by Tony Bertot
Before being shipped and dropped onto foreign soil, called Vietnam, a third man, a weapons expert, joined their party. Their orders were to support the French takeover of Vietnam by eliminating the leaders of the opposing Vietnamese communist army believed to be puppets for the Soviet Union. At first, Nick, Theo and their new companion, Jay Messina, could not believe the atrocities inflicted on the innocents by these men now known as the Vietcong. Slowly and deliberately, Theo and the two men began successfully assassinating leader after leader. Their reputation quickly spread among the Vietnamese people and they were known as the Ma sat thu, “ghost assassins”. Two known Vietcong leaders put out a huge reward for their capture and execution. However, when these Vietcong were found hung with a bullet through their heads, the fear among the enemy grew. It was actually conceivable the tide of the communist advancement could be turned.
After three and half years in the jungles of Vietnam, their tour ended.
It was General Fulater who again intervened and instead of having them reassigned or turned over to the FBI, he ordered them to Washington to come before him.
In a private meeting, he commended all three men on their brilliant achievements in the field.
He sat there staring at them and then turned his attention to Specialist Theo Gresco.
He walked over to Theo and said,
“Son, you have shown a remarkable ability to remain calm under the most trying situations. You have performed beyond the call of duty more times than anyone I know. Based on your collective performance, you three deserve our countries highest award. Nevertheless, your mission in Vietnam was classified and any public recognition is out of the question. It would bring attention to both you and Mr. Costello here, a risk that might have dire consequences not only to you, but your family as well. I have an FBI warrant for both Specialist Theo Gresco and Private first class Nick Costello. Both of you are being sought on multiple homicides back in Chicago. Given the circumstances and your untarnished record I am going to honorably release you from the military and let you deal with the civilian charges on your own.”
“First Sergeant Messina. You on the other hand are not at any risk and can choose to remain in the service or follow these two into civilian life. I will, with your approval, recommend you for our country’s highest award. Nevertheless, I am asking the identity and involvement with these two men be treated as confidential. Do you understand?” the General asked him.
“Yes sir. I understand. If you don’t mind I would like to accompany these men out of the military,” responded Ray Messina.
“So be it. You gentlemen are dismissed with my blessings and best wishes,” the General said saluting them.
He watched as all three men marched out of his office.
It’s funny how life is, the General thought - I’ve told the story a hundred times and never did I dream I would have the opportunity to square things off. It’s been over sixteen years since I last saw Theo Gresco. I was just a sergeant in Sicily when a young boy saved my life in a small schoolhouse surrounded by Nazi soldiers, General Fulater thought to himself as he looked out his window and watched as Theo and the two men walked down the road.
Bolnaldo is Warned
New York/New York
Bolnaldo and his men prepared themselves by summoning more than half of the men in the organization. They positioned themselves in and around the headquarters. After two days waiting and watching, nothing happened. On the third day anxiety prevailed with the realization this was the day. However, no one came; the day came and went without incident. On the fourth day Clemente asked Bolnaldo to release some of the men to continue their search for Fazio. Bolnaldo did not agree.
“He’s going to hit us. He’s probably waiting for us to let our guard down. I can feel it,” Bolnaldo told Clemente.
By the sixth day, even Bolnaldo started to doubt Fazio was coming. Therefore, when the phone rang they all stared as if it was contagious. Bolnaldo junior grabbed it and answered.
“Hello. Who is this?” he asked.
Bolnaldo senior stood, grabbed the phone from his son, and yelled into it.
“Who is this? Is that you Fazio?”
“Yes, it’s me,” Fazio replied.
“You son of a bitch! I’m going to personally put a bullet in your fucking head. You hear me, you bastard?” Bolnaldo screamed into the phone.
“Well you’ll get your wish in about three hours,” Fazio commented and hung up the phone.
Bolnaldo stared at the phone and slammed it down.
“He’s coming,” Bolnaldo said in a calm voice.
The word went out to all of the sentries to be ready for anything. However, three hours came and went and no one showed.
“He’s screwing with us,” Clemente said.
“Yeah Pop! He aint got the balls to show his face around here,” said Tony, looking at his boys and Clemente.
“Yeah, you’re right. The asshole is just breaking my balls,” Bolnaldo said nodding his head.
“Well he’s going to pay dearly. Order the men in the surrounding area to get back to finding Fazio. Have all the cars in front of the building moved out of sight. I don’t want any of the men visible from the street. He wants to play games. I’ll show him how to play. Let them think we left the place unguarded. I’m sure he’s watching and waiting for us to let our guard down,” Bolnaldo ordered.
It was two days later when they got another call.
This time Bolnaldo senior answered the phone.
“Yeah,”
“What! When? Are you sure? Hold on a minute. Clemente, tell me if you know the man on the other end of the phone,” Bolnaldo said handing the phone over to Clemente.
“Who is this? Hey Frankie, what’s going on? Are you sure? Who told you this? When? OK, come on in and bring some boys with you. Make sure you aint being followed and don’t let anyone see you come in. Ok. Good job,” Clemente said hanging up the phone.
“Do you believe him?” Bolnaldo asked Clemente.
“Yeah I do. He’s one of my best men. I would stake my life on it,” Clemente said.
“Ok we’ll be ready,” Bolnaldo said nodding.
Two days later Bolnaldo’s wait was over. From a block away they saw them coming. The men repositioned themselves and waited. Within three minutes, over ten police cars surrounded their headquarters.
“You in there this is the police. Come out with your hands up.”
No reaction.
“This is your last warning. Come out with your hands up.”
Suddenly three men came out with their hands up, followed by another two.
“What’s going on officers?” asked one of the men.
“Get down on the ground, arms and legs apart.”
The men complied.
“Anyone else in there?” asked one of the officers.
“No Officer we are the only ones,” responded one of the men on the ground.
As three of the officers approached the men all hell broke loose. Men appeared on the rooftops as well as in the building on the opposite side of the street.
The call for assistance jammed the radio waves as helicopters and every unit in the city was dispatched to the area.
Three hours later Bolnaldo and his men surrendered to the police.
“I swear officer we were told that men dressed as policemen were headed here to kill us,” Bolnaldo shouted to anyone that would listen as they put him in a squad car.
July 25, 1955
“In early news today the head of one of the most powerful crime families in New York City has been arrested along with one of his sons and eight other members of his organization for resisting arrest and wounding seven police officers. Two were rushed to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition. Police were fired upon when responding to an Officer down call at the location where crime boss Bolnaldo Costellino resided. Two members of the crime family were killed during the exchange. They were arraigned and held without bond in criminal court this morning,�
� the news commentator reported.
September 19, 1955 as reported in the Daily Ledger
“The trial of crime boss Bolnaldo Costellino, his son Bolnaldo Junior and eight members of his organization commenced today amid speculation they would receive a speedy trial and be released on their own recognizance.”
October 24, 1955 as reported in the Daily Ledger
“After a trial that lasted five weeks Bolnaldo Costellino, his son Bolnaldo Junior and eight members of his organization were shocked when the Judge handed them each a sentence of seven years in the state penitentiary; one year for every officer wounded at the scene of the encounter. It was also reported until Bolnaldo Costellino returns, his other son, Tony Bolnaldo, will take the reins of the Costellino Family.”
”Should we worry about this Tony Costellino?” Fazio asked the men in the room.
“Tony couldn’t wipe his ass without the old man’s consent and with almost all of his lieutenants behind bars, I don’t see him as a threat,” Leo Russo commented.
“Well to make sure, spread the word that we were responsible for having Bolnaldo and his cronies locked up. Also let them think we were also responsible for the attack on the Giovanna Family. Also, get the word out if we hear of anyone joining the Bolnaldo Family we will come after them. Have a few of their locations blown up as a warning,” Fazio ordered.
Over the next eight years Fazio, Felicia and Fabio together with Leo Russo, John De Luca and Erin Romano created an organization that would be the envy of most crime families in the United States.
The Return of Theo and Nick
Chicago
As Jay sat between Theo and Nick at the airport waiting for their departing flights, they stared at the people going about their business. Nick was eating a hotdog he conned out of a nearby vendor.
“Surprise you didn’t get something to drink with that dog,” Jay said to Nick.
“Wasn’t thirsty,” replied Nick.
“I hope you guys know how to stay out of trouble in the real world,” Jay told them.
“I got some unfinished business out here,” Nick said.
“Nick, don’t drag Theo into it. He’s got a wife and kid to take care of,” Jay told him.
“Hey, don’t worry about that. I wasn’t planning to involve Theo in my business. Anyway, he’s a big boy and knows how to take care of himself,” Nick told Jay.
Jay turned to Theo and smiled at him. Theo returned the smile.
“You ok, Theo?” Jay asked him.
“Yeah, I’m ok,” responded Theo.
After hearing a couple of announcements over the PA system, Jay got up saying they announced the arrival of his flight. Before leaving he turned around and looked at the two men sitting there now staring back at him.
“You guys be careful. If you need me for anything, don’t hesitate to call. I’m going to open a gun shop in Newark, New Jersey. You can find me in the yellow pages,” he told them, turned and walked away.
Both Theo and Nick watched as Jay walked away, feeling an emptiness in the pit of their stomachs. They had been together for almost three years and saved each other lives countless times.
Nick stared after Jay and turned to Theo.
“You ok?” Nick asked.
“Yeah, I’m ok,” responded Theo.
Theo was looking forward to seeing Sylvia and his son Tyler. He had decided not to call Sylvia and let her know; he wanted to surprise her.
Thirty minutes later, they were boarding an airplane to Midway Airport in Chicago.
Joe Bolano and Theodore Enzinola watched as the afternoon traffic of people walked past the luncheonette.
“Looks like it’s going to rain,” said Joe Bolano as he maneuvered his huge frame to the counter to get another cup of coffee.
He and Theodore Enzinola had been assigned the responsibility of keeping the curious or strangers from wandering into the back of the establishment where money was received and counted for the Giovanna Family. Both men were also employed by Nick Costello, who had arranged for them to receive a sum of money on a monthly basis for remaining involved with the family. Nick arranged it before he and Theo enlisted.
Making his way back to the table where Theodore sat, a young boy came running in with a bag and almost collided with Joe.
“Hey, watch it you little squirt,” Joe told the kid.
“Sorry, fat man,” the kid responded.
“I’ll give you fat man side your head,” responded Joe as the kid got past him and went to the back.
A couple of minutes later the kid, a courier for the numbers racket on Wabash, was exiting past Joe and Theodore. He would stop by twice a day to conduct business.
It was another typical day for both these men as the day was coming to a close when a stranger wandered in and tried to get past them.
“Hey, where you going?” asked Joe Bolano getting up while reaching into his lapel. Theodore also responded by blocking the stranger.
The stranger, now between the two men, raised his hands.
“Gee I only came in to get a cup of coffee,” he said as he looked into Joe Bolano’s face and then turned to face Theodore Enzinola.
“Holy shit,” Joe said.
Raising his finger to his lips, Nick Costellino walked over to the counter and ordered a cup of coffee. Both Joe and Theodore stared for a few seconds before returning to their seats at the booth. After a short period, Nick got up, paid for his coffee and walked out the door. A few minutes later both Joe and Theodore got up and walked to the front door, stepped into the street and looked for Nick. Seeing him go into an apartment building across the street, they remained situated until they noticed the shade on one of the windows go up and down. Two hours later they were sitting in front of Nick Costello.
“How you boys doing?” Nick asked them.
“Fine, Mr. Costello,” replied Theodore Enzinola
“We moved up the ranks and are now in charge of protecting two locations for the Sabrisio and Giovanna Families,” Joe Bolano told Nick.
“There’s a rumor that Al Giovanna is sick and about to croak,” Joe said.
“Really?” said Nick.
“How about the Sabrisio brothers, they still around?” Nick asked them.
“Yeah, they are. Anthony Giovanna depends on them a lot. He doesn’t have his old man’s balls. He goes to them for everything,” Theodore told Nick.
“Anything else I should know about?” Nick asked them.
“Yeah. Frank Sabrisio has two men watching some broad with a kid over on Wabash. They think her husband bumped off the two guys we left tied to the lamppost,” Joe said laughing.
“What?” Nick shouted.
“Yeah, boss. We heard something about hitting the poor sap as soon as they find him. But, boss they been sitting there for almost a whole year,” Joe said.
“Shit,” Nick said standing up now.
“Now listen to me. We need to get there now and find out if they spotted the guy,” Nick said now running towards the door with the two men following.
A few minutes later they were racing down Wabash.
Sylvia Gresco and Ana Randazzo were in the kitchen when someone knocked on the door. They heard Sonia Randazzo on the other side asking that they hurry up and open the door. Sylvia rushed to the door.
“What’s wrong?” asked Sylvia.
“I… I think I smell smoke coming from your apartment,” she told Sylvia.
Sylvia ran down the stairs and opened her door to find her husband Theo Gresco standing there with a half smile on his face.
“Oh, my God!” Sylvia said as she rushed into his arms.
Upstairs Sonia explained to Ana she ran into Theo as she was coming into the building and he wanted to surprise Sylvia. Ana became so excited and began to shout out,
“Benito, Benito come here now.”
Benito came quickly with a young two and half year old running behind him.
“What’s going on?” he said with some concern in his voice.
“Theo is back,” she said with a huge smile on her face.
Benito stared at the two women, turned and picked up the young man holding on to his trousers.
“Here, hold Tyler,” he said as he rushed into the back of the apartment. After a few minutes, he returned with a gun in his trousers.
“Benito, what’s going on?” Ana asked urgently.
“I didn’t want to worry you, but I noticed that some men have been watching the apartment for at least the last six months. Don’t know who they are but I’m sure it’s either Theo or Nick Costello they are looking for,” Benito told her.
“Oh no, what are you going to do?” Sonia asked.
“Going to see if the men are still there,” Benito said.
As Benito left, Sonia pushed Ana with Tyler on her lap to the front of the apartment to look out the window. They could see a car parked across the street occupied by two men. They saw Benito step out onto the street below and watched as he crossed the street entering the apartment building opposite theirs.
“What’s he doing?” Sonia asked.
“I don’t know,” said Ana.
Calito, sitting on the rooftop across from their building, was caught by surprise when his father Benito approached him from behind.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Benito asked him.
“Pop! You scared the crap out of me,” responded Calito.
“Sorry, son. Did you notice anyone go into our building in the last half hour?” Benito asked his son.
“No, Pop. I saw Sonia go in and a few minutes later, saw you come out. Thought you were going down the block,” Calito said.
As Benito and Calito were chatting, a car came up Wabash and stopped in front of their building. Both men stared as Calito picked up the rifle and waited. Nick Costello and one other man stepped out of the car and walked over to the Sedan Coupe parked on the opposite side of the street where the two men sat. They saw Nick conversing with the men in the car. After a few minutes the Sedan left Wabash Street to be replaced by Nick’s vehicle.