Victoria had lost her way after losing track of the cart she followed. Priding herself on never getting lost, she was growing frustrated when she glimpsed the tiny cabin in the distance.
The wooden building sat in the middle of nowhere, and there was nowhere else she could imagine them taking her friend. Diego was in that house, maybe hurt, maybe dying. She urged the mare a little faster.
Zzz
Zorro urged Toronado into a steady gallop, a feeling of unease filling his mind. Something was wrong, it had been too easy. In his experience, most of his adversaries were more challenging. His mind was racing, trying to factor in contingencies that might be in place.
He turned the stallion towards the cabin, approaching in a different direction than he had left. The barrel of gunpowder still stood where it had been, but this time he saw another line of gunpowder leading from another angle. A spark was travelling along at a steady rate, getting quite close. He was too far away to stop it.
Zorro reined in Toronado, startled at the turn of events. The hillside was still going to explode. The cabin was going to be destroyed in a matter of minutes, taking out the guard if he was still there. The thought gave Zorro chills. He had to do something to stop that man getting killed.
As he approached the house, he saw Victoria doing the same on her mare. His heart skipped a beat, and all thoughts of saving the man vanished from his mind. She was too close. She would get seriously injured if he didn't get her away from the cabin.
"Victoria!" He shouted, making her turn her head. "Come away. It's not safe."
She was shaking her head. Damn the girl, he thought with a wry smile. His beloved had far too much courage for one person - but then again she didn't know the dangers.
"The whole hillside is going to explode," Zorro shouted, again shaking his head as she shook hers.
He raced Toranardo to her side and grabbed the reins of the mare.
"Diego is in there. We have to save him," Victoria said, her voice breaking a little. "I can't let him die in there."
"He's not in there," Zorro said, irritated.
"He is, there's no other place he could be," Victoria said, tears coming to her eyes. "I won't leave him."
"I already rescued him," Zorro said firmly. "We have to get you out of here."
"Really?"
Zorro cast a glance towards the cabin. They might already be too close to the gunpowder.
"I don't know if you are lying to me," Victoria said. "I won't leave him to die, even if you will."
"When have I ever lied to you?" Zorro said.
"Where is he then?"
"Home where he belongs," Zorro answered. "I'll take you there. You can see for yourself."
Victoria was silent for a moment, and a tear ran down her face. She turned her face, but let him guide her mare.
MacKay stepped into the road ahead of them. He levelled a rifle on his shoulder, pointed towards them.
"MacKay, you've done enough damage for one day. Stand aside, let us pass."
"Zorro, he might not be bluffing," Victoria murmured.
"Victoria, make your way up the ridge there, that road leads to the de la Vega hacienda" Zorro said, pointing the way. "I'll have you safe. I'll deal with this."
The masked man slapped the mare lightly on her flank, just hard enough to startle the horse into movement.
MacKay watched the mare and the woman leave the area, merging into the trees on the ridge.
"Quite right, Zorro. Keep the little lady out of danger." He lowered the gun slowly. "Such an unfair advantage, a rifle against a sword, I feel at least."
Zorro nodded. "Indeed. Most chivalrous in battle to cast aside unfair advantages. Although on my side, I feel I may have an advantage over you."
"I know of your reputation. The best swordsman in Alta California? I hear that is the claim," MacKay said, placing the weapon on the ground. "Most impressive."
"I let others spread my fame," Zorro said, dismounting. "It doesn't do to boast."
MacKay drew his sword slowly, and waited.
"Are you sure this is the correct course of action, MacKay? Your gunpowder is due to explode within moments." Zorro eyed him carefully. "The wise know their limitations."
"You managed to save that newspaperman?"
Zorro shrugged. "It wasn't that hard, Senor. I have dealt with worse fiends than yourself."
A high pitched scream distracted both men, making them glance backwards. The man who had guarded the cabin was returning her to the others, flung over the saddle like a sack of potatoes. He kept a firm hand on her, as she struggled to get down.
"Now what, Senores?" Zorro said, keeping his hands away from his sides. "Do we all roast in the explosion, or do we wait for another day?"
"Boss? Explosion?"
"Don't be an idiot," MacKay growled. "Give me the girl."
"You were going to let me die in an explosion with the newspaper guy?" The man continued. He thrust Victoria off the saddle, and she landed in the dirt, annoyed but mostly unhurt. Then he turned his horse away from the group at a gallop, self preservation his overall goal.
"Good help is so hard to find," Zorro said, drawing his sword. If he acted now, he might still have time to save Victoria and himself from the blast. "If you will excuse us, we will be leaving now. If you are wise, you should as well."
Victoria ran to him, and he pushed her against Toronado. "Stay back, my love."
The men approached each other with hesitation. MacKay was the first to lunge at Zorro, who moved quickly out of the way. Zorro pushed the man back with several lunges of his own, which MacKay parried desperately. The fight was certainly one sided from the start.
"The range of that explosion is up for anyone's guess," Zorro said, as the swords clashed close to both men's faces. "Are you sure your confidence is equal to that uncertainty?"
MacKay hesitated for a moment, and it was enough for Zorro to unarm him with an expert swipe of his sabre. MacKay whistled for his mount, and mounted quickly.
"We will meet again, Zorro. Next time I will kill you," MacKay shouted. He glanced towards the cabin, and then turned and urged his horse into a gallop.
Victoria ran to Zorro's side, relief bringing colour back to her face. "Is there really going to be an explosion?"
"I think it's too late to do anything except take cover," Zorro said, tightly. He guided his horse and the woman towards a tiny indentation in the hillside.
"It's so small, we'd never fit in there," Victoria said, doubtfully. She entered the small gap, her hands running along the sides of what became a large cave. She glanced back at the masked man behind her, and frowned. He was annoyed with her, she could feel it in her bones. Toronardo snickered, faltering and then more confidently letting himself be led into the dark.
"I'm...sorry," Victoria said softly.
Zorro's eyes glittered in the dark, but he remained silent. She grew worried, and reached for his hand. His gloved hand wrapped around hers instinctively, and she relaxed a little.
"I saw them take Diego."
Zorro kept walking, urging her deeper into the cave.
"He's not strong enough to defend himself," she continued. "He's so very clever, the cleverest man in the pueblo, but he's not like you, Zorro. He can't fight back."
Zorro turned to lead Toronado in by the reins, as the stallion hesitated again.
"He could have been killed."
"What does he mean to you?" Zorro said softly in the dark. His eyes watched his horse, obviously daunted by her answer.
"He's like my brother," she said. She had brothers. She glanced at the cave floor. "Not exactly...I don't know. We have been getting closer these last few weeks."
"I know you have been meeting during siesta," Zorro said. "For what reason?"
Victoria stared at him, her eyes meeting his in the gloom. He didn't seem completely devastated, but there was an emotion there she couldn't understand.
"Is he courting you?" Zorro said gently.
Victoria laughed, but it didn't seem like normal laughter. Like a nervous reaction to a strange feeling inside. "It is nothing like that…"
"Why didn't you tell me about it? Why did I have to find out for myself?"
There was a resounding boom outside, that rocked the ground beneath them. Zorro threw himself over Victoria, as parts of the cave's roof started raining down.