Merlin looked across at the room in front of him, and was horrified at what he had been told. How could anyone use his magic for such perverted things? Yet he knew there was nothing he could do. But that wouldn't stop him trying no matter how much it hurt him. He was determined to regain control even if it was only long enough to kill himself. The murders he had been forced to commit played heavily on his mind. He understood even more than ever now why Morgana had needed to be removed from the evil man's home. Merlin shut his eyes, the only body movement he could control and concentrated on his magic and what it was being made to do. He had to understand everything then maybe he could to overcome his plight. Merlin knew he had to regain control of his magic somehow.

Leon and his team continued to search for clues as to Merlin's, and the other magic users disappearances. Merlin's was the only disappearance they had heard about so soon after it happened, and was the best chance they had to get results. Added to that they had all become very friendly to Merlin over the past months and all wanted to find the young warlock. What puzzled Leon, as much as anything, that out of a total of over two hundred known missing magic users in the past year, none had ever been found alive or dead. Yet where could they all be held? He also realised that the figure of missing sorcerers was probably a lot higher. Each if his team had been given an area to concentrate on.

Lancelot had been making up a pin board of all the missing cases nationally, rather than just the ones in their area. He found that over two thirds were from the south and south east. In other words their patch. Yet their group had only been formed a few months previously. Even then only after a great deal of pressure had been exerted. How could just a few men have any hope of solving the case if there was such an obvious lack of interest, and therefore funding, in solving the mystery? There seemed to be no pattern to who was taken. All ages, genders and status in the community had been affected.

Gwaine meanwhile had gone undercover in the hopes they could find out something that way. He was the one most likely to succeed in such a mission. He was by far the least conservative of the group and with his hair down and facial hair looked the least like a police officer. He had a legendary way of getting on with people and could drink anyone under the table so could spend his time in the pubs and clubs talking to people and fitting in.

So with Gwaine undercover, and Lance collating all the information, that left Leon, Percival and Elyan to do everything else. He rather hoped that Morgana would come up with something useful just to give them a lead. Arthur and Morgana had confided her abilities to the team and Leon had advised that Morgana be carefully watched in case she too was targeted.

Arthur was using all his spare time to study the information from a psychology point of view. He was not officially involved in the case but that didn't stop him. He had become very close to Merlin in the past months, as the younger man helped his sister. Arthur had never met such a helpful and friendly person, but had found it hard to equate Merlin's power with his personality. He was not at all forceful, but then if he had been, Merlin could have become anything he wanted to be. Merlin had already told him he could slow time and control the weather, adding that he didn't do the later as it could upset the natural balance, admitting the only time he had done anything like that was when he was younger and then only by accident. Gaius also admitted that they had no idea just how powerful Merlin was as they had never tested the limits of his power.

Morgana found herself hoping against all hope that she would have a vision that could help her friend. But Merlin had already told her they could not be summoned but would only occur when her magic wanted them to. So she used her time to strengthen her control of her powers, and to learn some spells with the help of Gaius, and an old book of spells that had been Merlin's. Hoping that maybe she might be able to help free Merlin when they found out where he was. She was convinced he was alive somewhere.

Arthur began to suspect his father as having some involvement. After all he was heavily uninvolved in the drive to get rid of magic. But at the same time he didn't want to believe it. It was all very well cutting ties, but Uther was his father and except for a maternal uncle and Morgana, he was the only relative the blonde had. Arthur had never got on with his Uncle Agravaine De Bois, he found his devious and didn't trust him, even though his father had kept in contact. The man was a computer engineer who worked in the power industry and Arthur hadn't seen him for several years.

Arthur decided to see if he could talk to his father's secretary, he had always got on with Mary Annis. She had been a family friend for years. He rang her at home having heard she had retired six months previously. She agreed to see him "I have been thinking of ringing you Arthur, what if we meet up for coffee, I am free tomorrow"

"In that case better still why don't you come here for lunch I can pick you up from you place. That's if you have time. I know it's a bit of a journey but you could stay overnight if you wished." Arthur offered "And my housekeeper Gwen makes a fantastic roast and I know Morgana would love to see you"

"All right as long as it's no trouble, I won't stay over though. I had heard Morgana was living with you now. But can you pick me up at the shopping centre I have to take something back." She asked him.

"No problem ten thirty by the town clock suit? That will give us time to get here for lunch"

Arthur drove to pick up the older woman the next day. She was his father's age and had in a way been the nearest thing he had had to a mother and had knew his mother well. He would go to her if her had problems he couldn't ask his father about. It was she who encouraged him to follow his dreams. He wondered how she had put up working for her father for so many years. As he pulled up by the clock Mary was waiting and got straight in the car. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Hello Arthur it's been too long, I kept intending to ring but I wasn't sure if you would want to keep links once you broke off from your father. Other than Christmas cards."

"I did but I also didn't want to put you in a difficult position, I know how father can be." Arthur admitted "Sorry"

"That's all right we are in contact again, now I have left the company perhaps is it's a good time to renew our acquaintance." Mary looked at Arthur and smiled

"I hadn't realised you had retired. You aren't old enough are you?" Arthur demanded

"Not quite but I have had enough, your father doesn't get any easier to work for. The place has a horrid atmosphere sometimes. He is getting so bitter, and it's not just since Morgana left, although that made it worse. He took on a P.A two years ago and I was less and less involved, I feel my job is superfluous. All I do is type out letters and collect data but that's it. Did you know your uncle is working for him now?"

Arthur's eyebrows shot up "No I didn't. What as? I can't see Pendragons needing a computer engineer who specialised in power systems."

"Your father said he wanted to make the place more efficient, the production lines and things, he was worried about the costs of manufacture. I must say from what I've heard it was a wise move. Bob in finance tells me he's halved the bill. No offense and I know he's your uncle but he has always given me the creeps"

"No offense taken, I have never got on with him anyway, but he is my only relative on Mums side left" Arthur told her. "I'm surprised you didn't get promoted to PA after all you have worked with him for years."

"I did ask if I should apply and your father said he thought it would be too much at my age! He took on a man by the name of Cenred. A strange man I found but he shared you father's views on magic users and I was finding it more and more difficult to cope with some of what you father was saying." Mary looked at Arthur "He was a different man when your mother was alive, her death changed him so much. She would have been proud of you Arthur" Mary told him "Now young man why have you invited an old woman like me to lunch"

"Sorry" Arthur paused "I really did intend to contact you anyway. I would have already had I know you were retired"

"But you have a reason for doing it now" Mary said a twinkle in her eye. "Let's get it over with now then we can enjoy lunch"

Arthur laughed "You were always a smart woman. I wanted to ask you something but don't feel you need to answer. I will respect your decision" he reassured her.

"I won't answer anyway if I don't want to. You know that" came the pithy reply.

"Pendragons operations in the Magic suppression business….is it increasing?"

Mary looked at Arthur with a puzzled look. "Why do you ask?"

"I am helping a group of policemen who are trying to trace the missing sorcerers. Recently a good friend, and the person who was helping Morgana has disappeared. And it got me thinking who would want them and why?" he admitted. "Pendragons is leading all the research and seems to have the monopoly"

"I heard about the disappearances, there is certainly a lot more prejudice against sorcerers now. To answer your question I don't know what the company is doing in that field, it's very secret. But I will say your father is becoming harder in his attitude and I didn't think that was possible. The staffing for that area had increased its now twice the size. If I am honest with you that's why I left. I don't like the hatred people like your father are managing to stir up." She paused "I hate to say this but it wouldn't surprise me if he was involved or at the very least knew who was responsible. But I have no proof."

"Thank you Mary. I just wish I knew what he was up to. I don't want to believe he has anything to do with the disappearances but who needs so many sorcerers and why do they never show up again? I wondered to start with if they were getting together in some way, to fight back perhaps, but Merlin wouldn't have left Morgana without telling her. He is also not the sort to get radical. I know he tried to help others but in their control and supporting them like he was Morgana"

"I am sorry about your friend. I did try to find out what your father was doing but Cenred handled everything for your father when it came to that part of the business. He is a hard man and made me uneasy so I left. I had also had several arguments with Uther about his keeping Morgana so isolated. I am getting to old to need that sort of hassle. But if I can help you at all I will"

"Thank you, now we are hear come on in and I know Morgana will love to see you again"