Happy Sunday, all! Diego and Olivia are in trouble, aren't they? I hope they can get out of this.

For this chapter, I'm going to give a bit of a trigger warning for some of the violence. There is one part in particular that I may feel some might find uncomfortable. So just a heads up.

As always, thank you for reading. Your comments always brighten my day.

Enjoy!

Linny

Chapter Twenty Two

Diego's head was pounding as he returned to consciousness. The horse underneath him was jostling him from side to side as he lay on his stomach, slung over the back of the animal like he was a sack of grain. Cracking open one eye, he groaned as he watched the road pass by underneath him. It was nauseating to witness. His stomach churned uncomfortably as he felt bile rise in the back of his throat.

"Ay, muchacho!" the man riding the great, jostling beast called out to his companions. "This one is waking! How much farther?"

"Not far now. Just keep him quiet."

Diego took in a deep breath to ease his roiling stomach, taking the chance to open his eyes again. He heard the sounds of multiple horses, yet in his nauseous state, he couldn't determine how many.

He tried to move, but his hands and feet were tied. He carefully moved his neck, but even the slightest movement caused his stomach to turn.

"You hear that señor?" the captor asked and Diego felt the press of cold steel at the back of his neck. "Keep quiet and maybe I don't kill you."

Oh, he understood completely. He understood that the words he was saying were empty and a promise that would never be fulfilled. Still, that wouldn't stop him from trying to escape.

"Diego."

He heard the faint whisper of his name come from beside him and the sound of it put him only slightly at ease. She was safe, though she had been taken as well. It was enough to calm him for the moment, which would allow him to formulate some sort of plan without having to worry about her.

But, he would have to think fast.

After what felt like an eternity, but could have only been a few minutes, the horse halted and Diego felt the ease in his stomach.

His rider quickly dismounted and Diego felt him begin to tug at the ropes at his feet. With a few ungraceful movements and a great deal of grunting from the kidnapper, Diego was relieved when he was returned to solid ground.

"Move," the bandit holding him ordered, now pressing his knife into his back. Diego didn't immediately move as he searched for Olivia. He'd gotten turned around as his head still spun from the blow to his head. The knife was dug deeper into his back, "I said: 'move'."

It was only when he saw the hem of Olivia's skirt disappearing inside the small cabaña that he took a step forward. For her safety, he would comply. But, only until he could form his escape plan.

He took stock of their surroundings and their companions. It was dark and difficult to recognize the land. There were dozens of cabins like this one scattered all around Los Angeles and had he been conscious, he might have been able to narrow down their location from how far they'd traveled.

There were at least a half dozen bandidos crammed inside the one-roomed building, but they were not faces that Diego recognized. These were not simple thieves, but a band with more sinister plans.

"Sit," the man with the knife at his back ordered again with a jab of the blade.

Diego complied, his gaze resting on Olivia's face while she was held tightly by a man who looked like it had been days since he had last washed his face, let alone any other part of his body. "Are you hurt?" he questioned her as his hands were tied to the back of the chair.

"Silencio," his captor ordered.

"They didn't hurt me," Olivia told Diego, wincing when the man holding her squeezed her arms tighter.

"Shut it," he growled in her ear, pausing to lean in and sniff her hair. She cringed at his actions.

"Why do we not just kill them now?" another asked, the bloodlust clear in his eyes.

"Boss said we have to wait for Borromeo," another replied with a sneer.

"But, that was just for the woman. Let us kill this one," a third took hold of Diego's chin, squeezing hard and leaning in closer to him. "I always wanted to kill a rich man." The rest of the group either laughed as if he'd just told a humorous joke or cried out in approval. Diego cringed at the smell of the man's breath—like stale tobacco and whiskey. His stomach roiled at the smell and fought back the urge to retch.

"Cállate!"(1) Another man interrupted the din as he entered the cabaña, taking in the sight of their two prisoners. "What is this? I said only the woman and her maid. No one else."

"They were together, Jefe," the knife-happy one informed their leader. "And we could not find the maid."

"Idiotas," their boss muttered under his breath as he beat the dust out of his sombrero by slapping it against his knee. "I will deal with this myself. You all go outside and keep watch. Inform me when Borromeo arrives." He pointed to four of his men and waved them away, leaving the one with the knife and the one keeping a tight hold on Olivia—a man with a beard—to remain behind.

Jefe took a close look at Diego, recognition clear on his face. "I know you," he smiled. "De la Vega. Your father would pay handsomely for your safe return, I'd bet." He sneered with delight at the thought.

"I thought you were going to kill me?" he questioned with cold eyes glaring a hole into the man.

"Plans change, amigo."

"What about her?" the man with the beard asked, one finger now lazily tracing along the length of Olivia's neck. She shuddered visibly in response to his dirty hands touching her and tried to pull away. Her struggle only seemed to please him.

El Jefe waved her away like an afterthought. "She is Borromeo's problem."

"He means to kill her, anyway," the one with the knife chimed in. "Would it hurt for us to have a little fun before he does it?" He was now standing in front of her, a filthy hand reaching out to brush against her cheek. "She is so soft, Jefe."

"Get your hands off of her," Diego growled as he struggled against the rope binding his hands.

"And who is going to stop us, señor?" Jefe questioned. "You? A man who carries no sword?" he scoffed and shook his head as if he thought Diego was pathetic. And it would look that way, he supposed. He'd been playing his part well for years. They didn't see him as a threat and he could use that to his advantage.

The boss turned his back on Diego as he approached Olivia, allowing him to work harder at his bonds. Keeping his eyes on the group of men, he twisted and pulled at the ropes holding his hands. The fibers burned the skin at his wrists, but he chose to take advantage of the pain and use it.

"Please, don't," Olivia pleaded weakly. Her eyes met Diego's as he watched the three men touch her in ways that caused his blood to boil. In them, he saw fear.

He continued to struggle against his ropes. He could feel the fibers beginning to tear as he rubbed them against the rough wooden back of the chair. Just a little bit more and he would be free.

"It will be fun, señorita," El Jefe reassured her as his lips brushed gently upon her cheek. "And afterward, you will welcome the sweet relief of death." He chuckled and edged his men aside. He would be enjoying himself first.

They didn't even seem put out by the fact that their boss would take what he wanted first. They laughed at the fact.

Adrenaline rushed through Diego's veins as El Jefe continued placing kisses upon the señorita's jaw, leading down to her slender neck.

The roped finally broke free and without arming himself or even thinking about the consequences of his actions, Diego rose to his feet and reached for the boss. Before his men realized what was happening, his fist made contact with El Jefe's face, sending him reeling backward. He then grabbed for Olivia and placed himself in front of her.

"As I said, señores, you will not harm the señorita."

El Jefe chuckled as he righted himself, his fingers touching tenderly at the split in his lower lip. His men now stood at attention, the one with the beard pointing his sword at Diego's heart.

"That was a mistake."

It was three against one and Diego was still unarmed, but he would not look back now. If it came down to it, he would reveal himself to protect Olivia. "Put down your weapons." His tone was icy and his eyes showed no fear.

"Diego, don't," Olivia warned him from behind him. "They will kill you." The tremor in her voice confirmed his suspicion that she was afraid, but the way she gripped his arm told him her fear was for his life. Not her own.

"You should listen to the woman, señor," the Boss informed him as he took the pistol from his man, shoving him away, and aimed it at Diego's head. "We would not want to make a mess of that pretty face of yours, would we?" He snickered as he brushed it against Diego's smooth cheek.

Pulling back from the tender caress of metal on flesh, a growl rumbled from deep within Diego's chest. "I warned you." He ignored the way Olivia began clawing at his arm, trying to pull him back and urging him not to fight.

"Do you hear him, Roberto?" the one who had the pistol questioned as he unsheathed his knife. "He is warning us."

Roberto—the one with the beard—grinned as well. "Perhaps we should return the favor, amigo." To Diego's surprise, he lowered his sword while he continued to chuckle with the others.

Confused by what they meant, he didn't notice the fist coming toward him until it was too late.

His teeth clenched together as his jaw was hit with such a force that he was knocked off balance. His head flew back, causing his feet to come up from underneath him before he crumpled to the floor. His ears were ringing, but he'd been able to pick up on Olivia's scream for him as she watched him fall. Shaking away his stupor, he quickly rose back to his feet.

Unfortunately, he wasn't quick enough. Still dizzy, he felt one of them grab hold of the lapels of his chequeta and spin him around. The next thing he knew, he was back in the chair while el Jefe stood above him with the pistol mere inches from his temple.

"Try anything else, Señor de la Vega, and I will not hesitate to pull the trigger."

Diego said nothing more, only glared at them all as he sat there, trying to regain his equilibrium. The room still spun slightly and he shook his head to clear away the fog clouding it. He felt something wet on his lower lip. Licking at it, he felt the sting and tasted the familiar metallic tang of blood. They would pay for that, along with whatever attempt they made upon Olivia.

Jefe handed the pistol back to his man, taking his place back up with Olivia. "Now, señorita," his gruff voice continued as if nothing had occurred, "where were we before we were interrupted?" He grabbed for her, catching her wrist in his grasp. Pulling her against him, he looked over her slender, yet shapely form. The grin he sported told Diego every filthy intention the other man had in mind.

"Let me go!" she exclaimed, beating at his chest with her free hand. It only seemed to irritate him... or maybe even encourage him.

He captured the flailing hand as well, the trapped her against the wall. "You are so lovely, señorita," he said to her as he held both of her wrists in one hand while the other one began a lazy trek down the smoothness of her arms. "So young. So pretty. So spirited. Absolutely perfect."

Diego's heart raced with fear as Olivia's eyes darted toward him with the heat of panic burning within. He had to do something. His ears still rung and his head continued to swim. But, he had to do something.

Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he looked at El Jefe's men. The small one—the one who held the knife and laughed like a jackal—was focused on the señorita and a disturbing smile lit up his face as his eyes intently followed the trail his boss was making down Olivia's arms. The man with the beard was just as distracted as his companion.

This was Diego's chance. He had to act and he had to act fast.

His eyes darted back toward Olivia at the same time she'd looked his way again. El Jefe was now placing kisses on her cheek again. And trailing downward.

But that was not what had caused the ice to form in the pit of his stomach. Something had changed in her eyes. The panic inside of them was flitting away, transforming into an icy glaze. Her back straightened and her feet planted firmly onto the floor. She had stopped fighting against him and just stood there.

It was when there was the sound of tearing fabric that the shift inside of her solidified. There was no longer a trace of fear. Only cold conviction.

"You are making a very big mistake, señor," she warned him and the frosty steel in her tone caused a shiver to race down Diego's spine. It was almost frightening.

He found himself now rooted to the chair, unable to move a muscle.

"And why do you think that?" Jefe questioned as his lips touched the column of her throat. The fool was completely unaware of what was happening right in front of him. He was solely focused on his task and nothing more.

"Because you don't know who you're up against." There was the slightest flicker of reluctance on her face as she glanced one final time in Diego's direction. She seemed to be fighting a mental battle within herself and she seemed to be losing. Closing her eyes, she looked like she'd come to terms with her decision just as El Jefe pressed his body intimately against her, his lips hovering over her décolletage.

He chuckled against her skin. "Oh? And who might that be?"

He and his men continued to laugh in amusement which gave her the opportunity she needed. Bracing herself against the wall, she quickly brought her knee up between his legs.

He instantly released her and doubled over in pain as his legs gave out on him. As he crumpled, she reached for the dagger he'd kept in his banda and pushed him over with a kick of her boot.

The two laughing bandits were silenced as they watched their leader go down. Each one stood in awe of the woman's bravery.

The small one was the quickest to recover and aimed with his pistol.

Diego was out of the chair before he realized it. Jumping from his seat, he tried to wrestle the gun away. Arms up, both men grappled until the weapon fired from the struggle. Wrenching it from his captor's grasp, Diego knocked him over the head with its grip. The man fell like a sack of bricks.

"Wildcat!" Jefe growled and groaned as he slowly got back to his feet on trembling legs, his hand still cupping his injured body parts. "You will pay for that!"

"Then, come at me, señor," she challenged. She clutched his dagger firmly and took a defensive stance. Diego couldn't help but note the way the collar of her blouse fell opened at the top, hanging at an awkward angle and a bit lower than usual. It must have been the fabric he'd heard tear. Thank God that that had been all it was.

He also wanted to be impressed by her sudden bravado, but he was busy dodging the sword swung in his direction by Roberto. Plus, the sound of the gunshot had drawn the attention of those Jefe had sent outside. Ridding himself of the useless pistol, he rushed at Roberto, wrestling the sword away from the bearded man. Bringing it down, he knocked the other man unconscious with a heavy blow of the pommel.

Standing back up, he tested the weight of the blade in his palm. It was different from the one Zorro usually used, but it would do in a pinch. He backed away from the men closing in on him and came in contact with Olivia. Her back was to him as she still tried to fend off El Jefe.

"I think we have something that we need to discuss," he told her as he parried a lunge in his direction.

"Now is not exactly the best time," was her response as she adjusted her hold on the dagger in her hand and moved away from him.

He was well aware that she had moved, but he hadn't expected to find that she'd jumped up onto a table set against the far wall so she would have an advantage over her attacker.

Diego watched out of the corner of his eye as the Boss lunged for her, but she moved so quickly that she was there one moment and the next, she wasn't. As the man made his move for her, she quickly vaulted off of the table and landed a few feet behind him. Jefe did not get the chance to recover as her boot made instant contact with his gut as he spun around to attack again. He doubled over in pain, allowing Olivia to drop her elbow heavily upon the back of his head. He fell and it looked like he wasn't likely to get up anytime soon.

"Get them!" one of the three newcomers yelled, leading the way as they all charged forward. Two had swords drawn and were stepping up to Diego, while the third circled around to go after Olivia.

Diego noted the way she watched him and he inwardly cursed himself. She would certainly have questions, but would he be willing to answer them when the time came? He couldn't be certain. And what exactly would she think? Would she think him a fraud? Or a coward?

So many questions ran through his mind as they continued to fight.

She didn't seem to carry the same worries as him, he noticed as she flipped the dagger around in her hand and, using the girth of the handle, thrust her fist up into her opponent's nose. There was the distinct sound of a sickening crunch and the spray of blood. The telltale sound of his nose breaking.

The bandit screamed in pain and clutched at the wound as blood gushed from it. His tan shirt was quickly staining crimson as the flow refused to stop. Cursing loudly, he'd had enough and reached for his pistol. Drawing it, he aimed. His wrist was caught in her grasp and bent backward causing him to cry out again. The weapon fell helplessly to the floor as his arm was twisted at an unnatural angle.

Having been turned around as he continued his swordplay, Diego watched the lightning-like reflexes of the woman. She moved like a demon in the night, as silent as a shadow.

It was familiar.

'It can't be!' he told himself as he disarmed the first one and then his other opponent. As he held them at bay with the tip of his blade, he watched as she ducked and parried her attacker's movements. He was angry now and his movements were impulsive and reckless. He bounded after her, but she managed to dodge him at every opportunity. Finally, it all ended when she looped her left leg around the back of his right one and swept his feet out from underneath him. He fell to the ground, knocking himself out on the edge of the table.

She picked up his sword and pistol and mimicked Diego's stance against the two who remained standing.

"The game is up, señores," Diego spoke, clearly out of breath. "Surrender now."

"Never," one of them spat out petulantly.

"We don't have time for this," Olivia spoke up. "The others are going to wake up soon."

Diego agreed, but he wanted to know more. There was a reason why they'd gone after her and made the attempt on Ramon. While he had them in his grasp, he wanted to interrogate them. "In a moment," he said, turning a cold gaze upon the two still conscious men. "Who is your leader? Why have you come to California?"

"You killed our leader," one of them said, motioning with a tilt of his chin toward the man laying closest to the table.

"He is still alive," Olivia informed them. "But, we won't be if we stay here much longer." The man they had been waiting for—Borromeo—hadn't yet arrived and it was only a matter of time.

"We need answers," he pressed as he studied her, seeing her now in a new light. It was no longer the woman he had grown to know and care for over the last few weeks that stood beside him. This woman—who was covered in sweat, dirt, and blood—was someone completely different.

"They don't know anything. If they did, they would have told you," she countered with the same cool, calculating gaze.

"And you are so certain of that?" he challenged with a raised eyebrow.

She merely nodded as she lifted the still loaded pistol and pressed the barrel of it against the skull of one of their captives. "Talk," she growled as she eased back the hammer.

The threat worked just as expected.

"Borromeo!" the one with the gun being held against him exclaimed, sweat beading upon his brow. "Borromeo hired us to kidnap you and your servant."

"Why?" Diego asked, pressing the tip of the blade closer to the man's neck.

"I don't know. We were only hired to kidnap her. Borromeo was to meet us here at midnight."

"What makes you so special to warrant such attention, señorita?" Diego teased.

"I think you may have already figured that out, señor," she countered, both of them finding a grain of solace in their usual banter.

Diego checked his pocket watch. "It is almost midnight, now."

"I don't know about you, but I am not exactly in the mood to meet this Borromeo." There was a small rack near the door with rope hanging from it. She grabbed one coil and held it out for inspection.

"As you wish, señorita," Diego agreed, allowing her to tie up the two conscious men with their backs to one another. She then made quick work of the unconscious men as well.

"I hear horses," she said, approaching the window. "And I don't think it's the soldiers."

Resigning to leave with no more information, Diego nodded as he watched her double and triple check her knots. He then watched as she cut too long strips of fabric from her underskirt. She then tied them over the mouths of the two conscious men.

Diego reached out for her as he stood at the opened door, keeping watch for any newcomers. He could see the clouds of dust their horses were kicking up in the distance, but it was too dark to see how many there were. "Come on," he urged.

She followed close on his heels, approaching the collection of horses gathered outside. Before choosing two for them to make their escape on, she untied four others and let them loose. They scattered as she shooed them away, urging them in the direction the dust cloud was approaching from.

Diego approved of her actions. Hopefully, it would cause some confusion among the riders and give them enough coverage to get away safely.

While she was doing that, Diego closed the door to the cabaña and used the sword he still held to make three familiar slash marks in the wood.

"Smart idea," she commented as she climbed onto one of the horses that remained.

Diego followed suit and waited patiently until she was settled into her saddle. "Alright, then?" he asked.

She nodded. "I will be once we are out of here."

"Ladies first."

The hint of a smile graced her lips. "Such a gentleman." Digging her heels into the sides of the palomino, she shot off like a rocket with Diego quickly following behind her.

(1) Cállate- Shut Up!