Written by Adam Tyler
Directed by Ron Satlof
First US Airdate: 2 Mar 1990 Episode 1.13
[Two soldiers on horseback gallop across the countryside. Victoria is driving a wagon down the road when she is overtaken by Don Alejandro riding his horse. He slows down and rides beside her.]
Victoria
Don Alejandro, riding on such a hot day?
Don Alejandro [chuckling]
I don't know who's getting more exercise - my horse or me.
[The two soldiers come up from behind and ride past Victoria and Don Alejandro.]
Don Alejandro [watching the soldiers ride away]
The military payroll. I'm surprised they ride so fast when they get
paid so little. [He turns to look at Victoria.] Anyway, my horse must be thankful
he doesn't have to ride like that anymore.
[The two soldiers continue on their way down the road. Three bandits hide behind some bushes as the soldiers approach.]
Bandits
Now! Let's get ‘em!
[The bandits ride out from behind the bushes and ambush the soldiers. One bandits spins his horse around then fires his pistol and hits one of the soldiers. The soldier fires his musket at the bandit but his shot misses its mark. The soldier falls off his horse.]
[Don Alejandro hears the shots and urges his horse forward.]
[The remaining soldier brings his horse to the one of his companion.]
Bandit
Get that one!
[The soldiers grabs the saddlebags from the fallen soldier's horse and starts to ride away.. Another one of the bandits shoots the soldiers in the back. Two bandits ride after the soldier who is slumping over on the back of his horse. Don Alejandro rides to the top of the hill and stops when the injured soldier comes riding toward him. The soldier slides off his horse and onto the ground. Don Alejandro dismounts and goes over to the soldier. The bandits ride up to them. Don Alejandro looks over at the bandits and one of them shoots him in the left shoulder. Don Alejandro clutches his arms and collapses back onto the ground. The bandits then ride away. Victoria drives her wagon to the top of the hill.]
Victoria [pulling on the reins as she brings the wagon to a stop]
Whoa!
[She gets out of the wagon and runs over to where Don Alejandro lies on the ground. She lifts his head. Don Alejandro is breathing heavily as Victoria looks around for help.]
*****COMMERCIAL BREAK*****
[Exterior shot of the de la Vega hacienda.]
[Doctor Hernandez is listening to his stethoscope as it is placed on Don Alejandro's chest as he lies in his bed. Doctor Hernandez puts the stethoscope away into his black bag. He then carries the bag to the bedroom door where Diego, Victoria, and Felipe are waiting.]
Doctor Hernandez
I've removed the bullet. [He shakes his head.] But there's much infection.
Diego
What are his chances of coming out of this coma?
Doctor Hernandez
He may never come out of it.
Diego [very concerned]
You are saying he could die?
Doctor Hernandez
I'm sorry. I've done all I can.
Victoria
Why would Don Alejandro risk his life for the alcalde's payroll?
[She looks at Doctor Hernandez who looks over at Diego.]
Diego [staring at Don Alejandro on the bed]
He wasn't helping the alcalde, he was helping a man in trouble.
Victoria [stepping toward Diego]
I will stay with him.
Diego [looking at her gratefully and putting his hand on her arm]
No. Thank you. He's my father.
[Diego walks over to the bed, pulls up a chair and sits down on it. He stares at Don Alejandro. Felipe comes up and places his hand on Diego's shoulder. Diego looks up at him. Felipe makes a ‘Z' in the air with his finger.]
Diego [turning away and looking at Don Alejandro again]
No, Felipe. Zorro's place is with his father.
[Felipe nods then leaves the bedroom.]
[Later on, Felipe is staring out a window, his chin in his hand. Victoria walks through a doorway. Felipe turns to look at her and they smile tensely at each other .]
[Diego still sits at Don Alejandro's bedside.]
Victoria [off camera]
Don Diego?
[Diego looks over and sees Victoria standing the end of the bed.]
Victoria
The alcalde is waiting in the library. He wishes to have a word with
you.
Diego
Thank you.
[He goes back to staring at Don Alejandro.]
[Ramone stands in the library, looking out a window. Diego enters the room carrying a tea cup and saucer.]
Ramone
It's beyond me why the peasants are always up in arms about the land when
there's so much of it. Enough for us all.
[Diego drinks from his cup.]
Diego [walking across the room]
You are truly a man of great vision, Alcalde. But you didn't come
here to discuss you views on land reform.
[Ramone turns to look at Diego.]
Ramone [as he walks up to Diego]
I came as a friend. To show my concern and appreciation to your father
for his efforts on behalf of the government.
Diego
My father is very ill. He's not receiving visitors today. Even
a concerned friend such as yourself.
Ramone [walking around behind Diego]
Yes, yes. Doctor Hernandez told me your father is in a coma. [He start
to look at the books on the shelves.] Perhaps you can pass along my
appreciation and hopes of a speedy recovery? And tell him I will not
rest until I've taken the thief Zorro.
Diego
Zorro?
Ramone
Who else could overcome my men so easily?
Diego
Forgive me but Zorro is not known as a thief.
Ramone [as he comes back around to stand in front of Diego]
Perhaps not. But the townspeople are beginning to wonder as if perhaps
he has changed deeds for green.
[Ramone puts his hand on Diego's arm as Diego takes another sip from his cup.]
Ramone
I must go. [He turns and starts walking away.] I will pray for your father.
[Diego gives him a strange look.]
[Exterior shot of the pueblo gate with people walking, riding, or driving wagons through it.]
[Ramone walks across his office, searching through some papers he is carrying as Mendoza comes through the front door. Mendoza carries a pair of saddlebags.]
Mendoza
There was no sign of the gold or the supplies, mi Alcalde.
Ramone
Do you think they would kill two men and then leave the good behind?
[Ramone goes through the saddlebags.]
Mendoza
There's no evidence Zorro had anything to do with this.
Ramone
Of course he had. You just didn't look hard enough.
Mendoza
We didn't even find his mark.
Ramone [confused]
His mark?
Mendoza
Yes, the ‘Z'. He never shoots us or hurts us. He just humiliates
us by leaving his signature behind.
Ramone
Search the area.
Mendoza
We did. Three times. Obviously this is not the work of Zorro.
Ramone [through clenched teeth]
I said search the area!
Mendoza
Si, mi Alcalde. [He starts to leave but turns back around.] Mi Alcalde.
At the cantina they are serving the most aromatic arroz con pollo I have
seen in my life.
Ramone
Out!
Mendoza
Si, mi Alcalde.
[Mendoza walks out the door. Ramone sits down on the corner of his desk, still holding the saddlebags. He picks up a letter opener. He grins evilly as he cuts a ‘Z' in the saddlebag's leather flap.]
Ramone [sneeringly]
Now I have the proof. How sad the only living witness, Don Alejandro,
might not be living long.
[He smiles evilly again.]
[Don Alejandro is lying in bed. He is restless and starts muttering.]
Don Alejandro
The post. [He breathes heavily.] The cat...tle.
[Diego stares at Don Alejandro, obviously worried.]
Don Alejandro [growing more agitated]
Open the. . . Open the gate.
Diego
The cattle in the north section are fine, Father. They should bring
a good price at market.
[Victoria comes into the bedroom, carrying a napkin covered tray. She sets it down on a bureau then turns to look at Diego.]
Victoria
Don Diego, you know he can't hear you. He's delirious with fever.
Diego
There's a chance that he might.
Victoria
Would you eat something?
Diego
No.
[Don Alejandro continues to stir restlessly.]
Victoria [putting her hand on Diego's shoulder]
You need some sleep. It's important that you stay strong.
Diego
Sleep I can have anytime. I don't know how long I'll have him.
Victoria
He has a good son in you, Don Diego.
[Diego turns his head to look up at Victoria then gets to his feet, still looking at her.]
Diego
You're a good friend. Thank you for staying to help.
[Victoria smiles at him then leaves the room.]
Diego
A good son. A good son would not keep things from his father. {He
walk down to the end of the bed.] There would be nothing between them. [He
looks over at Don Alejandro.] I've kept something from you. I am not
the man you think I am. I have a secret life. The time has come
to share it with you.
*****COMMERCIAL BREAK*****
[Brief shot of the de la Vega hacienda exterior.]
[Inside, Diego is again sitting in the chair beside Don Alejandro's bed. He leans in closer.]
Diego
Father, I am Zorro. Perhaps it was wrong to keep this from you.
But as Zorro, I have not always obeyed the written law. That is why
I could never tell you. It would endanger you as well. I know
that what I have done is right. Deeds you would have been proud of.
Things you might have done yourself when you were younger. [He swallows hard.]
What is important now it that you stay with me. As Don Diego, I have
not always made you proud. I am Zorro. But I still need you.
I still need a father.
[Later, outside Don Alejandro's bedroom door, Diego, Victoria, and Felipe pace around aimlessly. Doctor Hernandez comes out to the bedroom.]
Victoria [seeing the doctor first]
Doctor?
Doctor Hernandez
He drifts in and out of the coma. His condition is very unstable.
Victoria
Unstable? But surely something. . .
[She looks over at Diego.]
Diego
Is there nothing that can be done?
Doctor Hernandez
I did have one hope that was stolen with the shipment of gold.
Diego
What'd you mean?
Doctor Hernandez
An ingredient I need to make a potion, maguey sap, was in the same shipment
as the government payroll.
Diego
And if you had the maguey sap, would the potion cure him?
Doctor Hernandez
It would give him a chance.
[Diego obviously looks like he is plotting something in his mind.]
Victoria
Don Diego, get some rest. There is nothing you can do now.
[Diego still looks pensive.]
Doctor Hernandez
I will stay here as long as I can to keep an eye on your father.
Diego
Perhaps you're right.
[He nods his head at Felipe who nods back. Diego puts his arms around Felipe's shoulders and they walk away. Victoria and Doctor Hernandez go back into Don Alejandro's bedroom.]
[Diego and Felipe walk into the library.]
Diego [sitting down in a chair and picking up a quill]
The banditos' first mistake was shooting my father. The second was
stealing his horse.
[He starts drawing something on a piece of paper.]
Diego
My father's horse had a sore hoof. It required a very special shoe.
[He finishes the drawing and hands it to Felipe.]
Diego
Now I want you to go the blacksmiths's in the pueblo and give him this note.
[Felipe takes the paper and nods. He then hurries away. Diego slumps back in the chair, seemingly overcome with exhaustion.]
[The blacksmith is pounding on something he is holding with a pair of tong when Felipe comes into the shop and hands the blacksmith the note. The blacksmith looks at it, goes over to a wall where many horseshoes hand and picks out one. He gives it to Felipe.]
Blacksmith
Here you go.
[Felipe looks at the horseshoe then leaves. The blacksmith tucks the note under the bib of his apron.]
[Exterior shot of the de la Vega hacienda.]
[Outside [behind the hacienda?), Diego fiddles with a horseshoe. Felipe comes around the corner, a confused look on his face as he hands Diego the other horseshoe he brought from town.]
Diego
You don't understand?
[Felipe shakes his head. Diego crouches down and places both horseshoes on the ground. Then standing up, he stomps his foot down on them, one at a time. He bends down to pick up the horseshoe and holds them up.]
Diego
A trail so easy even Sergeant Mendoza could follow it.
[Diego and Felipe look down at the prints the horseshoes made in the dirt. One is ‘U' shaped but the one Felipe brought from town is ‘D' shaped.]
[‘D' shaped prints are pressed deep into the damp ground. Zorro looks down at them from Toronado's back. They turn around and ride off. Zorro and Toronado ride across the countryside, jumping over fallen trees and down hillsides. They stop as they come to a river. Zorro looks down and sees ‘D' shaped hoof prints in the mud. Zorro and Toronado ride through the water and back across the open countryside. Zorro agains brings Toronado to a halt then dismounts.]
Voice [off camera]
I say we go now!
[Zorro walks cautiously to where the voice is coming from. The bandits are sitting among some rocks.]
Bandit #1
Please, Rodrigo. Surely we are out of danger now?
Rodrigo
They will be looking for the gold. We stay here until I say we can
move.
Bandit #3
And I say we have listened to you long enough.
Bandit #1
Please, Rodrigo.
Rodrigo
We have stayed out of danger because. . .
[Bandit #1 punches Rodrigo in the face. Zorro peers over the top of a large boulder and watches the three bandits fight amongst themselves. Then Zorro ducks down behind the boulder. He picks up a rock and throws it over the heads of the fighting bandits. They stop fighting and turn to look in the direction where the rock landed several feet away.]
Zorro [off camera]
Ahem!
[The three bandits all turn their heads and look over at Zorro.]
Zorro [his saber resting on his shoulder]
The saying is not true. There is no honor among thieves.
[Bandit #3 charges at Zorro, who sidesteps him then hits him with a white cloth bag he holds in his left hand. Bandit #1 comes at Zorro with a sword and they dual. Rodrigo sneaks over to where the stolen saddlebags hang on a rock and grabs them. He hurries off. Zorro sees Rodrigo trying to escape as he still fights with Bandit #1. Zorro whistles. Toronado comes galloping at Rodrigo, whinnying loudly as he blocks the bandit's path. Rodrigo runs back the way he came. Zorro matches blade with Bandit #1 a few more times then punches him in the face with his sword hand. Zorro smiles as he turns and sees Toronado chasing Rodrigo back to the bandits' camp.]
Zorro [sheathing his sword]
I think he likes you.
[Toronado has driven Rodrigo up against a rock. Zorro comes over and gives the horse a pat.]
Zorro
Thank you, Toronado.
[Then his expression turns to anger as he opens the saddlebag Rodrigo is holding.]
Zorro
You know, I really believe in self-control. [He holds up a box he has pulled
from the bags.] Anger can be so self-destructing.
Rodrigo [in a whinging voice]
I did nothing to you.
[Zorro grabs Rodrigo by the throat.]
Rodrigo [in a strangled voice]
Nothing.
Zorro
An innocent old man lies near death. You did that. And it might
make me feel a lot better to kill you in return.
[Zorro continues to hold Rodrigo's throat as he glares menacingly at the bandit.]
[Doctor Hernandez sits by Don Alejandro's bedside, reading a book.]
Zorro [off camera]
I believe this is yours.
[Zorro walks up and hands a box to Doctor Hernandez. The doctor opens it and sees the three vials of liquid it contains.]
Doctor Hernandez [staring down at the contents of the box as footsteps
fade away]
Yes. It belongs to me. But how did you know I. . .
[He looks up and sees that Zorro had gone. Doctor Hernandez gets up from the chair and walks over the open window, its curtains blowing in the breeze. Doctor Hernandez goes back to Don Alejandro's side.]
[Exterior shot of the tavern with the sound of a lot of people yelling coming from inside.]
[Ramone and Mendoza push their way through the crowd of shouting people inside the tavern. On the stage, the three bandits are tied up together as a white bag dangles on a rope above their heads. Ramone turns and raises his hands.]
Ramone
Silencio!
[The people quiet down. Mendoza feels the white bag.]
Mendoza [incredulously]
The gold is all here. [He spins the bag around.] And there is a note.
[Mendoza takes the note and opens it up.]
Mendoza [reading from the note]
Justice has no price. Zorro.
[The people in the tavern start cheering. Ramone gets an angry look on his face and begins pushing his way back out of the tavern. Mendoza tries to quiet down the cheering crowd.]
[Exterior shot of the de la Vega hacienda as a man lead a donkey past it.]
[Inside the secret cave, Felipe helps Diego put on his jacket.]
Diego
I must hurry before I'm missed.
[Diego runs out of the cave and is about to step out of the fireplace panel. He hears Victoria and steps back, closing the panel.]
Victoria [off camera at first]
Don Diego? [She comes into the library and looks around.] Don Diego?
[Inside the cave, Felipe is playing with Zorro's saber. He hides it behind his back as Diego returns to the cave. Diego goes over to the viewing hole and looks through it.]
Diego [taking his eyes away from the hole and looking over at Felipe.]
Women. . .
[Victoria is still in the library.]
Victoria [looking puzzled]
He still can't be sleeping?
[She leaves the library.]
Diego [looking through the viewing hole again.]
Why are they so curious?
[Diego then dashes away.]
[Diego climbs through his bedroom window and into his bed, fully dressed. He pulls the bed covers all the way up to his chin. Victoria enters the room as he pretends to be asleep.]
Victoria [softly]
Don Diego? [She goes over and shakes his shoulder.] Don Diego?
[He lies there for a moment then pretends to be startled from his sleep.]
Diego [pretending to be shocked]
This is my bedroom.
Victoria
You've been resting for quite some time now.
Diego
Apparently I was more tired than I thought. My father?
Victoria [smiling]
He's asking for you.
Diego [remembering he is fully dressed under the covers]
I'll be just a minute.
Victoria [starts to back out of the room slowly, a smile on her face.]
Of course.
[She slowly continues to back out of the room, her eyes never leaving Diego until she turns and goes out the door. Diego waits to make sure she is gone before getting out of the bed.]
[Diego opens the doors to Don Alejandro's bedroom and hurries through them.]
Diego
Father?
Don Alejandro [off camera]
Diego.
[Diego comes up to Don Alejandro's bed where Victoria, Doctor Hernandez, and Felipe are already standing. Diego reaches down and takes Don Alejandro's hand.]
Don Alejandro
Huh. Look at me. Here it is, the middle of the afternoon, I'm
still in bed. [He looks up at Diego and smiles.] I feel like you, my
son.
[He laughs weakly. Diego gets the joke and laughs too. Don Alejandro starts coughing causing Victoria and Doctor Hernandez to start fussing over him.
Victoria [to Doctor Hernandez]
Is he going to be all right?
[Doctor Hernandez turns and looks at Diego.]
Diego [looking over at Felipe]
He's going to be just fine.
[Felipe smiles at Diego happily. Diego keeps smiling as well.]
*****COMMERCIAL BREAK*****
[Don Alejandro sits in a chair in the hacienda parlor, dressed in a red robe. He is looking at a ledger. Diego brings him a cup and saucer at the housekeeper works in the background..]
Diego
You know, you should really go back to bed.
Don Alejandro [peevishly, still looking at the book]
I don't want to go back to bed.
Diego
Doctor Hernandez said you shouldn't rush your recovery.
Don Alejandro [closing the book and getting up from his chair]
I have to rush my recovery. I certainly can count on you to run my
affairs.
Diego [smiling wryly]
Perhaps someday I'll learn.
Don Alejandro [as he goes over and sits at a desk and chuckling]
I live in hope.
[He takes off the glasses he was wearing.]
Don Alejandro
You know, I had the most amazing dream while I was lying in there.
It might have been a hallucination. Someone; I can't remember who; but, someone
said that you, my son Diego, were Zorro.
[Diego laughs and smiles nervously.]
Don Alejandro [chuckling and getting to his feet]
Imagine that. You. . .as Zorro.
Diego
Imagine that.
Don Alejandro
Of course, having Zorro for a son wouldn't be bad. But I love the
son I have.
[Don Alejandro puts a hand on Diego's back as Diego smiles and puts a hand on Don Alejandro's back. Don Alejandro nods at him as Diego smiles back at him.]
*****END OF EPISODE*****
Transcribed by Pamela Elbert Poland 7 July 2006
This transcription is a not-for-profit publication produced solely for the enjoyment of other Zorro fans and is not intended to infringe upon any rights of Goodman/Rosen Productions, New World Television, Zorro Productions, the estate of Johnston McCulley or anyone else.