The Discovery
(Part 4 of Conspiracy of Blood)
This episode was written by Robert L. McCullough and Phillip John Taylor, and directed by Ray Austin.
(A bedroom at night. Inez is attending to Resindo who is lying in bed.)
Inez: Then when Diego was born just a few moments later, Alejandro de la Vega lifted him up and said “This is my son. This is my heir.”
Resindo: Why would he say such a cruel thing, Mother?
Inez: You know why. How many times do you need to hear it?
Resindo: I need to hear it again.
Inez: You were born first, but your legs were misshapen. I tried to tell them it was nothing to worry about.
Resindo: But they didn’t believe you.
Inez: No. God forbid, Don Alejandro should be ashamed of a deformed child bearing the de la Vega name. He was going to send you away to an institution that takes care of such children. That very night I took you away. We left Madrid so he’d never find us and I brought you up as my own. Don’t forget Diego.
Resindo: Oh, I won’t. When Alejandro is gasping his last on the ground, I shall rip out Diego’s heart and show it to our loving father. (Inez smiles.)
(The alcalde’s office. Mendoza and De Soto enter.)
Mendoza: Ha ha ha! Un hora Buena, mi alcalde. You are back where you belong.
De Soto: (Looking at the desk.) Well, it may be only cheap California pine, Sergeant, but it’s my desk. Mine! (He rubs the desk and sees dust on his white gloves.) Ugh! Emissary Resindo was not only ruthless, he was extremely unsanitary. (He dusts at the desk with his handkerchief.)
Mendoza: You know, mi alcalde, I never thought I would say this, but, you know, I am kind of glad he has gone to meet his maker! (They both laugh. Resindo walks in the door.)
Resindo: You are sitting at my desk.
De Soto: (They are both shocked to see the man they thought to be dead.) Emissary! You recovered! (To Mendoza under his breath) You said he was dead!
Mendoza: Me? You’re the one who said to build a coffin!
De Soto: Quiet! Don Gilberto, it’s wonderful to see you… alive.
Resindo: Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for either of you. You have now failed twice to capture Zorro, therefore you can report for execution tomorrow at sunset. Go!
Mendoza: Excuse me, Your Excellency, I don’t understand. You mean you’re not going to lock us up?
De Soto: Yes, what’s to keep us from just leaving?
Resindo: Because you have a choice. You can either be executed mercifully by firing squad at sunset, or you can set one foot outside Los Angeles, and die in the most excruciating manner I can devise. And trust me, I can be remarkably inventive. If one of you tries to escape, the other will meet an equally painful end without delay. So, gentlemen, I suggest you keep a wary eye on each other and make the most of your last days on this earth. (To the two guards.) Throw them out!
De Soto: (As the guards grab him roughly) All right, all right. There’s no need for this. I’m the alcalde here. Take your hands off me. Do you understand— (He’s pushed out the door.)
Inez: (Entering) Well done, my son. So you think this Zorro is in league with the de la Vegas?
Resindo: He always rides out to defend them.
Inez: Very well. First Zorro. Then the de la Vegas.
(The tavern. De Soto is talking to Victoria, Mendoza and Alejandro at the bar.)
De Soto: With a good horse, I could be out of California in two days. There is a territory east of here that no civilized man has ever set foot in.
Alejandro: And maybe with good reason. Be careful, Alcalde.
Mendoza: Alcalde, if you escape, then I am left here alone. Who knows what the Emissary might do to me! We’re responsible for each other.
De Soto: Then come with me, Sergeant.
Mendoza: Resindo would not rest until he found us. I prefer a quick bullet through the heart than to boil in oil like a beef empanada.
De Soto: More like a chicken empanada, eh, Sergeant?
Alejandro: That’s not nice, Alcalde. I like the way Sergeant Mendoza is philosophizing about this whole thing.
De Soto: Resindo! What a diabolical fiend. Imagine allowing us to wander around free our last day. Letting us savor everything we’re about to lose forever. (Soldiers come through the door and post a notice.)
Victoria: What now! (Everyone goes to read it.)
Alejandro: (Reading) “Zorro, a truce. Meet at Diablo Canyon.” Do you believe
him, Victoria? (Alejandro leaves.
De Soto is deep in thought.)
(The hacienda courtyard. Felipe is fencing with Diego who is having trouble because of the wound on his arm.)
Diego: (Slicing at some plants and throwing down the sword in disgust. His arm is bleeding through his shirt.) Ah. This arm is practically useless. It’s nowhere near healed. I’m sorry, Felipe, my anger distorts my judgment. Why do I harbor such animosity toward Resindo? (Felipe signs.) The man is evil, no question. He’s so poisoned by malice, there’s none of the true man left. (They hear a rider coming.) Hide the swords. I don’t think anyone saw us Zorro get hit, but there’s no sense testing our luck. (He puts on his jacket.) Father!
Alejandro: Diego, the strangest thing has happened. (He dismounts.) Resindo has offered Zorro a truce. He wants to meet him in Diablo Canyon at noon.
Diego: Strange indeed. I wonder if Zorro will go.
Alejandro: Why should he? I mean it’s obviously a trap.
Diego: Obviously, but, uh, if I were Zorro, I would go.
Alejandro: But, you’re not. (He slaps Diego on the arm, injuring his wound again, but turns to go inside before seeing the pained reaction Diego gives. Diego and Felipe head for the cave.)
(We
see Zorro leaving the cave on Toronado. He arrives at Diablo Canyon and looks
around to see no one there.)
Zorro: (Voiceover) Noon,
precisely. So much for punctuality. (High above on a ridge, Resindo watches
as Zorro rides further into the canyon.)
Resindo: Not so fast, Zorro. I find it amusing you are so prompt for your own death.
Zorro: You promised a truce.
Resindo: I lied. (He takes out a pistol and fires at a fuse lying on the ground. The fuse burns as Zorro races on Toronado trying to get out of the canyon. There is an explosion. Rocks tumble down the hillside. Zorro falls from Toronado and is buried in rocks as Resindo watches. He tries to climb down the steep cliff to make sure Zorro is dead, but falls down and stops trying.)
Resindo: Ah, so much for the masked legend. And now for the de la Vegas. (He climbs back up to the top and his horse.)
(The de la Vega courtyard. Alejandro and Felipe see a rider approaching.)
Alejandro: Well, whoever it is, they mean business. Is that Resindo? You’d better go quickly. Prime a pistol just in case. Hurry!
(Back at the canyon. Zorro’s gloved hand is seen protruding from the pile of rocks. Toronado begins rolling away the rocks to free him.)
(The de la Vega courtyard. Resindo arrives and dismounts.)
Alejandro: Something I can do for you, Emissary. (Resindo walks over to Alejandro and hits him in the face, knocking him out. Leaving Alejandro lying on the ground, he stalks into the hacienda and finds Felipe who is priming a pistol. He knocks the gun from his hand and grabs him by the arms roughly.)
Resindo: (To Felipe) Where is de la Vega? (Shouting to the rest of the house.) De la Vega! (He takes a cord from the draperies to tie Felipe’s hands.) You won’t be needing a gag now, will you?
(Diablo canyon. Toronado has freed Zorro.)
Zorro: That a boy, Toronado.
(The de la Vega courtyard. Alejandro is coming to.)
Resindo: (Forcing him to his feet.) Get up! (He throws a sword to
Alejandro.)
Alejandro: Why are you doing this? Gilberto Resindo, answer me, please. Why?
Resindo: Let’s save that for your final moments on earth, shall we? Then you can die with that knowledge shattering your cold, sinful heart. (He draws his sword.) Defend yourself! (Alejandro parries a couple of Resindo’s thrusts.)
Alejandro: You’re insane. (Resindo comes at him again.) No! (Resindo strikes Alejandro in the leg.)
(The alcalde’s office. Inez sits at the desk.)
Inez: (She gets up and calls toward the door.) Guards! (A guard enters.) Get me my carriage.
Guard: Sí, Señora. (She puts on her gloves.)
(The tavern. De Soto and Mendoza are at a table.)
De Soto: (Looking at his pocket watch.) Five hours to live. I think I’ll take a walk. (Mendoza starts to get up but De Soto pushes him back in the seat.) No, Sergeant, stay here. A man needs some time alone when he feels the grim reaper’s hand on his shoulder. (Mendoza watches him go out the door.)
(Out in the street. De Soto watches as Inez pulls away in her carriage and then he looks furtively around at the empty plaza. He runs out into the dessert. Victoria sees him from the back of the tavern as she empties a pail of water.)
Victoria: (Voiceover) Where’s he going?
(The de la Vega courtyard. Alejandro and Resindo are still fighting. Once more, Resindo strikes Alejandro in the leg and Alejandro sinks to his knees.)
Resindo: Time to die, old man. Time to learn a secret.
Alejandro: What secret? Dear God, you are insane.
Diego: (Appearing in the doorway) Father!
Alejandro: Diego! (He throws his sword to Diego. Diego knocks away Resindo’s sword to position himself in front of his father. )
Diego: Can you stand? Go in and untie Felipe. Do it!
Resindo: I see. I see.
Diego: You see what? (They fence, both expertly. Resindo steps in close to Diego.)
Resindo: You cannot let your father see your skill with a sword, because he does not know your secret. You are Zorro! (He hits Diego in his right arm where he knows the wound to be. Diego yells and falls back. The wound is bleeding through his shirt once more.) Zorro received a musket wound in the plaza when he rescued Toronado. You thought no one had noticed. I have found you out, Diego! (They begin fencing again. Diego holds his sore arm.) I left Zorro under a pile of rocks in Diablo Canyon and now you stink of cordite from the explosion. Zorro and Diego are one and the same, aren’t they? Enigma solved. The secret is out!
Diego: The secret will never leave this garden. (Diego switches his sword over to his left hand.)
Alejandro: (Appearing in the doorway with a pistol and Felipe at his side.) Out of the way, Diego.
Diego: No, Father. He’s mine.
Alejandro: (As he watches the duel.) Diego? I’ve never seen such fierceness.
(The de la Vega corral. De Soto jumps over the fence intent on stealing a white horse. The sounds of the duel can be heard.)
De Soto: There you are. There you are, my beauty. De la Vega’s pride and joy. You’ll be the one to carry me to safety. (He begins to saddle the horse.)
(The courtyard. The duel continues.)
Alejandro: Diego’s magnificent! Felipe, where did he learn to fence like that? (Diego finally spins, sweeping his leg out to knock Resindo to the ground. He puts his sword at Resindo’s throat.)
Resindo: Go ahead. Kill me! You can’t do it. You don’t have the courage.
Diego: Murder is a coward’s solution.
Resindo: You really believe that? (He laughs.) I once told our father you have a lot to learn about the real world. (Alejandro and Felipe come into the courtyard.)
Diego: Our father?
Resindo: That’s right, Diego. You are my brother. (Alejandro looks at Resindo
in astonishment.)
Diego: (Doubtfully.) Brother?
Resindo: You sensed it all along.
Diego: This is absurd.
Inez: (Appearing at the gate) It’s true. What Gilberto says is true. (Walking forward.) I am Inez Resindo.
Alejandro: (Trying to remember) Inez…Inez Resindo?
Diego: Father, you know this woman?
Alejandro: Sadly yes, Diego. Señora Resindo, I haven’t laid eyes on you in years, since Diego was born.
Inez: He was born two minutes before Diego. He is the true heir to your property. His real name is Gilberto de la Vega. (Diego looks at his father.)
Alejandro: It’s preposterous. Look, I don’t know who you are, Gilberto Resindo, and I also don’t know the lies this señora has told you. We hired her. She was our midwife. A few days before Diego was expected, my wife had these suspicions about this lady. She could not have children of her own. She was an angry, bitter, and jealous woman. Oh, enough!
Inez: You see what he is doing, Gilberto. He’s perverting the truth all over again.
Alejandro: If you had been my son, no power on earth would have taken you from me.
Diego: If he were your son, he would not have tried to kill you.
Inez: (to Diego) He is your brother and he can prove it. You have a birthmark on your inner thigh, in the shape of a cross. (Gilberto smiles and rips his pants to reveal a birthmark like the one she has just described. Diego’s eyes widen. Alejandro is confused.)
Diego: Very well, you are my brother. (Diego and Alejandro look at one another. Gilberto takes advantage of the moment and draws a small pistol from his boot. He scrambles to his feet, pointing it at Diego. De Soto observes the scene from beyond the back gate of the courtyard.)
Gilberto: Say goodbye to your son, old man. And I have one more secret for you. When I kill Diego de la Vega, I also kill—
(De Soto fires from the gate, striking Gilberto in the back. He crumples to the ground.)
Inez: Gilberto! (Gilberto reaches up and grasps hands with Alejandro before he dies.)
De Soto: It was either Resindo or you, Diego. What else could I do? (He starts to laugh and then catches himself when he realizes everyone else is shocked and saddened by the death.)
(The plaza. Victoria watches as a wagon is pulled through the gates. Alejandro rides with Mendoza on the seat. The body is in the back with Inez. Diego, Felipe, and De Soto ride alongside.)
De Soto: Corporal. I am now reassuming full command of this pueblo. You and your men shall leave here first light tomorrow. You understand what I’m saying?
Corporal: Sí, mi alcalde.
De Soto: Take the body away, please. Private, take it away!
Alejandro: (To Inez) You stole my son and filled him with hatred. I can forgive him, but you, Señora, never.
Mendoza: Gracias a Dios. It’s over.
De Soto: (To Mendoza) Sergeant! Report to me in my office. We have much work to do.
Mendoza: (Saluting) Sí, Alcalde.
De Soto: Don Alejandro, I had no idea he was your son.
Alejandro: None of us did. You also saved a son of mine. And that I will never forget.
Diego: Nor I.
De Soto: Well, if you will excuse me, I feel I have a compelling need to see Padre Benitez.
Victoria: I heard what happened. (To Alejandro) I’m so sorry.
Alejandro: It’s hard to gain a son and then lose him all in the same hour.
Diego: Gilberto was suckled on vengeance. I wish I had known him as a brother, not as an enemy.
Victoria: Perhaps if he had had a different life, you would have been proud of him instead, Diego.
Diego: (Nodding sadly.) There is something I’ve been meaning to tell you all for quite some time. Now would seem an appropriate moment. Felipe, with your permission. (Felipe takes a deep breath.) I…I...am…going to adopt Felipe. He’s to be a member of our family. (Everyone smiles)
Alejandro: This is wonderful news. (He hugs Felipe) I now have two sons. The de la Vegas will never be divided. Never. (Felipe lets out a relieved deep breath.) Diego, there’s something that’s been gnawing inside of me.
Diego:
Father, there is something I’ve been meaning to tell you for quite some time.
Felipe, Victoria, if you’ll excuse us for a moment. (Diego and his father
walk away from the two of them.)
Alejandro: Do you remember when Gilberto was just about to shoot you. He
said that he was not only going to kill you, that he was going to
kill… (Alejandro turns to face Diego.) and then he never finished. What
do you suppose he was going to say, Diego?
(They both stand facing each other in the street and the scene freezes.)
The End