Chapter 2

Three Years Later...

Henry Stark gathered his crew on the deck of the Golden Lion. It had taken time, but he'd finally been able to amass a full-size crew to work the glorious battleship. He knew it would be worth it. Taking over an entire town in the Spanish Empire was not an easy task.

And Captain Henry Stark was determined to succeed.

He'd spent three years thinking of little else than the rebel Spaniard who had bested him and his men. They'd not only lost the treasure they were seeking, but many of his crew had been seriously injured in the fight against Zorro and the soldiers of Los Angeles.

Henry Stark was a proud Englishman. He enjoyed the life of a pirate, to be sure, but he enjoyed destroying Spanish towns and ships a little more. The Captain considered it his duty to his country. Not that England approved of piracy, but the Royal Navy was hardly likely to put him on trial for such crimes. He'd never, ever committed any acts of piracy against Great Britain. On days when he had the opportunity to be particularly cruel, he liked to think that England would reward him someday for all the trouble he had caused to Spain's ships and territories.

Today in particular, England would be very pleased with him.

Captain Stark had learned to be patient when it came to exacting revenge. He'd seen too many pirates try and retaliate too quickly and suffer heavy losses to their ship and their crew. Sometimes those crews never recovered. Captain Stark was not willing to make such an error. It had taken a long time to plan and prepare, but his ship and crew were finally ready. He now had the supplies and the manpower necessary to make this the most successful raid of his career.

He held up his hands, and the crew quieted immediately. Hopping up on top of a crate, Stark spoke loudly to be heard over the wind and the waves.

"After years of hard work, plannin' and plunderin'...we finally be settin' out to restore our honor!"

"Huzaahhh!" The crew cheered loudly.

"T'night, we return to Los Angeles! T'night, we'll deal them wretched Spaniards a serious blow! T'night, we'll restore the ruthless reputation of the Golden Lion!"

"Huzaahhh!"

"This night, Gents, we'll make Zorro regret ever crossing swords with the crew of the Golden Lion!"

A deafening cheer went up from the crew and they raised their swords high.

~ZZZ~

Alejandro stood next to the dining room table and waited patiently for Diego to help their guest, Victoria, to her seat. Something was different about Diego tonight, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. As he thought about it though, he realized something had been different since Gilberto Risendo had tried to murder his son.

Typically, Diego spent more time reading, experimenting, and playing the piano. But after that fateful day when Alejandro had lost his true first-born son, Diego's behavior had changed. He'd been paying much closer attention to what happened in town. He'd attacked his work for The Guardian with renewed energy and the articles he'd composed had never been better. Diego had even started taking over more responsibility on the ranch, something Alejandro had stopped hoping for years ago.

As he sat down, he realized that Diego's work ethic wasn't the only thing that had changed in the last few weeks. Usually, he seemed rather aloof in Victoria's presence. Tonight, however, Diego was attentive and charming; he was quite the gentleman. As Diego pushed Victoria's chair in for her, Alejandro could have sworn he saw Diego gazing at her with love and longing in his eyes when he thought no one was watching.

The older don was barely able to keep his jaw from rudely falling open. Diego was in love with Victoria? And how long had this been going on? Diego had been home from Spain for years and, somehow, he hadn't known his son had fallen in love with Victoria. What kind of father didn't notice that his son had fallen hopelessly in love?

And it really was hopeless for Diego. Victoria Escalante was madly in love with Zorro. So far, nothing on Earth had been able to change that. Alejandro made a mental note to have a long talk with his son about courting someone...well, someone more attainable.

They were halfway through the second course when a loud knock sounded at the front door. Diego bolted from his chair and was halfway to the door before Alejandro even put his fork down.

"Miguel!" Diego's surprised voice drifted over from the entryway. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt your supper, Patrón. But it couldn't wait! I rode here as fast as I could...There's so many of them..."

By this time, Alejandro and Victoria had followed. Diego was calmly settling Miguel down in a chair in the parlor. The vaquero was covered in soot and looked like he'd ridden for days instead of minutes. He gestured to Felipe who immediately produced a glass of brandy for Miguel.

"Drink this," Diego commanded their lead vaquero. After the flustered man had taken a few sips, Diego asked, "Now then. Start from the beginning."

"Pirates, Don Diego. They are raiding Los Angeles!"

"How many?"

"A dozen...maybe more...I am not sure. They waited until dark. I managed to sneak away and ride back here to warn you."

Diego held up a hand to stop Miguel's rambling. He needed specific information if he was going to be able to help as Zorro in town.

"Did they seem organized or were they randomly attacking people and houses?"

Miguel blinked. He hadn't really thought about it at the time, but now that Don Diego had posed the question they did seem to be acting with a sense of purpose. "Now that you mention it, they did seem to be working together."

Diego pursed his lips together thoughtfully. When it came to a group of bandits, chaos was easier to deal with. It meant he could deal with them one at a time. If they were working together in the town, he might have to challenge all of them at once. Not that he was afraid to, it would just make catching them more difficult. Twelve to one weren't the best odds, either.

Alejandro and Victoria shared a confused glance. The Diego they knew would be forcing them to hide in locked rooms to avoid the confrontation. However, this man was asking calculating questions that the Diego de la Vega they knew would not need the answers to.

"What are they targeting?" The man who looked like Diego continued.

"They seemed to only care about the Cuartel."

Diego shared a worried glance with his father. Attacking the soldiers first was a sure sign of strategy. If the pirates managed to overcome the lancers and the Alcalde, there would be no one else to challenge them in the entire territory. They'd have free reign to plunder the entire region before help could arrive from elsewhere...if help ever came at all.

"The soldiers are overwhelmed." This time, it wasn't a question.

Miguel nodded almost frantically. "Sí, sí. That's how I got away. My horse was behind the tavern."

At the mention of the tavern, Victoria seemed to remember where she was. "Madre de Dios! My tavern!" She turned intending to rush to the stables and then hurry into town, but she found her path blocked by Diego.

"No," He said firmly before she could even ask.

Bewildered, and slightly disconcerted that he'd anticipated her actions so well, Victoria shook her head before trying to move around him. Diego quickly stepped in front of her again.

"No," Diego said a little louder, but just as firmly.

"Diego get out of my way! I have to go to town and check on the tavern!" When she tried to move him out of her way, he grabbed her wrists and pinned her arms to his chest. "Diego!"

Instead of addressing the squirming señorita in his arms, Diego addressed the vaquero. "Miguel, get the muskets and pistols out of the store room. Have the women wait with Maria in the kitchen. Then arm the men and surround the house in pairs. No one stands guard alone. Hurry."

Miguel hesitated just long enough to look at Don Alejandro for confirmation. Diego had to smile at that. He raised an eyebrow at his father as he held a struggling Victoria a little tighter.

"Go!" Alejandro ordered. With that, Miguel dashed toward the kitchen to carry out his instructions.

"Enough," Diego finally ordered softly, but he looked Victoria right in the eye.

"I have to-"

"Absolutely not. I will not let you go riding off into the night to confront a large group of cutthroat pirates."

"But-"

"No," Diego said firmly one last time.

"I'm not afraid!"

"I don't doubt your courage, only your ability to truly defend yourself against so many dangerous men."

Victoria's mouth dropped open slightly, but even Victoria didn't have a response to that. Trust Diego to be logical, but that didn't mean she had to agree with him.

"Victoria, Diego is right. We have the means to defend you here. You'll be much safer at the hacienda," Alejandro agreed.

"It's not just my business," Victoria argued. "It's my home." She felt Diego loosen his grip and she immediately tried to wiggle away. He seemed prepared for that though, and merely pulled her closer to his chest.

"I know...I know," Diego's voice was so soothing and calm. He was making it harder for her to stay upset at him.

"But-"

"I will not let you leave the hacienda," Diego told her forcefully. "I'd...I'd..." His expression softened and his voice suddenly - surprisingly- lowered an octave. "Querida, please. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you."

Victoria gasped. She'd suspected for quite some time that he was Zorro. She'd never been absolutely certain, but she'd certainly suspected. To hear him in his low voice say her nickname out loud, and at last see the love in his unmasked eyes confirmed her suspicions at last. The revelation was still startling to say the least.

Alejandro's jaw finally dropped. He didn't know what he'd been expecting Diego to say to convince Victoria to stay at the house, but that wasn't it. He noted with a small amount of amusement, however, that it seemed to have worked.

Diego released her wrists and held her hands instead. He tipped his head to Felipe, who was standing there wide-eyed next to Don Alejandro and practically gaping like a fish at his older brother. The silent instruction spurred the young man into motion, and he ran towards the library. Alejandro didn't bother considering why that was an odd place for him to be hurrying toward.

"I won't be able to protect you. Not if there's so many of them."

But Victoria wasn't listening anymore. She raised a hand to cup his cheek. "Oh, Diego," She said reverently.

Diego kissed the palm of her hand. "I have to go," He whispered sadly. "Promise me you'll stay here." Victoria nodded, but that wasn't good enough for Diego. "Promise me, Victoria."

"I promise, Diego." It was, after all, only the second time he'd ever asked her to give him her word.

He nodded and kissed her hand once more in farewell before turning his attention to his father.

"Father...I...Please forgive me. I don't have time to explain right now."

Alejandro had to clear his throat so that his words could get past the giant lump in it. "It's too dangerous. You shouldn't go." Please, don't go, his eyes silently begged his only living son. Part of Alejandro had never been prouder. Having one's son singlehandedly save the pueblo on a regular basis was truly amazing. He was incredibly proud; he was incredibly worried.

Diego smiled sadly at him. "I have to try," Was all he said before following Felipe into the library.

Only Felipe wasn't in the library, as Victoria and Alejandro discovered when they trailed after him. With a mischievous grin, Diego tapped the mantel and disappeared behind the rear wall of the fireplace.

~ZZZ~

The situation in town was worse than Diego anticipated.

The entire cuartel was on fire. He'd smelled the smoke long before he'd been able to see the flames on the black night. Even though he'd made quite a bit of noise galloping Toronado through the town gates, the soldiers were all too preoccupied with fighting the fire to notice him sitting on Toronado by the church.

Padre Benitez, however, was much more observant.

"Zorro!" The old priest exclaimed from the church steps.

"Padre! Are you all right?"

"I am fine, my son...But you must come inside. Quickly, my boy!"

Zorro glanced nervously around the plaza. De Soto was nowhere to be seen. He didn't see Mendoza either. In fact, several soldiers seemed to be missing from the melee. Many townspeople were pitching in to fight the fire, and they'd formed a bucket line from the well to the soldiers fighting the blaze. More importantly, none of the other buildings in town seemed to have been attacked. He had no doubt, however, that the cuartel would have to be entirely rebuilt. There weren't any buccaneers in sight, which was curious. Finally, convinced that he was safe in town, at least for the time being, he dismounted and gave Toronado a gentle pat on the neck.

"Wait here, boy," He commanded his mount. Padre Benitez hurriedly ushered him into the building and closed the doors. "Padre what's wrong? Are you injured?"

"Not me, Zorro. Come." The priest led him to the rooms in the back. Doctor Hernandez was just stepping out of the room at the end of the hall.

"Zorro!" He said somewhat startled.

"Don't let me keep you," The masked man waved him off, and the doctor nodded gratefully before rushing off to see his next patient. Zorro glanced at Padre Benitez, who nodded his permission to enter the room. His stomach in knots, Zorro stepped through the doorway not really knowing what to expect.

Sergeant Mendoza lay on the bed in the corner, barely conscious, and obviously in a great deal of pain.

"Zorro...Gracias a Dios..." Mendoza crossed himself and smiled at his friends as they entered.

"Sergeant..." Zorro's greeting was barely a whisper. He could barely swallow. Mendoza had been badly wounded, that much was clear. His left eye was swollen shut, and heavy bandages surrounded his arm and chest. Blood had already started to seep through the cloth.

Spotting a quill and paper next to the bed on the nightstand, Zorro quickly scribbled instructions for the Padre. "Padre, I don't have time to stop. You'll have to make this poultice and apply it to his wounds to stop the bleeding."

Padre Benitez raised an eyebrow, but merely nodded, took the offered paper with the hastily scribed instructions, picked up his robes, and hurried out of the room.

"Zorro..."

"I'm sorry, amigo. I'll be back to check on you soon."

"Zorro, wait. The buccaneers..." Mendoza struggled to breathe.

"I know pirates attacked the town, Sergeant. I'll find them. Don't worry."

"No...they're gone...out of town..." Mendoza gasped out.

"Slowly, Sergeant. Breathe slowly," The masked man instructed.

"They were looking for Señorita Victoria...and...and...Don Diego."

Zorro froze. His blood turned to ice and a chill ran down his spine. He didn't have time to process that tidbit of information, though, because the Sergeant seemed determined to talk.

"They were...they were very upset when they discovered she wasn't in town."

"Where's the Alcalde, Sergeant?"

"The Padre knows. I am not sure, Zorro. He was injured as well. I haven't seen him."

Zorro had to remember to refer to himself in the third person. "Why De la Vega and Victoria?"

"It...it was..." Mendoza barely kept himself from lapsing into an uncontrollable coughing fit. "It was Henry Stark...and his crew...They are on their way to the De la Vega hacienda. You must help them Zorro. Don Diego can't defend himself, and Señorita Victoria is there!"

"I know, Sergeant. I know." Zorro cursed himself. Clearly, it was a good thing he'd forced Victoria to stay at the hacienda. Had they met the pirates on the road to the pueblo...he shuddered at the thought of what could have happened. At least she was protected by father, Felipe, and the vaqueros at the ranch. When they were defending the property, the De la Vega vaqueros were a force to be reckoned with. And Diego had no doubt that his father would protect Victoria with his life.

He fervently hoped it wouldn't come to that.

"Get well, my friend."

By the time Padre Benitez returned with the poultice, Zorro was gone.