"Into each life a little rain must fall..."~ for Wednesday is all about April

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

                                               

A storm was rolling in from the looks of it, the sky was becoming dark grey and it sounded as if there were distant rumblings of thunder.

“I think it’s time to call it quits ducks,” Mark Slate spoke into his communicator. He was manning a hot dog vending cart in the middle of Central Park and across from him, sitting on a bench was his partner April Dancer.

She lifted the copy of the Cosmopolitan magazine she was holding just a bit higher in order to cover herself while she answered Slate, otherwise someone might think she was a bit loony, talking to her transistor radio. That would look a little conspicuous...

“Darling, what’s a little rain. You have an umbrella and I have mine with me too. Better we wait to the last minute to see if the handoff takes place.”

“Your call luv, but at the first lightning bolt...we are out of here. Agreed?”

"Wouldn't want to 'bolt' prematurely Mark darling," she couldn't resist the tacky joke," But agreed...oops wait. I think something is happening.”

Strolling along the beautifully landscaped walk known as the Ramble was a man wearing a beige trench coat, and tucked under his arm was a copy of the New York Daily News.

The Ramble and nearby 18 acre lake were a main feature of Central Park, with it being designed as a woodland walk through varied landscapes away from the hustle and bustle of the New York City streets. It led through the deep coves of the north shore of the lake, with dense plantings, rocky outcrops of glacial bedrock, small open glades and an artificial stream. Plenty of cover and distractions for a covert handoff to take place without anyone noticing...unless of course you were an U.N.C.L.E. agent.

April thought it odd a woman with a baby carriage was heading along the walk. Who in their right mind would bring a baby out for a stroll with an impending storm on the horizon? She watched as the woman continued on towards the man in the trench coat and when the two finally met, he paused, making a comment to her and directing attention to the child.

“Oh what a lovely baby, boy or girl?”

“Oh a little boy. His name is Cyril.”

“Sounds British to me,” he leaned forward, peering into the carriage.” Koochie, koochie. Who’s a handsome lad?”

“Why yes, that’s because his father is from London,” she responded. Obviously the conversation was in code.

As the man leaned forward his paper slipped from his arm and fell to the ground. The woman bent, picking it up and handed it back to him, but it wasn’t his original paper...she’d handed him a different one.”

“That’s the handoff Mark...move in now.”

April stood, pulling her UNCLE Special and made a beeline for the pair.

The woman, spotting the auburn-haired agent quickly reached into the carriage, withdrawing a Luger pistol.

April dove for cover; the bullets just missing her as they ricocheted off a large boulder she used for cover, part of the landscaping in this part of the park.

Suddenly the sky opened up. The was a loud crack of thunder masking the sounds of the gunfire. Seconds later the shooter was quickly silenced by a sleep dart from Slate’s gun.

April stood, remaining behind the rock and took aim at the fleeing man in the trench coat… downing him with her first shot.  He skidded to the ground in a heap for a nice wet nap as the rain continued to come down in torrents.

The wind was beginning to gust and the storm had driven off anyone else in the area, and therefore no witnesses to the downing of the two enemy agents.

“Well darling, so much for umbrellas,” April trotted up next to her equally as soaked partner.

“I don’t mind the wet...I am British after all, but it’s the bloody lighting that scares the heck out of me.  I had an Uncle Cuthbert who was struck by lightning and he was never quite right in the head after that. It was miraculous he even survived.”

“Where was he when it happened?”

“Oh in the middle of his garden. He was busy clearing some weeds and just ignored the bad weather rolling in.

“BOOOOOOM!”

Both agents ducked at that clap of thunder, and after retrieving the documents that had been passed within the folded newspaper, they both headed to the nearby Loeb boathouse beside the lake. That at least would offer some protection until the storm blew over.

“Guess our friends will have to just enjoy the weather until we can get a cleanup team here.” April leaned over, whispering to her partner. They stood together watching the willow trees sway in the gusts of wind as the rain continued come down like cats and dogs.

"Or we could just leave them, and let the authorities think they'd been struck by lightning."

"Why Mark, what a scathingly brilliant idea darling, we'll retrieve the darts once the rain stops."

“I hate to be trite but you know the old saying...” Mark shrugged. Even though they were soaked through, he was feeling much happier now that they’d gotten to the relative safety of the boathouse. They weren't alone as dozens of others had retreated to the red brick and limestone edifice as well.

Someone from the restaurant within the boathouse was handing out towels to anyone who’d gotten drenched.

April smiled as she dried her hair, anticipating Mark's next words and together they chuckled as they spoke in unison…

”Into each life a little rain must fall.”

“Ba-BOOM!”

“Good Lord that was loud. Well, better them than us,” Mark cringed.

Comments

[lindafishes8.livejournal.com]

Thunderstorm made it quite dramatic and leaving them to sleep it off in the downpour was icing on the cake. I wonder if THRUSH has their own 'medical'? Pneumonia is more likely than a lightning strike. Nice story-mission accomplished!

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

That's an interesting question about THRUSH having their own medical. Well we know how they take care of retirees (i.e The Arabian Affair) The local PD will proabably find them after the storm anyway...espcially Mark and April call in that someone might have been hit by lightning in the park.

Thanks for the compliment and comment!