Fifty-Seven
Anthony Sorrell frowned. The details being related left him with a sour taste in his mouth. “I most wholeheartedly agree,” he said with his familiar candor. “It is not how I would operate. But I will not interfere.” He listened to the other man's dialogue. “You have my thanks. I have faith that no trace of our presence remains on the scene. Good day.”
You have my thanks. Those were not careless words. To be owed a debt of gratitude by Anthony Sorrell was no small thing. Mr. Sorrell was the ‘capo di tutti capi' of the eastern seaboard. His word –and his favor- were felt worldwide. It was within Anthony Sorrell's right to simply order a thing done. But more often than not he respected the other bosses with a request for assistance. His consideration of their positions was appreciated.
The result of the other bosses' appreciation was evident in the battle against Michael Corinthos. Rather than assign his own men to handle the strike against Corinthos, Anthony Sorrell had entrusted the delicate operation to the ‘family' located nearest Sonny's safe house. It was a move Sonny did not expect and it epitomized the very difference between Michael Corinthos and Anthony Sorrell.
“Is something wrong?” Anthony Sorrell's new second-in-command cautiously approached his boss. Only hours into the job, the uncertain man did not want to make a bad impression.
“Alberto's men are like cruel children with a wounded bird.” Sorrell made a face of extreme distaste. “They take pleasure in its suffering when a quick death would be more kind.”
The new consigliere was confused. “Jason Morgan?”
Anthony Sorrell shook his head. “Oh, no. Mr. Morgan has earned each degree of suffering Alberto's men can inflict. It is Mrs. Corinthos of whom I speak.”
“Will you intervene on her behalf?”
“It was never the plan to bring harm to Mrs. Corinthos or her child. But she acted foolishly and exposed the identity of one of Alberto's people.” Both men understood that Carly's actions immediately sealed her fate. The older generation mobsters made every effort not to involve women and children in the daily life-and-death struggles of mob life; but sometimes it could not be helped .
“I have given Alberto the authority to lead his family as he sees fit. He will do what he has to in order to protect them.” Though he despised the other man's treatment of his female captive, Anthony Sorrell knew that he would neither comment nor interfere. “As long as the job is completed without incident, I will leave Mrs. Corinthos in Alberto's hands.”
