It had been a toss of the dice sending her step-mother a letter asking her to send someone so dear to her, someone so trusted as a childhood friend.  There was no guarantee he'd accept her offer, but she was short on options.  Marcie was on a special project that would take too much of her time to stay on as Left Hand Man.  

She had people who would have been good for the job.  It wasn't like she couldn't promote from within, but in the handful who were ready for leadership there were a variety of reasons to pass them over... some didn't want leadership and she could respect that, some felt they didn't have a bond with their new crew just yet and couldn't justify accepting their button yet, some she knew without a doubt had a fire and gift for exciting the masses and would be spitfire gang leaders... so she just couldn't pick those people.

When all was said and done she felt like no one could fill the huge shoes Marcie left and the only way to make Lemons of Lemonade was to look for a trusted man in an allied family whom she could ... lift.  Recruiting outside talent was a way to make the crew stronger and it was done often.  Offering a hand position was one of the few times it could be done tastefully and without a whole shit ton of trouble.  Generally speaking it was a matter of compensation and she had one advantage going into negotiations with Marie... she was blood family.

Isabella sat in her office at the top of the Ivory Tower, a working lighthouse overlooking the Detroit River to Windsor Canada - a mere 2 miles away.  Today was a clear day, the sun was shinning and the train from Chicago to Detroit was running on time.  She looked at her watch.  The priest should be arriving any moment. 

She smoothed out her navy blue dress, always worried that her scars were visible through the thin form-fitting fabric.  She knew she should not be nervous, she was a Don with a connection to this priest (if loosely), and the offer was a good one.  And yet she was.  The reality was, she had no plan B.  If he turned her down, the early phases of the Tower's growth were dead in the water.  She'd be back at square one and forced to start breaking up her street gangs even before they launched - definitely NOT ideal.  The loss of Marcie was huge... but Isabella would not let it stop the tower.

There was plenty going on lately for Calimero as he worked hard for Marie in Chicago. He had plenty of mileage on his body after all his time working for Don Messina in the old country, but he still had not lost his drive to continue working hard. There was a fire within him, which he believed was God. It kept him going and it helped to keep him alive.

He was still working in Chicago when Marie walked into his Church and handed him an envelope. She wasn't very vocal as she gave him a quick hug and told him, "Whatever you decide, I am so happy to have you here in the states."

It was an odd thing to say and he wasn't entirely sure what was happening. He opened the envelope and inside there were two letters, one from Marie and one from Isabella-Luciano. Within the one from Marie she explained how happy she was to have him back working with her, but that she was also happy to work with him wherever he might go. This continued to leave him in a bit of a confused state.

The second letter was from Isabella who he had met while on a visit to Detroit. She was asking him to come visit her over in Detroit in regards to her recently launched crew "The Ivory Tower". Although he was not entirely sure what was going to happen, he decided that he would make the trip. There wasn't any reason for him to not go to the Motor City to hear what it was she might need to talk to him about.

He quickly packed his things and made his way to the airport...

Once he was in Detroit, he hailed a cab and made his way over to where Isabella designated as their meeting place. As he exited the cab and handed over a small sum of money, he looked around to take in the sights of the lighthouse which was where he would meet with her. Calimero made his way inside after being stopped shortly at the front. He traveled to where Isabella's office was after questioning the men at the front. 

He knocked on the door and made his way inside, "Hello Isabella, how are you? I'm not entirely sure why you requested my presences, but I am happy to have made the trip out here to see you once again."

She came to the Priest and kissed his cheeks in traditional Italian greeting, as a close friend of her blood family.  "I appreciate you making the trip, Padre."  She said motioning to a seat and dismissing her men so they were left alone.  "I won't waste your time with small talk, I know that you have much you could be doing instead of coming to me today... although, I welcome your questions once I've said my peace."

"I've recently been deprived of one my people who help this operation keep functioning in good order.  I have plans for just about everyone under me right now and so ... promotion isn't in the cards at this juncture.  Everyone here is creating bonds, trying to build up their own corner of our over all operations."  Isabella walks over and sits down behind her desk.  The office is done in nautical decor, white and navy colors with a few red accents.  Above them the light's engine can be heard, but only dimly through the thick ceiling.  On her desk is photos of a variety of gangsters with whom the priest might be acquainted: Elias, Eleonora, JoliBebe, and, of course, Marie & Salvatore.

"So, I figured it might be good to recruit some outside talent for the good of the operation's stability.  It saves me from looking like I'm putting one new person over another person when really everyone here is so damn new that no one has had a chance to stand out in earnings or anything else."

"If this is even something you'd consider... and maybe it isn't... but if you're open to it... I can talk to you a little about what I'm prepared to offer you for signing on with my crew, and a small bit about what it is we're doing here in Detroit for Godfather Luciano." 

There was an unexpected look upon Calimero's face which matched how he felt after finally hearing the reasoning for his journey to Detroit in order to see Isabella-Luciano...

"Well, I was not expecting you to ask me to fill such a role or to take on such an honor." He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts.

He had been working so hard for Godmother Marie in Chicago after so many years of service to her family. So this was not quite a large step outside of the norm for him as he would technically still be working for her family. Within his journals he heard only good things about The Ivory Tower and others who worked under it's banner. 

"I would be happy to join you here working for The Ivory Tower. Although of course I'd still enjoy to learn more about what it is you wish for me to do and what we will be doing here." He smiled over at her.

There was so much more for Calimero to possibly do in Chicago, but he was definitely happy to make his way to Detroit in order to continue his work. He had been expanding his work across the nation already through is businesses and his churches. So it was not out of the ordinary for him to work within another city. He knew it would be possible for him to make the Motor City his home.

"Anything that you could need of me, I would be happy to do. You hold a relationship to Marie, so my service to her and her family can continue with my service to you and The Ivory Tower. With her blessing I would look forward to what the future holds for me in Detroit." There was a dumb grin stuck on his face as he thought about the possibilities that the future might hold for him in this new role.

He realized that he was still in an important meeting and composed himself as he looked across at Isabella....

"The Tower is an older creation than my own.  The Messina family use to lead it before me and before them the DiCaprio and Fazzone families.  The journals of my distant cousins have fallen into my care via Godmother Marie and my own Godfather Salvatore.  The purpose of this family is a simple one... we're here to impart something of the Old Ways to the next generation of American Mafioso.  Honor.  Respect.  Family."

"Lucia Fazzone-DiCaprio hunted rogues after the fall of her Godfather, and she founded the Tower with the thought that she could utilize the same tactics of the criminals she hunted - for a greater good.  Many people who have called the Tower home have gone on to have children who rose up and lead some of the most well known families on these shores.  It's something we take pride in, and as a man from the Old Country who has worked for a notable family, it made all the sense in the world to tap you for my left hand."

She leaned back in her chair.  "Our operations cover a variety of Godfather Luciano's needs... but at the heart of our operations is the Black Market."  She glances out the window at Windsor.  "We're in eye shot of a land that supplies anything you can think of that we can't find easily here in the United States.  Our location allows for this place to become a shipping port once night falls - we just make sure to pay the local police force well to stay away.  Our people pull late hours sometimes, but the income is well worth it."

"That the government in this country limits good businessmen from doing commerce such as this... and it's a shame.  We provide a service to the community... hell to the whole United States thanks to my partial ownership of the local rail companies.  We get things people what they want and what they need by putting those things into the hands of capable business men ... all of whom make us a great deal of money."

"What I need from you is simply put: be a teacher, a mentor, help us keep up morale.  In time perhaps I'll entrust you to other aspects of the leadership which need doing ... but let's start with this, if you're up for it?"

He nodded and listened as Isabella went through her history, what they did at the Ivory Tower, the role they played in Detroit, and finally the role she wished for him to take on as Left Hand at the Ivory Tower. It was a lot for him to take in all at once, but he could feel the history and the strength that radiated from her and this place. It was God who had brought him along this path and it must have been his will that he end up here at this very moment looking across at Isabella....

"Yes, I can do what you ask of me. I would be happy to teach others and be a source of morale for those who work alongside me. I do so naturally in my everyday life with those who are searching for answers from God. Why wouldn't I be able to bring those skills here to The Ivory Tower's members." He smiled as he thought about some of the wayward souls he had helped during his life.

"It is also not too difficult for me at this time to move, since Chicago is not that far of a distance from Detroit. So even for just my own personal life this decision is not a hard one. I look forward to getting to know and work in the city of Detroit. I am sure it will become a place that I can call home just as Chicago was." He knew this was true, although he would most certainly find it hard to leave Chicago.

This was quite the interesting day for him as it had begun like every other, but now it would be ending with quite a change to his life. A change that he hoped would lead to even more amazing things. 

"I am grateful for this opportunity and while of course I do hope in time I earn the opportunity to do more. I am looking forward to the work ahead of me here with you and the rest of the members of the Ivory Tower. I know that it will be the next great chapter of my story." Again the excitement turned into a dumb grin sitting upon his face.

It was almost impossible for him to get rid of the smile which continually fought to be upon his face....