Napoleon Solo was tired. It had been a long day, a long boring day. One more long boring day.
They were looking at him with envy, a barely disguised envy. Envy, he could understand. But the older Section 2 agents pursed their lips doubtfully. The younger Section 2 agents pursed their lips doubtfully. Their inquiring gazes were aggravating. Why him? Why not me? Napoleon Solo could read the question in their eyes. He could hear them think.
A few months ago, they were his friends. Friends? No, not exactly. Uncle Section 2 agents were not used to have friends. They had fellows. They spoke, joked, acted in a friendly way.
They still did, politely.
Napoleon Solo felt a bit disenchanted. Being an Uncle agent, a Section 2, a field agent was something extraordinary. It was a dangerous life, demanding, amazing, and so exciting.
Until this day.
Alexander Waverly had called many people in his office. At the end of the day, it had been his turn. The Section 1 Number 1 was sitting behind his desk, and he had stared at him over his glasses.
Napoleon Solo liked challenges. Waverly had decided that he would be the new CEA. The Chief of Enforcement Agents.
-I have put your name forward for this post, Mr Solo. What do you think?
What did he think? Of course, he wanted to! He knew that he would do well. It was not ambition. He had dreamt of it. And it was worth the effort.
But though he never pulled rank on the other agents, he was their superior. They knew it.
When they had to work at his side, on an assignment, they were all that he could expect from a partner: faithful, efficient. But they kept their distance.
When he met them, when they talked, when they joked, they were nice, smiling. But they always kept their distance.
And Napoleon Solo sighed. He had been one of them. He had worked with the previous CEA. He had kept his distance, too. A chief had to be alone...
When he came back from Waverly's office, he felt better. An exciting assignment... an evil Thrush plot. Something to do. He sat on his couch, ready to study the file. Anyway, he was still amazed. Waverly and his strange ideas. The Old Man had intended to get a Russian agent at the New York HQ. He had told him about it, a few days ago. Napoleon Solo knew that there were some of them in London, but well, a Russian, here...
-The young man I told you about has apparently chosen to stay at the London HQ. Anyway, probably, it was not a very wise idea.
Napoleon Solo sighed. It might have been an interesting experience. Some day, he would be Section 1 Number 1, if he survived - and he would survive -, and he would try to realize Waverly's dream. Some day.