Don Alejandro found out about his son's predicament from the innkeeper in Monterey the morning he arrived, and, as soon as he did, he made his way towards the Governor's office, demanding to be allowed to talk to the official. By then, news of the escape had widely spread through the small town and rumors stated that it had been Lieutenant Ortiz to orchestrate it.
The high-ranking official received him and let him explain how his son surely had nothing to do with the rebels, having clearly been just a victim of circumstances. At the end of their talk, he even promised a full pardon for the tall caballero if he'd be found and brought back alive.
The don left the office feeling still more worried than he had been at entering it.
The official's attitude puzzled him and he wondered why the Governor had allowed himself to be convinced so easily, seeing how, just a day earlier, he had intended to hang his heir. Don Alejandro's instincts told him there was more to the story, crucial elements he was somehow missing. It felt like a diffuse ache at the back of his head, its source impossible to locate, and it was driving him mad.
In effect, there were several issues bothering the caballero.
For one, the Governor's attitude was bothering him. The man had been too calm despite having been informed that his Lieutenant had helped the rebels and escaped with them. Something wasn't right with that, and the don knew it in his gut. His instincts were telling him that a man only reacts that way if he has a plan. One that might easily end the lives of all those involved in the escape and Diego was one of them.
Secondly, it was Juan's decision that bothered him. The young man had built a career in the Military, although a very unusual one, since switching from the Navy to the Army was not exactly 'orthodox', but it made sense for a man who wanted to settle down and have a family. The officer loved Victoria, that much Don Alejandro knew. And if he loved her, why risk it all to save Diego, who was also in love with the young taverness and had made his way towards Monterey with the express aim of stopping the wedding?
Finally Victoria's own decisions seemed to lack any logic in his mind. She married Juan much too soon after Zorro's death, despite having spent a decade waiting for the black-clad outlaw to take off his mask, and despite how much she had suffered when news of his death had reached her. Having left Los Angeles without telling him of her plans, while his son was dying – something he realized he still resented her for – made even less sense. True, the thought that she might be expecting, which had crossed his mind, could explain both her sudden decision to leave for Monterey and the marriage. Yet her escape with Juan and the rebels made him doubt that was the right explanation for what woman would endanger that way herself and her child, for a group of rebels and a friend she had abandoned on his deathbed?
There was much puzzling the old don. However, for once, he was starting to understand his son.
The young man had up and left the moment he had found out about Victoria's impending nuptials, even though he had never before mentioned a word about being in love with her. That had bothered the older caballero for several days until, thinking back, he realized that Diego had, in fact, tried to show Victoria he loved her, in his own way. He had protected her, even fought a duel and went to jail just so that no harm would come to her; he had risked a perilous journey – during which, admittedly, he had gotten lost – to make sure she'd see her father again; and been by her side on so many other occasions, helping, encouraging and supporting her in any way he could. What he hadn't said in words, Diego had showed through his actions.
As for why he hadn't said anything, well, the elderly caballero reasoned, it must have been because he knew Victoria was in love with Zorro, and realized he had no chance against such a rival. With Zorro dead, though, Diego knew he had a shot.
The don felt a pang of sadness at remembering that, in spite of everything, his son had still missed his opportunity as Victoria and Juan had married before he arrived in Monterey.
Whether the fact that he had arrived too late to stop the wedding had determined him to join Correna's men, despite his own royalist convictions, or his words to the Governor had been true, and Diego had only by chance met those people just before they were arrested, the old caballero couldn't know for certain. He could only hope he'd have the chance to ask his son.
"If only he's alive and safe somewhere…" He muttered to himself as those thoughts crossed his mind while having lunch at the local tavern.
"Ah… Here you are, Don Alejandro!" He heard a familiar voice address him and the don raised his head to see the last man he wanted to see that very moment.
"Alcalde!" The caballero greeted. "Here for the wedding? It was celebrated a few days ago, I fear. I'd invite you to sit, but I'm in no mood to talk to anyone, to be fair."
"Yes, I've heard the news. Diego a rebel! Who would have thought it?" De Soto replied and sat down after ordering a bottle of wine.
"My son is no rebel, Señor!" Don Alejandro contradicted him.
"It must all be a huge mistake, then! But I was wondering about him…" the Alcalde muttered as he the innkeeper brought him a bottle of Madeira and poured him a glass before accepting his payment.
"What were you wondering about?" Don Alejandro asked, bothered by the man's disrespect for his decision to be alone.
"Well, I have always wondered how come he's unmarried. To be fair, I had half-expected to find him with a wife and several children at arriving to Los Angeles, and was quite surprised to see he hadn't yet found a woman to wed."
"He never even looked at a woman twice since he came back. Or, at least, I never noticed him interested in anyone…"
"The rumor in the pueblo is that he came here because he is in love with Señorita Escalante… or should I say Señora Ortiz. Frankly, it would explain his decision to ride here while still recovering from a disease that had almost claimed his life. How exactly had he gotten ill, anyway? A strong man like Diego, must have spent quite some time in the cold to develop pneumonia."
The don eyed him suspiciously. He didn't know what De Soto's intentions were, but he knew the man well enough to be certain he had nothing good in mind. "My son's been prone to illness since he returned from Spain. I am not sure why. Perhaps he fell ill there and his body is already compromised. I'm rather certain he didn't tell me some of the things he's been through in order to spare me the worries." He answered truthfully, hoping the man's questions would stop there.
"I guess that could be." The official answered pensively, pretending to accept that explanation. "People do lie, even to the ones they love... May I ask you another question? One that's been bugging me for a rather long time?"
"If you promise to make it the last one, Alcalde. All I wanted was some solitude, and you seem determined to stop me from getting it." The caballero retorted.
The white-haired man smiled faking an apologetic look, but the next thing coming out of his mouth was no apology. "I was wondering where had you found Zorro's clothes and sword that time I almost hung you for being him?" He asked.
The caballero looked at him as if he was a madman. "What are you talking about, De Soto? You never tried to hang me. I would remember that…"
"So… You don't remember…" Ignacio concluded pensively. "Interesting…" He continued. "You were behaving rather strangely at the time, going on about chivalry and some quest. I always assumed you were just having some fun at my expense, as part of some elaborate plan of that arch being you've always supported. But I see I was wrong… You must have hit your head or something…"
Don Alejandro looked at him dumbfounded, then shook his head. "No… It was just a dream. How can you know my dream?"
"Since I promised not to ask any more questions, let me venture a guess: Diego somehow encouraged you to believe it was a dream and never told you that my men and I arrested you in the tavern, where you were dressed in black, pointing ZORRO's SWORD at two bandits. Neither has he told you he had tried and failed to convince me I had arrested the wrong man, or that he refused to be there for the hanging."
"So it was all true?" The don asked dumbfounded. "But how? And why would my son hide something that important from me?"
"I, for one, wonder if that was the only time he hid something that important from you." De Soto said with a suggestive smile.
The don shook his head, as a memory crossed his mind. "How come you didn't execute me if you were convinced I was Zorro?" The don inquired. "And why do I remember your men pulling the lever…"
"Well… unlike your son, who is never there when anything important happens in Los Angeles, the one man who is, Zorro, attended the execution… He cut the rope, then made his way out of the pueblo with you unconscious." The Alcalde said, looking straight at Don Alejandro.
The caballero just stared at him in disbelief, and Ignacio realized he had gotten all the answers he needed from him.
"Thank you for your time Don Alejandro." De Soto continued as he poured himself another glass of wine, then poured most of the remaining liquid into his interlocutor's cup. "Have a good day, Señor!" He wished him as he stood up and emptied his glass, leaving it on the table as he headed towards the door.
