In the meantime, Zorro had been riding towards the Mission at full speed, reaching it just in time to see the bandits he had spent all morning trying to recapture leave with a wagon and with his father's favorite mare.
They were just half a mile away when he reached them, and they only noticed him when it was too late. The two thugs riding their horses pulled out their guns and fired at him, but, at that speed, the precision of the shots was, to the masked man's luck, rather poor. Seeing how the guns were now useless, next, the black-clad outlaw had to duck them as the bandits threw them at him, in a desperate attempt to slow him down.
That only annoyed him and Tornado, who was hit in the chest by one of the pistols. Set on causing some damage, the stallion increased his speed and threatened the other two horses as he slowly but surely surpassed them. That and his nervous neighs, caused the poor animals to each set on a different path, soon throwing their riders as they fled. The two thugs remained unconscious on the ground while Zorro guided his stallion after the man driving the wagon, and who had also hurried the pace.
The chase lasted for another half a mile, for the man had no intention of giving up, certainly not considering the fortune he was carrying in the wagon.
As he caught up with the third bandit, Zorro lifted himself to stand up on the saddle and jumped into the wagon.
The driver tried to fight him but one of Zorro's punches caused him to fall off the speeding wagon and onto the ground, dislocating his right arm upon impact and joining his compadres into unconsciousness.
After stopping the wagon, the masked man jumped down and headed for the bandit, grabbing him by the shirt and slapping him in an attempt to help him regain his consciousness.
"Where are they?" he asked. "Don Alejandro and Señorita Escalante. What did you do to them?"
"Nothing… They're fine… At the Mission," the thug assured him amongst cries of pain. "We were only supposed to take the old man's money and give them a good scare…"
"Really? And who ordered you to do so?"
"I… I don't know him…"
Half-believing him, Zorro, forced him up and, after taking a good look at his injured arm, he twisted and pulled at it, putting it back in place. As the bandit was still trying to surpass his momentary surprise with the masked man's actions, Zorro tied his hands and feet, then forced him in the back of the wagon, on top of the money sacks.
Then, taking the driver's seat, he returned with the wagon for the other two, who were still unconscious on the ground, tying and adding them to the one already captured. After doing that, he started driving towards the Mission, whistling for Tornado to accompany them.
"How did you know how much money Don Alejandro had in the bank?" he asked his prisoners as he stopped the wagon some 200 feet from the Mission. By then all three thugs were conscious and already contemplating their fate.
"The man who had hired us told us," one of the thugs confessed.
"Shut up, you imbecile! Do you want us all to get killed?" the leader admonished him.
"What makes you think I won't kill you if you don't talk?" Zorro inquired.
"No offense, Zorro, but there are men who we fear far more than we fear you…" the leader answered.
"Well, then… Perhaps you'll tell the alcalde," the masked outlaw uttered, just to see their reaction.
The three bandits all chuckled for a moment, involuntarily.
Zorro needed no more confirmation. "So he was the one who hired you. After he freed you, I assume…" he said. The thugs suddenly didn't feel cheerful anymore.
"Don't worry, Señores. I have no intention to return you to De Soto. But thank you for confirming my suspicions!" the masked man said with a smile.
Leaving the thugs and the wagon behind some trees, and the bandits tied to one of them, Zorro, thus, made his way toward the Mission.
ZZZ
The sun was low at the horizon, soon to disappear behind the western hills, when the three prisoners heard some strange noises coming from the door as if someone was trying to break the lock. They held their breath as the door slowly opened, wondering who it could be.
"Zorro!" Victoria uttered with a relieved chuckle at recognizing the masked man.
"Are you alright?" he asked as he went to check on her.
"We are now. We certainly are now!" Don Alejandro said, gladly.
Gilberto wished he could kill the outlaw, but, unfortunately, in his view, that was definitely not the right time to try anything, mainly because he was completely unarmed. Instead, he pretended he had untied his hands by himself and reached to untie his legs before anyone realized he had long since freed himself.
"I see you are not in need of my assistance, Don Gilberto," the black-clad man said as he untied the other two people there, stressing the young man's name in a strange way, which made the former royal emissary easily conclude that Zorro had no love for him, either.
"No. I just managed to free my hands."
"Too bad you didn't manage to do so earlier. Do tell me, Señor Risendo, how is it you find yourself here?"
"He offered to accompany me, Zorro. When I refused, he was turning back, but noticed the bandits attacking me, so he came to my defense." Victoria explained.
"Did he now? How brave of you, Señor, to selflessly defend the Señorita. And what a fortunate coincidence that you decided to accompany her precisely the day those men came to abduct her…"
"It is by no means a coincidence, in fact. De Soto mentioned the escape of the three bandits, so I thought it prudent to make sure she doesn't travel alone while they are free."
"I see…" the masked man folded his arms across his chest. "And how did you know they'd return rather than leave the territory?"
"I didn't. It was just a precaution… And perhaps, instead of interrogating me, we might take the opportunity to leave this place... We've been here long enough." Gilberto said, standing up to look the black-clad man in the eyes.
"Indeed… Though I can't help but wonder how you were involved in all this…"
His words caused Don Alejandro and Victoria to glance inquisitively between the two young men.
"Are you accusing me of something?" Risendo asked, infuriated.
"Right now, I am only trying to satisfy my curiosity," the masked outlaw retorted, faking being offended.
Gilberto stared at him for a few moments. "instead of that, why don't you better try to catch those bandits instead of making such remarks?"
"I will." Zorro replied. "But, do tell me, Señor Risendo: once I catch them, will they tell me this was your plan all along?"
"Mine? I see… You're trying to make me look bad in front of the Señorita because you see me as competition for her affection," Gilberto retorted with a smile.
Zorro chuckled. "Competition? You?" he asked before punching the man unconscious. "But you don't even know who you're competing against…" he muttered, a smile on his lips at watching him lie there, on the cold ground.
"You really think he planned all this?" Victoria inquired.
"Would it surprise you, Señorita, to find out he did?" Zorro asked. "He's done far worse than that…"
"Like what?"
He glanced at her, then shook his head. "You'll find out one day… When the time is right… Until then, it's better you don't know. Better for him, that is…"
Saying that, he properly tied up Giberto's hands and feet, leaving him in the room before escorting the two other people outside, and to their horses.
"Zorro," Victoria just realized, "the men who captured us made it out with all of Don Alejandro's money. You must go after them!"
"Don't worry, Señorita. They didn't make it far," he replied.
"You mean, you already captured them?" Don Alejandro inquired.
"Yes. But I didn't want Risendo to find out. I am rather certain De Soto put them up to this, and Risendo must be behind that particular idea. And I have also managed to recover your fortune, Don Alejandro," he said, "but I don't believe it safe to return it to you right now. Risendo seems determined to deprive you of it, so it might be better if we allowed him to believe he has succeeded."
"You want to keep Don Alejandro's money?" Victoria asked, concerned.
"Not for myself. All I intend is to take it someplace safe until Gilberto Risendo and Ignacio de Soto are properly dealt with, or I find a way to make sure they don't get their hands on it," he explained to Victoria. "I will, however, return to you every peso, Señor. You have my word," he then turned to tell Don Alejandro.
The elderly caballero nodded, realizing the masked man could have easily made it out with the money and never told anyone, if he truly wanted it. "I'll have to trust you, then…" he uttered as they reached the wagon and the bandits tied up next to it.
"You should return to Los Angeles," Zorro said. "I will accompany you half the way to the pueblo. From there, you should head for the alcalde's office to file a complaint against these bandits, and inform him about Risendo's whereabouts."
"What about them?" Victoria asked, pointing at the thugs.
"I have big plans for them, Señorita. They are to do us all a huge favor…" the masked man said with a mischievous smile.
ZZZ
"I was afraid I might have lost you," the count told Don Alejandro as the elderly man descended from his horse in front of the hacienda, that evening.
"I'm sorry to have worried you, Don Sebastian," the elderly man replied.
"I hear you were abducted by bandits. You lost all your fortune, from what they say…"
"News reaches you fast…"
The Count just nodded. "I was sorry to hear about that, but I'm sure justice will prevail, and your money will be returned to you, Don Alejandro."
The elderly don nodded, a hint of suspicion in his eyes as he stared at the young man. "I do hope so, but who knows?"
"Next time, it might be for the best if you informed at least Maria of your whereabouts so that we might know when and if to look for you," the Count continued with a smile.
"I will make sure to do so." Don Alejandro said. "By the way, I don't know if Maria told you, but I had left this morning after receiving a note from Victoria."
"Yes. I was told."
"The strange thing is that Victoria swears that she didn't write any note for me, least of all to ask me to go to the Mission, where the bandits took her…"
"Strange indeed…"
"Yes… Quite a mystery, especially since I distinctly remember recognizing her writing… I wonder where I left it…" he said glancing towards his desk in the library.
"Oh, I'm sure it must be somewhere around here. That, unless someone thought it was trash and decided to throw it away…"
The elderly don shrugged his shoulders as they slowly headed for the dining room.
"Well," the Count said, inviting him to sit down at the table, "I suppose you're hungry, and, since I had Maria cook all your favorite dishes, I plan on celebrating your return home with a feast."
In but moments, as the Count clapped his hands, five servants showed up, each carrying two plates and setting them down on the table between their master and the elderly caballero, who smiled and, not having eaten at all that day, didn't need more encouragement to help himself to the appetizing food before him.
ZZZ
It was midnight when a group of men greeted Zorro and his three prisoners at the seashore.
"Monsieurs," the masked outlaw said in perfect French as he dismounted, and neared them on foot, "I believe you've been waiting for us?"
A black-haired man in his late 40s headed his way, looked him up and down as if to measure him, then glanced at his prisoners before replying in the same language. "Are these the men we are to take to Monterey?"
"Yes. They have important information about the alcalde of Los Angeles. Though they might not be too easily convinced to provide it, I am confident you will find a way to convince them. This is also for you." Zorro replied, giving the man a sealed envelope.
The former French smuggler turned honest man in the Count's service took it, glanced at the seal, and nodded, then signed for his men to take charge of the tied-up bandits. "We will do as asked," he said, slightly bowing his head.
Smiling, Zorro mounted his horse and saluted by taking his hand to the brim of his hat, before turning Tornado around and heading back to the hacienda.