section7mfu | The Trouble in Times Square Affair

Shiv slammed the door to the van shut. Napoleon sat down next to Illya, the five girls huddled together towards the front of the compartment. "How are you?" he asked.

Illya grimaced as the van hit a bump in the road. "I'm not at my finest, but I'm not at my worst either." He unbuttoned his borrowed coat and showed Napoleon the gun that Dr. Rozhdestvo had given him. "I think you might be in better shape to use this." He whispered.

Napoleon took the gun and slid it into his waistband, covering it with his suit coat. "Your ability to mend is as always awe inspiring, Partner."

"I aim to please."

About half an hour later the van stopped. Shiv opened the rear and motioned the captives out with his shotgun. They were parked near a warehouse surrounded with a chain link fence. The compound was somewhere in the woods. The girls started to cry as they saw where they were. "You were going to let us go!"

"Sorry, ladies. I'm afraid there has been a change in plans and ownership." He motioned the ragged wet and cold group into the warehouse. Inside several of Shiv's men herded the crying girls into a cage, one of many that lined one side of the building. Several of the other cages were occupited with young girls, young men and even children.

Shiv prodded Napoleon and Illya into an empty cage near the door. "Behave yourselves and maybe you'll get out of this alive...maybe." He laughed.

"Oh, we intend to." Napoleon answered.

Shiv smiled, "This is working out well. The Claiborne couple are out of the picture sooner than I thought. Neither one of them are answering my calls. Their little money making racket will now be mine, thanks to Catherine Claiborne letting me know all about it."

"Catherine Claiborne?" Illya asked.

"Yea, Cathy and I had planned to take it over from Mommy and Daddy Dearest. She felt that her parents were not maximizing the profits that could be made. She wanted the food company and the trafficking sideline too. She was ambitious, a good recruit to THRUSH."

Napoleon shook his head in confusion, "But THRUSH killed her!"

"I know," Shiv looked sad. "A case of miscommunication." He looked at Illya, "Thanks for killing Major Durham. If you hadn't, I would have."

Napoleon and Illya looked at each other. The pain that they both had felt over losing an innocent was misplaced. The revenge that Marjorie and Randall Claiborne longed for was just as misplaced. Their sweet daughter was just as evil, twisted and corrupt as they were.

*****************

Agent Collier Adams reported to Mr. Waverly's office. "Sir, Marjorie Claiborne gave us the location of a house and warehouse complex in upstate New York. That's where they keep all the people that they auction for their trafficking business. We suspect that is where Mr. Solo and Mr. Kuryakin are."

"Good job Mr. Adams. I want you to coordinate with Mr. Slate and Miss Dancer to mount an attack. Bring our people home and free the unfortunates that the Claiborne's have imprisoned.

"Yes sir!"

*************************

The warehouse was dark and quiet. Shiv and his team of THRUSH had retired leaving only one guard on duty. The guard seemed to be asleep. Napoleon nudged his sleeping partner awake and motioned to the cage door. Napoleon handed Illya a hairpin. "Courtesy of one of the young ladies" he whispered.

Illya slowly worked his way to the door, reaching through he quietly went to work on the lock. Fortunately it was fairly simple and with a soft click it opened. Napoleon slid out of the cage, Illya's gun in hand and crept towards the sleeping guard.