Chapter 3

Diego watched in relief as Felipe rode off. He didn't care what the banditos did to him as long as Felipe was safe. It was kind of ironic, actually. If they had waited one more week to kidnap him, Felipe would have legally been a De la Vega as well. It was a good thing his captors didn't know that. He supposed he should be thankful for small favors.

The young don waited impatiently on his knees trying to twist out of the ropes painfully binding his wrists while the banditos went through the belongings he and Felipe had brought to the campsite. He nearly cursed when the leader, he thought his name was Paco, threw his telescope which landed on the ground and broke into several pieces. Diego worked harder to get the knots undone. With Felipe gone, there wasn't anything stopping him.

"Hey!" Luiz yelled. "Stop that!" Luiz kicked Diego in the arm, reopening for the millionth time the still extremely sore bullet wound and knocking him into the dirt. Diego couldn't stop the short cry of agony that crossed his lips. Luiz noticed the blood staining his shirtsleeve. "What the devil?"

"What did you do?" Paco strode angrily over to where Luiz was standing.

"I…nothing!…Hey! This isn't my fault! He was trying to escape, so I kicked him. I didn't kick him that hard though." He shrugged.

Paco grabbed Diego's arm and ripped the sleeve around the wound. "Ahh, an old wound, eh, senor?" He poked at it roughly.

Diego moaned, and not just because it hurt. His father was going to kill him. Not only had he gotten himself kidnapped by banditos, he'd ruined another perfectly good shirt – that made three in only two weeks – and there was no way he was going to be able to explain this time how the wound on his arm was from a musket ball and not a saber point. It had been hard enough to convince his father he didn't need to see Dr. Hernandez after the fight with Gilberto.

"He was telling the truth, Paco; there's nothing here."

"Get the saddlebags onto the horses, then. And get that shirt off of him, Luiz. If we run into a patrol that white fabric will shine like the sun in this moonlight and lead them right to us."

The fact that these banditos were literally willing to take the shirt off his back was the final straw. Finally able to work through the knots on the ropes, Diego waited until Luiz was bending towards him with his dagger before he kicked him squarely in the stomach. Luiz flew backwards and landed hard on his back, the wind completely knocked out of him. Diego did a backwards somersault that put him even with Paco, who hadn't even had time to think yet, let alone react. Whirling, Diego took him out with a quick left to the jaw. He'd already started his running leap to mount Esperanza from behind when the shot rang out.

Diego felt the bullet graze his ribs, and he broke his stride. He stumbled just before he reached the mare's reigns, but still managed to pull them free of the branch. He'd grabbed the saddle horn and was just about to launch himself onto the horse when a very angry Jose tackled him from behind.

The two men hit the ground in a cloud of dust. Diego grunted as Jose punched him in the stomach, but rolled over and came up swinging. In the dark and away from the fire, his aim was off and he just glanced Jose's jaw. Unfortunately for Diego, the blow twisted Jose around enough to allow the bandit to get a good grip on his pistol. Jose pulled the weapon out of his belt as he turned his upper body back toward Diego and hit him clean across the temple.

Diego's last thought before he lost consciousness was to pray that Felipe made it home safely.

ZZZ

Alejandro was enjoying a quiet evening to himself in the library when the front door was noisily thrown open. Expecting trouble, but not the young man who brought it, Alejandro rose in surprise.

"Felipe! What are you doing here? Where's Diego?" he asked, a knot forming in his stomach even as he spoke the words. He watched as Felipe frantically started signing while angry tears streamed down the boy's cheeks. Alejandro didn't have a prayer of keeping up. "Felipe, slow down, please, I can't understand you."

Felipe grabbed his bangs and drew them back in frustration. Diego could understand me. Oh, Dios, what was I thinking? How could I leave him behind? Alejandro was leading him to the sofa in the library, trying to calm him down. I don't want to be calm! I want us to go after Diego. Felipe was smart enough to understand that wouldn't be possible until he could make Alejandro understand what was going on. He started over, but waited until Alejandro had each part before moving on.

"You and Diego stopped? Oh, were camping. Yes, go on…Three vaqueros? Banditos? Three banditos came and went? I don't understand. One more time. Three banditos…took? Diego?" That sick feeling was back in his stomach as he finished in a whisper, "Three banditos came and took Diego?"

Felipe nodded, feeling absolutely miserable and a fresh wave of tears poured out. He frantically wiped them away. I'm so sorry, he signed hoping Alejandro would understand.

"Oh, Felipe, it's not your fault. There was nothing you could have done. They might have taken you as well…They…they wanted you to come find me didn't they?"

Felipe nodded. He reached into his sash and pulled out the now crumpled note. Alejandro took it with an audible gulp. Felipe leaned over his shoulder to read. He didn't know what it said either.

De la Vega,

Take 10,000 pesos to the San Pedro Bridge at sundown tomorrow if you want to see your son alive again. No soldiers, or he dies anyway.

"Oh, Diego. What have you gotten yourself into this time?" Alejandro muttered.

Furious, Felipe grabbed the note, crumpled it, and threw it as far across the room as friction would allow. That's not fair! He signed indignantly, not caring if it looked like he was yelling. If he had the capability, he certainly would have been. He fought back! He only stopped to save my life! They were going to kill me if he didn't! Without another thought, Felipe grabbed Alejandro's ceremonial saber from the hook on the wall and stormed out the still open front door.

Alejandro just stood there, too shocked to do anything but remain rooted to the floor. Perhaps he hadn't understood that last part correctly. There was no possible way his son would have fought single-handedly against three banditos. Let alone willingly allow himself to be captured in order to save Felipe's life. This was supposedly the same son who had remained at the hacienda when those murderous thieves were chasing after Felipe and trying to gun him down. It just wasn't possible.

On the other hand, Felipe certainly had no reason to lie to him, especially right now…and Alejandro couldn't remember Felipe ever being as angry as he'd just seen him. He regained his senses fast enough to find Felipe in the stables saddling another horse. Miguel was rubbing down Felipe's Pinto from the hard ride.

"Patron? Is something wrong? I thought Master Diego had gone?"

"Miguel, gather as many of the vaqueros as you can and see that they are armed. Diego's being held for ransom. We're going after him at first light."

"Madre de Dios," he muttered. "No wonder the boy is so upset. Si, patron, I will return as soon as I can."

"Gracias." Alejandro turned to stop Felipe, who was about to mount Emilio. At least the boy had the good sense to take the fastest horse in the stable. "Felipe," he pulled him towards him with a hand on his arm. "We'll go together. You must wait. Be patient."

'Never attack in anger,' Diego's voice came ringing through Felipe's memory. It was the major point of their second fencing lesson. He hadn't really understood until now. On the other hand, he didn't know what he was going to do if anything happened to Diego. Now, he signed to Alejandro.

"Miguel's gone to get the men. We'll surround them with an army. They'll have to let him go."

No! They'll hurt him! Or worse! Felipe didn't want to think about how it could be worse.

"And just what are you going to do by yourself, young man! Get yourself and possibly Diego killed?!"

Felipe couldn't begin to explain why he was a good enough fencer that he seriously doubted that would be the outcome of his next encounter with the banditos. Alejandro took advantage of his moment of distraction and plucked the saber from his hands. He's my brother, Felipe signed helplessly, his eyes begging Alejandro to understand.

"And he's my son," Alejandro said gently. "We'll go together." I just hope we're in time, he prayed, because he seriously doubted they'd let his son live even if he did give them the ransom money.