Chapter 1: The Ending Before the Beginning
Inside a Helicopter
A man with dark hair and black eyes sat at the back of the helicopter, staring out the window.
"Thank you for coming with me. I thought you were going to refuse, and... I was also scared you wouldn't even allow me to go," the woman beside him said, holding his arm gently. Her white hair fluttered in the wind coming through the window, and her black eyes were filled with warmth.
"No need to thank me. If anything, I should apologize—I'm giving you so little time. I'm sorry," the man said.
"No, no. I know you're busy and your work is dangerous. But still... I long to spend time with you," she said with a smile.
"Right. Sometimes I also hate my work, but this is the job I was born to do," the man said, closing his eyes.
"I'm looking forward to my friend's wedding. She always asks about you. This is the perfect time for her to finally meet you," she said, looking up into his eyes.
"Yeah. I'm looking forward to meeting the friend you talk so much about," he replied with a gentle smile.
Outside, the landscape was covered in dense forest. The man gazed down with sharp focus, quietly observing everything.
"Sir, we're almost there. Preparing to land at our base," the pilot (his right-hand man) announced.
"Hmm," the man replied, still watching outside.
A few minutes later...
"No. Something's not right. Keep flying—don't land yet," he ordered, just as they were preparing to touch down.
"Understood, Sir," the pilot responded.
"Is something wrong, husband?" the woman asked, her eyes wide with innocent concern.
He looked at her and smiled. "No, everything's all right."
"Let's land."
"Yes, sir."
They landed safely and moved to the car that was already prepared.
Inside the Car
"Let's go."
"Yes, sir."
"So this is Brazil. The air here is fresh and nice," the woman said, sitting beside him.
"Yeah. I've been here a few times, but I always like it," the man laughed. "Ha! Ha! Hah!"
The car rolled along smoothly in a comfortable silence.
Ting!
A message alert rang from the phone.
The man took it out and checked it, his expression unreadable.
"Is something wrong, sir?" asked the driver—his right-hand man—glancing at the rearview mirror.
The man said nothing, only turned his gaze to the window.
But the driver had already noticed: a car was following them. He understood the situation immediately.
"What should we do, sir? We're not in a good position."
"Yeah... we're fucked."
"What's happening, husband?" his wife asked, worried.
"Nothing, darling. I think... you won't be attending your friend's wedding now," he said calmly. "Stop the car."
The driver stopped, and the man stepped out.
He approached the driver's window. "Hey, I'm leaving her in your hands. Make sure to take her back home safely."
The driver paused for a moment. "Don't worry, sir. I'll be back soon."
"Where are you going?" his wife asked, holding his hand from the window, her voice trembling.
"Just some business. Make sure to go home safely. I'll be back soon," the man said, turning to his driver.
"Take care. And if something happens... you know what you have to do. I'm leaving my wives in your hands. Make sure they're completely safe and comfortable."
The driver nodded after another brief pause. "Don't worry, boss. If something happens, I'll make sure they're safe. And.... I'll try to come back as soon as I can."
The man looked into his wife's eyes. "I'll try to come back fast. But if I don't... please tell the other two that I miss them—and I love you all." He kissed her forehead.
"Now go. Take the emergency route back to the base—the one only we and the selected few know."
The driver sped off, leaving the man standing alone on the highway.
"Haa... looks like today's going to be a long day," the man exhaled.
He raised his thumb for the car approaching from behind.
The car stopped. He walked over and knocked on the window.
Knock! Knock!
The driver lowered the window.
"Hey, man. Can you give me a lift?" He scanned the inside—four men sat inside.
"You've got one seat left. Can you give me a ride?"
The driver seemed to reach for something.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The man shot all four before they could react.
"Idiots must be new... opening a window to their target. Hah!"
He took the earbud from one of the corpses and put it in his own ear.
"O que você está fazendo?
\[What are you doing?]
Que voz foi essa?
\[What was that voice?]
Por que você não está respondendo?"
\[Why are you not responding?]
He barely had time to think before another black car appeared in his line of sight.
He grabbed the driver's collar, dragged him out through the window, threw him on the road, and jumped into the car.
"Ah! I hate this," he muttered, slamming his foot on the pedal.
The other cars had already caught up.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunfire erupted behind him.
Six Hours Later — An Abandoned Small City
The city was painted in blood. Countless bodies littered the streets. The wounded groaned. The destruction was absolute.
"Shit, I'm bleeding too much."
The man staggered into a dark alley, blood pouring from his bullet wounds.
"Looks like they're not giving up. These lowlifes..."
He limped into the shadows.
"Those bastards... they even dared to betray me."
"¡Ahí está!"
(There he is!)
"Todo este callejón está rodeado. Dinos dónde escondiste a tu familia."
(This whole alley is surrounded. Tell us where you hid your family.)
"Nadie de esa línea de sangre debe sobrevivir hoy."
(No one of that bloodline should survive today.)
Outside the Alley
"¿Por qué no entramos, capitán?" one soldier asked.
(Why aren't we going in, captain?)
"¿También quieres morir? ¿No viste cuántos murieron hoy por culpa de una sola persona?" the captain replied.
(Do you also want to die? Didn't you see how many people died today because of just one person?)
"Destruyan toda esta área. Fuego por todas partes. No se acerquen."
(Destroy this whole area. Fire everywhere. Don't go close.)
Inside the Alley
The man crouched behind a concrete beam, blood coating the ground beneath him. A pistol lay in his shaking hand.
"Is this how I die...?
Hah... ha... hah... ha...
Well, I think this is a perfect end for a person like me."
He laughed at death.
"Still... I wanted to die by my wife's hand."
"Hah... ha..."
"Looks like I can't even think straight anymore."
Ha!... haa!... ha!... haah!... he laughed with all the strength he had left.
His eyes closed.
He entered his final slumber.