Washington D.C. A conference room on the top floor of a K Street office building.
In the center of the room, several senior Republican Party aides and policy experts were gathered around a circular table.
On the large screen on the wall, a replay of Leo Wallace's press conference in Pittsburgh was playing.
Onscreen, the young Mayor was passionately waving his arms, speaking about idealistic concepts like "new citizens," land trusts, and "jobs, not drugs."
"Pause."
A voice rang out in the dark screening room, and the image froze on Leo's confident face.
「The lights came on.」
Richard Taylor took off his gold-rimmed glasses and rubbed his strained eyes. He had been staring at the video of the young man's speech for a full twelve hours.
The screening room was quiet, save for the low hum of the air conditioning vents.
A few of the strategists sitting across from him broke the silence.
