It had been seven days and Merlin had done all he could do for his mysterious patient. It was now a matter of time before his captors realised it. Merlin was dirty, hungry and scared but had no idea what to do. The man, who Merlin now knew as Halil, had first met him at the caves came to fetch Merlin from his small area, he appeared in a less patient mood than normal and that wasn't saying much. Merlin had never met such a bad tempered man. As he dragged Merlin towards his patient he became impatient and pulled Merlin off his feet, Merlin fell awkwardly and twisted his ankle. But even so got up as quickly as he could gritting his teeth against the pain. As they entered his patients smaller cave Merlin saw the man sat up and looking reasonably comfortable.
"So young doctor it seems you have saved my life" the man said to him "Sit" he pointed to a rock that was being used as a perch for those who wanted to rest.
Merlin sat and resisted the urge to check his ankle. The man stared at Merlin "I would like to thank you, I realise you had not choice in the matter but you did what was asked of you"
Merlin couldn't help himself as he replied in Arabic "As you say I had no choice, why couldn't you come to me like everyone else does?"
The man laughed "I like you, you have guts what is your name young doctor?"
Merlin figured there was no reason for them not to know "Merlin Emrys, am I to know yours?"
"You may call me Majo, you need know no more" then he paused "I am supposed to kill you now, give me a reason not to"
"Well Majo I don't suppose saving your life counts for a reason" Merlin replied.
Majo laughed again and turned to his friend "Well Halil is that reason enough?"
Halil looked at Majo "Kill him and have done with it, he is a foreigner what more reason do you need"
"My friend is bitter, his wife and children were killed by the allied forces in Iraq, an accident they called it" Majo explained. "If I allow you to leave what good will it do me? You can lead people here so you see I have a dilemma. Yet you saved my life"
Halil spoke once more "Then be merciful and kill him quickly a bullet to the head. He only saved you to save himself"
"I will consider, now check my wounds" Majo told Merlin.
Merlin did as he was told, the injury was healing well "You need to keep this clean until it completely heals or it will get infected again" Merlin was giving the advice automatically, then he realised just who he was talking to so shut up.
"Halil fed him and give him water, then tie him up" Majo looked at Merlin "I will decide your fate soon, but a promise is a promise and my men said they would dispose of you once you had done what was needed. Why did one of your own people want you dead? Tell me"
"I don't know why, Muirden was a bastard" Merlin said making an educated guess who was responsible.
"He was a man who knew how to get the best out of a situation" Majo acknowledged "But he was useful" He waved his hand in dismissal and Halil dragged Merlin to his feet and back up the corridor. Once there he tied Merlin's ankles together pulling tight making his twisted ankle hurt even more. Then he tied Merlin's hands behind his back and pushed him into the corner.
"Where's my water and food" Merlin asked
"Later if you're lucky" with that Halil walked away. As soon as he had gone another man came and crouched down against the wall opposite to watch Merlin. Merlin tried to make himself as comfortable as he could and closed his eyes. He didn't think he would get anything to eat or drink now. After all what was the point in feeding someone you were going to kill.
Gwaine was getting more and more stressed, he couldn't see anyone was doing anything to help his friend. Then he was called in by Trevor Iseldir and asked a series of questions about Merlin and also Edwin Muirden. Gwaine told the truth as he saw it. The supervisor asked Gwaine if he wanted to have his contract terminated so he could return to the UK or go to a different country to work. Gwaine declined, he wanted to be about if news came in of Merlin.
Arthur found Mrs Emrys house and went and knocked on the door leaving the driver in the car. From the look of the area he thought it best if he wanted the wheels to be still on the car when he was ready to leave. To say the area was rough was an understatement. Arthur could see why the area had trouble attracting doctors and his admiration for Merlin's mother rose, even before he met her. It seemed Merlin had gained the caring gene from his mother.
Mr Bayard was also questioned as where most of the staff. It soon became apparent that the previous supervisor had left statements that implicated Merlin in theft and even drug abuse. Something that Iseldir could find no proof of. In fact the morphine and some other drugs had been going missing for longer than Merlin's posting. Iseldir put in a report to that fact to headquarters as he couldn't question Muirden it would need to be done in London. With Merlin cleared, his disappearance was now official described as an abduction or query murder. The thought that his friend could be dead made Gwaine become pessimistic about what had happened and he was concerned about Merlin's mother. He decided to stay for a couple of months then return to the UK to support Hunith Emrys as he thought that's what Merlin would have wanted. Gwaine contacted Arthur and informed him about the investigation and the findings and present thoughts of Merlin's fate.
The next morning Merlin was dragged back to see Majo, he had been given a cup of the dirty water and another small piece of the local bread the previous evening and a further glass of water that morning. His arms were still tied but his legs had been freed, his ankle was now swollen and painful but he could at least hobble on it. As he was pulled toward Halil Merlin realised that he was probably going to find out his fate and there was nothing he could do about it.
As they entered the part of the cave Halil's chamber was Merlin saw him walking around the cave stretching his shoulder gently doing the exercises Merlin had suggested to him. Halil turned and face Merlin his expression giving nothing away. Halil put his good arm out and grabbed Merlin's face and ran his thumb across Merlin's cheekbones that were even sharper due to the low amount of food he had been getting. "So little hawk what do I do with you?" he looked at Merlin "I love to see Merlin's flying free, but a promise is a promise yet I owe you my life"
He then let Merlin go and turned his back on his captive. Halil sat down once more and looked up at Merlin. "I have decided to give you a choice a hard one, but a choice. It goes against my faith, but would allow you to live and I owe you a debt. You have a week to consider. Either Mago puts a bullet in your head, a quick death or I send you to a life of slavery. I can get guns for you in Qatar they will like your pale skin, you're pretty enough. Allah forgive me for sending you to such a life, but it is a life" he looked at Merlin's shocked face "Don't answer now, think carefully, I know lying with a man is permitted with your people" Halil looked at Merlin with sympathy "My men promised you would disappear so it doesn't need to be death."
Halil looked at Mago "Take him back but make sure he is fed, we won't get much for a dead man"
Merlin was once more dragged back to his holding place, as Mago tied his ankles once more he looked at Merlin "I would make it quick, better than such a life, you saved our leader that much I can do" then he walked off leaving Merlin with his thoughts.