The three explorers managed to reach Ferraz Station in time to take shelter from the blizzard, which had started in the middle of the rain, with strong winds and a frightening drop in temperature.

     Carlos and Patrícia entered the room, locking the door. While she took the whale bone stolen from the beach out of her coat pocket, wrapped it in a colorful headscarf and carefully placed it on the bedroom table, he took a sip of whiskey. Analyzing him, Patrícia suggested that he be careful, as he was halfway to alcoholism. Ignoring the comment, he retorted:

     "Patrícia, you took the bone?"

     "Yes! Ernani didn't even see it! He didn't see what you picked up at the english station either. What is it, anyway? Is this the 'order' from the 'collector'? 'Peary's notes', am I right?"

     "I should have gone there alone, without witnesses, but I had no choice. It was either now or never, because the storm has arrived and I may not get another chance. I'm glad he didn't see anything. But you're right, they are sextant measurements!"

     He took another sip and then took the mysterious plastic package out of his coat pocket and placed it inside his diary, also on the table, next to the whalebone. He commented:

     "The stolen strip of paper... I don't know how anyone can pay so much money for a piece of junk like that..."

     "There are people whose money is being stolen. And these things are truly historic trophies for them. But then... The story of the robbery..."

     "It's true!"

     She criticized him:

     "You haven't even got out of one mess and you're already in another..."

     He smiled sarcastically:

     "Correction: I was already in trouble, long before the problem with Ema..."

     "Trouble? Is that how you define what we did to her? But about Peary. I don't understand why they left this "trophy" right here at the end of the world."

     "It's a long story, but I don't know all the details either. They asked me to take the souvenir for a lot of money."

     "Who hired you? And how much will they pay you?"

     "I can't say now. The less you know, the better."

     Patrícia thought it best to leave the subject for later, as she had much more important things to worry about. He commented:

     "Ernani isn't a biologist, but he became very suspicious on the beach. I need to avoid these scientific conversations at all costs, especially with Inês, who is a biologist. Carlos, don't you think you're drinking too much?"

     He took another swig and then closed the canteen:

     "Yes, I really am. You're right! It's just that I'm anxious. It's too dangerous! Luckily for you, with the stoppage of activities, Inês has lost focus and is more interested in Peary and Cook than anything else! Although that could be dangerous for me..."

     Patrícia took the plastic packaging and looked at the strip of paper. She tried to take it out of the package, but Carlos admonished it:

     "No, don't do that! It's a very old document, so it's best not to touch it. It should even be better protected. But I'll deal with that later."

     From what Patrícia observed, it looked just like that strip of paper. It was the same as the photo in Inês' book. She put the package back in the agenda.

     "Carlos, tomorrow... I wasn't even going to get up, I was going to fake another renal crisis... The doctor is going to pump me full of drugs, but it's necessary. I'm gonna stay out of Inês and Ernani's range of action, hoping that the helicopter can take off. It's my ride. I can't wait to get out of here."

     "What if Besnard arrives?"

     "They're not going to send me to the ship under those conditions. So I put the rest of our plan into action. I just hope that no Besnard sailors come here, because they know Ema."

     "Yes... The hard part is going to be in the ship and staying there without real Ema. I'm going to be lost with these research questions."

     "Make it count. All for your alibi."

     Carlos remembered the superintendent once again:

     "We have to be careful with Basílio."

     "Don't worry about him. He's here on a trip."

     Carlos paused and took off his heavy coat. He accidentally chipped his thumbnail:

     "Shit."

     "What now?"

     "I broke my nail. Do you have a nail clipper?"

     "No... But wait... I have scissors."

     She looked in her bag and, finding it, handed him a pair of medium-sized scissors. He chuckled:

     "Shit, I'm not going to be able to cut it with this monster, even more so with a few sips in the head."

     "Let me cut it for you... Put out your hand... The position is a bit bad, turn a bit more... Hm... It's done... Look, be careful, there's still a little bit left, but you can't cut any more than that..."

     Patrícia placed the scissors on the table. Carlos returned to the subject of the superintendent:

     "Did you see him? He has a thing for Inês."

     "Is that so? But he is married."

     "So what? I am too... I mean... I was..."

     Talking about Ema in a casual and natural way, as if she were still alive, was strangely embarrassing, after all, what they had done to her was not normal at all. This feeling was stronger in Patrícia than in him, who was less aware of the seriousness of the crime. Ema was dead and had been inhumanely thrown over a cliff. That was the raw truth!

     Patrícia was still in bed and Carlos inadvertently lay down on top of her. She could smell the whisky:

     "This superintendent's crush on Inês gave me a good idea, you know?"

     Patrícia disapproved of the attempt:

     "Forget it! I'm not in the mood."

     "We can start it..."

     He stood her up, intending to undress. Patrícia scolded him:

     "Carlos, I'm serious, do not insist."

     "Ah, Patrícia, my love..."

     He moved closer and lay down on top of her again, pressing her against the mattress. He tried to kiss her and she turned her face away:

     "Carlos, I've already told you. Stop it. I don't want it!"

     "What do you mean, you don't want it? You always want it! We had a blast yesterday!"

     He insisted and put abnormal pressure on her body, something unusual in their relationship. Patrícia tried to get loose:

     "I've said it, I don't want!"

     She tried to get out from under him, but couldn't. Ema came to her mind, being slapped, falling and hitting the head... Until then, Patrícia seemed to have been anesthetized by adrenaline, but she was beginning to wake up painfully to reality. She hadn't felt as guilty about everything she had done as she did now.

     Carlos kept insisting, trying to remove her clothes, but it was very difficult, they were cold clothes. She began to feel sick. A scene from when she was a little girl came to mind... Her stepfather over her... She was powerless and could do nothing... And that monster, abusing her...

     Using what strength she had left, consumed as she was by the traumas of the past, she warned him vehemently:

     "Carlos! Stop! I told you, I don't want it!"

     The force of her voice made him flinch. But she had the feeling that if they had been anywhere else, in a secluded cabin in the woods, for example, he would have gone ahead. Carlos let go of her and got up. Without saying a word, he left. He seemed to have realized what a foolish thing he was doing, a foolish thing he had already done with Ema, but he couldn't imagine the weight of his act on Patrícia's psyche. He couldn't imagine that he had unearthed traumas very well hidden in the depths of her mind... Feelings of despair, fear and revolt. The whole thing brought her to tears.