BREAKING THE CYCLE OF REINCARNATION

"Vier hundert fünf und fünfzig Franken." The taxi driver expressionlessly said. It was kind of expensive, but Alex couldn't expect the one hour ride from Zürich to be cheap.

"Behalten Sie den Rest." He gave the driver five hundred Swiss franc bills, but only received a short snort in response.

'Ye, f*ck you too!' Alex thought, 'If I was payed in money that looked like it was just taken out from a Monopoly box, I would be dissatisfied as well.'

Luckily this time, for the job well done, he was going to receive 'Benjamins' – the best currency in the world! Well, maybe not because of the monetary value, but aesthetically for sure.

From the first time he went abroad, and that was more than twenty five years ago, to Canada, he couldn't stop wondering why someone would want to use as a payment paper slips that seemed like a kids toy. Later, when he traveled the world 'on business', he learned that very few countries had enough self respect and used money that looked like actual 'real' money.

When two years ago Europeans finally switched to euro, it was another disappointment. Seeing those ugly bills made him almost feel nauseated, but he had to fight through since some of his clients insisted on paying in this currency.

Theoretically Alex could've asked for money transfers, even more so because for the last five years it became increasingly difficult to work with cash payments, but he was ready to accept this downside because his line of work allowed it. For some reason he loved how his 'Benjies' were stashed around the world and it made him feel safe.

Several black limos drove by one after another and woke Alex up from his daydreaming. He got out of the taxi some five, six hundred meters away from the villa and had to continue his way on foot. Even though it was not necessary, during the years it had become a habit. No matter where he went and, especially, when he was on the job, he tended to walk to the destination to be able to assess the situation one last time. And now he slowly walked uphill casually looking around as if enjoying the sights.

If this was not in the middle of nowhere, no one would've noticed this average looking man of average height dressed in an inconspicuous clothing – jeans, dark leather jacket, sneakers and a light backpack over his shoulder. Of course, all the passengers in the cars passing by noticed him, because this road led to a dead-end on the top of a hill and the lone pedestrian here was completely out of place.

A couple of limos even slowed down, the window rolled down and a friendly smiling face greeted him. Indeed, Alex had clients all around the world and this was one of the rare spots where they could openly greet each other. If it happened anywhere else, even on a crowded street, both parties would pass by without the slightest nod towards another and even without any eye-contact, but here was the territory of Antonio Begano and it was safe.

Alex switched his backpack from one shoulder to the other as if to check if the contents were still there and grinned. This time Old Tony will be really surprised. The old mob boss promised him bonus if he brought that item before his sixtieth birthday and today was the day of the celebration. Not many knew, but his real birthday was only a week from now, thus Alex had 'honestly' earned his bonus.

This was not the first 'job' Old Tony asked him to do, but no matter how creepy the guy looked and how weird his interests were, he was trustworthy. The word on the streets was he got 'out the business' around twenty years ago and since then pursued some kind of enlightenment, but Alex didn't care. The interests and fetishes of his clients were none of his business.

When there were only a couple of hundred meters left, the road turned to the right and between pine trees Alex could finally see the Begano villa. In fact, it was more like a small fortress – the only way to get to it was by the road from the south-east and from here it seemed like it was just a private property up a higher hill, but from all the other sides there were natural two hundred meter tall cliff walls and sometimes Alex thought it would be more appropriate to call it 'an eagle's nest'. Old Italian's eagle nest in the Swiss Alps.

Old Tony moved here approximately twenty years ago when he married for the fourth and the last time and his beautiful Ukrainian wife demanded him to 'go straight'. Even though Mila herself was a daughter of a mobster, she didn't want such life after establishing a family and for some reason the infamous and brutal Antonio Begano succumbed to her request. At that time there was a huge power-shift in those circles, but Alex was still in the middle-school and had no idea what exactly transpired. He had the honor to meet the Ukrainian beauty when Old Tony asked him to bring the Napoleon's diamond necklace – he thought it would be a perfect apology for who-knows-what he had done again. In fact, Smithsonian institution was Alex's first solo 'big job' and the real start of his carrier.

Mila, even though slender and graceful, was not your typical Ukrainian beauty. She had this mesmerizing personality and almost hypnotic look which, probably, captured Tony's heart. In addition, her character and background sometimes brought more fear to Tony's former friends and foes than Tony himself. Alex had to agree, the two were an 'interesting' and fitting couple.

When Alex was almost at the gates, few large men in black suits turned towards him. It was obvious they didn't intend to let a pauper in – every respectable guest came in an expensive car and was directed to the underground garage that Old Tony somehow managed to build within this cliff, without the knowledge of the Swiss authorities. Actually, two thirds of his villa were built underground, but this fact was known only to the closest circle – the guests today will only see the garage and then take an elevator to go two stories up to the grand hall.

Alex, on the other hand, knew very well what was under the garage. Several years ago Old Tony requested him to inspect the premises down there and assess the risks of a break-in. The argument of a locked box buried underground being inaccessible did not work and Alex spent almost a week below the surface when the old man repeatedly asked to check everything over and over again.

But the payment was good and the Old Tony's backing was even better. Even when Alex got caught during the job in Vatican, Old Tony managed to get him out within few hours while sipping cocktails on a Caribbean beach himself.

"Privateigentum! Eingang verboten!" When Alex approached, one of the large guards barked at him in German. Only a couple of the employees here knew him and none, of course, worked at the gate.

Before Alex could respond, a shout from the side of the villa startled the guard.

"Alexander! My boy! Come in! Come on in!" Old Tony in a white suit and a red tie ran over with quick steps, while the nimble stature of Frank quickly followed him like a shadow. The latter had worked for Tony for decades and even taken a couple of bullets for him, but still did not retire and was in amazing physical form. Only god knows how he maintained it, but there were some rumors flying around he was a genuine Qi practitioner, whatever that meant.

As soon as the guards noticed the two men approaching, instead of letting them both through, they quickly spread to the front, securing the area in a radius of twenty, thirty steps. While this action was absolutely unnecessary, Old Tony loved such theatrics.

He speedily came up to Alex, grabbed his elbow and leaned closer excitedly whispering, "Did you get it? Did you?"

Alex looked at him. Since the last time he saw the old mobster four months ago, Old Tony managed to age even more. While ten years ago he was already fifty, he was fit and strong and, even if he had some gray hair, many would say he was in prime of his life. But now the previously tall Italian seemed to be almost a head shorter than Alex, thin as a skeleton and with gray, unhealthy skin color. It was hard to believe the death of his fourth wife impacted him so badly – he should've got used to the feeling after the first three funerals.

People rumored this was the real turning point in the Old Tony's life. He picked up esoteric teachings, ancient cultures and religions, dived in some mystical nonsense. Some said he was trying to contact his wife in the afterlife, some – he was intending to resurrect her. Be as it may, it had nothing to do with Alex and the fact that the old man became senile was just pitiful. The only thing that mattered was the handsome payment Old Tony provided for particular rare and ancient artifacts. Like the one he brought this time.

"Of course!" For a split second Alex showed a sad smile, but then recovered his prior nonchalant demeanor and passed his backpack over. From the looks of it, Stevie noticed him on the cameras when he got out of the taxi earlier and warned the old man who rushed outside to meet him.

The latter took the backpack with trembling hands, but before he could take a look inside or say anything, a sound of screeching tires caused everyone to turn their heads towards the road.

Even before anyone saw the speedily approaching black Mercedes taxi, Frank already stood in front of Old Tony and the rest of the guards had guns in their hands. Luckily no one shot, because after wildly accelerating for a couple of seconds, Mercedes abruptly stopped. From what it looked like, the driver fainted and now only the back of his had was visible while he lie with the forehead on the wheel.

Just before everyone could relax, the right rear door opened and a kid, a boy, around the age of seven or eight, or maybe ten, jumped out and darted towards the crowd, more precisely – the entrance to the villa where currently Old Tony with his bodyguard and Alex stood.

Boy's hair was disheveled, he seemed to be in panic and blood flowed from his nose. It was obvious there was some kind of emergency. But just when everyone relaxed, he screamed, "Hilfe! Hilfe!"

At first everyone was confused – the little guy should've realized he was safe here. And why scream at the people who were basically right next to him? Guards looked at each other and at the awkwardly parked taxi, but didn't rally know what to do – they had not been trained for a situation like this.

If this was not a child, the guy would've already laid in a pool of blood, thus everyone turned towards Old Tony and Frank awaiting instructions, but then suddenly the boy hysterically laughed and shouted, "Die, old bastard!"

There was only one person present who could fit the description and his expression immediately turned ugly, but Frank instantly issued a command, "Get him!"

What happened next stupefied Alex to the bones. The child, while still running, put the five fingertips of each hand to his temples and a split second later the two guards, who already stretched out their hands with intent to grab him, dropped on the ground unconscious.

"Get that fucker!" Old Tony shouted, but then dropped down on his knees, grabbing head in his hands while screaming in pain, "Aaargh!"

Alex saw the boy viciously glaring at the old man while still running towards him and holding the little fingers to his temples – it was almost as if he was trying to kill the old man with his thoughts and for some reason it worked – Tony already had streams of blood coming from his nose and ears.

"Du kleiner Scheisser!" One of the guards finally woke up from the stupor and, after taking a couple of large strides towards the running child, kicked him in the face.

From the kick the boy, like a rag doll, flew off the road, hit a tree on the roadside and afterwards rolled in the bushes.

Alex was not born yesterday and had seen his fair share of strange things, but all what happened in the last ten seconds made him blank out. He instinctively followed Frank who took Old Tony in his arms and ran towards the villa.

When the doors closed behind them, Frank and Tony were already gone. The trustful bodyguard probably contacted a doctor or two on the way to Tony's quarters and Alex was left alone, lost in thoughts.

"Wow! Even Alexander the Great can look lost!" Suddenly a giggle startled him.