From Special Forces a Hollywood

Chapter 1 - The Silent Exile

Gustavo Almeida from Brazil watched the lights of Los Angeles from the balcony of the small apartment he had rented in Silver Lake. It was a city unlike any he had ever known, chaotic and dazzling in equal measure. Ever since he had left the Brazilian Army, and more specifically, the Special Forces, his life had never been the same. The man staring back at himself in the reflection of the window did not resemble the boy who once dreamed of defending his nation.

From a humble background, Gustavo grew up in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. There, he quickly learned the lessons that the streets taught him: survival, cunning, and strength. His natural talent for combat and innate sense of leadership led him, at the age of 20, to join the Special Forces. At first, military life was all he wanted: action, discipline, the feeling of being part of something bigger. He went on covert operations in the Amazon, fought drug trafficking in risky missions, and participated in rescues in international conflict zones. He was always the first to go into combat and the last to leave. But war, over time, leaves invisible scars. 

Gustavo's scars were not just physical. The constant exposure to danger, the loss of friends, and the seemingly never-ending missions had left him emotionally exhausted. During a particularly brutal rescue in the Amazon, Gustavo saw one of his men, a close friend, die in his arms. This event, more than any other, left a deep impression on him. The weight of guilt and loss became unbearable, and he began to question whether war was really what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

 It was at this moment of personal crisis that Gustavo decided to seek a new direction. The desire to find a purpose beyond war led him to consider a radical change. He had always been an action movie enthusiast, and the idea of ​​acting or being a stuntman in Hollywood, although initially absurd, seemed less painful than continuing to fight constantly. If he could use his combat skills and experience in a new form of "battle," perhaps he would find a new purpose.

 The transition to Hollywood was not easy. Gustavo arrived in the city with little more than a change of clothes and a fierce determination. He found his agent, Karen Lewis, through a referral from a former colleague who had moved to the United States and was trying his luck in the film industry. Karen was an independent agent with a diverse portfolio who was willing to give Gustavo a chance. She believed that his presence and skills could be valuable to the action film industry, even though he had no prior acting experience.

 Lewis, well-versed in the Hollywood market, used her connections to introduce Gustavo to a number of producers and directors. Although the initial jobs were small and often unremarkable, they served to build his resume and provide a glimpse of his potential. Gustavo threw himself into each role with the same intensity with which he approached his military assignments, turning even the smallest roles into opportunities to showcase his skills. 

However, life in Los Angeles was not as glamorous as he had imagined. The glitz and glamour of the parties and events were overshadowed by the loneliness and lack of purpose he felt. The difficulty in finding meaningful roles and the constant struggle to establish himself in the competitive world of film left him discouraged. The daily routine of training, auditions and small stunt jobs seemed endless, and Gustavo began to wonder if he had made the right choice in leaving his old life. 

That night, as he watched the lights of Los Angeles, a message from an unknown number appeared as a possible change of direction. His phone vibrated, and the message invited him to a meeting in an underground garage on Sunset Boulevard. It was an opportunity to re-enter a world he knew well: adrenaline and risk. The soldier inside Gustavo awakened, and he decided to go. Perhaps, in pursuing this new "mission", he would find the purpose he had been searching for.