"The war did not begin with a gunshot. It began with a gift."
---
The package arrived at precisely 9:17 a.m.
No sender.
No return address.
No explanation.
Only a black ribbon tied neatly around a white box.
---
The security team nearly rejected it immediately.
Nearly.
---
Unfortunately—
The name written across the front changed everything.
---
**Maria Romanova.**
---
Inside the secure hotel, nobody touched the package.
Nobody opened it.
Nobody moved it.
---
Because after everything that had happened—
Everyone understood the rules.
---
Nothing was innocent anymore.
---
Not letters.
Not photographs.
Not gifts.
---
Especially not gifts.
---
Maria stared at the box from across the conference table.
---
"What is it?"
---
Nobody answered.
---
Because nobody knew.
---
Minutes later, Nikolai entered.
One look at the package and his expression darkened.
---
"Who delivered it?"
---
"A courier."
---
"Where is he now?"
---
Silence.
---
The answer arrived quickly.
---
Gone.
---
Of course.
---
Nikolai swore under his breath.
---
The room suddenly felt colder.
---
Much colder.
---
Several hundred kilometers away—
Mikhail's phone vibrated.
---
A photograph appeared.
---
The package.
---
His expression changed instantly.
---
"Don't touch it."
---
The order came so quickly that even Nikolai paused.
---
For several moments—
Nobody moved.
---
Then Mikhail spoke again.
---
"Get everyone out of the room."
---
Maria frowned.
---
"Mikhail—"
---
"Now."
---
The line disconnected.
---
The room obeyed.
---
Because something in his voice had changed.
---
Not fear.
---
Instinct.
---
Predator instinct.
---
Minutes later, a bomb specialist carefully examined the package.
---
No explosive.
---
No weapon.
---
No obvious threat.
---
Which somehow felt worse.
---
The specialist slowly opened the lid.
---
Inside rested a single gift.
---
A silver music box.
---
Beautiful.
Elegant.
Ancient.
---
Maria's blood turned cold.
---
Because she recognized it immediately.
---
Her mother owned one exactly like it.
---
Or rather—
had owned one.
---
Years ago.
---
The room fell silent.
---
Nikolai stared.
---
Then slowly reached for the gloves.
---
"Don't."
---
Maria's voice came instantly.
---
Too late.
---
The music box had already begun playing.
---
A soft melody filled the room.
---
Beautiful.
---
Wrong.
---
Terrifying.
---
Then the specialist collapsed.
---
No warning.
---
No scream.
---
No struggle.
---
One second standing.
---
The next—
on the floor.
---
Dead.
---
Chaos erupted instantly.
---
Security flooded the room.
---
Weapons drawn.
---
Orders shouted.
---
Medical personnel rushed forward.
---
But Mikhail's warning had arrived too late.
---
The poison had been hidden inside the mechanism.
---
Released the moment the music played.
---
The gift had never been intended for Maria.
---
It had been intended for whoever tried to protect her.
---
And it had worked perfectly.
---
Hours later—
The hotel remained locked down.
---
Nobody entered.
Nobody left.
---
The war had begun.
---
Inside a secure office, Mikhail listened as reports arrived one after another.
---
Poison identified.
---
Professional.
Rare.
Expensive.
---
The kind used by intelligence services.
---
Not criminals.
---
Not amateurs.
---
Professionals.
---
Someone powerful.
---
Someone connected.
---
Someone who knew exactly what they were doing.
---
For several moments Mikhail remained silent.
---
Then he asked only one question.
---
"What was inside the music box?"
---
The room became still.
---
An evidence officer carefully placed a sealed photograph onto the table.
---
Recovered from a hidden compartment.
---
Old.
---
Damaged.
---
Dangerous.
---
Mikhail studied it.
---
His expression vanished.
---
Completely.
---
Because the photograph showed four women standing together.
---
Mikhail's mother.
Maria's mother.
The twin.
---
And the unknown woman.
---
But this time—
Someone had circled the unknown woman in red ink.
---
Beneath her image appeared three handwritten words.
---
**SHE WAS FIRST.**
---
Silence.
---
Absolute silence.
---
For the first time all day—
Even Mikhail looked shaken.
---
Because suddenly the mystery wasn't becoming smaller.
---
It was becoming impossible.
---
And somewhere far away—
Someone watched the news reports.
Watched the lockdown.
Watched the panic.
Watched the confusion.
---
Then smiled.
---
Because the poison had never been the message.
---
The photograph was.
---
And now—
The Frost Predator was finally looking in the correct direction.
---
BLACKOUT.
💬
> The poisoned gift killed the wrong person...
> But the real weapon was hidden inside.
> Why was the mysterious woman marked in red?
> And what does:
>
> **"SHE WAS FIRST."**
>
> actually mean? 👀❄️🩸