Daniel walks briskly towards the produce section of the small Russian marketplace. He nods stiffly to Mrs. Gorshcov and her daughter, Judy. They nod back to him and begin arranging their display of plump, juicy tomatoes. I should make beef stroganov tonight. I wonder what Rosa wants for dinner. He gathers his supplies quickly to bring back to Father. He insists on cooking every night, though his illness made it difficult for him to do much else. Father is strong, he used to say to himself, he can handle some simple dinner. His mind was clouded, which is why he didn't notice the German in his territory, not at first anyway. Careless. All fault is born from carelessness.

Ray wandered up the street, searching for a shop to buy ingredients for his birthday cake. Why he had buy the ingredients to his own cake, he didn't know, but Mother insisted he get some fresh air. None of what he needed was at his hometown shop, so he resolved to find another nearby. Knowing the Russian marketplace would have what he needed, he cautiously made his way there. He knew he was taking a huge risk, but it was his birthday after all. He squeezed into the crowd and entered the store. Ray gathered some flour and icing. Maybe, Mom will want some more vegetables on the table for dinner. He made his way towards the produce section and stopped as he caught sight of him. He should have expected his Russian brother to be here, yet he was too reckless to think of it. He'd attempted hiding behind a stack of oranges. Realizing he failed, the two stared right through each other, no emotion breaking their stern expressions.

Daniel squinted in the direction of Ray Keller. This simply could not be. A German in our territory? No one is so brave and arrogant. Right? He couldn't possibly be so foolish. His fist tightened around the package of noodles. The German gang's leader. In his territory. His brother must have caught their mother's impulsiveness. A deadly trait to have.

"Are you sure he went there?" Lynette asked with a huff, walking down the sidewalk with her phone glued to her ear. "Yes, I saw him on my way back from school! You better get him back soon, the party's about to start." Lyn's friend Angela told, with a hint of snootiness in her tone. Lynette said her goodbye and hung up, annoyed that she'd have to step out of her comfort zone for once. Why did he think going to the Russian market on his birthday was a good idea? Was he nuts?

It didn't take Lynette long to find Ray. She saw him sitting down by the orange- Wait, what? Why was Ray sitting down by the oranges? She gave him a weird look, but almost immediately understood why. All she had to do was look up a few inches, and there he was. Mr. Danshov. A sudden rush of thoughts ran through her mind, and after a few moments she found a solution.

Almost immediately, and without time to spare, she ran up and almost landed a punch on him. She knew what would happen between the two, and she most certainly did not want Ray getting beat to death on his birthday.

A split second before, Ray caught Lynette's clenched fist, and pulled her behind him. That could have gone terribly. A slightly sun burnt woman stomped over to the scene, the manager, Ray assumed.

"What is going on here?" she walked up to Ray. The manager was eye level with his stomach. His fingers fiddled with each other as he thought up an excuse. Might as well stretch the truth.

"You see, ma'am, my friend here," Ray guided his hand towards Lynette,"Had mistaken my brother for an old boyfriend. She meant to cause no disturbance in your lovely market." Ray smiled, playing off an innocent look just as a charmer would. The minuscule woman's face flushed.

"Just try not to cause any more trouble, Mr. Keller." she wobbled back to the register, shaking her head at my obvious lie. She knew better than to question me, the leader of the German's.

He scoffed and watched the old Russian woman waddle away. Ordinarily no one would have had the balls to interfere in his affairs, but Mrs. Amelin was different. She was like an aunt to Daniel and didn't take sides with any particular gang. This irritated Daniel to no end, but he loved the old bat. She was respected in the community for her neutrality and her fair prices. She was a good woman. He studied the red head. Would she have actually stuck him? It was against his honor code to hit a woman or child, but his temper had a way of making detours around his morals. As little of them as he owned, anyway. He decided he'd better walk away before he did anything rash. He spat at their feet, the ultimate sign of disrespect, and left the market, paying for his things along the way. There was too much German filth in the market for his taste anyway.

Lynette now stood behind Ray, regaining her thoughts and feeling almost ashamed for what she was about to do. But she didn't need to feel shame, right? Daniel was a Russian, the leader of the Danshovs! Surely Ray would have let her if they were in a different area, at least... Oh, who was she kidding. She over reacted. But that was well in the past now. Lynette held her arms crossed and waited 'til the Russian left in his most disrespectful way. She came out from behind Ray and came face to face with him again. "Hey. Everyone's waiting on you. Done shopping yet?" Lynette asked with exhaustion. "I don't like this place. Hurry up so we can just leave.." Lynette looked towards the door and crossed her arms again, almost in an ashamed sort of way.

Ray readjusted the groceries in his hands as he remembered just how rude his brother- no, his rival- could be. Luckily he had ceased the scene before it could fully unfold. Ray still could not believe Daniel was still so bitter that Ray took care of their mother. Ray ignored Lynette and stomped to the checkout. He paid and left. He walked as fast as he could back to his house, where his nineteenth birthday celebration would be held. Lynette could have caused an outright beatdown back at the marketplace. What was she thinking? Ray knocked on his house door and looked through the windows. No lights were on and no answer. The house was supposed to be filled with maids and his mother decorating and cleaning while cooking for his party.Where was everybody?

Few hours before confrontation in marketplace: Daniel and Nikolai show up to Rays door (cunt) on some intel that are missing man was being held there. Nikolai turns to Daniel and says in a joking tone: "look Daniel a party and we weren't invited how fucking rude," kicks open the door yelling for everyone not to move. Rays mother says in a startled voice "What are you Russians doing here? What do you want?" Nikolai replies in a quite serious tone with a strange grin: "We are here for your son. We got word that he is holding one of our men here and we tend to find him so you either stand there and shut the fuck up or i'll silence you for good." Nikolai thinks to himself do I really have time to kill these people slowly if they try to run i don't while Nikolai was thinking the maids tried to run. Nikolai quickly turned around. "Where do you think you guys are goin'!!! He pulls out his pistol and opens fire. One by one the maids drop. All accurate shots right to the head. He quickly aims for the last one and thinks: ohhhh ill make this one messy and quickly the mother lunges at his side with a kitchen knife stabbing in the torso, missing any vitals. Nikolai yells "AHHHHHH YOU WHORE BITCH!!!!!" Nikolai elbowed her away from him. His shot got the maid in the knee he says "oh look Daniel I actually do get to kill one slowly" with Rays mom unconscious Nikolai and Daniel decided to turn the place inside out looking for anything they could. They didn't find anything. They return to the kitchen and noticed both the maid and the whore mother were gone. Nikolai turns to Daniel and says "will you look at that. Shes as good as sneaking away as she is at sneaking around" lets out hard laugh and lights up a smoke.

Daniel frowns at the mess. All he had wanted was his mother back. If he had to break into her home and force her to stay with him, so be it. Truth be told, it was Father's wishes. You don't disobey father. He had taken Nikolai along, hoping his mentor would ensure a flawless victory. He was dead wrong. He grimly bandaged Nikolai, tenderly treating the wound. Somewhere in his mind he belived they could all live together again, like a real family. Banyas on the weekends, like other familys did. Family dinners, like the others. All he had were his brothers in the gang, his father, his maid Rosa, and Nikolai. He wrapped the wound nicely and patted his friend. "Good to go." He sighed as Nik ruffled his hair.

Ray knocked harder. Still nothing. He finally resolved to the unused key that always seemed to be in his pocket. He unlocked the door and pushed it open. The groceries packed over his eye view, so he relied on memory to get to the kitchen. He stepped forward. And again. His foot hit a stump and he attempted a light nudge to move it. Probably a book left out. "Mom, are you home?" he shouted as he tried moving the object with his foot again. It didn't move. He knelt down and placed the groceries to his side to see what the heavy object was. Thinking it'd be a just a book, he turned to-Ms. Jaeger! Scattered around the floor were the maids of the house with a single bullet shot ending them. All of them were dead. But, Ms. Amsel and his mom were gone. He would have wept if he hadn't a heard another noise in the house. Racing for the gun under the coffee table, he cocked the pistol and started to search for an intruder.

Nikolai is at home chillin' on the sofa enjoyin' a smoke and some vodka while cleaning his gun. He is thinkin' to himself i cant believe that she got me, that fucking backstabbing bitch. i really do wish i could just kill her, but she is tovarishch's mother and can't and won't kill her for that reason. The door flings open Nikolai turns to the door, knife ready. "oh Daniel its you. I thought those sauerkraut munchers finally found out we were behind it. by the way, I found out it was Ray's birthday today. i sent him a card from me wishing him a happy one. come sit with me, im just here enjoyin vodka while cleaning my gun and thinkin' of Russia and why we ever left it. oh the good old days... we used to walk in the streets with our AKs.. we would see a target, gun him down, and just walk away. here everyone saw something. fucking donoschiks. if I could i would cut all there cowardly hearts out!" ensembles gun and checks out sights and lays gun on table. "so I heard you saw the birthday boy in the market today, one of our foot soiilders told me. i think we should increase security around here or have me with you at all times. i know you probably think i can't do much but you know i have been in much worse condition and still fought. like that time when we first came here and those Mat' ublyudok got me with those knives and you came in and shot them. piss poor shooting, but you got them all eventually. then i stood up almost spilling blood like a fountain and got those others that came in. ohhhhhhh good times. well im off to nap, the vodka is almost gone" Nikolai lays on the sofa and closes his eyes.

Daniel nods as Nikolai recalls the old days, back in the mother country. He loved when Nik went on his lengthy rants, his accent becoming stronger from the influence of alcohol. He smirks as Nik drifts off to sleep, his loud snoring most obnoxious. He gently takes the bottle of Vodka from his hand, as some of it was started to drip onto his pants. "Drunken fool," Daniel said playfully. Just as he was going to set it on the table, Father burst through the door, screaming. "You failed me?!" Daniel winced.
"Father, I-"
"Nyet. You have failed me, and you are out here drinking!" He yells, his accent so thick that his English was a little hard to understand.
"Fools. How hard could it have been to get Marie, hmm?" His father shook his head.
"She stabbed him and got away!" Daniel exclaimed, pointing to his friends bandage.
"Oh she stabbed him. Let me cry mountain of tears."
"Fountain, pop."
He snickers a little.
"Maybe i should rethink your status of the clan." He said softly.
Daniels breath catches in his throat. Being removed was the biggest disgrace, and such a grave insult no one dared joke of it. His father began coughing violently. So hard, in fact, he had to sit down. Daniel whispers soothing things in Russian and goes to fetch his medicine, even though his heart was wounded.

Ray had been upstairs when he'd found his mother hiding in a closet. "What happened? Where's Ms. Amsel?"
I helped her up as she answered," It was Daniel and his mentally ill side kick. They killed everybody and practically destroyed the house. Ms. Amsel is checking the grounds and I've been in here."
"I saw Daniel at the market today."
"The German market?" she asked, looking genuinely confused.
"No, the Russian one. I-"
"Why were you in Russian territory? You could have died!" she screamed as her red became the same color as a tomato.
"Mom, I'm fine. We need to go find Ms. Amsel and find out why they did this." Ray took her hand and led her out the room. He reached for the front door handle and the gun shot ringed in their ears.

Lynette made it to Apartment C4 and played 'which key fits in the door' for a few minutes. She just about had the satisfaction of finding the key when her room mate came and opened the door for her. "You're home early. Saw Ray?" Angela spat with a mouthful of toothpaste. Lynette made a barfing gesture and passed her quickly, and fell on top the couch. "Yeah." Was all she supplied, flipping through a few more songs on her I pod. Angela followed behind, still talking with her mouthful.

"Did chu go to his party? Sounded fun. I would've gone too, but.. you know." Angela pointed to her teeth. Her mouth was still quite numb from the dentist trip. "I decided not to. 'M starting to feel sick. I left him a present though, so.." Lynette found her song and laid back. "Ohhh, what did you get him? Was it that gold-looking watch?" "Nope. He's just a friend Angy, Jeez." "Wasss ittt.. that bow tie? He'd look cute in that." "I got him a pocket knife, alright? Now leave me alone.." Lynette pressed play on her ipod and laid back, eyes closed. Angela huffed pathetically at her and walked back into the bathroom, probably not talking to her for the rest of the night.

Start to think it could be fizzling out,
Kinda shocked me 'cause I never really had any doubts.
Look into your eyes, imagine life without you...
And the love kick starts again.

Nikolai storms out the front door, not saying where he is going. no surprise there. hes going to the place he goes to relax. not even Daniel knows where. Nikolai walked for hours out into the middle of nowhere. there was a well-built shack that he made to get away from people. all he has in it is a cot and a few weapons just in case someone followed him. Nikolai went inside to calm down and rest for the night and when morning came he still did not feel like going back to that stupid old man. though he knew Daniel was worried because of his injury he knew Daniel would forgive him. he kept walking and until he saw a lake. he sat down and watched the lake sway for hours. finally, it was getting dark. he decided he should head back, but he was going to have an excuse for being out so long, so he waited till he could find some good looking deer to bring home. unfortunately, it took another night but he finally found three good looking deer and killed them, lugging them all on his back and making the track back home. Nikolai finally arrives and yells "I'm home" kicking the door open, seeing Daniel sitting on the couch, worried as usual. "Tovarrish, come look what i have brought us" slams them down in the kitchen "what do you think Tovarrishch eh??? you can tell me later. now i must shower" Nikolai comes back from his shower slams down on the couch and sleeps snoring very loud.

Daniel sighs and pushes his venison around his plate with his fork. He was worried about his father. He was also wondering when retaliation from the Germans would come. Though whenever it did, he was sure he would be ready. He had sent out an extra man for backup in case they failed to kidnap his mother, but apparently he had never made it.

Axel woke up in an ally way, back aching from lying on the uneven and uncomfortable pavement. What happened last night… rings in his mind. As Axel strains his brain to remember, he now notices how soaked he is, crawling up against the brick wall of the ally way he diagnoses the problem. As he reaches to pull up the drenched cloth on his shirt he notices the horrendous knuckles that can be none but his own. Taken aback, he stares at his knuckles.
In a raspy voice unlike his own mutters “What happened…”
Knuckles aching, Axel throws himself off of the ground, in agony and looks down at his shirt, pulling the cloth up to his nose he mutters
“Whiskey.”
Still dazed, taking a slow shuffle to the exit of the ally realizes a aching head. How drunk was I? He says in his head. Shuffling, using the brick wall for support finally makes his way onto the side walk. Morning, the temperature was low, as Axel received goose bumps as a bone chilling wind takes him over. Axel looks left and right, seeing the casual car drive by, or the person walking in his direction. Axel still taking in the environment starts in a stride this time, feeling dizzy as he clumsily moves down the sidewalk. He notices a sign that reads “Abby Road” Axel panicky remembered Russian territory. Reaching to assure himself his gun and knife were in there intended spot, continues down the sidewalk. Hope I don’t catch syphilis from these pigs, he thought to himself as he continued down the sidewalk, I'm hungry... he muttered in his mind, turning on the side walk, he found a place to eat... Hmm. I like dear meat. he added in his mind as he saw their specials.

Jak walked down the puddle-ridden street. It had rained while she was meeting up with Cas and she was glad it had cleared away before she got out. She wasn't fond of rain. One really couldn't be expected to when living outside. Besides, it was bad for business. She strode down her alleyway and into the warehouse where she had Rios holding down the place for her. "Anyone come around while I was away?" she asked as she tossed her dampened coat over the back of her chair. Rios shook his head "no Chika, not since you left" he said, grabbing his own jacket and collecting his gun. "Yeah, I didn't expect much with the rain. Might get more in a while now that its all clear" she said as she reclined back on her chair, propping her feet up. She was tired from all the night exchanges and luckily her schedule was all clear. She could possibly hit up a few of the local bars, scam a few rich drunks to make some quick cash. Perhaps get some more information regarding the gang tension. She liked to know what was happening in the slums that might involve her or her contacts. She waved at Rios as he headed out but didn't pay much thought to it. If she didn't get any customer in the next hour it meant she was free for the night. A well overdue vacation from her everyday hassle. If it were entirely choice she would prefer to remain outside of a gang war but being a supplier she was going to have to face the inevitable demand for the war and the conflict that would arise from supplying either one side or both. The stress of that made this night a bit more appealing.