Forging America: My Campaign Manager is Roosevelt-Chapter 38 - 33: Dancing with the Demon

The Allegany Mountain Summit Club was situated on a mountaintop on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, overlooking the entire city’s nightscape.

This was the private domain of Pittsburgh’s powerful elite.

Its membership roster included all of the city’s most influential figures.

Bankers, lawyers, CEOs of major corporations, and the heirs of old-money families that went back generations.

An ordinary citizen of Pittsburgh could struggle their entire life and never set foot through its doors.

Leo, wearing his second-hand suit, arrived at the club’s heavily guarded main gate in a taxi.

He gave his name.

Only after the guard at the gate confirmed his identity over a walkie-talkie did the heavy, ornate iron gate swing open.

A waiter in a tuxedo was already waiting at the entrance.

He led Leo through a long corridor lined with classical oil paintings and into a private cigar lounge.

An old man in a dark vest, with graying hair but a vigorous spirit and sharp eyes, was sitting on a massive leather sofa, holding a glass of whiskey.

This was Douglas Morganfield.

The chairman of the Morganfield Industrial Group, the true uncrowned king of Pittsburgh.

When he saw Leo enter, he stood up, a benevolent smile spreading across his face.

He extended his hand to Leo.

"Welcome, Mr. Wallace." His voice was not loud, but it was resonant. "Please, have a seat."

Leo shook his hand and sat down on the sofa opposite him.

"My boy, you’ve been causing quite a stir in Pittsburgh lately," Morganfield began. "I’ve seen your videos. Well shot, and very provocative."

"I’ve also seen through those little tricks the fools on the city council have been pulling." He shook his head. "All they’re thinking about is how to skim a cut from your funds, whereas you... you genuinely want to do something for this city."

Morganfield’s words took Leo by surprise.

He had thought this would be a hostile affair.

But he never expected the man to immediately take on the air of a senior praising his junior.

Morganfield then proposed a collaboration that shocked Leo.

"I hear your project is currently stalled by the city council, is that right?"

Leo nodded.

"I can solve that problem for you," Morganfield said casually. "All it takes is one phone call from me, and Speaker Daniel Murphy will be more than happy to reconsider the amendment he proposed and green-light your project."

He watched Leo, waiting for his reaction.

"In return," he continued, "I hope that your community renovation projects will prioritize purchasing products from a building materials company under our Morganfield Group."

"Rest assured, I won’t put you in a difficult position," he added. "I’ll supply all the products to you at cost. I guarantee it’ll be the lowest price you can find in all of Pittsburgh."

Leo couldn’t understand Morganfield’s attitude, so he turned to Roosevelt in his mind.

’Wasn’t it his political agent, Senator Warren, who did everything he could to obstruct our application for this fund in Washington?’

’Logically, we should be enemies. Why would he help me?’

Roosevelt replied, "There are no enemies, my boy."

"For people like them, standing at the top of the pyramid, only two things exist in this world: assets they can control, and risks they cannot."

"Before, you were preparing to ask Washington for a sum of money outside their control to transform their territory. To them, you were an unpredictable risk. Therefore, they had to use all their power to crush you at the earliest opportunity."

"But now, the situation has changed."

"The money is in your hands. You’ve become an asset with control over two and a half million US Dollars. Their plan to crush you failed, so they immediately changed their strategy."

"Their goal now is to control this newly emerged asset—you—and make you serve their interests."

"They never gamble. They always hedge their bets."

"Mayor Carter Wright is the political agent they’ve been backing for over a decade. But they also see very clearly that Carter Wright is an incompetent fool. He can’t even handle a newcomer like you. His political value is almost exhausted."

"And you, Leo Wallace, have shown tremendous potential in this fight. You know how to mobilize public opinion, you know how to deal with Washington, and you know how to get money out of their pockets."

"So, what they’re doing now is hedging their risk between you and Carter Wright."

"They will bet on both you and Carter Wright simultaneously. That way, no matter which of you gains control of Pittsburgh’s political scene in the future, they can guarantee their own interests will not be harmed."

Roosevelt’s explanation made everything click for Leo.

He looked at the smiling old fox before him and understood the mindset of these capitalist oligarchs.

They have no principles, no loyalty, no ideology.

Their only faith is in the maximization of profit and the minimization of risk.

Morganfield raised his glass, gesturing toward Leo.

"So, what do you say, my boy?" he said with a smile. "This is a mutually beneficial proposal. Work with me, and the road ahead will be much smoother for you."