Chapter 3: First encounter.

The dusk is there; at the pass M. enjoys his victory. He knows that Zorro will not be there. After all he had measures for it and the wound, he inflicted him, conforms him in his idea. He is not close to forget the painful rictus of De la Vega when he was touched.

Lost in his thought and his dreams of greatness, he does remarks not immediately the rider arrives. But when the gallop is near, he seems to fall back on earth.

Could it be…? Zorro! Fumes the man, recognize him without difficulty.

"Señor, you asked me," greets Zorro while he dismounts, guessing his opponent's presence.

"Good evening, Señor Zorro… En garde." Replies the mask man as he comes out of the shadow.

"As you wishes," smiles Zorro.

The two men were face to face, keeping an eye on the other, and starts hostilities while another rider arrives in silence.

"You don't seem to be in form," said M. mocking.

"I don't want you to be offended, señor", answers Zorro with a smile, but feeling effectively tired.

Same mask, same goateed… This must be Zorro from last evening.

"Señor, about it, could you explain the purpose of this duel?"

"Why? You need a reason for fighting?" attack M.

"We can say that."

The duel is wild, the blades whistling in the evening air, and swords which cross around them echoes. Don Alejandro slows down his horse and comes near them stealthily. Then he saw Sergeant Garcia and some lancers.

"Sergeant Garcia", he asks with surprise.

"Don Alejandro… What are you doing here?"

"I came to see if Zorro was a man of honour."

"Yes he is… There is no doubt."

"And you are here for?"

"We are here to capture Zorro what else? I've heard he wounded Diego… How is he?"

"He's sleeping… According to Diego, this is not the real Zorro who is responsible," he says watching again the duel.

Zorro and M. are always crossing their swords, and Zorro does not seem to be in form. Don Alejandro comes near the duellist, in silence.

"Don Alejandro," whispers the Sergeant, it's a waste of time.

He watches him and decides to stay where he is.

I have to alert Zorro, his opponent must be in league with the lancers.

Finally, however tired and standing badly, Zorro had the upper hand and disarms his opponent, wounding him to his right hand, putting an end to the duel. Don Alejandro was within a couple of paces of them, and hears their conversation in a better way.

"Señor, this was a pleasure, but you have lost."

"This is only a postponement De la Vega! We'll meet again."

Don Alejandro frowned. Has he heard what he believes having heard?

"You've mistaken I'm afraid," smiles Zorro firmly.

"That's what we will see," say M. while he takes back his sword and put it away before to get back on his horse.

Then Don Alejandro shows himself weapon on his hand.

"En garde, Señor Zorro!"

"Buenas noches, Señor De la Vega," smiles Zorro who feeling his father tension.

"You are a very wanted man," smiles M. Machiavellian.

It's good for me. There will be no one at the De la Vega's Hacienda. Then he galloped.

Zorro observes him. M. took the hacienda's path. He notices immediately the lancers hides in the shadows and smiles with amusement. While Zorro and Don Alejandro are crossing swords, Don Alejandro explains him in a whisper:

"The lancers and Sergeant Garcia are not far and spy us."

"Why saying me this?"

"One day you save my life… I begin to doubt of last evening events," he says while losing his sword.

"Señor, it seems important to go back near your son as fast as you can."

Don Alejandro takes back his weapon with his left hand in order to give Zorro a friendly pat on his arm with his right hand.

"Thank you for… your advice" he breaks off a moment while Zorro winced under his mask at his touch.

"Is there a problem?" asks Don Alejandro. This can't be…

"An old injury" tries Zorro sceptical that that lie was enough.

"So you're not invincible."

"You will laugh about it with learning how I did it," says Zorro with humour. "But it would be a long story and the lancers are moving. Make haste to go back to your son."

"Knock me!"

"I beg your pardon."

"Knock me," repeats Don Alejandro harshly.

"Why?"

"The lancers will have more waking me up than to pursue you."

"I can't."

"You're sentimental? Time is precious, hurry up!"

"I'm sorry," he says while doing it with a lack of firmness.

Then, Zorro went up on Tornado when the lancers arrived. While Zorro is fled again, Sergeant Garcia hesitates. Should he pursue Zorro, or should he help Don Alejandro. Finally he listens to his heart.

"Don Alejandro, wake up... Don Alejandro," shakes gently Sergeant Garcia.

... Much later, De la Vega hacienda…

M. comes closer and hides his horse.

"If I'm not mistaken, De la Vega must not be there." He whispers while he enters the property not without any difficulty.

Upstairs, the gallop from the horse did not escape Bernardo's ear. He comes close to the windows and looks outside discreetly while a man enters the main patio. Then, his steps are quieter and he seems to be on the watch. His way is sure; he knows where he has to go. Anxious (?) Bernardo draws near the bed in order to make believe someone was sleeping. It's useless to play Diego now. It's certainly not Don Alejandro. Then he catches a heavy object and hides in the shadow near the door, ready to knock the intruder, and waits. Noiselessly, the door opens. The man barely had time to take a step in the room that he was knocked out by a smiling Bernardo. Zorro arrives at that time using the secret gate. Nodding he sees his opponent on the ground.

"Well done, Bernardo, but your act is not over."

The latter looks at Zorro interrogative. Z mimes Zorro making smiles Bernardo. Then Diego dress as fast as he could, fighting not to faint, next he reach his bed, exhausted. When Bernardo was ready, he explains him his plan.

Outside, riders draw near and Zorro hides in the shadow as Diego closes his eyes.

It was about time I get home.

The mask man regains consciousness, and, shaking his head, he rise sword in hand.

Whoever it was he will understand his pain! He thinks while looking round the room without finding only the sleeping man in a delirious fever.

Slowly, he closes the door and gets close to the bed, discovering its owner.

"De la Vega! It's impossible."

Zorro (Bernardo) in the shadows observes facetious the discomfited face under the mask. Outside the lancers are helping Don Alejandro to get to his room.

"Thank you again, Sergeant Garcia"

In the mean time...

"You will not get me, De la Vega... I don't know how you did but your subterfuge does not work with me."

In front of the anger and the peevishness of this man, Diego fights to open his eyes.

"Who... Who are you? What... What are you... talking about?" He asks with a heavy voice.

"You know it well, De la Vega."

The man comes near, threatening. Diego tries to sit up to observe the mask man, but as soon he leans on his left arm, he stopped, winced and catches his painful arm.

"I'll break you, De la Vega."

The room's door suddenly opens while a flower pot falls on the ground; alerting the lancers on the departure.

"ZORRO!" exclaims the imposter turning back and betraying his voice. "It's impossible."

Diego fights to stay awake. His buzzing ears prevented him to hear correctly. Silent, Zorro greets him with a smile before he slip away.

"ZORRO, CATCH HIM!" Order Sergeant Garcia.

"Diego ...! Diego...?" Exclaims Don Alejandro alert, running before the soldiers while Zorro (Bernardo) escapes on the roof.

The fake Zorro, still with Diego, feels trapped and steps out of the room menacing.

"It will not happen that way next time, De la Vega."

He is suddenly face to face to the old De la Vega and hustles to force his way.

"Diego!" repeats Don Alejandro worried while he enters his son's room.

"CATCH ZORRO," repeat Sergeant Garcia.

"Which one?" asks a soldier as he sees two Zorro.

"The one's closer."

It turned out that the closest was the one who had just left the room hustling Don Alejandro. The second one takes advantages of the events and fly away to dress up as usual as fast as he can. He went to the salon where he acts as if he was knocked. As he wants to climb upstairs to see Don Diego, he misses to be touché by the mask man's blade and falls to prevent a slash. Seeing De la Vega servant, M wonders.

Upstairs.

"Diego, do you hear me?"

The latter vacillates, his head going from left to right.

"Diego," repeats his father.

Diego managed to open his eyes while Bernardo comes in, soothing his head.

"Father..." Diego retorts as he see Bernardo safe and sound behind his father.


I hope your enjoy the story.

I have to admit it's difficult to translate a story when we're not use to speak or write in another language. It's quite a big challenge.

Thanks for the feedback.