Morgause managed to get hold of her contact in Syria the next day and gave him the information Arthur had gained from Edwin. The negotiator promised to get back with anything he could find out. There was nothing else to do but sit back and wait for any information to come in.

In the hospital they were as busy as ever, some of the staff had left and new ones arrived, the security was still tight with all staff being warned to be extra careful if they left the hospital or living quarters. The shelling and bombing seemed to get getting worse and they were getting injured coming in from all over the area. With some people walking for days to seek medical help. There was no let up, Gwaine at least felt it stopped him brooding about Merlin, he still worried about his friend but knew all he could do was wait. But he did ask anyone who came in from the outlying areas if they had seen or heard of anyone matching Merlin's description.

Merlin was spending most of his time alone, he knew that the caves were used as a retreat from the fighting that was happening some distance away and that there wasn't many people there at any one time. But even in the caves he could often hear shells flying overhead and explosions in the distance. At first he had spent hours trying to make his mind up about the choses he had been given. On one hand he didn't want to die, but then he had also worked for three months with a set up in Thailand when a large sex trade gang had been broken up and had heard first hand of some of the things that went on. He tried to decide what would affect his mother more, to hear he son had died but from a quick death or suffered then horrors of the sex trade.

For some reason the seven days passed without him being called back to see Halil, is guard had also changed. Then one day when he was untied to eat instead of retying him he had metal shackles put round his ankles and he was attached by chain to a loop in the wall at the back of the cave. It gave him the ability to move around a bit, even though his ankle was still painful. Once a day he would see someone briefly when a bowl of water as left with a lump of bread and sometimes he was left a vegetable dish or some figs but not often. He was no longer taken outside once a day so had to use a small area of his cave for a toilet. To try to cut down the flies and smell he tried to cover anything up with the dust from the dirt floor.

Days went by without him speaking to anyone and nor seeing anyone except for the few minutes when his food was brought in. Merlin decided not to ask, if the leaders had forgotten he was there perhaps he wouldn't have to make the decision he had been having so much difficulty with, also he might be rescued. He had tried to find a weak spot in the chain or the metal loop in the wall but there was no give whatsoever. Merlin was trying to keep a record of the days by making marks on the floor. He thought he had been there for twenty six days when he began to feel unwell and he was getting stomach cramps, he suspected the water was to blame but there was little he could do.

By the next day he was feeling sick and had had a bout of diarrhoea. He tried to ask if the water could be boiled and whether anyone one else was ill, but the guard ignored him. This went on for several days and he was getting weaker and the cave was beginning to smell. Merlin had no means of washing so was trying hard to eat with one hand and cleaning himself with the other, using dust for the floor. Everytime the guard can with his food he asked for water and something to wash himself, eventually a bucket of the same dirty water was given to him. Using strips torn from his clothing he tried to wash as best he could.

Merlin felt awful he was now vomiting and thought he had begun to pass blood but as the caves were very dim, he couldn't be sure. On top of that his ankle was still causing him pain. It got very cold at night and he found it difficult to sleep. He was fairly sure by now he had dysentery. As he put the thirty sixth mark on the floor that next morning, he wasn't sure if it was accurate anymore, he knew that unless something happened and soon he would die, he was getting severely dehydrated he was hardly passing any urine at all and was getting cold and clammy. He lay down in the corner and hoped he would just die in his sleep.

Morgause finally heard from her contact in Syria. By now Merlin had been missing for thirty three days, with no demands or sign of who could have abducted him. It seemed that her contact had a meeting after being given a tip off. He would be in contact within the next two days.

In Syria the contact followed put on the tip off. He had spent the past thirty years in the volatile areas of Africa and the Middle East trying to help negotiate hostage releases. In that time he had built up a strange sort of relationship with the people there. He was a loner preferring his own company but if it meant he could live his life as he wanted to he would use his skills and contacts on both sides to free loved ones. The Arabs called him Ah-teen, not his real name but one he had used as long as his birth name now.

Travelling south east of Aleppo he found a group of rebels led by Halil Salib. He was able to speak to the man himself. Al-teen was lucky in as much as the home village of the rebel leader had recently been badly shelled but the children had been cared for by the Doctors without Borders hospital in Aleppo.

"I have recently been to Aleppo and have seen several of the village children being cared for, so I bring you news that many are doing well. Here is a list of those at the hospital." He handed Halil the list, one of those being treated was his granddaughter. "They gave me the list as while I was there I heard of one of their own is missing. I also heard some time ago that a white man was seen with your men so I said I would ask if I saw you"

Halil looked at the man in front of him "You bring me good news, what of this man who is he?"

"His name is Merlin Emrys he is a children doctor he went missing one morning and has not been seen since. He is a good man from what I understand, he has worked in such areas for several years. He is an only son his mother misses him greatly" Al-teen understood the family strong Arab tribes of the area.

"Should I hear of such a man why should I help you?" Halil asked, he was genuinely interested it didn't sit well to kill the young man who saved his life or to send him to slavery. That is one of the reasons why when he had returned to the fighting he had left the man as a prisoner.

"Because his people are helping your children, even knowing you are fighting. They don't take side but help anyone. I heard you had been hurt. You look well now" Al-teen gave the other man a knowing look. He wanted the other man to know that he had a good idea what had happened. "You are an honourable man"

"Al-teen you live up to your reputation, I do know where his man is and might arrange his return but I have men to answer to, when he was given to then men that have him, it was promised he would never return" Halil said honestly "A man's world is his honour"

"Is it more honourable to keep the word to one who would sell his own countryman or repay those who have helped your children at risk to themselves?" Al-teen asked.

"You are right, but should we receive things we could help ourselves with…"

Al-teen smiled "Like anti-bionics and bandages perhaps?"

"As a token gesture, then I could get him here in two days" Halil held out his hand "That way honour is satisfied."

"I will be back in two days, with another who will identify the doctor, with your blessing" Al-teen said "This time it has been easy doing business with you"

"As you say honour has been satisfied, better than death or slavery, for he who has helped my people" Halil said with all honesty. As soon as Al-teen had left Halil sent one of his men with a van to collect Merlin from the caves so he would be there when he was needed.

Al-teen contacted Morgause and told her he would have Merlin in two days but needed someone to make sure they had the right person and also that the bandages and antibiotics he had promised would be available. Morgause promised to send both to Aleppo within thirty six hours, she had no intention of raiding the supplies of the hospital. Then she contacted Arthur.

"Pendragon I know you aren't mission fit but I need someone to escort some supplies and identify an individual at an exchange. I want you ready to fly to Turkey on the next available flight." Morgause told a surprised agent.

"Turkey?" Arthur wanted it spelled out

"Turkey then Syria, My contact as come up trumps, we've found him. You're going out to identify him unless you'd rather I get someone for the hospital" Morgause told Arthur "One minute to make up your mind"

"Made up I'm on my way" Arthur said.

"Go straight to the airport the parcel will be there and checked in. Report as soon as he's identified and I'll let his mother know. Now get out of my hair Pendragon"