Good Teachers

162. 

I am unconvinced. The warden, while professionally accommodating and begrudgingly cooperative, would most likely ask around for additional verification. This, we needed to avoid. 

TOM once mentored me on the subject by saying. “Its never too early to go to your backup plan.”

I call him immediately to ask if he, after three decades, she feels that way.

“Why do you ask, there are constants, but the last few years of accelerated technological advancement have altered the status quo in dramatic style,” he answers with another question. 

“The conversation with the warden went about as well as we expected it would, but I have a hunch that he is flipping the deck of his rolodex right this minute looking for someone, perhaps outside the system, that might have the connections to know about something on this scale.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“I setup Drysdale up with the Vegas bureau chief of the NCAAP. Just some general conversation about the state of the state, BUT, I wanted to have an official record of the meeting so that……”

“…..So that you could leverage the meeting with the Senator so he might look favorably on any favors coming his way as a quid pro quo.” 

“Yes.”

“What can I tell the Senator the infiltration might accomplish?”

“Well, at worst a list of names, but at best, flipping the district from its current purple to a more robust shade of scarlet.” 

There is a silence as TOM runs the data. 

"You want the Senator to call the warden?"

"Yes, you can softball the details about the test, but we need to make sure that mule in Florence follows the chain of command."

“Its uncanny you know.”

“What is sir?”

“That we think along such similar tactical lines.”

“Yeah, well, I had a good teacher.”

“Good teachers are nothing without good students, and a teachers job is to create more teachers.” 

“Can I quote you on that?”

“You already have. I’ll call the Senator in the morning.”