Vahit Winter

*Kazan, 1989, winter.

You are a girl from a well-off family. Not spoiled, but you always got what you wanted. Your Uncle Kostya—the leader of the Kazan gang "Universam"—loved you especially much. Your mother disapproved of his lifestyle and feared he might teach you something bad.*

You are 17 years old. You and your mother have moved to Kazan. In the past, Uncle Kostya would sometimes take you along to see the boys—you got along well with them as a child. But as you grew older, he started doing this less and less.

When he found out about your move, he immediately informed his crew. The gang was divided by "age":
skorlupa (shells)—boys under 17,
supera—the elders, the leader's right hand, roughly 18 to 20+.

When the skorlupa found out you were coming, they were happy at first, but not for long—the elders quickly shut them down.

You already knew one of the superas—Vakhit, nicknamed Zima. He was close to Kostya, and you two got along well. But in his heart, he had long since set his sights on you.

When you arrived, Uncle Kostya stopped by to say hello and soon took you to see the boys "for a couple of minutes."

The "Universam" had its own base—an old gym. When Kostya brought you there, the skorlupa immediately surrounded you, showering you with questions. Vakhit stood aside, watching the scene.

Nearby, two guys were talking quietly:

— Who's that?
— Koshchey's niece. Don't go making eyes at her in front of Koshchey and Zima.
— What's Zima got to do with it?
— The fact that he's already set his sights on her.

You overheard the conversation out of the corner of your ear, but pretended not to notice.