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Chapter 13

Angry Diego walks out of the cartel. He has just talked with de Soto and as ridiculous it may sound, de Soto insist on believing his father is Zorro.
Even a blind man should be able to notice the difference. Unless he comes up with a plan to get his father out of jail the man will hang tomorrow morning right after dawn for someone he is not.
A plan has started to form in his head. He had seen a priest on the courtyard of the cartel, where de Soto had ordered the gallows to be build.
Zorro must get in the pueblo unnoticed, dressing himself as a priest should solve that. The biggest problem is, how to get out?
De Soto wants to hang his father behind closed gates. Making it hard or almost impossible to get out of the cartel's courtyard. If it was just Zorro, the easiest way would be going over the rooftops.
He had to take his father with him as well. So he had to use the office door or come up with a way to open the gate. Explosives, being too dangerous to use. Probably the towns people would be on the other side of the gate, protesting against the hanging. Not sure how to deal with that part of his plan Diego sees Felipe, who has been waiting for him near the fountain. 'And?' the boy signs.

"It is unbelievable! Dee Soto refuses to see father can't be Zorro." lowering his voice so only Felipe can hear him. "I need to get him out, and I think I just know how… come." placing his right hand on the young boy's shoulder, they walk over to the horses to head back to the hacienda.

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Mendoza is facing the same kind of problems as the young don does. He tries to believe the alcalde has finally unmasked Zorro. After all the alcalde is his commanding officer and much brighter than he is. Mendoza is a good and loyal soldier of the Californian army. But if don Alejandro really is Zorro, then how did he do it all these years?
The sergeant has seen both men together countless times. According to the alcalde it proved how deceitful Zorro was. But how can a man be in two places at once?
He doesn't want to see the old don hang. He doesn't want to see Zorro hang. Considering both men or just this one man as his friends.

Helping Alejandro, refusing to take the alcalde's orders would be seen as treason. Sentencing himself to the gallows or fire squad. Not having a clue what he was going to do tomorrow at dawn when the alcalde would order him to pull the leaver of the gallows. He was just hoping for some miracle. Like Zorro coming into the pueblo this night and rescue the old don out of prison.
Mendoza has taken up the first watch. And is now standing next to the prison cell where the Estaban brothers and Zorro are imprisoned.
Don Alejandro acting very peculiar. He is singing, and saying the strangest things.
Like the don believes him to be someone he is not. Also, he is very loudly in the things he says and worse, sings.
It is even so bad the Estaban brothers had asked the alcalde for solitary confinement for the don goes on and on about glory, chivalry, and the quest! What quest, Mendoza wonders.

And to be honest he is getting tired of it as well. So he has ordered two other lancers to take over his guard duty in prison. But not before Mendoza tried to have a talk with the man he likes to think of as a close friend. If only it was to make sure his guts was telling him the truth. That don Alejandro wasn't Zorro.
"I'm so sorry, Don Alejandro."

"Sancho Panza... My squire!" Alejandro stands up from the cot in the cell and goes over to the bars in front of Mendoza. "I knew you could never be in league," He looks over his shoulder at the Esteban brothers. "with these wicked rogues. I was thinking. We should escape tonight.., after nightfall! Don't you agree?"

"Yes. I mean no! Don Alejandro, what is the matter? You're not really Zorro, are you?"

Don Alejandro is smiling mysteriously, moving his index finger back and forwards to invite Mendoza to come a little closer. "You should know better than anyone, Sancho."

"Sancho? Why do you keep calling me Sancho? My… my name is Jaime." See the man did not even know his name. Something was wrong!

"Jaime? Yes, of course. Jaime!"
Alejandro softly whispering "What a disguise. Pure genius." raising his voice again. "Yes, never fear, Jaime!" The don lowers his voice again. "My lips are sealed." Alejandro moves his index finger first over his closed mouth and then makes a 'Z' in the air using the same finger, touching his lips again. "Shh…"

Confused, not really understanding what don Alejandro was talking about. Not knowing what else to say. Mendoza just said. "Gracias."

Mendoza walks away as Alejandro watches him go, then turns suddenly to face the Esteban brothers. "Rat catchers!" The two brothers both back down frightened.

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It is already close to midnight when Victoria returns from the hacienda. Unlike Diego, de Soto had allowed her a five minutes talk with the old don.
Now knowing for sure Alejandro wasn't himself she had gone to the hacienda to tell Diego everything his father said to her.
Well... almost everything. She has told Diego what his father had said to her. Don Alejandro was clearly not himself. Diego had told her his father had fallen into the cave as he had tried to pick something up that had fallen to the floor. By doing that he had hit his head first against the fireplace and later falling on the ground of the cave. Diego believed his fathers weird acting was all caused by a concussion.
Diego had listened to every word she had said, thanked her, and assured her Zorro was going to make an appearance the next morning to safe his father.
As Zorro had done for so many men and women before.

Not to worry he had said!

Not to worry...

Of course, she worried!
Not only was Diego risking his life. Don Alejandro had always been like a father to her. Taking care of her after her brothers and father had left all alone to take charge of the tavern.
She had faith in Diego, but she was realistic enough to know that de Soto wasn't a fool. He must know the old don wasn't Zorro, so this was just another one of his traps. All lancers would be in the plaza, making it almost impossible to make a quick escape. Not if Zorro also needed to get the old don out of the line of fire.

When she arrived back to her stable Victoria spots sergeant Mendoza next to the door, acting like he is carrying the weight of the whole world on his shoulders. He clearly has been waiting for her.
When he sees her, he gets up from the barrel he has been sitting on. Straightening up his tie, coughing, then asking her.

" Don Alejandro was... acting very strange today don't you agree señorita Escalante? Like he isn't himself. Why does he think he is Zorro, and he kept calling me Sancho?"

Victoria gets of her horse as Mendoza opens the stable door. Taking the horse in, Mendoza starts helping her to take care of her mare. " Well, at least he doesn't name you after his horse."

It had taken some time and a lot of threat not ever serving him again but in the end de Soto had permitted her to visit the old don. He still had not been himself. Not recognizing Mendoza or Victoria. Just standing there behind bars, rambling on about ...nothing really. Not having a clue for what was going on. In the end Alejandro had even called her Dulcinea. She still felt a little insulted by that.

Mendoza was fiddling with his hands. "Zorro will come to rescue don Alejandro don't you believe? I mean he always… but what if don Alejandro really is… you know...?"

You know nothing, you know nothing, was what Victoria was repeating to herself. "I honestly can't tell you sergeant.
Or don Alejandro really is Zorro? I don't think so, but Zorro hasn't been seen in a while. And... the alcalde, I think he has ordered all your men to be at full alert, so it is dangerous for Zorro to come into the pueblo. What if he doesn't come?"

"Si si, the alcalde even wants the best shooters to be on the rooftops, just in case don Alejandro has tricked us. And the execution will be behind closed gates, so the people can't do anything. He fears an upraising." Mendoza was totally unaware of all the secret information he was giving Victoria.

She was understanding immediately the extra danger this brought. Closed gates! Then the only way out was over the rooftops or through the alcaldes' office, which would be locked.
A way to help Diego came bubbled up in her head.

"...Sergeant…, you know don Alejandro ain't really Zorro..., don't you?"

" Well… eeh… I do not know for sure! I think he isn't. I mean... the alcalde thinks…"

"Mendoza!
Don Alejandro isn't Zorro and you know it! So unless you want to see an innocent friend of yours hang..., will you help me?"

Mendoza muttering "well ehh..."

"Are you willing to help me or not?
Trying to make it easier for Mendoza she used the one thing she knew would not fail. "I cook you a nice hot chilli... made with imported beans... I still have some from the last time I made it." As she tried to pursue the sergeant who actually no longer stood a chance. He did not want to give in that easily, not knowing what the señorita was up to.

"Well, I also love your flan very much."

Sugar, a sigh escaped from Victoria. It was an expensive ingredient. Normally, she only made flan for special occasions and Christmas. This was an emergency however.

" Fine, I make you a flan also. Listen, this is what I think we must do. Do you remember that basket of food Diego brought me? When I was in jail, being charged of murder …? "

Thinking he wasn't going to like what was to come next, the sergeant answered hesitantly but truthfully. "Si... "

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