Written by Greg O'Neill
Directed by Robert L McCullough

First US Airdate 23 December 1990   Episode 2.15

[Closeup shot of a bobber floating in some water.  The camera pans up the fishing line and pole to where Felipe is sitting on a rock, swatting at flies.  As he fishes, off camera four gunshots are heard.  Felipe brings in his line as he stands up.  He sets his fishing pole against a rock before he walks to his left.]

[Closeup shot of a man taking a rifle out of a crate.  The camera pans upward as the man stands up and hands the gun to a man standing behind him.]

First Man
The time draws near, mi amigos.  Fifteen years I've waited.  Now the time has come.

[He walks over to a man wearing a white hat and pats him on the shoulder.]

First Man
All you must do is create the proper diversion. [He walks further to his left] And if we succeed in this, you will be greatly rewarded.

[Felipe is watching the men from behind a bush.  He steps on a twig and it snaps loudly.]

Voices
What was that?

[The first man turns to see Felipe peeking out from behind the bush.  Felipe runs off to his left.  The man and his companions run after Felipe.]

Voices
Get him!

[Felipe runs up some boulders then across some grass through some more boulders.  The men chase after him.  Felipe runs up a rocky hillside then stops behind a bush.  The men run past him.  Felipe sighs with relief just before the man with the white hat grabs him by the shoulders.]

White Hat Man [as Felipe struggles to get away]
Correo!

[Correo and the others run back down the hill.]

Voices
Hey!  He's got him!

[Correo grabs Felipe's chin and turns his head to face him.]

Correo
Who are you?

White Hat Man
I know this one.  He works for the de la Vegas.  Big caballeros.  He's stone deaf.

Correo [disbelievingly]
Is he now?

[He pulls out his pistol and cocks it then holds it up next to Felipe's left ear.  Correo fires the pistol but Felipe doesn't react.]

Correo
Indeed, he is deaf.

White Hat Man [sticking his finger into his ear]
And now I am too.

Correo [grabbing Felipe's face again]
He may be deaf but he's too intelligent to let go. [He pushes Felipe to his right where another of the men grabs Felipe.] He stays here. . .till you men have plundered Los Angeles and the oh-so-grand Alcalde lies dead at my feet.

[He walks off to his right.  Three of the four other men follow him, leaving one man to hold onto the struggling Felipe.]

*****COMMERCIAL BREAK*****

[Exterior shot of the plaza where a lancer stands on a stool, decorating a post while others, both soldiers and civilians, are decorating the rest of the pueblo.  Corporal Perez and Ramón walk across the plaza.]

Perez
Here is the platform where you will give your magnificent speech, Alcalde.  And as you can see, we have taken the rope from the new Mission bell and brought it right down to you.  It is the very best rope.

Ramón [stopping and turning to face Perez]
 Don't bother me with details, Lance Perez.  Just make your report to. . . [He looks around the plaza.] Where is that imbecile?

Perez
Imbecile?  Oh. [He points to his left.] He's in the tavern.

[Closeup shot of a chess board.  The camera pulls back to show Mendoza and Don Alejandro sitting on opposite sides of the table inside the tavern.]

Mendoza
I don't know, Don Alejandro.  I just don't have the brain for it.

[Don Alejandro moves one of his pieces.]

Don Alejandro
Check.

Mendoza [as he moves one of his pieces]
It's like trying to teach a donkey how to play the guitar.

Don Alejandro [moving another of his pieces]
Check.

Ramón [off camera]
MENDOZA!

[Mendoza moves one of his pieces and takes one of Don Alejandro's off the board as Ramón walks into the tavern.  Mendoza jumps to his feet.]

Ramón [getting in Mendoza's face]
You have work to do.

Don Alejandro
Well, it's my fault, Alcalde.  I'm giving his a chess lesson.

Mendoza
I already know how to be in check.

Don Alejandro [moving one of his pieces]
And mate.

Diego [off camera at first]
Father?

[Diego walks into the tavern and walks up to the chess board.]

Diego
I'm glad you're here.  I can't seem to find Felipe.

Don Alejandro [getting to his feet]
What do you mean?

Diego
Well, his bed's not been slept in.  He's nowhere to be found.

Don Alejandro
Hmm. . .

Ramón
If only I wasn't so busy with the dedication of the new Mission bell, I'd give you a lesson in keeping minions under control.  Mendoza.

[He tips his head toward the door then walks toward it, followed by Mendoza.]

Don Alejandro [turning to Diego]
I'm sure we'll find him somewhere.

[They walk toward the front doors of the tavern.]

[Exterior shot of the plaza as Don Alejandro and Diego step out onto the tavern porch and into the plaza.]

Don Alejandro
Diego, did I mention yesterday Felipe borrowed one of your mother's button hooks for some reason.

Diego
Button hook? [He snaps his fingers.] Fish hook.  That's it, he's gone fishing. [Don Alejandro laughs.] I'll go to Boulder Creek.  You're a genius, Father.

Don Alejandro [as Diego unties his horse from the hitching rail]
Well, I have to admit it, I do have my moments.

[He walks to his left as Diego mounts his horse and rides out of the pueblo.

[Exterior shot of Felipe tied up with his back up against a boulder.  Correo is crouched down but rises as another man aims a crossbow.  He lets the arrow fly and it hits a head of cabbage stuck on top of a post.]

Correo
Nice shooting.  Your only job is to put an arrow in Zorro if he interferes with my plan. [Felipe eavesdrops on the conversation.] The reward on his head will be yours.

[Felipe looks worried.]

[Exterior shot of the countryside as Correo and White Hat Man walk up a hillside.

White Hat Man [as a third man walks up behind them, carrying a tripod on his shoulder]
So why don't you want to share in the bounty on Zorro, huh?  Or the spoils when we loot the pueblo?

Correo
I don't want money.  I want revenge.  When the alcalde commanded San Isidro, he stole a shipment of gold.  Then he framed the treasurer of the town. [He points to his chest.] Me.

White Hat Man
So that's why you went to jail?

Correo
My family was sent back to Spain in shame.

Tripod Man
. . .86, 87. [He points to the ground.] Here.

[White Hat Man takes the tripod then he and Correo set it up as the third man mounts a rifle to it.]

Correo
You must practice until you can do it in your sleep, Paralis.  You won't have much time once we're in the plaza.

[Paralis crouches down and aims the rifle as Correo adjusts the eye piece.]

Correo
Higher.

White Hat Man [as Paralis points the rifle upward]
He's aiming to high.

Correo
What goes up, amigo, must come down. [to Paralis] Fire!

[Paralis pulls the trigger and a cabbage head on a stick is blown to bits.  White Hat Man looks at Correo openmouthed then smiles.]

Correo
Now we can shoot over the heads of any crowd.  The alcalde is as good as dead.  But if all else fails, amigos, I have this.

[He holds up a crucifix and pulls off the bottom of it, revealing a dagger.  White Hat Man nods appreciatively.]

Correo
It's time to go.

White Hat Man
What about the boy?

[Felipe struggles to free himself.]

Correo
He stays here.

[Exterior shot of the countryside.]

Diego [off camera at first]
Felipe?  Felipe.

[Diego emerges from some bushes, carrying Felipe's fishing pole.]

Diego [dropping the pole as he runs to his right]
Felipe!

[He runs through the outlaws' camp to where Felipe is tied up and crouches down then starts to untie him.]

[Interior shot of the tavern kitchen as victoria sweeps the floor.  White Hat Man steps through the doorway curtains.]

Victoria [in an annoyed tone]
The tavern is closed.

[White Hat Man grabs victoria and spins her around, putting his right forearm up against her throat.]

White Hat Man
But this is to be a private party, Señorita.

[Victoria grimaces as she struggles to free herself.]

[Exterior shot of Ramón's office where two lancers stand on either side of its porch.]

[Interior shot of Ramón's office where Ramón is looking out a window and nodding.  He turns and walks across the room.]

Ramón
And you believe this preposterous story?

[He turns to face Diego and Felipe.]

Diego
Felipe does not lie.

Ramón
He also does not speak.  So pray tell, how do you know when the boy is lying or not?

[He walks behind Diego and Felipe.]

Diego
We communicate through sign language.

Ramón [a bit sarcastically]
Ah, sign language.  Yes.  Well, perhaps you took this. . . [He holds out his hand palm down.] for that. [He turns his hand palm up.] You are extremely naive, de la Vega.  The boy simply stayed out all night and concocted the story to save his own skin.

Diego [shaking his head and chuckling]
Alcalde. . .

Ramón [angrily]
You are trying to embarrass me in front of the church elders.  Well, it will not work.  Now if you don't mind, I'm an extremely busy man.

[Diego looks at Felipe and rolls his eyes before putting his hand on Felipe's back and leading him out of the office.  Ramón walks over to his desk and sits down, picks up a piece of paper, then props his feet up on his desk.]

[Exterior shot of Ramón's office as Felipe and Diego step out onto its porch.  Diego shuts the door behind him.]

Diego [as they walks across the plaza]
Arrogance is food for the foolish, Felipe.  And I'm afraid the Alcalde is a glutton.  But not even he deserves an assassin's bullet.

[They keep walking across the plaza.]

[Closeup shot of a map of the pueblos as a pen is tapped on it.  The camera pulls back to show Diego sitting at his desk in the secret cave as Felipe stands at his left shoulder.]

Diego
So after the Alcalde has been killed, the gang will loot the pueblo.

[Felipe nods.]

Diego [exhaling]
This Correo is a ruthless opponent.  But given what you've told me, how will he deploy his men?

[Felipe scratches his left cheek with his left index finger.]

Diego
Since this is a religious ceremony, the lancers in the plaza will be unarmed.

[Closeup shot of a skull and crossbones under the word ‘Explosives'.]

Diego [voiceover]
But they'd certainly secure the armoury.

[Exterior shot of the cuartel yard where a lancer stands guard.  Once of Correo's men jumps down on the lancer, knocking them both to the ground.]

Diego [voiceover as an exterior shot of the tavern is shown with a ‘Closed' sign on its front doors]
Too many strangers in the square would arouse suspicion.

[Interior shot of the tavern kitchen as victoria is bound and gagged sitting in a chair next to a table.]

Diego [voice as an interior shot of the tavern shows White Hat Man looking out of a window]
So the gang will have to find somewhere to hide while they wait.

[Interior shot of the tavern where White Hat Man nods his head toward the window.]

[Exterior shot of the tavern as people ride by on horseback.  White Hat Man and the rest of Correo's men come out the front door.  They all go in different directions.]

[Interior shot of the secret cave where Diego continues to look at the map while Felipe stands at his left shoulder.]

Diego [tracing on the map with his pen]
And you said they have firecrackers?

[Closeup shot of White Hat Man taking a handful of firecrackers out of his inside vest pocket then putting them back.]

Diego [voiceover]
They'd be used to create a diversion.

[Closeup shot of a drawing of Correo's cross dagger.  The camera pulls back as Diego picks up the drawing and show it to Felipe.]

Diego
Are you sure the knife was this large?

[Felipe nods.]

Diego
It's far too unstable to throw.  It's a close range weapon.  A musket with a range of one hundred meters.

[Felipe holds up his left index fingers them mimics using a crossbow.]

Diego
No, I haven't forgotten the crossbow, deadly at any range.  You're certain Correo said it would all start with the ringing of the Mission bell?

[Felipe nods.]

Diego [putting down the drawing]
We have no time to lose. [He pats Felipe on the back.] Come on.

[They run up the steps then go to their right.]

[Interior shot of the secret cave where Zorro sits astride Toronado as Felipe stands in front of them.]

Zorro [as he and Felipe wave at each other]
Adios.

[Zorro turns Toronado around and he steps on the wooden board that triggers the pulley system.]

[Exterior shot of the cave's hidden entrance as the hillside opens up and Zorro and Toronado come out of it.]

[Exterior shot of the countryside as Zorro and Toronado ride across it.]

*****COMMERCIAL BREAK*****

[Exterior shot of the pueblo as Zorro rides Toronado up behind the cuartel jail.  Zorro climbs up onto the roof as music plays in the plaza.  He walks across the jail roof then onto a taller roof.]

[Exterior shot of the plaza where Correo walks through the crowd.  He backs his way to the church doors then goes inside.]

[Exterior shot of the cuartel gates as people walk past them.]

[Exterior shot of the cuartel yard as one of Correo's men peeks through the crack between the two gates.  Off camera a rattling sound is heard.  The man turns around then starts walking across the yard.]

[Closeup shot of Zorro shaking a tin cup full of rocks in his left hand.]

[Exterior shot of the cuartel yard as the man walks toward an archway.]

[Closeup shot of Zorro rattling the rocks.  He smiles mischievously.]

[Exterior shot of the cuartel yard where the man walks cautiously through the archway.  Zorro punches him in the face with his right fist.]

Man [as he falls]
Ugh!

[Zorro walks forward, looking upward, then runs across the yard until he reaches a wall.  He climbs up the wall.]

[Exterior shot of the plaza as a priest (possibly a bishop) led by an altar boy walk around the stage as several monks in brown hooded robes carrying candles follow behind them.  Several caballeros follow the monks.  Ramón and Mendoza walk across the plaza.]

[Exterior shot of a rooftop as Zorro watches the proceedings below.  He pulls apart a firecracker and tosses it at Ramón's back.  It lands on the ground then goes off, sounding like gunfire.  Ramón and Mendoza both jump nervously.  Standing on the tavern porch, White Hat Man looks confused as he checks his vest and see his own firecrackers still there.]

Ramón [to Mendoza]
See that there are no more disturbances!

Mendoza
Si, mi Alcalde.  I will start by checking the tavern.

[He walks off to his left.  Ramón looks grim as he walks toward the stage.]

[Shot from Zorro's point of view of the man with the crossbow perched on a roof across from him.]

Zorro [voiceover]
Ah, the crossbow.  Where are the others?

[Exterior shot of the plaza as Mendoza walks up onto the tavern porch then goes inside.  White Hat Man turns and follows him inside.]

Zorro [voiceover]
So there you all are.  And you're about to have company.

[Interior shot of the tavern kitchen as victoria struggles to free herself.  Mendoza comes through the curtains.]

Mendoza
Señorita Escalante, you wouldn't happen to have a spare chicken leg lying around, would you?

[Victoria has her back to Mendoza and her reply is muffled by her gag.  White Hat Man comes up beside Mendoza and waves a pistol in his face.]

Mendoza [nervously]
I could come back later.

[White Hat Man grabs Mendoza and spins him into a chair then points the pistol in his face.]

White Hat Man [to Victoria]
And now you'll have a friend to keep you company until I return.  And then we'll have our party.

[He nods and smiles evilly.]

[Shot from the Crossbow Man's point of view of the plaza.  He raises his eyes upward and sees Zorro across the way.]

Crossbow Man
Ah!

[He aims his crossbow at Zorro.]

Crossbow Man
Just stay there, Zorro.

[He shoots his arrow and it hits Zorro, knocking him backing onto the roof tiles.  Crossbow Man nods and smiles.]

[Exterior shot of the plaza as Ramón stands on the stage with his arms raised.]

Ramón
Fair people of Los Angeles. . .

[Closeup shot of a black gloved hand pulling the arrow from Zorro's cape then picking up Zorro's hat and the cape.  Two sticks tied together in a cross remain on the tiles.]

Ramón
This is an important occasion therefore my role today will be brief.

[Exterior shot of a rooftop as Zorro watches the proceedings below.]

Zorro [voiceover]
I need his long winded pomposity and today he decides to be ‘brief'.

[Exterior shot of the plaza where Ramón holds some papers as he stands on the stage.]

Ramón
First, I would like to welcome our visiting dignitaries.

[He indicates several men standing behind him on the stage.  People clap.]

[Exterior shot of the rooftop as Zorro looks around.]

Zorro [voiceover]
Now where is that musket?

[He sees the musket barrel rising up from another rooftop as the man takes aim.]

Zorro [voiceover]
Of course.  A high arc would increase the musket's effective range.

Ramón [off camera]
I would personally like to thank them for traveling all this way to Los Angeles, where the sky is always blue and the air is always clean.

[Zorro climbs down from the rooftop as people applaud Ramón's word.  Zorro runs around the edge of the crowd.]

Ramón [off camera]
Ahem, excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, as I was saying. . .

[Zorro climbs up a wall.]

Ramón [off camera]
When I was a young man as some of you are out here today, I had a longing. . .

[Zorro comes up behind Musket Man and punches him in the face.]

[Exterior shot of the plaza as Ramón continues his speech.]

Ramón
. . .a dream, a yearning, a desire, nay, an obsession. . .

[Zorro walks over to the edge of a roof.]

Ramón [off camera]
And so esteemed members of the clergy and fair citizens of Los Angeles. . .

[Zorro grabs a decorated pole and pulls it out of the ground.]

Ramón [off camera]
It is with great pride. . .

[Zorro uses the pole to vault the distance between the roof he is on over to the church's roof.]

Ramón [off camera]
. . .in being the person you selected. . .

[Zorro walks across the church roof and climbs up onto a higher part of the roof.]

Ramón [off camera]
. . .to inaugurate this great Mission bell.

[Exterior shot of the plaza.]

Ramón
This bell that was paid for with great generosity from myself. . .[He lowers his voice.] and the other caballeros of this pueblo.[He raises his voice.] and as I said, from myself, your most humble alcalde.

[People clap as Ramón bows.]

[Closeup shot of Crossbow Man as he looks to his left.]

Crossbow Man
Huh?

[A black gloved fist punches him in the face.]

[Interior shot of the tavern as White Hat Man looks out the window.]

White Hat Man [impatiently]
Come on.  Come on.

[Closeup shot of a knife sitting on a cutting board on a table.  The camera pulls back to show the bound and gagged Victoria and Mendoza as Mendoza moves his chair closer to the cutting board as Victoria encourages him.]

[Closeup shot of the Mission bell as Zorro peers out from behind it.]

Zorro [voiceover]
Now for the missing piece.  Where is it?

[Exterior shot of the plaza where Ramón continues to speak.]

Ramón
May the sound of our new Mission bell ring our the commitment I feel . .

[Shot from Zorro's point of view of one of the monks' feet.]

Zorro [voiceover]
A monk. . .wearing boots?  I'm sorry, Alcalde, I can't let you ring the bell.

[He grabs onto the bell's clapper.]

[Exterior shot of the plaza as Ramón grabs onto the rope leading to the bell then starts pulling on it.  Zorro smiles as Ramón struggles.]

Ramón [turning to look up at the bell tower.]
What's wrong with this bell?

[Zorro ducks behind a wall.  Ramón stares at the bell with a confused expression.  Don Alejandro and other in the plaza look upward as well.  Ramón pulls on the rope again and the bell starts ringing.  People start clapping and cheering.]

[Interior shot of the tavern as White Hat Man looks out the window.]

White Hat Man
The bell.  This is it.

[He is then hit on the head with a frying pan and falls to the floor.]

Mendoza
There's your bell, Señor.

Victoria
Very nice, Sergeant.  Come on.

[They turn to their right and leave.]

[Exterior shot of the plaza as Ramón continues to ring the bell which suddenly becomes harder to do.]

Ramón
What is it now?

[Correo looks around worriedly as Ramón turns to see Zorro sliding down the rope.]

Ramón
Zorro!  I should have known!

[Correo pulls out his dagger and two lancers jump away from him.  Ramón pulls out a pistol and tries to aim it at Zorro but Zorro kicks Ramón, knocking the pistol from his hand.  Correo stands threateningly with his dagger.  Zorro unsheathes his saber then kicks the dagger from Correo's hand.  Correo bends down and picks up the pistol.]

Ramón [back on his feet]
Correo!

[He draws out his sword and stands to Zorro's left.  Don Alejandro starts forward but is restrained by another man.]

Correo
Fifteen years in the territorial prison, Alcalde!  [He pulls the trigger but nothing happens.  He pulls it two more times with the same result.] You will pay for that!

[He runs off to his left then jumps onto a white horse, turns it around and rides out of the pueblo.  Several people, including some lancers, chase after him.]

Ramón [to the crowd]
Obviously a deranged man. [He turns to Zorro.] You.  You were behind all this.

[Zorro knocks Ramón's sword from his hand with his saber.]

Zorro
I assure you, Alcalde, if it were my intention to kill you, you'd already be dead. [He addresses the crowd.]  With all respect to the Church and its ceremonies, my work is incomplete.

[He walks off to his right then rides off on Toronado as people cheer and wave.]

Voices
Zorro!  Zorro!

[Ramón stands on the stage, looking extremely frustrated.]

*****COMMERCIAL BREAK*****

[Exterior shot of the countryside as Correo rides through it.  He stops then dismounts before walking over to his camp.  He pushes back the hood of his robe then picks up sword and unsheathes it.  He walks over to where a pile of ropes rest by a boulder.]

Zorro [off camera at first]
Looking for your hostage, Correo?

[Zorro jumps down and knocks the sword from Correo's hand with his saber.]

Zorro
The young man you left tied to this tree could have starved to death.  You endangered the lives of innocent people in the plaza today.  Your personal vendetta against the Alcalde knows no bounds, it seems.

Correo
But you don't understand.  I went to prison for Luis Ramón.

Zorro
Killing him will not change that, Señor.

Correo
But it's all I've thought about.  It's all I've lived for.

Zorro
Then it's time you found something better to live for.

Correo
Fifteen years in prison.  Do you know what that can do to a man?

Zorro
I only hope the Alcalde will learn that for himself one day.  Until then, be grateful that your plan failed today.

Correo
Then. . . [He sits down on a rock.] You're not going to hand me over to him?

Zorro
No.  I'm going to hope you've learned the futility of revenge. [He strokes Toronado's nose.] You're a free man. [He puts his left hand on Correo's left shoulder.] Keep it that way.

[He climbs up onto Toronado's back then salutes Correo with his saber.]

Zorro
Adios, amigo.

[He turns Toronado around and they ride off as Correo stares after them incredulously.]

*****END OF EPISODE*****

Transcribed by Pamela Elbert Poland  3 & 4 May 2007

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.

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