His father had called him while he was driving to work. Naturally Arthur hadn't answered it, but had checked his phone once he had parked up and started walking across the car park. Uther had, unusually, left a message. He never usually did when ringing Arthur, since he had the belief that Arthur would simply drop everything and call him back when he realised he had rung. The message was very to the point.
"Call me as soon as you can. We've had a development."
"I need you to come over to the station," Uther said the moment Arthur rang him back, waiting until he got into his office before doing so.
"Why? I've got appointments this morning."
Arthur was, however, already looking through his diary to see if anything could be juggled about. If it concerned Merlin, Arthur wanted to deal with it.
"Not for two hours," Uther said with confidence. Arthur wondered if Uther had his own version of telepathic ability as he got that exactly right. Arthur wasn't exactly forthcoming with his schedule but Uther always seemed to know it. "And don't tell me that you are not prepared, you work too hard."
Arthur frowned into his mobile. "Pot, kettle, black; father."
"Don't be facetious."
"You told me that the other day."
"Arthur," Uther's voice sounded as if he was really trying to keep himself calm. "I gave the pictures to Leon. He's made two clear hits, one of them the one that Merlin was not sure of, and he was right to be unsure."
"How exactly?" Arthur asked abandoning his paperwork to listen to his father.
"We found him quickly because he is in the system. He's on remand for robbery. We can see him within the hour."
"The same prison as Cenred? You said he crossed paths with someone who was terrified of him," Arthur said apprehensively.
"Not the same boy. Cenred was contained within the secure unit. His contact with other prisoners limited. This boy has only been in there two months, and on remand. The wing he is housed in would mean that he wouldn't have come into contact with Cenred in any way."
"Yet, for some reason Merlin has picked him out."
"Which means he has to be connected. Interestingly his lawyer is trying to get a psychiatric evaluation so she can claim diminished responsibility. At the moment me bringing you is the best she is getting. We need to interview him now!"
"Great! I suppose Gwen can shuffle about for me. Freya's my first so she won't mind I guess."
"Can you meet me at the station in twenty minutes? I have to speak to the parents of the other boy Merlin identified and then we can drive over to the prison. If I'm still busy with them I'll have the desk sergeant give you the file, so you can look at it while your waiting."
Arthur had opened his briefcase to take out anything that was not relevant, and he closed it again, almost sending it off the edge of the desk as he tried to close it one handed.
"Bugger!"
"Arthur!"
"Sorry dad," Arthur said giving up on sorting himself out and instead said. "I'll be on the way in five minutes."
"Good."
Uther hung up on him and Arthur frantically organised himself, heading out of his office and quickly down the hallway to Gaius.
"Hi. My father's called, I need to go and follow something up."
Gaius peered at him from over the top of his glasses. "This 'something' being... what?"
"The pictures Merlin did, one of these lads is still alive."
"Goodness!" Gaius sat back in his chair. "In what capacity is he involved then?"
"That, I guess, is what we are going to find out."
XxxxxxxxxxxxxX
"How the hell do you know my work schedule so well?" Arthur demanded as he read the file, settled in the backseat of the car. Uther sat in the passenger seat up front and Percival, clearly still attached to Uther's team, drove.
"If I need to know I phone your receptionist."
"Alice?"
"Do you have any other receptionists?" Uther asked.
"Now who's being facetious," Arthur said. "And you can stop that. If you want to know what I'm doing, ask me."
"I do; you lie."
"I do not!"
"What do you think of this development then?" Uther asked, changing the subject to something Arthur could not ignore. He looked down at the file in his hands.
"I'm not sure. We could assume that he might have been a future victim but I don't think Merlin's talents go as far as..."
"Precognition," Percival said as Arthur paused to think of the right word.
"Sorry?" Arthur said.
"Second sight, the ability to see the future, it's called precognition. I've been reading."
"Really?" Arthur asked.
"I do read you know," Percival said, slightly irritably. "What happened with Merlin, and you, made me think. So I've done some reading."
"But you don't think Merlin could have done that?" Uther asked Arthur.
"I know we need to lay aside some scepticism," Arthur mused. "But what Merlin saw, via Morgause, was in the here and now, as it happened, and he was connected to her in some way. Cenred acted as some kind of conduit between them, bridging that gap."
Arthur looked up, his father turned in the passenger seat to look at him, and Arthur got the hint in his father's eyes. Cenred wasn't the only one capable of that, Arthur had felt Merlin himself; feeling something pass between them on more than one occasion. He didn't comment on that.
"That leaves us with two options, that he was a victim in some way and had been noticed by one of them previously... or..."
"Or he was in some way involved with them," Uther concluded. "We should hopefully be able to get a DNA sample for comparison but I don't want this to be used as leverage by his solicitor."
"Surely they can't if it proves that he was involved with either of them."
"There is no one to corroborate or deny it now, Arthur."
Arthur looked down at the notes, exhaling slowly. He had dealt with that.
"Merlin would have been aware of it, if he had encountered him. But since he wasn't sure, I don't know what we can make of it."
"I dare say there is no point in any of this speculation," Uther announced briskly. "All we can do his question him and see what answers we get. Merlin was not sure of who he was, or what connection he had, therefore he has not encountered him, but has felt a connection in some way. Gwaine and Morgana drove over this morning to speak to the relevant people to authorise the interview. With any luck, we will be able to get straight in and get some answers."
XxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Arthur's stomach stirred nervously as they entered the prison and several of the inmates stared at them as they passed by the yard. The two previous times he had been here the comments had not been pretty. However, as they passed through this time they met a wall of silence. Comments were muttered between the men and although Arthur felt their eyes following him, no one called out, no obscenities came their way.
As if sensing his unease Percival positioned himself on Arthur's left, acting as a barrier between him and the prisoners on the other side of the sturdy fence.
"Thanks," Arthur said.
"I don't think I'm doing much of anything."
"They don't seem to want to say anything with you there."
"It's not me," Percival murmured, his eyes scanning the men who watched them enter. All of them watching Arthur with wary expressions, most of them not entirely sure what to make of him.
"What is it then?"
"They might be locked away, but they don't live in bubbles, Arthur. News gets in, especially about one of their own. You killed one of the worst of them, one of those in the Ivory Tower."
"The what?" Arthur asked, he looked at Percival, catching the gaze of a nearby prisoner as he turned, and the man averted his eyes.
"It's their nickname for the secure unit. You killed Cenred Arthur, you are not, in their eyes, an easy piece of meat."
Arthur shivered, eyes scanning the yard of men. Some of them still walked around, a group of them played a desultory game of football, but the action slowed as Arthur walked past that section of the yard. The whole walk took him no longer than thirty seconds but it felt like thirty minutes, as he could now not help but process the expressions, and actions of the men, as they turned to look at him, and glance at each other. They eyed him with interest and apprehension; as if examining a creature they had assumed was harmless, and that appearance had been proved to be deceptive.
Arthur turned his head, putting his eyes squarely on his father's back so he wouldn't look, but the action now was pointless, the expressions were printed on his memory.
In front of him Uther strode along behind the guard accompanying them hardly looking around, seemingly unaware of the ripples around him. Arthur didn't think his father missed anything that he wanted to observe about the environment. But he knew what he wanted to know and how to find it. Arthur sighed inwardly as he caught sight of a familiar face in the form of Gilli. Arthur hadn't tracked his progress since they had removed him from the hospital, or at least not as diligently as he normally would have. Other things had got in the way of that and he watched the boy's face light up at the sight of him and then fade when it occurred to him that Arthur wasn't there for him.
Arthur gave him a half-smile, in the hope of looking somewhat reassuring, and a nod that indicated, he would get onto finding out what was going on regarding him. That was, for the moment, all Arthur could do as they crossed over the threshold, heading into the dark interior of the prison.
Gilli hesitated, watching Arthur disappear into the building, hearing someone mutter behind him, querying the yard's reaction to Arthur.
"He's the one that fucking killed that nutter in the Ivory Tower."
"Knock off a psycho and you can get away with murder."
"Having daddy as a police officer helps. Inside job if ever I saw one," another voice drawled. Gilli quailed inwardly as the voice rose. "Oi squit!"
He turned to Tindr trying not to cower as he met the gaze of the large greasy looking man who had called out. He lounged against one wall with his cellmate, an equally odious character, both of whom enjoyed bullying the weaker inmates. They could only ever get at Gilli when his own cellmate wasn't there.
"How you do you know him?"
Gilli glanced around the yard. The exchange had been noticed because so much focus had been on Arthur. Gilli saw their interest, an interest that might abate the bullying, even temporarily. And the look Arthur gave him made him think that perhaps he hadn't entirely burned his bridges. There was a risk in saying something, but it also might get him to the phone at the right time to get through to Arthur and plead his case.
"I was at the hospital, on the rehab programme," Gilli said, trying to sound casual. "He was my therapist."
It knocked the smiles off his two tormentors faces as he was surrounded, questions asked and curious faces waited the answers. His stomach fluttered at the attention. He didn't want to say anything against Arthur, but he might need to use the kudos.
Whatever Arthur had done, real or imagined by him, Gilli knew Arthur was nice, and he tried to help. He'd help in any way he could. Opening his mouth Gilli decided, if nothing else, he had enough truths to tell.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Arthur brooded as they made their way deeper into the building, pausing for gates to be unlocked and for them to pass through security. Once in they lingered in the corridor outside one of the rooms used for interviews and visits.
"He's in G-wing," Uther said. "The other side of the building. It tends to house those on remand, and for short term sentences."
"But he's near, they might have crossed paths. Plus he could just be close enough. I sensed something wrong with Merlin and he was at the pub ten minutes away from me."
"You and Merlin had time to connect, prior to that."
"It didn't take that long," Arthur argued.
"You did it with close contact."
"I didn't know what I was doing. Cenred had an advantage over me on that score."
"Your actions may not have been done consciously, but you work without thinking."
Arthur frowned at his father. "Thanks, I think."
"You know what I mean."
"Yes. So, assuming that being on remand is not the connection, why has Merlin picked him out?"
"That would be the point of asking questions Arthur," Uther said. Both of them turned to look as the sound of a gate unlocking echoed around the corridor. Morgana appeared first, followed by Gwaine, who flanked the young man in question. He looked around with interest as Gwaine led him forward. On the other side walked a woman, who spoke to the youth as they walked. Arthur frowned as he stared at her.
"I presume that's the boy's solicitor," Uther mused.
As they came closer and Gwaine led the boy into the room while the woman walked towards them. Uther held out his hand.
"DCS Pendragon."
She gave a curt nod in acknowledgement. "I'm Mithian Rhodes."
Arthur's eyebrows shot up as he imagined the neatly styled hair, currently pinned up in a chignon, dropping around the girl's shoulders and he mentally replaced the neat suit with tight jeans and a strappy, sequined top, and he got the woman whom Will had been meeting in the pub. As she turned to Arthur she looked mildly embarrassed. The recognition, it appeared, went both ways.
"This is my son, Dr Pendragon."
"Arthur," he corrected as he held out his hand, saying nothing of their previous meeting, although, technically, Arthur supposed that they had not met, but instead had glimpsed each other across a pub car park.
"Nice to meet you," she said. Her eyes moved from Arthur, to Uther and then back again. "I can't seem to find out why I'm meeting you, or what interest you have in my client."
She eyed Uther more than Arthur. Considering the cases Uther was involved in, Arthur guessed she had a right to be concerned, if her client was under any suspicion.
"For the moment, it is merely to see if we can get some information. There is no evidence that your client is involved in any crime."
A random drawing probably didn't prove anything. Uther did not want to casually start bringing any details of Merlin's talents into anything unless he had to.
"Shall we?" Uther asked, indicating to the door.
Mithian nodded and Uther allowed her to take the lead, Uther went in after her and Arthur tailed along at the back.
"Mordred, I'm DCS Pendragon. Please sit down," Uther ordered. Gwaine moved Mordred to the relevant chair and he thumped down into it, looking around curiously at the cluster of people. His eyes looked innocent but Arthur, having read the file, didn't believe that for a moment. Despite the facade on the young face, he got the feeling that it was simply being used so he could take everything in and then work the situation to his advantage.
Mithian automatically moved to sit next to Mordred and Morgana had retreated to the opposite side of the table, taking one of the three chairs on that side, Uther took the other and Arthur the last one. Gwaine retreated to the door, closing it quietly. Arthur opened his briefcase to extract his notebook and pen before sitting back.
Morgana went through the necessary talk to start the interview, introducing everyone in the room to Mordred, again assuring both Mordred and Mithian that he was under no suspicion for a crime. Uther always let Morgana do the talking. This time she spoke softly, purveying no threat. Under other circumstances it could be entirely different.
Mordred watched her, listening carefully, but his eyes occasionally glanced around which caused Arthur to notice their light colour, in contrast to his dark hair.
It made him think of Merlin, who had the same characteristics, although Merlin's hair looked almost black in the right light. Arthur let his mind probe deeper into that train of thought. He drew a small margin on the page of his notepad and started to jot the ideas down, remembering Morgause's brown eyes compared with her blonde hair.
Arthur himself had nothing unusual, nor had Cenred, with dark hair and eyes. Glancing sideways, he looked at Morgana, and he noted her in the observation, although as far as Arthur knew she didn't fit into the scheme of talents.
As he looked, and wrote, Uther raised his eyebrows. He knew the way Arthur took notes and knew the box meant a sideline of thought. With a slight roll of his eyes Arthur tilted the notepad to let Uther read it and watched as his father frowned and then shook his head in a way that neither agreed nor disagreed with the observation.
Morgana smoothly carried on talking, and although clearly listening to her Mordred watched Arthur and Uther's interaction.
"Mordred, I'm going to show you some photographs," Morgana announced gently. "I need you to tell me if you have seen either of these people before."
Mordred turned his attention back to her and Arthur had put his notebook back in his lap, his pen lingering over the paper as if poised to write something, while he watched the interview take place. Arthur didn't plan to write anything. Instead he slowly exhaled and let his mind relax. He still wasn't certain what he was doing, but he had tried something similar with Merlin, although this time he refrained from attempting to push with his mind. All he thought to do was keep himself open, waiting to see if anything would spark.
It made his head tingle, only a gentle reaction, as if hinting at the beginning of a headache but he concentrated on the feeling and waited. Morgana put the two pictures on the table. Mordred lent forward to look at them and Arthur felt a sudden increase in anxiety. His hand tightened on the pen and he let his hand drift, not really thinking about what he was writing, but he watched Mordred as he assessed the two pictures. Then he looked back up at Morgana.
"He was in here. In the tower," Mordred said. "I know who he is."
"Did you ever encounter him? Here at the prison," Morgana asked softly. Mordred gave his head a slight shake.
"No, they don't let them interact with us. I just knew he was in there. You hear stuff."
"What about her? Have you ever seen this woman?"
Mordred looked down at the pictures again and Arthur again felt the same sensation. He was forced to reassure himself that it was not his own emotion he was feeling, he picked up on Mordred, and watching him Arthur knew exactly whom he had encountered.
"No. I've never seen her before."
Arthur didn't think Mordred was lying about that, but something was making him anxious.
"Are you sure?" Uther asked.
Mordred looked mildly irritated. "Yes."
"I don't think that's true," Arthur informed him causing all eyes to turn to him. Arthur glanced at his father. "He's encountered Cenred. Something happened. Have you ever been in the hospital wing?"
Uther blinked in surprise. Arthur shrugged and turned his attention back to Mordred.
"Once."
"When?" Arthur asked. He jotted a note pointing out that was where Cenred had escaped the prison from, and showed it to Uther. His father gave a curt nod, understanding the sudden line of questioning. Arthur however, still thought there was more to it than that. There was no other reason for the peak in emotion, and Arthur entirely understood why Mordred would feel it. Mordred frowned at him giving a shrug.
"Dunno. I just had flu, is all."
Arthur raised his eyebrows, looking unconvinced. "You also in the first week you arrived here got into a fight and ended up with broken ribs, a sprained wrist and concussion, and were in the ward on the day that Cenred suffered a seizure which resulted in him being taken to the hospital wing and subsequently escaping."
"I never saw him," Mordred snapped, eyes narrowing as he answered.
"Arthur?" Uther queried carefully, a level of warning in his tone.
"He's run into Cenred somewhere along the way," Arthur said. "Maybe not then, but it feels like he has encountered him somewhere."
Mordred's eyes narrowed as he glared at Arthur. Then Arthur felt it.
The pressure in his mind was so violent that he gasped as he felt it, and instinctively Arthur slammed up the mental wall in his mind. Taken by surprise by Mordred's sudden attack he was too late to really defend himself and it felt like something stabbed sharply into his mind, his vision blurring.
Uther turned in his chair, watching in shock as Arthur winced. He automatically reached out to him, also turning to look at Mordred, who simply stared at Arthur intently. Arthur however, suddenly looked up and glared back at Mordred.
All Uther could seem to see it as - as both of them reacted, standing up and lurching backwards - was two powerful opposing forces clashing and repelling each other. Arthur and Mordred moved in unison, both standing and stepping back, stumbling as they broke apart. Mithian gave a yelp as the two pictures flew across the table at speed, shooting across the room to drift to the floor on the far side of the table which rocked violently.
Arthur only dimly registered the commotion around him as the door burst open and Percival ran in with two guards in tow. Arthur's back slammed against the wall behind him as he felt his head pounding. Then from the back of his mind he felt something power forward, he knew the force, and it successfully shoved Mordred away. The stabbing pain in Arthur's head reduced to a thud and around him things went still.
"Bloody hell," Arthur swore, and it was testament to how worried Uther was that he didn't correct him. Instead he put a gentle hand on Arthur's arm.
"Arthur?" he questioned gently, then turned and pointed at Mordred before indicating to the chair he had vacated. "Sit him down!"
Percival and Gwaine moved to oblige, doing nothing more than stepping towards Mordred. Percival righted the chair and Gwaine took Mordred's arm to lead him back.
Everyone jumped again as a phone started to ring. Arthur winced and rummaged into his pocket to retrieve it. He didn't even look at the screen as he answered it, speaking as soon as the connection was made.
"Merlin, I'm fine."
Arthur didn't entirely sound it, and Merlin in his response, remained unconvinced.
"What?! What is going on? Where are you?"
"Long story. Merlin, I'm fine," Arthur's voice thickened. "Except, I feel sick. I'm going to throw up."
"Arthur!" Merlin yelled, which did nothing to help. Uther took the phone from Arthur's nerveless fingers.
"Merlin, it's Uther. I'm with Arthur, he is fine. Percival, get him to the toilet, there is one just down the hall."
Arthur coughed, then swallowed heavily. He had no desire to vomit in the middle of an interview room. He felt a firm grip on his arm, which eased him away from the wall, and in the direction of the door. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a blurred outline which he knew to be Percival. Arthur staggered out, letting Percival guide him, while Uther followed them, talking as he carried on reassuring Merlin that Arthur was fine.
Uther paused in the doorway and turned to Morgana, catching Gwaine in the gaze at the same time.
"Keep going, see if you can get some answers."
Uther swiftly followed Percival and Arthur. Percival shoved open the door and guided Arthur towards a cubicle. Arthur staggered in, putting his hands up to the walls to steady himself as he leant over the bowl. His stomach clenched and the bile rose in his throat. Arthur gagged and retched. His body clenched again and it happened a second time, a hand ran up and down his back.
"Steady breaths, son."
Arthur exhaled and felt his body relax, the tension in his torso easing and he took several slow breaths. Behind him he could hear Percival talking. Uther had passed the phone over to concentrate on Arthur.
"Merlin, he's fine, just been sick a couple of times. Give him a few seconds and I'll put him back on." There was a short pause. "I know, I know, but I don't think I can start telling you that." Another pause and Percival's next words were directed to Uther. "He wants to know where we are."
As the pain and sickness eased Arthur straightened up, taking one hand away from the wall, but keeping the other one against the other side of the cubicle for balance. He held out his hand.
"Give me the phone."
Uther nodded to Percival who passed it over. Arthur took that as a hint that he could be honest with Merlin.
"Merlin?"
"Arthur, what's going on?" Merlin's voice, although now calmer, had hardened. Arthur didn't think that lying to him, or talking around the situation was a good idea.
"I'm at the prison. That picture you weren't sure of, he's here, and there is most definitely something."
"Something," Merlin snarled. "I'm coming over there."
"Merlin. Merlin, no! I'll come and see you when I get back."
"I'm coming over now," Merlin snapped the four words, emphasizing each one, daring Arthur to argue with him, and sounding like someone enforcing rules to a child.
"Merlin, they won't let you in, you're better off just waiting and I'll come to you."
Arthur tried to argue the point but he could hear someone on the background talking to Merlin. A woman's voice, who he presumed was Hunith's, and then a man's which he couldn't immediately recognise.
"I'll take him, you just finish your shopping, I can come back to mine. I was only getting the bits mum forgot yesterday."
"Are you sure Will?" Hunith's voice asked.
The background conversation continued and Merlin turned his attention to Arthur.
"I'm coming now," Merlin snapped. "If they won't let me in then I'll just wait outside for you."
Uther, it appeared, could hear Merlin's voice. Arthur frowned as Uther took the phone from him, but Uther ignored him and spoke to Merlin.
"I'm going to have Arthur escorted out and conclude the interview myself. He'll be waiting outside when you get here, although I don't want either of you going anywhere." Uther paused and listened. "Very well Merlin. I will talk to you soon. Here's Arthur again."
Uther gave him the phone and at a nod at Percival and a light hand on Arthur's forearm that squeezed gently, reassuring and warning at the same time, Uther made his way out.
"He will probably leave a guard outside the door, when we are ready they will escort us out," Percival said.
"Merlin, I'm being taken out, I'll wait for you."
Merlin didn't sound happy but he cut the connection and presumably was getting down to the business of getting himself to Arthur. Arthur closed his eyes and leant back against the cubical wall.
"Are you all right?" Percival asked.
"I'm not going to be sick again, but I've got a headache."
"What did that kid do? It was like a tidal wave was going through that room."
"What?" Arthur looked up, watching as Percival shrugged.
"I walked into that room and felt, well nothing really, but it seemed hard to get in there without an obstacle being... there..." Percival's eyes wandered and he frowned. "I don't think that describes it well but..."
"Never mind," Arthur turned and spat the mouthful of gathering spittle into the bowl, feeling his stomach slowly settle. "Just get me out of here."
Percival waited while Arthur straightened up, exhaling heavily, wanting to make completely sure that the feelings of nausea were under control. He wavered on his feet, but since Percival, watching carefully, didn't seem to feel the need to dive forward and help him Arthur got the impression he was stable enough.
Arthur turned and followed Percival to the bathroom door, walking out into the plain, sterile corridor. As Percival had anticipated, a guard stood waiting for them, holding Arthur's briefcase and notebook as if they might be unexploded bombs. Arthur took them and Percival herded Arthur along behind the guard. No one spoke as they backtracked their route. The yard area had emptied, and the silence that hung over it felt eerie. Arthur shook his head, dismissing the shiver that ran down his spine.
"Are you all right?" Percival asked.
Arthur nodded, turning his gaze to the guard in front of him and concentrating on getting out of the prison. It was as they left the front gate that Arthur relaxed his shoulders, exhaling heavily, to release the breath he didn't realise he had been holding. Seeing the reaction Percival repeated the question he had previously asked.
"Now I'm out of there," Arthur answered.
"Not the most pleasant of places," Percival said taking Arthur firmly by the arm and guiding him over to the car. He supposed he could have raised some objection to the manhandling but as Percival seemed so concerned Arthur let Percival lead him over and encourage him to sit on the bonnet. Percival perched next to him.
"Especially considering I nearly ended up there," Arthur mused looking at the forbidding wall that surrounded the prison.
"What?"
Arthur glanced sideways. "I killed two people, they could have taken me to court."
"No way would you have been sent to prison Arthur. If that was the reason you accepted the conditional caution then you needn't have worried."
"There was a bit of that; also myself accepting what I did."
"You'd have never been done for murder," Percival reiterated. "You killed a violent man who tortured people and an insane woman who was a murderer."
"I suppose," Arthur said.
"No suppose about it. Do you want a coffee?"
"Huh?" Arthur murmured in confusion, staring at Percival who nodded his head to a point across the road.
"The cafe over there. Do you want a coffee, while we wait. Your dad may be a while and he doesn't want you going anywhere."
Arthur wasn't certain he did want anything but it meant Percival would give him some time alone to let him get his head together.
"Sure."
Percival eased himself up and then looked down at Arthur. "Stay right there though. I can see you from over there."
"I'll not move an inch," Arthur said feeling slightly amused. Percival gave him a look of disapproval and Arthur raised his hands. "I'm fine, I'll stay right here. At least they brought me my notes out, so I can at least amuse myself for five minutes."
"Okay then," Percival said, sounding less than amused, to the point that Arthur looked at him with some surprise. "I got into enough trouble when Merlin went walkabout. Uther will kill me if anything happens to you on my watch."
"Percival, I'm not going anywhere," Arthur repeated, sounding slightly shocked. The bigger man seemed reassured by that and headed off across the road towards the cafe that lay on the opposite corner. It seemed a very odd place to set up shop. There was an industrial area sprawling behind the tatty looking row of shops and houses, but Arthur guessed that perhaps those heading to and from the prison stopped in the tiny, red-bricked, cafe that offered take-outs and all day breakfasts if the A-frame board outside was anything to go by. For some reason thinking about the breakfast made the smell of fried food assail Arthur's nostrils and his stomach churned again.
To distract himself he picked his briefcase up off the floor and rummaged inside to find Mordred's file. Opening it up he started to read again, with an entirely different perspective in mind.
