The office door was pushed open.

Frank Kovalsky was the first to walk in.

He looked at the spacious office, at the emptied bookshelves and walls, and his gaze finally fell on Leo, who was sitting behind the enormous desk.

"Ha." Frank let out a short exclamation. He strode to the desk and knocked on its surface with his coarse knuckles. "This place is a lot more spacious than that metal-sided shack we had in the South District."

"And a lot emptier," Leo added.

Sarah followed behind him. She glanced around, her eyes lingering for a moment on the city view outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

She had a surreal, dazed look on her face, as if she still hadn’t recovered from the scene of the roaring crowds in the square just moments ago.

"We really did it," Sarah said softly. She walked over to the sofa and sat down, her entire body sinking into the soft leather. "I feel like I’m dreaming right now."

Right behind her was Karen Miller.

Ethan Hawke was the last to enter. He closed the door behind him, shutting out the noisy congratulations and footsteps from outside.

"It’s not a dream, Sarah," Ethan said. "This is our victory."

Everyone sat down except for Karen Miller. She took a pack of slim cigarettes from her handbag and lit one.

Smoking in here was illegal.

But Leo, sitting behind his desk, watched the wisp of blue smoke slowly rise without a word of protest.

It was a privilege, and also a farewell.

The clasp on Karen’s handbag clicked shut with a crisp, metallic sound.

"Mr. Mayor."

Karen exhaled a cloud of smoke, looking at Leo through the haze.

"My work is done."

"Representative John Murphy is very pleased with this result. Our victory in Pittsburgh has bolstered his position in Washington considerably. He called me yesterday and asked me to pass on his congratulations. He also wants me back in Washington as soon as possible. There’s other work waiting for me there."

Leo looked at the woman who had fought side-by-side with him for the past few months.

She was cold, shrewd, and even a bit of a mercenary.

But she had certainly taught him a lot.

"You could stay," Leo said. "We need you. The work of governing will be harder than campaigning. I need someone who knows the ropes to help me keep an eye on the bureaucrats."

Karen smiled.

She stubbed out her cigarette in a paper cup.

"No, Leo. You don’t know me, and you don’t know my line of work."

She smoothed down her expensive business suit.

"I’m a campaign manager. What I’m good at is conquering territory, creating conflict, and making the impossible possible. I live for that adrenaline rush."

"But governing?"

Karen shook her head, a look of distaste on her face.

"Governing is compromise. It’s balancing acts. It’s day after day of paperwork and bickering with a bunch of idiots in boring hearings. I’m not good at it, and I’m not interested."

She picked up her handbag and walked over to Leo.

Leo stood up as well and extended his hand.

"Thank you, Karen."

Karen took Leo’s hand. Her grip was firm this time, less like a handshake and more like she was imparting one final message.

"One last piece of free advice before I go, Mr. Mayor."

Karen’s eyes grew sharp.

"Be careful of the people in this building."

"Be careful of the department heads and directors who seem so subservient."

"They’re harder to deal with than Douglas Morganfield."

"Morganfield is a wolf. He wants to eat you, you can see his fangs, and you can pick up a gun and fight him."

"But the people in this building... they’re termites."

"They’ll bow to you with a smile, and then, where you can’t see, they’ll eat away your foundation. They’ll use procedure, compliance, and a thousand other excuses to delay your orders until you’re nothing but a figurehead."

"They’ll stab you with a smile, and when they’re done, you won’t even bleed."

Karen released his hand.

"Good luck, Leo. I hope the next time I see you on TV, it’s not for your impeachment hearing."

She turned, her heels clicking rhythmically on the wooden floor.

The door opened, then closed.

Karen Miller was gone.

The sound of her heels on the marble floor faded into the distance.

Leo looked at the closed door and let out a soft sigh.

But he had no time for sentiment.

Karen’s departure meant the temporary structure built for the campaign was now dissolved. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Now, he had to build a real team to govern the city.

’In this country, there’s an old political tradition called the "spoils system."’

Roosevelt’s voice echoed in Leo’s mind.

’Don’t be frightened by the ugly name, kid. Its core logic is simple: winner take all.’

’You won the election, so you’ve won the most important power in this city—the power of political appointment.’

’Look at this building. Think about those bureaucrats bowing to you. Many of them are Carter Wright’s people, Morganfield’s people, or just people who want to coast by.’

’You can’t count on them to carry out your will.’

’You need to clean house, to get a full transfusion. You need to replace every single person in a key position with a confidant you absolutely trust.’

’Chief of staff, bureau directors, special advisors, press secretary... these positions are extensions of your power. They are the levers you use to control this massive machine.’