~Chapter 17~

The soldier crept up on RoZita on hands and knees, pulling a pistol from his holster and aiming at her back, glancing around to see if anyone else saw....

Then suddenly a shotgun blast from far off startled them both. She whirled about to see him, and not having time to fit her arrow into the bow, leaped forward and drove it into his shoulder. But no one's birth was prevented because she hadn't had time to dip the arrow into the jar either. He howled with pain, then lunged for the pistol he dropped. She grabbed for it too but he got there first and snatched it. She sprang up and kicked him in the stomach, wishing she had harder shoes than these soft moccasins. She knew she wasn't likely to win this one, since he was a man and she was a woman and he was stronger. She couldn't see Ahmed now, or Alejandro. As far as she knew, it was just the two of them.

He grunted and rolled over on his side, aiming the pistol at her and cocking it. She grabbed another arrow and jabbed his face with it, but all it did was throw his aim off so that he fired into the air. She tried jabbing at his eye but got him in the cheek instead. She pierced him a little but didn't do much more than that. He rolled over to his knees, half crazy with pain, and cocked the pistol again. Suddenly she jumped high in the air and kicked him in the chest with both feet simultaneously. It took him entirely by surprise and he fell over backwards with a yell, the pistol flying right out of his hand. This time she didn't take the chance of diving for it, she took off on a run toward the cave.

The man didn't give immediate chase, he was still trying to get his bearings, then find his pistol, which had flown into some poison ivy, which he recognized for what it was. She didn't know where she should run but suddenly it seemed the woods were full of men. She heard another one in the bushes and suddenly he appeared. When he saw her he looked at her with lustful triumph and she had no doubt of his intentions.

"Goin' somewhere, purty gal?" he cackled, approaching her with a yellow-toothed grin.

She glanced all about. She couldn't even see where the cave was now. She could hear the swords clashing still, but couldn't tell which direction they were coming from.

"I don't...think so," she said, her mouth feeling dry.

He came closer, his hand touching a knife in his belt. She tried not to look at the bulge in his pants. Then she remembered the bulge in her own belt.

"I…guess we're alone now," she said softly. "Just the two of us. Me...and you, in your uniform. I do like a man in uniform, you know." She gave him a coy glance.

"You do, do ya?" He seemed almost disappointed that she was putting up so little resistance, but he did not back down.

"Yes," she said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "Especially one so rough and rugged. I find them terribly...sexy."

"Sexy...I don't know that word, but I kinda like the sound of it," the man said, coming closer, and she could smell him now, but made a heroic effort not to grimace. "And I like the look of you. Nice bosoms you got there, sweetheart. I do like a gal with nice bosoms. I find them…sexy."

"Yes," she said trying not to flinch as he came closer and put his hands on her shoulders. "But oh, I don't like that smell on your breath. Why don't you let me give you some of this to sweeten it a little?"

"What is it?" he looked at her in puzzled curiosity as she took the little jar from her belt. She took out the lid and held it to him.

"Take just one sip," she said. "Not too much now…"

"Say...you ain't tryin to pizen me, are ya?" the man said. "You drink some first, little lady. So I'll know it's safe."

"Oh, you don't swallow it," she said. "Just swirl it around in your mouth to get rid of the whiskey smell, then spit it out."

"After you," he said looking at her in a very meaning way.

"OK," she said blandly, and took some in her mouth. She sloshed it around, careful not to swallow any. Then, suddenly, she spat it right in his eyes, unable to resist yelling melodramatically, "Here is RoZita's kiss!"

He jumped back with a yelp of pain, and she sucked at the tip of an arrow, then jabbed it into his belly.

And Saddam Hussein was never born.

But there were more men where that one had come from. And soon she found herself surrounded.

Alejandro was getting tired. He still had not entirely recovered from his illness of yesterday, and he felt his strength waning. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out against this more vigorous and determined and half-crazy adversary.

Elena could see his fatigue, and she decided that she would have to help him somehow. Even though she was pregnant and must be careful. At this point, Alejandro still came first with her.

Ahmed was also badly matched against Hawk, who was not nearly as big as Scourge but was still bigger than the Arab, stronger and a more experienced soldier. He seemed to be enjoying himself. There was a gleam in his grey eyes and a little grin under his long mustache. Ahmed managed to wound him a little in the side. But it did not even seem to faze him. He kept baiting his opponent: "Where'd you learn fencing, pretty boy, in Sunday school? Where'd your fancy lady go? Ain't no tellin' what all them horny billy goats are liable to do to a sweet young thing like her. Come on, you gotta fight harder than that if you want to keep me away from her, Tom Thumb."

Ahmed had to give the man credit; he was some fighter. Ahmed had several nicks and cuts, while Hawk had only about one or two. But Ahmed was still holding his own, although he, too, could feel some of his strength dissipating. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out, and he didn't know what had become of RoZita. He had a feeling she had not stayed in the cave like he wanted her to. He just prayed that her idea was working for her.

Elena almost didn't recognize her fantastic sword fighter who was able to fence against ten dangerous enemies at the same time once. For a second she remembered the day when she at first saw him as Zorro, "flying" from the balcony of her false father's hacienda in the middle of a circle of soldiers, fooling them and then, with a adorable smile, disappearing. Right now he had to struggle with all his strength to survive against ONE man.

Elena didn't have time to think over much more because a soldier came upon Alejandro from behind with his sword.

Elena leaped out from behind the tree calling, "I bet you'll never fight against a woman!" She raised her sword to attack the surprised man, who smiled arrogantly and moved his sword faster until she stumbled backwards almost falling to the ground and felt a terrible pain in her left shoulder.

She tried to calm herself, thinking, "Use your fencing lessons! Think like Zorro!" For the first time in her entire life she had to use her knowledge about fencing for something other than fun. She had to use it to survive and to save the life of her beloved man because in this moment she saw that he was almost on the ground.

Determined, she attacked the soldier now. One blow followed the next. Then, she gasped heavily, lowered her weapon, whispering, "Oh dear, I feel…faint…" and held onto her heart with her free hand, staggering back a little.

With that he lowered his sword also, saying, "A bit too much for ya, what? Need some help?" and chuckled, at which she suddenly raised her sword and ran it into his belly.

"Just a bit," she said as he stared at her in stunned and painful surprise.

She had to catch her breath, ignored her wounded shoulder and looked to Alejandro, saw he would manage the fight against Carnal Love not much more longer. She knew she was been to exhausted for a new fight against another man, so she took her pistol and crept around the trees…

But she could not risk a shot at Love without hitting Alejandro. She also wondered where RoZita was. This didn't look good for anyone…then she, too, had an idea. Running back to the cave, she seized the rifle and loaded it. Then she ran off into the woods and fired the shotgun into the air. Then she hastily reloaded, and rushed off to another part and fired again. Then she emptied her pistol into the air. And much to her surprise, answering shots rang out.

The shots startled the ever-excitable Tornado, who was grazing alongside of Luna, Elena's mare, in the meadow. (Fezeek, who did not seem to like horses, was far at the other end, keeping a haughty distance.) Tornado, with a loud whinny, reared up, then bolted in the direction of his master and Carnal Love.

Alejandro/Zorro felt a sudden wave of dizziness and in that moment Love knocked the sword from his hand. Alejandro recovered himself and barely dodged Love's thrust, which sliced through his sleeve and scratched his arm, then lost his footing and stumbled to the ground as he dived for his fallen weapon. And then he heard the thundering of hooves just as Carnal Love raised his sword to give Zorro a deadly thrust. Tornado!

The black stallion was coming straight at them. Love halted, looking in the horse's direction. Alejandro rolled out of the way as Tornado galloped at full tilt toward his enemy, who tried to scramble out of the way but backed right into a thorny bush, which aggravated his poison ivy rash further, and once more he seemed to see little Estela looking straight at him. It froze him to the spot and Tornado knocked him right over and ran straight over him. It didn't kill him but it gave Alejandro time to recover his sword.

Carnal, swearing viciously, made a desperate attempt to get up, rolling to his hands and knees trying to locate his sword, then felt an enormous kick to his butt which still ached from the contact with the camel's hooves. With a yell he went sprawling forward and Tornado gave a whinny that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Alejandro's laugh was quite human as he hacked a very quick Z on his adversary's itching belly.

…Unfortunately for Hawk, he picked that moment to laugh also. And his sense of humor proved the death of him, as Ahmed's sword skewered him straight through his sternum. Ahmed lost no time in watching and gloating over the death of his enemy, who fell moaning and doubling up in anguish, clutching at his stomach. The Arab rushed to his twin to help him in his struggle against Carnal Love, when suddenly they were all startled by shouts in the distance. And there were Pancho and Ernesto, leading a small band of Mexican peasants bearing rifles, muskets, and pistols, some with pitchforks, a few with swords.

Elena and RoZita followed close behind, Elena with her rifle and RoZita with her bow, looking a bit rattled. The two young women flanked the men as they came running forward.

"Pancho," hissed Love from where he lay on the ground still trying to find his sword, "you traitorous bastard…" And he suddenly whipped out a pistol and fired at his ranch hand.

The shot grazed Pancho's arm, then struck a man behind him, felling him. Then the entire band rushed forward, not shooting for fear of hitting Alejandro, but they were after Carnal Love, without a doubt. He raised his pistol and squeezed the trigger again, only to hear a click.

That was when Alejandro raised his arm to the band, crying, "STOP!" He pointed behind the men, who looked to see some of Hawk's cavalrymen pointing rifles and aiming. Promptly Pancho's men opened fire and most of the cavalrymen fell.

Love used that moment to try to escape. He dove into a stand of bushes, and Alejandro, Ahmed, and Pancho's men immediately went in hot pursuit like a pack of hounds on a rabbit. One of the men wounded him in the leg with a pistol shot, but he got away and headed right for the mouth of the cave. The others stopped short as they heard him yelling for Willy, looking at each other in puzzlement.

Then Pancho understood. Holding onto the wound in his arm, he approached the mouth of the cave, cautiously peering in with his shotgun pointed. Love shouted for his son, scrambling around the cave for any signs of the boy. He found a brace of pistols on a table, and tucked one in his belt, then held onto the other. He looked inside the trunk, the cabinet, anywhere the boy might be.

Then he heard Pancho's voice calling, "Señor Love! Willy is not there! The gypsy woman bring him home, he is safe!"

"You goddamn liar!" growled Love. He was too crazy now to wonder how Pancho could have known about Nestrelda if it weren't so. "They've took him and killed him, that's what they done! And you're all gonna die for it!"

Then he saw a black cape lying on the floor with bloody-looking splatters on it that proved to be nothing more than the innards of tomatoes and red peppers, along with a splattered hat and a gory piece of burlap, and surmised it was what they had mistaken for Zorro.

"Right clever," he said out loud, and he actually winked.

Then he spied a bag lying in the corner. He was disappointed to find only some bottles and jars, but one of them, at least, looked halfway interesting. It was a tall black bottle with an oriental-looking stopper, and he pulled it and sniffed at the contents. He could use a drink just now. But what was it? It didn't smell like liquor. Or perfume, or like anything he had ever smelled. Didn't look like there was much left. Could be poison, for all he knew. Then again, it didn't smell like poison…

He tried another bottle, a prettier one of dark blue glass. It smelled like perfume, not a woman's but with a more masculine scent to it, something some jack-a-dandy lady-killer might wear a-courtin'. Whew, it was strong, and it made him almost giddy. He had a feeling if he wore that he could make a woman do whatever he wanted. Not that he was one to put on scent, but then again, maybe Murieta was wearing it and he had the fair Elena…

Chuckling, Love slapped a bit onto each cheek, then replaced the stopper. Then he turned his attention to the black bottle once more. He was really very thirsty.

"Is there any way out of the cave other than the mouth and the skylight?" Ahmed asked.

The cave was surrounded. The peasants were clearly furious over the death of Tico Sanchez, who was only nineteen. Two of them had carried his body into a cool spot beside the waterfall. The others were muttering among themselves, some declaring that they should go into the cave, even at the risk of getting blown away. Those without families should be the ones to do so, declared Ernesto. He had no family. His wife, Carlota, had been killed by Harrison Love's soldiers when she tried to stop them from abducting Ernesto for the mine. He would be happy to go into the cave and flush out the bastard's brother, even at the risk of his life, but Pancho held him back.

"You have your sons," he reminded him.

"They are grown," Ernesto said. "They do not need me now."

"I need you, Ernesto," Alejandro told him. "I have no father now. You are like a father to me since my master is dead."

Ernesto blushed under his dark skin. "Ah, Señor Alejandro, you flattering rascal. But if I am indeed a father to you, then I must avenge the terrible things this chingadero did to you. He is a rat who must be expunged."

"We will not sacrifice more lives needlessly," Alejandro said, glancing over at the place where the body of young Tico had been carried. RoZita laid a small bunch of wild flowers on it, then Elena covered it with a blanket. Ahmed watched them.

"Yes," the Arab said, "and I am very thankful to you and the others for saving her from those three soldiers. I cannot bear to think what would have happened to her otherwise. You are my father now also, since Alejandro is my brother."

He touched Ernesto's shoulder gently. Ernesto had accepted Elena's twins-separated-at-birth story.

"The resemblance is truly amazing," the small man said, looking from one Zorro to the other. They had both removed their masks. "And neither of my natural-born sons are even half so handsome. They resemble their homely dog of a father, unfortunately."

"Pah," Alejandro scoffed. "You do yourself discredit."

Ernesto did have fine eyes, large and brilliant, that could go from merriment to fury at a moment's notice. Ahmed could hardly help noticing his resemblance to Hakim, the old magician who was responsible for his being here to begin with. Could it be?

RoZita came back to Ahmed's side. She still had three arrows left in her quiver.

"Are you all right, my angel?" Ahmed asked her, putting his arm around her waist.

"I'm fine," she said, sniffling a little, glancing back at the covered body of Tico. "He had such long eyelashes," she said almost inaudibly. "He looks about fourteen with his eyes closed."

"He was very brave," Ahmed said. "And so are you. I thank Allah and all these wonderful men for your deliverance."

"You know," she said, "I still have a few drops left. I could creep up on him and --"

"No," Ahmed said, tightening his grip on her waist. "I will absolutely not allow it. I got you into this, and I will not risk your life any more."

"I think we should flush him out," she said. "If only there were some way of getting up on the skylight and…" She snapped her fingers. "Those jugs of rum! How many did we bring with us?"

"Only two -- the ones you insisted on bringing for medicinal purposes, pouring that boiling fluid onto our wounds and scalding the lives out of us." He smiled ruefully at the memory. "How do you propose to flush him out with rum?"

She grinned, that I-have-an-idea grin of hers with which he was all too familiar now.

"I don't suppose anyone here has ever heard of a Molotov cocktail?" she said.