Chapter 464 - 215: On Law and Justice
Leo swore, hung up, and bolted for the car parked by the side of the field.
His mind was racing, and he drove fast, his speed matching his wildly beating heart.
Luigi Randall, America’s most wanted fugitive, the anti-capitalist hero who had assassinated the CEO of a healthcare giant.
If news of his capture in Pittsburgh got out, the city would instantly become the center of national attention.
The media would swarm in like sharks, and all eyes in Washington would be fixated on the city.
What made it worse was the man’s incredibly sensitive identity.
He had killed the CEO of a healthcare giant, an act that represented the most extreme hatred of capitalism.
And Leo Wallace was a Mayor who had risen to power by fighting capital and championing the common person.
His base—the Union members, the poor, the families who couldn’t afford health insurance—sympathized with, and even idolized, Luigi.
If Leo handed Luigi over to the FBI, to the justice system...
He would be seen as a traitor.
He would become the sheriff who sent Robin Hood to the gallows.
His supporters would be furious and disappointed. His political foundation would crumble.
But if he didn’t hand him over...
That would be harboring a federal fugitive, an act of defiance against the state itself.
It was a no-win situation.
The car screeched to a halt in front of City Hall. Leo burst into his office, not even taking the time to remove his jersey.
"Does Philadelphia know?" Leo shoved the door open and looked at Ethan, who stood before the desk. "Does the media know?"
Ethan shook his head.
"Not yet."
There was a hint of relief in Ethan’s voice.
"The arrest was discreet. There was no shootout, and it didn’t draw a large crowd. The arresting officer is a veteran; he recognized the face and immediately understood the gravity of the situation."
"They took him directly back to the precinct and put him in a private interrogation room."
Ethan swallowed hard.
"Director Carter immediately issued a gag order."
"He cut off all external communications at the precinct, confiscated the phones of every officer who knew, and even pulled the internet cables."
Ethan walked up to Leo and handed him his phone.
"Carter’s on the line. He’s waiting for your instructions."
Leo reached out and took the phone.
"This is Wallace."
"You’ve done well, Everett," Leo said, his voice steady. "You’ve bought us the most precious thing of all."
"Maintain the lockdown on all information," Leo ordered. "I won’t allow any information to leak out, except through the direct channel between you and me."
"Await my next order."
Leo hung up and looked at Ethan.
"Don’t tell me you’ve just been standing here staring into space since you called me."
"Of course not."
Ethan stepped in front of Leo.
"This business with Luigi is tricky. As I see it, we have two options."
"The first option is to hand over Luigi."
"We just have to call Philadelphia. They’ll send a team to Pittsburgh immediately and take Luigi off our hands."
"Procedurally, we’d be bulletproof. You’d not only be fulfilling your duties as Mayor, but you’d also gain a reputation for upholding the rule of law."
Ethan paused, looking Leo straight in the eye.
"But the political consequences would be devastating."
"The news is bound to get out. The moment a photo of Luigi being taken away shows up online—even just a blurry picture of his back—public opinion will detonate."
"In the eyes of the workers who elected you, Luigi isn’t a murderer. He’s an avenger, a modern-day Robin Hood."
"They’ll say that Leo Wallace has changed—that the young dragon slayer who once took on City Hall has now become the evil dragon’s lackey."
"And your political enemies, especially the Republicans, will seize this opportunity and have a field day with it."
Ethan held up a second finger. "Option two: we let him go privately."
"We can take advantage of the current information lockdown to arrange a quiet escape for him, even provide a getaway car. We can destroy the arrest record and pretend this never happened."
"That way, you keep your conscience clear and protect your image in the eyes of the workers."
"But it’s a crime, Leo."
"This is defying federal law, obstruction of justice, and harboring a fugitive felon."
"If this ever comes to light, you’ll be facing more than just impeachment. You’ll be facing prison."
"To your left is betraying the people who put you on a pedestal. To your right is taking on the entire state apparatus."
The room fell into silence.
Leo sighed. Ethan’s analysis was a perfect match for his own.
He had almost no room to choose.
Leo sat in his chair. Luigi’s file lay on the desk before him, a graduation photo from the Wharton School of Business clipped to the top.
The young man in the photo was handsome and full of spirited ambition.
"Ethan."
Leo spoke, his voice soft.
"You know something?"
"If I hadn’t worked at that coffee shop, if I hadn’t been fired, if I hadn’t walked into that community center..."
"Maybe..."
Leo paused.
"Maybe one day, I would have become him."
"I’ve felt that same despair. When I stared at my one hundred and thirty thousand-dollar student loan bill, when I saw how the Omni Company used algorithms to squeeze its workers dry like batteries..."
"I also found myself wondering if complete destruction was the only path to rebirth."
Leo pointed at the photo.
"He wasn’t born a monster. He’s a product of this fucked-up world. He was driven to madness."
"He wanted to be a good man, to change the world by playing by the rules. But he found out that the rules are rigged, and that they exist to devour people."