Chapter 8: Bootleg Business

"What's your plan?" Weiss asked Dani.

"First, we hit the Jewish gang hard—attack their nightclubs, bars, underground casinos, loan shark operations, and smuggling businesses. We need to deplete their resources and then strike decisively to wipe them out," Dani explained.

"Have you considered the possibility of their counterattacks?" Weiss asked.

Dani smiled slightly. "At first, we won't be too overt. We'll start with smaller actions—disrupt their nightclubs and bars, hijack their liquor trucks, and even interfere with their smuggling operations through customs. I believe these actions will make them uncomfortable."

"Even a large and fierce bear becomes less threatening when it's riddled with holes. Don't you agree, Hemi?"

Weiss took a sip of his whiskey, considered the plan, and then smiled. "Dani, your plan seems solid. I'm willing to cooperate." He extended his hand to Dani.

Dani was pleased; this was a crucial step towards his goal. He shook hands with Weiss, solidifying their temporary alliance against the Jewish gang.

As Dani left with his advisor, Bougus Moran, Moran turned to Weiss and asked, "Hemi, do you trust him?"

Weiss chuckled and exhaled cigar smoke. "Trust him? Dani has never been a paragon of loyalty. His talk of revenge is just a smokescreen. His real goal is likely to use us to weaken the Jewish gang while he waits to reap the benefits once both sides are exhausted."

"Then why agree to an alliance with him?" Moran asked, puzzled.

Weiss shrugged. "It's about mutual benefit. We're enemies with the Jews anyway. We might as well take advantage of this situation to gain something. Dani wants to use us, so why shouldn't we use him in return?"

Both men laughed, clinking glasses in agreement. In the world of organized crime, everyone plays their own game.

---

In the car, Dani smiled at Sergeant Burstein. "See? The Irish aren't too hard to manage. They've always had a grudge against the Jews, and they'll seize any chance to act on it. Burstein, how are the other gangs coming along?"

"The Mexicans are already in touch. I'll meet their boss tomorrow. The Chinese are a bit slower; their leader is in San Francisco and won't return for a few days," Burstein reported.

"As for the Russians and Poles, I'll handle those myself. We'll offer them some minor benefits, and they'll be eager to work with us," Dani said.

Dani looked out at the neon lights of the city, imagining it all under his control, with him at the helm.

---

The next day, Hardy officially began his new role. Sean and Ryder picked him up and drove for half an hour to a slum area, stopping in front of a large iron gate. Sean honked the horn, and after a brief wait, the gate opened a crack for someone to peer out before fully opening.

The car entered a yard filled with warehouses. Sean introduced Hardy to the gang's warehouse operations.

"Tom, this is our gang's warehouse, where we store all our tobacco and alcohol. We handle a block with seven pubs and two nightclubs. Each evening, we receive the invoices and come here the next morning to pick up the goods for distribution. The pubs settle their accounts with us weekly, and we also handle our payments every Monday."

A strong man approached, greeting Sean and Ryder before acknowledging Hardy. "This is Benson, the deputy head of the warehouse," Sean introduced.

Hardy shook hands with Benson.

Benson inquired about Bill. "How is Bill doing?"

"He's out of danger, but it will take him two to three months to fully recover," Sean replied.

Benson then asked, "By the way, do you know who helped Cook from the Spanish side? There's a lot of talk about it. That person took out Cook and his entire crew by himself."

Sean glanced at Hardy and then replied, "I'm not sure. It might have been someone high up."

Before Fred left, he had instructed Hardy and the others to keep the details of Cook's murder confidential to ensure Hardy's safety. Hardy preferred to stay under the radar, so he agreed with Fred's decision. Sean's explanation to Benson was part of maintaining this secrecy.

Inside the warehouse, Sean started the stocking process, checking off a list of goods: wine, whiskey, rum, vodka, brandy, tequila, and various cigars and cigarettes. The total came to over $3,000—equivalent to the salary of an average worker for about a year and a half.

Hardy was surprised at the scale of their operations. "Are these products genuine?" he asked.

"Of course, they're top quality," Sean confirmed.

"How do we make a profit then?" Hardy wondered.

Sean smiled. "We don't raise prices. Our tobacco and alcohol are actually cheaper than market prices."

"How do we profit?"

"Through tax evasion," Sean explained. "The federal tax rate on tobacco and alcohol is extremely high—40% to 50%, and sometimes even more. If we went through legitimate channels, we wouldn't make any money. We evade taxes on domestic goods and smuggle in foreign products. We also sell to other sites. Though the profits aren't what they were during Prohibition, there's still good money to be made."

Hardy, familiar with gangster movies and history, knew that the rise of American gangs was linked to Prohibition. Even after it ended, the smuggling and tax evasion business remained crucial for gang profits.

"Will the IRS not investigate?" Hardy asked.

"Of course, they do. The IRS is much more formidable than the FBI. We keep our operations very discreet, and the higher-ups handle the oversight. It's not our concern," Sean explained.

The car arrived at the "Bunny Girl Nightclub," the same place Bill had shown Hardy on his first day. The manager came out to collect the order, and soon all the goods were moved in. After signing the necessary documents, the delivery was complete.

After unloading at the nightclub, they proceeded to other bars, delivering goods and completing paperwork until 10 p.m.

"Tom, how about we grab a bite to eat?" Sean suggested, noting they hadn't had breakfast yet.

"Sure, let's go," Hardy agreed.