Chapter 1

Dedicated to my comrade, Andrei Krasnikov

Sasha, drop your book already! Mom looked into my room and looked disapprovingly at the unmade bed. Are you reading this stupid fantasy again? Go to the gym, you need help!

- Now…

- Not now, but now!

With a sigh, I put down the reading room and reluctantly trudged into the hall. The only half-day off in the week, when I could get enough sleep and set aside a miserable couple of hours for reading, was covered with a copper basin. Mom, when she wanted to, was very persuasive.

- A little something - you grab a smartphone. Better take care of business.

I remained silent, not intending to enter into another senseless argument. For my mother, all my hobbies, including past victories in world esports tournaments, cost absolutely nothing.

As for “getting busy,” she has no idea that I plow like an ox, earning, in general, decent money.

With such thoughts, I entered the hall and only now noticed that we had guests. Mom poured tea for two strong men in classic suits and asked them about something with curiosity.

Um, did I really read so much that I didn’t hear the intercom ring?

“Meet Sasha,” my mother pushed a cup of tea towards me and pointed to the men. - This is Pyotr Nikolaevich and Ignat Demidovich. They're from your brother's job.

My stomach instantly went cold. You mean from my brother's job? After the incident at the year before last, he works exclusively alone!

My eyes darted to the kettle with boiling water and to the sideboard, in which lay my brother's gift katana - a prize to the captain of the Kresty team, Max Mad, for the best statistics of the season.

- You can just by name, - the left one, which Pyotr Nikolaevich, instantly copied my intentions and put his hand into the jacket that was bulging under the armpit. — Sit down, Alexander. We will explain everything to you now.

“Yes, Sasha,” nodded the second one with an unusual name, “or is it better to contact you… Alex Ice?”

“They know,” I clearly understood. Even though my brother and I tried not to reveal our personal information, these guys somehow found us. There are many Alexs, Alex Ice is one.

“Pyotr, Ignat, I don’t understand what you mean,” I said with naughty lips, convulsively thinking who they were and what they needed. And where is Maxim?

“Max Mad is currently working on a major project,” Ignat said confidentially, pouring a chocolate candy into his mouth. - Works, so to speak, according to the profile. By the way,” he nodded at the sideboard, “is this katana an award from last year’s Cyber ​​Life World Cup?”

- Since the year before, - with all the giblets, my mother and my brother surrendered. “But Sasha doesn’t play in these tournaments anymore,” my mother did not notice the flashing duel of glances and pushed a plate with her own baked khachapuri towards the peasants. - You eat, eat.

“You cook very tasty food,” said Peter, still holding his hand in his jacket. - Probably, this is your family - to be the best?

Hell yeah, what's going on here?

Without thinking of anything better, I silently sank into a chair and began to twist a cup of scalding hot tea in my hands. It is necessary to understand what they need and try to get their mother out of a possible blow.

- There is such a thing, - in the meantime, my mother smiled, happily sitting on her favorite skate. — I have talented boys! Maxim graduated from high school and university with honors and now runs his own IT company. And Sasha works day and night at the university and is going to defend himself for a candidate of philological sciences.

Well, yes, day and night. At the university, I'm somewhere before lunch, and then I go to the twelve-hour shift as a deputy. head of logistics in a well-known hypermarket.

“Well done,” Ignat said with respect. - They say that a talented person is talented in everything. How's the university, Alex?

"How how! I mentally winced. - Without a degree at the university it is difficult. In addition, I am still just a larva of a scientist - a master student and laboratory assistant at the department. The only plus: free education. Although I can't complain, I'm at the university solely for the sake of a dream. And I earn money in the hypermarket. Logistics, delivery routes - everything is on me. True, the lion's share of the salary goes to pay off that damn debt ... It's a paradox, I earn good money, but I don't see it. It is no coincidence that I have to live with my mother! If not for the job, I would have defended the candidate a long time ago ... "

“Fine,” I answered aloud and looked at my mother. “Listen, moms, Pyotr Nikolaevich and Ignat Demidovich probably want to try real Altai honey?”

- Oh, really! Mom threw up her hands. - What am I! I will bring it now!

“No need,” Pyotr protested, but Ignat smiled knowingly.

- Mom, just bring fresh, not last year.

“Fresh only at Svetochka,” my mother frowned, referring to our neighbor Svetlana Leonidovna. - I gave her a three-liter jar last week.

- So ask her to pour it into a bowl, we just have enough tea to drink.

“Yes, son, I’m going now!”

Mom left the table, threw a weightless: “Make yourself at home, I’ll be quick!”, Rattled the dishes in the kitchen, choosing a prettier bowl, and finally left the apartment.

All this time, while my mother was gathering for honey, dead silence hung in the hall.

I was planning a further “conversation”, Pyotr bored me with a tense look, and Ignat smiled contentedly, as if enjoying what was happening. I don’t know how it’s customary to behave when brothers with guns are falling into your house, but I decided to act in advance.

As soon as the front door slammed, I threw a cup of slightly cooled tea at Peter, and I rushed to the sideboard. A heartbeat, and the scabbard flies after the mug, and the katana blade touches Ignat's neck.

- Your mother! croaked Peter.

He managed to hide behind his hand from a mug of tea, but did not see the scabbard that cut into his throat. Leaning back with a roar, he instantly rallied and drew a pistol unknown to me.

“I don’t advise you to touch my mother,” I said coldly, increasing the pressure on Ignat’s throat. “Put your gun away or your friend will pour his blood all over here.

“I told you,” Ignat remarked imperturbably, ignoring the drop of blood that appeared on his throat. “They are the best in the business.

- Well, well, - Peter did not even think about putting away the gun, despite the jacket flooded with tea. “That’s why his brother is stuck there.

My stomach went cold for the second time.

Max stuck? Where? Really again took up the old?! After all, because of this, we had to leave the big eSports with huge debts ...

- What about Max?

“Your mother will return soon,” Ignat wanted to drink from a cup, but changed his mind. - I propose to put things in order so as not to upset this worthy woman in all respects, who raised two such wonderful sons.

“Those are empty words,” my hand holding the katana trembled, and a second drop of blood ran down Ignat’s throat.

- Agreement with Maxim Krestovsky in a folder. In the same place, his ... ahem, video message, - irritation cut through Ignat's voice. - Turn on your brains, Alex. We've come with peace. Otherwise, they would have ambushed you at night in the yard and thrown into a minivan.

Damn, sounds logical... But mom...

“I need guarantees that nothing will happen to my mother.

“I give you my word,” Ignat said after a little hesitation. — Peter?

“Crazies,” the big man muttered, holstering his pistol and lifting his chair. - What is one, what is the second. Nervous work ... Maybe go back to the analyst?

Ha, yes, from this closet there is the same analyst as from me a ballerina!

After a little hesitation, I lowered the blade, accepted the scabbard offered by Peter and carefully returned the katana to its rightful place. I'm pretty good with people, and these two are definitely not scumbags. So, at least they can be heard. Besides, Ignat… There was something in his voice that inspired confidence.

And I also saw that he could easily get away from my, what is there, slow lunge, but remained seated. I, it turns out, behaved like some unfinished Rambo, hmm ...

We barely had time to restore some semblance of order, as a satisfied mother returned.

- Here I am! She proudly set the bowl full to the brim on the table. - Real, recently brought from the apiary. Help yourself!

Ignat scooped up honey, admired this viscous liquid gold and put the spoon into his mouth with obvious pleasure.

- Mmm! He shook his head blissfully and gave a thumbs up with his free hand. - Yummy!

“Mom,” I physically couldn’t sit still, knowing that something had happened to my brother. - The guys and I urgently need to go to Max at work. Need help with a project.

“Of course, of course,” Mom immediately began to fuss, “then I’ll wrap you up with a snack.”

“Yes, don’t ...” Peter was indignant, but mother did not pay the slightest attention to his sluggish attempt to refuse.

Less than five minutes later, we were at the entrance. I, as usual, before leaving had to listen to a whole lecture in the spirit:

- Sasha, grab your head already and go work for your brother, because he earns good money! And you don’t have to leave the university - study, work, let your pension drip slowly.

Mom loaded Petr and Ignat with packages with her delicious pastries and pickles and strictly ordered to tell Maxim to visit more often.

After kissing my mother goodbye, I almost ran down the stairs. I was burning with curiosity in half with anxiety, and terribly wanted to know what happened to Max.

Alex, stop! Ignat called out to me at the exit from the entrance. Before we go outside...

He handed his bag of pickled cucumbers to Piotr and punched me in the cheekbone without a swing.

— … this is for you for that Japanese piece of iron that you put to my throat.

His cheekbone flared with sharp pain, and an inner beast growled menacingly inside. It didn’t hurt much, but a burning indignation instantly swept over - what the hell ?!

In principle, Ignat was partly right. I was really inhospitable and made him have a few uncomfortable seconds, but in the end, it wasn't me who came to see him. Yes, even with guns.

Throwing off my backpack, I fumbled in my pocket for a lighter and squeezed it tighter. If he were at least a hundred times right, I'm not used to humbly turning my left cheek after being hit on my right.

I hope now you...

What Ignat wanted to say remained a mystery to me.

I stepped towards him, throwing my fist at his square face. He struck hard and cold-bloodedly, putting all the accumulated irritation, fear and anger into the impulse. And even if there are two of them, and I am one, but no one dares to raise a hand against the Krestovskys with impunity!