"El Zorro," Victoria muttered just for herself as she watched the masked man make his way out of the pueblo.

Turning on her heel, she headed inside the tavern, glad that the execution hadn't taken place, and daring to hope that, indeed, the hero she had, for so long, prayed for, had finally appeared to stand between the people and the authorities who only wanted to cause them harm.

ZZZ

"That went better than expected," Emmanuel told Diego as he arrived back at the cave.

The young man, having been the one who sneaked Tornado into Los Angeles without being noticed, had remained to see if everything went well, then returned to the cave, arriving just minutes before his masked friend, who, followed by the lancers, had taken the scenic route.

"Indeed," Diego said as he dismounted and let Felipe take Tornado's reins while he took off his mask. "Zorro might be just the man we need."

"A man with a price on his head."

"Really? How much?"

"1,000 pesos. That's what Ignacio announced, at least"

"Not bad. Though I am rather certain I can convince our dear alcalde that Zorro is worth far more than 1,000 pesos."

"You want him to increase the reward? That will have all the bounty hunters in California going after you!"

"Perhaps… Though I doubt there are too many." Diego pointed out, then glanced at Felipe. "He seems to like you," he noticed, observing how the stallion behaved toward the boy.

Felipe smiled and gestured that he would like to stay in the cave with the horse.

"I don't believe it best, Felipe," Diego rejected that idea. "It will include a stable, so it will smell like one."

The boy shook his head and then signed.

"You'd rather smell like manure than pretend to be a girl…" Diego again interpreted.

Emmanuel chuckled as Diego frowned in jest.

"Perhaps there's another option," Emmanuel pointed out. "We could change his hair color – make it black – and he could spend some time sunbathing to make his skin darker. We'll say he's one of your African servants. Nobody will recognize him like that, especially after having been gone for almost three years."

His friend nodded. "Yes… We could tell everyone that he just can't understand the language, to explain his lack of speech. Then, he could be our eyes and ears in the pueblo."

Felipe agreed enthusiastically.

"Alright," Diego said. "He will be the count's personal servant. He will also need a room close to His Lordship, of course…"

"I can arrange for that," Emmanuel assured him.

ZZZ

The people witnessing the morning's events did nothing that day but discuss the masked man. As for Victoria, she was content that Zorro had sent De Soto to his office, tail between his legs. He certainly deserved a lesson, and it was long overdue.

It was night already as she closed the tavern, and was about to head to bed, when, at entering the kitchen, she felt a presence behind her and turned to see precisely the man everyone was talking about: Zorro.

"I didn't mean to frighten you, Señorita," he said.

"You didn't," she replied, staring in fascination. "What you did today was very brave, Señor Zorro. But you should be careful! The alcalde put a 1,000 pesos reward on your head."

"Yes, the poster didn't escape my notice," the masked man said with what seemed like indifference.

"You don't care?"

"I expected it. After all, one doesn't do what I did today without expecting repercussions."

Silence fell for a few moments as neither one knew what to say to the other. "Is there something I can do for you, Señor Zorro," Victoria eventually asked when the masked man said nothing.

"Keep your faith, Señorita," he answered as he offered her a red rose.

"Keep my faith?" She asked as she took it and closed her eyes for a few moments to smell it. By the time she opened them again, the masked man had simply vanished, only the rose testifying that he had ever been there. Glancing again at the flower, Victoria locked the kitchen door, then put the rose in a vase and took it to her room.

ZZZ

Since the night he visited her, Victoria started finding herself thinking of Zorro in the most unexpected moments. As she was washing dishes, she'd wonder what his favorite food was; whenever a tall stranger entered the tavern, she'd wonder if it was him under the mask; when passing by a white adobe house she'd remark to herself how easily would be to spot him in front of it; and when she'd see De Soto, she'd wonder if he'd ever catch the elusive outlaw.

From the day in which he had made his first appearance, Zorro started being spotted more and more frequently. He prevented the lancers from gathering what he considered to be De Soto's abusive taxes; he helped people in trouble; and even caught bandits and petty thieves, delivering them to the garrison.

One afternoon, a newcomer arrived from San Diego. It was a medium-high, good-looking young man, no older than 19. After paying Mendoza the traveler's tax, he headed for the bar, asked for a room and took his luggage there. Some ten minutes later, just as a messenger was dismounting in front of the alcalde's office, he climbed down to have a meal, and sat at a table next to the one where the abbot was just enjoying a glass of lemonade.

"Señorita," the newcomer said as Victoria passed by him.

"Si, Señor?" she asked.

"Do you, by any chance, have any food left from lunch?" he asked, fully aware it was just after siesta time.

The innkeeper smiled. "I'll have to check, but I believe I can fix you something," she promised.

He smiled back gratefully, just as the alcalde entered the tavern, accompanied by four of his lancers. "Jacinto Santana?" he asked, as he neared the man.

The newcomer glanced at him and nodded.

"Any relationship to the alcalde of San Diego?" the official continued to ask.

"Yes. He's my father."

"I see. Then I place you under arrest, for murdering your father, Señor. Lancers, take him!" as De Soto's words resounded through the tavern, causing everyone there to carefully turn to glance at the young man, Victoria came out of the taproom to see what was happening.

"Murder?" Jacinto asked, clearly shocked by the news. "My father is dead?"

"As if you didn't already know! You murdered him, then hurried to leave the pueblo," De Soto said, mockingly. "Men, what are you waiting for?" he then addressed his soldiers.

"No… How? How did my father die?" the young man asked. "When?"

"Señor alcalde," the abbot asked noticing the look on the young man's face, a look that spoke of grief, not guilt, "what proof do you have against the young man?"

"His very presence here, Padre, is proof enough." De Soto answered, as his men took hold of Jacinto and started dragging him towards the jail, without answering any of his questions.

"He doesn't act like a murderer," Victoria said as she glanced at the padre.

"Indeed. And the alcalde doesn't seem to have even the slightest proof against him." The man answered as he stood up, thanked the young woman for the drink, paid it, and headed out.

ZZZ

Emmanuel found Diego in the cave, changing into Zorro's black clothes.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Ignacio arrested a young man, charging him with having murdered his father. But I'm not so sure of that. I need to investigate."

"As Zorro? Isn't that a little dangerous? Perhaps you could use one of the disguises that does not have a huge reward attached to it…"

"Perhaps. But then I would risk associating said disguise with this one. Don't worry, Emmanuel! I will not take any unnecessary risks."

"It's the necessary ones that worry me… You seem to enjoy being a masked outlaw a bit too much, Diego…"

The taller man smiled at his friend and patted his shoulder before putting on his mask. "Perhaps… In all fairness," he said, "I have never felt so free to be myself as I feel when I put on this mask."

ZZZ

His first stop was at the tavern, where Victoria was surprised to find him in his kitchen as she brought some dirty cups from the taproom.

"Señor Zorro!" she exclaimed at noticing him.

"Forgive me for frightening you, Señorita!" he said.

"You didn't," Victoria replied. "But may I ask what brings you here?"

"The young man the alcalde arrested a while earlier. Can you tell me if the lancers were already here for his things?"

"No. Not yet. You have come to free him, then?"

"I have come to find out if he truly is guilty of the crime he is accused of."

"How will you do that?"

"Perhaps his things might give me a clue. Were you present when they arrested him?"

"I was…"

"And what impression did he make you?"

"I… I believe he was quite shocked. I don't think he knew that his father was dead. Either that or he is very good at pretending."

"Indeed," Zorro said, pensive, then turned towards the door. "Adios, Señorita!" he uttered as he left.

"But I thought you wanted to check the young man's things!" she said from the door, wondering where he had vanished and not even considering looking up, where the masked outlaw was about to enter the window leading to the young Santana's room.

ZZZ

Felipe and Emmanuel were both in the cave when Zorro returned, some three hours after having left, when outside was already completely dark.

"Well? What did you find out?" Emmanuel asked as Felipe stabled Tornado.

"He told De Soto he was just heading for Santa Barbara, and that his father was alive when he had left," Diego replied, taking off the mask and starting to change his clothes. "I heard it all. Ignacio is an idiot if he thinks the man is a murderer."

"So he convinced you, too…"

"Yes. But, just to be sure, I also checked his room and found nothing to indicate that the young man was running away after committing a murder. He didn't take much money with him; there's no trace of blood anywhere on his clothes; and he did have a sealed letter from his father for the alcalde of Santa Barbara." Diego recounted. "Besides, there's also the fact that his father was killed on Monday night."

"Monday night?"

"His body was found yesterday morning."

"That's not enough time to get here by horse."

"No. The messenger bringing the news to De Soto came by ship and only rode here from San Pedro. But it takes two days to make the trip on horseback... Unless you are in an extremely good shape and somehow manage to change horses every ten miles or so. But that is not possible at present in California…"

"So he's innocent…"

"I indeed believe so. Though I don't yet have the means to prove it." Diego replied pensively. "Unfortunately, Ignacio is set to put that young man before a firing squad in the morning."

"Just like that? Without a trial or a proper investigation? But that's murder!"

"Indeed."

"You plan to stop it, don't you?"

"Of course. I can't let De Soto end an innocent young man's life."

"And do you have to do it as Zorro? Can't the abbot stop this?"

"I doubt he'd have any chance to succeed. Besides, time is running out for that young man."

"Ignacio's men will be on guard tonight, no doubt."

"Which is why I think it better to free young Santana in the morning when our esteemed alcalde won't be expecting anyone would interfere."

Emmanuel shook his head. "If there's going to be a firing squad, the lancers will be armed. It's too dangerous Diego!"

"Then, perhaps, we can draw their fire… We could use a prop to make them think it's Zorro. And, as soon as they discharge their muskets, I can free that young man without the risk of being shot."

ZZZ

The following morning went a lot like they expected it would. The branches dressed in Zorro's clothes attracted the lancers' fire and the real masked man managed to save the young man De Soto was set on executing, taking him north, and hiding him in an abandoned windmill. The one unpredictable factor had been a young woman, whose beauty caused Zorro to stop and greet her, wondering who she was and what was she doing by the alcalde's office at that hour.

Decided to find the answers to those questions, after leaving Jacinto at the mill, he returned to the pueblo and observed from the tavern's roof how De Soto trailed the pretty stranger around the plaza, clearly interested in the woman. He smiled at observing the white-haired man's efforts to impress her, but his smile was soon erased by Victoria's saddened look. Deciding to talk to her, for it seemed useless to keep watching De Soto and the newcomer, he climbed down and entered the tavern through the kitchen.

"What saddens you, Señorita?" he asked after a few moments of just watching Victoria from one of the room's corners.

"Señor Zorro!" she said. "Well… I didn't expect to see you here."

Her tone of voice made him think the young woman was irritated and he wondered why.

"After all," she continued when he said nothing, "you did seem quite fascinated by that newcomer a while earlier. I'd have thought you'd be chasing her around, like De Soto."

He smiled, realizing the innkeeper was, in fact, jealous. "She has nothing on you, Señorita…" he said as he neared her and took her hand to kiss. "I do, however, wonder why she arrived here precisely today when Jacinto Santana was due to be executed…"

That served to remind Victoria of the young man wrongfully accused by de Soto. "Jacinto… is he safe?"

"I do believe he is, Señorita. But, in order for him to remain safe, his innocence will have to be proven."

"That will be difficult, I assume…"

"Perhaps. However, all that would take in this case is for the true murderer to be found. Jacinto is safe until then."

Saying that, he saluted the young woman, and exited the kitchen.

Victoria glanced after him, wondering to herself why he had come by, then smiled at considering his words, and realizing the black-clad man was, in fact, courting her. Her smile soon disappeared, though, as she reminded herself there was someone else still in her heart. Yet, soon enough, she found herself smiling again.

ZZZ

The day passed quietly as the alcalde kept following the young widow around, obviously trying to decide whether to court her. Los Angeles didn't precisely abound of unmarried young women, and the few there were either not very desirable for a man in his position, or Victoria – who, while desirable, was quite unattainable for him. Thus, at meeting the young widow, De Soto thought that was his chance to find someone who might help him advance in life, if not in his career. On the other hand, money was always useful to buy positions, even in the military.

The problem was that he didn't exactly know how much the young woman had. Her dead husband's relatives were bankers, so quite rich. But how much of that money was hers, it was hard to know and she didn't seem inclined to say.

That, however, didn't mean he would just let it all go. The young widow was also very beautiful, and he hadn't been with a woman since last he had visited Monterey, over half a year earlier. Besides, unlike unmarried, local women, who cared about their reputation, a widow, who was just in passing, surely had no reason to reject his advances.

Thus, after leaving her to rest during siesta, he had one of his men get him a bouquet of roses, and headed for the tavern, where he waited until the woman descended the stairs.

"Señora Sinestra," he uttered, "I was wondering if you'd do me the honor of dining with me tonight. And, perhaps you'd also like to accompany me on a walk in the moonlight?"

She smiled at him. "Won't you be too busy catching that young man who had murdered his father?" she asked.

"I'm sure my men can handle the capture of that brigand… That, assuming Zorro didn't help him escape the territory yet."

"That Zorro… He seems like a fascinating man… The kind of man I would consider, were I to ever remarry."

"Zorro? But Zorro is just a brigand, Señora!" De Soto said. "He's a man with a steep price on his head."

"Perhaps… But he does seem more than a match for both you and your men, alcalde."

"I assure you, Señora, you have it wrong." De Soto said.

"That might be so, Alcalde… Why don't we go on that walk you suggested, and you can tell me all about him?"

Finally, De Soto smiled. "Señorita, see to it that these flowers get some water," he said, addressing Victoria, as he left the flowers he was still holding on the bar and offered his hand to Señora Sienstra, who took it with a smile.

"You may leave them in front of my door!" the woman told Victoria.

The innkeeper did take the flowers and put them in water, but, instead of leaving them outside the woman's door, she entered the room to leave them on a small table. As she was about to leave, though, her eyes caught a letter opened and left on the bed. It was not the letter itself, to be fair, but the name "Santana" on it that caused Victoria to near it. Taking it, she glanced around, then read it. The message was short, yet it was more than enough to shed some doubt on Jacinto's presumed guilt.

Putting the letter in her sash, Victoria exited the room and headed downstairs, wondering if to give the alcalde the note or try to contact Zorro. Just then, Señora Sinestra re-entered the tavern, heading upstairs. The two women passed by each other, and Victoria hurried downstairs while Ignacio de Soto was standing in the doorway. She considered approaching him, but, just moments later, the widow returned, a shawl on her shoulders, and the pair once again exited the tavern.