Age of Treason Page #2

I knew he'd be just as glad to have some

cheap gladiator pound it out off my hide.

FALCO:
(SHOUTING ANGRILY)

It doesn't matter to me,

Falco, if you are dying of leprosy!

You can rot in Hades,

for all I care!

But before you go, you'll pay me

every cent you owe me,

or my name is not

Germanicus Festus!

(COUGHING DRAMATICALLY)

Ugh!

You looking for Falco?

You'll find him in there, or what's

left of him. I wouldn't get too close.

He's got the Big L,

poor bastard. Ooh!

-It's you again!

-Says who?

Since you already know this Falco,

maybe you should tell him

that we've been sent by

Senator Garrus to pay his bill.

Pay his bill?

What are you talking about?

He's paying me off

with a gladiator?

That trans-Tiberian snake.

Our deal was for cash!

It's not for you, Master Germanicus.

He belongs to Falco now.

-This is Falco.

-You're damn right it is.

And this Marcus Didius Falco

does not buy, sell

or own anyone,

especially gladiators.

But this is Justus. Everyone

comes to see him fight.

No, I'll tell you what this is.

This is a tax shelter.

Or a nasty ploy to keep him away

from his prowling wife, Livia.

Either way,

I'm having no part of it.

Take him back!

I... I can't.

Damn it, boy!

You're a slave, aren't you?

I'm ordering you

to take him back!

Don't beat me, Master Falco,

I beg you,

but it's too late now. Master

Garrus has already gone.

Gone? Gone where?

To the estate in the country

for the grape harvest.

But he should be back

in a month or so.

(SHOUTING) A month?

And what am I supposed to do

with this beast for a month?

What a slum!

What'd you say, Thracian?

I said, better to die with honor

in the arena this morning

than to end up

in a place like this!

(ENUNCIATING)

And don't call me "Thracian."

FALCO:
If this was

the omen I'd asked for,

then I was sorry I'd asked.

-Good fight, Justus!

-Nice, Justus.

WOMAN:
Justus!

MAN:
Hail Justus!

-Justus!

-Justus!

You are working in a bath house?

I do not work in a bath house!

I have an office here.

It's a little arrangement

I have with the local magistrate

for keeping an eye on his mistress.

Something you wouldn't understand.

Niobe!

NIOBE:
Get off!

MAN:
Oh!

Mesopotamians.

They're all the same.

See a Nubian,

think they own her!

Yeah, well, I suspect you've

cleansed him of that idea.

-Now, talk to me, please.

-Your mother wants to see you.

-(GROANS) -One of your nephews

run away from home again.

-Curio, I think.

-Oh, Hades!

And Flavius sent a tip

on today's chariots.

Go for the Blues

in the fourth race.

Oh, and then

there's a swell pair

who've been lurking in the

corner since we opened.

Something tells me they're

waiting for you to show up.

Oh, them. They're here to give

me 1,200 sesterces in cash.

Mmm-hmm. And I'm

Cleopatra, queen of the Nile.

More likely they're here

to slash you open.

No, that's next time.

Still, I don't think a bit

of size in the room would hurt.

Hey, Justus! This way.

Justus?

Great mother of Isis! Justus!

(NIOBE GIGGLING)

You're Justus!

And you're here!

I never miss you fights.

Never.

Uh, Drago, Savilla, Triton!

I saw you kill them all.

And yesterday, when Ajax

caught you with his net,

I thought I would die!

But the way you sprang back,

incredible!

Oh, Falco, I can't believe it!

This is Justus!

Yes, I've heard, Niobe.

He fights like a god.

Snores like one, too, which is another

reason why I'm not keeping him.

Not keeping him?

You talk like you own him.

That's right. I now own the most

feared fighter in the whole of Rome.

So if you motherless curs

have some business here,

I suggest you attend to it

pretty quick.

You go and tell your Lady Helena

I'll consider her offer.

I said go.

I need you to follow those two,

find out which house they belong to.

Then I'll have some idea

of who I'm up against here.

You mist have had some night!

Take what I owe you, and put

another hundred or so on...

The Blues in the fourth race.

But I don't understand...

I'll explain later.

Now go, girl! Go!

(GIGGLES)

FALCO:
So this was the Cato

she wanted me to find, eh?

He didn't look like

he was worth 1,200 sesterces.

But then who does?

The truth was, I'd already

decided not to take the job,

whatever that Helena

was willing to pay for him.

But the cash

would tide me over,

at least until I could hand

this behemoth back to Garrus

or my luck improved

at the chariot races.

-(MEN GRUNTING)

-MAN:
Pull, damn you! Keep going!

Do it, slave! Now pull!

-Now where did I put that...

-Looking for this?

No, I wasn't.

And I'll thank you for keeping your

big mitts off my business, understand?

It's your nephew, isn't it?

Considering the size of my family,

anything's possible.

No, this is doubtless

some high-born brat

with too much time,

too much money

and just enough sense to

make a mess of both of them.

And you're not looking

for him?

Not if I can help it, no.

And you're getting

paid for this?

I know it lacks the simplicity of

butchering someone for sport.

I don't fight for sport.

And I don't go looking

for more trouble than I need.

So what do you do if

you're not dying of leprosy?

I try not to die

of anything else,

like asking questions that are

better left unanswered.

Nero.

Two-thumbs-down emperor,

every single time.

-You knew him?

-Worse.

He knew me.

(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)

It's Falco.

(WOMEN GASPING)

WOMEN:
Justus!

WOMAN:
Hi, Justus!

Falco, you rude

Republican.

We've had three emperors

since last you came to see me.

My angel Cornelia,

let's not talk emperors.

I just saw the ghost of one

haunting your neighborhood

and I can still feel

his eyes on me.

And who is that?

-A long story.

-I can't wait to hear it.

Another time. Right now, I need a

small favor and a few quick answers.

(INAUDIBLE)

I'll see to it the word

gets out on your nephew.

And don't worry, if he's anywhere

on the streets of Rome,

we'll know it by nightfall.

The palace spies would

envy your reach, Cornelia.

Are you sure you don't mind

looking after Colossus here?

I'd take him

to my mother's place,

but knowing her, she'd want

to adopt him into the family.

(CHUCKLES)

With what my girls

have to face most nights,

I should be paying you

for the privilege.

Oh, but I do miss you, Falco.

And right now, I'd kill for a

decent conversation with a man

who wasn't always trying to impress

me with his least impressive parts.

If not for the comforts

I could offer you,

just come back and talk,

won't you?

I promise.

-Falco!

-(WOMEN EXCLAIMING SADLY)

You're not gonna leave me

with these women?

I told you, I don't sell people,

if that's your concern.

You're a shade conspicuous

for my line of work,

and while they're not exactly

the Vestal Virgins,

you should be thrilled with

the prospect of Justus for all.

I'd rather see Rome.

What do you mean, you'd

rather see Rome? This is Rome!

You've been fighting here

for years!

I've been fighting

in the arena for years.

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