‘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.