Chapter 4: Rescue
Zorro rode down the narrow street behind the church and, once beyond the dwellings, turned onto the north road. The sunset still offered enough light for him to see the three sets of fresh tracks leading away from the pueblo. But the light would not last for long, so he spurred Tornado into a canter and followed the trail out towards the hills. About twenty minutes later the light had faded completely and he was forced to slow to a brisk walk and hope that his other senses would detect some clue as to where the men had taken Señorita Pérez.
After a few more minutes he pulled Tornado up. He was sure he could smell smoke. He shook his head in wonder. If these men were stupid enough to allow themselves to be detected by the smoke from a campfire, were they also stupid enough to consider harming their victim? A whinny from a horse, off to his left, followed by indistinct voices, confirmed their location. He dismounted and looped Tornado's reins back over the saddle horn. The ever-reliable stallion would not move unless he summoned him. Then the masked man made his way quietly through the trees, toward the camp.
Approaching silently, Zorro now had a good view of the clearing. Three men — not the best odds, although he had fought multiple enemies before. The captive señorita lay on a blanket, bound up in some other sort of cloth, between two of them. The third sat on the opposite side of the fire. I must find a way to separate them, thought Zorro. He looked around and picked up a piece of dry branch, about as thick as his thumb. He broke it across his knee and a loud "crack" resonated through the woods. As all three men immediately looked up, Zorro picked up a small rock, silently drew his sword, then dropped back behind a large tree trunk.
"What was that?" asked Carlos.
"Coyote?" offered Jorge.
Paco nodded at Jorge: "Go and see."
Jorge stood up, crossed the clearing, and began picking his way slowly into the woods. When he came within easy reach, Zorro launched the rock into the trees. Jorge immediately turned in the direction of the noise, exposing his back. A firm blow to the head with the hilt of Zorro's sword caused Jorge to drop like a rock. "Enjoy your siesta," he muttered.
At the clearing, minutes had gone by and Jorge had not returned. Paco was uneasy. He stood up and called out, "Jorge! Jorge, where are you? What is happening?" There was no reply. Now Paco turned to Carlos. "Go and see what is keeping him," he barked.
"He's your partner. You go!" snarled Carlos.
"I'm very comfortable here," retorted Paco, picking up his pistol and aiming it casually in Carlos' direction. "Besides, I don't think I trust you to keep an eye on her," he declared with a frown. "Now go!" he commanded, waving the pistol again. Carlos unwound himself and followed Jorge's path into the trees.
If once is good, perhaps twice is better, thought Zorro. And it was. Two minutes later an unconscious Carlos joined Jorge on the ground. Now, keeping within the trees, Zorro was able to circle his way around the clearing.
Paco, now alone, was becoming increasingly nervous. He stood up and shouted for his companions: "Jorge! Carlos! Where are you?!" Suddenly he felt the point of a sword in his back.
"I am afraid they will not be joining you for some time, señor," said a silken voice behind him.
Paco lunged away from the sword and whirled around. "Zorro!"
"I have come to take Señorita Pérez home. I trust you do not object."
It was bad enough that Paco was stubborn. It was worse that he was overconfident. He drew his knife and lunged toward the masked man. Zorro's sword turned the knife blade, but Paco came again, this time harder. Again the sword turned the knife away. "This is not fair, your sword against my knife!" cried the kidnapper, backing off and now keeping the fire between them.
"You abduct a señorita from a church and you speak to me of fairness?" was Zorro's reply. Now, with the two of them circling the fire, Zorro's hand untied the whip he carried at his hip. A moment later the whip shot out across the fire, and all at once Paco found himself unarmed. He turned to run into the woods but again the whip shot out, this time winding itself around Paco's ankles and tripping him into the dust. Once more the vaquero felt the point of Zorro's sword in his back — only this time, harder. "I advise you not to move señor." A brief whistle now brought Tornado and rope.
By the time Zorro had finished, the three of them were trussed up around a large tree. Zorro had bound each man's hands behind his back and then tied the rope around his belt. Then he wove a long length of rope through each man's arms and around the tree. None of them were going anywhere anytime soon.
Now he turned his attention to Valentina Pérez, who all this time lay bound and motionless. He bent over her and gently laid his hand on where he guessed her shoulder to be. At this she began to cry out loudly into the gag, and writhe away from him. " Señorita Pérez," he said loudly, "Calm yourself, por favor. It is Señor Zorro. I have come to take you home." At this she lay still and he was able to cut the ropes that held her and remove the cloth.
She looked up at him in surprise. " Señor Zorro, we thought you had left us!"
"Well, as you can plainly see, I am here now," he said with a smile. "Can you stand?"
"Sí," she replied, grasping his offered hand and rising stiffly to her feet.
"Are you hurt?"
She rubbed her arms where the ropes had chafed them. "Bruised a little, but otherwise I am fine."
"Good! Now let us get you back to your family."
He kicked dirt into the fire to extinguish it, then led her over to Tornado. She hesitated for a moment. "He is magnificent!" she murmured. "None of my father's horses even comes close!"
"He is also very gentle, especially to señoritas. Now come." He lifted her up onto the saddle and mounted up behind her.
As they headed away, one of the men cried out: "Señor Zorro! Will you leave us tied up here in the dark?! There may be wolves! Have pity!"
The masked man turned and replied coldly: "I am showing you as much pity as you showed Señorita Pérez." And with that he turned Tornado back through the trees.