section7mfu | Dangerous Obstacle - PicFic Tuesday

You can find the story under the cut, or you can click the prompt pic to go to AO3.

Dressed in camouflage gear, with the requisite paint daubed on his face, Illya Kuryakin carefully picked his way through the jungle. His only objective was to get back to base without being captured. He was being stalked by people from his own side; all of whom had been trained by Jules Cutter.

The commander of U.N.C.L.E.’s Survival School had been laid up with broken leg, having landed the wrong way during a wrestling match. It would be two weeks until he would be allowed out of bed, so he had sent for a Section 2 agent to deputise for him. Whether out of malice, or for a joke, Waverly had sent him Kuryakin.

Cutter and Kuryakin did not like each other, but they each respected the other’s abilities. So, although he was annoyed at being landed with the Russian, yet again, he knew his students would get quality training. Not that Illya was allowed to do anything he wanted. His brief was to ensure that Cutter’s will was followed and obeyed.

On this particular day, Cutter had decreed that the students would track and capture Illya, while he did his best to evade them. Obstacles had been placed to hinder everyone involved and, to make it fairer, even Illya didn’t know what these obstacles would be. So far he had avoided pit traps, nets, and an artificially created swamp.

Reaching a gravel roadway, Illya dropped to the ground to hide in the long grass and plan his next move. He was only a two minute run from his target, but he would be out in the open for several seconds. The students had been armed with sleep darts so, although they were under instruction not to hurt him, they could still incapacitate him if he was exposed.

Before he could begin to formulate a strategy, a new obstacle presented itself. From the grass on the other side of the road, a German Shepherd dog appeared and strolled to the middle of the road. It sat down and bared its vicious looking teeth.

Illya could feel the panic already beginning to rise within him. He had a fear of most dogs, but this particular breed held a particular terror for him; alongside the Doberman pinscher. Too much of his childhood, and adolescence, had been spent running from these types of dogs, which were controlled by those who held the power. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and his mouth dried up.

Trying not to make too much noise, Illya concentrated on breathing slowing, in through the nose, and out through the mouth. He needed to stop the panic attack before it completely gripped him as it wouldn’t do let the students see him scared. Apart from wanting to preserve his reputation, he would be damned before he gave Cutter the satisfaction of seeing a weakness. He was almost certain the man had sent the dog out deliberately. Illya’s fear wasn’t public knowledge, but Jules Cutter could have easily discovered it.

Illya was about to crawl away, when two of his pursuers emerged from the trees. The dog went crazy, and launched itself towards them. Illya frowned. The island was designed to be dangerous, but he couldn’t believe Cutter would allow an untrained animal to wander free. The two students froze. Although they were being trained to expect the unexpected, it was hard for them to think when a snarling, barking dog was coming at them.

Feeling he had no other choice, Illya jumped up and, unholstering his special, he darted the animal. It dropped with a yelp. He put the gun away and held up his hands.

“Congratulations, you got me.”

............................................................................................

Illya was angry. So much so, that he had given Jules Cutter a piece of his mind regarding the dangerous dog. His mood was made all the worse by the other man merely shrugging, and stating that dogs were a hazard they would face out in the real world. While this was indeed true, as Illya could attest, he still felt that the islands inhabitants should have been made aware of the possibility of being attacked.

Cutter himself was also quite angry. He didn’t understand why Kuryakin had surrendered himself so easily. His temper subsided slightly when Illya had pointed out that it was his duty to protect those who needed it. If that resulted in his capture, then so be it.

Alexander Waverly agreed with his agent and, although he sympathised with Illya, he refused to order Cutter to restrain the animal. He did, however, give Illya leave to return to New York. He was aware of Kuryakin’s phobia of dogs, and the reason for it, so decided it would be best for everyone for him to return to HQ.

When Illya finally left the island, he vowed to never set foot there again. The place produced highly trained, and talented agents, but for him, it was becoming toxic.

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