The Black Stone: Agent of Rome 4 (The Agent of Rome)

by Brown, Nick

  The ground floor of the dwelling was intact and surprisingly large. Above them was a wooden roof, ahead a staircase almost filled by another pile of blocks. As usual, Cassius could not stand up straight. As they removed their hoods, he looked over Khalima’s shoulder at the other side of the room.

  Two figures stood by the rear door, barely visible in the shadows. One was notably bigger than the other. Cassius felt sure they were looking at him.

  Khalima asked a question in Nabatean. The smaller man replied with a single word.

  ‘We wait,’ said the Saracen.

  Cassius looked at Indavara. The bodyguard inspected the hooded duo, then checked outside to make sure no one had come around behind them. He kept his hand on his sword.

  While they waited, Khalima sipped wine from a flask and started at every noise from outside. At one point they heard voices close by but soon realised it was just the children with the kitten. After a time they moved away.

  A little later four more men arrived at the rear door in quick succession; one pair followed by another. Three of them conferred, then gestured for Khalima and his companions to approach.

  Cassius followed the Saracen but stayed closer to Indavara. When they stopped, he realised that the large, well-armed men hanging back were bodyguards. One of the others was the elderly Uruwat; the other two ethnarchs Cassius had seen leading their tribesmen earlier in the day. They inspected him. The bodyguards inspected Indavara.

  Then the tallest of the ethnarchs spoke to Cassius in Greek. ‘Are you brave or stupid?’

  ‘Probably a bit of both, but I’d err towards the latter.’

  Only the tall Saracen smiled. ‘I could hardly believe my ears when Uruwat told us. Romans – here. I must admit I’m rather impressed. Are you a spy?’

  ‘Of sorts, I suppose.’

  ‘Except you’re not just here to spy, are you? If you were here to spy you’d be alone. You’re here to reclaim the stone for the Emperor. That’s why you have twenty men with you.’

  At this point, Cassius couldn’t find a decent reason to lie. ‘An objective rather easier said than done.’

  ‘Certainly. But we’re sure that won’t stop you trying.’

  Cassius turned to look at Khalima, who did not react.

  ‘We want you to go ahead with it,’ said Uruwat.

  ‘You will try?’ asked the tall man.

  ‘I don’t even—’

  The third ethnarch spoke up. ‘You must make the attempt at the third hour of night.’

  ‘What? Why?’

  ‘Because that is the time at which we intend to strike,’ said the tall man. ‘The ensuing confusion will aid both groups.’

  ‘Strike? Groups? Sorry, I know Uruwat but—’

  The tall man gestured to his right. ‘He is Mushannaf. I am Enzarri. At the third hour of night we are to attend a meeting with Ilaha and the other ethnarchs. After today, he will be expecting us to do his bidding and ride out with him tomorrow. Until tonight we will give him every possible signal that that is exactly what we intend to do.’

  ‘And your true intention?’

  Enzarri glanced at each of his compatriots before answering. ‘We will kill him. We will kill him, and you will take the stone, and the Tanukh will be free of this madman.’

  ‘What makes you think Kalderon and the other ethnarchs will stand for it? Or the men? You were there today.’

  At first, none of the ethnarchs spoke. Cassius wondered; did they believe in the power of the stone?

  ‘Cut the head off a snake, the body dies swiftly,’ said Uruwat.

  ‘And if you fail?’

  ‘We will not,’ said Mushannaf.

  Uruwat held up a hand. ‘We cannot guarantee that.’ He turned to Cassius. ‘Even if Ilaha remains alive, with the stone gone, all will see him for what he truly is.’

  ‘And if I refuse?’

  ‘You could, of course,’ said Mushannaf. ‘But now that you know of our … treacherous intentions we couldn’t possibly let you leave this place alive.’ He nodded at Indavara. ‘Khalima tells me you’ve a good man there but I assure you he won’t fare well against our three.’

  The bodyguards each took a step forward.

  Enzarri looked around the ruined building in which they stood. ‘Dirty. Smelly. No man wants a sordid death.’

  ‘You will have some help,’ said Uruwat. ‘Khalima and his men will do all they can.’

  Enzarri offered his forearm. ‘I believe this is how your people seal an agreement.’

  Cassius could see no workable alternative.

  Enzarri had a strong grip. ‘The third hour.’

  ‘The third hour.’

  No one spoke until they reached the edge of the encampment.

  ‘By the great gods,’ said Cassius. ‘I did not expect that.’

  ‘Neither did I,’ replied Khalima. ‘By the way, I trust that this in no way affects our earlier agreement.’

  Had it not been for the events of the last hour, Cassius might have laughed. ‘No.’

  The Saracen scratched at his beard. ‘Now I’m even more glad I added that clause in the event of my death.’

  ‘Will your men help?’ asked Cassius. ‘Will they dare act against Ilaha after what they’ve seen today?’

  ‘They can no more refuse our ethnarch than I can. They are bound by the same blood-oath that ties them to me. And yours?’

  ‘They will do as they are ordered.’

  Cassius looked back across the road at the compound. Hundreds of guards were at work loading carts with weapons and supplies.

  Khalima glanced up at the sky and whispered something in Nabatean.

  ‘What’s the hour?’ asked Indavara.

  ‘About the ninth,’ said Cassius.

  ‘Six hours?’ Indavara stopped in the middle of the track. ‘It’s just not possible.’

  ‘But a talking rock is?’ Cassius walked past him. ‘Hurry up. We’re wasting time.’

  Back at the camp, Khalima gathered his men inside one of the tents while Cassius briefly addressed the auxiliaries. ‘You will receive precise orders within the hour. In the meantime, check and double-check your weapons. And no more wine.’

  He despatched Simo and another man to the town to purchase several essential items, then summoned Indavara, Mercator and the two guard officers to the smaller tent.

  Ulixes intercepted him. He had a pack on his back and looked ready to leave. ‘What’s going on? Where have you been with the Saracen?’

  Cassius ushered him to one side. ‘Not your concern.’

  ‘When are we leaving?’

  ‘Tonight. But our plans have changed.’

  ‘How?’

  ‘As I said, not your concern.’

  ‘You’re not going after the stone? You’ll get us all killed.’

  ‘A third time – not your concern. If I want your advice, I’ll ask for it. Go and sit by the fire. Do not speak to the others. Do not move.’

  Ulixes muttered oaths as he walked away. Cassius asked Mercator to assign two men to watch him, then the five of them assembled in the tent.

  He spoke to Andal and Yorvah first. ‘I daresay you may already have worked this out but we were sent here to recover the black stone. I had abandoned all thoughts of trying it but we now have no choice. Certain elements within the other tribes want rid of Ilaha. There is to be a meeting tonight – at the third hour. They will try to kill him. They are doing their part. We must do ours.’

  Andal gazed out of the tent down at the inner wall. Yorvah looked at Mercator, who turned to Cassius.

  ‘How?’ demanded the optio.

  ‘That’s what we’re here to discuss. We at least have Khalima and his men to help us.’

  ‘Take the stone from its place, sir?’ said Yorvah.

  ‘Its place is in Emesa,’ said Cassius, not feeling it necessary to disclose the Emperor’s ultimate intentions for it. ‘This Ilaha had it stolen from a temple. We’re stealing it back.’

  ‘Transporta
tion?’ asked Indavara wearily.

  Cassius pointed at the compound. ‘One of those big lumber carts will do. We’ll have to liberate one.’

  ‘But the gates?’ said Mercator. ‘The tower?’

  ‘The way I see it, we will need two groups. One to get the rock, one to secure the outer gate and the tower.’

  ‘I’ll take the gate and tower,’ offered Indavara. ‘As long as it keeps me away from that stone.’

  ‘What’s your plan?’ asked Cassius.

  ‘Leave it to me. All I need is a few strong daggers.’

  ‘How do we get inside the inner gate?’ asked Yorvah.

  This elicited a series of suggestions from Mercator and Andal.

  Cassius was only half-listening because he’d noticed one particular individual walking towards the town – the young warrior in charge of the crane.

  ‘What is it?’ asked Indavara.

  ‘We’re going to recruit someone else to help – someone who can get us through those gates and get the stone into the cart.’

  ‘Who?’

  Cassius pointed down at the road. ‘Him.’

  XXIX

  ‘What happened?’ asked Cassius. ‘I told your men to watch the sneaky son of a bitch.’

  Mercator looked mortified. ‘They went with him to the latrine but he somehow got away.’

  ‘Don’t forget he was a spy,’ said Indavara. ‘Maybe he got to that Goat Trail or found another way out of here.’

  The three of them were standing by the track. After his discussion with the others, Cassius had met with Khalima. The Saracen and his men were out gathering information – the first stage of the operation.

  ‘Did you pay him off?’ asked Mercator.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘So he wouldn’t have gone to Ilaha’s men? He wouldn’t have betrayed us?’

  ‘How in Hades should I know?’ said Cassius. ‘Even if he has, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. We shall continue the preparations as planned.’

  ‘Can I brief the men now?’ asked Mercator.

  ‘Go ahead. Make sure each and every one understands his task. We cannot afford any more mistakes.’

  ‘Well,’ said Cassius to Indavara once Mercator had left. ‘Do you think we have a chance?’

  ‘There are a hundred things that might go wrong.’

  ‘I was thinking more like a thousand.’

  As sunset neared, the air cooled and shadows crept out from the walls. Torches and lanterns were lit. The road was a little quieter but dozens of men were still on the move; buying supplies, loading carts, checking their horses.

  Khalima still hadn’t returned. Mercator and the auxiliaries quietly attended to their personal gear, each readying himself for the perilous night ahead. Each man was to carry his weapons and a single pack containing essentials and enough provisions for a few days.

  In the smallest tent, Cassius had nothing to do. Simo had filled his pack for him and he sat by the open flap, once again awaiting Khalima. Ever fastidious, Indavara was repeatedly checking every weapon and piece of equipment. He had already retied his boot laces three times. Simo had purchased all the items on Cassius’s list: most of them were still in a large box outside the tent. Now the attendant was completing the extensive sewing job his master had given him.

  Cassius looked down at the sword lying between his legs. It was standard legionary issue, a lot easier to wield than his own. He gripped the handle, imagined drawing it, swinging it at some faceless guard. He felt almost faint as he thought of the last time he’d seen blades used on men; the battle between the legionaries and the tribesmen in Cyrenaica. Though he’d now witnessed it many times, nothing sickened him more than the sight of human flesh pierced and sliced by sharpened metal.

  Next to him was his pack; and buried at the bottom was his satchel, the money and the spearhead. He had been given his share of food, wine and water too. He almost laughed at the thought of watching Simo put in his favourite snack of bread, goat’s cheese and olives. As if it mattered. And yet somehow it did.

  The Gaul finished his work then packed away his needle and thread. ‘There, sir. All done.’

  ‘Good. Don’t forget your own gear.’

  ‘Or your sword,’ said Indavara.

  ‘I daresay you wish you’d been another day late back to Bostra,’ said Cassius.

  Simo said nothing.

  ‘And both of you keep close to Khalima and his men,’ added Indavara.

  Cassius brushed sand off his knees. ‘I must admit I’d prefer it if we stayed together.’

  ‘You didn’t say anything earlier.’

  ‘Mercator needs you more than I do.’

  ‘Mercator will do his best,’ said Indavara firmly. ‘Andal and Yorvah and the others too.’

  ‘Just make sure you get that outer gate open.’

  ‘I will, but …’

  ‘But what?’

  Indavara pushed his pack aside. ‘Part of me hopes we don’t get the stone.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘The god lives within it. He speaks, shines out his light. He could kill us. Or curse us for the rest of our lives.’

  ‘I thought we’d been through this,’ said Cassius. ‘Forget that nonsense. A god who can’t sniff out twenty enemies right under his nose doesn’t worry me.’

  ‘You were as scared as anyone.’

  ‘That may be so, but then I thought about it – logically. And I made up my own mind. You should try it sometime.’

  Simo was buckling the straps of his pack. ‘It was the voice of a demon. Hell is revealing itself. War is coming. Bloodshed and suffering. I think the time of judgement is close.’

  ‘Simo.’

  ‘I am ready, sir. I have prayed for you both. But you must know that God will judge us all.’

  ‘It’s a bit late for me,’ said Indavara. ‘All the killing I’ve done.’

  He tapped his belt. Cassius didn’t need to see across the tent to know his figurine would be tucked in there.

  ‘I’ve got my Fortuna. She’ll see me through. Is she stronger than Elagabal, do you think?’

  ‘Jupiter is,’ said Cassius. ‘I know that much.’

  ‘Will you pray to him?’

  ‘Already have. And for you two.’

  His companions looked at him.

  ‘Back in Bostra I was desperate for both of you to come with me. And I am grateful you are here, now more than ever. But once again I have led you into great danger. If we don’t get out of here alive, then I am truly sorry.’

  Khalima returned just as the last vestiges of red were fading from the sky. Cassius, Indavara and Mercator spoke to him outside.

  ‘Apparently our young friend is an engineer,’ explained the Saracen. ‘He is currently eating his dinner at an inn. Adayyid will lure him up here.’

  ‘What about a cart?’ asked Cassius.

  ‘Those lumber vehicles in the compound are big enough but it’s too well guarded. We could try a bribe but I doubt they’d take it – more likely they’d go straight to Oblachus or Theomestor.’

  ‘Any other ideas?’

  ‘A couple of the other tribes have one big enough but they’re all loaded and ready to go. We could offer a very high price but it might draw suspicion.’

  While Cassius tried to think of an alternative, Mercator spoke up.

  ‘What about the inner gate?’

  ‘Good news and bad,’ replied Khalima. ‘Because the chiefs are being housed inside there is a bit of traffic, so we may be able to get through – especially if Adayyid can get us some help.’

  ‘The bad?’ asked Cassius.

  ‘I heard from one of Mushannaf’s men that there is still a small detachment of guards protecting the stone.’

  ‘At least the crane and the platform are quite a way from the gate,’ said Cassius.

  ‘My men can kill quietly,’ said Khalima. ‘But even then, we’ve still got to get the rock onto the cart and get back out again.’

 
‘And what about what happens inside that cavern?’ said Mercator. ‘We can’t know exactly when the ethnarchs will strike or how it will affect what we’re doing.’

  ‘We need some kind of distraction,’ said Khalima. ‘Something to occupy the guards.’

  ‘We’ll see what we can come up with,’ said Cassius. ‘What about the outer gate?’

  ‘Never less than six by the doors and old Theomestor seldom strays far. Then there are those accursed archers in the tower.’

  ‘You can leave them to me,’ said Indavara.

  ‘Ulixes?’ asked Cassius.

  ‘We didn’t see him,’ said Khalima.

  ‘But I saw you.’ Ulixes appeared suddenly out of the darkness.

  The four others stared at him, dumbstruck.

  The gambler winked at Khalima. ‘I wouldn’t advise a career in espionage. If those guards had anything about them they would have seen you scouting the place.’

  ‘Where were you?’ asked the Saracen.

  ‘Good question,’ added Cassius.

  ‘Around. Stupid though they are, Ilaha’s men aren’t opening that gate for anyone but their own. The Goat Trail is well guarded too. So it looks like I’m stuck with you lot. I assume you’re going for the stone after all, correct?’

  Nobody said anything.

  ‘I’ll take that as a yes. From what I can tell there at least seems to be no system of alarm. So the men at the inner gate can’t communicate with the men at the outer gate; which is good. Got transportation?’

  ‘That’s proving rather problematic,’ admitted Cassius.

  ‘Not any more. If you can spare a hundred denarii, there’s an innkeeper down there will sell you his wine-cart. He’s been doing a roaring trade since all the warriors arrived but he’ll part with it if the price is right. Those things are strong because they have to carry a huge weight of liquid – the wine’s all in one big leather bag in the back of the cart. Once all the wine’s out you can cut a hole in it and use it to cover the stone. I had a look at it. It’ll do the job.’

  ‘Very resourceful,’ said Cassius. He looked down at the sack Ulixes was holding. ‘What do you have there?’

  ‘A few bits and bobs. Seems to me we’re going to need some kind of distraction.’