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out, to see which way the wind is going to blow. Then I'll make the best deal I can for
everybody here. Then we'll have a final meeting and make some final decisions."
He ignored their surprise and Albert Neri started ushering them out. Michael said
sharply, "Tom, stick around a few minutes."
Hagen went to the window that faced the mall. He waited until he saw the
caporegimes and Carlo Rizzo and Rocco Lampore being shepherded through the
guarded gate by Neri. Then he turned to Michael and said, "Have you got all the political
connections wired into you?"
Michael shook his head regretfully. "Not all. I needed about four more months. The
Don and I were working on it. But I've got all the judges, we did that first, and some of
the more important people in Congress. And the big party boys here in New York were
no problem, of course.
The Corleone Family is a lot stronger than anybody thinks, but I hoped to make it
foolproof." He smiled at Hagen. "I guess you've figured everything out by now."
Hagen nodded. "It wasn't hard. Except why you wanted me out of the action. But I put
on my Sicilian hat and I finally figured that too."
Michael laughed. "The old man said you would. But that's a luxury I can't afford
anymore. I need you here. At least for the next few weeks. You better phone Vegas and
talk to your wife. Just tell her a few weeks."
Hagen said musingly, "How do you think they'll come at you?"
Michael sighed. "The Don instructed me. Through somebody close. Barzini will set me
up through somebody close that, supposedly, I won't suspect."
Hagen smiled at him. "Somebody like me."
Michael smiled back. "You're Irish, they won't trust you."
"I'm German-American," Hagen said.
"To them that's Irish," Michael said. "They won't go to you and they won't go to Neri
because Neri was a cop. Plus both of you are too close to me. They can't take that
gamble. Rocco Lampone isn't close enough. No, it will be Clemenza, Tessio or Carlo
Rizzi."
Hagen said softly, "I'm betting it's Carlo"
"We'll see," Michael said. "It won't be long."
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It was the next morning, while Hagen and Michael were having breakfast together.
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Michael took a phone call in the library, and when he came back to the kitchen, he said
to Hagen, "It's all set up. I'm going to meet Barzini a week from now. To make new
peace now that the Don is dead." Michael laughed. Hagen asked, "Who phoned you,
who made the contact?" They both knew that whoever in the Corleone Family had
made the contact had turned traitor.
Michael gave Hagen a sad regretful smile. "Tessio," he said.
They ate the rest of their breakfast in silence. Over coffee Hagen shook his head, "I
could have sworn it would have been Carlo or maybe Clemenza. I never figured Tessio.
He's the best of the lot."
"He's the most intelligent," Michael said, "And he did what seems to him to be the
smart thing. He sets me up for the hit by Barzini and inherits the Corleone Family. He
sticks with me and he gets wiped out; he's figuring I can't win."
Hagen paused before he asked reluctantly, "How right is he figuring?"
Michael shrugged. "It looks bad. But my father was the only one who understood that
political connections and power are worth ten regimes, I think I've got most of my
father's political power in my hands now, but I'm the only one who really knows that." He
smiled at Hagen, a reassuring smile. "I'll make them call me Don. But I feel lousy about
Tessio."
Hagen said, "Have you agreed to the meeting with Barzini?"
"Yeah," Michael said. "A week from tonight. In Brooklyn, on Tessio's ground where I'll
be safe," He laughed again.
Hagen said, "Be careful before then."
For the first time Michael was cold with Hagen. "I don't need a Consigliori to give me
that kind of advice," be said.
During the week preceding the peace meeting between the Corleone and Barzini
Families, Michael showed Hagen just how careful he could be. He never set foot
outside the mall and never received anyone without Neri beside him. There was only
one annoying complication, Connie and Carlo's oldest boy was to receive his
Confirmation in the Catholic Church and Kay asked Michael to be the Godfather.
Michael refused.
"I don't often beg you," Kay said. "Please do this just for me. Connie wants it so much.
And so does Carlo. It's very important to them. Please, Michael."
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She could see he was angry with her for insisting and expected him to refuse. So she
was surprised when he nodded and said, "OK. But I can't leave the mall. Tell them to
arrange for the priest to confirm the kid here. I'll pay whatever it costs. If they run into