In a world ruled by patronage and privilege, a young postal clerk with unique skills, integrity, and tireless work ethic, catches the attention of powerful men in Washington DC - beginning a rise through the machinery of American power, not by connections, but by merit.

As the economy wobbles under the weight of reckless speculation and unchecked corporate trusts, a full-blown panic erupts on Wall Street in October 1907. A run on the banks spreads nationwide. There’s no Federal Reserve, no deposit insurance—just fear and collapsing confidence. While Roosevelt is away, Cortelyou, now Secretary of the Treasury, meets with J.P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, and other financial titans to end the crisis.

As Roosevelt prepares to leave the office, Cortelyou's national profile has quietly grown. Rumors swirl that he could be the next President of the United States - especially with the open support of J.P. Morgan. The spotlight is finally his for the taking, but it comes at a cost: he must become the thing he’s spent his life avoiding - a political animal. Does he take it?