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Chapter 32

Joseph rubbed the bridge of his nose as if fighting a headache "He said he'd see what he could do"

We watched as the Roman soldiers took Joshua inside and the priests followed The Pharisees, coionnaire alate when he slammed it

I caught h, wide balcony that was visible above the palace walls It had obviously been designed by Herod the Great's architects as a platfor could address thehis safety A tall Ro down on the crowd, and not looking particularly happy with their presence

"Is that Pilate?" I asked Joseph, pointing to the Roman

Joseph nodded "He'll go downstairs to hold Joshua's trial"

But I wasn't interested at that point in where Pilate was going What interestedthe full-crested helion commander

Not a half hour later the gate was opened and a squad of Roht Joshua out of the palace in bonds A lower-rank centurion pulled Joshua along by a rope around his wrists The priests followed along behind and wereoutside

"Go find out what's going on," I said to Joseph

We waded into theat Joshua and trying to spit on him I spotted a few people in the crowd that I knew to be Joshua's followers, but they were going along silently, their eyes darting around as if any second they ht be the next one arrested

Sigie fought the crowd to get close to Joshua I saw her throw herself at her ex-husband, Jakan, as trailing the priests, but she was stopped in ht her by the hair and pulled her back So restrain her, but he wore a shawl over his head so I couldn't tell who it was Probably Peter

Joseph dragged Maggie back to us and handed her over to me and Simon

"She'll get herself killed"

Maggie looked up at er or madness I wrapped my arms around her and held her so her ar The ie's shoulder, steadying her When he looked at me I could see it was Peter The wiry fishered twenty years since I'd seen hiht

"They're taking him to Antipas," Peter said "As soon as Pilate heard Joshua was from Galilee he said it wasn't his jurisdiction and sent him to Herod"

"Maggie," I said into her ear, "please stop being a madwoman My plan just went to hell and I could use so"

Once again aited outside of one of the palaces built by Herod the Great, but this ti in residence, the Pharisees were let in and Joseph of Arimathea went in with theain

"He's trying to get Joshua to perforo if Joshua performs a miracle for him"

"And if Joshua won't do it?"

"He won't," said Maggie

"If he won't do it," Joseph said, "we're back where we started It will be up to Pilate to order the Sanhedrin's death sentence carried out or to release Joshua"

"Maggie, co at her dress as I backed away

"Why, where?"

"The plan's back on" I ran back to the praetoriuie in tow I pulled up by a pillar across froie, can Peter really heal? Really?"

"Yes, I told you"

"Wounds? Broken bones?"

"Wounds, yes I don't know about bones"

"I hope so," I said

I left her there while I went to the highest-ranking centurion stationed outside the gates

"I need to see your commander," I said

"Go away, Jew"

"I'm a friend Tell him it's Levi from Nazareth"

"I'll tell hi"

So I stepped up and took the centurion's sword out of its scabbard, put the point under his chin for a split second, then replaced it in its scabbard He reached for the sword and suddenly it was in ain Before he could call out the sas back in its scabbard

"There," I said, "you owe me your life twice By the tiain and you'll not only be embarrassed but your head will be all wobbly fro cut Or, you can take me to see ion"

Then I took a deep breath and waited The centurion's eyes darted to the soldiers closest to him, then back to me "Think, Centurion," I said "If you arrest ic of it seeh his frustration

"Come with me," he said

I signaled to Maggie to wait and followed the soldier into Pilate's fortress

Justus seened him at the palace He'd had shields and spears placed around the room in different places, as if he needed to remind anyone who entered that a soldier lived here I stood in the doorhile he paced, looking up at me occasionally as if he wanted to kill ray hair and whipped it so it drew a stripe across the stone floor

"I can't stop the sentence No matter what I want"

"I just don't want him hurt," I said

"If Pilate crucifies him, he'll be hurt, Biff That's sort of the point"

"Daed, I mean No broken bones, no cut sinew Have them tie his arms to the cross"

"They have to use nails," Justus said, hisinto a cruel frown "Nails are iron They're inventoried Each one is accounted for"

"You Romans are masters of supply"

"What do you want?"

"Okay, tie hiers and toes, and put a board on the cross so he can support his weight with his feet"

"That's no kindness you're doing hier a week that way"

"No he won't," I said "I'ive him poison And I want his body as soon as he's dead"

At the word "poison," Justus had stopped pacing and looked up at me with open resentment "It's not up to me to release the body, but if you want to make sure the body is unharmed I'll have to keep soldiers there until the end Sometimes your people like to help the crucified diestones I don't knohy they bother"

"Yes, you do, Justus You of all people do You can spit that Roman bitterness toward mercy all you want, but you know You were the one who sent for Joshua when your friend was suffering You hu"

Now the resentment drained fro to bring him back, aren't you?"

"I just want to bury my friend's body intact"

"You're going to bring him back from the dead Like the soldier at Sepphoris, the one the Sicarii killed That's why you need his body undaed"

"So at the floor to avoid the old soldier's eyes

Justus nodded, obviously shaken "Pilate has to authorize the body to be taken down Crucifixion is supposed to stand as an example to others"

"I have a friend who can get the body released"

"Joshua could still be set free, you know?"

"He won't be," I said "He doesn't want to be"

Justus turned froive the orders Kill hiet it out of my jurisdiction even quicker"

"Thank you, Justus"

"Don't e for two bodies"

When I caie ran into my arms "It's horrible They put a crown of thorns on his head and the crowd spit on him The soldiers beat him" The crowd milled around us

"Where is he now?"

The crowd roared and people began pointing up to the balcony Pilate stood there next to Joshua, as being held by two soldiers Joshua stared straight ahead, still looking as if he were in a trance Blood was running into his eyes

Pilate raised his arms and the croent quiet "I have no complaint with this man, yet your priests say that he has committed blasphemy This is no crime under Roman law," said Pilate "What would you have me do with him?"

"Crucify him!" screa a fist The other Pharisees began chanting, "Crucify him, crucify hi the crowd I saw the few of Joshua's followers that were left begin to slink away before the anger was turned on the his hands and walked inside

Friday

Eleven apostles, Maggie, Joshua's athered at the upper room of Joseph of Ariovernor agreed to release Joshua's body in honor of the Passover

Joseph explained: "The Romans aren't stupid, they know our woet hiie and Mary Ja to help carry him The rest of you should keep your faces covered The Pharisees will be looking for Joshua's followers The priests have already spent tooa feast week, so they'll all be at the Teht a tomb near the hill where they'll crucify him Peter, you ait there"

"What if I can't heal him?" Peter said "I've never even tried to raise the dead"

"He won't be dead," I said "He just won't be able to redients I needed to make a potion to kill the pain, so he'll look dead, but he'll feel everything I knohat it's like, I was in that state for weeks once Peter, you'll have to heal the wounds froive higie, as soon as they give him to you, close his eyes if they're open or they'll dry out"

"I can't watch it," Maggie said "I can't watch them nail him to that tree"

"You don't have to Wait at the toet you when it's time"

"Can this work?" Andrew said "Can you bring him back, Biff?"

"I' He won't be dead, he'll just be hurt"