When the driver lets them out in Acapulco, Javier’s group is both excited and saddened to be there. Excited because it is a famous city, and saddened because, had they not been stopped by the soldiers, they would be further along in their journey. They spend several days in a cheap motel while they wait for their next instructions. As they need to keep a low profile, they watch a lot of TV and use the time to get to know one another better. Patricia is the “mom” of the group and cleans up after the others. Javier grows closer to her, but Carla still seems not to like him much. They wait for their coyote to tell them when it’s time to go.

On their departure day, they dress nicely for the long bus ride to Guadalajara. Once they arrive, they are driven to a small town outside the city, where they stay in a concrete apartment building that reminds Javier of a storage shed. They are not allowed to leave. To pass the time, Patricia sleeps a lot; the others listen to music or watch TV. Marcelo tells Javier that after so much traveling, he is now a veteranito, a little veteran.