Chapter 14

The lancers slowly led the way into the pueblo. The plaza was thick with people and the horses had to pick their way cautiously through the crowd. All faces were locked on Diego de la Vega as he sat astride his own horse and rode with lancers flanking him on both sides and to the front and rear. The rumors of his death were still fresh in everybody's minds. The tale of his survival of a horrible shipwreck had only circulated in the past few days. Now the newest revelation, that he was Zorro, was rapidly being relayed from one person to the next as the sound of the hammers finishing the gallows filled the air.

Diego said nothing but dismounted easily from the horse though his hands were bound. He walked calmly behind the lancers and into the quartel, disappearing from the sight of the waiting people. A buzz of conversation began immediately.

"It can't be!"

"Not de la Vega's son. Why, he's not the type."

"Impossible!"

"The alcalde has lost his mind!"

"I knew it all along!"

"There must be some mistake!"

The crowd silenced as Victoria and the Padre were spotted walking from the church. The path before them cleared as the people nodded respectfully. Then they disappeared into the quartel also.

An hour passed. The sun was sinking low in the sky but the crowd stayed, waiting. The only sounds now were hushed whispers.

When Don Alejandro de la Vega was seen approaching through the pueblo gates, even the whispers quieted. The caballero was followed by at least twenty of his fellow caballeros from nearby haciendas. It was truly an impressive sight. Almost every influential man in the area was making a show of support for the de la Vega family.

"It is about time!" said one of the peons.

"But is it too late?" said another.

Don Alejandro stopped before the gallows. As soon as his heels hit the dirt, the alcalde came out of the doors of his office. De Soto was dressed in his finest military coat and plumed hat. He was squinting in the late afternoon sun, but his smile was brilliant.

"De la Vega! You've come to see your son hang. How nice!" De Soto laughed and the crowd began to grumble.

"You're making a mistake, De Soto. We will not let you go through with this."

"And just how are you going to stop me? Hm?" De Soto laughed. "I am about to hang a vicious criminal. I am doing my duty for crown and country. I would think your friends would all be proud of the job I am doing."

One of the other caballeros rode forward and declared. "De Soto, we have all decided to intervene in —"

"Intervene?" De Soto laughed. "Surely you don't wish to join de la Vega!"

"No, we wish to stop this!" Don Hector rode forward and shouted, "Alcalde, this is illegal. You cannot hang a man without a trial."

"In this case, I can. Zorro is a known criminal. He needs no trial."

"This man is not Zorro!" Don Esteban shouted. "This is young de la Vega! The whole idea that he is Zorro is preposterous!"

"Yes, it is insane!"

"It is wrong!" Several caballeros joined in, shouting their own condemnations.

"We are relieving you of your duties as alcalde of —"

"You have no authority over me! I was appointed by the King of Spain!" the alcalde bellowed. "I cannot be removed by any less than the King himself." De Soto laughed again and looked at each of the mounted caballeros in turn. "Now, Go! Before I have a mind to hang the lot of you as well!"

The alcalde turned back to the lancers standing behind him. "Bring out the prisoner! He has had enough time to tie up his affairs." De Soto turned back to the caballeros. "Do not ever presume to gather together against me again. This is collusion, sedition even! I will not have it. My authority is absolute in this pueblo. You have all only succeeded in making an enemy of me this day!"

It was Felipe that came through the doorway first. He ran toward Don Alejandro and the two embraced soundly, the boy burying his head in the older man's chest.

De Soto watched with unhidden glee and leaned forward only to warn, "Be careful, de la Vega. Any more trouble from you or your friends," he said the word with a sneer, "and I'll put the boy back in my jail for aiding and abetting. I am sure he has been guilty of it."

Don Alejandro glared momentarily at the man but his attention was diverted when his son walked out of the jail doorway with Victoria following close behind him. "Diego," he breathed and closed his eyes in a silent prayer. It was at moments like these when a person usually prayed for Zorro to show up and save the day. But now, it was Zorro who needed saving.

"Take care of her, Father," Diego said quietly and placed her hand in that of his father. His mother's ring now sparkled on her wedding finger. A very hurried wedding had taken place inside the jail cell before the prayers of last rights had been said for Diego as a condemned man.

"Sergeant!" De Soto yelled.

Mendoza gave the signal and one of the lancers who stood in front of the gallows with a drum began a low drum roll. The sound echoed throughout the plaza.

"De la Vega?" De Soto made a large sweeping gesture toward the wooden stairway leading up to the gallows. "If you please?"

Diego inhaled deeply and cast one last, longing, loving look back at Victoria who held her own eyes steady. She would be strong as he had asked her to be. No tear fell down her cheeks. She tried to exude her own strength through her gaze to him. But as soon as he turned away, her eyes wavered. She only hoped she would not faint.

He mounted the steps lightly. It might be Diego de la Vega facing the noose, but it was with the spirit of Zorro that he would meet it. He could not help letting a smile steal slowly across his face. This didn't seem real. It was like a dream, a horrible nightmare. Perhaps he was still on the island, hallucinating from lack of water. Or perhaps a coconut had hit him on the head and he was…

But one glance down at his father's face and Victoria's and his smile became forced. He would not shame them with a display of regret.

"Lancers! Ready?" De Soto was relishing the moment. His look was maniacal, his bearing totally militaristic. He was truly enjoying this.

Diego stepped up onto the platform, took another deep breath and stepped forward to the coiled, looped rope. The masked hangman passed the loop over his head and adjusted the rope tightly about his throat.

Diego turned to the man and said lightly, "I'm sorry, I forgot your payment. You'll have to get it from my father." For good measure, and in the manner of the man he was about to be punished for being, he gave the man a wink.

The hangman stepped back a pace. He had been brought in from San Diego and had not expected to be hanging the legendary Zorro. He had doubted this man was truly the famous outlaw. Now, he had no doubt of it. Something inside of him protested at what he was about to do. He looked down at the alcalde, sure the wrong man was about to be hanged.

De Soto nodded significantly and shouted up at the hangman, "It is time!"

The drum stopped suddenly. The man reached for the lever.

Suddenly, the sound of an explosion came from the gates of the pueblo. All heads turned as one and relief blanketed the crowd.

Zorro reared high on Tornado framed by the archway, with the dark blue of the sky behind him.

"Alcalde! the masked man shouted, you're hanging the wrong man!"

Diego's mouth fell open in shock and he looked down at Felipe.

Felipe's head turned back and forth several times as he looked at Diego, then Zorro, then back at Diego once more.

Don Alejandro grabbed at his heart before turning to catch Victoria as she swooned and fell forward.

The crowd erupted in cheers. The men lifted closed fists aloft, and the caballeros fought to control their horses, spooked by the noise.

De Soto froze, his face a mask of indecision. He, too, looked from the black-clad outlaw to Diego and back to Zorro again. It can't be! I was so sure! His thoughts were in chaos.

But Zorro was there, as plain as the setting sun, at the gates, waving in delight. If nothing else, the horse was definitely Tornado, and that meant the man had to be Zorro.

In an instant, the alcalde made up his mind. He turned to his lancers and yelled at the top of his lungs, "After him! Lancers! To horses! To arms! Arrest Zorro!"

Then the people erupted in laughter as the lancers struggled to load their muskets. They had gathered for a hanging not a firing squad.

De Soto was livid. He ran from one lancer to the next, shouting orders and flailing his arms. But his men were relieved and trying to cover their own joy that the hanging had been spoiled. None of them had relished the idea of hanging Don Diego anymore than they would have Zorro. De Soto watched in dismay as his men took longer than they would normally to complete the simple act of loading their muskets.

Zorro's laughter echoed through the plaza. He reared high on Tornado once more, waved, and galloped away with many members of the crowd flowing to the gates to cheer him onward.

A few lancers managed to get mounted and they headed for the gates. But they moved slowly and with hesitation, looking back for their leader as they waited for him to go before them.

De Soto was having trouble mounting his own horse. Laughter followed every inept move. He missed the stirrup twice and then fumbled as the reins kept slipping from his grasp. When one boot finally caught in the stirrup and he raised himself up, the horse spun in circles and threw the irate alcalde sprawling in the dirt. De Soto fumed all the more. Finally, he was mounted and ready, and the troops hung back, letting him take the lead toward the gates.

The crowd watched with satisfaction as the dust swirled behind the hooves of the troop of lancers. They would never catch Zorro. He had already disappeared over the horizon.

Mendoza, who had managed to avoid being in the alcalde's line of sight, mounted the steps of the gallows two at a time. He was all smiles as he loosened the noose around Diego's neck and slipped it off his head. "I knew you weren't Zorro!"

Diego looked confused as he said vaguely, "Isn't it good to know?" and looked toward where the masked outlaw had vanished in the distance, followed by De Soto and his lancers. "Sergeant?"

"Yes, Don Diego?"

"I don't think I can —"

Before he finished the sentence, Diego collapsed to the floor of the platform.

"Diego!" Victoria cried, and she ran up the steps to kneel by his side. Don Alejandro called for Doctor Hernandez before joining her.

Diego's face was wet with sweat and his breathing was shallow. Victoria cradled him gently, smiling with relief. "You're alive, Diego," she whispered, "and I am so grateful to Zorro, whoever he was…today."

Before many minutes passed, several of the caballeros soon were helping to carry Diego toward the mission hospital.

"Zorro indeed!" one of the peons whispered as they passed. Several heads nodded in agreement. Don Diego was much loved, but as for him being Zorro? Who could believe such a thing!

Gradually the crowd melted away as the shadows grew and night fell.

Author's notes: Here's a big "Thank you" to all who have reviewed this story. It does help so much to keep someone like me motivated to continue to write.

CW — I almost changed the ending of the story because of your suggestion. If I hadn't already finished it, I would have gone that way! But since finishing a story seems to be my weakness, I thought I'd better stick to the ending I had.

Thethirdtroll — I think I like being labeled "evil" for some reason. I suppose I am in good company since you think Tammy is evil. And I do think there must be a rule that Zorro fanfiction writers have to be cruel to Diego. It comes so naturally to say "Poor Diego." I just love your reviews.

And, in case you're wondering, there's only one more chapter….