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=== Sillii Flavian villa, somewhere in Rome; The same night Carus wandered back to the city ===

“Maybe I didn’t hear you correctly say that one more time,” Meino asked with a look of utter shock and disbelief across his face. He sat with his friends Timeus of the Urban Cohort discussing the most recent rumor to cross his ears.

“I know it’s almost unbelievable, to have survived what he has and still make it back to Rome. I saw him- they worked him till near death. But beaten and bloody he managed to make it back to Rome.” Timeus said as he took a sip of his wine.

“You do you speak of son?” An aged voice said as it loomed closer. Timeus turned to see Siana, an unmistakable woman in her old age. She walked with her chin high, carrying her pride like a badge of honor on her chest.

“I’m sorry domina, I didn’t see you there,” Timeus said. “We’re talking about Lucius Carus.”

“Only the fates whisper that man’s name, so make sence because the ferryman has been paid and paid well to ferry him to the underworld,“ Siana said as she stared deep into his eyes, reading if he was telling the truth or lying. Meino looked from Siana back to Timeus, and waited for a response.

“No disrespect domina, but I have seen him with my own eyes. I just finished dragging his almost lifeless body to the Castra Praetoria. He was screaming for his wife and kids.” Timeus watched as Siana remained unmoved by the news of the events.

She turned with a hurried pace, leaving the two men to themselves. She made her way to the kitchen where Baldric and a few other guards were sitting having their final meal of the day. “I NEED TO TALK TO YOU,” she leaned on the table in front of the German, as he swallowed the piece of hen he was chewing. Outside of Ramirus the guards only listened to two people: Cassius and Baldric, the german. Even though they were charged with her protection they stopped to look at their commander for orders. Baldric nodded, he respected the old woman who she knew was more treacherous than most people gave her credit for.

Baldric waited for the table to clear before he spoke. “How can I help you, Siana?” His latin was rough and his German accent was still strong.

“We have a problem…” She said quietly. “Tiberius Lucius Carus.”

Baldric smiled and wiped his face. “I’m sorry Domina, maybe you haven’t heard the news- Lucius Carus has gone missing. His house was ransacked and he is gone.”

“Really? Then why did the Urban Cohorts just drag a beaten and mutilated man claiming to be Carus to the Castra Praetoria?”

“Who ever made that claim obviously is a fool and has no idea what he’s talking about,” Baldric said with confidence. He took another bite of hen.

“Well he’s doing a lot of talking in the atrium as we speak!” She hissed, thinking of the harm that could come to her family is loose ends weren’t tied up. “You have fail your mission Baldric.”

“What mission would that be, Siana?”

“Do no insult me; nothing happens in this house or involving this family that I am not aware of. You know well who my husband was and who my son is. I have been the eyes and ears of the Flavii clan for too many years to let little things slip past me.” She said. “Now shall we continue as if I know nothing or shall you leave your plate to find out what’s happened?”

Baldric looked in her determined eyes, and saw a tiger staring back at him. He may not take orders from her but that didn’t mean he was stupid enough to cross her, or not heed her warnings. He pushed back from the table following her into the atrium where Meino was still sitting with Timeus. It wasn’t the first time the urban guardsmen had been to the house so he felt at easy interjecting into the conversation and easily probed him for all the info he had.

“These are crazy times old friend, thank you for your visit but I must cut this short- Meino has work he must attend to and I am always busy.” He escorted him to the door, acting as if it was a normal visit. As he closed the door he paused wiping his hand over his face.

“My son doesn’t like failure; he must be made aware of this immediately,” Siana said briskly, arms folded across her chest.

Baldric’s blood pressure rose at what he now had to go tell his master the news. “Yes domina.” He sent Meinos to assemble their men while he went into the knocked on the office door of his master.

“Come,” A reply from behind the door came quickly and everyone was still awake.

Baldric opened the door and slid in, shutting it quickly behind him. He presented himself before him but stood silently. Ramirus looked up then around the room with a bewildered look on his face. “Well? You knocked on the door Baldric, what’s the matter?”

Baldirc clinched his teeth tight as his mind raced. It was several moments before he had formulated the appropriate way to say things. “There has been a… development sir.”

“Ramirus went back to writing the proposal he was going to bring before the senate in the morning. He liked to hand write his own proposals making sure to bounce ideas off of Isaiah, who was sitting a few feet away from him. “Care to be a bit more specific?”

“Carus is alive, and in Rome.”

Ramirus stopped, not even finishing the word he was currently writing. His hand remained in the same spot with his quill still touching the piece of parchment paper. His eyes rolled up looking at Baldric who looked away. “Say... that... again?”

“It would appear that Carus survived the attack.”

“Our friend saw them place a red hot iron rod in his ASS! And now you’re telling me that he survived that? Did our friend lie about the events?” Ramirus seemingly rose from his seat, fueled by instant anger. “That would have to be a pretty detailed lie wouldn’t you say?”

Baldric sighed. “He wouldn’t lie, he told you what he saw he assumed, we all did, that Carus was dead.”

Ramirus put the quill down placing both arms on the table, firmly. “Assumed huh? So now you’re telling me that Carus, who was laid across a table and impaled with a hot iron rod walked back to Rome with his asshole leaking blood the whole way?”

“He rode a horse, sir.”

“Oh so he propped himself up on a horse and rode it all the way back to Rome… in pain, bleeding?” Ramirus chuckled for a second, seeing the improbability in the whole thing. “Baldric this was a good one. You’ve never had a sence of humor but I have to say this was funny.”

“I rarely joke, and I would never joke about such a matter. Carus is alive, he’s in Rome, and he was on his way to meet with the emperor.” Baldric was serious.

Ramirus flipped the table over suddenly, and quickly grabbed Baldric by the neck. The german stood there defiantly, letting his master pretend to be the stronger. “I ASKED YOU COULD YOU GET ME A RESULT. I ASKED YOU COULD YOU KILL THIS MAN! YOU TOLD ME YES, I NEVER ASKED FOR A BLOODBATH AT HIS HOUSE!” Ramirus released his grip but still stared the man in his eyes. “All that blood bath did was stir up the north.” Ramirus continued, more calmly. “I don’t want civil war, unrest, a fractured empire nothing. All I wanted was one man dead.”

“Yes sir.” Baldric said cooly, knowing the problems that could arise and the nothing that could now be done to prevent them.

“Apologies get us no where. You can’t change the past. All we can hope to do is fix the present and survive till the future.” Ramirus placed his head in his hands as he thought of the next move. He never thought he would be here now but, this was the obvious work of one of the gods who wished to make his life a bit more challenging.

Isaiah picked a few of the papers up off the floor. “Ramirus, there are no ties leading back here. None for Carus or the Emperor to find. Every one that knew anything is dead.”

Ramirus wheeled around, surprised to hear Isaiah involve himself. Usually the jew was content elsewhere. “The emperor will tear the city apart looking for the attackers. At some point he’s bound to watch either Clarus’s friends or Fulvio’s man’s friends, what was his name again?”

“Dido, sir.” Baldric said.

“Yea him, his friends or an agent of his.” Ramirus began to pace back and forth as he thought through the situation.

“Clarus didn’t have many friends, he recently arrived from the east, he wasn’t here long enough to stick in any one’s mind and the short time he was here he spent most if not all of it on our site outside the city.” Baldric followed him with his eyes back and forth.

“Good then, we don’t have to worry about that.” Ramirus said. “But if I know these fools there coming back to Rome.”

“Impossible sir, they’re not that stupid.” Baldric stated.

“Wait now, Ramirus has a point.”Isaiah said. “Their leaders are dead and the man they’re supposed to kill fled back to Rome. They are either coming back here to finish the job or to warn Dido that the target has escaped. Either way they’re coming back to Rome.”

“Isaiah read my mind, if those fools were going to run they never would have completed the job in the first place. They would have left after their leader died, but they didn’t they followed through. So we must also, assemble your best men, you lead them put men on Didos house and his closest friends. And Baldric do it swiftly and be very quiet about it. If you see those fools show up send word to my cousin Julius Lucius Flavus, former tribune of the urban cohorts. Tell him suspicious men that look like those seen around Carus’s home when it was attacked are holed up in the city. I sure my cousin will know what to do with them.”

Baldric nodded and turned to leave. “Baldric,” he paused turning his head to his general. “Do not fail me again.” The ex-gladiator knew the price for failure he would not make a mistake again.

=== Dido’s house ===

“Is that them?” Meino asked.

Baldric looked closely from his vantage point. “No those are just passersby. Keep looking.” He leaned back into the door of the closed shop. It was a butcher’s shop, not owned by the Flavii but owned by client that had asked many favors from Ramirus in the past. It was a stroke of luck that it was in eye distance of the house they were watching. “Aldelherd is coming; I can see him down the street.” The german quickly made his way down to the shop to make his report.

He wiped the sweat of his brow as he bent over to catch his breath. “Don’t die on me Aldeherd,” Baldric said in their native tongue.The short german smiled then stood up right taking a deep breath before he spoke. “I followed Dido’s friend Pancratius. He met with one guy at this tavern. I sat close enough to over hear some of their conversation. I believe it was one of the guys from the attack on Carus.”

“What makes you think that?” Baldric questioned.

“Pancratius started freaking out after he was told the target escaped. He started sweating and got real jumpy. The northern guy said something about his men being at some brothel. That only sent Pancratius into a rage. He yelled at him to go get his men and bring them to his house to get them out of site immediately.”

Baldric sat tracing an outline on the floor with his dagger. “We’ll deal with Pancratius and let the Cohorts deal with those fools.”

“Do you want me to go back to the tavern?”

“No stay here we know they’ll be coming here sooner or later. The streets are quiet, it’s safe to move around. They’ll make their move now so they don’t draw attention to themselves.” Baldric stood leaving the two men to watch out as he explored the back of the shop. There were large knives used for chopping up the carcasses of animals. He picked up the three leather aprons, placing them to the side and then examined each knife. He glanced over at the bags of raw bloody meat that were beginning to smell. It was almost enough to turn your stomach but well worth it.

Meino rushed to the doorway, whispering loudly. “They’re here!” The two rushed back to the front, peeking out the door at the group arriving. It was evident to them being Germanic that these men were northerners. Northerns usually had no trouble spotting other northerners. But there was a large sack filled with loot was an obvious giveaway, undoubtedly fill with trinkets stolen from the Carus’s home.

“Meino get out there and post guard on the street. Wave me off if you see trouble, if you don’t when you see me take him head straight for Lucius Flavus’s.” Baldric pulled the hood over his cloak before stepping out the door. He walked across the street in his dingy and worn out clothes taking a seat not too far from their target’s door. He sat quickly eyeing the small dagger he had tucked in his arm brace, patience now would have to take over as he waited for the target.

Minutes felt like hours and Baldric sat like a stone in place. His years in the arena had taught him level of discipline that he tried made sure to instill in those under his command. His thoughts remained ardent on what he had to do and as soon as he heard the door open he turned to see if it was his target. As Pancratius shut the door tight behind him Baldric stood with his hand out.

“Money sir, money for the poor,” He slowly positioned himself in the man’s path.

“I hate beggars! Stand aside or i’ll kick you to death,” Pancratius scrunched his face up in disdain for the poor man.

“I’m sorry sir, forgive me,” Baldric bowed his head taking a few slow steps back to allow Pancratius to pass. As if he were Zeus himself Pancratius looked down on what he thought was a poor beggar in the street. As he walked by felt the sharp pain of his hair being pulled back and the sharp point of a dagger at his neck.

“This is not a robbery and you will not be harmed, but if you make a sound I will open your neck right here.” He swiftly dragged the man, now silent and fearful for his life, into the shop across the street. He threw him to the floor with Meino rushing to gag the man. He was bound and dragged into the next room. He was tossed against the bags of raw meat, the smell making him gag repeatedly as Meino watched him with a ready eye.

Baldric returned to the room in only his under garments, taking the place of Meino as he himself started to strip. Baldric waited, keeping his eye trained on his target. There had been one to many escapes that day and he refused for there to be another. Meino returned and the two maneuvered Pancratius upside-down onto a hook hanging from the ceiling. His arms fell to the ground as he could feel the blood rush to his head. He attempted to fight, the beating he was given was very harsh. He had little strength to fight back as the men walked around him placing the leather butchers aprons on getting there knives ready.

His crying was cut short when the knife slide across his neck and the warm crimson blood poured out into the wooden bucket beneath him. “Are you sure he’s going to remain dead?” Meino asked.

“Good point, the gods kicked Carus out of the underworld, I hope they don’t kick this guy out as well.” Baldric watched as the life faded from the hanging man’s eyes. “No, he’s going to stay dead.”

The men sat in the front watching the house across the street as every last drop of blood dripped from the hanging body.

=== Around the corner, same time ===

Julius Lucius Flavus stood at the top of the street; he waited as his men fell into position to block off the street to prevent anyone from escaping. Being a former Tribune of the Urban Cohorts, he was quick to align himself with the new soldiers, utilizing his experience as a trainer for the Praefectus Vigilium. This afforded him a measure of loyalty within a select few. Lucius walked down the street followed by a column of men on both side. With one nod his men kicked the door down and rushed in swords drawn. They cleared room after room and it wasn’t long before they found several northern looking men, camped out in a large room.

Lucius patrolled the house once it had been secured. As he entered the large room he could see several men on their knees with their arms behind their head.

“Search the room.” He said to the actual Tribune, and stepped back into the hall. The other Tribune yelled so all his men could hear him: “SEARCH ALL THE ROOMS! ANY ONE FOUND TO HAVE ITEMS BELONGING TO TIBERIUS LUCIUS CARUS IS UNDER ARREST!”

One of the men thinking he had an opportunity to flee shot to his feet and ran for the door. The futile attempt was halted. He was hit in the stomach with a shield as he approached the door. He collapsed on the floor in pain almost about to throw up. Two guards ran up and dragged him back to the rest of the group and now surrounded them in a circle to prevent another attempt.

“That was good work Timeus,” Lucius said as he patted him on the back.

“Thank you.” Timeius fell back into formation behind his commander as the other men tore the room apart looking for evidence. It wasn’t long before two sacks full of loot and a bag half full of money was found.

“Where did you get this stuff?” The Tribune questioned. Lucius watched on.

The men didn’t answer but just looked at each other nervously, unsure what to say, but all knowing their lives were at an end. Lucius pointed to one of the men calling him out. “You there speak, your guilt is written all over you. I’ll tell you where you got it from. You attacked and nearly killed a Senator of Rome and for that you will die a horrible death.”

The cohort Tribune turned to walk out when he heard the first words they had spoke since they got there. “It was just a job.” He stopped walking back to hear them clearly. “Say again?”

“It was just a job, were just knife men- it’s how we make our living.” The man’s voice became a bit clearer now as he spoke up. Some but not all of the fear left him.

“It was just a job huh, and who hired you for this job?” Lucius grilled him for the information, stepping passed the cohort Tribune.

“I don’t know.”

“You lie, who paid you!”

“I don’t know!”

“You piece of shit!” The cohort Tribune stepped in. “I’m going to make sure you’re the first to get tortured and the last to die!”

“I DON’T KNOW!” the man yelled. Lucius was quiet now, watching the Tribune stare the man down as the man continued. “It was a job like I said! We did jobs with Sigeric and Vithimer. Vithimer recruited us and Sigeric had the contacts. Sigeric made it like that partly because if he was killed the clients wouldn’t be discovered and partly because he didn’t allow us to do jobs without him or without his permission. If you control the work you control the workers. In this business reputation is everything your clients must feel isolated from the situation or what good are we?”

“Well I know where Sigeric is,” The Tribune said, having been party to his untimely tavern death. “but where is Vithimer?”

“Dead. He died in the attack.”

Lucius looked at him and could tell he was telling the truth, and looked to the Tribune with truth in his own eyes. “So if your chief was dead, why didn’t you call off the attack?”

The man shrugged. “Simple, we needed the money with Sigeric dead we would have no more contacts that money was to tie us over, feed and clothe us till we got some more work. The plan was in place and the target didn’t change anything about his routine, so why not.”

The Tribune shook his head as the story was recounted to him. “This was a fowl deed, you... did you take pleasure in torturing him? Was that a bonus for you?”

“No, no!” the man stammered. “There was no pleasureW we carried out our orders.”

“What of this client?” the Tribune demanded. “What do you know about him? Did he come himself to pay you?”

“No he sent a man, but he looked like you guys. He had the look of a soldier. The guy’s name was Carnus or Clarus, I don’t know. We met him and Dido here, then took them back to the house. Dido paid us and the other saw that the job was done then they both left. I don’t think they even knew each other.”

“So if you didn’t know who the client was or the guy that paid you, why did you dumb sons of bitches come here to this house?” Lucius looked at the man, knowing it was the dumbest thing in the world they could have done. Aside of course from letting a dead man beat them up and ride off to tell.

“I took control of the group, at first I thought we could catch him but he disappeared on us. We searched around for a while and couldn’t find him. I decided to come here to the only place in Rome I knew. Pancratius, one of Dido’s men let us stay here while we planned the job. So I came back and contacted him.”

“Where is he now?”

“He left to go get his boss.”

The Tribune turned to his men behind him. “Search the crowd outside and everyone in the building for anyone named Pancratius. Find him!”


=== Same time, butcher’s shop ===

“Ugh, ugh! This is tougher then it looks. Thank the gods this is the last of it.” Meino said as he finished chopping Pancratius’s leg into pieces.

After they drained every drop of blood from him they had chopped him into smaller pieces making it easier to fit his parts in the bags they brought. They then packed the rancid meat around him hiding its contents. They neatly tied the bags up and placed them on a hand cart making sure to leave the most fowl smelling bag on top. The comrades then washed the excess blood off each other making sure to inspect each other for any sign of blood. They redressed tossing the leather aprons to one side and tied their cloaks around there necks.

Meino grabbed the cart and began to push it to the door. Baldric pulled the door open and the two stepped out as if it was business as usual. They got a few steps away from the door when they heard a guard yell halt.

“What are you doing here and what do you have I the cart?”

Baldric spoke up. “I work in the butchers shop right there. My boss sent me to remove some meat that I had let spoil before the shop opened in the morning.”

The guard eyed him as two other guards began to approach. “Open one of the bags!” He leaned over as Baldric untied and opened the bag. The smell was so pungent it took the breath from the guard who quickly brushed them off as he coughed. Baldric wasted no time in continuing on his way to dispose of the remains.

=== Inside the insula with the Urban Cohorts men ===

“Who’s Pancratius’s boss?” Lucius continued his line of questioning, standing next to the Tribune.

“I’m not sure, from what I know Dido is!” All the other captives were quiet.

“Can you point out anyone else he worked with?” Lucius insisted looking for any clue he could find.

“NO, I only met Clarus or whatever his name was, and Dido.” The man flinched as the Tribune faked a punch. “No one higher than those two.”

Lucius sighed, and the Tribune ordered: “Take them away.”

=== Sillii Flavian villa; The next morning ===

Ramirus broke the warm bread, tossing a piece into his mouth. “You looked like you could use a meal.”

“Thanks,” Lucius said as he devoured the eggs and cheese. “Our Uncle Pompeius doesn’t feed me like this when I come by to visit.”

Ramirus smiled. “That’s because he only cares about himself and no one else.”

“True indeed, this hit the spot. I had a wild night.” Lucius said, referencing his aiding the Urban Cohorts.

Ramirus sat back in the chair, feigning ignorance. “Tell me about it. I have nothing but time before I head to the senate.”

“I caught the guys that attacked Carus.”

“Did you now? well that interesting.” Ramirus smiled and took a big gulp of wine.

“A tip lead me to where they were hiding. I nabbed a friend in the Cohorts to follow me, and then we found them.” Lucius continued. The pair was interrupted by the appearance of one of Ramirus’s guards wearing filthy clothes and smelling to the heavens.

“Ah Baldric! You’re back. All went well I hope?” Ramirus asked, ignoring his cousin.

“Yes sir, it’s been taken care. I had to…cut a few corners but the issue has been resolved.” Baldric smiled at his play on words.

“Good, go get cleaned up and get some food.” Ramirus said as he turned his attention back to his guest.

“What was that all about?” Lucius inquired, curious.

“Ah just a rat problem. I thought I killed the sucker the other night but… he just wouldn’t stay dead. I had Baldric there finish things off for me, he had to get a little dirty.” Ramirus said seriously. “I can’t have my market holdings being overrun with rodents...”

Lucius shrugged as he plopped some cheese in his mouth, and Ramirus continued, “But back to your wild night...”

Written By: Sillius Ramirus Flavus
Edited By: Ferus Juventas
137 AD

Hah, well done!

The game of chess is well afoot now!