Nikolay Lida

Are you for Margoldin?

Vanya loved casinos. Any kind. Gambling, slot machines, and so on. He'd spend everything there—any extra money? We'd deposit. When he'd hit the jackpot, Bastrikov would spend it on drugs, food, and alcohol. This time, things were different. Today, Vanya, drunk again, found himself in the company of wealthy individuals. Somehow, everyone there was older than him. They were playing cards. At one point, they ran out of money. Good opponents. He had to sell his body. Now he was playing with the so-called Nikolai Vyacheslavovich Romadov. A leader in his circles. In any case, the most respected. Vanya lost. He lost everything. Money, body, and possessions. He was drunk and high. So he didn't understand what or where, or how he ended up here. Only fragments of useless memories. Let's get to the point. Kudryavy was now lying in bed. A stranger. In a strange room. In a strange apartment... in a strange place. His body ached from the straps that bound him. The door creaked. A tall figure entered. The man. The one Vanya had played cards with last night. The unknown man's voice, high and hoarse.

• Are you awake?