Chapter 12

Thank you to YouHaveLovelyHair for the help with this chapter.

Warning: This chapter mentions rape – Of a different sort. I have not gone into detail, and do not condone the actions of the men involved; but please remember that this is fiction.

Please note not all Muslims are bad and many of them would be horrified at the actions mentioned.

Again if the mention of rape affects you in any way DO NOT READ.

You have been warned.


The day of the trial arrived and everyone gathered to be with Jyoti, leaving the ARC with a skeleton crew.

The video that Danny had managed to find was being used as evidence and she had given it to Vijay. Vijay had not been happy about using this, but Jyoti had insisted, by saying that it was the most damning evidence he could use against them, and it would earn them a hefty jail term.

Mike watched from the gallery as the trial continued. He focused on Tariq, who had his head down. He noticed that his former friend could not watch the video. He thought he was mistaken, but Tariq actually looked embarrassed.

Aamir on the other hand smirked throughout the screening. Almost as if he was enjoying Jyoti's discomfort. He did not look as if he was embarrassed at all; and Mike was horrified by his proud features.

He turned his attention to the jurors; many of them could not watch the despicable acts on the TV screen. For many of them just hearing the screams emanating from the sound system was enough to make them go pale. One poor female juror had her eyes closed one hand over her ear and one hand over her mouth. The poor woman looked as if she was going to be sick.

He then looked down at Jyoti as she shivered; she was sitting next to Vijay, her lawyer. She had tried to watch the video, but memories came back thick and fast and she began to hyperventilate, and shudder.

Mike watched as Vijay pressed a button on the video, stopping the awful pictures from continuing.

"Jyoti ...?" Vijay shook her and flinched when she screamed.

Mike could not stand it. He stood and jumped from the gallery into the courtroom. Guards rushed to his side attempting to arrest him.
Vijay spoke quickly.

"Your Honour! It is clear my client is very distressed with the viewing of this footage. Please extend her the courtesy of letting her be with the man she loves."

"This is the man she wishes to be with?" The judge asked his voice firm but gentle.

Jyoti nodded slowly, her skin pale and her breathing shallow.

"Yes Your Honour." Vijay breathed out the unconscious breath he had been holding.

The guards holding Mike let him go, and he was allowed to approach Jyoti. She wobbled as she stood, her breathing erratic, and she tumbled into Mike's strong arms.

"Your Honour, it is clear that my client needs medical attention, please allow her to be escorted from the courtroom." Vijay's heart broke at the sight of her limp form. His sister had asked this from him, and he was going to make sure he fulfilled his promise. He would ensure that Tariq and Aamir were sent to prison.

Mike glanced up to the gallery where Dr Caroline Lester and Dr Suresh Patel had been sitting. They too had been horrified at the images that were presented and they left the gallery quickly.

Gently Mike lifted her unconscious body, and carried her from the courtroom, where he was ushered into a quiet side room. Carefully he laid her down on the couch. She had gone deathly pale and Mike wondered if she was going to be OK. Behind him, the door opened and Dr Lester and Dr Patel Senior entered the room.

"She fainted." Mike spoke quietly.

He had not been happy at Jyoti's decision to have this disgusting DVD played but he understood her reasons for doing so.

He had seen the video; he had made himself watch it, just so that he could see what despicable acts had been performed. Mike's own stomach had turned, he had wanted to be sick, and the realisation that this, was what had been done to his love, was like a stake being pushed slowly through his heart.

Soon they were joined by other members of the team, Abby who could not watch it because it brought back horrid memories of her own, Emily and Jess had found the revolting acts so awful they could not sit through it either. They were joined by a slightly green Connor who had come in with Diane.

"Court has been adjourned for twenty minutes; I think one of the jurors isn't feeling well." Connor informed them.

"Mmm," Jyoti moaned, her head swayed from side to side.
Suddenly she snapped her eyes open she sat up and heaved, clamping her hand over her mouth she ran to the toilets adjoined to this particular room. Caroline and Diane went with her.

-o-o-o-


The door opened and a short, rotund man with a silver moustache and hair came in. He was in his sixties and walked slowly with a limp. The woman dressed in a black burkha assisted him.

"Mohammed?" He questioned; why was Tariq's father here, and Samira too?

Mohammed turned to face Suresh, "I wanted to say how sorry I am, I know it doesn't mean much, but I wanted you to know I'm on your side. Tariq is not the boy I once knew him to be. Since Samira's marriage, he has become wayward, disobedient, disloyal, and untrustworthy, I could carry on, but it won't make difference to Jyoti. I only came because Samira..." He looked into his daughter's tearful eyes as Jyoti was led weeping from the toilets.

"Samira wanted to talk to Jyoti, to ask her if they could still be friends, you see Aamir has been a very controlling man, not letting her see anyone. She has been a prisoner in her own home! He doesn't even allow her to see her family!" Mohammed sat down on a chair, his rubbing his aching legs.

"You see, we found out about Jyoti's pregnancy. Samira has said that she would be prepared to bring up the child if it belongs to Tariq or Aamir." He looked over to Jyoti and the small bump that she tried to hide.

"I guess you really wouldn't want to raise a child that was a result of your horrible ordeal. I want to help if I can Jyoti, I owe you that much." Samira spoke softly, with a gentle stroke to Jyoti's cheek.
Jyoti burst into tears, and hugged her old friend. Her friend was offering her a way out, a way of never seeing this child again.

"No... No this child is mine, I can tell, I feel it every time I put my hand on her stomach I can tell!" Mike roared angrily, making both women flinch.

"Simple, we do a paternity test, it's not too hard to do, and I can do it for you." Caroline interjected. "So long as that's what you want."

Jyoti nodded, she only wanted to keep this baby if it belonged to Mike.

Mike however, was livid.
"No, I don't want you to have this test." He turned to Jyoti's father. "Please say something, she's going to give the baby up."

"Mike, my intention is not to cause grief or to split up families, but if this baby does indeed belong to Tariq or Aamir; then it needs to be brought up according to our faith, the child should follow Islam." Mohammed smiled briefly.

"I'm sure Jyoti doesn't want a constant reminder of what happened. If the baby is yours, then we would not force her to give up the baby, we have no reason to adopt your child." Mohammed spoke to him, his voice soft and gentle, and Mike was reminded of the kind man who was once his mentor, the man who had taken him into his home whilst he was unwell, the man whom he had always respected from the bottom of his heart.

The door opened behind them and Vijay was summoned to speak with the defendants' lawyer. Quietly he left the room.

Mike screwed up his eyes; frantically he pushed both hands through his hair.

"This paternity test... You can't do it whilst she's pregnant... You have to wait until the baby is born right?" He directed his question to Caroline.

The three doctors in the room shook their heads,
"A paternity test can be done, after twelve weeks, I'm not there yet, but it can be done." Jyoti answered his query.

Mike huffed, and turned away, his heart breaking at the thought of the test being performed so early.

Jyoti walked up to him slowly. Putting a hand on his shoulder, she turned him around.
"There is a procedure, it's called CVS. Chronic Villus Sampling. It's a bit like the Amniocentesis Test."

"Hang on... Isn't that invasive? A procedure like that must have side effects? Right?" Connor piped up. He wasn't a gynaecologist, but since Abby's pregnancy, he had read up on everything he could find, and he was knowledgeable on most areas of pregnancy.

"Yes it is, and one of the side effects is potential miscarriage." Jyoti's eyes filled.

She had not wanted this baby to begin with, her ordeal weighed heavily on her mind and she had wanted to get rid of the baby, but since Emily had found out about Jyoti's pregnancy, she had been talking a lot about children, and because of her colleagues impending parenthood, she could not help but feel different about the infant she carried. Now with Samira's request that she be appointed legal guardian, she felt happier with the idea of carrying the child to term.

Jyoti hoped that it did indeed belong to Mike, nothing would make her happier. The thought that this child was conceived on a night full of anguish, horror and pain made her stomach turn in disgust.

She wanted to find out as soon as possible who the father of this child was, and if it was not Mike, she would be happy with the knowledge that Samira could, and would take over parental responsibilities.

"Mike..." she whispered, and blinked back the tears.

"Please try to understand, I want to keep this baby too... But only, and ONLY... If it is yours."

"You could have this test... The results could come back saying that I'm the father, and you could still lose the baby?" Mike questioned.

Jyoti nodded, and now the tears began rolling down her cheeks once more.

Mike pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her, she needed him, she needed him to be strong, and he didn't know if he could be strong enough for her.

-o-o-o-


Vijay entered the room once more; he looked concerned, as if there was something on his mind.

"I've just been speaking to Aamir's lawyer. Not only have they found out about your pregnancy, but they are saying that Mike made them do it." Vijay looked straight into Mike's eyes, challenging him to tell him otherwise.

"No, that's rubbish."

"No way!"

"Mike couldn't do such a thing!"

The room around them erupted with everyone speaking at once. Mike shook his head.

"No."

"They're saying that back in November, you orchestrated the whole thing." Vijay's gaze did not waver.

"Hang on, did you say November?" Mike spoke quickly angling his head.

"Yes... Where were you in November, you weren't about, I remember because Jyoti was worried sick about you."

"We were in ..." Connor stumbled over his words, he couldn't say they had been stuck in the Cretaceous. "We were in Cret-acea, remember Mike?"

Connor hoped that Mike would understand what he was trying to say.

"Croatia, you mean?" Vijay interjected.

"Yeah, that's what I meant!" Connor jumped up and down bouncing on his knees.

"Can you provide your passport?"

"It was government business, we didn't arrive the normal way, and they didn't stamp our passports!" Mike lied, how on earth was he going to prove his innocence with this one?

"I can vouch for Mike, is that good enough?" Connor began to ramble.

"So long as you can vouch for his whereabouts twenty-four / seven?"

"Yes, yes I can. We were working together... Very closely... for the whole month, and I can definitely say he was with me for most of the time!"

"Most of the time?" Vijay queried his eyebrows raised.

"Well almost... You didn't expect me to watch him taking a crap do you?" Connor was extremely frank, much to everyone's embarrassment.

"Oh thank you Connor, you've given me a wonderful mental image there!" Vijay groaned. "That will do for the moment, but if Jyoti has a paternity test; and the courts can order her to do it! If the baby is yours, then you might have to take the stand to prove that it wasn't rape."

"I'll stand up and tell them what happened." Jyoti interjected.

"No!" Both Vijay and Mike spoke in unison as the people around them began talking all at once.

Mike pulled Jyoti towards him, holding her gently. "No... You've been through enough... If I need to take the stand, I will. They can't prove anything, Jo. They realise they are digging themselves a hole that keeps getting deeper, and they want to pull me down with them. It's not going to happen."

"Of course not! Like Mike said, they can't prove anything, and I'm sure that James will be able to wrangle something to get Mike off the hook." Caroline tapped Jyoti's shoulder.

"Besides, have you eaten anything this morning?"

Jyoti shook her head. "I felt really sick this morning... I couldn't even drink any tea."

"I know you don't feel like eating but you need to keep your own energy levels up. How about some tea now?

Caroline, Emily and Jess made sure everyone had a hot drink, and Caroline gave her an energy bar from a vending machine in the hallway.

Samira and her father left. To be seen talking to the opposite party would not bode well for Samira or her father, and Aamir would be livid with Sam if he knew that she had come to the court to watch the case.

Jyoti sat next to Mike nibbling on her energy bar.

"If the court pushes for you to have the paternity test... What do you want me to say? Will you have the test before or after the baby is born?" Vijay stood to her side.

Jyoti glanced at Mike. She knew that he had no reservations about the growing foetus inside her, and knowing how he felt made her decision easier.

"After it is born. I don't want to risk miscarriage." She smiled when Mike gazed back at her, a small smile playing on his lips.

Mike felt better at this news, it now meant that she was no longer thinking of abortion, and he felt a small measure of comfort knowing that the child would not be given up for adoption, but would be going to a good Muslim family. He did not trust Tariq or Aamir, but he trusted Mohammed, and that meant that so long as Tariq or Aamir did not have a say in the child's upbringing; that the child would be looked after.

This child would not end up in an orphanage, and that's what mattered most to him.

-o-o-o-


Twenty minutes later the court was back in session and Mike now sat next to Jyoti alongside Vijay. He sat holding her hand, giving her the strength that she needed. The defence had called for a witness to be brought to the stand.

Vijay glanced at Mike when Tariq was asked to take the stand.

Vijay snorted; what could Tariq possibly say that could prove his innocence?

The video had shown exactly what had transpired and there was no way they could say the video was a fake.

"Mr Tariq Khan... You have something to say to the court..." Tariq's lawyer prompted, Tariq nodded, his head hung on his shoulders.

"I just wanted to say that the video shows exactly what happened that night. It's not a fake, I raped Jyoti Patel, and there is no excuse for my actions. What I did was wrong, unforgiveable; I deserve to be sent to prison, the only mistake I made was listening to Aamir, he made me believe that everything he told me was the truth. In fact everything he's told me has been a lie, right from the beginning." He looked up and looked Mike in the eye.

"He told me that my sister's lover was cheating on her, and I believed him. He told me that Jyoti had come to see me, to tell me that she loved me, and I believed him. Over the years he continued to tell me that I should not let Jyoti go, that she loved me and one day she would see how much I mattered to her and accept me... I believed him. Then he told me how Mike was going to steal her away from me, and I would never get a chance to tell her how much I love her ... I believed him. I now see how wrong I was. Jyoti has never loved me." He now faced her.

"It doesn't mean much, but I'm sorry, I hurt you. I'm guilty, and I deserve to be punished."

He hung his head in silence and a tear rolled down his cheek. If Mike had not known Tariq so well he would have said that it was an act, that he didn't mean what he said, but somehow Mike knew that Tariq spoke the truth. That he had been taken in by Aamir's lies and deceit.

-o-o-o-


Soon it was Tariq's turn to be cross-examined.

"Mr Tariq Khan ... Can you tell me what you should do when you hear the word 'no'?
Vijay tried to be cool, calm, and collected, but nonetheless, venom coated his words.

"You should stop. Refrain from carrying on." Tariq replied.

"Did you hear Miss Jyoti Patel when she cried out the word 'No'?"

"I can't remember..." Tariq hung his head, his voice barely a whisper.

"You are trying to tell me that you didn't hear my client, a total of twenty-three times?"

Tariq shook his head.

"Were you drunk Mr Khan?"

"I'd had a few drinks, but I wasn't drunk."

"Do you follow the Muslim religion Mr Khan?"

"Yes, I do."

"But I was under the impression that alcohol was forbidden in the Muslim religion, is that not the case?"

"It is true, alcohol is prohibited."

"But you drink?"

"Yes,"

"Doesn't Islam also require you to respect women?"

"Yes, yes it does." Tariq hung his head.

"Did you respect the wishes of my client when she said no?"

"No ..." Tariq whispered his Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped, and another tear rolled down his cheek.

"So you admit that not only abused my client, and went against her wishes, even though you were fully aware of your actions, and of how wrong they were?

"Yes, I admit that I raped her, I was wrong to do that, I should have listened to her when she said no." Tariq replied, more tears rolled down his face, and he his head hung in shame.

Tariq was lead away and Aamir took the stand. His own lawyer was the one who questioned him first.

"How do you plead?"

"I'm innocent, Tariq and Mike met up in November and organised the whole thing. Tariq was the one who insisted that I help him, I was only there because on the night, Mike had been arrested and couldn't join him, he made me, he was the one who decided to kidnap her, to rape her, I had no choice in the matter, and he made up his mind and stuck to it."

"No more questions."

Vijay stood, he was livid with the answers Aamir had given the court, Aamir had lied, and he was going to prove it.

"Mr Aamir Khan, can you tell me the meaning of the word 'no'?"

"I'm sorry I don't have a dictionary in front of me, and I can't tell you." He smirked at his own joke.

Mike's hands fisted.

"OK ... Tell me what you would do if someone shouted 'No', as you crossed the street?"

"I'd stop of course, 'no' is usually a warning."

"So... Did you hear Miss Jyoti Patel as she screamed 'No' whilst she was being raped?"

"No... I didn't"

"You didn't hear the victim to my left, scream 'NO' at all when she said the word, and I remind the court, that she said the word 'No' twenty three times during her ordeal!" Vijay's voice rose, as he cross questioned Aamir.

"No... I didn't"

"So you didn't hear my client's refusal, and continued to abuse her, I think nine different positions you tried with her, and all the time she screamed one word! ... NO!" Vijay's voice rose another octave with disgust as he ended.

-o-o-o-

Vijay questioned Aamir relentlessly over the next fifteen minutes, referring to written analysis on the exchange of ideas on the video. During this questioning a person entered the back of the courtroom. Mike looked around and was surprised to see Lester hand an envelope to a guard, who brought it over to give to Vijay. Vijay smiled to himself.

Finally he called Mike to the stand and hoped that he would be able to answer the questions that the defence lawyer would ask.

"Can you confirm to the courtroom your full name , including any aliases..."

"My name is Michael Temple, also known as Mike Malonino."

"Mr Temple... Mr Khan has posed a very interesting question... That you organised the kidnap and subsequent rape of my client Miss Jyoti Patel... Is that true?"

"No, it's not." Mike deliberately kept his voice low, without any emotion just as Vijay had told him.

"Mr Aamir Khan tells the court that, you met with Mr Tariq Khan to organise and orchestrate the kidnap and subsequent rape of my client on the 15th November. Would you care to tell the court where you were on that date Mr Temple?"

"I work for a Government organisation." Mike smiled at Aamir, at his efforts at trying to drag him down. "I was working alongside my brother and we had been sent out of the country."

"Thank you." Vijay shouted preventing Mike from revealing anymore.

"I have a letter here your Honour. A letter addressed to you, from the Prime Minister!" Vijay handed the letter to a court official who took it to the judge.

A hush descended upon the court as the judge opened and read the letter. Mike glanced up into the gallery where Lester now sat alongside his wife. It seemed that he had gone to the highest level to secure his alibi.

The judge nodded and turned to the jury.

"It says here, just as Mr Temple has just told the court, he was on a Top Secret mission and was out of the country. Since it has come from the Prime Minister himself, we have to deduce that Mr Michael Temple is telling us the truth."

"Permission to cross-examine the witness," a voice rang out across the courtroom. It was Aamir's lawyer.

Mike nodded in Vijay's direction; he would be fine answering questions.

"Mr Michael Temple... You have known Miss Jyoti Patel and my own clients for a number of years, is that correct."

"Yes, it's correct."

"Can you tell the courtroom how you met with Mr Tariq Khan and Mr Aamir Khan?"

"Yes, we were at school together."

"Is it also true that when you first met Mr Tariq Khan he was involved in a fight of a racist nature, and you came to his aid?"

Mike wondered where this was leading. Nevertheless he answered the question.

"Yes, it's true."

"Let it be noted that Mr Temple's violent disposition often gets him into trouble."

Mike swore to himself; so this was where he was leading, next he would be bringing up the murder of Sister Mary, and his criminal record.

"Is it true Mr Michael Temple, also known as Michael Malonino, that you have a criminal record?"

Mike pursed his lips and swore to himself once more.

"Yes..."

"Is it true that you spent time in prison for the murder of a nun?"

"Objection M' Lord," Vijay's voice rang out across the courtroom preventing Mike from answering.

"Mr Temple's criminal record has no significance to this case. He has served his time and should be allowed to move on."

"Objection over ruled. Answer the question Mr Temple."

"I do have a criminal record. For a murder I did not commit!"

"Is it true that you once harboured feeling for my client's wife, Mrs Samira Khan?"

"Objection M' Lord, I fail to see where these questions are leading." Vijay shouted.

"I wish to establish that Mr Temple, had motivation, and means to organise the kidnap and rape of Miss Patel, and by being arrested, he managed to create an alibi for himself."

"May I suggest bringing Mr Tariq Khan back to the stand where we can ask if such a meeting took place? M'Lord?" Vijay suggested in frustration.

"Sustained, bring Mr Tariq Khan to the witness stand please."

"Your Honour, May I request that Mr Temple be bought back to the witness stand should the need arise?"

"Request granted. Bring Mr Tariq Khan to the witness stand please."

Mike and Tariq exchanged glances as they walked past each other. Mike gulped. If Tariq told the court that he had been involved, then his previous convictions would be brought up and he would be questioned relentlessly.

"Mr Aamir Khan told the jury that you and Mr Temple organised the kidnap and subsequent rape of Miss Jyoti Patel... Is that true?" The question was posed by Tariq's own lawyer.

"No."

"You did not meet up with Mr Temple to discuss Miss Patel's kidnap?"

"No... It was all a lie, Aamir approached me. He told me that he's seen Mike and Jyoti enter a pub and it was his idea to kidnap her. It was his idea to rape her." Tariq spoke clearly.

The defence lawyer looked frazzled. He was caught up between two people who were lying and it seemed as if he didn't have a chance at finding out the truth. He huffed as he sat down.

The court case dragged on for another hour, with different witness's being called. Among the witnesses called were Auntie Sangita, and Auntie Meena.

-o-o-o-


Jurors didn't take long to make up their minds over whether Tariq and Aamir were guilty.

Mike was proven to be innocent; Aamir's lies had fallen flat after Tariq's revelation.

Tariq's verdict was guilty. He received a minimum jail sentence of ten years, with a chance of parole after five, but Aamir's term was longer due to him instigating the whole thing, and one that he deserved. It was proven that He was the one, who pushed Tariq into performing disgusting acts, the jurors had seen and heard it on the DVD and had not believed his innocence.

It had also been proven that Aamir had murdered Sister Mary and Mrs Lalita Patel, after Mrs Meena Patel and Mrs Sangita Patel had taken to the stand, they had felt their own guilt at not having spoken up earlier, if they had been brave enough to speak to the police, Jyoti would not have been in the predicament she was in today, and so Aamir's jail term was a total of 20 years, with no chance of parole.

-o-o-o-


Mike stood with Jyoti outside the courtroom, he was chatting with Vijay, and alongside Jyoti were Abby, Emily, Matt, and Connor. He was joined by Becker and Jess, who stood beside him.

Becker, now that he had seen the obscene video, had wanted to shoot both men, in his eyes a jail term just wasn't enough. Matt had wanted to feed them to a future predator, but knew he would not get the chance now that they were behind bars. Connor wished that he could make an anomaly open up to the Silurian Desert; he knew how horrid the scorpions were out there, and wished he could push them through where they would be eaten. He looked around and nudged Mike as he saw someone being escorted down the corridor.

He turned and his blood began to boil as he spotted Tariq. He was handcuffed and was led down the corridor by prison guards, no doubt to start his jail term.

Matt and Connor swapped places with Jess forming a human barrier between the
convicted rapist and the female members of the team.

"I just wanted to say sorry to you Mike; I had hoped we could be friends?" Tariq spoke quietly.

"Why should I?" Mike spat. "You had me beaten up and left for dead... Not once but
twice! I completed a prison term because of you, for a murder I didn't commit, and you expect me to forgive you?" Mike thundered.

Tariq shrugged and he was led away by the guards flanking him.

"God! The audacity of some people." Connor exclaimed as Tariq was led away.

-o-o-o-


Mike frowned, he was not happy with the jail terms given out, and it was time he called in a few favours. He spoke to Vijay, and after ensuring that he was given the one and only copy of the disgraceful DVD, he, Connor and Matt went to dish out some of their own justice.

They drove to the prisons that were going to be the home of the thugs for the next few years. Mike carefully selected a number from his mobile phone and rang it.

"Roger? Is everything in place?" He asked.

'Everything in place' was ensuring that all the prisoners were watching the communal television, including the most recent additions, Tariq and Aamir.

"Yes... Everyone is in place."

Mike turned to Connor who sat in the back of the MADD van.

"Can you do this?" Mike eyed Connor dubiously; if this didn't work he would have to find another way of ensuring that his plan was carried out.

"Can a mole dig holes?" His brother smiled back at him. "Course I can, I'm a certified genius!"

Connor cracked his knuckles, pressed a few buttons, inserted the DVD and pressed play.

-o-o-o-


Over in the crowded prison, every cellmate was sitting down in front of the telly. They thought they were going to be watching an episode of "Eastenders", but in reality they were going to be watching something completely different.

The TV screens flickered and the images made inmates scream and shout, until someone shouted out.

"Look it's them, our new friends, what were their names again? Isn't it Tariq and Aamir?"

"No! You mean Starry and Airmail!" Someone else laughed.

The prison erupted with jeers and catcalls.

-o-o-o-


Mike's phone rang a few minutes later.

"Roger?"

"You wanted to ensure that the video was seen, and it was ... Listen to this..."

What Mike heard made his own stomach turn, he could hear the sound of men screaming in pain, and he knew that that the inmates had dealt with rapists in their own way, ensuring that the convicts would remember it for the rest of their miserable lives.

It did little to ease his conscious to hear them scream in agony and he gulped. He tried to quash memories of his own as they resurfaced. He turned to Matt as he felt his hand on his shoulder.

"Are you OK mate?" Matt's accent lilted heavily.

"I don't know... I thought by arranging this, it would make me feel better; knowing that they'll get a taste of their own medicine. Why don't I feel that this is right?"

"Cause you're human... You're better than they are! You feeling this way, it shows how different you are from them. It shows that you care." Matt spoke as Connor jumped out of the van and ambled over to his brothers.

"Mike Malonino would not have cared... But you're not him... Mike Temple is a different man, he cares about those around him and he works for the ARC - saving lives." Connor added.

Mike smiled briefly and the three brothers climbed back into the MADD van to drive home.


Well I believe Saden Becker wanted something horrible for Aamir and Tariq, and I think a few of you wanted me to kill them off. I hope that their punishment satisfies you. A taste of their own medicine!

Still to Come...

Emily goes into labour!