The smell of gunpowder hung heavy in the hallway.
...
The massive brawl on Capitol Hill quickly became the talk of all of Washington, spread by countless eyes and phone calls.
All the members of Congress were stunned.
They were used to following the orders of their donors.
But now, the donors were fighting amongst themselves.
On one side was the energy and military-industrial complex, demanding industrial security and supporting Pittsburgh.
On the other were the pharmaceutical and financial groups, demanding market order and sanctions against Pittsburgh.
Both were behemoths, and they couldn't afford to cross either one.
The lawmakers who had intended to pick a side on the issue now all chose to remain silent.
They hid in their offices, watching the titans clash, not daring to take a stand.
Washington was paralyzed.
This paralysis was exactly what Leo wanted.
