section7mfu | Impersonating Darkness

Okay, I'll go first. And as an additional nudge towards getting all of us writing, if anyone is interested in writing the next chapter to this, we'll make it a bit of a round robin or call and response story. Just say so in the comments.

The room was elegantly designed, with classical elements that defied the mod attitude of the decade. An anonymous source had lured Napoleon and Illya here with the promise of a THRUSH document that detailed plans for a disaster in the city. Waverly had cautioned them to the possibilities of a trap before sending them out to challenge that probability. Upon arriving at this address they had found the door unlocked, and in spite of repeated attempts to rouse someone, they seemed to be alone.

The agents were on alert, with guns drawn in anticipation of … it was hard to say. They returned to what appeared to be the drawing room, and old fashioned idea from a more formal era. One single chair seemed poised for a game of solitaire. As Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin took in every detai of the room their eyes fell simultaneously on a gilded mirror.

“Umm… what’s wrong with that Illya?” Napoleon was looking into the mirror, but it was not a reflection he saw.

“I see us, but it isn’t … the image has been placed behind the mirrored surface, as though framing us rather than reflecting us here, right now.” He fumbled slightly, unsure of how it had been achieved, and most certainly not able to explain why it was in the room. Would you remind me of how we came to be here.” The Russian had a bad feeling about it all, something shared by his partner.

They both approached the mirror, but Illya saw something that prompted him to pull his partner back as he pushed him past the window and onto the floor as the mirror exploded, raining down shards of glass.

The two men remained on the floor for a minute, making certain there were no additional surprises for them. Thankfully, the glass had projected forward and most of it was on and around the table and chair. Napoleon shook himself, an involuntary shudder that reminded him of the feeling of someone walking on his grave. He’d had that feeling before, and as he looked at Illya the man’s face was streaked with blood where a few stray shards had reached the Russian.

“Thanks. You, uuhh… I think we need to get you back to Medical and let a pretty nurse pick glass out of your face.” Illya resisted the temptation to wipe the blood away, he might push the glass farther into his skin.

“So, all of this was just to get us in here and cut us to ribbons? THRUSH must be losing their edge.” Perhaps they were, but it would be foolish to deny that it could all have ended very badly. Napoleon opened his communicator and called in the incident.

Two hours later found Solo and Kuryakin seated at the Old Man’s table. Illya had been treated to the tender ministrations of Nurse Kelly, the pretty redhead with the southern accent. Illya flinched a little every time she pulled out a shard of glass, which prompted multiple exclamations of ‘bless your heart’, a not unwelcome expression that led to a dinner date for the weekend. Illya found himself looking forward to learning more about having his heart blessed.

As Alexander Waverly sat before his two best agents, he was in possession of information that would explain the incident just encountered.

“Ahh, gentlemen, you… umm…’ Waverly tamped his pipe and considered lighting it. He set it down again and proceeded.

“We now know who sent us… ahh, sent you…’ He picked up the pipe again, this time lighting it and taking a draw before continuing. Both Napoleon and Illya were used to this behavior and waited for their Chief to get to the reason for this briefing.

“It seems that our old nemesis Count Zark has resurfaced. He has a particular dislike for the, ahh, two of you. Especially you, mister Kuryakin.’ The bushy eyebrows rose up nearly to his hairline as looked out from beneath them to his Soviet agent. Illya briefly felt the anxiety of being in close proximity to the bats during that affair.

“I suggest you both take care. I very much doubt that we have heard the last from him. That is all.”

Napoleon and Illya walked in silence as they left Waverly’s office, passing by the receptionist du jour without comment. After they were inside the shared office, both of them went about the task of checking for bugs and cameras. It wouldn’t do to disregard the possibility of someone inside Headquarters who might be connected to Zark. Fully satisfied that their office was clean, Napoleon finally spoke.

“We need to get him before he’s able to launch another attack. Any ideas?” The CEA was aware of what his partner had gone through at the hands of that lunatic. If Zark was indeed somewhere in New York, possibly assisted by people willing to work for him, then it was going to be a priority to find them and shut down this problem.

The question now was how long did they have to get the job done.

Impersonating Darkness - Impromptu Challenge

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