Before we start, i want to say something: I wan´t to know if i´m improving on my stories, so i would ask everyone to comment and let me know how i´m doing, in order to write better stories in the future.
CHAPTER 3
Diego woke up sometime later, with someone splashing cold water on his face. He gasped in fright and looked around, realizing then that he was in the bandits' hut, strapped into a chair against the wall. His sword and hat were taken from him, but luckily his mask and bandana were still on his face.
''You woke up Sleeping Beauty. I thought we had killed you out there!'' said Rafael. Diego kept quiet.
''So this is the famous Zorro? And Sargent Garcia said you were hard to capture, '' smiled Ramon. ''Mucho gusto, Senor Zorro, we are the Gang De Los Quatro Rs.''
''Cat got your tongue?'' Raimundo snapped.
''It would be wise to let me go right now Senores, I'm warning you!'' Diego growled.
''Oh really? Well, I saw on a wanted post you can profit us fifteen hundred pesos Senor Zorro, so first thing in the morning, we will hand you to the cuartel, get the money and then, we'll leave town as you asked,'' Ramirez explained.
''I´m curious to see who is behind the mask. Don't you think your friend Sgt. Garcia would appreciate if we found it for him?'' Rafael asked Ramon.
''Of course, what a wonderful idea hermano,'' agreed Ramon with a smile.
Rubbing his hands like a child about to open his Christmas present, Ramirez approached Zorro, intending to take off his mask. However, even a prisoner, Diego did not give up and sank his teeth into Ramirez's fingers.
''Hijo de Puta!'' he yelled, slapping Diego across his face ''You will pay for this!''
''Calma hermano, violence isn´t the answer!'' Raimundo patted Ramirez on the shoulder and grabbed the prisoner's throat with a hand. He managed to pull the mask down with the other, revealing Diego´s furious face.
''Hey, I know this man, he was with a woman in the tavern the other day! She called him Diego,'' said Ramirez, still angry.
''Yes, Diego de la Vega, he is a friend of the Sargent. You are Zorro, muchacho?''
''Hermanos,'' Rafael called their attention. ''I heard once that the de la Vegas are one of the richest haciendados in all California. I got an idea,'' he said. ''Zorro can profit us just fifteen hundred pesos, but how much you think the old de la Vega will pay for his son´s life?''
''Good idea hermano, we can charge forty five thousand pesos for the ransom,'' smiled Ramon.
''Don't you dare approach my family!'' Diego snapped. ''Do whatever you want to me, but don´t approach my family.''
''Don´t you worry de la Vega. As Raimundo said, violence isn´t the answer, if everything goes as planned, no one will be hurt,'' Rafael assured falsely. ''Oh and you three stay with him, I will pay the Hacienda de la Vega a visit to make the transactions.''
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It was late at night at the ranch and with the excuse that Diego might have gone to sleep at the tavern, Alejandro ate dinner quietly with the guests, talking about trivialities, but making discreet signals to Bernardo every hour asking about his son.
Once dinner was over and the guests had gone to their rooms, Alejandro ran to Diego's room, where Bernardo was waiting for him.
''Diego didn´t come home yet?'' he asked. In response, Bernardo shook his head. ''Are you sure?'' he asked again, receiving the same answer. ''Where is this boy?'' he asked when a neigh in the distance caught their attention, leaving Alejandro relieved, he look at the window, to see a black stalion approaching. ''It's Tornado.''
Quickly, not wanting to make any noise, Alejandro ran outside, only to see the horse coming without its rider. Alejandro's heart went to his stomach. He stroked the horse's mane and was ready to mount him when Bernardo stopped him. ''What is it man?'' the father growled. Bernardo made signs representing Don Gregorio and Anna Maria. ''You're right... Bernardo, tomorrow, before sunrise, I want you to go look for Diego, take Thomas with you," he said. Bernardo nodded.
Don Alejandro never thought he could act like his son used to do when he needed to hide his identity as Zorro. However, that morning, there he was, with his heart in his hand, reading the newspaper as if nothing had happened. Anna Maria appeared in the sala, while she was waiting for her father to get ready.
''Buenos Dias Don Alejandro, has Diego arrived?'' she asked politely.
''Buenos Dias Anna Maria. I suppose he is still at the pueblo, Senorita Escalante must have won him with a guacamole dish for breakfast,'' he said Anna Maria felt jealousy fill her heart.
The hours passed. Sometime after breakfast, Bernardo and Thomas returned without Diego. Alejandro thought he was going to faint, but still, he kept the role of host, trying to find excuses for his son's disappearance.
''Oh Dios, protect my son, please.'' It was all he managed to say.
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Later that same afternoon, Thomas was helping Bernardo in the garden outside the hacienda gates, when a horse approached. Upon him sat a man whose face was covered with a veil.
''Is this the de la Vega farm?'' he asked.
''Yes, how can I help?'' asked the Indian butler. The man took out a gun and pointed it at him.
''Take me to your patron.'' The bandit ordered and trembling from head to toe, Thomas and Bernardo obeyed.
In the living room, Anna Maria was reading a little while her father and Don Alejandro were playing chess when suddenly Thomas and Bernardo came in with the bandit.
''Thomas, Bernardo, what is this?'' asked Don Alejandro.
''Don Alejandro, this man want to speak to you.'' Thomas´s voice quivered.
''Don Alejandro, mucho gusto,'' Rafael pointed the gun at the old farmer. ''I'm one of the members of the Gang De Los Quatro Rs, we have your son in our possession, so I suggest you payforty five thousand pesos if you wish to see him alive again.''
''Oh Dios!'' Anna Maria placed a hand over her mouth in terror.
''No te preocupas, Senorita, your sweetheart will be fine for now. As long his father pays what we ask, he will be back home in a few hours,'' Rafael replied to Anna Maria.
''Alejandro,'' Gregorio whispered to his friend. ''This Gang is famous for don´t have mercy, they kill in cold blood, torture their victims…'' he started. ''You better give them the money.''
''Your friend is right, senor, we have done much worse things than he said,'' Rafael agreed.
''No,'' Alejandro retorted seriously. ''My son is agile and perceptive, he wouldn't let himself be kidnapped by inconvenient thugs like you. Go make your threat somewhere else, or bring living proof of what you're saying, otherwise you won't see the color of my money.''
For a minute, everything was silent and Alejandro thought that the bandit was going to shoot him and his guests. However, to his surprise, the bandit just shrugged his shoulders.
''Como deseas,'' he said. ''Just don´t say we didn't warn you.'' With that he left without another word.