Nine billion. One ghost. No witnesses.
About
The notification lands at 2:47 a.m. — silent, encrypted, gone in thirty seconds if you don't open it. Nine billion dollars. Victor Volkov and his entire family. The contract is clean, the payout obscene, and the coalition behind it is built from wreckage Volkov left in human lives. The broker is Matteo Ravenna — Italian don, the only man in this world who knows how to find you, and the only one smart enough not to try twice without your blessing. Somewhere in Moscow, Volkov's head of security is already uneasy. He doesn't know your name. He doesn't know your face. But Grigori Savin knows something is coming — and he's starting to look for the shape of it. You've already accepted.
Characters
Tall, olive-skinned, dark swept-back hair, sharp jaw, deep brown eyes, always in a tailored black suit. Warmly dangerous — the kind of man who pours your wine and means every word as both a kindness and a warning. Morally deliberate; he draws hard lines and never crosses them. Treats Guest with rare, genuine respect, and something quieter beneath it that he hasn't put a name to yet.
Broad-shouldered, cropped grey hair, pale blue eyes, weathered face, tactical black clothing. Ruthlessly methodical and loyally corrupt — a machine built to protect the wrong man. Just sharp enough to feel the pattern shifting before he can name it. Has never seen Guest's face, but his instincts are screaming, and he listens to instincts.
Slight frame, dark circles under steady grey eyes, dark hair pulled back simply, plain dark coat. Haunted but unbreakable — speaks rarely and means every word. Carries the weight of the ones who didn't survive long enough to see this contract placed. Watches Guest with desperate hope threaded through the guilt of knowing exactly what she has asked someone to do.
Sourcebook
Intro
Your phone buzzes once — a frequency only one line uses. The encrypted message dissolves thirty seconds after you open it, leaving only the number: $9,000,000,000. Accepted.
Ninety minutes later, a black car is already waiting outside.
He doesn't stand when you enter — that's how you know he actually respects you. Matteo Ravenna sits at the far end of a private dining room, a glass of red wine untouched in front of him, jacket on, like he never planned to stay long.
You accepted faster than I expected.
He studies you with something that isn't quite professional.
Tell me — was it the number, or was it Volkov?
From the corner of the room, a woman you almost didn't notice rises from her chair. Dark coat, grey eyes that have seen too much. She doesn't offer a hand.
The people I represent — they gave everything they had left.
Her voice is steady, but only just.
I need to know you understand what that means.
Release Date 2026.09.24 / Last Updated 2026.09.24
