After leaving Harrisburg, Leo went straight back to Pittsburgh.
In the Mayor's Office, Leo sat behind his desk, holding the telephone receiver.
He was about to make a crucial phone call.
A call to Ron Smith.
The call connected.
"Ron."
Leo's voice was steady.
"It's Leo."
"Are you ready?"
It was a simple question.
But in this context, it was a signal—the signal they had agreed upon with the other mayors back in Pittsburgh's Conference Room One.
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line.
Then came the sound of a lighter striking, followed by a deep inhale.
Ron Smith's voice came through, laced with obvious hesitation.
"Leo."
"Do we really have to go this far?"
Smith asked from the other end of the line.
"You know what this means. Once we do this, there's no turning back."
"The workers are already exhausted. They just got their paychecks and have had a few days of peace."
Smith paused.
