Escalvos

Characters: Q/T G CM M

Synopsis: The Queen thwarts a devious scheme and receives help from an unlikely source.

Colonel Montoya was nervous. A mob of angry people was outside his office yelling for him to appear. "What did you get me into this time, Captain?" he said to his mercenary lap dog.

"They’re angry that several children have disappeared with out a trace. Who cares about a bunch of sniveling brats?" replied Grisham. Colonel Montoya whirled around to face the Americano in a rage. "I care, they care. Why wasn’t I informed of this? I don’t know how you Americanos feel about children, but in our culture children are our future and we hold them very close. More importantly, that mob cares. I don’t look good in a rope necktie. Do you?"

Montoya walked out onto the balcony. "People, people, I am hurt. Captain Grisham has just now informed me of the terrible acts than have been done to you. The kidnapping of your children is detestable and we will capture these mad dogs and execute them. Why didn’t you come to me sooner? I am the Commandant for all the people in this pueblo. Captain Grisham will not leave a stone unturned until he finds your children, our future." Smiled Montoya. Quietly he said to Grisham " If you don’t locate the children quickly I will turn you over to that mob. If I find out that you had anything to do with it, I will kill you myself." He was not smiling.

Tessa and Marta had witnessed the mob and heard Montoya’s speech. "We must help Marta, not for Montoya’s sake but for the children. Start mixing with the crowd and see what you can find out. I will do the same," Tessa said as they reached the crowd.

Several hours later the two women sat in Tessa’s parlor gleaning the information they had uncovered. 17 or so boys, ages 8-12 had disappeared. Some were from the pueblo, but some were the isolated peons on the outlying haciendas. No one had seen the abductions but the tracks all seemed to lead to the bad lands to the east. "Where and when was the last boy taken?" Asked Tessa.

There were interrupted by a suddenly banging on the door. Marta answered the door and a man fell into the house. He had been shot. "It’s Juan, one of the workers that east of here. He has been shot." Called Marta. Tessa ran to the door. "Juan, who shot you and why?" "Senorita," he gasped in pain. "A stranger, he grabbed my Pedro and when I went to help my son and the man shot me." "Juan, when did this happen and where?" asked Tessa. "Just before sundown near mi casa." Said Juan and then he passed out.

"Marta, take Juan to Doctor Helm in the surrey. Sundown was an hour ago. We have to be quick." "Tessa, you can’t follow their tracks at night. We will both take Juan and report this. In the morning you can follow the tracks?" counseled Marta "You are right, as usual, Marta." Replied Tessa.

When Montoya heard about the latest abduction, he was furious. "Grisham, what are you doing here instead of chasing these kidnappers? I hope Senora Hidalgo is not here keeping you from your duties." Meekly Grisham replied. "I was getting ready to ride out Colonel." "Getting ready? It’s been daylight for 3 hours. Until you have apprehended these kidnappers I don'’ want to see you in the pueblo during daylight. Now move!" growled Montoya.

Grisham led a squad of soldiers out of the pueblo. Marta saw this and sought Colonel Montoya. "Colonel, isn’t it peculiar that Captain Grisham left the pueblo going the opposite direction of the Alvarado Hacienda where the last abduction took place? I am not a military genius but that seems counter productive." "Perhaps a new piece of evidence has been found which he felt he had to follow." replied Montoya. As he walked away, he said under his breath. "Grisham so help me . . ."

The tracks led toward the bad lands. This is part of the desert toward the coast mountains beyond El Camino Real. The Queen followed the tracks easily in the soft ground. Constantly vigilant for an ambush or the soldiers from the rear she checked but no dust clouds from either direction. It was getting dark as she reached the mountains and she looked for a place to camp. A small hill off to the north would give her protection as well as an advantage to survey the area. At the peak, she found a circle of large boulders. This would protect her from sight, the wind and predators. It would be a cold camp, as she could not risk a fire. Searching in her saddlebags for something to keep her warm, she found some trail mix that Marta had prepared. "God bless her." She said to Chico as she gave him an apple.

As Night settled, the air became quiet and the Queen could hear everything. The stars were bright and looked like there were only inches apart. She never had really looked at the stars in California, as there had been too much to do since arriving. As she stared into the heavens a light sound could be heard. Clang, clang, clang. The sound of metal on metal. She jumped up and grabbed her telescope. Moving to the highest point she could, she searched the entire area. Off in the distance was a faint glow of a fire. It was too big for a traveler’s fire. It would be too dangerous to go storming into a camp without reconnoitering the area first. At first light she again checked the area. She could see the place where the fire had burned and it appeared to be a mine. As she saddled Chico, she heard the sound of a wagon and horses approaching. Taking cover she spied three rough looking men. One was driving the wagon, the other two on horseback. This wagon was more of a cage on wheels. Her heart stopped as the wagon stopped directly in front of her and the men dismounted. She froze in her position. The men sat down and rolled their smokes. She crept forth a little ways so she could hear them.

"Pablo," said one of the men. "You had better stay out of Santa Helena. Our partner will be very upset if he gets caught. Killing that peon will piss everyone off." ‘Look, Antonio, no one saw me and we were miles from the pueblo. I’ll go back, find the body and bury it." "No!" said Antonio. "You will wait with the wagon. When Luis and I return, we should have enough volunteers to work the mine. There are only 6 of us to control the 20 we have already. Our partner wants results." "Who is our partner?" "I am not sure, Luis, it was dark and he wore a bandana over his face. I could recognize his voice. He is not a Spaniard possibly Americano or English." Replied Antonio. "Now we ride. We will be back around night fall."

The Queen gave the men a half-hour before she made her move. Her whip did all the talking as it wrapped around Pablo’s neck and choked him unconscious. She took his shirt, poncho and sombrero. She tied and gagged him and left him in the cage.

She carefully rode towards the mine until she heard the hammering again. She dismounted and crept to where she could see, searching the area for guards. There were only three men. Two were guarding the boys and one went into the mine. When he came out he ordered ten of the boys into the mine leaving one of the men as a guard.

A few minutes later, a whip struck out and the guard was caught. He managed to break away and grabbed his pistol. He only got it part way out of the holster when he was brought down by 10 boys, knocking him out. He was drug away, tied and gagged out of sight. When no one came out of the mine, the Queen put on the guard’s clothes and entered the mine. The boys followed. She could hear the sound of digging and stopped when she saw the first guard. He was watching the boys. The Queen came up behind him and knocked him out with the butt of her sword. As she took his place, the other guard started towards her "Where were you, I am not going to watch these brats my self," he shouted. The Queen removed the poncho and sombrero. The guard raised his pistol, and the 10 boys in the mine suddenly overwhelmed him.

The prisoners were marched to the cage wagon where all four were tied and gagged behind some boulders. One of the boys climbed to the high ground and acted as lookout. The Queen started to tell the boys where to hide. "No Senorita Al . . Uh Regina, Pedro caught himself. "I am a man and as a man I will fight the men that killed my father. I may be 12 years old but with the help of the others, we will capture the others. You taught me that 1 can fight wrong, well what happens when many fight that injustice?" He said. "Pedro, you are a man. A man who knows when to keep secrets. We must have a plan so that no one gets hurt. You are unarmed, so . . ." "We are not unarmed. We have 4 rifles and 4 pistols. My friends and I know how to use them as we sometimes hunt our dinner. The rifles we use are old, these are fairly new." "Very well, Pedro," said the Queen smiling. "You are full of surprises. So now let us both make plans." As they finished the lookout alerted them to the approaching men.

The men rode up to the wagon. They saw their comrade with his poncho on and sombrero slouched over his head sleeping. Each man had a tied and gagged boy slung across the saddle. "Pablo" yelled Antonio "Get you’re your sorry ass over here and get these brats" he said throwing the boys to the ground. The Queen got up "Pablo couldn’t make it, Will I do?" throwing off the disguise and unsheathing her sword and faced the men. "Senors," you had better surrender." "Surrender to a lone woman with a sword? Stupid bitch, I’ll show you that women should not play with swords." Said Antonio. He drew his pistol. "Throw down your weapons and surrender," yelled Pedro as he and three others came out from behind the boulders with pistols and rifles drawn. "He said throw down your weapons," came a voice from behind them. Antonio and Luis looked around to see 4 more boys with rifles and pistols pointed at them. "Brats, you want to be men, well here is how men die." He yelled as he pointed his pistol. That was as far as he got as 16 very large rocks hurled down on them knocking them off their horses. They struggled to get up when 16 more rocks hit them. This time they stayed down.

A few hours later a cage wagon drove into the pueblo. "Colonel Montoya," said Pedro. "These are the men that kidnapped us. The Queen of Swords freed us and we captured them." "Very impressive, Pedro, you did what our Captain Grisham has been unable to do. Where is the Queen now?" "She had some other business to attend to," said Pedro. Just then there was a faint sound of an explosion from the direction of the mine. "Guess her business is finished."

"Guards," shouted Montoya "Take these men and set up the gallows. Captain Grisham will have the pleasure of hanging the whenever he returns." A few minutes later Grisham and his men rode into the pueblo. "Ah, so nice of you to join us, Captain. You are just in time to hang these men for kidnapping. It seems the Queen of Swords and these boys did what you could not do. Are you able to hang these men without help?" sneered Montoya.

Grisham did not say anything as be climbed the gallows holding 6 men with ropes around their necks. "Let this be a lesson to wrong doers." Antonio raised his head. "Grisham . . ." he yelled just as the trap door opened and he fell through breaking his neck.

As Montoya and Grisham walked away from the gallows, Montoya said "How interesting that a condemned man who is a stranger to these parts calls out the name of his executioner at the very last?" "I don’t know what you mean." Said Grisham. "You are walking a very narrow line, Captain. I would be very careful if I were you."

Marta and Tessa rode into the pueblo and went to see Juan. ‘He will be ok," said Doctor Helm. " You got him here in time." "Senorita, please come here." Said Juan from the back room. "My son, my boy Pedro has come home." "That is wonderful news, Juan". "Pedro, it is good to see you home safe and sound. Juan I thought you said your son was a boy, but I see a man in front of me." She said looking at Pedro. Their eyes met. "Gracias, Senorita." Pedro replied with a knowing look in his eyes. "The Queen gave us each a bag of gold that we took out of the mine, and said to use it for our families. She also said not to tell Colonel Montoya or Captain Grisham." he said quietly. "She is a beautiful and gracious lady." Tessa looked into Pedro’s eyes. "I am sure she would be flattered by the compliment, from a man such as yourself."

Later Tessa was going through her saddlebags at home, when she pulled out a small bag. "Why those little imps." Said Tessa as she showed Marta the gold. "I wouldn’t call them imps. I would call them angels."

The End