He had learned about the Hydro job through an old friend who still worked at EPC, Jake Edwards. Jake was a tall, thin man, balding and slightly hunch-backed from working long hours in the tunnels of various projects. He had called yesterday with news of the job in that gruff voice of his, telling about how he heard of the opening through one of his friends, who had heard from one of his, who had heard…the line was endless. But the voice on the phone had been positive, if a little sad. As if Jake Edwards almost wished he could apply, just walk out that door at EPC and into some new life this job might offer him, leaving his worn-out one behind like an old skin.

Hydro Development was a small but growing company specializing in pumped storage facilities, which used water reservoirs at different elevations to generate electricity, and the Jackson Hydro project would be their first step across United States borders in an attempt to generate business in other parts of the world. Personally, David thought the idea of building such a revolutionary project in a risky area like Eastern Canada was crazy, especially since it would be the first of their projects out of the States. But Hydro Development was known for taking risks, usually big ones. They owned five other projects, including the twenty-megawatt dam near the San Andreas Fault, and an underground facility in South Dakota. It was how they’d made their money, taking risks and investing in things nobody else would touch. “Crazy bastards,” Jake had said on the phone. “But smart.” Research was the key, and usually it paid off.

David figured that was why they might hire him after nobody else would. He was a risk, but he was also a damn good engineer and could get the job done. His other references were stellar, and nobody had ever questioned his work ethic. And he was willing to take on a troubled project like this; hell, he didn’t have much of a choice.

He eyed himself in the rearview mirror and ran a quick hand through his coarse, unkempt hair. Two bleary, slate gray eyes stared back at him in silence. His alarm clock had not gone off that morning and he had rushed through the early-morning rituals in order to get to the interview on time. Michael Olmstead didn’t seem to be the type to judge on appearances—at least he hoped not. This job might be his last chance.