Mafia Hearing.
I’ve heard of hearings on various topics in Congress, but a Mafia hearing? What in the world is going on?
Of course, regardless of my opinion, the screen broadcasted on the black-and-white TV was bustling with activity.
Before I could focus on what was on screen, according to David C. Paragoni, the backstory was as follows.
In this country, one of the highest oversight committees of Congress is the Senate Committee on Government Operations. More specifically, there was some bad activity within the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs.
Within that committee, there is the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI).
What the PSI does is simple. They investigate government inefficiencies, management failures, and corruption.
Currently, the chair of PSI is one of the senators from Hebili, just like Paragoni.
Unlike the House of Representatives, where representatives are elected based on population, the Senate elects two senators from each state. Even the least populous state gets two, and so does the most populous state.
According to Paragoni, the current senator who chairs the PSI successfully secured a critical witness.
And today, he was about to expose the Mafia to the world via TV and radio.
By then, it was too late for us to intervene.
I shifted my focus back to the TV screen.
Amidst many unfamiliar faces, one golem sat at the table with his lawyer right in front of the senators.
His name was Martin Borges.
As suggested by his being a golem, he was a member of the Sanchez Family.
“Everyone, please be quiet! Everyone, please be quiet!”
The voice of Congressman John L. Porter, who presided over the hearing, echoed throughout the room through the microphone.
“Witness, please state your name.”
“Martin Borges. I am Martin Borges.”
The golem pronounced his name very slowly and distinctly.
“What is your place of birth and date of birth?”
“I was born in Hebili, and my date of birth is August 19, 1882.”
“Mr. Borges, are you affiliated with any specific organization aimed at committing crimes or protecting/removing its members?”
“Yes, as you stated.”
While Porter and Borges exchanged questions and answers, no one in the room stayed still.
The stenographers had to keep a record of their conversation, and photographers moving around with large cameras snapped photos every so often.
Moreover, behind Borges and his lawyer, many reporters sent by various media outlets had eager eyes.
“What is the name of the organization you belong to, Mr. Borges?”
“Onorata Società.”
As soon as that word came out of Borges’s mouth, the reporters reacted instantly.
Many people were talking, and the large cameras in the back continued to shoot Borges and the congressmen.
“Is it Tyrrhenian?”
“Yes, it means ‘Honorable Society.’”
No one laughed or mocked Borges’s response.
The term “Honorable Society” certainly didn’t fit the criminal underworld controlling the city.
“To the citizens watching this hearing, I say again. Mr. Borges is officially the first witness to break the code of silence of Onorata Società and speak the truth.”
Omertà.
The Mafia referred to their code of silence as that. Or, more intuitively, as the “law of silence.”
“The information provided by Mr. Borges here today will expose the ugly truth about organized crime in this country. These criminal organizations rake in billions of pounds a year. They rob and corrupt the share that should rightfully go back to the fine citizens of this country.”
Congressman Porter praised Borges, saying that even though he was part of their organization, at least at this moment, he was making a significant contribution to the country.
“…What a grotesque bastard.”
The small hamster-like human said, squeaking.
“Are you talking about that congressman? Or that snitch?”
“They’re both scumbags, so it’s the same.”
The big vampire next to him and Yongin chimed in.
“….”
Elena and I shared similar feelings but kept quiet.
We were currently in the Dragon Hill Hotel, the stronghold of the Marinelli Family, located in the southeast of the city.
Felini, Marinelli, Russo, Solomon. The new bosses of the Five Families were gathered to watch this hearing.
“Mr. Borges, please tell us why you are fully cooperating with the Justice Department and this committee.”
Another congressman sitting right next to Porter spoke up.
He was a very familiar face. David C. Paragoni. Yes, that very guy.
The reason he was able to inform us about the hearing was… because he was part of the PSI.
“For their downfall.”
“Who exactly are ‘they’?”
“The bosses of the various organizations that constitute Onorata Società.”
Borges said with a very resolute tone.
Okay, if a man has decided to do something, he must be serious about it.
“…Looks like that’s an open mouth, talking so freely.”
“Did you forget to bring your helmet today?”
Darius Russo’s head seemed to ignite even more fiercely.
Nearby, Vito Marinelli expressed dissatisfaction about the helmet reference, but Russo merely replied that he didn’t bring one.
“Are they trying to kill you?”
“Yes, they are.”
“Bullshit. Why are they dragging us into this?”
Elena reacted as if she couldn’t take any more of the nonsense coming from the TV.
I felt stressed listening to such bullshit too. The best way to relieve stress was to eat something.
I quickly poured some whiskey into a crystal on-the-rocks glass and downed it in one go.
Surely, the Marinelli Family’s boss wouldn’t prank the drinks served here.
“Why do you think they want to kill you?”
“Because I refused to be their pawn. The bosses exploit their subordinates mercilessly. Underlings like me kill for the bosses, steal expensive things, and sacrifice the precious things in life. What do we receive in return?”
Paragoni shrugged nonchalantly.
“Only despair and suffering.”
That was an exaggerated expression. Typically, members of the Five Families pay 20% of their income to their direct supervisors.
Our family took 30%, and the ratios varied for the other bosses gathered here today.
“It seems a member of the Sanchez Family is a snitch. This must be a deep-rooted matter within the organization.”
Meanwhile, Vito Marinelli laughed, finding it amusing.
The Cassio Family, led by Eddie Sanchez. Nowadays, they’re referred to as the Sanchez Family, but other families prefer the name Cassio Family.
Emphasizing that Sanchez is merely a usurper who eliminated the predecessor boss.
Just like how Rita Carmen is referred to as part of the Marmala Family.
*
“Mr. Borges. Do you think the bosses are going to be quite upset with your testimony today?”
“What I say here before you, all the media, and all the citizens watching is a matter of life and death for me.”
That was indeed true.
The five bosses present here, as well as Sanchez, Carmen, Dragovich.
It was clear that the leaders of the other three families would want Borges dead too.
Shortly after, Paragoni briefly mentioned how Borges came to be there.
“That means you were afraid that after being indicted for murder and drug trafficking, the Sanchez Family would want to eliminate you?”
“Yes, I…”
Just then, as Borges began to answer, Chairman Porter declared a recess for the hearing.
It had to follow the scheduled timeline.
So, we took our eyes off the TV screen and reconfirmed why we had gathered here.
“It’s still uncertain, but the aftermath of this could affect us as well.”
“The most certain thing is getting rid of that bastard Borges.”
Right after Elena finished speaking, Little Dom spoke up.
Suddenly, the flame that had been burning so fiercely within Russo extinguished in an instant.
“Are you joking? You want to get rid of him in that condition? That’s insane.”
Russo expressed just how unrealistic Little Dom’s idea was with his whole body.
“Creating media attention won’t do us any favors.”
“But if we sit still, the media will definitely come looking for us, right?”
Vito Marinelli countered Little Dom’s suggestion, questioning if he was suggesting we just sit there and take it.
Elena shot me a look. It was time for me to step in.
“No, that’s not it.”
“Then what do you plan to do?”
In response to Russo’s question, I answered simply.
“If we can’t touch Borges, we need to touch the congressmen.”
More than half of the congressmen affiliated with PSI were from Hebili.
“Paragoni is already in our hands.”
“That elf next to the chairman, I see.”
Elena explained, and Vito Marinelli got it right.
Little Dom was skeptical about how effective that would be. But there would definitely be more effectiveness than we thought.
Because… John L. Porter. That guy, who is presiding over the hearing, is quite the funny character.
He was very consistent in his views.
He has shown a consistent stance against organized crime up to today. Not only that, he is a capable person who has investigated various government corruption cases.
At the same time, he’s an incredibly vile racist.
He was one of the most notorious ethnic separatists in Hebili, vehemently opposing any policies aimed at resolving ethnic conflicts put forth by the first African American president.
To put it simply, organized crime is bad, but discrimination isn’t, which makes him quite the strange character.
Naturally, he must have many enemies.
“….”
When I brought this part up, Little Dom looked perplexed and asked if I had a detailed plan.
“Yeah, there are civic organizations currently preparing lawsuits against the chairman.”
It was a very simple matter. All we had to do was fund those organizations’ lawsuit costs.
Then, we could stop this ridiculous hearing, conditional on Paragoni halting the lawsuit.
The other bosses agreed more with the method proposed by Elena and me rather than directly getting rid of Borges.
Once our solution was established, the hearing resumed on the black-and-white TV screen.
But then this bastard Borges… as soon as the hearing resumed, he outed who the boss of the Sanchez Family was.
Edward ‘Eddie’ Sanchez.
If Sanchez were watching this broadcast, he would surely be seething with rage.
