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. Just as Cortelyou’s star shines brighter than ever, his nine year old daughter, Hazel, dies suddenly from diphtheria.