Valdi was (and still is) an illegal immigrant from what was one Russia of the Russian Federation and is now (purportedly) instead the independent nation of Ukraine.  Valdi was shipped over as part of a baby-scam to a New York Family. After paying an exorbitant fee for the black market baby that was Valdi, Valdi was kidnapped and held for ransom to get even more money from the ignorant yet rich family. Months after that, Valdi's adopted father and mother met with an 'unfortunate accident' and died, leaving everything to Valdi, whom the Russian Mob was 'of course' (and part of the long term plan) more than happy to 'adopt' and take over Valdi's new inheritance.

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Valdi grew up and learned the way of the Russian mob and life on the street. He had NO idea about the supposed inheritance he was supposed to be privy to, nor for that matter who or where his parents where/are (still, to this day, his true biological parents identities are a mystery).  As such, one Russian Mafia family man, Olaf Kilmeade, became Valdi's new Russian 'adopted' parents.

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By age 12, Valdi was running the streets and in charge of the prominent youth gang in and about Brooklyn, New York. He started working protection rackets, arson deals and of course, shaking down businesses or making them look 'the other way' when needed. The local Russian Mob bosses eyed Valdi and a good kid and an excellent choice to spread his wings and be a Lieutenant for the area. At age 17, he was the youngest Lieutenant the Russian mob had even put their faith in.  Of course that's when envy kicks in to those fearful of his quick rise to power.

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It didn't take long before his success started drawing attention. Rumors about Valdi's adopted parents' inheritance and his being from the 'Ukraine' and not Russia proper started creating ripples. Valdi went to the bosses one day to get a read on any of this only for Valdi to be told for the first time by them 'leave it alone. It don't concern you.', which translated to 'we're using you for something big'. Valdi began looking into things quietly, seeing if he could figure this out. Of course to muddy the waters, that's when Valdi saw and instantly fell in love with the girl of his dreams - Alexa Atherton, then only known as a female gang-banger named "Spider".  

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As with all he did, he tracked, followed and learned about Spider, just as he did with any other 'target' he was responsible for in the mob. As it was, Spider was hanging with an arsonist from a low-life gang. He wasn't about to start a turf war or upset the apple cart amongst the gang over a girl who probably didn't even know he existed, so instead, he used patience and just kept her under surveillance. The more he watched her though, the more he fell in love with her. She was everything he'd ever wanted, and strangely enough for him, it wasn't even about the sex appeal or looks (which she was a 10 out 10 in both of those already), but just 'everything about her' instead. He was truly smitten with her.

 

One night at a club he caught Spider looking at him and he couldn't stop looking back. They basically flirted from across the club, but when Spider's boyfriend showed, the flirting stopped.  Valdi saw that she was getting sick of her boyfriend and his possessive antics. Sadly, Valdi had already sized up her boyfriend and knew he'd rather kill Spider than let her dump him...and that's exactly what happened next.

 

After not seeing Spider (or her boyfriend) for a day or so, a massive riverfront warehouse fire made the news. Police reports released that the DNA of an Alexa Atherton  was found at the scene and that she was believed burned alive in the fire. Valdi saw the older picture of this Alexa on the TV and knew right then and there is was Spider. He went on a rampage down to Spider's gang's hideout and tore the gang members up demanding to know if Spider was truly dead or not, to which he was told Alexa WAS indeed Spider and that the body of her boyfriend was also found torched and dead near an adjacent pier to the fire as well. Valdi fell into a stupor and went back to his clubs and nearly drank  himself to death.  After sobering up the next day, his own crew told Valdi he was being told he had to show up to see the bosses to answer for his tearing up that small-time Brooklyn gang (the one Spider was from).  This usually meant he was going to be disaccomadated or killed for his actions. Knowing that he'd also been asking too many questions about his adopted parents and the inheritance, he knew he'd crossed a line.  He knew he was going to be 'disappeared' for good. That's when the most unlikely thing that could happen, happened - an injured Spider walked into the club and went straight to Valdi and begged him to help her, before she passed out in his arms.

 

Valdi carried her all the way to a Russian mob doc's office and get her treated. He blew off the bosses and stayed with Alexa/Spider for the next day until she finally awoke. Valdi was in the chair next to Alexa/Spider. He awoke and they started talking, with Alexa telling the tale of how her boyfriend set her up to die in the fire and how she survived...and killed her ex-boyfriend. She told Valdi that she now had an experimental US Navy Diving Suit that she intended to use for heists later on. Valdi couldn't be more taken with her than ever. He told her he loved her but didn't want to create problems for her and her gang or 'boyfriend', but did tell her what she did to her old gang, which she was actually happy to know he did that to them to find out where Alexa/Spider was. She quickly realized she too was in love with him and couldn't even begin to fathom her feelings at the time...until she also quickly realized she was no longer pretty anymore. The felt the bandages covering her burns and now considered herself an ugly burned freak and told Valdi that he didn't deserve an ugly freak like her. Instead, just the opposite happened; Valdi told Alexa he'd loved her since the first time he saw her and had been following her and getting info on her because he was so in love with all that she was, but respected her time with the 'ex' boyfriend until such time that Valdi would challenge said 'ex' boyfriend for Alexa's heart. Sadly, Valdi was doing a gang job the night Alexa got burnt in the warehouse fire and felt guilty for not being there for her then. Valdi also stated that the burns and whatever 'superficial' looks she was worried about would never keep the two of them apart, if she wanted to be with him.  And thus started one of the craziest romances in the criminal world.

 

Valdi eventually met the other crime bosses. As part of a 'deal' he made with them, he stated he'd 'forget' about the inheritance scam (which was actually supposed to be HIS money, even my Russian mob standards) so long as they 'forget' his actions against Alexa/Spider's old gang.  To that, all went back to normal but this time, Valdi now had Alexa in his life. 

 

Over the next few years, Valdi broke off with his gang and started doing his own crimes, selling his stolen merchandise to CANIS for a fair price. Alexa healed up and thanks to Valdi's 'connections', got Alexa plastic surgery to take care of nearly all the burn scarring, leaving only a faint yet visible burn scar across her cheek and forehead. Alexa used the plastic surgeon to also change her face a bit since Alexa was considered 'dead', she might as well be someone new.  To that degree, Valdi and Alexa got married and she became the new Alexa Kilmeade, complete with that new identity with drivers license, passport and a hefty bank account of her own.  Together, they both ran crimes and arson jobs. The two finally married in Providence, Rhode Island during an annual event in city called "Waterfire", which was also the name Alexa took for her new criminal identity. 

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Not long after, Valdi was able to team with a group of river pirates on several heists and obtained a newer prototype dive suit from the Navy, to which he quickly decided to make his. Together, they used their suits to come up underwater to ships, cut a hole either above the waterline to get at the soon-to-be stolen goods, or cut a hole below the waterline, sink the ship, then readily loot it while submerged (and no one would see them or easily be able to get after them).  In one such raid, Valdi discovered a disguised classified government crate aboard one such ship that held an ancient and massive glowing metal hammer axe.  The item seemed enchanted and as such, when Valdi picked it up, it seemed to empower and strengthen Valdi and his suit.  With his new weapon, he became even more notorious and labeled by the media as "Waterhammer", along with Alexa, who ensured the media called her "Waterfire". Together, Waterfire and Waterhammer committed more brazen crimes and even fought superheroes.  They even helped save the boss of the river pirates, named "Rivermaster" from getting caught, and as such, they all joined forces and used their skills, knowledge and savvy to pull off even more profitable crimes; crimes that how reached further out than just New York City.

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Eventually, Waterhammer, Waterfire and Rivermaster met up with another powerful pirate called "Captain Akula".  In short time, they all banded together and with others, formed a new powerful pirate gang called the "Maritime Marauders". 

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Today, Waterhammer, still deeply in love with Alexa AKA Waterfire, enjoys the continued thrill of piracy and adventure. His old Russian Crime boss eventually got put in a federal jail and most of his other fellow Russian mob associates were either arrested, deported or killed. To this day, no one has squealed on Valdi or told the authorities of his ties to Waterhammer or Alexa/Waterfire, knowing to do so meant death. Valdi is still working an 'angle' to somehow obtain the inheritance he believes is his (60% of it is still in the bank, and after drawing interest, is still worth $5 million).  He's ambivalent of living a luxurious lifestyle, but, at times, enjoys staying in the 5-star hotels or taking over someone's summer mansion in Scarsdale during the winter.  He can be cold and calculating, but he also can be brazen and aggressive, but never at the expense of the job. He hates superheroes and any governmental authority figures. He treasures his time with Alexa, watching her dance to "Depeche Mode" music and ldo exciting (and sometimes exotic) things with her. So long as the thrill continues, Valdi will be there.

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