CHAPTER 14 : RESCUERS AT HAND

Tim made his way to Merlin's but as the flat was locked, he figured that Adam was downstairs with Mrs. Byrne. He would wait so he sat on the floor opposite the door wondering if the piece of paper was still trapped.

He replayed the video and shuddered.

Adam appeared at the top of the stairs, smiling, "Good, you're back, I learnt something..."

He got no further as Tim held out his hand and Adam hauled him to his feet saying. "Thanks! But first I have something to show you," Tim said as he stood up.

Adam unlocked the door and the slip of paper floated to the floor. He gave Tim the thumbs up. Tim grabbed his elbow and directed him to the window. The man was still on the bench. He opened his phone and passed the video to Adam. It wasn't until the man's phone rang did he gasp.

The sound of a trumpeting elephant!

He had teased Merlin about that but he had been insistent as it was original. He could turn it down yet still pick it out in a crowd. How could someone else have the same ring tone? Chances were strong that it had to be Merlin's phone.

Adam looked at the video for a second time, paying careful attention to the stranger. The man was the same build and height but his face was in the shadows, he couldn't swear it was Dr. Carver. He'd only seen a photo on the university site from two years ago and it had since been removed. However, he could show it to Mrs. Byrne. He told Tim what he had learned from Mrs. Byrne. There was a bus driver's family on the top floor, then Merlin, then her own flat, the girl there was Molly her boarder.

He turned faced Tim and said with emphasis , "…and a man to whom Mrs. Byrne had rented half the cellar for storage. I have a feeling we should show her your video."

Tim followed him down to Mrs. Byrne's flat. Adam knocked on the door and waited, when it was opened he said, "I am sorry to bother you again but something important has come up."

She invited the two of them in and watched the video, laughing when she heard the ring tone, "Merlin has one like that, I say he's a real Tarzan!"

Adam nodded but added, "Do you recognise the man?"

Mrs. Byrne smiled, "Yes, that's Mr. Butcher, nice man…asked me to call him Neil." Adam's shock was apparent and Mrs Byrne picked up on it. She looked distinctly worried, "Did I do something wrong?"

Adam shook his head, "Nothing that can't be sorted out. How often did you see Mr. Butcher?"

"The first time when he asked about the space, then the morning he arrived for the key and paid a month's rent in advance and two days ago. I was on my way out and he was coming in with some shopping bags."

Tim said, "Arthur, he's downstairs, I know it. Can we please look around downstairs, Mrs Byrne?"

Mrs. Byrne stood up and said that they could go down there, but not into the area which she had rented to Mr Butcher as it was rented and she was sure locked.

Adam took her into his confidence and told her that Merlin would have been missing for a week on Tuesday. She was shocked, he didn't mention Merlin's previous history with Neil. He explained that the man in the video had Merlin's phone and possibly had him confined to the cellar.

Mrs. Byrne pointed out that there was no toilet down there. She stood shocked and was immediately involved, "Let's go! Molly, bring a torch!"

Knowing what Merlin had been through last time, Adam said, "Maybe if you show us the way, Tim and I should go downstairs first." He nodded at Tim and they followed her into the hallway. She stopped at a door and unlocked it saying, "Mr. Butcher also has this key. There's a light switch on the left at the bottom of the stairs." She looked worried and stood back out of the way.

"Don't worry, we'll be careful. Go back to your flat in case Mr. Carv...I mean Mr. Butcher arrives. Don't open your door to him, wait for Tim or me."

She nodded. Tim stood to one side and let Adam go downstairs first...

-0-0-

Merlin looked at the supplies, a six pack of bottled water, a box of twelve fibre bars and two oranges and a book. Did this mean that Neil wasn't coming back for some time? He also noticed that the bucket had been emptied.

He put all the supplies on a little table he'd managed to pull closer to the bed. He smelled the orange as he rolled it in his hands. He curled his feet under him and opened the book. He felt disappointed as it was a child's copy of Sleeping Beauty and he flung it into the corner. He was getting quite adept at moving around even with the chain. It was really a matter of judging distance and being imaginative.

It has started to rain outside and the room was dark. He could see no light switch in his area so he imagined it must be out of view closer to the door which he heard but couldn't see.

He lay back on the bed, he'd be happier when he was asleep as his mind could take flight, as he was able to dream that he got out of the room to visit his mother, Gaius, his flat upstairs, the university and he sighed Arthur.

At first it had worried him sleeping so much but then as long as he did his exercises daily, he decided it was maybe what his body and mind needed.

He closed his eyes and fell into a troubled sleep.

-0-0-

Adam led the way down the stairs, going as quietly as possible. He switched on the light at the bottom and a white-washed room was flooded with light. It wasn't huge but big enough to store unwanted furniture and boxes. There were two small narrow windows near the ceiling and Tim could see the house next door.

They glanced around and saw a padlocked door in the far wall. Adam pointed to it and Tim nodded. They crept over to it and listened nothing. Adam suddenly saw a bin bag and went to check it, he felt plastic recycling and opening it found empty water bottles also an empty box for nutrition bars.

Adam felt ninety percent certain that Merlin was on the other side of the door. Tim and he made their way back to the stairs. "We need a hammer or something," said Adam quietly.

"Well, first I think we should make sure that Merlin is there otherwise, we'll have shown our hand and be no closer to him."

Adam nodded, "Right! I'll call and see if anything happens." He walked to the door and said, "Merlin? Merlin, can you hear me? Are you there?"

-0-0-

Merlin woke up hearing Arthur calling him but he couldn't see him. He tried to say his name aloud but he couldn't. He heard him again and murmured, "Arthur, I can't see you! Where are you?"

Then he realised it wasn't Arthur's but another voice and a tapping on the door. He came to suddenly and almost broke his shoulder as he tried to get out on the wrong side of the bed.

He recognised the voice and yelled, "Adam! I'm here!" But his voice was hoarse from lack of use and he felt that he was only croaking. He was worried that Adam hadn't heard and would go away. He picked up a water bottle and aimed it with all his strength in the direction of the door, it hit the wall with a resounding thud.

Adam called, "Merlin, we know you're there. We are going to get you out. Are you all right?"

He again threw another bottle and tried to call out, "Adam!"

"I hear you, Merlin, hang on, we'll get you out in no time."

Suddenly, Tim and he heard a footstep on the stairs. Tim called, "Mrs. Byrne you shouldn't be down here!" Then he realised it was the man.

Adam managed to crouch out of sight behind a trunk. Better Neil should think there was only one of them.

"What are you doing down here?" the man asked loudly.

Merlin froze when he heard Neil, then made his way back to the bed. He didn't want anyone hurt because of him. He thought, 'Adam, leave me, get out! I don't want you hurt...I'll be all right here.'

Neil looked at Tim, as if he knew him or possibly recognised him as the man in the park, "What do you want?"

Tim thinking on his feet said, "Mrs Byrne said that she had this space for me to store some of my stuff until I can get into my new place. Sorry if I'm in the way, she mentioned that the other room was already rented. You must be…Mr. Butcher, is it?"

But Neil wasn't going to be swayed that easily, "She never mentioned to me about renting this space."

"Well, I won't be around much just looking at it today and it looks all right so I will probably get my friends to give me a hand dropping off my stuff tomorrow and then you won't see hide or hair of me for two months as I'm off for eight weeks in Greece." Tim thought, 'Where in heavens name did Greece come from?' He moved across the side of the room and looked at it carefully, "I think I'll only need this wall area. That won't cause any trouble in your getting to the other room, will it?"

Neil glanced at the door and back, he shrugged his shoulders and said, "You'll be gone after tomorrow…? Guess it would be all right. Well, you'd best be on your way as I have things to do."

Adam still crouching down thought, "I bloody well guess you do, Mister, but not for much longer." From his position he had a good view of both men. He had no intention of letting Neil leave the cellar but how he intended to keep him there, he hadn't figured out.

They heard footsteps on the stairs. A young man came bouncing down them. "Mrs. Byrne said you were down here." He put out his hand and Tim moved over to shake it. "My name's Nick Mitchum and I'm Merlin's friend, you were asking after me."

All hell broke loose at the word Merlin, Neil pushed Tim out of the way and went at Nick with his fists raised. Nick fell backwards awkwardly on the stairs and luckily stayed down as Adam came out of his hiding place and bowled Neil over, the poor man smacking his head on the side of a shelf as he went down.

"Is he dead?" Nick asked. "What was all that about?"

Tim was kneeling beside him, "No, but he's out for the count. Good work, Adam!"

Adam came over and helped Nick off the stairs, "Glad to meet you, Nick, I'm Adam Calderwood a friend of Merlin's and this is Dr. Tim Hughes." They both looked at the figure on that floor.

Tim said, "He needs stitches…" Adding almost gleefully, "He's going to have a big bump and a sore head when he comes to."

Adam looked around the place and saw a strap that would be used around an old suitcase. "Nick, tie that around his legs below his knees. I've got to get this padlock off, we believe that Merlin is in there."

Nick's jaw dropped and he spun to look at the body on the floor. "Is that the Dr. Carver who gave Merlin a rough time?"

"Yes, when you've done that go upstairs and tell Mrs Byrne to phone for the police and an ambulance."

The young man did as he was told and then limped up the stairs, this was more fun that sitting around drinking with his friends. They weren't going to believe it. He'd been almost attacked and then had helped immobilise the bad guy.

Adam went back to the door, "Merlin, we're going to get you out, hang on!" He turned to Tim saying, "He must have the key on him, you can have the pleasure of searching his pockets. If he hadn't knocked himself out as he fell, I would have done it."

Tim smiled, Adam was not violent but he could get riled up over injustice and this was one of those cases. He felt a phone, possibly Merlin's. "There's a phone, do you want it?"

"No, don't touch it, we'll let the police know it's there and they can bag it. Any keys?"

Tim said, "Wait at sec, there's a wallet," he handed it to Adam. He felt the other pocket and triumphantly said, "…and keys!" which Adam grabbed and returned to the locked door on the third try, he had the padlock open.

The door opened into a little hallway before leading to a larger room, it was dark so Adam found the light switch. Suddenly he heard Merlin say, "Oww! It's too bright!" he immediately switched it off allowing his eyes to accustom themselves to the darkness.

He said, "Hang on!" and reached for his phone it would be light enough for him to see. He was careful not to shine it at Merlin.

He was shocked with what he saw. The place was dank and smelled stale. Merlin was sitting on the bed. The blanket had slipped onto the floor and he could see that he wasn't properly dressed. He had that former haunted look on his face and Adam knew that Neil had had his way and that he had been sexually abused.

He walked over to the bed manoeuvring around an armchair. He spoke to Merlin who opened his eyes and then abruptly closed them."Merlin, it's all right, we have Neil tied up and the police are coming." He could tell that Merlin was embarrassed for him to see him like this so he made no comment on his appearance. He could see the relief on Merlin's face that he had been found and slowly the tears started. He reached down and took the blanket, shook it and placed it around Merlin.

When he finally got control of himself, Merlin said, "Don't let them see me like this they will want me to go to hospital. Adam, please, I don't want to go to hospital! It will start all over again!"

Adam was torn; he put out his hand and took Merlin's right one, enfolding it in his own, "Hold on to my hand. I won't let you go. I have you, you're safe!" He knew Merlin well and that he needed the contact of a hug but from past experience also knew that the police would prefer that no physical contact was made. He looked the worse for wear but until someone checked him out, he couldn't be sure what exactly had happened to him or how injured he was. "Come on!" he said, "Let's get you out of here. Can I turn on the overhead light?"

Merlin shook his head and said that it hurt his eyes too much.

"Have you been in the dark the whole time?"

"He never put the light on but it was brighter during the day if it was sunny."

"What did you eat?"

Merlin motioned to the water, the bars and the oranges, "Today was the first time I had any fruit," he added.

"Well, let's get you out of here!"

Merlin shook his head. "I can't!"

"But I told you Neil is tied up, he can't hurt you."

Merlin dropped his head down and lifted up his left arm and rattled the chain. His eyes filled up again as he asked, "Do you have the key?"

Adam was shocked and furious, how long had this Neil person intended to keep him chained to the bed. If he had been a lesser man he would have been tempted to leave Merlin and to walk in the other room and give Neil a kick in the gut for each day that Merlin had been chained.

Instead he said, "Merlin, I have to go back into the other room, I left the keychain hanging in the padlock. I'll talk to you all the while so you can hear me."

Merlin listened and heard him saying, "Tim, can you leave him for a while and just have a look at Merlin, before I move him."

He heard Tim say, "Yes, right away…this one isn't going anywhere for the moment."

Adam soon was back with more keys, after many tries he found the one he needed and was able to unlock the padlock attaching the chain to the bed. He couldn't figure out which one would release the handcuff but maybe the police could figure it out.

Tim came in and Merlin blushed, for some reason it was all right for Adam to see him in this mess but he felt uncomfortable having anyone else see him. He knew he was filthy and smelled awful.

Tim said kindly, "Hello, Merlin, am I glad to see you! Don't worry, I'll just have quick check, that you can be moved. We have called an ambulance for the bastard and they can tell us what we should do."

"You mean the hospital, don't you?" He turned to Adam and implored, "Please Adam, tell him I'm all right to go home."

"He's the doctor, Merlin, I think we should do what he says, don't you? I think it would be a good idea to visit emergency as they will then have a record of your injuries as the police will be involved.

"You'll come with me?"

Tim said, "Yes, we'll both be with you." Adam didn't interfere as Tim was in his doctor's mode.

"Do you think you can stand up?"

"Yes, I've been able to do exercises, it was something which kept me from going crazy."

"Any bad aches or pains?"

Merlin who was certainly feeling much better as the end was in sight even if it meant a trip to the hospital said, "Some bumps and bruises. He kneed me a couple of times as I wasn't cooperating.

"Where?"

"He got me in the gut once and then in the ribs," he paused before adding, "…and he stood on my feet. They're sore but I don't think anything is broken, then he must have had second thoughts as he brought me my slippers."

Tim took each foot in his hand and said, "There's bruising but nothing broken. Let's get your slippers on and we'll get you up."

As Adam held the length of chain still attached to Merlin and helped him up, they heard the sirens of the police car and the ambulance.

Adam said quietly to Tim, "You see to Neil. Hopefully, he'll stay unconscious until they get him to the hospital. I remember the name of the police officer who was involved in Merlin's case so I'll see if he's still on the force."

"Ask for another ambulance as Merlin will have to go as well and the quickest way to be seen is if he arrives in an ambulance with a police escort. I'll go with him in the ambulance and get the paper work in order. Also, see if you can track down the doctor who looked after him the last time, an A&E doctor, a Bill Keating. The hospital will have all the records, hopefully computerised."

As Tim went into the other room, Nick came down the stairs, this time ahead of a policeman and a paramedic. He winced slightly on each step. Tim said, "You hurt yourself when he went for you. You'll have to go to the hospital so that someone will see to it. If you can stomach it, they might let you ride with Dr. Carver."

"It's only a sprain, I fell back awkwardly."

"No matter, the police will want to speak to you as you are a witness to what happened?"

"How's Merlin?"

"Adam's with him. He will also be going to the hospital for a checkup."

"Can I see him?

"Maybe, you should wait a while…"