Meanwhile, the two centurions strode down to the biremes beached in the shallows where Cato gave orders for repairs to the fire-damaged bireme while Macro organised the unloading of the wounded, and passed on the news of the prefect's extra issue of wine. The last order raised a good-humoured cheer and the men eagerly set to work to finish their duties and clean their kit, all the while looking forward to the prospect of getting out of their skins on the cheap, but potent, wine procured for the navy.
Cato watched them for a moment with a growing feeling of contempt. More than a few grateful toasts would be made to Vitellius that evening for the extra ration of wine. The same Vitellius who had only days before led them into a disastrous sea-battle that had cost the lives of hundreds of their comrades. Were their memories so short? Then again, the successful ambush of the pirates had won them back a large measure of confidence, and the improvement in their spirit had been evident to Cato as the crews of three biremes, their two prizes and the prisoners had made their way back down the coast to join the rest of the fleet. Now Vitellius was trying to buy himself back into their affections, and Cato had no doubt that he would succeed the instant these men sank into the warm intoxicating embrace of the prefect's gift.
Cato turned towards the prisoner and looked him over closely once again. He was sure of it. This was the same man he had seen aboard the pirate flagship, alongside Telemachus… The pirate chief referred to him as a lieutenant. But as Cato struggled to recall the moment in as much detail as possible he was dimly aware that there had to be more to it than that. Ajax was no mere underling. He was one of the pirate chief's senior men. And now he had fallen into Roman hands. Small wonder that Vitellius had been so pleased with the result. At last they had some kind of advantage over their elusive foe.
Ajax turned his head, scanning the ships and the men around him with a keen intelligence, then he met Cato's eyes and glanced down, bowing his head and letting his shoulders sag into a very convincing aspect of dejection. Cato smiled. The man was good, and was going to play up to his captors for all he was worth.
As soon as Macro was satisfied that all was in order he strolled over to Cato.'Ready? Then let's take this little beauty back to headquarters for a chat.' He strode over and raising his vine cane Macro prodded Ajax in the small of his back. 'Come on, let's be having you!'
The prisoner lurched forward with a rattle of chains and threw his head back to spit at Macro, who immediately slapped him hard across the face with the back of his hand.
'Now, now. Show some manners!'
Macro pointed up the beach with his cane, indicating the entrance to the camp and the three of them set off.
Vitellius was awaiting their arrival in his tent. Standing to one side of the tent were two hard-looking men who, Cato realised, must be interrogators. Like most of the specialists in the Roman military, these men would be thoroughly versed in their art and, from the look of them, Cato suspected that they would have had plenty of opportunities to put that training into practice.
As the two centurions and their prisoner entered the tent Vitellius nodded to a sturdy wooden chair with a high back in the middle of an area that had been cleared of any other furniture. Even the rugs that normally covered the ground had been neatly rolled up and placed to the side to avoid getting stained. Macro guided the prisoner over to the chair.
'Wait there.'
At once the two interrogators moved in and tore the soiled clothes off the prisoner, throwing them to one side until he stood naked before them. One of the interrogators firmly pushed him down into the chair and then produced some leather straps, and the two of them tied Ajax's wrists and ankles to the chair.
'Right then.' Vitellius slowly walked round the prisoner and then stopped directly in front of him.'I think we'll have this one flayed alive.'
Ajax glanced up with a terrified expression and Vitellius grinned.'So! We understand Latin. That should make things a little easier.' The prefect stopped smiling and fixed his attention on the prisoner.
'Listen to me. There are some questions I want answers to. I want to know where your fleet is based. I want to know how many ships you have, how they're defended and how many men you have. Lastly I want to know where the scrolls are. If what Centurion Cato tells me about you is correct, and you are one of Telemachus' top men then you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Those are the questions. You've got the answers. If you tell me now you'll save yourself a lot of pain and suffering. If you try to hold anything back, these men,' he nodded at the interrogators, 'will go to work on you. They know how to inflict agonies you couldn't begin to imagine. All you need to know is that you will talk. One way or another.'
Ajax sneered.'You're not doing such a bad job of talking yourself, Roman.'
Vitellius smiled. 'Ah! Such courage in the face of adversity. I'm almost impressed. Let's begin, shall we? I'm keen to see how well you cope.'
The prefect stepped aside. 'Gentlemen, he's all yours.'
There was no preamble. No attempt to try to put the frighteners on the pirate by laying before him the instruments of their trade and letting his imagination go to work. The interrogator with the heaviest build simply stepped up to the chair and slammed his fist into Ajax's face, shattering his nose with a dull crunch. The young man's head cracked against the chair back. There was a moment of stunned silence before he cried out in pain, then Ajax realised what he had done and clamped his mouth shut and opened his eyes wide and glared defiantly back at the interrogator as blood gushed over his lips and dripped on to his chest. The next blow came in from the side, on his cheek, with a soft thud.
Cato and Macro stood to one side, watching in silence as the interrogator went about his work; landing a steady sequence of blows to head and ribs. Although Cato felt sickened by the display of violence he told himself that it was necessary. Ajax had the information that would save him and Macro, and redeem Vitellius, and put an end to the pirates' menacing of the seaways. What was this young man's suffering when measured against all the other factors? And yet Cato felt a wave of disgust wash over him and he wanted no part of this. But he could not leave. Everyone would know that he hadn't the stomach for it, and if word of that spread round the camp he would be a laughing stock. He must affect a cold detachment from the torture being carried out in front of him. Of course, it was easier in the resolution than the act, and when a thick gout of blood splattered on his cheek, Cato felt bile rise in his throat and he swallowed nervously.
After a while Vitellius stepped in and waved the interrogator to one side. It was warm in the tent, and the man's skin glistened as he took a step back from the pirate sagging in the chair.
'That'll do to start with, thank you, Trebius.' Vitellius flashed a smile at the interrogator.'We don't want to damage him too much at this stage.'
The interrogator was taken aback. 'I know what I'm doing, sir. He'll be able to talk for a while yet.'
Vitellius raised his hands. 'Forgive me. I didn't mean to cause any offence. But before we continue… is there anything you want to tell me, young Ajax?'
The pirate was breathing heavily and at first it seemed that he hadn't heard the prefect. Then his head lolled to one side. He opened his eyes and spat out some blood.
'I'll make you pay for this, Roman… I'll make you suffer… And, if you kill me, then my…' Ajax glanced up anxiously for an instant, before his face twisted into a mask of bitter hatred once again. 'He'll make you pay.'
Macro glanced at Cato and spoke softly. 'He?'
Cato shrugged. 'Telemachus, maybe.'
Stepping closer to the prisoner, Vitellius bent forward and said gently, 'Who'll make me pay? Your friend, the pirate chief? You really think so?'