Simon Scarrow - Praetorian

‘And since then your superiors have been reluctant to promote you and Calidus.’

‘That’s how it seems, sir.’

‘Hardly fair, since you took no part in the mutiny. Men like you deserve better. You deserve better leaders, and that starts at the top.’

‘Sir?’

There was another silence, broken only by the light crackle of flames from the brazier. Then the centurion continued in a quiet voice.

‘You know what I’m talking about, Capito, though you are smart enough not to admit it. When a leader has failed his followers, or when a succession of leaders have failed us, then a reasonable man – a patriotic man – might well ask if there needs to be change. Wouldn’t you agree?’

Cato said nothing, his gaze fixed on the centurion. Sinius let the silence stretch out for a moment.

‘Fair enough. Then let me do the talking. You resent your lack of promotion. You resent being ordered to take part in a campaign that has little purpose. You condemn those who had the chance to reverse that policy but failed through lack of resolution. You want change. You want what is due to you. Am I right?’

Cato did not move for a moment and then barely nodded.

Sinius smiled. ‘Very well. Then let me put a proposal to you. There is a group of individuals who feel as you do. I am one of them. The difference between us is that I am in a position to bring about the change that we both desire. If my associates and I succeed in our ambitions, there will be rewards for us as well as rendering good service to Rome. And why shouldn’t there be? The risk is ours and we should be compensated accordingly. If I were to offer you the chance to join us, what would you say?’

‘I’d say you were a fool, sir. Why should you trust me?’ Cato paused for an instant before he risked his next comment. ‘For all you know I could be a spy.’

‘That’s true. And that is why I have had you and your friend under observation by one of my men since you arrived in the camp. If you were spies, then I’d know about it.’

Cato felt his heart lurch. He had been to the safe house twice and Sinius appeared to know nothing of it. He had taken precautions to ensure that he was not being followed but a skilled tail would not have been thrown off the scent that easily. He did not speak for a moment, to give the impression that he was carefully considering the centurion’s offer.

‘How do I know you’re not an agent, sir? You could be testing my loyalty.’

‘And why would I do that?’ Sinius smiled. ‘Do you think the imperial palace really has the time and inclination to test the loyalty of every new recruit to the Praetorian Guard in this manner?’

Cato pursed his lips. ‘I suppose not.’

‘No indeed. They have their hands full with rather more important matters, I should imagine. Like the business of the food shortage. Well, Capito, what is your response to my offer?’

‘Firstly, you mentioned rewards.’

‘Yes.’

‘I want promotion, for me and Calidus.’

Sinius’s eyes narrowed a fraction. ‘Calidus is a separate matter.’

‘No, sir. He is of the same mind as me in nearly all things. I trust him with my life.’ It was easy to say because it was the truth and Cato’s sincerity had its effect on the centurion.

‘Very well, my offer extends to you both.’

‘Thank you, sir. I also want money. Gold. A great deal of gold.’

‘That I cannot give you. But I can offer you silver. Quite a fortune, in fact.’ Sinius turned and pointed to the document chest beside his desk. ‘Open that. There is a false bottom with a catch at this end. Inside is a box. Bring it to me.’

Cato did as he was bid. The chest contained scrolls, some blank sheets of papyrus, pens, ink pots and several waxed slates. He cleared them aside from the near end and found a small catch painted to blend in with the dark wood of the chest. The lid lifted to reveal a cavity twice the size of a mess tin. It was almost filled by the box Sinius had described. Cato grasped the handle and picked it up carefully, slightly surprised by its weight. He crossed the room and handed the box to the centurion. Sinius placed it on his lap and flicked the catch and opened the lid. The contents were in shadow for an instant before the orange glow of the flames in the brazier reflected in the sheen of freshly minted silver coins.

‘There’s a thousand denarii there, Capito. It’s yours if you join us, and there’s more where that came from.’

Cato looked down at the coins. They were surely part of the fortune stolen from the bullion convoy. He made himself smile and reached out a hand. ‘May I?’

‘Of course.’

Cato took a coin at random and raised it up to inspect it closely.

‘They’re genuine,’ said Sinius, and chuckled. ‘Unless the Emperor has been debasing the currency.’

With a nod of satisfaction, Cato replaced the coin and gave the officer a searching stare. ‘If I – if we – agree to join you and your friends, then you’ll just give me this money? There has to be a catch.’

‘Not a catch. More of a test. You do as you are asked and the silver is yours.’

‘What kind of a test?’ Cato asked suspiciously.

‘The kind that puts your loyalty to us beyond doubt, and at the same time furthers our aims.’ Sinius gently closed the lid of the box and looked steadily at Cato. ‘It’s simple enough. I want you to kill Centurion Lurco. He is to disappear without trace. Within the next ten days. Do that and you will be welcomed by my friends. Fail in the act and we will not trust your competence. Fail to even attempt it and we will be obliged to treat you as a threat.’

‘I see.’ Cato smiled grimly. ‘Kill or be killed.’

‘That’s right. The credo of all soldiers, regardless of the circumstances. Should be an easy enough decision for you to make. I give you until dawn to let me know.’

‘What are we going to do?’ asked Macro as they shut the door of the mess room behind them. They had been playing dice with some of the other men of the century in order to keep up the appearance of being common soldiers. Cato had been careful to lose by a small margin and laugh it off, in order to win the good will of their comrades. Macro, on the other hand, had played to win, and had lost rather more than Cato and was consequently a little bitter as he steered the conversation back to the pressing issue. ‘Lurco is a liability, but I draw the line at doing in one of our own. Even if he is a Praetorian.’

‘We agree to Sinius’s test,’ Cato replied. ‘What else can we do?’

Macro looked shocked. ‘You can’t be serious. Kill a fellow officer? No.’

‘Of course we don’t kill him. But we have to find some way to make him disappear. That’s going to be the tricky bit.’

They made their way up on to the wall of the camp and began to stroll slowly along a section overlooking the city. Sentries were posted in the corner towers and gatehouses of the camp and several other small groups of men were walking along the wall, exchanging cheery greetings with Macro and Cato as they strolled by. Cato wondered if any of these men had been tasked by Sinius with spying on them. When they were clear of the last group he continued his conversation with Macro.

‘At least we know that the bullion is here. If not in the camp, then somewhere in Rome.’

‘Oh, that’s a comfort,’ Macro replied drily. He gestured towards the city where a million people lived. ‘Bound to be easy to find.’

‘It’s a start. In any case, we have to report to Narcissus. He needs to be told about the silver, and the rest of what we’ve discovered.’

‘Fine. And how are we supposed to get to the safe house if we’re being watched?’