American Entertainment 1978: New York Night Fever

Chapter 103 Protection

Zik's mind raced, and he cursed his bad luck inwardly.

He was just choosing a house, how did it get dragged into Mafia territory politics and loyalty issues!

Without a second thought, he quickly replied, "Of course not, Uncle Paul. I've never had any thoughts of betrayal! I just want my family to live in a better community, but it can't be without security. Just like you, I grew up listening to your stories, and the kind of life you provide for your family, a life of peace and security, is what I've always been striving for—"

"I'll give you one more chance to answer, you know that, Zeke." Pauli's gaze was like an icicle. "Those who try to deceive and betray me never end up well."

"I swear on the name of my entire family that it's true! I never had such a thought!" Zeke quickly pledged his loyalty.

Suddenly, the gloom on Paul's face vanished instantly, replaced by a loud laugh. He grabbed Zeke and planted two big kisses on his cheeks: "Haha, silly boy! I was just kidding! Your mask business brings me $2 in legitimate profits every month, not to mention you've become a big celebrity on TV. I'm happier than ever!"

Caught off guard, Zik was nearly paralyzed by the sudden change in expression. Tino, standing to the side, was completely dumbfounded, his mouth agape for a long time.

"Your brother Paul was a childhood friend of my son Lenny; you could say I watched you grow up." Paul loosened his grip on Zik, shaking his head and sighing as he spoke of Paul, his regret evident. "It's a pity that the kid wouldn't listen to advice and insisted on joining the army, only to die in that godforsaken place in Asia—"

Zeke breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a wave of suffocation. He was almost scared to death!

It turns out Paul had a connection with the big boss's son, but he couldn't really respond to that, since Paul was the last person in his family who wanted to walk the straight path and ended up losing his life, which was somewhat ironic.

Tino wiped the sweat from his brow and chimed in with a couple of curses: "Damn the American government, damn Nixon, sending our Italian kids to their deaths in Vietnam—I have a nephew who died there too."

Paul waved his hand, gesturing for the two to sit down again, his expression turning serious. "Caring about your family is a good thing, of course I won't stop you. But you don't understand, Zeke, this isn't just about moving. You're making a small-scale territorial relocation, and relocation is a signal. Even if you're famous and clean-cut now, if your family rashly moves to a place like Bensonhurst, some of the local 'wise guys' will immediately start saying, 'Who's this Guido? Who gave him the go-ahead?'"

"It's not Gambino or Colombo trying to mess with you; it's those self-important bastards down there who will automatically treat you as a vulnerable individual without anyone to protect you." Paulie tapped the table with his stubby fingers. "In their eyes, any new face that moves in without permission is either a troublemaking lunatic or a piece of soft dough they can knead at will. You think you're moving in, but they think someone's come to steal their territory, understand?"

"Uh, I understand, thank you Uncle Poly." Qi Ke quickly thanked him. He really hadn't thought of this deeper meaning. Fortunately, the big boss Poly reminded him in time, otherwise his family might have been targeted before they even moved in.

"Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, Paul's two children will be starting elementary school soon—" Paul sighed again, his eyes becoming somewhat unfocused. "In my memory, he was still such a tall child." He gestured to his shoulder to indicate the height.

"Zick, let Lenny be Tony's godfather in a while; he's old enough to remember things now," Paulie decided. "And forget about looking at houses in Bensonhurst or Long Island; go to Staten Island. There's a quiet new development there called Annadale. Tino, your friend from the Gambino family, he's with 'Bull' Sami, right?"

"Yes, Mr. Wario. Nothing can be hidden from you," Tino replied quickly.

"Sami just bought a house there, and my son Lennie and his wife live nearby too. Go there and help Zeke pick out a house. I'll put in a word with them in Gambino; ​​it'll be safe for your family to live there."

Zik breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him repeatedly.

He understood that the Poly Group tycoon also saw the potential for growth in his wealth and fame and wanted to further strengthen their ties with him. However, he was very shrewd and did not approach it from a gang perspective, but instead treated him as a junior and one of his own.

This offer was almost impossible for him to refuse:

He had hoped to provide his family with an extra layer of protection, but in the Mafia context, a godfather is not only responsible for religious guidance but also for practical protection. Having the son of a powerful figure as Tony's godfather is a very strong endorsement of his status in New York.

Staten Island is also an excellent choice. This small island, located right next to Brooklyn and New Jersey, has the highest percentage of Italian Americans in the country, with over 40% being Italian Americans. Crucially, it offers a sense of physical seclusion; access to the island requires a ferry or a drive across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, a natural barrier that makes it difficult for gang-related issues to affect the island.

This place is the ultimate choice for many Mafia members who want to "launder" their money or keep their families away from gang trouble. Paulie has more than one son, but only Lenny, who is not involved in gang business, lives here, which speaks volumes. He intends to keep himself, like Lenny, away from gang affairs.

The only downside is its distance from Manhattan; Maria's commute to Hunter College will be a nightmare—but that's a minor inconvenience that can be overcome by buying a car. Oh, and there's the bridge toll; old Rossi will definitely be worried about that... but for safety's sake, it's worth it no matter what.

The Rossi family are all Catholics. Tony was baptized a few weeks after his birth and already had a godfather and godmother who were relatives in the family.

Strictly speaking, Lennie can only be Tony's trusted surrogate father.

The Poly Group tycoon and Zeke agreed to hold a "Cresima" (confirmation ceremony) for Tony on November 11th, which is Veterans Day in the United States, followed by a mass, a big meal, and the exchange of gifts, as a way of "stamping" this social relationship.

Before that, Poly's top management would first make a verbal announcement to the public.

Once everything was settled, Paul called the "dentist" in again and instructed him to take the two men home.

Stepping out of the mansion, a gust of evening wind blew, and Qi Ke realized his back was soaked with cold sweat. The oppressive aura of the Poly Group tycoon was overwhelming; the return journey was eerily quiet inside the car, both men still somewhat shaken.

The Chevrolet stopped in front of Tino's house again, and Zik got out of the car under the pretext of dropping Tino off and getting some fresh air.

"Why did you have to pick Bensonhurst of all people!" Zeke scolded in a low voice, still shaken. "I almost thought I was going to lose my life today."

Tino, also feeling aggrieved, spread his hands and said, "I can't help it! You want a safe neighborhood, a good school district, a predominantly Italian community for your parents and family to live in, and preferably within the Mafia's sphere of influence so they can provide some protection. After all that, it's just these few places."

"These communities are basically all Gambino family territory—it's essentially an unsolvable problem."

"Why is this happening?" Zik asked, somewhat surprised. The Gambino family was indeed the strongest of the five major families, but the gap in strength between them wasn't so large that they controlled all the high-end Italian communities, was it?

"The best Italian neighborhoods are 'good' precisely because they're run like a business, and the boss of that business is Gambino," Tino explained, lighting a cigarette. "They control the New York truck drivers' union..."

Garbage removal contracts, construction material supply, cement, scaffolding—the entire flow of construction materials at the port is in their hands.

"The construction industry is Gambino's forte; they turned construction unions, garbage, gravel, and trucks into a stable source of tax revenue."

In most high-end communities, even the houses are built by companies they control.

After Tino's explanation, Zik finally understood that the more respectable and suitable a place is for his wife and children, the more it needs a stable gray structure of rent collection, protection, and compliance to maintain housing prices and a sense of security. This structure has long been exploited by the Gambino system.

"This sounds like a more sophisticated approach than gambling or airport raiding," Zik remarked.

"But it's not all good," Tino waved his hand, exhaling a smoke ring. "It's even more so since the new leader took over. The Gambino family under his leadership is becoming increasingly corporatized, increasingly averse to street violence, and focusing its attention and time on the construction supply chain. 'The old man' said that the old-school members privately complained, 'He's almost become a contractor, not like a Capo Die.'"

tutti capi (the boss of all bosses).

"In short, with the protection of the Poly Group tycoon, your family is definitely safe."

"Okay, see you tomorrow morning."

Zik also thought that made sense.

After saying goodbye to Tino and returning home, Zeke laid it all out with his family: "Paulie is planning to have his son Lennie become Tony's godfather, so our family is moving to Annadale, Staten Island."

When the topic of Lenny becoming Tony's godfather came up, the family naturally thought of the late Paul, and the atmosphere instantly became somewhat heavy. Mrs. Rossi picked up Tony and little Mary, her eyes reddening.

Zeke quickly changed the subject, continuing to talk about the advantages of moving there: "New community, new houses, quiet, detached, with yards, and a dock culture—most importantly, a good school district, where you can live the standard American Dream suburban life—"

The family was quickly persuaded, and even the most stubborn old Rossi was moved. After all, with the protection of the Poly Group tycoon and the improved environment, it would indeed be a great thing for the growth of his grandchildren.

Qi Ke chuckled to himself, thinking that the Poly Group boss had saved him a lot of talking.

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