Chapter 1

Chapter I “East Zone Complex”

4:00 am, in a nightclub in São Paulo.

The bloody bodies lying on the cold floor were covered in a morbid gloom caused by the low light in the place. It was difficult to identify the victims of that massacre. The sounds of gunshots had been muffled by the loud music playing throughout the room.

Strangely a funk talking about a dance.

“Throw that trash anywhere”Said the fat man with gray hair. The exorbitantly expensive-looking black suit was impeccable without a single speck of blood or dirt. The dark eyes were cold, exuding a certain brutality. His calm voice had an imperative tone. He took long drags on the Cuban cigar, letting the smoke rise ghostly.”Gabriela... I hope you learned from what happened that night.

Men in dark clothes, with hoods covering their faces carrying pistols and rifles in their hands were standing right behind the man who seemed to be the boss. Some others, of the same men, threw the lifeless bodies on the floor out of the nightclub through the back door so as not to arouse suspicion. They would have to do the “cleaning” before the PM arrived.

At the feet of the man who was smoking, a pretty girl with long blond hair allowed several tears to fall down her face, her parted lips letting out sobs of regret. Her crying was loud. There was only a superficial cut on his arm, nothing that could be considered serious. His hands were shaking, he looked at the blood on the floor as if it were his own. She was scared, this had never happened to her in her eighteen years of life, even though she knew exactly where all her family's money came from, and who those people were who frequently visited her father.

“Maybe next time you'll listen to your old father.” The fat man grabbed the blonde's arm and lifted her up with some harshness. Despite the calm tone, his gestures were aggressive, showing his irritation.” NEVER again dismiss the bodyguards I hire to protect you, unthinkable acts like tonight almost caused your death. Is happy?”

“I... I just... I just wanted to have fun without having those “guard dogs” behind me! “He spoke stuttering. He could still hear the sounds of gunshots coming his way. The people in the nightclub were terrified, running around in desperation, thinking it was a robbery or something worse, which in fact it was.

“Damn, did you want to have fun like a regular person? How naive!

He said with an ironic laugh. His eyes gave off a murderous gleam that made the blonde tremble. It was then that for the first time he screamed. A frightening scream.

“For everyone who knew Gabriela Meneses... You are no ordinary stupid girl, you are Gabi, daughter of Gabriela Meneses, the most powerful member of the East Zone Complex. Having you out there dancing in any disgusting bar without security is asking for death, do you really think my enemies will feel sorry for you just because you're a little girl? In reality, I think they would have more pleasure in killing you, of course they would want to cause you a lot of pain, beat you up and probably torture you to get to your father.

They could only listen to the music. The young woman's crying was muffled, but Meneses, being close enough to her daughter, could hear her. Being the daughter of an organized crime boss was not any girl's dream, in reality if she hadn't made the mistake of dismissing the bodyguards her father had hired to escort her, that night she could have prevented their deaths. . Gabriela Meneses insisted on having the bodyguards who had failed to comply with the order to escort Gabriela to the dance club killed. He hadn't just killed his bodyguards and those of the enemy, he had killed innocent bystanders who hadn't managed to escape in time.

“I... I'm sorry!” he sobbed.

“Let's go, this song is irritating me.

They left through the back doors, the police wouldn't take long to arrive. They got into a black van that was accompanied by a few more black cars outside. In addition to the two Gabriela, the boss's trusted man entered the car.

“Clebão, I want you to call the council members when you get to the Meneses house, I want a meeting today.

“This is going to be complicated!” he said, sighing with a lazy air. She was young, she should have been almost the same age as Gabriela.” It's four o'clock in the morning, boss.

“Fuck it if it's four in the morning, I want the meeting in less than two hours” Clebão just sighed and took a notebook from his suit pocket in which he made some notes.” Gabi stop crying, you’re irritating me!

The blonde tried to swallow her tears when she noticed that her father spoke in a pouty tone. He saw his father take out his cell phone and then quickly dial an already known number.

“Gonçalves, I want you to go to the Meneses’ house now. Gabriela is injured and I need you to take a look at her.” A few minutes of silence “It's nothing serious, it's just a scratch, but I prefer you to look. She's only safe in our house.

They lived in a mansion inside the favela, owing nothing to the houses in the South. Meneses could have already left the Complex. But his heart lived there. And if Gabriela was safe. Everything was fine.

The Gonçalves were one of the most respectable families of doctors in all of Brazil. All were graduates either in Cuba or Bolivia.

The youngest daughter of that family of doctors, Ketyellen was Gabriela's best friend. I mean, she had been Gabriela's best friend when they were children. Evaristo paid good money for the Gonçalves to respond to his calls when he ordered them to.

His daughter received the same treatment as any cool kid.

After half an hour inside the favela they arrived at the Meneses' house. It was monstrously large. Decorated in pastel colors inside. It was even ironic, the light and harmonious beauty of the house compared to the darkness of the businesses of its residents. In addition to more than a dozen bodyguards at the front gate alone, there were five intimidating-looking dogs roaming the entrance area, all with their guides, and would only be released when necessary.

As you passed through the cast iron gates you could see an extensive garden. Imported flowers, native flowers, variety of colors and shapes. Gabriela's father had a certain taste for flowers, those that adorned his incredibly well-designed garden were only the least expensive and rare. At the back of the house there were three private greenhouses, there you could find the most exotic flowers found in all parts of the world.

The view of the largest favela in a Complex in the capital of São Paulo was a dream and a delight. The way the house was designed from the outside did not raise suspicions.

But its inner side was perfect.

A large heated pool occupied a certain part of the ground underground, more than a dozen people could swim without feeling expressed by the other. Padded lounge chairs were scattered around the edges. In addition to the sauna and jacuzzi.

Anyone's dream home. That whole “empire”, however, had not emerged in the cleanest way. Drug trafficking, drinks, murders and other dirty things were part of that wealth.

“Gabi, go to your room and wait for Gonçalves to arrive” he said without looking at his daughter.

“I'm really sorry dad!

“If you're really sorry, NEVER do that again.” He placed an aggressive emphasis on the word never. “Go to your room quickly!

The blonde preferred to take the elevator, she didn't feel like going up the stairs. For safety, the father had made his daughter's room on the top floor. Detail, the house had five floors, it was almost a castle hidden as if it were a cluster of shacks.

She even liked all that luxury. Her friends were jealous, but for some time now her entire wardrobe worth millions of reais, which included expensive clothes, bags and shoes, perfumes and Dior accessories, no longer satisfied her. That pool no longer gave him pleasure, and credit cards to buy whatever he wanted was no longer so pleasant. Despite everything, she felt like a rare bird in a cage. She felt lonely!

“How I hate being part of this!” she complained to herself.