5 days later

P E A C H M C C O Y — T H E H A C K E R

Viktor and I had set up base again. The Bratva headquarters was a large office/apartment building with ten floors. The first five were where his men worked and these upper levels had apartments where some of them stayed. I'd explored most of the building on the first day, just to know the ins and outs.

It was a base for sure. Well protected with guards, cameras, motion sensors and a lockdown system. The third floor was where all the Bratva hackers did their work, building and creating firewalls for their network. They arranged heists, drug trades and did background checks on people who wanted to work within the Russian mafia. They were the motherboard.

There was a training room, weapons storage, actual business offices, a large cafeteria and lounge. The place seemed good enough. They had a working system, everyone seemed nice enough but I'd mostly been in my room.

Viktor came to see me once in a while and each time, I asked him to let me help out. They were searching for his doppleganger and as someone who'd been part of the scheme in the beginning, you think he'd let me break a bone for the cause.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

His attitude towards me changed before we even got to this base. When he looked at me, there was a dip to his lip and a slight frown to his brow. I knew that look.

Pity.

But why? Why did he pity me? Why did he handle me like I was a glass ready to fall and break? Why had his whole demeanor changed? I couldn't find answers to these questions and I'd asked him.

"Why are you treating me different?!" I burst two days ago. "Viktor... I can help. You know I can."

"I'm not treating you different Peach—"'

"Bullshit!"

"— I just want to to take a break from all of this."

"Take a break?" I scoffed crossing my arms. "You can't be serious."

Viktor sighed and pushed his hair back. "You're safe here Peach. I swear it. You don't have to burden yourself much. Just sit back and let me handle this."

"This—" I emphasized, "—is a we problem. As in whoever is hunting you, is hunting me. It's the reason why we are working together or have you forgotten."

"I haven't but you don't have to worry as much now," Viktor softened his voice when he talked, something unusual for him.

"Ok Fine. Tell me your grand plan to find this bastard," I stressed.

"I have people looking for who exactly your hitmen were and how they are connected to my family. Who they'd worked with in the past."

"And?"

"And... we've narrowed down our suspicions to seven men. I also have so much work to do running my Bratva. I've been gone for a little too ling so I don't want people thinking they can move in and challenge me."

"What about Summit Holdings," I inquired and he sighed, glancing away from me. "It's the most important part of this whole thing."

"We can't tell people about it yet. I'm discussing with Markov about how to proceed. Nothing for you to worry about."

I huffed. "I'm a fucking good hacker and I can look into all of this for you! You don't need anyone else!"

"Markov is on my ass about why I told you about our bank in the first place. He's only cutting me slack because we're in a tough situation."

Angry, I felt like hitting him. Knowing my violent thoughts, Viktor put his palms down on my shoulders and softly kneaded them. I tried to push his arms away from me but he wouldn't let me go.

"I can help Viktor. Let me help. I can't just sit around and do nothing."

"You're not doing nothing," he reassured me. "You're staying alive and for now, that's all I need from you. Understand malyshka?"

I rolled my eyes and I decided to let him have this moment to settle his nerves. "I understand."

Just because I understood didn't mean I was going to listen. I'd sat on my ass for two days but the silence got to me. I felt useless and not in control of what was happening around me. I needed more so I found a way to help even when Viktor practically forbade it.

I was never good at listening anyway.

I remembered how I'd decided to find the location of the bank transaction. It would be a good idea to have an area to scope but I needed the bank account number. The name was just not enough and Summit Holdings was a tough nut to crack. I didn't want to bring attention to myself if they called Viktor or Markov and tole them they might have been hacked.

I did it the old fashioned way. I perfected a Russian accent, learnt a few words and called the bank. How mundane.

"Hello this is Summit Holdings customer care help line. How may I help you?" a sweet female voice from the other side from my phone asked. I got up from my bed and slowly paced the room.

"Privet. My name is Nashka. I was calling about my bank account, Chyornye den'gi. I need to make a withdrawal but I forgot my bank account number," I said in my best Russian accent.

"Please hold a moment," the sweet woman asked and there was a typing sound on her end. "I'm sorry Miss. I can't seen to locate your name on the users allowed to access that account. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Different tactic then. "Darling, what is your name?"

"Um... Alice."

"Alice do you know who you work for?" I asked and the line went silent. "You don't?"

"I-I do Miss Naska."

"Good. Good. Then you know who I might be," I threatened. "I'm a busy woman but I can spare time to make a call that will bring an unwanted guest on your doorstep. Would you like that Alice?"

"N-no."

"Nyet?" I mused. "Good answer. Now read me my account number please."

She did. Through her fearful stuttering, I got all the information I wanted, writing it down on a pink sticky note using a thin black sharpie. "Thank you Alice. I'll be sure to put in a good word for you. Don't bother calling the others who are connected with this account. If I hear from them about my incompetence when it comes to remembering simple details I will make that call. Goodbye."

I hung up and smiled in victory but I did kind of feel bad for Alice but she'd be fine. Hopefully.

I decided to make my own crime board. Picking a section of the wall, I put up my sticky note with the account number. Above it, I put another note with the word 'SUMMIT HOLDINGS' in bold letters. I found other stationary and a vanity kit with some thread. I did have much to do.

I looked through the account and when transactions were made. They had been frequent over the last year and mostly made at a place called Surf Lounge. I couldn't find anything on it but its name and a few reviews on the amazing customer service. There were fifteen Surf Lounge places around the continent so that didn't help. The transactions couldn't be pinned down on one. A hacker's influence most likely but I didn't know how to undo it. I put Surf Lounge under my first note.

Then I added the names of everyone with access to Chyornye den'gi.

Viktor Makarovich

Markov Makarovich

Kira Makarovich

Of which all three were not heavy suspects. Personally, I hadn't met Kira but I doubt it would be her. Viktor was all too clear that his little sister was practically a saint. I didn't want to doubt that but someone had to be making the moves. I also put into consideration of the fact that I just threatened Alice and anyone else could. Plus, Kira didn't have motive. Somehow, neither did Markov. He didn't have opportunity either because all Surf Lounge places weren't in the near vicinity. The again he could be playing us but he loves Viktor. That much I could tell.

My next side of the board opposite Summit Holdings was 'HITMEN'. I hacked into the same computers being used in this building and found the folder on everything they'd been doing. I got the names of the seven possible suspects and did my background check on all of them, trying to find a pattern.

It seems like two guys, Sobolev Georgiy and Mednikov Iosif used to run missions together. They'd been part of a team that followed Nikolai and Slavik Makarovich, Viktor's father and brother. They were protection in meeting and drug trades together, a lot more times than any other men interacted. For that reason, they became my hitmen. I wrote their names under my hitmen side and added Slavik and Nikolai's names as well.

In the middle of my two groups, I wrote my name. Peach McCoy. A connection to me was needed. Using a stapler and thread, I connected Viktor, Markov and Kira to Nikolai and Slavik. Then Nikolai and Slavik to Summit holdings. Using a pen, I wrote 'dead' under each of their names. They were ruled out as suspects in this whole thing.

The only connection I've ever had to the mafia was through my father so with hesitant hands, pulled my USB from my locket and stuck it into my laptop. I went through all the things that I'd found to help my dad.

Clarissa Malone. Her name went up. She was the woman my father and his pals were working a case on. She ruined his life and I hoed, deep in my heart that she burnt in hell for the rest of eternity. A lot of work had gone into hiding who this woman was. She was a key. I knew she was but she was also a ghost on the internet.

Another name went up. My brother's. Peirce McCoy. He stopped working for the Vipers when my dad got into trouble with them. He did do work with a local but influential dealer. All I knew was that everyone called him Old Buck. I run his name through the Bratva's network and my surprise was immediate when I got a hit. He was a capo for a small sector of Viktor's Bratva.

He didn't do much and wasn't as powerful as other capos, falling low on the chain but he had met with Nikolai, Markov and Slavik. Surprisingly, a new name popped up. Seymon Makarovich, Nikolai's consigliere. According to what I could find, they could be brothers. I put his name up under mine along with Old Buck, connecting him to my brother and then to Seymon who also connected to Nikolai and Slavik.

This was so complicated. My board was a mess. Still, I put a sticky note with a question mark in the middle. Who was our doppleganger? Who wanted us dead? Who had the motive and the means? I had one thread connected me to the Makarovich's but that thread had to pass through my brother.

I collapsed on my bed. I could call him and ask but he would never pick up so that was useless. Still, my hand inched to my phone, dialing without my consent.

If you're listening to this it means I'm too busy or you're too unimportant for me to pick up the phone. Do what you must. I won't promise to listen to your voice mail though.

"Peirce...." I called out as a headache begun to form. "Pick up. Pick up. Pick up! God was I such I bad sister!"

A lump rose in my throat and I just cut the voicemail off and dropped my phone. I put my head in the pillow and screamed.

When I felt a bit better, I lay on my side and stared up at the wall. I had to visit my father and ask him about Clarissa Malone. He is the only one who can give me the answers I needed. He told me to drop all this but there was no chance in hell I would. He'd be angry but he'd forgive me.

But seeing my dad... I had to involve Viktor in somehow. I had to show him more of my past than I'd ever shown anyone since Miss Kay. Thinking of the woman I was filled with so much nostalgia my eyes stung. I would give anything to just go to her house and talk to her but I'd be putting her in danger.

My board was still a little pathetic if I was honest. I was no closer to finding our killer. So I did what was best.

I took a picture then I took it down.