A very pale and dishevelled Lisa stormed in the office. The number one, section one stared at her . She was panting.
-Well, Lisa, what is it about ? I am late, and...
-Mr Solo... we have had a call from Peoria, Illinois.
-Lisa, please... I am sure that this call is important, but...
And Napoleon Solo stopped talking. Lisa was a competent secretary. Self possessed.
-Mr Solo, they found... A body. They thought that he was dead, but he isn't.
-Lisa ?
-He regained consciousness... and he asked for you.
Napoleon Solo shivered. Lisa's face was strained with something like... horror.
-Lisa ?
-I think... I think that they found Illya, Napoleon.
Napoleon Solo was taken aback. That was absolutely impossible.
-Il-lya ?
-Yes. He... he is dying.
-But you are not sure ! You said : « I think... »...
-A blond man, about forty, with extraordinary blue eyes... covered with scares... And he muttered you name, again and again. And two others... Sasha and... Tonya. That's Russian names ! They looked for a Napoleon Solo, and...
-They called the Uncle. You said he was ... dying ?
-He fell down in a ravine... He lied there for... they don't know how long. Two hunters found him.
-Where is he ?
-In the hospital, in Peoria...
-Call them, immediately. And I want a plane...
Napoleon Solo felt choked with an unbearable grief. He was terrified. The powerful number one, section one of the Uncle, New York, was terrified. The doctor had been... cruelly clear. Illya was dying. Perhaps Napoleon would be... late. Solo had yelled, barked, threatened, begged... He knew that the doctor would have done, anyway, everything possible. But... it gave him the feeling that Illya would know ...
Twelve years. Twelves stupid years. What had he done ? Nothing. He had felt offended ! His partner was gone ? He had left ? How interesting ! Much good may it do him ! Much... good.
Oh, God... He had lost his partner, twelve years ago. And he had almost forgotten him. No, he had desperately tried to. And now...
-Tell him, doctor. Yes, I know, he is unconscious, delirious... But find someone to tell him that Napoleon is coming for him Tell him that, again and again. Tell him, that he'd have better not to dare and die !
Napoleon Solo didn't see the town. He didn't see the hospital. He stormed along the corridors, his bodyguards running after him. Then, the door. And the doctor. Grim.
-No...
-No, Mr Solo, your friend is still alive. But you haven't much time.
Napoleon Solo went in the bedroom. A very pale body lied on the bad. Long, very long fair hairs, glued by the sweat. Strained features. Shallow... almost imperceptible breath. And tears.. tears... Napoleon Solo sat on the bed. He brushed the damp locks aside the burning forehead. Blue eyes opened but didn't saw him. Napoleon had expected that his friend would acknowledge his presence...
-Illya... I am here With you. Now, you'll be fine.
-Sa..sha..
-Napoleon, Illya. It's Napoleon. Who is Sasha ?
-Napol... Please... hand them back... pleas...
-Illya...
Illya grabbed his hand. He squeeze it. In fact... his fingers hardly moved. Lifeless.
-Sasha... Tonya... Napol.. I want them... Please... Napol...
Tears bathed the hollow cheeks.
-Who are Sasha and Tonya ? Illya, tell me...
The doctor gripped Illya's wrist and hissed.
-For all that I understood... They are his children... and they are not. It's a sort of hallucination. A delusion due to the fever and the concussion.
-What ?
-Sa...sha... Napole... I want Sa... sha...
Napoleon Solo grabbed his friend's shoulders, and ignoring the doctor's reaction, sat him straight against his chest. Then, he hugged him. The skinny, panting, sobbing, choking body.
-Napol... I saw them... Hand them back... to me. Pleas...plea... They were real...Please... I want...
-Shhhht, Illya, shhhht...
The doctor bit his lips and motioned all the others to follow him out of the bedroom. They were alone.
-Illya...
-Napoleon... I want...
-Yes, Illya, yes...
-Thank... you... Thank you for coming...
For some seconds, the real Illya. Illya's voice. Then...
-Hold me, Npaoleon. Please, hold me... And tell me... tell me that they'll be there... that I'll see them again... Please...
-Illya...
The limp body stiffened slightly and Napoleon Solo anxiously looked at his friend's face. Illya was staring at the door... and smiling. An angelic smile. So happy.
-Look, Napoleon, look ! They are here ! Sasha... Tonya... Napoleon, help me...
Napoleon Solo took a difficult breath. His vision was blurred by tears, and he couldn't have sworn that there were no kids in the bedroom. Illya's face was so hopeful...
-Yes, Illya. Yes, my friend. Yes, you... you are right. I see them. They are here. They are waiting for you. Go, Illya, go, and be happy with your children.
The limp body fell against him. And Napoleon hugged him again, as a child. And he repeated.
-Go, Illya. Go, my friend. Go, and enjoy yourself.
And... forgive me.
He couldn' have said how long ... A harsh voice yelled at his ears, and strong hands ruthlessly pulled him away.
-He... He is alive, Mr Solo. Let us do our job !
-Napoleon?
-Lisa ? He ... he is alive... The doctor doesn't really understand, but ... he is.
-I looked for the two names, Napoleon, and I found something...