“What did they mean, ‘corrupting the youth?’“ Solomon sat at his customary place in the public house and sipped on a beer, casually eavesdropping on the surrounding conversations. He was not trying to blackmail anybody, but was merely bored as he waited for a challenger to face him in the ancient art of chess. The board was set before him with its sweat-stained pieces lined up in their proper positions as the pair of men in uniform entered.

The shorter of the two replied “Sure he teaches kids about the old ways, but I don’t think that should warrant an arrest order.”

“The emperor issued a blanket order to arrest anyone who teaches something other than what he approves.”

“But that’ll just lead to an uneducated people who cannot think for themselves.”

“It’s not our job to think,” the taller one concluded. His face lost its expression and he turned to glance around the room, searching for their quarry.

Solomon quickly shielded his face, trying to look nonchalant as he did so. The new emperor spewed his rhetoric of making the empire stronger and happier while making decisions which did exactly the opposite. He knew that it was only a matter of time until they started to target free thinkers, but he anticipated having more time to prepare for his escape. Keeping an eye on the soldiers, he waited until their backs were turned to slink to the floor and make his way toward the back door of the pub.

The old brick building was guarded at all entrances and Solomon panicked as he nearly ran headlong into a soldier standing outside. “Sir,” the soldier said, turning as he heard Solomon approaching, “come this way.”

“Nathan,” Solomon asked, recognizing the man who stood in before him as an old student.

“Yes, sir.”

A smile crept into Solomon’s visage and he took Nathan’s hand to bring him in for a hug before he disappeared down the alley and eluded capture.