Chapter 4 The sure thing:
People had been gathering on the plaza, the lancer was stacking everything they could find on two wooden trailers. Don Alejandro was watching what the Alcalde was doing shaking his head, "He still thinks he can capture Zorro." he thought while he was shaking his head. Victoria stood next to him watching the very same thing, shaking her head also. She looked as beautiful as ever in her brown skirt, a white blouse and a yellow sash. She turned to Don Alejandro, "Don Diego didn't come with you?" She asked curiously
"No, he has a terrible cold poor boy." Don Alejandro watched how much people wanted to see their hero take the challenge and see him win because no horse could beat their Toronado. The people had not only embraced Zorro as their hero but they loved his horse just as much, the fact that the stallion was smart and could give his own reaction was the only thing that was needed to embrace him too, plus he brought their hero to safety time and time again. It wasn't the first time that Don Alejandro was disappointed in his son, he was often sick, too often for such a young man. Most young man would be outside but not Diego he was always reading or doing some 'useless experiments'. He never heard Victoria's response, "He picked a fine time to get sick!"
The old don was snapped out of thoughts when he heard senor mocking their local hero, that was as bad as mocking with God, "Zorro, this so-called man of courage, with a horse I heard so much about, obviously has no interest in winning your money back, so..." but senor Herrera was stopped by the hooves of a beautiful, black horse with on his back a masked rider dressed in black.
"Zorro!" said Victoria like a teenager seeing her first crush. Zorro saluted the Alcalde not knowing he would be trapped afterward. The Alcalde saluted back with an evil grin on his face, he was sure of it, this time Zorro would be his.
"Senorita, if you be so kind!" senor Herrera gave the bag with money to Victoria before challenging Zorro in person, he was sure he would go home with two horses, not knowing that Zorro was the only rider Toronado allowed on his back, besides Felipe but only Diego knew that.
"My challenge still stands senor, my winnings against your horse."
That was the moment Don Alejandro looked at the rider on the black stallion, really looked at him, "why was his riding-style so familiar for me?" Don Alejandro asked himself. It wasn't the first time he saw the masked man ride his stallion but it was the first time that some warning bells started ringing in his mind. He Kept his eyes on the fox.
Victoria on her part was worried, what would happen if Zorro lost his precious horse. She couldn't think that way but still, she encouraged the black stallion in her mind, "Run like the wind, Toronado!"
"Let's ride!" responded sure of himself and the ability of his favorite stallion.
" On your mark!" yelled Mendoza, he too prayed that Toronado would win. He admired Toronado as much as he admired Zorro, secretly, of course, he couldn't lose his job.
"Ready?" Mendoza yelled again. Both men were focused but then happened something only Zorro thought about, senor Herrera wasn't so sure after all because he started before the signal was given.
Victoria was really worried now but Zorro stayed calm, he knew the real ability's of his special stallion, "once a cheat, always a cheat" he laughed before he took off.
Don Alejandro was looking at the dust that Toronado had left when he noticed something that he had never noticed before, "Zorro has the same riding-style as his son Diego, who was sick at home or wasn't he?" Don Alejandro thought.
"Victoria, when did you say Diego started to get sick yesterday?" he asked curiously, he needed to be careful, he didn't want to bring his son's life in jeopardy.
Victoria thought for a moment before she answered, "Not long after senor Herrera had challenged him and after Mendoza had declared that the Alcalde would do anything to get that money back. Why?" Victoria looked briefly at don Alejandro, seeing don Alejandro's mind twirling. That was the moment that something snapped in her mind, "It couldn't be? Could it?"
"Don Alejandro, are you thinking what I am thinking?" Victoria whispered.
"If you think that a certain someone isn't sick at all, then we both think the same," he whispered back.
"Come with me to the hacienda, we will lure him in telling us the truth, the Alcalde can't suspect anything!" He whispered before they saw a dust cloud arriving, they were riding to the finish and Toronado was leading the race. The people were going wild, their hero was winning.
Don Alejandro needed to control himself when Zorro was arriving first over the finish, now that he knew it was even more obvious who was riding that half wild, infamous stallion.
Victoria on her part was looking with more love in her eyes towards the winner, her hero, her Zorro, her best friend Diego.
Victoria handed him the money he had won, "this money has been taken from you under false pretenses! Alcalde I know you would be relieved to return this!" Zorro threw the leather bag right in too the Alcalde's hands who held it up high. Senor Herrera snatched the bag out of his the Alcalde's hands and took off.
Zorro sighed, it was just to good to be true.
"I was hoping we would have more time!"
" and so was I!" Victoria responded sadly, hoping her acting was convincing enough.
The lancers chose that moment to close the gap between the two high stacked trailers.
"No horse can clear that Zorro! Dismount or die?" the Alcalde yelled evilly.
"This couldn't be happening." Don Alejandro thought, trying to control his fears, "Not after I just gained the son I wished for, a real De La Vega!"
"No please, don't let this be happening! I never told him I loved the man behind the mask even more than the hero." Victoria was shocked, the fear for the life of the man she loved so much really loved so much.
Zorro didn't panic though Toronado was only known for his speed he nobody knew how high Toronado could jump. Zorro spurred his stallion and jumped his way over the high trailers. The Alcalde's shot missed him by mere inches.
Don Alejandro let out a sighed, not knowing how long he was holding that breath, with Victoria's face in the crook of his shoulder, the poor girl had been too scared to look this time, thinking that this was really over. She too sighed a relief when she saw Toronado jump.
Don Alejandro and Victoria had been waiting for hours when they saw a horse arriving into the plaza, his rider with his back to the front tied up on his horse, it was Abdullah the Arabian owned by senor Herrera. This was the sign to them that Diego would be home soon. They took off towards the hacienda.
"Diego!" he heard his father yelling, Diego jumped into his bed almost forgetting to remove his mask in the process.
They walked inside his room.
"Don Diego? Don Diego?" Victoria asked, hoping she could control her nerves.
"How do you feeling?" she asked playfully, she wasn't going to throw herself in his arms, not yet anyway.
"Well you look much better!" she smiled looking towards the old don, trying to control her feelings.
"Macias has paid his taxes, he can keep his farm now." Don Alejandro smiled towards his son. "All thanks to you!" he thought afterward.
"Finally a bit of justice we should celebrate!" Diego said cheerfully trying to hide the black clothes he was wearing.
"There is something else to celebrate! That book you were waiting for has finally arrived."
Don Alejandro wanted to give the book, maybe that way they could lure him from under his covers. They were smart enough know to know that he still was wearing Zorro's clothes.
Diego almost took the bait but he changed his mind just in time.
"Maybe we could celebrate later!" Diego said pretending he was sick again. His father didn't want to take that bait anymore though.
"Come from underneath those covers, Diego. We both know it was you that was riding this afternoon!"
"I beg your pardon? I don't know what you are talking about? I was here all afternoon." Diego tried to save his skin.
Don Alejandro bent down and took his saber from underneath his bed. The old don had noticed the sword the moment he walked in.
"I am talking about this Diego." Diego looked at Zorro's sword on his bed in defeat.
"Now change your clothes and take us to that wonder-horse of yours, we will be waiting in the library.
Diego came from underneath his covers but stopped Victoria before she could leave the room. His father knew they needed to talk but he stayed there too, chaperoning his son and the love of his life.
"Please forgive me that I kept this from you Victoria, but know that my feelings for you are real, do you think you could love the man behind the mask?" Diego looked in the eyes he loved so much.
Victoria placed her hands on his cheeks and pulled him towards her until their lips met. Don Alejandro smiled at the sight before him. Victoria loved his son. How lovely this sight was it was still improper for a woman to kiss a man on his lips in his bedroom so he cleared his throat. Diego and Victoria smiled shyly. Victoria and his father left the room, Diego followed not long after, he was Zorro after all. He had was caring his things when he arrived in the library. He pushed the secret button on the mantle and motioned them to follow him.
Diego was hanging his black clothes on the rack when he noticed that looks in the eyes of his father and his girlfriend.
They walked towards the stable that was holding the winner of the day, it was his speed that had saved the Pueblo today. This would be a new chapter for all of them, and Toronado, he munched on his favorite treat, the apples his new friends had brought him. His master was here so this was all safe. This would be his home forever.
The end
Next Episode: The legend.