He's going to be our lawyer in Vegas. Nobody goes to him with any other business as of now, this minute. No reflection on Tom; that's the way I want it. Besides, if I ever need any advice, who's a better Consigliere than my father.
CLEMENZA:
Then in a six month time we're on our own; is that it?
MICHAEL:
Maybe less...
TESSIO:
Let us fill up our Regimes.
MICHAEL:
No. I want things very calm for another six months.
TESSIO:
Forgive me, Godfather, let our years of friendship be my excuse.
How can you hope for success there without your strength here to back you up? The two go hand in hand.
And with you gone from here the Barzini and the Tattaglias will be too strong for us.
CLEMENZA:
And I don't like Barzini. I say the Corleone Family has to move from strength, not weakness. We should build our Regimes and take back our lost territories in Staten Island, at least.
DON CORLEONE:
Do you have faith in my judgement?
CLEMENZA:
Yes, Godfather...
DON CORLEONE:
Then do what Michael says...
MICHAEL:
All I can say is that things are being resolved that are more effective than a thousand buttonmen on the streets. Understood?
There are uneasy looks all around.
CARLO:
Understood. I just wish I was doing more to help out.
MICHAEL:
I'll come to you when I need you.
He looks at CLEMENZA, TESSIO and HAGEN. They all nod, reluctantly.
MICHAEL:
All right, then it's resolved.
NERI knows the meeting is over, he opens the Den's door.
CLEMENZA and TESSIO pay their respects to the DON and leave, then CARLO. NERI watches CARLO as he walks down the corridor, casting a nervous look back at the sinister man.
Then NERI closes the door.
MICHAEL relaxes.
HAGEN:
Mike, why are you cutting me out of the action?
MICHAEL:
Tom, we're going to be legitimate all the way, and you're the legal man. What could be more important than that.
HAGEN:
I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about Rocco Lampone building a secret regime. Why does Neri report directly to you, rather than through me or a caporegime?
