Diego watched from the terrace table at which he was sat as Don Bartolo Pedro de Abades left by stagecoach just three days after his arrival in Los Angeles, then frowned at seeing Ramone heading jovially towards his office.

During the time the Governor's representative had stayed in Los Angeles, he had not made the best impression on the people there, responding a little too eagerly to flattery and seeming incapable of an original thought. Ramone also made sure to occupy most of his time, and the friendship the two men seemed to develop was not particularly encouraging for the people of the pueblo, especially seeing how the former governor's support for Luis Ramone had translated into years of oppression, which, absent Zorro, would have been far worse.

Don Bartolo, unaware of all that, and unable to see behind appearances, promised the Alcalde that, once he'd return to Monterey, he'd inform the governor about the marvelous job he was doing, and insist on him being promoted out of Los Angeles, to a position better suited for someone of his caliber.

Consequently, though he didn't know about the promise the investigator had made Luis Ramone, and, to a certain point, exactly because he didn't know, Diego was more than a little afraid that the investigator, whom his father had described as "having as much backbone as a worm", would, through his assessment of Ramone, contribute to him becoming even worse than he was at present, should he feel assured that also the new governor had his back.

There was not much the caballero could do about it, though, at least not at the time.

Finishing his drink, Diego paid his bill and, after saying goodbye to Victoria, headed for his horse, decided to start working on several plans and experiments he had been postponing, so that Zorro might be ready for whatever the Alcalde would come up with next.

ZZZ

Almost three weeks passed without any need for Zorro's intervention, and the caballero behind the mask took advantage of every peaceful day he was offered. Particularly curious about the formula for chloroform, which he believed to be ether, Diego spent the sunny days traveling to San Pedro and Buenaventura to find the ingredients he needed, and the rainy ones doing his best to create 'ether'. Eventually, he finalized the formula around the same time an American came to Los Angeles.

Jake Holten was a former slave, descended from the tribesmen brought from Africa to work the immense territories of the New World. He had not been brought up like other slaves, though, since his father was also his owner. For the longest time, though, he had believed the man to be nothing more than a kind master, who, taking pity on a boy whose mother had died in childbirth, took him under his wing, giving him his own room in the main house, educating him, and allowing him to grow up as a faithful companion to his own son.

When Jack found out the truth, however, hurt by his father's refusal to acknowledge him as a son, he decided to leave the plantation and ran away. He had been caught and brought back, but, instead of being whipped or killed, like other escaped slaves, his old man gave him the papers attesting his freedom under his mother's surname – Holten – some money to last him for a couple of months, a horse, and allowed him to go into the world to seek his own fortune.

Hoping to find a place where he'd belong, Jack, thus, resolved to leave the States and headed west, towards the Spanish territories. Slowly, he started learning the language and the customs of the New Spain, worked on various ranches to survive, and made some money for himself, then, having heard about a newly-colonized territory where there was much land available and too few people to work it, he decided to head towards Alta California.

He arrived in Los Angeles, almost a year after leaving Charleston, and decided to spend a few days there, trying to find out if it was a good place for him to settle. Besides, having spent most of the past month sleeping on the cold, hard ground, he was also more than a little eager to remember what sleeping in a bed felt like.

Despite the looks some of the people – unaccustomed to seeing a man whose skin was so much darker than theirs – gave him, after leaving his horse in the municipal corral, he headed towards the tavern.

ZZZ

Victoria had just taken some wine to Don Alejandro and his friends, who were playing cards at one of the back tables, when Jack Holten entered.

Greeting her politely, he asked for chicken and rice and sat down.

The taverness hurried to bring him his plate, then, with his permission, sat down next to him as he prepared to eat.

*"You travelled far from home, haven't you?" She asked, unaware of the displeased looks two lancers in the tavern gave her new guest.

"Charleston." He replied. "A good three thousand miles as the crow flies."

Seeing how interested the young woman was in him, the stranger introduced himself and she shook his hand offering her name, just as the two irritated lancers came to his table, set on getting him to leave the pueblo.

A couple of minutes later, as they had the ill-conceived idea of attacking him, one of them found himself with a broken nose, and the other with a broken jaw, both achieved just as the alcalde entered the tavern. Predictably, Ramone immediately had the newcomer arrested for assaulting his men, even threatening Don Alejandro, who had tried to defend him.*

Mendoza hurriedly sent for Doctor Hernandez to check on the injured lancers, and the good doctor confirmed the gravity of the injuries, doing his best to help them.

Diego arrived at the tavern, just as his father and Victoria were discussing the incident.

"What's going on?" He asked, intrigued.

"The Alcalde! That's what's wrong!" The young woman answered furiously. "His lancers attacked a newcomer, and he arrested the poor man for defending himself! How is that in any way fair?"

"Well, I don't believe the Alcalde is very familiar with the concept of fairness, Senorita." The tall caballero answered. "What happened exactly?"

"The man they detained… his name is Jack Holten. He said he's from Charleston, some three thousand miles away from here." Victoria informed him. "I had just brought him his lunch, and we were sitting at a table, talking, when Reyes and Santos came and did their best to make him feel unwelcome. He wanted to leave when they attacked him. I barely had the time to warn him, but he was much faster than them."

"You should have seen him, Diego! He defeated those two within seconds." Don Alejandro took over. "The man has quite a punch!"

"But, I don't understand. They attacked him just for being a stranger? Had he done something to offend them?" Diego inquired.

"It was not because he was a stranger why they attacked him. They did so because of the color of his skin, Son!" The older don explained, and Diego finally understood. "We must do something!" His father muttered.

"Indeed, we should. Luis Ramone's been a lot more reasonable lately. Perhaps we can talk to him. We might make him see reason." The tall caballero suggested.

ZZZ

*"This man is going to pay for making us look bad. If I don't do something quickly, this might jeopardize my transfer." The Alcalde uttered as soon as Mendoza informed him about the injuries his men had suffered.

"You're planning to leave us?" The Sergeant asked.

"I'm being considered for promotion to the garrison at Monterey." The man answered, proudly.

"Really?" Even the Sergeant realized his tone was too enthusiastic, so he tried to correct himself by appearing less so. "Uh. . . Really?" He asked.

"Yes. The governor's magistrate is arriving tomorrow to discuss it with me. You'll muddle along somehow without me." The Alcalde answered, ignoring his man's joviality.

The office's door opened at that exact moment, and the two De la Vegas made their way inside.

"We'd like a word with you." Don Alejandro informed him as his son shut the door.

"Not now! Not now!" The Alcalde answered, exasperated at seeing them. It seemed to him that, for some reason, every time something didn't work out for him, the two caballeros were always there as a reminder of his shortfalls.

Diego was in a rather bad mood after having been told about the events, so he had no intention of postponing the conversation. "It's about the man you're holding prisoner." He mentioned.

"You know, you, De la Vegas, have a bad habit of always sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong." Ramone replied.

"The arrest of an innocent man is everyone's concern." Don Alejandro told him.

That mere word "innocent" irritated the Alcalde more even than the De la Vegas' presence there.

"My men were assaulted, and they have the injuries to prove it!" Ramone answered infuriated.

"You should see Corporal Reyes's nose." Mendoza confirmed with a smile, looking at Don Alejandro and his son.

"The prisoner will remain in my jail until reparations can properly be made. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I have preparations to make for the arrival of the governor's magistrate." The Alcalde answered and, dismissing them, headed over to his desk.*

Those last words he said, however, gave Diego an idea. After all, seeing how good an impression Ramone had made on the Governor's investigator, and how undeserved that impression as, the tall caballero was looking forward to an opportunity to correct it. The mention of the magistrate coming to Los Angeles gave him an idea on how to do exactly that while, at the same time, get the man they were trying to help out of prison.

*"Alcalde, suppose…" he uttered as he headed towards the desk behind which the official was sitting, "suppose there were a way for you to collect your reward, and to prove to the magistrate what a firm hand you hold of the pueblo?"

"Diego. . . What are you saying?" His father asked.

"It's the first intelligent thing I've heard you say." Ramone said, intrigued, allowing him to go on.

"This man that you're holding prisoner is a truly talented boxer. Perhaps you should put your best man up against him in a true contest of skill." The young De la Vega explained, and his father smiled at realizing his plan.

"What would be the point?" The Alcalde asked.

"Perhaps a small wager?" Diego suggested. "And a chance to prove to the magistrate how well you've trained your men."

Ramone thought about it for a few moments before replying. "The prisoner might escape." He said, wondering if it was the right opportunity to extract some money from the caballeros.

"I'll personally post his bond." Diego said as he considered how much to offer. "Here. Five hundred pesos." He continued, certain the sum was more than enough to tempt the official, who couldn't help but smile at his gesture, thinking he would have accepted five times less.

"But if our man wins, he goes free." Don Alejandro explained the terms of their agreement.

Diego folded and handed the paper he used as a check to Ramone, who just snatched it greedily. "Can this man truly fight?" He then asked his father.

"Believe me, Son, he can fight!" The older don said assuredly.

"You can't expect a runaway slave to vanquish a royal lancer, do you?" The Alcalde inquired.

"A fight for his own freedom brings out the best in a man." Diego answered.

"Now, if you don't mind, kindly release the poor man!" Don Alejandro requested, and the Alcalde gestured for them to head over to the jail, where Jack Holten was being held.

"But if the prisoner beat up two of our best men, how do you expect to win this bet?" Mendoza asked with some concern, feeling that the prospect of Ramone's departure might be endangered.

"Whatever happened to that man, what was his name? Damasco?" The Alcalde inquired pensively.

"You mean the private we mustered out last month for single-handedly whipping three men in a tavern brawl?" The Sergeant inquired in disbelief.

"Yes. The big one. Find him and put him in a uniform again!" Ramone ordered.

"He's crazy! He has an uncontrollable temper." Mendoza pointed out.

The Alcalde just sat back in his chair, looking pleased with his decision. "I know." He told the Sergeant.*

ZZZ

Diego and Don Alejandro found that gaining Jack Holten's trust was not an easy task. Having been faced with discrimination and prosecution for most of his life, by men who were his inferiors in every way, he was not one to easily believe in the good intentions of strangers.

The young caballero's knowledge of his people's fight for freedom did impress him somewhat, and he did remember that the older don had tried to defend him in the tavern. The deal they had made in his name, though, was what he liked less, especially after meeting his adversary.

"You'll stay with us, at the hacienda. There, you'll have all you need to train." Diego informed him while they were riding out of the pueblo.

"I am unsure how a day of training might help me. That man the Alcalde wants me to fight is twice my size." Jack told them.

"The Alcalde doesn't play fair. That man, Damasco, he had ousted a month ago, and now he's suddenly rehired him, as soon as we agreed on the fight." Don Alejandro replied.

"We could hardly expect the Alcalde to play fair." Diego stated, already considering how to make sure Holten might claim victory in the fight.

ZZZ

That evening, while Jack was training, hoping to even the odds, the tall caballero put on his mask, and headed for the cuartel, just around the time the magistrate also arrived.

After making his way to the garrison's stables, where Damasco was training, he took advantage of Mendoza's absence to challenge the brute.

As he expected, while strong, the man wasn't very smart. In less than two minutes, he managed to break his hand after punching a wall, and Zorro left with the feeling of a job well done and an apple he took from the Sergeant as he was returning with a food tray.

The following morning, Felipe returned from the pueblo with news that Mendoza was to replace Damasco in the boxing match, which was postponed by one day** to give the lancer time to train, news that caused Diego to feel less pleased with himself. The Sergeant was his friend and he didn't like the idea of seeing him hurt.

So, already considering other ways to help Jack Holten, he headed for the back of the hacienda, where their guest was training, to give him the news, and subtly ask if he might agree to losing the match on purpose. The man, however, was in no mood to agree to such a thing, convinced that winning was the only way to save himself.

It was about then when Diego came up with a new plan. All he needed was some 'ether' and Felipe's cooperation.

*After demonstrating how the new substance worked by causing Felipe to fall asleep, then waking him up by spraying some water on him with his fingers, the caballero instructed the young man to make sure to embed Mendoza's gloves with the substance, hoping to thus help him win the following day's match.*

ZZZ

Boxing matches, just like any other type of entertainment, were quite rare in Los Angeles. So, as the news spread that one was to take place at the tavern, Victoria found herself overwhelmed by caballeros who came to watch, many of whom even brought their wives with them.

*"Please, not too much bloodshed." Diego asked Jack as time was near for the match to begin.

Throwing a towel over his right shoulder, he stood up pretending to give Holten a slight massage on the shoulders, while he subtly nodded to Felipe to do his part.

The boy spilled some 'ether' on a cloth, hiding the bottle as soon as he noticed the Alcalde and Mendoza right next to him, the garrison's commander instructing his lancer how to throw a punch.

"Now let's see some blood!" Ramone ordered the Sergeant as soon as he was content with how the man seemed to punch.

"Do we have to, Alcalde?" Mendoza inquired. "If we see blood that means somebody is bleeding."

"Get a hold of yourself! The magistrate will want to see the results of our training. Now don't let me down!" His superior answered just as the magistrate entered the tavern. "Ah, Señor Santiago! How good of you to come by." He then greeted as the other official passed right behind him, stopping him in his tracks.

"I trust your man will uphold the reputation of the Colonial Army." The other magistrate replied while Felipe, having managed to spill enough of the 'ether' on the cloth, came to wipe Mendoa's gloves.

"Gracias, mi hijo!" The Sergeant said, and Felipe smiled back.

"Good people of Los Angeles!" Ramone addressed everyone a few moments later. "We are honored today by the presence of the governor's magistrate, Señor Manuel de Santiago." He announced, and the crowd clapped politely. "Señor de la Vega…" The Alcalde then signaled to Don Alejandro, who had agreed to act as referee and the two contenders stood up, heading towards the center of the designated area.

The elderly caballero put his hands over the two men's shoulders. "Let's have a clean fight. No biting, no kicking. Remember, first man knock down wins. All right? Good! Good luck to you both, uh, and at the bell, come out fighting."

They headed back to their seats. As Victoria rang the bell Holten stood up and headed towards Mendoza, who just looked in panic around the room, yet continued to sit down.

"Get out there!" Ramone ordered him as he noticed he wasn't doing anything, then forced him to stand up.

What followed was a rather comical scene, with Mendoza doing his best to stay away from Holten, even hiding behind Diego at some point, while his adversary seriously looked for the opportunity to strike, the dons cheered from the sides, and the magistrate yawned, bored.

"Fight now!" Ramone ordered as his man ended up near him while trying to avoid the fight.

Finally getting his chance, Jack punched Mendoza in the face, and the Sergeant fell back, right into the Alcalde's and two other lancer's arms.

"If I don't get this transfer, you'll wish I had!" Ramone threatened, pushing him back into the improvised ring.

Mendoza, seeing how he had no choice, also found the good moment to punch his adversary, and Jack stepped back, shaking his head as he tried to recover, not from the impact of the punch, but from the smell of 'ether'. His reaction encouraged Mendoza and brought a big smile on Ramone's face, as well as an increase in interest from the part of the Governor's magistrate.

Feeling a little too certain of himself, the Sergeant taunted Jack and found himself falling back, again into Ramone's arms, as the man delivered him a well-placed punch. Don Alejandro covered his face, unwilling to see his friend defeated like that.

"Mendoza, keep your guard up!" His superior officer ordered him.

"Under the circumstances, Alcalde, that is an excellent suggestion!" The Sergeant agreed, raising his gloved hands to hold them right in front of his face.

Felipe looked worriedly towards his guardian as he noticed Mendoza was inhaling the substance on his gloves, and Diego could barely stop himself from warning his friend. Moments later, knocked out by the chloroform on his gloves, Mendoza made a funny face, then fell down on his back under the disbelieving eyes of the bystanders.

"Ether got the wrong man." Diego told a concerned Felipe.

Furious, Ramone took a pitcher of water and poured it onto Mendoza's face. "Mendoza, get up!" He ordered, but the man was still too dizzy to obey.

"What happened?" Jack Holten asked Don Alejandro.

"Uh. . . First knockdown wins." The caballero replied a little hesitantly, raising his right arm to declare him the winner, while Diego tried to get Mendoza back on his feet.

"If that is the way you train your men, the only new assignment you will get is to the garrison at Death Valley!" Santiago informed Ramone who tried to stop him from leaving the tavern.

Victoria, content with the result, walked over to the Alcalde and clucked her tongue at him with a satisfied smile, while shaking her head. Seeing him defeated, after all the suffering he had and was continuing to cause, was her greatest satisfaction in life, and she couldn't hide it.

"Mendoza!" Ramone exclaimed as he angrily walked over to his man.

"Si, mi Alcalde!" The man uttered as Diego was still helping him stand up.

"Put this man back in his jail cell!" He ordered, pointing at Jack.

"But Alcalde…" The Sergeant tried to protest.

"We had a bargain." Don Alejandro pointed out.

"That's right! Precisely: had. All bets are off." The official replied as he motioned for his lancers to take Jack into custody.

"So much for guarantees." Holten said resentfully, looking back at Diego, who just adverted his eyes, not knowing what to reply.*

In fact, the caballero had already decided on a plan. If the Alcalde wouldn't willingly let Jack Holten leave, and seeing how the official had taken the man's papers and would, most probably, he thought, try to sell him as a slave, his only alternative was for Zorro to help him escape that very night.

*'Ether' ensured that he entered the prison undetected, and nobody would sound the alarm, but, as he and Jack exited, they found themselves at the wrong end of the Alcalde's pistol.

"There's a rather steep toll for using my private doorway. Your life." The Alcalde informed the black-clad man.

"Alcalde, you have only one musket ball." Zorro tried to reason with him "If you shoot one of us, the other one will surely kill you on the spot."

"A runaway slave, attack a Spaniard of noble birth? He wouldn't dare." Ramone muttered in disbelief as he pointed his gun at Holten.

"Try me!" Jack challenged him.

"Amazing! You really consider yourself my equal?" The Alcalde asked, not even noticing that his masked nemesis took advantage by his distraction to reach for the one weapon in his arsenal capable of helping them in that situation.

Moment later, a flick of whip disarmed Ramone, and Holten took that chance to punch the official in his face, causing him to fall, holding his jaw.

"Apparently not all men are created equal, Alcalde." Zorro said as he was recoiling his whip. "Some are better than you'll ever be." He added, then looked over the papers in Ramone's office "These wouldn't happen to be yours, would they?" He asked as he found a few written in English, offering them to Jack.

"Yes." The man replied as the Zorro took out his sword, pointing it at Ramone, who quickly covered his shoulder, to protect his jacket.

Amused by his gesture, the black-clad outlaw moved it to his right, pointing it at his second favorite place to leave his mark.

"Not the desk again!" Ramone exclaimed at realizing what he was doing, then watched in disbelief as his nemesis carved a Z in it, before saluting and encouraging Jack to exit through the door.*

"Do you have a horse?" Zorro asked, pretending he didn't know the answer.

"Yes. But the Alcalde confiscated her." Jack answered.

"Perhaps then, it's in the municipal corral." He suggested, encouraging the other man to follow him.

Jack found his mare there and hurried to saddle her before they both left, heading south.

Some six miles out of the pueblo, Zorro slowed down and eventually stopped when he was certain Jack did the same. "I fear this is where I have to leave you." He told his new acquaintance. "Follow El Camino Real to San Diego as fast as you can, just in case the Alcalde decides to send his lancers after you. Then head southwest, towards Baja California. You'll find good work and better officials there." He advised.

Jack thanked him, and soon was on his way.

ZZZ

Mendoza had had to endure a long chide by his commander, for both losing the boxing match and for his men allowing the prisoner to escape. He took every insult and reproach without any protestation, then, seeing himself put on leave without pay for three days, he slowly headed towards the tavern.

*By the time Diego came to town that afternoon, accompanied by Felipe, he was standing next to a sack filled with sand, which he used as a training bag, but which he hesitated to punch.

"He's so depressed." Victoria told her friends. "He's been in here all day. That's why I let him hang that silly bag in my taproom."

"A new avocation, Sergeant?" The caballero inquired, heading towards the older man and holding the punching bag.

"The Alcalde thinks I'm a coward. I'll show him who can fight!" He answered, punching awkwardly, then rubbing his hand, unable to completely suppress his exclamation of pain.

"I think a couple of your best tamales will help put some strength behind the Sergeant's punches." Diego suggested, hoping to make his friend feel better.

"That's a good idea." He answered, turning to look at the caballero. "Tell me, Don Diego, do you really think Señor Holten is a better fighter than me?

"No, I don't really think so." Diego answered, squeezing Mendoza's shoulders assuredly.

"But he knocked me out." The older man replied.

"Trust me, Sergeant! It was nothing but a lucky punch. He calls that his, um, 'sleeper.'" The tall caballero answered, winking at Felipe.*

"You know what the worst part in all this was, Don Diego?" Mendoza asked as the three of them sat at a table, waiting for Victoria to bring out the food.

The caballero didn't answer, just encouraged him to say what was on his mind.

"The worst thing is that," Mendoza said, lowering his tone, "because I lost, the Alcalde will not get his promotion to the garrison in Monterey."

"What promotion, Sergeant?" Diego inquired.

"It's why the magistrate had come. The Alcalde was being considered for a promotion to the Presidio, and he would have left Los Angeles if he had gotten it." Mendoza said, just as the taverness brought him his food.

"You mean, we could have gotten rid of him?" Victoria asked, disappointed, at overhearing that conversation.

Diego glanced over to Felipe, then shook his head, wishing he would have had that information before the entire Holten affair. Then another thought crossed his mind.

"Well… Look on the bright side!" He encouraged his friends. "If Luis Ramone had left, he would have behaved in Monterey the same or worse than here. At least, in Los Angeles, there's someone to stop him. And who knows who'd be sent to replace him? We could have gotten an even worse alcalde."

"Worse than him? I doubt it!" Victoria muttered as she headed for the bar.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

*Summaries and excerpts marked with an * are from the original TV Show's episode "Pride of the Pueblo", written by Ted Alben and Greg Klein.

**The TV show doesn't mention that the boxing match was postponed by one day. However, in the scene following the one in which Diego informs Jack that Mendoza would be his adversary, in which he teaches Felipe about ether, he mentions that Felipe would have to use it "tomorrow evening", meaning that the match had been postponed (OK, I know it was probably an editing error, but I do love to find reasonable explanations for them anyway :P).