Page 2 of Code of Captivity

I wasn't a computer scientist, but Denís was responsible for our online security. Due to the number of enemies in my midst, a simple antivirus wasn't enough for me. He wasn't a member of the Bratva, so his death was inconsequential.

“Da,Batushka,” he said before he turned and nodded to his captains to leave.Yes, Father.

“A wolf hunting a rabbit. It seems appropriate, Pakhan,” Gavriil said as he waved his hand for his men to leave.

Thevolkand thekrolik. I almost smiled.

Gavrill and Díma were both equal in the position of my second in command, but Gavriil joined my side at the age of seventeen. He was the one person who was unwavering in his loyalty. The other was Viktor, my personal guard. He was there when I was a scrawny, emaciated child. We had a blood oath before we were officially part of the Bratva. The captains reported to them, and their role was to collect my profit from the various businesses under the Bratva’s control.

Trust? I trusted no one, and the last Pakhan made the mistake of trusting me. It did not end well for him. Gavriil may have vowed his loyalty to me, but it was in exchange for the position I gave him.

“We need this hacker,” I said, tapping my fingers on the desk. “TheKrolikrefused me many years ago, but now they will have no choice. Do we know if it is a man or a woman?”

“Anyone who has used the hacker’s services has never had face-to-face contact. It was always done remotely. The person hides behind a screen,” Gavrill said with a frown. “I will utilise all the manpower we have.”

I nodded at him, watching him leave before I pondered on thebelyykrolik.

White rabbit.

It would be more advantageous for me if the hacker were a woman. Women are weak and easy to exploit. Either way, they would do whatever I wanted them to. I had my ways of motivating people. It was my gift.

“What do you want me to do,Batushka?” Viktor said, stepping out of the shadows.

“Keep your ear to the ground, my friend. There is more happening here than meets the eye,” I told him.

His slow smile appeared, and an unholy light was lit in his eyes because he knew we were on the hunt for a traitor. I had my sights on the two people who stood to gain the most from my destruction. Gavriil and Díma.

If I was the father of agonising pain, then Viktor was death incarnate.

???

The barber’s Adam's apple bobbed up and down like a yo-yo. When I glanced at his hand, a slight tremor made the blade unsteady. I glanced at Viktor, who rolled his eyes and stepped back. Between my presence and Viktor’s scarred face standing over me, it would make any normal person nervous.

I closed my eyes and felt the blade move over my skin. It was the final stage in ensuring my beard was groomed to perfection. Personal hygiene was an obsession since I grew up in filth—the thought of it made me feel sick. I still felt the hunger gnawing at my insides until I ate rotting food from the garbage. The layers of grime covered my skin, along with the stench of the house. At times, it felt as if it were inside my pores.

“Any word on thekrolik?”

“Whenever we get close, she hops away,” Viktor said, causing my eyes to snap open. “The woman is—resourceful.”

“A woman? Interesting. Have they found her next location?”

“They are still working on it.”

“Make sure I am the first to know as soon as they have a location,” I said, closing my eyes again. After all, a rabbit is a wolf’s natural prey.”

I had enough men on the ground for me not to get involved in the majority of my operations, but this was a personal attack on me. The sex of the person didn't matter to me when someone crossed me. I was all about equal opportunities when it came to personal matters. There was an implosion of ideas regarding what to do with thekrolik, each one more depraved than the last.

It wouldn’t take long to tear thekrolik’smind apart.

Chapter 2

Ania

They wouldn't stop coming for me, and two of my hideouts had been burned in the last three weeks. The current one might last longer if I didn't show my face. There were cameras everywhere, and I was sure they were now using facial recognition programmes to track me. I hadn't logged onto anything since that night. I sold my bike and bought a different one to avoid detection through the number plate. The worst part about being on the run was the lack of sleep.

This was my last property. It was at the city's edge in a rundown part of town. I’d covered the hallway with broken glass and set up two motion detectors to flash lights inside the apartment. My escape route would be to jump out of the window, but since it was two floors up, I’d left a large open bin beneath my window for a softer landing. It wasn’t ideal, but I was running out of options.

I knew too much about the Bratva leader. He created misery and death wherever he went. There was nothing they didn’t have their hands in: human trafficking, drugs, arms and gambling. The man profited from people’s suffering. He was not someone I ever wanted to be involved with. When my reputation brought attention to me, the organisation approached me, but I quickly shut their invitation down.

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