Chapter 6 - The Shadowed Deal
The "beginning" turned out to be a massive consolidation of the North Side construction firms. It was a move that caught the old guard off guard and signaled to everyone in Chicago that Roman Falco wasn't just maintaining his territory—he was expanding it.
Harper found herself in meetings that would have terrified her a year ago. She was negotiating with union leaders who had been in the business for forty years, and she was doing it with a calm, analytical ruthlessness that made them reconsider their positions before they even opened their mouths.
She discovered a hidden layer of corruption that extended all the way to the mayor’s office. It wasn't just Hayes; it was a systemic rot that had been festering in the city for decades.
“We can’t just cut the rot out, Roman,” she said one night as they sat in his study, going over the numbers. “We have to replace it with something stronger. If we just expose them, someone else will move into the power vacuum.”
“And what do you suggest?” Roman asked, leaning back in his chair, his eyes fixed on her with intense interest.
“We run our own candidate,” Harper said. “We draft a platform that fixes the infrastructure problems, we fund the campaign, and we make it impossible for them to lose.”
Roman laughed. It was a genuine, surprised sound. “You’re talking about seizing the state house.”
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“I’m talking about taking responsibility,” she countered. “If we’re going to run the logistics of this city, we might as well make sure it functions properly.”
Roman looked at her for a long time. Then he nodded. “Okay. Draft the papers.”
