Chapter 167: Chapter 167 First Blood In The Conflict
Clemenza returned to the study. Sonny looked at him and asked. "What did Michael call about?"
Clemenza shook his fat head, "He told me that he sent several security guards from the TV factory to the hospital to protect Mr. Vito's safety." -chapter
Sonny sneered, "Does he think this is a game? What can sending a few security guards do? It's nothing more than showing his concern for father."
The group continued their discussion, still not reaching a consensus. Finally, Sonny had to announce the meeting's end, waiting to see what the other side would do.
Clemenza got into his car, instructed the driver not to go home, but to head towards the outskirts of the city.
On a road in the outskirts, Clemenza saw a row of parked cars and felt a bit nervous. But when he saw Michael, he was relieved.
Getting out of the car to meet Michael, Michael introduced Hardy to Clemenza, "You should know Jon Hardy."
Clemenza naturally knew Hardy, shook his fat hand, and said in surprise, "Mr. Hardy, aren't you in Los Angeles? What brings you to New York?"
"I called him to help. I have a feeling this matter is not simple. The Corleone family needs more protection," Michael said.
"Uncle Clemenza, Hardy brought people to help, but they are not familiar with New York. I hope you can assign some people who are familiar with the local environment and the other families to assist them."
"And, this matter needs to be kept confidential. If the family finds out, I'm afraid it will be leaked."
The fat man nodded.
"No problem, I can assign 10 people to cooperate with them. I will instruct them not to contact others or disclose any situation until the matter is resolved. During this time, they will follow Mr. Hardy's orders," Clemenza said.
It must be said that Clemenza is very good at handling things.
Since the old godfather was attacked, the Corleone family had been searching for Sollozzo. Sollozzo was cautious, and no one knew where he was hiding.
Henry and his team targeted the police chief, Chief McCluskey. With some minor authority in the police department and nothing outstanding about him, if not for his identity, such a person would not even be considered a bodyguard.
At Chief McCluskey's home, two telephone company repairmen arrived today. Since this morning, the McCluskey family has been experiencing static on their phone. They didn't know the static was caused by intelligence personal of HD.
After the maintenance, the calls became clear. No one knew that a monitoring device had been installed in the microphone of the police chief phone.
Telephone monitoring devices are absolutely high-tech in this era. Only the military and FBI and other departments have them, but Hardy uses them to deal with mafia.
The four major families were key surveillance targets.
Telephone lines in the neighborhoods around the four families also saw repairmen, with intelligence personnel connecting to junction boxes, testing them one by one, and asking who they were by claiming it was phone company maintenance. They soon found the communication lines of these families.
It was only 1947, and no one thought someone would use such investigative methods against them.
In the past, they sent undercover agents and spies, but now there is no need for these. They can directly play a high tech wars.
From the first day the intelligence office was established, Hardy told them to use the world's most advanced technology. Last year, when dealing with Los Angeles robbers, HD Security used walky talkies, shocking many.
Michael returned to the Corleone estate.
As soon as he entered, he heard Sonny and Tom arguing.
"Sonny, you are too impulsive. Father wouldn't like this. Doing so will make things uncontrollable," Tom shouted.
Sonny pointed his finger at Tom, shouting, "Tom, I don't need your lectures. Negotiation is impossible. I've already sent people out. The moment Sollozzo appears, I will kill him."
"They tried to kill my father and even wanted to do it again in the hospital. It is absolutely unforgivable."
"Sonny, if you do something to Sollozzo, it is equivalent to going to war with other families, which is what my father does not want to see." Tom said.
"Father is lying in the hospital now. Who did it? It was that bastard Sollozzo and the other families also contributed to this. The Corleone family is not afraid of going to war."
Sonny said strongly.
Michael coldly watched Sonny and Tom argue. He wanted to say it wasn't the time to argue but to stabilize the family, see the situation clearly, then make unified decisions. Only then could the Corleone family survive this crisis.
Killing wasn't just for revenge.
Peace talk isn't just a compromise.
But he felt that both Sonny and Tom were trapped in their own thoughts, one because of irritability, the other because of weakness.
Michael felt a bit frustrated.
Even if the two just stayed calm and didn't make any decisions, the family wouldn't be in such chaos.
He left the Corleone estate and returned to his own home.
But just in the middle of the night,
He was suddenly awakened by the ringing of the phone. He glanced at the time—it was 4:30 AM, and it was still dark outside.
"Michael, it's Henry I have a news to tell you. Just over 10 minutes ago, your brother Sonny sent someone to kill Bruno, the son of Philip, the head of the Tattaglia family."
Michael was instantly wide awake.
...
When Hardy heard the news that Bruno, the son of Philip, the head of the Tattaglia family, had been killed, he was not surprised at all.
Philip, the head of the Tattaglia family, had always supported Sollozzo, and they were among the masterminds behind the assassination of the old godfather.
In essence, it was all for profit.
During the Prohibition era, the Mafia profited enormously from bootlegging, which allowed them to grow rapidly into the largest criminal organization in the United States.
However, after the repeal of Prohibition, their profit margins quickly dwindled. The profits from their legitimate businesses were nowhere near as lucrative as those during Prohibition.
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