"Care to explain what is going on, Sergeant?" Diego asked Dos Santos' man, a certain Sergeant Donato, at returning to the taproom after having operated on his friend, doing all he could to give him the best chance for survival he could have offered Emmanuel.
The lancer was sat at a table and stood up when Diego descended the stairs.
"We were ambushed on our way here, Señor." He answered. "Thirty men on horseback. The Captain and the other men stayed behind to give us a chance to escape with the Governor." His face was tainted with a sense of guilt at having escaped the ordeal that might have cost his commander his life, so Diego didn't question his honesty.
"Thirty men? Do you know who they were?" The caballero continued his inquiry.
"Rebel military!" The Governor answered at entering the tavern with the help of his daughter and a soldier. Don Alejandro and Sergeant Mendoza were following him as he entered.
Diego looked towards the door, surprised to see the man walking after having just been operated on a few hours earlier.
"You should be resting, Your Excellency!" He said, concern clear in his voice, as the people in the tavern, not sure of the protocol to follow in his presence, suddenly stopped eating and drinking, focusing on the new arrival, like soldiers expecting his orders.
The Governor was a man in his late forties, a military if one was to judge by his manners, although he was not wearing a uniform. Despite that, he had a kind face and a sad look, as if constantly pondering over some old, bad memories.
"Will my man be alright, Doctor?" The high-ranking official asked, instead of answering, ignoring the sudden silence in the room.
"I did all I could. It is up to him and God now." Diego replied, his expression betraying much more concern than the Governor had expected.
"I understand I owe you my life, Señor." He told Diego, gratefully. "It is a pity your efforts were in vain." He added, smiling at his daughter who was looking at him with inquiring eyes.
"In vain?" The caballero asked, not understanding what the man was saying.
"Those deserters are after us, and the ones who attacked on our way here are just part of their forces, as they still have about double as many more in infantry. Or so my soldiers inform me... An army of almost one hundred men is to pour into this pueblo before nightfall," he explained making everyone in the tavern skittish at hearing the news. "And we have only twenty-five of my soldiers and about twenty lancers to protect it. The chances are certainly not in our favor." He added.
"Your Excellency," Don Alejandro intervened as Felipe also descended the stairs to the main room, having left Pilar to keep vigil on Emmanuel, "there are only six lancers in the garrison right now, not twenty. Your order came but a few days ago for most of my men to go to Monterey, for military training!"
"I did not give such an order, Alcalde!" The Governor stated.
"But I have received the order bearing your official seal and signature only two days ago!" Don Alejandro insisted, looking at his son, suddenly realizing his concern was quite well-founded, and immediately sent a man to retrieve it from his office.
"You mean to say we have thirty men to defend Los Angeles against an army of a hundred?" Diego asked, looking worriedly at his father.
"It appears so, Doctor." The Governor confirmed. "But, the truth is, that twenty more lancers would have made no difference considering we still have only one course of action. Since it is me they want, turning me in is the only way to protect the pueblo."
"Turning you in? But they will surely kill you, Governor!" Don Alejandro found himself saying.
"Hence the futility of the doctor's fine work, Alcalde." The man replied.
"You intend to sacrifice yourself to save us, Your Excellency?" Diego asked, unsure he had heard him right.
"Do you think I have any other options? At least, that way, they might spare everyone else." He answered, kindly looking at the people around the room.
"You cannot do that, Father!" His daughter begged. "You cannot leave me alone!"
"You will not be alone, my dear! You have Fernando. He will take good care of you!" The Governor tried to calm his daughter, regretting his decision to have her accompany him on the journey. He was also regretting his decision to come to Los Angeles in the first place, for more than one reason.
"There are many people in Los Angeles! We have had our share of difficulties. Let us organize a defense!" Don Alejandro asked, convinced he could do just as good a job at defending the pueblo, now that he was also Alcalde, as he had once done when a band of outlaws had put the town under siege.
"Farmers and vaqueros are no match for a well-trained army, Father." Diego shattered his plan, as the Governor suddenly realized that the man who had just saved his life was also the Alcalde's son.
He had not realized that before, but he had heard of the Alcalde of Los Angeles. He had also heard of his son from Dos Santos' accounts. His man had many times referred to Diego de la Vega, in their conversations.
"And I don't want any innocent people to die for me, Alcalde!" The Governor added.
Diego stared at the man before him, willing to sacrifice himself for the good of others. Are the Californias finally in the hands of a good ruler? He asked himself. If so, he knew he would do everything in his power to protect the man before him.
"It is a shame you are a doctor, Don Diego." The Governor suddenly said, as if expressing the conclusion to some train of thoughts. "From Dos Santos' accounts of you, I had myself convinced you were some kind of strategic genius..."
"Strategic genius? My son?" Don Alejandro wondered, barely containing a laghter, despite their predicament, as many other people in the room found themselves also discretely chuckling at that statement. "Why in the world would your man think that?"
"Why have those men rebelled, Your Excellency?" Diego inquired, ignoring his father.
The Governor inquisitively glanced between father and son. "I don't know, Señor! I've had no word of a rebellion being planned before today!" He answered honestly.
"Perhaps we can find out." Diego said in a low voice, suddenly looking at Sergeant Mendoza. "Sergeant Mendoza!" He called, pretending to be only then noticing his friend and hoping he was mistaken. "May I ask why are you wearing that ribbon on your uniform? I don't think I have ever seen you wear one until today."
"Corporal Cabrera told me it was for good luck, Don Diego!" The Sergeant answered apologetically. "He convinced me to put it on!" He continued, realizing he might have made a mistake when seeing his Alcalde's disapproving stare.
"I don't understand your sudden interest in Mendoza's uniform, Diego! Don't you see the situation is serious?" Don Alejandro admonished him.
"Could you bring Cabrera here?" Diego asked, making a sign for his father to have some patience.
"Yes, of course, Don Diego!" The Sergeant agreed, glancing at the Alcalde, then hurried to fetch the Corporal.
"Corporal, you were the one to bring my father the orders for the lancers to be sent to Monterey, were you not?" Diego inquired as soon as the man entered, taking an uncharacteristically imposing pose.
Don Alejandro suddenly realized where his son was going with his line of questioning. So, since Diego's instincts had already proven right that very day, he decided he might as well trust he knew what he was doing.
"Answer my son, Corporal!" He ordered.
"I was, Don Diego!" He confirmed, his voice suddenly shaking.
"And how exactly did you receive them? The mail has not arrived since last month." Diego continued.
"Ah..." the man hesitated, "there was a… military courier, Don Diego! He was just passing through on his way south, and left the message for the Alcalde."
"Did he also leave the ribbon you are wearing today?" Diego questioned in what seemed more and more as an interrogation whose scope only one person in the room completely understood.
The man's face became almost white, the blood draining from it.
"This ribbon?" He asked trying to hide his panic. "No, Don Diego! It is an old custom of mine to wear one for good luck! Look, the Sergeant is also wearing one!"
He wears one because you convinced him to! Diego thought. "I see." He said out loud. "Well, you certainly need luck, Corporal, since we are to be overrun by an enemy army. However, since it does infringe on military code, I really believe you should hide it under the tunic. Don't you, Father?" He asked with a wink.
"Of course! Of course, Diego! Corporal, take off that ribbon. You too, Sergeant!" Don Alejandro followed his son's lead.
"No! If we wear it on the inside it will not be lucky!" The man continued, clearly dismayed.
"Because the men coming to kill the Governor will not know you are on their side?" Diego asked, finally making clear to everyone where he was going. "I think you should tell us the truth, my friend, before the consequences of your actions start weighing too heavily on you!" He encouraged the Corporal in a calm, yet threatening tone, as suspicion was creeping its way around the room.
The lancer hesitated but, looking at the other faces there with him, he soon realized he had just been caught. So he decided to do as Diego said and come clean.
Ten minutes later the people in the tavern had found out that there was a plot to instigate the soldiers against the Governor by retaining their payments and by lowering the quality of their food. Apparently, the Corporal was given to believe that the new Californian ruler was corrupt – a hypothesis that directed the Governor's daughter to accuse him of being a liar. After having been the tools of oppression for the former rulers of the Californias, together with other lancers he had decided that, for once, they would put loyalty to the people before loyalty to their (new) country and fight the new oppressor before it was too late. They, thus, joined others who felt the same as the plan to overthrow the new Governor was already being implemented.
While Cabrera did not know who was the leader of the rebellion, he mentioned that Los Angeles had not been affected by their plot because of Zorro's interference in saving the payrolls and Don Alejandro's preoccupation with the welfare of his men, which is why they eventually falsified the order to send the lancers away, in preparation for the arrival of the Governor. As for the ribbons, the lancer explained that they were, indeed, sent to him, one in order to keep him safe, should there be a battle, the second one with specific instructions to give to Sergeant Mendoza.
"Why Mendoza?" Diego inquired as the Sergeant was afraid he might also be accused of treason, despite knowing nothing of the whole plot.
"Because he is known to be a friend of Zorro's!" The man answered, to Diego's sudden confusion.
"How does Zorro fit into all this, Cabrera?" He asked, his tone changed.
"The commanders... they think Zorro might decide to be on our side." The man answered, clearly avoiding the Governor's and the Alcalde's enraged eyes.
"And why would they think Zorro will take your side?" The caballero questioned as if he was suddenly able to read every mind in the room, all wondering about the same thing.
"They thought about it!" The Corporal answered. "The men coming are under strict orders not to hurt the citizens of this pueblo. And they will also offer him money. A lot of money! They are willing to offer him millions of pesos, from what I hear! And a full pardon, together with command over the armed forces! With Zorro leading the army, no one in the territory will dare stand against us!" He said that last phrase with a confident smile, which seemed to contradict the cowardess he had demonstrated but minutes earlier.
Diego looked at him. True, he wanted a pardon, but certainly not like this. The thought that they expected him to be manipulated, bought into taking their side repulsed him. He did not know if the Governor was corrupt or not, although he had not yet received any information regarding possible acts of corruption on his part, as it had been the case of his predecessors. And, if he was, indeed, just as greedy as them, why would Dos Santos accept working for such a man and confide in him as he surely had? Would a corrupt, greedy man lay down his life for the good of others? That idea made no sense to him.
"Did you falsify the order yourself?" Diego started questioning again after a few moments of silence, letting the other people in the room wonder why he had so rapidly changed the subject.
"No, I received it from our men in Monterey." Cabrera admitted.
"Which is why it bears the authentic seal of the Governor," Diego concluded, having already taken a good look at the order his father's lancer retrieved from his office. "And what looks like an authentic signature." The Governor nodded, staring incredulously at the document. "How many people have access to your seal, Your Excellency?" He proceeded in asking the official.
"Just me, my secretary, the Deputy Governor - who is also my future son-in-law - and his secretary. No one else." The Governor replied, amazed at the deductive skills of the man standing before him. Maybe there was some truth to Dos Santos' accounts he considered. "But I trust those men with my life." He added out loud.
"I understand, Your Excellency, but, considering what we've just learned, the leader of this plot can only be one of those three men!" Diego stated. "Since your death would only directly benefit one, I am very much afraid your daughter might be engaged to the man looking to have you killed." He added.
"A traitor? Fernando? That can't be true! You are mistaken, Señor!" He protested, his voice trembling with ire, looking at his daughter who seemed terrified. "He was the one who convinced me not to pardon Zorro..." He then admitted, realizing Diego was probably right.
"Whoever the traitor is," Don Alejandro underlined, "our most pressing matter right now is how to deal with that army!"
"That is quite true, Father!" Diego replied, welcoming the change of subject.
"Deal with it? You heard him! The army will not harm anyone here, and the soldiers don't stand a chance if they were to fight." The Governor muttered, disappointed that he had allowed himself to be manipulated to such extent by a man he had only met a year earlier. "It is better that I give myself up! That way, at least, our lancers might be spared, Don Alejandro. There's no need for the blood of thirty good men to be spilled just to save one!"
The room again fell silent. By this point many of the people there had already quietly left, only about six curious patrons still remaining in the tavern.
"Sergeant, you might want to have Cabrera here escorted to jail." Diego suggested after taking a moment to reflect. "You will be quite safe there, Corporal!" He added, glancing over at the man.
The Sergeant complied and ordered Sepulveda to take him to prison and remain guard.
"Also, Victoria, I believe you should be closing the tavern for today." Diego asked the taverness just as Ramon entered the taproom with Doña Maria and Marisol, staring in confusion at the people there.
The little girl hurried to hug Diego and he took her into his arms, held her tight for a few moments, then passed her back to Ramon whom he asked to take her to her room and remain there. In the meanwhile, Victoria locked the doors after her last customers rapidly left, hats in hand saluting the Governor, and headed at full speed towards their homes. Doña Maria, sensing it was an important discussion they were having in the tavern, made herself useful in the kitchen, preparing several jars of lemonade.
"I might know of a way to even our chances, Your Excellency!" Diego said as no client was left. "With some luck, even win."
"You do, Diego?" Victoria couldn't stop herself form asking. Since it was her tavern, she had no intention of going anywhere, and was fully committed to help however she could.
"I am not sure winning is in the cards, Doctor!" The Governor dismissed the idea. "I am not here to harm those I was appointed to lead, and I certainly don't want innocent blood on my hands. Even if, by some miracle, we manage to repel today's attack, that traitor is right! With Zorro leading their army, they cannot be stopped! People will believe the lies they are telling about me, and will be on their side."
The masked man had, indeed, quite a reputation for setting unexpected traps and always managing to find ingenious ways to defeat his adversaries. He was also a very popular figure among the Californians and not only. In fact, his fame had long since reached Europe and South America, where stories of his decisiveness to stand up for the weak and oppose tyranny became a source of inspiration for many of those leading the fight for independence from under the Imperial rule.
"I wouldn't count on that part of their plan materializing." Diego uttered, a sly smile appearing at the corner of his mouth and disappearing just before anyone else noticed it. "After all, how could they even make Zorro the offer," he added as not to arise suspicions, "if no one has any idea of who he is? Not to mention he might not be as easily convinced to join a rebellion as they might think."
"That is true!" Victoria hurriedly confirmed. "Zorro only fights for the people! He will not accept being dragged into a conspiracy against you, Your Excellency!"
Diego smiled, grateful for her high opinion of his alter ego and realizing she, too, had already intuitively taken the Governor's side.
"Every man has a price, Señorita." The Governor contradicted her. "And I was stupid enough to refuse even to grant him a full pardon, although I am quite well aware that the man deserves a medal, rather than a noose around his neck!"
Diego looked at him wondering if those words were true, yet his mind was already made. People who betray those they care about, manipulate and lie to others were what he had fought against for the last decade.
"As I said, Governor, I am quite confident I have a way to win this fight and, should you agree to my terms, perhaps even the war." Diego returned the conversation to his previous statement.
"Terms, Diego?" Don Alejandro asked infuriated, suddenly feeling he was not recognizing his own son. "We are about to be overcome by an army, His Excellency's life is in danger! You can see that, can't you?"
"I understand quite well our predicament, Father, just as I understand we are soon to run out of time." Diego stated calmly. "And it is not only his life that's in danger but yours, your lancers' and the lives of my friend Emmanuel and his men. What is your reply, Governor?"
The man stared at Diego, again wondering if Dos Santos might have been right about his friend. Was he a strategic genius as his man had described him? His mind was clearly one of the sharpest he had ever seen.
"What are your conditions, Doctor?" The Governor finally decided to ask.
"If I am to help you, Your Excellency, I need to know I am doing the right thing. My father raised me to believe that every life is important, that each man matters as much as the other. Therefore, in that spirit, my conditions are that your lancers will only aim at disarming the soldiers attacking us, not kill them. That once the battle is done, myself and Doctor Kent would be allowed to operate on the injured on both sides, according to the seriousness of the wounds, and that whatever remains of the army due to attack us once all this is over will not be incarcerated or executed, but instead given the chance to rejoin the military or quit the career and the territory." Diego stated.
"You can't be serious, Diego! They are traitors!" Don Alejandro protested, remembering his brother was killed by one of his men.
"No, Father!" His son contradicted him with a certainty in his voice Don Alejandro had hardly ever heard from him during the last decade. "They are men following orders and being lied to. The responsibility for their actions belongs to the commanders who have manipulated them! Furthermore, Your Excellency," he added, turning his gaze towards the Governor, "they might prove quite useful!"
"You think they can be turned." The Governor understood his strategy.
Diego nodded, a wicked smile on his face.
"Finally, Your Excellency, my last condition is that you put your men at my orders. I make the plan, and I need to know they will carry it out as I tell them to." Diego stated.
"At your orders, Diego?" His father asked outraged.
"But you are not a military man, Don Diego!" The Sergeant protested.
"I might not be," he admitted. "But Emmanuel, was right about one thing: I always did have a mind for military strategy."
"You have a mind for military strategy?" Don Alejandro asked almost outraged. "Diego, Son, you do understand that a good commander needs to be with his men!? On the battlefield! Not standing on the sideline, shouting orders!"
"I understand that perfectly, Father!" Diego tried to reassure the old man whose rage just seemed to be growing, now combined with the certainty that his son had suddenly gone mad.
The Governor took a moment to reflect. His own father did not trust Diego, but his man did and, clearly, the Doctor had hidden from his father some of his talents, although the reason for hiding them was unclear. A choice to save lives instead of contributing to others' efforts aimed at taking them? He wondered. That would be a good explanation since Dos Santos did mention he was sure his friend might be disappointed by his decision to pursue a career in the Military.
"Dos Santos seemed quite confident in your abilities, De la Vega." He stated. "Fine, Señor, I agree to your terms, with the one condition that, at the first signs of your plan failing, I am to be turned in to them in exchange for clemency for you, your father, his lancers, my men and the people of this pueblo."
"Good." Diego agreed as he glanced at Felipe, nodding his head. As soon as he did that, his son left the tavern, directing his horse towards the De la Vega Hacienda.