The Flamethrowers

In 1942, Valera’s company expands into rubber production. A year into World War II, Valera is in Brazil supervising the harvest, smoking, and transport of rubber. The Amazon is an unfamiliar place to him; the trees take longer to grow than trees in Asia, and the overseer is especially abusive towards the indigenous people who work with the rubber. His former friend Lonzi is fighting in the war in Abyssinia, and Valera’s motorcycle is entering production for street riding. Valera’s motorcycle business is being used by Mussolini for the war effort, so Valera hopes the new rubber endeavor will make him significantly more money.

Valera is now 57 years old and has a wife, Alba, and two sons: Roberto and Sandro. He sets up a factory for his rubber in Switzerland to avoid Mussolini’s socialist takeover of Italian industries. Before long, Mussolini is killed and hanged in public. 

In 1976, Reno successfully sets the world record for fastest woman in the Spirit of Italy. The Valera Sandro set her up with is getting fixed up with parts from Italy. Reno returns to New York with bruises and scabs.