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Chapter 115: Nuclear Legacy Problems
Sgula stood at the office door, his clothes wrinkled and worn. His collar was frayed, and the cuffs of his sleeves were beginning to unravel.
He looked to be in his early forties.
His hair was a tangled mess, resembling a bird's nest, and the dark circles beneath his eyes were so heavy that it looked as though he had been punched twice.
Clutched tightly in his hand was a safety helmet bearing the logo of a nuclear power plant. Though the lettering had faded, the symbol remained recognizable—a yellow trefoil surrounding a black center.
Wu Fan was reviewing a report when he looked up and noticed him.
Amy stepped forward and explained.
"This survivor requested to see you personally. His name is Sgula. He says he has something important to discuss."
"Let him in."
Sgula entered the office.
His legs seemed weak, and he had to steady himself against the corner of the desk before he could stand properly.
He swallowed nervously.
The first words out of his mouth immediately caught Wu Fan's attention.
"Hello, Boss... I'm a staff member from the Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant."
He licked his dry lips.
"After the apocalypse began, we activated the emergency shutdown procedures. The control rods were inserted, and the fission reaction stopped."
He paused.
"But the reactor core is still generating residual heat."
"The cooling water keeps evaporating. Someone has to constantly monitor the facility, replenish the water supply, vent pressure, and inspect the systems."
"If we leave..."
His voice became hoarse.
"The reactor could suffer a meltdown. A hydrogen explosion might follow. Radiation could leak out and turn the surrounding area into a dead zone."
Wu Fan slowly put down his pen.
"How long have you been maintaining the plant?"
"Almost a year."
Sgula lowered his head.
"The people who went out searching for supplies either got eaten by those monsters or disappeared."
"Our numbers keep shrinking."
"We can't hold on much longer."
"We heard rumors about a powerful settlement in Atlanta, so they sent me here to ask for help."
His fingers tightened around the safety helmet.
"We know it's a dangerous responsibility."
"But if nobody takes over, something terrible will happen sooner or later."
Wu Fan stood and walked toward the map on the wall.
Tracing his finger across eastern Georgia, he quickly found the location.
The Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant.
South of Augusta.
Along the Savannah River.
As he stared at the map, a sudden realization struck him.
A nuclear power plant.
Nuclear warheads.
He had nearly forgotten.
Since the Hive Mall allowed him to purchase nuclear weapons whenever he wanted, he had never seriously considered securing the ones that already existed in the real world.
"Damn..."
He turned around immediately.
Crossing the room in several strides, he firmly grabbed Sgula's hand.
"Thank you."
"You've done something incredibly important."
"You may have prevented a much greater disaster."
Sgula froze.
A moment later, his eyes reddened.
He turned away and wiped them with his sleeve.
Wu Fan released his hand and picked up the phone.
"Send James, Sean, and Sandra to my office."
The three arrived quickly.
Hunk and Lupo had already led more than nine thousand clone soldiers into Atlanta to eliminate Walkers.
Only a handful of elite personnel remained available for deployment.
Wu Fan spread the map across the table and pointed at the Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant.
"James."
"Take twenty men to Burke County."
"Clear every Walker around the nuclear power plant."
"Leave none alive."
"I want the power generation facilities restored."
"Not all of them. One or two reactors will be enough."
James nodded.
He didn't ask any questions.
Wu Fan gestured toward Sgula.
"What other nuclear facilities are there in Georgia?"
Sgula thought for a moment.
"There's also the Hatch Nuclear Power Plant."
"It's located near the river."
"The surrounding area is sparsely populated."
"About one to two hundred kilometers from Vogtle."
"I don't know its current condition."
Wu Fan looked at Sean and Sandra.
"Take fifty men and accompany Sgula."
"Bring radiation monitors and protective equipment."
"Investigate the Hatch Nuclear Power Plant."
"If there are survivors, rescue them."
The two nodded and left immediately.
James departed as well.
Soon, only Wu Fan remained in the office.
He stood before the map once more.
The nuclear power plant issue had been temporarily addressed.
However, another potential threat remained.
His gaze shifted toward southeastern Georgia near the Florida border.
Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base.
Not only were nuclear submarines stationed there...
There were also nuclear warheads.
Even if they remained stable, radiation leakage was still a possibility.
More importantly, if someone else found them first, it could become an even bigger problem.
It was better to secure them now.
Wu Fan picked up his radio.
"Rick. Come in."
A child's voice answered instead.
"Boss? Dad's out clearing farmland. I'll go get him."
Carl.
Wu Fan heard distant shouting, followed by approaching footsteps.
A few moments later, Rick's voice came through the radio.
"Boss, this is Rick."
His breathing was slightly heavy.
He was probably still holding a hoe.
"I have a mission for you."
"Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base."
"Near Savannah Port. Camden County. Close to the Florida border."
"Take a team there and recover any nuclear warheads you can find."
He paused.
"Transport as many as possible."
Though realistically, there probably wouldn't be many they could move.
There was a brief silence.
"Understood."
The transmission ended.
Wu Fan leaned back in his chair and lit a cigarette.
Nuclear power plants.
Nuclear warheads.
If either became contaminated or suffered a catastrophic failure, even thirty million points wouldn't be enough to clean up the aftermath.
He flicked away the ash and stared at the three red nuclear symbols marked on the map.
One in the east.
One in the south.
One by the sea.
At the prison settlement, Rick handed his hoe to Carl.
"The seeds have already been treated, and the rows are prepared."
"Just drop them in, cover them with soil, and water them."
He crouched down to Carl's eye level.
"Two fingers deep."
"A fist-width apart."
"When they sprout, pull out the weak ones and leave the strongest."
"Remember?"
Carl nodded seriously.
His palms were sweaty as he gripped the hoe.
"Dad..."
"When are you coming back?"
Rick smiled faintly.
"Three to five days if things go well."
"A week if they don't."
He ruffled Carl's hair.
"While I'm gone, listen to Aunt Donna."
"And stay out of trouble."
Carl nodded again.
Rick stood and turned away.
Carl watched his father leave.
Only after Rick disappeared into the distance did he shoulder the hoe and begin planting the seeds.
Nearby, Carol leaned against a Humvee while sharpening a dagger.
Glenn and Maggie stood together, quietly talking.
Michonne stood a short distance away with her katana strapped across her back, carefully observing their surroundings.
T-Dog was checking ammunition supplies one box at a time.
Rick approached and opened the vehicle door.
"Everyone, get in."
The six climbed into the Humvee.
The engine roared to life.
Moments later, they drove out through the prison gates.
Glenn sat in the passenger seat, staring at the wilderness rushing past outside the window.
"Savannah Port."
"I've never traveled that far."
Maggie leaned forward from the back seat.
"Scared?"
Glenn turned toward her and grinned.
"Not with you around."
Maggie laughed and smacked the back of his head.
Rick glanced into the rearview mirror.
Carol was already resting with her eyes closed.
Michonne gazed silently out the window.
T-Dog continued cleaning his rifle.
Rick returned his attention to the road and pressed harder on the accelerator.
The Humvee surged forward.
Trees blurred past on both sides of the highway.
Far ahead, carried by the wind, came the faint scent of the sea.