"Napoleon, what do you see in that vixen? You remember she tried to kill you with a poisonous spider? If I had not arrived when I did…"
Napoleon sighed. This was an age-old argument. Illya Kuryakin's antipathy towards Angelique knew no bounds. As a rule, Illya kept his thoughts very much to himself, even when it came to Napoleon's dalliances with Angelique, but this time his irritation had spilled over yet again. And to be fair, Napoleon thought, he had good reason to be annoyed. Their scheduled meeting was for three o'clock precisely, and because the blond THRUSH `vixen' had turned up out of the blue, Napoleon had arrived seven minutes late, resulting in a broken nose for the unfortunate Illya, who had arrived back at headquarters, the package safely retrieved, but otherwise covered in blood.
"Vixen…hmmm. You're not wrong there my friend. She is one foxy lady…"
Illya growled and Napoleon smiled cautiously.
"I'm sorry, Illya, but sometimes it pays to have contacts in the enemy camp. Even dangerous contacts like her. She has saved our lives remember. She rescued us from that satrap in Cleveland…"
"That rescue was a trap!"
"Yes, but we avoided it."
"You're playing with fire Napoleon, and one day..."
"One day never comes. Besides, I have you to cover my back, don't I? Look, I have to go. I have a meeting with Mister Waverly in three minutes."
Napoleon left his partner in sickbay, being tended by the competent Nurse Jenny Witt, and hurried up to Waverly's office. The old man waved him to a seat and pressed a button inside his desk. Immediately the doors and windows were locked, and sealed, the blinds that unfolded from the ceiling latched themselves together forming a soundproof barrier.
"How is Mister Kuryakin?"
"Nose broken, sir. I was late getting to our pick-up point, and Illya found he had competition from a couple of THRUSH thugs. He is really angry with me this time, sir. Isn't it time we let him in on Operation Foxy?"
Waverly shook his head.
"The more people who know about this, the more danger she is in. It is best that we leave things as they are. You will just have to find some other way of making things up to your partner."
Napoleon nodded, sucking his teeth unhappily.
"The next time something like this happens, he will probably shoot me himself. Or request a different partner. It's a shame too, sir. Angelique quite likes Illya. She has the same enquiring mind that he has. They could have hours of fun in the library together."
"Be that as it may, let us get down to business. Her report if you please."
Napoleon produced a micro-dot from his pocket and handed it over.
"She says it contains copies of the plans for THRUSH'S latest weapon. They have enlisted the aid of a French scientist called Professor Arnaud L'Amereau, to perfect it."
"What sort of weapon is it?"
"A miniaturizer, according to Angelique."
He sat back and pinched his lower lip between thumb and forefinger. Waverly frowned.
"What is it? What else did she tell you?"
"Two things, sir. First that the next time she has something for us, she is going to have to hand us…or one of us at least, over to THRUSH, in order to maintain her cover. They are willing to put up with her…apparently dangerous game with me because she is so efficient. But…"
Waverly nodded.
"It will have to be you she brings in then. That will not increase your credibility with your partner where Angelique is concerned. What else? You said two things?"
"Yes, sir. THRUSH have been receiving messages from UNCLE Berlin for the last three months or so. She believes that there is a traitor there. Someone quite important, she believes."
"Damn. That will need investigating, and carefully too."
Napoleon nodded.
"And your Summit Five meeting scheduled soon, sir."
"Yes. I think Mister Solo, I had better send you to Berlin to undertake an independent security check. See what you can turn up. Contact me if you need help and I will send Mister Kuryakin to assist you. make your preparations and leave in two days. That should give our THRUSH agent time to retreat and cover herself sufficiently before we act on her information. We will make Mister Kuryakin our code man if…"
He broke off with a meaningful look, and Napoleon nodded.
"Very well Mister Waverly. It looks as if I am off to Berlin…"