"The Seven Deadly Sins Affair- Pride. The Finale

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

The annual Halloween festivities were in full swing in the Commissary, not that they were usually held there. 

April Dancer, who held a costumed soiree of her own every year was out of the country, so the gathering was scheduled for headquarters, with Mister Waverly’s permission of course.

He always tried to make an appearance at Miss Dancer’s Halloween gathering, but it wasn’t always possible.

Having the party at headquarters was rather convenient and he considered making it a regular event, that was until his CEA filled him in on the current situation with Kuryakin.

Napoleon made sure Waverly was aware of what had happened to Illya, and both Doctors Greene and Collins insisted the Russian remain in Medical under observation, just to be on the safe side.

There was no way to be sure Kuryakin had been completely freed from the negative hypnotic suggestions.

It was Solo’s hypothesis that the person who had done this to Illya had to be a member of the Command. It was more a gut feeling, but he suspected that person would be present in the Commissary to see if their plan would come to fruition.

Security did a check to see who from the New York headquarters was in Rome at the same time as he and Illya were there.

Trouble was, seven people from New York were in Rome. They were attending some sort of training seminar for members of the Translation Section. If any of them were a THRUSH mole, that remained to be seen.

Waverly had to steer clear of the gathering, just to err on the side of caution. Napoleon would be there, armed of course, as well as Mark Slate and Kitt Kittridge and Tommy Lopaka, head of Security and two of his people. The party would be the lure and the guests the bait...

Napoleon wasn’t sure if the culprit would reveal her identity by trying anything, once Illya didn’t show up.

Given everyone was going to be in costume, Napoleon finally had the bright idea of disguising himself in a blond wig and black facemask, dressed in a turtleneck and black suit, looking just like his partner, well close enough.

That would hopefully trigger the guilty party into giving revealing their identity.

Mark, Kit, Tommy and the other agents were mingling, in costumes of course.

Slate was dressed as Dracula, Kit was made up like a Wolfman and given his rather thick red beard he didn’t need much makeup, Tommy was wearing a grass skirt and lei as he was made up to resemble the tattooed demi-god Maui...given Lopaka was Hawaiian, the costume suited him. His Special was hidden beneath the long grass skirt, strapped to his thigh.

The other two Security agents wore clown masks, but were dressed in regular suits, though garish ties were added as an accessory.

The song ‘The Monster Mash’ was blasting from a stereo that had been set up on a shelf behind the serving counter.

People were dancing as the tables and chairs had been removed.

Cookie the chef was moving quickly, dodging and darting while carrying a tray of hors d'oeuvres.  He was dressed in his usual apron and on his head was a meat clever that looked as if it was embedded in his skull.  A bit of catsup was added for effect.

He’d baked hot dogs wrapped in dough that resembled little mummies and they were a big hit.

Wanda, dressed as the mummy of Cleopatra, squealed, asking if she ate one would it be cannibalism?

There were ghosts, ghouls, goblins, skeletons go lore, and even the headless horseman, carrying his head tucked beneath his arm. Black seemed to be the color of choice for many of the attendees.

Thinking that, Napoleon could hear his partner’s voice reminding him that black wasn’t actually a color and that it was in reality the absence of color.

He mingled with the other revelers, trying to not be too obvious as he studied everyone.

“Oh my Lawd!” Napoleon recognized the voice as belonging to that of Heather McNabb. She was dressed in pink as a Southern belle, and looked quite attractive.

“Illya, can’t you come up with something more original, I mean a cheap dimestore mask, that’s it?”

Napoleon shrugged his shoulders, just the way Illya did, but not saying a word. His voice would have given him away. He was rather pleased with himself that she thought he was Kuryakin.

He checked his watch, as it was getting close to the time that Illya was supposed to start his killing spree, and that was eight o’clock on the nose. Not too late that people would have left the party, and from the looks of it the Commissary was now packed.

He watched as the seconds ticked away and the only thing he thought to do was draw his gun and point it at the others.

At first some of them thought it was a joke, but then when Napoleon raised the gun higher, holding it straight out.

Everyone gasped.

“What are you doing Illya?” Cookie yelled.

Napoleon watched as a figure dressed in a black cape with a cowl and wearing a skeleton mask moved to the side of the room, out of the way.

Just as Solo was ready to make his move, the pneumatic doors opened behind him.

In stepped Illya, still dressed in a hospital gown, but in his right he held a Special. He must have somehow overpowered the agent standing guard near his room in Medical.

“Illya NO!” Napoleon spun round. He had to stop his partner from doing what he’d been programmed to do.

Illya fired his weapon before Solo tackled him.

It was, however, aimed at the cowled figure who remained to the side, but in seconds crumpled to the floor.

Napoleon wrenched the gun from his partner’s hand.

“Stoi! Podozhdi Napoleon! Ya v poryadke!” Illya called out in Russian.”That one, the one I darted. That is who did it to me!”

Solo helped his partner to his feet and removing his suit jacket, he handed it to Illya.

“Better put this on, otherwise it’ll be a full moon tonight if you get my drift?”

“Oh,” Illya knew that he was naked under the hospital gown and as they went, the backs always fluttered open. He accepted the jacket, though he wasn’t embarrassed by his lack of clothing.

Mark Slate and Tommy Lopaka were hovering over the downed figure and waited for Napoleon and Illya before the unmasking was done.

“No, let me do it,” Illya insisted.

He carefully lifted the skull mask revealing the woman’s face. It was Rowena Gordon from Translations. She was a girl he’d double dated with Napoleon a few months ago.

She came on too strong for the Russian, and it was obvious what she wanted from him. He didn’t like to bed a woman before he knew her a better and after her overly flirtatious behavior during dinner, he knew he wanted nothing to do with her..

At the end of the meal Napoleon and his date had disappeared and Rowena had become a little too hands on while Illya was trying to eat his dessert.

As he rebuffed her, she became angry and said he loved his food more than being with a pretty girl and called him a few names in Scots Gaelic, some of which were quite crude.

He in turn called her an insufferable cow, and she stormed off from the restaurant.

Illya thought nothing of it and ordered another slice of apple pie.

“Illya, didn’t she double date with us a while ago?”Napoleon asked.

“Yes, the date did not end well.”

“And this is the effect you have on women, tovarisch?”

Napoleon signalled for Security to take her to a holding cell. It would be up to Mister Waverly as to what to do with her.  Deprogramming? Tartarus...that was a distinct possibility.

As she was carried off, Napoleon turned to the others in the room.

“Carry on everyone, the party’s not over.”

Someone turned on the stereo, blasting “I put a spell on you.”

He snickered to himself, thinking how apropos it was.

As he escorted Illya out to the corridor, he asked him a very important question.

“Why did you do it? Leaving Medical, almost in your birthday suit, getting hold of a gun...I’m almost afraid to ask where you got it,  and why come down here and sleep dart Rowena. Most importantly, how did you know it was her?”

“I have my pride my friend. This was my mess and I needed to end it myself. I knew it was her, though I did not know it was Rowena, because she was wearing the same costume, or rather disguise she wore when she was playing with my mind. As to the gun, Agent Meredith is owed an apology for being hit on the head. I am afraid he will wake up with quite a headache.”

“Well Mister Kuryakin,” Waverly spoke from behind him and Solo.”As soon as you return to Medical please give Mister Meredith your apologies. He has quite a lump on his head. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a Halloween party to attend.” 

He set a deerstalker cap on his head and put the mouthpiece of a 1920 Dunhill pipe to his lips, not his usual Briar pipe but this one completed his costume as he was dressed as Sherlock Holmes. 

His usual tweed jacket and trousers were perfect to complete the look.

“Mister Solo I deduce that you will have your written report on this incident with Miss Gordon ready for me by the end of the evening, and please include all the information regarding Mister Kuryakin and his ahem...recuperation.”

Napoleon acknowledged his boss with downcast eyes.

He returned to Medical with Illya, making sure the Russian was tucked in his bed. 

As Kuryakin handed his partner his jacket, he could see Napoleon was disappointed about missing the party.

“Here, I wrote this up while confined here. It should suffice as a report about what happened to me. I will add the bit about Rowena Gordon, so now you can go to the party. Enjoy yourself.”

“Thanks buddy I appreciate it.” Napoleon grinned.

As he exited the room Illya called to him.

“And bring me back something to eat. Hor d'oeuvres should do.”

Solo did an about face, peeking into the room.

“Didn’t you just get over being brainwashed into eating yourself to death?”

“Well, yes but I am a little hungry. Just a snack please?” Illya turned on those baby blue eyes, giving Napoleon the most heart wrenching look he’d ever seen.

“Oh all right, I’ll have some sent up to you. Just a small plate mind you as I believe you have some weight to lose.”

Kuryakin patted his belly, “I suppose you are right. Forget the snack. By the way, nice costume.”

Solo being true to his disguise as Illya Kuryakin rolled his eyes before he disappeared from sight.

The next day Napoleon sat with Waverly at the big table as the Old Man looked over Rowena Gordon’s file.

He also had in front of him the report obviously written by Kuryakin, not typed as he would usually have done, but it was definitely the Russian’s handwriting. He said nothing.

Waverly was aware that his CEA returned to the Halloween party, but had done so after he retired for the evening. He had a private room available in guest quarters when staying late at headquarters would be inadvisable for him to return to Connecticut.

“It seems Mister Solo that Miss Gordon had a pre-med background and was studying to become a psychologist back home in the U.K. She was dismissed from university for her involvement in some sort of scandal. Apparently a fellow student was hypnotized by her and died. She told the victim to ‘go jump in the lake’ as it were, unaware of the fact the subject couldn’t swim. It was determined to be an accident by the local constabulary.”

“Needless to say, I think she’s going to need some psychiatric help herself,”Napoleon said.

“Indeed,” Waverly lit his briar pipe and proceeded to blow a smoke ring.

Comments

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Exciting action and a satisfactory solution. Waverly is another plus.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I rather enjoyed having Mr. Waverly costumed as Sherlock Holmes. Thanks again for sticking with the WIP and for taking the time to comment!

Another Seven Days of Halloween done! :D

[threecee.livejournal.com]

Very neatly wrapped up! That was certainly a unique revenge by a woman scorned.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! Leave it to Illya to bring out the worst in someone. lol!

[jantojones.livejournal.com]

Fantastic ending to a brilliant story. I have very much enjoyed the journey you have taken us on :-)

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much cuz! I wasn't that sure about the story as a whole, as it wasn't as Hallowee/spooky/chilling as I hoped it would be. The prompts were definitely harder than I first imagined they'd be.

[pfrye.livejournal.com]

Very clever. I enjoyed the ending with NS dressing as IK and Mr. Waverly as Holmes.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. The last sin of pride was the trickiest, as well as tying the fic in to Halloween.