Earlier, after Gabi leaves the principal's office.
— She usually gets into some trouble here and there, but hitting a boy? I was a little surprised. It's good that everything got resolved! — Márcia comments, relieved, looking at Marcos.
— Yes, when I saw the crowd on the court, I thought the boys were fighting over the ball again, or because of some silly feud of theirs.
Marcos describes what happened to Márcia as he sits down on a chair.
— But I never imagined it would be Sarah. She has that more tomboyish way about her, she's quite athletic for a girl, but hitting a boy? I was surprised!
He pauses for a moment, his gaze becoming distant, directed at a wall.
— She was so focused, obsessed, that she barely listened to the people around her. And that look…
— Soon everyone will forget. — Márcia adds in a neutral tone.
— So it's decided then? — Marcos asks her with a doubtful look.
— Yes, the price has already been decided, the teams have been hired, and all the equipment necessary for the operation has already been allocated. Most likely, next week she will already begin to get to know her new home.
She makes a brief pause.
— They were looking for someone like her! There are some extremely wealthy clients looking for a challenge, for a riskier experience.
In silence, Marcos just listens.
— You know… sometimes it crosses my mind that she could one day become— — For a moment, Márcia thinks out loud more than she intended.
— Become what? — He asks her, confused.
— Forget it! — She snaps back from her mental distraction.
— Her father obviously won't be a problem. But her mother… The way she defends her daughter every time she's called here. Not to mention her high-ranking position in the archaeologists' guild. That will indeed be a problem. — Marcos outlines a possible scenario for what is to come.
— They've already planned a way to get rid of her without raising suspicion in the guild. — Márcia points out. — Children disappear all the time, it will just be another investigation.
— And her friends? They're inseparable. They'll be shaken, and they might cause some commotion around here. — Marcos speaks these words with his face turned downward and a vacant gaze.
— They're going together!
Márcia reveals casually while looking up at the ceiling.
— Hey, hey… Isn't that too risky? All three at once? — He even sketches a worried expression for a moment. — They will definitely dig deeper in the investigations this time. Besides, the interval between operations has decreased a lot in the last year. The people down there have been taking too many risks lately.
He lets his body fall back into the chair, casting a look at the ceiling and scratching his head lightly.
— Even though they are inferior, they are numerous. Their technology has evolved quite a bit. One of ours died recently, at the border with the Desert of Creation.
— Who? — Márcia asks, surprised.
— Do you remember Mishigan? He wanted to go to Atlás to become an elite member of Tóquio? He got into a fight with a human at one of the departure points for the journey of fire. They say he lost control… and the border guards shot him. Not that he was strong, even so, he was still superior.
— He was always hot-headed, but being killed by humans… We'd better stay alert.
She takes a deep breath.
— I'll suggest that the transport be carried out by a group of specialized kidnappers of their race. That way we avoid any suspicion. There's a lot of money this time, this operation cannot fail.
She pauses her speech for a while, observing framed photos on the wall. Classes that graduated with distinction. Students who became great hunters, among others.
— The school will be shaken for a while, but they'll get over it. After the investigations and some more time, this will be in the past. And the treatment there is good. They're young and beautiful, in the prime of their youth, they'll be popular! — Márcia finishes her speech, casting a sideways glance at Marcos.
— Well, if everything is already settled. I hope everything goes well! This money will boost the funding of the projects in Ayda and Atlás.
Marcos's expression shifts from indecision and concern to that of someone thinking about something. Then he smiles and gets up from the chair toward the door. He stops for a moment and turns to Márcia.
— Next month I think I'll buy that new car I've wanted for so long, maybe I'll buy a house too. And you?
— I'm going to request my leave from the school. I can't stand this place anymore, I'm going to move to the coast and distance myself from all this. — Márcia glances briefly at a phone on the desk.
— I understand, I'm also going to disappear from this shitty outskirts. I don't know how I ended up here! — With an expression of disgust, he complains and sneers at the place.
— You do know! This was the only reason you came here, just like me!
Márcia retorts.
— It's true. — With these last words spoken in a slightly bitter tone, he gives a faint smile and leaves the room, closing the door.
A few minutes later, Márcia finds herself staring at the white phone on the desk. She observes its red buttons with numbers in white. She opens one of the drawers and, after searching a bit, finds a large yellow folder. Throwing it onto the desk and opening it, several papers are revealed.
After flipping through them, she finds one that catches her attention. Without wasting time, she grabs the phone and wedges it between her shoulder and ear. Then she starts dialing numbers while sliding her finger along the paper.
After several seconds of waiting, and almost giving up on the call.
— Hello?
A female voice comes from the phone.
— Leila, I can't explain properly right now. Meet me Saturday night at the park around the lake. I have something very important I need to tell you.
Márcia hangs up the phone and lets out a deep sigh.
The image of a smiling girl appears in her mind.
But soon it fades into the darkness.