Diego laid the sword's tip at Paonessa's throat, and stared hard at the man. "Shall I draw blood, senor? Let's see how much blood I can spill."

Paonessa laughed again softly. "Zorro doesn't spill blood. He's squeamish…"

"I am Diego de la Vega, senor. I'm not Zorro. Ask Capitan Destara if I am squeamish…"

Doubt flooded into the bandit's eyes for half a second. Diego's eyes glinted with hate and stern determination. Paonessa swallowed.

"Senor…"

Paonessa felt the pressure of the tip of the sword, and the tiniest pinprick of pain. A trickle of blood flowed. He glanced down at it, and gasped a little.

"Think how the lady would have suffered at the point of your blade, senor, before you beg me for mercy," Diego whispered. Paonessa closed his eyes, and waited for the sword to finish him.

Diego swung a fist, and the bandit leader tumbled into the dust.

"Tie him up, Victoria," Diego murmured, without glancing around. He stared at the unconscious man with satisfaction.

"Diego…" Victoria's voice was fearful, and Diego turned. He realised what had happened, of course. He may have won a battle, but lost the war.

"Hands up, caballero, or she dies…"

"I'm getting a little sick of this," Diego murmured. "Didn't I tell you to run?"

"Why didn't you tell me…other things?"

Diego met her eyes, and another bandit shoved him across to her, where they quickly tied him up again.

"If you're waiting for further orders, you're going to wait a long time," Diego said, glancing at the hesitant bandits. Paonessa was going to lie in the dirt for a while.

Zzz

The alcalde had finally caught up with the Capitan.

Destara glanced at the rag tag soldiers with disdain.

"If you get in my way, alcalde, I'll have a request for your court marital. Alcalde is a political post, not a commanding one."

"You insufferable…!" The alcalde shouted, but then remembered to watch his tongue.

"What was that?"

"I hope the hostages aren't suffering…"

Destara knew very well what he had said. He chose to ignore it. As soon as he had this bandit arrested he would soon be back in Mexico City where he belonged. Diego's son had passed on the message very nicely for someone who had no voice.

"If you endanger my son, or the ladies…," Alejandro said aggressively.

"Don Alejandro, I am sure everyone is considering the hostages…"

Stefano Azarola stumbled towards them with Isabella, and she half fell into Alejandro's arms.

"Are you alright, Senora?" Alejandro said, holding her upright, and at arm's length to really examine her. He saw the trickle of blood at her throat, and sat her down on a nearby rock.

"Here, let me help you, Senora," he murmured, as he moistened his handkerchief with his water pouch, and gently cleaned her throat. He paused, and realised what he was doing, and she smiled at him. She took the offered handkerchief and finished the more intimate areas.

"Thank you, Don Alejandro," she murmured.

"Is Diego alright?"

"Yes, the way the sergeant was speaking, it was believed he was going after the bandits personally." The alcalde was glancing with concern at the entrance to the cavern, as the lancers joined the firefight.

"He isn't hurt, at least I believe he isn't. He was so brave, Alejandro," Isabella said softly. "Alone and unarmed, he confronted the bandits."

"Quite stupid," Ignacio murmured. "I wouldn't have considered Diego to make such a bold stand. Such a poor tactical move…"

Destara was silent and thoughtful. Diego had been his good friend once, they could be again. There had always been a tension between them. Destara was out for himself, using people to his advantage. He had a taste for young women, mainly bar maids, and Diego had defended them at every chance at got. It wasn't Destara's fault that Diego had lost his heart to one, and he had not been aware of it until too late. Destara sighed. They were too much like brothers, and that was for sure. If only Francisco was still alive – he would have them laughing over glasses of milk in no time at all.

"My son is a de la Vega…." Alejandro said. "We do at times do things no one else will do."

"Stupid things," Ignacio said.

"Diego took on the newspaper. He's the first to stick up for the helpless."

"Words?"

"Sometimes words are all it takes," Destara said softly.

"Paonessa!" Destara shouted, a little concerned that they had not heard from the man for some time.

There was silence in the cave. Destara glanced at the alcalde with uncertainty.

"Diego!" Isabella said sharply.

A bandit had grabbed him and had dragged him to the entrance of the cave. Diego glanced back into the cave with concern.

"Destara," Diego said loudly. The bandit prodded him, and he flinched a little. "The bandits want me to tell you to lower your weapons and leave…."

"Or what?" The alcalde said abruptly, interrupting the caballero.

"Or they will kill us."

Alejandro drew in his breath with alarm. "Diego!"

"That's what they say, father. Paonessa is incapacitated, so we need to work with what we have."

Destara sighed.

"You have ten minutes to leave," Diego said. "They are particularly upset, they might not be bluffing." The bandit dragged Diego back into the cave.

"If they kill the hostages, then all we need to do, is enter and kill them. Once they eliminate their ace, then we win," the alcalde reasoned.

Alejandro grabbed him by the lapels of his coat, and pulled him close. "Ignacio de Soto that is my son in there, not a piece of meat!" Alejandro yelled in the alcalde's face.

"Alejandro, have a care… He is the delegated authority of Los Angeles. Consequences…." Destara warned.

"The leader would know that they lose an advantage with the death of hostages, wouldn't he?" Isabella asked.

"Incapacitated? What does Diego mean by that?"

"Perhaps he's injured? The fire fight was quite fierce."

"Diego helped Stefano get me out during that firefight. It was a good diversion," Isabella murmured.

"Why didn't everyone get out?" Alejandro asked, finally curious about how she had managed to get out.

"Paonessa caught Diego untying Victoria's ropes…" Stefano said a little guiltily.

"I see," Destara said calmly, as he strode away from the others. Diego had attempted to fight his way out. He was simply outnumbered, and greatly disadvantaged with his fellow hostage.

"He didn't look hurt," the sergeant said.

Destara glanced back with renewed interest. "But he was. There was blood on his shoulder. Paonessa was toying with him."

"We have to worry about Victoria as well. What are these men like?" Alejandro said thoughtfully. He tried not to think about his son bleeding.

"They offered no harm, until Diego tried to rescue us."

"Paonessa is a genius…the others not so much," Destara said softly. "His main weakness might be overconfidence…."

"That's no help right now," Alejandro said frustrated. "What are we to do? Just pack up and leave or call their bluff and risk their lives?"

"Surely we could wait for Zorro?"

The alcalde's words made everyone look at him. "You leave the jurisidiction of Los Angeles to a bandit?" Destara said with surprise.

"The man can't fight all our battles for us," Alejandro said.

"Gentlemen, there are two lives at stake. You can at least back away a little."

"Isabella's right," Alejandro said.

Destara nodded. "We can retreat a little without going too far away."

Isabella went to Alejandro, who draped an arm around her protectively. "Where is Raquel?" Isabella murmured. Stefano had disappeared as well, much to her distress.

"I'm sure she's alright," Alejandro soothed gently.

"Mama," Raquel's voice rang out, as Stefano led her safely back to her mother.

"Thank you, Stefano," Isabella said with a smile, as she hugged her daughter close.

"Miguel is safely tucked away in the old nursery at my hacienda, Isabella. Your children are absolutely safe," Alejandro said gently.

"Surely if we keep our heads, we can work out how to help Diego and Victoria. With or without Zorro's help," Isabella said softly. She stared carefully at the men around her, and then chose to attend to her children. Alejandro stayed close by, and watched her with admiration and surprise.

The alcalde and Destara stared at each other for a moment, and then chose to order the retreat. Isabella explained where Diego had left the buggy. Alejandro led her safely back there, carrying Raquel. Once he loaded them in, he drove them back to his hacienda. Diego would know he would put the lady's safety first. Alejandro would soon be back to help his son.