Free The Dreams of Morpheus by Robert Fabbri Page B

discretion.’
    â€˜I’d asked him to approach a couple of doctors to see whether they would be interested.’
    â€˜And one was the Urban Cohorts’?’
    â€˜Exactly.’
    â€˜Who went straight to the Urban Prefect, who immediately had a little chat with Aetius and, because he was killed having been tortured, we can assume that he gave them what they wanted.’
    â€˜Yes, Magnus; they know my name.’ Rufinus handed his half-tablet of resin to Magnus. ‘This is no good to me; I need cash. I’m disappearing until all this dies down.’
    â€˜Very wise, my friend.’ Magnus took the half-tablet, calculating its intrinsic worth, and knew that he could be very generous in buying Rufinus’ silence. ‘Servius, give the centurion twenty-five aurii.’
    Rufinus’ eyes widened at the equivalent of two and a half years’ pay for an average legionary. ‘That’s good of you, Magnus.’
    â€˜I’ll always help a friend. There’ll be another twenty-five for you if you haven’t mentioned my name by the time the fuss dies down. Now get going.’
    â€˜Thank you, Magnus.’
    Servius paused in the doorway as he followed Rufinus out. ‘There was a message from Antonia’s steward, Pallas. He’ll be at the river steps below the Temple of Asclepius half an hour before dawn.’
    â€˜Are all your men in position, master?’ Pallas enquired as Magnus walked down the steps from the Temple of Asclepius to the Tiber; the groans of scores of sick slaves, left to die in the precinct of the god of medicine by masters refusing to pay for their treatment, blended with the gurgling of the river.
    â€˜They are, Pallas.’ Magnus looked at the full-bearded Greek, aware that he was a slave, but in awe of the fact that with one question he had taken complete control of the operation; but he was used to it. In the course of his numerous contacts, in various capacities, with the Lady Antonia’s steward, he had developed a respect for Pallas’ judgement and discretion; Magnus knew him to be more than a mere slave. ‘I’ve got ten covering each bridge and a further ten round the temple; all with orders to keep out of sight. Plus I’ve ten of my best lads with me to guard the tablets and then transport the cash. Menes won’t be able to leave without handing over the money.’
    â€˜Unless he tries to go by boat, which is why I took the precaution of bringing mine.’ Pallas stepped out of the six-oared river craft that had ferried him to the island. ‘We will return by river once the transaction has taken place. Get into position; I’ll be waiting here.’
    Magnus nodded and picked his way back up the steps through the huddles of dead and dying slaves.
    â€˜Looks like them,’ Marius announced as the first rays of dawn sun hit a high altitude cloudbank, accentuating ripples on its grey surface with highlights of deep red. ‘I’d say there are at least a dozen round that cart.’
    Magnus watched the group cross the Fabricium Bridge from the Campus Martius, then turn off the main street bisecting the island and pull into the forecourt of the Temple of Asclepius.
    â€˜My good friend!’ Menes exclaimed, walking towards Magnus with open arms as if it were a reunion of acquaintances of many years’ standing after an unreasonably long period of absence; the expression of joy on his face, however, registered as a rictus contort.
    Not wishing to cause offence, Magnus subjected himself to the embrace which was nothing more than a clumsy attempt to frisk him for hidden weapons, which he returned; Menes was unarmed.
    â€˜You have tablets, my friend?’
    â€˜Naturally.’
    Magnus indicated the cart. ‘Four thousand, eight hundred aurii?’
    Menes inclined his head. ‘In twenty-four bags of two hundred.’
    â€˜Take one of them away; my patron is only selling