Chasing Stars in Hollywood

Reggio is located at the southernmost tip of the Apennine Peninsula in Italy.

As the capital of Calabria in southern Italy, this city, separated from Sicily by a narrow strait, is also the main operating area of the 'Ndrangheta, an Italian Mafia organization.

In a luxurious mansion surrounded by high walls and iron fences in the southern Santo District of the city.

Taking advantage of the police force being lax over the weekend, Horace Stefano, head of the Stefano family, slept the entire day on Monday after two consecutive nights of receiving shipments, only getting up after 5 p.m.

Leaving his bedroom and heading downstairs, just as he was about to instruct the servants to prepare some food, his wife reminded him that his elder brother, Giorgio Stefano, had called and asked him to have dinner together once he woke up because there were matters to discuss.

Bidding his wife farewell, Horace Stefano left the villa and played with the family's two pit bulls in the courtyard for a while. After feeding them a bowl of raw beef amid their low growls, he patted his hands in satisfaction. His bodyguard had already prepared the car, and Horace's trusted lieutenant, Antonio Danielli, had also arrived from his nearby residence.

Having asked the bodyguard to call him specifically, Horace Stefano wanted to know the distribution status of the two batches of goods over the weekend, a task handled by the Danielli brothers.

The two of them got into Horace Stefano's bulletproof Mercedes sedan. As the driver steered the car out of the Stefano family mansion, Horace began discussing business.

After a while, noticing that Antonio Danielli seemed somewhat haggard recently, Horace suddenly asked, "Antonio, why have you been so listless lately? Is there something going on?"

Feeling a jolt of panic under Horace's seemingly casual yet sharp gaze, Antonio Danielli tried to control his expression and joked self-deprecatingly, "Maybe I've been spending too much time on that little slut Agnes. I'm sorry, boss."

Knowing his subordinate's lecherous nature, Horace Stefano scrutinized him for a moment longer before laughing, "That's fine. We're fighting for our lives out here for those things, after all. But still, take care of yourself."

Antonio Danielli laughed and made some promises, deliberately acting as if he had no intention of changing his ways.

When Horace looked away, even with the car's air conditioning on, Antonio Danielli felt a layer of cold sweat on his back.

He couldn't help but pray that certain matters would be resolved quickly.

Otherwise, Antonio Danielli wasn't sure how long he could go without being found out.

The bulletproof Mercedes took just over ten minutes to reach a commercial district in central Reggio from the suburban Santo District. The car stopped at the back door of a restaurant under the 'Ndrangheta. The bodyguards and driver in the front seat got out first to look around before opening the door for Horace Stefano.

Once out of the car, Horace Stefano quickly slipped into the back door of the restaurant under his men's cover, without lingering on the street.

As a Mafia boss, especially in a gang fraught with internal strife, Horace Stefano's survival depended on his constant vigilance.

Inside the restaurant, in a lounge next to the kitchen, Giorgio Stefano, the elder brother of the Stefano family, was already waiting. Compared to his 46-year-old, still robust and formidable younger brother, the 59-year-old Giorgio Stefano had started to gain weight and looked more like a scholar than a dangerous Mafia figure.

This image was close to the truth.

Giorgio Stefano, the eldest of the six Stefano brothers, had turned legitimate when the family business took off, now running a law firm in Reggio and actively participating in Calabria's political affairs.

However, according to confidential police files, Giorgio Stefano was actually the "brain" of the Stefano family, responsible for strategizing and managing the family's money laundering operations.

Upon seeing his brother, Giorgio Stefano smiled and hugged Horace, not forgetting to greet Antonio Danielli and others warmly.

After a few pleasantries, everyone else was sent to dine in the hall, leaving the two brothers alone in the room.

Once their meal was brought in and the staff had left, Giorgio asked about the two batches of goods they had just received over the weekend.

To his brother, Horace Stefano didn't hide much and said excitedly, "Another ship was seized in Sicily last week, costing them 1.5 tons. The Colombians are fed up, and during the weekend delivery, Douglas said they'd transfer 30% of Sicily's share here, which is 10% more than we initially expected. We'll need to discuss the specific distribution, but basically, we'll split it with the northern families."

Reggio's coastline stretches over twenty kilometers.

Following the second 'Ndrangheta war from 1985 to 1991, the city was divided, with the north under the control of the Condiro, Immeti, and Serrano families, and the south by the Tegano, Stefano, and Liberi families.

The Stefano family, once the strongest in the south, was severely weakened by the war, losing even their then-leader, Paolo Stefano, in the conflict. Now, the three southern families were nominally led by the Tegano family, although they operated as a relatively tight alliance rather than a unified entity.

The Italian Mafia differs from other national crime families in its familial nature, with numerous smaller families surrounding the six main ones.

Antonio Danielli, Horace Stefano's trusted aide, was the eldest of the Danielli brothers, a small force attached to the Stefano family.

Three years ago, after the second 'Ndrangheta war ended, the Mafia, with mediation from groups in Sicily and Campania, formed a commission, transitioning from a loose family alliance to a pyramidal structure. However, due to deep-seated enmities, the 'Ndrangheta commission remains largely symbolic, focusing on conflict resolution to prevent another major war without the substantive power and cohesion of older Mafia commissions like "Cosa Nostra" and "Camorra."

Giorgio Stefano, hearing his brother's words, was also excited.

The 'Ndrangheta lacks the deep roots of Sicily's "Cosa Nostra" or the advantageous geographical location of Naples' "Camorra." Before the 1980s, they were confined to the impoverished Calabria region.

In the 1980s, as "Cosa Nostra" and "Camorra" became prime targets for the Italian government, Latin American drug lords began collaborating with the 'Ndrangheta, seeing them as lower-risk partners.

Two years ago, after "Cosa Nostra" boldly assassinated famed anti-Mafia judge Giovanni Falcone, triggering a massive anti-Mafia wave, the 'Ndrangheta, despite being affected, continued to grow by taking over businesses neglected by the distracted Sicilian Mafia.

In recent years, Latin American drug lords have increasingly strengthened their cooperation with the 'Ndrangheta.

Unexpectedly, due to a mishap in Sicily last week, the Latin American drug lords increased the 'Ndrangheta's share from 20% to 30%, a significant business expansion.

As Giorgio Stefano calculated the profits from the additional 30% share, he remarked, "We might need new laundering channels to handle that volume."

Horace Stefano replied, "I was planning to discuss that with you. Did you read the papers over the weekend? Last Friday, Melisandre announced a deal with Bulgari and is negotiating to buy Vacheron Constantin. I think we could leverage this company. Just Christie's auction house under Melisandre can launder billions of lira with a single auction item, a feat our restaurants couldn't match in centuries."

Giorgio Stefano, in charge of the family's money laundering, was well aware of this.

However, he cautiously replied, "I felt uneasy when you sent people to warn Sofia Vici last month. Remember, she's Simon Westeros's lover, a billionaire worth $300 billion. We should avoid provoking him."

Horace Stefano dismissed his brother's concerns, "You're too cautious. The richer they are, the more cowardly. We've seen plenty like them, like that tailor who hasn't dared return from America in years. To me, Sofia Vici and Simon Westeros are no different. After our warning, Melisandre immediately issued a statement not to acquire Versace. They were clearly scared."

Giorgio Stefano noted, "The statement was issued before our men even reached America."

Horace Stefano waved it off, "No difference. Melisandre shifted to Bulgari. So, I plan to send Antonio to America to kidnap Sofia Vici's kids. Our demand is simple: launder our increased business share. If she agrees, she can buy that tailor's company for all I care. I'm still angry at him. Without Paolo's support, he couldn't have built his luxury empire. Now, he wants to ditch us? Over my dead body."

Despite his reservations, Giorgio Stefano felt swayed by his brother's reasoning. Calculations showed the Colombian drug lords' transferred share would exceed all previous business combined. With Italy's continued crackdown on the Sicilian Mafia, the 'Ndrangheta was likely to take over more operations.

The expansion would mean vast cash flows.

If not laundered quickly, it would hinder the 'Ndrangheta's growth.

Melisandre, owning luxury brands and an international auction house, was the perfect laundering platform. As Horace pointed out, one auction turnover could surpass centuries of restaurant and bar efforts.

After some thought, Giorgio Stefano nodded, advising, "Send more men this time and don't harm the children. It will complicate negotiations."

Horace Stefano agreed, and the brothers continued discussing details over dinner.

As Horace finished his rare steak, he remembered

, "You mentioned having something to discuss before I came?"

Giorgio, wiping his hands, paused, "Yes, have you noticed more strangers in Reggio lately?"

Horace squinted, "Strangers?"

Giorgio nodded, "Yes. Nicholas, who manages our coastal bars, pointed it out. I've felt uneasy recently. Remember, I felt the same before Paolo's incident."

Reggio, as the capital of Calabria, may not compare to Rome or Milan, but its 20-kilometer coastline houses hundreds of thousands, with ports for cargo and illegal immigrants from Eastern Europe and North Africa, making it a hub of diversity where strangers go unnoticed.

However, given his brother's concern, Horace became alert, "Could the police be planning a move?"

Giorgio shook his head, "Nazari takes so much from us monthly. We have many informants in the government and police. If there were plans against us, we'd hear about it."

Horace gestured north, "Condiro?"

Giorgio couldn't be sure.

If not the police, it could be the northern families plotting.

Considering the Colombian drug lords' increased share for the 'Ndrangheta, Giorgio suspected the northern families might aim to monopolize it.

Although they ceased fighting three years ago, the six-year war left deep scars. If the northern families could take the entire Colombian share, their strength would significantly increase, potentially rivaling "Cosa Nostra" and "Camorra."

Even knowing such power invites government crackdown, for many in the Mafia, the stature of Sicily and Campania's groups is a pinnacle goal.

Noticing his brother's silence, Horace understood his reluctance for another war but recognized the need for action. With a fierce expression, he said, "I'll handle it. If anyone's plotting, I'll cut them up and toss them in the sea."

Giorgio hesitated but then nodded, "Let's coordinate with Giuseppe. We'll discuss it together."

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