Chapter 95 – New Air
The moment the plane touched down in Germany, Thiago felt it in his bones. It wasn’t just the slight jolt of landing gear kissing the tarmac — it was something deeper. Like the shift of gravity in his chest. Like his body knew he wasn’t home anymore.
Through the small window, he could see gray skies hanging low over the airport, the clouds so dense it felt like they were pressing down on the earth. No sunlight, no heat rising from the pavement, no familiar samba rhythms from a nearby car radio. Just cold, unfamiliar silence.
He glanced at Marina, who had just finished shutting off her phone. "They’re already outside," she said. "Dortmund sent a driver. He’s waiting by arrivals with a club rep."
Thiago nodded and leaned back as the fasten seatbelt sign turned off. People began to shuffle into the aisle. Marina stood and retrieved her small suitcase, nodding for him to follow.
It wasn’t long before they were walking through the terminal, Thiago pushing a cart with his modest luggage — just his backpack and duffel, same as when they left São Paulo. He walked slower than usual, taking it all in. Signs in German. Crisp, almost too-clean air. Everyone walking with purpose, bundled in jackets and scarves.
They exited the airport doors and were immediately hit by the cold. It wasn’t unbearable, but it was sharp — it bit at his cheeks, crept under his sleeves. Thiago zipped up his jacket and pulled the hood tight.
Standing just outside the automatic glass doors was a tall, broad-shouldered man holding a Borussia Dortmund placard. Beside him stood a younger guy, maybe late twenties, with wire-rimmed glasses and a thin smile.
"You must be Thiago," the younger man said in slow, deliberate English. "Welcome to Germany. I’m Lukas — academy logistics. This is Jens, from security and transport."
They exchanged handshakes. Jens grabbed the cart and loaded Thiago’s bags into the back of a sleek black SUV. The windows were tinted. Everything about it looked foreign and expensive.
As they pulled away from the curb, Marina spoke quietly beside him. "First impressions matter here. Just be yourself. Don’t try to act like someone else. They already know who you are."
Thiago nodded, his eyes fixed on the landscape outside. The road signs looked like they belonged in a textbook. The cars were boxier, the streets quieter. Trees stood bare, stripped of leaves, as they passed through suburbs blanketed in dull winter gray.