[April 26, 1986: Meeting in the power plant office, engineer Anatoly Sitnikov reports high radiation in reactor 4]
What's wrong with you? How'd you get that number from feedwater leaking from a blown tank?
You don't.
Then what the fuck are you talking about?
I... [clears throat] I walked around the exterior of building 4. I think there's graphite on the ground in the rubble.
You didn't see graphite.
I did.
You didn't. YOU DIDN'T! Because it's NOT THERE!
What, are you suggesting the core... what? Exploded?
[almost a whisper] Yes.
Sitnikov, you're a nuclear engineer. So am I. So please tell me how an RBMK reactor core explodes. Not a meltdown, an explosion. I'd love to know.
I can't.
Are you stupid?
No.
Then why can't you?
I... [stammers] I don't see how it could explode. [Fomin looks satisfied] But it did.
[pounds the table, swaying on his feet] Enough! I'll go up to the vent block roof. From there, you can look right down into reactor building 4. I'll see it with my own... with my own eyes. [vomits on the table] I apologize. [collapses]
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