A Deadly Joke?
Chapter 1: Bad Luck!
Between two and three weeks had passed since he heard about the news... well, both pieces of news... The first concerned the man he considered like a rival... Zorro... He was, from now on, a totally free man. The viceroy had granted him an amnesty with no consideration. The second information was truly inconceivable. His friend, Diego De la Vega, was getting married.
Ricardo Del Amo had left San Francisco as soon as he learnt about the outlaw. Of course, he would go to congratulate the newlyweds and warn the señora about the mistake she made. He knew that he would arrive there after the ceremony. In each pueblo that he went through, people only talked about the Fox. Rumors were going round on his presumed disappearance during his last ride in Los Angeles' area. He helped the lancers, one more time, to arrest brigands led by a man named El Lobo. Since then, the outlaw, who wasn't one anymore, hadn't been seen again. Some were saying that this bandit, El Lobo, stabbed the Fox treacherously and that Zorro never recovered from his injury.
However, the shadow of Zorro was surviving in minds. According to others, the Fox remained in the shadows, ready to intervene when needed... Ricardo didn't know what to think about it, had Zorro really vanished like he first appeared? Did he fall on his last mission? Did the man behind the mask decide to stop working in the shadows? Did he accept the amnesty easily? Did he unmask? His head was such a jumble of questions that he decided to go and see for himself.
He had also in mind an idea to play a trick on his friend he hadn't seen since his last encounter in Monterey. Nevertheless, he had learnt at his expense that he couldn't joke about anything with anyone... The simplest jokes, and the shorter ones, were often the best...
The sun was scorching strongly by this end of August month. There was no tiny little piece of wind and the prisoners kept up their forced work along El Camino Real. The recent thunderstorm, which contrasted with actual weather, had provoked a falling of rocks and damaged the road. Whips were singing to maintain progress; the cadence motivating the troops. Not a single hit was given to make suffering. Brigands, horse thieves, receivers of stolen goods, crooks of any sort were the sample group on the land... Nonetheless, in this idyllic surrounding, there were two men, chained to each other by the ankle, which nothing predisposed to be there. Their clothes, still more or less clean, revealed a noble rank. Their faces were covered with sweat and dust. It has to be said that they were here since forty minutes now and arrived when the sun was at its zenith.
Prompting them to accelerate, the whip cracked behind them. The man, wearing a blue suit, felt the lash on his vest. He cast a glance to the guard who hid a wince like he had almost done a stupid thing. Then, he looked at his friend who didn't know if he should laugh or not about the situation.
After all, if they were both here, it was his fault. The firm and severe face of the man in blue made him understand that he considered him responsible and made him lose his remaining good mood. He noticed him wincing more than once and concealing a pain. It couldn't have been this work which made him suffer, there must be another explanation. An idea crossed his mind but he found it so unimaginable that he erased it right away. However, another fact came adding to this first one... According to rumors, Zorro's presence in the Monterey area coincided with the one of Diego De la Vega. But in this present case, Zorro would certainly never let himself be arrested so easily... Ricardo sighed for a long time and just hoped that it was a bad joke like he used to do. Yet, it was his last which had led them here... How did the situation slip out and worsen like that?
It dated back to one hour ago. He arrived the day before at Los Angeles, after a fastidious journey.
The morning's end had brought its share of surprises. First, there were military drills on the plaza. Seeing the sergeant made him smile and recalled him some sweet memories. He was next to the corporal and was organizing the lancers under the shrewd look of the capitán responsible with the pueblo... He then left his room to go and better enjoy the show. There, his friend arrived in a calash, close to a beautiful señorita... With no doubt it was Señora De la Vega. Bernardo was in lead of the carriage and displayed a serene and happy face.
He suddenly envied his friend. The señora was one of the most charming. Nevertheless, he wondered what she could find in such a dandy... He went to salute them and then made further acquaintance with the young bride, lingering over her look and keeping her hand in his longer than necessary. Diego ended by making him a discreet call, putting him ill at ease. His friend briefly alarmed him. The señora excused herself before going to do some shopping amongst the market stalls, accompanied with Bernardo; then, Diego invited Ricardo to have a drink at the tavern.
As soon as they had a seat, Diego saw arriving his best enemy. All smiling, this one came close to their table to salute them and make acquaintance with Señor Del Amo. Ricardo noticed at first sight that there was a tension between both men. Tension which strongly contrasted to the relationship they shared... Ricardo didn't have time to approach the subject of Doña Salena. Finally, Diego ended to leave to join his dear and loving. Del Amo then took benefit of it and tried to make further acquaintance with Señor Monastario. However, this one didn't speak very much about his relationship with the young De la Vega. Nonetheless, he proved to be ready to play a trick on him. His eyes and his goatee gave him a look of a mischievous little devil.
The plan explained by Señor Monastario seemed to be so simple. Ricardo was going to present Diego a firearm which had a unique appearance. When Don Diego would have it in hands, a tiny explosion should happen, sending a heavy black smoke on the young don's face. The idea made Ricardo laugh a lot, but seeing him hesitating, Monastario then added the intervention of Capitán Toledano. In front of the interrogation of Del Amo, he explained him that the capitán would intervene to arrest the young don for degradation of a masterpiece of art and disturbance... All that was left was to convince Toledano to also participate.
Both men exchanged a firm handshake and arranged a meeting half an hour later. Left in charge of keeping Diego occupied, Señor Del Amo was careful his friend didn't leave the pueblo to quickly...
Ricardo wondered then if he hadn't been fooled by Señor Monastario. Yet, he didn't find him to be a man able for such villainous act.
The trip toward the working site, although only twenty minutes from the pueblo, had been a real ordeal for Diego. Not that he wasn't in a state to do such a distance, but his spirit took a hit. Salena, witness at the scene, had wanted to step in... vainly. The lancers didn't let her approach. Bernardo had to restrain her firmly in order that she didn't do any stupid things. As for the viceroy, he remained firm on his decision Diego had been taken red handed, pistol still fuming in his hands, and in spite of his crazed look, there was no doubt to his guilt. Salena collapsed in the arms of Bernardo who was also dazed in front of this event which provoked a general stupor in the pueblo.
How such a replica could have led him first behind bars, then on this site of forced work, while Zorro escaped everything, even the worse? Believing Don Esteban, it was in fact not a replica like Ricardo told him, but well the original firearm which had been stolen a week before in Monterey. It was a unique piece made by a renowned gunsmith and by a no less famous goldsmith. How could it have ended up in Ricardo's hands, then in his, afterwards?
By seeing the weapon, Diego had thought that his friend wanted to play a trick on him at his expense, but when the latter was charged for robbery, he doubted it. Before he realized it, he found himself chained to his friend. The problem for itself wasn't the possession of the gun, but really the accident which had occurred when he took it in hands to examine it. Yes the accident, for him it was an accident... but a tragic accident.
He barely had it in his hands when the shot went off, provoking the fall of the capitán... Avila came running immediately and leant on Toledano's body before uttering harsh words. Arturo Toledano was no more... Señora Toledano had cried out with terror by seeing her husband falling on the ground, she would have gone closer, but Garcia was restraining her. He also was shocked by the situation. Raquel's tears weren't pretend. He well and truly was the instrument of the capitán's death... His feeling of guilt had been very strong, he was totally prostrate with grief and didn't even react when the lancers led him in cells before chaining him to Ricardo.
But, a detail had aroused his suspicions... There had been no judgment... The sentence had been given bluntly, directly by the viceroy, which had an air of contrite.
"Both newcomers, stop daydreaming," the sharp voice of a guard said before making lash his whip.
Diego was sure of it... Someone was playing with them. But who, how and why? Doubt took him again when he remembered Avila's words. Was the doctor also in league?
"Don't worry, Diego, Zorro will save us," Ricardo assured.
If only he knew... Zorro wasn't really in a position to bring them help.
"I doubt it," the young don asserted with such conviction that his friend found himself puzzled.
"Doesn't the Fox give help to oppressed persons?" Ricardo asked by seeing Diego wincing.
"If at least he is aware of the situation," Diego retorted with bitterness by giving a brisk pickaxe's hit on the rock in front of him, which broke under the impact. "Moreover, you must not be without knowing that Zorro has been reprieved, it's been almost three weeks... We haven't seen him in the pueblo since then," he said by hiding a new rictus of pain.
His recent wound to his shoulder didn't appreciate the last hit given to the rock. He had to control himself to soften his anger and hit less briskly.
Seeing his friend with such anger, Ricardo suppressed his envy to confess his part of responsibility in this case. Nonetheless, Diego felt that his friend was hiding some secret and noticed his facial expression that badly conceal his feeling of guilt.
"Ricardo?" he interrogated.
"Si?"
"What aren't you telling me? "
"Me?" Ricardo said by quivering in spite of the strong heat. "But nothing at all."
"Ricardo?" Diego scolded by putting away the pickaxe and seeing his friend taking a step back.
The guard in charge of their surveillance, and knowing the end of the story, observed them and smiled mockingly.
"Come on, Diego, you know me."
"Precisely! You could have made me arrested... again."
"With no doubt, but getting myself arrested... That, it's not part of my plan," he asserted.
"So, you admit that you have a part of responsibility."
"I..." Ricardo began and realizing his mistake. "Listen, Diego, he tried."
But already this one firmly grasped him by his collar and made him move back to the edge of the road. The guard in charge looked at them, but didn't intervene. He had orders to do nothing but making lash his whip in the air behind them. Yet he almost wounded one of them a few times before.
"Diego, don't do anything stupid," Ricardo begged trying to get free and seeing where his friend was leading him. He had seen him wincing more than once and then again the fact that carry him was hurting him. His pain was visible despite his anger.
It wasn't the confession by itself which pushed Diego to react like that, but the memory of Raquel's pain by seeing her husband falling... The one on the face of his dear and loving wife blurred by lack of understanding and the pain to see him tormented by guilt and by his own affliction. It would have not touched anyone else; he wouldn't have reacted that way. But there... Ricardo had gone too far...
Diego stopped at the edge of a little ravine not very high in which anyone could go down easily on foot, or on horse. A hundred of meters away, two riders were observing them.