Chapter 5

"You can't go to the pueblo," his father objected vehemently when he told him of his plan. "It's too dangerous. The alcalde will kill you, and I can't have that!"

"I heard that the alcalde is a dangerous man who intents to capture and hang Zorro, but I won't go as Zorro. I have been at the pueblo dressed as myself all the time and have eaten with you in the tavern as you told me yourself. Why should I stay away now? I believe it's my only chance to recover my memory. I can't stay at home and wait to remember my past which may take weeks or months or may never happen at all. You can't expect me to become a prisoner in my own home when there is a chance for a faster recovery by meeting people and visiting other places besides this house."

"You are not yourself anymore," his father tried to explain. "Anyone who meets you will know that you are Zorro."

"Why would they know? Why now when the alcalde has never found out before?"

"Because the Diego they know is different in the way he talks and walks and … just everything.!"

"How different?" he asked confused.

"I don't know how to explain it any other way, but the difference is obvious."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"No you don't, Diego, and I wished you had never started it, but you can't turn back the time. I only wish that you get back your memory soon." He sighed. "You're right I can't ask you to stay at the hacienda until your recovery, but please do me a favor and don't go on your own."

"If it makes you feel better, I agree. I will need someone to show me around and introduce me to people I have forgotten like the alcalde. I'll be happy to have you by my side, Father."

After breakfast, he drove with his father to the pueblo who had insisted they take the carriage instead of riding since his father didn't trust his recovery from the concussion enough fearing he might fall from his horse if he was hit by dizziness again.

"I think we stop at your newspaper office first," his father suggested. At the pueblo his father guided him to a small office some houses down from the main plaza and opened the door with the key that was hidden above the door frame.

"I didn't know I had a newspaper office. What is my function at the newspaper?" He looked around in the small room that was dominated by the large printing press.

"You are the editor since you took over the job two years ago." His father talked about the newspaper that was named the guardian and how he had used it to point out the alcalde's misdeeds.

"Does the alcalde do this often?" He walked around looking at the papers stacked on the shelves and the table covered with printing utensils.

His question prompted his father to open the cabinet and show him the stack with all the previous editions of the Los Angeles Guardian. "Read for yourself. You are the editor and wrote all those articles."

He took one of the latest editions, sat down at the desk and looked at the different articles.

"Everything? I can't believe I filled all those different columns by myself. There is also one about food and one for matters of the heart. Strange. Do I have an interest in cooking and 'Matters of the heart'?"

"Those two columns are not from you, Diego. Don Estomago is the pen name of our good sergeant Mendoza who can talk about food all day and Dona Corazon is Victoria's pen name for the womanly advice if I may call it that."

"That makes sense though I don't know why they are using pen names, but they may have their reasons," he said, somehow relieved he wasn't expected to write for those two columns.

"I think you should start reading the latest editions of the newspaper they will give you an insight what is going on in the pueblo and get you better prepared for meeting the people in this pueblo. His father didn't mention the alcalde especially, but he understood the hint.

"Please try not to talk to anyone and stay at the office until you're finished with reading." I'll come back later to pick you up for lunch."

"Why are you so afraid of me walking around and meeting people that you want me to stay in this room? This is still me, your son!" He rose from his chair and opened his arms in a wide gesture.

"Yes, I can see that." His father shook his head, somehow annoyed. "I'll come back later to pick you up for lunch."

"At the tavern? I've seen it earlier. I'll find it on my own. There is need to lead me there. I'll find it on my own. When do you want to have lunch?"

"I will meet with some friends, and I don't know how long it will take. I'll come back here as soon as I'm finished."

After his father had left, he started to read the newspaper editions. They weren't very large and after reading all the columns of the latest edition he decided to concentrate on the main article as he didn't see any use in going through more beans recipes or advice from Dona Corazon for the moment though he wanted to read Victoria's column later as he was interested in anything that concerned her.

The articles gave him a good overview on the events in the pueblo, and he was astonished about the extent of the alcalde's misdeeds that were only kept in check by his alter ego Zorro. He realized why the alcalde was so intent on capturing him, but he also felt proud that he managed to escape the alcalde and his soldiers for so many years.

His reading was disturbed by some commotion outside, and he left his office to find out what was going on. A crowd was gathering in the center of the plaza, and he made his way through the people to join Victoria and his father who were standing in the first row of a circle around some stocks where a peasant was locked inside.

"You will stay here in the stocks until you apologize for mocking your alcalde," a well-dressed man with white hairs said. The peasant only spit in front of him in defiance.

"What is going on here?" he asked Victoria.

"José," she pointed at the peasant in the stocks, "couldn't pay his taxes and called the alcalde a greedy white devil. The alcalde has him locked in the stocks now."

"This is illegal. Why doesn't anyone do anything?"

"Oh, don't worry, Don Diego," a caballero next to him said, "he will only have to stay in the stocks until Zorro comes and gets him out. He will probably make the alcalde free him as soon as he hears about it."

"The man will suffer in the midday heat, and he should be freed now," he said, making a move to step forward. His father put a hand on his arm to hold him back. "Don't do anything, Diego," he said quietly.