Disclaimer: : I do not own Zorro, nor do I make any money from writing this story. All rights of fictional world and characters belong to ZPI.
Ignacio's Lunch
Ignacio De Soto sat in his office, going through the reward posters as he usually did just after lunch. Mendoza wandered in. He had called him several minutes ago. Where was the military precision of the Spanish army these days?
"Oh, the stranger who just paid his traveller's taxes had that name. And that face too," the sergeant said, commenting on the poster Ignacio still held in his hand.
Ignacio stared at Mendoza for a moment, awestruck at how slow the soldier was sometimes. "Henry Brownlow. 5000 pesos reward, dead or alive. That is a big fish, Mi Alcalde. Almost as big as Zorro himself…"
"Mendoza. Thank you so much for stating the obvious," Ignacio started gently. "Now go and do something serious for a while," he shouted. "Oh I know, the garrison's socks need darning…Well? Off you go. Duty calls," Ignacio said, shooing him with his gloved hands out of the office.
Mendoza slinked half-heartedly out of the office. Ignacio watched him go with disinterest, and then he turned to the poster and concentrated on his face.
Harry Brownlow was a murderer who had escaped custody several times. He stroked his beard thoughtfully. He would be hard to pin down and hard to catch. He sighed, and looked through the other posters.
Jerry Johnson and Max Silverton were the other two wanted men. At 2,000 pesos each, they weren't as exciting as Brownlow, but pesos were pesos. If he kept up the patrols and caught all the men himself, he would be 8,000 pesos richer. It seemed good enough to try to take it seriously. No doubt Zorro would upstage him as usual and have all of the men in the jail by sundown. The man was a menace.
A private delivered his lunch from the tavern, and he asked about the three men on the posters. The young man told him he had just seen them all in the tavern. Ignacio sat and ate thoughtfully, and played with the glass of wine at his desk. It was getting close to siesta, and he wanted to get some idea running through his head about how to go about catching the men before rest time stopped all work at all. The heat was starting to get to him this afternoon.
The door creaked open softly, and he glanced up. Diego de la Vega was standing in the doorway, looking as serious as he always did. What was wrong this time? What complaint had the scholar to make? The man stood straight and tall in his characteristic blue suit which fitted him like a glove, his dark eyebrows stern. Diego was a few years his junior, but always seemed to take life too seriously.
Ignacio beckoned him to enter and gestured to the chair on the other side of his desk.
"And what can I do for you today, Don Diego?" He took out his cigar box, and offered the caballero one, which he refused as always. Ignacio lit one for himself and puffed at it with pleasure. "I'm a very busy man, as you know."
"I am concerned about my father. Three unsavoury gentlemen seemed to be threatening him in the tavern just now. I want to know who they are."
"Ah, yes. As you know the pueblo garrison is too short staffed to handle domestic disputes," De Soto said.
"I just want their names, de Soto," Diego said, calmly.
"The leader's name is Harry Brownlow; the other two names escape me."
"Try to remember…"
"Johnson and Silverton. But they are small fry compared to Brownlow. He is worth 5,000 pesos – dead or alive," De Soto said excitedly. "Of course I will capture him. The man's a menace to law abiding people everywhere."
"Thank you, Alcalde." Diego turned to leave.
A man fitting the description of Harry Brownlow stood in Diego's way. The outlaw had a pistol levelled at the man's head. Ignatio saw the caballero stiffen and pale with shock. Ignatio swore under his breath, and reached for his sword.
"Uh-uh, friend. The boy dies if anyone threatens us. You have my word for that, senor," the outlaw growled. Ignacio thought he was bluffing, but kept his eyes on the outlaw. Perhaps if he moved slowly, and went for his pistol instead? Diego saw him thinking, and shook his head gently. Ignacio was annoyed to see Diego regain his lazy composure. The man had not enough spirit to even defend himself. Brownlow was a murderer.
"I think he is serious, Alcalde," Diego said calmly.
Ignacio hoped Zorro was somewhere close by. The dons would be furious if anything happened to someone as wealthy as Diego de la Vega. Zorro always seemed to react quickly if any of the dons were attacked. The man was annoying but he seemed to save the day quite satisfactorily most of the time.
"Brownlow, that man is a high ranking caballero," De Soto sputtered. "You will not get away with this!"
"Ah, but indeed I will." The bandit shoved Diego towards the door, into the glare of the afternoon sun, making the young don shield his eyes.
"Mendoza!"
A few soldiers reacted by firing at the bandit, and Ignacio flinched. If the outlaw was as trigger happy as Diego thought, he might have a dead don to contend with.
"Cease fire, the bandit has Don Diego!" Ignacio heard the Sergeant order. That's right; Don Diego was a close personal friend of Mendoza's. Of course he would step up his game for a friend.
Diego kept his head down, shielding his eyes from the glare. Ignatio noticed Victoria race out of the tavern into the street. The Alcalde turned his head from side to side, scanning for the black rider that always seemed to race to the rescue whenever the Senorita so much as shivered.
Brownlow glanced around carefully, and slowly moved his pistol as if to fire it at Diego's head. Diego straightened a little, and seemed to hold his breath. Victoria screamed, a loud and piercing cry.
"Alcalde, do something," she pleaded, imploring him with her eyes. Ignacio shrugged. There was nothing he could do for the man.
"At least tell me what I've done to offend you," Diego said. "I really have no idea."
Ignacio smirked a little. Words, Diego? Words were no defence against a bullet to the head.
"You are the son of Alejandro de la Vega?"
Diego glanced up at a tavern window, and Ignacio followed his gaze. Alejandro de la Vega was watching his son from an upstairs window. Diego nodded.
"Yes," he admitted softly. Ignacio thought he was stupid to admit it so quickly. Obviously Brownlow had an issue with Alejandro. Diego was just being led to the slaughter. He should have denied his identity and stalled for more time.
"My father is one of the most powerful people in California. You will not get away with this," Diego growled softly. Ignacio seemed to be the only other person to hear it. The Alcalde smiled a little. Diego did have some spirit, and finally he was reacting. Too bad it was too late to do anything about his situation.
Brownlow looked up at the window where Alejandro stood. "Not so hard to catch your whelp, was it, Senor? You know what I want. I'll be in contact," Brownlow said. He raised the butt of the pistol up and drove it down hard on Diego's head, and the man fell unconscious into the dust at Brownlow's feet.
Jerry and Max rushed through the town with a stolen cart, and Brownlow hefted Diego aboard.
"Pleasure to do business with you people," Brownlow said, as they drove quickly out of Los Angeles.
Alejandro ran downstairs and grabbed the Alcalde by his jacket lapels. He shook him, and held him up against the wall.
"Why didn't you do something?" Don Alejandro roared at him.
"What could I do? Don Alejandro, I was not aware of the danger until too late." Ignacio gazed in the direction the cart had travelled in, and took Alejandro's hands from his uniform.
"I am requesting personal assistance from the governor, de Soto," Alejandro threatened. Ignacio hesitated a little. He had been about to use his speech about not having the troops to go after the kidnappers. Ignacio knew he would be in trouble if the governor got involved. The governor had a soft spot for Don Alejandro and his family. Alejandro was friends with the royal family. Diego's mother was related to the King somehow, through marriage, but it was recognised at court. The governor would take their cause, and run with it, because he was worried about his own reputation at court. Ignacio De Soto's reputation would once again be tarnished by this darn fool territory.
"No need, of course, Don Alejandro. All efforts will be taken for Diego's safe return," the Alcalde said, trying to placate the anxious father. "Have no fear, I will personally guarantee his safe return."
"Lancers, follow that cart. Hang back a little, we're not sure what they will do with Don Diego if they feel threatened," De Soto ordered his men. He collected his horse, and rode out with the lancers.
