"This is not justice!" De Soto heard a familiar voice coming from the office which had been his until that very morning. He was pondering on the irony of his situation when a new wave of irony hit him in the form of Diego's words, his tone of voice carrying them to the prison. "You can't just execute the man, and say things have changed! At least give him a fair trial!"
"That is not necessary, Don Diego!" The Lieutenant said, his tone of voice low enough not to carry through to the jail. "My man has already gathered all the proof and testimony needed for me to execute him for his crimes."
"What crimes? Yes, he was misguided in his actions. A little overambitious and thick-headed, but he has never actually done anything that deserves the capital punishment!" The caballero protested. "And what about your own man? You released a murderer and an arsonist!"
"Yes, I have heard all about the accusations being brought against Sergeant Luna and, although I doubt their veracity, I assure you I will make the proper investigation and punish him, should he be proven guilty. That, however, has nothing to do with De Soto's own guilt."
"That guilt, as I already mentioned, doesn't truly exist! He has never executed an innocent."
"Only because there was always someone to prevent his criminal actions."
"Whatever the case, you cannot convict a man for what he intended to do but did not!"
"True, but I can convict him for having threatened, pursued, and try to murder a man who had been declared a hero of the Empire."
"What? Who are you talking about?" Diego asked.
"Zorro. His actions against him are reason enough to hang your former Alcalde. You see, according to one of the first laws passed by the Mexican government, whoever tries to cause harm to those declared national heroes will be executed."
"So… you are telling me that he has attempted to kill Zorro, and that is why you are going to have him hanged? But he didn't know about the law. None of us did!" Diego argued, doing his best to disguise the relief he felt at hearing he had been pardoned.
"That doesn't matter. The law entered into force the day it was published."
"May I speak with him?" Diego asked, a minute later.
"Are you a relative of his?"
"No. Just a former schoolmate."
"I'm afraid not, in that case. Only his family can be granted access."
"But he has no relatives here!" Diego took a deep breath just as the Lieutenant was about to invite him to leave, and made one more try. "For all intents and purposes, I and Sergeant Mendoza are the closest he even has to friends."
The Lieutenant chuckled sarcastically, then looked intently towards the tall caballero.
"Fine. You have thirty minutes!" He said. "You may tell him he is to be executed at noon, tomorrow."
"On a Saturday?"
"Justice cares not for what day of the week it is!" The Lieutenant answered.
ZHZHZHZHZHZHZHZHZHZHZHZHZHZHZHZ
"Alcalde!" Diego greeted. "I managed to convince the Lieutenant to allow me to speak to you. I…"
"You must be joking!" De Soto uttered, glancing at Diego. "Oh, you must love this, Diego! Seeing me like this… You'll probably enjoy seeing me hang, as well."
The caballero was taken aback. "Of course, not. Why would you think something like that, Ignacio?"
"Because I would, if I were you. But, then, I would never commit treason! Enough with the acting, Diego! I know the truth. I was on the way to arrest you when these traitors showed up. And I assure you I would have not hesitated in hanging you… Zorro!"
Diego felt a knot in his throat but did his best to hide his reaction.
"Don't be absurd, Ignacio." He replied. "Look, whatever you may think of me, is not relevant to your current predicament." He continued to state as he noticed that his former schoolmate was unconvinced by his denial. "I have a plan to help you…"
"I'd rather trust my life to Mendoza!" De Soto stated with a chuckle. "Go away, Diego! I don't want to spend even one more moment in your presence."
"Don't be stubborn, Ignacio! I can help you, and I will!"
"I don't trust you. Now, do me the small courtesy and GET OUT!"
With one last glance at De Soto and an "If you change your mind, you know where to find me" the tall caballero exited the prison and, through the Alcalde's office, into the midday heat of the plaza.
"Stubborn as a mule!" He uttered as he headed towards the tavern.
ZHZHZHZHZ
Padre Benitez was allowed to visit him in prison and De Soto spent three hours with the man, talking about everything he needed to talk about as he felt the shadow of Death near. During that conversation, De Soto had a revelation, one long overdue.
As noon came the plaza was filled with people. The former Alcalde was shackled as he was escorted towards the gallows. He stopped for a few seconds, telling himself he will show no fear, although he was terrified, then climbed the stairs. As he reached the top, the noose was placed around his neck. It was then when he noticed that Victoria Escalante and Don Alejandro were in front of the tavern, the latter doing his best to protest against his sentence and realized that, until only the previous day, he would have had no remorse in killing that man's only remaining son. He would have done so without any tangible proof and only based on his instinct as, even if he suspected it, he would have had no chance to demonstrate that Diego was Zorro.
De Soto closed his eyes and, for the first time, saw himself through the eyes of the people he had misguidedly harmed due to his ambition. He also realized that Diego's offer to help might have been genuine and regretted not having accepted it. What he regretted even more, however, was the fact that he had never apologized for all the pain he had inflicted on others.
Not even when he was asked if he had any last words, was he able to bring himself to do it. He had never learned how.
Sepulveda was given the order to press the lever, and people held their breath as the wooden board beneath De Soto's legs gave way and he fell. He touched the ground hard and collapsed on his stomach, unsure of what had just happened.
Zorro rode into town and the crowd parted as the masked man made his way towards the Lieutenant.
"Why did you do that?" Chavez asked, glancing between the knife which cut the rope just as De Soto was about to fall to his death and the masked hero who had thrown it from forty feet away.
"Because you are hanging an innocent man!" Zorro answered.
"He… he's not innocent! He has tried to capture and execute you." The Mexican protested.
"If that had truly been his intention, he would have done so months ago."
"From what I heard about you, he never stood a chance."
"That was so for a long time. But he has also known my identity for months now, and could have arrested and executed me whenever he wanted, if he were so inclined."
"What?" Chavez asked as a general murmur went through the crowd.
"If you want to convict a guilty man, Lieutenant, look towards Sergeant Luna! He's responsible for the deaths of three friars. It was I who provided the former Alcalde with the information which led to his arrest in the first place, just as I had helped De Soto solve other murder cases before this."
Chavez considered his words and ordered Sergeant Luna arrested.
"Whether my man is guilty or not, does not prove De Soto is innocent." He then stated. "You are known to bend the truth when it serves your cause, although, why you would save the man who would have gladly seen you hang is beyond my comprehension. So, unless you can prove your statement, the former Alcalde is still under sentence of death."
"I can prove it." He replied as everyone in the plaza stared at him in disbelief. "Ask him what's my true name, and he will tell you. That, and my word should be proof enough."
"Senor Zorro!" Mendoza asked from the crowd. "To prove Alcalde De Soto's words you would have to unmask."
"And so I will, Sergeant." He replied.
"You will do that to save your enemy?" A man from the crowd asked.
"I will do that to save an innocent man."
De Soto could do little else but stare, dumbfounded, at Zorro.
"It's alright, Ignacio. You know who I am. Tell them!" The masked man asked, finally confirming his suspicions.
The former Alcalde looked around, uncertain of what to do, for the first time since he had arrived in Los Angeles, genuinely worried about the consequences of Zorro's unmasking, both for the man himself and for the people of the pueblo.
"He doesn't know!" The Lieutenant decided.
"He does, but fears for my safety. I believe he wasn't informed about the Mexican Government's decision to grant me a pardon." Cheers were heard from the crowd at his words.
Chavez nodded and decided to give De Soto one more chance. "I can confirm that Senor Zorro is pardoned, and even declared a hero by the Mexican Government. Actions against him are now punishable by death, which is the main reason why I had already decided your punishment when I've arrived to Los Angeles. However, if what he says is true, I owe you an apology. Tell us his name and fear not for his life!"
De Soto swallowed hard, fully aware that all his nemesis had claimed had been his invention. One meant to save him, even though, had he guessed Zorro's identity sooner, he would have not hesitated in carrying out the execution. Yet he did fear death. So he finally did the wise thing and accept the black-gloved helping hand.
"He's Diego de la Vega." He uttered, stirring disbelief and murmurs among the people gathered in the plaza.
"That's absurd!" Don Alejandro was heard saying as the people around him stared at the old don.
The Lieutenant looked inquisitively towards the masked man who took off his hat and untied his mask revealing that the former Alcalde was correct.
"I believe you owe him that apology." He simply stated.
His father's legs gave up under him at that moment, and he had to dismount and head towards his parent.
"Father?"
"Diego? You? You've been Zorro all this time? My own son?"
"I'm afraid so, Father. I'm sorry I never told you before, but it was too dangerous secret to share… even with you."
"Did you know?" Don Alejandro looked towards Victoria and Felipe, neither one of them displaying any surprise at the reveal.
"Felipe has helped me since the beginning, and Victoria found out, by accident, the afternoon when we got engaged." Diego told him. "Speaking of which, the wedding should take place in less than an hour. I think we should all head home."
They left in the cheers of the people gathered, Victoria, Don Alejandro and Felipe by carriage, Diego, Mendoza and De Soto - who had been released and accepted his former nemesis' invitation to the wedding - on horseback.
"Why did you save me?" De Soto ventured to ask as they left the pueblo. "Nothing of what you said was true."
"Perhaps. But sometimes even lies serve the purpose of justice." Diego replied.
"You still haven't answered. Why didn't you let them hang me? I told you I would have hanged you, had I had the chance."
"But you didn't." Diego uttered, then sighed. "I never wanted you dead, Ignacio, when are going to finally understand that? How many times have I risked my life trying to save you?"
"Fine… But why? All I've tried to do was bring you to justice!"
"And all I've tried to do was make you see the error of your ways. I always thought you have much potential, De Soto, but you are misusing it. I guess I still hope you might one day become the man I believe you could be."
ZHZHZHZHZ
The wedding lasted late into the night, and, while De Soto took the chance to get completely drunk and ended up sleeping in one of the rooms used by the vaqueros, since the guestrooms were all occupied, the groom spent most of his time answering Zorro-related questions, the bride danced with every man there, Felipe and Mya only danced with each other, Duncan charmed several young senoritas, and Sergeant Mendoza focused most of his attention on the food, as everyone expected him to do.
The following morning Duncan arrived in the pueblo just as Pilar, Victoria's helper, opened the tavern. He was heading to his room when shouts from the plaza determined him to double back.
"What's going on?" He asked one of the new soldiers as he exited to the terrace.
"Sergeant Luna has escaped." He answered before mounting his horse as the soldiers went in pursuit.