The Seventh Family

Boxes of milk

Van’s name became of force to reckon with in the Chicago underworld. He played his games in cognito, he as slippery as ice and planted men at all an angles. He men in the law, business circles and the love of the masses with his philanthropic gestures.

He used shipping line to bring in more immigrants where he recruited more loyalists. He had informants all around.

The Irish mob felt it was time to cripple him and one way of doing that was to hijack his brewery and bootlegging business which was the biggest in the country.

They got this opportunity when the  Irish mob discovered a man known as Varry Mandiger who bought liquor from Van worth millions of dollars.

The mob got to Varry and gave him an offer. He could get cheaper liquor from them so Varry changed his patronage line to theirs.

Then the big chance came in October 1933.

News filtered that that United States of America would host the world sports and cultural completion which was expected to bring more than three million visitors to New York.

That prompted the biggest demand for liquor in the history of bootlegging.

There was a meeting summoned by the Irish mob leaders headed by John Mauel.

“Varry and his men have come with a demand beyond our capacity. He needs liquor worth one two hundred million  dollars. There will be a high demand during the games and he represents the Gurrel Cartel. They are affiliated with the Untouchables so they will sell to consumers directly and we do not have to worry about the police. All we will do is sell in balk.”

“But you know we are facing mass invasion by the police. Just this week, seven breweries were shut down.” Sam, one of the mob leaders said.

“Mine is one of the closed breweries and I had a close shave with jail term so I know right.” John said. “From my calculations, we can get if for one hundred and twenty million dollars. We are left with a profit of eighty million dollars. Splitting depends on amount contributed.” Said john. “We have eight cartels here.”

“You did not answer Sam’s question, John.” Patrick, another cartel leader said. “How do we get the liquor to supply?”

“We will get it from Van.”

The other wondered.

“Van? You mean Shoe-Man? When did he become our ally?” Sam asked.

“He has the biggest brewery and nobody knows it’s location. He does not have to be our ally. Varry was his customer before I hijacked the transaction. This is business. He will not refuse an offer to sell liquor worth one hundred and sixty million dollars. And that is not all; I have plans to make him sell the brewery for two hundred million dollars.”

“You know he won’t sell it.” Nato, another leader said.

“I know he won’t sell it on his own accord but I got that figured out. I met one of the FBI agents on his payroll: Agent Chris Badmos.

Chris is optimistic that he will find the brewery before the week runs out. He only him and three of his agents will take on the operation. When that is done, Van will be threatened so if I offer to buy it, he would gladly sell it to me and would not tell me that the place is marked.

I will settle Chris and his boys. I mean silence them for good and Van will be out of business.”

Their plan did but come as easy as they had anticipated. Getting to meet with Van was difficult and when they met, Van said he did not trust them so there would be no transaction.

It took a month to get Van to sell the liquor to them. It was done under tight security.

John also bought the brewery which to their amazement was located at the public place but no one could suspect that it was a brewery with an underground factory.

This seemed like a victory for them and other mobs as Van left the bootlegging business. John became the biggest producer in Chicago and most parts of USA.

But he was a bit worried since Agent Chris and his vanished. He was told that they left the agency.

Why?

He had wanted to silence them avoid blackmail like it was done to Van which forced him to sell the place. But since it was said that they left the agency, he relaxed and forgot about them.

Then Varry never showed up after making them get liquor worth two hundred million dollars and paid an upfront of twenty million dollars.

They could not trace him and nothing was heard about him again until they heard the announcement on 5, December, 1933 that the prohibition era was over.

Production and consumption of alcohol was no more illegal! Then it all added up.

Van was behind the scam!

He had deceived them.

Varry was not representing any racket but working for Van.  Van had planned it all. He made Varry look like a big customer by drawing the attention of John who a anticipated hijacked it.

All the money Varry used to buy from John was from Van and they would dispose at a cheaper rate to reduce the lost. When it was known that USA would host the games, Van made Varry make such a high demand and made him pay twenty million dollars upfront.

Van knew they would not get liquor that much and he had used his police friends to make sure most of their breweries were closed so they would have to come to him.

He also lured John into buying his breweries at an exuberant price while he knew from an inner source that the prohibition was soon going to be over even the senate passed the motion since February.

Now he got three hundred and sixty million dollars from them after spending about thirty million as capital.

This was the day he became one of the richest men in the world.

******

Round the table were Van, Didi, Frank, Santana, Giovanni, Mario, and Andrea AKA Andy.

They had expensive bottles of wine in front of them. They did not know why Van had sent for them.

“Thank you gentle men for adhering to my calls. I know you are all aware that I left the liquor industry a few weeks ago which is one of the major business we had. I appreciate your loyalty and disloyalty during the transaction.

Most of you do not have another business but I am glad you all live well and I hope you will keep leaving well.

That cannot be done with the stopping of bootlegging. I got the wind since that prohibition would end. A lot thought the legislative calls were a child’s play but I knew better so I prepared for it. The time has come to make that decision. Every man to himself and  God for all but that does not mean a total disconnect.

I hereby relieve you all from today. You are no more under my racket. You need to be on your own and grow your world. This is freedom…”

“Just like that?” Andrea cut in. “We don’t even have any other thing..’

“Shut up Andrea!” Van barked in a manner in a manner Andrea had never seen. “How dare you interrupt me? I have tolerated you for long. Whatever it is, you work for me and I am your godfather. I literally saved your life and provided you with shelter, food, medication, mans of income and protection. Do not let this farewell meeting be your farewell form the world. If you dare interrupt me again, or go rude on me, then you will face the consequences.”

Andrea calmed down. He knew beneath Van’s humorous nature was a very dangerous man who never made any empty threat. He was a bulldog with full sharp fangs.

“I am sorry Capo.” He said unwillingly.

“I don’t know how you guys intend to live the rest of your lives but I do intend to make sure you still have lives, Over there are boxes of milk. They are seven. Didi, Frank, Santana, Giovanni, and Andy should all pick one each while Mario picks two. Mario had shown exceptional loyalty and assiduity which I never intend to forget. Drink more milk brother. Excuse me while you enjoy your milk. Do not forget to take some home for your families. Excuse me, gentlemen,”

Van got up, lit a cigar, gulped wine and left hall.

Andre chuckled.

“You guys say I rant too much. That is it! Just milk and we are on our own.”

“Shut up Andy!” Mario snarled. “We were all starving when he found us. We worked for him for years and we made a lot of money. He is not our baby sitter. I saved three hundred thousand dollars and that is enough to get me into something else.”

“Loyal dog.” Andy smirked. “You got two cartons of milk.”

“We may have to silence you.” Didi said. “Capo saved my life, saved my wife from becoming a s*x slave and gave me a life. I may have not saved much but he gave us a chance. I did not see this coming anyways but we got ourselves to blame. If you don’t want the mil, I will have it.”

Two men came in to the hall twenty minutes later.

“Gentlemen.” One of them said. “Capo will not be returning anytime soon. He just left the country so you can pick your cartons and leave. He says goodbye.”

This took the men by surprise.

Don Van! So unpredictable.

Santana go up and went to pick his box. He carried it and opened it.

He was shocked to see the contents.

One of the men that came in smiled.

“Each box contains five million dollars. Capo asked me to remind you: everyman to himself, god for all.”

Van and his family were on their way to Italy at that moment.

This was the day the seven families were born.

*******