Commodus walked up and down in his room. He was a worried man. There was one other person with him: Senator Falco.

"An emperor cannot rule if he is not loved!" Commodus said to Falco. "And now they love Maximus because he let Tigris live. I can't kill him now or they will hate me. But I can't just let him continue like this-every day he adds another insult. It's like a bad dream."

"Every day his power is greater," said Falco. "And the people are getting braver. The Senate sees it, too. This is not something that will go away in a few days or weeks. Rome is beginning to move against you. He must die."

"Then they will love him even more!" shouted Commodus. He began walking again and soon he was calmer. "When I went to the Senate today," he said, "I purposely told them about selling the wheat to pay for the games. And what happened?"

"Nothing," said Falco.

"Exactly! Nothing!" said Commodus. "Even Gracchus was as silent as a mouse. Why?" He stopped and looked out his window over Rome.

"We must be quiet and patient, Caesar. We must let the enemy come to us," said Falco.

Commodus began to relax a little. "Have every senator followed," he ordered. "I want daily reports."

***

It was easy to find Lucilla, but much harder to speak to her. For two days Cicero stayed in the streets around the palace. Finally, he was lucky. Lucilla's carriage came toward him, surrounded by royal guards. There were two other men following her carriage- but they were not in uniform. One, a small man, was blind in one eye. He was one of Falco's secret police. He had been very good at watching senators, but now he had been given a different job. He was watching Lucilla.

As the carriage passed, Cicero called out, "My lady! I served your father at Vindobona!" Lucilla heard but did not pay him much attention. The guards pushed him away, and he ran around to the other side of the carriage. "And I served General Maximus!" he said, when he got close enough.

Lucilla called for her carriage to stop. She asked her servant for a coin and held it out to Cicero. "And I serve him still," he said, as he came closer to take it.

Lucilla understood at once that he was a messenger. She told her guards to step back. "This is for your loyalty, soldier," she said.

Cicero took the coin and kissed her hand. He whispered, "A message from the General. He'll meet your politician."

It was enough. Cicero stepped back into the crowd, and Lucilla's carriage moved on.

***