Крестный отец

           AfewmonthslateroneofthehighestfunctionariesintheItaliangovernmentarrivedinSicilyandtriedtosolvethechronicwatershortageofthatislandbyproposingahugedam.EngineersarrivedfromRometodosurveyswhilewatchedbygrimnatives,membersoftheBocchicchioclan.Policefloodedthearea,housedinaspeciallybuiltbarracks.

           ItlookedlikenothingcouldstopthedamfrombeingbuiltandsuppliesandequipmenthadactuallybeenunloadedinPalermo.Thatwasasfarastheygot.TheBocchicchioshadcontactedfellowMafiachiefsandextractedagreementsfortheiraid.Theheavyequipmentwassabotaged,thelighterequipmentstolen.MafiadeputiesintheItalianParliamentlaunchedabureaucraticcounterattackagainsttheplanners.ThiswentonforseveralyearsandinthattimeMussolinicametopower.Thedictatordecreedthatthedammustbebuilt.Itwasnot.ThedictatorhadknownthattheMafiawouldbeathreattohisregime,formingwhatamountedtoaseparateauthorityfromhisown.Hegavefullpowerstoahighpoliceofficial,whopromptlysolvedtheproblembythrowingeverybodyintojailordeportingthemtopenalworkislands.InafewshortyearshehadbrokenthepoweroftheMafia,simplybyarbitrarilyarrestinganyoneevensuspectedofbeingamafioso.Andsoalsobroughtruintoagreatmanyinnocentfamilies.

           TheBocchicchioshadbeenrashenoughtoresorttoforceagainstthisunlimitedpower.Halfofthemenwerekilledinarmedcombat,theotherhalfdeportedtopenalislandcolonies.