Written by Tim Minear
Directed by Ray Austin

First US Airdate 26 Oct 2006 Episode 2.7

[A group of five men on horseback ride down a hillside.]

Voice
Whoa!

[The men start slowing down their mounts.]

Voices
Look over there!  Look!  Look over there!

[Zorro emerges from behind some bushes, unseen by the men, spins Toronado around and smiles.  He then turns back around again and rides off.]

Man
He's one man.  Split up and find him!

[The other four men ride off in four different directions.  The man, his face covered by a bandana, dismounts.  Zorro watches him from the top of a ridge.  The man backs up toward Zorro.  He spins around when he hears Toronado snort.]

Zorro [holding up his hands]
I'm truly at a loss, Señor.  The odds were even when there were five of you.

Man [raising his sword]
En garde, prisoner!

Zorro
Prisoner? [He dismounts.] You have a poor grasp of reality, Señor.

[Zorro unsheathes his sword.  The man thrusts his sword at Zorro and they duel.  Zorro knocks the sword from the man's hand.  The man falls back against a rock.  Zorro slashes a ‘Z' into the left side of the man's jacket.  The man looks down at it then pulls out a whip from behind his back.  Zorro knocks it out of the man's hand.  The whip lands some distance away.]

Man [grabbing his hand]
Huh!

[Zorro points his sword at the man's chest.]

Man
Go on, finish me.

Zorro
I was finished five minutes ago, amigo.  Leave.  Now.

Man
You haven't heard the last of me, Señor.

[He starts to walk away.]

Zorro
Enough.  On your way.

[He hits the man on his behind with his sword.  The man stumbles then runs to his horse.  Zorro chuckles and smiles as he watches the man ride off.  Then he bends down to pick up the man's whip.  A rattlesnake bites him on the right forearm.]

Zorro [jerking back]
Aah!

[The snake's tongue flickers as it rattles it tail.  Zorro takes off his right glove and starts to roll up his shirt sleeve, exposing the fang marks.  He pulls his dagger out from behind his back then uses it to cut into the bite marks.]

Zorro [as he cuts himself]
Huh!

[He then raises his forearm to his mouth and start to suck out the venom, which he then spits out.]

[Zorro is riding Toronado, obviously feeling dizzy as he had no control over the horse.  Toronado comes to a halt and Zorro slides off his back and onto the ground, landing on his stomach.  Rising up with his good arm, he pats at Toronado with his injured arm.]

Zorro
Go home, boy. [He gives the horse another pat.] Go on.

[Toronado whinnies then gallops away.  Zorro crawls over to retrieve his sword.  He looks up and sees a farm house and barn in the distance.  He struggles to get to his feet.]

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

[Exterior shot of the farm buildings]

[Outside the farmhouse, a woman pours water from a jug into a cup. She looks up when she hears a horse's whinny.  She walks away from the house and sees a man riding up.  He stops his horse and dismounts.]

Woman
Any luck?

Man
Tomorrow.  We'll get him tomorrow.

[She notices the ‘Z' slashed into his jacket as he walks past her toward the house.]

[Inside the de la Vega hacienda, Don Alejandro is holding up a painting of a landscape.]

Don Alejandro
An original Lamatiaca.

[He laughs as he looks around the room for a place to hang it.  He holds up to where another painting hangs, nods, then sets down the painting in his hands.  He drags a chair over to where the other painting is hanging, climbs up on the chair, and tries to take down the other painting.  He almost knocks over a candelabra.]

Don Alejandro [with one hand on the painting's frame and the other grasping the candelabra]
Whoops! [He tries to look over his shoulder and the chair wobbles.] Diego?  Diego!

[He almost falls so he lets go of the painting and sets down the candelabra.  He gets down off the chair.]

[Outside in the hacienda courtyard, Felipe is watering a hanging basket of flowers, using a metal watering can.  A horse whinnies but he doesn't pay attention.  Toronado snorts loudly as he trots through an open gate and into the courtyard.  Felipe turns around and immediately goes over to Toronado.  He puts his hand on the horse's nose and rubs his hand over the saddle with a worried expression on his face.  Behind him a door creaks open.  He moves away from Toronado and goes over to water another plant.]

Don Alejandro [walking toward Felipe]
Oh, Felipe.  Felipe, come.  Where have you been?  I have a task for you.  Come on.

[He puts his hand on Felipe's neck and leads him back to the house.

Don Alejandro [indicating the watering can Felipe is still holding]
Uh, I don't think we need this in the house.  All right?  Excuse me.

[He chuckles as he takes the watering can away from Felipe and sets it back down by the plant Felipe had been watering.  Toronado is no longer in sight.]

Don Alejandro [coming back and looking at Felipe]
By the way, have you ever hung a painting?

[He and Felipe then head for the hacienda.  Felipe pauses at the door and looks around worriedly before going inside.]

[The woman at the farm is tying a horse's reins to a hitching rail when she hears gasps of pain coming from inside the barn.  She goes inside.  Zorro, his hat covering his wounded forearm, comes up behind her.  She turns around and see him.]

Woman
Zorro!  My husband. . .

Zorro
I know.  We've met.  Don't be frightened.

Woman
What are you doing here?  He's in the house.

Zorro
Call him if you must do so.  I could have killed him.  You saw my signature.  But I'm not a man to take a life so recklessly, in spite of what you might have been told.

Woman
All I know is that the bounty on your head now stands at six thousand pesos.

Zorro [nodding knowingly]
And that is why your husband hunts me down.

Woman
Yes.  The Alcalde's taxes have made us poor.  Alicio knows you're no common bandit.  But six thousand pesos would change our lives.

Zorro
And end mine. . .on the Alcalde's gallows.

Woman
Poverty can turn the most honorable man into a killer.

Zorro
I know.  I should go.

[He starts to leave but stumbles dizzily, dropping his hat.  The bite wounds on his arms are exposed.  The woman rushes over to steady him.]

Woman
Oh, you're hurt!

Zorro [breathing hard]
A rattlesnake.  I tried to purge the wound but the bite went too deep.

Woman [touching his mask-covered forehead]
You're soaking wet.  Oh, you're burning up.  You must rest.

[She leads him over to a corner of the barn near some hay bales.]

Woman [fussing over him]
Any stressful activity will rush the venom through your body.  You take that wet shirt off, you'll catch a chill.

[She helps Zorro unbutton and take off his shirt (yeah!).  She then goes over and gets a blanket]

Woman
Here.  Wrap this around you.  You need to keep warm. [She puts the blanket around his shoulders.] You'll be safe here.

Zorro
Gracias.

Woman
I'll prepare something for your wound when I can.  Thanks to you and your signature, I have some mending to do and I'm a very bad seamstress.

Zorro [with a chagrined smile]
My apologies.

[The woman smiles at him then starts to leave the barn.]

Woman
Stay hidden.

[Inside the tavern, Don Alejandro is helping Victoria open a crate.]

Don Alejandro
I'm just saying, it's not like him.  He usually tells me where he's going.

Victoria
Oh, he's a grown man, Don Alejandro.

Don Alejandro [chuckling as he takes a tool of some sort off the bar]
I know that, Victoria.  I guess he's out there doing what young men are supposed to do.

[He pries the crate lid open.]

Don Alejandro
There you are.

Victoria [as Mendoza looks over her shoulder]
Wonderful!  I've been waiting for this painting for six weeks.

Don Alejandro
What a coincidence!  You know something, I just got a painting myself.

[He pulls Victoria's painting out of the crate so it is facing her.]

Victoria
Well, it's an original.

Don Alejandro [at the same time]
Of course, it's an original.

[They both laugh.  Then Don Alejandro comes around to look at the painting.  His laugh fades as he sees it is the same painting he just got.]

Mendoza
It's an original?  It's very pretty.

Victoria [to Don Alejandro]
So, what is your opinion?

[Don Alejandro gestures at the painting but no words come out of his mouth.]

[Exterior shot of the farm yard]

[The woman sneaks out of the house, carrying a cloth-covered bucket.  Her husband, Alicio, is sitting outside, snoring as he sleeps in a chair.  The woman keeps her eyes on him as she walks backwards toward the barn.  She backs into something that makes a metallic clang.  Alicio snorts and moves his head but doesn't wake up.  The woman stares at him for a few moments then runs to the barn.]

[Inside the barn, the woman put something on the shirtless Zorro's wound.]

Woman
You'll feel stiff for a while.  And I know the smell isn't pleasant but you'll thank me in time.

Zorro
I thank you now.  You're very kind, Magdalena.

Magdalena [looking up at him in surprise]
You know who I am?

Zorro
Your husband called you earlier.  It's a lovely name.  I once knew another lady named Magdalena.  She had the most beautiful blue eyes.

[Magdalena smiles at him.  Alicio comes into the barn, carrying his sword.]

Alicio
El Zorro.

Magdalena [startled]
Alicio!

Alicio
Silence, woman.

Zorro [starting to get up]
Señor. . .

Alicio
The dutiful wife and the trusting husband are working at cross purposes.

Magdalena
Alicio, no!

Alicio
No more words! [He raises up his sword.] Only action!

[The shirtless Zorro reaches for his sword with his injured arm and winces with pain.]

Zorro
Aah!  You have me at a disadvantage, Señor.

Alicio [smirking]
I was counting on it.

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

[Alicio gestures at the shirtless Zorro with his sword.]

Alicio
Get up and fight.

Zorro [as he unsheathes his sword]
Aah!

[The shirtless Zorro slowly gets to his feet, holding his sword in his right hand and holding his right wrist with his left hand.]

Zorro
As you wish.

[Alicio lunges at him but the shirtless Zorro parries, causing Alicio to fly across the barn.  The men then face each other again.]

Zorro
Not my best arm, but it will have to do.

[He moves his sword from his right hand to his left and salutes.]

Magdalena
Señor Zorro!

Alicio
Prepare to die!

[He thrusts his sword again at the shirtless Zorro.]

Zorro [parrying the blow]
Is that any way to treat a houseguest?

[They continue to fight.]

Zorro
Under normal circumstances, I would prolong this encounter.  However, today I'm feeling a little. . .[He uses a redoublement to disarm Alicio.]. . .under the weather.

[He lunges forward as if to slash a ‘Z' into Alicio's shirt, but Magdalena gives him a look.  He slashes a ‘Z' into the dirt floor instead.  He salutes as Alicio runs out of the barn.  As soon as he is gone, The shirtless Zorro slumps forward and groans in pain.  Magdalena rushes over to him.]

Magdalena
I knew you were bluffing.  But it was kind of you to save his shirt.

[Alicio rides his horse away from the farm.]

[Alicio rides up to the outskirts of the pueblo.]

[Inside his office, Ramone is hanging a painting (which is identical to Don Alejandro's and Victoria's) on the wall.  He then steps back to admire it.  Mendoza comes into the office, holding his hat.]

Ramone [glancing at Mendoza then back at the painting]
Mendoza.  Not that it makes a great deal of difference, but what is your opinion?

Mendoza
I know that painting.  It is an original.

Ramone [surprised]
Why, Mendoza, it is.  There may be hope for you yet. [He reaches down and takes his sword off the back of a chair.] Come.

[Outside, Alicio comes up to Ramone and Mendoza as they step out onto the office's porch.]

Alicio
Sergeant!

Ramone [pointing at Alicio]
Who is this man?

Mendoza [gesturing toward Alicio]
This is Alicio, mi Alcalde.

Alicio [bowing low]
Why, Alcalde, it is an honor.

Mendoza
You don't have to do that.

Ramone [waving Mendoza away]
Mendoza, don't interrupt.

Alicio [rising back up]
My name is Alicio Turron and I have news of the outlaw Zorro.

[Ramone smiles evilly.]

[Exterior shot of Toronado galloping riderless across the countryside.]

[Inside the Turron's barn, Zorro is no longer shirtless (boo!).  He sheathes his sword then Magdalena hands him his gloves.]

Zorro
Gracias.

[He turns his head when he hears a horse's whinny.]

[Toronado trots up into the farmyard.]

[Zorro walks out of the barn.]

Zorro
Toronado, old friend, you found me.

[He goes over and pats Toronado's neck with his bad arm, causing him to wince.  Magdalena follows him outside.]

Zorro
I should take my leave.  I've caused you enough trouble.

Magdalena
Please don't go.  Your arm.  You really shouldn't.

Zorro
Thank you, Magdalena.

[He gets up onto Toronado's back and looks off into the distance.]

Zorro
Yours is a busy house.

Magdalena
What?

[She turns around to see riders coming toward the house.]

Zorro
Your husband arrives with yet more guests.

[He starts to dismount.]

Magdalena [holding up her hand]
No, you must go.  Don't worry, they won't hurt me.

[Zorro looks at her grimly then rides away.  Magdalena goes back into the barn and shuts the door.]

[Alicio rides up with Ramone and four soldiers, including Mendoza.  They come to a halt in front of the house and Alicio dismounts.]

Ramone [as he dismounts]
Where is he?

Alicio [gesturing toward the barn]
He was in the barn.

[Magdalena is peering through the cracks in the door.  She loudly turns the door's lock.]

Ramone [hearing the lock then pulling out a pistol]
He's in there!

[Inside the barn, Magdalena backs away from the door.]

Mendoza [to Ramone who is pointing the pistol at the barn door]
Should we storm it?

Ramone 
No, that is what he would expect. [He thinks for a moment.] I know.  We'll burn it down.  That will force him out.

Alicio
But wait!  Wait!  You can't do this!

Ramone 
Silence!  You'll be compensated.

Alicio [grabbing his own head]
No, please!

Ramone [pointing his pistol up against Alicio's throat]
Shut up!

Mendoza
Alcalde, wouldn't it be better. . .

Ramone 
Just do it!

Mendoza [to the other soldiers (in untranslated Spanish)]
Qué mese el establo!  [Burn the stables!]

[The lancers run around and pile hay around the base of the barn's walls.  Magdalena waits anxiously inside.  The lancer light the hay with torches and it quickly ignites.  Ramone, Alicio, and Mendoza stand around and watch it burn.]

[Inside the barn Magdalena starts coughing as smoke fills the building.]

Magdalena [seeing flames burning up the walls]
Aah!  Aah!

Alicio [to Ramone when he hears the screams]
Stop!  Stop!  She's in there!

Ramone 
What?

Alicio [throwing up his arms as he tries to go through the flames]
Magdalena!  My wife!  She's in there!

[He has to jump back as the fire is too hot.]

Ramone [pointing at the burning barn]
Mendoza!

Magdalena [inside the barn off camera]
Aah!  Aah!  Aah!  Aah!

[Two of the lancers try to put of the fire by swatting at it with pieces of cloth.]

Alicio
Put it out!  Oh please!  Please!

[Another lancer leads the horses away from the flames as Magdalena keeps screaming.]

[Zorro is riding away from the Turron's farm.  He looks back over his shoulder and see the black column of smoke.  He spins around and heads back.]

[The barn is totally engulfed with flames as Zorro ducks behind a rock and watches for a moment.  Then he hops back onto Toronado and rides to the back of the barn.]

[The lancers and Alicio try vainly to fight the fire.]

[Inside the burning barn, Magdalena coughs as she crouches down, trying to keep away from the flames.]

[Outside, Zorro dismounts, takes off his cape and dunks it into a barrel full of water.]

[On the other side of the barn, Alicio puts his hands on his head in despair.]

Alicio
Magdalena!

[Zorro puts the wet cape around himself then goes through the back wall of the barn.  He glances around and see Magdalena coughing across the barn.  He uses his whip to pull down a burning beam above her head, then rushes over to her.  He picks her up and carries her out of the burning building.]

[Later, the fire is out but the barn is totally destroyed.  Alicio, Ramone, Mendoza, and the other lancers slowly walk up to it.]

Mendoza [shaking his head]
Oh, mi Alcalde.

Ramone 
It is a tragedy, Mendoza.  A tragedy which was not in vain.  This time we have won.

[Alicio shoots Ramone a disgusted look.]

Zorro [riding up to the back of the barn]
Tell me, Alcalde, what have you won?

Ramone 
Zorro!

[He raises his pistol and pulls the trigger but it just clicks.  He looks at it for a moment then points his other hand at Zorro.]

Ramone 
After him!

[The soldiers and Ramone run toward their horses as Zorro rides away.  The soldiers follow after him.]

Ramone 
He's getting away!

[Alicio watches them go then walks sadly back toward his house.]

[Zorro rides Toronado hard across the countryside.  They come to a deep ravine.  Toronado easily jumps over it.  Zorro pulls him up as Ramone and the soldiers ride up to the ravine.  They stop and stare at Zorro and Toronado on the other side.]

Zorro [mockingly]
If only your horse soared as high as your ambition.

[He rides away to his right.]

Ramone 
The bridge!

[He and the soldiers ride off in the opposite direction.]

[Zorro comes back and he and Toronado jump back across the ravine.]

[He rides up to where Alicio is leaning against a well.]

Alicio
I'm such a fool, Señor.  My greed killed her.

Zorro [stroking on Toronado's mane as he stays on the horse's back]
If you have learned this, you have learned a great deal.  I hope you will put your knowledge to good use.

[He turns to his right.  Magdalena emerges from behind the burned-out barn.  Alicio stands up.]

Alicio
Magdalena!  Magdalena!

[She starts laughing as she runs toward Alicio and he runs toward her.  They embrace and kiss.]

Alicio [looking up at Zorro]
Señor, I owe you a great debt.

Zorro
Do not play the Alcalde's game in future, Señor.  You may lose more than a barn next time. [He looks down at Magdalena.] I owe my life to you, Magdalena.

Magdalena
And you returned the favor very quickly.

Zorro [to Alicio]
You have a brave and loyal wife, amigo.

[He waves at them and Magdalena waves back as Alicio is too busy staring at her. Zorro rides away as Alicio and Magdalena hug.]

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

[Exterior shot of the tavern at night]

Diego [as he, Felipe, Don Alejandro, and Mendoza sit at a table inside]
So it burned right to the ground?

Mendoza [putting his hand on his chest]
Well, I did everything I could to put out the fire but it was just no use.

Diego [skeptically]
And Zorro started the blaze?

Mendoza [hedging]
Not exactly.

Diego
Those poor people.

Don Alejandro [in a scolding tone]
Diego, if you weren't out gallivanting, you'd know the latest news. [Diego smiles.] No, I'm serious.  First, the Alcalde compensated the Turrons.  My friends and I saw to that, of course.  Secondly, the new barn is going up in one week.

Mendoza [looking over at Don Alejandro]
And that was a most generous gift from you and Señorita Escalante.

Diego
Oh, what gift was that?

Don Alejandro [a bit abashedly]
Well.  Well, Victoria and I had a couple of original paintings by Lamatica we no longer liked.

[Victoria comes up to their table and starts refilling their glasses.  She has the same expression as Don Alejandro.]

Don Alejandro
And when the Alcalde discovered that we had them, why he just snapped them up for his private collection, sight unseen.

[He and Victoria laughs.  Mendoza does too, but not for the same reason.]

Mendoza [naively]
The Alcalde will be very excited.

[Don Alejandro and Victoria laugh even harder.]

[Inside his office, Ramone looks at the three identical ‘original' paintings.  His expression grows angrier as he examines the paintings from Don Alejandro and Victoria.]

[Back at the tavern, Don Alejandro and Victoria are still laughing.]

Don Alejandro
Victoria and I, we gave the money to Alicio and Magdalena.

[Inside his office, Ramone turns around as his painting slips down the wall.]

Ramone 
Mendoza!

[He looks at where the painting had been hanging and there is a ‘Z' scratched into the wall.]

[Back at the tavern, Mendoza is lifting his glass of juice when he hears the Alcalde's summons.]

Mendoza
Ooh, sounds like trouble. [He gets to his feet.] Hasta luego, amigos.

Victoria [as she sits down, a smug expression on her face]
So, it what I hear true, Don Diego?

Diego
Is what true?

Victoria
Well, some say you are involved in a. . .  In a burning romance.

Diego
Well, if you must know, there was a woman. [Victoria's smug look disappears.] But I fear the fire has gone out now.

[He takes a sip of his juice.  Victoria just stares at him, obviously speechless from his confession.  Diego smiles and raises his glass to her.]

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

Transcribed by Pamela Elbert Poland  1 September 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.

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