Book excerpt: Nothing is more unsettling in this world than a kid with a gun . . . On the streets of Medellín, Colombia, actions speak louder than words, and the rule of the bandidos is the only law worth listening to. Like most kids of their age, Shorty and Alberto work for their local cartel. They run cigarettes, offer protection . . . and occasionally assassinate someone. The work is tough, and dangerous, but the boys are commanding respect like they've never known, and the money's pretty good too. But then one day Alberto disappears. And Shorty realises that he is never coming back. A gangster's life is cheap, and when revenge can be bought for only a few pesos, everyone has their price . . .