To Wolfdaughter (replying here, since you didn't leave a mail) : You're right about the stepdaughter mistake, thanks. I corrected it. As for your other remark, well, I think that Diego was subconsciously aware of his surroundings, and he probably would have reacted to a threat, but he did not pay attention to people simply going back to their business. Anyway, thanks for reviewing, I hope you like the rest of the story !


Chapter 2

The following night found Zorro in his den, getting ready for his nightly ride. He nodded a thank-you to Felipe when the boy handed him his mask and sword, and put them on. Tornado had already been saddled and bridled, and was prancing impatiently.

As much as Zorro wanted to believe the problems of the pueblo had come to an end, he still felt it was his duty to make sure. Certain things did not add up. He still found it difficult to believe the Alcalde would murder his own brother. Zorro was usually a good judge of people; could he really so mistaken in so far as the Alcalde was concerned?

Perhaps he was. Perhaps he was just feeling sorry for the man after seeing him in such a sorry state just the night before - although God knew Ramon did not deserve any pity. But he had to make sure, if only for the sake of his own soul. With any luck, this would be the last time Diego ever locked himself beneath that black mask. He might as well enjoy the ride...

Felipe made a motion with his hands, and Zorro shook his head.

"No, I don't expect any trouble. I am not going to confront anyone, I think. Just making sure Señor Alvarez is who he says he is."

Felipe made another motion.

"Of course, I'll be careful as always. I'll be back in a few hours, but don't wait for me. A boy your age needs his sleep."

Looking positively indignant, Felipe protested silently. Used to the boy's expressive gestures, Zorro hardly needed the formal sign language to understand what he meant to say anymore.

"Yes, yes," he said appeasingly. "I know you're a young man now, not a boy anymore. You still need to sleep if you want to ever be as tall as Zorro."

Felipe grinned as he considered that and Zorro mounted his black stallion and urged him forward. This was one of the things he loved best about being Zorro: the rides in the dark. Even though it was quite dangerous to gallop during the night, both he and Tornado knew the country so well that they risked nothing. The same could not be said of the poor guards who were usually sent after him in the vain hope of capturing the Fox.

Fortunately, there had never been any serious injuries. Zorro always felt a little bad about their wounds - after all, they were only obeying the Alcalde's orders - but it was not like he really had a choice. Besides, if they obeyed a criminal's orders, they should not complain afterwards. And, if Mendoza would not harm a fly, the same could not be said of all of the lancers, some of which were nothing but bullies in uniforms.

Having finally reached the outskirts of the pueblo, Zorro dismounted and made sure the reins were tied to the pommel of his saddle. If they were left loose, there was a chance Tornado might trip on them and suffer a serious injury, and not only would that break Zorro's heart to loose his faithful companion, it would also leave him in a tight spot if he was seen and chased. He did not, however, otherwise impede the horse, leaving him free to go as he pleased. No matter what, Tornado would come when Zorro whistled.

Once that was taken care of, he walked stealthily into the town, almost invisible in his black outfit. Leaping from a shadow to another, he was silent as his namesake. It was almost too easy; Zorro had sneaked into town so often in the past that he knew perfectly where each guard was posted, and how long it was before the relief. He knew the roofs of the Alcalde's office better than his own bedroom, and remembered which tiles would make a noise when he stepped onto them. Smiling smugly, he found himself in no time at the Alcalde's window, which of course was open. At this time of the year, the sultriness of the Californian summer still lingered, and no one in their right mind would keep their windows closed.

Peering inside, Zorro saw that Capitán Alvarez and his strange friend, Clemente Villegas, were alone in the room. Alvarez was sitting leisurely in the Alcalde's chair, while Villegas had taken a chair from another room. Both had their feet propped up on the desk, and Zorro held back a smile when he thought of the fit Ramon would have if he saw that. The Alcalde always hated it when Zorro... decorated his desk with some imaginative carvings.

He did not fail to notice the bottle of alcohol and the half-full glasses each of the two men held. Being drunk in the Alcalde's office was starting to be something of a common habit, although Alvarez and his friend had significantly better taste in alcohol than Ramon, if the label of the bottle was to be trusted.

Zorro waited for something interesting to be said, listening intently to the conversation. Strangely enough, Clemente Villegas' voice sounded somewhat familiar, though he was certain he had never met the man before. Probably just a coincidence. He waited some more, not quite sure what he was looking for, but eavesdropping seemed like a good start, especially if the two men were drunk. Alcohol always loosened the tongue - which was one of the reasons why Diego had never allowed himself more than one or two glasses in a row since his return from Madrid.

After a while, the conversation between the two men drifted from the retelling of old stories to a more interesting subject, and Zorro pricked up his ears.

"...Really loved it!" Villegas was saying loudly. "The look on his face! He didn't have a clue."

"Yes, and it better stay that way, understood?" Alvarez replied curtly. "I don't want to see you anywhere near Luis' cell."

Villegas sighed. "You sure? At least let me kill him myself, then."

"Not so loud!" the capitán hissed. "We have to be discreet. Kill him if you like, but you'll follow my instruction to the letter, if you don't want to end up dead too."

Jumping to his feet, face flushed, Villegas faced his friend. "Is that a threat?" His words were slurred and he sounded drunk.

"A warning. If we are to succeed, nobody must suspect anything, especially that we might have a hand in Luis' death."

After that, the conversation resumed with less interesting matters, but Zorro had heard enough already. He waited thirty minutes or so, just to be sure, then left his hiding place as silently as he had come. As he treaded carefully on the unsteady tiles of the roof, he thought bitterly that it had been too good to be true. How could he have really thought that his fight was over with the emprisonment of Ramon ? He was beginning to wonder if he would ever be able to let Zorro rest in peace. Yes, he was doing some good, and he knew it, but it was a drop of good in an ocean of evil.

Yet, his immediate actions required little thought. He could not decently let the Alcalde be murdered, no matter how much he might deserve it. No matter how much of a nuisance the man might be in the future. Jumping silently on the ground, he walked to the prison. A lancer was standing guard, of course. He did not even see his assailant as Zorro hit him on the head with the handle of his sword, and he collapsed noiselessly to the ground. It was almost too easy.

Downstairs, Zorro swiftly took care of the second guard. Having found the keys, he headed to the cells. Fortunately, the Alcalde had not been in a mood lately to tyrannize the people of the pueblo, and the prison was empty save for one cell.

Unsurprisingly, Ramon was not sleeping - who could find slumber in such a situation as his? - but he eyed Zorro's sudden appearance with an understandable disbelief. Of all the people he had probably not expected to see, the masked outlaw was certainly at the top of the list.

"In case you're wondering," Zorro said as the Alcalde kept silent, "I'm neither a dream nor a hallucination."

Ramon sighed and slumped back on his cot. "Come to gloat, have you?" he asked harshly. "I suppose I am the laughingstock of the whole pueblo."

"I have other things to do with my time than gloat, if you want to know," Zorro replied impatiently. He was not in the mood for any Ramon-ish spite.

"Then why are you here?"

"To talk. And to help you, though I can't believe I'm actually doing this. Did you kill your brother?"

Ramon snorted. "Of course not! Besides, if I even wanted to kill him..."

"...You would have had many occasions to do so," Zorro finished. "I thought as much. You've been framed, and your brother has probably been killed by an enemy of his. For some reason, you're next on the list."

If nothing else, that truly caught the Alcalde's attention. "What?"

"I don't know why," Zorro explained, "but Alvarez and his friend Villegas want to kill you."

Ramon's eyes widened in alarm, and he jumped to his feet. "Get me out of here!"

The Alcalde was not the kind of person to ask nicely for anything. As it was, he made a demand when any sensible person would have prayed, and Zorro was sorely tempted to make him beg for his release. But there was no time, and it was not Zorro's way. He opened the cell, and Ramon strode out. He was about to make for the exit, but then he hesitated and looked at Zorro. There was an awkward pause.

"And now what?" the Alcalde finally asked.

Zorro considered the matter. He couldn't take action if he did not know what Alvarez and Villegas were up to. In the meantime, the only thing to do was to hide the Alcalde from them. But where? There was no way he would ever show his den to Ramon. He just did not trust him. But Alvarez would probably hunt him through the whole pueblo. Where would the Alcalde be safe?

Whom could Zorro trust with this unpleasant guest?

There was only one answer to that question. And she was going to kill him.

"Come on," he said. "I'll find you a place to hide."

"Hide?" Ramon hissed. "Why can't we confront Alvarez and Villegas and make them confess?"

"Because," Zorro answered curtly, "that will accomplish nothing. We will do things my way, or I'll let you cope by yourself. Believe me, I will."

Ramon glared, and his saviour glared back for some time. But eventually, the Alcalde dropped his gaze, effectively admitting his defeat. He needed Zorro, he knew it, and that probably humiliated him more than anything Zorro could have said or done.

"Follow me," Zorro instructed, and this time the Alcalde complied dumbly.

Getting out of the building was a joke. The two guards were still unconscious, and nobody had come yet to relieve them. When Zorro reached the entrance, he glanced outside to make sure it was safe to leave. He thought he saw a move, and his eyes dwelled at the corner of a building. He could have sworn he had seen Sergeant Mendoza, but he had to be mistaken. At this time of the night, the sergeant was probably tucked under his blankets, peacefully snoring. Not a sound could be heard but the breathing of the Alcalde behind Zorro, and he turned back.

"Everything's clear," he said in a hushed tone. "Follow me and don't make any noise."

The two men walked out carefully. They were exposed in the moonlight for only a few seconds, then found themselves back in the comforting shadows of a nearby building. After that, it was only a minute before they were on the plaza. Even in the dark, Zorro had no difficulty finding the building he was looking for: Victoria's inn. He knocked softly at the window of the young woman's bedroom. When no answer came, he knocked again, a little louder, and this time heard the shuffling of feet as somebody got up and came to open the window. Because she was living at street level, Victoria slept with her windows closed in spite of the warmth.

Her face betrayed surprise, then delight when she saw the man she loved. Her smile was almost as beautiful as in Diego's reverie of the previous afternoon.

"Zorro!" she whispered. "Come in!"

He could not help but notice she was only wearing a nightgown, and thanked heaven that he was wearing a mask and that it was too dark anyway for the young woman to notice his blush. However, there was no way in hell he would ever let Ramon see her in this appearance. She was his.

"I'm not alone," he murmured. "Can you open the door?"

"Oh." Looking rather embarrassed, she nodded, and a moment later opened the front door. Zorro was relieved to see that she had taken the time to throw a dressing gown over her nightdress. "Enter," she invited him.

He complied and stepped inside, followed by Ramon. Victoria gaped when she saw who Zorro was with, but her surprise was soon replaced with anger, and she folded her arms, straightening as she glared at the man she loved.

"Just what is this about?" she demanded to know, her voice rather frosty.

"I can explain," Zorro assured her in a whisper. "Let's go in the kitchen, we wouldn't want to wake up your customers."

Victoria did not look exceedingly happy to be ordered around in her own inn, but she complied nonetheless and led the way to the kitchen. Following her, Zorro could not help but notice the sideways door that opened onto her bedroom, but he firmly set his eyes aside. As much as he would have liked to be with Victoria in her room, it would hardly have been proper for her to be there alone with two men in the middle of the night. Not that it was very proper for her to be anywhere with two men in the middle of the night, but they did not really have a choice in the matter.

Entering the dark kitchen, Zorro had to be careful where he treaded. He remembered just in time the stool that usually stood in the middle of the room, and sidestepped to avoid it before going further. From the thud he heard behind him, and the soft profanity that followed, he assumed Ramon had not remembered about the stool, and he allowed himself a small smile. Then Victoria lit a candle and set the candlestick back on the table. The flickering light of the candle was very soft, but seemed blinding after the darkness.

"Now, you'd better have a good explanation," Victoria warned him. "And I suggest you begin by explaining just what he is doing here." She waved an accusatory finger towards the Alcalde, who scowled at being treated with such discrespect.

"To cut a long story short," Zorro said, "I suspect he was wrongly accused of murder, and I want to shed light on this matter. I have reasons to believe Capitán Alvarez and his friend Villegas are not what they seem to be."

"Is that so?" Somehow, Victoria did not seem completely convinced. "And how did you reach this brilliant conclusion?"

"I overheard them talking. They said plainly they intended to get rid of the Alcalde without so much as a trial."

"Not that he deserves one," the young woman muttered.

"Victoria," Zorro said softly, yet adamantly. "Everybody deserves a trial. It is a matter of justice."

"Hmph."

He could tell she was not convinced, but now was not the time to discuss it, and he took a deep breath, knowing she would not like what he was going to say.

"I need you to hide the Alcalde until we know what all this is about."

Victoria looked at him silently, and Zorro looked back nervously, wondering what she was thinking. She made up for the belatedness of her answer with its acridity. "What? You must be joking!"

Zorro winced. "Not so loud!" he hissed.

"You can't sincerely expect me to shelter an assumed murderer!"

"I did not kill anyone!" Ramon protested loudly, ignoring Zorro's glare.

Victoria merely stared at him.

"Well, not directly. And I definitely did not kill my brother. I'm innocent!"

"That's what they all say," she snorted back.

"You can't sincerely mistake me for a common murderer."

"Who said anything about a mistake?" Victoria shot back viciously.

"I did!"

"Shut. Up. Both of you!" Zorro commanded in a dangerously soft voice, and fortunately it was enough to catch their attention. "Unless you want to wake up the whole town. Victoria, I would not ask this of you if I had a choice, but I do not. Without your help, the Alcalde will be caught, and that's a death warrant for him. I know you would not want to have a death on your conscience."

She hesitated, but her resistance was weakening, he could almost feel it. "Do you realize what would happen to me if he was caught here?"

"You know I would never let anything happen to you. Victoria, please," he said, so softly that only she could hear him.

The young woman sighed, and lowered her head. "Damn you," she said morosely. "I'll do it."

"Thank you." Zorro glanced at the Alcalde warningly, in a way that clearly meant, 'You'd better be a perfect gentleman with her.' Ramon pretended to look wounded, but Zorro did not like at all the small smile he saw tugging at the man's lips. "Now," he said abruptly, "we need to cooperate if we are to figure out this affair. To begin with, Alcalde, what do you know about Capitán Rodrigo Alvarez and his friend Clemente Villegas?"

Leaning back onto the wall, Ramon frowned. "What makes you think I know anything about them?"

Zorro's patience was beginning to wear thin. The Alcalde had better behave, he thought savagely, if he did not want to finish the night with a few bruises. All right, so it was not Zorro's way to harm those he was protecting (although the mere idea of 'protecting' the Alcalde was laughable) but in this particular case, it was sorely tempting. Tantalizing, even.

"Don't try to play games with me, Alcalde," he said calmly. "You are not in a position to win. I am your best chance and you know it, so you better cooperate fully. Either that or I leave you to your own devices. I warned you once already and this is the second time. There will be no third time."

Clearly unhappy with the situation, Ramon nodded reluctantly. "I do not know who Villegas is. I hardly saw him at all, anyway. As for Alvarez, he was more or less a friend of the family. I never quite got along with him, but he was in good stead with my father and brothers."

Zorro waited, but nothing more came. "That's all?" he asked, surprised.

"I have not seen my family in years," Ramon shrugged. "And as I said, I did not get along with Alvarez, and I certainly never sought his company. Apart from that I only know that his family has a certain wealth and influence, but he is a fourth son and therefore has little hope to inherit anything. Which is probably the reason why he ended up in the military."

"Well, what about his character? Is he the kind of man who would commit murder?"

"He would have murdered me, if what you said is true," the Alcalde pointed out dryly.

"We all sympathize so much with your predicament," Victoria mumbled through her teeth, her voice dripping with irony. Somewhat offended, Ramon made a point of ignoring her, and Zorro cast the young woman a chastising look. She held his gaze, not looking sorry the slightest, and he gave up, rolling his eyes.

"All right, so let's say Alvarez is a potential murderer," Zorro stated, trying to get back on track. "What would be his motive?"

"How should I know?" Ramon replied in annoyance. He approached the table, and his eyes dwelled on a loaf of bread. "I think I'll have some of that, if you don't mind..."

"As a matter of fact, I do," Victoria said, sending him a dark look.

"Victoria," Zorro sighed. "You can't starve him."

She gave him a dirty look, but relented and sat down on one of the benches alongside the table.

"We must devise a plan," Zorro continued, with the distinct feeling that he was the only one in the room trying to get anywhere. "Problem is, we do not know enough about Alvarez's intentions, and I somehow doubt he would have been so stupid as to scatter proof of his guilt anywhere in Los Angeles. So..."

Chewing on his bread, Ramon waited for more, while Victoria, lips pursed, made it clear through her stance that she did not feel very concerned by whatever happened to the Alcalde. Then again, she seemed to be on edge. But perhaps it was only because she did not appreciate being roused in the middle of the night.

"So?" Ramon finally prompted.

"I don't know," Zorro replied, irritated. "I don't always have all the answers, you know."

The Alcalde smiled gleefully. "It was almost worth being thrown in prison to hear you say that."

"If you have an idea, let's hear it. Otherwise, kindly keep your comments to yourself."

"I've got an idea," Victoria said vindictively. "What about we put him back in prison and let Alvarez carry on? No matter what, he can't possibly be any worse than the Alcalde."

Ramon looked positively hurt, and seemed about to protest, but Zorro spoke before he had time to say anything.

"I would not be so trustful in human nature..." he began, then broke off. His dark eyes began to glint mischievously. "You've got it, Victoria."

She looked surprised. "Got what?"

Patting her hand, Zorro grinned. "Our plan."

"I beg your pardon?" Ramon asked, suddenly looking a little worried.

"Hear me out, Alcalde..."