Free Coventina by Jamie Antonia Symonanis Page B

you are, as promised. They are not the best images but not that bad either,” he said, handing Layla an envelope with four images of the men who showed up at the gate days before.
    “Thank you. Raphaela, this is a number you can reach us at if you think of anything else, or if you need help with anything,” Denise said.
    “Thank you.”
    “Don’t hesitate to call us if you need help with anything,” Layla said.
    “I will, thank you again.”
    “You are a brave woman Raphaela. Thank you for all your help,” Denise smiled.
    The guard escorted them out to the Mustang. “Here you are,” Denise said, handing him an envelope with some cash in it. “Take yourself and Raphaela to dinner or something.”
    “Gracie.”
    “What’s your name?” Layla asked.
    “Giacomo Tomasino.”
    “Thanks for everything Giacomo.”
    “Good luck.”
    “Thank you.”
    As they drove back to Rome, Denise opened the envelope and looked at the photographs. When she got to the third image and looked at the face of the man sitting in the passenger seat, she saw an image of Coventina, perhaps still in the clothing she wore for the trip, bound and gagged and looking up at someone terrified before the first blow hit her across the face.
    “Receiving, again?”
    “I am going to tell Lucilla to inform Quintus and the others to bring weapons,” Denise said as she dialed Lucilla’s number.
     
     
     
18
    Palatium
     
    Lucilla and the legionnaires were deposited near the ruins of the Stadium of Domitian on Palatine Hill. Surprisingly there was not a tourist to be seen where they landed at two in the afternoon Rome time. Lucilla could see the shock and disbelief on the faces of the six men, feeling Marcus’ grip on her hand tighten briefly.
    “This is all that is left, ruins?” Marcus asked.
    “We are standing atop the Palatium,” Lucilla said. “Nearly 2000 years have changed the buildings and monuments that you built, but this is by no means all that is left of Rome.”
    “All that man makes crumbles over time,” Quintus said. “We might never have gotten this close to the splendor that was Palatium when we were last here. We were not royalty or members of the Praetorian Guard.”
    “No we were not. We simply made this all possible,” Venutius said.
    “Yes, you all did,” Lucilla smiled.
    Denise and Layla appeared from behind the ruin of a wall. “Grata Romae,” Denise said.
    “Gratias agimus tibi,” Lucilla said.
    “Do you want to take in the sites and make it to the hotel later?” Denise asked.
    “They appear to be somewhat overwhelmed with the emotion of nothing but ruins left of their empire, well the physical empire anyway. I will ask.”
    “We are staying here,” Layla said, handing Lucilla the name and address to the hotel.
    “You know, this entire area is fenced in from the street level. I’m not sure we are even supposed to be up here,” Denise said.
    “It does look somewhat deserted. How do we get down?”
    “Follow us. There is a spot near where we are parked where you can climb down and over the fence easily.”
    They all followed Layla back to Via Dei Cerchi where the Mustang was parked. Layla was the first to land back on the sidewalk to passersby looking astonished as Denise followed, then Marcus and Quintus who helped Lucilla get down. They were then followed by the remaining legionnaires. When Petilius made it to the sidewalk a police car pulled up.
    “What do you think you are doing up there? That is a restricted area,” one of the policemen asked in Italian.
    Marcus moved to stand next to Lucilla, the other legionnaires forming a line in front of them.
    “Apologies, we did not know no one was allowed to see those ruins,” Lucilla replied.
    “What is this, your body guard? Step aside and let the woman talk,” the officer said.
    “Etiam purus. At ego illud,” Denise said to the legionnaires.
    “Do you speak English?” Denise asked.
    “Ah, e Americani. Se le cifre.”
    “I got the