"Sanders, that old hardhead, is backing Murphy because he wants to expand the Progressives’ map. But Sanders can’t control Murphy, because Murphy’s confidence comes from you—from that five-hundred-million-dollar political achievement in Pittsburgh."

"If you don’t support him, if you don’t let him capitalize on the benefits of Pittsburgh’s infrastructure, he’s nothing."

Stern looked at Leo.

"This is the deal, young man." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Trade Murphy’s ambition for your five hundred million dollars."

"You can take your bonds, go back to building your city, and be the hero mayor."

"But Murphy has to drop out."

"You can call him right now and tell him that, due to ’certain unavoidable political circumstances,’ he can’t use the Inland Port project as a springboard for his campaign."

"The moment he announces he’s dropping out of the race, the approval from Harrisburg will be in your inbox."

The restaurant was noisy—the clatter of silverware, the murmur of conversations.

But to Leo’s ears, the world was dead silent.

He was faced with a choice.

Murphy trusted him.

To help him, Murphy had even gambled his own political future in front of Sanders.

Now, the White House wanted Leo to be the one to kick the ladder out from under him.

"What? Is it a difficult choice?"

Stern glanced at his watch.

"I only have ten minutes, Mr. Mayor. I have another meeting to get to."

"Do you want to be a good man, or an effective politician?"

Leo thought of that rainy night.

He thought of what Frank had told him by the river.

He thought of the line he had written in his journal: "I’ll bear the blame."

He had already betrayed his principles once, with Morganfield.

Now, he just had to do it one more time.

For those five hundred million dollars.

For the livelihoods of those several thousand workers.

For the old folks with broken legs still waiting for their compensation.

In the face of such enormous public interest, a person’s integrity, friendships, and even conscience seemed so insignificant.

Or rather, they had to be sacrificed.

’This is the price of politics.’

"I need to make a phone call."

"Be my guest."

Stern took a sip of his coffee.

"Remember, you only have ten minutes."

Leo took his phone and walked to the end of the restaurant’s hallway.

He dialed Sanders’s number.

"So?" Sanders’s voice came through the line. "Did you meet with Stern?"

"I did."

Leo looked at his reflection in the glass window. The man staring back looked exhausted, almost like a stranger.

"He laid out his terms."

Leo’s voice was low.

"The White House is willing to cancel the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s administrative review. They’ll let the five-hundred-million-dollar bonds be approved. They even promised to have all the paperwork finalized within five days."

"And the price?" Sanders asked.

"Murphy."

Leo forced the name out.

"Stern is demanding that Murphy drop out of the Senator race immediately. They said the Pennsylvania seat is being saved for the Vice Governor from Philadelphia. That Murphy is just playing the spoiler."

The other end of the line went silent.

"Senator, I was the one who encouraged Murphy to run. I was the one who told him we could win. I pushed him to the edge of a cliff, and now the White House wants me to be the one to push him off."

"I can’t do it."

There was a struggle in Leo’s voice.

"If I do this, what does that make me? A Judas, selling out a friend for five hundred million dollars?"

The silence stretched for a full ten seconds.

Then, Sanders spoke.

"Leo, just a moment ago in my office, you accused me of being weak."

Sanders’s tone was icy.

"Now, do you want me to teach you what being truly tough means?"

"Don’t think of this as a betrayal. Think of it as cutting our losses. It’s a sacrifice that has to be made for the bigger picture."

"John Murphy is a good man, a Representative who follows orders, but he’s a mediocre politician."

"He’s been kicking around Washington for twenty years, and all he knows how to do is cast votes. Do you really think he can win a statewide election? Against the Republican Party’s Warren, or against Monroe from Philadelphia, he doesn’t stand a chance."

Sanders’s words were merciless.

"But you’re different, Leo. Pittsburgh is different."

"The model you’ve built in Pittsburgh is the hope of the Progressives in this country. It’s the proof that our philosophy can take root, that we can govern effectively, that we can bring prosperity."

"If Pittsburgh goes bankrupt, our entire philosophy goes bankrupt. To protect that hope, to protect the bigger picture, some sacrifices are necessary."

"Seeing things through to the bitter end has never been the mark of a good politician."

"Take Stern’s deal."

Sanders gave the order.

"Have Murphy drop out. We’ll let him keep his seat in the House of Representatives to retire in. That’s the greatest mercy we can show him."

A chill crawled up Leo’s spine.

"Is that fair?" Leo asked. "He trusts us."

"There’s no fairness in politics, only trade-offs."

Sanders didn’t hesitate for a moment.

"Didn’t you say you were responsible for the three hundred thousand citizens of Pittsburgh? Didn’t you say you wanted to make sure the workers got paid? Then sacrifice Murphy to save your city."

"That is the price of leadership."

The line went dead.

Leo listened to the dial tone, his stomach churning.

He thought of Murphy’s perpetually smiling face. He thought of the light that had flashed in Murphy’s eyes when he heard the word "Senator" in his office. He thought of Karen Miller and her team, working tirelessly day and night in Pittsburgh.

They had bet all their chips on him.

And now, he was about to sweep all those chips into the gutter with his own hands.