"The Ruse" Part 2 for the PicFic Tuesday challenge 11/18

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

LINK  TO: The Ruse Part 1

Mark Slate passed by the familiar and for the most part, welcoming entrance to headquarters at Del Floria’s Tailor shop.  It was early as the first light of day helped to cast in sharp shadows as he continued to walk along the sidewalk.

It was the British agents favorite time of day; the city streets were quiet and it was a welcome change of pace in the normally bustling metropolis of New York.

Alexander Waverly was no doubt waiting patiently for his arrival.

The plan was for Slate to get into headquarters using the secret entrance via the Masque Club and not go through Del Floria’s. Though it was purported to be a secret entrance, it was too well known to too many enemy agents. Agents he didn't want seeing Mark Slate entering headquarters.

Slate was disguise, with his U.N.C.L.E. ID indicating he was an agent from the Paris division. He walked along the little used corridors leading from the club to the main section of headquarters, all the while under the watchful eye of the Security section’s cameras. His presence set off no alarms as he'd received a visitors badge at the reception desk located in the back of the club.

This time Mark sported a dark wig in a hairstyle not unlike Kuryakin’s, along with the addition of a goatee, a false nose and a set of pearly white upper teeth, making for a perfect Solo-like smile.

He was able to pass muster as he arrived in front of Lisa Roger's desk, and there he waited to be granted access to the conference room. She was sharp and in essence, being Waverly's personal body guard as well as his assistant; her discerning eyes would have picked up on anything out of place.

Lisa pressed the button on her intercom. “Mr. Waverly sir, a Mr. Charles Chevalier is here to see you.”

“Yes, thank you. Send him in Miss Rogers and I want no interruptions. Unless the end of the world is taking place, it can wait. When Solo, Kuryakin and Dancer arrive, send them in immediately.”

“Yes sir.” She smiled at the handsome Frenchman.  “Monsieur you can go in now.”

“Merci Mademoiselle.” He reached out, taking her hand and kissed it, using one of Napoleon’s familiar tricks to charm the ladies.

“Oh Mr. Chevalier,” Lisa actually blushed; unusual as she was known in headquarters for being a no-nonsense person, unaffected by the charms of Solo himself.

She was the only woman at headquarters who’d actually turned him down for a date, not once but multiple times. For a while it became a battle of wills as to who would surrender, and once it happened, Napoleon was the one who gave finally threw in the towel.

“Please ma cherie, call me Charles.” Mark laid it on thick, trying to be as charming as the American CEA, if not more so. He suspected his French accent would no doubt help.

“Why thank you Charles, I hope we get to meet again, maybe for a drink perhaps?”

“Il est possible Mademoiselle Lisa, mais je ne peux pas faire de promesses.(It's possible Miss Lisa, but I can't make any promises)

It was all Mark could do to keep from chuckling. He could have had a date with the infamous Lisa Rogers while Napoleon couldn’t, and that sort of gave him bragging rights, well after the fact.…and it wasn’t with him exactly, it was the persona and looks of Chevalier that had charmed her and not his shy British self.

The pneumatic doors opened with a whoosh and without a word, Alexander Waverly gestured with a wave of his hand for Slate to be seated.  He puffed on his briar pipe, finally releasing a few smoke rings in the air above his head before he at last spoke.

“You were able to pass inspection Mr. Slate, no one recognized you?”

“As far as I know sir, “he dropped the fake French accent. “Miss Rogers seemed convinced and that to me was the ultimate test.”

“No young man, the penultimate test will be your partner. I have received word that she, Messrs. Solo and Kuryakin have just arrived.” Waverly made his pronouncement before sending a file around on the circular table to his agent.

“I’ll be sending you into a nest of hornets young man so I need to know if you’re still comfortable with this ruse. It isn’t everyday we try infiltrate THRUSH Central to sabotage the latest version of their Ultimate Computer.”

“Sir wouldn’t Mr. Kuryakin be the better choice for that sort of task? I know I’m repeating myself and I apologize.”

“Young man I have deemed you most capable of completing this mission. Mr. Kuryakin is simply too well known to them, both in and out of disguise. So I’ll hear none of these second thoughts. Now are you ready for this mission or not Mr. Slate?”

“Yes sir I understand and I’m ready for the assignment. May I ask why I had to be surreptitiously killed in London since I’ll be going in under disguise.”

“All the more to throw them off the scent. That’s why we’ve gone to so much trouble to stage your death and funeral.  THRUSH would never conceived of a dead man infiltrating their inner sactum, even in disguise.  Though their records would show Mark Slate as being deceased, so they would hardly expect you to walk in their front door.  Your disguise is just a little added insurance, that and the fact that you have a slight resemblance to one of their people who we've captured recently."

“I see. And when exactly is my partner due here sir.”

“I suspect she and the others will be coming through the doors just about now…”

As if Waverly was psychic, the doors to his conference room indeed opened and in walked the jet-lagged trio of Dancer, Solo and Kuryakin.

“Good morning. I hope you flight home was smoothe. Please sit down.”

As the three took their seats, Waverly made the introductions.

“Mr. Solo, Mr. Kuryakin, Miss Dancer may I present Mr. Charles Chevalier of our Paris office. He will be point on our next mission to infiltrate T.H.R.U.S.H. Central here in New York. He was chosen for this assignment because of the physical similarities he has in common with this man.” The Old Man flicked a switch on his control panel lowering a video screen.

Nods went all around before Waverly spoke again.

“This is Rene Boucher, dubbed the ‘butcher’ as he is an assassin for hire who has just declared his allegiance with our feathered friends.”

“By the way, Miss Dancer, you ‘ave my condolences on the loss of your partner.” Mark said to her.

“Thank you. He’ll be missed very much, but the sooner I can get back to work, the faster I can get him off my mind.”

“I was acquainted with your partner and ‘e was a very good agent, quite clever and resourceful. ‘E will most certainly be missed, n’est-ce pas?

Napoleon flashed Mark the stinkeye, thinking the Brit was laying it on a bit too much.

“Yes indeed he was,” Solo interrupted Slate's soliloquy.”Mr. Waverly sir, suppose I show Mr. Chevalier around headquarters, since I presume he’ll be here awhile.”

“Yes that’s an excellent idea. Get him acclimated as he prepares for his assignment at weeks end. You three will be his backup team on the outside so I will leave the strategy up to you, Mr. Solo.”

As the four agents stood, Waverly spoke to April.

“Miss Dancer if you would please remain as I wish to speak to you about something.”

The three men left, quickly heading for Solo and Kuryakin’s shared office and as the doors closed behind them Napoleon spoke out.

“What exactly were you trying to do Mark, blow your cover already?”

“Hey mate if April was be able to figure out it was me then I’d be as good as dead walking into Central’s headquarters with a cover that just wasn’t foolproof. I figure I have to be that good.”

“Napoleon, Mark is right. If he could not get one over on April how can he expect to mislead T.H.R.U.S.H. He is going in alone as one of their own and his performance must be flawless.”

“I reckon April couldn’t handle me dying twice. She’s going to think me a right foul git and be mad enough at me as it is for her not being kept in the loop.” Slate sat down on the leather sofa with a sigh.

“April just might be the one to really kill you when she finds out the truth Mark,” Illya half-smiled.

“I think I’ll have better odds of surviving with the birdies”

“One can only hope my friend,”Napoleon snickered.

“Oy, thanks a lot mate, that was a really encouraging thought.”

“We aim to please. Now let’s talk a little strategy.”

“What about April? Shouldn’t we wait for her?”

“Our next meeting will be all about April, as I’ve decided to send her in with you.  Every professional criminal needs his gun moll so to speak, and she’ll be yours.”

“And when was this decided?”Mark asked. “Does Mr. Waverly know?”

“Well no not exactly. He did say the strategy was left up to me.”

“I’m not so sure she’s ready for this,” Mark said.”I can tell she was pretty traumatized by my untimely death.”

“She has to be ready. April is tougher than you think I suspect,” Illya added.

“I hope so mate.”

PART 3

Comments

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Thank you thank you! Trouble is this is a WIP and I have no idea where it's going. LOL!