Chapter 1

They pounded after him, their boots making a clanking racket on the metal gangways. All could see him clearly as he ran past the large shelving units housing large stashs of cocaine. They could all see him but none took a shot. They were in truth having too much fun chasing him down. Soon enough the blond UNCLE agent would be apprehended. The factory was only so big with every exit heavily guarded. There was no escape for this foolish young man.

Sure enough they soon had him surrounded. Ilya tried to make a break for an exit but he stalled at the sight of Thrush agents heading towards him. They formed a tight circle around him. Two senior guards approached and throwing their guns over their shoulders they spun him around and searched him. Once they had relieved him of his gun and communicator they pinned his arms behind him as their leader approached.

"Illya Kuryakin. What were you thinking sir. Did you really think you could take on the might of the whole Thrush empire single handed?"

Illya said nothing. He braced himself and waited. The explosion when it came was an overwhelming rush of fire, debris and powder. It knocked them all to the floor. The factory was suddenly one massive cloud of white smoke as one explosion followed another and another. Solo had been thorough in his work. There was much chaos as a sprinkler system came on and Thrush agents desperately tried to shut it off. They couldn't have that drowning their merchandise. There was much shouting and orders as they tried to pull sacks of the drug away from the flames. Amid the chaos two lone Uncle agents slipped out of the building and ran down to the deserted beach to a waiting row boat. Soon they were being pulled into a larger boat out at sea, their mission a complete success.

~o~

He slammed his fist on the table making everyone jump.

"10,000 dollars worth of cocaine gone. Gone up in smoke. They work in pairs how did you not know that. Kuryakin always works with Solo and between them they have destroyed over a million dollars worth of Thrush enterprise. No more, no more,"

He looked around expectantly waiting for a suggestion from one of the others seated at the large oval table. They looked at each other willing someone else to speak.

"We could poison them, we could send something in a package that will put an end to them once and for all,"

The head of Thrush glared down at the little Asian man who dared make such an infantile suggestion.

The door at the end of the room opened quietly and Manfred Crow swaggered in. He took a seat at the end of the room. All eyes turned expectantly to him.

"It's simple," he began, "we split them up."

The head of Thrush eyed his newest consultant with some doubt.

"Split them up?"

Crow took a languid drag from his cigarette.

"Kuryakin and Solo work very well together, how effective would they be if they no longer had each other to depend on. We need to split them up."

"And how do you suggest we do that?"

He raised an eyebrow. "The age old way, a girl. We organise a girl for them to fight over. Nothing could be simpler."

The head of Thrush ran a hand through his dark hair. He creased up his face as he thought it out.

"We have a dossier on Mr Solo. We managed to apprehend him last year and with medication we learnt a good deal about him."

Manfred Crow nodded, "we just need to find him a compatible match. Choose the right girl and we could divide and conquer, put an end to this annoying dream team once and for all."