Гладиатор
Broken Plans
AtthesametimesixarrowsflewintoCicero’schest,killinghimimmediately.
Maximushadhisswordready.Butthereweretoomanyguardsandhehadnochance.
Avoicecalledout,"Takehimalive!"andtheguardsquicklycaughthim,makinghimaprisoneragain.
Atsunrise,evenbeforetheirservantswereawake,SenatorGaiusandhiswifeweremurderedintheirbedbyroyalguards.Sevenothersenatorswerekilledthesamemorning,alsomanyprivatecitizens.AllthesepeoplehadupsetCommodusinsomeway.Hissecretpolicehaddoneagoodjob.
SenatorGracchuswasnotkilled,buttheguardstookhimawayfromhishomeandthrewhimintoprison.
InhisroomatthepalaceFalcocametotellCommodusthenews.Commoduswaspleasedthatsomanyofhisenemieswerefinished.AfterFalcohadgone,hespoketoLucilla.
"Luciuswillstaywithmenow,"hesaid,walkingacrosstheroomtowardher."Andifhismotherevenlooksatmeinawaythatupsetsme,hewilldie.Ifshedecidestotakeherownlife,hewilldie."Hesmiledandtouchedherhair."Kissme,sister,"hesaid.
***
ItwashotanddustyintheColosseum.Hundredsofservantsatthetopofthearenawerethrowingredflowersdownontothesand.Fifty-fivethousandRomanswerewaiting.Theyhadbeentoldtoexpectsomethingspecial.
Maximuswasalsowaiting.Heknewtherewasonlydeathaheadofhim.Buthestillhopedforasoldier’sdeath,andhekepthisbackstraightandhisheadup.OnhiswaytothearenahepassedaprisonroomwhereJubaandProximo’sothergladiatorswere.
