We've passed the halfway mark of the serial, so it's time for our heroes to start making some progress in dealing with the root of their problems. For example, finding clues to the true identity of Don del Oro. Make your guesses now!
Chapter Seven: The Fugitive
Quick recap and it turns out the woman I've been calling Bolita is actually Volita. Oops.
Flash back to Zorro attempting to mug the guard, and the action follows with some cuts to the onrushing Legion. But this time, instead of futilely trying to stop the oncoming wall with his leg, Zorro notices a loose flagstone in the paved floor of the ce3ll and uses a dagger to pry it up.
The stone is sturdy enough to keep the wall from advancing, and the toughs operating it realize something's wrong. Before they can investigate, a lookout spots the Legion approaching. (They're much less stealthy than Zorro, who got by this guy no problem.)
The Legion sets siege to the donjon, while Zorro is stuck in his shrunken cell and the siblings Ramon and Volita struggle with their bonds.
One tough is assigned to deal with Zorro, while the others take the prisoners to "the passage". Turns out there's a window in the cell door openable from the outside, which the tough tries to shoot Zorro through. But our hero is already prepared when the window opens and whips the tough into submission. The window is also large enough for an agile man to fit through.
The Legion attempts to batter down the front door.
Zorro spots some more toughs, but they manage to get into the torture chamber and bar the door.
Juan spots some of the toughs riding off and sends Legionnaires after them. He keeps one behind to help search for Zorro.
Zorro climbs through a high window in the torture chamber wall (Perhaps there for ventilation?) while the toughs are distracted getting the prisoners ready for transport. Zorro throws his dagger to pin one tough's sleeve.
This gives him a momentary advantage, but soon Zorro has both toughs to contend with. Ramon's still restrained, but Volita's free. She does nothing but scream. This does, however, alert Juan and his companion.
The reinforcements call to Zorro, giving him the the strength to flatten his opponents, one of whom lands on his own knife. Zorro goes to open the door, while Volita frees Ramon.
Zorro does not acknowledge Volita's thanks or show any sign he knows Ramon, instructing his men to escort them home. Zorro himself uses a shortcut to reach the hacienda first and change back to the foppish Diego.
He finishes just in time to greet the returning siblings. Volita is now thoroughly on Zorro's side, and even Diego must admit the masked outlaw must have some good in him.
Maria shows up to fret over her young charges, and Ramon tells an edited version of the events. Volita remembers that Governor Felipe and Commandante Manuel were at the hacienda yesterday morning and might have seen Ramon meeting Zorro. (She seems to have realized at some point that yes, her brother is an associate of Zorro.) But they are above suspicion!
Even Diego, once Volita is out of earshot, agrees to an extent. He is reluctant to see Felipe as traitorous, and concentrates his suspicion on Manuel. The commandante has, after all, been spectacularly inept in directing the military against the forces of Don del Oro. He might even be Don del Oro himself! It's time to flush him into the open.
At the council building, Diego calls on Manuel. He checks for eavesdroppers, then swears Manuel to secrecy. Diego claims that one of Don del Oro's men approached him for money, having learned Don del Oro's Secret Identity and wanting to sell it and some other info for a thousand pesos. The information is to be left in note form at a secret location outside San Mendolito.
Diego, being a fop, wants Manuel to be his bodyguard for the trip, just in case it's a trap. Manuel agrees to this, and suggests that they be the only two to go later that day.
Manuel meets with the conspirators to share the news of a possible traitor.
Don del Oro orders Moreno to intercept the message before anyone can read it. It's vital that the golden god's identity remain a secret until the last chapter it's too late!
Moreno and a couple of toughs shadow Diego and Manuel to the big rock formation where a sealed note is found. Manuel decides it should only be opened before the entire council. At this moment, the toughs come up from behind.
Manuel, fearing that Diego might be harmed if he fights, chooses to hand the note over, but lets slip that he recognizes Moreno by voice alone.
As the toughs ride off, Manuel regrets that nothing can be done. But Diego is suddenly far less foppish than usual, and holding a four-shooter. He wants to know the connection between Manuel and Moreno.
Diego fakes hand tremors, and shoots Manuel's hat off. Then he starts taking Manuel back to the Council.
Meanwhile, Moreno decides to look at the note himself. He wants to know Don del Oro's secrets himself, as protection against You Have Outlived Your Usefulness, and plans to claim that the note was already open when he grabbed it. Of course, the paper is blank. Moreno realizes the entire thing was a trap!
Manuel is brought back to the council building by Diego at gunpoint. The mariachi sees this strange event.
At the council meeting, Diego lays out the case against Manuel. Felipe thinks it's a pretty thin story. Gonzalez and Magistrate Pablo, however, are "convinced" by Diego's reasoning. Seeing where this is heading, Manuel grabs a gun, goes out the window, and hijacks a conveniently-placed stagecoach. (This isn't explained in this episode, but my guess is the mariachi arranged for this getaway vehicle when he saw the jig was up for Manuel.)
Moreno and his men arrive just in time to see the stage leaving. They provide cover fire to keep the council from following the coach too closely. The driver is definitely part of the gang, as he continues driving fast even as Manuel gets inside the stagecoach.
Diego meets up with Juan and becomes Zorro. He soon picks up the coach's trail, and with his Cool Horse being able to cut across rough country, is able to get ahead of the vehicle.
Zorro leaps on to the lead horses and shoots the driver in self-defense. He then goes under the horses to evade Manuel's return fire. But he loses his grip and is swept under the coach wheels to certain doom!
Tune in next week for Chapter Eight: Flowing Death!
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