Geronimo met Guerrero several times in secret, without Jajilha's knowledge.
Yet, Guerrero remained firm in his decision.
"Guerrero, I beg you," Geronimo said.
"Do not forget—you are a Spaniard. Please, don't abandon our culture. Spain's doors are still open for you."
"Forgive me, Geronimo," Guerrero replied calmly.
"I cannot leave my family and return to Spain. My wife is pregnant. Before this year ends, I will become the father of twins. My life is here now. Please try to understand my situation."
"They will never be Spanish children, Guerrero," Geronimo argued.
"They will be hybrids—born of a Native woman and a European man. The first of their kind."
"Forget your family for a moment," he continued.
"What were we taught at home? First comes the nation—only then the family.
Leave this place. Think of all this as a bad dream. Leave your wife and children behind and come back with us.
These people may accept you as one among them…
but they will never truly accept you as their leader.
Is this life really worth it?"
"You are wrong, Geronimo," Guerrero said firmly.
"They respect me deeply. I am not their slave—I am their military commander.
Do not force me any further."
Geronimo conveyed Guerrero's response to Cortes.
Cortes could not accept it.
With a heavy heart, Cortes wrote a letter to Guerrero.
*"Guerrero…
You may consider yourself a Mayan now, but we never can.
Spain—the nation that trained you—needs your service once again.
Our doors are always open to you.
I respectfully request that you come aboard the ship immediately upon reading this letter.
—Cortes, a friend of your countrymen, waiting for your return."*
The letter was secretly delivered to Guerrero through Geronimo.
Suddenly, Jajilha entered Guerrero's chamber.
Guerrero quickly folded the letter and hid it inside the desk drawer.
After eating the chili pepper she brought him, Guerrero took out a sheet of deer-skin parchment and began writing his reply.
*"I am now living fully as a Mayan.
The Mayan princess is my wife, and within a few months, I will become the father of her twins.
I still wish to remain a true friend of Spain.
But I cannot accept this invitation.
I humbly request you to respect my decision.
With enduring affection for Spain,
—Guerrero."*
Guerrero handed the letter to Geronimo, who was standing behind a pillar.
Geronimo firmly believed that Guerrero would accept Cortes's offer.
At that moment, two Mayan guards began patrolling the palace.
Geronimo quickly took the letter and left the palace in haste.
When Cortes opened Guerrero's reply and read it, he was stunned.
This was not the answer he had expected—nor could he accept it.
Guerrero understood why Cortes had come.
By rejecting his invitation, Guerrero had unknowingly turned the Mayans into Spain's first target in their conquest of Mexico.
Without delay, Guerrero mounted his horse and rode toward Cheran's house.
Outside, Cheran and Parias were playing Paramapadam.
Seeing Guerrero, Cheran stood up.
"Welcome, Commander. What brings you here?"
"Cheran," Guerrero said gravely,
"Prepare for war. In this game, Spain's serpent has begun to move toward us."
"I already know what's happening around you, Guerrero," Cheran replied, gripping his hand firmly.
"That's why we never questioned you."
"We will always stand behind you," Cheran said.
"Go forward without fear."
Parias nodded silently, a faint smile on his face.
Guerrero placed his hand on Cheran's shoulder, his eyes moist.
By accepting a Spaniard into their ranks, the Mayans had unknowingly invited Spain's wrath upon themselves.
Guerrero began forming his strategies for the coming war.
Vincent rose from his bed, weighed down by disappointment.
As he climbed the stairs to his room, his thoughts echoed within him:
"Effort means this—
even if the runner ahead of you is just one minute away from the finish line,
you must still run as if victory is possible."
His room door was open.
Inside stood Rebecca.
"Where were you, Vincent?" she asked.
"I came to your room last night, but you weren't there."
"I had some work," Vincent replied.
"I stayed in the room downstairs. I had never been there before… and ended up sleeping there."
"Alright," Rebecca said. "I'll come with you. I'm bored staying here."
"Amanda didn't come?" Vincent asked.
"She's glued to the book you gave her," Rebecca smiled.
"Every time I see her, it's in her hands."
"That's good," Vincent laughed.
"Let's go by ourselves."
Rebecca drove while Vincent guided her to Sam's house.
Sam had been waiting for them.
Hearing the car, he came out.
"Welcome, Mr. Vincent… Miss Rebecca."
"Not Mrs," Rebecca corrected, raising an eyebrow.
"It's Miss Rebecca."
"Oh—sorry! Please come in."
Sam's house was small but neat.
"I've made coffee for you," Sam said.
"My wife has gone to her father's house with the children. She'll return after Easter."
"Well, looks like you didn't get much time to celebrate," Vincent smiled.
"Anyway—Happy Easter."
"Thank you, sir. You said you wanted to discuss something?"
"I just wanted to see if you had any additional information about the Mayans."
Sam shared everything he remembered from stories told by his father and grandfather.
But it was nothing Vincent and Rebecca hadn't already read in The Final Pages of the Mayans.
Rebecca asked for a sandwich, and Sam went to the kitchen with her.
Vincent stepped outside and noticed an old coffee shop across the street.
Only an elderly man sat inside, sipping coffee.
Vincent joined him.
"I'm American," Vincent said.
"I came to Mexico to research the Mayans."
"People asked my great-grandfather about them too," the old man replied.
"Especially around 2012—many came searching.
Wide foreheads, sharp noses—that's all I know."
Vincent felt the last of his hope slipping away.
He stepped outside and stared at the sky in frustration.
Far beyond Earth,
the planet Nibiru was moving toward it—
7,400 miles away, racing at 900 kilometers per hour…