Godfather System C88 Trap

The Cohen Crime Syndicate's boys began to probe into the Wolf Familia, a new power organization that had seemingly sprouted out of thin air in the city. This upstart group had been expanding at an alarming rate, and had even managed to strike deals with the Syndicate. However, every time they met, the representatives from the Wolf Familia were always masked men who took great pains to conceal their identities.

Suspecting foul play, the Syndicate's boys tried to tail these masked figures, but to no avail. The masked men seemed to possess an uncanny ability to sense when they were being followed, and would invariably shake their tails before vanishing into the labyrinthine streets of the city.

The Cohen Crime Syndicate's bosses were growing increasingly uneasy about this mysterious new player on the scene, and they knew they needed to unravel the riddle of the Wolf Familia's true face if they were to maintain their iron grip on the city's underworld.

Frustrated by the lack of progress, Mickey Cohen summoned his lieutenants and ordered them to tread more cautiously in their investigation. He expanded their list of targets, now including the Mayor, the Police Chief of LAPD, and the Los Angeles Times newspaper publisher, all of whom have ties with the elusive Wolf Familia.

They also added a new name to their list of persons of interest: a recently arrived businessman by the name of "Lorenzo Lupo," who was rumored to be connected to the organization.

The Cohen Crime Syndicate's men shadowed Lupo and his entourage of advisors, but they found nothing out of the ordinary. The man seemed to be consumed by his businesses, spending long hours at his various establishments, meeting with clients, and overseeing operations.

Despite their best efforts, the Syndicate's boys were drawing a blank. The Wolf Familia and its members remained as elusive as ever, and the Cohen Crime Syndicate's grip on the city's underbelly was beginning to slip away, one deal at a time.

***

In the modest mansion of Lorenzo, a tense meeting was underway.

Adam, Richard, Max, Patrick, Leo, Julius, Ricky and Henry, key members of the Wolf Familia, had just informed their boss that the Cohen Crime Syndicate was starting to probe into their organization's affairs.

Lorenzo puffed on his cigarette, a wry smile playing on his lips as he exhaled a plume of smoke. "So, they finally feel threatened, eh?"

Richard spoke up first. "Boss, how do you want us to handle this? The Cohens are not ones to be trifled with."

Lorenzo leaned back in his chair, exuding an air of calm that belied the gravity of the situation. "Relax, Rich. We've been in this game long enough to know how it's played. We may be new in this city, but our power is no joke. We've got the guns, the ammunition, and our ranks are swelling by the day. Besides, our experienced men from New York are trickling in as we speak. If it comes down to a war, I'm confident we'll come out on top."

Max and Patrick exchanged glances, and Max voiced the question on everyone's mind. "Boss, you don't mean we're going to declare war on them, do you?"

The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.

Lorenzo chuckled, a mirthless sound. "Of course not, Max. A full-blown war would only attract unwanted attention, and there'd be casualties on both sides, even if we emerge victorious. No, our plan is to gather intelligence on the men of the Cohen Crime Syndicate who are living as neighbors around Mickey Cohen's house, posing as his guards." He puffed on his cigarette, the smoke curling around his head like a sinister halo.

Adam nodded in agreement. "You're right, boss. Those men are the first line of defense for that Mickey Cohen. The whole damn neighborhood where he lives must be crawling with his goons."

Patrick frowned, "Eliminating them won't be a walk in the park, boss."

Lorenzo steepled his fingers, a calculating glint in his eyes. "I know that, Pat. That's why we have a backup plan. We find one of Mickey Cohen's close men and turn him to our side. A man in his inner circle would be a valuable asset."

Henry scoffed, "That's easier said than done, boss. The high-ranking members of the Cohen Crime Syndicate are as loyal as they come."

Julius, the quiet one among them, spoke up for the first time. "There might be one exception, boss. I had a chance to talk with a high-ranking member of the Cohen Crime Syndicate during our fuel and cigarette deals. His name's Lenny Finkelstein. He's the general manager of Polar Bear Ice Company, which is under Cohen's control. Word on the street is, he's not as loyal to Mickey Cohen as the others."

Lorenzo's eyes narrowed. "Lenny Finkelstein, eh? Sounds like we found our way in. Get me everything you can find on this Finkelstein character. We need leverage, and we need it fast."

Julius nodded, already mentally ticking off the names of his informants who might have the dirt they needed on Lenny Finkelstein.

Lorenzo drummed his fingers on the mahogany table, a cold glint in his eyes. "Once we have enough information on our friend Lenny, I'd like to have a little chat with him. As the boss of the Wolf Familia." He chuckled, picking up a golden mask with an intricate design from the table.

Leo interjected, "Should I send him an invitation, boss?"

Lorenzo shook his head. "That won't do. We'll need to... persuade him to join us for a little talk." He smirked, "We'll arrange a 'meeting' at the construction site we control in Boyle Heights. I'll negotiate with him there."

Ricky chuckled, "That's practically kidnapping, boss."

The room erupted in laughter, even Lorenzo joining in, but there was no mirth in their eyes.

***

A day passed, and Lorenzo's men had gathered enough information on Lenny Finkelstein to fill a dam. It turned out that Lenny was Mickey Cohen's brother-in-law, but the relationship was far from amicable.

Mickey Cohen didn't particularly care for his in-law, and the feeling was mutual. The tension between them stemmed from Lenny's penchant for making rash decisions that often attracted unwanted attention from the authorities. Lenny had been lucky so far, but it was only a matter of time before his recklessness caught up with him.

Lorenzo smirked. "This is perfect."

The next day, as Lenny Finkelstein stepped out of the Polar Bear Ice Company building, flanked by his men, Lorenzo's men struck. In a matter of time, Lenny's guards were down, and a gun barrel was pressed against his temple.

"Just be cooperative, Mr. Finkelstein," a masked man said, his voice muffled by a unique and intimidating mask that resembled a snarling wolf. Lenny raised his hands in surrender, realizing that resistance was futile. His men, outnumbered and outgunned, followed suit.

The masked men, all wearing similar wolf masks, tied up Lenny and his men, then led them to their waiting cars. Lenny was shoved into the backseat of one of the vehicles, sandwiched between two burly guards.

The caravan of vehicles sped through the city streets, attracting no attention in the bustling metropolis. They arrived at an unassuming construction site, where the masked men led their captives up the rickety stairs of an unfinished building.

Once inside, Lenny Finkelstein and his men were led to a dimly lit room where two masked men awaited them. One wore a golden mask with intricate designs that exuded an air of elegance and nobility. Beside him stood another man in a silver mask adorned with lines and whiskers, radiating a sense of lethal efficiency.

"Welcome, welcome," the golden masked man said, clapping his hands together as he extended a hand towards Lenny. "I've been dying to meet one of Mickey Cohen's inner circle. Pleased to meet you."

Lenny scowled and slapped the proffered hand away. "So, you're the boss of the Wolf Familia, huh? What do you want?"

The silver masked man, Richard, tensed, but the golden masked man, Lorenzo, raised a hand to stop him. "It's alright, it's alright. Our friend here is just a bit on edge."

"What do you want with me?" Lenny asked through gritted teeth.

"I hear you have a... less than amicable relationship with Mickey Cohen. Care to enlighten me?" Lorenzo asked, feigning casual interest.

"It's none of your damn business," Lenny spat.

Lorenzo chuckled. "Look, I'll cut to the chase. I'm offering you a deal. Would you like to join the Wolf Familia and betray your boss?"

Lenny laughed, as if Lorenzo had just said the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard. "Not a chance. Even if my relationship with my brother-in-law is bad, I wouldn't betray my organization. The Cohen Crime Syndicate is all I've got, and I'm not about to throw it away for some upstart like you."

Lorenzo sighed, his disappointment palpable. "I see..." He knew that Lenny Finkelstein could have been a valuable asset to the Wolf Familia, but it seemed the man's loyalty ran deeper than anticipated.

Richard, the silver masked man, growled, "Should we... convince him properly, boss?"

But Lorenzo's response surprised everyone in the room. "It doesn't matter."

Lenny and his men braced themselves for the worst, expecting torture or worse, but nothing came.

To everyone's surprise, Lorenzo said, "Untie him."

The masked men hesitantly complied, and Lenny Finkelstein found himself free from his restraints.

Lorenzo reached into his pocket and pulled out three old-looking tarot cards. "You can leave here alive, for now."

Lenny's eyes narrowed, but he didn't dare say anything.

Lorenzo continued, "But I want you to deliver these cards to Mickey Cohen and his underboss, Johnny Stompanato." He handed Lenny the first card, depicting a skeleton on horseback. "Give this to Mickey."

Lenny's brow furrowed, but he took the card nonetheless, not wanting to provoke the man in front of him.

Lorenzo then handed him another card, this one showing a man hanging upside down by one foot. "And give this to Johnny Stompanato."

Lenny reluctantly accepted the "The Hanged Man" card.

Finally, Lorenzo handed the last card to Lenny. "And this one... is for you."

Lenny stared at the Judgment card in his hands, his mind racing with questions. What did these cards mean?

Lorenzo leaned in, his voice a low purr of greed and opportunity. "Deliver these gifts, and I'll make it worth your while. I'll pay triple for the morphine stashed at Polar Bear Ice Company cold storage, and I'll even throw in a bonus for the trouble I've caused you and your men."

Greed, like a spark, ignited in Lenny's eyes. "You mean it?" he asked, trying to mask his eagerness.

Lorenzo's eyes narrowed, his gaze as cold as the cards he'd dealt. "Give Mickey the 'Death' tarot and hand 'The Hanged Man' to Johnny. Deliver these gifts, and I assure you, the morphine deal will be yours."

Lenny had a hunch that the boss of the Wolf Familia was using him to deliver some sort of ominous message to his boss and underboss, but he couldn't quite decipher the meaning behind the tarot cards.

His mind clouded by the lure of the morphine deal, he pushed his reservations aside. "A-Alright," he stammered, feigning nonchalance.

Lorenzo chuckled, he nodded to his men, "Let them go, boys." His voice was like ice as he added, "But remember, Lenny, don't double-cross me. The cards are my gift to them. If you fail to deliver, our deal is off."

Lenny forced himself to nod. "I won't disappoint you."

The men in wolf masks reluctantly released their grip on Lenny and his men.

Richard, standing by Lorenzo's side, couldn't help but voice his concern. "Boss, are you sure about this? Why let them go?"

Lorenzo's smile was cold as the winter wind. "Just wait and see, Richard. The tarot cards will do the job."

Richard frowned, not quite understanding. "What do you mean, boss?"

"You'll see soon enough," Lorenzo said with a chilling chuckle.

Lorenzo didn't need to be the one to directly hand the cursed cards to his victims. From his system's information, he could use the victim's closest friends, associates, or even their own men to do the deed. He'd tested this strategy two days ago, and the results had been chillingly effective.

So, as soon as Lenny handed the 'Death' card to Mickey and the 'Hanged Man' card to Johnny, the underboss of Cohen's organization, their fates would be sealed. The lives of Mickey and Johnny would be in Lorenzo's hands.

***

Once outside the construction site, Lenny and his men scrambled to their feet, adrenaline pumping through their veins. They quickly made their escape, leaving the ominous building in their dust.

"They must've been scared of our organization," Lenny boasted, trying to mask the fear still lingering in his voice. His men nodded in agreement, eager to believe their boss's bravado.

Lenny looked down at the two tarot cards in his hands: 'Death' and 'The Hanged Man'. He figured the boss of the Wolf Familia had some sort of message for his own boss and underboss, but he couldn't quite decipher the meaning behind the cards.

He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to these tarot cards than he'd been led to believe. Why had the masked boss of the Wolf Familia given him the 'Judgment' card as well? What did it mean for him? Shaking off the unease, he hailed a taxi, desperate to deliver the cards and collect his reward.

The taxi driver, white-knuckled on the wheel, sped through the streets, avoiding potholes and other cars as if the very hounds of hell were on their tail.

They finally arrived at Mickey Cohen's opulent mansion, where armed guards eyed them warily.

Lenny stepped out of the taxi. The taxi peeled away as soon as he slammed the door, leaving him alone with the guards.

The guards at the gate recognized Lenny and, after a curt nod, let him through. He made his way to Mickey Cohen's opulent office, where the boss of the Cohen Crime Syndicate sat with his lieutenants.

"What's the matter?" Mickey asked, frowning as Lenny entered.

"Boss," Lenny began, "I just met with the boss of the Wolf Familia."

Mickey's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Lenny continued, "He proposed a deal... regarding the morphine stash at Polar Bear Ice Company." He left out the part about their abduction, not wanting to appear weak in front of his boss.

Mickey stroked his chin, intrigued. "Is that so?"

Lenny nodded, reaching into his pocket. "He also wanted me to give you this." He handed the 'Death' tarot card to Mickey, who frowned as he took it.

Johnny, the underboss, received the 'Hanged Man' card with less fanfare.