Forging America: My Campaign Manager is Roosevelt

Chapter 271 - 135: Looting a Burning House

Morganfield reached out and adjusted Leo’s collar.

"At this level of risk, the original price is no longer enough."

Leo looked at the old, well-manicured hands.

"What do you want?"

"It’s simple."

Morganfield smiled.

"Besides the exclusive operating rights for the Inland Port,"

"I need two more things."

He held up one finger.

"First, the exclusive underwriting rights for all of Pittsburgh City’s municipal bonds for the next thirty years."

Leo’s pupils contracted sharply.

Exclusive underwriting rights.

This meant that from now on, every cent the Pittsburgh City Government borrowed would have to pass through Morganfield’s hands.

He would control the city’s financial lifeline. He could dictate its financing costs and even decide which projects the city could or could not undertake.

This was tantamount to handing over fiscal authority.

"Second."

Morganfield held up a second finger.

"I’ve seen Phase Two of your revitalization plan. It’s very ambitious. You want to renovate three large districts, build commercial centers, and construct schools there."

"I want the priority development rights for the land of all the commercial centers in these districts."

"And, the property management rights for all future municipal projects and their supporting facilities."

’Morganfield wants to turn the revitalization plan into his personal real estate development project.’

Leo had originally planned to use these commercial centers to support local small businesses and use the property income to subsidize community welfare.

If he agreed to this condition, the so-called "revitalization" would become Morganfield’s land grab.

Those new commercial streets would become Morganfield’s personal fiefdoms for collecting rent.

The slums would indeed disappear, but they would be replaced by expensive, high-end communities.

’This is a complete betrayal.’

A betrayal of the voters who believed in him, a betrayal of all his promises.

"These are your conditions?"

Leo’s voice was soft.

"These are my conditions."

Morganfield sat back down on the sofa and took a puff of his cigar.

"It’s fair, Leo. I save your life, you give me a piece of this city."

"As long as you nod and agree to sign these two supplementary agreements,"

"I will do everything in my power to help you win the lawsuit."

"Then, you can take your victory and use it to support Murphy. You can continue to be the Mayor, enjoying your power."

"And I will simply be collecting a little interest that I’m owed."

Leo stared coldly at Morganfield and asked, "So, even if I hand over this city’s financial future and its land to you, you still can’t guarantee an absolute victory, can you?"

Morganfield flicked the ash from his cigar, his tone matter-of-fact.

"Leo, in this world, especially in a court of law, no one can guarantee an absolute victory. The best lawyers can only increase the odds of winning; they can’t predict the future."

That sentence completely extinguished the last flicker of hesitation in Leo’s heart.

If he agreed.

He would indeed have a chance of survival.

But he would no longer be the Mayor of Pittsburgh.

He would become Morganfield’s puppet, a rubber stamp responsible for signing documents.

Pittsburgh would be taking Morganfield’s name.

"There’s a limit to compromise, Douglas," Leo said.

"For the sake of my goals, I can give you the exclusive operating rights for the Inland Port. That’s a new asset, a resource we created together, and I have the right to trade it for the space to survive."

Leo’s gaze swept over the documents on the table, then fixed on Morganfield’s face.

"But the underwriting rights for the municipal bonds, the land for the community commercial centers... those are the city’s existing assets. They are the foundation of Pittsburgh. They are the bottom line for its three hundred thousand citizens."

"Sacrificing partial interests for a greater victory is called compromise."

"But if you give away the very core, the foundation, that’s not compromise."

"That’s surrender."

"That’s enslavement."

Leo took a deep breath.

He raised a hand, straightened his own collar, and forcefully brushed off the spot Morganfield had touched, his movement full of disgust.

"So this is your definition of an ally."

Leo’s tone was frighteningly calm.

"To prey on the vulnerable, to kick a man when he’s down."

"Douglas, you’re a shrewd businessman; you know how to squeeze out every last copper coin. But you’re a terrible politician. You have no idea where the boundaries of power lie."

Morganfield frowned. He heard the finality in Leo’s voice; this was not a bargaining posture.

"In that case."

Leo took a step back, putting distance between himself and the oligarch—and between himself and the abyss.

"Then we’re done talking."

"What did you say?" Morganfield’s hand, holding the cigar, froze in mid-air. "You’re done talking?"

"That’s right. We’re done."

Leo turned and walked toward the door.

"Your conditions. I won’t agree to a single one."

"The underwriting rights for the municipal bonds belong to the citizens, and the community land belongs to the citizens."

"I won’t sell them to you, not even to save my own life."

Morganfield shot to his feet.

"Leo Wallace! Do you have any idea what you’re saying?"

"The moment you walk out that door, you’re a dead man!"

"Without my help, that lawsuit will drag you down until you’re finished! Washington will abandon you! You’ll go to jail, and you’ll lose everything!"

"Where do you think you can go? To Sanders? He’s already cast you aside!"

Morganfield’s voice was filled with menace.

"Right now, you only have me! I’m the only one who can save you!"

Leo stopped.

His hand was on the doorknob.

He looked back at the fuming oligarch.

The big shot who had once seemed untouchable and all-powerful in his eyes now looked like nothing more than a greedy old man.

"The only one who can save me?"

Leo laughed.

It was a laugh tinged with a hint of madness, a hint of liberation.

"Douglas, you’ve misunderstood one thing."

"I didn’t come to you begging to survive."

"I came to give you one last chance to stay at this table with some dignity."

"Since you want to flip the table, since you want to watch me die."

Leo’s eyes turned vicious.

"Then I’ll die for you to see."

"But before I die,"

"I’ll make sure to blow the whole thing sky-high first."

"If I end up losing the case, I will release everything to the public—all the inside details of the port deal, the draft of that exclusive operating agreement, and the evidence of how you used rigged bidding to grab land."

"I’ll send it all to the FBI, to the New York Times, and to every single one of your competitors who wants to see you ruined."

"I will admit my guilt. I will confess to corruption."

"But I’ll drag you down to hell with me."

"Your dream of a port, your business empire, your reputation—they will all be buried with me."

The color drained from Morganfield’s face.

He suddenly realized he had pushed too hard.

He had cornered this wolf, and now the wolf was turning back to rip out his throat.

"Leo, wait, we can discuss this further..." Morganfield tried to salvage the situation.

"Too late," Leo said coldly.

"Keep your cigar and smoke it yourself."

"You’d better pray I find a way to win this lawsuit. Otherwise, get ready to hire that legal team of yours to fight another three years of court battles."

BAM!

The heavy door slammed shut.

Leo was gone.

Leaving Morganfield standing alone in the empty cigar lounge, the cigar still smoking in his hand, a sudden chill running through him.

’The situation is out of control. The young man I thought I could so easily manipulate is actually willing to take us both down.’

In the hallway, Leo walked quickly.

His heart was pounding, and his palms were slick with sweat.

He knew that in that single moment, he hadn’t just rejected Morganfield; he had also cut off his own final escape route.

’Leo.’

Roosevelt’s voice suddenly spoke in his mind.

’Tell me the truth, do you have a backup plan?’

Leo didn’t break his stride, not hesitating for even a second as he answered in his mind.

’No.’

He shook his head.

’I have no backup plan whatsoever.’

Roosevelt was silent for a moment.

Then, a wild burst of laughter exploded in Leo’s mind.

’HAHAHAHAHA!’

’What a crazy kid!’

’Going up against the biggest alligator in the city with empty hands?’

’We have no retreat now, Mr. President.’

’We’re truly all alone now.’

’No.’

Roosevelt’s voice took on an unprecedented fervor.

’Now, you are finally, truly free.’

’Since all the roads are blocked,’

’let’s go and tear a hole in the sky.’