It was the middle of the day, Hank would be working, and he had no reason to visit any of the boiler rooms. Still, if by some rare chance he did run into Hank, he had no idea what to expect. The whole notion left Sanderson feeling anxious and that was one emotion operators trained very hard at overcoming. Still, what was the worst thing that could happen? Hank wouldn’t be able to do a thing about it.
Grant led him into the building and they completed the visitor routine without conversation, having done it many times in the past. Sanderson was subjected to a full body scan, surrendered his sidearm, and pinned a large visitor tag to the breast of his suit.
His first stop was to pay a visit to the commanding officer who ran the plant, the least pleasant aspect of the entire day. Like most people who met him, Sanderson found Lieutenant Hendricks to be an arrogant jackass. He understood Hendricks resented the fact the State needed to send somebody in on a monthly basis to check up on him, but he didn’t have to be such a prick.
They arrived at the lieutenant’s office and Grant knocked on the door frame. Hendricks looked up from his desk and grinned. “Well, Razorback. Is it time for another one of your visits already?”
“I’m afraid so, Brother.” Sanderson sat down without waiting for an invitation.
“Sure, have a seat.” Hendricks handed him a tablet across the desk. “Here’s the log.”
Sanderson flipped through the pages. “Incoming calls on here this time?”
“Incoming and outgoing along with all email transactions. I already checked them before your arrival.” Hendricks sat back and crossed his arms. “Everything looked shipshape to me, but I don’t have your extensive training and experience.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Sanderson scrolled though the last few pages of the log. “Everything else been quiet around here, Lieutenant?”
“Same as last time, Brother. No escape attempts, no perimeter breaches, and no info leaks.” He cleared his throat and glanced at his watch. “Sorry to bring you out here for nothing.”
“Careful, Lieutenant.” Sanderson placed the tablet face down on the desk and looked Hendricks in the eye. “Implying my trip is a waste of time might be interpreted by some people as doubting the logic behind the State’s actions. If my being here was a waste of time, I wouldn’t be sitting here wasting my time by having this conversation. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Absolutely.” Hendricks held his gaze. “Just making small talk.”
“I’m not a big fan of small talk. I like to stick to the facts and the matter at hand. Something I learned as part of my extensive training.”
“Noted.” The phone on the lieutenant’s desk rang. “Are we done here?”
Sanderson nodded at the phone and studied his finger nails. Tried his best not to crack a smile.
Hendricks picked up the receiver. “Yeah?”
Sanderson was about to get up, but the frantic voice coming over line made him curious.
“What?” Hendricks glanced at him before looking to the floor. “Don’t do anything until I get there. I’m on my way.” He slammed the phone down. “Looks like your timing is impeccable, Razorback. It just so happens one of my men just stopped an escape attempt. I assume you’ll want to join me?” He got up from the desk and stormed out of the room without looking back.
Chapter 15
Hank had no plan. He left the boiler room in the middle of his shift on pure impulse, a pull so strong that he just couldn’t resist any longer. It was almost as if some mysterious force was telling him it was now or never. When Seamus stepped out to use the bathroom, Hank bolted.
Now that he hurried down the hall, nagging regret was starting to come on just as strong. He knew what he was doing was pointless, and the odds weren’t just against him, they were nonexistent. Still, when he left the commons and entered the administration wing, he caught a small break as one of the soldiers
Grant led him into the building and they completed the visitor routine without conversation, having done it many times in the past. Sanderson was subjected to a full body scan, surrendered his sidearm, and pinned a large visitor tag to the breast of his suit.
His first stop was to pay a visit to the commanding officer who ran the plant, the least pleasant aspect of the entire day. Like most people who met him, Sanderson found Lieutenant Hendricks to be an arrogant jackass. He understood Hendricks resented the fact the State needed to send somebody in on a monthly basis to check up on him, but he didn’t have to be such a prick.
They arrived at the lieutenant’s office and Grant knocked on the door frame. Hendricks looked up from his desk and grinned. “Well, Razorback. Is it time for another one of your visits already?”
“I’m afraid so, Brother.” Sanderson sat down without waiting for an invitation.
“Sure, have a seat.” Hendricks handed him a tablet across the desk. “Here’s the log.”
Sanderson flipped through the pages. “Incoming calls on here this time?”
“Incoming and outgoing along with all email transactions. I already checked them before your arrival.” Hendricks sat back and crossed his arms. “Everything looked shipshape to me, but I don’t have your extensive training and experience.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Sanderson scrolled though the last few pages of the log. “Everything else been quiet around here, Lieutenant?”
“Same as last time, Brother. No escape attempts, no perimeter breaches, and no info leaks.” He cleared his throat and glanced at his watch. “Sorry to bring you out here for nothing.”
“Careful, Lieutenant.” Sanderson placed the tablet face down on the desk and looked Hendricks in the eye. “Implying my trip is a waste of time might be interpreted by some people as doubting the logic behind the State’s actions. If my being here was a waste of time, I wouldn’t be sitting here wasting my time by having this conversation. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Absolutely.” Hendricks held his gaze. “Just making small talk.”
“I’m not a big fan of small talk. I like to stick to the facts and the matter at hand. Something I learned as part of my extensive training.”
“Noted.” The phone on the lieutenant’s desk rang. “Are we done here?”
Sanderson nodded at the phone and studied his finger nails. Tried his best not to crack a smile.
Hendricks picked up the receiver. “Yeah?”
Sanderson was about to get up, but the frantic voice coming over line made him curious.
“What?” Hendricks glanced at him before looking to the floor. “Don’t do anything until I get there. I’m on my way.” He slammed the phone down. “Looks like your timing is impeccable, Razorback. It just so happens one of my men just stopped an escape attempt. I assume you’ll want to join me?” He got up from the desk and stormed out of the room without looking back.
Chapter 15
Hank had no plan. He left the boiler room in the middle of his shift on pure impulse, a pull so strong that he just couldn’t resist any longer. It was almost as if some mysterious force was telling him it was now or never. When Seamus stepped out to use the bathroom, Hank bolted.
Now that he hurried down the hall, nagging regret was starting to come on just as strong. He knew what he was doing was pointless, and the odds weren’t just against him, they were nonexistent. Still, when he left the commons and entered the administration wing, he caught a small break as one of the soldiers
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