Chapter 28 - 028 | Meeting
As they got in the car, Luke gestured to the Howling Commandos to keep up their vigilance.
Soon, the motorcade raised a bit of dust and headed for the Bronze Bell Tavern. ??
Cossa Alessandro, the only remaining mafia leader in Sicily.
The Mafia, which was famous in later years, and even world-renowned, didn't have it easy at this time.
In 1925, after Mussolini gained absolute control over Italy, he made a famous national speech on the Mafia.
Through the loudspeakers, he vowed to all Italians to purify the social air, crack down on crime and to eliminate evil!
To eradicate the Mafia, the cancer, from Italy!
No one expected that Mussolini would actually do what he said he would do and start a serious raid on the Mafia.
Openly, his dictatorship commanded the military and police, to arrest nearly 1,000 mafia members, however, in truth, he directly bombed their hideouts.
Once captured, they didn't even get a basic trial. A full-scale bloodbath was directly unleashed.
In Sicily's Fountain Square, people were executed every day. Blood seeped into every floor tile and land.
As a result, the Mafias died or fled, either by being arrested and imprisoned or by fleeing overseas.
By now, Sicily was a 'clean slate' free of sinister powers.
People were no longer worried of the gangsters' harassments, but had to endure the dictator's reign of terror.
However, it was worth mentioning that the Mafia, which had been weakened in Italy, re-emerged from America and had regained its vitality.
For the future Hollywood gangster films, it created a large number of inexhaustible character material.
Luke, who had come into contact with the Irish mob and dealt with Italian mafia, knew this very well.
Seeing the poor living environment in Sicily and holding a grudge against Mussolini, many Mafia families secretly aligned themselves with the Allied Powers.
This was the case with Cossa Alessandro, who had now become an informant for the Strategic Science Reserve.
30 minutes later, the car stopped at the door of the Bronze Bell Tavern.
Several burly men with tattoos stood at the door. Luke was stopped after he got out of the car.
"Mr. Alessandro, you want me to go inside alone? You guys don't seem sincere."
The leader of the group looked a bit puzzled, and after a moment of silence, he said, "The situation in Sicily is very tense, Mr. Corleone, please understand. Well, you can bring an attendant. Don Cossa is very careful, this is also for his safety. "
"Since you're being so polite, I don't have any complaints. "
Luke took off his black woolen coat and handed it to Manelli behind him, signaling that he was unarmed.
Then, he reached out and beckoned Dum Dum Dugan to follow him.
"You stay where you are and wait for me to come out. "
Luke ordered.
Manelli nodded, holding the coat in one hand and carrying a suitcase in the other - there was a submachine gun hidden inside.
He was sure that if the mafia dared to play dirty, he and his team could turn the Bronze Bell Tavern upside down!
Luke walked into the tavern, which was now a mafia hideout.
The thick round tables were full of 'family members'.
Most of them were young and strong thugs, who belonged to the 'legion' and were responsible for engaging in violence, fighting over or guarding territory.
Being closely watched by over 30 strong men, who were also rumored to be one of the most ferocious mafia, the average person would be weak in the legs, unable to walk.
But Luke was calm and steady, and his temperament didn't diminish.
"Mr. Corleone, we welcome your arrival!"
The bearded man, at the center of it all, got up and greeted him.
He was Cossa Alessandro, the former head of the Mafia's Camorra family, now just a thug.
When the Mafia was purged, every family suffered heavy losses, and even the head of the family was put to death in public.
Such iron-fisted means and ruthless behavior greatly shook the mafia.
The special background, the special opportunity, in turn, gave Cossa a chance to make a name for himself.
He had gathered a group of people around him under the name of the Camorra family and recruited a lot of good people while the storm was brewing.
"I guess since you were willing to see me, you know why we are here for, right?"
Luke leaned back in his chair with a relaxed and calm tone.
Cossa was not only an informant for the Strategic Science Reserve, but also a mole for the future Allied landing in Sicily.
In the original history, the American intelligence department chose the local mafia leader, Salvatore Lucania, nicknamed 'Lucky' Luciano.
He was a big shot in the New York underworld and was quite established.
On the Italian side, it should have been Don Carlo, but now there was a slight change.
The Sicilian Mafia did play a significant role in the landings.
They provided all kinds of support toward the Allies, delivered messages, handed out leaflets to persuade surrender and so on.
Therefore, after the war, Don Carlo became the mayor of Villalba, while Salvatore Luciano was spared from prison and his wealth and reputation grew.
Luke didn't mind giving this opportunity to Cossa Alessandro, who is sitting opposite him.
"I understand! Yes, sir! I am ready and waiting for instructions from the Allies. "
Alessandro smiled pleasantly.
"Twenty trained gunmen, I've got them ready! It's just that with so many people sneaking into Rome, it's a little hard to get passes - the time is too short!"
Seeing Alessandro's embarrassed expression, Luke expressionlessly said, "That's your problem, Cossa. If you can't do it, then I'll find someone else. I heard about Don Carlo, who was thrown into prison by Mussolini, and he was a delight. "
"That Stronzo Don Carlo is nothing! Sicily is now Don Cossa's even the Governor of Palermo …"