Revisiting jQuery fader function issues

creating/modifying this function, but the loop stops at the second image (of 5 total images). need help in preventing the z-index from resetting, so it will cycle through all 5 of my images instead of only the first two.

jQuery:

function cycleImages(){
  var $active = $('.image img');
  var $next = ($active.next().length > 0) ? $active.next() : $('.image img:first');
  $next.css('z-index',2);//move the next image up the pile
  $active.fadeOut(1500, function(){//fade out the top image
    $active.css('z-index',1).fadeIn().removeClass('image');//reset the z-index and unhide the image
    $next.css('z-index',5).addClass('image');//make the next image the top one
  });
}

$(document).ready(function(){
    $(".about-button, .home-button, .contact-button, .sourcing-button, .consulting-button, .installation-button").on("click", function(){
    if($(this).hasClass("about-button")) {
        $(".about-container").addClass("display-flex");
    } else {
        $(".about-container").removeClass("display-flex");
    }

    if($(this).hasClass("home-button")) {
        $(".homepage-container").show();
    } else {
        $(".homepage-container").hide();
    }

    if($(this).hasClass("contact-button")) {
        $(".contact-container").addClass("display-flex");
    } else {
        $(".contact-container").removeClass("display-flex");
    }

    if($(this).hasClass("sourcing-button")) {
        $(".services-sourcing-container").addClass("display-flex");
    } else {
        $(".services-sourcing-container").removeClass("display-flex");
    }

    if($(this).hasClass("consulting-button")) {
        $(".services-consulting-container").addClass("display-flex");
    } else {
        $(".services-consulting-container").removeClass("display-flex");
    }

    if($(this).hasClass("installation-button")) {
        $(".services-installation-container").addClass("display-flex");
    } else {
        $(".services-installation-container").removeClass("display-flex");
    }
});

// run every 5s
setInterval('cycleImages()', 5000);

});

html:

<div class="fader">
    <div class="image">
        <img class="" src="images/JAJ_photo1.svg" alt="" style="height: 100%; width:auto; object-fit: contain"; z-index="1">
    </div>
    <div class="">  
        <img class="" src="images/JAJ_photo2.svg" alt="" style="height: 100%; width:auto; object-fit: contain"; z-index="2">
    </div>
    <div class="">  
        <img class="" src="images/JAJ_photo3.svg" alt="" style="height: 100%; width:auto; object-fit: contain"; z-index="3">
    </div>
    <div class="">  
        <img class="" src="images/JAJ_photo4.svg" alt="" style="height: 100%; width:auto; object-fit: contain"; z-index="4">
    </div>
    <div class="">  
        <img class="" src="images/JAJ_photo5.svg" alt="" style="height: 100%; width:auto; object-fit: contain"; z-index="5">
    </div>  
</div>

CSS:

.fader {
  border-radius: 1em;
  height: 25vw;
  width: 74vw;
  max-height:100%;
  min-height: 10vw;
  margin: 0 auto;
  border-left: 1.5em solid #aa917d;
  border-right: 1.5em solid #aa917d;
  position: relative;
  overflow: hidden;
}

.fader div.image img {
  display: block;
  width: 100%;
  margin: 0 auto;
  z-index: 1;
  position: absolute;
}

div.image img {
  z-index: 5;
}