section7mfu | The ABC Affair 2019- Q is for Queen

Mardi Gras would be coming to an end in just a few days and Nathaniel La Croix was feeling his frustration at not being able to get at Solo and Kuryakin.

He’d become obsessed with killing them, but that didn’t make him lose his common sense. Revenge it was said, was a dish best served cold.

He needed a way to lure them out of the heavily protected field office. He knew they were there as his snitches on the street...his ‘little birds’ he called them told him, and thought naming them that quite clever.

They were merely children he’d bribe with candy and a few coins. He’d shown them photos of the two agents and it had been reported to him they’d been seen entering the gated courtyard late at night with another man after arriving by car.

That only confirmed his suspicions, there weren’t too many places they could go where there was the risk of innocents being put in danger. They were like rodents retreating to their little mouse hole, granted a well fortified hidey hole, but a mouse hole just the same.

A Chevy Corvair was now parked inside the courtyard, a vehicle Nate recognized as being from their motorpool.

He’d permitted one of his former colleagues to leave the next morning in order to gather supplies and food to see them through the waiting game. That he expected.

Nate knew he’d be out of his mind to attack the office, and even with help it would be suicide. The roof was an impossible approach as there were cameras and hidden guns there as well, just as with the courtyard.

Allowing Valmont to go out and return unscathed was rationalized by Nate was keeping Solo and Kuryakin somewhat healthy and in shape for him to beat them at their own game.

He couldn’t have them weak from hunger, as that would only diminish his victory over then. It was nothing to give them a few days to rest and eat before he called them out.

Once he killed them, the THRUSH Council would no doubt sit up and pay attention to him. Perhaps he’d even be offered a seat among them. Maybe he’d have Solo and Kuryakin’s heads pickled in formaldehyde and bring them with him as proof of his victory. The Hierarchy liked cold bloodedness.

La Croix practically hugged himself at that thought as he was perched on a balcony in a building across the street from the entrance to the gated entrance to the field office.

The best way to ferret them out was with a threat, not against Solo and Kuryakin, but against innocents. It would have to be be in a controlled situation, one where he knew they wouldn’t be able to get lost in a crowd.

During a parade wouldn’t work; too many variables, but with the Krewes soon gathering for the meeting of the courts...that would work.

It was an indoor ceremony at which Rex and the Queen of the Mardi Gras, would meet with Comus and his Queen, at the ball of the Mistick Krewe of Comus. They were the oldest Krewe in New Orleans and attracted many of the upper class.

It was held in one of the bigger hotels in New Orleans as only the best would do for the genteel and rich of the city who attended the final event of the season.

It was also the largest ball of Mardi Gras and would be attended by hundreds of innocents, and snobbish ones at that.

Nate reasoned he could plant explosives throughout the venue and threaten to blow everyone to kingdom come if Solo and Kuryakin wouldn’t do as he demanded.

His obsession with them made him nearly giddy at the thought of that peacock Solo and the insufferable Russian being brought to their knees. He pictured them begging for mercy.

Nate would offer them none. The only thing he would give them ideally was a slow lingering death, but in reality he might not have the opportunity to do that. Killing them outright was his best course of action.

Agent Valmont left the office just before dawn, figuring that it would be a little safer moving out in the dark.

As a precaution Napoleon positioned himself inside just by the gate as it opened. He aimed a carbine fitted with a night scope, hoping to get a shot at La Croix if he showed himself to kill Valmont.

The Section III agent wore a protective vest just in case, it was different from the flak jackets worn during World War II, this used new fibers that truly made it bullet proof.

The jackets worn by the military provided protection from ammunition fragments, but they were bulky and ineffective against most rifle and pistol fire.

Still the vest Valmont wore offered him no protection from a headshot...

Once he was off, the wrought iron gate was automatically closed and secured. Napoleon returned to the office and there he joined Pete Jennings watching the security monitors.

Illya wanted to join in as well but Solo ordered him to rest, reminding his partner of his own words about things ramping up. Napoleon needed Illya to be at top of his game, they all needed to be.

Kripke was busy supervising Miss Georgia. Luckily the receptionist had gone home early, that at least left at least one less person to worry about in an already crowded office.

Agent Valmont finally returned with several grocery bags; he’d called ahead on his communicator to let them know he would be approaching soon and to be ready.

Again Napoleon waited for him with a carbine at the ready.

He and the others were relieved that nothing happened, though both Kuryakin and Solo knew that La Croix let Valmont come and go. He had bigger fish to fry and surely had a plan to draw those fish out out of their little pond.

The supplies included loaves Leidenheimer bread, more coffee, peanut butter and grape jelly, pastries, beignets, fresh fruits and a dozen bottles of pop that would have to be drunken warm.

There was enough to last them for days, though the pastries and such might be a little stale.

The piece de resistance was a bag full of po’boy sandwiches slathered with mayonnaise, a thick layer of roast beef, wet with gravy, and topped with lettuce, tomatoes and pickles.

Not having a refrigerator was definitely a problem, so these would have to be eaten first. Refrigeration was something Napoleon would recommend to the Old Man to have installed in field offices, even if it were just a small unit.

The hot coffee, and sandwiches served as a big breakfast. The fruits, pastries, beignets and everything else would be lunch and dinner that day.

They were all were hungry, though Illya behaved himself and restrained from going for seconds as this food might have to last them for an undetermined amount of time.

Napoleon had reported the situation to Mister Waverly and he decided that it was time to send in some backup. The problem was, most agents were already out on assignment. The Old Man told Solo not to worry, as he would figure out something.

Napoleon mumbled to himself,”Easy for you to say.”

“Beg pardon Mister Solo, I didn’t catch that.”

“Nothing sir, nothing at all.”

“Very well then. Keep me abreast of your situation. Waverly out.”

There was no guarantee that one of the agents could go out again for supplies and make it back alive.

Napoleon knew La Croix was watching and waiting, and his graciousness at letting Valmont get the supplies and safely return with them would be the first and last time anyone could leave.