One man. Thousands of enemies. 24 hours to survive... At the top of Hadrian's mausoleum stands a solitary figure. Deep below, the surface of the turbulent river sparkles in the rays of the setting sun. All around stretches the endless Rome, the most powerful city in the world. The sound of footsteps thunders up the stairs. They have lured him into a trap. The enemy is approaching. There is nowhere to run. He must jump. Still shaken, he scrambles out of the icy water. He is alone and unarmed, without money or friends, caught in the snares of a deadly conspiracy. He is pursued not only by the city guards but also by hired assassins with a single task. To find him and kill him. He has only twenty-four hours left to reveal the conspirators. Tomorrow, after sunset, the ruler of this world will die. And with his death will come chaos and bloody violence. When the emperor dies, everyone Balista loves will die too. He must get to the Colosseum and warn Gallienus before he leaves the imperial box, before he falls into the hands of the murderers. Time is running out mercilessly.
