Chapter One: Rurik
I’m tired of living in his shadow.I never thought that one act to make my name in the crime world would unravel everything about me, turning me cold, distant, and unable to see if things would ever change. I was born into one of the most infamous crime families Russia has ever seen, but that still wasn’t enough for me. My brothers had it easy, and it was like everything was handed to them, but I refused to sit around hoping that I’d fall into line, own an empire that they left for me. I didn’t want their leftovers, I wanted something of my own, something that would make everyone around me tremble, but all I did was lock myself into a never-ending deal of life and death.
I met a man by the name of Luka Andreyev, and he built his criminal kingdom by using me as his pawn, along with the other hopeful criminals that wanted to be different, to live life on their own terms. I wish I would’ve seen the warnings then, the subtleties that would’ve told me that by accepting that money from him, I would’ve been signing my entire life away. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, or how much of myself I’d have to sacrifice just to make ends meet. He never gave me my full cut after a job, telling me that I was just going to have to work harder, to be better, otherwise he was going to make sure I suffered every day until I got my act together. I was too afraid to stand up to him, to ask him who he answered to, so I could take them all out myself. It was wishful thinking at best, because I didn’t know the first thing about taking down an entire crime family, as I’ve spent so much of my life protecting my own. I’m under close surveillance most of the time, and if I were to even mention the Volkov name to any of the men I worked for, they were going to make sure I paid for it.
Every day the urge to flee got worse, and I wanted nothing more than to run far away from the people who were just using me for my expertise, never failing to remind me that I was disposable to them. I was so afraid that they were going to tire of me one day that I couldn’t help but listen, and even after I paid back my debt in full, they made sure to keep me around to do whatever they wished. They were far too powerful for me to stand a chance against them on my own, and I spent every day since realizing that I was never getting out, finding the single, perfect opportunity I would need to escape. I didn’t know how long I was going to be kept, held like an animal, before I would see that small sliver of freedom taunting me, begging me to live, or at least giving me something else to live for. They pretended that I was a part of the family, taking me out to their fancy soirées, spending the evenings drinking themselves silly, allowing me to get too comfortable so they could pull the rug out from under me the minute I began to enjoy myself a little too much. I’ve gotten better at holding my own, at reminding myself that I was just trying to stay alive, do as they asked, and not ask any questions.
It was such a strange feeling, living in their house, doing their bidding, when all I knew about them was their family name. The Andreyevs. I could already tell that their line of power didn’t end with just them, and that they had to be dealing with the kind of criminal force that would take the entire country by storm, making me even less likely to ever challenge them. They continued to tug on my heartstrings, taunting me with the idea that I would someday have everything I wanted, but I knew that was never truly going to happen.
I was sitting in their living room, waiting patiently for my next set of instructions, while I watched Mrs. Andreyeva walk out, clutching her pearls while she smiled at me. She had me wrapped around her little finger, because it was the only way I could ensure that no harm would come to me if I ever did slip up. That was because, despite his indiscretions, Mr. Andreyev loved his wife and he always opted for her input whenever he was making a rather large decision. It was something I picked up while working as their little errand boy, killing whomever they asked me to kill, just so I could live to see another day. They put a roof over my head, allowed me to eat at their dinner table, but I knew better than to ever trust that things would change. It’d been years since I last saw any of my own family, and I could only imagine how disappointed they would’ve been to learn where I ended up.
“Rurik, darling. Please, join us for dinner. I’m sure that my husband can give you your next assignment after you’ve at least had a chance to eat,” she offered, and I nodded kindly.
“Thank you, Mrs. Andreyeva. I appreciate it,” I replied, joining her at the dinner table while her wait staff brought out lavish dinnerware, and trays of scrumptious food that made my stomach rumble at the sight of it all. It was one of the few things I enjoyed about being here, but none of the wavering luxuries would ever keep me back from making my way right out the door whenever the chance was truly mine. It wasn’t going to be enough just to run, because I knew that Mr. Andreyev himself would see to it that his men hunted me down and made me pay for dishonoring him and everything he’d given me. They had the resources to torture me until I was barely hanging onto an inch of my life, wait until I healed, and then do it all over again. I knew that if I ever did get the chance to escape it would have to be after I was fully certain that I would be able to fend off the enemies that were certainly going to come my way.
Mrs. Andreyeva motioned for me to dig in, and I filled my stomach to the brim before her husband came waltzing in, pretending to care about my presence, but I could already see just how disinterested he truly was. The only thing he cared about was what I would be able to do for him, how I’d be able to benefit his business practices by taking out all of the competition for him, while he sat comfortably at home, sipping on an overpriced glass of whiskey.
I hated everything about the man, the way he carried himself, the way he toyed with all of us, waiting for the next moment to unleash his sick fantasies, living vicariously through us. I never cared who I killed, but I was always a man that killed with purpose, and right now the only purpose I had was to keep myself alive. Every day I’d wake up looking for another way to escape, hoping that I wouldn’t have to spend the rest of my life in this glorified prison, filling the pockets of a crime boss that couldn’t even do his own dirty work. It was pathetic, but I knew I was no match to take him on by myself. He had enough resources to tear into me again and again until I begged for mercy, and I wasn’t going to give him that kind of satisfaction. I went to bed every night in their ridiculous mansion, dreaming of ways I could kill him, but I knew the time would come one day. I let him continue to believe he was using me as his puppet, but no matter how much power he believed he had, I promised myself I would stop at nothing until I took it away from him.
Mr. Andreyev would soon remember what it felt like to feel pain, to leave behind the convincing façade of his perfect life, but I had to play my cards right, because the last thing I needed was to alert anyone to the fact that I had plans to overthrow him and take back everything he stole from me. I was starting to see right through them, watch as they pretended to enjoy every moment of their lives, when they were trying to keep their marriage alive, and the only thing that was holding them together was their financial ties. I knew that Mrs. Andreyeva wasn’t ever going to leave behind her husband’s riches, no matter who he slept with on any given day. She was far too comfortable to ever let go, to ever find true love again, and I always wondered if she truly did have any love left for a man like that.
Being around them made me cynical, it made me hate the world, just as much as I wanted to break out and be a part of it. I worried every day that I would be stuck in this moment forever, trying to recall a time where life seemed even the slightest bit easier. I finished my dinner, while Mr. Andreyev looked up at me, sliding the file down the large, wooden dining table so I could have a look at who I was going to be taking out next. He was very meticulous with each job he put me onto, because he wanted the murders to be carried out in very specific ways, per his liking. He was never truly satisfied with just a gunshot wound to the head, because he wanted each and every one of his enemies to suffer before they died, knowing exactly why they’d gotten to that point in their lives. I did what I was told, but to engage in such a personal kill, always took a toll on my mind, and I left each job feeling worse about myself than the last. I could only hope that there would never come a time where I would lose myself completely, because I wouldn’t quite know how to claw my way out of such darkness. I just had to believe that I would be able to separate my emotions from the work Mr. Andreyev had me do, just long enough that I could make sure I’d never have to look back, never have to end up right back here again.
“I take it that you will scope out the area before you make your move. Remember, boy, the messier the better. This man had been swindling money from me for a very long time, and I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity for him to pay for what he’s done. I’m sure you will see to it that my wishes are carried out,” said Mr. Andreyev, and I nodded.
“It will be done, sir,” I said.
“Good. When you return, we will be sure to celebrate just like we always do,” he said, and I nodded in response. The man had quite the pattern of behavior, becoming more predictable by the day, and he was looking for any excuse in the book to end up at a sleazy strip club, wasting away, until he can find the next person to piss him off enough to have his men kill. I knew that I wasn’t the only one that Mr. Andreyev threatened to kill if we didn’t do what he said, but I was certainly his favorite, and that was my key to staying in his good graces until I found the golden opportunity to get the fuck out for good.
I took off into the night unsure of what I was going to find once I began scoping out the location that Mr. Andreyev provided, knowing that his enemy had to do something quite terrible to end up on the chopping block. I was ready to carry out another gruesome murder, hoping that it was going to bring me one step closer to getting away from the Andreyevs for good. I was ready to do anything in my power to keep myself alive, and I had yet to see what kind of celebration would be waiting for me in the wings the moment I returned.
I arrived at a small motel just outside of the city, noticing the strange array of characters that came in and out, some with women on their arms, others trying to find somewhere safe to shield themselves from the incoming storm. Though, they were all blindly unaware of what was about to happen the moment I had enough information, so I could come back the following night to do the deed. Mr. Andreyev was a man that got off on letting everyone else around him suffer through the hands of his pawns, and for some I knew that made them quiver, running back to him scared, but for me, it only made me numb. I didn’t care who I had to kill and when, I only cared about finding a way to get away from Mr. Andreyev and his minions, because if I wasn’t careful, he was going to make me suffer for the rest of my life. Not a day went by where I wasn’t wishing I would’ve chosen differently, and I kept looking out for the single moment where I’d be able to get away and never look back.
I headed over to the check-in desk, glaring through the smudged glass window, while the man behind the desk waited for me to tell him exactly what I wanted. I could only imagine the kind of things he’d witnessed from that very spot, watching all kinds of people stroll right through here.
“One night. That’s all I need,” I said, getting straight to the point, and he reached into the drawer to grab the dingy key with a little leather keychain that had my room number on it. He slid it through the hole in the window, waiting patiently for payment.
“It’s right down the hall on your left,” he said, as I paid for the room, while he greedily took the cash into his hands and I went on to settle in for the night. It felt so strange to be so close to my freedom, to wonder what it would feel like to not have to answer to the self-serving bastard who had completely taken over my life. It made me sick, but it filled me with the kind of vengeance that kept me going, and I refused to let that go.You’re going to pay for this, Luka. Every life I take is another reason for me to tear down your precious empire, and watch you desperately try to put it back together. One day, I will take everything away from you and you’ll be left wishing you would’ve treated me with respect.
I settled into my room quickly, making sure that I didn’t make anyone around me suspicious while I trailed on down to the room that Mr. Belov was spending the night in. I expected to find him curled up with a few hookers, but when I got close enough to the room, peering into the tinted window, I could barely make out that a deal had to be happening behind that closed door. I could make out two men, one handing Mr. Belov something that appeared to be a briefcase full of cash, and I knew that was exactly the money I’d be collecting from him once I chopped him to pieces. I took note of the size of the duffle bag, trying to make out the facial features on the man that was handing it to him, but it was no use. I tapped lightly on the window to toy with them, and they turned around suspiciously. It felt good to let them know that they were being watched, and I could see them start to argue, wondering whether someone had learned of their little deal.
I won’t be striking tonight, Mr. Belov, but when I do, you’re going to wish you never got involved with Mr. Andreyev in the first place. It’s a shame that you didn’t see this coming, but soon enough you won’t have to worry about it anymore. The faster I get rid of you, the quicker I can get back to plotting my own way out of Mr. Andreyev’s grasp.I laid on the dusty motel sheets, going through the camera equipment I had on me, getting ready for the horror film I was going to shoot for Mr. Andreyev, so he could sit around with his crystal glass of whiskey enjoying the show he didn’t get to see. It was just another day’s work for me, but the better I did, the more I got involved, the less likely he’d be hounding me to do it again. He liked to see his men struggle, to suffer just as much as their victims did, but that wasn’t who I was anymore.
I hadn’t feared murder since the very moment I realized I had signed my freedom over to Mr. Andreyev by accepting his money. Now, I was ready to do whatever it was going to take to make sure I had what I needed so he couldn’t come after me, or something that he wanted more than anything, something that I could hold over his head for a change.It’s just business, Luka. Nothing personal.
