Chapter 7 - The Commission convenes
The Commission’s headquarters was located in the basement council chamber of an old cathedral in Little Italy—a sanctuary built in the nineteenth century where the five families of New York had settled their disputes for generations.
At 8:55 a.m., the chamber was packed.
Over fifty high-ranking members of the syndicate sat in tiered mahogany pews surrounding a central stone floor.
Sitting at the prosecutor’s bench was Lucia Moretti, flanked by Don Vince Valenti and four heavily armed guards. She looked immaculate, wearing a dark blue suit, her diamond brooch glinting under the wall sconces. Yet beneath her powder, her skin was pale, her eyes darting nervously toward the heavy double doors at the back of the chamber.
“Where is Frankie?” Lucia whispered harshly to Valenti. “He was supposed to report back two hours ago!”
Don Vince wiped sweat from his thick neck with a handkerchief. “I can't reach him, Lucia. His phones are down. Something went wrong at the refinery.”
Before Lucia could reply, the heavy iron doors at the rear of the cathedral basement banged open.
Dominic Moretti entered the chamber.
He was not alone.
Walking beside him was Don Carmine, supported by Marco and two tactical officers. Behind them walked Don Bernardo and the four capos from the outer boroughs.
And walking behind Dominic, holding his hand with complete trust, was Elena Carter, carrying three-year-old Lily in her arms. The child wore a beautiful new white coat that Dominic had ordered from a boutique an hour earlier, her hair styled in neat ringlets, holding a small plush bear.
A collective murmur rushed through the assembly.
Lucia stood up frantically, pointing a trembling finger at Dominic. “Commission members! I demand this meeting be brought to order immediately! Dominic Moretti has brought outsiders and unauthorized civilians into our sacred council chamber! He stands accused of treason against the family!”
Don Carmine stepped forward, his raspy voice cutting through her screeching tone with immense authority.
“Silence, woman!” Carmine bellowed, slamming his wooden cane against the stone floor.
The chamber fell dead silent. Even Lucia froze, shocked by the sudden vigor in the old Don’s voice.
“I am still the senior Don of this Commission,” Carmine announced, scanning the faces in the pews. “And I call this session to order.”
Carmine walked to the center of the stone floor, resting both hands on his cane.
“Lucia Moretti claims her son is unfit to lead,” Carmine continued. “She claims he betrayed our family. But today, we bring forth the truth.”
Carmine signaled to Dominic.
Dominic stepped into the center ring. He looked up at the assembly of mob bosses.
“Four years ago, my mother forced Sophia Carter—a completely innocent woman who carried my child—to flee this city under threat of death,” Dominic spoke, his voice echoing clearly off the vaulted stone ceiling. “She concealed the existence of my biological heir from me. And last night, when the truth was revealed, she sent Frankie Rizzi and a hit squad to murder my daughter and execute Don Carmine in secret.”
Gasps of outrage erupted from the pews.
“Lies!” Lucia screamed, her voice cracking with desperation. “He’s making it up to cover his own madness! Frankie Rizzi was acting on his own!”
Dominic calmly reached into his coat and pulled out an audio recorder provided by Vance’s team. He pressed the play button.
Frankie Rizzi’s terrified, bloody voice boomed from the speakers:
“Lucia! It was your mother! She said the child was a liability! She said if the child died, you would have nothing left to fight for!”
The recording clicked off.
The chamber erupted into absolute chaos. Men stood up in the pews, shouting insults, pointing fingers at Lucia. Don Vince Valenti immediately took three steps away from her, washing his hands of any association with the matriarch.
Don Bernardo stood up in his pew, raising his hand. “I call for an immediate vote of condemnation against Lucia Moretti!”
“Second!” another Don shouted.
“Third!” shouted a capo from Brooklyn.
Within ten seconds, every single boss in the room raised their hand in unanimous agreement.
Lucia sank back into her bench, her face completely drained of color, her empire crumbling around her in a single, devastating moment.
Don Carmine turned his fierce gaze toward her.
“Lucia Moretti,” Carmine pronounced judgment, his tone absolute. “By unanimous decree of the Commission, you are stripped of all titles, all authority, and all family protection. You are hereby banished from the city of New York. If you are seen within fifty miles of this territory after sunset, your life is forfeit.”
Lucia looked at her son, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock, terror, and pleading grief. “Dominic... please... I am your mother... I did it for you...”
Dominic looked down at her. His eyes were cold, unyielding, and completely detached.
“You didn't do it for me, Mother,” Dominic said softly. “You did it for power. And now you have nothing.”
May you like
He turned his back on her, reaching out his arm toward Elena and Lily.
“Let’s go home,” Dominic said.
