Chapter 11 - The Commission Convenes
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By noon, the news had shattered Chicago's criminal underworld like a grenade.
Luca Moretti had invoked the ancient charter of the Five Families, demanding an emergency tribunal of the Grand Commission.
The meeting was convened at a private, windowless penthouse suite overlooking Millennium Park.
The heads of the Falcone, Genovese, Lucchese, and Bonanno families sat around a massive circular oak table.
Salvatore Bellini sat on the far side of the table, flanked by his two top legal advisers, looking pale and sweating profusely.
I was not permitted inside the tribunal room, waiting instead in an adjoining high-security parlor with Oliver and six armed guards.
Through the frosted glass doors, the muffled thunder of angry raised voices could be heard.
Inside the chamber, Luca stood alone before the four seated dons.
He threw the thick stack of financial records onto the center of the table.
"These are the audit ledgers from the Port of Chicago authority," Luca announced coldly.
"Salvatore Bellini has been skimming thirty percent off every container shipment for six years."
"He stole forty million dollars that belonged equally to all five families."
The elder Don Falcone, an eighty-year-old patriarch with piercing gray eyes, put on his reading glasses and examined the ledgers.
His weathered face darkened with fury.
"Is this authentic, Salvatore?" Don Falcone demanded, his gravelly voice dripping with venom.
"It's a forgery!" Salvatore shouted, leaping to his feet. "Luca Moretti is trying to ruin my family because he broke his engagement with my daughter!"
"Play the tape, Marco," Luca ordered smoothly.
Marco placed a digital audio recorder on the oak table and pressed play.
Vanessa Bellini's shrill, recorded voice filled the chamber with crystal-clear audio:
“I told Matteo that if he ever returned to Chicago, my father's hitmen would carve up his wife and his bastard child!”
“I gave him a choice... and he packed a bag and ran!”
The four syndicate heads exchanged stunned, disgusted glances.
In the strict, ancient code of the American mafia, wives and young children were strictly off-limits.
Threatening the bloodline of another boss's brother was considered an unforgivable sin punishable by total expulsion.
"You threatened a mother and an infant child?" Don Falcone asked, his voice shaking with righteous rage.
"She acted alone!" Salvatore pleaded, his arrogance completely evaporating into sheer terror. "My daughter lost her mind! I had nothing to do with it!"
Luca stepped forward and placed Matteo's silver watch directly in front of Don Falcone.
"My brother Matteo is alive," Luca declared, sending a shockwave through the room.
"He survived Salvatore's hit squad three years ago."
"He left this evidence to ensure justice was served."
Don Falcone stood up, supported by his polished wooden cane.
The other three family bosses immediately stood with him.
"Salvatore Bellini," Don Falcone decreed, his voice ringing with absolute finality.
"By unanimous decision of this Commission, House Bellini is stripped of all territory, all ports, and all syndication rights."
"Your assets are forfeited to the Moretti family to pay for the blood debt owed to Matteo's heir."
"You and your daughter have twenty-four hours to leave the United States forever."
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"If you ever step foot on American soil again, your life is forfeit on sight."
Salvatore sank back into his leather chair, clutching his chest as his empire crumbled to dust in thirty seconds.
