Гладиатор
Secrets and Lies
"LoyaltoCommodus."
"Letmymenseemealive.Theyarestillloyaltome."
"Thisiscrazy,"saidGracchus."NoRomanarmyhasenteredthecityin100years.ThismaybenobetterthantheruleofCommodus.Andwhatnext?AfterthebattletotakecontrolofRomeyou’lltakeyourmenandjust...leave?"
"Iwillleave,"saidMaximus."Thesoldierswillstaytoprotectyou,underthecommandoftheSenate."
"WhenallofRomeisyours,you’lljustgiveitbacktothepeople?"askedGracchus."Tellmewhy."
"Becausethatwasthelastwishofadyingman,"saidMaximus,quietly."IwillkillCommodusandleaveRometoyou."
Therewassilence,thenGracchusspokeagain."MarcusAureliustrustedyou,hisdaughtertrustsyou.SoIwilltrustyou,too.Givemetwodays."HeheldouthishandtoMaximus."Andstayalive."
***
InhisbeautifulhouseSenatorGracchuslistenedtothecheerscomingfromtheColosseum.Hisservanthelpedhimpackalargeamountofmoneyintoabag.
"WaitoutsidetheColosseum.He’llcometoyou,"hetoldtheman.
Gracchus’sservantleftthehouseandwalkedtowardtheColosseum.AllthewayhewasfollowedbyoneofFalco’ssecretpolice.
Proximosatinacafeandwaited.Heseemedtobewatchingthecrowdpassing,butreallyhewaslookingforGracchus’sservant.Heknewimmediatelywhenhesawhim,butjustcontinueddrinkinghiswine.Helookedupanddownthestreet.
Suddenly,hesawamanstandingbyadoorandhedidnotlikethelookofhim.ItwasFalco’sone-eyedsecretpoliceman.
