American variety show: The Godfather, the Peace Ambassador, what the heck?

Chapter 149 She is my child!

Cigar room.

Frank reached out and gently touched the Silver Queen plant in the flowerpot beside the sofa. There were still some water droplets on the green leaves, indicating that it had just been watered.

This wasn't his first time at the club. For the past six months, sometimes after delivering fish to New York, he would stop by to visit his daughter who was studying there. Surprisingly, the father and daughter were much more at ease talking at the club than at home, and their conversations were less barbed. His daughter was more willing to share about her life in New York.

Although father and daughter lived apart, sometimes going ten days or half a month without seeing each other, Frank noticed that they were talking more than before. This made him feel that his initial choice was correct; at least by keeping his daughter away, she wouldn't witness him doing those violent things again.

I also want to thank Luca for taking care of my daughter. She lives in a suite in the hotel above the club, and Luca has never mentioned taking any money. Frank has been in the mafia for so many years, and he knows very well that these mafia bosses are willing to help someone as insignificant as you not to make money off you, but to earn your respect.

Frank also understood that he would have to repay this favor when Luca needed his help someday.

He is always ready.

As the reciprocal favors between the two parties increase, this quagmire will completely trap him, making it impossible for him to escape, and it will evolve into a situation where he has no control over many things.

Just like now.

Frank withdrew his hand from the Silver Queen and glanced at Hoffa and Luca, who were greeting each other and getting to know each other.

Hoffa casually remarked that the weather in New York was cold, not as comfortable as in Florida; he also complained that such a large club had no other green plants besides the Silver Queen, and remarked that he had never heard of the Silver Queen having the meaning of "peace" before.

He started his rant as if he'd known Luca for ages, and Luca, knowing his bad temper, lowered his voice and said, "I'm sitting here, and the pigeons represent peace."

Frank watched this scene and felt that the two men's ages should have been switched; the impulsive one should be the young man, and the composed one the old man.

Hearing Luca's words, Hoffa frowned slightly. There was a kind of intimidating force in the other's words that made him feel uncomfortable, as if he was being forced to submit.

Jimi Luka was used to calling him Jimi, but after thinking for a moment, he decided to change his form of address. "Mr. Hoffa, the weather in New York is a bit cold, not as sunny as Miami."

He spoke calmly, as if discussing the weather, "You're quite old, yet you're still so passionate, like a flame. Are you settling into life after your release from prison? Enjoy life, spend quality time with your family, isn't that wonderful?"

Jimmy said "Oh," and leaned back. "Are you teaching me how to do things? I really don't know where you learned this from. You talk like an old man whose grandson is about to be born. Did you learn it from Tony? I heard that Gambino often visits the club. Has he taught you a lot?"

“Gambino mentored me and taught me some things. As a junior, I am trying to learn how to deal with you seniors.”

Luca felt wary, respectful, and had many unresolved questions about Gambino, the highest-ranking living Mafia boss. However, he didn't feel much about the Mafia bosses who had died much earlier.

There's a difference between hearing a story and reading one. You can still read Gambino's stories now, but after he died, you can only hear them, and you can't even tell if they're true or false.

Jimmy Hoffa in front of him was the same.

In the original storyline, he died before Gambino, and one after another, the big shots left.
Thinking of this, Luca glanced at Frank beside him, who had a rare peacemaker's smile on his face, trying to ease the tense atmosphere caused by Hoffa's overly aggressive words.

Luca thought to himself, "When we send you to kill Hoffa, will you still be able to laugh?"

After chatting for a while, Hoffa didn't want to change the subject, so Luca asked directly, "Frank went to great lengths to make this meeting happen, so how can I help you now?"

Both sides understood why they were sitting together, but Luca wanted him to say it himself.

It's an attitude problem.

When it came time to ask for help, Hofa's expression was hesitant, his eyes darting back and forth as he looked at Luca's young face, unable to utter the word "ask" for several seconds.

Frank laughed and said, "Jimmy, don't be like that, what are you still hesitating about?"

I hope you...

Hofa had barely finished speaking when he paused. The moment the words left his mouth, he felt utterly humiliated. He had actually asked a mere Mafia kid for help! Even the president had once sought his assistance!
“I hope you can support me and go participate. You know what that is.” Hoffa avoided Luca’s gaze.

"I don't know."

"I'm running for chairman! I hope you'll support me in this election!"

At that moment, Frank saw a hint of melancholy on his old friend's face.

Frank sighed inwardly. His old friend, once so full of vigor, was now humbling himself before a young man.

There was a few seconds of silence. Luca stared at the gray-haired older man and said softly, "You think New York is too cold, so why don't you stay in Florida?"

"If I go out to bask in the sun alone, what about the workers who follow and support me? Will they continue to endure the cold winter?"

“I know you care about the unionized workers, but they’re doing just fine now. You’ve been traveling around the East Coast; have you noticed any changes since before you went to jail? Have workers’ wages gone up? Have their insurance benefits improved? Are they driving old, uninsured trucks or brand-new ones that have just been painted? All you’ve heard along the way are workers’ complaints or their hopes for the future?”

Luca fired off a barrage of questions. "It's April now, the snow in New York has already melted."

Hoffa was silent for a few seconds, then shook his head as he recalled the scenes he had witnessed along the way: "Luca, are you speaking to me as the head of the union or as a member of the mafia?"

If you're the union president, you should support me, Fitz? He's just an empty shell, a cardboard cutout in the chairman's seat! What the workers need are real leaders, people who can lead them through tough battles! Just like before.

"If you're part of the Mafia, you should support me! I can get a presidential pardon, which means I can get the support of the federal government and the president. You Mafia need that kind of power."

Luca smiled slightly. If, as Hoffa claimed, he truly held such considerable influence with the president, Luca might actually consider it. But Hoffa was talking nonsense; the pardon wasn't due to support, but rather because he had bribed the president's re-election team in exchange for his freedom.

Furthermore, the White House stipulated that he could not participate in union affairs for ten years!
Hoffa clearly dismissed the White House's demands as nonsense; once the new president takes office, all the previous treaties will be null and void.

Luca knew all too well how many cards Hoffa had up his sleeve.

Hoffa's real trump card was his strong prestige among millions of truck drivers across the country, but this advantage was significantly diminished after he went to prison, much like how Luca had siphoned off many drivers' votes.

Another major trump card is that Hoffa has too much evidence of the Mafia's crimes—the two sides have cooperated and conspired together for decades, and Hoffa, as a party involved, has a wealth of evidence. If he betrays the Mafia, countless people will go to jail.

Therefore, the Mafia has never wanted to strain its relationship with Hoffa too much.

But Luca isn't exactly a coward; he's a newcomer to the Mafia, and he's not particularly involved in the crimes of the older generation.

Luca: "Why are you so obsessed with the chairman's position? Mr. Hoffa, you're not short of money, are you?"

Hoffa denied it without even thinking: "It's not about the money!"

“If it’s not about money, then what is it? You can tell me your real demands, what you want to get through the union, and I will seriously consider your terms.”

“I told you, it’s not for anything else, listen! That’s my union! Mine!”

Hoffa became increasingly agitated, shouting, "She's my child! How could I possibly hand her over to someone else?"

Luca paused slightly: "I didn't say that it wasn't your union. It's yours, and it will always be yours. It's just that you can step back now and operate behind the scenes."

"We can't step down! If we step down, we can't manage the union anymore; we'll only end up in our graves!"

Hoffa clenched her fists. She had joined the union at the age of 18 and led it from a small union of tens of thousands to the largest single union in the United States with millions of members! She also pushed for the National Freight Owners Agreement, which standardized the wages of truck drivers across the country! She controlled the entire transportation lifeline of the United States, and even the president had to defer to the union!

How much effort did he pour into her? He dedicated almost his entire life to her!
Luca was speechless. He now realized that Hoffa's obsession was so deep that it was almost impossible to resolve. Even the Silver Queen couldn't suppress it. The union was the meaning of his life and everything to him.

That's not something that can be simply measured in money.

No wonder Marigio said that Hoffa wouldn't hand over the house keys; if Hoffa came to power, he certainly wouldn't let his children become puppets of the Mafia.

For the first time, Luca found that some scripts were difficult to change. The characters' gears were almost welded to the machinery of history; at most, one could control how fast it turned, but not move it to another position.

Hofa wants to weld himself to the chairman's position until he rots away!

[Bond: Follow]

Hoffa: S

[Rage and Domination: When speaking at the truck drivers' union, the inflammatory effect is increased by 50%, and the strike success rate is increased by 70%; while imprisoned, the union retains real power, and the remote decision-making effectiveness is increased by 50%; when laundering money through the truck drivers' union, the conversion rate of illicit funds is increased by 30%]

[Learning Requirements: Must be the president (branch president/chairman) of the Truck Drivers' Union; have a bond level of close friend or higher; require 100 skill fragments]

[Union Tyrant: All union members' loyalty +40%; deterrent effect on the US federal government +20%; when you control the union and campaign for any external election (member of parliament, governor, presidential election, etc.), voter cohesion +50%;]

[Learning Requirements: Must be the president of the truck drivers' union; have a bond level of partner or higher; require 200 skill fragments]

Luca's pupils contracted slightly as he looked at the screen.

As expected of a legendary union president, all his skills are related to power. It's no exaggeration to say that if Luca learns these skills and becomes union president again in the future, the candidates from both major parties will have to ask him for his opinion on who will sit on the US presidential throne.

At least until the power of labor unions is suppressed and weakened by the United States, wherever Luka's side is, the chances of winning are greater.

However, the learning conditions are too harsh, and the Federation wouldn't be so blind as to allow the Mafia to become the president of the national union, or even to allow the Mafia to openly interfere in politics. The position of president is too glaring; sitting in it will make one a target of the Federation, and one will be watched by the Federation for life.

There might be a few more assassination attempts by secret agents.

Luca thought to himself, "The Mafia can control elections just as well by remotely controlling a puppet like Fitz, even if the effect is a little weaker."

Suppressing his inner turmoil and desires, Luca was about to speak when Hoffa reminded him, "Luca, your brothers in New Jersey listen to you, they respect you, they love you. I need your support, that's fair! I'm back, it's time to take back what's rightfully mine!"

“I understand how you feel, but peace is hard-won. Fitz is gentle and devout; he knows how to maintain balance. The drivers have jobs, they have salaries, and the community is peaceful. Everyone is content with this tranquility, so why do you insist on stirring up this calm water?”

Luca tried to offer a final word of advice: "The union is your child, but we've taken good care of her, and everyone can see that, including you."

Hoffa: "That's stagnant water! It'll let the union rot away! Luca, you know very well who's pulling the strings behind Fitz! Using peace and stability as an excuse to sideline me? To let that puppet continue as chairman? The union needs fighters, not mouthpieces!"

Luca: "This is not an excuse, this is reality. For the benefit of everyone, including yourself and your family. Think about your children; perhaps a decent retirement, a life away from conflict, is best for you. We can help you arrange it, very comfortably, very safely, so you can truly enjoy peace."

Hoffa: "Peace? You want me to be a coward? I won't accept charity!"

Seeing that Hoffa's temper was flaring up again, Frank quickly pulled Hoffa back and tried to smooth things over: "Jimmy, calm down. Luca is only doing this for your own good."

Luca's eyes began to fill with murderous intent. "Mr. Hoffa, let me ask you another question. If I support your candidacy for chairman, what can you offer us? What Fitz can give us, can you give us? There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. What are you willing to exchange for it?"

This is Luca's bottom line. If you want to be president, you have to show enough sincerity. Otherwise, why would he give up Fitz and choose you?
(End of this chapter)