Chapter 4: Talk and encounter

When Bernardo entered the tavern, the sergeant guessed that his break was over.

"Well, Don Diego, I will let you go." He beat him to it.

"To our next encounter, Sergeant Garcia."

"Thank you again, Don Diego." Says the sergeant by standing up.

Diego imitated him and made a sign to Bernardo to follow him outside.

"Did you learn something on the marketplace?" Asked Diego as soon as they were beside their horses.

Bernardo nodded negatively.

"That's what I was afraid of... But after all, it doesn't matter; the talk with the sergeant was very interesting. Let's go home before it gets too late and my father boasts he told me so."

Bernardo smiled to the comment and nodded.

...

The dinner went by in calm, the talk was about the pueblo's life, the ups and downs of weather, and the topic of Zorro wasn't avoided. Besides, it was Capitán Toledano who brought the topic for discussion.

"What's become of Zorro?" He asked. "According to Sergeant Garcia, no one would have seen him since six months."

Diego backed down the glass he wanted to take a sip from while Don Alejandro raised his eyebrows, intrigued by the capitán's question.

"For little I heard said at the pueblo, Zorro would be investigating... Another rumor says that he would have had health troubles." Joked Diego with calm. "But after, it's only a rumor... You know what it is..."

Toledano smiles to the comment while Diego realized the familiarity of this ordinary sentence.

"Why this sudden interest?" Asked Don Alejandro with curiosity.

"Before my departure, we have jousted together, in a friendly manner and he didn't seem in good health."

"And you didn't take benefit of it?" Exclaimed the governor.

"We fought side by side against brigands which he saved me from. It would have been dishonest of me."

Don Esteban listened attentively, smiling.

Capitán Monastario would have taken benefit of it. But why do I have the feeling that Capitán Toledano is suspecting something? He thought.

"Señores, about the meeting tomorrow, it would be preferable that the lancers not be there." He says after to change the topic of the talk.

"And offering us to those bandits!" Exclaimed the governor.

"Precisely no! If there is no lancer, it won't call attention."

"If you don't mind my saying so," intervened Diego, "Don Esteban is right. Moreover, I doubt that those bandits know that the meeting was postponed to tomorrow." He emphasized.

The governor seemed to be thoughtful an instant... The young De la Vega was right.

"Very well!" The governor sighed.

When the dessert was served, no one dared to speak except to felicitate the home's master which complimented his head chef. The dinner finished and the guests went back to the pueblo without mishap.

The day after, the meeting arrived quickly.

"Señores, Señorita, I thank you to have come back today. I will be brief. The Mexican revolt is spreading, and the King can't do anything about it. He is himself confronted with insurrection in the country. We have a decision to make. Will we resist by knowing that we won't have support, or will we welcome the revolt with open arms when they arrive in California?" Asserted the viceroy.

"How's that? You want to stay without doing anything to ... to... to... do less than nothing!" Protested strongly the governor.

"Governor, with the distance between us and our Mother Country, we have, somehow, a semblance of independence... Yes, we're following the politics of the King; yes, we're maintaining our traditions... If the Mexican regime doesn't upset our customs, why not adopt it? ... Shedding blood won't bring anything good!" Underlined Don Alejandro thoughtful.

"And betray the crown?"

"Viceroy?" Asked Don Alejandro.

"Señor De la Vega is a wise man... It's not treason but a way to approach the problem. Brute force won't be useful in this case. The Spanish army isn't numerous enough in California. Even the famous outlaw could not change anything."

"On the other hand, this man could win to the change." Made remark Toledano.

"How's that?" Astonished the governor.

"The Mexicans can't blame the Fox... After all, he fought for the people here in Los Angeles." Underlined the capitán.

"And in Monterey." Added the governor. "He even refused amnesty."

"Maybe did he have a good reason?" Indicated Don Alejandro with surprise.

Don Esteban looked at him, puzzled.

"Before Zorro arrived, the people didn't dare to rebel, we were under the yoke of terror in Los Angeles. The time went by and Zorro showed us what justice should be." Intervened Don Cornelio.

"As well among the people than among us." Added Don Nacho.

"The people respect El Zorro." Pressed Don Alejandro.

"Maybe is it time to completely erase the charges against this man and to let him go freely." Indicated the viceroy.

"Making a gesture toward this... highwayman... could be seen like a hand held out for the rebels." Enunciated Diego by choosing his words carefully.

"He already refused in the past, why would he accept today?" Interrogated the governor.

There was a silence in the room, visibly; no one could give an answer to this question.

"Maybe we should warn the citizens of Los Angeles about the threat that is hanging over them? After all, they are all as much concerned as us by this evolution." Enunciated Diego by making smile the viceroy. "It's not for us to decide for all what it is the right thing to do!" He added after a pause.

"Diego is right." Indicated Don Donatio.

"And what are we doing about our aggressors of the day before?" Asked the governor.

"Let Zorro intervene... I'm almost certain that he already knows about this attack." The viceroy says ironical by observing the various reactions.

"You seem self-confident!" Says the governor with astonishment.

"What make you think that?" Questioned Don Cornelio in the same time.

"Did you already see him at work?" Asked Don Esteban.

"Once, from a certain point of view." Affirmed the governor.

"Then, you're not without knowing that this man is always where we least expect him... Think about my proposal, to the events which made this horseman come out of the night." Explained the viceroy.

"Zorro didn't only help the people." Indicated Toledano. "He also thwarted plots led against the army..."

Once again, Don Esteban observed each one, lingering over the governor, and then over Diego who was remaining silent and thoughtful.

"Señores, I don't think that Zorro is our main trouble." Don Donatio remarked. "The wind of revolt which is blowing appears to me being more problematic. It seems obvious to me that we have to inform the citizens as early as possible."

"How do you want to proceed?" Asked Don Nacho.

"The better is to organize a meeting of information in Los Angeles. A great majority of citizens always attends this sort of meeting." Underlines the alcalde.

"Let the people decide?" Exclaimed the governor.

"If we're doing nothing, the discontent will raise and you can be sure that we won't be numerous enough to stand against them. If we're going ahead to the change, we will be better judged. The people always depended on Zorro to fight against injustice... But to defend against another people... We have to unify and put aside our pride and our classes. We are all equals in front of the threat. People of Los Angeles, people of the whole California contributed to the rise of the country... Certainly, we became richer more than others, but without them, we would be nothing." Intervened Don Alejandro who was approved by more than one.

"Then it's settled. Señor, I entrust you with the organization of this future meeting." Affirmed the viceroy by addressing to the alcalde." If you need necessary information, you will find me in the pueblo. Señores, Señorita, I count on your discreetness until our next encounter."

They saluted each other and they went back home. After having taken Salena back home, Diego went upstairs in his bedroom where Bernardo was waiting for him.

"Bernardo, Don Esteban is right on one point."

Bernardo frowned, intrigued.

"My friend, do you remember of the ambush in which we fell six months ago?"

Bernardo winced to the memory.

"Well those bandits must be related to the ones of yesterday."

Bernardo looked at him with astonishment.

"After my convalescence, I made my little investigation. All I was able to discover to this day was a name... Well, a nickname. El Lobo. And I'm more and more convinced that the man who I knocked out is the same who I got this information out of... I have the feeling that this wolf would like to eat the fox, but why? I will go out, I don't think that their trail will be still fresh, but nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Zorro? Bernardo draws with his fingertips.

"Yes, my friend."

Bernardo indicated him his left arm.

"The pain is throbbing time to time, and fortunately the wound is not annoying in it."

Bernardo pointed at himself, looking to know what he could do.

"Well, I don't appreciate your mixture when I'm feverish, but if you know a balm which could favor the healing, I won't say no." Says Diego by giving him a friendly tap and throwing him off balance, then.

Shortly after, Tornado's hooves cracked the barren ground, raising more dust than ordinary.

"My dear Tornado, the trail won't be easy to find... Nonetheless, I have an idea the place where to begin our search." Explained Zorro to his equidae friend which reared up then and neighed strongly.

Zorro returned there where, six months before, Diego and Bernardo have been attacked by bandits.

Well considered, it was a strategic place, there was a sharp bend in the road and this one was disappearing behind the rocks. The natural inclusion was favoring ambushes and the beginning of the year had been rich of this sort of assaults.

On its approach, Zorro pulled the reins of Tornado to make him slow down. A familiar sound got his attention. Crossing blades were resounding not very far. A fight was playing. He set off Tornado at full speed.

He was surprised to find Señor Monastario fighting against no less than three armed men. Sitting on a rock a little far away, a man got his attention.

Yago! He thought by recognizing him easily.

This latter, noticing the Fox, whistled. The fight stopped then, surprising Zorro. But to the great astonishment of Yago, his friends ran away by seeing El Zorro. Only Señor Monastario didn't move.

He suspected Yago was observing him, and went close to Zorro.

"Everything is alright, Señor?" Questioned the Fox.

"Dismount off your horse and you will see if everything is alright." Threw out Monastario cantankerously.

Yago smiles and Zorro feels that something was ringing false.

"If it's what you want." Answers the Fox before dismounting.

As soon as he let go of Tornado's reins, Señor Monastario attacked. Zorro stepped back, dodging the blade.

"Well, Señor! What briskness in your pike." Says Zorro.

He doesn't have fun. He thought.

"Take out your weapon, Señor Zorro." Monastario says furiously by repeating his attack and by making him a discreet sign with the hope to make him understand the situation.

Once again Zorro dodged the attack and plunged on the ground. As he rose, he took out his weapon and parried the third assault. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Yago who came to take out his pistol. Zorro pressed his weapon against the one of Monastario and pushed him backward before stepping back at his turn while Yago shot.

Grumbling to have missed his target, Yago went down of his perch.

"El Chivo, get rid of him!" He yelled before taking flight.

El Chivo. Zorro astonished, puzzled.

Monastario felt a weight taken off of his shoulder when he noticed Yago leaving. Zorro felt it also in his attack.

"Señor?" He interrogated.

"Don't stop, I beg you." Whispered Monastario, who kept on lunging.

"Very well, but explain yourself." Whispered Zorro in the same manner and lunging at his turn.

Blades crossed again and both men were almost side by side.

"I'm still observed."

"And?"

"Did El Lobo mean anything to you?"

"El Lobo, what are you doing at his side?" Asked Zorro before attacking the former capitán.

"Believe me; I'm not here on my own free will." Says Monastario furiously in spite of him. "Since when did you last see Isabella?"

"She didn't go on a journey, did she?" Interrogated Zorro, stepping back under the new assault of Monastario.

"You know the way, so go visit her." Whispered Enrique while both men were again face to face, weapon against weapon in a metallic arm-wrestle.

"Please forgive me, Señor." He affirmed then while the blades slipped the one on the other.

"Forgive you? What for?" Zorro questioned.

"For this." Monastario answered, hitting Zorro to the face with the pommel of his weapon.

Zorro fell on the ground next to Tornado. Monastario did as if coming closer, but Tornado intervened.

Good horse. Thought Monastario in front of the animal's reaction.

Tornado begins to neigh strongly and rear up again. In front of the savageness of the equidea, Monastario took flight at his turn, letting Señor Zorro on the ground still groggy.