sam said, leading Joe to the cubicle right next to Valerie’s. On the desk were piles of papers Valerie had apparently collected for him and dumped in a heap on his desk, the phone peeking out from underneath. There were cables hanging loosely out of the wall and coiled onto the floor, but there was no computer attached to any of them. The walls were bare except for some pushpins stuck in the bulletin board in the shape of the word hi.

I’ll let you go ahead and look over this stuff and start getting organized, Sam told him, Go see Marcella on the third floor for whatever office supplies you need.

What about a computer? Joe asked grimly.

There might be one hidden under all the crap in my office, Sam joked. No, we’ll have to figure something out for you. Ask Marcella if she’s got a requisition form, otherwise, you know how it is at these places, you’ll have to sneak in during the night and take one off some I&C tech’s desk. Chuckling to himself, Sam shoved his glasses back on and walked back to his office.

Joe stood for a moment looking at the papers on the top of his desk. He opened the drawers and found them completely bare except for a couple of paperclips that had been bent beyond any recognizable shape, and a pencil that looked like a hamster had sharpened its front teeth on it. He decided to go up to the third floor and get supplies from Marcella.

A few minutes later, Joe staggered back down to the basement, loaded down with assorted office supplies. As he went past Valerie’s desk, he saw she had returned.

Hi, he said, looking at her curiously, with a friendly smile.

Hello, she greeted him back briskly, glancing up from some papers she had in her hand and then quickly looking back down at them, dismissing him.

Joe dropped the box load onto his desk and went back to Valerie’s cubicle, eyeing the woman he would be working closely with. He liked what he saw. Having worked with women in the engineering field before, Joe immediately recognized the protective shield Valerie obviously had in place, having been constantly harassed and hit-on by her male colleagues throughout her career. While she attempted to hide her femininity through her dress and demeanor, Joe could see that although her hair was styled in a no-nonsense blunt shoulder cut, it was soft and well-conditioned, that although her blue eyes were cool and remote, her lashes were long and swept her high cheekbones when she blinked, and her basic khakis and plain white t-shirt could not disguise her feminine shape.

So, I understand you’ve been assigned to critique my work, Valerie’s voice, light and firm, held a definite note of sarcasm. The procedures Joe was to review were her baby; she’d spent weeks laboring over each one and was taking it as a personal affront.

Well, you’ll learn that my attitude is ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, Joe said mildly, and it looks to me like you’ve got a good handle on things, he added, nodding at the computers. The ice was broken. Almost against her will, Valerie let her guard down a little and felt the tight coil of tension in her stomach relax a little.

Valerie raised an eyebrow and teased, You know, Mansfield, you don’t look old enough to be an expert on Three Mile Island. Dr. Seuss looks more your speed. She smiled mischievously, and the dimple in her right cheek appeared.

Joe guessed he shouldn’t be surprised that the Procedures Group engineers had all been forewarned of his arrival. "Yeah, well, how about going over to the cafeteria and getting some ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ for lunch, Olson?"

OK, I am pretty hungry. Too bad the boss isn’t around so we can use the ‘Sam I Am’ line, Valerie laughed, grabbing her purse from her desk drawer. They walked to the stairwell while keeping up their friendly banter.

I’d get the door for you, but since you’ve been assigned as my official flunkey... Joe continued to tease, stepping back and letting her open the door.

Forget it, Mansfield... Valerie said, letting it shut in Joe’s face.

You ARE going to carry my tray in the cafeteria, though, aren’t you?

I would, but there’s no written procedure for that. There IS one, however, for putting a fork up the new guy’s...

Okay! Okay! Joe laughed, I concede! For the moment, anyway.

They entered the cafeteria and joined the line of employees who were looking over the menu board.

Any recommendations, you know, what’s good, what’s not?

Just as Val was about to reply, a big muscular guy carrying a full lunch tray leaned over Valerie’s shoulder and said, Hey, Val, I got some nuts I need ya’ to check out below on my hose extension. Ain’t you workin’ on that pipe cleaning procedure?

Valerie shot a look of utter disgust at Joe, who started to step over between the two, but Valerie’s arm came up, stopping him. Without missing a beat, her elbow shot out, catching the guy right under the ribs.

Oof! he wheezed, the Jell-O on his tray wobbling precariously. Still trying to catch his breath, he sat down at a nearby table with a bunch of guys who were laughing at him.

Chivalry is not necessary, Mansfield. I can handle that kind of thing myself, Val told him coolly, her chin in the air.

So I see.

The beef stroganoff’s pretty good, she said conversationally, having already dismissed the incident from her mind.

The two gathered their lunch and sat down with Scotty, Vandy, and Frank, who were just finishing up. The group chatted for a few minutes and then the other three left.

Joe asked Valerie how long she’d been at Eagle Bay and how she had come to be there. He found out she had wanted to be an engineer all her life and had attended Carnegie Mellon University.

So, are you married? Joe asked.

You’ve got to be kidding, Valerie scoffed, rolling her eyes. I’m married to my job. Besides, there’s nothing up here but tourist and townies.

Do you have family here?

No, my parents and my sister are in Pittsburgh; my dad’s a research professor at CMU. But my uncle and my cousin Pamela live here; we see a lot of each other.

Valerie turned the tables as she dug into her salad, picking off the onions and putting them on the side of her plate.

What about you? Married? 3.2 kids and a dog?

Hardly, Joe shrugged his shoulders. I move around a lot on different projects. I’m seeing someone. She’s a professional and travels a lot too.

Valerie was dismayed at the slight disappointment she felt at learning Joe had a girlfriend, and shoved that feeling away immediately. She just wanted to have a no-pressure work relationship with this guy, and liked his non-threatening attitude toward her. There was something kind of charming about him, though. He wasn’t classically handsome, but he seemed so easygoing and friendly, no, it was something else, he was comfortable with himself, yes, that was it. Val silently scolded herself to stop analyzing everything.

So, she said in a businesslike tone that told Joe any personal conversation was definitely over, I have to tell you, Joe, I’ve got some deadlines I’m already working on and I have no extra time to devote to your analysis project, so I’m not thrilled about it.

Yeah, I know. I’ll do my best to keep my demands on your time to a minimum while I work through it.

I did a good job on those procedures; you probably won’t have many changes anyway.

"Geez, try not to be too modest, will you?" Joe laughed and Valerie’s nose scrunched up charmingly as she laughed back. At that moment, Joe couldn’t have remembered his girlfriend’s name if he tried.

_________

Dan sat at his desk eating cafeteria meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy out of a styrofoam container. He was shoving forkfuls of food into his mouth awkwardly, using his left hand to eat, so he could fill out paperwork with his right. Dan felt eating without reading or working simultaneously was a waste of time. Besides, he was always behind in keeping up with the massive amounts of paperwork the plant required: forms to be looked over, requests to be approved or denied, and industry news to keep up on. He had just taken a bite of meatloaf when his phone rang. His greeting came out slightly garbled, Yeah?

Mr. Keating, I have Mr. McMenamin on the line returning your call, his secretary informed him.

Dan swallowed and said, Yeah, okay, put him through. There was a click and then Dan started the conversation immediately, without wasting any time on the social niceties.

Hank? Dan Keating here. Just met your guy, Joe Mansfield, this morning. Seems like a nice kid, but that’s the point, this project is really crucial. Why would you send me a greenhorn? Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t mean to be critical, but I have some real concerns about the results of this engineering analysis and I was expecting someone with a little more experience. My ass is on the line with some other things we’ve got going here and I just can’t be worrying about some college intern trying to do this job.

Hank was totally unfazed as he listened to Dan’s impatient words and smiled to himself while leaning back in his office chair. He had heard this same complaint countless times regarding Joe, who happened to be one of his favorite employees. It was hard for anyone to take Joe seriously with his short stature, slight frame, and boyish looks, making him appear to be about eighteen. True, Joe was only twenty-five, but his accomplishments were already becoming legendary. He had one of the sharpest analytical minds Hank had ever come across, plus, he was a likable guy with a good sense of humor. It was true that he had kind of an attitude and could be a little cocky at times, but Hank had worked with him enough to know how to handle him.

He answered calmly, Dan, here’s my advice to you. Give this guy a break, get him going on your project and I guarantee he’ll prove himself to you. You know, I sent him to his first nuclear plant to help with the refueling and within a week he was up to his ass in the worst nuclear disaster in the country, and you know what? He did just fine.

Yes, I noted that in his bio, Dan replied skeptically, staring at the gravy which was beginning to congeal.

I’d thought he could cut his teeth on an easy project up at Three Mile Island, Hank continued. Had no idea what he’d do when the accident happened, but I gotta tell you, he really stepped up to the plate. He has this natural ability to snoop out and solve problems.

Hank sighed with good natured exasperation, then added, Seriously, Dan, the results of Joe’s work at TMI were so impressive that both the Utility and the NRC asked for him personally to work with President Carter’s Kemeny Commission and head up a team on the Lessons Learned Project. Anyway, at least give him a fair shake before you condemn him.

Dan, in a rare moment, had no idea how to reply. He was caught off guard by Hank’s glowing report of the quiet guy he’d met and dismissed that morning. He had really already made up his mind that Joe was not qualified to be there.

Into the momentary silence, Hank added, Listen, I feel your skepticism radiating through the phone. If you want to follow up, check with Lorenzo Coburn, the director of nuclear engineering over at GPU headquarters and just mention Joe’s name to him.

Yeah, okay, well, listen Hank, I appreciate your input. Thanks for your time, Dan said, hurrying to end the conversation.

No problem, hey, good luck. I heard you guys are shooting for a record operating cycle. If you have a problem, put Joe on it. He’s like a dog with a bone; he’ll figure it out. Hank was chuckling as Dan hung up on him.

Dan decided against calling Lorenzo Coburn because he knew Hank wouldn’t have told him anything he couldn’t verify. Usually the hotshots and geniuses were well known within the industry, but it sounded like Joe was a recent up-and-comer. Still not entirely satisfied, Dan decided to keep a close eye on this young engineer.

There was a knock on the door and his secretary stuck her head in. Excuse me... oh, you’re off the phone. I wanted to let you know Javier Quintero from I&C is here.

Dan shut the top of the styrofoam box and shoved it away. Send him in.

The instant Javier walked through the door, Dan started in on him. Quintero, I can’t believe what’s going on over there... we hit the tenth tube blockage this morning. I was in the Control Room when it happened and saw it myself! I want to know what the hell is going on and what the hell you’re doing about it!

Javier immediately went on the defensive. Look, my guys have been working 24/7 on this problem. We’ve done three containment entries so far and we’ve gone back and forth with engineering trying to resolve it. We’ve been on top of this ever since we lost the second tube and we’ve busted our asses trying everything engineering has thrown at us! We’ve pulled readings, we’ve checked tolerances and we’ve inspected the motors on the drive mechanisms.

Frustrated, Javier continued, "Hell, we’ve even tested the inert gas in one of the guide tubes, and you know the RadTechs were pissed about radiation levels, because two of their techs went over their quarterly dosage limit and now I can’t send them into the hot side until September! We’re not coming up with anything, and it’s not for lack of trying! The only thing that will keep us running is to clear the blockage. You know that can only be worked out by the Procedures Group. We’ve checked every single thing that we can with the existing procedures, so at this point it’s out of our hands. Engineering hasn’t been able to come up with jack shit on this, and I&C can’t do anything else until Procedures comes up with something. My hands are tied. That’s the bottom line," he ended defiantly and sat back in Dan’s office chair.

Dan, who was looking for a solution, not a deferral, slammed back, Does Sam know this?

Yeah, sure, we’ve had three or four meetings. Those guys can’t develop a procedure – I mean, who knows what’s blocking those tubes? How do you design something to clear it if you don’t know what’s causing it?

I’m going downstairs and getting on Sam’s ass about this! Maybe we need to bring in outside help! Dan shouted, both furious and frustrated.

Really? Javier asked him, shrugging his shoulders. Who you gonna get? There’s no precedence for this.

Dan shoved himself back from his desk, saying fiercely, "There’s got to be someone, somewhere, who can figure this out. I don’t care what it takes. The plant’s operation cannot hinge on this. We WILL find a solution. I’ll see to it personally. You keep me updated on anything, anything, you find out and I want to be kept informed... got it?"

Yeah, I got it. Javier beat a hasty retreat.

Engineers and staff scattered as Dan stormed down the stairwell to the basement. He roared into Sam’s office. Sam had his head halfway in the file cabinet, looking for a procedure. He’d just stuck it in here, he thought, looking up in surprise at Dan’s entrance.

You know we’re targeting an 18 month run, Dan shot out. "This is our best run; we need this run, the pressures on from above and you know we’re all in a pressure cooker in here... God, this office should be condemned! Dan continued, thwarted from pacing. I’m trying to deal with the ramifications of public opinion, the NRC, Babcock &Wilcox’s bad safety record; you know profit is the bottom line on this. If we have an early shutdown because of this guide tube problem, that could be it for us! That just CANNOT happen!"

Understanding finally dawned on Sam’s face as he realized what Dan was all in a tizzy about. Still on the same breath, Dan yelled, "They’re just looking for a reason to decommission some of these plants, and by God, it’s not going to be this one! Those damn activists will use any excuse to badmouth us and publicize it. Sam, your job is simple: Solve it. That’s it! I want you to find out what the problem is and FIX IT before any word gets out! Whatever you need to solve this problem, you tell me, and I will get it for you. You are to keep me informed, and if anyone is not cooperating, I want to know about it. Are we clear?"

Sam nodded emphatically, although his reply was faint. Uh, yeah, okay, we are working on it. Don’t worry, I’m overseeing it myself.

"Come on now, Sam, I’m counting on you to take care of this. Get it done." Dan finished up in disgust.

Joe and Valerie, who had come back from lunch right after Dan stormed in, were standing outside Sam’s office. They could not help overhearing the beginning of Dan’s verbal attack on Sam and stayed to listen to the whole thing. Valerie rolled her eyes at Dan’s ranting and the two of them moved quickly toward their cubicles as Dan left Sam’s office.

Why aren’t you all working?! they could hear Dan yell, scattering the small crowd that had congregated by the door.

After a long moment, Sam called out, Valerie! Are you here?

Yeah! she hollered back.

Come in here! Joe tagged along and leaned against the doorframe, unnoticed by Sam because he was so discombobulated about the whole situation. Val, I’m getting heat, you probably heard, shit, the whole building probably heard, Sam said glumly, his shoulders slumping dejectedly, about this guide tube problem. We’ve got to get on this right away and figure something out. Joe will have to deal with his analysis the best he can. You need to focus on this. Probably ought to have everybody in here to brainstorm this one. Meeting in here first thing tomorrow morning. 8:30. That’s all.

Chapter 3

Ouch! Damn it, that hurt! howled a woman’s voice from the hallway.

Joe’s head was buried under half the pillow as he heard Suzanna’s cry through a sleep-induced fog and the sound of her hopping around.

What? What is it? he mumbled without moving.

Stubbed my toe on a stupid box. I hate all this moving around: cheap rental furniture, don’t know where anything is... her voice faded as she went into the bathroom. After a few minutes, Joe heard the toilet flushing and Suzanna complaining, Oh geez, this better not be one of those water saver toilets. I hate those things!"

Joe was fully awake now. Come back to bed, hon, he said coaxingly. Suzanna was a high maintenance girlfriend who had to be seduced into everything, including a good mood.

Can’t. Have a conference call at eight o’clock with two hospital directors, both in different time zones, about this billing system. Our phone better be working right. I had the company out here Friday on it. You know, I realize you have this all-important nuclear whatever job, but you have to help do some of this stuff too; call the resort office and ask why we’re not getting cable on the TV, will you? I can’t go too long without General Hospital and the reception’s crappy out here in the middle of nowhere.

Joe could not help but admire Suzanna’s backside and long legs as he watched her come back into the bedroom and start rifling through the closet, choosing clothes and continuing to air her feelings. Joe had met Suzanna a few years ago at a hotel cocktail bar while both were working for different companies doing consulting work. The two hit it off immediately and went out for dinner, which ended up lasting two hours with too much alcohol. She was tall and beautiful, very glamorous; she dressed in classical, tailored clothing, her makeup was always applied perfectly, her hair drawn up in a smooth French twist. She was an exceptional system analyst and programmer, working mostly with large hospital systems and their executives. Suzanna had another side that Joe enjoyed: she was efficient and smart, they enjoyed discussing current events and she could be funny when she wanted to. She was also difficult and demanding, and Joe spent a lot of time placating her and bending over backwards to keep her happy. She was definitely not pleased about having to relocate to the boonies of upper New York State and to have to try to do most of her work from home. Joe had gotten an earful about that, but eventually she capitulated when she realized he had no choice in the matter but to go. Suzanna enjoyed Joe’s mind and his tolerance of her quirky mannerisms. He could be kind of hyper, but was very thoughtful