The greatest treasure of all
Chapter one
It was a sunny afternoon in Los Angeles.
A horse and rider followed by an impressive bull merged with the beautiful surroundings.
The relaxed rider squinted his eyes, enjoying the sunbeams warming his face,…
It was Diego de la Vega. He had been to a cattle sale; his father had decided it was time to give him more responsibility of the ranch business, so he had trusted Diego to buy a new breeding bull.
Diego hoped his father would be pleased; he had managed to get the bull for an excellent price!
So when he arrived at the hacienda after he had made sure the bull was safely in his pen, he was a bit disappointed to discover that his father and Felipe weren't home.
"They must have gone to the pueblo," he thought to himself. So he saddled a fresh horse and rode to the pueblo.
He didn't know his good mood was about to disappear….
"You'll regret that you didn't let us take what's rightfully ours!" a pirate with a red spotted bandana, captain Mack Crow sneered.
"Your treasure was buried on my territory, so therefore it belongs to the Pueblo of Los Angeles," the Alcalde calmly replied while he steadily pointed his gun at the pirate's chest. The Alcalde's foot was firmly planted on a leaden treasure chest.
But when he suddenly saw other pirates pointing muskets at him from the rooftops he immediately regretted his words.
"Do you still think that we can't have our treasure?" the pirate asked mockingly.
"If one of those savages tries to shoot me, I'll make sure I take you with me to the grave," the Alcalde replied threateningly.
"Ha, you think that I fear death. I would sacrifice my life for that treasure! The only question is would you too?" the smirking pirate asked.
Since his threat didn't seem to have effect the Alcalde called his lancers in a last desperate attempt.
Soon the whole plaza was filled with lancers and pirates pointing guns at each other.
In all the commotion Mack Crow grabbed one of the citizens. The woman immediately started squirming in an attempt to free herself from his firm grip: "Take your filthy hands of me!" Victoria Escalante demanded.
"Oh you have quite a fiery temper?" Mack said while he unsheathed his blade and pressed it against her neck. "This should keep you quiet."
"If you don't give us our treasure, we'll take one of the pueblo's treasures," Mack said while glancing at Victoria.
Don Alejandro who had witnessed the whole scene couldn't keep quiet any longer. "Alcalde, do something!" he demanded.
"I'm sorry Don Alejandro but I'm hardly in a position to bargain," he replied. "I'm afraid I must let them have their treasure."
"Finally, a wise decision! A round of applause for the Alcalde," Mack mockingly said. "Now listen carefully I'm taking this lovely senorita hostage, she will be our guarantee that we can reach our ship safely. Have I made myself clear! If I see anyone following us, you'll find her head on the dusty roads of your so called pueblo."
At that moment Diego arrived. And when he saw that his beloved was held with a knife on her throat his blood started boiling: "Release that woman this instant!" he demanded.
"Oh my, it seems you're quite popular with the fellas, if even a decent caballero speaks up for a common woman such as you," one of the other pirates said to Victoria.
Diego's stomach twitched with the thought what those pirates might do to his préciosa. He had to prevent that from happening. Maybe if they thought she was a married woman they wouldn't assault her. So he said: "I suggest you don't speak that way to my wife!" He ignored the gasps from the crowd.
"I didn't know Don Diego and Senorita Escalante got married, when did that happen?" Mendoza asked Alejandro. "I think it's part of a ridiculous plan of my son, he's trying to save Victoria," the don whispered.
Oblivious to the commotion around him Diego continued his plea: "Why don't you let me take her place, I will come willingly and I promise there will be no trouble."
"Well it seems this little the pueblo has a hero after all, alright come over here," Mack ordered.
"First release my wife," Diego insisted.
"I'm sorry that won't do, I will let her go when you are by my side. I give you my pirate's word of honour," Mack said while solemnly raising his hand in the air.
Diego had no choice, so he steadily walked towards Mack.
When Mack removed his blade from Victoria's throat to plant it against Diego's, Victoria was about to run away, but before she could reach Don Alejandro another pirate grabbed her.
"You gave your word," Diego said angrily.
"And I've kept it. I said I would let her go, I didn't mention that the rest of my crew would let her be. And besides, I hate to separate husband and wife," Mack said. "Come on mates lets go back to our ship."
A distressed Don Alejandro watched his only son and Victoria taken away on horseback by the pirates.
The Alcalde suppressed a smile. "They couldn't have chosen 2 better hostages," he thought to himself. "I can miss that troublemaking senorita and that de la Vega like tooth ache."
His pleasant thoughts were disturbed by don Alejandro's voice: "Alcalde what are your plans to free my son and Senorita Escalante?"
"Don't worry Don Alejandro I will send my best men," the Alcalde lied.
"I will have an assembly with the other dons, I'm sure they will help," Don Alejandro said while mounting his mare Dulcinea.
"Sergeant Mendoza!" the Alcalde yelled.
"Si mi Alcalde," Mendoza immediately reported
"I have a very important mission for you and Corporal. You two have to free Don Diego and Senorita Escalante. But make sure that you aren't seen by the pirates or otherwise they might kill them."
"Kill?" Mendoza swallowed hard, "We'll make sure nobody sees us." And with that said he quickly left on his mission.
The Alcalde smiled while stroking his beard: "Even a blind man would notice the clumsy Mendoza! This was going to work out wonderfully, and if the pirates killed Senorita Escalante Zorro would be furious and wouldn't rest until he caught the pirates. Zorro would be away at sea for a long time and maybe the pirates would even kill him!"
Diego regretted that the pirates were smart enough to put him and Victoria on separate mounts. He could easily escape, but he couldn't risk Victoria getting hurt. He looked at Victoria and saw her eyes wishfully scanning the horizon. No doubt she was expecting to see the silhouette of her masked hero appear any time to rescue them. If only she knew that her hero was riding a few metres behind her, with his hands and feet all bound up.
After half an hour they saw an impressive vessel in the water. Diego and Victoria were pulled roughly of their horses and were ordered into a rowing boat. All the while they were held at gun point.