In case someone is wondering, I'm skipping episode 34, The Order to Kill Zorro and pretending that it never happened in this AU. The reason is that the series was very episodic so that events from one episode never had influence on the others, but my story has continuous plot and character development. I believe that including Teo's tragedy would take over Diego's life for a good portion of the story, and I just don't have the time for that. I'm sorry if someone was looking forward to Teo appearing in this story. I have another long story with him as the main character, so you can read that instead.
THE RIGHT TURN OF THE ROAD
Chapter 27
"I can't believe he had the guts to finally ask for her hand. Or that both she and her parents said yes," Pablo mused as he and Gabriel were walking towards the town square in San Tasco.
"Then you're an idiot. Anyone could have seen it coming," Gabriel remarked.
"Oh, well." Pablo sighed. "It looks like I'm going to have to find someone else to be my wife now."
"She'd have to be blind and deaf to accept your proposal," Gabriel said.
"I don't see you with a wife or a fiancée," Pablo said a little sourly.
"That's because I haven't found anyone good enough yet," Gabriel said.
Pablo laughed, and Gabriel had to share his amusement. Lolita's image briefly flashed before his eyes, but he was in such a good mood that even she couldn't ruin it.
Basilio had finally gathered his courage and had asked Lupe to marry him. He had been smiling and laughing the whole day. It was so contagious that everyone at the estate had to share his joy.
"If he doesn't calm down, his heart is going to fail him and he'll die before the wedding," Pablo remarked with a chuckle.
"Don't be so morbid," Gabriel said.
"I never thought there'd be a day when you tell me to cheer up," Pablo said and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "But maybe you're right. I had better keep my mouth shut or someone will die on the wedding day."
The date for the wedding hadn't been decided yet. Basilio and Lupe had been courting for a while, so they wouldn't have to wait for too long. At the same time, it wouldn't do for them to get married too soon or people might wonder why they were in such a hurry. A couple of months was probably enough of a waiting period.
"It's just shameful how ineffective the army is," someone was saying. Gabriel stopped on his tracks to listen. A group of men was discussing something, and either they didn't notice him or didn't let his presence bother them.
"I know," one of them said with a shake of his head. "I hear they still haven't found the mail that was stolen."
"I don't normally wish good luck to the army, but this time it's important. My cousin was expecting an important letter, and he's going to lose a lot of money if it's lost," another man said.
Gabriel frowned. About a week ago, a group of bandits had attacked the postal wagon and stolen everything. The army had been after them ever since, but so far they hadn't found anything. Gabriel was of two opinions about that. On one hand, he loved seeing that arrogant Lieutenant Serrano fail, but at the same time it was frustrating to know that he could have done so much better if he were only given the chance.
"Bah, who needs the army? What I want to know is why Zorro hasn't caught the bandits yet," one of the men said.
"I'm sure he's doing all he can, but maybe the bandits have already left the area," his companion suggested.
"No, that can't be. I hear there was an attack on a farm the other day in north," someone said.
"Do you think it's the same group?"
"Why else would the army have so many men positioned there if it wasn't?"
"Did you hear that the army is planning to build a toll station to control everyone who uses the road?"
"What, do we have to pay if we want to travel north?"
"Surely not. That would be outrageous! I'm sure it's just to better protect travellers."
Gabriel listened to the discussion with interest. He couldn't help but marvel these people's naivety. Of course they would have to pay. How could they believe otherwise after everything Raymond had put them through?
He wondered what Raymond was planning. The road in the north wasn't used often and was only important because of the mail. The commander wouldn't gain much if he was taxing the people for using it.
"What do you think?" Pablo asked.
"I'm not sure. It could be that he wants to establish a toll station on that road so that it will start to look like a standard practice. After that it would be a lot easier to tax people for using more important roads as well," Gabriel said.
"Makes sense," Pablo admitted. "Maybe he decided to bother someone else now that he lost to us."
Raymond hadn't reacted in any way when they had got the fence repaired in time. Pablo and the others had been overjoyed by their accomplishment, but Gabriel knew it was too early to celebrate. They had beaten Raymond this time, but he could strike back any time he wanted. A new tax, a raid to the estate, accusations of being sympathetic to rebels – the commander could come up with anything if he wanted to hurt them.
"Then it could be that the soldiers aren't even trying to find the bandits," one of the main said.
It took Gabriel a moment to realise that the man had addressed the comment to him. "That's... possible," he said once he got over his surprise.
"You must know. You used to be in the army. What do you think the commander is going to do next?" another person in the group asked.
Everyone was suddenly looking at him. Not with mistrust as he had expected but with genuine interest. Gabriel wasn't sure how to react.
"I don't know," he finally admitted. "It's impossible to guess what the commander is thinking. Even when he tells you what his plans are, he usually keeps a few details to himself so that he can surprise you."
"Damn," one of the men growled. "I hate this. All we can do is wait and see what happens."
"But surely Zorro will help us," someone said.
"But that's just it! We shouldn't have to rely on Zorro every time something goes wrong. We should be able to do something ourselves. What if he's not there one day?"
"You know we can't do anything against the army. They arrest everyone who tries it."
Gabriel frowned as he thought back to his attempt to stop the soldiers from destroying the fence and what an utter failure it had been. His time in the army was even fresher in his memory. He could recall with perfect clarity how easy it was for the officers and soldiers to do whatever they wanted. The people in San Tasco had no chance.
And that meant he had no chance. Even if he fought Raymond with everything he had, it would never be enough. The man was untouchable for as long as he was in power and had the soldiers under his command. If only there was some way, something he could do that wouldn't lead to his immediate arrest and –
Gabriel suddenly felt like someone had poured cold water on him. Was this what had been going on in Zorro's head when he had decided to rebel against the army? Whoever was behind the mask, surely he had loved ones and a stable life in San Tasco that he didn't want to risk. Maybe he was just as frustrated as he was with his inability to stand up against the army in the open.
But no, he told himself. They weren't at all alike. Just because Gabriel had grown to realise how difficult it was for the common people, it didn't mean that he agreed with Zorro. The man was and would always remain his enemy. There was no changing that.
"What's wrong? You look awfully pale all of a sudden," Pablo pointed out.
"I think I'm getting a headache," Gabriel replied.
"Then let's finish our business fast and get back home. This heat is getting to me, too," Pablo said.
As they left the group of men, Gabriel couldn't help but wonder if Zorro was already hunting the bandits. The last time Zorro had messed up Raymond's plan was when he had helped Dr. Timothy. Gabriel couldn't deny that he was grudgingly grateful for that, and it frightened him. It was as if the basics of his life were falling into ruin around him.
Diego was sitting in the garden, pretending to be reading a book on poetry. In truth, his mind couldn't have been further away from Polo de Medina's work. It wasn't often that he found himself feeling this frustrated.
For a good while now, he had been trying to capture the bandits who were terrorising the countryside. They had attacked postal wagons and stolen all the mail, including something important that belonged to Kapital. The soldiers were doing their best to put a stop to the menace, but so far they hadn't had any more success than Zorro.
Diego couldn't understand the bandits' luck. It was as if they knew exactly when and where to strike, were met with little to no resistance and had the perfect hiding place in the mountains. It had never before taken this long for him to capture anyone. It couldn't be just a coincidence anymore.
There was going to be more important mail arriving from San Tomas that afternoon. Diego was certain that the bandits would strike again. This time, Zorro would be there and follow the postal wagon all the way to San Tasco.
"Do you like that one poem that much, or are you even reading the book?"
Diego looked up from the page when his father spoke up. To his shame, he had to admit that he hadn't heard his father approach him.
He laughed. "It's quite the most intriguing poem, father. I think there are several ways to interpret it, but I believe it's about a man's conflict between duty and love," he said.
"Yes, those are something most men have to deal with," Alejandro said. Diego didn't miss the dry tone of his voice or the poignant look in his direction.
His father had been acting oddly as of late. There were times when Diego was certain he was watching him. His eyes held a hundred unvoiced questions and, even worse, doubts. Sooner or later, Alejandro would again ask him what was going on in his life. Diego didn't know what he could say to calm him down or how far he was willing to go with his lies.
"Diego, maybe you should put the books away for a while and do something else. It can't be good for you to lie the whole day in the garden like this," Alejandro suggested.
Diego closed the book and stifled a yawn. "Maybe you're right. I think I'll go to town for a while," he said.
"I was thinking you could come and help me and the others in the fields," Alejandro said.
Any other day, Diego would have been glad to accept and then pretend that he was hopeless at any work he was given. However, his father had picked the wrong day to ask for his help.
"I think I'll pass. It's entirely too hot for work today," he said with a lazy smile.
"Work has to be done regardless of the weather," Alejandro said.
"I know, but that's why we have servants, father," Diego said. He stretched his back and yawned again. "On second thought, maybe I'll just stay home and go to bed early."
Alejandro snorted in disgust and promptly turned his back on him to march away. Diego sighed, but he was relieved to know that his father would be away for the whole day. It wouldn't give him the chance to notice his son leave the estate.
He picked up his book and went inside to his room. Once he was sure there was nobody else upstairs, he opened the door that led to the cave. He wasn't very surprised to find Bernard there.
"You're working hard," Diego remarked.
"I know you're going to capture the bandits today," Bernard said. He was brushing Viento's sides with a little too much force, making the horse snort in protest.
"Well, I'm hoping to," Diego said.
"If you'd let me come, too, I'm sure that -"
"No, Bernard. You promised me. This could be dangerous. It's not just the bandits I have to worry about. The army is going to be there, too."
"That's exactly why I should come! You can't keep doing this alone," Bernard said. He stopped his work and turned to glare at Diego with angry eyes.
Diego gritted his teeth to remain calm. With his father growing more and more suspicious, the last thing he needed was for Bernard to turn on him, too. He felt exhausted; it was like everyone at home had suddenly become his enemy.
"I won't allow you to put yourself into danger again. You're still a child. You shouldn't have to worry about problems like this. Remember what happened to Gabriel? I shouldn't have let you play a part in that," he tried to explain.
"I don't care about Gabriel, or anyone else! I care about you. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I don't understand how serious this is. It's not a game for me, Diego," Bernard said. Diego couldn't remember him ever looking so sincere.
"I know it's not a game for you. I just want to keep you safe," he said gently.
"You just don't get it," Bernard muttered. He threw the brush in his hand into the corner and marched past Diego to the stairs. Diego winced as he heard Bernard slam the secret door shut and hoped that there was nobody around to hear it.
He walked to give Viento a pat on the neck. He wished he didn't feel so guilty and lonely all of a sudden.
"He'll understand when he's older," Diego said to the horse.
Bernard clenched his fists and kicked away a stone that was on his way. The action brought him no satisfaction, but he felt the need to rebel against something. Diego was so stupid! He was doing so much harm to himself, and he didn't even realise it.
He sighed. By now, Diego had probably already ridden out as Zorro. For a moment, he considered following him in secret, like he had done in the beginning right after discovering Diego's secret. It was a tempting idea; if he saved the day, then Diego would be forced to admit that he was mature enough to help him.
I should do it, Bernard thought stubbornly, but he knew that Diego would have been very disappointed in him. He had promised to listen to him. He couldn't eat his word... or could he? If it was for Diego's own good, then –
"Bernard. I've been looking for you."
Bernard looked up from his feet when he heard Don Alejandro call out to him.
Though Bernard was technically a servant for the de la Vegas, Alejandro treated him as if he were his own son. Bernard could barely remember his own parents, so Alejandro's love mattered more than anything else to him.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you need something?" he asked.
"Would you like to come to town with me? I have some errands to run," Alejandro said.
"Sure!" Bernard agreed, his sour mood easing a little. It was a while since he had been in San Tasco, and he was starting to miss his friends.
Alejandro needed to pick up some wood he had purchased, so they took the wagon and started their journey to town. Bernard wondered about the silence between them. Alejandro usually talked about the work that had to be done at the estate or asked him what he and his friends had been up to. Now the don was staring forward on the road and looked like his thoughts were miles away.
"Bernard, I'm worried about Diego," he finally said.
"Oh? Why?" This couldn't be good.
"He's been lying to me. I can't believe that my own son would do that to me. And because of what? Drinking with his friends!" Alejandro snarled.
Bernard remained silent. He got the feeling that Alejandro wasn't really talking to him.
"He was such a good man before he went to Spain. I can't help but wonder... what happened to him there? Did he encounter trouble like Lapaz? What happened to his courage and sense of honour?" Alejandro continued.
Bernard hated seeing the old don like that. Diego thought he was doing the right thing by keeping everything a secret from him, but it was going too far. The worry and suspicions were eating Alejandro alive.
"I'm sure it's nothing serious," he said, hoping to reassure the man at least a little.
Finally, Alejandro turned to look at him. "You're like a brother to Diego. Has he told you anything?"
"I, uh -"
"If he has, then as his father, I ask you to share it with me. Don't worry if he told you to keep it a secret. I won't let him know that you told me," Alejandro said. He must have seen the indecision on Bernard's face because he swiftly continued, "I need to know, Bernard. Even if I can't do anything, I need to know."
Bernard turned his eyes to his hands. He wanted to tell everything to Alejandro so much. The don deserved to know that there was nothing wrong with Diego, that he was a brave man. He wanted this so much, but he knew he could never force the words out of his mouth. It wasn't his secret to tell.
"I'm sorry. I don't know anything. I'm... I'm worried about him, too."
Alejandro was quiet for a long time.
"I see," he finally said, and they didn't speak again until they reached San Tasco. Once they were there, Alejandro told Bernard that he didn't need his help at loading the wagon, so he could go and say hello to his friends.
It didn't take long before he was running around the streets with his friends, pretending to be a bandit in pursue of a postal wagon. Diego had once told Bernard that watching them play was all one needed to do to find out what was going on in San Tasco; the latest events were always present in their games.
Just when they were about to reach the climax with Zorro arriving to defeat them, Bernard notice that Pepita was watching them play. He forgot about the fight with Zorro for a moment and turned around to greet her. She didn't come to town all that often anymore because she liked to help her mother with her work.
"Hello, Pepita!" he called out and ran to her. "I haven't seen you in a while."
"Hello," Pepita said, smiling from ear to ear. Bernard was always happy to notice that she was feeling more at ease with the other children and wasn't so lonely anymore. He wasn't sure when it had happened, but at some point she had stopped carrying her doll everywhere with her and talking to it.
"What are you hiding behind your back?" he asked when he noticed that Pepita wasn't showing her hands to him.
"I have a surprise," Pepita said.
"Hey, show me!" Bernard urged. He tried to slip behind her, but she was quicker and retreated against a wall so that he couldn't look.
"Don't be so impatient," she said and finally showed him what she had. It was a small pouch. Bernard had got one just like that from Diego on his birthday, so he immediately guessed what was inside it.
"You have candy!"
His words caught everyone's attention, and the other children swarmed them within a moment. Pepita was more than happy to share the candy with everyone. The unfinished battle between Zorro and the bandits was quickly forgotten.
"Did you get these from your mother?" Bernard asked.
"No, Gabriel gave them to me."
Bernard suddenly felt like he had swallowed poison. He nearly chocked on the piece of candy in his mouth and had to cough to get rid of it.
"Gabriel?" he asked in astonishment.
All the others turned to look at the candy in their hands with dread and suspicion.
"What's wrong?" Pepita asked.
"Why did Gabriel give you candy?" Bernard asked.
"It's just a little present," Pepita said in a defensive tone.
"Gabriel doesn't give anyone presents without wanting something in return. He's completely crooked. You shouldn't believe anything he says to you."
"He's nice to me!" Pepita snapped. "He always listens to my stories and doesn't think they're stupid! He always has time for me. He always asks me to tell him more."
"What have you been telling him?" Bernard asked with a sudden stab of fear. If Pepita told Gabriel about her adventure with Zorro, he might be able to use that information somehow. And even if not, he'd still break Pepita's heart with his lies.
"What do you care?" Pepita asked.
"Have you told him about Zorro?" Bernard asked. When Pepita took a surprised step back, Bernard realised that he had been nearly yelling. "I'm sorry. It's just really important. You shouldn't tell him anything about Zorro."
"Why not?" Pepita asked. "Why shouldn't he know?"
"Don't you know who Gabriel is? He used to serve in the army until he was injured. He blames Zorro for what happened and wants to take revenge on him," Bernard explained.
"I know he was a lieutenant, but... but he's so nice! He wouldn't lie to me!"
"He lies to everyone. Believe me. I've seen what he's like," Bernard said. "So, have you told him about Zorro?"
"Just what happened at the mine and how I helped him discover the truth about the South India Trading Company. That's not wrong, is it? I mean, that won't help him do anything," Pepita said. She looked so worried that Bernard thought she might start to cry at any moment.
"We can never know what crooks like him are planning. You shouldn't talk to him anymore, and don't tell him anything about Zorro," Bernard said.
Pepita gritted her teeth and stared down at her hands. She was shaking, but Bernard couldn't say if it was out of anger or whether she was going to start crying.
"I'm so sorry!" Pepita blurted out. She threw all the candy in her hands to the ground and dashed past Bernard, disappearing behind a corner.
"Hey, wait! It's not that bad!" Bernard called out. He took the first steps to go after her, but he was stopped by one of his friends.
"Don't bother," the other boy said. "It's better to stay away from girls when they're crying."
"But -"
"If she wanted your help, she wouldn't have run away. I have two sisters. I know what I'm talking about."
"Hmm," Bernard said thoughtfully, but he supposed it was true. He didn't really know what to do about crying girls anyway. He decided that he'd talk to Pepita later after she had calmed down.
Pepita couldn't remember when she had last felt so foolish. She couldn't stop her tears from flowing, but she couldn't decide what it was that made her cry so much. She was so disappointed and ashamed – because of Gabriel, but especially herself.
She had been such an idiot. She had believed every nice word he said to her and thought that she had found another friend. Most adults treated her like she was stupid and bothersome, so she had been so happy when Gabriel had talked to her like he were interested in what she had to say. It had reminded her of her father.
It hadn't even crossed her mind that he was just lying to her so that she would talk about Zorro. Pepita didn't doubt Bernard's words; he was her first and best friend in San Tasco. If he said that Gabriel was a horrible man, it had to be true.
And I believed everything, she thought as she stopped to wipe her eyes. She had told him everything about her adventure with Zorro and thought the delight on his face was because he liked it. It didn't matter that it was just a simple story. If she had known something important about Zorro, she would have probably told Gabriel all about it, too. She would have gladly blabbered away her hero's secrets just to get a smile from that terrible man!
Zorro would hate me if he knew, she thought. She wasn't worthy of his friendship.
Pepita blinked and took a better look at her surroundings. She hadn't been watching where she was running, so it took her a moment before she realised that she had ended up on one of the smaller streets near the edge of town.
There was someone sitting on the ground and leaning on the wall. At first Pepita thought it was some old drunkard who had fallen asleep, but then she noticed the fine clothes on the man. Besides, he wasn't old, and he wasn't asleep. In fact, he was glaring at her with an irritated scowl on his face.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"Um," Pepita said. She realised she wasn't afraid of this man. If he was aiming at a threatening impression, it was ruined by the papers that were spread on his lap and the quill that was in his hand. It was such an odd thing to be writing something in a place like this that he looked more comical than dangerous.
"I'm sorry if I'm bothering you. I just..." she started, but she had to stop when the bitter disappointment made her sniffle. Great, now she was going to make a fool of herself before this stranger, too.
"Hey, don't start crying. Did someone do something to you?"
"No. It's just... It's really stupid."
"Then you had better go and find your mother," the man said. He turned his eyes back to his papers as he spoke.
"She's not here. She's at work," Pepita said.
The only reply she got form the man was a low hum. He dipped his quill into a small bottle by his side and resumed writing. For a while, Pepita watched him work. She was mesmerized by the swift movements of the quill and the man's delicate handwriting.
Now that she thought about it, there was something familiar about his features.
"What are you writing?" she asked.
"That's none of your business," the man muttered, not once lifting his eyes from his work.
"Is it an adventure story? I like them. Especially if there are pirates. When I and my mother were on our way here, our ship was almost attacked by -" Pepita started to blabber, but she trailed off when the man stopped writing and turned to look at her.
"What would a girl like you know about stories? And no, I'm not writing about pirates," he said. His voice held a sudden tone of arrogance, and Pepita was certain he had momentarily wrinkled his nose at her.
"Then what is it about?" she asked.
The man looked like he was about to snap at her, but then he changed his mind. "Do you really want to know?"
"Of course!"
The man started to tell her about his book. It wasn't an adventure story like Pepita had hoped. It told about a family in Spain and how the father's dark past came to haunt his son who was in love with the daughter of a commoner. The main character was a mute servant who was trying to fix the situation so that everyone could have a happy ending. Pepita couldn't say she understood half of it, but it was new and fascinating, so she didn't mind.
"Oh, I wish I could write a book, too! I have so many ideas!" she said in envy. She had never gone to school, and all that she could write was her own name.
"It takes a lot of work to write a book," the man said. He was smiling now that he had found an appreciative audience for his ideas.
"How many books have you written?" Pepita asked.
"This is the first one," the man replied. "I've been working on it for over a year. I can't let anyone read it before it's perfect."
"I'm sure everyone will love it."
The man chuckled at her and started to put his quill away. He blew gently at the papers to make sure the ink was dry before he organized his writing into a neat pile. He stretched his back when he stood up and slipped the papers, the ink and the quill under his jacket.
"You had better run along now. I have things to do," he said.
"Alright. It was nice to talk to you. Oh, and my name is Pepita."
"I'm Rafael," the man replied.
"Oh!" Pepita exclaimed, and she suddenly remembered why he seemed so familiar. "You're Don Rafael from the Alvarez estate!"
Something akin to panic flashed on Rafael's face. "How did you know?"
"My mother works there, and I come to help her sometimes. I've seen you around a few times," Pepita said. She had had no idea that Rafael was a writer. Everyone was always talking about how lazy and useless he was, but surely it couldn't be true if he was writing a book.
Rafael suddenly knelt by her side so that he could look her in the eyes. "Pepita, can you promise me one thing? Don't tell anyone that you met me here or that I'm writing a book, alright?"
"Why?" Pepita asked.
"It's complicated. I want it to be a secret. Please, can you do this favour for me?" Rafael asked.
"Um, sure," Pepita said, feeling a little bewildered by the urgency in Rafael's voice. She couldn't understand why he'd want to keep this hidden, but if it was that important to him, she'd do it. She thought back to how easily she had told Gabriel all she knew about Zorro. This time, she'd do better. She'd be worthy of Rafael's trust.
"I won't tell anyone," she promised with more confidence in her voice.
"Thank you," Rafael said with a sigh of relief and stood up. He flashed her a smile and said that he would be returning home in a few hours and that he could take her with him if she wanted. Pepita declined; she wanted to get back to Bernard and the others, and she wasn't ready to run into Gabriel.
Zorro stopped to scan the scenery. He had been following the postal wagon from San Tomas, far enough to make sure nobody would notice him but close enough to be able to rush to help if the bandits showed up. So far everything was fine.
"Maybe they won't attack today," he said to Viento. The army was after the bandits, too. They had to be careful.
He was barely finished with that thought when he noticed four riders in the horizon. From that far away, it was impossible to tell who they were, but Zorro didn't believe in coincidences like this. He struck his heels against Viento's sides and urged the horse to a gallop.
It took him only moments to reach the postal wagon. The bandits had forced the driver to stop and were in the middle of making the passengers' pockets lighter for the remainder of the journey. Two men had their muskets pointed at the helpless driver and passengers. One of the men was holding a large bag that contained all the mail to San Tasco.
One of the bandits noticed him and fired his musket at him. However, Zorro had expected that, so he jumped off Viento and rolled on the ground. He heard the second man fire as well. Zorro felt no pain, but he was sure he now had a nice hole in his cape.
"Get him!" one of the bandits bellowed, but Zorro moved faster than any of them had expected. He was on his feet and had his sword out before the others had the time to move. The two men who had fired their muskets soon found themselves holding their wrists and with their clothes decorated with an elaborate Z.
The other two reached for their swords, but they were slowed down by the money and jewellery they were holding. Zorro disarmed one of them before he had properly unsheathed his blade, which left him with only one opponent.
"If you'd be kind enough to detain the others," he remarked to the driver who was watching the scene with a stunned look on his face.
"What? Oh, of course! Right away!" the man said. He jumped down and, with the help of two passengers, stopped the other three from reloading their muskets or trying other dirty tricks.
The remaining bandit turned to glance behind his shoulder when he realised that he had lost the support of his comrades and had to face the famous Zorro alone. Zorro doubted it would take longer than a few moments to disarm him. He was clearly nothing more than a common crook with little skill with the blade.
Indeed, only about a minute later, the sword flew from the man's hand. Zorro nearly shook his head in disappointment. These were the infamous bandits that the army had failed to catch for nearly two weeks? Maybe he should fight the army a little more often. They clearly lacked practice.
"Someone is coming!" one of the passengers called out.
Speak of the devil, Zorro mused as he turned to look. It was Lieutenant Serrano with a handful of soldiers following him.
"Well, ladies and gentlemen, I think this is my cue to leave your company. I'll let our good lieutenant take care of the rest," he said with a tip of his hat at the passengers.
The passengers waved at him and yelled thank yous even after he had climbed on Viento and started to ride away. Despite of a job well done, Zorro couldn't bring himself to feel any satisfaction. It had been too easy. His instincts told him that this wasn't quite the end of the story with these bandits.