"Isn’t this what we agreed on from the start?" Leo retorted. "You said we had to flip the board."

"No, those are two different things." Roosevelt shook his head. "I flipped the board because I was smashing it from the top down. I had that power, I had that capital."

"But you, you’re charging up from the bottom."

"Going from the bottom up is worlds apart from going from the top down."

"You will bleed, you will get hurt, and you will face resistance more terrifying than what I faced back in my day."

Roosevelt paused for a moment.

"But, Leo."

"If you can really see this path to the end."

"Perhaps you won’t become one of those successful politicians who’s slick and plays all sides."

"But."

Roosevelt’s voice turned solemn.

"You can be a great President of the United States."

"A president who truly belongs to the people."

Leo smiled.

His smile was free of its earlier anxiety, replaced by the relief of having a burden lifted.

"The presidency is too far off. I just want to be a good mayor first."

Leo walked to the window and looked out at the streets of Washington.

"So, Mr. President."

"Since I’m not going to see Warren, and I’m not going to see those lobbyists, is there any point in us staying in Washington?"

"Of course there is."

Roosevelt’s voice became sharp again.

"To solve Pennsylvania’s problem, to untie the knot of that administrative review, the source is still here in Washington."

"This is the heart of power. All the blood flows out from here, and it all flows back."

"Only this time, we’re not taking the old road, the one filled with deals and compromises."

"We’re going to do it a different way."

Roosevelt’s voice carried a warning.

"But, Leo, you must be clear about what this means."

"The previous plan, no matter how despicable, was at least about surviving in the cracks between the two parties, dancing on the edge of the rules. You would have offended some people, but you would have also left yourself some room to maneuver."

"But this time is different."

Roosevelt sighed, his tone tinged with a hint of regret.

"I had originally planned a steady path for you to the White House, a long but clearly visible staircase upward."

"But if you choose this path, that plan becomes completely void."

"I can’t even see clearly how the road ahead will unfold."

"It will be a wasteland filled with fog and traps, and you could be crushed to pieces halfway through."

"Are you ready?"

Leo didn’t hesitate for a second.

"I’m ready, Mr. President."

...

The Washington D.C. morning was shrouded in a gray fog.

Daniel Sanders sat behind his desk, holding a cup of steaming black coffee.

He had deep bags under his eyes, and they were shot with red.

Last night, he’d been on the phone until three in the morning, trying to schedule that damn administrative review hearing.

Even so, the response he got was the typical bureaucratic runaround: "We’ll do our best, Senator, but procedure is procedure."

The office door was pushed open.

Leo Wallace walked in.

He brought the damp chill of the outdoors with him. His dark overcoat was dotted with fine water droplets; it was raining outside.

Sanders put down his coffee cup, his brow furrowed tightly.

He glanced at the door, then at the schedule in front of him, his expression full of displeasure.

"I don’t have an appointment for you today." Sanders’s voice was stern. "My secretary didn’t tell me anything. How did you get in?"

"A last-minute decision," Leo answered calmly. "This may be the Congress Building, but finding a way to slip in here is still a bit easier than getting into the White House."

Sanders snorted, but he didn’t dwell on the issue for long.

"Fine, since you’re already here." Sanders pointed at the desk. "Did you get the list? Marcus should have sent it to you."

"I did." Leo pulled a neatly folded piece of paper from his overcoat pocket, one he had printed out early this morning.

"Good." Sanders nodded. "I’ve already spoken to the people on that list. The Deputy Secretary of the Transportation Department is from the Establishment Faction, but he owes me a favor. The Assistant Secretary of the Department of Energy used to be my policy advisor." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Go see them this morning. Explain your predicament and have them apply pressure on Pennsylvania from the side. As long as the Federation Agencies take a stand, Harrisburg won’t dare to drag things out too egregiously."

As Sanders spoke, he picked up a pen, ready to make a note on his schedule.

"That won’t be necessary."

Leo’s voice was quiet, but it sounded exceptionally jarring in the silent office.

Sanders’s hand stopped in mid-air. He looked up, frowning at Leo.

"What did you say?"

"I said, that won’t be necessary."

Leo took a step forward, gently placed the list on Sanders’s desk, then held it with his finger and pushed it back.

"I’m not going to see these people."

"Because they can’t save Pittsburgh."

Sanders’s brow furrowed even tighter, his tone taking on a stern edge. "Leo, this isn’t the time to be willful. I know you’re anxious, but this is how Washington works."

"You can’t expect to reach the heavens in a single step. You have to find allies within the system. These few people are the greatest resources we can mobilize."

"Allies?" Leo let out a cold laugh.

"Senator, with all due respect."

Leo braced his hands on the edge of the desk, looking down on the old man.

"This is why the Progressives always lose in Washington."