Chapter Ten
After Trujillo was done grumbling about Olivia’s rogue tactics, Eli was pleased the FBI agent set aside their differences and came through, finding a way to get them to Cedar Breaks quickly.
The High Country County Sheriff’s Department didn’t have their own helicopter, but the sheriff did have statutory authority over the search and rescue services and access to the resources within that framework.
The sheriff tasked the Montana Aeronautics Division to assist. They found a volunteer pilot and an aircraft for the mission.
All in all, it took them two hours to get into the air, but it was already dusk.
On the helicopter’s approach to the site, the carbon capture pipeline facility came into view.
Before seeing it, Eli was aware the pollution pipes would be underground.
What he didn’t expect was the sheer size of the aboveground facility.
Against the night sky, the industrial complex was brightly lit.
Trujillo spoke with the facility manager, who was going to meet them, and by now, all other personnel should have evacuated the plant.
The power plant was a large building that stood out.
The lighting emphasized the architecture, multiple massive silo-like structures, tall columns, storage tanks, several smaller units, and big metal tubes, with a maze of pipes running throughout.
His skin prickled in familiar warning. At first, he couldn’t comprehend exactly why.
“Can you do another pass overhead,” Eli said to the pilot, “circling the site before we land?”
“What’s up?” Liv asked him.
“Not sure, yet.”
They had no way of knowing what form of sabotage Shepherd had planned for the facility. But as Eli examined the layout, various large structures and units all connected by a series of pipes, he realized the optimal approach for a terrorist.
And so would someone who was former Special Forces, if that part of Shepherd’s background was true. Although they couldn’t confirm whether it was, they had to operate under the assumption that the new leader of NDR had tier one training.
The pilot finished circling and went to land.
Suspicion solidified into certainty, congealing in Eli’s belly like a greasy knot.
“Shepherd is going to use explosives,” Eli said through the headset that allowed him to communicate with Liv, Trujillo, and another field agent who accompanied them. All heads swiveled in his direction, with the exception of the pilot, but no one responded. “He’s going to blow it up.”
Liv stared at him, the fear in her eyes stark.
“Yeah, we got that,” Trujillo said. “I think it just caught us by surprise. How can you be sure that’s what he’s going to do?”
Because that’s what Eli would do. “It’s the most efficient method that would cause the greatest amount of damage.”
At the hotel, the New Dawn Revolution took measures to avoid killing anyone inadvertently.
Olivia and Dempsey were outliers, according to Audrey.
With the Rising Rock Resort, they didn’t use explosives.
Only limited fires targeting the crucial areas needed for the day-to-day operations of the hotel.
In addition to no grand opening, the resort wouldn’t be operational for months.
“But carbon dioxide isn’t flammable,” the field agent, Lenek, said. “A single explosion wouldn’t set off a chain reaction. Wouldn’t it take a ton of explosives spread throughout to take down the entire facility?”
Trujillo nodded. “Also, for Shepherd to get his hands on enough C4 for multiple bombs, it would raise too many red flags. These ecoterrorists keep a low profile.”
“Not unless he managed to get a fake demolition license,” Eli pointed out. That was one possibility. A guy like Shepherd might have access to other resources.
“I doubt Eli is wrong,” Olivia said.
The helicopter touched down inside the gated part of the facility. They removed their headsets and hopped out of the chopper. Two men wearing hard hats met them.
“I’m Bob Johnson, the manager,” the older of the two said. “This is my assistant, Paul. We’re the only ones left at the facility, besides Caleb, who is inside the plant, still shutting everything down.”
“We thought you weren’t up and running yet,” Olivia said.
“Technically, we’re not. We’ve got to go through extensive testing phases before we’re considered fully operational,” Johnson explained.
“It’s during this time that we identify optimal operating parameters, improve the capture process, and determine future scalability.
We know some in the county don’t want the facility here, but do you really think someone would go so far as to sabotage it? ”
“The threat is credible,” Trujillo said.
Johnson blanched. Then he opened a utility bag that was slung over his shoulder.
“Everyone should clip on one of these. It’s a multi-gas monitor.
” He handed out compact lightweight devices, and they all put one on.
“The gauge will provide early warning before concentrations reach dangerous levels.” Johnson turned to Paul.
“Go grab enough respirators for everyone. Just in case we need them.”
Paul nodded and bolted to the building.
“What are these structures?” Eli asked Johnson. “And keep it simple.”
“There’s the power plant. Electrostatic precipitator. Those are scrubbers,” Johnson said, pointing out the huge silos, “where the CO2 binds to the solvent. Then you’ve got the coolers, absorption column, the economizer, regeneration columns, and the centrifugal compressor.”
“And those big tanks?” Olivia asked, gesturing to the ones on the other side of the plant.
“That’s where we’ll store compressed CO2 for some clients. They’re empty.”
Eli looked around, trying to figure out what they might be missing. “The solvent used, what’s in it?”
“It’s a blend of amines,” Johnson said, “to optimize performance.”
No time to get into a detailed explanation of amines, so Eli simply asked, “Is it flammable?”
“Yes.” Johnson nodded. “Also, hydrogen sulfide is a byproduct of the process, an impurity in the gas stream. That’s highly flammable. But we’ve got warning labels.”
Hissing a curse, Trujillo put his hands on his hips.
Those warning labels might as well be color-coded signs that read, Blow This Up. What he’d give to have a bomb-sniffing dog right now.
“Liv,” Eli said, turning to her.
“If there’s a bomb, you can’t disarm it until we locate it first,” she said. “That means we need as many people as possible searching.”
Paul came running back and passed around full facepiece respirators. Hopefully the gauges would not reach a level where they would need to wear the masks.
Eli looked at Johnson. “Let’s say there’s a bomb. In addition to this place going up in smoke, what’s the potential impact to those in the surrounding area?”
Johnson pushed out a mouthful of air as if he’d been punched. “Those close enough who aren’t killed in the blast will asphyxiate from the concentration of carbon dioxide. Residents in the nearby towns may need serious medical attention if the hazardous cloud reaches them.”
“Not if,” the assistant chimed in, “but when.”
“Caleb is almost finished powering down the system. That’ll minimize the impact drastically to the surrounding towns.”
“Liv,” Eli said, “you need to go. We don’t know how much time we’ve got.” If any.
Johnson’s radio squawked and he answered. “Go ahead.”
“This is Caleb. I just finished shutting down everything. But I received a phone call in the office. A man said that there’s a bomb and everyone should clear out if they wanted to live.”
“All right,” Johnson said. “You get out of there, Caleb. Hurry home. Clear your family out. Warn your neighbors.”
The probability of explosives was now a certainty. Eli put a hand on Liv’s arm. “You need to leave, too.”
“If this place explodes, it’ll affect most of the residents of the county,” she said.
“There’s a chance of fatalities, and those who don’t die might face health complications that last a lifetime.
We have to find the bomb. The more of us searching for it the better. I need to stay just like the others.”
No doubt that was true and a driving force for Liv, but Eli knew that she also didn’t want Shepherd to win. Still, she couldn’t risk her safety. Or the baby’s.
Johnson turned to his assistant and took the man’s radio. “You go and do the same as Caleb. I’m going to stay and try to help them.”
“I’ll call your wife for you in the car.” Paul dashed off, heading for the parking lot.
“We should all clear out, sir,” Agent Lenek said. “We can’t do any good if we’re dead.”
“Liv,” Eli repeated. “Please.”
Pulling him to the side, she shook her head.
Stubborn as ever. “This is more important than me or you or anything else. Finding the bomb and stopping it from detonating is the priority.” She held his gaze and her face softened.
“A warning wouldn’t have been given unless there was enough time left for people to clear out and get to a safe distance. ”
“We have a few minutes at most,” he said.
She put a hand on his shoulder. “Then let’s not waste another second arguing.”
Eli gritted his teeth. When Olivia stood her ground and dug in, getting her to change her mind was like trying to move a brick wall, and they didn’t have time for it.
“Listen up, everyone. The bomb won’t be someplace where it can be easily spotted.
But it will be near flammable material or something that would quickly trigger a chain reaction. ”
“There’s a spot on the flash tank of each of the scrubbers where you could hide something,” Johnson said.
“It’d be easy to miss during our spot checks.
I can show you. Also, the centrifugal compressor.
A device would have to be placed on the outside of it, but most likely underneath the unit.
That would be the best spot where we wouldn’t see it as we did our checks. ”
“If the bomb were set off inside the power plant?” Trujillo asked.