section7mfu | "Rumble in the Jungle" ~ Epilogue to Tuesday's Picfic (Reply)

This was added by special request, for those who wanted more about the OC Svetlana Popov.

Link to part one of "Rumble in the jungle: http://section7mfu.livejournal.com/590219.html

Epilogue:

The rendezvous with the U.N.C.L.E. team was quick, given Kuryakin and Solo made it there in record time by stolen helicopter.

Their passenger though, was a small complication that grew into a larger one as Svetlana Popov came to, becoming a bit of a wild woman as they disembarked the chopper.

The Russian epithets that issued forth from her mouth even made Kuryakin blush, but his face became a few shades redder when the woman began to slap him repeatedly.

Illya grappled with her, grabbing her wrists and pinned her arms to her sides, and just as suddenly he kissed her.

Svetlana completely relaxed and he finally released her, allowing her to encircle her arms around him while she returned his embrace.

"I always wanted to do that," he whispered to her.

"I too, but never dared. Illya what am I to do? My mission is now a complete failure...thanks to you and your partner, I might add. Still all is fair in this business of ours, is it not?"

Kuryakin was relieved her ire had calmed, though he looked to Napoleon when she asked her question.

"Would you be interested in defecting?" Solo smiled with his usual charm. "Lots of perks in doing that."

"Abandon mother Russia? How could I do that...as you did Illya. How could you give up your home the way you did?"

"Ah, Svetlana you are wrong in that. I never abandoned our home. I was sent by GRU to work for U.N.C.L.E. I followed orders. It was a fair trade, an agent for information. The Command supplies GRU with intelligence, and they get me."

"But I was told you were a traitor."

"KGB demanded I spy for them within U.N.C.L.E. but I refused. Comrade Colonel-General Korabelniko Vladimirovich Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate, told me when I was sent that I was to do no such thing. * My assignment was to simply work for the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement as one of their agents and nothing more. I was not to provide any sort of intelligence or act as a double agent."

"I did not know that,"Svetlana bowed her head.

"KGB declared me a traitor for refusing to break my oaths...both the one I took as agent for GRU and for U.N.C.L.E. They have tried to kill me on a number of occasions for my loyalty to my word."

"How did you know I would not kill you Illya?"Svetlana stared at him.

He ran his fingers through her blonde hair, taking a stray lock from her face. "Because you have a good heart, you did when we were in training and I knew it was strong enough to stay that way, inspite of KGB's edicts."

"Lucky for you that you were right," she finally smiled.

"So what are we going to do with you?" He asked.

"I will not defect, Illya." In that she was adamant.

"I have an idea," Kuryakin nodded his head.

Seven hours later, a small Soviet 'spetsnaz' force, approached the smoldering remains of the camp in the jungle. There were bodies scattered everywhere, and among them they found the KGB agent, Svetlana Popov, unconscious and clutching in her hand the singed remains of a black notebook.

When revived, she told them the camp had been attacked by jungle raiders. What they were looking for or hoping to gain, other than stealing weapons...she had no idea.

She was told Dr. Krueger had been killed in a helicopter crash while traveling to the compound. With that event, her mission was apparently doomed to fail even before it began.

Popov was sent home to Moskva. The notebook was at least her saving grace as Krueger's work was still valuable.

"Gentlemen" Alexander Waverly waved his agents to be seated for a brief meeting. It had been a month to the day since the successful completion of their South American operation.

"I have good news for you Mr. Kuryakin. Svetlana Popov was welcomed home with open arms, and received a commendation for her heroic actions against the attacking forces who assaulted the compound as well as for her courageous attempt, at the risk of her life, to save the scientific notes of Dr. Krueger," Waverly couldn't help but smile at that.

"Yes, Soviet scientists will be disappointed however, to discover the formula in Krueger's notes is not for a new chemical weapon," the Russian himself smiled as well." His mathematical equations, once the cyphers are cracked will reveal a new formula to treat adult acne."

Illya folded his arms across his chest in with a satisfied sigh. His idea had worked to save Popov from a firing squad and it would be their little secret to keep. Sealed with another kiss as they said goodbye.

Svetlana never asked him why he said what he did about always wanting to do that, and Illya never offered her an answer, nor did he ask it of her. The both simply enjoyed kissing each other. Granted if there were oportunity and privacy, more would have surely come of those kisses.

"Another time perhaps," Kuryakin thought to himself until his partner interrupted his hopeful mental meanderings about Svetlana Popov.

"Acne medicine? Well, at least there won't be any pimply faced people walking the streets of the Soviet Union if they make use of it….hmmm could be quite a little Capitalistic money-maker for them," Napoleon chuckled as did his Russian cohort.

"Indeed," Waverly joined them in their jocularity.

As the partners left the conference room, Napoleon reached out, taking hold of Illya's arm forcing him to stop walking.

"So what was with you and Svetlana, you never did tell me?"

"And I never will. That is my business."

"Well you made it my business when you planted that kiss on her chum."

Illya huffed. "I suppose you are right. It was as I had said, Svetlana and I were in the same training class for military intelligence, but she opted to go to KGB instead. He brother had been killed by anti-government insurgents in the Urals and she wanted revenge from what I recall. GRU would not give her the opportunity to root out such traitorous people as would the secret police."

"Yeah, so what about the kiss?" Napoleon asked impatiently.

"I was always attracted to her, though I was sure she did not feel the same about me...that was it; though I found out otherwise."

"That's it, you mean you had a crush on her and that was it?"

"What, you expected more?"

"Well yeah. I mean, if I see a beautiful woman that I want...I pursue her."

"Yes, as you remind me so often of that fact in word and deed." Kuryakin said dryly. He continued walking, leaving his parter standing there with his mouth hanging open.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Solo called as Illya turned the corner, and by the time he rounded it himself, he caught the Russian scurrying to make it into the elevator just as the doors were closing.

"Payback Kuryakin, payback," Napoleon muttered under his breath….

* ref "Last Goodbye"