Chapter Four

Summer means wide open spaces in a whole lot of extra miles.

Last place you want your engine to give out is halfway to nowhere. Out here, vote oil or a weak battery is just an ambush way to happen.

“That's why every oil change at Valveline is the loyal change of glutes at 18 point maintenance check.”

These texts are trained to help spot issues early and give you a run easy. Valveline, instant oil change wisely. This series is based on the real events of 9/11. However, names, incidents, locations and dialogue have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes. This series contains strong language and profanity and scenes that some listeners could find disturbing.

Your world is centered in your good views. We've offered present portion of American people to stay.

Must deliver a power for a small solidarity.

Being through the rubble with steel cutters, back holes, picks and shovels are risky teams who are all about one thing. Finding survivors. Hold up everybody. But more often than not, we found corpses. Stop, stop. Everybody stop.

“When we did, work would come to a stop and machinery would be shut down.”

It's another one. After 25 years, I still hear the silence. If the victim was a firefighter, all of us would stand at attention.

Some saluting. Some with helmets over their hearts.

An American flag would be draped over the body. And a special version of the 23rd Psalm would be read by an FDNY chaplain. The Lord is my chief. He has chosen me to serve. Even though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no fire for he used with me. And when life's final alarm sounds, I will dwell in the station house at the Lord.

It was repeated 343 times. Okay. Back to work, everyone. Come on. Then dig in and start again.

“I'm Frank Sturiano, formerly of the New York City Police Department.”

Think you know the whole story in 9/11? You don't. This is underground zero. This is my story of how we took on the mob. The debris from the towers were supposed to go to the stop now and land full on by the city. And some of it did. But a lot went to our yards, like the one in Long Island City. There was enough jewelry to fill up the diamond district, and we wound up selling it on eBay.

Cash we pocketed, and hunk the steel and concrete we started cutting up to center the highest bid is overseas. We'd empty the trucks and send them right back to the trade center for more. And that was just the start. Yeah, they're part of your door. As both of the Genevieve family, dip the Pietro love being in on the action.

He wanted me and Eddie Bernstein, a union VP we owned, Lockstock and Barrel, to break it all down for him. Are you doing? We met a few blocks away in Eddie's car. Tell me about this detective in charge of the cleaner. What's this name? Frank Sturiano.

I hear you're brother on Lord Joey. Yeah, we grew up together. Yeah, no. We got to foot in the door, and that's a good. But I wanted to keep this golden goose laying golden eggs for us.

We need Frank to look the other way. What do we course with him? Frank, you don't buy him for any amount. Everybody has a price. I'm telling you, Dick, don't worry, you won't be a problem.

Him and me have an understanding. You don't break my balls, and I don't break his. Eddie has this good work. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's working already. Size of sheets. Sign in. Sign out. The crews sign in each guy with multiple names.

Today, they sign for 10 hours, but they work eight. The crew chief verifies the signatures. He's one of our guys.

The more our guys sign in for 10 hours, but they work six.

“They're Friday. The crew's exist only on paper.”

But the city's still paying full salaries, plus fringes. And as far as the unions concern, it's all kosher. How are we able to listen in? In a meantime, we're ghosted vehicles and equipment. As part of an investigation into union corruption and city-wide construction,

we put a bug in Eddie's car. Right to the agreements, go mission, trucks get delayed and transit. Still cut his back holes,

rigging and lighting, paid for, but they never arrive.

The jackets, boots, and gloves from Patagonia, North Face, that delivered one hour, disappeared the next, beautiful. So while they played to their strength, our focus on saving lives, we played to their weakness. Greed.

What we're now seeing at the site of this disaster is nothing short of remarkable. A line of dump trucks and loaders stretching for blocks, clearing away the uncountable amount of debris. And of course, the unanswerable question is,

“"Our survivors still cling to life under the wreckage.”

We can only hope and pray." When I joined the NYPD, Mickey Cronum was already alleged. "It's open." As a deputy chief, he put me in charge of the 9/11 cleanup. In all the time, I knew him. We argued only once.

We loved each other, and wouldn't till the day he died. We couldn't have known that day would come sooner than we thought. "You wanted to see me, boss?" "Don't call me that." "Hey, you are, aren't you?"

Then why is your name on this directive that says, "We'll keep searching for survivors even if we don't have enough oxygen masks and respirators for the rescue team?" Two reasons. The victims trapped in the rubble probably can't last much longer.

The same will hold true for the responders if they go in there without equipment. No one's being forced to do it, Frank. Anyone who doesn't want to run the risk of exposure to toxic substances will be excused with no repercussions.

There are always repercussions, Mickey, we both know.

And that's the second reason I signed. So I'd be the one on the line, not you. I'm not going to hide behind your reputation. My reputation's behind me, which is where it belongs. Here from now, I'll be fishing the Jersey Shore, and you'll be deputy chief.

I see big things for you, Frank. Mayor, governor, who knows? That's why I wanted you for the job. I didn't take it to grow my resume. You could have told me that thought never crossed your mind.

Look, Frank, there's nothing wrong with ambition. Especially if it's in service at the right cause. So this is shitstorm that comes down, Frank. Let it come down on me. Thank you.

Mayor Giuliani's speaking to the press here at the Trade Center. So I want to say to everyone, and are incredibly brave, search and rescue teams. They have so far extricated nine survivors who've been taken to local hospitals. So there's at least something to feel good about. Mayor, what did you say?

If it's true that many of the first responders carried faulty radios in transmitters.

That's the first I'm hearing about it.

“Are you aware that breakdowns in communication between responders and battalion command may have contributed to the high debt toll among the rescue teams?”

Well, I haven't heard that either. Sir, the issue faulty radios was also raised eight years ago when terrorists exploded a bomb in the Trade Center garage. What's your point, Sarah? Just that your administration has eight years to fix the problem. I don't sit around recharging batteries.

Now, this press conference is over. Mr. Mayor, can you hear me? John, take a number of questions. Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor. Later that night, Mickey and I tailed that he burned steam to the Bruce their hunting fish club.

The Genevici social hangout on Staten Island. As he walked down the block, I get his car. Hey, Eddie. What? Come for a ride.

What is this? What do you want? Let's go get it. Shit, the fuck is getting a car, Eddie. Mick.

Fuck is room with you, guys. You're going to tell me what this is all about. Size those sheets, Eddie. Sign in, sign out. No show jobs to defraud the city.

You've been running that scam for years. I don't run scams. I'm a lawyer. But there's an admission to guilt if I ever heard one.

which is a cover for what you really are. A wholly owned subsidiary of the Genevice family. You detain me by force. Philly to reduce the warrant opens you to charges of false imprisonment, not to mention liable and defamation.

We bugged your car, you dope. We heard it all between you, Deputy PHO and Joe Beyond. Shit. Oh, god, Eddie, Jesus. What should we do? Just shake yourself.

If dip and Joe find out about the bug, one of two things is going to happen. One, they'll think you can't be trusted, because you didn't have your car swept off enough. Well, that's the better of the two. Or they'll figure you knew about the bug.

And we're trying to get them to rat themselves out. Because you're working for us. Eddie, you know what that'll mean.

Guys, I, I never heard anyone.

I got a family, my wife's not well.

“You don't expect the sick wife excused to fly, do you?”

Not after a lifetime of collusion with known criminal elements. There must be some way to work this out. We know you don't want to tell dip and Joe about the bug. Now, the good news is, we don't want to either. What do you need me to do?

Where a wire? Oh, god. No. No, Frank, get Joe or dip, preferably both. No, no.

No, I'm criminating themselves. I can't. You'd be surprised at what you can do. Ask me anything, but that's Frank. They find it.

They're going to come in a fucking piece as well. I'm still alive. Well, have you under surveillance 24/7 guaranteed? It's a lifeline, Ed. Fuck you.

Fuck you. Think about it. Fuck. Fuck.

“We had the architectural plans to building four at the Trade Center.”

We had the same plans. Because three of the genophies construction companies built the place to begin with.

The basement was supposed to hold as much as a billion dollars in gold and silver

from financial institutions all over the world. Through our informants, we knew the cops were coming in from the southwest corner so we started digging from the north east using hand tools to keep them from hearing us. Hold it, hold it. This is later six.

But tell you three, come in. Butter six, go. You got a body. Under a girder. A body.

Go. Go. A firefighter. Oh, oh. Signia indicates he's from engine 13.

Again, we stopped working at a respect. But as the body of a hero began as last journey, Joe Bianchi's crew kept digging. Get enclosured to the basement with every shoveled dirt. ♪

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What did he finally go home?

Quarter to six.

“My wife Connie and my sister Marie were as close as sister-in-law's could be.”

Mass was finally over. Especially with me being a cop and Joe a Genovisi soldier. The girls promised it wouldn't affect their relationship. And it didn't. You know, Connie.

Until the tower fell, and my son Frankie won a war. Every one of my brothers were all to boys. All six. Mm-hmm. And every one of them hated it.

That's what's funny, Marie. Frankie likes it. [laughs] You never know. You may have a seminarian on your hands.

[laughs] You wouldn't say that if you saw the stack of play boys on the wrist bed. [laughs] You know what important thing is? He got home, okay.

At that rate, going to Genovisi by hot slice is worth risking being grounded.

Connie? What'd you say? What?

“All I said was as far as the kids are concerned,”

going for pizzas worth the possibility being grounded.

[music playing] [music playing] [music playing] [music playing] [music playing]

Hey! What was that? What did you say? What were it Frankie? What were it Frankie?

No doubt. [music playing] What's the matter? Yesterday you said you went to Genovisi. I did.

With a girl. Were you with a girl? Yeah. What was the name? What do you mean what was her name?

Tell me, Frankie. You weren't with a girl. Who were you with?

This time I want the truth.

I already told you. Hey! Ow! [sighs] Hey, Connie.

“What Frankie said he went to Genovisi instead of mask yesterday?”

I asked him if anyone else knew. He said no. Okay. Where he came over for coffee? So?

She knew. Frankie was at Genovisi. How could she have known? Because Frankie was with Genovisi. Frankie just told me.

Or now her and her. He and Joe were shooting the shit. Then Joe told him to tell us he was with a girl. Don't put his dog out, Frankie. Just a fuck with us.

Oh.

Oh, you think you're going?

This is a private club. I'm going inside. Members only, pal. Members only. I don't give a fuck what kind of club it is.

You see this badge? Get easy, it's okay. It's okay. Open the fucking door. I'm going to kick it in.

I don't wait. Hey, Frank. Clear room, Joe. You just walked past three guys. We could have made really bad decisions.

I was hoping they would. Give us the wrong fellas. You don't ever. Ever. Play dad with my son.

Take it easy. I bought him a slice, Frank.

“Would you say he couldn't remember the last time that you did?”

Get up, Joe. I'm fine where I am. Get up. Okay, I'm up. Why are you going to arrest me?

Punch me? Shoot me? You fucked with me? My wife? You won't do it again.

Listen, if I really wanted a fuck with you. You won't do it again. You ever won the Frank? You think you'll grow up more like you? Well, like me.

I don't want him to be like me. But I know he won't be like you. Connie. Hey. Come in.

Come in. You talk to Joe? About. Come on, Marie. About Frankie.

All right. Yeah. Look, I-- I'm just going to make this quick. Frankie now do anything to protect our son.

Like you and Joe would do for Nikki. All right. Look, I'm sorry about what happened, Connie. I hope you know that. I love you, Marie.

But if anything ever happens to Frank or Frank Jr. Ever, I'll kill you with my bare fucking hands. Connie, you can save it. Connie. Frank.

Mickey, all right? I'm not the guy I used to be. I'll tell you that. Let me get you a mask. I'm okay.

Let the one of the other guys have it. I'll be ahead. Look over there. The door's partially open. You guys point your face like that, the door.

Open it. Frank, this-- It's nothing here. What? Should be millions?

How can anyone of taking so much of it in so short a time?

Unless we were wronged,

“there was never anything here to begin with.”

What's-- This-- It's a body. Bring the lights over. Shine them over there.

To the right.

Shine the lights on his face.

Jesus Christ, Mickey. Oh. It said he promised him. Shh.

“He wouldn't have been down here on his own accord.”

Joe and his guys must have found the wire.

Jesus. We told Eddie. We promised him he'd be under surveillance to keep them safe. I know. I don't--

How does that, Mickey? Shit. Hey. Eddie's back was turned, so he-- He never saw it coming.

I gave him a skull in it.

“I wedged him under some beam so to look good for the coroners.”

And just so we're clear, I took care of Eddie, so no one goes after Frank. I just want to keep the operation moving forward. So nothing happens to Frank, right?

And I, Mickey. Good night, Joe. [GUNFIRE] Underground Zero, 9/11 in the mob, is a production of thoroughbred studios,

Goldhog Productions, and I-Hard Podcasts.