New York was the real bustling world compared to Sicily, which was a backwater village by comparison. Staying in Sicily, Sonny would feel suffocated.
Moreover, the forces he built up before his departure might gradually dissipate.
The old Godfather looked at Sonny, his gaze unwavering, "Sonny, you are my son. I don’t want anything to happen to you, so you must go back."
Sonny felt his father’s resolve and dared not disobey, lowering his head and saying, "Yes, Father, I will return to Sicily."
The old Godfather nodded, "Alright, I’m a bit tired now. You all can leave."
Everyone started to leave.
Suddenly, the old Godfather called out to Michael, "Michael, you stay. I have a few questions for you." The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the novel⟡fire.net
Everyone else left, and the ward was left with only the old Godfather and Michael.
The old Godfather looked kindly at his youngest son, asking, "Michael, are you hiding something from me?"
Michael knew what his father was asking.
"I haven’t hidden anything, Father. After the incident, I felt a deep sense of crisis, so I called Hardy from Los Angeles to help me."
Hearing Hardy’s name, the old Godfather understood everything.
Someone must have helped Michael with those matters. If it wasn’t a family member, it must be an outsider. If it was Hardy, it all made sense.
"When I was in a coma, I vaguely heard someone talking. I just found the voice familiar. Now I remember, it was Hardy."
Michael nodded, "I called Hardy for help. He chartered two planes and brought 70 people over from Los Angeles the same day. Afterward, a lot happened. Hardy and I analyzed the situation and came up with those strategies. Most of what I did afterward was based on our discussion and Hardy’s advice."
"Michael, you are very lucky to have found a true friend. Such a friend you must cherish, understand?"
"Yes, Father, I understand. Because true friends are so rare."
Two days later, Sonny went to Sicily, staying at the house of a local mafia boss, where he should be safe.
Another two days later, Fredo was sent to Las Vegas.
Las Vegas now has over thirty casinos. The Corleone family also had a casino there, comparable in size to others, with a few hundred square meters and a dozen gambling tables.
It couldn’t compare to the Flamingo Casino at all.
Fredo’s timid nature made him unfit for real mafia battles. It was better to send him out early to get involved in the casino business.
Now, only Michael was left by the old Godfather’s side. On the surface, Michael didn’t participate in family affairs.
One day, Michael brought Hardy to the old Godfather’s ward.
The old Godfather smiled at Hardy, "Hardy, thank you for helping the Corleone family."
After a few more days of rest, the old Godfather’s spirit had improved significantly.
This time, Hardy had indeed helped the Corleone family through the crisis, sending people to protect him, helping Michael kill Sollozzo, and coming up with plans to stabilize the other four families, helping the Corleone family through the most dangerous time.
"You’re too kind. I’m Michael’s friend, so this was what I should do," Hardy said with a smile.
After chatting for a while, Hardy suddenly remembered something and asked, "Mr. Vito, do you know anyone in the military logistics department?"
"Oh, why do you ask?"
"I heard recently that the war has ended, and the military intends to sell a batch of decommissioned planes at a very low price. I want to buy a few."
"Where did you hear this news?"
"From a friend. This information hasn’t been made public by the military, and perhaps they don’t intend to. It might be sold privately, so I wanted to ask if you have any connections in the logistics department."
Hardy had already inquired about the aircraft.
During the war, the United States manufactured a large number of planes, more than 200,000. Now that the war was almost over, many planes were left idle.
Recently, the military decided to sell some of these idle planes, some to foreign countries, some to stockpile, and others to be sold privately. The rest would be dismantled and scrapped.
When Hardy came to New York, he was tempted to buy a few passenger planes for his own use. He had asked about the prices, for instance, a new C-47 aircraft costs around $200,000, but the price of a second hand plane is much lower than this price.
Moreover, they didn’t have to wait for production. They could be used immediately after simple modifications. After intercepting Tattaglia’s phone call and learning this information, Hardy considered getting some decommissioned planes. These planes were still very capable, and it was said that C-47 planes were still in use even into the 21st century.
The old Godfather smiled, "I do have a friend in the logistics management bureau. How about I give him a call, and then you can talk to him?"
"Great, thank you very much."
The old Godfather shook his head, "There’s no need for thanks between us."
These words were identical to what Hardy had said before, making both the old Godfather and Hardy smile.
The old Godfather made the call in front of Hardy. The person on the other end was surprised to hear from the old Godfather, "Vito, I saw in the papers that you were attacked. It seems you’re well enough to make phone calls?"
"Yes, not dead yet," the old Godfather said with a laugh.
"Why did you call me?"
"I heard that the logistics department is selling a batch of planes. Is this true?" the old Godfather asked.
"Your information is quite accurate. There is such a thing, but the exact number hasn’t been approved by Congress yet. We don’t know how many will be sold or the specific prices. Also, there are issues with reforms and mergers within the logistics management department. Things are a bit chaotic. Why, do you want planes?"
"It’s for a very close friend. Darrell, can I have him contact you?" the old Godfather asked.
"Sure, have him contact me."
After hanging up, the old Godfather told Hardy, "I called a person named Darrell Williams, a brigadier general, and one of the key figures in the logistics management bureau.
Hardy got the contact information, bid farewell to the old Godfather, and left the hospital. In the car with Michael, he asked, "How many do you plan to buy?"
"At least two. If the price is cheap, I’ll buy as many as I can."
Michael was surprised, "Are you planning to start an airline?"
"That’s not impossible."
If he got enough planes, Hardy indeed planned to start an airline. After all, if he bought two planes, he would need someone to manage them. If he got more, then starting an airline would be a good idea.
Even if they didn’t carry passengers, transporting cargo was also good business. Although air freight was way more expensive compared to trucking, it was much faster, which allowed it to have its own base of customers.
Don’t know how to run an airline? That’s simple. There were many airlines in the United States. Buying one would bring in their management team, flight qualifications, and various resources. With his investment, it would surely develop.