FORT KNOX: THE PERFECT HEIST

CHAPTER 6

                                             Moving Out

     I sent for caterers to come in to feed the multitude, and, within an hour the food van is on site. Catering folk often fed the fracking crews, as they were normally on site for just two, sometimes three days, so this is not a problem, and the bill is sent to the company. This is the norm for the company-man. Now and again protesters would arrive on site, you'd pacify them with food and good will and they would go, so it's no big deal. The police just made things worse and drilling would stop. The company would prefer to have me do the decent thing and keep the protesters sweet. This though is my first protest experience, so I played it by ear, and took Raza's healthy advice.

   The testing of the efficacy of the acid took just over four hours, an hour longer than promised, the spectators were happy to oblige to wait. In any case a free meal, soda drinks and a picnic day out on a staggeringly wondrous drilling rig is darn novel to them. I strolled around the site, chatting to the people explaining what's to happen when we started to concrete the well; that the acid would be forced out into the hoses and back into the tankers, the well would then be sealed for good. Though I did explain that I did need to drill, we had to show the State of Kentucky the lithography. Everyone seemed happy about that, so a good compromise, I thought.

   Mudder approached to inform me all is well and we could start mixing the concrete. I gathered everyone round me and explained they must leave the site, as this is quite a dangerous procedure. They could watch from the woods across from the derrick, that is a few feet higher and would give a good view of the proceedings. The populous seemed quite happy to comply, and off they all trotted, with the bearded young man following me to get suited up for the event. The bearded man is told to watch from the safety of the doghouse, and, should an incident occur, to get down the steep staircase and to run to the woods. I winked, and he is happy to oblige.

   The radio sprang into life, with the call Mudder is ready to start. Frank helped Mudder with the trucks that needed to be emptied, and, with my thanks to the gods, that the concrete mixer tucks turned up when they were asked. There were just over thirty mixers ordered, and they parked in line, ready to move as the call is given for the next in line to come forward. The drivers knew the drill; they had done this hundreds of times. Thus the concrete enters into the compressor to be forced down the borehole, at nine thousand pounds per square inch, pushing the previous concrete and the plastic pig along with it.

   In moments, the the acid hoses became taut, and Mary's tankers began to fill with gold laden aqua-regia, and, in just over an hour, the job is completed. I noticed the cement dribble up through the second well bore, drilled by Ben, then we ceased operations. That's it, the feat is accomplished.

   I waved for the people in the woods that it's okay to come down to the pad. Everything is now secure and safe. The trickle of people, about one hundred and fifty took longer than I had hoped, but the party went on for a couple of hours longer, with bellies being refilled, the caterer making a living and the people were happy. I gathered them around me, thanked them for coming and that never again would this site have acid used for production of gas or oil. En-block, they trotted off singing and dancing, leaving me and my fellow company-men, not forgetting the ladies, in peace.

     "It's a fine run thing, Raza. I thought the game is up when that lot arrived, I can tell you."

   "Been thar, dun tha. No big deal, Randy. Y'all just gotta be neeic un cool weum, thas all." I smile, then noticed an unsuited Sheila walking toward me. She's cool, brave too, all considered.

   "That, my sweet-love, is so very exciting. All those people, I just couldn't resist coming forward. Though I'm a little concerned about the acid, in-case it spilled. I'm wearing my new hose, and didn't want them to tear." I smiled. Women, I thought. Don't you just love em?