novelnext Chapter 111 The Cold Winds of Allegheny
Chapter 111 The Cold Winds of Allegheny
Chapter 111 The Cold Winds of Allegheny
In the mayor's office on the third floor of Pittsburgh City Hall, the central air conditioning was turned up to its highest setting for heating.
Hot air roared out of the vents, trying to fill every corner of the large room.
This temperature is warm enough that you only need to wear a thin shirt.
Leo Wallace, however, was wrapped in a heavy wool coat and slumped into a large leather chair.
He held a mug in his hands with the words "Pittsburgh Revival" printed on it, and wisps of steam rose from the rim.
Even so, his body was still trembling slightly uncontrollably.
Late last night, after a conversation filled with deals and betrayals at the Allegheny Hilltop Club, he refused Ethan's company and the comfortable Lincoln sedan.
He walked down the mountain alone.
Five kilometers of mountain road, with a biting cold wind.
He needs that biting cold.
He needed that physical pain to numb the phantom pain left behind after that piece of his conscience had been removed.
He walked back to the city, back to his apartment, and then spent the rest of the night in feverish delirium.
"Cough—cough cough."
Leo put down his cup, grabbed a tissue from the table, and covered his mouth and nose.
The office door was pushed open.
Ethan Hawke strode in.
He carried a briefcase and walked with a brisk pace.
As soon as he entered the room, he felt the suffocating heat and subconsciously loosened his tie.
"My God, Leo, this place is like a sauna."
Ethan walked to the desk and saw Leo's pale, almost ashen face and his bloodshot eyes.
His initial excitement instantly subsided.
"You look terrible." Ethan pulled a medicine bottle from his pocket and placed it on the table. "Cold medicine, strong. I knew you'd get sick; in that weather last night, even a bear would get pneumonia after walking outside for two hours."
Leo didn't say anything, but reached out, tremblingly picked up the medicine bottle, poured out two red capsules, and swallowed them with the hot water in the cup.
The hot water flowed down my throat, bringing a momentary comfort.
"Let's get down to business," Leo's voice was hoarse. "How's things going in Harrisburg?"
When the topic turned to business, Ethan's eyes lit up again.
He opened his briefcase, pulled out a thin document receipt (only a few pages long), and placed it on the desk in front of Leo.
"nailed it."
"This afternoon, I completed the final coordination with the legal team of Morganfield Group. After the guarantee agreement was signed, we immediately submitted all the bond issuance application materials to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development."
Ethan pointed to the blue electronic stamp on the receipt.
"Just forty minutes ago, the system showed that the status had changed to 'under processing'."
"Over the next twenty days, people in Harrisburg will be reviewing our debt repayment capacity, the validity of our guarantees, and our financial health. This is going to be tough; any discrepancy in any data point will result in a resubmission."
"And this is only the first hurdle."
Ethan held up two fingers.
"Under Pennsylvania law, we also have to face a statutory public notice period of up to twenty days."
"This is a window of opportunity provided by law for taxpayers and stakeholders to voice their concerns. During these twenty days, any group that feels its interests have been harmed has the right to file a complaint with the State Department of Community and Economic Development, challenging the legality of this debt."
Ethan walked to the window, looked at the gloomy sky outside, and spoke in a low voice.
"So, we've only just earned the right to queue up and get in. The next twenty days are the real countdown to death."
"But funding is no longer an issue." Ethan turned around, a confident look on his face. "We've received word from Senator Sanders that his mobilization efforts in Washington have been very successful."
"Those progressive foundations and pension management agencies of major labor unions are all ready and waiting for our bond codes to be generated."
Ethan gestured with his hand: "For Pittsburgh, five hundred million dollars is a considerable sum, but in Washington's capital markets, with Sanders' endorsement, five hundred million dollars is nothing. It will be snapped up as soon as it goes on sale."
"The only obstacle now is time."
Ethan's expression turned serious again.
"As long as there are no major legal objections, no state-level administrative interventions, and no sudden scandals within these twenty days, we can issue bonds."
"After twenty days, this five hundred million dollars will be ours."
Leo leaned back in his chair, feeling the drowsiness that came with the drugs starting to take effect in his body.
Twenty days.
It sounds short.
But any spark could ignite a new fire within these twenty days.
"I understand." Leo rubbed his temples. "I'll have my men on standby, so I need to know about any disturbance immediately."
The report is over.
Ethan finished tidying up the documents and glanced at Leo.
"Leo, are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital?" Ethan asked worriedly. "You look like a dead person. There's a hearing this afternoon about community heating system upgrades. I can go in your place."
"No."
Leo refused.
"I'll go by myself."
"This minor illness won't kill you."
Ethan opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he held back.
He picked up his briefcase, turned, and walked out of the office.
The door closed.
The only sound in the room was the whooshing of the air conditioner vents.
Leo closed his eyes, feeling alternating chills and heat throughout his body.
Those are symptoms of a fever.
His head hurt terribly, like someone was hitting it with a hammer.
He longed to fall asleep in that chair, even if only for ten minutes.
"Lift your head up."
A cold voice echoed deep within his mind—it was Roosevelt.
"In this position, being sick is the greatest luxury, and also the most dangerous sign of weakness."
"When your enemy sees you with a runny nose, coughing, and shivering in your coat."
"They'll just get excited like sharks that smell blood."
"They'll think: Look, that kid can't hold on. His body is collapsing, and his will will collapse too. This is the best opportunity to attack him."
There was not a trace of pity in Roosevelt's voice.
"A leader cannot have divisions, Leo, whether physical or mental."
"I served as president for twelve years."
"For the past twelve years, my lower body has been completely paralyzed. I have to endure nerve pain that is unimaginable to ordinary people every day. My blood pressure is frighteningly high, and my heart may stop beating at any time."
"But I have never let any outsider see my pain."
"In front of the public, in front of Congress, and in front of my opponents who want to see me fail."
"I will always be Roosevelt, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, chin held high, radiating confidence and power."
"Because I know that I am the backbone of this country."
"If I bend, this country will collapse."
"And you are the mayor of this city."
"You have just sold the future of this city to the devil, and you are about to be burdened with a debt of five hundred million dollars."
"Hundreds of thousands of people are counting on you, and dozens of eyes are watching you from the shadows."
You have no right to be sick.
"Stand up, take off your coat, go to the bathroom to wash your face, and tie your tie."
"It's just physical cold, Leo."
"You were out in the wind on the mountain last night, but what's a little bit of cold wind?"
"To tame the dragons that represent greedy capital, to stand up to the old foxes entrenched in the parliament hall, and to truly control this city."
"Your heart must be colder and harder than the stones at the bottom of the Allegheny River."
Leo opened his eyes.
Yes.
He chose this path, so he must endure the hardships along the way.
Who are you showing weakness to?
Show it to Morganfield? He'll just think it's a bad deal.
Are we showing this to the citizens? They'll just think we chose the wrong person.
Leo picked up the cup and drank the hot water inside in one gulp.
The scalding liquid flowed down my esophagus, causing me to break out in a cold sweat.
He stood up, took off his heavy wool coat, and hung it back on the hanger.
He was only wearing that thin suit jacket.
I walked into the bathroom and looked at my pale self in the mirror.
He turned on the tap and splashed the cold water on his cheeks.
He combed his hair and adjusted the position of his tie.
When he came out of the restroom again, the frail patient was gone.
His back was ramrod straight, and his eyes were sharp.
Even if my body still has a fever, even if every joint is sore.
But he seemed impeccable.
Leo pressed the intercom on the table.
"Sara, get the car ready."
Leo's voice was steady and powerful.
"I'm going to attend a hearing."
"Furthermore, issue a notice that, starting today, the legal department and public relations team should be placed on high alert."
"The next twenty days are a critical juncture for whether this $500 million can actually be secured. I cannot allow any mistakes to occur."
"Have them keep a close eye on everything related to the bond issuance. Whether it's objection notices posted outside the courthouse, negative comments about the debt crisis on social media, or even rumors circulating on the streets about this issuance."
"Anything involving this money, even a seemingly meaningless piece of paper, must be closely monitored and reported immediately."
The 20-day countdown has begun.
This is the last darkness before dawn.
This is also the last vacuum period before the $500 million is actually implemented.
Leo knew that beneath the calm surface, undercurrents were surging.
But he was already prepared.
With a body of steel, face all impacts.
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