Chapter 19 Investigations and Retribution

After the death of his son Alexander promised to hunt down his sons killers. Alexander and Hephaistion would leave after the funeral which the watched from the background.

Before they left Alexander asked around the other servants trying to find out who would want to harm Alexander Jr and his mother, each person said the same "Former friends of his father ,those that want more power, those that were afraid that once the boy was old enough he would try and unite his father empire."

So that where they went next back to the broken empire each part revealing a clue to the mystery of the death of Alexander Jr and Roxanne death.

Perdicass was not power hungry and it seemed that he mounded the both deaths and ordered a day of mourning so Alexander ruled him out same with Ptolemy in Alexandria.

Next came Craterous, Alexander found him to be power hungry but he didn't have it in him to kill a thirteen year old boy and his mother. He found the same problem with Antigonous, Nearchus and the other places they visited.

Alexander had heard a little rumour that Cassander had become very power mad and had even killed for it.

They had difficulty locating where Cassander was and got a shock when they found him back in Macedonia and the person who he had killed was Alexander's mother Olympias this was the a huge start and maybe Alexander could find something to link him with his son's death.

So they boarded the first boat heading into Macedonia and headed for home.

When the arrived in back in Pella Alexander and Hephaistion were amazed at how much there childhood home had changed and over the next come months Alexander slowly began to make his case against the Cassander.

After a months Alexander had built a strong case and was ready to show himself and punishing Cassander for what he did.

He had learnt from various sources of spies he had paid that Cassander had paid assassins to go and murder the boy had his mother by any way possible.

First Alexander and Hephaistion first went to hunt out the assassins. They found them in an underground lair.

Alexander and Hephaistion kicked down the door and caught them unprepared. there were five against two but every time Hephaistion or Alexander received a wound it would heal and they would carry on their enemy however were not so luckily.

Soon there was not an assassin left, Alexander told Hephaistion to leave and then went in search of something flammable. As he went passed one of the assassin grabbed hold of his ankle, Alexander kicked him off and then crouched down next to him the man had a wound to the gut.

"Why did Cassander paid you to killed my son?" he asked

The man was about to answer when he coughed and died.

Alexander cursed and stood up and continued his search.

He found loads of barrels of wine in a storehouse he pulled out a load and opened them up and poured it everywhere then he pulled out a flaming torch and throw it on the ground and left leaving the fire to spread.

Next stop the palace.

Alexander knew all the hidden entrance into the palace and once it was night time he and Hephaistion stood in front of one of them secret entrances.

"Now remember no killing," Hephaistion whispered in a stern voice "We don't want to be charge with murder."

Alexander nodded his head "I won't."

Alexander pushed aside the plants that had grown over the entrance and they stepped in side.

Being inside the tunnel remained Alexander and Hephaistion of their time in the underworld and they tried not to linger.

The exit to the tunnel came out in a courtyard fake plant pot Alexander went up the ladder first he turned a wheel at the lid of the plant pot and lifted it up just a little and peeked out.

The courtyard was empty and Alexander was about to climb out but a guard went passed so Alexander quickly ducked down closing the lid and waited for a couple of seconds before peeking out again and this time the cost was clear so he pushed up the lid and climb out followed by Hephaistion who closed the lid after him.

"Now which way?" asked Hephaistion

Alexander looked around "This way." He said pointing with his sword.

They moved in and out of shadows to Alexander's father war room.

He tried the door and found it open he looked at Hephaistion with surprise he opened the door slowly and peeked inside he opened it wider and step inside when he found it empty.

On the table where maps and charts of the empire how it was and what it looked like now.

Alexander and Hephaistion picked them up and looked at them

"Look at these." Hephaistion said under his breathe

Suddenly there was the sound of someone approaching and the door open.

When Cassander and his General Meleagar came into the room they saw nothing a miss.

Melegar was instantly promoted to General just shortly after they had moved back into Pella and got rid of Alexander's mother.

They were discussing the assassin.

"How can someone know were the assassin were hiding?" asked Meleagar

Cassander sat down at the head of the table and put his feet on the table.

"I don't know but someone did." Cassander

"What do we do now?" Meleagar asked

Cassander shrugged "I think we should more assassins and do in a few people."

"Name it and it shall be done." his general said with a wide grin.

Cassander picked up a set of maps and flicked through them he pulled out his dagger and stabbed it through one of the maps.

"Here." he said Meleager looked down and smiled

"I'll go and find some willing assassins." he said as he stood up and left the room, Cassander took his feet off the table and started to admire his maps and where he had stabbed the dagger he hummed to himself and laughed sometimes, then he stood up and left.

When he had gone Alexander and Hephaistion rolled out from under the table from where they had been hiding. Alexander looked down at where the dagger fell and his eyes went wide.

"By gods!" hr exclaimed

"What?" asked Hephaistion?

"Look." Alexander said pointing "Look at where Cassander planed to strike."

Hephaistion looked down and his eyes went wide and he looked up and down at the map and Alexander. Cassander had stabbed straight in the centre of the dot that marked Alexandria.

"Oh my gods we have to do something." said Hephaistion

Alexander agreed "Lets go." he said turning to the door

"Where are we going?" asked Hephaistion following him

"Follow me." was the reply.

As they crept down the corridor they came across a servant. They hide in the shadow till he passed Alexander hiding spot where he was grabbed and pulled into the shadows.

Alexander put his hand over the boy's mouth and pressed his sword in the boys back.

"Tell me which one of these is your master room and I will let you live." he hissed

The boy shock with fright and pointed and Alexander took away his hand

"It's that way fourth door on the right." he said

"Is he there now?" asked Alexander

The boy shook and Alexander pressed his sword further "Y- y -y -yes he is."

"Then I will honour my word and let you live." Alexander replied

He hit the boy on the head with handled of his sword and genteelly laid him on the floor. Hephaistion found something to bind him with and together they carried him into the war room where they rolled him under the table.

Alexander and Hephaistion were stood out side Cassander room.

"Do we knock or just barge in?" asked Hephaistion

Alexander thought about it then he raised his hand and pounded on the door.

"Enter." was the reply

Alexander looked at Hephaistion, Hephaistion nodded his head and Alexander genteelly opened the door.

Cassander was sat with his back to them and the crept silently into the room.

"Where have you been," Cassander said without turning around "I have been waiting for the wine."

"I not here to delivery wine Cassander," Alexander said

Cassander turned and jumped up in surprise. His eyes went wide when he saw Alexander and Hephaistion stood in his room. They were stood in front of the door and there was no way he could get passed.

"How are you I saw you died." he said looking at the two men

"It's a long story and one I am not prepared to share with you." Alexander said as he came around the table

Cassander tried to move but he was stuck.

"I will shout the guards." he threaten

"And tell them what that a dead king is in your room!" Alexander laughed "they will think you are mad."

Cassander thought and he knew that Alexander had a point.

So he calmly sat down "What do you want?" He asked

"What I want is answers." Alexander demeaned "Why did you kill my son."

Cassander laughed "What makes you think I did it."

This mad Alexander mad he went over to Cassander and punched him in the gut.

"Hephaistion cut them up and pass me them here." Alexander demanded pointing over to the sheet on the bed.

Hephaistion did as he was told and once that it was done they tied Cassander to the chair and gagged him something Alexander didn't want to do.

"Now I am going to ask you some questions and all I want you to do is nodded or shake you head if you lie I will have Hephaistion break each one of your fingers."

Hephaistion looked shocked he began to protest but Alexander shot him one of those You will do as you are told looks and Hephaistion had know choice but to obey promising himself that he will get mad at Alexander once this was over and the questioning began.

Finger broken fingers two black eyes and a bruised cheek later Cassander revealed that he was simply eliminating those that stand in his way of becoming the rightful king to Alexander's empire.

"Well I don't remember ever naming you as my successor so you have no right." Alexander said

He pointed his sword at Cassander's throat so far that he drew a drop of blood he was about to plugged it in when Hephaistion stopped him.

"Remember you promised" he said genteelly

"But he killed my son he should been punished," Alexander said putting a bit more pressure on his sword

"I know and killing him wanted brings him back but we can stop him from harming any one."

Alexander pulled away his sword flicking his wrist so that it left a little scratch. He pointed it at Cassander's Groin.

"You call off the attack on Alexandria your I cut off your balls." he threatened

Cassander eyes went wide and he mumbled through the gag shook his head furiously Alexander ignored him and slowly began to stab down and Cassander soon changed his mind and began to node there were tears in his eyes.

Alexander took out the gag

"Alright I do it just don't I am sorry." he begged

"Swear it." Alexander hissed as he continued

"I swear I swear." Cassander yelled

Alexander stopped "Now call someone in and call of the General and be warned we will be watching." They untied him and Cassander went over to the door while Hephaistion and Alexander hid.

"Guard!" he yelled at the top of his lungs

About two minutes later two guards came running

"Are you alright?" asked one of them when he saw Cassander face

"Yes," Cassander lied "but that is not why you are here as Meleager left yet?"

The first guard shook his head "No sir."

"I want you to call him back and send him to me." Cassander said

The two guards looked blackly at him

"NOW!" Cassander yelled and the two guards went scrambling off.

Cassander slammed the door shut after them and Alexander and Hephaistion came out of their hiding place

"We shall take leave of you now," Alexander said "But know this we will longer than you and if I find out that you have harmed any more people we will be back and this time not even Hephaistion will be able to stop me."

They left before Cassander could say anything and before Meleager could return.

Half way done the corridor they heard Meleager angry shout asking what happened to Cassander and why the change of heart about the assassins.

Out side Hephaistion asked "Why do you come out of hiding and pick up where you left off I'm sure that people will welcome you back."

Alexander shook his head "Nah I done with politics," he throw his arm over Hephaistion's shoulders " It just you and me now and we can go any where we want."