These are three of the four Tokarev brothers who are regulars in my cast of characters in my written series here on FA. All four brothers are Russian-Americans, with the eldest having moved back to Russia (though he plans on returning at the end of 2014). They come from a Russo-Ukrainian family with three of them born in Russia before their family defected to the west in 1983.

Vladimir "Vlad" Tokarev (Left). Vlad was born in Leningrad on April 7 1981 to VVS Air Force pilot Alexei Tokarev and his Ukrainian wife Tanya. Vlad is the second child of four and spent the first two years of his life living in Moscow until his parents defected in 1983 to the United States. He settled with his parents in New York for a few years until they drifted west to Ohio in 1988 where Vlad settled in Newark. Compared to his two brothers he's the only one who has sported a long ponytail of his yellow blonde hair since his youth. He came out as bisexual when he was sixteen to his accepting parents, Vlad now having his Serbian lover Nico in his life. He also helps his mate in taking care of their two adopted, autistic teenage sons Chris and Davis.

Maverick Tokarev (Center) is the youngest of the Tokarev brothers and the only one not born in Russia. Maverick was born as Douglas Tokarev (his father wanting him to have an American name) on January 30, 1984 in New York City. He ultimately grew up in Newark, Ohio where he, like his brother Vlad became interested in broadcasting, making it their passion in high school with their friend Rob Barion. Maverick played baseball, becoming the star baseball player on the Wildcats until he graduated in 2002.

Maverick got his name from his unorthodox ways, and the fact he's the tallest Tokarev, towering over his parents and brothers at 6 foot 4 inches. He now works as the business partner to Rob Barion's television empire "RJB Television".

Dmitry Tokarev is the third child of four- born in Moscow on March 17, 1983. He was only a few months old when his parents defected, essentially growing up completely in the United States. Unlike his two older brothers and younger brother, Dmitry is overweight, often ridiculed by his brothers (and pretty much everybody else) for his dimwitted, simple views, and lack of common sense and heavy weight and excessive appetite, and bad hair. He currently is a graphic designer working (with some annoyance to his boss/neighbor/friend) Rob Barion.

Not Pictured: Kalashnikov Tokarev, named after the inventor of the AK-47, Mikhail Kalashnikov was the first born child of Alexei and Tanya- born January 1, 1979 in Leningrad. The shortest Tokarev at barely 5' 4", Kalash is noted for his early interest in broadcasting before getting into a aviation career flying cargo planes around the world. He left the US in 2005 to move back to Russia, living in Moscow to fly for a regional hub of FedEx. He plans on returning back to the US at the end of 2014, due to the increasing restrictions of freedoms by the current Russian government, plus his desire to be close to family again (his cousin Sergei and Uncle Tov both having left for the US in 2013/2014).