The following day, Don Alejandro woke up at dawn and, taking a sword and two guns, left with Mendoza and half the garrison, heading at a gallop towards the port.

Felipe came to wake up his father just as he saw his grandfather leave, but found Diego's room empty. Curious, the young man exited, wondering where he could be. That question was soon put to rest, though, as he saw the tall caballero exiting Victoria's room just moments later.

"What were you doing in there?" Felipe inquired in a whisper.

"Leaving Marisol with Victoria, considering that I intend to follow my father to the port. In the meantime, I'll need you to deliver some notes to the other caballeros. It might take you much of the morning, but it's essential that you do. If an attack is to happen today, we'll need more than the lancers to win. We'll need to be able to count on the dons and on their men." He said, taking some envelopes from his sash and handing them to Felipe. "And I'll also need you to come up with an excuse for my absence."

"I can say you left early to Santa Paula to buy Victoria a ring…" The younger man suggested as they headed for the library and his father pressed on the mantle, signaling for him to go through the sliding panel first.

"No. I am hoping she'll start wearing the ring I already gave her the day I asked her to marry me as Zorro." Diego replied pensively when he could finally stop whispering. "Perhaps you should just say I had an errand to run… On second thought, bring here that white fabric I bought in Santa Paula together with the other gifts for Victoria. I'll finally be able to give it to her. She seems to like white wedding gowns and I do believe she looks like an angel in white." He smiled dreamily. "It will also be a useful excuse for my absence. And don't forget to also bring Esperanza to the cave!"

"I won't. Don't worry! Just be careful." Felipe replied as he started saddling Tornado.

Zorro took several time-delay devices with him, as well as a crying-gas bomb, firecrackers, his crossbow and some explosive arrows he had prepared the previous morning, then mounted his stallion.

"What should I tell Victoria?" Felipe inquired just before he left.

Diego seemed to consider that answer for longer than it had taken him to come up with an excuse for his absence. "Tell her Zorro wanted to make sure his father was safe." He answered before he saluted and guided Tornado through the narrow corridor towards the cave's exit.

ZZZ

Don Alejandro and his men arrived at the port just as the Governor's ship was setting anchor. It was a rather large and not particularly fast frigate, and it took about half-an-hour longer for its passengers to make it to the shore.

"Welcome, Your Excellency! I am –"

"Don Alejandro de la Vega, Alcalde of Los Angeles." The high-ranking official said as he extended his hand to the caballero. "Luis Antonio Argüello," he then introduced himself as Don Alejandro shook his hand, "and this is my daughter, Señorita Josefa."

"At your orders, Señorita!" The don uttered as he bowed to gallantly kiss her hand.

"Captain Emmanuel Dos Santos, my Commander of the guards, you must already know, at least from your son's stories, no doubt." The Governor continued the introductions.

"I am glad to finally meet you, Don Alejandro." The young man uttered with a smile.

Emmanuel was almost as tall as Diego and just as handsome in his own way. His hair and eyes were dark brown, he wore no facial hair, and had an honest look in his eyes, just as the don's son. Still, his presence there was quite unexpected.

"I am glad to meet you, too, Señor!" The don uttered politely, though somewhat taken aback. "But my son didn't mention you were in California!"

"I only arrived in May and, since his Excellency did mention he'd like to visit Los Angeles soon, I decided to let my presence here be a surprise until said visit. But I am certainly looking forward to seeing Diego again. It's been too long." Emmanuel replied.

"Indeed…" Don Alejandro said. "May I introduce my Sergeant, Jaime Mendoza?" He then uttered unwilling to linger for too long on the pieces of information his brain was connecting that very moment.

The lancer bowed and kissed the Señorita's hand just like Diego had taught him a few years earlier, when training him to become an officer.

"A pleasure, Sergeant! I heard a lot about you, as well." The Governor said as he also shook his hand good-heartedly. "Well… I am looking forward to seeing Los Angeles, so what are we waiting for?"

"Yes… I took the liberty of bringing a carriage for you and the Señorita, as well as twenty-five of the garrison's extra horses for your men, as per your request." Don Alejandro said.

"I am surprised to see you found that many… Truth be told, Alcalde, I half-expected you to bring wagons for the men instead. I, myself, would have brought only five guardsmen for protection, seeing how we decided to come by ship, but Emmanuel insisted that we should still come with the equivalent of a full garrison…"

"There are many thugs roaming California, Your Excellency. I'd rather not take any chances with either your or your daughter's safety." The young man defended his decision.

"And you're right to be cautious, Comandante. In fact, the horses we brought used to belong to thugs set on attacking you this very morning, Your Excellency." Don Alejandro said, glancing at Emmanuel, interested in his reaction.

"Attacking us?" The Governor asked.

"Yes. From what we were able to uncover, they were part of a conspiracy to assassinate you, declare California's independence, and, most probably, sell this territory to the highest bidder, if Zorro proves right. He captured them two nights ago, and he also helped us come up with a plan to make them confess." Don Alejandro said. "If you don't mind me accompanying you and your daughter in the carriage, I will tell you everything we know on the way." He replied as some of the lancers started loading the Governor's and his daughter's luggage.

"Of course! It will be my honor, Alcalde!" The man said, visibly worried by the news.

"Captain," Don Alejandro addressed Dos Santos as he dismounted, offering him Dulcinea's reins, "my mare is fast and brave, but she needs excellent horsemanship or she will throw you. But, from what I remember of my son's stories, you should be able to handle her quite well… "

"I am honored you think so. To be fair, my skills never matched Diego's, but I like to think of myself as a good horseman."

"Good? You are the best horseman I've ever seen, Don Emmanuel!" The Governor's daughter pointed out as she got in the carriage.

"That is because you don't know Don Alejandro's son, Señorita."

"Diego?" The elderly caballero said rather dismissively.

"I've never seen a more gifted horseman than him." The young man confirmed.

"Perhaps when he was younger… These days, not so much…"

"Then I'll have no problem winning a race against him. Finally!" Emmanuel said in good humor as Don Alejandro and the Governor followed Josefa into the carriage, and Mendoza, taking the lead, started the caravan towards Los Angeles.

"So… What about this plot you've uncovered, Don Alejandro?" The Governor asked the older caballero.

"We are not yet certain who is behind it, Your Excellency," the Alcalde said, "but I fear the danger hasn't passed with us locking up some of the co-conspirators. Most of the men were in it because they blame you for the recent thefts of the payrolls and the resource problems plaguing the garrisons. Had I been one to judge people before knowing them, just based on hearsay, considering all the crimes they accused you of, I might have also been convinced that you are just as bad as Frasquez, if not worse."

"That's absurd! You can't believe my father is anything like that monster!" Josefa chided the caballero.

"As I said, Señorita, I don't judge anyone on hearsay. All I meant was that they have a rather long list of things of which they reproach you, Your Excellency!" Don Alejandro replied. "And, from what we also found out, they have accomplices still out there, ready to attack us and Los Angeles. It's why I have brought half the garrison with me today and left the rest to guard the pueblo."

"I see…" The high-ranking official uttered. "Well… That's a lot to consider. Perhaps this visit wasn't the best idea after all… But I was hoping to find out for myself if that masked outlaw roaming the area is as deserving of a pardon as you have mentioned in your letter."

"You may be certain he is, Your Excellency!" Don Alejandro assured him. "He's the best man I know. He brought hope and justice to our pueblo in its darkest times; he's never stolen anything for himself, but to help those in need; he's never seriously injured anyone; and the only two people who had ever died during a confrontation with him, our former alcalde Luis Ramone, and a bandit who attacked the pueblo and killed several of our people, have surely died by accident. Zorro, himself, refuses to kill, even when anyone else in his place would do precisely that. Not to mention he's also saved those most intent on capturing and hanging him, like my current stepson and former alcalde, Ignacio de Soto… and Luis Ramone before him. That must say something about his character…"

"Yes… You mentioned all that in your letter, and I agree that is an interesting man you're describing..." The official uttered.

"Indeed. As I mentioned, Zorro is the best man I know. A true hero of the people. He deserves more than a simple pardon. He deserves proper recognition for his deeds and sacrifices." Don Alejandro told him. "And I'm certain the people of Los Angeles will tell you the same. He's helped most of them at one point or another. I, myself, owe him for saving my life and the lives of every member of my family."

"He seems quite extraordinary, and I have also been looking forward to meeting him. In Monterey, the stories of his bravery are only surpassed in popularity during dinner tables by the stories of your son's cunningness." Josefa noted.

"My son's cunningness?"

"Yes! People in Monterey still talk about how he managed to make light in that entire affair surrounding the death of that impostor passing himself as Commander of Governor Frasquez's guards. As the story goes, he pretended he was going to have one of the De Los Reyes sisters executed so that the other one confessed to her involvement; found the secret passage the woman who had shot that impostor used; and realized the true cause of his death… All within a couple of hours. Your relatives, Doña Alma and her husband, as well as the Hernandezes are asked about him every time they attend a dinner party. In fact, I suspect they owe their current popularity, at least in part, to Don Diego." She replied. "And then, there are all of Emmanuel's stories about him. I think he's still rather resentful of your son who always bested him with the sword. I, for one, can hardly wait to see them duel. It must be quite something…"

"Diego bested the Captain? Well, I fear, Señorita, that the only thing that says about Don Emmanuel is that he's not a very skilled swordsman!" The elderly caballero muttered.

"Not a skilled swordsman? He's both Spanish and Mexican Champion!" The Governor retorted just as the carriage stopped quite abruptly.

The jolt almost caused Don Alejandro to fall on top of the Señorita, at the same time causing one of the coffers on the carriage to fall to the ground.

The caballero managed, at the last moment, to preserve his dignity by grabbing the window frame, then decided to get out and see what was going on.

A large tree trunk was blocking the way, its branches making even the horses' passage impossible. Emmanuel was already organizing its removal as the Alcalde neared him.

"Get those ropes across! Hurry! This might be an ambush." Dos Santos commanded. "Everybody, keep your eyes open!"

The guardsmen dispersed and carefully studied their surroundings as six of Mendoza's men were already trying to move the tree. Next thing they knew, several shots were fired from a nearby hill.

Emmanuel found himself on the ground, as one of the bullets, whizzed by him, chopping part of Dulcinea's right ear and causing the mare to rear before running away scared, throwing her rider.

"Protect the carriage!" Dos Santos ordered his men as he got up with Don Alejandro's help, doing his best to ignore his pain.

The guardsmen rapidly took position around the vehicle transporting the Governor.

In the confusion which ensued, as forty men came charging over the hill, Don Alejandro saw the young commander heading for the carriage. Moments later, a shot found a target in Dos Santos, and he stumbled before falling, his head impacting the carriage as his body fell numb to the ground.

"What are you doing, you idiots? That's our leader you have just shot!" A voice was heard from among the attackers, as a man with a small scar above his left eye pointed at the now-unconscious Commander.

Don Alejandro knew they were outnumbered and defending the Governor was going to be quite a hard task. But he had never retreated before, and he wasn't going to start then. Thus, instead, he took charge of the defense, ordering the lancers and the guardsmen to stand their ground and protect the carriage.

As the elderly don faced his first foe in a duel, though relieved to see he was not a great swordsman, the thought crossed his mind that he could very well die before the day's end, never getting to see his son marry Victoria, nor meet the grandchildren she would give birth to.

Chaos seemed to reign all around him as a lucky thrust helped him defeat his challenger. Yet another man came to the defense of the first, this one far most skilled than his companion, and quite vicious in his attacks.

The Los Angeles Alcalde defended himself the best he could, yet knew he'd soon find himself defeated. That moment came just a minute or so after their duel had started, when a thrust of his foe's sword deprived Don Alejandro of his weapon.

"You should have stayed at home, old man!" The attacker said as he prepared to pierce the don's heart.

Seconds seemed to pass like hours for the elderly caballero, as everything around him started to happen in slow motion. The man's evil grimace, the sunlight reflected by the sword advancing towards him, an explosion not far behind his attacker, the black whip curling around the glittering sword, diverting its path, the surprise in the attacker's eyes as his face turned, the force with which the black-gloved hand impacted the man's jaw, and the two teeth flying out of his mouth, all seemed to happen in a realm where every action had been magically slowed down tenfold.

"Are you alright? Were you injured?" Zorro asked the baffled Don Alejandro and it seemed to the don that time had suddenly returned to its normal speed as the masked man spoke.

"I am fine." He answered after a moment's hesitation, almost unable to believe his own words.

"Take cover behind that trunk, Alcalde!" Zorro hurriedly ordered, pointing to the older man the broken tree he was referring to. "You may no longer be the swordsman you once were, but you are still a very good shot, and that skill will come in handy more than your sword."

The don nodded and hurriedly did as he said, taking out his pistols and starting to aim them at the attackers. In the meantime, his lancers had regrouped around Zorro and were showing more bravery than he had ever seen them display before.

With the masked man's arrival, the fighting became fiercer but, at the same time, more even, for, as a pirate had once put it, Zorro fought like ten men, and there were already thirty-five lancers and guardsmen there.

Sword in his right hand, his whip in his left, the black-clad outlaw took down some five attackers before making his way towards the carriage, next to which Dos Santos was lying.

Surprised to see his friend there, the Zorro lost sight of his surroundings for a few moments, just enough for one of the bandits to take aim at him.

"Zorro, watch out!" Don Alejandro's voice reverberated through the noise of the battle.

Not waiting to see what his father was warning him against, the masked man plunged to the ground, landing just next to Emmanuel. Pieces of wood flew over him as the bullet that could have ended his life impacted the side of the carriage instead, then continued its trajectory towards the leg of an attacker who was fighting just a few feet away.

Another shot rang out, this time from behind the tree sheltering Don Alejandro, and the man who had attempted to kill Zorro fell to the ground, only a few yards from him.

After hurriedly checking his friend's vital signs, satisfied he was alive, the masked outlaw turned around to assess the situation of the battle, and saw Don Alejandro dueling another thug in an attempt to save Mendoza's life. The Sergeant was on the ground, just a few feet away, holding his injured hand.

Heading that way, the masked men blocked an attack on Don Alejandro. "Get Mendoza to safety!" He ordered, addressing his father, as his sword locked with the one wielded by the don's adversary. As his father was obeying his instructions, he kicked the attacker in the belly, getting him away from the two people he was trying to protect.

Moments later, the leader of the attackers sounded the retreat and they all hurried away, taking their injured with them and leaving the dead behind.

"Where's Emmanuel?" The Governor inquired as he got down from the carriage to see about his Commander of the guards.

"They took him with them." A sergeant dressed in the white uniform worn by his men answered.

It was only then when, after having made sure his father was safe, the masked man realized his friend was gone.

"One of those men mentioned he was their leader." Don Alejandro said as he neared the official.

"I heard that too…" the sergeant, a man called Doñato, said, "though I have a hard time believing it…"

"Because it's absurd!" Zorro uttered dumbfounded.

"Actually, it makes perfect sense, considering all we've been through lately… I'll organize a patrol to head out searching for them as soon as you are safe in the pueblo, Your Excellency." The older caballero answered. "Too bad he proved to be a traitor." He then added. "My son will be heartbroken when he finds out."

The masked man shook his head, unable to even conceive the idea of his friend having plotted his murder and that morning's attack. "No!" He just muttered as he headed for his stallion, but was stopped in his tracks at finding himself at the wrong end of some eight muskets.

"He just saved us all!" Don Alejandro said at realizing the black-clad outlaw was in trouble.

"Indeed!" The Governor agreed. "I have to say, Señor," he then addressed Zorro, "that I am rather tempted to have my men arrest you just so that I can take off that mask concealing half of your face. I won't, though. Instead, I will thank you for your assistance, and allow you to be on your way." He continued, signing to his guardsmen to lower their muskets. "You should know, however, that I am here to put an end to your career as an outlaw, and nothing you do can change that."

"But I thought…" a distraught Josefa muttered from a window, yet stopped mid-sentence at noticing her father's glare.

"You may very well try, Your Excellency. Others have, before you. Yet here I still am." The masked man answered before saluting as he disappeared in the same direction as the attackers.

"Others might have tried. I'll succeed." The older man muttered as Zorro was already heading away at a gallop.

Don Alejandro glanced between the Governor and the diminishing form of the pueblo's masked hero before ordering his men to find out if any of the rebels they had shot was still alive.