The Seventh Family

Round table

Nicolas summoned three of his sons: Harry, Danilo and Sean. Harry was the eldest and above fifty years old. He was known to be gentle and smart. Nicolas felt he was not so active and did not really showed much interest in the family business but Camillo, his son was what Nicolas wanted. He was smart, calm, matured, ruthless and decisive. Danilo was fifty years old. He was ambitious, arrogant, ruthless and smart. The youngest was Sean who was forty two. He was more active when it came to organization but he lacked leadership qualities.

The Nicolas family was large. He had three sons and two daughters. The daughters were more involved in their carriers but had much love and support for the family.

Nicolas summoned a meeting and called the three sons and his grandson, Camillo.

“I have called here today with respect to our family business.”  Nicolas began as they sat round the table. The police are closing on us, our money is being stolen, and the family heads are getting killed.

I am the only surviving second generation head. I think there is a need to summon a meeting with the other five families because our differences, we have a common unidentified enemy. Anyways, that is the first item on the agenda.

Camilla found someone online. You all know I do not understand most of these computer jargon. But I got the messages. I think he can explain better. Camillo, tell us more about it.”

“I met an online former pawn expert who sold items. I tried to hack into his account, to get more about his transactions nut I could not do that. I called in two great hackers but they also failed. His account was linked to Ditcoin and his main transactions are done there. That place is one of the safest platforms I have ever known. So I got talking with him and I propounded an idea to protect our family business…”

“You want to bring someone you met online into our family business?” Danilo cut in. He did not like the idea that Camillo was given important positions and tasks even though he was a fourth generation. Plus, his son, Damon was not involved much.

All of these would change when he became the head of the family.

“I met him online but I know a lot about him. I checked his bio and ransacked his life. I have been watching him for three months and know how he rolls.”

“What do you know about him?” Sean asked. “He is Jayden Rogers, twenty seven years old, single from Texas. He was a pawn shop attendant then became a distributor before his boss was sentenced to jail for dealing with stolen properties and the business crashed. Jayden kept on doing little transactions buy being a third party agent..’

“What do you mean by third party agent?” Harry asked.

“If you have goods to sell, link up with him and he would sell it and get commission. He does online transaction now.”

“So how is he going to help us?”

“I will answer that myself.” Nicolas said. “Our fathers started with the same business…bootlegging.  Chicago was controlled by one family: The outfit. In New York, there were five families: Gambino, Genovese, Lucchese, Colombo, and Bonanno

The Commission was the governing body of the American Mafia which was formed in 1931 by Charles Lucky Luciano following the Castellammarese War. The Commission replaced the title of capo di tutti capi (boss of all bosses), held by Salvatore Maranzano before his murder, with a ruling committee that consisted of the bosses of the Five Families of New York City, as well as the bosses of the Chicago Outfit and the Buffalo crime family. The purpose of the Commission was to oversee all Mafia activities in the United States and serve to mediate conflicts between families. Our parents were not part any of these.

The formed Sicily-7 comprising of seven families and they made sure they acted underground to avoid the police and other mafia families that have made their names infamous.

They had their fair of conflicts but they lived cordially, at least on the open. Even though bootlegging was their major source of illegal income, they had businesses they used as a cover ups. However, conflicts erupted later and that led to family wars. They had a round table meeting and agreed to share the businesses and not territory, they had seven different

But they stopped bootlegging by 1933 which started in 1920 after the ban of production and sales of alcoholic drinks.

After the round table meeting, every family had its area of specialization. They lived like that until we took over.

Things began to change and some of us began to cross the boundaries. This led to the present rift.

I am old and at the verge of leaving. I want to protect the family and the business. We must never run out of money and today, we a face a threat. All the families have been stolen from. All of the heads have been killed except me.

There is not time to waste. The reason we need him is this: we are transforming our transactions online now and our money will not be in the bank but Ditcoin.”

Danillo scratched his jaw.

“I don’t understand this. How do you put all of the money in there? Nobody knows who the so-called SM is. He is the founder of Ditcoin. He will own us and can decide to swindle us at any f**k*ing time.”

“You don’t use the F-word while speaking with me Danillo!” Nicolas barked.

“Grandpa I think you have made the point. We are migrating to Ditcoin. Jayden is in the best position to explain the details to us.” Camillo said.

“Yes.” Sean agreed. “We can’t just move into it like that.”

“Did you say the other families are in it?” Harry asked.

“Yes. It is the safest platform now.”

“What I don’t understand is why we need Jayden?” Danillo said.

“He is a small time computer expert who can give us an insight on how to go into it. The platform has over ninety million users and it just a year old. He will only serve as a consultant.”

“Why can’t we deal directly with SM?” Harry asked. “And forget about a small timer.”

“Who knows him?” Nicolas said. “Would you volunteer to find him for us? No one knows who he is. Rumors has it that is a Japanese and lots of people claim to be SM. We don’t need him. What we need is a consultant. We can link in directly but there are various in-house platforms that even SM may not be aware of.”

“I am confused.” Sean said.

Nicolas turned to Camillo.

“Get Jayden here.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Jayden made a call.

“Zico, get the man at the lobby.”

“Yes sir.”

Jayden came into the room and smiled.

“Good evening sir.”

“Please sit down.” Nicolas said.

******

Van and Sara walked into the small office and saw a short, fat man sitting behind a desk. The poorly furnished office reeked of cigarette.

“Good evening and welcome to Stan Housing Agency. You all look fresh here. How may I help you?”

“Thank you. We need an apartment.”

“I knew you are new. Welcome to Elwood Park. The most comfortable and serene neighborhood for you.”

“Thank you.”

“I am Ray Fernandez CEO Stan Housing Agency, We provide the most comfortable and luxury houses around here at a very reasonable price with low commission rate.”

“Okay, can we have a look? We are tired as you can see.”

“Sure.” Ray stood up and smiled. “Please come after me.”

Ten minutes later, they entered a two story building and he led them to an apartment on the first floor.

“This is a very nice one and I recommend this for you.”

The whole building was in need of paints. The door was groggy and when Ray tried to open it, he had to struggle with the lock and the creaking sound it made would wake a drunken man from sleep even if he was thirty feet away. The two sofas were old and the covers were torn. There was a small bed by the corner, a small old table and chair at another angle. The window was a bit wide with transparent curtains.”

Van had his hands in the pockets of his shabby trench coat which was still not completely dried.

He looked round in disgust.

“Mr. Ray, this place is not befitting for someone of my status and I don’t think it is respectful to have this queen of mine in here.”

Ray gave him a searching look as he noticed the swagger Van displaced. He spoke his words slowly and majestically, his hands in the pockets of this shabby clothes. He then settled his eyes on his shoes and could not help it but had to laugh.

“I am sorry. “ He said as he laughed. “Please excuse me. I am sorry for bringing you to a place that does not fit your status. I judged the book by it’s cover which is wrong. This cost ten dollars a week but if you wish, we have a more sophisticated one which cost thirty dollars a week and you have to pay an upfront of one hundred and twenty dollars. That means we will not knock at your door for a month.”

“I know nothing about dollars. Can you tell me what the equivalent is in Lira?”

“Sure. Vengo dall’Italia (I am from Italy). This is an Italian neighborhood. One hundred and twenty dollars is equivalent to two thousand, two hundred and fifty thousand lira.”

“Hmm!” Van exclaimed.

“Yes sir. That is what befits you.”

“Why don’t we take this?” Sara asked. “Forty dollars for a month.”

Van felt a big relief.

“Okay, since she wants this, we will take it.” Van said.

“I am sorry I left the receipt in my office. We have to go back and make payments.”

“Sure.”

Immediately they stepped out on the corridor, they heard a gunshot. They docked.

“What the hell is going on?” Sara asked.

“Close your eyes.” Ray said as a tall man in trench coat appeared from a room. He wore brown trench coat, back  hat and had a cigar in his mouth. He turned and looked at Ray, Van and Sara. He saw that they all closed their eyes.

He turned and walked down but Van opened his eyes and the man turned back at once. Van quickly closed his eyes before the man left.

“What the hell was that?” Van asked.

“The owner of the room is a distributor and I guess he owed the dealer. Maybe he refused to pay.’

“Distributor of what?”

“Beer. Bootlegging.” He got up. “Okay, let us go and make payments.”

“You said this place was serene.” Sara said.

The door to a room opened and an elderly man came out. The elderly man pushed the door to the room which Veeny came out from.

“Pacho è morto (Pacho is dead)!” The elderly man said aloud and people began to come out of their rooms and peep.“Mr. Ray. Good that you are here. Pacho is dead. “A man said.

“He told me that he had three weeks before he would have to pay gain. You know we were buddies. I will get rid of the body and stay in the room for three weeks.”A lady who stood close to him slapped him.“Sbagliato con te (What is wrong with you?” The man asked.“You i***t. When Sagio died, you took over his room and brought your sluts in there. You want to cheat on mte on the same block?”“I never cheated on you. We were holding night vigils with Angela.”She slapped him again.

“What?” He slapped her too and they broke into a fight while the people tried to stop the fight. A man grabbed her from behind.  “Smettila (stop it)!”The woman let her self go and slapped the man who was holding her.“How dare you squeeze my breast?” She vituperated.“What?” Her boyfriend exclaimed.

“Didi, how dare you touch my wife’s breast?”

He punched the Didi and his wife joined. The man also fought back.“Come on, we have to go. I have just thirty minutes left before closing.” Ray said. “No one is going into that room. A new tenant occupies it and except the person he mentioned in his will..if he had one.”“This place is so serene.” Van said as they went down the steps. “There is no place without a little argument. Even the White house gets argument.” Van said.

They went and Van paid for the room. They went to get some groceries.“This is America.” Van said. “Let us forget about their troubles and explore tomorrow.”The next day, they began to tour Chicago. They loved the city and the presence of many Italians made the city felt like home.They visited so many places and had fun. When they went back home, they realized that someone had broken into their room and left a paper on their bed.The person wrote smettila, trova un lavoro (you are poor, get a job).”Van laughed.“This is an insult to my personality.” He said.“How?”“How can a thief come into my house and find nothing to steal? That is a shame.’“You are crazy.” She said and laughed. “What is that?”

They saw a folded paper. Van studied it, unfolded it and found two dollars in it. Written on the paper was hai sprecato il mio tempo, vai a comprare da mangiare, Idioti e idiote  (you wasted my time, go and buy food idiots).“Jeez! He is so angry.” Van laughed. “I think it is going to be fun here. First, I need to check how he came in.”

They did not see any sign of break in. The door was intact just like the windows.“He came in through the back window.” He said."But it is intact.”“Yes. He opened it and locked it back. I know how to do that.” He smiled. I think we are going to have lots of fun here.”“I need a bath.” She said.“Okay.”

She pulled off her clothes, wrapped a towel round her body and went into the bathroom. Van pulled off his clothes. He had just two pairs so he washed every day. He was left in shorts.She came out of the bathroom and their eyes met. No one said a word as they stared at each other. They had been together for days but never had any romantic encounter. She eyes his chest with sexy abs beneath, His sapphire eyes pierced into her and burnt her up. His lips twitched and it felt like a radiation that sent sweet sensations into her body.She had always known he was handsome even in his tattered clothes.Van was lost as he saw her with just a wrapped round her waist which exposed her broad hips. Her hair sprawled freely over her shoulder and he saw a flash of shame and uncomfortably in her blue eyes.He took the first step towards her and she jumped into his arms. They had their first kiss and she held him so tightly.She could feel his heartbeat synchronizing with hers and a rhythm of love was made. The towel left her body as his shorts went down.They found the bed and the lights went off.*****