On the golf course, Wells noticed Sean approaching, but his attention quickly shifted to Diane Lane.
Diane's fair skin glowed with a natural hydration, her rosy complexion enhancing her beauty and charm. Wells found himself momentarily captivated.
Sean smiled and introduced Diane to Wells. "Nice to meet you, beautiful lady," he said, extending his hand in a gentlemanly manner, but Sean grabbed it first.
"Okay, Director Wells, we just need her to shake hands with you." Sean winked, prompting Diane to cover her mouth with a giggle while Wells rolled his eyes.
"Damn it, Sean! Don't keep me from shaking hands; you're going too far!"
"You think I'm so happy about this?" Sean replied, his face beaming with pride. He waved Diane to the side and added, "Want to know the secret to living a happy life with beautiful women?"
"My mother doesn't need to know this mess with Falk! What I need is a beautiful woman!" Wells retorted, his tone darkening, which only made Sean laugh.
"It's like trying to drive a Ferrari with one hand—what I really need is to get behind the wheel! I just need a Ferrari!"
After sharing a few more laughs, Wells shifted the conversation to the purpose of their meeting. "You need to scale back on your private lottery. It's drawing attention from the competition."
"Private lottery? What private lottery? What does that have to do with me?" Sean looked puzzled.
Wells shot Sean an unfriendly glare. "Don't play dumb. Everyone around here knows everyone. Do you really think the lottery company is blind? They have their means."
Sean spread his hands in a gesture of confusion. "So what do we do?"
"The money is there; I can't just sit back and let it flow away," Sean said.
"Stupid! Do you understand the rules? Don't play Powerball and Mega Millions. Each state has its own lottery. You can play in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The lottery tickets sold by Zhou won't affect their profits, and they won't come after you if you stick to local games. But if you insist on playing Powerball, you're just asking for trouble!" Wells snapped angrily.
Sean gasped, taken aback. "Damn! If you're going to talk about committing crimes, I guess I need to take advice from a cop!"
"This is serious business!" Wells replied.
"You, as a police chief, sure know a lot of shady things!" Sean admitted, realizing his own inexperience in gang operations.
Nodding in understanding, Sean then changed the subject, discussing filming and asking Wells to introduce him to police chiefs in Jersey City and other cities.
He had just offered free services to local police through Sean's Fitness Club and hadn't yet visited the pier in person. With issues arising from the private lottery, it was wise to strengthen connections, especially since he couldn't legally carry firearms in several cities, which posed a challenge.
Additionally, he needed to build relationships for his expanding business.
After returning, Sean instructed Jonas to gradually phase out the Powerball and Mega Millions private lottery, shifting focus to local lotteries. After all, players were primarily after the thrill of gambling; as long as there were prizes, they wouldn't care too much about the specifics.
Meanwhile, Acomo Appler sat in an inconspicuous car parked on a quiet road near his home.
Shortly after he arrived, another car pulled up nearby. Acomo got out, walked over, and climbed into the passenger seat as the car started moving again.
"Acomo, the governor doesn't want to hear about your troubles, but you're causing too much chaos!" the driver, Dirk Dudley, said with a grim expression.
"Dirk, I swear I didn't do it. Do you believe me?" Acomo's face darkened with frustration.
Dirk, the secretary to the governor, usually kept a low profile, but was known to be a staunch ally of the governor.
"Which trouble are you claiming you didn't cause?" Dirk replied with a scoff.
An uncomfortable silence filled the car until Dirk finally spoke again. "Regardless, we need to resolve these issues quickly. Four shootings have occurred in public, resulting in 18 deaths. The media is all over it, and the governor is under immense pressure."
"I will," Acomo replied, taking a deep breath.
The car circled back to their original spot. Acomo stepped out and watched as Dirk drove away to report back to the governor.
Once alone, Acomo sank into the back seat of his car, clutching his stomach. Cold sweat dripped from his brow as he fumbled to take his medication, swallowing it dry.
His plans for an operation had been set, but now Acomo felt too anxious to proceed. He knew he had to maintain his grip on power; any sign of weakness could give the Dimio Group an opportunity to force him out. He could not afford to let his family's legacy collapse.
"I will survive this. I cannot let my family be destroyed," he muttered to himself, steeling his resolve.
After collecting his thoughts, Acomo asked, "What's the latest from Soprano's family?"
"Tony took his family and fled. So far, we believe he may have gone to Passaic," the man in the black suit beside him replied.
"What? Passaic? That's not our territory!" Acomo exclaimed, confusion etched on his face.
"Yes, sir. It used to belong to Salamanca, but now it's controlled by the Jonas family," the man informed him.
"Damn it!" Acomo cursed under his breath. He felt trapped, as if riding a tiger. The Soprano family was in disarray, suffering significant losses, and there was no chance for reconciliation. Even if he hadn't orchestrated any of this chaos, he would be forced to act against them.
"Find them!" Acomo ordered, determination hardening his voice.
"Yes, sir!" the man responded quickly, ready to carry out the command.
As Acomo contemplated the escalating situation, he knew that every move he made had to be calculated. The stakes were high, and his leadership was on the line. He had to navigate these treacherous waters carefully, or risk losing everything he had worked for.
With a deep breath, Acomo focused on the task ahead. He would not allow himself to be a pawn in someone else's game. He needed to regain control and ensure his family's survival in this ruthless world, no matter the cost.