“Lucius,” implored Hektor, “do you still need the opium?”
“What does it matter to you?”
Hektor knew Lucius was even more dangerous if he had become an opio addicta. A man had tried to kill Hektor once over a vial of curative gentiane, thinking it was opium. They entered the garden and found Adas sleeping in the shade of the tamarisk tree.
“Well,” snickered Falto, “The boy is curled up in his cloak like a bug in a cocoon. Why is he still here?” The drunken man laughed uncontrollably.
Lucius swatted him across the back of the head. Falto lurched forward, nearly falling. “Shut up, you imbecile!” Lucius hissed. “Let him sleep. I only came here to make sure the tomb is still open. We need to get back to the Antonia before he does.” He tried to drink from a wine bottle, but tripped and fell over. The other two soldiers doubled over in raucous laughter.
The noise woke Adas. His hand automatically reached for the handle of his dagger when he saw the men. He scrambled to his feet and faced them. “You dare to return here. Do I need to remind you of the punishment for disobeying a direct order?”
Unknown to the soldiers, two men had taken a position among the rocky outcrops above the garden. Unseen, a third man approached from the lower slopes.
One of the two men spoke to his companion, “Are you sure you want to stay, Cleopas? You could have gone with the others to Bethany,” Jamin whispered.
“No, Jamin, I know how important this is to you. I only wish we had approached the centurion before the soldiers showed up. Besides, you and I were blessed with Yeshua’s presence twice today.”
They watched as the centurion confronted the three inebriated soldiers. “You recognize them, don’t you?” asked Cleopas. “They’re the same ones who crucified Yeshua?”
“Yes, and it looks like the big legionary is still trying to pick a fight with the centurion. That legionary is going to get himself executed.”
“Jamin, this is not good for your friend. He is outnumbered and he’s already injured.”
Lucius swayed on his feet as he shouted, “Punishment? I think not! After I tell Valentius how you helped the Nazarene’s followers steal his body. You will suffer punishment, not us!”
Adas had underestimated the legionary’s confidence in Valentius’s protection. “You think your lies will succeed, Octavean?”
A cold smile crossed Lucius’s face. “No, I don’t think they will. I know they will. Your counterfeit status will not help you.” Lucius threw down his knapsack and the wine bottle. He stared at the bandage on Adas’s right hand. “Besides you’re a bit—handicapped! Perhaps I should demonstrate how a fraudulent centurion does not equal three legionaries.”
Lucius drew his sword. Alarmed at the challenge, Hektor stepped back. Lucius tried to circle Adas, but he stumbled. The wine had affected his judgment and his coordination.
Adas shifted his dagger to his right hand and held it as best he could. He drew his sword with his left hand, and waited for Lucius to attack first. Lucius knew he was in no shape to take on Adas in a swordfight. Even sober, his success would not be assured. The centurion was deadly quick. Hektor and Falto exchanged glances as they tried to decide what to do. Falto feared Lucius more than he feared the centurion. He pulled his dagger and held it behind his back. Hektor hesitated. Watching was quite another thing from participating. Then he thought of the money in his knapsack and what would happen to it if he sided with the centurion. But if he sided with Lucius, there would be no going back. Longinus would have to die, here and now.
Hektor made his decision and signaled to Falto to circle behind Adas. Even Falto understood the moment they should have sided with their commanding officer was long past. Valentius’s protection would only go so far since he answered to Tribune Salvitto who protected no one from Roman justice. If Longinus got to Salvitto, they would be dead men. Reluctant to draw a weapon against a superior officer, Hektor picked up a rock.
From their hiding place, Jamin and Cleopas saw what was happening. The third observer had an even better view.
Hektor darted behind Adas just when Lucius lunged with his sword. Adas deflected Lucius’s attack, but could not avoid the other two. He looked over his shoulder in time to dodge Falto’s dagger, but from his safer distance, Hektor threw the rock. It hit Adas across the left temple. Dazed, but still on his feet, Adas shook his head, trying to clear bright popping lights from his vision. Adas turned in Falto’s direction and brought the flat side of his sword down on his hand. Falto yelped with pain as he dropped his dagger. Trying to step back in retreat, Falto tripped and landed on his back. He crawled behind Lucius on all fours.
As Adas tried to keep all three men in sight, Hektor dodged to the side and snatched up another rock. Adas saw the motion of his arm and managed to duck in time, but the distraction gave Lucius a chance to knock Adas’s sword out of the way with his own sword. Adas retaliated, bringing his sword crashing down on Lucius’s sword. The legionary howled as pain shot down his arm from his previously dislocated shoulder forcing him to drop the weapon. Lucius was defenseless, but Adas shifted his grip and brought the flat of the blade down on Lucius’s arm. Confused, Lucius realized the centurion was not using deadly force. Adas could have thrust the sword under Lucius’s leather chest armor, killing him instantly.
Then Hektor grabbed Adas’s left arm and forced it behind his back. Lucius hit Adas with his fist as hard as he could. Adas collapsed, hitting his head on a rock outcrop behind him. The double impact knocked him unconscious. His weapons dropped from his hands. Still on his hands and knees, Falto scrambled for his dagger. He raised the weapon, but Lucius grabbed Falto by the back of the neck and threw him on his back.
“What did you do that for?” Falto shouted.
“No, not with a dagger.” Lucius panted. “I have a better idea.”
As he stood staring down at the unconscious centurion, euphoria from the opium overcame him. Gratification crossed his face as he rubbed his fist. “How did that feel—boy!” Lucius gingerly touched his jaw, bruised by Adas’s fist the day of the crucifixions. The permanently etched lines of anger in his face eased. “Looks like we won’t need to cower behind Valentius’s shield, after all.” Lucius retrieved his sword.
Watching from the rocky outcrops, Jamin and Cleopas both gasped in horror. “We’ve got to do something,” Jamin whispered. “If they kill him, I’ll never know what Demas said.” He started to move, but Cleopas pulled him back.
“No. Wait. Look! There’s someone else hiding above the tombs, and he has a sword. He’s moving.”
Hektor watched Lucius snatch up his knapsack and start for the garden gate. “Lucius, have you lost your mind? You can’t leave now! You have to finish him off, or have you lost your nerve like you did when the Nazarene died? You couldn’t even spear a dead man.” Falto clumsily got to his feet and backed away, not sure who would take control.
Lucius rounded on Hektor. “What are you talking about? The only one who lost his nerve is this pathetic boy. He could have killed both of us just now! But we can’t kill him with our weapons! We have to make this look like zealots attacked him.”
Hektor doubtfully eyed Lucius. “Tell me. What happened at the crucifixions when you had the spear in your hands?”
“Longinus hit me for defying him.”
“You weren’t defiant. You were afraid, my friend.”
Lucius’s eyes closed to slits of icy silver. “Really? What do you think I was afraid of?”