Asking the Right Questions
By M. Klindt
I don't own these characters in MFU and like them to play with the one's I created. This is part of my "Lexi" series. Thanks for reading.
Chapter One
Napoleon Solo walked into his office after a long debriefing with Mr. Waverly. He was just getting back in time for a quick lunch before he and Illya Kuryakin had to get the evaluations of junior agents' performances from the trainers to the boss man. Especially for one person in particular, Monica Alexis Lane formally Alexana Kuryakin, Illya's first partner while in the Soviet Union. He placed his folders on the desk and started to turn back out of his office when someone standing in his doorway abruptly stopped him.
"April," he said in mild surprise. "I didn't hear you come in. I was just about to go grab something to eat with Illya. Care to join us?"
"Sure." April Dancer said not to be distracted from her obvious mission to dig up information. "But, I want to know something first."
"What?" Napoleon asked. He could tell that she was in one of her moods.
"I want to know more about this Monica Lane person," She said flatly with a little air of jealously about her. "All I heard from Mark was how lovely she was and that she might be working in Section Two, but mostly in the labs; bi-sectional like Illya. Then, I see a new person in the gym working out with one of the trainers. She didn't look all that special to me. She's kind of short. I doubt that she would come up to my shoulder."
"Did you talk to her?" Solo asked with a purposely blank expression his face. He watched her animated hands barely pass her mid-section as she overly exaggerated how short Lexi was.
"I'd gone to the locker room to clean up. It's then I noticed her injuries as she got dressed after taking a shower. I was so shocked! Oh, they're nearly gone, but what has happened to her?"
"Well" Solo didn't know what to say. How's he going to explain how Lexi came to join UNCLE without giving up her true identity? Mark and April were close enough friends with him and Illya that maybe they should know, but he'd promise not to tell anyone about her connection with Illya or where she really came from. They hadn't discussed what they should tell people.
"Well, what?" April asked in her usual demanding tone; eyes narrowing down on him, bright red hair pushed off her shoulders, and hands on hips. She was beautiful.
"I think that Monica should tell you herself." Napoleon said, hoping to satisfy April's curiosity for the moment and to save him from telling what he knew. "Let's grab her and Mark so we all can eat together."
"Fine," She huffed, not too happy that she couldn't get the scoop first hand from him. Napoleon indicated that she should lead the way.
Monica Lane wasn't in her lab, but up in the offices passing out sandwiches to the secretaries and office workers. She was almost done when Napoleon and April showed up.
"Hi, Mr. Solo and Miss Dancer, would you two like a sandwich? There's plenty." Lexi said, holding a basket out to them. Each was neatly wrapped and labeled to what kind of sandwich it was. "There are drinks and chips over there."
"Getting to know the locals?" he asked and thought it was a smart move on Lexi's part to treat the office to lunch.
"Always," Lexi said easily setting the basket down by the chips and drinks and then walked back to where they stood. "Feed people and they will do anything for you. Miss Dancer, sorry I didn't get a chance to talk with you this morning. It's nice to finally meet you, the first woman in Section Two here in New York."
She turned toward April and extended her hand.
"Call me April," she said with the sweetest smile painted on her face and they formally shook hands.
"Lexi, it's from my middle name Alexis."
"We were going to ask if you'd like to have lunch with April and me. Mark and Illya are waiting in the commissary." Solo gave her a knowing look that there was something to discuss.
"Oh, sure"Lexi said with a hint of uncertainty. "Let me grab a sandwich and I'll be right with you."
Nothing was said among the three agents while they walked to the commissary. They met up with Illya and Mark and some pleasantries were exchanged. Lexi's mood changed from bright and sunny to tensely stoic as if she was going to face a firing squad when everyone sat down at a table. Illya fixed a quick glance at Lexi and then at April, but hid his concern as he pretended to look as his watch.
"Well," Napoleon cleared his throat as if to say it wasn't his fault to both of them. "April wanted to meet Lexi and since she'd already met Mark, April thought it would be nice to get to know her better by having lunch. A welcome to UNCLE and Section Two sort of thing…"
"I'm flattered that you want to get to know me, April, but I'm more inclined to think it's because you saw me dress after my shower and wondered how I was injured. I saw your reaction in the mirror"
"Yes, I'm concerned." April said in embarrassment. "I should've asked you then, you see, I'm a bit nosey and thought Napoleon would tell me more. I am sorry that I couldn't have met you sooner to ask you first…"
"If that is all, you wanted to know." Lexi said stiffly and rose to stand up; putting her hand up to prevent the men from standing up as a formality. "It was in a car accident. Now, if you'll excuse me. I'm going to take my sandwich and go back to my lab. I didn't realize the time and I've got to meet with Dr. Thompson if he's done with his meeting so Mr. Solo and Mr. Kuryakin can get their assessment of my skills from the various instructors. Please, excuse me..."
The rest watched in awe as she left, not quite in an angry manner, but with a stiff formality that wasn't easily breached. Illya quietly smirked and then let his face go blank. That was the Lexi he knew.
"Well, I said I was sorry." April said angrily to the group of men around her after Lexi had left. "Of all the nerve..."
"Luv, I do believe that she just challenged you," Mark said simply.
"What?" she looked at him in astonishment.
"Yes." Illya interjected, darkly smiling at her. "I do believe you're right, Mark."
"Challenged me to what exactly?" April said in utter confusion.
"To see who is going to become top female dog in this little pack, to put it in a less than graphic way." Mark stated as he backed away slightly from April, knowing her temper and striking range.
"What!"
"Now, April," Napoleon tried to calm her down. "I don't think that is what's going on"
"Well if she thinks that I'm going to let her get away with that then she has another thing coming." April said as she crossed her arms across her chest in a resounding huff as she leaned back in the chair. "I'll give her a cat fight if she wants one."
"April," Napoleon said smoothly, starting again with reassurance to her as he looked over to Illya and Mark, silently thanking them for their part in all of this. "I cannot condone this kind of attitude among agents. Go talk to her privately and see if all of this can be resolve or take it to the gym."
"Don't worry, Napoleon, I will." She got up to leave. "I'm going to my office to do some paperwork, are you coming Mark?"
Mark nodded in sad resignation and got up to follow her. So much for lunch, his thoughts broadcasted in his actions.
"Hey, where did Lexi get that sandwich?" He asked suddenly remembering what she had in her hand.
"Mark!" April sighed, put her hands on her hips, and motioned him to follow her back to their office right now. He shrugged, but still trotted after her.
"Well, this is going to be fun." Napoleon said sourly in resignation to the potential problems with Section Two is going to have now that Lexi had joined their small group. "You're a lot of help, partner"
"I don't think that it was fair that April and you put her on the spot. April deserved to get shut down and will have to be content that she's no longer the only female Section Two agent." Illya commented and leaned in real close to Napoleon. "Waverly wanted it not Lexi. She knows that she'll have to prove herself, but remember, she is used to the respect she's had as a high-ranking officer. Your rank actually, Napoleon. How would you handle starting all over and having to prove yourself in a new place and in Section Two?"
"I would stand up to the biggest obstacle in my way to establish my own place in UNCLE." He said thoughtfully. "This would be another female agent if I was Lexi and that would mean April."
"Exactly," Illya agreed. "She doesn't want to replace her, but be her equal. I haven't known Lexi to have many close female friends. The ones I have even heard of are just comrades that were held at arms' length. April is like that as well in this male dominated spy world."
"Is there anyone she trusts completely?" Napoleon seriously asked.
"I don't think that she totally trusts herself some of the time. Even I'm not allowed in all the time. She's a very intriguing person to try to know…"
"I have the feeling that she would say the same about you," he said thoughtfully, thinking the way Illya had stated his last thought. Almost like a scientist talking about an experimental subject. Then he looked at his watch. "We'd better hurry and get back to Mr. Waverly office for the meeting."
"What about lunch?" Illya asked as he stood up.
"We'll grab a sandwich in the offices. Lexi brought lunch for the office staff and if we hurry..."
"She brought lunch for the whole office… wow! How come you didn't tell me? I could've had at least two sandwiches."
"Is food all you think about?" Napoleon shook his head as he put his hands in his pockets as they walked down the hallway.
"Yes. When Lexi is buying that is. She always gets the best quality of food. She loaded, you know." Illya smiled as he hurried passed him to Waverly's office to look for a sandwich or two.
"Loaded?" Napoleon repeated as he stopped in his tracks. "Lexi, who in the hell are you?"
"Well, Gentleman." Mr. Waverly slowly puffed on his pipe as he listened to all of the evaluations of the Section Two agents except the newest one. "Let's hear about our newest acquisition, Miss Lane. As you know, she has previous experience in the field for Army Intelligence. Until there is an opening in Survival School, tell me what level of training she is at. Mr. Porter."
"Sir, Miss Lane is ninety-three percent accurate when shooting a gun with either hand, ninety-five percent with a rifle on her right shoulder, but only eighty percent on her left shoulder. I think that this level of skill with a firearm is acceptable for any agent when she explained her recent car accident had fractured her left collarbone and arm. I believe that her use of a rifle will improve on the left side given enough time for her bones to completely heal. I'm impressed with the accuracy of how Miss Lane can throw a knife with both hands as well. I'd rate that about ninety-five percent. She's equal to an agent that has just passed survival school training."
"Thank you, Mr. Porter. Mr. Cummings, you're next." Waverly said introspectively as he relit his pipe.
"Yes, sir," Mr. Cummings sat up in his chair. "Miss Lane is knowledgeable in many forms of hand-to-hand combat. She comes to us in excellent physical condition due to continual strength and endurance training. Even though her stated injuries from a car accident that happened a few weeks ago, they're relatively healed. She's able to show some of her skills in a gymnastics including simple tumbling and limited upper arm strength. She does wear a unique brace that wrapped around her left arm to protect it. My suggestion for her is to increase her training time with one-to-one combat. I believe that she is motivated enough to stay in field required shape without extra encouragement. I would place her like Porter and in ranking her past survival school level of fitness and self defense."
"Yes," Waverly said with another puff. "Dr. Allen?"
"Mr. Waverly, all the blood tests drawn yesterday were within normal levels. I did a basic exam right before lunch and all checked out. I had Miss Lane list all scars, broken bones and surgeries to complete her file. We did discuss what injuries she had suffered from the car accident and the level of healing is acceptable. She's in good physical shape and approved for full field work in a month." With that statement, Dr. Allen gave Waverly an understanding look that he had more information than the rest of the others about his new, handpicked recruit.
"Dr. Samuel, is she approved for field work?" Waverly asked the final assessor in the room.
"With the short talk I had with her." Samuel paused. "Miss Lane's personality is smooth as glass and is very capable of using all her skills to draw you in without telling saying much. She's a Master's in Behavioral Sciences and a PhD in Chemistry that makes her almost as qualified as I am to do my job, but I sense trust issues going on. It could be from leaving from her previous job or trauma, but I need more time to get to know her as I do with all the agents."
Kuryakin felt a sudden chill as Samuel looked right at him with that last comment, but didn't look up from the table. Illya was one of his targets to "get to know better", especially after he would get tortured during a mission and was required to go through Psychological treatment. This special attention was not what he thought as always necessary, but if he wanted to go into the field he had to follow Samuel's list of requirements.
"Dr. Samuel, we are not here to talk about Mr. Kuryakin." Mr. Waverly noticed the look that he had given the agent. "I want to know if Miss Lane is field ready."
"Yes." Dr. Samuel cleared his throat in embarrassment for staring at Kuryakin so intently. "I would consider her field ready."
"Thank you, gentlemen, for your assistance. I'll expect written reports in the morning." Waverly dismissed the men and flipped a switch to call his secretary. "Miss McNabb, I want to see Doctors Thompson and Lane."
"Yes, sir."
Just as the room had cleared, Thompson and Lane came into Mr. Waverly's office. Waverly had his back to them as he sat at his personal desk. Both of them had stood quietly as they waited for him to turn around.
"Sit down, Dr. Thompson and Miss Lane. I'll be with you in a moment."
"Yes, Sir," they both said as they sat down and looked around the room as they waited. The sun was shining through the window, filtering the smoke from Waverly's pipe that hung in the air around the room.
Lexi didn't like the smell of pipe tobacco Waverly used. It was the same kind that the late General Boris Kuryakin, her adoptive father, used to smoke and it brought back unpleasant memories. She began to slightly shake as she tried to quell the images that clouded her mind, screaming to come out.
"Miss Lane?" Mr. Waverly repeated, this time a little more firmly.
"Sir?" Lane turned to Waverly in a haze that cleared quickly. "Sorry, sir."
"Is there something wrong?" He asked quietly with a raise of his bushy eyebrows.
"No, sir. I just let my mind roam too much while I was waiting. Sorry sir, it will not happen again. The smoke in here is little strong for me. I will learn to get used to it."
"Yes." Waverly slowly agreed and then went on, but now without a look of concern. "What I was saying is that you've been approved for limited field work by our trainers for your first month with us then its full duty, well done. We'll fit you with the usual required agent gadgets and communicating pen. You'll work with Dr. Thompson in the lab when not assigned."
"Dr. Thompson, have you and Miss Lane a plan to work on her formulas?"
"Miss Lane's formulas, sir?"
"Mr. Waverly" Lane spoke up using her native Russian accent while speaking in English. "Dr. Thompson doesn't know yet. I was going to tell him before this meeting, but he wasn't available. I would think that this is a good time as any to tell him. I've some suggestions that might be useful to Section Eight for my lab when I'm not assigned to Section Two…"
"Your plans, Lexi, I thought I was in charge," Waverly said as he kept his piercing gaze on her. He purposing used her nickname as a hint for Thompson to catch as he flicked a glance at him before returning his full attention on Miss Lane.
"What! Did you just call her Lexi? Wait a minute." Thompson looked from Waverly to Lane as he rambled on. "A patient named Lexi left UNCLE Headquarters' medical ward that I worked with to identify a drug reaction a few weeks ago. I wasn't informed of her last name. Only that Mr. Kuryakin knew her. That was you! You created all those drugs and antidotes!"
"Sorry Dr. Thompson, but I decided to keep Miss Lane's new position here unknown to all and it's still on a "need to know basis." You had to know, because you'll be working the closest with her, now Monica Alexis Lane on her formulas."
"But! You had blue eyes, blond hair, and had a badly broken arm . . ."
"George, I have brown contacts in, this is my natural hair, and my arm mostly healed." Lexi said, smiled at his innocence as she put her hand on his arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "It'll be all right. I believe that we'll work well together and you can still call me Lexi."
"Holy cow!, if I knew that you were going to be working here, I wouldn't have spent the last three weeks pulling my hair out in how to breakdown your formulas. Each time I saw Illya, I would drill him on what he knew about your formulas and how they were made. I swear that he was going to clobber me sometimes"
"George, I think that we can talk about my formulas later, we need to finish our meeting with Mr. Waverly first." Lane said as she picked up two of each of the file she had brought with her and passed a copy to Waverly and Thompson. "Here are the lists of drugs and their antidotes in my travel kit that was taken from my apartment. I've listed and charted their effects along with appropriate dosages when used in a dart gun or hypodermic injection. I also have described the potential for a prototype of an injection system that is refillable and would be hidden in common jewelry and a new formula that I need to test. It's a short acting hypnotic that starts to work in 10 seconds and clears in five, minutes."
Waverly nodded and picked through the file. He watched with amusement while Thompson devours this information, totally ignoring anything else going on in the room.
"Miss Lane, I do believe that you have already earned your salary for the month."
"That is not all that I want to talk to you about, Mr. Waverly." Lane said hesitantly. "Here is my personal file from my last evaluation from the KGB that I was able to "appropriate" before I left. I wanted you to have it. An offer of trust as if you will."
Waverly took her personal file and set down in front of him without opening it. He looked up at her and bit the end of his pipe, but didn't speak while he puffed.
"Some would say that I might have some trust issues..." Lane returned Waverly's stare with a deadly smile.
"I feel that all this is an offering for something you want from me."
"Nothing, which will cost you any money…"
"Well?"
"One of my associates, Janice Smyth, at Lane Pharmaceuticals was invited to participate in a research forum supported by the Rossel International Institute from Paris on alternative chemical compositions. It travels to all the top colleges throughout this country and Europe. I would like to go in her place. It will be here in New York for the next two weeks. The information would be vital to keep UNCLE current in its level of research in alternative medications used in Anesthetics to fluctuate the levels of muscle tone, amnesia, and analgesia."
"Oh! I have heard of the Rossel Research Forum." Dr. Thompson interjected. "Yes, very elite and by invitation only..."
"And if I need you in the field?" The eyebrows rose higher.
"I would come back right away." She said evenly with a genuine promise. "The conference meets for eight hours. I'll come to UNCLE for training and plan to work in the lab in the evenings to make up for my absences."
"The cost of this forum?"
"Nothing to UNCLE, but my attendance to the forum; my company will absorb the costs."
"Does your file include all the things that you are involved in Miss Lane? I do not want your time divided. I require one hundred percent of your attention and participation."
"Yes and no. I'm hoping for some flexibility." Lane placed her hands flatly on the table to prevent them from shaking as she felt her stomach start to sour from the smoke and the tone of Waverly's voice. "The KGB encourages infiltration into a corporation that would establish credibility. Over the years, I have developed a staff of top people to run Roth Industries that was owned by my mother's father and I inherited. Lane Pharmaceutical is a new business within the blanket of companies. I get progress notes from the CEO once a month, but that's all. I'm listed as a chemist, nothing more. It was that chemist who got invited to the forum"
Lexi finished the last two sentences now in a slight South Boston accent and continued speaking with it.
"What happens to all of it if you don't return from a mission?"
"Same as before when I was with the Soviet Government. If the CEO doesn't hear from me in three month's time, the boards of regents take over and my will is activated. I am no more."
"I see." Waverly said slowly through puffs of his pipe. "I am not willing to be flexible, but I'm not going to lose you from our labs and Section Two either. I'll put you on probation for six months. If there are obvious discrepancies, we will have to evaluate our relationship at that time. Since you're on limited duty during the time of the forum, you can go unless I call for you and you will check into UNCLE Headquarters every day. Is this understood?"
"Yes, sir," Lane smiled with relief. "Thank you, Mr. Waverly. I won't let you down."
"I expect a lot from my agents, Miss Lane. Now, take Dr. Thompson with you and go back to your lab. Show him your formulas and I want a report on my desk in the morning along with the daily schedule for the forum. Now on your way, the both of you."
Lane and Thompson stood up, gave Waverly a curt nod, and walked out of his office.
Just as they felt the door to Waverly's office close, Lexi took a hold of George's arm and drew him close to her so only he could hear what she said.
"George, no one must know or even guess about Illya and me. It's complicated and I don't want people to know that we wereacquaintances in the Soviet Union. It could affect our work within UNCLE. The person I was then is technically dead." Lexi had gone back to her Midwestern accent, as if she was done playing a game.
"But his help with our lab would be phenomenal. Especially with that prototype you propose."
"I didn't say he couldn't help us, in fact I don't think that we could keep him away. We just have to be discrete about certain things. Can I trust you, George?"
"It would be as if I was working for Section Two." Thompson smiled brightly. "I've always wanted to be part of a secret mission, but I just never had the opportunity until now."
"Well" Lane smiled up at the tall man and tugged him to start walking toward the elevators with her arm still linked with his. "I do need a partner to help me tonight with some research. Have you ever been to the Playboy Club downtown?"
"No! What do you propose?" Thompson started to shake with anticipation.
"We need to get to the lab."
Solo had met his date at her apartment and gave her the choice of where to go for drinks before going to a Broadway musical. He wasn't surprised that she picked the Playboy Club. He had been a member since it first opened and its secret society fascinated a lot of his dates that worked at UNCLE.
After they had ordered drinks, Megan had to use the powder room. Napoleon used this opportunity to look around from his vantage point at the back of the room. It was busy for a Tuesday. Many of the women in the club were with their dates sitting at the tables. Only a few single women, who were elegantly dressed, sat at the bar with several groups of men standing around them attempting to try to pick a lovely lady to go home with.
Solo smiled, as he knew most of these ladies were higher paid call girls brought in by guests, but he did notice a certain woman that looked very familiar to him.
Her raven hair was swept up in a mass of curls on the top of her head with a few strands that fell to her shoulders. She wore silver beads around her neck that perfectly matched the beading in the bodice that coated the black, pewter satin of the dress, which hugged her slim body in all the right spots. Her ivory skin glowed as did her sapphire blue eyes, perky nose, and pink pouty lips. The stiletto shoes made him shiver as she crossed her legs, exposing just enough skin through the slit on the side of her dress.
The goddess was talking to a man and moved in close, talking into his ear as she stroked his hand and played with the front of his suit. The man was in a sexual daze. After a few moments of whispering sweet nothings, the man cleared his throat, paid for their drinks, and they walked out of the room hand in hand.
Napoleon, like most men in the room, watched this person walk out with her conquest with envy, wishing they were him. Solo sighed and then smiled his most charming smile as Megan returned to the table and he got up to greet her back.
Once the drinks had come, he looked past his glass to notice that this goddess had returned to her perch less than ten minutes later. She was talking to another gentleman.
"Ah, excuse me, Megan," Napoleon said smoothly. "I know that person at the bar. She's… my cousin. I should go say hello before we go. Do you mind?"
"Well, yes I do, but go do what you must. Just don't make us late for the show." She sighed.
"Thank you; I will make it up to you later, promise."
Solo weaved through the crowd to stand just behind the woman he labeled the goddess.
"Napoleon, I can smell your cologne anywhere!" She said without turning around, leaned toward the man seated next to her, and said something in his ear. He got up to leave, and then she patted the seat for Solo to join her as she picked up her drink and played with it by tapping her ring against it.
She turned to him and tried to put her hand on his, but instead he grabbed her wrist, turned it palm up and looked her straight in the eyes.
"Napoleon"
"Lexi," The hand he held showed the backside of her ring with a very small hypodermic needle protruding from it that was dripping an unknown substance.
"It's just some research. Totally harmless, I swear on my father's life."
"General Boris Kuryakin is dead and so is your real one."
"I was just having a little fun" She smiled as if she was talking to him the way she did with the other men she had met with tonight.
"Is Illya here with you?"
"Now you are sounding like a big brother." Lexi frowned as if she was going to be told to stop what she was doing and moved in closer to him. "I thought you're interested in something more"
"Is he here?" He squeezed her wrist firmly.
"No, but George Thompson is. He's helping me gather reaction times to my new prototype drug and its delivery system." She didn't outwardly react to the increase pressure Napoleon was placing on her wrist bones. "Illya isn't interested sitting around, waiting for me while I try out one of my experiments."
"What would Mr. Waverly say about your research methods?"
"I do not think he cares as long as he gets results. I'm being safe and giving George something to do. Look over at him. He loves the thrill of being at the Playboy Club, having the bunnies talk to him, and playing a simple spy game with me. I'm not hurting anyone, really."
Solo looked over towards Thompson, who was looking like a kid at a carnival and he chuckled as he turned back to Lexi.
"Don't get him or you into trouble." Solo said with a warning. "I am telling you to go home now, before things get too risky."
"I want one more." Lexi said quietly. "I would've been done by now if you hadn't come over here. Besides, George has to get back to his wife by eight. You'd better go back to your unhappy date. She's about leave without you."
"This isn't over." Solo shot back as he stood up, straightened his suit, and walked back to his date who had been watching them all this time.
Before Solo could escort Megan out of the club, Lexi already had her last victim and she was signaling Thompson that she was ready to leave and he escorted her out of the club.
"Where's Lexi?" Solo said as he walked into Kuryakin's office the next morning.
"I don't know," This partner said calmly as he turned another page of the research proposal he was looking at. "Good morning to you. I'd offer some coffee, but the way you are acting, it appears that you do not need any."
"Do you know what she was doing last night?"
"The way you are standing there, I would hazard a guess, research. Which establishment was she at this time?" he turned another page, still not looking up.
"The Playboy Club. I had taken Megan from Accounting there for drinks and I saw her at the bar, attracting men like flies. She was going to use her drug on me when I went over to talk with her."
"I told you about her experiments." Illya smirked as he stifled a laugh and dipped lower in his chair as if prepared to duck a swing that he thought was coming. "I stay as far away from her research sessions as I possibly can."
"Don't you ever worry that she will get into trouble?" his thoughts turned more serious.
"Napoleon, do you think that what she does is any riskier than what we do in the field?" His friend straightened up as he finished his partner's train of thought. "If we worried about the dangers, none of us would be working where we do. Despite what you think, she plays it safer than we do. What she has achieved with her formulas will help us all. She goes a step further and field-tests them in real life situations. Not in a controlled lab where the variances are nonexistent. She wasn't thinking about being a Section Two agent when Waverly first offered a job."
"I suppose you're right." Napoleon said thoughtfully. "It'll take time to get use to having her around. She is not one of our usual newbies. Do you know where she is now? I've to get her outfitted on required equipment for Section Two fieldwork. Mr. Waverly wants her supplied before she goes to that Rossel Forum tomorrow."
"You might try the gym or her lab. I haven't seen or talked to her since yesterday at lunch."
"A lot of help you are." He shook his head at Illya as he gave him a silly look and left his office.
"But, I do know where she will be at lunch time." He said with a smile and continued to read the proposal.
April Dancer walked out of one of the dress shop changing rooms of Madame Rose Michelle's, trying on an elegant evening dress in emerald green satin covered in rhinestones and twirled around in front of the mirrors.
"It izz you, Madame. Just magnifique." The sales clerk simpered in a strong French accent, looking for a sale.
"Yes, I do like it." April said, examining herself as she pulled her hair up.
"I don't know if I like this color." Monica Lane came out of another changing room in a dress of rose satin and pearls with another sales clerk tagging behind. "Let me look at the dress in better light by the mirrors"
"Oh, Lexi," April said as she turned around from her own reflection.
"April!" Lexi looked up as she realized that someone else was standing by the mirrors. "I didn't know you were here"
"Well, if you are here, you obviously know this is the best shop for designer gowns."
"Yes, it is." Lexi said coolly. "You know, April, the boys at work would love to have us at odds with each other, because I left so abruptly yesterday. I think that we should combine forces and play it for all it's worth. I do believe the term you used was catfight?"
"Yes." April first stiffened and then laughed out loud. "Mark and Illya did say something in the way of you and I needed to fight it out as to who was top female dog."
"They would, the bastards! How about equals?"
The both laughed and smiled.
"I do believe that is the beginning of a great friendship. No man is safe."
"Now that we have decided that, I have to tell you that dress doesn't fit you in the right spots. The bodice needs darts."
"I do believe that you are right." April looked back at herself again. "But if I agree with you on this dress, will you tell me more about yourself? Napoleon was hinting about something at lunch yesterday."
"Yes, but not here. How about at lunch after we find something worthy of our good taste? I can tell you the truth by that the way Napoleon and Illya trust you, but it has to be kept under wraps as much as possible."
"Now you have wetted my appetite even more. There's another dress I want to show you. Stay right there. I'll be back in a sec." April picked up the hem of the dress and ran into the dressing room.
Lexi crossed her arms and laughed, as she stood rooted to the spot. The door of the shop's bell rang out, but she didn't turn around to see who it was. She already knew.
Arms wrapped around her as she felt the familiar body encircle her. His breath felt warm in her ear as he whispered to her and she smiled. Lexi could hear the sales clerks snickering as one of them went into the back room.
Lexi told Illya something in their special language that only he could hear.
"A Surprise for me," he asked in English. "What?"
"Lexi, what you do think of this one?"
April rushed into the room and jerked to a stop to see Lexi still encircled by Illya's arms. As he tried to push himself away, Lexi grabbed him to keep him right where he was. April looked at the both of them in utter shock, not knowing what to say.
"April, this is part of the secret I was going to tell you about at lunch. Illya and I know each other"
"Illya and Lexi." A lady with a tape measure around her neck and apron on came into the room waving a pair of silver shears. "It is good to see you two my darlings. It has been way too long. Anna told me, Illya, that you had just come into the shop. Out to save or ruin my business?
"Me ruin? Never!"
Rosemary was a petite woman with steaks of gray intermixed within her pitch black hair that made her brown eyes sparkle as she smiled at Illya and Lexi. Her lips curled up and her face brightened as if she knew a secret that not many people were aware of. She was graceful and timeless, just like her creations.
"Oh, dear, what has happened to your hair? It's much shorter than I'm used to seeing it on you, but come and give me a kiss anyway my dear boy."
Kuryakin let go of Lexi and quickly walked over the shop's owner out stretched arms, grasped her hands, and gave her a quick kiss on each cheek.
"It is good to see you, Rosemary. Your shop is still a great success. It has been quite awhile since we were in here, but I've seen your designs pop up in my travels more and more frequently. Do you know Miss April Dancer? She is another friend of mine."
"Not formally, but any friend of you two is always worth my special attention. April, welcome to my shop. I know that Illya will help me find you the right dress. He has a keen eye to what fits each woman. He picks outs Lexi's dresses all the time. If he should ever quit his day job, I would make him my partner in designing clothes. I would never have to work this hard again!"
"Illya, I had no idea!" April said unsteadily. "When do you find the time?"
"I usually don't." Illya blushed. "Lexi and I would meet once and a great while and then we would spend an afternoon here and there, going around New York finding places to shop for special items needed for our careers."
"We'd met Rosemary in Paris where she was an apprentice." Lexi continued. "I didn't know what to wear for my assignments at the Embassy and she would bring me into her back room. I would model for her, while she and Illya would discuss the mechanics of dressmaking. A lot of vodka was consumed; if I can recall anything at all from those gatherings."
"Just how long have you two known each other?" April looked at Illya, her eyes demanding and almost hurt at the same time. "Why did you keep it a secret from me and Mark? How long has Napoleon known?"
"About a month and a half ago. You and Mark were in Prague. I didn't tell anyone because I worked for UNCLE and Lexi worked for the KGB. We'll tell you the rest at lunch, but now we must find you two dresses and go eat. We need to get back to headquarters. Napoleon has been trying to find Lexi all morning and by now, I know he's fit to be tied."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Lexi huffed. "Oh, man. He's already acting like you. I told George what I was doing this morning after I came in early to work out. What does he want from me other than to lecture me about last night?"
"Last night?" April looked from Lexi to Illya.
"Maybe you needed it, but that is not why. He wants you to get your standard field equipment issued and in place before you go to the forum tomorrow. It's not a lot to ask of you to be more civil" Illya glared back at her.
"What forum? What am I missing?" April asked.
"Fine!" Lexi spat out, ignoring April. "What do you think about this color?"
"It no good on you and you know that."
"I didn't think so, I have another one. Go help April while I go change into that one."
Lexi waved to one of the sales clerks to follow her; cursing under her breath at Illya in a language that only he could understand which made him smile as he turned to Rosemary and April.
"Now, April, turn around." Illya demanded as he put his dark rimmed glasses on and looked at her as if he was conducting an experiment. All April could do was to comply with the tone of his voice and curtness.
"You two never change." Rosemary shook her head in amusement and pulled out a notebook from her apron. "So Illya, now what is wrong with this dress?"
"Where do you want me to begin?"