Godfather System C94 Tension in NYC

In front of the Lincoln Medical Center, Michael and Enzo eyed the group of men who emerged from a caravan of cars that had just saved them from their pursuers. The tension in the air was palpable as the men in black suits approached.

"You fellas... Corleone soldiers?" Michael asked, his voice laced with apprehension.

Richard, the man leading the group, shook his head. "No," he said, his voice firm but reassuring.

As Michael listened to the man in charge deny that they were Corleone soldiers, a chill of apprehension ran down his spine. His mind raced with the possibility that these men might be from one of the other two mafia families.

Sensing their unease, Richard quickly added, "Easy now, gents. We're not here to cause trouble, and we're certainly not with any other families. We're on your side."

Michael frowned, his brow furrowing. "Then who are you guys?"

Richard smiled, a glint of recognition in his eyes. "Did you forget us so soon, Michael?"

Michael remained silent, his mind racing to place the man's face.

With a sigh, Richard finally said, "We're working for Boss Lupo."

A look of realization dawned on Michael's face. "Right... You're with that Lorenzo fellow?"

Patrick, standing beside Richard, nodded. "That's right. We're here because the Lupo gang owes the Corleones a favor. Boss Lorenzo suspected there'd be more attempts on Don Corleone's life, so he sent us to this hospital to keep an eye on things."

Michael and Enzo exchanged grateful glances. "Thank you," Michael said, "If it weren't for you, we'd be six feet under by now."

Richard tipped his fedora, a modest smile playing on his lips. "Don't mention it. We're just doing what we can."

"By the way, how did you know my father was staying at this hospital?" Michael asked, genuinely curious.

Richard hesitated for a moment before replying, "We didn't know for sure. Boss Lupo just told us to come here and do our best to protect Don Corleone."

"I see," Michael said, nodding. "Aren't you guys supposed to be laying low on the West Coast? Is that Lupo back in New York now?"

Patrick chuckled. "No, we're still out West. Boss Lupo is handling things at our business there. We're doing quite well over there, don't you worry."

"Boss Lupo just sent us to New York to keep an eye on Don Corleone, then we're headed back to the West Coast," Richard explained.

Michael nodded, but on the inside, he was reeling. How could Lupo be so well-informed about the goings-on in New York City when he was all the way across the country? He must have an impressive network of informants, Michael thought to himself.

Initially, Michael had been wary of the supposedly corrupt war hero, but now, he couldn't help but respect the man's reach and influence.

The wail of police sirens in the distance signaled that it was time for Richard and his men to leave. "Well, Michael, we'd better make ourselves scarce. The cops are here, and I'm sure they'll take care of the rest."

Michael nodded his understanding.

Richard gestured to his men, and they quickly piled into their cars and sped off without a backward glance.

Moments later, the police arrived on the scene, exiting their cruisers with guns drawn. They took in the sight of the three dead bodies on the road, and Michael braced himself for the barrage of questions that were sure to follow. He placed a reassuring hand on Enzo's shoulder, preparing to face the music together.

---

In Los Angeles, at Lupo Pictures, the first film production was in full swing. Lorenzo, sat alongside Deborah, who watched the ongoing shoot with interest.

"That guy's walk is hilarious!" she giggled, leaning into Lorenzo's arm. "Are you sure he's the lead? Won't your movie be a flop because of him?"

Lorenzo chuckled. "He's supposed to be funny, Deb," he explained. "We're making a comedy-drama, and Charlie here is a natural-born comedian. Plus, he's a quick learner."

"I know, but don't you think silent films are a thing of the past?" Deborah asked, her brow furrowed.

Lorenzo grinned. "Trust me, this film is going to be a hit. The story alone will bring in the crowds. And I'm sure it's going to make us a fortune."

Deborah playfully nudged him. "Jeez, all you ever think about is money!"

Lorenzo chuckled. "So, how's your training with Mica going?"

Deborah blushed. "It's... going well," she stuttered.

Lorenzo smirked. "The week-long abstinence deal is almost over, you know. Tonight, I want both of you to wait for me in bed. I'll show you two, especially you, just how much of a beast I can be."

Deborah's cheeks flushed even redder as they continued to flirt. However, their banter was cut short when Adam approached and whispered something in his ear.

Hearing the news, Lorenzo's expression became serious. "Well, I'm afraid I have some important business to attend to, Deb. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"All right," Deborah said, understanding the urgency in his voice.

Lorenzo and Adam quickly made their way to his office.

"So, Richard and his men managed to protect Don Corleone, but they had to eliminate three of the assailants?" Lorenzo asked, a frown creasing his brow.

Adam nodded. "Yes, boss. They engaged in a gunfight, and unfortunately, it couldn't be avoided."

Lorenzo sighed, knowing that this would have far-reaching consequences. After all, he had seen "The Godfather" in his previous life, and knew that the original hit on Don Corleone was ordered by the Tattaglia family, specifically through a man named Virgil Sollozzo. However, since he had already taken care of Sollozzo, it meant that the assassination attempt still went ahead as planned.

"It seems the hit on Don Corleone was inevitable, with or without Sollozzo's involvement," he thought to himself.

"Adam, have we found out why they went after Don Corleone?" Lorenzo asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

Adam nodded. "According to our sources, there's a drug dealer with ties to the other mafia families in New York. He approached the Corleones for a partnership in the drug trade, but Don Corleone turned him down."

Lorenzo's eyes narrowed. "So, this was a retaliation hit?"

Adam nodded grimly. "It seems so, boss. Whoever this drug dealer is, he made a big mistake by messing with the Corleones."

Lorenzo's mind raced. So, someone else had taken Sollozzo's place in this timeline. The situation was more complicated than he had initially thought.

"It's not a full-blown war between the Five Families yet," Adam continued. "The guy who ordered the hit is a drug dealer with ties to the other four families, but they can still deny any involvement in the attempt on Don Corleone's life."

Lorenzo nodded, impressed. "They're more cunning than I thought."

Adam agreed. "They're playing dumb, trying to avoid a full-scale war with the Corleones. If they can pin it all on this drug dealer, they might just get away with it."

Lorenzo looked at Adam, his friend and right-hand man. "You're catching on to this life pretty quick, aren't you?"

Adam adjusted his fedora with a smirk. "Hey, I'm a fast learner."

Lorenzo chuckled. "I think they're baiting the Corleones into retaliating against that drug dealer. Once they do, the other four families will have an excuse to band together and take them down."

Adam's eyes widened. "If that's the case, the Corleones need to tread carefully. It seems the other families have been plotting against them all along."

Lorenzo nodded grimly. "They wouldn't be so bold as to move against the Corleones on their own, not with their political connections and influence. There must be someone else pulling their strings, goading them into this."

"But who could be so bold?" Adam wondered aloud.

"I'd bet my last dime on Barzini," Lorenzo said, a cold glint in his eyes. "Emilio 'The Wolf' Barzini has always had his sights on the top position."

Adam frowned, his expression darkening. The Barzini family held a special place in his heart, and not in a good way. First, their goons had beaten him senseless two years ago, and second, they were the reason he and Lorenzo had been forced to leave New York.

Lorenzo noticed the look on Adam's face. "Forget the past, my friend. We're doing well here in Los Angeles, aren't we? If we'd stayed in New York, we'd still be fighting tooth and nail against the five families. But here, we've got the whole city practically gift-wrapped for us. No competition, we've got the politicians and even the LAPD in our pockets."

Adam nodded, but couldn't help but chuckle. "No competition, huh? What about the L.A. Family?"

Lorenzo's lips curved into a grin, "Sure, there's competition, like that L.A. Family, but... it ain't half as bad as what they got in New York, eh?"

Adam nodded, "Yeah..." He then extended an invitation, "I'm headin' to the casino we just took over. Care to join me?"

Lorenzo shook his head, "No thanks, I prefer to gamble on somethin' more certain, like business and life. Ain't much for those games of chance."

Adam chuckled, "Suit yourself. Guess I'll just pass the time with my copy of 'Red Dead'. Ain't got much else to do."

Lorenzo raised an eyebrow, "How many times you gonna read that book? Is it that good?"

Adam smiled, "I find somethin' new every time I read it. Taught me a lot about life, especially the gang life, and then findin' redemption."

Lorenzo couldn't help but tease, "Teachin' you a lot about gang life, huh? Your current line of work ain't teachin' you enough?"

Adam grinned, "Well, I like seein' things from different angles. Besides, what I love most is how it's set in 1899. Wish I could've met the author, though."

Lorenzo furrowed his brows, "You mean the author of that book? It's been years since it was written, ain't he dead by now?"

"Not at all, boss. He's still kickin' and feared by many, or so I've heard. In fact, he's said to have quite a reputation in his heyday."

Lorenzo chuckled, momentarily forgetting he was in 1945, while the book was set in 1899, meaning only 46 years had passed. "So the author's still kickin' and feared by many, huh? How'd you find out about him?"

Adam grinned, "I got to chattin' with some old-timers at the bar, and his name sure got their attention. They said he's a man to be reckoned with, and his reputation precedes him."

Lorenzo stroked his chin, "I see... Now I'm curious about this fella. What's his name?"

"J. Marston," Adam replied. "Heard he's livin' in Mexico, but no one knows where exactly."

"I see," Lorenzo said, nodding. He was quite intrigued by the idea of meeting such a character. "That old-timer must have a lot of stories to tell, eh?"

After a bit more chit-chat, Adam tipped his fedora and left.