Praetorian Series [4] All Roads Lead to Rome

by Edward Crichton

  It was a pleasant enough façade, but it was just that. Sure better days lay in the future, but so too did dark times loom. Perhaps not in my lifetime, but there was something to the predictability of a life lived in Ancient Rome that bothered me. I hadn’t a clue what was in store beyond the year 2021, even with my newfound ability to peak into the future, but it’s where I felt I belonged. There was nothing left for me in Ancient Rome.

  I was going home. And soon.

  But first things first.

  We’d just made it to the park. It was large but private, one of a number of public parks or gardens that dotted the Esquiline Hill, and also one left untarnished by Romulus and Remus’ brawl to end all brawls. There was a small pool at its center complete with a fountain, where a small group of young children splashed and played without fear of adult intervention. Flower gardens and latticed walls of vines bordered the location, and at its far end was a large building that contained a library.

  Our small group found a series of benches off in a corner near the library, and most of us plunked ourselves down atop them while Wang, Santino, and Stryker fell to the tidy grass. Stryker shifted to his back, entwining his finger together behind his head, while Wang and Santino simply sat on their butts, picking at the grass as though they were already bored. I smiled to no one in particular, leaned back against the lattice frame that was surprisingly sturdy, and felt Helena place her hand on my thigh. I turned my head so that I could look at her but found her looking away, off into the distance, her eyes just as distant as the view.

  I didn’t try to get her attention. I knew what that look was for and why her hand was on my leg. She wanted nothing more than to keep me close but her heart couldn’t quite let her pretend everything was back to normal – if anything had ever truly been normal between us. I would never forget how dedicated she’d been to saving me, but that steadfastness had taken its toll on her. It had taken her to the brink of despair, compounded as it had been with the loss of our son, and it had taken a miracle that she hadn’t succumbed and given up completely.

  Actually, it hadn’t been a miracle, it had been Artie. She’d kept that group together, kept them focused, kept them on task. Helena may have been the rallying call behind my rescue mission, but it had been Artie who had ensured that the lot of them hadn’t given up completely. A part of me wanted to be hurt that some of them, even Wang and Bordeaux, had wanted to abandon me, but I didn’t blame them.

  If only I could thank Artie.

  Some day.

  And then Helena turned and looked at me. Her expression remained neutral, but I could see the love in those green eyes of hers, so I smiled, hoping to remind her that I felt the same. She squeezed my thigh in return and she leaned back into the crook of my arm, exactly where she belonged from now until the end of time.

  The group was quiet, odd since Santino normally interrupted uncomfortable or lingering silences, but a quick look at my friend confirmed he was distracted, his eyes and hands focused only on the rampant destruction of each individual blade of grass in his vicinity, one at a time. I took a deep breath and promised myself I’d talk to him sooner rather than later. There were many things I needed to do, and ensuring Santino returned to his previous self was among the foremost. If there was one universal constant, it was that Santino would always be Santino, and I couldn’t afford to let the fate of the universe rest on the fact that such a law could possibly be broken.

  I figured I’d start by playing his part.

  “So,” I said, heads lifting or turning as my voice cut through the silence, “who’s going home?”

  No one said anything for quite a while until Helena spoke up first. “I am,” she said quietly, almost reluctantly, but I already knew she had no qualms or regrets about her decision. Ancient Rome was the last place she wanted to be, echoing my own thoughts.

  I nodded, giving her hand atop my thigh a squeeze at the same time. “Me too.”

  Heads bobbed, acknowledging or accepting what they all probably already suspected. A stillness settled in again between us until Wang broke it. “I as well,” he said, not bothering to look up from the small clump of grass he’d accumulated in front of him. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the food here.”

  Santino coughed out a small laugh. “Says the British guy…”

  Wang’s head perked up with a smile and he shoved his friend to the side, but Santino stayed upright like one of those blowup clown dolls that were impervious to being knocked over. Santino’s small smile grew just a bit, but he didn’t look up.

  “And you, Funny One?” I asked.

  “Well…” he started, as though he was still considering, “…there certainly aren’t many women left in Ancient Rome for me.” He shrugged. “And, well, let’s just say I’ve grown tired of how they all lack certain hygienic attributes I’ve come to…”

  Georgia, seated next to me on the bench, reached out with a foot and succeeded where Wang had failed, and knocked him over. “Actually,” she said, “let’s not say anything about that.”

  Helena clapped her hands lazily from her reclined position as Santino rolled back onto his butt, his smile having never wavered.

  “So I take it you’re coming home?” I asked.

  He nodded but didn’t say anything.

  “All right,” I said, bouncing a fist off my thigh a few times, “that’s four of us.”

  That’s when Bordeaux chimed in.

  “I will remain, Jacob,” he said, one of his massive arms wrapped protectively around Madrina.

  “I suspected you’d want to,” I admitted.

  “There’s nothing for me there,” he said, shifting his eyes to Madrina, “while everything for me is here. And my family would also have no place there. Spending so much time with my children recently has reminded me that they do not belong there. Our life is here, and I believe it will be a long and happy one.”

  Helena shifted beside me. “Back in Gaul you mean?”

  Bordeaux smiled knowingly. “Viva la France.”

  I rolled my eyes and I heard a grown or two as well, but then I nodded all the same, accepting his decision. “We’ll miss you big guy but if I feel it’s safe, perhaps we can arrange for a visit.”

  He looked happy at that decision. “You would be most welcome.”

  “All right,” I said, shifting my attention now to Cuyler, who sat on a bench near Stryker on the ground. “And y…”

  I was interrupted by the sight of Gaius and Marcus approaching the gardens. They spotted us immediately, but still I waved them over. Marcus waved back and the pair walked over. I turned back to Cuyler while they were in transit.

  “And you?”

  He sat rigidly upon the stone bench, his hands on his knees, his back razor straight. He rarely looked relaxed, and the sight of him now was no different. However, his eyes were soft, almost apologetic over what he was about to say next. “I’d like to go home.”

  “Whose home?” Santino asked. “Yours or ours?”

  “Mine,” he clarified immediately. “Our mission may have been to find a way to change the course of our world’s history or bring back an orb to use against the enemy, and while we have failed at both objectives, the latter purposefully so, I might add, home is… it is still home. It’s where I belong. I’d see myself as a deserter if I never returned.” He immediately shifted his attention to both Stryker and Brewster, nodding at them both. “But you’re free to make whichever choice you wish, and I won’t think any less of either of you for your decision.”

  Helena shifted uncomfortably beside me. Not because Cuyler’s speech may have been the longest string of words any of us had ever heard from him before, but because of the implications of his decision. We’d already known one or more of Artie’s team would want to go home, and we’d both already decided what that meant. It meant I’d have to take them home, and that meant using the orbs. Each and every time I used them brought risk, not just because of their own particular dangers, but because of t
he dangers I might find myself in on the other side. Even if the whole time jump and reality shift occurred without a hitch, there was always the risk of being clubbed over the head before I was able to return.

  But I couldn’t deny Cuyler the risk.

  By now, Gaius and Marcus had seated themselves between Stryker and Wang, wedging themselves in like a couple of children, eliciting jeers and protestations from both men already comfortable on the ground. But the two of them separated just enough for the two Romans to sit comfortably, although Stryker tried to playfully push Gaius to the ground but the Roman was too well trained to succumb to such an attack, and managed to deflect Stryker’s playful blow. They smiled at one another, and the friendship they’d struck up in the short time they’d known each other was as evident as the same friendship between Gaius and Wang or Marcus and Santino, or some other combination, despite the far longer time those individuals had known one another.

  I shook my head at the display but did little to discourage it, choosing instead to hurl a small rock at Stryker to get his attention. It bounced harmlessly off his burly chest, but he looked at it on the ground as though hurt, turning that hurt expression on me as though to say, “What did I do to make you hate me so much?”

  Honestly, I couldn’t wait to go home just to be rid of these clowns.

  “What about you?” I asked.

  “I’m staying?”

  “You are?” I asked, but so too did a second voice that joined my own. It took me a moment, but I realized it had come from Brewster beside me.

  “Yeah,” Stryker responded, turning to her. “Why do you care?”

  “I’m staying too,” she announced timidly.

  I caught a grin spreading across Bordeaux’s face. “L’amour…”

  “Please…” Stryker said with a groan.

  “Any particular reason?” I asked him, curious.

  He shrugged. “Nothing particular about it. I just don’t want to go home. Place is hell. Cuyler’s more than welcome to go home out of a sense of duty, but I didn’t fight because of duty, I fought out of desperation. No family, few friends. I don’t owe anyone anything back there. Besides… I think I could do well here.”

  “Very mercenary,” Santino indicated, but there wasn’t any snark in his tone.

  Stryker shrugged again but didn’t elaborate. He’d said enough.

  I nodded, shifting my attention to Brewster. “And you?”

  “I like it here,” she said immediately, her voice almost chipper.

  “You…” Wang said as though still processing her declaration, “… like it here?”

  “Sure,” she said. “Well, I didn’t like Agrippina and I could do without all the drama and politics, but… look at this place. It’s gorgeous. And relatively peaceful now. I could make a life here.”

  “More power to you,” Helena mumbled, and I couldn’t help but agree.

  “Well,” I said, “enjoy your lives here then. I’m sure you can put your considerable talents to good use. Just try to stay out of trouble.”

  Stryker winked and Brewster smiled mischievously, and I couldn’t help but smile as well. This timeline was out of my hands now, free to be molded as it chose even if Stryker, Brewster, and Bordeaux were a part of it. At the very least, it would be unique.

  “All right then,” I continued, “who’s left?”

  Eyes flitted about, searching for a potential candidate. Gaius and Marcus were the obvious answers, but most everyone’s attention drifted toward Titus next and not the pair of Praetorians. That’s where my eyes went as well, but I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of direct conversation with the young man. He hadn’t said much to me in the few weeks since Artie’s disappearance, and was clearly still grieving over the loss of his father.

  But it would have seemed patronizing to have someone else ask.

  “What about you, Titus?” I asked. “What will you do?”

  “Go east and find my family. Mother must be extremely worried, and I haven’t seen Brian Wilson in far too long. And… I have to tell them about father.”

  I swallowed hard, the mention of Vincent’s son catching me off guard and stinging deep. Vincent always had a thing for the Beach Boys, and had named his son for the group’s lead vocalist. It had been a quirky name choice but one Vincent had been proud of.

  I swallowed again, forcing myself to say something, but knowing I couldn’t keep apologizing forever. “If there’s anything we can do to help, please, just…”

  “You’ve done more than enough, Hunter,” he said, obviously doing everything he could to keep his voice emotionless, but failing just a little. He hadn’t moved his head the entire time, and even now he continued his inspection of the ground. I gazed at him, unable to take my eyes off him, realizing that this had been the first time he’d ever referred to me by my last name alone. That realization was telling enough. I didn’t think any of us had come out of this whole ordeal completely unscathed, but it was clear that some of us had come out of it worse than others.

  Some, maybe, worse than even me.

  With another breath, I forced myself to look away.

  And that left two.

  “Gaius?” I started. “Marcus? What about the two of you?”

  “Yeah,” Santino picked up, his voice somewhat perky again. “Everyone’s dying to know.”

  It was true. The two Romans had often voiced interest in joining us on our return trip to the future. For a long time, not knowing how the orbs worked, I hadn’t been sure if such a thing was possible, but now I knew it certainly was. They had as much reason as the rest of us to be distrustful of Roman government, seeing its corruption first hand as Agrippina had retooled her Praetorian Guard into a paramilitary, assassination task force, instead of the protectors they were meant to be.

  They glanced at each other, and I wondered if they were telepathically transmitting information to one another. The pair had always seemed joined at the hip. They were more than simple comrades, but brothers, partners in crime like any good dynamic duo. If anything was certain, they’d be of like mind in their decision.

  After a second, Marcus nodded, deferring to Gaius, as he often did.

  Gaius returned it and looked at me. “We will remain, Jacob.”

  “Oh, no!” Santino exclaimed, throwing his hands over his head and burying his face between his biceps.

  Marcus smiled. “I did not think you would miss us so much.”

  “It’s not that,” he said around mock sniffles. “Now I owe Wang a lot of money when we get home.”

  Marcus’ smile immediately turned into a frown, no stranger to a good wager, and turned to Wang. “You bet against us?”

  Wang smiled victoriously. “No offense, mate. Besides, I didn’t bet against you. I bet against Santino.”

  Marcus flicked his eyebrows up and nodded to himself in agreement, knowing, just as the rest of us did, that Santino often bet poorly. I smiled at the exchange, but then continued questioning Gaius.

  “What prompted this decision? You guys always seemed extremely interested in seeing the future.”

  “We were and still are,” he indicated, “but recent developments have changed that.”

  “Oh?” I asked.

  He nodded. “Like Alex, we are drawn to a sense of duty. The Praetorian Guard may be corrupt but it must not always be, and… and Vespasian offered us leadership of the entire contingent. He’s appointed Marcus and me prefects, to act as its leaders together, just as he and Galba will rule Rome.”

  “Whoa,” Santino exclaimed.

  “That’s quite the promotion,” I said. “With a lot of responsibility. Are you sure you’re up for it?”

  They nodded, and Marcus answered. “We are. We see what the guard has become and we were there at the beginning. We feel at fault for not doing more to protect its integrity. It will be a great honor to rebuild it.”

  Helena nodded beside me. “I can’t think of anybody more deserving than you two.”

  Gaius dipped
his head. “Our thanks, Helena. Your approval is most appreciated.”

  “Well,” I said, “I know I’ll miss you two. I think everyone will.”

  “I will not,” Bordeaux said happily. “I will visit at every opportunity.”

  The two Romans smiled.

  “You would be most welcome,” Marcus said, repeating Bordeaux’ line from earlier.

  I smiled too, almost unable to believe that we’d reached this point. We were this close to wrapping this whole story up. After everything we’d been through, we’d almost reached the end. There was just one last loose end to tie up, but before I could get to that, Santino rose to his feet.

  “I guess we’re done then,” he said glumly. “Too bad. I’m sure going to miss these little meetings where we all sit around and discuss stuff.”

  I smirked. “I don’t think anyone’s going to miss those. In any case, we’re only almost done.” I turned to Gaius. “What’s the status of my package?”

  He tilted his head from side to side in consideration. “Earliest arrival could be in two days, but I would estimate six.”

  “Another week then,” I said quietly. “I guess another week is good enough. And I intend to spend half of it in a bath. But first thing’s first…” I turned to Cuyler. “You’re the odd man out. When do you want to go home?”

  “Tomorrow,” he said.

  I was slightly surprised by the immediacy of his decision, but I didn’t blame him either.

  “All right,” I said. “Tomorrow. I’ll see you then. Everyone else, enjoy the rest of your day, I guess.”

  ***

  Tomorrow, which was now today, had come surprisingly quick.