Chapter 139 - "Gold Rabbit" (Note: Gonzalo's Story. A total filler for my quota. Y'all can skip if you want.)

1920

Gonzalo Coniglio, born Gonzalo De Bacco, was born in Naples, Italy. 

Gonzalo spent his early years in Quarteri Spagnoli, a large neighborhood within the city of Naples, and was raised by his single mother, Juliana De Bacco. The little Gonzalo spent his afternoons and early evenings playing with the neighborhood kids in front of a bakery where Juliana works at. 

1929

"Gonzalo, my dear. Let's leave Italia." 

When Gonzalo was 9, Juliana suddenly quit her job and with little Gonzalo by her side, packed their humble belongings and joined the masses to the sh.i.p.s and headed for America. Italy was a weak country in the turn of the 20th century, and hundreds of thousands of Italians fled the poverty of Italy each year. America being the land of opportunities, became their second home. 

The little Gonzalo and Juliana immediately enjoyed a very peaceful and comfortable life after settling down in Bensonhurst, New York. Gonzalo however noticed that his mother became busier and distant. The little Gonzalo felt it even stranger that Juliana would leave him often to Marcella, Juliana's friend, while Juliana herself went somewhere in many evenings. 

Gonzalo's peaceful and comfortable life changed one night in 1931, when he was 11 years old. While reading his books in Marcella's apartment, just like many times before, he heard disturbance coming from the direction of his and Juliana's apartment. The disturbance was followed by a single gunshot and everything went silent. 

Marcella, who was watching Gonzalo had to get physical to prevent the little Gonzalo from bursting out her door and rushing into danger. "Shh. Shh. Everything will be alright…" Marcella sobbed to herself that night as she held the confused Gonzalo. 

Gonzalo later on found out that Juliana was shot and killed by unknown people. The young Gonzalo vowed to himself to look for answers.

Marcella also adopted Gonzalo and became Gonzalo's second mother. Gonzalo was also urged by Marcella to adopt her name; that is when Gonzalo De Bacco became Gonzalo Coniglio

While Juliana's death left a gaping hole in Gonzalo's heart, Marcella did her best in filling the void.

1933

Gonzalo entered his teenage years, having wisdom beyond his years. His wisdom also told him that Marcella knew something about Juliana's death and she kept them to him. Gonzalo tried to seek answers from Marcella but Marcella would deny what she knows. After an unrelenting Gonzalo never stopped asking however, Marcella final admitted, but "I'll tell you when you're ready" was the only answer he got from her.

While Marcella did a good job in raising Gonzalo, the secret to Juliana's death kept Gonzalo from feeling that he really belongs to a family. Looking at his new friends he made in America, Gonzalo envied their loving families and longed for one himself, and vowed to look for his biological father. "If I can't find my mother's killer, then I'd look for my father."

1936

Gonzalo's life has become better and is coping well from his mother's death. He also made a few friends of Italian descent. While he is a goody – two – shoes, his friends were all troublemakers and petty thieves. The reason however that his friends respected him is that Gonzalo would give them ideas on how to make money on the things the friends stole without the crime being traced back to them.

Aside from being a puny theft mastermind, the 16-year-old Gonzalo also became a great student. As a straight - A high school junior with the prospect of entering an Ivy League university, his life was heading for a bright future. 

Marcella's life however, came to an early end. Marcella was not the healthiest person and when she was hit by the flu, her frail body was not able to take it. If only the flu vaccine was invented just 5 or so years earlier, Marcella would have been saved.

On her deathbed, Marcella told Gonzalo everything she knows about Juliana and the events leading to her killing. 

Juliana came to America not only to look for a better life but also for Gonzalo's biological father, Anselmo Opizzi. Marcella, being Juliana's childhood friend, discouraged Juliana from looking for Gonzalo's father. After all, Anselmo Opizzi is a dangerous man. 

Anselmo Opizzi was a member of a big crime family in Naples and after moving to America with vulnerable, unprotected, and exploitable Italian immigrants, setting up his own crime family was very easy and rose to power quickly in the Bronx. 

Marcella's final wish to Gonzalo before she passed was never to approach Anselmo and keep living a peaceful life. While Marcella is uncertain if Anselmo had something to do with Juliana's death, she is sure that Juliana becoming involved with Anselmo's gang is what ultimately killed her. 

Gonzalo's strong longing for a family however, kept him from fulfilling Marcella's wish. With the help of his thief friends, it did not  take long for Gonzalo to find Anselmo's residence.

"Stop right there, boy. What do you think you're doing here?" One of Anselmo's guards stopped Gonzalo from buzzing on the door. "Gonzalo Venezia. I'm here to join the Opizzi." Gonzalo introduced himself. Anselmo's door guard, feeling the confidence and resolve in the 16-year-old kid, was impressed and introduced Gonzalo to Anselmo. 

Gonzalo had to stop himself from breaking down when he finally saw his father for the first time. He however is not stupid and stopped himself from revealing his identity to Anselmo. Especially so when he found out that Anselmo already has a family and children; the children being a few years younger than him. 

1938

Gonzalo spent his first two years with the Opizzi as an associate who would go around with Opizzi members to collect debts and protection fees from businesses. After gaining trust and respect from other associates, Gonzalo became a wise guy; the top rank of what an associate can achieve. He became the youngest person in the Opizzi to be considered a wise guy, at the age of 18. 

As a wise guy, Gonzalo did not collect protection fees but expanded his loan sharking rackets and started a hijacking group. Unlike other loan sharks who would either maim or even kill their debtors who could not pay what they owed; Gonzalo would take a share of the businesses instead. That made his activities more legal and he is making a more stable income. 

His hijacking group on the other hand, would hijack cargo and transport trucks and steal whatever the trucks are carrying. The things they have stolen, they would sell at lower the market price, assuring the products to move and dissipate as fast as possible. 

1940

After two years as a wise guy, Gonzalo's businesses quickly expanded. Gas stations, underground gambling rings, and legal logistics business have made Gonzalo the richest associate. 

With his success, he was called in personally by Anselmo for a sit-down talk. Anselmo, being impressed by Gonzalo's schemes and achievements for his age, took a liking to Gonzalo. Gonzalo finally gaining the trust of Anselmo, decided to come clean and revealed himself to be Gonzalo De Bacco, Juliana De Bacco's son, and Anselmo's bastard.

Anselmo had mixed reactions at the revelation. But Gonzalo, only asking to keep doing what he's been doing without asking anything else, assured Anselmo that Gonzalo would not be trouble. 

1941

Gonzalo was summoned by his caporegime for a sit-down meeting. During the meeting, the caporegime gave the news that Gonzalo is recommended by Don Anselmo himself to be an official member, a soldier, of the Opizzi. In exchange for becoming an official member however, Gonzalo has to give up half of his operations to the Family. 

Gonzalo, weighing the consequences of refusing a caporegime and the benefits of being a made-guy, did not have problems letting go of what is being asked of him. 

One late night a few days later, he was picked up by two top soldiers he has been acquainted with. 

"Where are we going?" "Time for your initiation, kid." 

Gonzalo was escorted out of town to a place, shrouded by the woods. The location for his initiation gave Gonzalo great anxiety and suspicion.

"This is no initiation, is it?" "Sorry kid. Don Opizzi's orders." "But why?" "You were a mistake. Your mother never should have brought you here." "So, my mother, 7 years ago. That was you?" "This is your last night anyway. The hit was by enforcers, but yes, it was the family." 

Gonzalo already suspected it but he was still surprised. Despite his surprise and heart break, Gonzalo calmed down and with the help of the adrenalin rushing in his blood, Gonzalo thought and acted fast. 

Since Gonzalo joined the crime world, he always carried a .22 revolver with him, small enough that he could hide in his sleeves and palm for emergencies. Gonzalo also never made use of the habit, but at this certain night, he thanked his stars.

*ssk* Gonzalo twitched his sleeves for his revolver to fall to his palm. The two soldiers saw this but they were too slow and not vigilant enough to react. *PACK* *PACK* Gonzalo fired two shots; the gun much quieter than the regular handgun.

Despite the low caliber gun, Gonzalo shot true. The bullets hit the two soldiers accurately between their eyebrows. The two soldiers were still breathing after they hit the ground and *Pack* *Pack* Gonzalo fired again for certainty.