"Don Sebastian," Maria interrupted the young man's conversation with Doctor Hernandez, "there's a man here to see you. He says it is urgent."

Apologizing to the doctor, the Count followed Maria to the library, dismissing her as soon as he recognized the man waiting for him.

"What happened, Jacopo?" He asked as soon as they were alone, certain the man hadn't simply ignored his orders for no good reason.

"You told me to be alert about anything that had to do with Señorita Escalante. So I did." The man said. "About a week ago, I overheard Doña Inez mentioning the Señorita. I couldn't hear much, but it was clear to me that she was planning something involving her. Today, I saw Doña Inez handing Don Gilberto a small bottle before he left the house, and I heard her instruct him to pour its contents into wine, so that "she" wouldn't realize anything was wrong with the taste. I can't be sure who she was referring to, but…"

"You believe it might be Victoria." The Count finished his train of thought.

"I never heard them mentioning any other woman…" the man justified his conclusion.

"How long ago did you see Gilberto leave the house?"

"About an hour ago… I came here as soon as I could."

Thanking Jacopo for his information, the nobleman ordered him to return to the Risendo's hacienda, then hurried towards the cave.

ZZZ

Gilberto glanced once more at the curtain separating the taproom from the tavern's kitchen. Taking the small bottle that his mother had given him out of his jacket, the young man opened it, set on pouring its contents into Victoria's wine glass.

As he held it just above the glass, though, he hesitated. What he was doing was wrong, and he knew it. Even though he had tried telling himself that it was all justified, there was also a voice inside him pointing out that she was innocent; that she had done nothing wrong, and did not deserve what he had in store for her.

Gilberto was still holding the bottle just above the young woman's glass when coming to a decision, he closed it and slipped it back into his pocket.

"You lied…" Victoria uttered as she returned from the kitchen, a determined look on her face. "You said you just found out Diego was Don Alejandro's son, but that's not true. You have known it for a while now… When those bandits took us prisoners, you surely knew... Even before that…"

He looked at her nervously. "No… I didn't know that Don Alejandro's son, Diego, was the Diego I had known in Madrid. I didn't make the connection. You must admit, it is quite the coincidence."

"Yes… Quite the coincidence. As is the fact that you and De Soto are both here, set on hurting Don Alejandro, while Diego is dead…" She uttered.

"Victoria…"

"I think you'd better leave now!" She urged him, anger clear in her voice and quite easy to read on her face.

"No… I"

"Leave!" Victoria ordered, heading for the door and trying to open it. "You locked it?" She asked after she noticed he had bolted it.

"Please, just calm down, and let us talk!" He said.

"There is nothing I care to talk to you about!"

"I, on the other hand, have a lot to talk to you about." Gilberto insisted.

"So do I!" a new voice uttered as Zorro showed up from the kitchen, holding a gun in his right hand, pointed alternatively at the both of them. "I wish to discuss about your money… My money, that is…"

Both Gilberto and Victoria eyed him in disbelief, then exchanged a confused glance.

"Is this another of your and De Soto's tricks? Do you think I'll fall for it?" The young woman inquired.

"No trick, Señorita! Your money, please! I'd hate having to take your life!"

She glanced in disdain between the two men, taking a few steps back and away from Gilberto. It was when Risendo took his chance and hit the masked man's arm, causing him to lose his gun. Moments later, they were both drawing their swords.

Victoria took refuge on the stairs as the duel started. From there, she watched powerless as the two men, who seemed rather equal in skill, slowly but surely destroyed her tavern. Almost five minutes after the fight had started, the masked man lost his balance and found himself deprived of his sword.

Gilberto smiled. "Now you'll pay with your life for your insistence to interfere with my plans!" He threatened and took a step forward, preparing to strike.

Gilberto smiled in anticipation, as his sword made its way through his adversary's silk shirt, aiming for his heart.

Victoria gave a shout and closed her eyes as she saw her hero about to be struck dead. She heard a grunt of pain, then a thud. When she found herself brave enough to look, she saw that Gilberto was lying unconscious on the ground.

From where she stood, Victoria watched as another Zorro knelt by the first to check his wound.

"How bad is it?" The injured masked man asked, clearly in pain.

"It's only a flesh wound. You'll live…" the real Zorro said before also punching him unconscious. "But I truly hope that you have a good explanation for your actions…"

"Is that you, Zorro?" Victoria asked as she cautiously descended the stairs.

"Yes. Forgive me for not getting here sooner, Señorita. Are you alright?"

"I am… But… Who is he?" She asked, pointing to the unconscious black-clad man. "He wears the same clothes as you, and fights like you…"

"He is someone I know. Though, today, I must say, he's been acting rather strangely… As if he's not himself."

"As if he's under a spell?" She asked.

"Precisely."

"Then, perhaps he is," Victoria said. "There was a Doctor Lozano in the pueblo today. He has a strange power to make people do whatever he wants them to do. He called it hypnosis, I believe. De Soto detained him earlier, then set him free a couple of hours ago. Perhaps he managed to put your friend under his spell somehow before he was arrested?"

"Hypnosis might explain his behavior… Do you know where I might find this Doctor Lozano?"

"I saw him leaving through the southern gate. He has a covered wagon filled with all sorts of trinkets. You can't miss him…"

"Thank you, Señorita…" Zorro said. "May I ask what Gilberto Risendo is doing here at this time of night?" He continued as he started checking the man's coat for the small bottle Jacopo had mentioned.

"He said he was meaning to talk to me about Diego, my fiancé. He claimed to have been his friend… But I also caught him lying to me, so I was just about to have him leave when he showed up…" She added the second part pointing at the injured black-clad man.

"I see…" Zorro uttered, just as he found the bottle containing the powder Inez had given her son. "Interesting…" he muttered as he took it to have a look at it.

"What is it?" Victoria inquired, curious.

"A sleeping potion of some sort, I believe…" He answered as he put the bottle in his sash. "You should be very careful around this man, Señorita. I don't know what his plan was, but he is no friend of yours, and he certainly wasn't one to your fiancé."

The young woman nodded, furious with Gilberto and glad Zorro had rid her of him. While he did not know it, the black-clad outlaw had most probably just saved Risendo's life. Victoria, in turn, was relieved she would not hang as a murderess. She was also thankful when the true Zorro took the injured man with him and left her in peace to assess the damage to her tavern and ponder over the punishment she'd inflict on Risendo, should he dare to show his face there again.

ZZZ

"So, my precious, you will make me a rich man!" De Soto said out loud a while later, after finishing his inventory of the precious stones. "A man even the Viscount will have to respect… Perhaps I'll convince the king to make me a nobleman, as well…" Smiling, he closed the box and carefully placed in a hidden cache in one of the office walls. He then headed for his bedchamber, not for a minute suspecting that he was being watched from the roof window.

The masked man smiled knowingly as he watched the alcalde head for his bedchamber.

About an hour later, after leaving Risendo in a pile of manure by the municipal stables, and Emmanuel resting in the cave, Zorro headed south.

ZZZ

It was already dawn when the black-clad outlaw finally found Lozano sleeping in his wagon, some seven miles south of the pueblo, on a rarely-traveled road.

"Señor…" He uttered as his sword scratched the man's neck, causing him to wake up suddenly.

"Who are you?" He asked, perplexed.

"I am Zorro. And we need to talk…" the outlaw replied, a wicked smile on his face.