Chapter 11
"ZORRO LOOK OUT!" Victoria yelled and started to run after him.
De Soto pulled the trigger just before he was pushed down by the Kings men.
A loud shout rang out, and then a loud scream came from a group of women standing on the Tavern porch.
Zorro fell from Toronado and landed in a pile of black fabric on the dusty ground.
Victoria screamed as she ran over to Zorro's still body. "NO, NO, NO." She fell on her knees next to Zorro. A crowd gathered around her slowly.
Alejandro rode up and noticed a crowd gathered around someone. "What's going on here?" He asked as he pushed his way through the crowd. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Victoria holding Zorro's still body. "What happened?" He knelt next to her carefully. "Get the doctor." He yelled to a group of onlookers.
The doctor showed up a few moments later and ordered the crowd to clear so they could move Zorro's body to the Tavern.
Hernadez noticed the rolled up paper in Zorro's hand. He reached for it as two men laid Zorro down on a table. He handed it to Victoria for safe keeping. She quickly cleared the remaining guests out of the Tavern and locked the door when the last guest was out the door.
Alejandro comforted Victoria while the doctor worked on Zorro's wounds. "He's lucky it just hit his belt and reflected off." Hernandez said to himself as he looked at the deep bruise on Zorro's side.
"His shoulder is bleeding, and his head has some deep cuts." Victoria replied in a panicked tone. She held a cloth tightly over the head would.
"I need to cut his mask off so I can treat his head wound." Hernandez slowly and carefully cut the mask off.
When the black mask was removed, Alejandro's eyes froze on his Son's face. "Why didn't you tell me Son?" He questioned Diego's still form.
"He wanted to tell you, but wasn't sure how to tell you yet." Victoria replied as she held a fresh bowl of water for the doctor.
"He can explain more when he recovers. But for now, we need to stitch and clean the rest of his wounds." The doctor said quietly.
"Doctor, I have an idea." Victoria spoke up. "Diego and I are engaged and need a way to help Zorro retire. What if we tell the people of Los Angeles that Zorro has died from a gun shot wound in his back?" Her eyes welled up with tears as she held Diego's hand.
"It would work, but what if Zorro is needed in the future?" Hernandez asked.
"We will figure out how to deal with future trouble when the time comes." She replied with a hopeful smile.
"Felipe, please hold this." The doctor asked the teen, who was still shaking with fear and worry, to hold the blood soaked cloth tightly on the deep cut on Diego's head.
The doctor stitched up Diego's deep cuts, and bandaged a few other wounds.
"I think your plan will work Victoria." Alejandro said after they sat down and kept watch over Diego while the doctor cleaned his tools and packed them away.
With Alejandro's, Felipe's, and the doctor's help, a story was pieced together to convince the people of Los Angeles, their masked hero was dead.