Illya took the paper from his partner's hands holding it up to the light; examining it carefully and looking at it at different angles. Then suddenly handed it back to Napoleon as he grabbed his handkerchief from his pocket; sneezing violently.
"You can't be allergic to a piece of paper?" Solo blurted out.
"Dno," Kuryakin sniffled, "The janitor's closet that I was hidden in at the college was full of cleaning chembicals and dust," he blew his nose again." Napoleon...you are full of hot air, just get close and breathe heavily on the paper. I suspect it is invisible ink."
He clicked his tongue at the Russian's comment then took a deep breath; exhaling on the document. A minute later handwriting in a light brown ink appeared quite clearly.
Solo looked it over..."Well will you look at that?These guys have to complicate matters don't they? It's not written in Russian but it looks similar, can you read it?" he said handing it back to his partner.
"Tse tomu, shsho tse vona Ukranïns'koyu." said Kuryakin.
"What?"
"I said that it is because it is in Ukranian. It says luncheon at one then both he and his brother are scheduled for a round-table discussion for an hour, beginning at three o'clock. Again a brief time to meet with colleagues after the discussion. Back to their hotel rooms ...then they leave at five for a dinner engagement out on the north end of Long Island at the Russian Consulate quarters in Glen Cove Mansion, then back to the hotel by midnight for lights out."
"Tomorrow Mikhail lectures at one, Vladimir at two, then another round table at four. Then dinner after which they are scheduled to head out to Kennedy for their return light to Moskva at eight o'clock."
"That gives us an opportunity at the college...we could cause a disruption during the round table and get them out in the confusion." Illya suggested."Or we could go to their hotel room while they are at the round-table secure the premises...we can take their guards by surprise and absconde with them once they return to their room."
"Or we can take them on the way out to Long Island." added Napoleon," or the way back."
Illya rubbed his tired eyes."This is making me perturbed; all too easy and too many options. When it is easy; there is alway trouble."
"Stop your worrying will you? Why do you always think something will go wrong?"
"Because my friend...it usually does?"
"Not always! So of the three scenarios which do you feel the least fatalistic about? Napoleon smiled.
"The round table...of course," Illya said," distraction would be the best recourse...less likely to have a physical confrontation with KGB."
"If I can cause enough confusion perhaps cutting the power and hitting a fire alarm...the emergency lighting will help us see but will also contribute to the chaos...Then you grab one brother...I grab the other and as Elliott would say...Bob is your Uncle and Fannie is your Aunt."
"Good, that's what I thought too...and how the hell is it you can get British colloquialisms and not American ones?"
"Because they make more sense to me and do not forget I refined my useage of the English language in the British Commonwealth?"
"Illya...you've lived here longer than you lived in England."
"Precisely" the Russian smiled.
Napoleon didn't get that one at all; at the moment he was not in the mood to try and figure out his partner's circuitous response.
The delegates gathered in the main conference for the first round-table discussion of the day...and as Illya feared something was already was going wrong. Mikhail Zakarov
was not present as their schedule had indicated he would be.
Illya swept the carpet with his broom and dustpan glancing around carefully; looking for any sign of the man but had no success...he ducked behind a large palm tree contacting his partner.
"Napoleon...Mikhail is not there. I have a bad feeling they will be keeping the two of them apart for the entire conference; by doing so KGB decreases the odds anything will happen as they know one brother would not leave without the other."
"I suggest we proceed with the plan as we discussed as the KGB would not expect an attempt while the brothers are separated," Napoleon answered." I'll get Vladimir to tell me where Mikhail is, then you can go get him while I get Vladimir to the safe house. Then you can meet us there."
"Agreed. Illya looked at his watch. I will cut the power at precisely three-fifty eight...just make sure you are seated directly next to Vladimir. Remember...once I leave the janitor's closet I will not be able to prompt you in the discussions as I will be seen, so you will be on your own."
"Just don't take too long?" Napoleon said.
Illya settled into the janitor's closet; pulling out his communicator taking a moment to contact Elliott while Napoleon was on his way to the conference room.
"Mc Gowan here."
"Annushka how is Demyachka...I am worried about him?"
"Illya, I didn't want ta risk contacting ye. Don't get upset... but we're at the emergency room. Demmy's temperature was going up. The pediatrician recommended...well if it got too high; he could convulse. It was not an actual emergency; it was done as a precaution alright...please try not ta worry, he's in good hands."
"Der'mo," he cursed, looking at his watch."Elliott I have to go...I will call you back later."
Napoleon positioned himself to the right of Vladimir Zakarov and leaning into him; whispering into he man's ear.
"There's going to be a distraction near the close of the round-table...I need you to be ready to move quickly and stay with me."
""What about my brother?"
"Where do they have him?"
"They are holding him in a reading room on the second floor."
Napoleon whispered into his transmitter. "Got that?"
"YES! Got it!" Illya answered with an extremely agitated tone of voice.
"You O.K. tovarisch?"
"Fine...just let me listen in to what is being said alright?"he answered being very oddly short with his partner.
Vladimir had already begun the the discussions as Kuryakin listened in carefully, trying not to let the news about his son distract him.
"You see the fundamental physics of high power fibre lasers do not differ from the experimental communications fibre laser...varying in only their power levels in the 1.5 micron to 1.8 micron range..."
"My country," said a delegate from France," is hoping to
develop a single fibre laser mode output of 1 kiloWatt...this would pull the technology into the domain of viable weaponry."
"Napoleon...say the following," Efficiency of the design would be limited by the effieciency of the pump laser." Solo added his bit as the converstion went on ad nauseum.
Then an American scientist added." Ah, but someday we will have laser output on the order of 100 kiloWatts or more..."
"Preposterous!" Illya blurted out, which was immediately repeated by Napoleon.
Illya realizing that he needed to back that statement up told his partner to argue the point thusly..." to achieve this, the power per firbre must be increased and optical hardware to combine the output of multiple HPFLS is necessary... effectively cooling the pump lasers and the HPFL spools are required..."
"Quite right,"said the German as he lifted his spectacles to his forehead; peering at Napoleon's name tag.
"Dr. Solamente...is it? How is it I have never met or heard of you before? You are quite learned in the field and are very current on the latest theories..."
There was no help from Illya at this point as Napoleon glanced at his watch, seeing that it was a minute before the power was to be shut down.
"Umm lucky I guess?" Napoleon smiled weakly.
Illya stepped out from the closet carrying his broom and dust bin again sweeping the carpet before turning to head around the corner to the corridor where the circuit breaker panel was located...but as he turned; he walked straight into a man that had suddenly appeared behind him...
They were both started for a second, then the man glared at him...but with a look of recognition.
"Illya?" the auburn haired man spoke his name.
The Russian lowered his head a little...then adjusted his voice, speaking in broken English, with an Italian accent.
"No speaka gooda Englisha...sorry. Non capisco_I do not understand. He kept up the pretense of sweeping the floor trying to
The man spoke to him in Russian,"Oh nyet...vy Illya Kuryakin. Kak vy mogli ne znat; menya, dorogay_Oh no...you ARE Illya Kuryakin. How could you not know me dear..."
"I know you Kiril Andropov..." Illya growled.
"So I suppose your are here with U.N.C.L.E. to do something with our scientists?" Kiril said drawing his Tokarov; aiming it at Kuryakin.
Illya let the broom and dustbin fall to the side as he raised his hands infront of himself slowly.
Napoleon looked as his watch nervously...Illya was late and the discussion had concluded. The delegates stood to leave and the KGB escort stepped over taking custody of Vladimir Zakarov.
"Damn!" Solo cursed to himself as he hurried out of the conference room in search safe spot to try and contact his missing partner.
Illya looked into Kiril's familiar blue eyes..."So what do you plan to do with me?"
"I could take you back home...repatriate you as I have heard you are now a defector. It does not surprise me that you let the western ways corrupt you...you were always the idealist and arrogant. You with your superior intellect always acting like you were better than everyone."
"No...not better. That is not true. What is true about you is that you were always jealous of me...since we were children. You could not accept the fact that you could not measure up." Illya suddenly quoted from the bible to Kiril...
"Were you not always the one who had been 'weighed on the scales and found wanting'...Kiril Andropov."
"Enough! I should just kill you here but either way you are a dead man...once the Directorate is done with you. You should only hope they show you mercy and send you to gulag!"
Kiril threw his head back; laughing wickedly at that thought and that was the moment that Illya took to strike out...ramming the heel of his right hand up under Kiril's upraised chin; sending the KGB agent reeling backwards. Illya dove at him, grappling for the Tokarov. He grabbed Kiril's wrist in both his hands; smashing it against his thigh again and again until the man released his grip on the weapon, letting it fall to the floor.
Then Illya took a full swing with his fist; punching Kiril in the face. The man spun around once in place as he crumpled to the floor unconscious.
"You will never change Kiril...over confindant as ever," Illya said as he dragged the man into the janitor's closet.
There he bound Kiril's hands and feet with extension cords and covered his mouth with a strip of silver duct tape.
"Illya where the hell are you?" he heard Napoleon's voice in his earpeice.
"I am back in the janitor's closet..."Illya answered then suddenly sneezed again,"unfortunately I ran into one of the KGB agents," he paused for a second," who recognized me. I just finished subduing him. I know I missed our window of opportunity...and now this one will be on the missing list; so the other agents will be alerted. So now things have become complicated...I told you it was all too easy."
"A salute_ to your health," he said in Italian as his partner sneezed. "Well then Mr. Cheerful...looks like we'll have to resort to plan B then," sighed Napoleon.
"And which is plan B prey tell?"
"I haven't decided yet."
"Oh good...I thought I had missed out on something important...Shall we regoup across the street at the hotel?"
"What else is there to do? See you there...I'll bring us something to eat."
Napoleon found his partner sitting on the bed speaking into his communicator when he arrived with a couple of club sanwiches and cups of coffee for them.
"Nyet nikakih izmeneniy?... Ua dolshen idti snova Annushka...Ya budnu nazyvat'vas, kogda ya v sutoyanii_There is no change?...I must go again Annushka...I will call you when I am able. I love you...stay strong."
Napoleon understood enough Russian to know that something was going on. "Illya what's wrong?"
"Nothing," he answered showing no emotion at all.
"Bullshit...something is wrong. Is Elliott alright?"
"She is fine...it is Demya. She had to take him to the emergency room."
Napoleon became alarmed."What happened?"
"His temperature began to climb...the doctor ordered it as a precautionary move; he was concerned Demya could begin to convulse."
"Oh Jeeze Illya I'm sorry...and you're stuck here."
"He is in good hands and his mother is with him," there would be nothing I could do if I were there I suppose...but I would still rather be there with him regardless. He is a brave boy but of course he told Elliott that he wants his papa...but then he wanted Boris as well?"
"Boris...who's that?"
"I brought him home a kitten. He has been asking about a baby brother and ah...I gave him the pet as a surrogate to get him off the brother issuse."
"A kitten...you gave a little boy a kitten? No...he should have a dog; a boy should have a do...sorry I keep forgetting you are afraid of dogs. You still can't get over that?"
"No."
Napoleon offered the sandwich to Illya who uncharacteristically passed on it with a wave of his hand...but he accepted the coffee gratefully.
Elliott sat in the waiting room for emergency patients at Mount Sinai Hospital...she was getting tired of seeing this place lately; feeling as though she had only been there herself, even though she had been released over a month ago.
"? "called the head nurse,"You can go in now to see your son."
Elliott walked to the cubicle where her son lay in his hospital bed...Demya was whimpering, looking so pathetic to her.
"It's O.K. Demmy, mama is here baby. It'll be alright sweet heart," she said as she rubbed him on the back.''
"I want my papa?" he asked quietly.
"Mne shal' moya malyshku...papa robotaet s Dyadyey Napolyeona_sorry baby...papa is working with Uncle Napoleon." she whispered.
"Boris?" he whimpered again.
"No Boris...kitty cats are not allowed here. Don't worry...we'll be going home soon and ye can see papa and Boris there." Elliott only hoped that her husband would be done with his assignment by then...
"Mrs. Kuryakin? I'm Doctor Miller," the resident introduced himself to Elliott.
"I've got good news for you...we've gotten your son's temperature down...now I have to ask you some questions. I need to know what childhood diseases both you and your husband have had...?"
"Oh?" Elliott said, a little surprised at the question.
"We're going to have to abandon the conference?" Illya said," Once KGB discovers where I stashed their man; he will tell them I was here and they will go on high alert."
"Then our best bet is to try to take the brothers while they're enroute to Glen Cove," said Napoleon," I know the area well...I grew up on the Island." He pulled out a map tracing the best route they would probably use to get to the Mansion.
"But there are other possible ways they could travel yes?"
"Yes, I'm afraid so...I would say tail them to Glen Cove, then we get them on the return trip as they'll probably take the same way back to the city. I'm sure they'll be feeling pretty confident since nothing will have happened on the the trip out there. Once we get the route then I'll figure out exactly where will be the best place to hit them."
"I will find their car in the parking garage and attach a homing devise," said Illya," that way we can hang back without any chance of being seen."
"Good idea."
Illya disappeared for about a half hour then changed from his coveralls to his black suit, tie and white shirt. Napoleon ditched the lab coat and headed down to the parking garage and waited for the Russians to arrive.
They arrived on schedule...Illya noting to himself that Kiril was among the six KGB agents accompanying the two scientists. He activated the tracking devise, giving them a bit of a lead before he pulled their black sedan out from the parking garage heading up on to Laguardia, then to Washington Square near the park...then they proceeded up to 34th St. through the Mid-town tunnel to I-495 the longest part of the trip that would take just under nearly and hour and forty minutes in traffic...if it was light then maybe about an hour. The two agents listened to the steady beep-beep of the tracking signal...Illya keeping about a mile or so distance between their car and the KGB vehicle.
They took the route that Napoleon had anticipated and continued to take I-495 out to exit 37 towards Roslyn.
Then a series of local twists and turns on a number of streets until they reached Glen Cove...a fairly affluent area.
Although there were several sections of the island that were well-too-do, including where Solo had grown up and his family still resided.
"You know...after this assignment is over I think I'd like to take a trip to see the family...it's been along time since I've been home. Maybe I'll take the boat out with..."
"with whom?"
"No one in particular," Napoleon smiled.
The two agents waited...back tracking to the town of Roslyn; parking their car and waiting hear the clock tower near the corner of Main and the Old Northern Boulvard, just as the road curved. The spot was fairly wooded along a long section of the road and sparely populated; making it the perfect spot for their ambush as there were no side roads for the Russians car to detour. The two men sat quietly in their car...taking turns nodding off; saying nothing to each other and just listening to the lonely tolling of the clock tower as it reminded them of the long wait they would have.
