Why I Hated The Guy From The FBI Ch. 02

In this case, however, Rose wanted only two ingredients to meld together forever. She would speak to Tony in the morning, about transferring money to an account in Italy, for the two of them. She would have him put it in Frank's name, so Antonia would not be able to make a getaway to Switzerland. She loved her daughter far too much to keep her near her father's influence and the danger that posed to her. This new alliance although it seemed to go together seamlessly, could cause problems in the future.

Tony and Albert combined to make the largest of the 'families' in Brooklyn and their influence would now spill over into neighboring Queens and lower Manhattan. This was not good business. She knew it, although she never spoke of it. Although problems were settled in a more civilized manner today, and non-combatant family members were not to be involved in violent actions, there was always that possibility. As long as Antonia was in Italy, she was safe. Vincent was in school, so, technically, he was safe. Women were never targeted for hit. Kidnapped to make a point, but never harmed. If you harmed a Don's wife, or daughter, you had a war that the 'commission' would not be able to end.

The following morning Antonia decided to get even with Vincent and Donna. She pounded on the door and said, "Wake-up you two, I need you to help me pack."

Groggily, Vincent said, "Go away, it is too early to get up."

"I am going to pound on your door, until you come out and help me pack."

"I give up, where are you going?"

"Where you wanted me to go, Vincent; I am going to 'Get a Life.'"

Vincent opened the door, naked, with his morning erection in full view, hoping to shock his sister. "Where are you going to find one of those?"

Antonia looked at his groin, and asked, "Are they all that small?"

"How would you know if it was big or small?"

"I took biology at school. Yours is the smallest erect male organ I have seen."

Antonia heard Donna giggle, in the background.

"You had better not start Donna."

"I am sorry, Vincent."

"When you see one of these, coming at you, in real life, let me know if you think this one is small."

"Okay, but can I get a ruler, and take a picture of it, for a comparison?"

Donna could not take any more, and she burst out into laughter.

Vincent fumed. He turned around and said, "Donna cut it out, now!"

"I am sorry Vincent, I truly am. However, I wish I had a tape recorder. This is the funniest conversation I have ever heard, between a brother and sister."

"What do you need us for, at this time of the morning?"

"I will be leaving for Italy, no later than Friday. I want you to help me get my clothes out, so I can bring them to the cleaners, or get them washed, sorted out, and packed. The sooner I am out of your way, the more fun you two can have, without my interference. If you go back to sleep, I will start banging pots together, and you will wake up. It is your choice."

Donna get dressed. We are losing a sister and a pest at the same time. It will be worth losing one morning sleep.

As Antonia was walking away, she said, "Donna, I have a lighted magnifying glass, if you have trouble finding that thing in the dark."

Donna laughed as Vincent called out, "Mom, she is at it, again!"

Rose was in the kitchen, shaking her head, and smiling. She thought by now, her children would have learned, that sound in this house traveled down the stairway, directly into the kitchen, unimpeded. Secrets told on the second floor, were known by anyone, standing in the kitchen, on the first floor. Vincent would have to grow intellectually, to catch up to his sister, in a war of wits. However, she did not believe that was going to happen. Vincent had his strong points, but verbal banter was not one of them. He never would be able to stand up to his sister's verbal assaults.

"Just accept it for a few more days, Vincent. Then, she will be closer to Rome, than she will be to you."

"Is she really going to find a life there?"

"She may even get married there Vincent. I think you would like that. Antonia will be in Italy, with all her babies, and Donna here, with all her babies. I will join a frequent flyer club and so I can fly for free."

"Mom, you are putting the cart before the horse. She has to find a man, who can stand her first."

"In that case, Vincent, you should start praying."

Wednesday morning, Frank was at the VA speaking with his handlers for the last time. He advised them he was going to tell Tony about the bugs in his house. They were not happy about this, but he explained that if they were found after he left, and no new ones were found afterwards, it would all point back towards him. He also pointed out that no useful information was coming from the bugs inside the house itself, and he had been unable to plant any in the basement. He had a plan in mind to put Tony on the defensive, and look for a snitch inside his own organization.

They permanently relieved of duty from the FBI. He was no longer a federal agent. He was a private citizen, and he would report any threats to the security of the United States through normal channels and get medical treatment, at Camp Darby Army Base, near Liverno, in Western Italy. He was disheartened by this turn of events, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Late Wednesday evening Frank called Tony and asked him to meet him outside his home, in a few minutes. Tony was on the front porch when Frank arrived and Frank signaled him to come down to the sidewalk. He showed him three items, and handed him a note that asked, "Did you bug my house?"

Tony mouth, "No."

Frank handed him three metal discs and another note, "If my house is bugged so is yours."

Tony took Frank by the shoulders, walked him into his house, and wrote a note to him asking where he found the bugs.

Frank drew a diagram of the kitchen and living room areas, where he said he found them.

Tony went to those areas in his home, and found devices, in almost the same places.

Frank wrote, "Have your entire home swept, especially the basement. The flood may have killed all the electronics or they may have been mixed in with the trash, but rather safe than sorry."

Tony nodded and wrote, "Who?"

"Who had access to both houses?"

"I had a few men search your room, while I was checking you out."

"I know. If they were any clumsier, I would have had to clean up my room, after they left."

Tony shook his head and smiled. He said, "I should have told them not to bother. You probably still spit shine your shoes."

Frank turned sideways and Tony looked down towards his shoes and laughed. He could see his face staring back at him from the shine on the tips of the shoes.

Tony asked in a normal tone of voice, "Do you own sneakers yet, Frank?"

"I have been meaning to buy a pair of them; however, I keep forgetting when I am out with Antonia. I always find myself in women's lingerie shops, and that distracts my mind, from other things. At least I do not walk around with an erection, like the other men in the store. I think their girlfriends or wives do that to them on purpose. When the women look at me, and I am not erect, they must think I am gay, or I have marvelous control, because they see I am with Antonia."

Frank, I want you to stop by Thursday, around four o'clock, to pick up the travel documents for Antonia and yourself. Everything has been arranged for your trip to Italy. You will be flying into Rome, for some sightseeing, and you need some clothes. You cannot go to Italy, with your duffel bag.

A friend will meet you at the hotel and get you properly outfitted. He will give you information about the college, where you will be staying in Milan, your car, banking information, credit accounts, health insurance, and everything else necessary, for a normal life in Italy.

When you get to Milan, you will be greeted by members of my 'extended family.' We do a lot of business together, and we make a lot of money for each other. If anything looks out of the ordinary to you, you are to contact them, and they will move in, and be of whatever assistance you require. Things do not move as fast there, as they do here, so give them as much notice as you can. Be very careful with the car. Their favorite methods of getting rid of someone they do not like is a car bomb.

"Tony, without giving me any information you do not want me to have, can you tell me what type of business dealings you have with these people, so I can keep Antonia safer?"

"It is better you do not know, Frank."

"That is fine with me. However, make sure the people over there know not to speak to me, or Antonia, about any business matter."

"Frank, you would make an excellent business partner."

"Thanks, Tony. As you said the other day, I am leaning towards a higher calling. I just wish your daughter would keep me out of those damn lingerie stores."

Tony laughed as they shook hands, and parted company for the evening.

9. Preparations for Deployment

Antonia, Donna, and Vincent worked like a well-oiled machine; separating close into piles of clothes into: washable, dry-clean-only, and hand wash only. Vincent love displaying Antonia's delicates. Her tiny panties and bras were his favorites. Neither would fit on his bride, or so he thought, because she was much more substantial than his sister was, and he let her know it.

"Antonia, one of Donna's breasts would fill both cups of this bra and have some left over."

"That bra belongs to Donna, Vincent."

Vincent looked at the bra, as Donna grabbed it away from him, and gave him a menacing look.

"Do not worry, Donna. Your nipples probably hit him, in his eyes, and he blinded by your beauty."

Donna laughed, as Vincent growled at his sister.

After they had finished sorting the clothes, Donna and Vincent were given the chore of washing, drying, and folding the clothes, while Antonia would take two large bags of clothes to the laundromat, that had large dry cleaning machines, with Frank.

Frank told the three of them, he would rather go to the dentist, as Antonia threw him the bags of clothes.

Rose arrived home from food shopping, as they were getting ready to leave. She noted the look on Frank's face and asked what the problem was.

Frank told her where they were going, and his opinion of the duty he had to perform.

Rose noted that the clothes Antonia was wearing were dry-cleaning only. She told Frank that all Antonia's clothes had to be done, including the ones she was wearing. You can throw her in, as is, and watch her go round and round, or you can strip her naked in the shop and let her stand there, until her clothes are finished."

Antonia yelled, "Mom, do not give him any ideas."

Frank smiled, kissed Rose on her cheek, and said, "I could use a mother-in-law, who thinks like you, Rose."

"I am available Frank, but you know what the prices is."

Four pairs of eyes turned and looked at Antonia.

Vincent said, "I told you, mom, no man in his right mind, will be able to put up with her long enough to say 'I Do,' before he starts running for the hills."

Antonia picked up a vase, from the table, in the entryway, and was getting ready to throw it at Vincent, when Rose yelled, "Stop! That vase belonged to my grandmother. If it breaks; so will you."

Antonia was fire engine red, and still thinking about it smashing against Vincent's head. Frank grabbed her hand, and removed the vase from it, defusing the situation, temporarily. Quietly, he said something into her ear, that made her smile, and she nodded her head. She went to her mother, apologized, and kissed her goodbye, as she left with Frank, to go to the laundromat.

Vincent wondered what Frank said to his sister that made her release the vase, calm down, and smile, in a matter of seconds. No one else could do that to her. He had a way with Antonia, and if he could bottle it, he would be rich beyond his wildest imaginings.

It was late Wednesday afternoon, and the Laundromat was only moderately busy. No one was using the expensive, dry cleaning machines, and Antonia proceeded to separate the clothes into the four machines. Frank inserted cash into each machine and started them. He asked her what they were going to do for the next hour and she said to him, "Sit and read. You can do both of those, at one time, can't you, Frank?"

"Yes, I can. However, normally I do not waste an hour of my time watching clothes spin in circles. We could be washing my floors, cleaning my closets, or smacking someone's bare ass. In other words, making better use of my...

"This is a stickup everyone on the floor."

There were screams, and yells, as mothers grabbed their children. Older women and men panicked as they looked at the two men in dark masks holding automatic weapons at them. When no one made a move towards the floor, one of the gunmen fired a burst of bullets that killed a washing machine. This got everyone's attention and people started getting down faster.

Frank had Antonia on the floor behind him, as he lay down with his nine- millimeter handgun, hidden under his left arm and his right hand on the handle. He waited, until everyone had obeyed the robbers, and were lying on the floor. He needed both men, in clear view, before he could do anything.

The robbers demanded everyone to give up their cash and jewelry, immediately. Frank told Antonia to throw her purse to his left, and he took out his wallet, and did the same.

Some people thought their cash and jewelry were more valuable than their lives, and started yelling and causing problems. The gunmen warned them, and fired another burst of bullets, killing another machine. One minute had passed, and the gunmen were raising their voices in anger. They were going to start killing people, if their orders were not carried out quicker. This seemed to do the trick.

One of the men shouldered his weapon, and opened a bag. He started picking up the cash, wallets, purses, and jewelry, and threw them into it.

Frank watched as the second gunmen's head went down, to pick up merchandise. He slid his gun out and fired three shots into the first gunmen, who was standing watch over the crowd. The second gunmen was startled, as he stood up to grasp his weapon, Frank fired three more shots, and the second man fell where he stood. Frank yelled to everyone in the store to stay down. He walked quickly to the front door and checked the outside. There was a car at the curb, illegally parked with the engine running. The man behind the wheel saw Frank come out with a gun in his hand, and tried to leave. Frank shot the front and rear tires of the car and disabled it as wobbled down the street. The man got out of the car and attempted to run away, when Frank yelled, "Freeze." The man stopped where he was, and put his hands up. Frank told him to lace his fingers behind his head, and walk backwards to him. When he was close enough, Frank told him to stop and kneel. Frank felt around the man's waist for a gun. When he found it, he removed it and pushed it behind him with his foot. He heard the sirens coming, from all directions. Frank stood there, with his gun pointing at the driver, when a police officer told him to drop his weapon and assume the same position. Frank knew this was standard procedure, and did not argue.

Antonia watched all this from the laundromat and when she saw what the police officer did to Frank, she did not wait to act. She ran out into the street and grabbed Frank around the neck to make sure he was all right. The officer told her to get away from this person, because he was a suspect. Antonia in her normal, quiet tone nearly deafened the officer. "You fucking idiot. He just saved fifteen people in the laundromat, from certain death. He killed the two robbers, who were firing their guns at us, and stopped this man, from getting away. When my father talks to your captain, you will be lucky if you have a job, tomorrow.

Frank told the officer, he had not thoroughly searched the perpetrator, in front of him. He had just removed the gun from his belt.

Antonia called her father, and told him what had happened. She said she was fine and that the police were holding Frank as a suspect. "Dad, the only reason anyone in that place, including me, is still alive, is because of Frank. Can you help him?"

"Ask what precinct they are going to take him to, and my lawyers will be there to meet him. Tomorrow they will throw a parade, in his honor."

"Thanks, dad."

It took the police longer to type out the reports, from the fourteen people in the laundromat, than it did to release Frank from custody. There were fifteen people in the laundromat, but somehow, no one asked Antonia Caruso, for a statement.

Word came down from the mayor's office, through the chief of police, down the chain of command, to release this war hero, immediately. They did the ballistics test on the gun, to match the casings and the shells, against those at the crime scene and in the victims, in record time.

One of Tony's lawyers volunteered to defend the driver, of the car. The driver decided to plead guilty, to all the charges against him, and received the maximum sentence. After his discussion with his lawyer, the man figured he would be safer in prison, then he would have been on the streets, if he said no to a deal that involved Anthony Caruso.

The police gave Frank back his weapon. The men in 'Blue' scratched their heads wondering "who this guy really was, and why he was getting the royal treatment." They wondered, but they did not ask.

It was nearly midnight, when Frank brought Antonia home, with the dry cleaning. Rose, Donna, and Vincent were there to greet them, and asked for a complete rundown of what had happened, that afternoon.

Antonia started talking to them, and Frank interrupted, saying he was tired and he was going home.

Rose said that he could not go home, because Tony wanted him here, when he got back.

"Rose my back and leg are killing me. I have to lie down, before I cannot walk anymore. Is there someplace I can do that here?"

"Sure, why not lie down in Antonia's bed? She does not look like she is tired and if she does get tired she can lie down, with me, until her father gets home."

"Do you mind if I do that, Antonia?"

"No, I'll take you up there and get you a blanket. I will be back down, in a few moments, mom."

Antonia went up first and he followed her up the stairs, very slowly. However, as soon as he was up there, he scurried up to her and said, "Let's do Vincent's bed, in a hurry."

"I thought you were hurting?"

"I am, but I promised that you could get even with your brother, and a promise is a promise. This will not take long, with your help. You will laugh all night, when they struggle to get into bed, and you hear them scream when they rip their sheets. That is why they call it, "Short Sheeting!"

"Those are my mother's sheets."

"I will replace them for her, or I will leave the country, and maybe move to Italy, on Friday. What do you think?"

"It works for me! How do we do this?"

"Follow me."

The air in Vincent and Donna's room smelled of sex. When he looked at Antonia and winked with his eyebrows, she blushed. He asked, "What are you going to do when it happened to you?"

"It is never going to happen to me. I am too opinionated. I say what I think, when I think it, and if I am wrong, you will never know it because I will argue it, until the day I die."

"Bullshit! I have already beaten you three times, on three different occasions. You have acknowledged that you were wrong, although not gracefully. You will learn, as you get older that the world is round and not flat. The American Indians knew that before the Europeans did. The Popes excommunicated people that disagreed with what they called religious beliefs. Other Popes had to reinstate them, because religious beliefs changed. You will change, also, and when you do, I will be there to spank you."