Author's Note: A short chapter, but I should have 6 up within the hour. And please, keep your reviews coming! I love hearing from you and knowing your thoughts about what's going on.

Diego and Felipe headed to the stable. As they rode to town, Diego gave his instructions to Felipe. "Each of us must gather as much information as we can so that Zorro knows what he is up against. I will talk to different people, saying that I am gathering news for an article in the Guardian. See if you can overhear any of the conversations of the soldiers. For all their faults, this kind of thing never happened with the lancers. I'm wondering what is behind this behavior."

At the gates of the city, they separated. In the tavern, Diego interviewed a number of people that had been victims of the soldiers' bullying. It seemed that it had been getting worse with time. First farmers, and now even caballeros, were being victimized. It seemed that a group of soldiers would stop someone and while one was demanding money, the others stood back with guns ready, even when the person was unarmed and doing nothing to resist them. As he finished the last interview, the alcalde walked up behind him. Before Diego realized what had happened, the alcalde had reached around and grabbed the notebook out of his hand, tearing off the top pages and stuffing them into his pocket. As Diego rose up from his seat to protest, De Soto put one hand on the hilt of his sword and the other on Diego's shoulder, pushing him back down toward his chair.

With an obvious threat in his voice, De Soto growled out, "Writing an article against the soldiers of the king? I wouldn't do that if I were you. It might be misinterpreted as stirring up rebellion. Treason and sedition are hanging matters you know." He stared down at Diego, waiting for him to acknowledge his command.

The alcalde was not disappointed. Diego yielded without a fight. "By no means, alcalde. Treason is the furthest thing from my mind. I was merely collecting the news. I thought you, of all people, would want to know if someone under your command was breaking the law."

"If such a thing were the case, I would not need a newspaper to tell me," De Soto huffed. "In any case, it is not for you to question the actions of men that are under my command."

"Oh, then am I to understand that they are acting under your command, alcalde?" Diego asked with an innocent expression.

"Of course, they are under my command, didn't I just say so?" De Soto found that he was almost shouting. Suddenly the realization of what he had just admitted hit him like a shot in the head. His mouth snapped closed. He stared at Diego, who was still smiling angelically, then turned on his heels and strode out the door.

Diego waited a few minutes for the silence around him to give way to a low buzz of conversation. Victoria came over to him. "Are you going to allow him to get away with that? For weeks now people have been putting up with the bullying of these soldiers and he just comes in and demands that you keep silent about it! Aren't you going to do something?"

Diego looked up at her. "Victoria, there is really very little that I or the Guardian can do. You heard the alcalde. There is nothing to be gained by my being hung for sedition."

Victoria looked at Diego in exasperation. "No, of course not… but you give up so easily! Really, I don't know why I even try with you."

She turned and moved towards a group of customers that were sitting down at another table. Diego watched her go. How easy it would be to blurt out the truth rather than endure her scorn. He so longed for her to respect him as she did Zorro. But the cost was too high—it would end his ability to fight for the very things she wanted him to act on. He picked up his notebook, bid goodbye to the others at his table, and left to find Felipe.

They were just about to leave when a sudden commotion at the gate caused them to take a step back. A group of peones came running through the gate crying out for Mendoza. At the sound of his name, Mendoza got up from his chair on the steps of the alcalde's office and went out to meet them. "What is this all about?" he asked. "Domingo, Jose, Luis, what are doing in town in the middle of the day? Why aren't you at home working?"

The words tumbled out, each man adding his complaint. "Los soldados—the soldiers—they are cutting down all of our crops. They told us if we tried to interfere, they would shoot us. They must be crazy. We have done nothing. We cannot survive without our crops. How will we feed our families? How will we pay our taxes? Mendoza, you are a soldier, do something!"

Mendoza knew these men. They were good, loyal citizens. They had always paid their taxes on time, never caused any trouble. What was going on with these soldiers? The alcalde had said he was looking into it but nothing had changed. In fact, things seemed to have gotten worse after that meeting. He felt his chest tighten as the farmers continued to plead with him to act. In a moment, he found he had made a decision. Looking back toward the cuartel, he called out, "Jimenez! Gomez! Rodriguez! Bring some horses and guns!" As the men came out to him, he gave them his order: "It's time to put a stop to this. Let's go!"

Felipe turned to Diego and signed, "What is Mendoza doing?" Diego turned to him and said, "I think he is about to become a hero. But perhaps he could use a little help." Diego only winked when Felipe surreptitiously traced a "Z" in the air. They understood each other. Quickly, they mounted up and returned to the hacienda for today, Zorro would ride.

They did not see the alcalde explode out of the office behind them. "What has gotten into that fool, Mendoza? He's going to ruin everything!" Within minutes, another group of lancers, led this time by the alcalde, were racing down the road.