Chris walked the streets of Los Angeles as he thought about the many things he has witnessed and done.   LA was nothing like New York where they had an over crowded Italian District where the young kids formed gangs just to eat.  When it came to comparing it to Philly forgeddaboutit.  Philly the place had a sandwich shop on every corner and the kids ran a muck playing cops and robbers except no one wanted to be a cop.   

He smiled as he thought about the windy city.  Chicago was unique and Michigan Avenue is what he loved the most to include the deep dish Chicago pizza.  Chicago was the place where you had to show balls before you could even get connected.  Big Jim once ran the place but he didn't have vision and Johnny was a man that put into play but it was Al that ruled and made it solid. 

He shook his head when he thought on Detroit, ahhh Detroit, the purple gang ruthless bastards that worked well with Chicago.  Then the Combination came and change the way business was conducted out there.   Vegas was no Hollywood, no star's and their cop's was nothing like the LADP that kick doors down and beat the hell out ofyou before questions were ever asked.  Vegas was full of lights and the crimes done in daylight where the money skimming that hurt the Casino's.   That sent to the prospective owners who would lean money to the legitimate businessmen running to anyone that could save them.  Now a smart man would offer protection to the Casino's for a fee, then take his bank and lean to the small businessesmen and grow until he could give loans to the Casino's that would loan to the major companies.  That same smart man would then get a taste from everything and everyone.

The night air was cool and he had finished conducting business for the family.  He was free tonight to collect is traps and see wait he had to eat. He walked past a pawnshop only to turn back and walk inside.  Chris found himself looking at rings and then wedding ring.  He never saw himself married but if it happened he was not paying full price for no dam ring or wedding.   So many people go into debt  only to start the marriage off wrong and the stress of owing that money that caused the arguments  that lead to the dam divorce in so many marriages that he figured out get a good ring from a good friend and have a small wedding and keep the loot and enjoy the wife.  Have a half dozen kids, let the wife have some spending money, come home every night no fights life would be great. He once thought about his childhood sweetheart as his wife but she would cut his balls off if he ever came home late.  She was a fireball that made him happy but had her on goals.  

He walked into the first casino built, the Flamingo owned by several families most were members of the commission.  Chris looked at the front doors it was more like a hotel then a casino.  He stood there for a moment and then lit a cigarette.   He looked over a Vinny and then they walked further in.  Once he was up to the bar and ordered a gin and tonic as he looked around.   He drifted into a distant memory.  It was his first job when he in America.  He was asked to put a stop to Randolph Bunch a small time businessman.   Randolph was a want to be Irish thug that ruled his block on the south side of Manhattan.  Bunch wanted his due and he was going to get it all.  What he didnt uderstand was that doing it in New York was the wrong place to think he was going to gain respect.  He was 5'11 200 pounds all muscle and fearless.  He had a few men working for him.  

They sent a wet nose kid who was collecting the pennies that others over looked and those pennies started multiplying into dollars.  But the mob was focused on Bunch and his dollars.  When the mob wanted a taste they take even if you offered it they would only want more.  Bunch had some tough goons that worked for him and they had no quorums with killing with their hands, knife or gun.   However that was to defend not to go about doing it because their boss said so.  The mafia those types of killers would kill their family's pet dog if it meant getting paid.

The would kill the kids just to show who sincere they were about the job.  They would increases the shots in the victim so the boss would take some interest in their skills and would require that they meet the boss.  The taking of a mans wife was easy.  Mobster did it not to show their power but because they could.   Chris was chosen to help his cousins.   Chris was a known for being soft hearted and the family wanted to toughen him up for the real world.  What wasn't seen was what would become known as his specialties and his abilities at getting things done. w

Chris went to see Randolph Bunch and reason with him as a family friend and hope that Randolph would agree to terms.  Malone was though cookie and Chris appeared to be weak and scared with his olive skin and his jet black hair all slicked to the back.   Bunch thought that he should beat the hell out of Chris to send a message.  Chris looked like a push over and with a few punches may beg him to stop.  Chris however showed a darker side that cought them both off guard.  Chris sent Bunch back with a beating  to show everyone that worked for bunch and lived in the neighorborhood hthat he wasn't scared and that he was connected to the mob. 

As Chris went from speaking english in a soft respectful tone into a demon posses voice with a grin and a glim in his eyes as Chris spoke in length in his Sicilian dialect because Bunch just refused to listen.  He hit Bunch in the face with his fist only after he stabed Bunch's hand nailing it to the table with a fork.  Then he stood behind Bunch and forced Bunch's head into the edge of the dinning table several times.  He yanked the fork out and then stabbed Bunch in his ear while yelling for him to start listening.  Then Chris stopped took a beathe then sat next to Bunch talking to him as if nothing had happen.  Chris then told two of bunch's henchmen to take the old fashion dress slob out for a walk in the park and not to bring him back until he understands that New York now runs his operations.

They nodded as they stood Randolph up and one of the goons grabbed Randolph bleeding hand and wrapped it with a rag.  Chris maneuvered around the man and then throat punched the man telling him never cover up his work.   To let the fucker bleed or he would be next on the list that he was carrying.  The second man looked at Randolph and his partner and quickly grabbed Randolph and forced him to start walking.  While the other man laid on the ground looking like he was choking himself as he was in pain from having  a shattered wind pipe as Chris crushed his adam's apple with that punch.

Then Chris sat down again and then pulled out his switch blade and starting cutting up an apple that Randolph was saving for later to eat.  Ten minutes later Randolph was brought back and for the first time Bunch had fear in his eyes as he looked at Chris who had a grin that made any man feel fear for the first time.  Chris pulled his gun and sat it on the table and at that moment two more jack legs came crashing in and stopped in their tracts ducking low and spinning towards the opposite direction.  Chris never fired a shot.  Chris then asked for Bunch's first payment that needed to go to Charlie.  

Bunch pointed to a desk and Chris walked uver and opened the top drawer and saw several fat envelopes filled with dollar bills.  Chris took five of the seven and told Bunch that he didnt want to be greedy and that when someone comes collecting to show that personfar more respect then what he had shown Chris.  Bunch droped his head as he knew that Chris was going to be the first of many men that would collect tribute for Mr. Luciano.  

                                                  I was only gone a week.

Whispers was waiting to pick up his employer as Chris walked off the plane  Whispers embraced Chris in the lobby of the Airport Hilton. 

Whispers tried to make light of the situation as he had known Chris for many years and looking at Chris who looked like shit.  Not that Whispers felt or looked any better.  None of them had slept in what felt like days.

Chris asked     "Where is she?"

Whispers answered   "She fainted at the funeral good thing too because the second she hit the ground the bullets sprayed the walls and we lost a few friends as you know.  We've got her under guards, sleeping in the penthouse."

"Guards?"   Chris asked as they walked quickly towards the elevator.  Chris could feel his blood boiling again 

“I thought we took care of their people?"

“Not all of them, the few that are life lingering around we thought wouldn’t want to stay in the thick of this."  

Chris eyes narrowed as he looked at Whispers.  He wanted to shoot someone anyone to be honest. He gritted his teeth and nodded in agreement because he thought the same thing after the take down of  Don Marucci.  Whispers nodded back then said to Chris.  

"Don Eppolito has a shit ton of guys watching over her.  When he got elevated to Boss he let people know that he was running the Broadway Mafia."

They reached the top floor then Whispers pulled out a key and the elevator continued to raise when it did stop and the doors open they were inside an apartment.  This was the Don’s private penthouse.  

They reached the top floor then Whispers turned the key that he stuck when they enttered the Elevator.  They then started moving up again and then the doors open and they were inside the apartment.  This was the Don's private penthouse.  Chris saw no less than twenty armed guards, somewhere sitting around other were pacing back and forth.  This high dollar apartment was far more larger than some peoples homes were.  

Chris was full of mixed emotions excited to she was awake and talking.  Yet still pisst that he wasn’t there to prevent the hit from happening.   She was happy to still be alive but she was  pisst because she didn’t  see it coming.  Chris sat there the whole night with her fading in and out as she took her medications.  He made a few jokes to lighten the mood as she took her meds.  Each time she became loopy he would have her sing a love song or ask her questions about how she feels about him.  It was like having her hypnotized to tell the whole truth. 

Chris left her to handle some family matters in Chicago and in the spand on one week he had his men move on a Don to help her father become Don.  Went to New York to handle work for his own boss and call home to here that the remainder of Marucci men struck back and his woman was under a great deal of stress and suffered a bullet in her left arm because of this war.  after bringing her back stateside from a war in Sicily two weeks prior.  He didn’t realize that Whispers greeted him with a hug at the airport after he exited the airplane.   until he realized that he wasn't in New York.  Chris was too ashamed to apologize for being upset when they were talking.  Yet he set his pride aside and went and did it

Whispers, you have always been a good loyal friend to me.  I never really treated you the way you deserve.  You are a man to be respected and feared and having you with me meant less worry for me.  I owe you man, I really do.  Back there, man I’m sorry, I lost my bearing I'm sure you understand man, she well you know.  Hell she’s everything to me.  I’d cut off my right arm for my men but for her I’d gladly give up my life.  Anyway I’m saying, well what matters now is that you, your still my brother and going forward I will stop and control my f’n anger and start listening to you.  No more flying off the f’n handle.  

They reach her room.  

Before I go in there tell me what happen.

Whispers explained that they were heading to her home when they got a block away two cars passed then turned around and the shooting started.  She regained her bearings and was firing back on one side and how he was on the other.    How he shot the driver of the car that was firing at them.  Then how the car on the left side of them started shooting at them and how she started shooting back at them.  How he had to  leaned out the window on his side and was firing at that car also.  The pursuing car crashed into a parked car and  we were able to get away.  There was a third car that was at the house but that car your woman shot the front two tires out so they couldn’t follow.  Chris you should be proud of her, she is a good shoot at tires and cars and houses and trees.  Chris chuckled a bit as he nodded knowing that Whispers was trying to lighten the mood and easy Chris’s mind from worry.  Chris placed his hand on Whispers shoulders and smiled and said.

Thank brother, you saved my heart twice.  I owe you big time.  I know you want to bring your entire family over here at once.  That house you bought cost you most of your saving while you were sending money home.  You never asked me for help and I respected the fact you wanted to do it on your own.  So tomorrow I will make a call and get them my friend to ensure all the papers are in order so they can arrive here in style.   You made enough money to pay for their passage.   So let me do this to show my appreciation.  

Whispers agrees with a heartfelt handshake and a tearful smile.  Chris enters her room as she was asleep on the bed.  She was so tired that she left the light on.  He sat next to her as a tear formed as he thought that he could be looking at her in a casket instead of her on her bed.  He gently touched her brunette hair it was so soft and silky as he moved a few locks to expose more of her beautiful face

As Chris looked at her beautiful face he started to remember his last days oversea's.  

Chris arrived in Naples a day early, as he wanted to catch up with old friends and check up on the family holdings.  He was already missing Sicily and It was going to be a busy day from start to finish as he was shaking hands and kissing babies so to speak.  He met with several family members laughing and joking and killing time with memories of their younger days.  He knew that the next day he would have to speak with his Don to play catch up on his activities on the east coast and his time in Detroit and Chicago.  

The next morning Chris woke up reaching for his gun as the sound of gunfire rang out and continued as if shots were coming at him.   Chris forgot that there would be a celebration across America it was as if Mardi Gras was happening all over the country.  Fireworks were going off in the streets as he drug himself out of his bed.  Toting his 1911 with him to the bathroom and placing his pistol in a folded towel to keep it from getting wet.  He placed the towel on the vanity so that if he needed it the business end was already pointing at the door.  Chris then splashes a bit of cologne  on his face and looked in the mirror smiling and nodding at himself as he flexed his muscles he was dam proud of his physique.  

He was still tired and wanted to break from the noise as he ran his right hand over his hair from front to back Chris realized he needed to make calls and  see what the family was planning and who was going to handle what rackets going forward.   Chris continued looking at himself the man was conceded and he knew it but didn’t give two shits about it.   Wondering how lucky he was to have his woman.  Stripping down into his birthday suit and turning on the hot water and adjusting the cold to ensure that the water was at his desired temperature.

As the water hit his chest and he revolved around allowing the water messaged his back Chris began to melt from the comfort.  It became a long hot shower as Chris finally decided to step out and dry off.  Looking at the steam that was escaping the bathroom and floating into the bedroom he thought of his lady and knew that before the day was over he had to call her.  Fully dressed in a suit and ready to start collecting he remembered that Whispers and Peter Whack would be at the post office waiting on him.   

Chris then called his Don but again no answer it was still early so he thought they were celebrating like everyone else.  Hours passed and Chris was now back at the post office for a second time.  He then called the love of his life and ended up talking to the maid.   He left a message for her and ending by saying he would call tomorrow.      He wished he made her stay with him for another week not knowing her life would be in danger before he made it back.