"Not always so lucky in love"~ for the Short Affair Challenge

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Challenge: The Short Affair

-Prompt Word #1 - Seek

-Prompt Colour – Gold

Author: mrua7

Title: Not so lucky in love

'Seek and ye shall find,' these were words Napoleon Solo had heard before not only because of his Catholic upbringing, but in a near-death experience the previous winter. Thanks to his partner not giving up on him, in the metaphysical sense, he returned to the world of the living.*

Napoleon shivered, not at that unpleasant memory. but at how those nuns in school used to beat the word of God into him; the irony of which wasn’t lost on him.

Not that he didn’t deserve to be slapped with a ruler by Mother Bede, the terror of St. Mary’s School, especially when he was caught in the cloakroom with Mary Sue Henderson. He was only following that rule made of gold; 'do unto others', and Mary Sue definitely was a believer in the golden rule herself... though it was after this particular incident his parents decided to packe him off to a military academy.

His raging hormones were whipped into shape for sure, which it was perhaps why later in life he became such a ladies man...though his partner thought him more of a womanizer. That wasn’t true; he simply adored women, their company, their very scent. It wasn't just about the sex, though that was a good part of it. He could very easily spend the evening with a lovely lady lost only in conversation...sometimes.

Today however, Napoleon watched with eager anticipation as one beautiful woman after another strolled past him and his partner.

Illya looked up from his science journal. “You know you look lascivious when you stare at women that way,” he leaned towards Solo as they sat together on a bench in Central Park. It was a nice day and the pair decided to spend their lunch just relaxing in the fresh air.

“I’m engaging in my favorite pastime; there’s nothing wrong with a little girl watching. You should try it...”

“I can read and observe at the same time, though my interest at the moment is in my magazine, thank you.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Napoleon snickered.

A beautiful girl with long blonde hair dangling down her back, wearing a pink mini dress and white go-go boots sauntered past; pausing to cast a glance back at Solo.

“Hmmm, ask and you will receive,” Solo mumbled to himself.

“What did you just say?”

“Nevermind,” Napoleon said as he rose from the bench, heading toward his quarry.

Illya shook his head, “We have forty minutes before we are due back for our meeting.” He tapped his wristwatch

“Hey chum, it’s me remember?” Solo called back.

“That is what has me worried.” Illya tried to hide his smile as he returned his attention to his reading.

Thirty-five minutes later he checked the time, giving the obligatory rolling of his eyes. Illya pulled his communicator, discreetly hiding it behind his journal.

“Channel D- Napoleon Solo.  There was nothing but static, and that sent up a red flag in the Russian’s mind. He made an adjustment to the communicator. “Mr. Waverly please.”

“I take it there is a problem Mr. Kuryakin as you are calling me five minutes before our meeting is about to commence.”

“Yes sir, my apologies. Mr. Solo is not here, though he was well aware of the time constraints.”

“And where is here?”

“Central Park sir. I am afraid Napoleon left to meet someone and has not returned.” Illya could just envision Waverly’s bushy eyebrows arching as well as the furrowing of his brow.

“Don’t tell me… a young lady?”

“I am afraid so sir.”

“Return the Headquarters for our meeting. We will delay the start until you get here. Hopefully Mr. Solo will realize his tardiness and will arrive shortly. I will deal with him afterwards. Waverly out.”

The tone of the man’s voice was far from pleasant and Illya had no envy for what lay instore for his partner.

Back at headquarters, the meeting came and went but still no sign of Solo.

“This sir, is very much unlike Napoleon,” Illya ran his fingers through his hair; his tinted glasses hiding the concern in his eyes.

“Given his communicator is inactive; I suspect he may indeed be in trouble. Return to the park to see if you can find any leads as to his where abouts Mr. Kuryakin.”

As Illya rose from his chair, the Communications light flashed on Waverly’s console. Waverly picked up his microphone, answering the call.

“Sir, Mr. Solo has activated a distress signal. Not the one in his communicator, but in his ring.”

“Ring?” Waverly asked.

“Yes sir,”Illya interrupted.”I took the liberty of embedding such a device in Napoleon’s star sapphire ring for his birthday."

“Jolly good Mr. Kuryakin. I lay finding Mr. Solo in your capable hands. Report to me as soon as he’s located.”

Illya was halfway out the door, barely hearing Waverly’s last words.  He stopped at R&D, picking up a small tracking device, resembling a transistor radio. It even received a radio station or two to disguise its use. More accurate than the tracker in his communicator; Illya set it to the specific signal emitted by Solo’s ring.

Kuryakin walked along Fifth Avenue, playing the broadcast of a local baseball game to mask his true intent;  he moved closer to his partner’s location; the signal flashing rapidly until finally it became non-stop. It led him to an alley, and the entrance to a basement. Illya carefully opened the doors at his feet, hoping there was no creak to warn of his arrival. Other than the light shining down from above, the basement was in complete darkness.

“Napoleon?” Illya whispered.”Napoleon!”

He heard a moan from the floor, and drawing a small flashlight from his pocket; he directed the beam in the direction of the sound. Solo was there, trussed up and gagged.

“Are you all right my friend?” Illya removed the cloth covering his partner’s mouth.

“I’m fine, but pretty embarrassed.”

“What happened?”

“The young lady in question was the bait and I fell right into the trap of being...mugged.”

“Mugged?”

“Yes, waylaid, robbed,” Napoleon rubbed his wrists once they were freed.

“We were going to get a cup of coffee or so she said and before I knew it I was hit with a billy club by some big mook and dragged down here. “ He patted his pockets. “Damn! “They got my Special, my wallet and my exploding cuff links. He drew out his communicator pen. “Well at least they left this.”

There was a sudden explosion from nearby and both agents dashed from the basement to investigate. In the back of the alley were the remains of his attacker and his accomplice. Laying nearby atop a crate were his wallet and Special.”

“I guess they got a real bang out…”

“None of your pernicious puns Napoleon, please? You are lucky to be alive, and you may not be once Mr. Waverly is done with you.”

“I’ve survived the wrath of Alexander Waverly before.”

“You push your luck one to many times my friend.”

“Hey, this is the Solo luck we’re talking about here chum,” he smiled.

“And what was it that got you in this situation in the first place?”

“Point taken.”

Illya called for a clean up crew, and made his report to his superior that Solo had been found.

Upon Waverly asking to speak to his CEA, Napoleon waved Illya off; making some strange gestures as if he’d been choked.

“Sorry sir, Mr. Solo is experiencing some difficulty in speaking...ummm from being tied up so tightly.”

“Very well then, have him report to medical. When he’s able to speak, I’ll expect a him for a private meeting. Out.”

“There, so you have a short reprieve my friend,” Illya nodded.”Perhaps in that time you will contemplate your mistakes and modify your behavior?”

It was no use, Napoleon Solo had turned his back and was leaning against a wall, watching women walking past on the sidewalk near the entrance to the alley way…

* ref. Christmas 2014 Picfics “Seek and you will find.” Knock and the door will be opened. “Ask and you will receive”

Comments

[jantojones.livejournal.com]

He is never going to learn that lesson, is he. LOL. Great story. I'd love to be a fly on the wall in that private meeting.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Thank you! As I recall I've written that scene in other fics...Napoleon gets a good dressing down, but as you say, it's a lesson he'll never learn. Waverly is convinced a woman will be the cause of Solo's demise.

Hope you're enjoying your un-day.