The Gladiator

They waited until the last of Glabius's followers appeared to have answered the summons, and then Sempronius turned to him. 'Are you clear on what you have to do?'

Yes. Absolutely'

'Then let's do it.' Sempronius took a deep breath and placed his hand on Glabius's shoulder as they walked slowly out of the entrance and started to cross the paved area towards the temple. As they walked, Sempronius muttered to Cato, 'Carry on, Centurion.'

Yes, sir.' Cato saluted and turned to stride towards the main gate, a waxed tablet clutched under one arm to reinforce the impression that he was a menial clerk going about his business.

Glabius glanced round. 'Where's he off to?'

'Never you mind,' Macro said from behind. 'Just concentrate on what you have to do.'

They continued forward towards the small crowd beside the temple. At their approach the men stopped milling about and turned to Glabius and the others expectantly.

'This will do,' said Sempronius, drawing up.' Right then, it's your show.'

With Macro standing behind and just to one side of him, and Sempronius on the other flank, Glabius took a deep, nervous breath and raised an arm.

'My friends! Faithful retainers! I am delighted to announce that Senator Sempronius and I have reached an agreement about the governance of the province. I have decided to — '

'Not so fast,' Sempronius said under his breath. 'Spin it out, like I told you.'

As Glabius continued, the senator glanced to his side and saw that Cato was halfway to the gate. Glabius had to keep his men occupied for a little while yet.

'I have decided to, ah, firstly thank you for your friendship and your service. You have been a great source of support in the troubled days since the gods brought down their wrath on our fine city of Gortyna...'

Cato looked back and was relieved to see that Glabius had the attention of his followers. No one seemed to be taking any interest in the clerk Senator Sempronius had sent on some errand. He continued striding away from the temple, trusting that everyone had answered the summons. Ahead of him was the gate, abandoned by the sentries. The locking bar was securely in place, a heavy wooden beam capped with bronze at each end. As he reached the gate, Cato paused to look round, but there was still no sign of life at this end of the acropolis. He dropped the waxed slate in his shoulder bag and slipped the strap over his head before lowering the bag to the ground. Then he hurried to the locking bar and grasped the handle, heaving it to one side. The beam shifted a tiny distance and he relaxed his grip for a moment so that he could adjust his footing and brace his shoulder against the handle. Taking a deep breath, he gritted his teeth and threw his weight behind the handle, grunting as he strained his muscles to shift the beam. It slid a little further, this time accompanied by a dull grating as it began to move.

Cato rested briefly and continued, and the beam slowly eased towards the iron hoops through which it passed on either door. At last it came free of the left-hand do or and slid into the receiver channel. He eased it a little further, past the fine shaft of daylight that separated the doors, and then let go of the beam, which settled back into its brackets.

Grabbing the empty hoop, Cato leaned back, boots seeking purchase on the worn paving stones. With a squeaky groan that sounded deafening to his ears, the door began to swing inwards. It had opened about a pace when a leather curtain that formed the door in a nearby latrine shed was flung to one side and a man emerged, pulling down his tunic. A scabbard was tucked under one arm, the belt straps dangling down to his sandals. He glanced towards the gate and froze when he saw Cato.

'What in Hades...?'

Cato threw his weight back with renewed effort.

'Stop! Stop that!' the man yelled, releasing the hem of his tunic and drawing his sword and discarding his scabbard in one fluid motion. 'Get away from the fucking door, you!'

Cato ducked through the gap and cupped a hand to his mouth as he bellowed down the road leading into the city. 'Tenth Macedonian! On me!'

There was a scraping sound, and he turned to see that the man was heaving against the edge of the door.

'No you don't!' Cato snarled, fumbling through the slit in his tunic and ripping out the dagger that was tied there. He clenched his fist round the handle and threw his weight against the door, stopping it dead. The impact drove the man back a step, and Cato seized the advantage to thrust again at the door, pressing it open another couple of feet before he sprang through the gap. The guard backed off a short distance, crouched low and readied his sword. He glanced at Cato's dagger and sneered.

'Run, boy! While you still have a chance.'