The Alexandrian Embassy Read Free

What about you, Postumus, did you hear anything wrong?’
    â€˜It sounded sweet to me, brother.’
    â€˜In which case it’s time to stop being nice. Hold the gentleman’s buttocks apart for him, would you?’
    Postumus grinned with genuine enjoyment at the prospect. ‘My pleasure, Magnus.’
    Magnus squatted down and thrust his face close to the prisoner’s as Postumus pulled his legs apart. ‘Now listen, you piece of rat shit. I’m in a very bad mood and I don’t give a fuck how much or for how long I hurt you. Two of my brothers are dead and a lot of my money is missing so I’ll do whatever it takes to redress those facts. Answer my questions and Marius here won’t use your arse as a scabbard for his poker.’
    Still the man shook his head, his eyes bulging at the sight of the glowing terror coming towards him.
    â€˜That’s a silly decision.’ Magnus nodded at Marius. ‘Just in the crease and then, Postumus, squeeze.’
    The red-hot tip was placed between the man’s buttocks as Postumus pushed them together. Smoke rose to the hiss of burning hair and skin and, after a moment’s delay, the prisoner issued a scream that made his last effort seem pathetic in comparison; on it went, rising in timbre and getting rougher as it grated, drying in his throat.
    At Magnus’ nod, Marius withdrew the object of torment and pressed it back into the brazier; the prisoner started to hyperventilate.
    â€˜He’s going to have to be careful how he sponges his arsehole for a few days,’ Magnus opined, peering at the damage beforesquatting back down and grabbing the prisoner’s chin. ‘Now how would you like that done to your scrotum, maggot? I can assure you that we’ll all enjoy watching and listening.’
    The man’s chest heaved and tears rolled down his forehead; his swollen lips drew back to reveal shattered teeth. ‘Se … Sem …’
    Magnus put his ear closer to the man’s mouth. ‘Who?’
    â€˜Semp …’ He struggled for breath for a couple of moments. ‘Sempronius.’
    The name came out as a wheeze but it was clearly audible; Magnus’ face darkened. ‘Sempronius,’ he growled, chewing on the word. ‘He of the West Viminal Brotherhood?’
    The prisoner nodded feebly, his eyes closed.
    â€˜How did he know about the cash?’
    â€˜I don’t … I … I don’t know; he just …’ He winced and spat some blood from his ruined mouth; a globule rolled into his nostrils. ‘He just told us to track you back from the house on the Esquiline and attack you as you neared our territory so we’d not have so far to go with the box.’
    â€˜So he knew about the box?’
    The man nodded, his eyes still closed.
    Magnus stood, his face set grim. He paused for a few moments in thought and then wrenched the glove from Marius’ hand, pulled it on his own and grabbed the iron from the fire. ‘As you’ve been a good boy and answered the questions as best you can I’ll make good my promise: Marius won’t use your arsehole as a scabbard for his iron.’ He pushed Postumus aside and, brandishing the searing bar in his right hand, he exposed the man’s anus with his left. ‘But I will!’ With a jerk he forced the poker into the sphincter and thrust it, with the palm of his hand, as deep as it would go. With a howl that would have drowned out both the previous ones combined the prisoner convulsed, almost doubling up, so that his face stared, eyes brim with horror, over his scrotum, directly at Magnus for an instant, before slumping back down, swinging limply, dead from shock, pain and horrific internal injuries.
    â€˜Cut him down, Marius,’ Magnus ordered, heading out of the room, ‘and then dump him on the West Viminal’s border; youcan use Sextus and Postumus for the job.’ Magnus walked through the door