Rafael, meanwhile, was engaged in an avid discussion with a streetside taco vendor about the relative strengths and weaknesses of the Tenochtitlán Jaguars and the Texcoco Serpents. The first two games in the ollamaliztli finals had been held earlier in the week, and each had resulted in a victory for the Jaguars. The whole of Tenochtitlán was celebrating, and the street vendor was happily predicting that the Jaguars would button up the finals by winning the next game—that the final two games would be strictly exhibition matches. He told Rafael that only a fool would bet on the Serpents now—but that the odds were very good, indeed. Rafael listened gravely, nodding between bites of his taco.