‘So then we’re wasting time here. It would be good to know one way or the other.’
‘Mmm.’
‘I checked the wall this afternoon,’ added Indavara. ‘There’s no glass, no spearheads. No problem.’
Cassius reminded himself not to be too easily swayed by the bodyguard. Indavara was a little more thoughtful these days but invariably favoured action over inaction. But he was right about the possibility of wasted time. It was better to know.
Cassius stood up and took his sword belt off the chair. As he hung it from his shoulder he heard Indavara glug down some wine.
‘Now listen. You will stay calm, won’t you? Whatever happens.’
‘Just a bit of sneaking around, right?’
‘Indavara. We don’t know what-’
The bodyguard snuffed out the candle with two fingers. ‘I think you’re the one who needs to stay calm.’
The proprietor wasn’t particularly happy about being woken but a couple of sesterces shut him up. This was clearly not an area where doors remained unbolted in the hours of darkness so Cassius told him to wait until they returned. He and Indavara walked fifty paces to the right before crossing the street, then approached carefully until they were between the ruined apartment block and the warehouse wall. Pausing for a moment, they agreed they could hear nothing from inside, then proceeded to the rear corner.
‘How do we do this, then?’ asked Cassius.
‘You give me a leg up, then I pull you up after me. Tuck your sword into your main belt.’
‘Why?’
‘So it doesn’t clang against the wall when you jump – that’s why.’
‘Ah.’
‘Now – back against the wall. Link your hands together and give me a good boost.’
‘Those boots of yours had better be clean, I-’
Indavara was already on his way. Cassius thought his grip might falter but he held on and heaved as best he could. The bodyguard’s other boot thumped into the wall an inch from his ear and in an instant he was up. Cassius turned round and watched him scramble into a sitting position.
‘Looks clear. Take a good run. One foot on the wall. One hand up to me.’
Cassius checked his sword and kicked some pebbles out of the way as he retreated. He reckoned this wasn’t all that different from the high jump competitions he’d performed in as a youth and he took the same five quick steps. With a bit of purchase from his boot, he threw his arm upward. Indavara clamped a hand on his wrist and hauled him the rest of the way. Cassius found himself lying across the wall, staring down at the murky yard below.
‘Checking the ground, eh? Good idea.’
‘Most amusing.’
As Cassius righted himself, Indavara lowered himself, dropping the last two feet.
‘Can’t hear anything,’ whispered the bodyguard. ‘Come down.’
Cassius somehow scraped his chin as he hung from the wall but landed well.
Indavara was already moving. ‘Watch your footing – bit of rubble and a few holes.’
Cassius followed him to the closest corner of the warehouse. The large, circular windows high above allowed them to hear the voices inside, though they could not make out what the men were saying.
‘Up to the front?’ whispered Indavara.
‘We’re not going to find out anything from here.’
On they went, staying close to the wall and moving as quietly as they could.
When they reached the other end of the building, Cassius put a hand on Indavara’s shoulder. ‘Careful, they might have left a sentry.’
They took it one step at a time, always stopping when there was a pause or a change in the muffled speech drifting out of the warehouse. Once at the gate, they peered inside. The lantern had been put on a low table and the men were gathered around it. Cassius couldn’t see their faces so he counted legs.
‘All four of them.’
‘So we going in?’
Cassius grimaced as he received a faceful of Indavara’s breath (the bodyguard had monopolised the goat’s cheese). ‘It’d be useful to hear what they’re saying but what if they see us? Or hear us?’
‘I’m guessing this is a “no blades” situation, right?’
‘Right.’
‘We run straight back to that corner, repeat the routine and get back over the wall. No way they’ll catch us.’
Cassius couldn’t really find fault with the escape plan. ‘Fair enough. Lead on.’
The gate had been left slightly ajar. He turned side on, and squeezed through rather more easily than Indavara. They took ten more paces inside the warehouse then stood still in complete darkness, fifty feet from the four men.
‘Close enough?’ whispered Indavara.
‘Yes.’
Though Cassius could make out some bulky shapes surrounding the foursome, it was impossible to see exactly what was being stored in the warehouse. They were speaking Greek.
‘… can hide his stuff at his brother’s. Don’t see how they’ll get to him.’
‘What about Ibykos?’
‘I’ll talk to him tomorrow.’
‘And his girl?’
‘He ain’t with her no more.’
‘The new one – the baker’s daughter.’
‘I know – he ain’t with her no more!’
‘Macar?’
‘Saw him this morning. He’s stashed everything in his uncle’s cellar out in that village. No problem there.’
‘Who else? We have to think of everyone. Every little thing. Could be tomorrow they come knocking on our doors.’
‘We sure this place is safe?’
‘Gods, it better be, the stuff we’ve got in here-’
Cassius heard something smack against the exterior wall.
The four conspirators looked up. Two drew their daggers.
‘Go,’ hissed Cassius. ‘Out!’
As he and Indavara cleared the gate, two men holding lanterns clambered up from the street side on to the wall.
‘They’re running for it!’ shouted one of them.
Cassius and Indavara hared around the side of the warehouse and towards the far corner. Another light appeared above the wall to their right.
‘Who are they?’ asked Indavara.
‘Quiet,’ replied Cassius. ‘Let’s just get out of here. Oh, gods.’
Another man with a light had just appeared close to their corner.
‘Other side,’ said Indavara.
They cut left and ran past the rear of the warehouse. Cassius felt weeds thrash his legs then his left boot thumped into something. He at least managed to turn as he fell, protecting his face and striking the ground with his shoulder. He rolled to a halt then cried out as his hand was stung by some nettles.
‘Corbulo, where are you?’
‘Back here.’
Cassius couldn’t even see Indavara. All he could see was yet another man with a lantern coming over another section of the wall.
‘Where?’
‘Here.’
At last Indavara emerged out of the darkness. He helped Cassius up.
‘At the back!’ came a shout. ‘More of them at the back.’
Three lights and three men were converging on their position.
‘We’re not going to make it,’ said Cassius.
‘Sir, over here,’ shouted one of the men as they closed in.
Cassius spied the club in his hand. ‘City sergeants. I’ll talk to them.’
He walked towards the nearest man. ‘You there, I am an army officer. We are conducting a-’
‘Of course you are.’
The sergeant’s club thudded into his stomach. Gasping for breath, Cassius fell to his knees. He would have given in to the pain and rolled over were it not for the sight of Indavara marching past him. Cassius grabbed his belt.
‘No!’ he spluttered. ‘Indavara, do not fight. We will sort this out.’
Cassius gripped his aching gut with one hand but kept hold of the bodyguard with the other. ‘Promise me you’ll not fight.’
‘Drop the blades, big lad,’ shouted one of the sergeants as more of them appeared from the gloom.
‘Just listen to me,’ yelled Cassius. ‘We’re-’
‘I said drop them!’
Indavara pulled his sword belt from his shoulder. It landed on the ground next to Cassius. Next came the dagger.