Page 330 of Niccolo

The Council began ten minutes later.

The room was like the rest of the house: dark mahogany paneling and subdued lighting.

All the dons from the other families were seated around two gigantic rectangular tables – one on the east side of the room, one on the west. Their consiglieres stood behind them, ready to whisper advice when needed.

Between the two tables was a twenty-foot gap, informally referred to as the ‘gauntlet’ – so called because of the old military punishment ‘running the gauntlet,’ where the accused had to run between two rows of soldiers, who beat him mercilessly as he passed.

‘Running the gauntlet’ inthisroom would not entail any physical beatings. Still, there would be plenty ofverbalthrashings to go around.

At one end of the tables – to the north – Dario and my brothers sat in five chairs. I stood, like all the otherconsiglieres.

At the other end of the tables – forty feet away, to the south – Fausto sat in a chair as Sofia stood behind him.

The leaders of the Five Families sat together in the center of the east table. Don Severino was in the middle, with Vicari and Amato to his left and the Widow and Don Camerota of Milan to his right.

The Widow and Vicari were the only leaders present withoutconsiglieres.

Severino opened with remarks welcoming everyone to Rome and explaining why we were there.

“Dario Rosolini, the Don of Florence and half of Tuscany, has accused his uncle, Fausto Rosolini, of a conspiracy to murder his entire family.

“Fausto Rosolini, the Don of the remainder of Tuscany, denies any such conspiracy and instead accuses Dario’s brother Massimo of murdering Fausto’s only son, Aurelio.

“Gentlemen, you may present your own arguments or appoint yourconsiglieresto speak for you.”

Dario spoke first. “I appoint my brother andconsigliereNiccolo Rosolini to act on my behalf.”

Fausto spoke next. “And I appoint myconsigliere,Sofia Toscani, to defend me against these ludicrous charges and prove the vicious murder of my son – ”

“Don Severino,” I interrupted loudly, “are you going to permit this grandstanding?”

“I am SPEAKING!” Fausto roared.

“Not any longer, you aren’t,” Severino snapped. “Leave your accusations to yourconsigliere…”

Severino glared at me. “…and let us all practice at least amodicumof decorum.”

I bowed slightly at the neck to show I acceded to Don Severino’s wishes.

Fausto grumbled and snarled but didn’t say anything else.

“Niccolo… you’re up first.”

I walked between the tables as I spoke – taking time to look each mafia don in the eyes.

I took note of how they reacted: whether they smiled at me… gazed back at me neutrally… stared with smug defiance… or looked away in guilty avoidance.

I kept a mental tally of those who smiled. They were the ones on our side – and, unfortunately, the smallest number in the room.

I also kept track of the neutral ones, who might be swayed…

The defiant ones, who were mostly my family’s enemies…

Or the guilty ones, who had probably accepted bribes from Fausto.

The numbers weren’t good.

I laid out my case as succinctly as possible and retreated to Dario’s side.

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