章 64: Lupo Film Studio
In the abandoned building in the heart of the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, the air thick with the stench of mold and decay, two men met. Coinneach O'Connor, the leader of the O'Connors, puffed on his cigarette, smoke swirling around his head like the plans he was about to make. Across from him, Fearchar O'Malley, the head of the O'Malleys, sat tense and simmering with barely concealed rage.
"So," Coinneach said, his voice low and gravelly, "How do we deal with the new order of things in this neighborhood now?"
Fearchar's fist slammed on the splintering wooden table, rattling the cups of rotgut whiskey between them. "The Irish gangs have been cut down to the bone! Damn Lorenzo Lupo and his boys wiped out the O'Neals!" he spat, "I was makin' a healthy deal with them O'Neal's, and now we're left with nothin' but the crumbs!" His brogue, thicker than Coinneach's, betrayed his fury, "Cursed Lupo! We should've seen this comin'!"
"He deserved to burn in the fiery depths of hell!" Another man from O'Malleys spat, his fist trembling with fury.
Coinneach O'Connor nodded, his expression grim. "Aye, I know the rage that boils within ye, lad. Lupo's actions were beyond the pale. He's become a threat to us all."
Fearchar O'Malley downed his rotgut whiskey in one gulp, wincing as the cheap liquor seared his throat. "Aye, 'tis true. That's why I'm here, settin' aside our differences to deal with a bigger problem."
Coinneach's lips twitched in a grim smile, "Don't you worry too much about Lupo, Fearchar. Word on the street is, the Barzini family's got their sights on him too. The only reason they haven't struck is because of his connection to the Don of the Corleone family."
"I heard it was because that snake Lorenzo Lupo is friends with the Don's son!" Another voice chimed in, enraged.
Coinneach snorted, "The Lupo bastard is livin' on borrowed time then. That kind of luck never lasts."
---
In a posh hotel lobby, Lorenzo and Tom Hagen, the Don's right-hand man, sat in a secluded booth, sipping on amber-hued whiskeys. The low buzz of conversation and the tinkling of glasses did little to mask the tense exchange between the two men.
Tom smiled thinly, "I hear you've been causin' quite a stir in the underworld. Took over another gang, I hear?"
Lorenzo's laughter was smooth as silk, but with an edge as sharp as a straight-razor, "Aye, Tom. I couldn't have done it without Sonny's help. Otherwise, the Barzini would've been on us faster than a vulture on a corpse."
Tom's eyebrow arched, "The Barzini family, you say?"
Lorenzo's expression didn't falter, "Got a letter inviting me to a 'friendly' chat in three days' time. Seems they're less than pleased with my recent... acquisition."
Tom's friendly demeanor faded, replaced by the cold calculation of a experienced consigliere, "They're not thrilled about you changing the status quo in their backyard, eh?"
Lorenzo nodded, "Looks like it."
Tom Hagen leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together, "You're a ballsy one, I'll give you that, takin' on the O'Neal brothers like that. Just back from the war, no less."
Lorenzo's jaw clenched, "I had no choice, Tom. They were gunning for my territory, my men. I couldn't let them take what's mine."
Tom nodded, "I get it, but you gotta understand, it's the Barzini family that runs your neighborhood. You're treadin' on thin ice."
Lorenzo nodded, "I understand, Tom. I'll tread carefully."
Tom sipped his whiskey, setting the glass down with a soft clink, "So, you called me here for something more than just a friendly chat. What can I do for you, and the Corleone family, of course?"
Lorenzo continued, "I want to start a movie studio. 'Lupo Film Studio' has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" A smirk played on his lips, betraying his excitement. "There's no struggling studio to buy here for cheap, so it's either this or build one from the ground up."
Tom chuckled, openly amused. "You're unpredictable, you know that, kid? A gangster like you starting a movie studio?"
Lorenzo's grin widened. "Deborah, my girl – she always had a knack for the acting. And I gotta' tell ya, Tom, I got a feeling for this picture business." He slid a script across the table, his hand trembling slightly. "I even got a script here.".
Tom Hagen picked up the script, flipping through the pages with a growing sense of disbelief. "You're really serious about this, huh?"
Lorenzo nodded, his expression set. "That's right. I'm thinkin' we shoot it right here in the Lower East Side, or maybe over in Hell's Kitchen, or Harlem. Someplace authentic."
Tom Hagen's eyebrows furrowed. "Aren't the Irish gangs still mighty peeved with you, though? The O'Connors and O'Malleys?"
Lorenzo's laughter was devoid of mirth. "I'd wipe 'em off the face of the earth if it weren't for the Barzini family's interest in the matter."
Tom set the script down, shaking his head. "You're somethin' else, Lorenzo. Cruel and ambitious, just like the Don himself."
Lorenzo's smile turned cold, "Thank you, Tom, I take that as a compliment."
Tom sighed, signaling for the check. "Alright, alright, I'll talk to the Don about it. In the meantime, you better watch your back, alright? Don't want any stray bullets flyin' your way."
Lorenzo's eyes hardened. "Don't you worry about me, Tom. The streets'll run red with their blood before they ever lay a finger on me or what's mine."
As the two men shook hands and parted ways, the air of the posh hotel lobby seemed to exhale in relief.
---
Tom Hagen returned to the Corleone mansion, where Don Corleone, the Godfather himself, waited in his study. The room was shrouded in a heavy cloud of cigar smoke, and the Don's eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.
"So, Tom," Don Corleone began, "What did our young friend Lorenzo Lupo have to say for himself?"
Tom Hagen, acting as the Don's consigliere, handed the script over. He also began to relay Lorenzo's request to Don Corleone.
"It's a story about a jury deliberating over a life-or-death decision. It's got potential, but…" Tom Hagen trailed off, unsure how the Don would react.
Don Corleone leafed through the pages, his expression unreadable. "Interesting." He glanced up at Tom. "What do you think, Tom?"
Tom Hagen weighed his words carefully. "The script's got merit, but I'm unsure about Lorenzo's directing. The boy's got moxie, but this is a different beast altogether."
Don Corleone steepled his fingers. "How much is he willing to invest?"
"Two hundred thousand, Don. He's either looking to start his own studio or buy an existing one. He's also seeking your... connections in the picture business."
Don Corleone chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound. "This Lorenzo, he's an odd duck, I'll give him that. Turning to the silver screen instead of focusing on illegal business, eh?" He leaned back in his chair, eyes twinkling. "Alright, Tom. Help him with what he needs. Who knows? One day, we may need a favor from this 'Lupo Film Studio'."
---
A few days later, through the Corleone family's influence, Lorenzo found himself the owner of a struggling B-list movie studio in Harlem. The studio, although small, had a history of churning out low-budget pictures for quick profits. The usually steep asking price of 450,000 dollars had been miraculously slashed to 180,000, a testament to the Don's reach.
Lorenzo toured the studio, his eyes shining with ambition. This was it – Lupo Film Studio, ready to take the world by storm. He didn't fire the experienced staff, instead, he called for an open audition for their first project: 12 Angry Men.
Despite the studio's location in Harlem, far from his Lower East Side turf, Lorenzo Lupo's fleet of cars ensured he could give orders to his new company before bidding his employees adieu.
"See ya, boss!" the scriptwriter called out.
The staff, genuinely happy to keep their jobs, waved him off, their eyes unable to miss Lorenzo's expensive attire and confident demeanor. To them, he was just a well-off, ambitious producer – unaware of his true nature as a ruthless gangster.
Lorenzo's good looks and charm weren't lost on the office women employees, who blushed blushed in his wake.
Lorenzo looked at the scriptwriters, "You guys, make sure that the script is perfect— we don't want any errors when producing this movie, alright?"
"Yes, boss. No worries!" Ryan, the head writer, assured.
Lorenzo nodded, and as he turned to leave, he noticed a group of thuggish looking men loitering outside the studio. Great, just what I need, he thought, plastering on a pleasant smile.
"Eh? So, you're the new boss of this dump, huh?" The tattooed one sneered, gesturing to the studio behind them.
The other thugs sized him up, their expressions a mix of contempt and curiosity.
Lorenzo's amused smirk widened. "Oh, really? And who might you gentlemen be?"
"Who do you think we are?" one of the thugs retorted. "We're the ones runnin' these streets, Richie."
"Is that so?" Lorenzo asked, feigning ignorance.
"Are you deaf or just plain stupid?" another thug snarled, losing patience. "We said this is our turf!"
The group of thugs grunted in agreement, cracking their knuckles menacingly.
"Why are you grinnin' like that, huh?" the tattooed one demanded, taking a step closer.
Meanwhile, inside the studio, the employees crowded around the window, their whispers tinged with fear.
"Oh no, our new boss is facing off with them!"
"Them" was all they needed to say.
Everyone knew about the notorious thugs who had been harassing the studio for "protection" money.
"I hope he knows what he's doing," one of the secretaries whispered, her voice trembling.
An older man sighed, wringing his hands. "This is how our studio lost so much money before. Those leeches, sucking us dry!"
The staff watched, powerless, as the tense standoff between Lorenzo and the thugs continues outside.
As one of the thugs made his move, Lorenzo's cold demeanor vanished, replaced by a lethal grace. He evaded the punch effortlessly, countering with a devastating blow to the thug's solar plexus. The thug doubled over, retching up blood before crumpling to the ground, unconscious.
The remaining thugs' confidence shattered like the illusion they'd constructed.
"Shit! He's got skills!" one yelped.
"Get 'em! Grab your knives!" another bellowed.
Too late. Before they could even blink, Lorenzo was upon them, unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks. He was a human whirlwind, his fists and feet a blur of violence. Jaws shattered, noses broke, and ribs caved under his relentless onslaught.
Their cries of pain were music to his ears as he danced around them, a one-man wrecking crew. Fear, pure and unadulterated, twisted the last thug's features as he cowered on the ground, pleading for mercy.
Lorenzo's uppercut was all it took to silence the brute.
"Hmph, pathetic," he scoffed, spitting on the unconscious thugs. He straightened his suit, the only sign of the altercation being a stray strand of hair out of place.
As he strolled away, he spotted the stunned expressions of his new employees, gawking at him through the studio windows. He winked and tipped his hat at them, a smirk playing on his lips.
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット