CHAPTERS EIGHT

40… 60... 80... 100.

No, these were not the first, few attempts of a child or reminiscent adult at recapping all the multiples of 20; they were the sporadically rising miles per hour readings of the grey 1967 Maserati Ghibli, being driven by Giovanni Colpani, which was speeding down the road on a highway at a far end of the city, the part of town that 'belonged to' and was run by the Italian crime organization known as the Uomini Marrone.

Gio, as he was fondly called, the only child of Don Fabrizio Colpani, underboss of the Uomini Marrone and undisputable heir to the mob crew, who was reputed to be the best marksman in the family, wasn't currently speeding because he was accelerator happy or simply a reckless driver, but because, lately, he had begun to get increasingly frustrated with his father, Don Fabrizio Colpani, and his various administrative choices, which seemed to be tilted only towards the goal of satisfying the Don's personal gratifications, neglecting the bigger picture