The sun was already high when Luis went out to the shoreline.
The sea moved forward and back in a constant, almost hypnotic rhythm. The breeze helped a little, but the heat was still present.
At his side, Matheus kept pace.
They ran without any defined urgency—more to clear their minds than out of discipline.
After a while, they slowed down.
Stopped.
Matheus rested his hands on his knees, breathing deeply.
"What a situation…" he muttered, still catching his breath. "Feels like we're trapped."
Luis remained standing, looking at the sea.
"Because we are."
Matheus let out a short, humorless laugh.
"Great. At least you're honest."
He straightened up.
"So? What are you going to do?"
Luis didn't answer immediately.
His eyes were slightly narrowed, his brow tense.
"We don't have many options."
He paused.
"In fact… almost none."
Matheus exhaled slowly.
"That's what I thought."
They stood in silence for a few seconds.
The sound of the waves filled the space between them.
Then Matheus spoke, almost absentmindedly:
"Funny… when it's a machine problem, you solve it fast."
Luis glanced at him, slightly curious.
"It's not the same thing."
"I know," Matheus replied, shrugging. "One thing is iron, steam, and complex calculations."
He made a vague gesture with his hand.
"This is people, politics, interests, and ego."
Luis was about to agree.
But stopped.
Something… clicked.
His expression changed subtly.
Matheus noticed.
"What is it?"
Luis didn't answer right away.
His thoughts were moving faster now.
"Wait…"
He ran a hand over his chin, looking toward the horizon.
"Maybe it's not that different."
Matheus frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Luis began walking slowly, still thinking.
"In both cases… there's a problem."
"And someone trying to solve it."
He paused.
"The difference is that here… the variables are people and interests."
Matheus crossed his arms.
"That doesn't help much."
Luis let out a soft breath, almost a laugh.
"It helps more than it seems."
He turned to him.
"Álvaro needs something."
"Influence. Visibility. Recognition."
Matheus nodded slowly.
"And the landowner needs an advantage."
"Exactly. Everyone needs something—and some don't even realize what they need, or what they could have."
Luis tilted his head slightly.
"So the question isn't how to stop them."
"It's… how to make their plan unnecessary."
Silence.
Matheus blinked, processing.
"You're thinking about… giving them something better?"
Luis didn't answer directly.
But the faint smile that appeared was answer enough.
"The landowner is irrelevant. Money can buy many things, but he's clearly not rich enough to buy power—or he wouldn't need Álvaro aligned with him through shared interests."
"That means the real problem is Álvaro's interests."
Matheus narrowed his eyes.
"You intend to offer him something?"
Without saying anything else, Luis turned.
"Let's go back."
"Now?"
"Now."
"Wait—you still didn't answer my question."
"Soon. You'll have your answers."
The return was quick.
This time, the exhaustion of the journey didn't seem to matter.
As soon as they arrived, Luis asked for paper, ink, and any available materials.
He locked himself in his room.
And didn't come out.
Hours passed.
Lunch came… and went untouched.
Dinner was the only exception.
Even then, Luis appeared only for a few minutes—just enough to eat in silence and return.
No one interrupted him.
The next morning, everyone was gathered again.
The atmosphere was more tense than the day before.
Ideas emerged.
And died just as quickly.
"Too slow."
"Dependent on others."
"Risky."
"Expensive."
Each suggestion ran into a problem.
And gradually, the strain began to show.
Miguel was already impatient.
Augusto had grown more reserved.
Eduardo observed everything in silence, increasingly attentive.
And Luis…
He just listened.
Until, finally, he spoke:
"Maybe we're looking at this the wrong way."
The room fell silent.
All eyes turned to him.
Luis placed his hands on the table.
Unhurried.
No visible tension.
"We're trying to stop a movement."
His gaze passed over each of them.
"But… what if we don't need to stop anything?"
Augusto frowned slightly.
Miguel uncrossed his arms.
Eduardo remained still.
Luis continued:
"What if, instead of fighting this…"
He paused briefly.
"We simply change the game?"
Silence.
Heavier now.
Then he finished, calmly:
"What if… we join them?"
No one answered.