Chapter 510 - 236: Secret Plot
"So..."
Monroe’s voice was blunt and undisguised.
"You really want me to replace him?"
"Why not?" Leo retorted. "I’m looking for a true leader. Campbell will soon be a thing of the past, and you are the true Governor."
Monroe felt his throat go dry.
He watched the long shadows cast by the streetlights outside, and in his eyes, they transformed into a red carpet leading to the pinnacle of power.
Before this, what Leo had stirred in him was merely an unrealistic fantasy about the future.
When this insane proposal was laid before him again, he clearly realized that Leo was serious this time.
This young man’s ambitions were immense.
This realization sent a chill down Monroe’s spine, but that chill was immediately and utterly consumed by a searing restlessness.
Although only one word separated "Vice Governor" from "Governor," the gap between them was an insurmountable chasm.
Four years was too long.
He didn’t want to wait anymore.
Monroe took a deep breath, feeling ambition surge wildly through his veins.
"Leo."
Monroe spoke into his phone, his voice laced with grim determination.
"We’re talking about a coup against the incumbent Governor."
"This is a blatant challenge to the party’s internal order. If we fail, you and I will lose all standing in Pennsylvania."
He paused, then said, "Frankly, we could wait another four years, until the next election. By then, Campbell’s term will be over, I’ll have enough seniority, and the situation will be more ripe."
"Washington has already passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which means the Federation’s top brass also has complaints about the exorbitant profits in the healthcare insurance industry. The tide is turning. As long as we ride this wave, the handover in four years will be very smooth."
Leo let out a cold laugh on the other end of the line.
"Four years?"
"Aston, are you really willing to wait four years, or are you testing me?"
"I mean, I want you to be Governor. Right now."
"Start preparing four years early."
Leo said, "If you complete this healthcare reform now and truly win the hearts and minds of all of Pennsylvania, then that presidential seat in the White House... it wouldn’t be out of reach, would it, Mr. Monroe?"
President.
That word ignited a fire in Monroe’s mind.
He sat in the dark car, this ambitious blueprint perfectly aligning with his perception of himself.
He came from a prestigious family, had a perfect résumé, and had spent his entire life preparing for that ultimate position.
He felt he was the destined leader.
"Fine. I understand."
Monroe’s gaze turned cold and sinister.
"I can guarantee that in the final text of the bill, the pharmacy benefit manager with exclusive purchasing rights will be your Mutual Aid Alliance and no one else. That is my promise."
"But, Leo, Campbell wants to be the good guy right now. He wants to sign it. I can’t stop him directly; that would expose my intentions."
"I need chaos. I need a reason he can’t sign."
Monroe continued, "I need to forge a weapon."
"I don’t mind being used as a weapon," Leo laughed on the other end. "As long as I achieve my goals, what’s the harm in being the weapon?"
The call ended.
Monroe sat in the car, watching his phone screen go dark.
The self-satisfied look on Campbell’s face back in the study had disgusted him.
He absolutely could not let Campbell sign that bill.
Not signing the bill was the key to Leo helping him rise to power. He knew what Leo really wanted, and only he could give it to him.
That madman from Pittsburgh had pressed a lit torch into his hands.
He had to proactively create conflict, to muddy the waters.
Only in chaos does a power vacuum emerge.
Only in crisis could he prove Campbell’s incompetence.
Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, Leo walked to the window and looked out at the city that was his.
’Mr. President.’
Leo mused silently.
"The fish is on the hook."
Roosevelt’s voice rang out, tinged with amusement.
"You gave him an apple he couldn’t refuse, but he doesn’t know there’s a snake hidden inside."
"You’re not just choosing a Governor, Leo."
"You’re choosing your puppet."
Leo looked at his reflection in the glass and straightened his tie.
"Puppet or ally."
"As long as I can drive those Vampires out of Pennsylvania, I don’t mind turning the entire political landscape of Pennsylvania into my chessboard."