Assassins Betrayed

by Robert Cuma

  “He lives in the Parioli district, but his place is heavily guarded by the Hightower people. He spends most of his time down in Naples and Palermo with the boss from Hightower.”

  “You mean Fred Clark?”

  “You’ve been doing your homework I see.”

  “You must be careful with these people, they are wired into Washington.”

  “Oh, I’ve gathered that my friend.” Tom gave me the addresses I needed to follow up on these characters. We wished each other good luck as I quietly slipped out the back of the place to join Gina. Tom still seemed to be the straight shooter he always was.

  _____

  Later that day Gina and I were headed for Naples. It was a quick trip, especially the way Gina drives. She’s fast but good and with driving too. Arriving in Naples was a real treat. I love this city. One gets the feeling this is where the real Italians live, the tough middle class. There are farmers, fishermen, merchants, all hardworking people. We drove toward the downtown area through the narrow side streets with the open markets and kids playing all over the place. But wherever you go, all one has to do is look up and see Mount Vesuvius with all its ancient power looming over the city. I had not been here in years. Not much had changed.

  Soon we arrived at the undercover shipping company on the waterfront. Gina showed me around a little. We went through the main door and made our way back to a supply room. Behind one of the cabinets was a well-hidden door. After opening it, we went down a narrow spiral staircase, which took us to a very large room. Once inside, I saw the place was buzzing with activities. There were people talking on phones and with each other while some were observing large screen monitors hung on the wall. About twenty people were manning the location. It was an impressive operation. Gina told me on the drive down to Naples that her so-called boyfriend ran the place. He was a high-ranking undercover police officer with the Carabinieri in Naples. I wasn’t too surprised when I met Carlo Balsano, the SISMI Comandante’s son. He was a very good-looking man with a strong appearance. He would have to be to capture the affections of a girl like Gina. Carlo was a pleasant chap as he showed me around the place but Gina was right about his immaturity. He laughed a lot. After the tour, we got down to specifics. They had direct feeds coming in on several monitors around Palermo and Naples. All were focused on Bono’s buildings and various hangouts. Carlo told me he had people following Bono wherever he and his entourage went. They were trying to track his every move but no one could catch him with any evidence. Carlo appeared to be an uptight guy, unlike your average Italian. He moved quickly and talked fast. After we finished there, Carlo suggested I come over to his place for dinner with him and Gina. I accepted his offer.

  It was about 6 p.m. when we all arrived together at Carlo’s place. He had a huge apartment atop the hills of Naples in an exclusive neighborhood. When we arrived, the housekeepers had a great Italian meal prepared. I couldn’t help notice how quiet Gina was. She looked as if she had things on her mind. I'd hoped it wasn’t guilt from the night we spent in Rome together, whatever! After dinner Carlo asked, “Steven, did you make any plans for lodging here in Naples?”

  “Not yet. I was going to look for a small apartment or a hotel.”

  “Well, great. I can help you with that tomorrow but for tonight you can stay here with Gina and me.”

  “If you have the room and you really don’t mind.”

  “Nonsense, I have five large bedrooms in this place. You can take the one with the view of the city. It has a private bath. You’ll love it.”

  “That sounds good to me.”

  “Great. Gina, why don’t you show, Steven the front bedroom? You know the one with all the glass windows.”

  “Okay, Carlo. Come on, Steven let me show where it is.”

  As Carlo continued to consume more of his wine from dinner, Gina took me to my room. Once we got there, she put her arms around me and we kissed. There was that certain sadness on her face again. I asked, “Are you okay?”

  “Not really but I guess this is the way it has to be around him.”

  “Gina, it could be anyway you want it to be. You are a big girl now.” I kissed her again ever so gently. Then we went back to the room where Carlo was. He was really throwing the booze down now. I couldn’t help noticing that Gina, being tall for an Italian, was slightly taller than, Carlo. Oh well. Carlo soon went to bed insisting that Gina come with him. Reluctantly she went, shortly after I went to my room. I was laying in the bed thinking about this mission and still wondering if my team should be here. I missed Linda and Cathy for many reasons, not all of them were job related. I had to figure out how Gina was going to play a role in my love life. I’d wait and see where that would go. I didn’t have to wait too long. In my dimly lit room, the door opened slowly and soon after, I felt a naked body move slowly into my bed. No, it wasn’t Carlo. As Gina climbed on top of me, I felt a surge of extreme excitement, which continued for hours. No words were spoken the feelings said it all. She disappeared from my bed sometime before sunrise and she took a piece of my soul with her.

  4 - Change of Plans

  __________________

  The next day Gina took me to find a place to stay. I preferred a four star hotel with a breathtaking view of the Bay of Naples. It was spectacular as was the time Gina and I spent together in my new room. I tried to dismiss this whole thing as an infatuation on both of our parts but it wasn’t working. I decided to go with the flow. When we focused on the mission again, we went back to Carlo’s operations center. I asked him for two trusted undercover cops to shadow our every move when infiltrating Bono’s territory. He assigned, what he considered, two of his best people to comply with my request. I also, with Gina’s help, studied Bono’s wife, her different looks and her daily habits.

  When we knew enough, we set up a situation for my chance meeting with her. She drove her own car but she was constantly followed by Bono’s bodyguards. We set a plan in motion. I was going to play the dumb tourist and try to gain her friendship. We had the perfect place. It was in a restaurant on the top floor of an exclusive hotel downtown. This place was where she insisted that the bodyguards stay downstairs to give her some privacy. The day I was going to attempt the chance meeting, Gina reminded me to do whatever it takes to ally her. She said, “Remember, if you fail, then I will have to infiltrate the organization and we both know what that means.” Gina was staying with a friend of hers who lived in Naples. She told Carlo she needed some space. He didn’t seem to mind.

  The restaurant wasn’t crowded. Gina and our shadows were in the area. I walked over to Bono’s wife and asked, “Excuse me, Miss, but do you speak English?”

  The very sophisticated attractive woman responded with, “Why yes, I do.”

  “Great, can I trouble you for just a few moments?”

  “Sure, how can I help you?”

  “I’m looking for my grandparents’ old house and I can’t seem to find it on this map.”

  “Okay, sit down and let me see if I can help you.”

  “Oh, thank you.”

  “Are you an American?”

  “Unfortunately, I am.”

  “It’s not a misfortune to be an American.”

  “If you’re in Naples and are trying to find a little street where your grandparents first fell in love it is.”

  “That’s very romantic of you.”

  “Most of my life they used to talk to me about this particular place and one time my grandmother told me of its significance. I just thought if I went there love would come into my uneventful life.”

  “Oh dear, you have never been in love?”

  “I don’t think so. I bet a beautiful woman like you has love in her life.”

  “A long time ago maybe but not now,” she said as a sadness came over her.

  “I’m sorry did I make you feel sad?”

  “No, you just made me think of something I once had.”

  “Hey, come on, this is no time for sadness, it’s a time to celeb
rate. We have something in common. Neither one of us have love. At least we can share that much.”

  She smiled and said, “You seem like a pretty nice guy.”

  “If I can make you smile, then I have achieved something good today.”

  Again, she was smiling. At that moment, one of the waiters came over and asked, “Is everything okay here, Signora Bono?”

  “Everything is just fine,” she responded as she began to frown at the waiter.

  I had put together a group of signals for everyone ahead of time. One was if I tug on my earlobe the person near me is a danger and must be removed. As I tugged on my ear, the headwaiter came over to tell the annoying one to come back to the kitchen. I read the situation right. The waiter spooked her. He must be one of the eyes and ears for Bono. She became uneasy and wanted to leave.

  I said, “Don’t leave now. We were only getting to know each other a little.”

  “I must leave or you’ll get into some trouble. You are too nice of a man for anything to happen to you.”

  “Please, stay for a few moments. Tell me your name at least.”

  She smiled and said, “My name is Bianca and I am married.”

  “Okay, Bianca, I’m Steven. We can be friends, can’t we?”

  “Does the name Bono mean anything to you?”

  “Bianca, I live without fear. I want you to be safe. Please don’t worry.”

  “Okay, Steven, teach me how to live without fear being married to a notorious mobster like Ricardo Bono.”

  As the Carabinieri were taking the waiter out of the restaurant in cuffs, I said, “You see, Bianca, nobody messes with my friends.”

  “Are you a cop?”

  “Relax, Bianca. One thing, I am not is a cop. I want to show you how to live without fear. I am way beyond what a cop does for a living.”

  “Who are you?”

  “I’m the guy that does not fear a punk like Bono. Also, I’m the same goodhearted guy you were talking to before the waiter interrupted our warm conversation.”

  “I have to go. What do you want from me?”

  “Bianca, all I want to do is help you, if you let me. Otherwise, you are free to go back to your prison.” She sat there and didn’t know what to do. I continued, “Bianca, walk out of here with me and I promise you Bono will never find you. Do you want your freedom?”

  “What if you’re wrong? We’ll both be dead.”

  “Bianca, look at you. You’re a beautiful woman. How old, thirty something?”

  “I’m thirty-three.”

  “Okay, do you want to be rich and kept or do you want to be free? Say the word and I’ll make you disappear. I promise you with all my heart no one will find you. I know it’s tough and you’ll have to trust me. After one day if you don’t feel safe, I’ll send you back and we’ll make it as if you were kidnapped.”

  “Will you stay with me the whole time?”

  “I won’t leave you for a moment. Just one thing you have to do for me and only me, tell me anything and everything you can about Bono. Now I’m being totally honest with you. I need your answer.”

  “I can’t testify against him.”

  “Listen, Bianca. You will not have to testify against anybody. If you want, I can get you out of the country. You can go anywhere you want. Don’t listen to anyone but me. Do you understand?” She shook her head in the affirmative. I knew at that moment that Bianca was my priority not the mission. I was going to use all my powers to do something right for her. We stood up and began to walk out the door of the restaurant. Gina met us at the elevator. I told Bianca that Gina was my partner and would be the only other person she could trust. I told Gina to bring the car to the back alley when we get downstairs. Bianca and I got off on the second floor and took the stairs the rest of the way down. When we met Gina in the alley, I put Bianca in the back seat and told her to lie down. Gina slowly drove the car out to the street where Bono’s goons were waiting. We drove past them without raising any suspicion.

  When we got on the highway, I told Gina to lose our shadow car. Gina started to lose them. Then she asked, “Steven, what are you up to?”

  “We’re all going on a nice trip. Bianca, you can sit up now.” With that, Bianca sat up and Gina began to drive like the professional she was. In no time, we lost anyone who might be following us. We circled around Naples on the main highway until we arrived at the airport. We drove to where the U.S. Navy base was located. At the main gate, I told the guard I needed to see Major Reed. I showed him my bogus driver’s license. He then directed us to a nearby building where the reception area was located. He told us to go inside and tell the officer on duty to call Major Reed. We all went into the building and waited for the Major. Within fifteen minutes or so, he arrived. I told him who I really was and that Colonel Miller from Taipei said I should contact him. He quickly escorted us all to an office in the rear of a large hanger. Once there, he made a call to Miller in Taipei. We hooked up on a three-way conversation. I explained to Miller that it was imperative for me to return to his location, quickly. Both officers knew what I meant without mentioning a destination. Miller told me he would take care of everything. I thanked Miller and hung up my phone. The two officers made the plans to get us out of Italy in a hurry.

  After Major Reed hung up with Miller he said to me in private, “We’ll get a military Lear jet cleared to leave here in approximately one hour. You’ll have a short layover in Bangkok and then on to Taipei.” He told us to wait here in the office. The plane would come into the empty hanger and we could board it at that time. I thanked the Major and we shook hands.

  Gina asked, “Steven, where are we going?”

  “I’ll tell both of you when we get there.”

  “What about the mission? Do we abandon everybody and run?”

  “We’re not running, Gina. We are taking Bianca to a safe place.”

  “I thought we agreed to have her feed us information from inside Bono’s organization.”

  “I know but after listening to her story I think this way will be better and a lot safer for her. Gina, if you want to make any calls you’d better do it now. When we are airborne, you won’t be able to. Bianca, if you want to change your mind now is the time to do it.”

  Bianca responded, “I think you can really be trusted to get me out of this place. I’m with you.”

  I turned and looked at Gina and said, “Gina, if you want to stay, tell me now or forever hold your peace.”

  “I feel I have to call someone.”

  “Do you want to call Carlo?”

  “No, you foolish man, I want to go with you.”

  “We are not going to be gone too long. By the time we get back people will never even know we left the country.”

  “Okay, then let’s do it.”

  An hour later, we were airborne in route to Taipei. I told the pilots not to mention our destination. About two hours into the flight, I began to talk with our star informant. I asked, “Bianca, are you doing okay?”

  “Oh, yes. The further we get away from Italy the better I feel.”

  “Great. Now I need something from you.”

  “I know you want me to tell you everything I know about that pig Bono.”

  “That’s right but I need you to tell Gina everything you know about his operations. Don’t hold back on anything. Are you sure you want me to take him down?”

  “Steven, if I told you half the things that creep did to me for thirteen years you would be appalled. Some personal things I will have to deal with on my own.”

  “I understand you never had any children, is that true?”

  “God, no, what kind of kid would that maniac raise? I still believe to this day he had my family killed along with my childhood boyfriend.”

  “If you think that's true, then it probably is. Oh, by the way, Bianca, my grandparents did in fact meet and fall in love in Naples.”

  “I believed you when you told me that beautiful story.”

  “Tell us more abo
ut Bono.”

  “I was in too deep from the first day I met him. He thinks everything belongs to him: cars, drugs, money, and women. I was elected to be the trophy wife and I never saw a way out until today.” Gina took copious notes as Bianca spoke. She must have talked for hours. After that long conversation, the two women were fast asleep for the rest of the trip to Bangkok. During the stopover, which was short, the pilots gave the women two military fatigue uniforms in case they wanted to change.

  While we were flying on the last leg of the trip Gina said, “I didn’t bring any clothes to wear.”

  That’s when I gave them the uniforms. I asked, “Will these uniforms suffice for now girls?”

  Bianca responded with, “Anything will be better than the clothes that were picked for me each day. I want to take everything I’m wearing off now.”

  “Well, you can go in the back of the plane for some privacy.”

  “Nonsense, I trust you with my life and now I’m going to be shy!” She stood up and ripped off her clothes as if to say I am finally free. When she was totally undressed with tears running down her cheeks she took a deep breath and started to put on her uniform. She was another magnificent looking woman. Bianca was all-woman but with some of the child left in her, I’m sure. Gina decided to leave her jeans and tee shirt on. I went up front to talk to the pilots. They told me their orders were to stay in Taipei until I was ready to return to Italy. That was good news. I told them we shouldn’t be there more than a few days.

  ______

  When we arrived at the Taipei military base, just outside the city, we were greeted by Colonel Miller. We gave each other a hearty handshake. Miller was a rugged but good-looking man who ran a tight military operation with his Special Forces unit. They work under the cover of the Taiwanese military and wear civilian clothes. I introduced him to the women and we went to his apartment on base. The apartment was extremely large and he lived there alone. When we arrived, he had his housekeeper prepare a mini banquet. He told me in private that our pending arrival was kept quiet. None of my team was told. Miller was the only one who knew. I gave him a brief rundown on what transpired in Italy with the emphasis on Bianca’s situation. We sat at the dinner table and enjoyed a good Chinese meal. During dinner, Miller became acquainted with the two women, especially Bianca. Miller asked, “Bianca, have you ever been to Taiwan before?”