Illya Kuryakin was working in his office in U.N.C.L.E headquarters when he got word from Mr. Waverly that the man wanted to see him, he left what he was doing and went upstairs.
"Mr. Kuryakin, I have a special mission for you," Mr. Waverly said as soon as Illya came in the door.
"Alright," Illya responded. He looked around the room for his partner but didn't see him.
"You won't find Mr. Solo here, he is still on holiday. He also won't be working with you on this mission. You do know Kitridge don't you?" Mr. Waverly asked. He had his hands in his pockets as he paced back and forth.
"Yes I know him, I have worked with him before," Illya said.
"Well, you'll be working with him again now," Mr. Waverly said, he pulled out his pipe and put in his mouth but didn't light it.
"Why? Am I allowed to ask?" Illya asked.
"You may ask whatever you like, Mr. Kuryakin. The reason is, because you and Mr. Kitridge are going to Albania. THURSH established a secret outpost there a year ago, yes, perhaps a bit longer now, it is a listening place. They hear all the communications around the Balkans from that place, for a while it was alright, we kept an eye on them, they weren't getting anything too very important. Until recently, they have started interfering in communications, taking things out and putting things in, we fear by doing this they have the Soviet Union start war with Europe and untimely- the Untied States," Mr. Waverly explained.
"That sounds like a grave situation indeed. But there was a team from U.N.C.L.E that went there before wasn't there?" Illya asked.
"You are full of questions today, aren't you Mr. Kuryakin? But you are right, Mr. Solo and the late Mr. Spitz, God rest his soul, went there, where Mr. Spitz met his end. You see, once they had located the post on ground, or I should say, underground, they had gone out one night to set bombs and be rid of it once and for all, Mr. Spitz went in with the bombs and Mr. Solo was look out, outside, he waited for quite some time for Mr. Spitz to come out and he when he didn't he went in himself. He found Donny laying in a pool of blood, shot in the head, poor fellow. Mr. Solo had to fight his way out, he barely made it out of the country alive," Mr. Waverly explained.
Illya looked towards the windows, out at the gray, rainy day. He had seen people shot in the head before, perhaps too many. "I know that was hard on him, but don't you think he would be valuable to this mission? Since he already knows so much about it, and they post, and the area," Illya asked.
Mr. Waverly was already shaking his head. "No, I won't allow Mr. Solo to go back there yet. He can't handle it, it's only been nearly nine months," Mr. Waverly said.
"Don't you think he has the right to make that decision? He is well now, and capable," Illya asked.
"No, I will not allow it. Further more I want him to know nothing of this mission, he will remain on holiday until you return," Mr. Waverly said firmly.
"As you say, sir," Illya said.
"Good. Mr. Kitridge has already been informed, you will go and meet him down in Section three, you will depart the day after tomorrow," Mr. Waverly said.
"Yes, sir," Illya said. He left Mr. Waverly's office and went to find Kitridge as instructed. When he arrived to Section three he found Kitridge smoking a cigarette, waiting for him.
"Hello, Illya. I take you've been with the old man?" Kitridge asked.
"Yes," Illya responded curtly.
"Mighty protective of Napoleon, ain't he?" Kitridge asked.
"Yes, but I suppose he knows best," Illya said.
"Posh! Napoleon would want to go, I know that much about him! He'd want to go back and pop that outpost off for Donny!" Kitridge said, nodding as he puffed out smoke.
"Perhaps. I sense that Napoleon is still grieving, Mr. Waverly might be correct in thinking that he couldn't handle it," Illya said.
"Well a course he is! Thicker 'n thieves they was, him and Donny, naturally it's hard for him. But he would still want to go, close this one out for his 'ole mate. It's bloody unfair of Waverly to deny him the chance if you ask me," Kitridge said.
"You may be right, but there's nothing we can do about it," Illya said.
"Who says? I'm going to call and tell him," Kitridge said, pulling out his cigarette case.
"But Mr. Waverly ordered us not to tell him, and if we did so we would not only be disobeying an order but betraying Mr. Waverly's trust as well," Illya said.
"Look, Illya, I respect Mr. Waverly just as much as any other U.N.C.L.E agent but he is wrong this time. And when I know somebody or something is wrong I just can't go along with it, so I am going to tell Napoleon about this ruddy mission and if you want to stop me you can go to Waverly right now," Kitridge said.
Illya stood there a moment in thought, he thought Napoleon should know as well, just as he had told Mr. Waverly he thought Napoleon had the right to know and make up his own mind about the affair. "Alright, go ahead. If you are going to get into trouble I might as well go down with you," he said.
Kitridge smiled and slapped Illya on the back. "There it is! That's the Russian in you! I knew it was in there somewhere! Now, Ill give him a buzz and tell him to haul it down here on the double," he said. He turned the nob on his cigarette case and waited.