Odo walked into Garak's shop, to find him adjusting a dress on a display dummy.

"Constable," Garak said, smiling. "What a rare pleasure to welcome you to my establishment. Though I confess, I'm at a loss to imagine why you need --"

"Did you have lunch with Dr Bashir today?" Odo said, ignoring Garak's nonsense, no time for it.

"Why, yes, in the Replimat. In fact I returned from it only a few moments ago. Why do you --?"

"Did anything unusual happen during the meal?" He saw Garak's face change then, the eyes became serious.

"Well, actually, yes. Quark approached the doctor, with a person I believe is a Lethian."

Odo snorted. "Quark, I might have known. This Lethian, what did he want?"

"Odo." Garak discarded the dress he'd been arranging and moved towards Odo. "What's happened? Why are you asking this?"

"Just tell me what the Lethian wanted."

"He - ah," Garak hesitated for a moment, and then rallied. "He wanted to buy Bio-memetic gel. Dr Bashir quite properly told him even trying to purchase that is illegal."

"I see. And Quark introduced him?"

"Quark? Yes, but he seemed quite frightened of the Lethian. What's this about?"

"Just a moment." Odo touched his combadge to speak to an officer back on duty in the Security office. "Send someone to bring in Quark... Yes, again." He looked back at Garak, who was staring at him now, waiting.

"Odo --"

"Dr Bashir has been attacked in the Infirmary."

"Attacked?" Garak's eye's widened. "But I only left him a few moments ago."

Odo noted that. The assault must have happened as soon as Bashir returned from lunch. Did the Lethian follow him?

"I have a suspect in custody," Odo said. "Do you think you would recognise the individual you saw at lunch if you saw him again?" Almost a laughable question. This was Garak. Of course he'd know him again.

"Oh yes, I'm sure I would," Garak said. "Quite sure."

"Then come with me."

Odo led Garak out of the shop, and had to remind him to lock his door. As they crossed the Promenade, Odo took hold of Garak's arm to keep him from moving towards the Infirmary instead. Security men stood guard there at the door. A small crowd of busybodies tried to peer inside.

"This way, Garak," Odo said firmly. Garak looked back at him.

"Yes, Constable, I'm sorry, yes. This way." Garak made some kind of internal effort, Odo saw. Steeling himself, regaining control. Odo kept a firm grip on his arm and led him to Security.

They went straight through to the holding cells and Odo watched Garak closely, when they stopped in front of the cell that held the suspect. The Lethian, who Odo had arrested coming out of the Infirmary, turned at once to Odo and Garak.

"Is that him?" Odo asked.

"Yes." Garak's eyes hardened, narrowed. "Yes, that's him." He paused, no longer than the time to take a breath. "What did he do to the doctor?"

"The same thing I will do to you, Cardassian," the Lethian said. "And you will die like him."

That wasn't going to lead to anything good, so Odo at once pulled Garak's arm and took him back out of the holding cells back into the office.

"Sit there," Odo said, pointing him at a chair, and turned to the officer at the desk. "Haven't they brought Quark in yet?"

"Odo," Garak said. He hadn't sat down. Odo raised a hand to ask him to wait.

"They're on their way with Quark." The Bajoran security officer answered Odo's question.

"Odo." Garak spoke again, making Odo turn to him. "Is Dr Bashir dead?"

"Odo! I demand you let me go!" The doors opened and two Security men dragged in a struggling and yelling Quark. "I didn't do it! Whatever it is you're accusing me of this time, I didn't do it."

"Take him to the cells, I'll deal with him soon," Odo said, not in the mood for Quark now. He saw Garak had retreated to the side of the room, his eye on the door. "And if he doesn't keep quiet, put him in the cell with the Lethian." A bluff of course, but it shut Quark up for a moment. Only a moment, as they took him on through.

"Wait! I demand a lawyer! Don't put me near that crazy Lethian! You can't do this!" The doors closed, cutting off his protests.

"Odo," Garak's voice came again, low and strained. Odo remembered his question and was about to answer, when Sisko walked in from the Promenade, taking Odo's attention at once.

"Any progress, Constable?"

"Yes, Captain. Mr Garak has identified the suspect we arrested." He gestured at Garak. "He approached Dr Bashir during lunch and attempted to buy Bio-memetic gel."

"Bio-memetic gel? That's a restricted --"

"Odo," Garak snapped. "Will you answer my question?" Odo and Sisko stared at him, and he took a step back, ran a hand down the front of his tunic. "I am sorry. But... you didn't answer my question."

"No," Odo said. "No, Dr Bashir is not dead." He glanced at Sisko, in case the Captain was about to contradict him. Had Sisko come to tell him to make this a murder inquiry? But Sisko nodded at Odo, then turned back to Garak.

"The Lethian attacked him with some kind of telepathic assault. He's in a coma. It's... very serious."

"I see. Thank you, Captain." Garak bowed his head and took another step back, even closer to the wall.

"The medical staff and Dax are doing what they can. But none of them has any experience with this. Nobody here has."

"One person has," Odo said. He nodded his head towards the cells.

"I can't imagine he'll be very forthcoming with any details on how to help the victim of his attack," Sisko said.

"That depends," Odo said. "If I were him, I'd rather be facing an assault charge than a murder charge."

"Good point, Constable." Sisko nodded. "Begin questioning him at once."

"Captain." Garak stepped closer to the two of them now. He seemed more controlled again, Odo thought, his voice and eyes cold again. "Let me interrogate him."

"What?" Sisko frowned. "You're a witness here, Mr Garak. You're not part of the investigation."

"This is hardly the time to observe such distinctions. I have some experience at interrogations."

"Really?" Odo said at once. "From your time in the Obsidian Order perhaps?" He expected the usual obfuscations and denials, but Garak simply ignored him, eyes intent on Sisko.

"How long does Dr Bashir have to live if he doesn't get the appropriate treatment?" Garak asked.

"That's unknown," Sisko said.

"Then every moment counts, doesn't it?"

"Mr Garak, we don't even know if the suspect will be able to help us," Sisko said.

"There's one way to find out."

"And I'm afraid Starfleet regulations --"

"Regulations?" Garak sneered the word. "Are you going to put Starfleet regulations ahead of Dr Bashir's life?"

Sisko gazed back at Garak for a moment and Odo saw the agony of the choice in Sisko's eyes and face. How easy to break the rules now. Save Bashir's life and deal with the consequences later. Yet he knew what Sisko would say. He wore the uniform. He believed in what the uniform stood for.

"I'm sorry, Mr Garak, I appreciate your offer, but I can't allow it."

Garak started to turn away towards the door, even before Sisko finished speaking, but looked back when Sisko called out.

"Wait. Odo, please have one of your people accompany Mr Garak to the Infirmary."

Garak lost some of the rage in his eyes and gave Sisko a nod.

"Thank you, Captain. I... appreciate that."

An officer appeared at Odo's summons and she and Garak headed out. But Garak paused one last time at the door.

"My offer is still open, Captain. Constable. Please, don't leave it too late before you call me back here."

The door closed behind him and Sisko turned to Odo.

"Do you think I was wrong to refuse his offer?"

"No," Odo said. "I think you were Starfleet."

Sisko sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. "Somehow, I don't think that will be any great comfort to me if Dr Bashir dies."

"Dr Bashir is Starfleet too."

Sisko looked at the door. "That certainly won't be any comfort to Mr Garak." He turned back to Odo. "Why do you think he offered his... services? It's not like him to go out of his way to help anyone."

"He and Dr Bashir do seem to have become friends."

"Yes," Sisko said, slowly. "And when do you think I should start worrying about that, Constable?"

"Well, it takes only a few moments to get from here to the Infirmary. So, I'd say in a few moments from now." Sisko looked at him, eyebrows raised and Odo went on. "When a man sees someone he cares about close to death, it changes things." Yes, it did. He knew that too well.

"And you think Garak actually cares about Dr Bashir?"

"Well, let me ask you this, Captain. Do you think Garak would have made his offer if that was you or I lying in the Infirmary?"

Sisko nodded, a thoughtful look on his face. "Thank you, Constable. Please, continue your interrogation. Offer the Lethian some kind of deal if it will secure his cooperation."

"Yes, Captain." Odo waited for Sisko to leave and then headed through to the holding cells. Quark was still making a lot of noise. The Lethian made none, just prowled up and down. Odo stood in front of the cell and watched him for a moment.

Sisko had suggested a deal. But Odo did not offer deals to criminals. Sisko quoted Starfleet Regulations. But Odo had his own code. His own rules. Abruptly the Lethian jumped at the front of the cell, roaring and making the force field flare. He staggered back. Odo didn't flinch.

"Who are you anyway?" The Lethian snarled.

"My name is Constable Odo." Odo smiled and took a step forward. "I'm not with Starfleet."