Chicago.  (year?)* The jury had been out for 12 hours, on the case Ness had worked so hard on, trying to get a conviction for top mobster Johnny Fortunato. Now the newspaper reads: Fortunato got off, the chief witness was a ""suicide."" At 9 p.m., Ness decides to get some spaghetti at Socrates Eatery. Ness' old high school buddy, Frank Barber, drops in. They laugh and smile as they recount their glory days at Garfield High, when Barber was the star football quarterback, and Ness was his favorite receiver. Frank Barber is prosperous now, he owns the Chicago Sports Palace.  Ness and Barber go to the boxing matches, and Ness is shocked to learn that Johnny Fortunato is one of Barber's ""customers.""  Veteran boxer ""Pops"" Gantry is pummeling a green kid named Fabiano.  Ness comments to Barber about the 7 empty seats in the front row; Barber tells him Fortunato will show up for the 8th round, when Gantry takes a dive.