Appreciating reviews! Wow, I didn't realize a lot of you disliked Anna Maria. I am surprised. Well, unfortunately, I am a hopeless romantic, so Anna Maria is not going back to Monterey. This is an Anna Maria free chapter, though, but she will be in future. Please be kind when it comes to her.

Chapter 5: Zorro Has Risen

Bernardo went to the cuartel and slipped into the capitan's quarters and put his ear next to the door that led to the commanding officer's office. Capitan Morales and Sergeant Garcia were already in a heated discussion; the heat coming from the superior.

"...How!? How did the patrolmen not see who delivered the note? They are supposed to be on the lookout."

"They are just as baffled as you are, Commandante. One minute, nothing, the next, it was there."

"Double the watch, Sergeant," he paced a couple of times, "We may be dealing with a serial killer."

Garcia gasped, "If I may ask, what is the Commandante's plan for capturing this killer?"

Morales reread the note that had been handed them mysteriously a few minutes prior, "Two notes on each body then this one on my desk. They all appear to want to lure Zorro out of hiding. Whoever is doing this wants him. And…I'm afraid, we need him."

Bernardo pulled back from the door in completely surprise.

"But Zorro is dead? Isn't he?"

The Commandante shook his head, "He has never been dead, Sergeant. He's still here. Walking among us. I can feel it. And this killer knows it too. He is targeting Zorro by dressing these men to look like him, then leaving these notes on the bodies," he thought for a moment. "I need to send Zorro a message but I don't know how. I need Zorro to come out of hiding. There cannot be any more bodies."

That was all Bernardo needed to hear. He slipped out and rushed back to the hacienda to relay what he heard. He found Diego in his room, a tray of wine and grapes next to his bed, a book in one hand and a fan in the other.

"He wants to meet me? Oh, Zorro. Zorro? Really?" He watched as Bernardo signed that there was another note addressed to Zorro. Diego thought for a moment. Here was the opportunity to become the Fox again, but he hesitated. He admitted his concern to Bernardo as he went to his desk, "What if this is a trap?"

Bernardo nodded, shook his head, then shrugged indicating he didn't know either.

"Dah," Diego finally gave in and scribbled out a time and a meeting place. "I need you to get this to the Commandante," he half smirked, "in your usual way."

Bernardo grinned. He had devious ways of slipping things under people's noses.

"Tonight, Zorro will ride again."

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The sun had long past set, the vendors were closed down and the peons and vaqueros had turned in for the night. Commandante Morales anxiously paced his quarters. He pulled out his pocket watch intermittently to see if time had ticked a little faster. He had received a note from the famous outlaw not two hours after his discussion with the fat sergeant contemplating on how to contact El Zorro. At first, he was baffled as to how the outlaw knew he needed to see him, then as he reread the letter, he realized that meeting with the man was more important to think about. He glanced at the note that gave a time and place to meet:

Capitan Morales,

I hear you wish to see me. I will be behind the tavern at eleven o'clock. I do not have to warn you to come alone.

Zorro.

He checked his watch again; in just a few minutes he was going to meet this elusive fox. He would never admit it openly, but he was quite excited to meet the infamous El Zorro. He had read every case and every report upon his appointment into office. He secretly admired this man who went up against his predecessors. There were some very powerful political figures and that one man took them down required someone with much cunning and intelligence. He had often kept an eye out for anyone who displayed an abundance of deviousness, but to no avail, as he figured.

Now, he was about to come face to face with the legend. He checked his watch one more time, grabbed his hat and pocketed the mysterious notes that had been left on the bodies. He inconspicuously left his quarters and walked the perimeter of the pueblo so not to draw attention, then entered the entrance to the courtyard behind the tavern. It was quiet. Too quiet. He absentmindedly began pacing again. He would glance at the entrance, waiting for it to open then stopped: Course, he wouldn't enter from the gates. He is too clever for that, then he would glance at his watch. It was 11:05.

He sighed impatiently, turned and froze, half startled. Several yards away, in the shadows, he caught a figure enveloped by darkness. "Its you?"

There was a moment of silence before he was answered. "Si," the voice was low and quiet.

As his eyes became adjusted to the darkness, the Commandante took a moment to gaze upon the legend. Still dressed in the shadows, the outlaw wore a mask that hid most of his features. The flowing cape in the pale moonlight, made it hard to distinguish the vigilante's build. The dark figure was tall, taller than he had thought. But even in the moonlight, he was certain that this was the real Zorro. He did not feel uneasy or caution. He felt relief. "I saw you once on your horse when I was just a major several years ago in San Diego. I never thought of standing face to face with you. You have been gone."

"There has been no need for Zorro. You have governed this city fairly."

Morales straightened a little at the comment. He shook his head, inwardly chastising himself for taking a compliment from an outlaw. He sobered, "Two bodies have been dressed up like you with these notes attached to them as well as this note on my desk this afternoon," he stretched out his hand.

The man in black reached out cautiously and took the notes. He stepped into the moonlight to read:

The first read:

Come out, come out, wherever you are

The second read:

Come out, little Fox, come out of your fox hole and play

The note found in the office read:

If the stakes are risen, will the fox come out and play?

Morales waited impatiently as the outlaw seemed to be endlessly staring at the pages, "Do they mean anything to you?"

"I will have to analyze them before coming to a conclusion."

"Those are evidence. I can't let you take them," the Capitan stepped toward the fox.

Zorro stood defiantly still, turning his head slightly with a warning, "If I don't take them, then I cannot help you."

Morales finally relented, "What can I do?"

"Figure out how the two victims died."

"The first victim was stabbed once with a long blade. Death was instant. The second victim was strangled with a thick chord. The mark was clean hardly any defensive wounds. Both professional kills."

Zorro thought long and hard, "You are observant. That is good."

"Many years in the service, I have seen my share of brutality," Morales sighed, knowing he had to ask. "It is known that you are a professional with a whip and a sword. The chord could have been the leather from a whip. And you carry a rapier. You aren't somehow – involved?"

"I don't kill innocent people."

"These men weren't innocent. They were convicts."

Zorro paused. He did not know that piece of information.

"A Jose Tomayo and a Franco Rojas. Mean anything to you?"

Zorro shook his head; he wished those names were familiar to him. "What brought you to the conclusion that they were convicts?"

"Tattoos on the victims. I at first reasoned between sailor and convicts. I sent out a notice for any missing convicts in the neighboring cities and got my reply. There were two who had went missing in the last two weeks from Santa Barbara."

"Their crimes?"

"Treason, murder, theft. Things that you appall."

"Doesn't everybody. Tell me Capitan, would I kill someone then address a note to myself, taunting myself to come out of retirement? Don't make my judgement of you to be a mistake."

Morales held up his hands loosely, "I have to look at all the angles."

"If you want my help, you are going to have to trust me when I tell you that I did not kill these men. Or I will simply follow this investigation on my own."

Morales huffed, "All right, we do this together. But keep it quiet. I don't want it spread around that the Commandante of Los Angeles is in league with the infamous outlaw. I'd lose my job for sure."

Zorro flashed a toothy grin then bowed his head.

"There is one more thing, Zorro. These men were dead before their killer dressed them up as you. Little details suggested as such; a miss-aligned button on the shirt, crooked mask, belt loop too loose. The confirmation was the waist sash. Both men were undeniably right handed, yet the sash was put on the opposite direction. It just doesn't sit well with me. Whoever did this seems to have a plan which involves a whole lot of you. You will not withhold any information from me," he warned, "You are not the only protector of the people of Los Angeles."

Zorro bowed in submission.

"All right. If I need you, how can I reach you?"

Zorro grinned, "I have eyes and ears, I will know when you need me," he looked suddenly at the back gate with a look of alarm which caused Morales to turn with weapon ready.

There was no one there. He quickly turned back and the outlaw had vanished. Morales almost laughed at falling for such a childish trick. "Till we meet again, Senor Zorro."

zzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz

Bernardo and Alejandro had bumped into each other several times while pacing anxiously in the secret chamber. It had been two years since Alejandro had sleepless nights of worry. Now, with his son going back into danger, his stomach was in knots and somehow he knew that it would not let up any time soon.

Both men turned when they heard light footsteps coming up the stone stairs.

"Diego," Alejandro breathed a small sigh of relief.

Diego had already taken off his mask and hat as he entered the changing room, "Don't tell me you two were waiting up for me."

"You didn't expect me to sleep with you running around as Zorro again?"

Diego grinned, "I am fine, Father. It was not a trap. Capitan Morales was actually cooperative. And he was hiding it well, but he is afraid," he procured the notes, "these two were left on the two bodies dressed as Zorro and the third was found in the commandante's office."

Bernardo and Alejandro leaned into the candle as they read the notes.

Diego furthered, "And the two Zorros, they were convicts with offenses as long as my arm."

Alejandro pinched the bridge of his nose, "So the question is, does this man who killed these men want you for his help? Is he a vigilante wannabe?"

Diego shrugged and took one of the notes, he stared at it for a moment. Bernardo looked at the other two and made a few signs.

Diego nodded, "Right, Bernardo, from the handwriting, we can rule out a peon or vaquero. This is definitely someone who is well educated with a plan."

"Now, what kind of plan?"

Diego raised his eyebrows and shrugged again, "A very twisted plan."

Now as the mystery begins to unfold, may I please advise that you keep your ideas to yourself. I wouldn't want any spoilers for those who haven't figured anything out as soon as someone else. Again, appreciate the views and again remember this is my first time writing a mystery so please be KIND

:)