Ntando Mabatha (25) comes from a loving family in the Eastern Cape. His parents own a small holding and his family are hard-working humble people. A gifted academic, he easily excelled at school and received a full scholarship to study law, specialising in criminal law at the University of Cape Town. In his fifth year of study he met Roxanne Nozulu (23), a fresh faced beauty who was a postgraduate Business Commerce student. They fell in love and immediately knew that they were meant to be together. Ntando received an offer (on strong recommendation of one of his lecturers) to take a position as a candidate attorney at a reputable law firm in Johannesburg. Excited about the opportunity, he rushes off to tell Roxanne but she is less than enthusiastic when he announces they are moving to Johannesburg.

This is because Roxanne has kept a secret for the last six years. Roxanne met Hlompo ‘Killer’ Batau (33) when she was a 16 year old girl in high school. Hlompo or Killer as he is known was a suave, dangerous thug who was attracted to Roxanne’s playful, sweet nature. Roxanne and Killer started a heated, sexual relationship – her first sexual partner. For two years their tumultuous relationship fired on, nearly breaking her. She kept the relationship secret from her mother, Nomacebo Nozulu (40) because she knew her mother would disapprove. Roxanne’s father was a gangster who died in jail and her mother was determined not to let her children repeat her mistakes. Killer was besotted with Roxanne and enjoyed possessing her. He was climbing his way up the ranks of the Vutha boys (a dangerous gang) at an extremely fast pace, committing one heinous crime after the next. When Roxanne matriculated she decided to take Benny (her school friend) to her matric ball instead of Killer. At the time she did not know the extent of Killer’s activities but knew he had a tempestuous temperament and hid from him that she was taking Benny to the matric ball. Benny was a star athlete and a talented soccer player. He had a crush on Roxanne and was ecstatic when she asked him to go with her to their matric ball not realising the consequences of his choice. Enraged with jealousy, Killer sent Jakes to beat Benny up which he did, instantly paralyzing the young boy.

Roxanne’s testimony sealed Jakes’ conviction but she knew that it was Killer who sent out the order. Killer was forced to lay low because of Roxanne’s testimony and Jakes’ conviction. This gave Roxanne the opportunity to finish her matric exams. But Roxanne’s mother knew that in order for her daughter to have any kind of future she would have to go as far away from Johannesburg as possible. So when Nomacebo got a job offer in Dubai, she took her two daughters with her escaping from Killer. Roxanne completed her degree in Dubai and the opportunity came to complete her honours at UCT. Her mother wholeheartedly supported it as long as she stayed out of Johannesburg. During this time Killer grew in strength and stature becoming the Vutha Boys leader running their drug and protection racket including money laundering and loan shark money lending business. Killer is in cahoots with local businessman and property developer, Kwanele Dlamini. However, when Roxanne shows up, this partnership is threatened. Killer and Kwanele are on the verge of winning a hot tender which will legitimise Killer’s garbage collection business and make them both extremely rich. The tender will expand their territory and enable them to become invincible players in the drug trade. Moreover, Killer’s secret desire is to have Roxanne by his side, living off the spoils of his business. However when Roxanne arrives on the scene the partnership between Killer and Kwanele is threatened as Killer becomes very distracted by her.

When Roxanne is kidnapped by Killer, Ntando’s world comes crashing in and he does everything within his power to find her. The police have no leads and no one knows what happened to her. Those that do are remaining as silent as the grave. Ntando realises that the only way he can rescue her is to become a gangster himself. Through using his resources at the law firm he discovers that the Vutha Boys’ main rivals are The Mambas. The Mambas’ leader is the impulsive Dumile ‘Axe’ Nxasana (27). Axe is number two in the township. This eats at him every day. He has been unsuccessful in overturning power to the Mambas despite the legacy of power left to him by his father (and former leader of The Mambas) Jackson Nxasana.

Ntando’s relationship with Axe counterpoints Killer and Roxanne’s relationship. As Roxanne gains Killer’s trust, Ntando will gain Axe’s trust. Axe will notice Ntando when he is able to fend off Jakes – a known dangerous and deadly fighter. Killer decides to eliminate the competition and sends his pit-bull Jakes, ‘teach Ntando a lesson’. However, Ntando shows his physical strength fighting off Jakes and sends him home blue and bruised. With one swift kick and blow after the other, he puts him down. Axe realises that Ntando is not just some ‘farm boy’ who is in over his head. He is a force to be reckoned with – a force who will become useful to him and his plans. Ntando then finds himself having to win over the entire gang in order to forward his agenda, including Axe’s dangerously dark brother, Lebo. Axe’s relationship with his brother becomes extremely complicated when Axe falls in love with Dikeledi ‘Dikki’ Bakopa (18). Dikki is beautiful, tough and from the streets. She doesn’t trust easily but her walls crumble when she meets Axe. Lebo sees her as a threat and does his best to undermine her. Lebo is a loose cannon that Ntando has to contend with as well.

Ntando realises that in order to rescue Roxanne, he will have to mission it on his own, relying on his strategic skills and strength to bring down all the key players.