This is a spin-off from my main story in the war on drugs thread. Im writing this to deepen the understanding the Russian mob and their activities so the reader can better relate to the events that are soon to transpire in the War on Drugs.
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Leonid Fedorovich Zapasov, Leovka, Byk and most recently the Boss. The kind of man driven by power and corrupted by it, himself becoming the corrupter of others. Like many men like him who he surpassed and who have vanished in the pages of Russian Federation history of criminal syndicates, those who now rest in peace in their grave, Leonid had humble beginnings. Born in Pirozavodsk a small town on the southern edge of what was then the United Communist Republics he was never considered ordinary. A hard working young man with honest parents he was expected to be a doctor, a politician or in the worst case a policeman but fate and circumstance had a different opinion.
Spring 1992, Novozavodsk, 150 km north west of Voronej
"Леонид вставай! Твои друзья из двора зовут"
[Leonid get up! You friends are calling for you from the courtyard.]
Hearing the voice of his mother Leonid jumped out of his bed with a smile on his face. The 2 years of service in the army just ended, he was once again a free man ready to enjoy the perks that came with getting through the hardships of the military.
"Скажи им што скоро буду. Душ приму."
[Tell them that I'll be there soon. I'll take a shower.]
He yelled to his mother who he knew was in the kitchen, the delicious smell of eggs and sausage spread all over the tiny state issued appartment. He got into the shower, his first warm water shower since before he was just a civilian. He decided to take his time, nobody was there to order him to get out, nobody to hurry him, at that moment he had all he time in the world a mast of his own destiny. Finally he got out of it and wrapped himself in a towel making his way to the sink and beginning to brush his teeth at the same time looking in the mirror. What he saw stopped surprising him quiet a few months ago, what used to be a skinny kid just out of high school was now a strong man, a veteran even the legendary short mustage was there, just like in the movies. Once he got done in the bathroom he got back to his room and got dressed. Ready to go meet his friends who he hasn't seen for 2 years he went for the appartment door, his mother was waiting right by it. She changed in the past two years, after dad died Leonid became the man in the family even though he was only twelve, once he had to go away to the army his mother was let all alone, the loneliness took its toll on her, she aged quicker, strings of grey started appearing in what used to be long black hair of a beautiful woman.
"Поскорейе возращайся. Еда стынет, ребят прегласи пусть тоже по кушают."
[Get back quickly. The food is getting cold, invite the guys they should eat too.]
She said with a smile obviously happy that her son is back.
"Да конешно скоро буду, щас с пацанами поговорю и обратно."
[Yes of course I'll be back soon, I'll just talk to the guys and I'll be back.]
Smiling even wider and giving his mother a hug he finally made his way out of the door. Walking the 8 flights of stairs to the ground floor he finally got to the outside. The weather was beautiful, it was warm, it was spring, the trees in the middle of the yard and bushes along the sidewalk were blossoming with green colors. He spotted his friends seating around the bench in the middle of the yard. All the guys he grew up with, friends he knew since the first grade, Anton Zaitsev "Zaiets" (Rabbit), Grisha Popov, Artieom Lesov and Kiril Luchnik his best friend, went to the army drafting commissariat together but failed to get into the same unit, Kiril also just came back from service. The only face that was missing was the one he wanted to see most of all, the one that gave him hope during the long, cold nights in the border patrol.
"Здарова Бык! Ну чё вернулся? Давай сюда!"
[Hello Byk (bull, rus.)! So what you came back? Come here!]
Zaiets exclaimed laughing, he was always the soul of the group mostly because his cousin was running an illegal moonshine factory. Smiling Leonid went to his friends, they hugged they shook hands they told stories of what happened in the past two years. Leonid had only one question on his mind.
"Где лена?"
[Where is Lena?]
Suddenly everyone except Kiril averted their gazes to the ground. Zaiets was the one to answer the question in a serious almost sad tone.
"Изменила она тебе."
[She cheated on you.]
Then his gaze brightened up again and he looked at Leonid.
"Да ладно, пошла она. У тебя теперь медаль есть, к тебе бабы и получше лезть станут."
[Common now, fuck her. You got the medal now, women better then her will start sticking to you.]
The smile disappeared off of Leonid's face.
"Да ладно тебе Лёвка. На хера она тебе, бабы они же без мозгов. Пойдём сегодня вечером отмечать ты себе новую найдёш."
[Common Leovka. You don't fucking need her, women got no brains. We'll go celebrate tonight you'll find yourself a new one.]
Kiril said in a calm voice trying to calm his friend down. But Leonid had only one question that was bothering him.
"С кем?"
[With who?]
All of his friends gave each other a concerned look. Zaiets spoke once again.
"С Рыбовским, сын местного авторитета. У его папаши бабок да хера, ну....вобщем ты понял."
[With Ribovsky, son of the local "authority" (mob boss). His dad got a shitload of money, so....you understand.]
Leonid brightened up again, it was a fake gesture but he did it well enough for his friends not to notice.
"Ладно по хуй, сегодня отмечаем. Мать завтрак преготовила, пошли поедим."
[Ah fuck it, today we celebrate. Mother cooked breakfast, lets go eat.]
His friends gave him nods of agreement and followed him back to the appartment building.