The enquiries and investigations delayed all of the funerals. It was almost two weeks before the authorities released Faraj's body to his family.

Even the thought of attending the funeral made Madari feel sick. A man who'd once been his dear friend, even his protégé for a while, before it all went sour. A man who betrayed him. A man he killed.

Few people knew that though. Jahni, of course. The A-Team too, but they were gone now, back home in America. And Rahama. Rahama, who had so far kept Faraj's name out of it. To protect Faraj's family, Rahama said, and Madari hoped he meant the children not just the reputation of a powerful family, who still had influence in the country.

The idea of a cover up offended Madari in principle, yet he wouldn't see Janan and the boys hurt any more than they had been. He had caused them enough suffering.

So he had to attend the funeral. Anything else would look strange and raise suspicions. Now, with his fellow officers, he stood in his dress uniform, Jahni at his side and paid tribute to a man he knew to be a traitor. A man he'd cared for. A man he'd hurt so much.

Only Jahni's presence at his side helped him stay in control. So much pain on Jahni's face too. Grief for the man Faraj had been; disgust for what he became.

As the men walked away from the grave, Madari took Jahni's arm. "I can't go back to the house," he said, quietly, trying to keep his voice steady. "I can't face Janan. I can't see the children."

Jahni nodded, understanding the anguish. "I'll drive you home. We'll wait until the others leave."

They looked around at the other mourners, many Royal Guard officers of course, but officers from other regiments too. Madari followed Jahni's gaze when it became a frown and saw the slate grey uniform of Military Intelligence. Raslan, looking pale, if not too distressed. Well, he had been only a new friend of Faraj's, he didn't have the bond Madari and Jahni had.

"Lost his meal ticket," Jahni growled, shocking Madari for a moment. Had Raslan only cultivated Faraj's friendship because Faraj was wealthy? Perhaps. Who knew what that man's motives were?

Military Intelligence had come under scrutiny now too. By those wanting to know why they hadn't spotted the conspiracy and put a stop to it earlier, before men died.

"Faris," Rahama called out to Madari, making him turn from watching the mourners leaving.

"Colonel," Madari said. He cleared his throat, trying to get the hoarseness out of his voice. "Sharif, I'm sorry, I have to go now, I can't --"

Rahama nodded, stepped closer and took one of Madari's hands in both of his own. Not just for a shake, or comfort though, Madari felt something metal press into his palm. Rahama kept hold of the hand and spoke quietly, while nodding, his face wearing a sympathetic expression.

"The key to his office. Clear it of anything incriminating. I can't be seen doing it. You two make more sense, you understand."

Madari understood, and felt the outrage again, at the cover-up. Several other officers had been arrested, their lives ruined. Why did Faraj deserve this special treatment?

Because he'd died at Madari's hand. To drag his name down could only hurt his wife and sons, not him. He'd gone beyond hurt now. Beyond disgrace and pain. Madari blinked as his eyes grew hot, determined not to lose control in front of Rahama.

"Now?"

"Now is best." Rahama let go of his hand and looked up at the sky, the setting sun, twilight creeping in. The other cars moved off, heading to Faraj's home, kicking up clouds of dust. "Almost every Royal Guard officer is here." He hesitated, and grimaced. Madari guessed his thoughts. Every one that isn't in jail on conspiracy charges. "It will be quiet until the morning now. Please use the time well."

"Yes, sir."

Rahama squeezed his shoulder, did the same to Jahni and then left them. In a moment, his car followed the others, leaving Madari and Jahni alone in the graveyard, except for the men still filling in Faraj's grave. Madari held up the key. This was... a step. This went beyond keeping quiet.

"It's destroying evidence," Jahni said, making Madari look up, startled as Jahni seemed to voice his very thoughts.

A step. From silence, to participation, to becoming part of a counter conspiracy. Is this how Faraj lost faith in him? Madari had to wonder. He lived close enough to see Madari as human. As weak. And now Jahni would see Madari compromise his principles too, and hide the truth.

"We won't destroy anything," Madari said, pocketing the key. "We will remove it, conceal it. But we won't destroy it." Jahni still didn't look too happy at that. But they'd both already consented to the silence, to protect Faraj's children, so he nodded at last.

"Agreed."

~~~~

As Rahama said, the barracks headquarters building was quiet and Madari and Jahni saw few people on their way to Faraj's office. The key let them in and Madari locked the door behind them as Jahni went to the desk and turned on the lamp.

"Let's not attract too much attention," Jahni said. Madari agreed and didn't turn on the overhead light.

"The first places to check are those that are locked," Madari said. Jahni nodded and started trying the drawers of a filing cabinet, which slid open freely.

Leaving him checking that, Madari sat down at the desk. At once the framed photograph of Mehdi and Javid caught his eye. It almost overwhelmed his control for a moment, because he knew he could never see those boys again. If Madari was luckier than he deserved to be, then they would never know he killed their father. They'd believe forever that Faraj fell defending the king, along with the Bodyguard soldiers who died that day.

Needing to stay strong now, he laid the frame flat on the desk, hiding their faces, and then started to explore the desk. A couple of drawers were unlocked, containing no more than stationery supplies. The rest were locked.

"Kahil," he said. "I believe your recent training might come in useful here."

Jahni nodded, coming over. They had stopped off at his flat, anticipating this, and he had collected a small leather case. Now he drew out lock picks from the case and bent down by the desk. Madari could pick locks, but Jahni was much faster at it than him. In a few moments he had all the desk drawers open.

"Thank you," Madari said, starting to pull folders out of one of the drawers.

"None of the filing cabinets are locked," Jahni said, "And I don't see a safe. We might as well concentrate on the desk for now and then move the furniture to look for a floor safe, or any other hidden compartments."

Madari nodded, though didn't think Faraj would have gone to those lengths. He hadn't been a naturally duplicitous man. A locked desk drawer would be as far as his imagination would take him, surely?

"Right," he said. "We'll empty the desk and take everything to my office. The night guards will find it odd if they see us working in here, but not in there."

"Good idea." Jahni started gathering armfuls of folders.

~~~~

Jahni nodded to a patrolling night guard as they passed in a corridor. After he'd almost fallen asleep, Madari had sent Jahni to fetch some coffee from the mess. That wasn't open at this time of night, but Jahni didn't mind fending for himself. It was the only option. Rahama had issued standing orders to shoot any approaching vending machine salesmen on sight.

He found Madari standing up behind his desk and stretching, obviously as sleepy as Jahni.

"We don't have to finish all of this tonight," Jahni said. "We've got the files; we could keep them here and take our time."

"No," Madari said. "No, I won't risk that we'll be too late and someone else will find something before us." He took the coffee cup from Jahni and sat down again. "Thank you."

"What if he didn't keep anything here?" Jahni said, sitting down. "What if it's at his home? Or a bank box?"

Madari looked up, his features in sharp relief in the light of the desk lamp. "Then there's nothing we can do about that."

"I could get in. To his home anyway."

Madari frowned at him. "You mean break in?"

Jahni shrugged. "I could be in and out and nobody would know."

Madari looked intrigued, tempted. Jahni's training certainly gave him the ability to do it, and Madari knew that. But then he frowned.

"No, it's not worth the risk. There's no reason for anyone to search his house. Anyone. I know you could do it. But no."

Jahni sighed and leaned back in his chair, sipping his coffee. He picked up another folder and started leafing through it. Madari bent to the folder he was examining and they fell silent again. The tick of the wall clock sounded loud in the quiet room, the hands moving on through the night. Almost three now. They'd need more coffee to see them through until dawn.

They didn't get to dawn. About ten minutes later, Jahni glanced up startled at what sounded almost like a growl from Madari. Madari was staring intently at a document, eyes narrowed, and face pale.

"That bastard!" He spat the words, startling Jahni even more, unused to hearing him swear.

"Faris?" Jahni dropped his folder and leaned over. "What is it?"

Madari didn't answer. He stood up, and Jahni automatically did the same.

"Come on," Madari said. "We have to go and see someone." He started to stride out of the office, the piece of paper still in his hand. Jahni stared, and then hurried after him, grabbing their uniform jackets from the coat stand as Madari walked right past it. He struggled into his jacket, while he hurried to keep up with Madari's longer strides.

"Faris, what is it?" He asked again.

Madari glanced at him and shoved the paper into his hand, taking his jacket from Jahni's other hand. Jahni looked down at the paper, a photocopy of something, a report of some kind. His steps faltered as he had to slow down to read it.

It took a moment to understand it. To understand the lies he read about himself and Madari. And it took another moment to understand where Madari was leading him. At the top of the report he saw the words "Military Intelligence." And then he understood. He understood all of it.

Raslan.

"Bastard!" The same word Madari had used, and not nearly strong enough. "Fucking treacherous, lying, vicious bastard!"

He looked up to see Madari a few yards ahead of him, his jacket on now, holding a door open, waiting for Jahni. Jahni realised he had come to a halt when the final shock of what he was reading had sunk in. He ran to catch up, shoving the paper into his pocket.

"He's involved in the conspiracy," Jahni said, as they hurried downstairs, feet clattering on the steps. At the bottom of the stairwell they pushed open the fire exit, which took them close to where Jahni had parked his car. "How come nobody has named him?"

"Perhaps only Faraj and Zahir knew of his involvement," Madari speculated. "I don't know. I don't care." He yanked open the car door and climbed into the passenger seat, while Jahni took the driver's seat. "All I care about is that he gave Idris those lies about us. And now Idris is dead."

In the moonlight, Jahni saw him take out his sidearm and check the clip, then slide it back in with a click.

"I don't know Raslan's address," Madari went on. "We'll have to stop at Intel and ask for it."

"No need. I know it," Jahni started the car. He glanced back at Madari, who was staring at him, surprised. "A soldier should always know where his enemy is encamped."

~~~~

"Should we knock?" Jahni said, when they walked up to the door of a flat in small apartment block. Madari looked at him, at the smirk temporarily replacing the fury on Jahni's face.

"What do you think?"

Jahni chuckled. "Stand clear." One well aimed kick smashed the lock and slammed the door back. Jahni went in fast, pistol out, ready.

Madari followed him, and enjoyed watching Jahni cover the flat. So fast and efficient. Money well spent on training. A noise alerted them to a room and they moved there fast. Jahni kicked that door in too. In the moonlight coming from the window, they saw a shadowy figure on the bed fumbling in the nightstand.

Madari didn't even need to give the order. Jahni was on him in a second, slamming the nightstand drawer on his fingers, making him yell. Jahni yanked the drawer back and, as the man pulled his hand away, gathered up the pistol that lay in the drawer. He handed it back to Madari, while he covered the man. Madari turned on the light.

"Hello, Raslan," he said.

Raslan stared up at them from his bed. He wore only a pair of white shorts and his hair was wild. A far cry from his usual smooth self.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He demanded.

"Bring him," Madari said to Jahni, then turned and strode out of the bedroom. He checked the pistol Jahni had handed him. Interesting, one of the new Glock 19s. Not standard military issue even in Military Intelligence. He ejected the clip - full - and slipped that into one pocket and the gun into the other.

Flicking on lights as he walked, Madari found the living room. Behind him, he heard Raslan protesting Jahni's handling of him. Good. Madari walked up to the windows. It must be quite a nice view of the city during the day. More protests came from behind him, then an order from Jahni.

"On your knees!" A thump and a grunt followed the words.

Madari reached out and pulled the cord that closed the Venetian blinds, and then at last he turned around. Raslan knelt in the middle of the floor, a furious expression on his face, and Jahni's Browning jammed hard against his neck.

"I'll see you both in front of a court martial for this!" Raslan snarled. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Arresting you," Madari said. For a moment, he wavered, as he realised they had no evidence beyond the faked report, which even if it could be proved was Raslan's work, didn't prove his part in the conspiracy. But he pressed on. There'd be evidence against him somewhere. "You're part of Zahir's conspiracy. I'm sure you thought you could wriggle out of it, but not this time, Raslan." He nodded to Jahni. "Give me the report."

As he spoke, he looked quickly back to Raslan and saw the reaction, the flicker of fear, at the word 'report'. Jahni handed it over and Madari unfolded it and bent closer to Raslan holding the paper in front of his face.

"You gave this to Faraj, didn't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. What is that? Ow!" Jahni's gun made a dent in Raslan's neck, and his other hand grabbed Raslan's hair to stop him moving away.

"You gave this lie to Faraj. Why? To make him hate me?"

Raslan looked back at Madari, calmer now, starting to adjust to the shock, starting to form a plan most likely.

"He already hated you." A tiny smile played across his lips. "You know why."

"Shut up," Jahni ground out, teeth gritted.

"Did you bring Faraj into the conspiracy?"

"If I did, how am I any different from you?" Raslan said. "You brought him into the conspiracy against the Russians. And then you gave up his name."

Jahni's punch, into Raslan's side, took both Raslan and Madari by surprise. Raslan fell all the way to the floor, moaning. Jahni stood over him, pistol pointed down at him. Still Raslan didn't give up. He levered himself up on his elbow and looked up at Madari.

"You can have your dog bite me all you like, but you know I'm right. He went to prison because of you."

"And he is dead because of you!" Madari yelled, making Raslan flinch back. And then he flinched again and moaned when Jahni kicked him.

"Kahil," Madari said, in a warning tone. "Enough." Jahni scowled. Not nearly enough, his expression said. But despite the temptation, Madari couldn't let him beat Raslan unconscious.

He felt like a hypocrite for a moment, accusing Raslan of being responsible for Faraj's death. Who pulled the trigger? Not Raslan. But Raslan put him there. Raslan set him against Madari. Raslan made him ready to kill his friends, his king, children. Raslan gave Madari a new nightmare he could never escape.

"You're a traitor," Madari said, trying to bring himself under control. "And I'm arresting you."

"No," Raslan said. Not a plea, but a refusal. "If you arrest me, I promise you, I will take Faraj's name down with me. I know Rahama is covering up his involvement. Frankly, that suits me." The arrogance came back into his eyes, the confidence that he was in control again. "But if I go down, I'll break your cover-up wide open."

Jahni dropped to one knee beside Raslan and pressed his pistol against Raslan's temple.

"You know what? That suits me, because I'd rather just blow your fucking head off right here."

Now Raslan looked afraid again, eyes fixed on Jahni. He knows Jahni hates him, Madari thought. Does he believe Jahni would actually murder him? Do I believe that? But Raslan rallied and looked up at Madari.

"You won't let him kill me."

No, Madari knew he wouldn't. He wouldn't give himself another nightmare. And he wouldn't see Jahni throw his career and his freedom away for the satisfaction of killing this dog.

"What do you say, Faris?" Raslan asked. "Will you see poor misguided Idris exposed as a traitor? See his lovely wife shamed? People will say she must have known, won't they? And his poor boys; growing up the sons of a traitor."

Madari closed his eyes and expected, even wanted, to hear the gunshot that would silence this serpent. But none came and he looked down again. Jahni looked up at him, waiting for an order.

Madari knew the order he should give. To secure Raslan, bring him to the MPs and charge him. But if they did that, then Madari broke the promise he made, to take care of Faraj's family.

But how could he leave a traitor free? And not only free, but in the Army. In Military Intelligence, where he had, and still could, wreak all kinds of havoc. Who knows when Zahir might not try to launch another coup against his brother? Having Raslan in place to help him was not acceptable.

So he needed a compromise, between principle and a promise. He hated it, hated himself for thinking of it. But he heard himself saying it.

"First thing in the morning, you will go to your Commanding Officer and resign your commission. You will not take anything with you when you leave the headquarters."

"Sir!" Jahni cried, but Madari made a gesture to cut him off.

"I will not let you stay in the Army. But I will let you live, if you do as I say." He bent down, and put one hand on Jahni's shoulder. "But I promise you that if you don't, then next time, you will not hear Kahil come in. You will still be asleep when he puts his gun to your head and pulls the trigger."

Raslan looked up at Jahni, and Madari saw him swallow a couple of times, surely thinking about Jahni's SAS training. Jahni could, and would, do as Madari described.

"Agreed," Raslan said. He looked back up at Madari. "Agreed."

Madari straightened up. "I'll be calling your C.O. at nine fifteen. I expect him to tell me you left the building ten minutes earlier. Kahil, let's go."

Jahni stood slowly, gun still trained on Raslan, who sat up. As Madari and Jahni moved towards the door, Raslan stood up.

"Can you tell me one thing?" Raslan said. "Which of you killed him?"

Jahni sprang at Raslan. Madari didn't quite see what he did, it appeared to be no more than a light blow to Raslan's side, but Raslan fell as if he'd been shot, landing in a moaning heap and curled up.

"Kahil, come on," Madari said, his voice urgent. He suddenly needed to get out of here, felt as if he was breathing poison in that man's presence. As they left the flat, he became aware of the weight of Raslan's pistol and the clip in his pockets. They felt like the rocks a man drowning himself might load his pockets with. He pulled them out and dropped them on the floor.

"Are you all right?" Jahni said. Madari couldn't get a breath. Drowning. The water closing over his head. He grabbed at Jahni's arm for support. His vision blurred and he heard the shot again, saw Faraj fall, ran to him...

"Faris." Jahni's voice. "Stay with me. Come on. You can make it." Stumbling down stairs, into darkness, chill air. Jahni's voice. "Stay with me. Stay with me." Always stay with you. Don't ever let him turn against me. Not him.

"Stay with me." He echoed the words back at Jahni.

"Always."

Sitting, a strap across him. No, a seatbelt. Roar of engine noise and then the spinning blackness took him. Took him into the past. Recent and long past and all, all of it a nightmare.