"A Tale of Two Outlaws"
by Belle Book
Author's Notes:
Carmen Sandiego, Ivy, Zack, the Chief, and Armando
Arguello are characters created by Broderbund
Software and Dic Productions. Zorro/Don Diego de
la Vega and Don Alejandro are characters created
by Johnston McCulley, while Victoria Escalante,
Felipe, Sergeant Mendoza, and Alcalde Ignacio
deSoto are characters created by New World Pro-
ductions. All the Zorro characters are copy-
righted by Zorro Productions, while all the
Carmen characters are copyrighted by Dic. The
villain in this story is my own creation.
For some time, I've wanted to do a Zorro story,
especially one based on the New World television
series. My primary reason is the portrayal of
Don Diego/Zorro as interpreted by fanfic writers
and as done by the excellent actor Duncan Regehr.
Finally, I decided to do a crossover with Carmen,
another character I like, although an animated one.
The beginning point for my fic is the two-hour
Zorro episode, "A Conspiracy of Blood". Since
there are unanswered questions about the ending,
it seemed like the perfect point to begin my fic.
I am going to have this episode be a book in my
fic, and take it from there. The fic occurs two
months after the Carmen episode "Can You Ever Go
Home again?".
Because this is a Zorro fanfic as well as a Carmen
one, there may be a little more violence in this
fic than in other Carmen fics I've done, but I
will try to keep any violence as moderate as I
possibly can.
The title comes from the Dickens novel "A Tale of
Two Cities" and refers to the fact that both Carmen
and Zorro are outlaws, although for different reasons.
Now on with the story!
Belle Book
______________________________________________________________________
Part One
Two months after the Avalon incident
Carmen arrived back at VILE Headquarters
in Paris, France. It had been a good return to
her profession.
After her last caper, she had needed some
rest. After all, she'd had to deal with finding
a father she'd thought she'd lost, then having to
deal with Lee Jordan's blackmailing of her with
Avalon's life so she could steal for him, then
having to save both Avalon's life and the lives
of the Acme detectives, then losing her possible
father when Avalon lost his memory. It was very
draining.
Maybe that's why toward the end of her
vacation, she'd discovered a book which somehow
spoke to her, although in a reverse situation.
A book that she had interrupted completing to
finally plan her series of thefts, all of them
having to deal with masks.
Eventually, Ivy and Zack caught up with
her and regained the masks she stole, of course.
But she had escaped, as usual.
And now she was back home, ready to read
the book she'd picked up during her vacation.
The book was "A Conspiracy of Blood" and
it dealt with the adventures of the famous outlaw
El Zorro. Carmen knew that "El Zorro" meant "The
Fox" in Spanish. She'd also read a few other books
about Zorro's adventures, and knew that El Zorro
was really Don Diego de la Vega, a young nobleman
who became El Zorro to combat the injustice of
first Alcalde Ramone, and then Alcalde deSoto.
Carmen had read "A Conspiracy of Blood"
all the way to the point where Gilberto Resendo
(or Gilberto de la Vega) was about to reveal Diego's
secret and then shoot Diego. However, deSoto shot
Resendo to save Diego's life.
So she picked up the book, and read:
"Don Alejandro drove the cart carrying Inez
Resendo and her so-called son's body into town.
DeSoto, Felipe, and Diego followed the cart.
"DeSoto dismounted and told a corporal that
Resendo had brought with him that the Alcalde was
reassuming command and that Resendo's soldiers had
to leave at dawn the following morning. He also
had Resendo's body carried away.
"Inez Resendo had gotten off the cart, and
Don Alejandro told her, 'You stole my son and filled
him with hatred. I can forgive him, but you, senora
-- never.'
"Inez Resendo left under guard. Mendoza was
relieved it was over.
"DeSoto told Mendoza to report to him in his
office. Mendoza left to do so, then deSoto came to
Don Alejandro. DeSoto said,
"'I never knew he was your son.'"
"Don Alejandro said, 'None of us did. You
also saved a son of mine. And that I will never for-
get.'
"Diego said, 'Nor I.'
"DeSoto said, 'Well, if you'll excuse me, I
have a compelling need to see Father Benitez.' He
then left to go seek the good padre out. This sur-
prised Diego. Was the Alcalde no longer going to
persecute the people of Reina de los Angeles? Or
was he going to seek the padre out because this was
the first time he'd really faced death?
"Victoria approached the de la Vegas and
Felipe. She said, 'I heard what happened. I'm so
sorry.'
"Don Alejandro said, 'It's hard to gain a son
and then lose him all in the same hour.'"
I know something of how you must feel, Don
Alejandro, thought Carmen. She didn't know what it
was like to gain a son and then lose him in an hour,
but she did know what it was like to gain a father
and then lose him in a matter of days.
She continued reading:
"'Gilberto was suckled on vengeance,' said
Diego. He added, 'I wish I'd known him as a brother,
and not as an enemy.'
"Victoria replied, 'Perhaps if he'd had a
different life, you'd have been proud of him instead,
Diego.'
"Diego privately agreed. But the mention
of a different life reminded him that he had a life
different from that he showed others. He'd already
shown one part of that life -- his ability with a
sword. His father would eventually ask him where
he learned to fight like he did -- and why Diego
had never told him.
"It was time to tell the truth, Diego now
realized. Or so he thought.
"Diego took a deep breath and said, 'There
is something I've been meaning to tell you all for
quite some time now. Now would be an appropriate
moment.'
"He turned to Felipe and said, 'Felipe, with
your permission.'
"Felipe looked worried, but didn't protest.
"Diego then began to say that he was Zorro,
but he could only say 'I -- I am' before he was
unable to say what he wanted to say. Instead, he
concluded, '-- going to adopt Felipe. He's going
to be a member of our family.'
"Victoria and Don Alejandro were both very
happy. Don Alejandro hugged Felipe and said, 'This
is wonderful news! This is wonderful news! I now
have two sons! The de la Vegas will never be divided.
Never!'
"Felipe sighed in relief, and Diego also felt
relieved. But he knew he had to tell the truth. He
would have to tell his father privately, however.
"Then Don Alejandro said, 'Diego, there's
been something gnawing inside of me.' Diego knew it
was time.
"Diego said, 'Father, there is something I've
been meaning to tell you for quite some time now.'
"Diego urged Felipe and Victoria to stay
back, and he and Don Alejandro walked on. Felipe
looked worried.
"Don Alejandro said, 'Do you remember when
Gilberto was about to shoot you? He said he was not
only going to kill you, he was also going to kill
-- and then he never finished. What do you suppose
he was going to say, Diego?'"
The book concluded at that point, but there
was something written, kind of like an epilogue.
Carmen read the writing. It said that the
reply Diego made would open another story -- which
was the conclusion to the Zorro legend.
Carmen frowned. She had to find this final
story. She wanted to know how it would end. She
wanted to know what happened to Diego. While he
wasn't like her in his reasons for being an outlaw,
the fact that he had been an outlaw and she was one
too did enable her to feel a kind of kinship with
him.
_______________________________________________________________________
Two weeks later
Carmen was really frustrated. She'd examined
all the computer records for Zorro stories, and had
found every story that had been written -- except
for the conclusion. She'd even asked her lawyer, Lee
Galeese, to find documentation on this conclusion.
While she'd been waiting for his letter, Carmen
managed to find a Zorro biography written by Zorro's
author, Johnston McCulley, about a year before McCulley's
death in 1959. It had described how he managed to col-
lect the stories about Zorro from one of Zorro's descen-
dants in California in 1915, and summarized the stories
themselves as well. She had hoped the biography would
shed some light on the missing conclusion. Unfortunately,
the last story summarized in the biography was the one
she had just read. Lee Galeese was her last hope.
Now she had a letter from him. She hoped at
last, she might have some clue as to this lost story.
The letter said:
Dear Carmen,
I was able to find out what happened
to the story you requested. McCulley had written
the story you requested. However, he died before
it could be published, and the manuscript was
destroyed in a big fire in his home. Since
all the other stories were in print, copies
of them were safe.
I am truly sorry.
Lee Galeese
If Carmen was really frustrated before, she
was even more so now. How was she going to find out
the ending of the Zorro legend if it was completely
lost?
That's when the idea came to her.
Why not go back in time to just before Diego's
reply to his father? You would be in a great position
to find out what happened.
It would be a challenge, she knew. But when
was the last time she shrank from a challenge?
But first, she might as well have a little
fun before carrying out her project.
And before taking on what would turn out to
be one of her biggest challenges yet.
To be continued
by Belle Book
Author's Notes:
Carmen Sandiego, Ivy, Zack, the Chief, and Armando
Arguello are characters created by Broderbund
Software and Dic Productions. Zorro/Don Diego de
la Vega and Don Alejandro are characters created
by Johnston McCulley, while Victoria Escalante,
Felipe, Sergeant Mendoza, and Alcalde Ignacio
deSoto are characters created by New World Pro-
ductions. All the Zorro characters are copy-
righted by Zorro Productions, while all the
Carmen characters are copyrighted by Dic. The
villain in this story is my own creation.
For some time, I've wanted to do a Zorro story,
especially one based on the New World television
series. My primary reason is the portrayal of
Don Diego/Zorro as interpreted by fanfic writers
and as done by the excellent actor Duncan Regehr.
Finally, I decided to do a crossover with Carmen,
another character I like, although an animated one.
The beginning point for my fic is the two-hour
Zorro episode, "A Conspiracy of Blood". Since
there are unanswered questions about the ending,
it seemed like the perfect point to begin my fic.
I am going to have this episode be a book in my
fic, and take it from there. The fic occurs two
months after the Carmen episode "Can You Ever Go
Home again?".
Because this is a Zorro fanfic as well as a Carmen
one, there may be a little more violence in this
fic than in other Carmen fics I've done, but I
will try to keep any violence as moderate as I
possibly can.
The title comes from the Dickens novel "A Tale of
Two Cities" and refers to the fact that both Carmen
and Zorro are outlaws, although for different reasons.
Now on with the story!
Belle Book
______________________________________________________________________
Part One
Two months after the Avalon incident
Carmen arrived back at VILE Headquarters
in Paris, France. It had been a good return to
her profession.
After her last caper, she had needed some
rest. After all, she'd had to deal with finding
a father she'd thought she'd lost, then having to
deal with Lee Jordan's blackmailing of her with
Avalon's life so she could steal for him, then
having to save both Avalon's life and the lives
of the Acme detectives, then losing her possible
father when Avalon lost his memory. It was very
draining.
Maybe that's why toward the end of her
vacation, she'd discovered a book which somehow
spoke to her, although in a reverse situation.
A book that she had interrupted completing to
finally plan her series of thefts, all of them
having to deal with masks.
Eventually, Ivy and Zack caught up with
her and regained the masks she stole, of course.
But she had escaped, as usual.
And now she was back home, ready to read
the book she'd picked up during her vacation.
The book was "A Conspiracy of Blood" and
it dealt with the adventures of the famous outlaw
El Zorro. Carmen knew that "El Zorro" meant "The
Fox" in Spanish. She'd also read a few other books
about Zorro's adventures, and knew that El Zorro
was really Don Diego de la Vega, a young nobleman
who became El Zorro to combat the injustice of
first Alcalde Ramone, and then Alcalde deSoto.
Carmen had read "A Conspiracy of Blood"
all the way to the point where Gilberto Resendo
(or Gilberto de la Vega) was about to reveal Diego's
secret and then shoot Diego. However, deSoto shot
Resendo to save Diego's life.
So she picked up the book, and read:
"Don Alejandro drove the cart carrying Inez
Resendo and her so-called son's body into town.
DeSoto, Felipe, and Diego followed the cart.
"DeSoto dismounted and told a corporal that
Resendo had brought with him that the Alcalde was
reassuming command and that Resendo's soldiers had
to leave at dawn the following morning. He also
had Resendo's body carried away.
"Inez Resendo had gotten off the cart, and
Don Alejandro told her, 'You stole my son and filled
him with hatred. I can forgive him, but you, senora
-- never.'
"Inez Resendo left under guard. Mendoza was
relieved it was over.
"DeSoto told Mendoza to report to him in his
office. Mendoza left to do so, then deSoto came to
Don Alejandro. DeSoto said,
"'I never knew he was your son.'"
"Don Alejandro said, 'None of us did. You
also saved a son of mine. And that I will never for-
get.'
"Diego said, 'Nor I.'
"DeSoto said, 'Well, if you'll excuse me, I
have a compelling need to see Father Benitez.' He
then left to go seek the good padre out. This sur-
prised Diego. Was the Alcalde no longer going to
persecute the people of Reina de los Angeles? Or
was he going to seek the padre out because this was
the first time he'd really faced death?
"Victoria approached the de la Vegas and
Felipe. She said, 'I heard what happened. I'm so
sorry.'
"Don Alejandro said, 'It's hard to gain a son
and then lose him all in the same hour.'"
I know something of how you must feel, Don
Alejandro, thought Carmen. She didn't know what it
was like to gain a son and then lose him in an hour,
but she did know what it was like to gain a father
and then lose him in a matter of days.
She continued reading:
"'Gilberto was suckled on vengeance,' said
Diego. He added, 'I wish I'd known him as a brother,
and not as an enemy.'
"Victoria replied, 'Perhaps if he'd had a
different life, you'd have been proud of him instead,
Diego.'
"Diego privately agreed. But the mention
of a different life reminded him that he had a life
different from that he showed others. He'd already
shown one part of that life -- his ability with a
sword. His father would eventually ask him where
he learned to fight like he did -- and why Diego
had never told him.
"It was time to tell the truth, Diego now
realized. Or so he thought.
"Diego took a deep breath and said, 'There
is something I've been meaning to tell you all for
quite some time now. Now would be an appropriate
moment.'
"He turned to Felipe and said, 'Felipe, with
your permission.'
"Felipe looked worried, but didn't protest.
"Diego then began to say that he was Zorro,
but he could only say 'I -- I am' before he was
unable to say what he wanted to say. Instead, he
concluded, '-- going to adopt Felipe. He's going
to be a member of our family.'
"Victoria and Don Alejandro were both very
happy. Don Alejandro hugged Felipe and said, 'This
is wonderful news! This is wonderful news! I now
have two sons! The de la Vegas will never be divided.
Never!'
"Felipe sighed in relief, and Diego also felt
relieved. But he knew he had to tell the truth. He
would have to tell his father privately, however.
"Then Don Alejandro said, 'Diego, there's
been something gnawing inside of me.' Diego knew it
was time.
"Diego said, 'Father, there is something I've
been meaning to tell you for quite some time now.'
"Diego urged Felipe and Victoria to stay
back, and he and Don Alejandro walked on. Felipe
looked worried.
"Don Alejandro said, 'Do you remember when
Gilberto was about to shoot you? He said he was not
only going to kill you, he was also going to kill
-- and then he never finished. What do you suppose
he was going to say, Diego?'"
The book concluded at that point, but there
was something written, kind of like an epilogue.
Carmen read the writing. It said that the
reply Diego made would open another story -- which
was the conclusion to the Zorro legend.
Carmen frowned. She had to find this final
story. She wanted to know how it would end. She
wanted to know what happened to Diego. While he
wasn't like her in his reasons for being an outlaw,
the fact that he had been an outlaw and she was one
too did enable her to feel a kind of kinship with
him.
_______________________________________________________________________
Two weeks later
Carmen was really frustrated. She'd examined
all the computer records for Zorro stories, and had
found every story that had been written -- except
for the conclusion. She'd even asked her lawyer, Lee
Galeese, to find documentation on this conclusion.
While she'd been waiting for his letter, Carmen
managed to find a Zorro biography written by Zorro's
author, Johnston McCulley, about a year before McCulley's
death in 1959. It had described how he managed to col-
lect the stories about Zorro from one of Zorro's descen-
dants in California in 1915, and summarized the stories
themselves as well. She had hoped the biography would
shed some light on the missing conclusion. Unfortunately,
the last story summarized in the biography was the one
she had just read. Lee Galeese was her last hope.
Now she had a letter from him. She hoped at
last, she might have some clue as to this lost story.
The letter said:
Dear Carmen,
I was able to find out what happened
to the story you requested. McCulley had written
the story you requested. However, he died before
it could be published, and the manuscript was
destroyed in a big fire in his home. Since
all the other stories were in print, copies
of them were safe.
I am truly sorry.
Lee Galeese
If Carmen was really frustrated before, she
was even more so now. How was she going to find out
the ending of the Zorro legend if it was completely
lost?
That's when the idea came to her.
Why not go back in time to just before Diego's
reply to his father? You would be in a great position
to find out what happened.
It would be a challenge, she knew. But when
was the last time she shrank from a challenge?
But first, she might as well have a little
fun before carrying out her project.
And before taking on what would turn out to
be one of her biggest challenges yet.
To be continued