Tomb of the Lost (22 page)

One of the others had managed to move out to the left and was now level with Gaius.

“
Are you all right Gaius?
”
he whispered across.

Gaius nodded.

“
Do you want me to take the lead?
”

Gaius
’
fingertips were stinging and he clenched his fingers into a tight fist. They were extremely sore but regardless he shook his head and thrust himself upwards, climbing the wall quickly. Soon he found himself at the top and he pulled himself up just enough to peek over . They had come up at the side of the building around the corner from the standing guards.

Perfect!

He bade his colleagues to wait then, quick as a flash, Gaius pulled himself up over the wall and darted silently for the corner. He peeked around once. The two guards were staring down the street towards where the Romans waited. He peered around again searching the distant wall for signs of the other three swimmers. He couldn
’
t see them.

’
What should I do?
’
he asked himself,
’
Do I attack or wait?
’

Another glance around the corner told him that the guards were standing ten paces apart. He glanced up at the sky. The wind had died down.

’
At least the moon is not out.
’

He decided he couldn
’
t wait any longer. He turned to beckon his men over and kicked a stone by accident. It clattered across the road and finished up by the wall. He put his hand out and shook it to stop the other two but they were already at the top of the wall. Gaius dared to look around the wall. To his horror the guard nearest him was looking in his direction. He shrank back further into the shadows. He stole another peek and saw the guard moving slowly towards him. Gaius knew he and his men would be no match for the javelin or long sword the Egyptian army carried. He cursed his luck. He darted to the wall. He had only seconds to act. He squatted down and scrabbled with his fingers, desperately searching for the stone that had probably given him away. Then he touched it and his fingers closed around it.

Back in the street Lucius Burrus waited for signs of his men who
’
d taken the ocean to re-appear. As he
’
d watched he
’
d seen one man from the harbour side scale the top of the wall and dash into the shadows. Now he could see one of the guards moving to that corner where the man remained hidden.

“
What
’
s happening?
”
a voice asked quietly.

Burrus knew the voice. He turned and saluted. Then anxious about the guard he turned back and spoke quietly over his shoulder.

“
I
’
ve sent swimmers via the harbour and ocean Caesar. The men from the harbour are in position. I don
’
t know if the guard has discovered them. I
’
m still waiting to see the men from the other side appear.
”

The sentry was almost at the corner.

“
Can you bring him down with an archer?
”

“
I couldn
’
t guarantee it at first but now the wind has dropped.
”

“
Get an archer
…
.Wait he
’
s turning, something
’
s distracted him.
”

Quintus Varius and his two men scaled the top of the wall from the sea and rushed to the side of the base of the lighthouse. He glanced down at his legs and saw little bits of black seaweed sticking to them. He peered around the corner, saw the guard nearest to him looking in the opposite direction, saw the further guard away from his station also heading in the opposite direction, drew his knife from his forearm and dashed out into the open. He jumped onto the Egyptian
’
s back, knocking the wind out of his enemy as he drove his dagger through the man
’
s back, through his ribs, into his heart. Varius didn
’
t wait to see if the man was dead. He simply plunged his knife into the man
’
s jugular and ripped it free.

The other guard had almost reached the corner of the building. He
’
d heard the initial stone hit the wall, then heard the stone clatter up the street after Burrus had thrown it to distract him. Then he
’
d whirled around as he
’
d heard the other guard go down. He drew his sword and as he began to run he was tripped from behind and hit the road hard. The three Romans plunged their knives into him again and again and again and as he was howling with the pain one of them lifted his head and slit his throat.

The two teams wasted no time in grabbing arms and legs and began moving the dead men into the shadows. Varius stopped and looked up at the sound of approaching feet.

“
What
’
s that?
”

“
Patrol,
”
Varius answered.

He grabbed the nearest javelin, another of his men picked up a sword. Now armed with better weapons the six Romans waited in the shadows as the patrol rounded the corner. They saw the dead bodies and the captain shouted and drew his sword. The Romans threw themselves into action. They charged the four man patrol. The Egyptian captain raised his shield as a javelin was thrown at him. It glanced off and clattered away, the steel head striking sparks off the flagstones. The second javelin embedded itself into the shield and the force of it wrenched it from his arm. Bellowing with rage he stormed at the Romans, his sword slashing this way and that. The first of Burrus
’
men managed to avoid the deadly weapon but the second didn
’
t move in time and the sword slashed his quadriceps open, cleaved to the bone. He fell to the ground howling in agony.

From where the Romans stood they could see the guards on upper levels looking down. Then they were running for the steps that led down. One man ran to the corner and throwing his weapons down he leaned forward and blew long and hard into a curved horn. The noise of which reached out over the island, across the harbour and into the city.

“
That
’
s the end of our surprise attack,
”
Caesar said,
“
We move now.
”

“
Yes Sir,
”
Burrus said.

He drew his sword and at the top of his voice he yelled,
“
Charge!
”
and dashed out into the street, the rest of his men running after him.

Varius whirled around, his sword a whirling arc. The Egyptian sword longer and heavier than its Roman counterpart and useless for stabbing with. The big, Egyptian Captain was still fending them off. The rest of his men were dead or writhing in agony, dying. One Roman had fallen. Varius whirled again, his sword crashing down on the blade of the Egyptian sword striking sparks. Again and again the swords clashed. Then the sword Varius was wielding shattered. He stared in disbelief at the broken blade, the haft still in his hand. The big Egyptian spoke in a gutteral tongue. He pulled Varius close and head butted him hard in the face. Blood spurted. Varius knew instantly that his nose was broken. He staggered back bringing his free hand up to his nose. The pain was excruciating. In a rage he hurled the broken haft of his sword hitting the Egyptian in the forehead. At first it didn
’
t appear to have any effect, but then, suddenly, he collapsed to one knee. In that instant the Romans were on him, thrusting their swords again and again into his flesh.

The big Captain still wasn
’
t finished. He was fighting on with animal instinct. Varius, almost unable to see through watering eyes, picked up a javelin and charged the man, running him through.. The Egyptian threw his head back and roared in anguish as a Roman sword decapitated him. Varius collapsed to his knees.

The street was becoming light as the Romans parted to allow Caesar to the front. One man he noticed had what appeared to be a broken nose. Even so the man stood to attention.

“
Well done men. Despite being out-equipped you fought well.
”

“
Caesar! Caesar! Caesar!
”
they shouted.

Lepidus made a sweeping arc with his arm towards the large double doors at the front of the lighthouse complex.

“
The lighthouse belonged to Achillas last night, this morning it belongs to Caesar!
”

A great cheer went up.

“
Thank you Lepidus.
”

Julius saw men cowering in the dirt, standing alongside them were Egyptian guards. Caesar strode over to them. The sweating, grimy, men in loincloths glanced up, saw the great dictator and cowered further into the dust.

“
Look at me.
”

The cringing men looked up, clearly terrified.

“
They operate the lift that brings the wood up to the fire sir.
”

“
Slaves?
”

One of them raised his head. Caesar pitied them. He clicked his tongue and jerked his head.

“
Go while you can.
”

Incredibly, they got to their feet, bowed to him and ran for their lives. Now Julius focused on the guards.

“
There were three sir. One of them leapt to his death.
”

“
You are under Achillas
’
command?
”

“
No Caesar. We are palace guards. As are the men you have killed. This is our regular post.
”

“
Then why did your men fight?
”

“
Probably because your men were not in uniform Caesar. They first appeared to be bandits or pirates. There are many strange ships in the harbour.
”

Julius studied the man, judging him.

“
Where do your loyalties lie? Ptolemy or Cleopatra?
”

“
To the royal throne Caesar. No matter who sits on it.
”

“
Very well. You can report back to the palace, to your commander. You may well tell Achillas, if you should see him again, that Caesar has compassion.
”

The guards saluted formally.

“
And them Caesar?, Lepidus nodded towards the dead lying in the street.

“
Burn our fallen brother. As for the Egyptian dead
…
.
”
Julius gazed across at the horizon. It would be sunrise soon,
“…
.Throw them into the sea.
”

Burrus returned. He had been running.

“
That
’
s it Caesar. We
’
ve secured the district. The island belongs to you.
”

A great cheer went up from the Romans.

“
Thank you Burrus. Send a message down the coast to Calvinius. Tell him his ships are safe to land as soon as he is able.

“
Yes sir.
”

The Romans made way as Caesar entered the building. It took him ten minutes to climb the many staircases to the top. He walked out at the base of the huge flames. The city was sprawled out to the East. He felt the sun on the back of his neck and he turned to face it. There were thin strips of red cloud in the distance. The sunrise was perfect. He could see his three ships still beached and the many ships in the harbour. His own fleet still in the royal harbour and the temple of Osiris and the tomb of Alexander. The morning was beautiful. Caesar took a long deep breath and held it until his lungs were aching.

The sound of another horn drifted across to him. His eyes searched for the source. He had been smiling to himself. Then the smile vanished, replaced with a frown.

A flotilla of ships was heading for Alexandria. On their sails the enemy
’
s symbol. Caesar turned at shouts from below. He leaned over the edge and looked down. He saw his men running back towards his ships. He looked up. Hundreds of the enemy were running across the sand towards his beached galleys.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Julius Caesar was sitting at his writing desk on board his ship writing reports. It had been a month since his arrival in Alexandria. A long and difficult time for the Roman dictator.

It had been a long and troubling week since the water supply was sabotaged and then fixed easily in one night by his men digging down to the fresh supply. That night had been dangerous, Caesar was sure, on the point of mutiny.