"Well, you're just in time for breakfast, at least."

How could I have been so stupid! Dammit! Someone's yelling at the bar across the street, hmph, well…Wait, is that Joaquin? Joaquin! What is he doing in a bar!? Oh, but that doesn't matter right now.

"Joaquin!"

Joaquin came over, going on about Elena and Armand, of course, I hadn't told him that, probably should have.

"How can you be in jail! You Z…"
"Shh!," his father interrupted him, "I know who I am and you do too, no need to yell it out. And I told you, even I make mistakes. Joaquin, your mother, she, she's not really marrying him. It's a ploy. She's in this just about as deep as I am, alright? Everything is going to be alright. No questions, now, okay? I'll explain later, at home. Trust me. Now, I need your help, but keep it simple. We don't want to draw attention. Understand?"

Joaquin nodded.

Joaquin came around the corner, smiling and holding his slingshot. He was great with that thing, I knew, I'd been helping him with his aim in training.

"Joaquin, Joaquin! Genius, genius, but, "I don't want you breaking anyone out of jail again, without my permission, of course." And, don't tell your mother about this."

Joaquin nodded.

"Now, we want to be as quiet as possible and try to get out of here unnoticed, but the chances of that aren't perfect. If someone spots us, you trust me, right? Just help me out and go along with it, alright?"

"Of course."

"Good. Now, remember that, be quiet, and stay behind me. Let's go."

We turned the corner carefully, and then I sighed, and whispered to Joaquin, "Changed my mind, get in front, and remember."

I didn't give him a chance to respond as I pulled him in front, holding his shoulders. Then the idiots came out. Trying to get out of here unnoticed, without a fight, I pulled my arm loosely, but convincingly around Joaquin's neck, bluffing, of course. Joaquin, I almost laughed, remind me to also work with him on his acting skills, though, it wasn't bad, just not good enough to be convincing. I sighed and pulled him back behind me and out of the way. Well at least I can tell these idiots don't know how to fight, just call a bluff. Keep this short and get the hell out of here.

Joaquin was staring at me admiringly. I just looked at him, our unspoken secret registering between us.

"When will I be able to do that?" Joaquin asked quietly, revering.

His father laughed quietly, "With some training, later, and in private, with me. Let's not give your parents a heart attack, alright," he nodded, "Good, let's get out of here."

"Papi," Joaquin whispered, "Where are we going?"

Alejandro stopped and looked at Joaquin seriously, "Joaquin, listen to me. I know you're going to want to help, but not this time. You've been doing wonderfully, but I need you to stay with Padre one last time."

Joaquin started to protest, "Joaquin, please. Not this time, in the future, when you're ready, when we've trained together more, which, I promise you, we will, but you're not ready for this. I haven't taught you enough, yet, and I need to know you're safe."

Joaquin gave a sad smile and nodded, "Soon."

I just smiled, nodded, and kissed him goodbye, looking at Padre for security and he nodded to me. I didn't have time for anything more.

****

How much I wanted to hit Armand! I was about to, but then Zorro, papi, showed up, of course he did, and I'd been worried! Mama had told me to be patient, and there wasn't much room to argue, so I did, I waited and now she was running with me through the train. I remember my father telling me so much earlier, when I first found out he was Zorro, - so glad I didn't have to find out due to Armand- him telling me that mom was an excellent fighter. I can begin to see that now. Now mama wanted me to go on my own! What?! From the moment I found out my Papi was Zorro I've wanted to help him, even before, but he'd been insisting that he wanted to train me more. Now mama wanted me to go! I wasn't sure I could. But, then she reminded me, I am the son of Zorro. Yes! I am! Of course I could, I would, do this! I nodded and went onto the other car. Tornado!
"Tornado! What are you doing here?" Then, I wondered, had Papi planned this all along? He had taught me how to ride better and faster since I'd found out. Now it was my turn. I'd ask him later, but now, I finally had my part to do, and I would see it through.

*

"Now, let's go find that son of ours." Zorro said to his wife.

She smiled, "Use your eyes, Alejandro, he's right there."

So he was, "Joaquin!" I called, there was no one back here, and I ran up to him, Elena walking to give us a moment. "Joaquin, I am so proud of you!"

"Papi?"

"Hmm?"
"Did you plan for Tornado to be in the car?"

His father laughed, "I hoped for it to work out."

Elena caught up to us then, "We both certainly are so proud of you. You certainly are Zorro's son."

Joaquin beamed.

"Now, don't you have a paper you need to be there for the signing of?" Elena asked.

Alejandro winked at Joaquin and went off, for, indeed, the people were expecting Zorro to be there.

There were Joaquin and Elena, Alejandro smiled at them, then winked once more at Joaquin and tossed Zorro's hat to him. He smiled back at me, put it on, and swiped his hand across it, just like I did. We would have an excellent time together now, truly a family, and I looked forward to training him, with acting, fighting, everything he would need to know, till, one day, a few years in the future, he could take Zorro's place now and then, and, eventually, as the new Zorro, our family secret.