The Re-Connectors Affair - PicFic 5/16

[glenmered]

The round table was fully occupied by various personnel, most notably the UNCLE chief, Alexander Waverly, CEA Napoleon Solo and the Section II agents Illya Kuryakin, April Dancer and Mark Slate.  The others were George Dennel, Lauren Spade and Matthew Hamner, all from Section IV, and Leo Simpson from Section VIII.

"Very well, since everyone is here we shall begin.  Mr. Dennel, what intelligence do you have to share with us regarding this latest THRUSH endeavor?" 

George took a breath and pushed his glasses up on his nose.  He always got a little nervous when addressing a crowd like this. 

"Well sir, um… ladies and gentlemen…' A bead of perspiration could be seen just above his left eye.

"I am confident in the information we have obtained concerning this new … well, this airship.  It really is the darndest thing, if you think about it.  THRUSH is planning on building a fleet of these and using them to travel the globe, dropping off troops and taking over small countries.  Just the darndest thing." 

Napoleon cut his eyes to see whether or not Illya was reacting to George's presentation.  Something about the man seemed to annoy his Russian partner. 

"Oh, well… thank you for that Mr. Dennel.  Miss Spade, have you anything to add?"  Waverly liked and respected his chief of Intelligence and Communications, although his seemingly naive affect did tend to make him appear slightly less competent than he was.  Miss Spade had become a very valuable asset to the department in support of her superior. 

"Yes sir, I have the intelligence report we have obtained regarding these airships.  THRUSH is apparently in the production stage, ready to launch in approximately six months from now."  Napoleon admired Lauren Spade as one would a piece of fine porcelain.  She was smooth and beautifully designed, but hard enough to not break too easily as she made her way to the top of the UNCLE Organization.  Lauren had her eye on one of the top spots, possibly even the one George now occupied.

"And where, exactly, are these airships being built?"  It was George who provided the answer.

"It is quite a coup on their part Mr. Waverly, but THRUSH has their production facility just outside of Barcelona.  Access to Europe, Africa and the Atlantic Ocean.  They can travel in any direction very easily, and take advantage of moderate climates for the most part." 

Waverly fiddled with his pipe before putting it down in order to peruse the file before him.

"Mr. Solo, you and Mr. Kuryakin as well as Miss Dancer and Mr. Slate will all travel to this location and dismantle the entire operation.  I don't want to find out that THRUSH has any capability left for the purpose of building an airship.  Do whatever it takes, do you understand?" 

All four of those named stood up and nodded, then replied as one…

"Yes sir."

"Very well, that will be all."  Waverly picked up his pipe again and signaled the end of the meeting.  Everyone rose from their seats to leave the office, following the four Section II agents as they exited through the swishing pneumatic doors. 

It was early in the morning when the plane carrying the UNCLE contingency touched down at the airstrip outside of Barcelona, Spain.  The UNCLE jet taxied to a stop at the edge of the runway before turning the plane and heading into the hangar.  This was a private airport run by a friend of Waverly's, and therefore a friend of  UNCLE.  

 

"Where are we exactly?" April could see some of the landscape as the sun began to creep up over the hills beyond.  She had received a list of items to include when she packed for this trip, including a bikini and evening wear.  So far she didn't see anything of a beach or a nightclub.

"We are in, or rather just beyond a little spot called Tossa de Mar.  This airstrip is private, but there is a small airport in Girona, just recently built and opened." Napoleon was familiar with this area, had vacationed here before with someone not even Illya knew about.

"What's the plan then?  We surely aren't going to just waltz into the THRUSH assembly plant and…', Mark took note of the look on Illya's face.

"We are?"

Napoleon nodded and smiled.  "Well, sort of.  We're pretty sure we can sneak Illya in there as a technician of some sort.  He can speak Spanish and Catalan, so hopefully no one will pay undue attention to him."  April caught herself before expressing concern for the blond agent.  She had a crush on the Russian that just wouldn't quit, and the idea of his being in  danger defied everything she knew and understood about being an agent.

"I expect to be able to just blend in, and whilst I'm there do a little snooping.  You three, on the other hand, must endure sunbathing and dining out."  Illya said that with little or no real envy for their part in this mission.  All of them would eventually need to be prepared to take part in bringing down the airship plant.  Napoleon indicated they should all head out from this location, prompting each of them to collect the luggage and head for two separate vehicles.  Illya got into a jeep after removing his turtleneck and putting on a lightweight, short sleeved shirt.  He waived a farewell to his fellow agents and headed towards the THRUSH installation.  All he had to do was sneak inside and assume the role of a worker, something he had done many times before, and would so again with every hope for success.

The other three climbed inside a limousine that would serve as part of their cover; carefree travelers with money to spend and time for sussing out THRUSH agents in the town of Tossa de Mar.  Someone was in charge, and in typical THRUSH fashion, that someone would be living life with all of the amenities and excess ill gotten gain could afford.

Illya's jeep wound its way through the hills and around a view of the Mediterranean that made him wish momentarily that he could join the others and enjoy this beautiful spot.  Perhaps afterwards, and if he were honest with himself, he might enjoy a little more time with April.

For now he needed to concentrate on getting inside the plant.  George had provided a map with the exact location of this airship factory.  He needed to find out how far along THRUSH was in their production of this new weaponized version of an airship, and whether or not there were plans in any other locations.  He hoped that Napoleon and the others would be successful in locating the head of this operation.

Following the directions on his map, Illya came upon the facility, stopping just short of what he knew was a security point.  It was situated in such a way that made it almost impossible to sneak up on it.  In fact, had he not had the map, he would certainly have driven up to the gate before realizing what was behind it.  For now he was far enough away to be out of sight, and more importantly, out of the reach of the surveillance cameras mounted around the fence line surrounding the property.  

Getting inside was going to be tricky, even for the clever Russian agent.

The limousine carrying Napoleon, April and Mark pulled up in front of a hotel that displayed the name on a discreet sign above the double doors leading inside.  

"Vista al Mar… And so it is." Napoleon appreciated a beautiful view as much anyone, and he knew this place would not disappoint.  Mr. Waverly had approved a rather generous budget for this mission, something for which they could all be thankful.

"Well, this is certainly a step up from our usual arrangements.  I feel a tinge of guilt, knowing that Illya isn't going to enjoy the same sort of accommodation as we have." Mark was genuine in his remarks, although he was also glad he wouldn't be changing places with the other man. 

Napoleon was checking them into a suite they would all share.  Two bedrooms and a sofa that converted into a bed.  At least the would each have a place to sleep, should sleep become necessary.  He wondered if their pursuit of a THRUSH chief in this town might be more about nightlife, and therefore not spending time in a hotel room.

April was ready to change and hit the beach.  Hopefully she would would attract the attention of whoever this chief was, at least that was the plan.  Catch his eye, then reel him in for Napoleon to cajole into sharing intel or even invite him for a tour of the airship facility.  THRUSH were typically ruthless and willing to kill, but they were also notoriously proud of what they did and ready to gloat about their accomplishments, even to the point of showing off.  The UNCLE agents were counting on that character flaw to help them gain entrance.

Illya found a place to stash the jeep, then proceeded on foot towards the big building where the airships were being constructed.  No doubt it was enough room for only one airship, the building didn't seem large enough to construct more than that.  He found a spot where there was a gap in between cameras, something the intel had afforded due to the excellent reconnaissance done by a team of UNCLE agents from the Madrid office.  

The nimble agent found a spot in the fence where the previous team had treated the chain link with a solution that weakened the metal over time.  Now, with little effort, Illya pushed through it and created a way in, and possibly a way out, should he need one.

Making his way across a grassy area and then onto pavement, Illya was at one of the building's back doors in a few minutes.  He debated how to enter the building, not wishing to be surprised by armed guards or someone anxious to tell of an intruder.  According to the report, there were at least one hundred workers inside, hopefully none of them would be anxious to alert a guard should a stranger appear.  Illya was counting on the probability that most of the workers were there against their will.

Napoleon and Mark changed into swim trunks and tee shirts while April was only to happy to try on one of the new bikinis she had picked up on her way out of Headquarters.  This one was stylish and technologically interesting; it was equipped with a homing device and hidden microphones, just in case a conversation might yield important information.

Both of the men were waiting for April when she came out of her room, a black cover up over her white bikini hiding only a few of her more obvious assets.

"You look beautiful, but then you always do."  Napoleon found April extremely attractive, had even toyed with the idea of asking her out.  His position as CEA had won out over desire, leaving little room to be both her superior and whatever else might have developed.

Mark was smitten as well, but more as an admirer of someone he was fond of.  He and April made a good team, and romance would only ruin that kind of relationship.  He'd just keep things as they were, with April as really good mate.

The trio made their way downstairs and out to the beach just beyond the hotel's outdoor cafe. The water was a languid shade of blue, with just a hint of green to create the unique azure of the Mediterranean.  April let the men spread out a blanket and then dropped her cover up onto it as she ran towards the water.  It wouldn't do to seem reticent about getting wet.  She was here to make an impression.

They were being watched, but not by a man.  THRUSH was an equal opportunity employer, and men and women alike were encouraged to reach their highest potential in the pursuit of world domination.  The woman watching the activity on the beach was one of those women who had taken advantage of  THRUSH's incentives, and right now her objective was to take down the threat in front of her.  She knew exactly who these people were: UNCLE agents.  And Napoleon Solo she recognized from a previous encounter.  He had apparently picked up some new partners, the Russian was nowhere to be seen.  That meant one of two things; he was either not here, or he was someplace else.  That someplace else would most probably be her airship facility.

"Dennis, I'm watching three UNCLE agents, one of whom is Napoleon Solo.  I want you to be on the lookout for the Russian, Illya Kuryakin.  He's blond, not big but he's clever and speaks more languages than you and I can manage between us.  Don't kill him, I want all of these agents alive."

She smiled as she considered this coup.  She wouldn't fail the Hierarchy, and she'd get the two men she hated most in the world.

Genevieve Fiamma* had loved only one man in her life, and Solo and Kuryakin had taken him from her.  Demos was in prison, convicted of war crimes and larceny, murder… too many counts against him to ever see freedom again.  And still, Genevieve loved him and was devoted to avenging him.  Now was her opportunity, and she would not fail, just as she knew the airships would never fail her.  This was her victory to relish as the genius of her plan catapulted her to the highest positions within THRUSH.

 

*The Re-Collectors Affair

 

Illya was about to put his hand to the door handle when an alarm sounded.  Typical of THRUSH it was an infernally loud and obnoxious sound that was probably intended as a form of torture.

Think quickly Kuryakin!  How had they spotted him, for that was almost certainly the reason for the alarm.  Someone knew they war here, and that meant he needed to get away from here as quickly as possible and warn the others.  This mission had suddenly turned for the worse.

Without more hesitation, Illya ran to the other end of the building, having spotted several jeeps similar to the one he had driven here.  There was also a helicopter, and with any luck it would be ready to fly if he could get to it without any interference.  Stealth would be the answer here, although at present there weren't any guards near the helicopter.  That was good luck, something he didn't have often enough but would take when offered.

Illya sprinted to the helicopter, quickly jumping inside and ducking down beneath the control panel.  He'd not give anyone a target, not yet.  Everything was set to go, and with a silent prayer that no one was watching him, he toggled the switch to start the engine and waited for the moment when he could take off.

As Genevieve watched the UNCLE agents from the comfort of her balcony, she swore to herself that the heartache she had endured would be the fate of Napoleon Solo.  She imagined that the woman with him was someone he would try to protect from harm.  It would be Genevieve's pleasure to give him the opportunity.

She summoned one of her men, Lucien, and ordered him down to the beach in order to seduce the redheaded woman in the white bikini.  Lucien was handsome, a Catalan by birth, a THRUSH by choice.  He had no use for UNCLE agents, but he was not averse to romancing this beautiful woman regardless of her allegiance.  Perhaps as a decoy he might even persuade her that he was in charge of this operation.  That was the plan, and Genevieve felt sure that none of them suspected a woman was at the helm of this great endeavor.

Lucien changed and headed down to the water.  He was only a few feet away from April when Napoleon ran into the water and caught her by the hand.  Lucien turned into the wave and pretended to not notice the two of them, cursing beneath his breath at having come so close, only to be thwarted by Solo.

Illya held his breath as the engine turned the blades faster and faster.  Someone would surely notice, and as soon as he thought it he caught sight of two guards running in his direction.  As if on cue the signal light appeared to alert him that all was ready for the ascent.  Before bullets could fly in his direction Illya had the chopper in the air and was heading towards the beach.  He wasted no time contacting Napoleon.

As Solo watched April parading along the water's edge, Mark was relaxing on the blanket, sunglasses hiding his eyes as they watched everyone who came near his partner.  So far it all seemed just like any day at the beach.  Both men were startled to hear the warble of Napoleon's communicator.

"Solo here…. What?"

"I'm telling you Napoleon, they were waiting for me.  I had to steal a helicopter, I'm headed your way.  If they knew I was there then someone is bound to be watching you."  Napoleon agreed, and instinctively he felt the spying eyes of someone who could see them, but was out of his sight.

"Okay, we'll get into place for you to pick us up.  There's nothing in our rooms that matters.  Meet you in five. Solo out."

Illya closed the cap on his communicator and turned the chopper towards the pre-arranged meeting place.  This mission was not business as usual.

Napoleon took April's hand with enough force to let her know she shouldn't resist.  As he was pulling her up towards where Mark was seated, he saw two men heading in their direction.

"April, we have company.  I want you to start screaming at the top of your lungs and point to those men.  Okay?"

April nodded and with every ounce of lung power she possessed let out a blood curdling scream while she pointed at the two men who had been sent to abduct the UNCLE agents.  Mark was immediately up and heading towards a car that looked suitable for what he knew was ahead of them.

With April screaming and pointing, the people on the beach were directed towards the two whose aggressive stance made them look even more guilty than the hysterics indicated.  They must have done something awful to cause the poor girl such terror.  Napoleon started shouting at them, first in Spanish and then with a few Catalan phrase Illya had taught him.  Thankfully, the Russian had the foresight to know trouble might erupt at some point, and shouts of despair were understood by the majority of people listening.  A few men gathered their courage and came to April's rescue, enough to cause the two THRUSH to turn back and run from what was becoming an angry crowd. April's throat hurt from the screaming but it seemed to have worked.  A few women tried to comfort her, but Napoleon was able to take her in tow, acting as comforting as he was able as he thanked the spy gods for helping out in their time of need.

Mark had the car running and got the attention of his companions, urging them to hurry up before the owner caught sight of them stealing his car.  In a matter of minutes they were leaving the town behind them and heading for a rendezvous with Illya and the helicopter.

Genevieve watched the scene unfold, cursing UNCLE and the inept men she had sent to capture Solo and his friends.  Now it was a matter of salvaging her operation, something that would require a degree of luck.  Suddenly, regrettably, she felt that was ebbing away as surely as the evening tide.

Illya came to the rendezvous spot and descended to it, landing the chopper in one smooth motion.  Within minutes he saw the car approach that he knew was his friends' transportation.  They had to get back to the airship facility and destroy it, there was no alternative.  They might not find out who was in charge, but they could destroy the means by which the person intended to build those airships.

Napoleon was first out of the car as Mark pulled to within 30 feet of the helicopter.  Illya was motioning for all of them to hurry, knowing that if the plot to stop them had failed then the location of the airship construction would be more heavily armed than before.  The element of surprise was their only hope, and returning so quickly in a THRUSH helicopter would provide that surprise.  Those on the ground would not fire immediately at one of their own choppers, giving them time to fire one of the rockets so conveniently mounted on it.

Once everyone was inside, Illya let the chopper rise again into the air and headed back towards the compound.  Napoleon and Mark were busy figuring out the weapon mounted to the big machine, while April contacted Mr. Waverly with the update he needed on this mission.  When she was finished with the conversation, his instructions were relayed to Napoleon.

''Waverly says to do whatever it takes to destroy the airship facility.  How many people are inside Illya?"  April had difficulty thinking that innocent people might be killed.

"We can make a preliminary shot at something outside of the building, as a warning.  After that… we need to take this out.  Hopefully people will respond by abandoning the obvious target."  Napoleon hoped that would help April, he understood only too well the conflict that sometimes arose where lives were at stake.

Illya  pointed ahead to a building in the distance.  Over the headphones he told them that the facility was almost within striking distance.

"Everyone ready?"  Napoleon posed the question, knowing that his team was ready and equipped for whatever happened next.

Napoleon took charge of firing the rockets.  The first one hit just to the right of the big building where several vehicles were parked. A huge blaze erupted and people began pouring out of the building, some of them with THRUSH rifles that they raised to try and shoot down the helicopter.  The next rocket was fired into a large stack of metal rods, most likely something that would have gone into the construction of the airships.  Another big explosion that sent pieces flying in all directions.  More people came through the big doors at the front of the building, most of them running for the fence as they tried to get far away from what each one knew was the real target.  This rocket would be the one to topple the airship plans.  Napoleon pulled the trigger and sent first one and then a second rocket flying into the building, setting off explosions as gas lines erupted and hot metal torched formerly benign incendiaries.  In a matter of a few minutes the entire facility was engulfed in flames while the workers fled for their homes, hopeful of never seeing again the people who had recruited them.

"Well, we ought to be properly chuffed at this one mates.  I don't think this is going to be doing business any time soon."  Mark was relieved at the outcome, at least what he hoped was the outcome.  It did seem that someone might still be after them.

"Where to now?"  Illya needed some direction.  It probably wasn't safe to go back to the hotel, and unlikely that the person responsible for this would still be anywhere nearby.  They had destroyed what needed destroying.  Hunting down the chief of it all would have to wait for another day.

"Let's get back to our plane and head home.  Sound good to everyone?" Napoleon got a yes from each of them, although April was anxious for something else to wear besides her little white bikini.

Illya landed the helicopter on the far side of the hangar.  Napoleon had called ahead to make sure the plane was ready for them, and to request some sort of clothing for April.  What was a good boss for if he couldn't keep his agents clothed?

As quickly as they could each of them headed for the plane, with Napoleon bringing up the rear.  Before he was able to place one foot on the stair he heard a voice call his name.  Turning around he saw the woman known as Genevieve Fiamma.  So this was his nemesis.

"Hello Genevieve.  I won't bother to ask how you are." The smile instantly irritated the woman; she wouldn't be laughed at, not by this man.

"Hello Mr. Solo.  You have destroyed my little project, and yet here I am to destroy you in return.  Of course, my true motivation is to avenge my Demos, whom you have ruined."

Napoleon knew that the others were now aware of his delay, and would be working on a solution.  Genevieve had two men with her, so a strategy must be reached in order to thwart whatever she had planned for them.

"I am sorry for your pain, but perhaps working for THRUSH is not the best solution for that.  We might work something out, put your obvious creativity to good purpose.  I'm willing if you are, no hard feelings for whatever it is you were going to do to me."  Again the smile, the irritating, cool expression of a man who won't take her seriously.  Only Demos appreciated her the way she deserved.

Genevieve smiled in return, raising her gun as if to shoot.  The men behind her mimicked the motion, pointing at Napoleon as if one entity instead of the three individuals.  Napoleon had nowhere to go, no escape from this death squad.

The plane had no other way out besides the main hatch through which they had entered.  The only way to save Napoleon would be to divert the shooters somehow.  Illya decided it would be him, with April and Mark backing him up.

Just as Napoleon thought the shots were going to come at him, Illya came flying through the open hatch and down onto the hangar floor.  It shocked Genevieve and her men so that April and Mark were able to get off shots while Napoleon jumped off of the stairs and rolled beneath the plane.  He had his gun out in record time, but it was unnecessary.  In seconds it was all over.  Illya landed and rolled, coming up shooting at the gunmen.  April and Mark also locked onto targets, including Genevieve.  All three of them were down and out, victims of UNCLE sleep darts.  Justice would be served, but by local authorities.  Before the plane left the hangar, everyone who needed locking up was taken away.

Once up in the air again, the agents were finally able to relax, and April found some clothes to replace her bikini. 

"Pity you must change Miss Dancer.  I think that bikini was quite fetching."  Illya feigned seriousness, but a twinkle in the blue eyes gave April another reason to hope.

 

Comments

[glenmered]

Thanks, the prompt was challenging. It was fun to find my way with this one.