Manhattan Reborn 1978

a new day.

new York.

Manhattan.

42nd Street, above Wildfire Bar.

After David walked out of the bathroom, he walked to the bed and kissed Susan's forehead. He took the clothes he prepared last night, walked into the study next to the bedroom, and closed the door gently.

While wearing his shirt, he walked to the safe in the study, entered the birthday of his previous life, opened the safe, took out a yellow paper bag, and placed it on the table.

(Carew, who appears in Chapter 206, is the right-hand man of former Bronx gang boss Shinny. He was sent by Shinny to follow David to protect him.)

. . .

this thing. .He found it in the safe last night when he was about to lock up the compiled records~

On one side of the yellow paper bag, there is a small white note taped to it~

The handwriting on it, David recognized, was Susan's hand.

"Karu, I haven't seen the things sent to you!"

"I was afraid that I would forget it, so I put it in the safe for now."

Carew!

At that time, when David saw the paper bag and Susan’s note, his head was filled with questions~

When he opened the yellow paper bag, he found that it contained neatly arranged tapes and a text message from Carew.

. . .

David stood by the table, lowered his head and tied his belt, looked at the tie on the table, thought about it, and decided to forget it~

I don’t have to go to work today, and I don’t want to go to work~

Just wear it like this, be casual~

David put on his coat, picked up the phone, and dialed the phone number left on Carew's letter~

"Beep~beep~beep~"

After a few rings, Karu's voice came from the other end of the phone~

"Hello~"

"Hey~ Karu?"

"Yes, who are you!"

"Me, David!"

"...Oh~ Is something wrong?"

"Haha~ I just saw the bag you sent me and the letter inside~"

"Can we meet and chat?"

"...Okay! Where should I find you?"

"Wildfire~ I have a day off today."

"Okay~I'll be there soon!"

"..."

David listened to the busy signal from the phone, shook his head, put it down, grabbed his wallet, keys, checkbook and other personal belongings prepared in advance, and prepared to go downstairs to Brother Biao's place for a delicious breakfast~

----

District of Columbia.

Washington.

Mag Ludwig, helping his "old friend" Janet Patrick, carried two suitcases out of the hotel and loaded them into the trunk of the car.

After the two got into the car, Janet, whose face was glowing, asked Mag.

"Would you like me to drive a little bit first? I've walked the road from here to Philadelphia, and I'm quite familiar with it~"

"After you've passed Philadelphia, you can drive to New York~"

"Haha~ No need!"

"Why are we... in such a hurry to return to New York?"

Mag took off his coat, handed it to Janet in the passenger seat, started the car, and asked.

"Who do you think will win, Phil or Wood?"

Janet folded the coat in her arms little by little, thought about it carefully, and then answered uncertainly.

"Wood?"

"Hahaha~why?"

"Because... he has more experience, better eloquence, and his campaign philosophy is in line with people's expectations?"

"Um, any more?"

"Also...in the past two years, he has been compared and compared by the media with President Warren White, who won the current election."

"..that's it?"

"Yes~"

Mag Ludwig stopped the car at an intersection and waited for the red light. He turned to Janet and smiled.

"You overlooked one of his very important advantages!"

"His...acting skills!"

"Acting skills?"

"That's right!"

"Do you think that the person who can be elected president of the United States relies on the merits and advantages you mentioned?"

"No!"

"They are not the great men that are glorified in promotional leaflets or on TV~"

"They are ordinary people like you and me~"

"They will also have various character flaws and other sides like ordinary people~"

"And let the public and ordinary people really understand all this..."

"It was more than ten years ago that President Nixon and President Kennedy held the first live TV debate when they were running for president of the United States~"

"Nixon at that time had served as vice president in President Eisenhower's administration and had very rich experience in governing."

"For that televised debate, he carefully prepared many of his political achievements, achievements, etc. during his tenure as governor and vice president..."

"I want to use this to highlight that John F. Kennedy is just a political newcomer with no experience in governing!~"

"but!"

Mag picked up the cigarette case from Janet's hand and wanted to light one for himself.

Janet snatched the cigarette from his mouth, lit it neatly with her hands and feet, put it back to his mouth, and waited quietly. .

A smile appeared on Mag's lips, he took a deep breath, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and continued.

"However, Nixon's poor performance in the debate with Kennedy was seen by more than 35% of Americans on television~"

"Someone commented on Nixon in a later report: Compared with Kennedy's calm and cool performance on TV, Nixon's brows were furrowed almost all the time..."

"He is more like a patient with a bad complexion. He looks scared and nervous when facing the camera."

"The opposite is Kennedy's performance~"

"Kennedy had 4 spinal surgeries, but on live television, he perfectly displayed the vigilance, smile and confidence that an American president should have~!"

"Hehe~"

Mag lowered the car window next to him~

He faced the cold wind blowing in from the window, exhaled a cloud of smoke, shook his head and preached.

"Nixon lost that TV debate!"

"He once said in private that he felt very unwilling to lose~"

"He believes that he lost the televised debate simply because... he was not as photogenic as Kennedy!"

"Hehe~"

"Photogenic!!"

"His xx presidential campaign in the United States is to elect the most intelligent and politically experienced leader for the United States, who can best see the way forward for the country's development!"

“It..is not a beauty pageant!!!”

Mag moved the cigarette butt in his hand along the crack of the car window and threw it away in the wind~

He loosened the button on his collar, exhaled the last cloud of smoke, and shook his head.

"If in the past, the contenders for power in this country had to smile, shake hands with each other, and send blessings..."

"Then...from then on, all presidential candidates must make themselves more photogenic and be able to show their best side on television for all voters to see..."

"Because voters sitting in front of the TV rarely see these presidential candidates in person~"

"Voters can only gain a one-sided understanding of the candidates' information by reading newspapers and magazines, watching TV news related to the candidates, and listening to their interviews on the radio."

"So, that TV debate was regarded by many people in Washington as an important turning point in the rules of the political arena!"

Mag pursed his lips, held the steering wheel with his right hand, and stared ahead. The complicated expression on his face made Janet sitting beside him silent for a long time, not knowing what to say~

television. . !

Mag's words reminded Janet of the TV debate between Warren Walter and Gerald Ford two years ago. .

So-called. .Democratic elections, it seems, just like Mag said, have changed!

Television has become an emerging powerful political tool. .

Anyone who desires power cannot leave it!

----

new York.

Manhattan, 42th Street.

David greeted the three bodyguards waiting for him on the street and walked to Brother Biao's restaurant.

on the way.

He turned to look at his third brother Giovanni and asked with a smile: "Where is your second brother Lavis?"

"Early in the morning, he was called away by Martin Scorsese."

"Oh ~ about the movie?"

"Maybe~ I didn't ask."

David smiled and punched his third brother Giovanni, then kicked him and said to Black Mike, who was walking beside him while White Mike was yawning and crying.

"Contact my secretary Maggie later and ask her to come find me at home."

"Maggie? At home?"

Black Mike chuckled, hugged David and whispered.

"You go home with Maggie... What should Susan do?"

"Do you want...the two of them together?"

"fxxxyou!"

"I have business to see her. You must make it clear on the phone. Don't let her misunderstand!"

"Haha~" Black Mike rolled his eyes and curled his lips with disdain~

David scratched his head with his hands and felt that it was a bit too much to let Maggie come to the house. .

Emm. .

It doesn’t matter~

Gentleman is magnanimous!

He has no bad intentions, so why should he worry about these things?

. . .

Wildfire Restaurant.

David and the others said hello to Brother Biao, then found a spot on the first floor and sat down.

Brother Biao brought the breakfast specially prepared this morning to the dining table for several people.

David skillfully used chopsticks, and while Brother Biao and Cui Yingying watched, he ate a steaming shrimp dumpling and praised it.

"Hmm... delicious!"

"What about you? Have you eaten?"

"Of course!"

"Where can I find a cook who will starve himself?"

"Haha~"

"David, eat slowly~"

"I'll give it to you again..."

"ok~"

. . .

Two 10 minutes later.

Lying back in the chair, feeling the fullness and satisfaction in his stomach, David shook his head and sighed.

"If I can eat these every day from now on, it will be like... heaven~"

Brother Biao glanced at the junior sister Cui Yingying beside him and continued with a smile.

"If you want to eat, we can make it for you every day~"

"Hey~ let's forget it."

"This is not a restaurant that specializes in breakfast~"

Brother Biao raised his eyebrows and continued in a low voice, slightly guilty.

"Then we... can open a breakfast shop on the next street."

"Huh~"

David turned his head and glanced at Brother Biao, then glanced at Cui Yingying, thought for a while, and smiled.

"You can do it, Brother Biao~!"

"You have...had this plan for a long time, right?"

"Hehe~"

Brother Biao didn't deny it, nodded and smiled.

David didn't continue to talk nonsense, turned to look at Mike Bai, and asked.

"Are you still planning to sell or transfer the store location on this street?"

Mike Bai put the barbecued pork bun in his hand into his mouth and said with a smile: "If you give a premium or a high price, of course you will get it~"

"Tsk~"

"Okay~"

"Brother Biao, the breakfast shop can be opened~"

"But, business is business!"

"I'll pay to open this breakfast shop, you and..."

. . .

After a few minutes.

David and Brother Biao have reached cooperation again~

In the breakfast shop, David is responsible for investing money, while Brother Biao and Cui Yingying are responsible for daily operations.

After the investment is recovered, David will exclusively own 6% of the shares, and the remaining 4% will be shared equally by his brothers and sisters~

if. .Lost!

Brother Biao and the others will continue to work diligently in the Wild Fire Restaurant to repay David's investment until it is repaid.

. . .

Brother Biao stood at the door of the restaurant, watching David and the others walk to the Wildfire Bar, then turned to his junior sister and smiled.

"It's done!"

“From now on, with this breakfast shop, you can truly settle down in New York~”

Cui Yingying smiled calmly, looked at David's retreating back, and asked, "How do you know he will invest?"

"I don't know~"

"I guessed it! Hahaha~"

"..Guess?"

Brother Biao spread his hands, looked at the surprised expression on Junior Sister's face, and said with a satisfied smile: "If you have been in New York for a long time, you will naturally know what breakfast is for people here every day... Haha~"

"David loves food very much. After his appetite is whetted by our cooking skills, he will eat breakfast again. Are you tired of eating breakfast?"

"..that's all?"

"Yeah~ It's simple, isn't it?"

"..." Cui Yingying scratched her head speechlessly.

She has been living in Xiangjiang and does not understand the traditional New York breakfast that Brother Biao mentioned. .gourmet food! ?

or. .Find time to walk around and try it out?

----

Lower Manhattan.

In City Hall Park surrounded by Broadway, Chambers Street and Park Street.

Mayor Lynch Colson, holding a cup of coffee in his hand, stood quietly by the window of his office, bathed in the morning light.

"Bell bell~"

The phone on the desk rings~

Mayor Lynch walked over, picked up the microphone, and after listening to a few words, a smile appeared on his lips.

"Okay, okay!"

"I'm waiting for you!"

"See you later~"

After putting down the phone, the fatigue and tiredness that had just appeared on Mayor Lynch's face seemed to have completely disappeared~

Today is Sunday.

Next Tuesday is voting day for the midterm elections.

Everything should come to an end~!

----

Manhattan, 42th Street.

In front of the Wildfire Bar.

David waved his hand and smiled at Karu, who was leaning on the car on the street.

"Hey~ man!"

Carew smiled, opened his arms, hugged David, and said with a smile, "Your bar...when did it become a photo studio?"

"Hahaha~ It's all my own business, it doesn't matter~"

David turned to look at the bar full of people, took a look, pulled Carew with him, walked towards the apartment door, and smiled.

"My new home...you haven't been here yet, have you?"

"Let's go up and sit!"

"it is good!"

Kalu smiled at the three bodyguards, nodded, and followed David's footsteps.

. . .

The bar is upstairs.

David asked Carew to sit casually in the living room and went back to the bedroom to take a look~

There is no one on the bed in the bedroom~

Susan, should have left. .

Went to the bar?

David shrugged, walked into the study, took the yellow paper bag, put it in front of Carew, and asked with a smile.

"You gave this to Susan and asked her to pass it on to me?"

"what are they?"

"You...didn't you see it?"

"Look, it's filled with tapes and your phone number."

"Haha~ Maybe you should listen to the tape first and then call me..."

"Oh?"

David poured two glasses of water, handed one to Karu, sat down, and asked him curiously.

"What's on the tape?"

"Man, you know I don't like beating around the bush, just say it!"

"evidence!"

"They are all evidence that I spent several years collecting."

"..."

David raised his cup and took a sip, staring with big eyes, waiting for Carew's explanation.

"me.."

"Hi~"

"In 1968, I was selected by the FBI and officially joined the undercover program directly managed by Director Hoover!"

"what?"

"Are you FBI...? Undercover?"

"Once...yes!"

A very complicated smile appeared on the corner of Kalu's mouth, he shook his head and leaned back, as if most of his energy and energy were lost in an instant.

He unbuttoned his coat with his hands and told David about his undercover experience over the years with empty eyes. .

"To be more precise, it was in August 1969. After a year of secret training by the FBI, I came to New York. Through a lottery, I was arranged to join the gang boss Shinny in the Bronx."

"In the next few years, the FBI would only contact me once every few months until Director Hoover passed away~"

"In May 1972, Edgar Hoover... died!"

"This undercover plan that he directly managed has disappeared, and no one has contacted me again~"

"I'm anxious!"

"When I was drunk at home, I almost wanted to end my double-faced life with one shot because of alcohol and long-term life stress!"

"Later... I also tried to contact the FBI director in New York, Bog Beru."

"I sent him several anonymous letters, several tapes and some photos~"

"They are like... sinking into the sea, never heard from again..."

. . .

Carew's. .The story is very short~

But his ten years of undercover seemed to have consumed his entire life. .

David listened silently to his story, his anxiety, struggle, longing, loss, excuses, numbness and... .Be honest!

David seemed to see in Carew's narration all the psychological changes he had experienced in the past ten years~

Suppose, change someone now. .

David can judge with certainty that this person must be making up stories and lying!

But Karuta. .

It seems that there is no need for him to put on such a wonderful performance in front of David, right?

. . .

Feeling a little headache, David reached out to Karu, asked for a cigarette, lit it, took a few puffs, and asked with a frown.

"why me?"

Kalu lit one for himself and said with a wry smile: "Over the years, I have become distrustful of anyone~"

"What I'm telling you now is just a bet~"

"bet?"

"Ha~!"

"Bet I won't reveal these secrets you keep in your heart?"

"..right!"

"Haha~ You still... really trust me!"

Karu puffed heavily on his cigarette, and the smoke almost enveloped his entire body.

"I have no choice but you~"

"..."

This time it was David's turn to inhale the cigarette hard, and his whole body was buried in the smoke.

He stood up, found the ashtray from the kitchen, placed it gently in front of Carew, snuffed out the cigarette butt, exhaled a long breath, and asked.

"Your...secret, are you finished?"

"Do you have any other plans?"

"..No!"

"Are you... here to tell me a story?"

"Haha~" Karu smiled bitterly, shook his head slowly, and said nothing.

"..."

"Xinni trusts you very much and entrusts the entire gang to you..."

"Xinni, you have never really trusted me!" Kalu said suddenly. .

"Like me, he doesn't trust anyone!"

"Then why...want to take over the gang?"

Kalu remained silent for a few seconds with a cold and hard expression, and then replied: "I choose to take over... It's better than those bastards."

"it is good?"

"Hehe~"

There was no sarcasm in David's laughter, just laughter. .A sigh full of complex emotions~

Maybe, Karu is right!

If one of Xinni's men took over the gang, he might do things even more excessively than Karu does now~

However, this kind of. .Two black men are compared and David is asked to tell him now which of them is whiter. .

Does it make sense?

Have!

For Karoo, yes!

. . .

David sat next to Karu, tapped his eyebrows with his fingertips, and asked with a hint of relief in his voice.

"What about the Sidrich family?"

"Did the FBI send someone?"

"Sent~"

"Who is it? Do I know him?"

"I have no idea!"

"We all have one-way contact~"

"The so-called drawing of lots... now that I think about it, it was probably just an excuse made up to fool me at the time~"

"..."

Karu lit a cigarette for himself again, exhaled a cloud of smoke, turned his head and glanced at David, who was looking at the ceiling and regained his silence, and said.

"Harold Stone."

"..Um?"

"You mean, he has a name... single?"

"I don't know~ You can go find him and try!"

"..And you?"

"Don't you want to restore your identity?"

"Oh~"

Carew shrugged self-deprecatingly: "Is it still meaningful?"

"Yes~"

"Restore my identity...I will only face endless pursuit!"

"I've had enough of hiding here and there!"

David is silent ~

Who would have thought that an undercover agent sent by the FBI into a gang would eventually become a gang boss?

Now Karu has no idea where he should go in the future. .

Only now did David understand that the package Carew gave him might just be to prove that he was once a righteous person. .Law enforcer?

Does Carew want to use it as his epitaph?

. .Why do you want to play such a dramatic and tragic drama?

Are you filming?

fxxx!

David turned to look at Carew, bit the tip of his tongue, and praised: "You bastard, you are such a good actor!"

"..Haha~"

"At least, I'm still alive!"

"..."