Desperate Ambition - Short Affair

[jantojones.livejournal.com]

Prompts - Vegetation / Recover / Yellow
Word Count - 749

The story is below the cut, or you can click the link to go to AO3.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/20581922



Kendra Harvey strode into the small laboratory of, what she insisted, was her satrapy, and demanded to know the progress of her latest scheme to gain the attention of Thrush Central. The ‘satrapy’ consisted only of herself, her pet scientist, and two guards, but this didn’t prevent her from having delusions of grandeur. She was certain that it would only be a matter of time before she was given bigger and better facilities.

“I’m ready to give you a demonstration,” replied Dr Alfred La Rousse, softly.

He had already tested his formula, so knew he wouldn’t be in for another tongue lashing for lack of results.

“Splendid!” Miss Harvey replied. “If this works then Central can’t fail to recognise my genius.”

Kendra was quite content to take all the glory should the experiment be a success. It didn’t matter to her that the idea, and all the work, had been entirely down to Dr La Rousse. The man was talented, but had absolutely no ambition. She was in no doubt that she was doing him a favour by funding him, and allowing his talent to be used for the Thrush cause.

The scientist led Miss Harvey to another room, where a tray of various types of green vegetation was sitting on a central table. Beside the tray was a garden sprayer. Dr La Rousse picked up the sprayer and handed it to his boss.

“This is the finished formula,” he told her. “If you would care to cover these plants with it.”

Miss Harvey liberally sprayed the plants and was astounded by the almost instantaneous reaction. The lush vegetation immediately began to turn yellow and die. Within a minute, there was nothing left but shrivelled, rotting matter.

“How long will it take for the soil to recover afterwards,” she asked, barely able to hide her glee.

“It won’t,” the scientist told her. “It will be rendered completely useless.”

Miss Harvey grinned maniacally but, before she could enthuse any further, the air was filled with the harsh sound of the fire alarm. Cursing, she immediately bolted for an exit, with Dr La Rousse hot on her heels. Once outside, she found the two guards already there. She made a mental note to reprimand them later, but her first concern was the formula.

“Didn’t you bring it with you!” she demanded of Dr La Rousse, leaning into his face. “Can you remember it off the top of your head?”

Faced with the full force of Miss Harvey’s desperate anger, the scientist was struck dumb with terror. His mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Determined not to lose her chance to prove herself to Central, Miss Harvey turned on her heels and went back into the building.

From a small, concealed hilltop nearby, Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin watched as events unfolded.

“The woman has gone back in,” Illya commented flatly.

“She can’t say she wasn’t given a chance,” Napoleon replied.

One of the many things he admired about his partner was his capacity for compassion. Illya was a dichotomy in that he had a bloodthirsty streak a mile wide, but tried not to kill if he could help it. It was for this reason he usually sounded the fire alarm of a building he was about to blow up. The fact a Thrushie was about to be killed didn’t seem to bother him too much though.

“How long before the explosives go off? “

“Five seconds.”

Whatever the woman had gone back in for, Napoleon doubted she would get out with it. Surely enough there was no sign of her as several booms were heard, and the building collapsed in on itself. As soon as the collapse began, the two guards ran away without looking back. Dr La Rousse, however, stood transfixed.

He was consumed with mixed emotions; ranging from feeling free from Miss Harvey’s tyranny, to fear of not knowing what to do next. His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of two men he didn’t know. One introduced himself as Napoleon Solo, and the other man as Illya Kuryakin, of the U.N.C.L.E.

“UNCLE?” the scientist asked, somewhat vaguely. “Do you have any vacancies for a chemist?”

The two agents glanced at one another. They didn’t know how much the man knew about the organisation he was working for, but they suspected he could be of some use to them. At the very least, they could keep his insidious formula out of Thrush’s hands.

.

Comments

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

The whole round up thing really relates to anyone who used a lot, on a regular basis. Still I would think that anyone with half a brain would used protection against any sort to chemical agent.

I used it once or twice many years ago. Wore long pants and sleeves, wellies, rubber gloves and a face mask. Never hurt to be cautious. That's why when I discovered the salt/vinegar combination, I didn't have to worry about any chemicals harmful to me.