Harrisburg. The Lieutenant Governor's Office.
Aston Monroe sat on the sofa in the lounge area, a cell phone resting on the coffee table before him.
Just ten minutes ago, the call from a Washington number had ended.
Raymond Walker, the House Majority Leader, had called on behalf of the Democratic National Committee to convey the will of the party's highest echelons.
"Aston, you are our future in Pennsylvania. If you're willing to clean house and make that trouble in Pittsburgh disappear, the party will give you its full support to take over."
It was a promise.
Monroe stood up and walked to the massive floor-to-ceiling window.
The Susquehanna River flowed silently in the night, and in the distance, the lights of the Governor's Mansion glimmered faintly.
Bob Campbell lived there.
An old man who was about to become history.
Monroe's fingers slid gently across the cold glass.
'He'd waited for this day for too long.'
'He deserved to be sitting in that highest position.'
