Chapter 73 – The end of Zorro?
Over the next few days, Diego started courting Victoria in public, little by little, and after a while, he ended up bringing her a rose to the tavern almost every day. In the meantime, Zorro didn't show up at the pueblo for over two weeks, until he made his last, official appearance at the plaza.
"Citizens of Los Angeles! I have an announcement to make!" he said from Toronado's saddle, waiting with his hands resting at the pommel while the crowd gathered around him. "As I won't be necessary anymore in this pueblo, because you no longer have an abusive, corrupt alcalde, and I doubt the next one will be as bad as Ramón was, I think it's time for me to move away from this territory and find another place where I can be of help once again."
"Is that the only reason, Zorro?" Mendoza said, following the script.
"Well, Sergeant, as you can imagine, the fact that señorita Escalante, who I still consider the love of my life, has changed her mind about our relationship, is not helping matters at all. I must go. It will be the best thing, for everybody involved, before I can't stand it anymore," he said, in what looked like a not-so-veiled threat to Diego de la Vega.
"We'll miss you, Zorro," said someone at the crowd, and a murmur of approval followed.
"Thank you for everything you have done for us," said someone else.
"You are welcome. I hope the new alcalde fulfils your expectations of a fair leader. So long, amigos. Take care," he saluted, touching his brim, before he spurred Toronado to the entrance of the pueblo, where the stallion neighed, standing on his hind limbs, raising up in style for the last time. Diego could hear the round of applause and the cheers for a short distance as he left, and when he couldn't hear the clapping anymore, that sound resonated in his head all the way until he got back to the cave.
Four years of sacrifice, sweat and blood, concentrated in a few comforting words and sounds of gratitude. Was it worth it? He wanted to believe so, but he wasn't sure.
ZZZ
The following day after Zorro made the announcement, Sergeant Mendoza rode to the hacienda to talk to the De la Vegas.
"Good morning, Sergeant. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" Diego said at the library, by the now obsolete secret entrance at the fireplace. "Take a seat, por favor."
Sergeant Mendoza looked at him, shaking his head, still trying to come to terms to accept that such mild-mannered, bland man, could be indeed the masked bandit.
"I got this letter today. It arrived on the stagecoach from Monterey, from the Governor," he said, handing Don Alejandro an official-looking piece of paper. "It says the Alcalde's replacement will arrive directly from Spain, but it will take him at least three months to get here. In the meantime, I am to continue to oversee the garrison."
Mendoza looked desperate, unwilling to carry on with that responsibility.
"You've done quite well so far, Sergeant," Diego said, while reading the letter over his father's shoulder. "Why do you think it will be a problem now?"
"I'll have to collect the quarterly taxes before the new alcalde arrives! And I don't want to be the one who has to take extreme measures to make the poorest people pay, as the alcalde did!"
"You don't have to take extreme measures, no," Don Alejandro said. "They will pay. And if they really can't, you can ask Padre Benítez to pay the fees for them, as Esteban wanted to do with the race money, when he got flogged."
"But I don't want to be in charge for another three months! That's a long time for everything to be running smoothly. Something bad will happen, I'm sure!"
"Well, Sergeant, if something happens, don't worry: I'll help you," Diego said, with a condescending smile. "After all, if Zorro is not riding anymore, I think I may get quite bored."
"Thank you, Don Diego. Muchas gracias."
"De nada."
ZZZ
Diego couldn't anticipate how much trouble there would be in the pueblo during the next few weeks, underestimating the consequences of not having an alcalde to keep things under control, and without Zorro as a deterrent of criminals. All the bandits, robbers and outlaws in the territory soon got hold of the news Los Angeles had no alcalde, and they seemed delighted about the lack of a strong leadership at the garrison, with an inept soldier in charge. That fact, together with the rumour Zorro had left for good, made them all gravitate to Los Angeles to plunder that peaceful pueblo. Nearly every day there was a new robbery at one of the haciendas, or at the shops and businesses, and the outlaws became increasingly bold, violent and demanding. The tavern was no exception, robbed one evening by a lone bandit who took all the money from the till after threatening Pilar at gunpoint, while Victoria was having dinner at the De la Vegas.
"Diego, the situation is getting out of hand in this pueblo," Don Alejandro said at the hacienda, when they were alone at the library. "Mendoza can't cope with this wave of crimes, that's too obvious, and there will be another six weeks before the new alcalde arrives. What should we do? Is it a good idea to keep Zorro away while this is happening?"
"I thought so, but I'm not so sure now. Maybe Zorro should return, but that would compromise my plan to have a normal life. I don't want to get trapped under that black mask again, Father, if I can avoid it."
"No, of course, we don't want that. But, what can we do?"
"We have to get Mendoza and the soldiers in shape somehow. With their number, they should be able to keep the law and order in this pueblo. They just need… direction."
"Yes, but how?"
"I don't know. Maybe I should join the army as a volunteer, and give Mendoza some tips."
"Yes, Son. That will be credible: you, in the army!" Don Alejandro said, sceptic.
"I was only joking, Father. But I'll go to the pueblo now to talk to the sergeant and give him some tactical advice. Be careful in the meantime, and vigilant. Don Ernesto's hacienda got robbed yesterday. Bandits took all their horses, and they beat him up when he offered resistance."
"Yes, I know. Don't worry, I have my guns primed and ready. And the men are alert."
"I'm also worried about Victoria. I asked her to close the tavern and come here, but she doesn't want to. She's so stubborn!"
"Yes, she is," Don Alejandro said, laughing. "You chose your woman well for a peaceful, quiet, married life. Good luck!"
"Shut up!" Diego said, also laughing. "I'll see you later."
"Hasta luego. Be careful."
ZZZ
At the stables, Diego considered riding Toronado. He had been out with the black stallion before, pretending the horse was difficult to ride, making him rear and bolt on purpose from time to time in front of people, and once he pretended to be thrown off the saddle at the plaza.
"No. Not today, boy," Diego said, patting the horse's neck. "No time for pranks today."
He saddled Esperanza instead and headed for Los Angeles. He stopped by the garrison, but Mendoza wasn't there, because he had taken a large group of soldiers on a search party, trying to locate Don Ernesto's horses. Diego thought it would be easy for him to track down the trail from Don Ernesto's hacienda, but he came into the tavern first to check on Victoria, entering through the back door with the hope of stealing a kiss behind the kitchen curtains, as he had done so many times before as Zorro.
ZZZ
"Yes, Victoria. As I said, I heard them. That's what they are saying," Pilar said when she came back behind the counter, after serving some customers. "They are blaming you for this wave of crimes because you broke up with Zorro."
"What?"
"Yes. They say if you had not changed your heart and favour Don Diego now, Zorro would still be around protecting this pueblo."
"I can't believe it! Who said that? How dare they?"
"Many customers said that, including them," Pilar said, nodding towards the men she had just served, at a table at the back. "Most of the customers, actually. I think that's why the tavern is so empty today. They want to punish you for that, and also, they won't come now because they are scared after the robbery."
"Aren't you scared?"
"A little, yes. I was so frightened when than man pulled a gun at me, aiming at my head, I don't know how I didn't faint. I'm sorry I had to give him all the money."
"Don't worry about the money, Pilar. I'm so sorry you had to endure that horrible experience. Why don't you go home this afternoon? If this is going to be so quiet, you could have the day off."
"Are you sure you can cope on your own?"
"Yes, of course I can cope. My arm healed nicely, and I'm no longer wearing that heavy cast. Go. Have a break, and relax. I'll manage all right without your help. I'll probably close early today, anyway," she said, thinking of having dinner at the De la Vega's again, and follow Diego's advice and keep the tavern close for a few days.
After Pilar left, the men at the table asked for more wine. Victoria approached them with a bottle, and she set it on the table with a loud thud, angry as she was with them for considering her responsible of the robberies.
"Careful, Señorita. You nearly broke that bottle," said Manolo García, the farrier's son.
"It's not the only thing I feel like breaking today," she said, returning to the counter, while the other men laughed at his friend, cat-calling and booing, amused.
Victoria didn't like the rough looking group of men that entered the tavern shortly after that. Apprehensive, she took the loaded gun she kept hidden under the counter, and she put it in her pocket.
Two of these men walked to the counter while the others sat at a table. Most of the other customers stood up and left the tavern quickly, including Manolo.
Bunch of cowards! Come back here! Victoria thought, fretting when that menacing man placed his gun on the counter.
"Are you the famous Señorita Escalante, Zorro's girlfriend?"
"I am Victoria Escalante, the tavern owner, yes," she said, trying to sound firm and unconcerned, but she looked too frighten to fool anybody.
"You are as beautiful as the rumour says," that man said, licking his lips. "I'm so sorry it didn't work out with you and Zorro. But don't worry, there are plenty more fish in the sea," he added with a suggestive wink, and the others laughed. "Brandy, please. Bring us a bottle."
"Certainly. But wait a second, I don't have any left at the counter," she said, walking briskly to the kitchen with the intention of leaving through the back door to alert the soldiers, but the two men followed her through the curtains.
"Where are you going, preciosa?" one of them said, grabbing her arm to stop her from reaching the door.
"Let go of me!" she cried, but that man pulled her closer to him. "Let me go!"
When he didn't, she tried to hit that man's face with her other hand, but his comrade stopped her from behind.
"Feisty! My favourites!" he said, bending her arm behind her back. "Where is Zorro now, putilla? He can't defend you now, can he?" He reached for her breasts, grouping her from behind, and when she struggled to get away, the other man slapped her hard.
"Is this why Zorro left you? Because you are a killjoy prude? Well, I don't believe that for a second, because you are nothing but a little slut!" that man said, throwing Victoria against the kitchen table. She tried to steady herself, reaching for the gun in her pocket, but before she could get it the other man grabbed her thin wrists in one hand and held her tight against the top, with his elbow on her back, crushing her torso on the surface.
"Keep quiet or I'll break your arms!"
When she opened her mouth to scream, he pushed a dirty kitchen cloth inside to dampen the cry, while the other man behind her lifted her long skirt over her back, in a similar way Diego had done at the cave. She wriggled when that man ripped her underwear, crying and choking with that dirty gag in her mouth, putting up a fight, objecting as much as she could, pulling to get free of the tight grip on her wrists.
"Quiet, I said! Keep still and enjoy it, like you did with Zorro, puta!" the man behind her said, leaning on her, yanking at her hair to slam her forehead on the table. While he did that, she could feel his erection pressing against her naked rear end, still confined in his trousers, but not for long.
She had certainly enjoyed having sex with Zorro, when Diego took her that way at the cave, on the desk, but the thought of having a similar contact with those men made her stomach turn, heaving on the cloth when she felt that man fumbling with his trousers, chocking with the gag while the other man pushed her back down again to keep her still.
Suddenly, when she thought she would drown with her own sickness, she heard a loud thud when someone punched the man who was about to rape her, and the other man let go of her arms. She took the gag out quickly and vomited with her head hanging at the side of the table, before she lowered her skirt to cover herself, standing up, glad to see Diego fighting those men, although deeply embarrassed by the whole situation, and concerned for his safety.
ZZZ
When Diego walked inside the kitchen, he could not believe his eyes. Two men had pinned Victoria down and were raping her on the kitchen table. Out of control with the sudden, intense rage he felt, he grabbed one of them by the collar, pulling him away from her, and then knocked him down with a mighty blow that smashed his face, sinking his cheek in when the facial bones crushed under his knuckles. While that man dropped to the floor unconscious, the other one let go of Victoria to pull a gun at Diego while calling for his comrades, but before he could fire, Diego kicked the gun off his hand and then punched him repeatedly. While he beat him to a pulp, the other thugs came into the kitchen.
"Diego, watch out!" Victoria cried when another man attacked him with a knife.
While still holding the semiconscious man he was hitting, Diego turned around quickly, and the other thug sank his knife in his comrade's back.
"Son of a bitch!" he cried.
Diego let go of that injured man and quickly sank to his knees to grab the discarded gun still lying on the floor. Another bandit aimed his gun at Diego, but he fired first, hitting his chest, with the blast echoing in the kitchen. Then, he threw the gun to the man who had attacked him with the knife, hitting his face, but before he could stand up, the three remaining men jumped on him, showering him with blows while he was still on his knees. Outnumbered, and with not much room to manoeuvre in the small space in the kitchen, he curled into a ball, on the floor, trying to protect his head while they kicked him all over.
Victoria got the gun still in the front pocket of her skirt, and when the man that had attacked Diego with a knife walked towards her, she fired, hitting his shoulder.
"You, bitch!" he cried, staggering with a hand over the wound, still advancing towards her. "Kill them both!"
When the three men stopped kicking him, Diego uncovered his head and lifted it slowly, only to find the end of a barrel staring back at him.
ZZZZZ
A.N. – sorry, guys, but it could not be so easy for Zorro to disappear and have a happy life. He wasn't only keeping the alcalde under control, but also helping to keep the pueblo safe. What an overlook from Diego, not realizing he was essential to keep the peace, and how all the baddies would like to have Victoria as a trophy now that Zorro is gone.
(About the cliffie… I'm sorry, but they are so hard to resist!)