"Survival School...this is what they call it?" Illya mumbled to himself, as he looked around the lush plant life on the semi-tropical island. He and the fourteen recruits disembarked from the submarine that had brought them there and made their way up from the pier along a path cut through the foliage and palm trees. It looked more like paradise than a camp, especially when he remembered his survival training back in Russia.
His thoughts went instantly to the forced marches during his GRU training in three feet of snow wearing only underwear and boots. "That was survival" he said to himself. Though he was already finding the temperature a bit uncomfortable on the island as he was not accustomed to heat and humidity.
As they approached the compound Illya stopped himself, feeling a bit uneasy. It was fenced in such a way that it reminded him of a concentration camp...the only things missing were the armed guards in watch towers. The recruits moved through the gate as it was opened for them and quickly lined up in formation and dropped their duffle bags at their feet. One by one a man called out the names of the recruits and each acknowledged themselves.
"Jacobs, Miller, Stone, Anderson, Lerhner, MacKenzie, Spinelli, Jablonski, Kuryakin." Jules Cutter stopped at Illya's name, momentarily eyeing the Russian up and down, then shaking his head; he proceeded with the rest of the names, "Kennedy, Schmidt, Paulsen, and two female recruits, Jackson and Savio."
"Welcome to the agent training facility of The United Network Command for Law and Enforcement. I am Jules Cutter the head of this school. You are here to learn the skills that will keep your sorry asses from getting killed in the field as operatives for this organization."
Many of you have experience from your previous jobs and I tell you right here and now that doesn't mean squat! So forget any namby-pamby training that you had. Your candy-asses are mine here, and you are nothing but a blank sheet of paper for me and only me to write, on am I clear?"
There was no answer at first and he repeated loudly, "AM I CLEAR?"
Those with a military background took the lead, responding,"Sir, Yes Sir!"
Cutter spotted one of the recruits with a little smirk on his face.
"You think that's funny Mister? Cutter snarled as he looked down at the list of names on his clipboard "...Jablonski?"
"No sir," replied the man, now embarrassed for having been singled out.
"I can't hear you...you little puke!"
"NO SIR!" answered Jablonski.
"Well boy...you drop and give me twenty-five right now!
The man instantly lowered himself to the ground and began to perform push ups, counting aloud as he did so.
"I am not here to coddle you and to hold your hands people, so get this through those thick little skulls of yours right now. You are here to learn to survive! If you make it out into the field as agents, there will be no one to pick you up off your butts if you fall down... unless you are good enough to earn yourself a partner with this here organization!"
"You will be quartered in barracks number four...the females in number seven. Now get yourselves settled in and back here in fifteen minutes dressed to run. HOP TO IT!" he barked," Dismissed!"
"Holy crap!" Illya heard one of other recruits mutter," I didn't know we'd be back in boot camp?
Yeah," said another" do you believe that guy?"
lllya picked up his bag, heading for the building and once inside he chose a bunk midway down the line. He unpacked his clothes and toiletries as nothing else was permitted. His weapons, communicator and everything else UNCLE that he possessed had been sent on to headquarters in New York and awaited his return from this mysterious island located somewhere in the middle of the Pacific. There was obviously no doubt in Alexander Waverly's mind that his Russian would pass Survival School, it was a mere formality he attend and nothing more.
He quickly changed to his running shorts, a loose fitting t-shirt and sneakers and headed immediately out to the compound, finding he was the first to arrive.
Jules Cutter walked over to him."So Comrade, you're Alexander's pet project?"
"Excuse me sir?' Illya answered, not letting on that he had heard that term spoken before in reference to him.
"Don't pull that with me you little "Pinko faggot!"
Illya had heard that term before referenced to himself as well.
"I do not understand, sir. Can you please clarify the need to refer to me with such slurs?"
"Shut your pie hole Kury-a-kin! You, with your sissy-Mary long hair, will not address me unless asked and you will not question the manner in which I speak to you! Now you drop right now and give me fifty!
Illya sighed, lowering himself and began his push ups.
Cutter leaned down to him, whispering, "And just for that sigh, you can add another twenty-five to the count. Now let me hear you, you sorry son of a bitch!"
Illya began calling out his count...seven, eight, nine..."
Most of the other recruits had arrived and lined up around the Russian as he completed his punishment. Illya rose to join them in formation; his t-shirt soaked in perspiration, clinging to his skin, but he was none the worse for wear.
A man in running gear had joined Cutter in front of the recruits and began to speak.
"I am Professor Franco Manetti otherwise known as "Il dottore" for those of you who don't understand the lingo, that means 'the doctor.' I will be your lead trainer for the duration of your stay at this facility. Gentlemen and ladies, we will begin with a five mile run across the island, going forward we will do this every morning a zero-five hundred hours."
"The course will vary each day, and it will be filled with traps and obstacles. It is your job to navigate and complete this course without getting caught. There will be days when you run it in teams. You will learn to cooperate while completing the course. I warn you now, trust is not a thing to be given and must be earned. At times in this course, some of your fellow recruits may or may not be instructed to work in opposition to you. You will learn to be vigilant at all times! NOW, let's go PEOPLE!"
They moved out, following Il dottore along a path leading into the jungle and after a short distance, the man disappeared, leaving the recruits on their own to find their way, tracking through the dense growth, looking for signs telling them the way to go.
The majority of the recruits were gung ho and Illya knew that sort of attitude would get them into trouble...so he hung back waiting and observing. One by one he watched them get caught in snares, pits and other assorted traps until he and the German named Lerhner were the only ones left.
Eric Lehrner who seemed to be doing quite well, but only until Illya realized he was tripping up his fellow trainees.
He matched Lehrner step for step for step as they continued running through the woods and avoided the man's attempts to distract him from paying attention along the course. There was a close call when Lehrner threw a sizeable tree branch in his path, trying to trip him into falling into a muddy pool of water, but at the last minute Illya dodged the projectile and actually strode ahead of the man. After completing the run, the two emerged from the jungle and back to the compound unscathed.
"You had better watch out you Russian pig, I will not let you best me. I plan to graduate number one in this class, and I don't care whose back I have to stand on to do it." Eric sneered at him, with a pompous attitude.
"Do what you want Eric, but you will not succeed. Cheating will always backfire on those who choose to use it for ill gotten gains."
"Just stay out of my way Kuryakin," Lehrner warned him rudely.
Illya's response was to simply roll his eyes.
Over the next five months Illya Kuryakin and Eric Lehrner developed a strong rivalry, being the only ones who managed to consistently evade capture during the morning runs. The recruits received not only physical training, dodging bullets in live-fire obstacle courses, weapons and explosives training, but in the art of dead-drops, interrogation and so forth... all things that Illya Kuryakin was very familiar with already, giving him a bit of an advantage over the others and of course Eric.
Eventually even Lehrner could not keep up, always finishing second to Kuryakin. The rivalry, turned into resentment on the Germans part, and eventually everyone gave him the cold shoulder.
Illya never flaunted his abilities and kept to himself, sometimes not by choice as most of the recruits did not like the idea a Russian Communist being among their ranks. Illya found it ironic though though that when it came time for teamwork and team competitions, his help was generally sought out over that of Eric Lehrner's.
Cutter threw things at the Russian, constantly increasing the difficulty of his tasks trying to trip him up and each time Illya surprised the man by succeeding again and again, sometimes barely, but he succeeded nonetheless. It was then that Illya began to hear the name "Napoleon Solo" repeated by Cutter and the other trainers.
"Who is this Solo? His name keeps coming up." Illya asked his fellow recruits.
"He's the best of the best." They told him. "Napoleon Solo had been recruited to U.N.C.L.E. by Alexander Waverly himself and was now a Section II agent in New York working directly under Waverly. He'd graduated from Survival School two years prior and his unparalleled performances had now set the bar by which all new recruits were judged.
Illya gave a crooked, half smile. He too had been recruited by Waverly, but modestly told him not to say anything. He found himself drawn to this Solo and when looking at the records held at the school, the man's name appeared at the top of almost every list.
This was a worthy opponent, and not Eric Lerhner. Illya decided to make a concerted effort to beat Solos records and by the time graduation approached, he had managed to tie and break a good many of Solo's records. Begrudgingly, Cutter began to see the Russian in a different light.
Illya Kuryakin was smart, hardworking and dedicated. The man took what ever was dealt him with stoicism and had not once uttered a word of complaint. Though he seemed to be a loner, Kuryakin still was able the function as a team member when it was required of him. The prejudices of the other recruits were not lost on Jules Cutter, who had been guilty of it himself when it came to the Russian, but now his feelings were changed.
When it came time for he the final oath of allegiance to UNCLE to be sworn in blood by nine of the original fourteen recruits, including the Russian; Jules Cutter knew that he had misjudged Illya Kuryakin. It was only Kuryakin and Lehrner that were graduated as Section II agents...though no one knew Illya had been previously classified that while stationed in London, another of Waverly's well-kept secrets regarding his Russian.
Jules Cutter called Illya into his office asking him to sit for a moment.
"Listen son, I know I rode you pretty hard, but I have to say you came through with flying colors. I was against Alexander's idea of bringing a Soviet into the organization, but now after seeing you in action, I realize that you are a man of integrity and honor. I'd like to offer you my hand in a personal welcome to the fold."
"Thank you sir," Illya replied. " I will try not to let you down." He was flattered that a hard nose American patriot like Jules Cutter was now willing to accept him, a Russian Communist on equal terms. Still that didn't soften Cutter in the least, he was still a hard nosed military man.
As a reward for Kuryakin's successes and attitude; Cutter asked him to stay on for the month after graduation to teach one of their courses in explosives... an area in which Illya displayed a definite knowledge and talent for.
Illya finally left Survival School in the spring, heading to his new life in New York, where he knew he would eventually meet Napoleon Solo. He felt himself bristle slightly at the thought, as his competitive nature surfaced. That meeting he, was sure, would be indeed interesting and wondered if a rivalry would develop between the two of them as it had between himself and Eric Lehrner.
Eric was a pompous, self-absorbed ass that Illya would not miss, and was glad he'd been assigned to the West Berlin office. Harry Beldon was welcome to him...
The question on Kuryakin's mind as he entered headquarters in New York for the time was ...would Napoleon Solo be such a man such as Eric..only time would tell.