Centurion

Carpex came up fast, hurling a handful of gravel and filth into the face of the guard. The man instinctively flinched back with a surprised gasp.

'Run!' Carpex shouted in Greek and leaped for the entrance to the alley as Cato sprinted after him. The moment they left the light cast by the officer's torch they were plunged into darkness. The alley was narrow, scarcely wide enough for two men to walk down it abreast, and the intensity of the smell of rotten food, shit and sweat was overpowering as Cato and Carpex stumbled and slithered past dark doorways and shuttered windows. Behind them the officer shouted orders to his men and then there was a glimmer of light behind the two fugitives as the guards thrust their way into the alley.

'Move!' Carpex dragged Cato behind him as they ran on. Glancing back over his shoulder Cato saw the officer leading the pursuit, torch held high and flaring brightly in the confined space, casting a red hue over the guards and the squalid surroundings.The officer shouted and thrust an arm towards the two fugitives.

'Stay close!' Carpex hissed, and they scrambled on, keeping to the middle of the alley in a bid to stay clear of any obstacles leaning against the walls close by on either side. Behind them Cato could hear the clatter and thud of the guards' boots as they tried to run down their prey. Carpex slithered and lost his balance, nearly fell, but managed to keep going as Cato almost ran into the back of him.

'They're gaining!' Cato said through gritted teeth. 'We have to do something.'

'Just keep running!' Carpex gasped. 'We'll lose them. Trust me!'

But Cato was already sure the attempt to stay ahead of the enemy was bound to fail.There were too many obstacles in the street. Sooner or later they would fall headlong and be caught. Ahead he could just make out a change in the shadows as the alley bent sharply to the left. As Carpex scrambled round the corner Cato knew that he must act, or they were doomed, and the men of both cohorts along with them. He grasped Carpex's arm. 'Wait there!' He pointed to the middle of the alley, a few paces on from the corner. Then, snatching his robes aside, Cato drew his sword and flattened himself into the nearest doorway. His heart was pounding so loudly in his ears that it was difficult to clearly make out the approaching footsteps. He knew there would be only one chance to turn on his pursuers. Cato must strike hard and fast, just as Macro would in the same situation. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs, as the flickering red glow of the torch flared on the walls in the angle of the corner.

Then the gloom of the alley was brilliantly illuminated as the torch burst round the end of the wall Cato was pressed into.The officer caught sight of Carpex at once and shouted with triumph as he ran towards the slave. The first of his men appeared a moment later, just as their officer passed Cato. With as loud a roar as he could manage Cato sprang out, sword held high, tip pointed towards the face of the guard.There was no pause as he slammed his sword arm out, taking the man in the cheek just below his left eye.The blade cut through flesh and muscle before shattering the bone beneath and driving deep into the skull. Instantly Cato withdrew the sword with a savage wrench and swirled round in one movement, still roaring at the top of his voice. The rebel officer had half turned, his face a mask of surprise and fear in the red glow of the torch. Then the edge of Cato's sword cut into his neck, between the mail shirt and the rim of his helmet. The blow had been directed with all the strength at Cato's command and it carved diagonally through the neck and split the collarbone before it hit the officer's spine, and stopped. His legs gave out and he slumped to his knees with a puzzled expression, just before he died.

A thud from behind caused Cato to turn back, pulling his blade free.The first guard's body had just hit the ground, the legs kicking out in a savage spasm, as the second guard ran into sight. He stopped as he made to change direction round the corner, but the sight of his two stricken comrades, and Cato looming over them, slightly crouched and ready to spring as he raised his dripping blade, was too much. He backed away frantically, back round the corner and out of sight, then Cato heard his footsteps sprinting away as the man cried out in alarm and terror.

There was no time to take any satisfaction in his small victory and Cato quickly wiped the blood from his sword on the edge of his cloak, and beckoned to Carpex.

'Take off your robe. Put on the officer's kit.'

'What?' Carpex still looked stunned in the light of the torch guttering amongst the filth on the ground.

'Put it on now,' Cato ordered harshly as he cast his robe aside and leaned over the body of the guard. He untied the chin straps and pulled the helmet and the liner off the man's head, and then undid the sword belt. Glancing round he saw that Carpex had knelt down and after a brief, reluctant pause was beginning to do the same to the rebel officer.The guard was wearing chain mail, and as ever the awkward metal rings were difficult to wriggle over the chest, shoulders and head and Cato had to wrench furiously at the mail to get it free. At once he gathered it up over his head and thrusting his arms through he let the mail slide heavily over his body. He picked up the liner and jammed it on his head before putting on the conical helmet and tying the chin straps. Carpex was still struggling to get into his mail and Cato quickly helped him. A moment later Cato picked up the torch and handed it to the slave before he bent down and retrieved the guard's spear.

'At least now we shouldn't attract too much unwanted attention. Now, get us to that tunnel, Carpex.'

The slave turned and trotted down the alley. Cato followed, sticking close to his companion so that he could see the way ahead lit by the torch. Carpex led them through the twisting network of old streets unerringly, even though it was night. Not once did they see any sign of the inhabitants and Cato guessed that they must be sheltering anxiously behind their locked doors, praying that the rebels would ignore them. At length, they entered a slightly wider thoroughfare that ended in a market square where the traders' stalls stood bare. A voice grumbled from the shadows, and as Cato and Carpex turned to the sound they saw a figure a short distance off. Before they could react the man turned and disappeared.The sound of footsteps padded away into the night.

'Must have been a beggar,' Carpex suggested softly.'They sometimes sleep in the markets. Anyway, look there, master.'

Carpex indicated a stone structure in the centre of the square with a low arched doorway.

'What is it?'

'One of the entrances to the city's sewers.The engineers use it from time to time, but it's nearly always locked.' Carpex smiled. 'At least that's what they think.'

'Locked?' Cato shook his head in frustration as they approached the heavy studded door set into the stone archway. 'What now?'

'Just watch,' said Carpex as he examined the iron bracket where the bar slid into the masonry. Drawing his dagger, Carpex scraped some of the filth away from the edges of the stones and then inserted the blade in the gap where the mortar should have been. He wriggled the blade for a moment until a square-edged piece of stone began to come out. As soon as he could grasp its edges Carpex pulled it free and placed it carefully on the ground.The bolt was exposed and now Carpex could open the locked door. The bottom grated over the flagstone and then there was a groan of protest from the hinges. Both men winced, waited a moment for a reaction, and then slid through the gap.