Reverse Metamorphosis book one of the Irrevocable Change trilogy

by R. E. Schobernd

  “O.K. kid, but I think you’re making a mistake and if you change your mind the offer will always be there. I owe you big time and I hope you’ll let me repay you in some way.” Then Tony added, “It took balls to do what you did, and I think you’re tougher than you give yourself credit for.”

  “Tony, there’s also a problem with my parents; if I openly went to work for you they would disown me. I can't let it happen.”

  “Yeah I understand, your parents don’t have a good word for me, do they?”

  “No, they never have, and likely never will.”

  From that point, Clay stopped in to visit and talk to Tony at least once a week, developing a closer relationship. The two of them would often go upstairs to talk in private and before long Clay knew all about Tony’s operation; more than he wanted to know sometimes. He had knowledge of problems needing to be dealt with and then knew how the problem had been resolved. He had always known most of the men in the gang, but now learned the strengths and weaknesses of each. Some of Tony’s men, especially Joey Tadono and Donny Palmotto, took silent notice of the close relationship they saw, but knew better than to question it openly.

  Clay continued to live at home and interact with family and friends. The union Business Agent had called him in for a heart to heart talk about notification prior to walking off jobs. The first time would be forgiven, but he was told it had better not happen again. He had worked on construction steadily since the O’Neil episode, except for the dead of winter, and was having a good year financially.

  In the last year he had been assigned to work as foreman on two large and long duration jobs. Both had gone into overtime, bringing in extra money. He had continued stopping in to visit with Tony at least once a week and had formed a close bond to the guy. On the personal side he had been dating a girl steadily for four months but was tiring of her; a bad sign. But overall, things were good.

  Chapter 6

  In May of 1972 during one of these sessions Tony mentioned he was uneasy because of a gut feeling something going on, but he didn’t have a clue as to what. Some things just weren’t adding up but they were so small and unrelated he couldn’t put his finger on it. In some ways it was as if things were going too smoothly. No one had gotten out of line for several months, no one had challenged him lately, and everyone was paying up on time. The only clue he had was several store owners who were making “protection payments” appeared to have been roughed up, but no one was talking. He said Joey had the same feeling, but wasn’t hearing any information on the street. Joey had even threatened a couple of “customers” and they wouldn’t talk. Maybe everything was going well and he just wasn’t use to it.

  On Monday July 10, 1972 Clay was summoned to return a call from his union Business Agent’s office just as he was getting ready to leave for the day. There was an emergency and he was to call “Anna” at a phone number he didn’t recognize. Anna was crying when she answered the phone at the emergency room of Saint Mary’s Hospital, a mile from Tony’s bar. She said Tony and several of his men had been shot and Tony was in surgery with multiple bullet wounds. Then she added, “Please hurry Clay, I need you.”

  When he arrived at the hospital, Joey and eight other men were there with Anna and several close family members. Tony’s mother was there, and Anna’s parents were en route and were expected to arrive soon.

  Anna rose from where she was sitting and hurried toward Clay as he entered the waiting area. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying and she had both fists clenched as if trying to gain strength and regain her normal composure. As Clay got near she opened her arms to him to exchange hugs and said quietly, so only he could hear “I knew you would come. I’m going to depend on you to get me through this.” She kissed him lightly on the cheek and said “Come, sit by me.” Clay held her hand as she told him what she knew of the shootings. “At a little past noon, Tony and several of his men were standing outside the bar on the Gerson street side when a car turned the corner and several men started shooting. Tony was obviously the main target because he was shot the most, six bullets hit him. Tito Valenti was killed, and Anthony Guccione and Roberto Martinez were wounded; they’re in serious but not critical condition. The doctors say it’s too early to tell if Tony will make it or not. He hasn’t stabilized yet, and the doctors are still working on him. He has one bullet in his right lung and another lodged near his heart, along with several that broke his ribs on the right side and hit his right arm and leg. I’m worried about the big lug, Clay.”

  Anna began to cry and Clay put his arm around her shoulders to comfort her.

  “The police were here earlier gathering information, but they know little more than we do”, Anna added while sobbing.

  Anna's parents came in then, and her mother motioned for Clay to move so she could sit by her daughter.

  Clay found Joey and asked him if he knew anymore information than Anna had given him.

  “Yeah, I’ve learned a little. There was a police cruiser halfway down the block behind the shooters car and the cops could hear what was happening up at the intersection. They chased these guys and radioed the shooters car description, license number and location in to dispatch. They trapped the bastards in a blind alley where they killed one of the shooters. The other three got away by getting through a door into a building and out on another street. One of our cops at the local station says the guy they killed was a Russian immigrant. He had a record of several minor busts, but nothing big. Nobody knows who these guys are, who they work for, or where they came from. But they were loaded for bear, one of the shooters was using a high powered automatic military rifle. Christ, Tony, Vito and the other guys didn’t have a chance. When I find out who those cock suckers are they’ll all get theirs.”

  It was well after midnight before a doctor came out to the waiting room to tell Anna Tony was out of surgery, had been stabilized and was being moved to the intensive care unit. “It’s a bit early for predictions, but I feel your husband has a good chance of pulling through. He’s going to have permanent scarring and might loose some mobility in his right arm and leg. Stainless Steel plates and screws were implanted to connect the bone in his leg where a bullet shattered it. The bullets in his lung and near his heart have been removed and I don’t feel those will be a serious or long term problem.” Speaking to Anna he added “You can go in now to visit your husband, but please only stay for fifteen minutes tonight; you can come back and check on him again in the morning.” Anna stood up, motioned for Clay to accompany her and told the doctor she wanted Clay with her. Joey had a harsh but guarded expression on his face at hearing Anna’s request for Clay to go with her instead of choosing him. The doctor hesitated and then reluctantly agreed. Clay and Anna walked down the long wide corridor to intensive care with the doctor who took them to Tony and then left. Tony was still unconscious and had bandages covering most of his chest. His right arm and leg were in casts. Anna was sobbing and reached out to hold Tony’s hand as Clay placed a chair near the bed for her. Anna leaned over Tony and placed a soft and tender kiss on his forehead. Tony’s breathing was shallow and raspy. A dozen tubes and wires ran from his body to monitoring machines.

  After a few minutes of silence Anna stood and turned to speak to Clay, “Tony trusts you and is impressed with your ability in these matters. He’s spoken highly of you several times. Therefore, even against the strict rules Tony is governed by, I am going to tell Joey that I want you to head up the job of getting the bastards who did this to my husband. Joey won’t like it but he and the rest of the men will report to you and follow your orders.”

  Clay was shocked and began uttering protest, but Anna silenced him by putting her finger on his lips. “I know this is a terrible burden and I have no right to ask it of you, especially after what you have already done in avenging my son. But I truly feel you are the only one I have available to stop this. If Jimmy were alive it would be his responsibility, but now you are the only person Tony and I have to depend on. In Tony’s
business only the strong survive; the weak get killed. If no one in Tony’s group can stand up to these strangers, none of the other bosses will interfere. The only way they will act is if they decide to absorb his territory. And then they would have to kill him themselves. Joey has the muscle to attempt this, but not the cunning to succeed. He can do the dirty work, but without a sensible plan he’ll probably fail or get caught. Clay I need you and Tony needs you.”

  Then Anna continued, “This cannot be a long and drawn out turf war. The authorities, the other boss’s and the public won’t tolerate it. It will need to be a decisive and crippling blow to whoever is behind the attack.”

  Anna said, "Please do this for Tony's sake," kissed Clay on the cheek and led him out the door of the I.C.U. back into the corridor they had used earlier. Clay couldn’t believe what had been thrust upon him, and yet couldn’t refuse Anna’s request. His thoughts were jumbled and he didn’t know what to say in protest. As they approached the waiting room, Anna stopped and turned to him. “I phoned John and Adrianna and told them about their father. I asked them not to come right now, it’s too dangerous and they would only be in the way. They can visit later when this mess is resolved. ” She then asked Clay to get Joey and bring him to her. Clay was in a mental daze as he went to the waiting room and motioned for Joey Tadono to accompany him.

  When they returned Anna told Joey of her decision. Joey protested, but Anna prevailed and held her ground. Seeing there was no dissuading her, Joey reluctantly conceded and dejectedly agreed to follow Clay’s directions.

  While half listening as Anna informed Joey of her decision, Clay had time to begin thinking ahead to what needed to be done. If Anna had appointed him to be in charge, then it was time to start making decisions.

  Clay summoned the doctor on shift who was in charge of the I.C.U. and informed him there would be two men around the clock guarding Tony until he was released from the hospital. The doctor protested he wouldn’t allow it in his ward, but a menacing glare and a few well chosen words from Joey helped convince him that the men could be allowed to remain in Tony’s room. No mention of weapons was made, but the doctor seemed to understand the implication of the term “guards”. Clay assured the doctor as soon as it would be safe to move Tony, he would be transported to another facility.

  At Anna’s insistence, Clay went to her house to sleep and agreed to use it as his headquarters during the crisis. Anna had convinced her parents and Tony’s mother to move in with her temporarily also. Guards were assigned to the house and grounds, in case the attackers decided to hit Tony’s entire family. Before turning in for the night Clay asked Anna where Tony kept guns in the house. She led him to a closet on the third floor where he counted thirteen hand guns amid several shotguns and rifles plus ammunition for all of them. Clay selected a nine millimeter Beretta automatic, walked downstairs to his room, and went to bed.

  Tuesday morning, after only three hours sleep Clay called the Union Hall and quit the job he had been working. Clay could only cite “personal reasons” for quitting and before he hung up the Business Agent’s secretary said his boss was going to be very unhappy. He then called his mother to update her on Tony’s condition and informed her he would be staying with Anna’s family for several weeks until things calmed down. Margaret wasn’t receptive to his being anywhere near the Giliano family after what had transpired the day before and objected passionately to his being involved in their affairs. All he could tell her was he was there for moral support only and would be safe, since he would be staying at the house with the other extended family members. He told his mother he loved her and would be checking in with her frequently and then ended the call while she was still protesting.

  Clay summoned Joey Tadono to Tony’s den to discuss a strategy for the coming week. Business was to continue as usual. All men in the group were to be extremely cautious, but were to listen for and collect any information they could about Tony’s shooting. Word would be passed to all the men to be alert for anyone trying to pump information out of them, and to notify Joey of who they were. Joey was to revisit the store owners who had been roughed up and do what ever was necessary to get them to talk, even if it meant putting them in the hospital. Clay hated to do it because the poor bastards were caught in the middle between two groups of tough and determined criminals. The store owners just wanted to be left alone to eke out a living for their families. They couldn’t care less which group was extorting money from them, be it Tony’s gang or some other bunch. They meant nothing to either side but a source of illegal income to be taken by the ruthless from the weak.

  Shortly after they had begun, Anna entered the room and stood in the background listening. When they finished, she told Joey to impress on the men Clay was to remain anonymous. They were to keep his involvement with the family to themselves. Leaking his name on the street could endanger his family, and if they were dragged into this mess someone would pay for having a loose tongue.

  Wednesday morning, at the third business he visited on Haverity Avenue, Joey learned what he wanted from the wife of a man taking a severe beating rather than give the information demanded of him. She pleaded for Joey and his men to stop hitting her husband when she saw one of the men take a shortened ball bat from a cloth bag he was carrying.

  She said a group of Russians had told them if they didn’t keep their mouths shut and pay the Russians the same protection fee’s being paid to the big Italian they and their entire family would be raped, tortured and killed. Joey then learned the Russians collected at this store and others in the neighborhood every Friday morning, which would put them back there in two days.

  After talking to Joey, Clay escorted Anna to the hospital to check on Tony’s condition and progress. The guards at Tony’s room informed them two policemen had been there earlier, but Tony wasn’t awake. The detectives promised to return the following day. Clay told the guards to keep one man in the room at all times and the other outside in the hallway. They were directed to signal the other side with a knock on the door prior to anyone being admitted or allowed to leave.

  Clay excused himself from the vigil with Anna to make a forty five minute tour of the hospital facility. Making his way from Tony’s third floor room he surveyed the second and then first floor layouts. He then went to the basement where in his wanderings he discovered a service entrance. The entrance was approximately ten foot wide by fourteen foot high. The garage door opened automatically when a vehicle approached either side of the door and closed after it passed through. Not wanting to be away too long he headed back up to Tony’s room. Clay and Anna stayed for three hours during which Tony woke up enough to acknowledge both of their presence, say he hurt like hell, and succumb to the drugs again.

  On the ride back to Anna’s house, he brought up the subject of Tony’s recovery.

  “Have arrangement been made for where Tony can be taken; a place where he can recuperate out of sight and be safe for a prolonged time?”

  “Yes, for the last eighteen years we’ve been making yearly donations to the Thompson Medical Research Hospital, a facility in Wisconsin. The director of the hospital understands the nature of Tony’s business. The agreement is if any of the family is injured and needs recuperative care for an extended stay they are to be admitted anonymously.”

  When they returned to the house Anna called Clay into Tony’s office and closed the door. She used a key to open a drawer in the cabinetry under the walnut book shelves and showed Clay a drawer full of cash. “There’s over thirty thousand dollars here. Use it to buy what ever you need for this job. There’s more if and when you need it.”

  Two hours later Joey stormed into Clay’s newly assigned headquarters.

  “Those son’s a bitches killed two of my men this afternoon. Shot them both in the back at close range while they were making collections. Both of them are dead. And then an hour later somebody took a shot at me too. I’ll have men waiting for those Russian collectors when they show up Friday morning, and ki
ll the whole damn bunch.”

  Clay stopped Joey in his tracks and said calmly, “Joey, there will not be a shoot out tomorrow. You are going to supply me with the people I need on the street. Find a location for a camera to be setup across the street on a second floor, and you stay there too. They apparently know who you are and I want you out of sight.” Joey was fidgeting and red in the face. ”We’re going to let the workers lead us to their boss. He's our target. Hell, we don’t even know who our enemy is! Pull all your people off the street. Stop making collections and let them think they’ve won and we’re laying low. Tell only the men you are positive you can trust completely to stay at home and be ready when you call them. And assure them we will be calling.

  Joey was fuming and couldn't control himself any longer. He stood and raised his voice “By god, it’s time to hit those bastards like they’ve been hitting us, not go and hide like a bunch of scared old women. I’ll hit them Friday and to hell with you. You don’t know shit about this, you young punk. I’m through taking orders from you”

  Having heard the loud disturbance, Anna walked into the room as Clay was rising from his chair; before he could respond she pointed her finger at Joey, “Sit down and shut your mouth. I told you Clay is in charge and he still is. You will continue to do exactly what you are told; no more and no less. Clay will do the planning, you will provide the muscle. I can get muscle from a dozen people who can follow orders, so be careful your insolence doesn’t turn into threats or disloyalty. The fact they killed two of our people is terrible and we will reply. But it will be how, when, and where Clay tells you.” Anna turned and left as quickly as she had entered.

  Joey sat with a scowl on his face, looking down at the carpeting on the floor. He hadn’t expected Anna to continue to back the kid, but thought she would cave in and put him in charge when he pointed out they were still suffering loss’s and he had even become a target.