Spring came slowly to Pittsburgh.
The ice on the Monongahela River had just finished melting, but a cold wind still swirled at the street corners. Only the occasional specks of green sprouting by the roadside served as a reminder that winter was over.
Leo sat behind his desk, holding a cup of hot coffee and looking out at the city.
No urgent calls, no startling awakenings in the middle of the night, no ultimatums that backed him into a corner.
The bill in Washington was still making its way through the legislative process. Redemptions were frozen, stabilizing the cash flow for now. More and more cities were joining the alliance, the snowball growing larger and larger, which allowed Pittsburgh's finances to hold out longer than Leo had expected.
"Quite a change, isn't it?"
Roosevelt's voice drawled lazily.
"A soldier only feels safe in the trenches. Put him in a soft bed, and he'll get insomnia."
