Chapter 12

Finding a place to remain stationary was difficult. Staying close I felt would be normal for most people trying to get into the property. The homes on both sides were just as ostentatious as Quinctius'. They also had guards. I was going to have to go across one property to gain access to what I sought unless I went up the wall facing the street.

I broke into a stable a half klick away. It was the only safe place. The hours passed and the noise in the streets diminished. People came to the stable to put away horses for the night and I had to wait for some of the horses to be curried. My street clothes were hidden in the straw and I wore my night outfit. My face had been blackened and so were my hands and blade. The pack had the equipment in it that I may need.

Getting out of the stable was delayed as men were nearby and talking. Timing was not that important so I waited twenty minutes until they moved on. I learned that Quinctius was going to put on another execution in two days because a slave displeased him. I would see if I could displease him more in the coming hours.

There was an alleyway that a thief would take but I went around the block to a home with a wall only three metres high. I picked this one because the houses on both sides had dogs. There were also no guards in evidence.

I jumped and caught the edge of the capping and I was on top in seconds. With a quick look around I rolled off into a garden. I cast my senses out and found two young lovers on a stone bench. The woman had her legs parted and the man was using his fingers. There was a little groaning. The words and sounds associated with the activity were subdued. I managed to slip by the couple as I hurried along to the next wall.

An angry man was inside the house was talking about a worthless young man taking advantage of his daughter. The woman and I suppose the mother was trying to placate him.

When I got to the wall I wanted to climb I found it higher and plastered. I could jump quite high and could make a very good living as a basketball star but I could still not reach the top. I got out my hook and rope from the sack but heard a commotion as the man in the house wanted to confront the young couple.

I picked up a pebble and threw it in the direction of the couple so it would land in the trees and possibly warn them. The father was quietly getting near the couple as my hook bit and I was up the wall in seconds then lay on the top to see what had happened. The father caught the couple sitting comfortably but I could smell the woman's scent from here.

The next property had a dog but only one. The house was built close to one wall. The top of the wall was in good shape considering and I decided to walk it instead of climbing down then up again. I walked thirty metres then turned toward the house after getting around a decorative turret at the corner.

I was very near the house and it was quite dark but I felt something odd on my left leg and I froze. I concentrated in the direction of my feet and saw a thin thread strung across the wall and going in a nearby window. I listened intently now and heard the breathing of two men. I had to guess that there was about twelve nearby. My left foot moved back very slowly and I looked ahead. There were more threads going across and some were as high as my waist. Those threads went into other windows.

This was like evading laser beams in a movie. I moved cautiously forward and stepped over or under all of them. Once past the house I saw a fire on a platform tended by an old man in the adjoining property. In the courtyard of the house there were some men hidden in a copse of trees probably looking at the top of the wall I had to cross.

Instead of backtracking, I slipped down into the yard with the fire and when the man was not looking. I got by him and then up the other wall but only so I could lay on top to see what other efforts were there to thwart me.

Dogs were there and I saw that they were muzzled. A ninja usually brought poison or something to make a dog sleep. I had some but the dogs were on leashes and not allowed near any food. Besides there were three of them.

After dropping back into the property with the fire, I moved down the wall I had been on until it passed a corner with another property. Here I climbed again but saw more guards with dogs.

I spent the rest of the night making a mental map of all of the properties. It was a given that I was not going to be able to get into the property the way it was guarded.

The streets were nearly deserted when I left. I had not been able to get close to the property except at the street in front. It was near dawn when I climbed down the outside of the town walls. Lazeez had been there to meet me after he got the signal.

"Did you get him? I didn't hear any fighting."

"He has his guards around him in circles that get smaller." I did not have to word for concentric. "I am going to have to find another way in. Maybe we can go through the sewers."

"The sewers?"

Back at our temporary camp I mentioned what I had seen to the others. Many plans had come to me on the ride back. Movies had shown people parasailing, using a cable strung between two buildings and over the target to digging a tunnel underneath the property. There was still no assurance that Quinctius or all of my people were on the property.

"Demetrius, I want you to take some gold and purchase five strong barrels. They all have to be strong. This means that I need four or five carts to carry them. I am going to place them near the walls in the city and I am going to destroy them."

"With barrels?"

"With what is in the barrels. I also need two large copper pot with a tight fitting lid. If you cannot find them then have them made. There is going to be an execution in two days. We will not be ready in time but maybe I can give Quinctius something to think about besides capturing me. I know that after this he would have called for more executions and there will be nothing I can do about it."

"Who is going to be executed?"

"Somebody that Quinctius will think I will try to save."

Nobody spoke for a while then Mithridates said, "The Romans have used this method many times and they usually taunt the person into doing what they want."

"I love those people but to give in now means everything I have done will be lost. I have been taught to reason not react and that has been difficult when the people are so close to me. I fear that more will die until I can save them. Even if I could get somebody in authority here, I fear they would still die."

Demetrius said, "What can one man do or even the Hand of Woden?"

"We will both find out but I am going to do my best and if I fail, I am going to make them pay like they are doing to me now."

Demetrius and Mithridates went to those of Demetrius' relatives with more detailed requests. They would be able to go into the city to purchase what I needed. They would meet us at the bat cave just like batman. I wanted Calliope and Panos to start harvesting the sodium nitrate crystals.

The two would get things ready as Lazeez and I had a little sleep. After four hours I awoke and ate a quick meal. Lazeez had been awake all night and wanted nothing more than to sleep now.

We broke camp and headed back to the cave. Again we avoided sight and got to the cave in mid afternoon. We all went in and I saw the needed for illumination without making a fire or an explosion. The material on the floor would burn and I had heard of one such cave doing so during the American Civil War. The best we could do is have a fire outside and reflect some of the light inward. This would not happen until we got some of the copper back. I had asked for ten amphoras of lamp oil but I was not sure this much could be found.

We gathered what we could. We had neither the right tools, illumination or containers to put our collection into. I was also fearful of the dust that we now worked in, exploding like it did in flour mills and coal mines by just things like hot bearings or even a static spark.

The work was made easier by me healing all of us. Calliope started to talk a lot more with her father away but didn't get overly talkative. I started lots of conversations and tried to get others to speak but this did not work well yet.

We had collected about four hundred kilograms by the time Demetrius and Mithridates returned. They had only an old copper pot and three old men and five old women. I had asked for help and requested older people. I did not expect them to be this old though. I guess the younger people would still be needed on the farms and able to do most of their duties.

I was covered in ancient bat shit and a bit of the fresh when I shook their hands. They didn't seem to mind. For twenty minutes we talked about Wodenism and during the talks I started their bodies to heal. Calliope, Panos and Lazeez were treated again but now I tried to get their bodies to remove the dust from their lungs. This didn't work and I would have to see how to do it on myself first.

There was so much to learn about the human body. I had so much else to do that it hurt to ignore medicine, especially when I had such a great method of monitoring and influencing the body.

We made a meal and ate after four of us washed. Three of us did not think the dirt was that objectionable. I had to set them straight on this.

I had another sermon that night to blot out of my mind the condition of my people. Reminiscing about those in Germania, on the Rhine, the Weser or Lutetia could occupy me for hours but I had company now.

I talked about what our future could be. There was so much that was interesting in the twenty first century or even centuries before. I explained in detail the workings of a steam locomotive and they were all in awe. When I said we had built this already then they were speechless.

The next morning the eight newcomers commented how they felt better than in years. Those that had problems with hearing and sight were improving. We all went to work in the cave to the distress of the bats. We now at least had wooden shovels to scoop off the crystals at the top of the layer of shit but this also had fresh droppings. We were bombed too but we had to stay and do the job.

Demetrius and one of the old men went back to see what had been collected for me. I needed to wash the crystals of impurities then dry them out before they were crushed. At this time I had to put the lamp oil on them to keep them from absorbing water like ammonium nitrate would but only worse.

I had made these types of explosives and many others when I was trained by my uncles and my dad. This had lead to my taking chemistry but I guess it really stemmed for my wish to destroy creatively. There was a power to be gained from working with chemicals and I guess I had never really grown up in this matter.

Demetrius came back with a cart and some used kegs. What I really liked was a sheet of hand wrought copper that was more brass than I wanted. I stopped my labours at gathering crystals and then began to wash what we had. The scum on top was thrown out and the washed crystals were placed on the sheet of metal after the edges were turned up. Another fire dried out the kegs. I didn't mind the charing, I was after dry wood.

When the fire had burnt down, the pan of crystals were put on top to dry. These had to be constantly stirred with a paddle to keep them from decomposing but still enough to dry out.

I had primers for grenades and I used a bit of plastique to make up the device that would set off the nitrate. Most of the kegs were small and would hold fifteen to twenty five kilos of crystals. I had to guess at the amount of oil I needed. Too little or too much would make this very inefficient.

Everything was packaged except for the necessary oil and the sealed containers were put on the cart. Two of the old men now started to take the cart to Antioch. Their speed would be far less than mine. They could safely carry some of the stingers, and a lot of arrows but now they were wrapped in straw. The boxes would surely be noticed. A dozen grenades were added and some of the ingredients I needed to make more claymores. The most important may be my armour which would be difficult for me to wear into town.

I washed up while the rest worked. I exercised and worked with the sword and knife doing a kata. The bow this time was going to be important. I practised in half hour segments while thinking of all the oriental lore surrounding the casting of arrows. Being one with the bow and the arrow was actually a good way of phrasing it and I consistently had good results. With a person going to die soon I worked even harder. I knew that I would probably not be able to save the person.

I rested that night instead of going to Antioch. I would not be able to do anything at this time and I had to resign myself to that fact. When I was a boy this procedure was drilled into me. I could see the logic but it did not mean the pain was going to be less. In the end I had to make myself sleep the way I did to others.

Lazeez, Mithridates and Demetrius rode with me to Antioch in the morning. They had all changed into a disguise that I hoped would work. One of Demetrius' relatives lived close to the city and we could leave our horses there.

We found the old men there ahead of us. To stay in character I had a sermon with the new family and those that were usually with me. It was good that I did. The father of the family was dying and I had to do a lot to him to keep him alive for the next few years.

Lazeez and I would enter the town with three other young men with a wagon of produce to sell. We plastered horse shit over the wagon to make it seem as odious as possible and I even applied some to myself and Lazeez.

"Why do I have to get this on me too?"

"A while ago you complained of getting clean now you complain about getting dirty."

"The dirt I came by naturally. You are putting it on."

"Better horse shit than a sword."

"Ya, I guess."

Mithridates and Demetrius came into town on the wagon with the crystals, weapons, armour and with some additional produce. There was no hassle at the gates because either they had relaxed or Quinctius wanted me here.

We did not enter together. When Mithridates met me, we went immediately to a shop selling the oil for lamps. I poured the crystals into the copper pot and mixed in the oil as best as I could then packed it firmly into the kegs once more. This was done for all five barrels before the detonators were installed. I had a half keg of explosives left over.

The mixture remaining in the pot would be fashioned into my traps. I had a total of about a hundred and sixty kilos of a weak explosive. If I had ammonium nitrate it would be far stronger.

Mithridates went into a smith's forge and asked about making the backing for the claymores. It was difficult because he could not say what it was for. He didn't know that much anyways.

The articles were easy to make and in an hour or so he would be done.

The execution was to take place in the circus that was near the centre of town. I walked in well before the event and after checking those already here, I inspected the post that had been erected for this task. I thought of how I would kill with this new information. I could kill Quinctius from the seats with a bow or a stinger. I could also use one of my bombs.

I had not been to any circuses except those in Lutetia. I figured that Quinctius would use the seats that were reserved for him. He would be surrounded by his army and any damage would be reserved for them.

The seats and floor were of wood not stone though stone was used in other places. I put a cloth through the slats by the seat then went looking for a way underneath. There was no opening to this location so I had to pry some boards away. The spot was easy enough to find now.

I went back to the cart and took the largest container and carried it to the location. Mithridates and Demetrius came with me and helped me secure it right under the seats so it would be as close as possible. When it was firmly in place I placed a cord onto the pin on the grenade and ran it through the boards we had to move to get into this area. At ground level I put a stone on the cord to hide the end. The last thing I did then was to remove the safety pin and then close up the boards I had removed to get in.

"When I give the word, I want the cord pulled. You have a half of a minute at most to get clear."

Demetrius asked, "What will happen?"

"Something like a large stinger. Mithridates knows what they are like and you can ask him. The effect is hard to describe without actually seeing and hearing it."

Mithridates asked, "This is just more than the usual amount of power of Thor's hammer?"

"It is more but still just a small fraction."

When we scouted out everything possible we left on the most direct route to Quinctius' home. If I had failed to kill him or if his soldiers came this way I would have to find ways of slowing them down. Permanently was the best way in my mind.

Mithridates went for the iron. I used the metal with cloth and pebbles collected at the bat cave. The plastique was put on the metal but then I added the fertilizer and stones. This had to be kept in a cloth sack because I could not bind it to the mine or encase it in sheet metal yet. One of my detonators went onto each.

I showed all of them how to place the claymore, the sack of stones and fertilizer, the detonator and finally how to start the fuse burning. My mines were large and very powerful but I could not miniaturise them very well.

Along the route I picked out some good points for an ambush and let them pick more so that I knew that they understood.

We had a meal but none of us were really hungry. I gave orders after the meal. "Lazeez, you are to stay with the wagon at all times. Mithridates is going with me to the circus in case I need to set off the explosives. Demetrius will be on the route the soldiers will take. He will slow them down and Mithridates will help him when he comes."

Lazeez said, "What are you going to do?"

"I am going to try to kill Quinctius and rescue the person slated for execution. If necessary I will kill the person as painlessly as possible but if I have to do that then a lot more people will die."

"What about me? I have nothing to do."

"If I am successful, you will help who I rescue get to a safe place until I can get all of you out of town. If I am not successful then you will accompany me as I destroy the wall in front of Quinctius' home. You can set some claymores to keep reinforcements away."

"I can help you fight even if I have somebody to hide later."

"Lazeez, you grew up on the streets and you can find places to hide that I miss. You need to do this."

"Ok, I will do as you ask."

When the time for the execution came close we headed back to the circus. In some cases we were able to hide the claymores but they were not in the alleys where they were going to be deployed. There was just too many nosy people around that would take what we hid even if they did not know what it was.

Demetrius was let off with the last of the heavy load of claymores in a large leather sack. The man was very nervous and I helped him as best I could. He said, "If I die, will you look out for my family?"

"They are my family now and you already know how I feel about that."

He made the symbol of the Möbius and muttered a prayer as we left.

Lazeez rented a cheap place to stay the night. It was in the stable. We were not going to stay but I wanted a place to hide in until Mithridates gave me the signal to come. Lazeez and I stayed within three hundred metres of the circus while Mithridates left.

Lazeez said, "I am more nervous now than I was before."

"Waiting is always hard. We were always on the move before and we had little time to worry."

"It is hard to imagine that we fought a legion and won and now we fight less men and it is more dangerous."

"Facts and the intelligence of the officers win wars too. If you know when to attack and where you can win. It is just that Quinctius has most of that on his side now."

"Were you a soldier in the future?"

"I learned to be a soldier all in the first thirty years of my life. I had a problem with my legs and could not fight for my country. So I was a soldier but one trained for small groups and tactics."

"Like now?"

"Yes, like now." I wanted to keep his spirits up but the difficulties I had to face in this time were not what I trained for. I had an established tech base to help me and I never thought that I would lead more than twelve people but here I was leading everyone that believed in our religion.

People came and put their horses into the stable with us and went to the circus. The Romans like the Germanic people were usually slow to get started. I had to piss twice even before I started to put on my armour. The only way to hide myself on the route would be a long cape and hood.

I checked out the weapons and made sure they were sharp, especially the two swords. My quiver was extra large and the arrows came in two lengths so that more could be put in the quiver without the fetching being damaged. A strap across my chest and another around my waist held grenades. One special quiver held only nine stingers. The last thing was the k-bar that hung from my waist.

Lazeez stayed by the open door to warn me or keep others away. He finally ran in and shouted, "Mithridates is running this way."

I put the cape on and then strapped the two swords to my back before I hurried out of the stable with the bow in one hand. Lazeez was already leaving to do his part though I knew he didn't want to do it.

Mithridates stayed away from me but gave me the signal for what this situation was. Quinctius was in his box and the execution was near. I gave my signal and he ran back in to pull a simple cord.

I got close to one of the gates when the ground shook. Air rushed out the gate and nearly knocked me back. The sound of the explosion was everywhere. Tortured wood was flung in every direction and I wondered if I had used too much of the explosives. There was a period of quiet then the roof over this portion of the stadium gave way and fell.

There was far more confusion than I thought and removed my cape and threw it to one side then put my swords back on. The katana stayed on my back but I wanted the shorter blade now.