Illya looked along the rift of the mass of granite. He knew this rift was the easiest way to split the lump but had to be careful to get what he wanted. The piece of granite needed to have the duck still contain in it.
"Come on Illya, break the thing and let's get out of here. Thrush isn't going to wait all day before they come looking for us."
"I don't want to break the duck and surrounding rock."
"I don't need a duck we need that silver marble buried in the granite. .
"Really Napoleon, don't you ever try to improve yourself. First of all, granite is made up of quartz, mica and feldspar and takes a long time to form normally. Second of all that playing marble you are pointing out is called a duck. So the question is how did that duck get into this mass of granite when it take thousands of years for granite to form."
"I still don't see why Waverly wants it, but would also like to know how Thrush managed to insert it into that hunk of rock."
We are not going to be able to answer the question if you cause me to destroy it while trying to get a sample we can move. Now please be quiet. I need to strike this just right, or it will crack. We will then lose what we need. I do not want to explain to Mr. Waverly why we couldn't bring back something so simple."
"Then I'm afraid your Mr. Waverly will be very disappointed, Mr. Kuryakin. If you and Mr. Solo will be so kind as to step back from the rock and place your hands behind your backs." A group of Thrush agents surrounded them with their rifles aimed at their heads while one man stepped forward to cuff their hands behind their backs.
…..
The men were escorted into a lab, placed in chairs, and shackled into chairs.
"Did you never hear that curiosity killed the cat, Mr. Kuryakin?" the professor said as he looked over screens and turning knobs on the desk in front of him.
"It is a habit I find hard to break," the Russian answered while moving to get his lock pit out of the cuff of his jacket. Then to play for time, "What exactly are you doing?"
The Professor had his men place Napoleon in a booth before sending the men out of the room. He then began turning dials causing them to hum.
Stopping he turned to Illya. "You see Mr. Kuryakin, I have found a way to embed items within the solid stone."
"Why granite? It is a combination of elements, not one solid one. And why would you want to do it? Besides are you sure it even works?" Illya finally had managed to get the lock pit out and began working on the lock hoping that his question had distracted the scientist long enough to get released.
The Professor paced back and forth, pulling at his hair and becoming aggravated. "Thrush. They thought it's a waste of time but then when they found out what I achieved they wanted it for their own. I showed them. I never wrote down what I did. It's all in my mind. They can't get rid of me."
As Illya released the second restraint, the Professor slowly stopped pacing and turned back toward him which gave Illya enough time to place his hands back on the arms of the chair. "Enough! You wouldn't understand my process so I will prove it. Now, Mr. Solo, you'll give Mr. Kuryakin a demonstration of how well my experiment works."
"That's okay I'm sure he doesn't need one. He'll take your word for it, right Illya?" Napoleon struggled a little with the restraints.
Instead of replying, the Professor turned back to the panel and began turning dials again. Illya moved quickly knocking the man out just as he was going to push down the lever.
"Can you get me out of here please?" Napoleon sounded testy as he pulled on the manacles.
Grinning Illya released his partner.
"One of these days you're going to get me killed irritating our capturers," Napoleon complained rubbing his wrist.
"You are free, now we can leave through that door, it heads outside. I can arrange the wires to overload and blow this place. Waverly should be happy with the Professor." Illya began moving wires from one location to the other.
As Napoleon pulled the Professor out the door, Illya pulled the lever down to start the machine. The agents managed to get the scientist to the tree line before the building blew taking the machine and the Thrush agents inside out.
…..
"That did not go well. The Professor is completely mad. He is just walking around the cell talking nonsense." Illya said as he entered his office throwing a piece of granite with the silver duck embedded in it. "I guess we will never find out how he managed to do this."
He noticed Napoleon quickly closing a thesaurus on his desk. "What are you looking up?"
"Nothing. Good luck with that hunk of stone." Napoleon said as he headed out the door. "I have a meeting see you later."
After Napoleon had left, Illya's curiosity got the better of him. He picked up the book his partner had been looking at and found two bookmarks. Opening the book to the first one he found the word duck underlined, the second had the word rift underlined.
As a smirk started to appear on the Russian's face, Napoleon walked back in, grabbed the book and exited again mumbling about irritating Russians.