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 5
Garcia was in his office, his face hidden in his hands. Yesterday afternoon, he traumatically discovered that his friend Diego had been kidnapped by the four most dangerous criminals in California. Suddenly, a female scream brought him back to reality. He ran to the courtyard of the barracks to hear better.
''Sounds like Victoria…'' he noted. ''LANCERS, ATTENTION!''
''Sargent, who is screaming at this time of the morning?'' asked a sleepy Reyes.
''It sounds like Senorita Escalante, she seems to need our help!'' he exclaimed and ran awkwardly into the plaza, followed by his lancers. He found Victoria standing beside an unconscious Diego. ''Senorita Escalante!''
''H-he´s dead… I- I think he´s dead…'' she sobbed.
''But… its Don Diego…'' Garcia stammered. ''What's he doing with Zorro´s clothes?'' he asked when one of the lancers bent down and felt for a pulse.
''He´s alive... I mean, barely, but he is.''
''Are you sure?'' asked Garcia and the lancer nodded.
''So what are we waiting for?'' Victoria ordered. ''Garcia, you and some of your men help get him to one of the rooms in the tavern.''
''You, go call Dr. Fuentes!'' ordered Garcia to the first lancer. ''And Reyes, go to the hacienda and call Don Alejandro.''
''Me?'' asked the distracted corporal.
''Go, now baboso!'' he barked impatiently, and Reyes left.
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The hacienda de la Vega had never been so silent and somber. Nobody slept that night. Upon returning home, Don Alejandro went to his room, regretful, not wanting to see anyone else. Once dawn came, Don Gregorio took care to tell the servants what had happened to the boss's son and decided to take care of the farm himself, while his good friend was not in a position to do so.
After having breakfast alone, Anna Maria went to the patio, where she began to cry with remorse. Poor Diego could be dead now and all Anna Maria could think about was how rude she'd been to him when he didn't deserve it.
Seeing her cry, Bernardo approached Anna Maria and allowed her to hug him and cry on his shoulder. The faithful servant was shaken, as was everyone on the farm, as he could only think the worst. Suddenly, knocking on the gate brought Anna Maria back to reality and since Bernardo was still pretending to be deaf, Senorita Verdugo signaled for him to open the gate, letting in a confused Corporal Reyes.
''Is Don Alejandro at home?'' he gasped.
''Yes… what happened?'' Her heart raced in her chest.
''Well... Senorita Escalante woke up the whole cuartel with her screams, she said that four horses approached the tavern and threw Don Diego there,'' he said. ''Well, she thought he was dead, but when Lugo confirmed he wasn´t, the Sargent asked me to call Don Alejandro.''
''Oh God…'' Anna Maria gasped and rushed inside the house, calling for both men. ''Father, Don Alejandro, came quick!''
''Anna Maria, what is it?'' asked an annoyed Don Alejandro coming out of his room.
''It's Diego Don Alejandro, he´s alive,'' she exclaimed ''He is at the tavern!'' she exclaimed in joy as her father approached as well.
''What are we waiting for? Let's go!'' Don Alejandro yelled, eager to see his son again.
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The journey to the Pueblo took an eternity for Don Alejandro, his heart tight with worry. When they arrived, they found the tavern full. Sergeant Garcia was trying to get people out of there but was distracted by a bottle of wine abandoned on the table. Meanwhile upstairs, Victoria waited impatiently while Dr. Fuentes took care of Diego inside the room.
''Victoria…'' Alejandro gasped approaching the woman ''How is my son?''
''I don´t know Don Alejandro, I can only say that he is very strong... any other man in the state I found him in would be dead already... poor man. Garcia said he had been kidnapped?''
''Si,'' replied the old man. ''the Gang De Los Quatro Rs, Somehow they found out who Diego was and blackmailed me...''
''You mean, found out he was Zorro?'' asked Victoria.
''What you mean?'' asked Don Gregorio from behind his friend.
''He was wrapped in Zorro's cape, wearing his black clothes... well, there was no mask, no hat, no sword... but anyway, I found it strange to see Don Diego dressed like that,'' she said when Dr. Fuentes came out the room.
''Dr. Fuentes how is my son?'' asked Don Alejandro worriedly and the doctor placed a hand on his shoulder.
''Don Alejandro, I don't have very good news'' he said.
''What do you mean?'' The old man shivered.
"Although he has a shoulder injury and a severed finger that is starting to develop an infection, Diego's list of injuries is much more complicated. A broken leg, and a dislocated shoulder… he also sustained a possible ruptured spleen, some broken teeth, ribs, and other injuries caused by the beating."
''My God!'' both Anna Maria and Victoria exclaimed in horror.
''That´s not all,'' replied Dr. Fuentes. ''I found several injuries on his head. I can't say for sure now, but there could be some damage. I'm very sorry Don Alejandro, we will only be able to see the extent of the problem when he wakes up,'' replied the doctor. ''At the moment, he needs a lot of care and monitoring. I'll go to my office and be back soon.''
''Can I see my son?'' whimpered the father.
''Of course,'' the doctor said before leaving.
As he entered the room, accompanied by the others who followed him, Don Alejandro knelt beside his son's bed and held tight to his bandaged hand.
''Oh, my son, what did they do to you?'' he cried, regretting that he had been so stubborn in not giving the money to the bandit right away.
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The days followed and Diego was still unconscious, with no indication that he was going to wake up any minute. His fever remained high and his heart was weak, so Dr. Fuentes tried to prepare Alejandro for the worst. A few days after what felt like an seizure, Father Felipe was called in, yet Diego continued to resist.
In the meantime, of course, some people began to wonder why Diego was wearing Zorro's clothes and cape when he was found. Alejandro always tried to change the subject, pretending he didn't hear the question or leaving discreetly with the excuse of doing something. One day, however, when confronted by an insistent Sergeant Garcia, he lost his temper. Right in the middle of the tavern, when the man asked again, how did Diego end up in Zorro's clothes, he stood up and shouted.
"My son might be dying and you're asking about his clothes?!" he barked and left without another word, to stay with his son.
After that day, no one said a word about Zorro anymore, not wanting to pick a fight or upset Don Alejandro, who looked like he'd aged years these past two days.
Fortunately, as time went by, Diego gradually recovered, many of his wounds had already healed and even though he was unconscious, Dr. Fuentes finally allowed him to be taken to the hacienda, where he would be more comfortable, according to his father. Towards the end of that month, Don Gregorio and Anna Maria returned to Monterey, wishing that Diego would wake up soon and promising to return as soon as possible for another, more pleasant, visit.
One afternoon, Don Alejandro was reading next to his son's bed when he noticed that he was moving. Quickly, he approached the bed, shouting to Bernardo or Thomas to go to the pueblo and call Dr. Fuentes.
Upon awakening, Diego looked confused, looking at his own room, as if he had seen it for the first time in his life.
''Papa?'' he gasped, looking at his father curiously.
''My boy. What a joy to see you well! You left me with my heart in my hands!'' Alejandro exclaimed.
''Papa, your hair is white, what happened?'' the boy asked, confused.
''Let's just say, you gave me a lot of them, my son.'' the father replied, but his son's smile bothered him a little.
Diego on the other hand, upon seeing his father frowning, gasped, thinking he would receive a scold.
''Papa, I'm sorry, I know you told me not to ride Nestor...''
As he listened to his son speak, the father felt his heart sink. Nestor was an aloof horse on the farm. Because he was old, Alejandro decided that no one else would ride him, leaving him just for show and if necessary, heavy work.
One day, however, trying to show everyone on the farm that he was no longer a baby, Diego decided to ride the old horse, being knocked down on the second attempt, scaring his father and the employees almost to death.
After all, it wasn't often that a boy of just eleven years old, rode an old skittish horse and came out unharmed.