As I ate, Helena was adding details to the map I had drawn. Martinus came back while I was still working through her lavish supplies, but I continued to munch without a conscience. Martinus had been missing so long I had a good idea the deputy had shamelessly found himself a full dinner before he visited Rubella. `So what's the tribune going to do for us?'
`Bad news, Falco. Rubella's sole interest is the fact that this street lies in the Sixth Cohort's empire.'
`He wants to bring them in? That's ridiculous. I don't trust the Sixth.'
`Well, Rubella intends to discuss things with the Prefect before he'll authorise a raid -'
`Rubella's a fool.'
`His plan is to go in tomorrow.'
`That's a plan I'd like if it was tonight.'
Helena was still sitting. quietly at my side. `What about Petronius?' she asked.
`Oh hadn't you heard?' Martinus looked quite cheerful, so I knew it would be bad news. `He's off watch. There was an attack on the patrol house yesterday night. The fire-watchers were all out on a false alarm, but the chief was in there working. Someone rammed the joint with the old "runaway cart" trick – a cart full of rocks and rubble. Brought down half the doorway, but the back part of the building stood up to it and Petronius escaped injury. Rubella reckons it was a direct attempt to get, the chief. He thinks Balbinus was behind it, so he's declared Petro sick and sent him to the country.'
`He won't take kindly to that.'
`He handed in his resignation.'
`Oh Jupiter!' For a calm man, my friend could do some pigheaded things.
Martinus grinned. `Rubella broke the tablet in half and handed it straight back.' The tribune had some sense then. But it meant tackling Plato's without our best man. `While I was on the Aventine I did speak to a few of the lads,' hinted the deputy.
`What does that mean?'
'Sergius and four or five others may be along later.'
`Four or five? Out of the question,' I replied at once. `We can't go into Plato's without saturation coverage. Tell them not to bother.'
`Tell them yourself!' retorted Martinus. He sounded petulant. Then someone tapped discreetly on the counter and I found myself looking into the ridiculously handsome face of the whip man, Sergius. He had a long head, with a strong nose and chin, and flashing, even teeth. He was staring at Helena; she fixed her attention on counting the olive stones I had left after my repast.
Events were moving faster than I liked. They were out of control. With a thug like Balbinus that could have fatal results.
Behind Sergius were several other men from the Fourth. At least now I knew that Petro had been sent on a goat-grazing holiday I could forget that they might have sneaked here in some mood of disloyalty to him. They were defying Rubella; I could allow that.
What I would not accept was any kind of crackbrained exercise against orders, without planning or backup, and really without a full reconnaissance. I was determined to resist Martinus on this. Not that my common sense came to anything. The lads, as he called them (though they were large, fit and ugly apart from Sergius), had piled into the Oil Jug like schoolboys invading a pastry shop. I was groaning and trying to say goodbye to Helena, so it was Sergius who spotted the development. He hissed, and quickly snuffed our lamp.
I heard the noise he had noticed. Two pairs of feet walking briskly in concert, accompanied by the disturbing chinks of heavy chains. They came from the direction of the Circus. The feet stamped with a cheerful energy in thick-soled, businesslike boots.
The men those feet carried so purposefully were known to most of us. They were Tibullinus and Arica, the centurion and his sidekick from the Sixth – two upstanding officers whom we all believed were taking bribes. They were marching into Plato's like conquering hunters, carrying on their shoulders a long pole of spoils. Suspended from the pole in chains was a male figure I recognised.
`Oh gods!' murmured Martinus. `I forgot to tell him we're the Fourth. He's gone and taken his damned chitty to the Sixth.'
The trussed man was Igullius. He looked alive – but only just.
`Scatter!'
I heard my voice without expecting it. Somehow I made them all jump from the Oily jug before the two men from the Sixth came out again to look for us. We managed to whip out of sight around a corner just in time, and heard a commotion as a group from the brothel turned over the dump we had left. Helena had had the sense to bring the still-warm bowl from which I had eaten my food. Tibullinus must have thought Martinus and I had gone home much earlier. They gave up after a short time, and retreated back to Plato's.
We were still there, however. And naturally there was just one thought on the rash deputy's mind: `They've got Igullius. If they don't know our plans already, he'll soon squeal to them. We have no time. Balbinus will be leaving any minute.'
`Helena – '
Helena turned and banged the map we had drawn against my chest. Her voice was taut. `Don't apologise again. I don't want the last thing I remember to be you saying you were sorry. Oh don't explain. I know!' she raged. `You've lost your surprise; you have no support; no one knows if the man you want is even in the brothel – but you're going in!'
LX
I TOOK CHARGE.
I passed the map around quickly and told them to get in without fuss, then disperse through the building fast. Forget thieves. Forget hard men. Forget even Tibullinus and Arica. Say nothing and hit no one, unless there was no choice. Save Igullius if it were possible, but keep filtering through towards the top and the back and the farthermost rooms of the brothel until we found Balbinus Pius.
`What then?'
`Yell your head off for the rest of us.'
I like to keep plans simple. At least when this went wrong there would be only a minor body count. Only seven of us were going in.
We slipped inside in ones and twos. Paid the tally and winked at the doorkeeper.
`I'm Itia, and I'm here to see you enjoy yourselves.' `Thanks, Itia.'
`Are you being joined by friends tonight?' `Just a few.'
`Maybe we'll give you a discount then.'
I was right. The brothel side of the business was reserving its position. But I did not imagine our discount would take the form of help.
I had gone in first. I walked quickly but with a casual manner. I went straight past the ground-floor rooms, the cloak pegs and the washing facilities. There was a louder hum of masculinity than on previous times I had visited. From the big room where conspirators gathered came a full-throated wave of men drinking and talking. I did not look in. He would not be there, amongst the throng.
The place was already warm and hazy with lamp oil and taper smoke. Further on it seemed quiet. Once, something attracted attention. I stepped into a room and found normal commerce in action. The girl was in the saddle. I quipped, `Glad to see you're on top of things!' and whipped the door shut on them.
Reaching stairs I started climbing. At the landing I paused to listen. Behind me all sounded normal. No shouts of alarm. Martinus and the others must so far be undiscovered. It would not last.
Still no sign of Tibullinus and Arica. I opened more doors, more gently this time. I found either empty rooms or flesh trade of one kind or another. More kinds than I had ever heard of in fact, though I had no time to make detailed notes.
The brothel seemed busy, but not in flourishing party mode. No one stopped me. No one even challenged my presence. Balbinus would have guards, the Miller for instance. I would have to get past them; I had not even seen them yet.