Agent of Rome: The Last Battle by Nick Brown

Author:Nick Brown [Brown, Nick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-09-29T16:00:00+00:00

Crouching low, sword already drawn, Cassius advanced towards the corner of the formation. His gaze alternated between both faces but he caught no sight of either his men or the sentries. He was only twenty feet from the lantern to the north – his left – when he heard a grunt from somewhere to his right. It was followed by a quiet exchange of voices he could not identify.

Movement to his left. Indavara emerged from the darkness, dagger in hand. Behind him were Cordus and Fimbria, each cavalryman holding the shoulder of a sentry. Enca was directly behind the captive, hand and blade on the back of his neck. The sentry had already been disarmed, bound and gagged. Despite his bulky frame, he looked terrified.

Cassius met them close to the lantern, which sat in a natural niche within the rock. ‘Well done. See anyone else?’

‘Just him,’ said Indavara. ‘He was taking a piss. Didn’t give us any trouble.’

‘Wait here.’

Cassius ran back through the glow of the lamp. Here he passed a patch of worn, marked ground: clearly the spot where the lift was lowered. He hurried around the uneven corner of the formation. Hearing a grunt and an impact, he advanced warily, sword up. Unable to see much in the darkness ahead, he was about to fetch help when someone spoke.

‘Corbulo?’

Iovius emerged from the deepest shadows beside the rock face, other figures behind him.

‘I’m here.’

‘Bastard wouldn’t come quietly. Hit Ambustus pretty hard.’

‘I’m all right,’ said the soldier, who was dragging the second sentry along with an arm around his neck. This man was still struggling and cursing, despite the gag in his mouth. A cuff to the back of his head from Quadratus quietened him down.

‘What about the others?’ asked Iovius.

‘They’ve got the other sentry. Did you check the stable?’

‘Yes. No more men. Four horses inside and a carriage behind it.’

‘Is that right?’ Cassius recalled that Dolabella’s abductors had used a carriage. He couldn’t think of many reasons for one to be present at the isolated fortress.

Gods. He really could be here.

‘Start questioning him about how we get up top – signals, numbers on the lift and so on.’

‘You don’t want to do it?’ asked Iovius.

‘I’ll be back once I’ve started the others. We’ll keep the sentries divided – see if what they tell us matches. Harder to deceive us.’

‘Good thinking.’

‘Keep a blade at his throat,’ added Cassius as he departed. ‘But don’t kill him unless you have to.’

He wasn’t sure that a shout would even reach the defenders high above but it wasn’t a theory he wished to test. Passing the lamp once more, he noted an iron hand-bell situated in another niche; evidently this was how the sentries communicated with the fortress.

Indavara’s group had already begun their interrogation. Surrounded by his four captors, the sentry answered in fearful stammers, and confirmed that the bell was used to summon the lift. Cassius also swiftly learned that the shift change was not due for two hours and that ringing the bell at other times was not done without reasonable need.

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