Watch Your Back

by William V Weeks

Tallis tossed and turned as he tried to rest. His soul ached. Two soldiers died on his watch. Your mind does crazy things when a person hurts, and he wondered why Mered and Acaph decided to abandon their post at a critical moment. Kush and Masa lost their lives protecting Hammath while the deserters disappeared in the night, allowing the killers to escape. His superiors won’t enjoy hearing the news he had to share.

  Six heavy-hearted soldiers marched in silence. Tallis followed, in his wagon containing the bodies of their fallen comrades. A few of the travelers on the highway stepped to the side to allow the procession to pass. As they approached the south gate of Tiberias, the sun’s rays crept over the eastern horizon, as a light breeze whispered down from the hilltops to the west. “Bazak, when we reach the fortress, you and your colleagues report to your training station. I’ll take the bodies to Kaleb and explain the situation.”

  Kaleb saw his Decanus, riding on the wagon, heading his way. “What’s going on here?”

  Tallis’s heart skipped a beat when he heard his Centurion’s voice. He’d hoped to approach his superior officer in a more subtle manner. “Bad news, sir. Some men entered Hammath last night and murdered two of my soldiers. We weren’t able to apprehend them because Acaph and Mered deserted their posts. I haven’t seen them since I went to check on my troops patrolling in other areas of our village. You’ll find the bodies of Kush and Masa on my wagon.”

  Kaleb glanced at the wagon then sighed and hung his head. “How could you let something like this happen, Tallis? You understood my orders, and yet a group of men managed to surprise your entire Conturbenium. Nikolaos won’t enjoy hearing your news.”

  “Nobody saw what happened, sir.” Tallis felt his heart racing and temples pounding. “Bazak and Shet spotted five men near the lakeshore, but the group ran when they saw my soldiers approaching them. Kush and Masa suffered head wounds. They were dead when we reached their post. Masa also received a stab wound in his rib cage, as they struggled with their attackers. The pair had time to sound the alarm before they died. I chased four men as they ran toward the north gate and on to Tiberias. Mered and Acaph didn’t respond when I blew my horn, and they weren’t at their post when I reached the gate. They deserted, sir. How do we deal with them? I want to kill those two when they’re captured.”

  “Acaph and Mered will become my problem, Tallis. I’m sorry for your loss. Masa and Kush served you well. Herod might find it in his heart to provide for their families, and I’ll recommend he do so. In the meantime, take the corpses to the medical office. One of the assistants will make arrangements to transport the bodies to their father’s homes. When you finish, report to our meeting room and tell your fellow Decanuses what happened last night.”

  Tallis finished telling his story before Kaleb arrived, and they all jumped to attention when their leader entered the room. “Sit down. Tallis, I’m adding four new soldiers to your team. It may take a day or two before I can arrange their transfers and locate suitable housing.”

  “Thank you, sir, but may I ask what you plan to do with my deserters?”

  “When we catch those two, the Commander will deal with them. Don’t concern yourself with the matter. I trust you explained your situation to your colleagues.”

  “What do you want my Conturbenium and me to do if we run into Mered and Acaph? We’d love to teach them a lesson.”

  “I’m sure you would, but you need to make every effort to capture them alive. As I said before, Nikolaos wants to deal with those two.”

  “What should we do if they attempt to escape?”

  “I answered your question already. Bring Mered and Acaph in alive unless your lives are in danger. But, I don’t want you to create an excuse to kill them.”

  “Do we pursue them if they try to flee, or allow them to escape and wait for another day?”

  Kaleb leaned forward, inches away from his Decanus’s face, and glared into his eyes. His facial muscles tensed and he turned redder by the second. “Tallis quit playing games with me. Use your best judgment. I hope you capture them. Should they manage to escape, let me suggest you let them go. The goal is to bring them in alive.” Kaleb turned around and walked away, hands on his hips.

  “Sir, may I ask another—”

  “Not regarding Acaph or Mered, young man. You’re trying my patience.”

  “It doesn’t concern them. I wanted to know if you’ve received any new information on possible uprisings in the area tonight or the coming days. Once the storm ended and the clouds cleared, the full moon made staying out of sight difficult.”

  Kaleb scowled and took a step toward Tallis as his colleagues snickered. “I don’t understand what you’re asking me, soldier. Does your inquiry focus on the weather, future uprisings, or hiding from view? What’s the matter, young man? You look surprised.”

  “I, I didn’t mean to confuse you, sir. The moon’s reflection off the lake made us quite visible with our red capes and shiny helmets last night. May we patrol after dark without wearing our uniforms? People, including those who might want to watch us, can see us when on duty. We would be less visible to those wanting to create trouble or attack us.”

  “Before I answer your question, Tallis, let me say this. At the moment, I have no more information on possible attacks or trouble in Galilee. The incident in Hammath came as a surprise to me, as did the desertion of Masa and Acaph. As for the uniform issue, I’ll take your request under advisement.” Kaleb began to pace. A few steps later, he stopped and turned around. “What you’re asking me is unusual at best. I know the rainy season is late this year, but your uniform will keep you and your men drier and warmer than the clothes you wear when performing your personal chores. They also serve as a safeguard for your body, so why not wear them? The extra protection is more important than being visible in the moonlight.”

  “Last night, when I chased the runners who attacked Masa and Kush, I couldn’t keep up with them because the body armor covering my thighs and shins hindered my ability to sprint. Also, my shield kept catching too much wind, slowing me down.”

  Kaleb’s jaw dropped. “Wear your uniform when you’re on duty, Tallis. Dress any way you want on your own time, but remember, you represent Herod day and night. He pays you well. Keep alert, and understand someone may be watching you every moment.”

  I’d hoped my superior saw the logic of my request. “One more thing, sir.”

  “I’m tired of listening to your voice, young man. I don’t want to hear another word from you.”

  Tallis frowned and noticed a few smiling faces as he glanced around the room. “I wanted to tell you how much our family appreciated everything Herod did for mother when my father died. And, yes, I realize the Army pays me well for my service. I also understand it’s not my place to complain or criticize either. But everything we do as an Army replicates the Roman military. They provide us with training, weapons, and uniforms. We don’t have our own identity. Many of our citizens don’t respect us. They see us as Caesar’s puppets, and some view us as the enemy.”

  Kaleb glared at the young Decanus. “You may enjoy a transfer to some remote outpost in Upper Galilee, Tallis. Or you might prefer to serve Caesar. But you can’t. You would need to divorce Abigail since the Romans don’t allow their soldiers to marry. Stop complaining. You sound like a Jew, but you are Greek. You are noble. Remember that. So, quit acting like some peasant and be quiet. Now, everyone, go gather your troops and return to the regions you patrol. Keep in mind, future promotions depend on your success in maintaining peace. We will meet tomorrow morning.” Kaleb turned and marched out of the room before anyone could stand.

  Before leaving the fortress, Tallis addressed his troops. “This afternoon, we’ll patrol as usual. Then you can go home until sunset but remain on alert. Kaleb told me de didn’t expect any new uprisings in our region tonight, but if anything happens, sound the alarm. Our Conturbenium can’t afford another situation like last night.”

  “Will our Centurion assign new men to replace
those we lost, Tallis?”

  “Kaleb mentioned he planned to assign four more soldiers to our team, Bazak, but it will take him some time to arrange their transfers. I’m going to retrieve my horse and wagon then we’ll head back home.”

  The highway from Tiberias to Hammath hugged the lake’s western shore. Tallis kept a watchful eye, watching for suspicious activity or anyone who might observe their movements on the journey south. As they neared the north gate, a cluster of basalt pillars rising from the hillside caught Tallis’s eye. He’d traveled this road more times than he could count during his seven years of residing in the village. For some reason, Tallis had failed to pay attention to this particular formation. “Ula, I want you to take my wagon home for me. Tie the horse to the post in the courtyard. I’ll put her in the pin later. Bazak, I want you and Tam to follow me. Everyone else can continue to town and patrol the streets before heading home for the rest of the afternoon. We’ll meet at sundown in the marketplace.”

  Tallis led the way as the three soldiers walked up the incline to the columns. Bazak studied the formations during their approach and scratched his head. “The climb to the top might challenge me, but I don’t mind trying to scale them. What do you think, Tallis?”

  “Go ahead, Bazak. What if the runners I chased last night hid behind these boulders after they left Hammath?”

  “Do you think our deserters ducked behind these rocks when they abandoned their post? I suppose we’d see footprints in the mud if they did, but what if they heard you sound the alarm, panicked, and ran, Tallis.” This location is far enough away from town yet near enough to see the north gate.”

  “Anything’s possible, Tam, but you made an excellent observation. The thought never crossed my mind.”

  “Tallis, look at this,” Bazak said, with a smile on his face. “Here’s an easy way to climb this pillar. I can place my foot into this crevasse and then pushed myself up. My other foot fits into this fissure, and I can grab this protrusion and pull myself to the top. From this position, I can see both directions along the highway, and when I lean forward, I can see our north gate.”

  Tallis glanced down at the road then back up at his soldier. “Would someone passing the pillars be able to see you up there?”

  “Only if they were looking for someone, but then it would still be tough to see anybody in the dark.” Bazak scrambled down from his perch and joined the others.

  “How challenging was the descent?”

  “No problem at all, Tallis. With practice, climbing up and down would become faster and easier.”

  “I’ve seen enough. Let’s go home. … On second thought, I want to explore the area around the olive grove we had passed before we reached these pillars. Someone could hide over there without anyone seeing them. Look for footprints as you walk. The killers or Mered and Acaph may have hidden in the trees last night.”

  “Do you think Acaph and Masa are working with the men who killed Kush and Masa, Tallis?”

  “At this point, anything’s possible, Tam.”

  The three soldiers trudged along like a pack of over-worked animals tracking their prey as they tromped over the rocky soil, heading toward the grove. Today was much warmer and more sultry than usual for this time of year. “This location has a better view of the highway than you do from the pillars.” Tallis didn’t get a response from his men, so he made a mental note to revisit the grove another time. “I don’t see any footprints. Do you, Bazak?”

  “I don’t either, but I’m not surprised. If someone hid at this location last night, you’d expect to see footprints. The ground around these trees isn’t disturbed.”

  “If you wanted to avoid someone seeing you in the dark, where would you choose to hide, Tam? Behind the rocks or in the grove?”

  “I’d choose to hide amongst the trees or climb one. Why waste your time scaling a pile of jagged rocks when you can spy on people from this location with less effort. My escape would be easier from this position too. The hillside slopes down toward the highway. You could also run uphill with less trouble than you can if you hid behind the pillars. The ground’s too rocky by the columns, and you might stumble and fall trying to run in the dark.”

  Tam’s a smart man. These two soldiers might become good leaders one day. I also need to pay closer attention to my surroundings. “Let’s head back to Hammath. I don’t know what you two need to do, but I have some chores to complete this afternoon.” As they headed down the slope to the highway, Tallis made sure to observe the area around him, looking for anyone watching them. Reaching the road, the Decanus spotted six boats sailing toward the village. The sailors appeared too busy to notice their presence. What if the Zealots spy on us from the lake?

  As the last rays of sunlight disappeared, the soldiers commenced their night patrols. After giving his men directions, Tallis returned home to change out of his uniform and put on the darkest colored clothes he owned. Grabbing a dried fish fillet and a fig, he left the house and made his way down to the lake. Slipping into the shallow waters, Tallis waded around the east end of the north wall. Tonight, he planned to work alone and hoped to remain invisible so anyone traveling along the highway wouldn’t see him wandering through the countryside. Stepping back on dry ground, Tallis hiked up the hill and crossed the road, moving with caution to avoid detection. For the next few hours, he planned to hide from the world. The moon provided enough light so he wouldn’t trip and fall on any protruding rocks.

  An hour later, he heard the sound of footsteps coming from the direction of the highway below. Tallis peeked around the rocks, looking for movement as the noise intensified. In the moonlight, he saw five men running toward Hammath. The Decanus watched them enter Hammath through the north gate. Like the previous night, the tallest man led the way. Should I follow them? No, I’ll wait until they return and then trail them back to wherever they came from. Minutes later, four men reappeared, heading back toward Tiberias. Tallis thought he recognized the tallest man, but making a positive identification proved difficult from his vantage spot. What happened to their friend? Does he live right under my nose? Did his friends escort him home?

  As the sound of the footsteps faded into the night, Tallis left his position and made his way down the rocky slope to the highway. Reaching the road, he started to follow them at a safe distance. The runners picked up their pace. So did Tallis. He didn’t want to lose them in the darkness. A few steps later he heard a familiar whizzing sound and felt a sharp pain when something slammed into the side of his head. Falling to the cobblestones, his world turned black.

  Chapter 4