October 1896 – Washington D.C.
Bradford had spent years observing President Matthew Hesh, learning his strengths and weaknesses. He understood that Matthew had a strong moral compass, that he believed Amerathia's war against Spain had been about justice, not conquest.
But Bradford had also learned something else—Matthew was vulnerable to public pressure.
It was clear now: if they wanted war, they wouldn't need Matthew's approval. They only needed the Amerathian people to demand it.
And that's exactly what Bradford intended to make happen.
Bradford sat in a private meeting with a select group of senators, military officers, and industrialists—men who shared his vision for an Amerathian empire.
A large map of the world was spread across the table in front of them. Amerathia's new holdings—Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines—were marked in red.
