The Wine and Dine Affair - Short Affair

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

Prompts: Clean, Silver

Word count: 718

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The faint sound of someone speaking low, under his breath as it were, made Napoleon Solo smile.  His irascible partner was, no doubt, grumbling in any number of languages at the job he'd been assigned.

"Say Illya, how's it going in there?"  He was goading his partner, and he knew there might be consequences later, but the sight of the Russian in a butler's attire was worth it.  On a completely different level of enjoyment was the sight of April Dancer in a maid's uniform that was distinctly tailored to accentuate her every curve.

"Napoleon, you could be a little less smug about landing the role of a rich playboy while we clean and polish the silver."  April's comment was duly noted with a smile and nod of the American's head.  A piece of errant hair fell across his forehead, evidence of his newly acquired haircut and the absence of his usual grooming aids.

Illya saw the difference and did not resist the urge to comment.

"I see you have finally come around to my style of hair.  Yours is longer these days." Now it was Illya's turn to smile, his own sense of style was finally being acknowledged as other agents and the world in general relaxed their regimen of haircuts and brylcreme.

Napoleon smirked at the comment, refusing to admit that he was following the current trend.  Rock musicians had broken the old molds of dressing and even the length of a man's hair.  The only compensation for his adherence to it was the obvious pleasure that some women took in running their fingers through his newly liberated locks.  The thought of that made him smile again.

"I think we're all going to need our wits about us this evening when the THRUSH gather around this table.  So far they're all going for the ruse we've established with my cover, but once they're here we'll need to be on our toes.  Tommy Lamper is our target, and we need for him to indulge in our special wine so that he divulges the plans to this latest THRUSH project."  Napoleon referred to the bottles of wine bearing a label with script that wrapped around a globe.  If THRUSH were bold in their own branding techniques, UNCLE was responding with a more subtle hint to their own spy craft elements.

The wine was laced with a truth serum that would provide neither a taste nor aroma to anyone consuming it.  Tommy Lamper would never know he was telling all, nor would he remember the lapse in secrecy.  His men would be served a similar spirit, but one that would knock them our for a few hours.  When the evening was concluded, the house would be cleared of all evidence of UNCLE's presence there, and the slumbering birds would be left with questions, but no answers.

The evening went as planned, and a tape recorder hidden in a candlestick took in every word spoken at the table.  While Lamper's men slept in the hallway, Tommy told Napoleon every detail of a new compound being constructed for the purpose of producing a gas that could be used to diabolical effect.  Thanks to this little dinner party,  it would never materialize.  Once more UNCLE thwarted a plot to terrorize the planet.

Later, while sitting in Alexander Waverly's office, the three agents who had orchestrated this latest victory waited for their chief to finish reading the report and speak to them.  As he turned the last page, the Old Man fingered his pipe and cleared his throat.

"Well done, all of you.  I believe we have this in hand and the compound is, at this very moment, the object of an operation to dismantle and destroy all elements of this noxious and dangerous plot.  We will keep an eye on Mr. Lamper, but in future another agent will infiltrate his operation when and if it is necessary."

That made sense, these three would be recognized.  The meeting was adjourned and Napoleon, Illya and April left Waverly's office in search of Mark Slate.  Another mission was waiting for the four of them; a trip to Germany would take them back to the place where they had last encountered Harry Beldon.

The flight would be one of anticipation and reflection for Illya and Napoleon.

Comments

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing this affair: well thought and professionally done. The UNCLE wine label is a very nice touch. Nice bit of Napoleon pov - indeed, everyone is solid.

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I got to the end of this and the last line makes me think there should be a second chapter. I just need more time to write these days.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Loved the discussion of the hair as well as their attire for the affair. Enjoyable story that you've left wide open for another tale for another time.

[jantojones.livejournal.com]

It's nice when an assignment goes off without a hitch. The ending is ripe for a follow-up.

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

I think you're right. I'll get on it ;) Thanks for commenting.