Chapter 3
Two days later de Soto was very pleased with himself. He had the perfect plan to finally capture Zorro and he was about to set it. He was willing to give the six thousand pesos bounty to Martineau, once he eliminated the bandit. He strode into the tavern with several lancers and in a loud voice said. "Senorita Escalante, you are under arrest."
Victoria looked up shocked. "What. On what charges?"
"For consorting with a known bandit." He turned to his lancers. "Lancers take the senorita to the cells."
Diego was stunned, once again his lady was in danger because of her very public support of him. He stood up and crossed over to the counter. "But Alcalde, you can't do this."
de Soto sneered. "Of course I can. Now unless you wish to join the senorita in the cells, I would suggest that you allow me to do my duty."
Victoria flashed a look of gratitude at her best friend. "It's alright Diego, Zorro will come for me."
Diego felt hurt at the implication that only his alter-ego could help. And she was right, only Zorro would be able to get her out of trouble once again.
de Soto gave an evil chuckle. "I'm counting on it Senorita, now go." with that Victoria was escorted out of the tavern.
Diego watched them thoughtfully, he had a very strong feeling that this was a trap for the masked man.
An hour later Zorro was on the roof of the Alcalde's office. He looked through the small window and saw that the Alcalde was alone in his office. He had noticed several lancers standing nearby gossiping but he ignored them as he quietly opened the window and nimbly leapt down. "Buenos Dias Alcalde." he said with amusement in his voice.
de Soto knew that the bandit would come to rescue the senorita but he was still a little startled at the familiar smug voice. 'Well he won't be so smug now' he thought.
"Ah Zorro what can I do for you?" he asked calmly.
Zorro was immediately suspicious at his calm manner. "Oh I think you know why I am here alcalde. Release the senorita." he replied in the same calm tone.
"Very well, I will release her" de Soto smiled at the surprised look on the outlaw's face. "I believe you know the way to the cells."
Zorro narrowed his eyes, this was too easy, he reflected. "Just like that, Alcalde."
de Soto chuckled. "Of course, just like that."
Zorro's instincts screamed at him to leave immediately but he wouldn't leave his lady sitting in that filthy cell. He drew his sword and grinned. "You first Alcalde." and motioned for him to stand up.
de Soto nodded and rose from his chair.
"Slowly Alcalde." Zorro warned.
de Soto just smiled as he stood slowly and crossed to the door leading to the cells, with Zorro following behind.
Victoria was fuming, her anger hadn't cooled in the hour that she had been in the cell. "How dare he put me in here!" she muttered as she paced around the confined space.
As the door opened, she turned and her anger disappeared. "Zorro, I knew you would come."
Zorro grinned. "At your service Senorita." He thrust his sword closer de Soto. "Open the door Alcalde."
de Soto took the keys from the wooden peg and opened the cell door, leaving the keys in the lock.
Victoria beamed as she slipped out of the door and rushed to Zorro's side.
"Get inside Alcalde." he said as he put his arm around Victoria.
de Soto turned surprised. "What! You can't do that." he stopped as Zorro's sword pressed against his chest.
"Inside Alcalde." Zorro's tone left no room for argument.
de Soto sighed and walked into his own cell.
Zorro pulled the door shut, locked it and replaced the keys on the peg. He lead Victoria back through the office and out into the plaza. They came to a halt as they saw Martineau standing in front of them, his sword unsheathed, with a very arrogant smile on his face.
Zorro instantly moved to shield Victoria from this new threat. The trap had been sprung; Victoria had been the bait. "Monsieur, it's dangerous to have an naked blade out in the open." Zorro said casually.
Martineau grinned and saluted. "Not if you intend to use it."
Zorro grinned back and returned the salute. "Of course, if that is your wish."
"Oh yes, it is my wish senor."
The two men slowly circled each other as Victoria quickly crossed the dusty plaza over to her tavern and stood beside Don Alejandro, who had been on his way inside, searching for his son but had stopped and turned when he heard the challenge.
As the first sounds of steel clashing echoed around the plaza, de Soto appeared after being released by Mendoza. He chuckled and rubbed his hands together. "Now, we will finally capture Zorro."
"What do you mean Alcalde?" Mendoza asked as he stood next to his commander.
"Martineau is a well-known swordsman, Mendoza and he will bring Zorro to his knees."
The two men duelling in the middle of the dusty plaza had drawn a large gathering of people. As the citizens watched, they came to understand that the Frenchman was no ordinary swordsman. It was obvious even to the most inexperienced in the ways of swordplay, that Martineau was a master swordsman. It was in the way he held his sabre, not too tight, but in an easy relaxed grip. In fact, his entire body was relaxed and confident; his foot movements were precise and efficient.
Zorro had already realised this, as they warily circled each other, each gauging the others strengths and weaknesses. Finally, he thought, here was someone that could really challenge him and he found the prospect thrilling. For a long time he had wanted someone who could test him, to stretch him to the limits of his skill. Now he had. The only thing that he didn't know, was how it was going to end.
"Really Senor Zorro, your tactics are quite predictable." Martineau sneered.
Zorro chuckled. "Not as predictable as yours monsieur."
They clashed swords again, neither one giving an inch as they manoeuvred around the plaza. Zorro found himself working hard for the first time since he battled Sir Miles Thackery. This Frenchman was good, real good, he reflected.
Victoria held onto Don Alejandro's arm tightly. "Dios." she whispered worriedly as she realised that this fight was very different to all the others that her love had been involved in, she saw that both men seemed equally matched, equally skilled.
"It will be alright Victoria, Zorro is the best swordsman I have ever seen." he said soothingly but inside he too was concerned, the Frenchman was very good. He hoped that Zorro had not met his match.
Victoria nodded. "I know Don Alejandro, but this man is very good too." her voice shook from her fears.
Don Alejandro nodded in agreement and placed his hand over hers in comfort.
Martineau was enjoying himself immensely, it was rare that he had an opponent with such talent with the blade. Even in France, he had heard of Zorro and of his great skill with the sabre. The same criminal who had defeated the European Grand Champion, Sir Miles Thackery on his visit to this dusty outpost. He wanted to achieve what Sir Miles had not. To be the one to defeat this bandit, this master swordsman. The six thousand pesos would be an added bonus. Only once or twice in his life had he met someone who had a chance to defeat him and this Zorro had a chance, but only a slim chance, but it would be Zorro who would lose, he thought egoistically.
de Soto was bouncing on his toes with glee as he stood in front of his office. Never before had a fight lasted as long as this one and he could see that Martineau was even better than his reputation. Many times it seemed as though he had gotten passed Zorro's defences but only at the last moment did his archenemy, twist away. But he knew that kind of concentration was beginning to take its toll on Zorro and he felt jubilation for the first time since he arrived in this backward place. Zorro was going to lose.
Zorro felt for the first time, that he could be beaten by this Frenchman and that thought made him even more determined to find his weaknesses and exploit them. It seemed that Martineau had found some of his own weakness but he had seen them at the last possible moment and deflected his blade. It was as though he knew what moves he was to about make. The only time he had duelled against such a strong rival, was with his mentor Sir Edmund Kendall. He had the same ability to read an opponent by their body language. 'That's it, Martineau must have had some training under Sir Edmund' he reflected with satisfaction, he knew how to defeat him with this knowledge.
The two warily eyed each other once more as they circled around each other. Both knew that they were evenly matched in skill and it would only take a small lapse of concentration by either of them, to end the battle.
"You are reasonably good with the blade monsieur." Zorro smiled at the man.
Martineau chuckled, appreciating the humour of his rival. "Why thank you Senor, you are not bad yourself."
An understanding flowed between them. As with opposing soldiers on a battlefield, who gained a respect for the other, so it became with these two master swordsmen.
"Nothing personal Zorro but your time as an outlaw is over." he grinned and saluted the masked man.
Zorro grinned back. "And nothing personal if that doesn't happen." he raise his sword and saluted back.
So began the final battle, where there would be only one victor. Each knew that the fight would only stop, with the serious injury or worse, of one or both of the combatants.
The crowd had grown completely silent as they watched in awe at the skills of the two masters duelling. They all realised that this moment would go down in history as the most incredible, most dramatic and most heroic battle of all time. It was destined to become legend. They would be telling their children and their grandchildren for a long time to come. They also knew that this might be the end of Zorro, that he could actually loose to the Frenchman and they all silently urged him to succeed in this combat.
Even de Soto was silent as he watched the fierceness of the battle. He finally comprehended for the first time, that he would never have won a fight against Zorro using swords, pistols perhaps, he was a good shot, but not with swords. He knew he was watching two master swordsmen and he felt a little awed by the display of exceptional skills shown by both men.
Victoria was afraid for the first time in her life, not for herself but for Zorro. She feared that he would be hurt or worse still, that he could loose his life. But she also feared that he would have to take the life of the Frenchman. She knew how much he detested the idea of killing someone but this time he may not have a choice. She had never seen her love fight with such ferocity as he was at that moment but he was fighting for his life. She shuddered at the thought that the life they had planned together would never come true.
Martineau finally found an opening in Zorro's defence and struck. But at the very last second Zorro saw the move, which would have ended his life and managed to block it. The two blades slid down to the hilts and the men were only inches apart, their breathing laboured. It had been a long and strenuous fight.
Then the unthinkable happened.