"- so there I was, standing outside this bar, plastered as hell. I was feeling good, you know? Made a sweet score, cash in hand. It's May, warm and sunny, the whole vibe's just perfect. Pretty girls strutting by in miniskirts, giving me the eye, giggling flirtatiously. It's like I'm on top of the world, you know? Money's rolling in, and there's more where that came from. The big shots respect me, they fear me, my own crew see me as a tough guy. I felt like a king," Sennoy chuckled softly. "Then Lin'kov's fancy Mercedes pulls up. He didn't come himself, too important for that, sent his driver instead. And I got a wake-up call, you know? Here I am, thinking I'm the king of the hill, but to guys like him, I'm just small fry, a nobody. He's the big-time gangster, the legit businessman. Before that, I kinda kept my distance, didn't mess with his business. But then it hit me - I'm the one in charge here. I looked around, did some digging, talked to the right people, and I realized - I can do this. It's no rocket science. So, I went for it. I took over Lin'kov's oil services business, started with drilling, and then expanded into well service. Turned his old office, now mine, into a thriving oil service operation."

"You muscled him out," Daniel bit his lip, hesitant to ask, but gauging Sennoy's mood for a chat. "You didn't buy it, did you? Just took it?"

"Well, not exactly," Sennoy replied casually. "Nothing comes easy in this world. I found Lin'kov's weak spots and squeezed until he realized he couldn't handle the oil game. He decided to bow out and handed over the business to someone he trusted."

"I get it," Daniel nodded, leaning back against the warm wall, soaking in the story like a movie, not judging it by regular standards. "But how did you manage to run such a business without any experience or education?"

"In any line of work, what matters most is common sense and a steady hand," Sennoy countered. "And having reliable people who know their stuff. But yeah, it was tough at first. I had to learn on the fly, dive into the technical details, network with the right folks to avoid screwing up. Spent years practically living out of my car, bouncing between the office and job sites, grabbing sleep whenever I could. But I made it through. Then I started expanding like crazy. If Lin'kov had a reach like this," Sennoy gestured with his hand, "I reached out like that. I turned the company into one of the top players in Russia, buying up smaller businesses left and right."

"Hostile takeovers, huh?" Daniel smirked.

"You got it," Sennoy chuckled along, not getting riled up. "I leaned on competitors through the fire department, tax officials, squeezed them from all sides until they caved and sold out. But I made sure they got a fair deal, didn't bleed 'em dry. When someone's backed into a corner, they'll do a lot out of desperation, they got nothing to lose. I didn't leave 'em high and dry, gave 'em a lifeline. And I didn't bet the farm on one thing, I'm not stupid. I diversified, invested in tech companies too, just in case some big shot tried to muscle in on my turf. I played it smart, tried to cover all my bases, but..."

Sennoy's tone turned somber, stubbing out his cigarette carelessly. He continued in a subdued voice tinged with anger. "My biggest client, Matvey Bystritsky, for years. We had a good thing going, almost like buddies, though I always knew he was a bigger shark than me, had more connections. I treaded carefully with him - better to have him on your side than against you. And I was never cocky with him, always gave his company better treatment than others. So, when the tax guys suddenly showed up, I didn't suspect a thing. Thought it was my competitor, Dasayev. He'd been buying up tax officials for a while, getting cozy with 'em, and all my contacts ended up in his pocket."

"Why evade taxes?" Daniel fretted, fidgeting with his hands. Going to prison for tax evasion was dumb, but you couldn't call it out without consequences. "You should've just paid what you owed and moved on."

"Oh, you don't get it. It's like a Russian philosophical question: no one's got an answer to it, so why no one pays 'em," Sennoy scoffed bitterly. "Yeah, I was a fool, I'll give you that. But I needed cash flow for other businesses, to keep the ball rolling. Skipped out on taxes big time – thirteen years' worth. My pocket taxman turned a blind eye for some trips to the Seychelles and a pad downtown. To avoid a long stretch inside, I needed quick cash to cover those debts and penalties to the state. But you can't just conjure up free money outta thin air, can ya? So I reached out to some folks, and Bystritsky himself got wind of it. He reached out, friendly-like, and asked why I didn't come to him. Said he wouldn't lend me cash, but he'd buy my biz outright, no fuss. Well, I was backed into a corner, so I sold it, at a huge markdown, but paid off the taxman and ended up behind bars for a year and a half instead of a decade. Turns out, it was Bystritsky who put me away, not Dasayev like I thought. They clued me in later. He had his eye on my biz," Sennoy grinned like a predator, sending shivers down Daniel's spine.

"Well, I ain't stuck here for long, I've got irons in the fire. I'll be out, and then I'll show him what's what," Sennoy cracked his knuckles. "He could've played nice, I ain't no spring chicken. Could've worked something out, stepped aside. But what he did was outta line, against the code. Can't push a man to the brink, or he might just push back."

Daniel stayed silent, not keen on interrupting the tirade. In his view, Sennoy's business tactics weren't far off from Bystritsky's – same raiding, same gangster moves. He left his beaten rivals a lifeline, but who knows how they saw it. The law of the jungle, karma – call it what you will, but Sennoy had tasted his own medicine, and he didn't seem to like it. Voicing such thoughts would've been suicidal, so Daniel just blinked and waited for Sennoy to cool off. The alpha male ego, bruised months ago, was still smoldering, refusing to die down. Eventually, Sennoy regained his composure, speaking again, now with more restraint.

"That's why I wanna spring you too. I've rubbed elbows with both Bystritsky's at fancy parties and whatnot. Barely talked to the kid – no common ground, just small talk. But I know Matvey's got a soft spot for his son, loves him more than the daughter. He's been pushing his kid hard, trying to give him a leg up. But the kid's 30 now and still ain't made no waves. He is not gonna get ya," Sennoy snapped his fingers sharply, making Daniel jump.

"Thanks," Daniel buried his face in his lap, hiding a grin. It was unsettling to be a pawn in their game, but the prospect of getting out was too good to pass up. Who cared about the motives, as long as it meant freedom? Sennoy had warned him not to overthink it, said he'd only help to stick it to Bystritsky. As some wise man once said, charity's has to work both ways. If Sennoy had just promised to get him out of prison, Daniel wouldn't have believed him. What reason did Sennoy, a straight-laced guy who avoided touching roosters not to get downgraded, have to bail out his mashka? But now, the motive was crystal clear, fueled by rage. Alright, good enough.

"You'll thank me when you're out," Sennoy cut him off. "Why the hesitation? Scared?"

"No, I am not," Daniel raised his flushed face, flashing a grin to show he wasn't scared. "Just thinking. I have been five months in here already, you'll be out in seven, and then it's my turn. Dreaming of freedom feels good."

Sennoy stared at him with a puzzled look, his lips always tight, ready to twist in annoyance. Softly, almost tenderly, he murmured, "You're a real looker, especially when you grin. I get why that fool Bystritsky's gone nuts for you. He's probably steaming mad he can't reach you. And he's pissed I've got my hands on you too," he said with a smug grin, and Daniel's happiness vanished. "Come over here."

Daniel hesitated for a moment before rising to his feet and walking over to Sennoy, standing there waiting. The guy inspected him closely, sizing him up like merchandise, still smiling to himself, and said.

"Strip."

Daniel grabbed the waistband of his pants, undid the button, and jumped when Sennoy added.

"Take it all off."

Daniel nodded, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks – he'd never stripped completely for Sennoy, only in the communal washroom, where everyone was naked anyway. But now, baring it all in front of a clothed Sennoy felt humiliating to the point of nerves, extremely uncomfortable. He reluctantly undid his jacket buttons, shrugged it off, and tossed it to the floor. He tugged the top of his thermal underwear out of his pants, slowly peeled it off over his head – suddenly feeling cold, goosebumps covering his skin, which Sennoy, sitting very close, must have noticed. He hurriedly removed the rest of his clothes, jerking them off, eager to be done with the embarrassment, and stood there in his socks, staring at the floor. Sennoy commented in a different tone, instantly toning down the emotional intensity.

"Well, that's something. You've done well with the physique. Not a total brainiac like at the start, muscles showing now. Flex your arms. Yeah, not bad," he said casually. "I'll set you up against Katka tomorrow, you need practice with fighting."

"Why?" Daniel sighed wistfully, bending down to pick up his clothes.

"I'm looking out for you," Sennoy said gloomily. "Your charms won't save you, that's for sure. I'll be out soon, and you'll automatically become fair game. And if you're prettier than the others, you'll get plenty of attention from both men and roosters. If you can't handle the former, at least learn to fend off the latter. Understand?"

"Got it," Daniel echoed in a low voice. He wanted to think about Sennoy's release only in the context of his own future release, but Daniel avoided dwelling on his continued stay in the zone without Sennoy – it was clear enough that he was in for a rough ride. Bright would be the first to target him, and then the rest.

"Non-contact aikido was once popular," Sennoy continued thoughtfully, watching him dress. "In my opinion, pure idiocy. No theory in live combat will help you. You need to hone your skills, learn to anticipate where your opponent wants to strike, and predict his next move. You'll take turns fighting all the roosters until I say stop. You'll grow some balls by the time I'm out."

"I wish I could knock out Bright," Daniel said grimly, tucking his thermal underwear into his pants.

"Don't rush it," Sennoy stood up. "I want you, go to the window."