Gladiator: Vengeance (5 page)

‘Quiet, you fool!’ Festus snapped as he chased after the auctioneer. Marcus dropped the scroll and raced after his friend. Outside in the corridor he saw Festus with the bulky outline of Pindarus a short distance in front as he rushed into the garden.

‘Help! Help!’

Festus sprinted another few steps and launched himself at Pindarus. He landed on the man’s back, knocking him forward. The auctioneer let out a cry of terror as he fell face first against an urn. There was an explosive grunt before he lay still, with Festus sprawled on top of him. Marcus rushed over as Festus rolled to the side and came up in a crouch, dagger held out to one side, ready for action. But there was no response from Pindarus. No more cries of alarm, not even a sound of breathing.

Marcus dropped down beside the auctioneer’s head and saw in the moonlight that it was twisted at an awkward angle where it butted up against the base of a heavy stone urn in which a small conifer had been planted.

‘Something’s wrong with him. Help me turn him over, Festus.’

Between the two of them they managed to turn the fat man on to his back and his head lolled limply on the flagstones of the garden path. A small, dark dribble spilled out of one of his nostrils as he stared up at the moon. Marcus knelt down beside him and lowered his ear above the man’s lips, but there was nothing. No sound and not the slightest movement of air. He shuffled down and pressed his ear over the soft flesh of the auctioneer’s chest but could detect no heartbeat. Marcus looked up at Festus.

‘I think he’s dead.’

‘Impossible.’ Festus held up his dagger. There was only the dull metal gleam in the moonlight. No blood. ‘I didn’t touch him. I held the dagger out to the side.’

‘It wasn’t the blade.’ Marcus gestured towards the urn. ‘He hit his head on that.’

‘Damn. Stupid fool shouldn’t have run for it.’

‘Master! Master!’

They both looked round towards the bottom of the garden. There was a figure moving there, then another, and behind them the glow as a third approached, a torch held aloft.

‘Master?’ The first figure hesitated as he caught sight of Marcus and Festus. ‘Who’s there?’

‘Quick!’ Festus hissed. ‘We have to get out of here.’

They left the body and raced over to the flower bed where they had crossed the wall. Marcus threw his back against the wall and cupped his hands. Festus clambered up, roughly placing his hand on the crown of Marcus’s head to thrust himself up. His foot pressed heavily on Marcus’s shoulder as his fingers grappled for purchase on the top of the wall. At once he threw a leg over and lay along the wall, then reached down for Marcus.

‘Thieves!’ The voice from the bottom of the garden called out as he hurried forward, outlined by the glow of the torch of the man behind him. ‘Robbery! Raise the alarm!’

‘Come on, Marcus!’ Festus urged.

‘Wait!’ Marcus looked back at the house. ‘His record scroll … I must have it.’

‘No! There’s no time. Pindarus is dead. If you’re caught in here with the body they’ll charge you with murder. We must go. NOW!’

He thrust out his hand and Marcus reluctantly grasped it to
pull himself up on the wall, his toes scraping the plaster as he scrabbled for any grip that would help him over the top.

‘Don’t let them escape!’ a voice cried out. ‘They’re getting away!’

Emboldened now, the men were rushing up the path and Marcus knew the body of their master would be discovered at any moment. Festus dropped down into the alley and Marcus quickly landed beside him.

‘What’s happened?’ Lupus asked anxiously.

Festus shoved him towards the street. ‘Later! We have to run. Go!’

They started up the alley, feet slapping on the stones. They had almost reached the street when a shrill cry cut through the peaceful night air. ‘Murder! MURDER!’

They ran into the street as the glow of more torches loomed above the walls of the neighbouring houses. They had not gone more than a few paces when a door opened in the next house and a man stepped outside. He saw the three figures racing past.

‘Stop! Oi, you lot! Stop!’

They ignored the command and ran on down the street towards the inn where they had rented a room.

‘Stop them!’ the man cried out as he gave chase. ‘Murderers! Stop ’em!’

More people began to emerge and then fifty paces ahead Marcus saw a group of young men heading up the street, talking cheerfully. As the man behind called out again, they stopped and saw the three figures racing towards them.

‘This way!’ Festus pointed to an alley and dived into it. Marcus and Lupus followed as the party further down the street began to echo the cry of the man chasing them. The alley was narrow, barely more than a pace wide, and hardly any moonlight penetrated the darkness. Marcus prayed to the Gods that they did not stumble over anything and twist an ankle or tread on anything sharp. Festus turned left at the first junction and they ran on to the next, then took a right fork. Behind them they could clearly hear the pursuit being taken up by more of the townspeople.

At the next corner they stopped, chests heaving as they gasped for air.

‘Which way … now?’ Lupus gulped.

‘I’m not sure,’ Festus said. ‘I’ve lost my bearings on the inn. But we can’t stay here.’

Marcus thought hard, taking account of the direction they had originally come from and the diversions that Festus had taken. He stepped towards the opening to another alley. ‘This way.’

Festus hesitated. ‘How do you know?’

‘Trust me and just follow!’

Marcus plunged into the gloom and trotted down the alley. It was relatively straight and when they reached a small square with a well he continued across it and into the street on the far side. Behind them the sound of their pursuers was starting to grow more distant and Marcus heaved a sigh of relief. He slowed his pace for a little longer and then eased into a walk. A moment later they stepped out into a street that all of them recognized. The inn was in sight a short distance to the left. With his heart still beating fast, Marcus tried to affect a casual air as he led his comrades towards the opening into the yard. Then he heard the sound of voices and laughter and paused.

‘Keep going,’ Festus insisted. ‘We have to get off the street as soon as possible.’

They walked into the yard and Marcus saw a handful of men sitting on the ground where the dice game had been taking place earlier. They were in their cups and called out a slurred greeting as the three figures passed by.

‘Come on, friendsh! Come ’n share a drink!’

‘No, thank you,’ Festus replied with forced levity. ‘Been a long day. The boys and I need some sleep.’

‘Shuit yerselves …’

Marcus lifted the latch on the door to their room and hurried inside, closing the door behind them. Lupus collapsed on his bedroll and gasped as he caught his breath. Marcus slumped opposite while Festus went back to the door and opened it a crack to look outside. When he was satisfied they had escaped their pursuers and that no one had raised the alarm, he shut the door and sat heavily. A thin shaft of moonlight pierced the window and washed their faces with a pale blue tint. Marcus could see the fear etched into Lupus’s expression as his chest rose and fell. Festus puffed his cheeks and stared fixedly at the far wall.

‘Do you think … we’re safe?’ asked Marcus.

Festus cracked his knuckles. ‘For now … But we were seen.’

‘It was dark. They couldn’t have seen clearly enough to identify us.’

‘But they did see a man and two boys. Pindarus is dead. They will be looking for the killers.’

‘But we didn’t kill him on purpose,’ Marcus protested. ‘It was an accident.’

‘Do you really think that will make any difference? You heard them. Murder, they said. They won’t be in any mood for an explanation. Besides, we were caught in his house. Where we had no good reason to be. They’ll say we were robbing his
house and killed him when he came across us. And who can blame them …’

Marcus was silent for a moment. ‘Then what should we do? Lie low for a few days, until the auction?’

‘No. It’s too dangerous. We have to get out of Stratos. As soon as possible.’

Lupus gulped. ‘You mean now? Right away?’

Festus shook his head. ‘Not while there are people out on the streets looking for us. Besides the town gates are closed for the night. The only way out is over the wall. If we were caught trying to escape that way they would instantly connect us to Pindarus’s death. We’ll have to wait until morning when the gates are open, and leave like any other travellers. I just hope they won’t be watching for us.’

‘What will they do if they arrest us?’ asked Lupus.

‘What do you think they do to murderers?’ Festus responded curtly. ‘We’ll be put to death.’

‘Put to death …’ Lupus muttered. ‘Oh no … Oh no.’

‘Try and rest,’ said Festus. ‘We must rise early and leave the town, to put as much distance as we can between us and this place.’

‘But what about the auction?’ asked Marcus. ‘What about the man who’s coming from Decimus’s estate? If we miss him, then we’ll lose this chance to find my mother.’

‘I doubt there will be an auction. Not without an auctioneer. As for Decimus’s man, well, there’s not much we can do now. We’ll have to find another way to locate the estate. I’m sorry, Marcus, but we don’t have any choice. We can’t afford to stay here and wait.’

‘But where shall we go?’ asked Lupus.

Festus considered their options briefly before he decided. ‘Athens. Decimus is sure to have a house there, along with everyone else who needs to show his face at the governor’s palace. Besides, it’s a large enough city that we won’t attract unwanted attention. I’m sure we can pick up Decimus’s trail there. And we’ll be far away from the hue and cry over the death of Pindarus.’

Marcus shook his head in anger and frustration. This should never have happened, he told himself. All they were trying to do was find some information. They had never intended any harm to befall the auctioneer. It was a bitter irony that he had returned to Greece as a freed person, only to be hunted down again. If they became fugitives it would make his ambition to find his mother ten times harder. If they were caught, and blamed for the death of Pindarus, then they would die, and any hope that his mother would once again be free would die with them.

Festus woke them before dawn so they could prepare their packs for the day’s march. They had paid for their room in advance so there was no need to worry about disturbing the innkeeper to settle up. As soon as there was light enough, they left the room and crossed the courtyard to the street. A couple of the men from the previous evening had curled up in the corner of the yard, sleeping off their drink, and one of them stirred, raised his head to look at them and then slumped down again, burped and mumbled incoherently as he tried to get back to sleep.

Only a few of the townspeople had yet stirred and Festus made for the southern gate of Stratos. As they drew near to it he turned into an alley and led the two boys down it as far as the locked doorway in an arch outside a shop.

‘We’ll wait here.’

‘Why wait?’ asked Marcus. ‘I thought you wanted to leave as soon as possible.’

‘That’s right. As soon as possible, when it’s safe to do so. At the moment we stick out like a sore thumb. We’ll wait until plenty of people are on the streets and we can blend in with the rest of the traffic passing through the gate.’

Lupus yawned. ‘Well, why couldn’t we have waited at the inn?’

‘Because the moment the innkeeper hears that a man and two boys are being sought in connection with the death of Pindarus, he’ll report us to the authorities. If we’d stayed in the room we’d have been caught like rats in a trap.’

Lupus shrugged as he looked at the trickle of sewage running down the middle of the dingy alley. ‘As opposed to rats amid the crap.’

Festus stared at him then laughed. ‘Good to see you still have a sense of humour. That’s something you could do with, Marcus.’

‘Really? Name one thing in my life to laugh about,’ Marcus challenged him and then squatted down, trying to make himself comfortable while they waited for the streets to fill.

An hour passed and slowly the hubbub of the waking city filled the air as the sun rose above the horizon and bathed Stratos in a rosy glow. At length Festus nudged Marcus with the toe of his boot.

‘Time to move. Up you get. You too, Lupus.’

They picked up their packs and headed back up the alley to emerge into the street. Where it had been almost empty an hour before, now it was thronged with people, handcarts and small wagons drawn by mules, and the din echoed off the walls of the buildings along the thoroughfare. They slipped in behind the covered wagon of a spice merchant and followed it in the direction of the southern gate. At first they made steady progress but then the wagon slowed to a halt. Festus motioned to them to be patient, but Marcus ducked his head round the side of the wagon and saw a queue leading to the gate, where several armed men were scrutinizing those leaving the town and searching the wagons and carts. He casually turned to his comrades and spoke in an undertone.

‘They’re looking for us.’

‘What?’ Festus had a quick look and when he faced the boys he could not conceal his anxiety. ‘You’re right, Marcus. We can’t stay together. They’ll be looking for three fugitives. We have to split up and leave Stratos one by one. It would be better if we use different gates as well. Lupus, you and I will leave by this road. I’ll get ahead of the wagon and go first. If you see them stop me, then go back and wait a while before trying another way out.’

‘What about me?’ asked Marcus.

‘You turn back. Take the north gate and head out a mile or so along the road before you cut round the town. Stay out of sight as far as you can. We’ll meet up by that crossroads we passed a few miles down the road south of Stratos.’ Festus paused and looked at each of the boys. ‘Lads, we’re all on our own for now. If any of us get caught then the others have to continue without them. Understand?’

Lupus nodded uncertainly and Marcus realized that he was afraid. In truth, so was Marcus, and not just for himself. He fixed Festus with a firm stare.

‘Promise me one thing. If I don’t get out, then swear that you will do all you can to find my mother and set her free.’

Festus nodded solemnly. ‘I swear it by all the Gods.’

Marcus turned to Lupus. ‘You too.’

‘Me? What could I do, all by myself?’

‘What you have to. I had to deal with that when I was first all alone. And I was younger than you.’

Lupus pursed his lips. ‘I’ll do my best, Marcus … I swear.’

Marcus clasped him by the forearm and did the same with Festus. ‘I’ll see you later. Both of you. The Gods go with you.’

‘And with you, Marcus,’ Festus replied.

Marcus turned abruptly and began to stride away up the
side of the street, along the queue building up. He did not look back, but turned his thoughts to his own escape. He must be calm and not attract attention. Yet he felt that people were looking at him suspiciously as he walked through the crowded streets. Then, as he passed a public fountain, he saw a notice pasted on the plinth, offering a reward for the capture of the murderers of Pindarus. He did not stop to read it, but slowed enough to pick up the details. Sure enough, the town’s authorities were looking for a man and two boys, and there was even a brief description that he recognized as being of himself. Marcus felt an icy chill grip his spine and he increased his pace. How in Hades had they managed to get a description of him? It had been dark. No one could have made out any such details.

He was still pondering this as he passed by the entrance to the inn they had stayed at. He glanced towards the opening into the yard and saw one of the men who had been playing dice there the previous afternoon, leaning against one of the pillars either side of the entrance. The next instant their eyes met and the man instinctively nodded a greeting as one does at a person one recognizes, but does not immediately grasp why. Marcus did not respond but turned his face away, continuing to watch the man out of the corner of his eye. He saw the
man frown slightly and ease himself away from the pillar as he watched Marcus walk by. He did not look back but continued down the street, forcing himself not to increase his pace.

‘Hey!’ a voice cried above the noise of the traffic in the street. Marcus did not respond.

‘Hey, boy! … Hey there! Stop!’

This time Marcus increased his stride, all the time staring fixedly ahead. Inside his heart was pounding and his stomach churned with anxiety.

‘I’m talking to you!’ the man called out. People were turning towards him and Marcus knew he had to get away quickly. There was a crossroads a short distance further on and he turned off the street just as the man called out again, loud enough to carry over the sounds of the crowd.

‘He’s one of ’em! He was with the man and the other boy! He killed Pindarus!’

Marcus broke into a trot now that he was out of the man’s line of sight, threading his way through the crowded thoroughfare, muttering apologies as he brushed past people. He saw an alley opening to his right and dodged into it, increasing his pace to a run as he pounded away from the man raising the alarm. There was nothing for it now but to make for the other gate as fast as he could before word reached the men guarding it that
the fugitives were still in Stratos and had separated. He only hoped that Festus and Lupus had escaped through the south gate before it was too late.

There was no sound of pursuit but Marcus kept running, keeping parallel to the road that led to the gate. When he judged it was safe, he rejoined the street he had originally been following and saw the northern gate fifty paces ahead. But his heart sank as he saw more men, armed with spears, standing either side of the arch leading out through the wall. The traffic was still moving slowly as he joined the people shuffling forward. Every so often the officer in charge of the party stopped someone and questioned them, especially any men accompanied by one or more boys. Marcus tried to control his breathing and appear calm as he approached the gate. There were only a few people ahead of him when he heard a distant commotion from behind. He dared not turn.

‘You! Yes, you boy. Over here!’ The officer beckoned to him and Marcus swallowed nervously, then approached and stopped in front of the man. The Greek scrutinized him closely. ‘Are you on your own?’

‘Yes, sir.’

The officer’s eyes narrowed slightly. ‘You’re not from these parts. Your accent is … Roman.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘What’s your name?’

Marcus thought quickly. ‘Tiberius Rufinus, sir.’

‘What are you doing in Stratos?’

‘Just passing through, sir. I’m on my way to Dyrrachium, sir. My father’s serving in the governor’s staff there. He sent for me. I’ve come from Athens.’

Marcus could hear a voice now, demanding that the crowd clear the way.

‘Athens, eh?’ the officer mused. ‘Well, young Rufinus, I’d watch yourself. They’re nothing but a bunch of thieves in Athens. Thieves, and worse, philosophers. Nothing in this world so dishonest as a man who thinks for a living.’ He laughed and waved Marcus on as he turned his attention to the next person in the queue.

‘Let me through, I say!’ The voice cried out again, closer this time. Marcus forced himself to walk unhurriedly up to the arch and into its shadow. The crunch of footsteps echoing off the stones on either side sounded unnaturally loud.

‘Close the gate!’ a voice called out.

‘What?’ the officer called back. ‘On whose authority?’

‘The magistrate! One of the killers has been seen. Not far from here. Close the gate now and we’ll have him!’

Marcus stepped out into the sunlight and had only walked a few more paces before he heard a howl of protest from those who were still stuck inside the town. Then the hinges groaned in protest as the gates began to close. He continued a short distance before he dared look back, just as the gates thudded into place, barring the exit. Relief washed over him as he turned away to walk casually along the road leading north from Stratos.

As Festus had instructed he walked over a mile, to be safe, eventually stopping where the road passed through an olive plantation with terraces of trees that spread across the rolling hills on either side. He sat in the shade of a poplar tree and waited until there was no one in sight before leaving the road to work his way round the town towards the south. The countryside was dotted with small farms and their surrounding olive groves and strips of crops, and Marcus had to pick his way carefully to avoid being seen. Once he blundered into an angry man with two hunting dogs who threatened to unleash them if Marcus didn’t get off his land at once.

It took the rest of the morning to make his way round the town and rejoin the road leading south towards Athens. By now the sun was high above and the air was hot and still, and Marcus was sweating freely. He took his canteen out of his pack for a few swigs of warm water before replacing the
stopper and continuing on. A few miles south of Stratos the road passed into a forest of pine and cedar trees at the foot of a mountain and the air filled with the comforting fragrance of the pines. He was close to the crossroads now and Marcus increased his pace, keenly anticipating the reunion with his friends. He rounded a final corner and ahead lay the clearing where the two roads met.

There was no one there. Marcus felt his heart sink, fearing that Festus and Lupus had failed to escape. The thought of continuing his quest alone momentarily tipped him into a deep pit of despair before he angrily forced the thought aside. If that was what fate had in store for him then he would deal with it, like he had dealt with everything else since that terrible day when Thermon and his thugs had destroyed his peaceful home on Leucas.

There was still some chance that Festus would find a way to escape. Marcus had worked with him long enough to know just how tough and resourceful Caesar’s bodyguard was. With a sigh, he crossed the clearing and sat down heavily beside the milestone to wait.

There was only a short pause before he heard a twig crack in the trees nearby and turned round in alarm, one hand reaching for the throwing knife in a concealed sheath near the top of his pack.

‘Marcus?’ a voice called out cautiously.

He relaxed and eased himself. ‘Yes, Lupus, it’s me. You can come out.’

A figure appeared from behind one of the trees and moved out into the dappled sunlight. ‘It’s so good to see you.’ Lupus could not help smiling. ‘I was starting to worry.’

‘I got out just in time,’ Marcus told him. ‘What about you? Any problems?’

Lupus shook his head. ‘I was afraid, but I tried to look calm and unconcerned like Festus. But all the time I thought they would see through me. Anyway –’ his tone brightened – ‘we’re all here. Together again.’

Marcus looked round. ‘Where’s Festus?’

‘He told me to wait here and look out for you. He said he needed to find something.’

‘Find something?’ Marcus frowned. ‘What?’

‘This!’ Festus’s voice called out and both boys turned to see him striding out of the forest. He held two hares up in one hand while a sling dangled from the other. ‘Dinner! Now let’s get off the road and find somewhere quiet to roast these beauties. I’m starving!’