In the Mouth of the Wolf

Prologue

Scattered throughout the island of Sicily, in hill towns, caves, around the ancient Greek city of Agrigento, and along the southern coast, the Mafia had hidden vast amounts of supplies, accumulated over the years, and especially during and after World War II. Munitions and weaponry had been “acquired” through raids, bribery, and pure Sicilian ingenuity.

The Mafia (also known as “La Cosa Nostra”), a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct. Each group, known as a “family” (or “clan”), claims sovereignty over a territory in which it operates its rackets, usually a town or village or a neighborhood of a larger city.

Earlier in the year after receiving a tip, La Dogana (Customs) confiscated a fishing boat off Sicily’s northern coast near Palermo. What the officials found was more than just a typical daily haul of calamari, sardines, and octopus. Discovered below deck was a cache of weapons, more specifically, Uzis and M1 Garands.

The original destination for the weapons was the black market in Naples. Instead, Pino Falcone, the “Boss” and head of the Mafia’s Palermo organization, “greased the palm” of a Customs official for half the weapons confiscated by using the simple, effective means called Lira, money. Falcone’s reputation of using other methods of persuasion were not openly spoken about, but they were certainly well-known, making the official more than willing to accept Falcone’s generous offering.

Falcone is a representative of a mandamento, a district of three geographically contiguous Mafia families that make up the Sicilian Mafia Commission. The commission first came about in order to settle disputes between members of the various families and their bosses in order to discipline members of each family. The first Sicilian Mafia Commission for the province of Palermo was formed after a series of meetings between top American and Sicilian mafiosi in 1957. It was suggested the Sicilians follow the example of the American Mafia that had formed its commission in the 1930s.

Luigi Castalani, a mere “soldier” within Falcone’s organization, had in his possession the exact locations of munitions Falcone had stored throughout Sicily, having worked closely with the “Boss” over many years. Castalani looked to the future, his future, and had all intentions to rise above being just a “soldier.”

Knowing how much Falcone seemed to appreciate anyone with new ideas, and if he could make his plan work, there wouldn’t be any reason for Falcone to deny him a place in the upper echelon of the Palermo Cosa Nostra. Perhaps soon he would become a caporegime (captain) where he would be in charge of all the “soldiers.” And one day, if he proved himself worthy, he might even become the “Underboss,” with only Falcone himself being higher.

For months he planned and devised the means to syphon weapons from under the nose of Falcone. All the munitions and all the planning would allow him and his group known as “La Mano del Diavolo” (“The Hand of the Devil”), to prepare for and launch its attack, to infiltrate an American compound, to obtain the weaponry necessary to threaten governments along the west coast of Europe, extorting money, gaining power for the Mafia, for Falcone, and gaining power for himself.

He had to make his plan work, otherwise, there would not be any promotion. His life would be worthless… but more than likely, it would be over. Falcone would see to it either way.