Chapter 9 05

In the early morning, just before four o'clock, they were still sitting in the office in the big room at the corner of the building.They are: Sonny, Michael, Tom Hagen, Clemenza, Tessio. Paulie Gatto was still waiting in the living room.He was still in the dark, unaware that Tessio's men had been ordered not to let him leave, or to wander where they couldn't see him. Tom Hagen truthfully conveyed the deal proposed by Sollozzo.He also said Sollozzo apparently wanted to kill the old man after learning he was alive.Hagen grinned and said again: "If I appealed to the Supreme Court, it would never work better than if I appealed to this damned 'Turk' tonight. I said to him, even if the old man is still alive, I can persuade the Corleone family to accept this trading plan.

Sonny, I told him I could keep you in my hand, and we'd been best friends since we were kids and all.Don't be surprised, I deliberately let him have an illusion: if you took over your father's position earlier, you wouldn't feel too sorry.I ask God to forgive me for what I said at the time. " He looked at Sonny apologetically, with a smile on his face, and Sonny waved his hand to show that he knew such words didn't count. Michael, leaning back in the armchair with the phone on the right, thought about the two men: Sonny rushing to embrace Hagen as soon as he entered the room.Michael felt a twinge of jealousy: he found that in many ways Sonny and Tom Hagen were closer friends than he was with Sonny.

"Let's get down to business," Sonny said. "We've got to make some plans. First look at this list I've drawn up with Tessio. Tessio, you give Clemenza your copy." "To make a plan," put in Michael, "I reckon Freddie must be there." Sonny said grimly, "Frett can't help us right now. The doctor says he's in severe shock and must rest. I don't understand that, Freddie is usually a tough kid. I think it might be this time." Seeing my old man knocked down with my own eyes, it's mentally stimulated. He always thought the old man was God. Mike, he's not like you or me."

Hagen took it right away and said, "Yeah, don't get Fred involved, don't get him involved in anything. I think you should be in this house, Sonny, until it's all over. I mean Meaning, you should never leave the house. You are safe here, don't underestimate Sollozzo.He was a tycoon, a real cannon with a ninety-centimeter outer caliber.Is the hospital guarded? " Sonny nodded. "The police have sealed off the hospital. What do you think of the list, Tom?" Hagen frowned and looked at the list. "Then Jesus Christ, Sollozzo, it looks like you're getting really emotional on this issue. The old man will think it's a purely business dispute. Sollozzo is a key man, and as long as Sollozzo is removed, everything will be fine." It'll all work out. You don't have to hang on to the Tattaglias."

Sonny looked at his two regiment commanders.Tessio shrugged. "It's a tough question," he said. Clemenza was silent. Sonny said to Clemenza, "There's one thing we can do without discussing it. I don't want Paulie around anymore. Put him at the top of your list." The fat commander nodded. Hagen said: "What about Luke? Sollozzo seems to be very comfortable with Luke, which makes me very worried. If Luke betrays us, it will be troublesome. Can anyone contact him? " "No," said Sonny. "I've been calling him all night. Maybe he's gone out with his mistress."

"No," Hagen said. "He never sleeps out with dirty women. He always comes home as soon as he's done. Mike, you might as well dial his number repeatedly until you don't hear an answer." Michael obediently grabbed the phone and dialed it.He clearly heard the phone ringing over there, but no one answered.Finally, he had to hang up the phone. "Try every fifteen minutes," Hagen said. Sonny said impatiently, "Well, Tom, you're the staff officer, so you're the staff officer. What are we supposed to do?" Hagen snatched up the whiskey bottle from the table and began to drink to himself.

"We might as well negotiate with Sollozzo, the strategy is to delay until your father recovers and returns to work. We can even make a little deal if necessary.When your dad gets out of bed, he can control the overall situation without any effort, and all the big families will follow his ass. " Sonny was furious: "Could it be that you think I'm not capable of dealing with this kid Sollozzo?" Hagen looked him straight in the eye. "Sonny, I'm sure you have the ability to win him. The Corleone family has such power. You have two generals, Clemenza and Tessio. If there is a war, the two of them will give orders, and you will be able to win." Gather thousands of people. But, in the end, the whole east coast will be turned into a slaughterhouse, and the other big families will blame the Corleones, and we'll make enemies everywhere. That's something your father would absolutely hate."

Michael looked at Sonny, thinking he had heard the words.Unexpectedly, Sonny asked Hagen back: "May I ask the staff, what should I do if my father dies? Then what can you advise?" Hagen calmly said to him: "I know you won't listen, but I still want to persuade you that you should make a real deal with Sollozzo on the drug issue. Once you lose your father's back door in politics and his My prestige, the strength of the Corleone family will inevitably lose half. If there is no your father, other big families in New York will step up to support the Tartaglia family and Sollozzo, the purpose is to prevent this war. In short, If your father dies, then you make the deal first, and then, wait and see."

Sonny turned white with anger. "It's easy for you to say. It wasn't your father who was killed." Hagen was very proud and straightforward. He said: "Compared with you or Michael, I am his good son, maybe a better son. This is my opinion to you from the perspective of the staff. It must be based on personal feelings. If not, then I can't wait to kill all those bastards." Sonny was embarrassed by the emotion in his voice. Sonny said, "Oh, Jesus Christ, Tom, I didn't mean it that way." But that's what he meant, kiss or not, family, strangers are strangers.

When everyone was caught in the silence, Sonny sighed, and said unhurriedly: "Well, then we'll sit still until the old man can give us orders. But, Tom, I think you should stay within the range of the avenue. Don't take chances. You've got to be careful, Mike." Well, I don't think even a desperado like Sollozzo would drag a private into the vortex of war, but be careful. Tessio, you can keep your men in reserve and have them all over the city Walk around and feel the wind. Clemenza, when you've got Paulie Gatto done, move your men this way over the avenue, into this building, and replace Tessio's men. But, Tessio Theo, you still have to keep your men on guard at the hospital. Tom, your first thing in the morning is to call or send a liaison to negotiate with the Sollozzo and the Tattaglias. Mike tomorrow Take two of Clemenza's men and meet him at Luke's house, or find out where he's gone. This bastard bastard might be looking for Sollozzo right now if he's heard. I don't believe in betraying the old man. That "Turk" would try to seduce him with whatever he wants, and he wouldn't take that step."

Hagen put him off. "Maybe Mike shouldn't be so directly involved." "That's right," Sonny said. "Mike, you've got a right to pretend it didn't matter. Besides, I need you on the phone too, which is more important." Michael said nothing, ashamed; he found Clemenza and Tessio deliberately indifferent.He understood that they were covering up their contempt for him.He grabbed the phone and dialed Luke Blasi, only to hear the phone ringing over there.