Henry and Matthew took out two iron spades from the trunk and spent half an hour digging a deep pit.They threw Dani and his bodyguard into it.
Dani was quite a prominent figure, the third largest mafia boss in Los Angeles, worth over a million dollars, with hundreds of men under him, and connected to numerous political and business elites. No one expected him to die silently like this.
After burying them, the two drove away.
The next day, they bought tickets back to the United States. Ten hours later, they appeared before Hardy.
"Boss, the mission was accomplished smoothly," Henry said, handing over a cash cheque to Hardy.
Hardy took it and inspected it. "Tell me about the process in detail."
Henry recounted the entire operation. Their plan was meticulous, with an element of luck, and they had quietly taken down Dani.
The operation could be considered perfect.
Hardy patted Henry and Matthew on the back, smiling. "Excellent job, better than I expected." He glanced at the cheque again. "According to our agreement, I will give you both your share. You two are going to be wealthy."
Following Hardy's promise, each of them would receive $50,000.
In 1946, $50,000 was a huge sum, enough to buy a mansion in Beverly Hills.
Hardy wouldn't withhold this money.
A leader going back on promised benefits was a significant blow to his subordinates. Some bosses might take the lion's share due to greed, but such people rarely achieved great things.
Henry and Matthew had done a fantastic job with this task, and they would be rewarded accordingly.
"Matthew, notify all the supervisors to gather in the conference room."
Matthew knew that the boss had something important to announce and promptly went to inform everyone.
In the conference room, Hardy addressed his eight men. "Brothers, Dani has been taken care of, but this news is not to be leaked. This is our best opportunity. I am preparing for a full scale operation against the Spanish gang."
Bill and the others were thrilled to hear this.
"Boss, where do we start? Should we go in directly and wipe out their places?" Bill asked.
Hardy shook his head. "No, brute force is the lowest method."
Hardy now had the power to take down the Spanish gang, but he believed that sweeping through their territory was the crudest approach.
While Henry and Matthew were away in Colombia, Hardy had been contemplating how to thoroughly take down the Spanish gang and claim their territory.
His first thought was a direct confrontation, sweeping through all of the Spanish gang's turf. However, he realized this would be laborious and unproductive.
Such actions would inevitably draw attention from the government and police. With the recent conflicts between the Austrians and Irish gang, the nerves of Los Angeles residents were already on edge. A large scale upheaval would prompt government action.
There were also other gangs to consider.
He couldn't guarantee that the Irish or Mexican gangs wouldn't get involved, creating additional complications.
Even if they were victorious in the end, all their efforts would result in inheriting a mess.
Seizing control of a gang's territory wasn't as simple as taking out their leader, many factors needed consideration.
However, one thing worked in Hardy's favor.
The fact that no one knew Dani was dead provided Hardy with an opportunity for careful planning.
His focus was now on a critical figure within the Spanish gang the newly appointed advisor, Charles Simon.
"Brothers, let's discuss our plan of action." Hardy said.
The men sat up straighter.
...
Charles Simon was in his office, reviewing reports.
The situation within the Spanish gang was dire.
Several key sources of income for the Spanish gang cocaine, casinos, loan sharking companies, underground fight clubs, and brothels had been severely affected recently.
Cocaine deals had been disrupted, leaving the gang with nothing to sell. The casino, after being raided, was undergoing renovations. Dani had discussed reopening it once the cocaine business was sorted out.
Then there were the loan sharks, fight clubs, and brothels.
All these required his attention.
He wondered how things were progressing in Colombia with Dani. They were supposed to meet General Gustavo today, hopefully, everything went smoothly.
Seeing that it was already 7 PM and dark outside, Simon prepared to go home for dinner.
He was a family man and would always return home for dinner unless something urgent came up. During dinner, he would inquire about his four children and tuck his youngest daughter into bed.
Before World War II broke out, Simon had been a financial accountant in Hungary. As the situation there grew unstable, and hearing about immigration opportunities to the US, he promptly moved his entire family overseas.
Later, he realized that his decision to immigrate was correct, soon after, World War II erupted, and Hungary became a German ally. Countless Hungarians were conscripted for the war, and he likely wouldn't have been spared if he had stayed.
When he first arrived in the US, the effects of the Great Depression were still lingering, and millions were unemployed. It took him some time to find suitable work, and life became somewhat challenging.
During this period, he saw an advertisement seeking an accountant, which led him to interview with a high interest loan company associated with the mafia. Initially hesitant, the high salary offered by Dani persuaded him to stay.
Utilizing his professional financial accounting knowledge, he excelled at his job, gaining Dani's appreciation. Over the next few years, he rose to become the head of the Spanish gang's loan sharking company, overseeing its operations and the gang's financial management. S~eaʀᴄh the nôᴠel Fire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
He was essentially the gang's economic advisor.
Some time ago, when advisor and strategist Bernstein was killed during a deal with the Colombians, the position of the gang's second in command was left vacant. With no suitable replacement in sight, Dani reluctantly promoted Charles Simon to the role.
To be honest, Simon was good at handling specific tasks but lacked initiative. He was well aware of his struggles in the role of the strategist and could sense Dani's dissatisfaction.
After putting on his suit and hat, Simon headed downstairs.
The driver and bodyguard opened the car door for him, and the car soon departed towards Simon's community.
"You can go back. Come pick me up tomorrow morning," Simon said to the driver.
Just as Simon was about to exit the car, several individuals appeared beside him. A few handguns were pointed at the driver and Simon through the windows.
Simon's heart skipped a beat. He knew things were not good, but he dared not resist, raising his hands obediently.
Someone opened the car door, pulled out the driver, confiscated his gun, and pushed him into another car.
Two others got into the car, squeezing Simon in the middle, and the vehicle quickly sped away from Simon's home.
Simon glanced back at his house.
Warm yellow lights.
He could almost see his youngest daughter running happily towards the door.