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It's January 5th, 2005, a cold snowy day in Albany, New York.

Inside the state capital, Dr. Richard Talb, the director of a cancer research lab at

Columbia University shrugs on a heavy-wold coat over his black suit and colorful bow tie.

The ceremony honoring assembly speaker Sheldon Silver has just ended.

As Dr. Talb walks towards the door, he feels a hand on his elbow.

Dr. Bitscheldon Silver, the speaker of the assembly himself, one of the three most powerful

men in state politics.

Speaker Silver, thank you for inviting me.

Dr. Talb, do you have a few minutes?

I'd like to talk to you more about your research, if you can spare the time.

Yes, of course, I can always make time to talk about what we're doing at the same.

Let's watch, are we?

Silver needs the relative privacy of the back hallways of the capital for this conversation.

Luckily, it's late in the day and the capital is emptying out.

People hurrying home before it snows again.

I wanted to thank you for your referrals to the law firm.

We're getting some nice settlements for your mesophilia on my patients.

It hasn't going with your research, though.

Honestly, it's been challenging.

There's only so much we can do without additional funding.

...