Diego grabbed a spare navy blue blanket, and swung it around his shoulders. A smile came to his face, as he considered the possibilities of such a prop. He could rig up a rough poncho and masked bandana easily enough, and he would feel more himself. Trying to put Zorro behind him would not work, he had to use his talents and recognise them for the advantage they were.

It didn't take long to do, and he was glad of the warmth and the weight. Snow had melted on the mountainside, leaving dark patches of rock and shrubs that he could blend into. The poncho hung slightly over his shoulders, a little more than the shoulder edge of the cape, but it still gave him enough range of movement to bring the fight to the bandits.

Now, where was the lookout? There was always a bandit on watch, they normally took turns to keep watch at all times. They normally didn't doze off, as most bandit leaders would shoot anyone that stupid. Diego knew the terrain, even if half was still shrouded in white. The bandits most likely did not know about the narrow crevices and hidey holes that he had discovered in boyish exploration. He could still squeeze into some of them, and there was plenty of cover with no moon.

The lookout would be on higher ground than the cave. He skirted the cave itself, picking his way carefully in the dark, by feel rather than sight, the darkness making the job all the harder. It was an ally but also a hindrance, as most allies tended to be in the end. Diego was wearing Alonso's clothes, practical, warm and sturdy, designed more for action than Diego's normal attire.

Loose gravel on top of the rise was almost his downfall, as his boot caused some to skitter down the way Diego had edged himself up. He held his breath, and crouched low to the ground, trusting that the dark could hide him.

"Who goes there?!"

There was a pause and a hush, and a lamp moved to illuminate the surroundings. It skimmed Diego's shoulders, and passed him by. A little fox scampered into the light, blinked a few times in the sudden artificial daylight, and darted away.

"What was it Joe?"

"Just a pesky fox, just vermin," Joe answered.

"Stop shouting without a reason, Joe," the voice said crossly. "Some of us are trying to get some sleep."

"You think you can do better, you get up here," Joe retorted.

Diego smiled a little. The men were restless, and irritable already. It wouldn't take long to deal with them.

"Cut it out, Max," a stern voice intervened. "Everyone shut up."

There was another silence, and the light went to the other side of where the lookout was sitting. Diego could see him now, backlit in the dark. Easy prey, he decided. He hoped his little fox friend had the same sort of luck. The snow made hunting difficult for the predators in the mountains.

Diego snuck up behind the man, silently, aware of any obstacle under his feet this time. He pinched a nerve in Joe's shoulder, and the man collapsed into unconsciousness. Diego quickly used Joe's bandana to tie his hands together, and made sure his knots were good and tight.

One down and several to go.

zzzz

Alonso rose from the table at the tavern, a little too warm from wine, but still sober enough to think rationally.

"I'll get some coffee," Victoria said, as she swung by with empty plates and tumblers. "Sit back down senor."

"I am fine, senorita," Alonso said, but sunk back down obediently. Something told him it would be unwise to argue with the lady. "Really."

"You drank half a flagon of wine."

"An exaggeration," Alonso said.

She shook her head at him sternly. Her patrons were slowly emptying from her tavern, heading to homes far and near. Alonso was one of the last ones left.

When the last of the other patrons left, Victoria bolted the front door and turned to Alonso.

He raised an eyebrow with curiosity. It felt like a tiger had confronted him and was wondering what to do with him.

"Where is Diego? What have you done with him?" She said, moving her hands to her hips. "I know you aren't my friend."

"I am Alonso," he admitted.

"I am not an idiot. I could see that."

"Where is Diego?"

"He tricked me into swapping places with him. He took my place with Alejandro and my father. To find and rescue the children."

"Is he completely mad?"

"I don't know," Alonso said.

"Why didn't you go after them? You could have rectified the situation by now," Victoria said crossly. "Diego isn't trained for such an adventure. He could fall to his death just trying to climb in the mountains. He could wander off and get lost."

"Sounds like he is soft headed, or a child, senorita. I don't know how likely any man who has lived in this part of California all his life could doom himself so easily."

"You don't know Diego, I do. Come with me," Victoria said, leading the man through to her kitchen. On the table were two cloaks, and a bag of supplies. "We are going after them. We have to tell Alejandro that Diego is pretending to be you. With any luck Diego hasn't tried anything that will get himself hurt."

Alonso wondered if his cousin had pretended well enough to be taken for him or not. His father was an experienced agent and was famous for his observational skills. He wondered why Victoria felt so protective of a grown man, and if Diego had let her think things that were not true. And just why had he decided to follow the older men into action under the guise of his cousin at all?

Couldn't he have just gone as himself? Alonso winced a little. He had not been invited to join them, had not been expected to join them. His father had thought him capable of managing the farm in his absence, but not in confronting bandits and dangers unknown. Looking after the ranch was important and took a lot more skill than confronting bandits, so what was the problem? Was Diego a coward? If so he had picked the wrong man to mess with, Alonso thought with a scowl. Diego would soon be walking into a clenched fist, if he had anything to do with it.