"Father? What happened?" Diego asked as he exited to the courtyard, Felipe following him.

"We were attacked, Don Diego!" Mendoza answered instead. "Eighty men! We barely escaped with our lives."

"They were forty at the most, Sergeant." Don Alejandro corrected. "But we managed to repel them with no casualty on our side. With Zorro's help, of course."

"Oh?"

"Quite the fighter, I must admit! The stories about him are not exaggerated." The Governor uttered, stepping down from the coach before helping his daughter.

"Your Excellency," Don Alejandro said, "may I introduce to you my son, Diego de la Vega, and my grandson, Felipe de la Vega?"

"Señores…" The Governor said, extending his hand.

"And this is Señorita Josefa, His Excellency's daughter." Don Alejandro continued the introductions.

"Welcome, Señorita!" Diego said as he bowed to kiss the hand she offered him, and Felipe imitated his father.

"I heard a lot about you, Don Diego…" Josefa muttered.

"From my aunt and uncle in Monterey, I assume?"

"From Emmanuel Dos Santos, my… former Commander of the guards." The Governor answered instead of his daughter.

Diego looked inquisitively at him. "Emmanuel?"

"Yes… Son… But I will tell you everything a while later. Before that," he uttered, as he signed for the lancers, "we found one of the attackers still alive …" By the time he said that two of his men were already dragging an unconscious thug to the house.

"This one tried to kill Zorro. Don Alejandro insists that you might be able to save his life…" The Governor informed the caballero.

"I will do my very best," Diego assured them as he had the man taken to one of the guestrooms, then followed with his son.

ZZZ

Around that same time, some fifteen miles northwest, as he debarked on the seashore, Fernando de la Cruz was being met by four men, his 'lieutenants' as he liked to call them. About sixty others were waiting on their horses, all looking expectantly at him from about a hundred yards away.

"Have you succeeded?" He asked the group of four. "Where's Santino?"

They hesitated, their heads bending down in embarrassment. "Santino is dead, Amo. Chulo was also arrested together with most of their men and the lancer we had infiltrated in the Los Angeles garrison. From what we heard, they were already executed. And Zorro interfered with this morning's attack..." One of them said.

"What? Damn it! How could it all go so wrong?"

"We didn't anticipate the Los Angeles Alcalde to act in such a hurry, with no trial…" One of the men answered. "He just executed them hours after they were captured by that black-clad fiend.

"As for this morning's attack, the lancers were expecting us, and Zorro used explosive devices to scare the horses and the men. The battle was lost the moment he showed up and I had to order the retreat before losing even more men. Five died during the battle and 9 more were injured.

"But I followed your instructions… We made sure everyone believed Dos Santos is our leader. He was injured during the fight and we took him to the De la Vega Hacienda, just as you had asked."

"Damned that Zorro! Why does he always interfere? Well…I guess he has chosen his side. Too bad, but I will tolerate his interference no longer. We'll defend this territory even without him. He must die the next time he shows himself." Fernando decided.

"Si, Amo… But he's not very easy to kill…"

"We'll see about that… How about Dos Santos? Have the Governor's men already arrested him and Don Diego?"

The man who had spoken earlier hesitate. "We don't know, Amo. We hurried here as soon as we left him. But we'll surely find out when we take the pueblo…"

"Idiot!" Fernando chided him. "No wonder all my previous plans have failed..." He then muttered just to himself. Taking a deep breath, to calm his nerves before stabbing that moron, he settled on another strategy. "I'll take the men who accompanied me here and go to the De la Vega Hacienda. I'll find out if the plan for Dos Santos succeeded, and if it hasn't yet, I'll make sure it does. I want him to die knowing the man he has been risking his life for will take his at the slightest hint of suspicion. And then I want to see how Don Diego de la Vega manages to avoid being associated with a known traitor… With some luck, the Governor will have them both executed by tonight, and everyone will join our side as soon as he does, starting with Emmanuel's guardsmen and ending with Don Alejandro and the other dons."

"What about us? What should we do?"

Fernando glanced at them pensively. "Divide the men amongst you. Enzo, you and your troops will head for Los Angeles and hide in the southern vineyards. Make sure you are not seen and wait there for my signal.

"Jorge, you and your men will also head for the pueblo and infiltrate it. Divide the men into groups of two and three, and have them enter the town some twenty minutes from each other so that no one suspects anything. Once there, I want you to find out the lancers' strategy to defend Los Angeles and all its vulnerabilities. In case an attack is needed, you can assure our success with minimum bloodshed. Am I clear?"

"Si, Amo!" One of the men said.

"Franco, you and your men will be waiting for me two miles southwest of the pueblo in the orchids where we stopped on the way north a few months back. If all goes well, you'll have a long wait. I'll either come myself or send one of my guardsmen for you when the time comes. One way or another, before this day's end, Los Angeles will be ours…"

"Amo, what about my men and I?" Marco, his fourth remaining lieutenant asked.

"You will wait with Franco. After you botched this morning's attack I can't trust you anymore. He's in charge."

The man frowned but joined the others in organizing everything as per their leader's orders.

"How should we make sure we don't shoot our own men when the attack starts?" Enzo asked his cohorts as they were nearing the larger group."

"Ribbons. We will all be wearing ribbons, just like the ones we have sent for our men in the rest of the pueblos." Jorge decided.

Fernando watched them head away shaking his head, then glanced at the Californian clear sky, his face severe and determined as he, once more, looked towards the volunteers his lieutenants had recruited to their cause. Forcing a smile on his lips, he headed for them to greet everyone and assure them they were making history by standing up to the oppressors.

ZZZ

Diego and his son did their best for the man the older don had shot, leaving a servant to watch over him, then bandaged Mendoza and some of the other wounded soldiers before he and Felipe joined Don Alejandro, the Governor, and his daughter in the dining room for lunch.

"That's quite a story, Father…" Diego said as soon as Don Alejandro finished his account of what had happened that morning. "But may I offer another explanation for all those facts that clued you into believing Emmanuel is a traitor and the man plotting my demise?" He went on asking after he paused for a few moments, mainly for dramatic effect.

"Another explanation? What do you mean?" The don inquired.

"Well, your certainty that he is behind the entire plot rest on three… facts, which are interpretable. I think I might explain them in a different way than you already have."

"You think him innocent?" Josefa inquired.

"Son, I know he's your friend, but…"

"Precisely because he is my friend, I know he is not the kind of man who would lead a rebellion against the one he has sworn to protect. Nor is he the sort to plot to kill me or to sell his very soul for money, no matter how big a fortune he'd stand to gain. Emmanuel was the sole heir of a fortune, Father, and he gave most of it away to help people in need, far before he left Spain. He never did anything for money. On the contrary. Your account describes a very different person than the one I know, and I don't believe he has suddenly changed so radically."

"But we heard…"

"You heard the men who shot him say he was their leader..."

"And the fake Magdalena…"

"I also have an explanation regarding the way in which the information about her might have reached the true leader of the rebellion. I think a certain Doctor Lozano might have been instrumental in that. If you will allow me a few minutes, I think I can make you reconsider your conclusions…" Diego said.

"I am willing to listen, Don Diego." The Governor said. "Emanuel saved my life more times than I remember, so, if there is any way to prove his innocence…"

"There is, Your Excellency." The caballero answered, glad to see the official was not the kind of man to jump to conclusions. "As I was saying, there are three reasons for anyone to believe he is the man behind the entire plot. Firstly, it's because those attackers said so, then took him with them as they rode away. Secondly, the words of the imprisoned men, mentioning that their leader was a high-ranking person in your circle, and that they were due to meet him today, when he is to come to Los Angeles. Thirdly, the fake Magdalena incident, a person few others except Emmanuel knew about."

"There's also the fact that the attacks started as soon as he arrived in California…" Don Alejandro uttered.

"Actually, Father, that is more of an argument dismounting the case against him. If he did arrive in May, how could he have managed that first attack against me? From all we know, it had taken more than a month to organize and he wasn't here at the time."

"He could have sent Guzman ahead."

"No… Fernando, the Deputy Governor, mentioned Guzman had been amongst those recruited in San Diego, as he headed north with my men. And I had dispatched the extra lancers to the garrisons before Emmanuel's arrival. I had him stay behind to handle my affairs in Mexico and arrange for my most precious possessions to be brought here, which is why he arrived a couple of months after me…" The Governor explained, becoming quite interested in what Diego had to say as his own mental wheels started turning.

Don Alejandro, though, was not that easy to convince. "Well, he probably –"

"Your Excellency, the men just spotted guardsmen heading this way." Sergeant Donato interrupted to announce as he hurried inside the house.

"Who is leading them?" The Governor asked, standing up and heading for the door, Diego, Felipe, Josefa, and Don Alejandro right behind him.

"I think it's Don Fernando." Donato answered dumbfounded as the group neared.

The Governor squinted his eyes at looking towards the three horsemen. "Fernando? What is he doing here?"

"Indeed. Why would another high-ranking official close to you come here on this very day?" Diego mocked, his words and tone not lost on the official.

"Mi amor!" Josefa exclaimed, hurrying towards the Deputy Governor as he stopped his horse and dismounted in front of the hacienda.

"Are you alright? I came as soon as I could. Thank God I am not too late!" He muttered, embracing her. "Your Excellency," he continued, addressing the young woman's father "there is a plot to assassinate you. Word of it reached me just a day after you left Monterey. I managed to find a ship and followed you here, to warn you."

The Governor looked inquisitively towards him, then glanced at Diego, noticing the incredulous frown on his face. "There was, indeed an attack on us, this very morning." He answered. "But our men managed to disperse the rebels, killing some of them and capturing one."

"Really? Well… It is good to see you got away safely, Your Excellency, but the fight might just be starting. It's why I came. It pains me to tell you, but, according to my sources, Emmanuel is the one behind the entire plot."

"Yes. We know that Deputy Governor…" Don Alejandro said. "He was injured during the fight and his men left taking him with them…"

"And you didn't find him? If he's been injured, surely those thugs would be looking for a doctor…" Fernando said gazing toward Diego.

"Well… Doctor Kent is in town for all I know, and one of my men was already dispatched to warn the garrison… I'd be informed immediately if they'd take him there..." Don Alejandro stated.

"How about Don Diego? Haven't they tried to have you treat him?"

"If he was here, I'm sure the lancers would have easily spotted him when they secured the house…" the young don replied with an innocent smile.

Fernando fixed his eyes on him, certain he was being lied to but still trying to do his best to avoid giving himself away. "Still… If you'd allow my men to have a look… You understand that such a person cannot be allowed to roam free just yards away from the Governor, even if he has been injured…" He uttered.

"You want to search my hacienda?" Don Alejandro asked rather enraged, the request reminding him a little too much of the former alcaldes' abuses. "As my son already informed you, Señor, if Emmanuel Dos Santos was here, we'd know about it!"

"Unless the Deputy Governor has information we don't have, Father." Diego said innocently. "And speaking of information, we have all been looking forward to receiving news of your cousin for over a year now…"

"His cousin?" The elderly caballero inquired, unsure where his son was going with that remark.

"Yes. Señorita Ursula de Yero. The Deputy Governor's cousin…" He answered, fixing his eyes on the slightly older man.

Don Alejandro, starting to understand what his son was actually saying, looked at the newcomer, a mixture of ire and puzzlement on his face.

Realizing the De la Vega heir was onto him, Fernando stared at him for a few moments as he considered his options. When he decided, rapidly taking out a pistol, he grabbed Josefa and turned her to face her father, putting the gun to her head.

"You truly are smarter than I've given you credit for, De la Vega!" He said as everyone froze in place at his actions. "Instruct your men to step away, Sergeant!" He then ordered Donato.

"Mi amor?" The scared young woman asked.

"Fernando, what are you doing?" The Governor asked.

"Showing his true, rebellious nature, I'd say." Diego calmly replied.

"Josefa will come with me as a guarantee of my safety," Fernando said.

"No!" The Governor said as he took a step forward.

The Deputy Governor pressed his gun against the scared young woman's chin, slowly moving away from the soldiers, dragging her with him. "Stay back or I fire!" He threatened the worried father.

"You have already lost, De la Cruz. Hiding behind an innocent woman will not change that." Diego uttered.

"Lost? But the fight is just starting. And I have the upper hand, as you will soon find out. Now, step away unless you want to be responsible for her death!" He ordered the lancers as he headed for his horse.

"I wonder what will your men say at finding out you murdered an innocent woman… Or how they'll react as you return with her as your hostage. Will they still believe your lies, De la Cruz?" Diego inquired, taking a step toward the Deputy Governor.

Fernando hesitated but continued to move away from the lancers as his men followed him. Once he was no longer flanked by either guardsmen or Los Angeles lancers, he forced Josefa onto his mount. "If you try to follow us, she's dead!" He uttered before leaving with his men at a gallop.

While the Governor and Don Alejandro were watching powerless, Diego and Felipe took advantage of their distraction to head inside and disappear behind the sliding panel in the fireplace.

A few minutes later, before anyone even noticed the caballeros' absence, Zorro exited the cave mounted on Tornado.

ZZZ

The masked outlaw tracked Josefa and her abductors for a few miles as they were heading northeast, and arrived at the not-yet-finished dam just in time to see Fernando push the young woman from the edge before continuing on his way.

Her scream at falling made the black-clad man's hair stand on end. Encouraging Tornado to run at full speed, Zorro plunged into the waters as soon as they reached the dam, jumping straight from the saddle. In the meantime, the young woman, who didn't know how to swim, had fallen beneath the surface and was descending, already about to lose consciousness due to the water rapidly filling her lungs. Zorro barely managed to find her just before she'd be forever lost in the muddy waters. By the time he did, though, she was had lost consciousness and as he reemerged with her from under the waters, he realized with concern that she was no longer breathing.

Yet that was not the most urgent problem he had at that point.

Having seen him when glancing back, Fernando and his two men had turned back and, soon after the masked outlaw returned to the surface, the guardsmen started firing on him. There was nowhere for him to hide to avoid their bullets and both he and Josefa were sitting ducks.

"One last chance, Zorro!" Fernando said as he also aimed his gun, while his men were re-loading theirs. "The offer I made you that night you visited me in Los Angeles still stands. Let Josefa die and join me and my men! You'll not regret it!"

"You really think that after all you did, knowing what you are planning, I would ever side with you?" The masked man answered as he slowly made his way towards a spot where he had just noticed while searching for the young woman, that a rock formation raised to about three feet under the surface of the water.

"It's your choice. But it's a shame you chose to side with the Governor!" "We could have done great things together!"

"There's nothing great about what you are planning on doing! Only unlawful and despicable." Zorro said as his legs reached the underwater boulders.

"Spoke the man with a price on his head," Fernando mocked as he fired right at the black-clad outlaw.

From where he stood, he saw Zorro slightly jolting back and disappearing under the waters with the young woman in his arms.

"The Governor and his men are coming! We must leave!" One of his men said as he looked back, noticing a small contingent of soldiers heading their way.

Fernando hesitated as he glanced towards where Zorro had been, wondering if he had died. A bullet whistling past his ear, though, forced him to make a decision. Turning to look in the direction of the approaching lancers and their leaders, he signed to his men, and they restarted the gallop.

Zorro – who had used the submerged boulders to prompt himself on them and more-or-less rapidly squint using all the strength in his legs, just as he realized that De la Cruz was about to pull the trigger – returned to the surface with Josefa, and headed for the shore, glad that the bullet Fernando de la Cruz had fired only grazed his left shoulder, causing very little damage.

Pulling the young woman out of the water just as her father and his men were arriving there, he started pressing on her chest, a maneuver Jessie had shown him, in the hope to force her to breathe again. On the inside though, he was praying that it wasn't already too late to save her, certain that news of her death would devastate his best friend.

"Josefa!" The Governor shouted as he, Don Alejandro, and their men reached them, hurriedly dismounting and climbing down to where Zorro was trying to resuscitate the young woman.

A few moments later, she coughed and turned to her side, letting the water pour out of her lungs.

"Are you alright, Señorita?" The masked man asked as he breathed, relieved.

The young woman glanced at him, coughed a few more times, then nodded before starting to cry.

"Josefa!" Her father again called as he reached her. "What happened?"

"Fernando... He threw me into the water! He said he never cared about me. That I am nothing to him!" She muttered as she buried her face in her parent's chest.

"It's for the best, Señorita. You certainly deserve better than an unscrupulous thug by your side." Zorro tried to encourage her as he stood up.

"Thank you!" The Governor raised his head to say, addressing the masked man. "I've only arrived here a few hours ago, and I already owe you more than just my life..."

"You don't owe me anything, Your Excellency. Your Deputy, on the other hand... has quite a debt to pay…" As he said that, ire in his voice, Zorro climbed up to where his stallion was waiting, and mounted. "I suggest you take the Governor and his daughter to the pueblo, Alcalde." He then addressed his father. "He'll be safer there than at your hacienda, considering that Don Fernando still has quite a large contingent at his disposal."

"I was planning on doing just that, Señor Zorro," the elderly caballero replied. "Mendoza, go to the hacienda and tell my vaqueros to arm themselves, and the servants to get away from the house. Then accompany Diego and Felipe to the pueblo. If there is an attack on the hacienda, I don't want anyone to get injured or killed in it." He then ordered just as the masked man was about to head away.

Zorro would have wanted to follow the Deputy Governor but, realizing Diego's presence would soon be needed, he saluted and hurriedly guided his stallion towards the cave.

ZZZ

Mendoza found the tall caballero in the library, bandaging Emmanuel. If he noticed that Diego's hair was slightly wet, he put it on the weather, certain that not even the De la Vega heir could stand the day's unbearable heat without sweating. Besides, he was already distracted by that point at noticing the Commander.

After being informed that Emmanuel had found his way to the hacienda thanks to Zorro, the good Sergeant hurried to transmit the instructions Don Alejandro charged him with. Soon enough, the De la Vegas, the injured thug, and Emmanuel were all heading for the pueblo, Tornado, with Zorro's clothes in his saddlebags and his master's sword attached to his saddle, following at a short distance.