"Out, out, out, out, OUT!"

Very few people within U.N.C.L.E.'s New York headquarters would even consider manhandling Illya Kuryakin. For head nurse Maisie Redfearn, however, the Russian held no fear. She physically dragged the man from the chair in Napoleon Solo's room and pointed emphatically at the door.

"Mr Solo is merely here for observation," she told him. "So a bedside vigil is not needed. I am sure you have work to do elsewhere."

Maisie sighed in frustration. Anytime Illya was a patient, it was nearly impossible to make him stay. Yet, when it was Napoleon in the bed, Illya was forever visiting and cluttering up the place. The CEA openly sniggered as his partner was thrown out, earning himself an icy glare.

Illya held his hands up in surrender and allowed himself to be pushed out. Nurse Redfearn was actually incorrect in her assumption he had some work to do. He had caught up with everything he needed to, so had decided to visit Napoleon for a while before going to the gym. It wasn't his fault he'd been there for nearly four hours.

As he was escorted to the exit, Illya couldn't help but notice the cleaner who was hovering around behind the nurses' station. He had seen her around HQ but her body language was setting off every one of Illya's internal alarms. If he didn't know better, he would say she was looking for intelligence of some kind. He was about to ask Maisie if she knew the woman but, before he could, the nurse had grabbed his arm and pulled him into a side room.

"She is unknown to me," Maisie stated. "While it isn't possible to know everyone in the building, security protocols in Medical require all new staff members to identify themselves, and be verified, before starting work in here. Someone from Section 3 usually brings anyone new in a day or two beforehand so we can get to know them."

Illya nodded grimly. Most areas within headquarters had their own protocols, on top of the facility wide ones. Given the sensitive records which were held in medical, all staff from doctors to cleaners required clearance before going beyond reception.

"Can you summon security from in here?" Illya asked, receiving a nod in response. "Okay. Stay in here while I go and confront her."

Although appearing to be relaxed, Illya was poised to unholster his weapon should the need arise. He strode towards the nurses' station and asked the woman her name. She stared in shock at him, but didn't answer.

"I am Illya Kuryakin," he told her. "Number 2, Section 2."

This elicited a response. A startled squeak escaped her lips, and her shocked expression was replaced by one of abject terror. She wrapped her arms around herself in comort, obviously recognising his name.

"I need you to tell me who you are," Illya insisted, as he moved around to her side of the station.

He began to reach for his gun but, as soon as his hand touched the butt, the woman suddenly brought her right hand forward. There was a flash of silver, and a knife, which she had secreted in her belt, found a new home in Illya's stomach. He cried out, but it didn't slow his course of action. He sent her into a deep sleep with dart before dropping to his knees. As he landed, the doors burst open and two men from security arrived.

The next few moments were a blur of activity. As the woman was taken away, Illya was placed on a gurney and whisked off for surgery. Later on, when his wound had been treated and dressed, he was put into the other bed in Napoleon's room. Maisie Redfearn came into the room and folded her arms in annoyance. Unfortunately, she couldn't keep up the pretence, and a grin appeared on her face.

"Thank you," she said. "It looks like you're staying after all."

Illya gave her one of his well-known half-smiles, and nodded in response. He always felt a little uncomfortable being thanked for doing his job.

"What's the story with the woman?" Napoleon asked.

"I haven't been told everything, of course," Maisie replied. "But it seems she was being threatened by someone from outside who had instructed her to get the medical records of senior agents."

"This is indeed correct," confirmed Alexander Waverly as he entered the room. "Miss Bruce has given us the name of the man who was threatening her, and we have agents out looking for him."

"What will happen to her?" Illya asked. He found that he was beginning to feel sorry for her.

"We don't believe that she has done anything like this before, so we are going to keep her on," Waverly told him. "She will, of course, be restricted in where she can go, and a very close eye will be kept on her. I am convinced she was forced into a situation she couldn't get out of, and was too afraid to report."

The Old Man took his leave, muttering something about having his top team out of action yet again. Nurse Redfearn plumped up the pillows of both her patients.

"From now on, Mr Kuryakin, hang around here as much as you like."

"I will be out of here as soon as I am able; if not sooner."

Napoleon barked out a laugh. That was the Illya Kuryakin he knew.