Chapter 14: Words of Warning

Luca felt as if he had become a secret shipment, passed along between two local bosses before Paoli drove him further along the road.

Eventually, Luca was taken to a secluded neighborhood in the Bronx, entering a detached villa.

Inside, he met the family’s godfather—the big boss, Victor Morgan.

There were also other family members present, such as the second-in-command, advisors, and several local bosses.

Currently, the family had about two hundred formal members, plus seven to eight hundred peripheral associates, totaling nearly a thousand people scattered across the United States. Their main strongholds were major East Coast cities, along with Florida and California.

A significant number were in Las Vegas due to the family’s casino business there.

Los Angeles also had many members—the chaos in "Los Santos" surpassed even that of New York.

At the ceremony, only a small group of family members appeared, about a dozen or twenty in total, scattered here and there.

The initiation quickly began. The boss Victor questioned Luca extensively, then used a small knife to cut Luca’s fingertip, dripping blood onto a card embossed with a sacred emblem.

The card was then set aflame.

Holding the burning card aloft, Luca loudly recited: “If I betray the family, betray any member of the family, may my soul burn like this sacred emblem!”

From that moment on, new members swore loyalty no longer to God or country, but solely to the family.

The ritual complete, the boss and other members laid out several family rules to Luca.

The Silence Rule: Keep your mouth shut; do not inform the government, nor discuss family affairs with any unofficial members.

This rule did not forbid members from contacting officials—after all, how else to bribe or maintain the delicate “good relations” between the underworld and law enforcement? Silence meant no betrayal or leakage of family secrets.

Blood for Blood: Family members must not fight internally. If a formal member is murdered, no retaliation is permitted without the boss’s consent. If one plans to kill another formal member, prior approval must be obtained before taking action.

Officially, internal conflicts were forbidden, but behind the scenes… well, the Mafia was quite adept at eliminating its own.

These were the two main rules. Others included “No affairs with other members’ wives,” “No beards allowed,” and “Regular tribute payments” among them.

The penalty for adultery was severe—immediate execution.

Homosexuality was also forbidden; the family was composed strictly of “real men.” Any deviation meant execution as well.

At the ceremony’s end, the boss and others embraced Luca one by one, smiling warmly as they encouraged and welcomed him.

“Welcome to our cause!”

The Mafia rarely called themselves the Mafia; it was always “our cause.”

...

Having become a formal family member, Luca’s status was now entirely different.

Though he remained affiliated with Maligio, he was no longer “Maligio’s man” but “our man,” “family’s man.” From now on, he was backed not just by Maligio but by the entire Luces family.

Anyone who dared harm Luca would face the family’s full wrath.

Now Luca could pursue his own ventures, supported by the family. When tangled in complex relationships or needing connections, family members could “lend a hand.”

What business to pursue and which avenues to explore, however, remained Luca’s choice.

Currently, the Luces family was involved in a myriad of enterprises: casinos, loan sharking, gambling dens, automobiles, smuggling, unions, stocks, Hollywood, docks, construction, food supply, and even drug and white powder trafficking... anything profitable was fair game.

The Mafia was a coalition of “black businessmen,” a violent and highly profitable syndicate.

Of course, not every member thrived; some accumulated capital and expanded legitimate companies to monopolize markets, while others struggled, still hustling on the streets with extortion.

Peripheral members like Jimmy, skilled at making money, were often wealthier than some formal members.

“What are you planning to do next, Luca?” Maligio asked as they drank together back at the bar. “Want to work with me? We could cooperate.”

Facing Maligio’s hopeful gaze, Luca shook his head with a smile. “Boss, you know me—I have no interest in the drug trade.”

What a joke! Frank’s “Blue Magic” already saturated half of New York, followed closely by federal crackdowns.

Soon, three-quarters of New York’s narcotics officers would be behind bars. Amid such pressure, Luca wouldn’t have time to cut ties; only a fool would plunge headlong into that fire.

Hearing Luca’s refusal, Maligio sighed in disappointment.

He knew well Luca was cautious, rarely getting directly involved. At most, he’d pass stolen goods to others and do nothing else—just sit back and collect money, unwilling to delve deeper.

Maligio understood; in his mind, Luca was more a killer than a businessman.

Since Luca wasn’t interested, Maligio wouldn’t push. Business choices were not the family’s mandate.

“So what are you planning to do?” Maligio asked, curious. “Keep taking contracts at the Continental Hotel? Being a hitman is way riskier than dealing drugs.”

“Too tiring, all the killing,” Luca said. “I’m thinking of opening a club.”

“A club? What kind? Sports club? You into football or the NBA?”

“No, no. A private club—a mid-to-high-end private venue.”

“Ohhhh.”

Maligio immediately understood. The Mafia loved opening bars, clubs, and lounges; many family members frequented these places to party and conduct business.

The club was a second home for family members. They even held weekly “lover’s parties,” where a bunch of old men, behind their wives’ backs, gathered to fool around.

Maligio had lost count of how many clubs were under Luces family control.

“You won’t make much money with just a club. If you don’t touch drugs, you’ll need to run an underground casino inside—that’s where the real money is.”

“I’ll give it serious thought,” Luca replied with a smile.

Running an underground casino was possible, but Luca’s main goal in opening a club was to gather impressive talent cards—to recruit “talent,” make good friends, spread influence, learn skills, and concentrate resources to enter lucrative industries and make big money.

The Mafia wouldn’t admit outsiders easily, and most wouldn’t be like Matilda. A club was a perfect middle ground, open to anyone with strength and value.

Luca never overlooked those he found worthy—they were always gifted individuals with skills and fortune.

Of course, except for unlucky protagonists like David Mills, tormented by the seven deadly sins, who would need Luca’s intervention.

...

That afternoon, upon hearing Luca had been “made,” Jimmy excitedly invited him to his bar for a celebration, and handed Luca a suitcase containing a million dollars in cash.

No doubt, Jimmy and Henry were excellent at getting things done efficiently.

Luca accepted with a smile.

This was the last time. Luca was about to sever all ties to the powder business and prepare fully for his club venture.

Soon, New York would face upheaval.

Frank’s “Blue Magic” was growing rampant, sealing his doom.

When his drug empire collapsed, the New York Narcotics Bureau would undergo a major purge—a turmoil Luca foresaw clearly...

“Seen the news these past few days?” Henry told them. “Washington’s talking drug problems again, threatening a large-scale crackdown. Ha! How many times has that happened? Never works!”

Jimmy laughed along: “The louder Washington yells, the better Blue Magic sells.” He put on a comical face. “Everyone’s scared it’ll disappear—better stock up now!”

Luca smiled silently.

He remembered that news well.

...

[America’s number one public enemy is drug proliferation. To strike and defeat this enemy, a comprehensive new offensive is underway. The federal government has announced a new round of drug wars in Washington, New York, Chicago, and other cities...]

Luca knew this was the calm before the storm. This time, the feds were serious and going all out.

Looking at his two cheerful friends, Luca suddenly lost interest. Neither drinks nor pretty girls seemed appealing anymore; he was ready to leave with the money.

Before leaving, he warned:

“Here’s some advice: drop the drug business entirely.”

His expression serious, his gaze sweeping over Jimmy and resting on Henry’s face: “New York’s crackdown is intense lately. If you get caught, the family won’t be able to save you.”

Seeing Luca’s gravity, Jimmy frowned, pondering deeply.

Drugs were profitable, but risking Luca’s wrath wasn’t worth it.

He should cling tightly to Luca’s generous patronage instead.

Henry hesitated, conflicted, then nodded: “Alright, alright, I’ll listen. I swear I’ll quit starting tomorrow.”

“Don’t even hesitate,” Luca said.

“You can trust me completely,” Henry said.

“Good,” Luca smiled, patting Henry on the shoulder. “You’re the most honest man I’ve ever met.”

Henry thumped his chest: “They call me Honest Henry!”

Luca opened his arms and gave Henry a warm bear hug. “I believe you.”

...

Inevitably, five days later one night, the duplicitous Henry was caught red-handed by narcotics officers while dealing drugs.

He hadn’t even listened to boss Paoli, let alone Luca.

The arrest happened right at his doorstep.

Just as he was about to load drugs into his car, the police surrounded him.

“Police! Don’t move, you motherfucker! Or I’ll blow your brains out!”

At that moment, Henry’s face froze; he dared not move but oddly felt some relief.

At least he could hear voices.

Because he knew the police wouldn’t shoot, only bark orders; if it were a family assassin, he wouldn’t hear anything—he’d already be dead.

The Mafia was expert at killing their own, especially when executing family members, often done by the closest brothers.

Caught red-handed, Henry realized his life was over. If Paoli found out about his secret drug dealing, the boss would likely kill him.

Maybe he could betray his brothers to get police protection?

Henry raised his hands and stepped out of the car. At that moment, a sniper bullet flew from afar, striking his head.

...

On a distant rooftop, Leon packed up his sniper rifle and vanished into the darkness.

He took out his phone and called:

“Mission accomplished.”