Crossed Ways

TG

I felt the blood running from my mouth, damn German, they surrounded me and stabbed me. But what could be expected with two rival factions occupying the same space? I felt one of them kick me, only making the pain worse.

— I heard that after 3 years, your freedom will sing TG. Take the opportunity and send a message to your brother, tell Napoleon that the German is going to end his life.

My eyes started to get heavy and soon I heard the noise of the guards arriving.

— Brown, we're going to have to take him to the nurse, looks like the cut was deep.

— Let him die, one less bandit in the world.

— Are you crazy? Do you know who he is? It's TG who owns Complexo da Maré and the brother of the owner of Rocinha, the guy hunts us down to hell.

I opened my eyes once more and saw the amount of blood I was losing, this image brought back memories of the past that I try to forget.

Flashback on

— We shouldn't have sneaked out — I said again irritably to my brother.

— Did you want to come play ball or not?

— I would, but Father will be furious.

The sky is dark and thick drops of rain fall from the sky and at the same time the sounds of gunfire invade. Another invasion, always an invasion to take away our peace. I am 16 years old, my brother 17 years old and our cousin 18 years old.

— Samurai, you should have come with us — I used the alias Napoleon gave him.

— Now he prefers other things.

— To fall in love?

Napoleon let out a laugh and ran his hands through my wet hair.

— Always maintain that naivete.

The shots seemed even closer and on impulse he grabbed my hand, pulling me behind a trash can.

Footsteps approached and I cowered even more, if they were already killing vapors, imagine what they could do to the children of the owner of the hill?

— I can see your leg, get out of there, kid.

We heard Uncle Lc's voice and we left, he looked incredulous and pulled Denilsson by the ears.

—Sergius.

— No — my brother said angrily — It's Napoleon.

— Fucking Napoleon, you fucking brat.— I can't believe you dragged your brother, today you're beaten with a strap, do you think LL will let it go?

— He's big now, he has to learn how the hill works.

— If your mother sees her baby is in this environment, she'll skin you boy.

Another shot brought the conversation to a halt.

— Better, better.

Lc put us in front and took his rifle, trying to protect all sides, we cut the path until we reached the peak of the hill, where our house is. At the gate there are several dead vapors, I saw my brother's face change and he ran in, there wasn't even time for Luke to say something.

We entered right behind and the scene I saw broke me in so many parts. Our house is all broken down, there's a policeman in the middle of the room, my mother is lying in a pool of blood where Samurai is kneeling beside her, my father is leaning on the couch pressing his stomach and breathing hard. What I can't understand is what Brenda, my cousin's girlfriend, is doing next to the couch.

— Adriano — I call scared, he turns towards me.

— Sorry James, I didn't know.

— You piece of shit — Sérgio starts screaming and Lc grabs him — Let go of me, I want to kill that bastard.

— What a nice family reunion — the policeman says, smiling.

— Who are you? What's going on? — I ask stunned.

— Write that name well, for it will be the reason for all your nightmares. My name is Leonardo Magalhães, this is my daughter Brenda and everything her cousin told her, my girl told me and all of that helped me in my revenge.

— Revenge? Tears streamed down Adriano's face.

— I told Mirella that if she wasn't mine, she wouldn't be anyone else's. Do you really think I would let her build a life with a thug? Never.

— Mom — Sérgio shouted and Lc held on tighter, I'm in shock and I can't move.

— I know your mother too — he said, looking at my cousin — She lives playing the madam, while she's nothing more than a slum dweller.

— That can't be true.

— Go to Vidigal and ask your father then. Oops, I forgot you don't talk to him, because he beat you every day. And now you've ruined another family, you always screw up Adriano.

— Son of a bitch — Lc released my brother and when he went to point the rifle at the policeman, two shots went through his head, in the street there was a man with him in the crosshairs.

— Father — Denilsson shouted.

— Kill me, you bastard — my brother said — Or you'll regret it in the future.

— You are nothing but a bunch of trash, I have no reason to be afraid of you. I will leave you alive and I hope you thank me every day for your life.

I thought about reacting, but I saw more men scattered around the house and others positioned along the street.

— The Complexo da Mare has not been pacified — I said.

— That was never the intention.” His grim smile stuck in my mind.

As soon as he left I approached my father, his breathing is weak and when he sees it he gives a small smile.

— Tiago — His voice is low.

— I'm here, dad.

— Your mother is well?

When she saw that Adriano only cries next to her and that Sérgio has a cold face, she knew the answer was no.

— No.

— When they come to see you, ask the doctors to look at her first. Your mother is pregnant.

— What? — Sérgio said, in his face I could already see that he was no longer my brother — I'm going to get help.

He ran off and my dad put his hand on my shoulder.

— Promise me that you will not enter that life. Promise that you're going to be an architect, just like we dreamed together, look for your mother's parents and ask them for help, but don't let your brother influence you, Sérgio is already a goner.

My dad started coughing a lot, choking on his own blood.

— Dad— I said, shaking him and seeing the light leave his eyes.

“Stop, he's dead.

Adriano is also different and something tells me that good things are not going to come out of this. I went to Denilsson, who was crying, hugging his father's body.

— I want to kill that son of a bitch.

— Denilsson.

— Denilsson died, now I'm DL.

I swallowed hard seeing everything bad that happened in a matter of hours, I saw my best friend turning into DL, my cousin turning into the Samurai and my brother turning into the feared Napoleon.

Flashback off

When I opened my eyes, I realized I'm in the infirmary, once again the ghosts of my past have come back to haunt me.

— Are you all right?— I look to the side and see JH.

— Why are you here?

— Hail TG, I ended up spinning on the track. When I arrived and heard that TG had been stabbed, I did my best, I needed to know if it was true. No need to worry, I'll pass the lyrics on to Samurai to take care of it.

JH is one of Samurai's hands, who now owns Vidigal, even though he and my brother don't speak, they continue to take care of me and there are times when this stresses me out.

— He doesn't even involve him in this, the guy wanted to send a message to Napoleon.

— Fuck, the German ordered this to be done?

— Yes, you know my brother killed his wife.

— Wow, that brother of yours also bullies everyone.

— JH, have you ever thought about leaving this life?"

— No, never. This is the only life I know and I'll tell you more, when we leave here I'm going to take you to the brothel in Morro dos Prazeres.

— Rival Faction.

— As long as Picasso makes good money, he doesn't care.

— I know — I shook my head.

— Do you want to see my daughter?

He took a photo out of his pocket and showed a little red-haired girl.

— I didn't know that Paola had gotten pregnant.

— What a fool Paola, this one is my and Emanuelle's daughter.

— And who is this?

— I forgot that you've been married for about three years, Emanuelle is my lover and Paola is my faithful one.

— And they know about it?

— Only Emanuelle.

— That'll be a good one, looking forward to seeing you get it.

— Tell me you don't have a lover?!

— I don't have a lover, I only have my faithful Andrea.

— TG, life's too short to be living with just one.

— My father was happy that way.

— Missing LL, the guy was angry. Can I tell you a deal? You have to promise not to tell anyone.

— I promise, what is it?

— Brenda returned to Brazil.

I felt my vision darken with anger and the pain of the stab increase.

— But, the Samurai still doesn't know. He told me to keep watch, but I thought he was doing fine and didn't want to tell.

— He'll find out and it'll be a massacre. Just have to see who will know first him or Napoleon.

— Anyway, I'm screwed, I gotta go.

— Well worth the visit.

— I'm together.

I was silent thinking about what he said, after all these years the two were silent just waiting for the right moment. I even tried to leave this life, I even went to college and graduated, but this life never forgets us and always ends up going back.

In my case, it was my brother who never let me forget it, I remember I was leaving college when he showed up drugged and saying he couldn't go on alone anymore, that scene and the way he was made me feel bad, for having left and not have come back more. My grandmother was devastated when I left everything I fought to become to become TG, a criminal, one of the biggest drug dealers. Every day I felt the weight of the lives of those people who were going to buy drugs in the toe and with that, my father's words came to my mind, maybe he was wrong about me and I was already more sunken than my brother.

I think that in the end there is no way out, as they say there is the jail and the coffin. I'm already in jail and I think my end could end up being in a coffin, I really have nothing to lose. I don't have kids and never will, I have a faithful one, but I know she'll be better off without me. In my life, I don't have anything significant and while many are jealous of my money, my position and the luxury that surrounds me, I would give anything to have a normal life.

— TG, call — one of the cops we bribed hands me a cell phone.

link on

— Hail — I heard DL's voice.

— Salve.

— JH, word has it that you were stabbed.

— It's nothing serious, but this JH is a top-notch gossip.

— Don't even tell me, do you need something?

— Going to the beach, seeing the sea and drinking coconut water.

He chuckled and then I could hear his sigh.

— Are you really thinking about leaving this life?"

— Since I was arrested, it's a question I ask myself every day.

— I didn't mean to put you off, but I don't know if you'll make it out alive.

— I know. How is Andrea?

— Fucking boring woman, how can you stand it? Are you sure this sadness of yours is not the lack of a new woman?

— I wish a woman were the root of my troubles."

— You were always very different from me and your brothers, you deserved better.

— Everyone deserved better.

After a while talking, I hung up and returned the cell phone, but a question does not leave me. After I'm free, should I continue at the head of Maré or do everything to get out of this life?

Sofia

I felt the cold metal touch my neck and his strong hands pulled my hair, I could feel his sweaty hand sliding over my neck and the strands of my hair falling over my back, the high and shrill laughter taking over the environment, while the baby in my belly kicks non-stop.

—Please— I said nervous.

My whole body is shaking and how I fear for the being that grows in my womb. It took me so many years to get pregnant and this child is my joy and Caio's. We are looking forward to this baby.

— Take whatever you want, I can pass the passwords to the safe and withdraw the money from the bank. Just don't hurt me.

—MIS—He turns me to face him and runs his hands through my hair.— No one had told me how perfect you are, look at her ND.

—Nightmare, leave the spoiled alone and let's do what we came to do.

— I can't miss the oppor