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r your voice is back as good as ever； you got all your old fans back。 Congratulations。〃
〃Thanks；〃 Johnny said。 He was curious about exactly why Michael wanted to see him。 What favor would he be asked？
Michael addressed them all in general。 〃The Corleone Family is thinking of moving out here to Vegas。 Selling out all our interests in the olive oil business and settling here。 The Don and Hagen and myself have talked it over and we think here is where the future is for the Family。 That doesn't mean right now or next year。 It may take two； three； even four years to get things squared away。 But that's the general plan。 Some friends of ours own a good percentage of this hotel and casino so that will be our foundation。 Moe Greene will sell us his interest so it can be wholly owned by friends of the Family。〃
Freddie's moon face was anxious。 〃Mike； you sure about Moe Greene selling？ He never mentioned it to me and he loves the business。 I really don't think he'll sell。〃
Michael said quietly； 〃I'll make him an offer he can't refuse。〃
The words were said in an ordinary voice； yet the effect was chilling； perhaps because it was a favorite phrase of the Don's。 Michael turned to Johnny Fontane。 〃The Don is counting on you to help us get started。 It's been explained to us that entertainment will be the big factor in drawing gamblers。 We hope you'll sign a contract to appear five times a year for maybe a week…long engagement。 We hope your friends in movies do the same。 You've done them a lot of favors； now you can call them in。〃
〃Sure；〃 Johnny said。 〃I'll do anything for my Godfather； you know that； Mike。〃 But there was just the faint shadow of doubt in his voice。
Michael smiled and said； 〃You won't lose money on the deal and neither will your friends。 You get points in the hotel； and if there's somebody else you think important enough； they get some points too。 Maybe you don't believe me； so let me say I'm speaking the Don's words。〃
Johnny said hurriedly； 〃I believe you； Mike。 But there's ten more hotels and casinos being built on the Strip right now。 When you e in； the market may be glutted； you may be too late with all that petition already there。〃
Tom Hagen spoke up。 〃The Corleone Family has friends who are financing three of those hotels。〃 Johnny understood immediately that he meant the Corleone Family owned the three hotels； with their casinos。 And that there would be plenty of points to give out。
〃I'll start working on it；〃 Johnny said。
Michael turned to Lucy and Jules Segal。 〃I owe you；〃 he said to Jules。 〃I hear you want to go back to cutting people up and that hospitals won't let you use their facilities because of that old abortion business。 I have to know from you； is that what you want？〃
Jules smiles。 〃I guess so。 But you don't know the medical setup。 Whatever power you have doesn't mean anything to them。 I'm afraid you can't help me in that。〃
Michael nodded absentmindedly。 〃Sure； you're right。 But some friends of mine； pretty well…known people； are going to build a big hospital for Las Vegas。 The town will need it the way it's growing and the way it's projected to grow。 Maybe they'll let you into the operating room if it's put to them right。 Hell； how many surgeons as good as you can they get to e out to this desert？ Or any half as good？ We'll be doing the hospital a favor。 So stick around。 I hear you and Lucy are going to get married？〃
Jules shrugged。 〃When I see that I have any future。〃
Lucy said wryly； 〃Mike； if you don't build that hospital； I'll die an old maid。〃
They all laughed。 All except Jules。 He said to Michael； 〃If I took a job like that there couldn't be any strings attached。〃
Michael said coldly； 〃No strings。 I just owe you and I want to even out。〃
Lucy said gently； 〃Mike； don't get sore。〃
Michael smiled at her。 〃I'm not sore。〃 He turned to Jules。 〃That was a dumb thing for you to say。 The Corleone Family has pulled some strings for you。 Do you think I'm so stupid I'd ask you to do things you'd hate to do？ But if I did； so what？ Who the hell else ever lifted a finger to help you when you were in trouble？ When I heard you wanted to get back to being a real surgeon； I took a lot of time to find out if I could help。 I can。 I'm not asking you for anything。 But at least you can consider our relationship friendly； and I assume you would do for me what you'd do for any good friend。 That's my string。 But you can refuse it。〃
Tom Hagen lowered his head and smiled。 Not even the Don himself could have done it any better。
Jules was flushing。 〃Mike； I didn't mean it that way at all。 I'm very grateful to you and your father。 Forget I said it。〃
Michael nodded and said； 〃Fine。 Until the hospital gets built and opens up you'll be medical director for the four hotels。 Get yourself a staff。 Your money goes up too； but you can discuss that with Tom at a later time。 And Lucy； I want you to do something more important。 Maybe coordinate all the shops that will be opening up in the hotel arcades。 On the financial side。 Or maybe hiring the girls we need to work in the casinos。 something like that。 So if Jules doesn't marry you； you can be a rich old maid。〃
Freddie had been puffing on his cigar angrily。 Michael turned to him and said gently； 〃I'm just the errand boy for the Don； Freddie。 What he wants you to do he'll tell you himself； naturally； but I'm sure it will be something big enough to make you happy。 Everybody tells us what a great job you've been doing here。〃
〃Then why is he sore at me？〃 Freddie asked plaintively。 〃Just because the casino has been losing money？ I don't control that end； Moe Greene does。 What the hell does the old man want from me？〃
〃Don't worry about it；〃 Michael said。 He turned to Johnny Fontane。 〃Where's Nino？ I was looking forward to seeing him again。〃
Johnny shrugged。 〃Nino is pretty sick。 A nurse is taking care of him in his room。 But the doc here says he should be mitted； that he's trying to kill himself。 Nino！〃
Michael said thoughtfully； really surprised； 〃Nino was always a real good guy。 I never knew him to do anything lousy； say anything to put anybody down。 He never gave a damn about anything。 Except the booze。〃
〃Yeah；〃 Johnny said。 〃The money is rolling in； he could get a lot of work； singing or in the movies。 He gets fifty grand a picture now and he blows it。 He doesn't give a damn about being famous。 All the years we've been buddies I've never known him to do anything creepy。 And the son of a bitch is drinking himself to death。〃
Jules was about to say something when there was a knock on the door of the suite。 He was surprised when the man in the armchair； the man nearest the door； did not answer it but kept reading the newspaper。 It was Hagen who went to open it。 And was almost brushed aside when Moe Greene came striding into the room followed by his two bodyguards。
Moe Greene was a handsome hood who had made his rep as a Murder Incorporated executioner in Brooklyn。 He had branched out into gambling and gone west to seek his fortune； had been the first person to see the possibilities of Las Vegas and built one of the first hotel casinos on the Strip。 He still had murderous tantrums and was feared by everyone in the hotel； not excluding Freddie； Lucy and Jules Segal。 They always stayed out of his way whenever possible。
His handsome face was grim now。 He said to Michael Corleone； 〃I've been waiting around to talk to you； Mike。 I got a lot of things to do tomorrow so I figured I'd catch you tonight。 How about it？〃
Michael Corleone looked at him with what seemed to be friendly astonishment。 〃Sure；〃 he said。 He motioned in Hagen's direction。 〃Get Mr。 Greene a drink； Tom。〃
Jules noticed that the man called Albert Neri was studying Moe Greene intently； not paying any attention to the bodyguards who were leaning against the door。 He knew there was no chance of any violence； not in Vegas itself。 That was strictly forbidden as fatal to the whole project of making Vegas the legal sanctuary of American gamblers。
Moe Greene said to his bodyguards； 〃Draw some chips for all these people so th