Anton Christyakov

Anton Christyakov, aka The Wolf, is the main antagonist of the consecutive Alex Cross novels The Big Bad Wolf and London Bridges. Christyakov is a Red Mafiya mobster and ex-KGB agent previously recruited by American intelligence and on a mission of terrorism motivated by grief and the loss of family in a blast.

Background
Christyakov was in demand for employment at the CIA by director Thomas Weir, emigrated out of Russia and helped into England to meet with Martin Lodge, the chief of Scotland Yard, and other liaisons in 1990. Christyakov's family was transported with them in hopes they would get asylum, specifically to Paris where the mobster reunited with them later. Christyakov was forever shaken and traumatized when his entire family was killed in their home in 1994. An explosion disintegrated the property with them inside, and Christyakov held accountability on the CIA for the disaster. His son gave him a black rubber stress ball. and Christyakov forever kept the souvenir in memory of his lost loved ones, squeezing it whenever pained or heightened. From that point forward, Christyakov swore revenge and became a terrorist to take revenge on the parties he deemed responsible for his losses.

The Big Bad Wolf
The search for "The Wolf" was a taxing challenge, as multiple mobsters, particularly in the same syndicates as Christyakov, would all go by the moniker and were strikingly similar in physicality. Pasha Sorokin is one such red herring "Wolf", leading a ring of human and sex trafficking after immigrating from Tel Aviv into Florida. Sorokin's associates, Homer O. "Potter" Taylor and Lawrence "Sterling" Lipton, lead to the ring and Sorokin's arrest. Sorokin denies being the Wolf, and either Sorokin or Christyakov arranges for the murder of the Liptons through partners in crime in Dallas. Christyakov kills Sorokin with a rocket launcher, along with all others in the convoy Sorokin's transported in before reaching the courthouse. This is to silence Sorokin to prevent selling out the Mafiya.

London Bridges
Christyakov then bombs a small Nevada town and demands a ransom in billions, threatening to bomb major cities NYC, Paris, Frankfurt, and Tel Aviv. Geoffrey "The Weasel" Shafer is abducted from his hideaway in brazil and forced into Christyakov's plan. After getting reconstructive surgery for a disguise, Shafer is shot dead by Cross trying to escape, and Cross' family is taken hostage. Klara Lodge, Martin Lodge's Czech widow, is holding them for the ransom to stop Christyakov, but Cross' family is successfully rescued. Cross eventually finds out Christyakov's identity and motives, meeting with Red Mafiya leader Tolya Bykov for more details and negotiations. Cross spots Christyakov from recognizing his son's ball. Cross ensues in a chase with the mobster and gets into the Wolf's car to punch him and stop him. With a broken nose, Christyakov congratulates Cross before killing himself with a cyanide pill. Cross takes the ball as proof of the Wolf's death.