‘You’re wiser than you look,’ grated Kleitos. ‘Now, if you want to earn your gold, you’d best get some eyes on the streets around here, so that we get plenty of warning when they’re coming. We’ll stay here. Keep us informed.’
With a sullen look, Bear chivvied his gang out of the alley.
‘The little shit would sell his own soul if it made him a profit,’ said Hanno.
‘So would any of the adult lowlifes in the city,’ Kleitos said, and Hanno knew he was right.
‘Will Hippocrates not punish the guards?’ he asked, voicing the worry that they had argued over twice before. Those accompanying Aurelia and Elira were likely to be innocent of any wrongdoing against the two women.
‘They’ll be flogged afterwards, that’s for sure, but I don’t think it will come to more than that. Trained soldiers are priceless commodities at the moment. Besides, the coinage you gave me will more than compensate them. I will see that they receive it secretly, from an anonymous donor.’
They settled down to wait, as far from each end of the alleyway as possible. Hanno watched one direction, and Kleitos the other. They’d chosen the site with great care. The narrow passage was full of human waste, and therefore frequented only by those with chamber pots to empty, but that didn’t mean they were safe from discovery. Two men wearing masks were bound to attract attention, yet they couldn’t take them off for fear of the urchins seeing their faces. Added to this concern was Hanno’s worry that Aurelia would be accompanied by too many soldiers, or that she would go to a different gate, or not come at all. It was a nerve-racking time. Conversation had to be kept to a minimum, so he could do nothing but brood.
Hanno’s humour wasn’t helped by the rank stench of shit and piss, and the squelchy feeling of both between his toes every time he moved. He focused his mind on the room that Kleitos had rented above a tavern in the far west of the city. News of the women’s escape would take time to reach the area. With luck, the inn’s owner, a man known to Kleitos, and whose hand had been well greased, would pay no heed. Kleitos’ ploy was to say that Aurelia and Elira were flute girls, secreted away for illicit meetings with him and his friend (Hanno). After a little while, Hanno thrust that idea from his mind too. That part of their plan was also full of risk. Everything had to go according to plan, or it would end in disaster. Gods, but fighting a battle was easier than this, he thought sourly.
‘They’re coming!’ One of Bear’s smallest followers, a waif with protuberant eyes and a mass of curly black hair, stood before him.
‘You’re sure?’ asked Hanno.
A confident shrug. ‘I saw two women, one carrying a small body wrapped in linen. A couple of soldiers were with them. That’s who you want, isn’t it?’
Heart racing with excitement, and sorrow for Aurelia, Hanno shot a look at Kleitos. ‘It’s them. It has to be.’
‘Only two soldiers! That’s good. How far away are they?’ demanded Kleitos, stepping to Hanno’s side.
‘A few blocks. They won’t be long.’
‘Bear and the rest are in place?’ asked Hanno.
‘Aye. We want our gold.’
‘And you’ll have it, if you do your job.’
‘Never fear.’ He grinned, revealing filthy, misshapen teeth. ‘I’m to let Bear know when they’re about thirty paces from the entrance to the yard.’ He placed a thumb and forefinger between his lips and blew a low wolf whistle. ‘I’ll do that, but much louder. The instant that the wagon’s rolled out, me and the lads will fall on the two soldiers.’
‘Good. I’ll see Bear tonight, in Achradina, as we arranged. He’ll receive the money then.’
‘I’ll tell him,’ said the urchin over his shoulder as he trotted off.
Kleitos nudged Hanno. ‘Nervous?’
‘Shit, yes! Aren’t you?’
‘My guts are churning like I just ate a dodgy plate of mussels.’ Kleitos leered at him. ‘By Zeus’ beard, though, I feel alive!’
‘Me too,’ said Hanno with a tight smile. It felt good to be doing something for love, instead of for vengeance, or loyalty, or any of the other myriad reasons that men fought. If things went well, he and Aurelia would be reunited. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. Clear heads survived in combat, where overexcited ones did not.
‘I’ll grab the slave girl — Elira, is it? You take Aurelia, and her son.’
‘And if Bear and his lot fail to bring down the soldiers?’
Kleitos stooped, ferreted around in the muck and came up with first one, and then a second, lump of brick. ‘We use these. For gods’ sakes, try not to kill them.’ Kleitos set off towards the mouth of the alley. He stopped about ten paces in — enough distance to remain unseen to the casual glance of a passer-by, but close enough to be able to run out the moment they had to.
Since the war had begun, Hanno had waited in ambush on countless occasions. It was normal for time to become stretched, for his vision to reduce to a small tunnel in front of him, for his mouth to be dry, his palms sweaty and his guts in turmoil. Yet he’d never felt so nervous. It was due to Aurelia’s involvement, of course, but knowing that didn’t stop his heart from racing ever faster. He began to worry. If he was too nervous, he might screw it all up. That thought was enough. Biting deep into the inside of his cheek, he let the resulting, exquisite pain drive all else before it. His focus soon returned.
A different urchin sauntered into the alley’s mouth. He stopped, and casually scratched at a dirty ankle. ‘They’re fifty paces away,’ he hissed, and disappeared.
Hanno’s nervousness must yet have been palpable, because Kleitos reached out to grip his arm. ‘It will be all right.’
Hanno swallowed. ‘Aye.’
‘We’ve no idea how fast they’re walking. I’ll count down from thirty, so we’re ready.’
Hanno nodded.
‘Thirty. Twenty-nine. Twenty-eight.’
Kleitos’ count went on. Hanno’s gaze was locked on the tall, narrow portion of street that he could see. An old man tottered by, leaning on a stick. In the house opposite, a woman leaned out to beat a small carpet off the iron railings of her balcony. ‘Fresh, hot sausages! Just cooked! Who wants some?’ called a stallholder.
‘Nineteen. Eighteen. Seventeen. Sixteen.’
In the sky above, a seagull screeched contemptuously, and was answered by several others. The waif wandered past without looking into the alleyway. A man pushed a little cart full of ironware past, muttering under his breath about its weight. Two girls stopped to admire something in a shop that abutted on to the alleyway, chattering about who fancied which guard on duty at the gate.
‘Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One,’ said Kleitos.
Neither spoke. They stared at the street, took a couple of steps towards it. The background noises dimmed in Hanno’s ears; he could feel a pulse there, as well as in the base of his throat.
Fweeeeee-feeeeeerrrr. The wolf whistle was far louder than Hanno would have thought possible from someone as small as the waif.
It had begun.
Baal Hammon, watch over us. Baal Saphon, grant us your protection, and your strength, Hanno prayed as they moved to the end of the alley.
Rumble, rumble, rumble. The noise of iron-bound wheels off cobbles came from off to their left. Bear was playing his part so far, but Hanno’s eyes weren’t searching for the wagon. They were desperately scanning the street to his right. He could sense Kleitos behind him, doing the same, but the damn priest and his party were blocking their view. Ten steps away, three urchins stood together, making a bad pretence of inspecting the wares displayed in the entrance to a carpenter’s workshop. Two more loitered on the other side, playing dice in the dirt. The others were probably with Bear.
‘Look out!’ shouted a man’s voice. The rumbling sound grew louder; shouts of alarm went up, and Hanno heard the wagon thump into the wall of a house on his side of the street. Bear laughed. ‘We did it!’