Chapter 16 - THE MIDWEST INSPECTION
The manufacturing plant on the outskirts of Chicago was a cavernous, noisy facility humming with robotic assembly lines.
Workers in high-visibility vests paused their machinery as Charlotte walked through the primary production floor.
The plant manager, a sweating 45-year-old American man named Robert, hurried to keep pace with her long strides.
"As you can see, Ms. Valle, we've upgraded the ventilation systems just like the interim report requested," Robert stammered.
Charlotte stopped walking, her slow, deliberate eye movement scanning the overhead wiring and chemical storage units.
She pointed toward a rusted valve leaking hydraulic fluid onto the concrete floor near the primary press.
"You call this an upgrade, Robert? That valve hasn't been serviced since the Bush administration," Charlotte said coldly.
Robert swallowed hard, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his calloused hand.
"We had supply chain delays, ma'am... the replacement parts were backordered from Detroit," he offered weakly.
"Human safety is never backordered in my company," Charlotte declared, her voice ringing out clearly over the factory hum.
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"Shut down this sector immediately. Order new parts, and give every worker on this shift a hazard bonus for their patience."
***
