section7mfu | Snapshots~"Timing is everything" (Reply)

“10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1…” the Russian counted out loud as he and his partner rounded the corner, escaping the impending explosion.

Nothing happened.

They hesitated, waiting a minute before peeking around the wall.

“Are you sure you set the timer right?” Solo whispered.

“Excuse me...demolitions expert here,” Kuryakin quipped.

“Yes, but you have set your timers off… periodically.”

“One time I make a mistake and you will not let me forget about it.”

Illya looked at his watch as three minutes had passed and still no detonation. He swore he set the timer correctly…

Both men froze as the cold metal of gun barrels were pressed against their cheeks; they hadn’t heard anyone come up behind them.

“Concerned about this gentlemen?” A block of C-4 was dangled in front of them by the wire Illya had attached to it. The detonator was was missing.

“Hmm, could you tell me what the timer was set for?” Illya suddenly asked.

“What?”

“The timer...how long?”

“Oh,” he pulled the device from his pocket, looking at it. “It was set for 20 seconds.” He snickered, “That was 20 seconds too long for you U.N.C.L.E. agent.”

“See Napoleon, I told you I did not set it incorrectly,” Illya insisted with a nod of his head, a signal to his partner to move into action.

They swept aside the guns pointed at them, and came out swinging; disarming the men and taking them down with well-place karate chops.

Illya retrieved the explosives and its accoutrements, reassembling everything within minutes.

“This is not an ideal spot to set it but it will have to do as I suspect we will have more company very soon.” This time Kuryakin reset the timer for 30 seconds; planting the device out of sight beneath a small side table standing against the wall.

The U.N.C.L.E. agents dragged the unconscious men down the hall, depositing them near an exit and left the building themselves.

“10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1,” Illya checked his watch, counting again as he and Napoleon hit the dirt, taking cover in a nearby ditch.

“BOOM!” A tremendous explosion filled the air, forcing the agents cover their ears.

The building went up in a blaze of glory, sending debris in every direction, with a larger explosion than expected.

“See nothing wrong with my timers,” Illya gloated.

“I stand corrected tovarisch. That was a pretty big boom though buddy. Did you plan that too, because if you did and we were still inside the building….well, you get my drift.”

The Russian’s face flushed pink with embarrassment. “Perhaps I did over do it a bit with the C-4.”

“Yeah, Mister I don’t make mistakes,” Napoleon sniped as he gave his partner a hand up.