When The Eagles Reached The Crown

THE FREEDMAN

Sound like a conscientious commander to me, " Said Alexius . " I would be working the men just as hard in his place." 

" I'm sure you would. But this is not the custom of previous prefects. More worrying still is that most of his officers seem to be fiercely loyal to Quintus and hold him in high regard." Pallas opened his hands ." You must see that i have reason to regard the man with a degree of suspicion." 

Alexius raised his eyesbrow, while Zenious started to think the implication in her mind. 

" There's more . Last month one of the tribunes of the guards was killed on the road ."

Alexius frowned ." I'm listening, well now." 

" We must put out Cato Scapula died as killed by brigands. which actually in the report mention that he was in command of a bullion convoy sent from the mint in Narbonensis. The search party found his body stripped by the side of the road, no doubt to make Scapula look like the victim of a robbery. It didn't take them long to allocate the remains of the vehicles from the convoy. But the bullion chests were gone . About three million denarii lost in all." 

Alexius whistled . " Fantastic sum. "

Pallas nodded " Indeed, a vast sum and the thing is only is handful men , Imperial servants and Praetorians , knew about the convoy. This was an inside job. No question of it, I've had those in know questioned, and some of them put under tortured, but Narcissus interrogators as well mine got nothing out of them. Either they are innocent, or they are hard enough not to crack under pressure." 

" Perhaps, word of the convoy leaked out." Alexius suggested . " Someone over heard or saw something that gave it away." 

" It's possible . But I trust my men to be discreet. They know the price for against dissapointing me will be severe. So that leaves the Praetorians. Either their security is slack , or there are traitors in their ranks. That's how it seemed to me until a few days ago, we had stroke of good fortune . One of the Praetorians got drunk and started a fight in some drinking hole close to the Great Circus. He was confined to quarters. On closer investigation it was discovered that he had been spending money all day buying drinks foe comrades and passer by . He had also lost a small fortune in silver at the races, and yet he had not drawn any money from his savings at the barracks. I gave orders for him to be released and his Centurion put him on fatigues for a month . Two nights ago  asked Narcissus to gave orders on his agents for snatch that man and take him to a safe house outside the city for questioning . He proved to be tough customer and more rigorous methods of interrogation were necessary base Narcissus , then I agree . Alas, before he died he confessed to being involved in the attack on the convoy and he gave up one name. A centurion who is serving in the cohort entrusted with guarding the Imperial palace, Properius Monsius. According to the man, Monsius is one of the leading conspirators. Now we know that there is  a faction of traitors in the Praetorian Guard."

" Did the man mention any link to the Liberators? " zenious asked Pallas. 

" He did ." Pallas took a breath . " The situation is serious ." There's only one reason why they would be after such a fortune . They're amassing a war chest . Once they have enough . It's my belief that they'll use the money to bribe the Praetorian Guard to back them when they attempt to overthrow the Emperor. " 

There's was a brief silence . Alexius drained his cup slowly and asked in thoughtfully engaged . " All of this was very interesting, but what's this got to do with her?". Alexius pointed at zenious whose remains silent and sink at her own thought.  

" It's simple . I need some men on the inside who can trust completely.  I want zenious taking care of this , and you Alexius to join Praetorian Guard."