Rolf Nagel - The End of the World Mafia

Karl was angry. So he also already knew that he had not been in the bank this morning. He walked across the hall area and got to his office where his assistant welcomed him over-friendly and visibly excited, "Mr. Grosser, Mr. Schneider already informed me that you have new tasks and will not be expected at work today or tomorrow."

Karl's thoughts tumbled, "New tasks? Are they going to fire me or am I maybe going to be transferred to the record office? Surely Marian hasn’t lied to me and her father didn’t arrange holiday for me after all!" His stomach slowly started turning and he started to feel ill. He had to clarify this straight away and he rushed out of his office across the hallway into Mr. Schneider’s outer office.

His assistant gave Karl a very warm welcome and congratulated him. Karl thought she wanted to make fun of him and wished the ground would swallow him up.

"Mr. Grosser, I’ve been asked to show you in as soon as you arrive", she said. ”Perfect! That’s a fine mess I’m in, instant dismissal.”, is what went through his head as he entered Mr. Schneider's office. "Ah, Mr. Grosser, what a surprise, you are back already? We didn’t expect you before tomorrow or the day after. Please take a seat. Would you like coffee or tea?" Karl was in despair. His slimy boss, that stinker, was making fun of his humiliating dismissal. But it was too late now, he had to endure it.

"I was a bit surprised when the director informed me personally that you, my dear Mr. Grosser, are now personally responsible for taking care of a major client of the bank. He informed me that you are freed immediately from all other duties and are no longer subject to any working time control.

In addition, your salary has been doubled by the management board and a generous entertainment budget has been set up for you. You must have landed a big contract. Who would have thought it!" As he spoke, Mr. Schneider raised his eyebrows at the same time looking quite astonished.

Karl couldn’t believe his ears at what he was hearing. So he wasn’t being dismissed, he was being promoted! He was in seventh heaven! He could hardly believe his ears, however he wanted to play his new role confidently so that not the slightest doubt could arise. Double the salary, an entertainment budget, exemption from working and attendance times. All that was now Mr. Karl Grosser - a former small head of organization who almost had to kneel down to Mr. Schneider when he wanted to buy a new chair.

He had now become the personal advisor of a major client even though there were noticeably better specialized advisors in the bank and he was actually head of organization and not an advisor. What a rapid rise!

"Then I should get down to work straight away for my client!" said Karl taking polite but firm leave of Mr. Schneider and started to leave the office. "Of course, Mr. Grosser, and if you need anything please call me anytime," Mr. Schneider called as he was leaving. Karl felt intoxicated by what he was hearing. He went down the hall to his office. His assistant was waiting for him saying, "Mr. Grosser, good that you are here! Ms. Rosso is on the line. Should I put her through to your office?" Karl answered while passing by, "Yes, and tea please." "Right away, Mr. Grosser!”

Karl took the receiver of his phone and heard Marian's voice, "Hello my love, I’ve landed already. How are you? I miss you already." "Everything is great, I can hardly describe it, it’s all such a whirl. I just got a raise and I have been released from my normal duties to act as your advisor. Of course, day and night, my love. Marian, I am floating on cloud nine. Best wishes and many thanks to your father even though we have not yet met. I hope to meet him in person soon. Kisses." Karl was totally exuberant.

"I love you too, my dear. It was a beautiful evening and a great night. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss a single second of it. I still have some time till I meet my father and I would like to buy you a small gift. Yes, I will give your regards to my father. See you later and take care of yourself. Kisses!" Karl drank his tea with pleasure recalling the scene in peace. Then he left the bank and approached the chauffeur in the parking lot. "Drive me back to my apartment, please. I would like to change my clothes."

The apartment door closed and Karl sank down on his bed with a deep sigh. Just five minutes rest, just a bit of rest. Some time passed, then he went into the bathroom to finally take a shower and shave. Then he slipped into a new shirt and suit. Whistling, he went to the flower shop to pay his outstanding bill to surprise his beloved again with a colorful bouquet of flowers. “Ah, the gentleman from yesterday! Are you now visiting us every day?", the pretty florist greeted him. In his rush the previous day Karl hadn’t noticed that she was a youthful beauty who, with her long black hair, was easily the center of attention. Karl replied, "I need a colorful bouquet, but one that is slightly larger than yesterday. No, make that double the size." "Of course, sir," said the florist and throwing back her magnificent head of hair in a skilful and sexy way.

He noticed that the young lady was flirting a bit with him. That never used to happen. Maybe love made sexy or it had something to do with fact that he used to be grumpy and rude to everyone. It didn’t displease him that this young woman probably found him attractive. Karl was amazed at how quickly things can change. Yesterday he was still Calamity Jane and today Cinderella.

Marian had arrived in Paris a little earlier than planned and strolled along the famous Champs-Élysées, a magnificent avenue with every luxury store you could think of. The sun shone down warmly on the avenue and the people strolled along happily. Marian had in the meantime bought her darling Karl a fine gold chain with a heart pendant. Her destination was now the exclusive café and restaurant on the corner. There on nice days you could sit outside watching the colorful crowds. Just like her father, she loved to just sit there and let her mind wander. She had a lot of things in common with her father in other respects too.

Like her father, Marian had spent her youth in an outrageously expensive residential school in Switzerland.

The fathers of the first rank and Don Rosso’s father had been extremely farsighted and had sent their children to this private residential school. Thus, the descendants could spend their youth together and receive an excellent education.

Another reason was that the children were able to establish a firm and trusting friendship and bond with this joint school time. This was also something the fathers wanted. The inner circle should enter a hard and fast trust association and what could be better than starting this when still at school. And this is also what Don Rosso did with his daughter.

The strict residential school was located on a small hill directly on the outskirts of the idyllic Swiss town of Lucerne on the Lake of Lucerne. From the hill, you could look down at the beautiful little town with its river and famous landmark chapel bridge.

In wintertime, you went to the mountains for skiing and in the summer you could swim in the lake. Apart from that, only the children of the wealthiest parents resided in the school, something that also helped the young people establish the best contacts in international and influential society. Nobody at the residential school of course knew about the true background that some of the parents had in the Mafia.

Marian remembered vaguely that there had only been one slip-up when a boy made a comment that there were children there who came from criminal families. This claim couldn’t be proven and Don Rosso and his friends immediately complained to the school management. The boy then had to leave the school and nothing was ever heard of him or his family again. It was never clarified whether the boy’s statement was based on mere supposition or if there were reasonable grounds for suspicion behind it.