Napoleon Solo, Eric Lerhner, Miguel Fuentes, Bobby Chang and Ravi Jhaveri sat in the senior conference room with Illya Kuryakin as he conducted their briefing. He handed them copies of the proposed routes for travel from the airport going over each one in detail, as well as each of the alternate escape routes in the event there was trouble.
Napoleon would at least not have that to deal with a trip from the airport, as he would be escorting Waverly directly from headquarters to the conference suite in the Plaza. Included in the entourage of each of the continental chiefs however, would be their the assistant CEAs, personal secretaries, and their security details...this meant extra vehicles in each motorcade in addition to the one carrying the CCO and the two decoy cars...so they were looking at possibly four to six vehicles to worry about.
Each route was color-coded and would be assigned at random...so in essence no one would know which direction each of the Continental Chief's convoy would take into the city until they actually were on the move.
The flight arrivals would be monitored carefully as each was staggered to keep only one CCO en route at a time.
Again somehow Eric had managed to disrupt the meeting, challenging Kuryakin on each of the proposed routes from the airport and through the city complaining they were too long, extending travel time and exposing them to greater danger.
"Eric..." Illya said coldly," must I repeat to you that the routes that you propose would take them though more congested parts of the city putting the vehicles in traffic jams and leaving them with no possible escape!"
The Russian tried to mask his annoyance when Eric announced that Harry Beldon's flight had been change and in keeping with Beldon's flair...he had managed to have his flight to somehow be the the last scheduled to arrive at Kennedy. Harry would still have some semblance of an entrance after all...
At the conclusion of the meeting Napoleon invited Illya out to join the CEAs for a couple of drinks but he declined...
"Thank you but no...my wife and son are waiting for me and I have not spent any time them for over a week."
He overheard Eric mumble a comment out of the side of his mouth about him being priviledged...above the rules of U.N.C.L.E. in regards to the Russian's recent marriage as well as a derogatory remark about what kind of woman Elliott was to bed the Russian.
"You can say all you want about me Lehrner...but calling my wife a whore...I think not!"
Eric had finally pushed the right button with him and Illya took a swing, hitting the German squarely in the nose. The next thing everyone knew Lehrner was on top of Illya getting a couple to punches to the Russian's face as they wrestled to the floor.
Bobby Chang and Napoleon pulled them off of each other, Eric swearing that he was going to file a complaint against Kuryakin for assaulting him.
Napoleon warned Lehrner that would be a bad career move and told him just to get over it and stay away from Illya. Then he dragged his partner to the men's room to minister to his split lip.
"Why do you let him do that to you...you know he's going to try to get to you," Napoleon said as he ran the cold water faucet."You just need to ignore him...God know's you ignore everything else that people throw at you."
Illya applied a damp paper towel to his bloody lip that was now beginning to swell.
"I know you are right...I knew he would try to egg me on about something, yet I still permitted him to bother me...
I suppose that it does not help that I am so tired?"
Napoleon just gave him a look then sent him on his way, ordering him to go collect his wife, go home and get a good night's rest.
Illya walked up to Elliott's office having only seen her at the communications briefing earlier in the afternoon and of course Elliott was upset about his swollen lip as soon as he appeared in front of her. "Don't tell me that feckin' eejit Eric Lehrner?"...she jokingly offered to "take care of him" for her husband.
"No no! he said," taking her seriously," it is bad enough he wants to file a complaint against me for hitting him...
"Baby...I was only jokin'!"she laughed," I can't wait to meet this amadán_fool. Illuysha I'm sorry but I just might give him a piece of my mind...Irish style! Come on our meetings are done, let's go home, make it an early night for yerself? I'll have a nice supper ready in no time and ye can tell me yer tales of woe."
Illya just shook his head, knowing that he could not prevent his wife from having words with Lehrner as once she set her mind to doing something...there was no stopping her.
The Kuryakins arrived back at their apartment and
once Mrs. Orloff left, Elliott wrapped her arms around Illya's neck kissing him.
"My God ye are tense" she said, as his shoulders were knotted up with tension"...go take a hot shower and I'll have yer dinner ready when yer done, alright love?"
Illya turned the water on high until the bathroom was filled with steam as he undressed, stepping with a sigh into the hot water, turning his skin red as it was so hot. He leaned with one hand against the wall gritting his teeth from the temperature of the water...it hurt, but it was a good pain.
He stepped from the shower warm and relaxed as he wrapped the bath towel around his waist when he realized that Demya was standing there in the bathroom.
He could see that his son was looking at all of his scars...the boy had never seen them before as Illya always wore a shirt to cover them when the boy was around him.
"Demyachka dolaet mama naet, chto vy zdes'_Demyachka does mama know you are in here?"
"Papa why do you have so many cuts on you?
Illya quickly threw a towel over his shoulders to cover himself.
"They are called scars...just as you have on your knee from when you fell Demya and they are there because papa's job his very hard and sometimes he gets hurt."
"With Uncle Poly?"
"That is right, with Uncle Napoleon...
"Why do you get hurt?"
Illya picked Demya up in his arms," sometimes papa and Uncle Napoleon have to stop bad people from doing things to others and that is how we get hurt."
"Are you a policeman?"
Illya smiled." Sort of" he said, pleased at his son's logic"...but you must never tell anyone that...it is a big secret, yes?"
"Da..." Demmy touched a finger to one of the heavier scars on his father's chest. "does it hurt papa?"
Illya laughed. "Not at all! Come," he said distracting his son from asking any further questions, "we need to go eat supper with mama now." He put his Demya down patting him gently on the behind, sending him out to the living room and towards his mother, then he dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt.
If it were not for the laughter of Demya during dinner, there would have been complete silence. Elliott had prepared baked salmon with spinach and potatoes and a green leafy salad but watched as her husband only picked at his meal. He liked salmon...that wasn't the problem...it was that Illya was in one of his contemplative moods and Elliott recognizing the signs let her husband be.
She knew better than to push him to talk. He had a lot on his mind...not only his concerns about the security for the conference but what decisions would be made that could affect both their lives with UNCLE. He would talk, if and when he was ready.
After dinner Illya put Demmy to bed telling him the Russian tale of "The Magic Pike." The boy liked hearing these stories and having a memory like his father remembered every detail. He laid his son down in his crib, rubbing the boys back gently as he spoke softly to him...
Illya treasured these quiet moments alone with his Demya...the boy was bright and becoming quite interesting to listen to when he would make his observations on what ever had caught his attention at the moment.
The sleeping arrangements were not going to work much longer though, as the boy was getting inquisitive and curious...a larger apartment would be in order soon. Demya getting his own room and his parents getting a little privacy...
Illya began telling the story in a quiet voice, modulating it lower to help lull his son to sleep...
"In one village there lived three brothers...the eldest two were wealthy merchants, but the youngest was a foolish boy named Emelya who slept by the stove all day.
"One day he went fishing out on the frozen lake where he caught a magic pike through a hole in the ice."
"What is a pike papa?"
"a fish..." he smiled
"The fish begged to be set free promising to grant any of Emelya's wishes by saying the words, "By the pike's wish, at my command and everything will be done," it said. The boy decided then to set the fish free."
"Emelya ordered his water pails to go home by themselves, which they did...much to the surprise of his family. He ordered his axe to chop firewood, which he did. He ordered the sledge to bring the wood home for him...which it did."
"The great Tsar of all the Russias heard of this magic and sent for the boy, ordering him to his palace, where Emelya met the Tsar's daughter...he made his wish for her to fall in love with him, as she did, for he was instantly in love with her."
"The Tsar was angry and set them out onto the sea in a barrel...but Emelya wished them free and they landed on an island where he used the magic words to build them a beautiful palace where they lived together. One day the Tsar visited the island and wept to find his only daughter and Emelya who was now a handsome prince...he asked for their forgiveness and they celebrated together and lived happily ever after."
"Papa when will I have a brother?"
Illya was a little surprised at that question..."umm, someday Demyachka...now close your eyes and go to sleep please?" Illya stayed for a few minutes rubbing the boys' back until he finally drifted off.
When Illya turned away from the crib he saw his wife leaning in the doorway having listened to his fairy tale...
"Ye are a good daddy ye know that?" she smiled coming over and kissing him.
"When do ye want to make that little brother for him? she whispered, her lips brushing against her husband's ear...kissing it softly. She knew what simple things turned him on...
"Not yet," he said hoarsely," but soon."
The arousal that evaded him the night before did not abandon him now as Illya picked Elliott up into his arms, carrying her to the bed. He removed her clothes slowly, kissing her tenderly on the lips, her throat, then moving down her body, taking his time. He slipped from his clothes,then pulling the sheets over them; they made love to each other quietly, careful not to wake their son.
Elliott finally drifted to sleep beside him but Illya found that he was unable to do so.
He got out of bed around midnight, finally giving up on sleeping...then throwing on a pair of sneakers and tucking his back up pistol under his shirt and went out for a smoke.
He sat on the stoop of the apartment building as he lit up a cigarette taking a long drag on it... meaning to quit again but that never seemed to happen. He knew that smoking was a nervous habit but right now he needed when he was under a lot of pressure... and there seemed to be an endless supply of that lately.
Suddenly he felt something touch his ankle causing him to nearly jump out of his skin...until he discovered it was a kitten rubbing against him, looking bedraggled and half-starved from obviously being out in the torrential rains of the last few days...
He picked it up, setting it in his lap and it began to purr instantly... it was small perhaps a little over a month old and completely grey, with just a small star of white on it's breast. It suddenly reminded Illya of another cat that had befriended him so long ago as a child back in Kyiv... his friend Kaska, who warned him of the wild dogs in the streets saving his life so long had not thought of Kaska in a very long time.
Illya stood, cradling the little thing in his arms stroking it gently. He found he no longer wanted his cigarette and flicked it to the sidewalk, snuffing it in a small puddle with his foot.
He took the kitten back inside with him, going directly to the kitchen with it...placing it on the counter as he pulled out a piece of leftover salmon, watching with satisfaction as the tiny thing ate it all...purring all the while.
"Vy hoteli by novyí dom malen'kiy_would you like a new home little one?" he whispered to the kitten as he scratched it on the top of it's head. No brother for Demya right now...but perhaps a pet would be good for him.
"Brrrrt.." said the kitten as if giving approval.
Illya made a bed up for it in the bathroom then closed the door. He sat back down at the table looking at his notes, jotting down corrections now barely keeping his eyes open. He finally put the pen down as his handwriting began to deteriorate into a barely legible chicken-scratch...then laid his head on his arms with the intention of just resting his eyes.
When he woke up it was five in the morning...
"Did I just not go to sleep?" he thought as he dragged himself to the bathroom.
He said good morning to the kitten as he readied to shower...taking it in with him and giving it a quick bath with the soap and a rinse. It was surprisingly calm throughout the whole procedure, not clawing or hissing at all. He put the water-logged kitten on the bathroom floor then turned the cold water on full to wake himself up.
Once Illya was done with his own bathing and shaving, he towel-dried the shivering creature until it was a ball of grey fluff.
"Now you look a little more presentable to meet your new family." the Russian smiled giving the kitten a little scratch again.
He left a note for Elliott about the addition to the family in the bathroom, then looked at his watch...the cab was late?"
Illya pulled his communicator."Open channel D-Solo."
"Good morning partner," Napoleon answered cheerfully,"on your way in yet?"
"Mmm huh...taxi has not shown yet. Are you available for a lift?"
"Be there in ten minutes."
Illya was waiting at the curb when Napoleon pulled up in the car, pushing the passenger door open for him to get in.
"You look terrible Illya." Napoleon commented as his partner slipped onto the seat.
"Thank you...just what I need to hear."
"If it's any consolation...I had a late night last night and..."
Napoleon suddenly realized Illya was leaning his head against the passenger window, having nodded off to sleep even before the car had started to move.
It was a brief nap for him."Illya...wake up,"Napoleon said as he parked his car in front of Del Florias.
"Huh...sorry. I fell asleep."
"I know..." Solo chuckled.
"Napoleon...I am afraid the stress is getting to me...I could not sleep last night. I know the Summit is very important but this cost-saving nonsense by accounting is creating such risk...saving money but at the potential cost of lives. This would have so much more sensible to have had smaller meeting on different dates..."
"This has caused us to be out of the field for way too long...and our feathered friends may be up to no good because of it. I have a bad feeling they are aware our ranks are so thin out there right now. Though I do not think they would dare to try something at the Summit...it is elsewhere that has me more concerned."
"It's not just that...there's something else eating at you isn't there?"Napoleon asked. He was accustomed to his partner's moods and fatalistic outlook but knew there was something else going on for Illya to be so preoccupied.
"Napoleon...you may be losing me as a partner."
"What? What do mean?"
"Apparently Waverly's approval of my marriage to Elliott was not discussed with Section One...we may be removed from section two if they do not agree with his decision.
I never told you that both Elliott and I offered to resign from section two when we decided to marry. Waverly refused to accept them. We both realized after the fact that neither of us wanted to leave the field...but now the choice may no longer be ours."
"Well if I have anything to say about it, that's not going to happen. I've got your back, just remember that. You..you two are my family...I mean that."
"Thank you moy brat...it is good to have you in my corner as always."
The two agents stepped down the stairs to the entrance to the familiar Tailor shop...the gentle tinkle of the brass bell alerting Del to their presence.
Illya went straight up to the conference room, hitting the switch on the overhead projector to view the travel routes for the final time...he felt nauseous but was it from lack of sleep or his worries that plagued him. He was starting to feel a little cranky and knew that was not good.
He flicked the intercom switch calling to Janet...
"Can you bring in a pot of coffee... please?"
"Cream and sugar this time?"
"Nyet...thank you, just black and strong."
Janet arrived with the coffee, leaving it on the conference table as Illya did not even acknowledge that she had come and gone.
A short while later she called him from his thoughts over the intercom. "Mr. K you have your briefing with security at 11:30," she reminded him.
"Thank you Janet...and for the coffee as well." He looked at his watch...quarter past, giving him time to freshen up before the meeting.
Naploeon joined his partner at the briefing, reviewing the assignments for each location throughout the hotel. Illya would remain at headquarters, overseeing and controlling the procedure from Waverly's office...Elliott would be in communications, monitoring all chatter and relaying everything to Illya as well monitoring the video system set up in the hotel.
At one o'clock lunch was brought into the conference room, while they took a break from finalizing the preparations. Tillie had pulled out all the stops serving a choice of chicken Kiev, roast beef or swordfish...some what of a last hurrah as she would be on maternity leave beginning on Monday.
Napoleon noticed that Illya was barely eating a thing, which was very much unlike his partner. Even under the most adverse of circumstances the Russian rarely lost his appetite.
He leaned over to him..."You alright tovarisch...you're not eating. Are you sick?"
"I am not sick...but I do not feel well. I will be fine once this is all over."
"I think you need to go up to guest quarters and take a nap...I can take over here for you."
Illya looked at Napoleon indignantly..."You think I cannot do my job?"
"I didn't say that."
"You inferred it."
"I did not...stop reading into things. You're tired. I'm tired and we still have a big day ahead of us tomorrow. Let's take a break until 4:30, that way you can get some sleep and then you can be your effervescent self for the second half of the meeting."
Napoleon didn't wait for his partner's answer...
"Gentlemen...Mr. Kuryakin and I have a few other matters to attend to and we will reconvene at 4:30 for the rest of the briefing."
Illya tossed his napkin over his barely touched lunch as he headed toward the door,"Enjoy the rest of your lunch, if you will excuse us?"
The two agents walked out into the corridor, then Illya suddenly stopped, leaning his back against the wall.
"There is something wrong with you," Solo insisted, grabbing Illya by the arm.
"Nyet...I am fine." he jerked his arm free of Napoleon's grip. He took two steps forward then fainted, his partner grabbing him just in time to keep him from hitting the floor.
He lowered Illya down slowly then pulled out his communicator.
"Medical emergency"
"Yes sir, what is the emergency?"
"Mr. Kuryakin has just passed out in front of the senior conference room."
"A team is on the way sir."
Illya woke up a short time later in medical...Napoleon as usual seated at his bedside, waiting for him to come to.
"What happened Napoleon?"
"You fainted Illya," answered Dr. Max Schneider, " and not surprising as you are suffering from exhaustion...your blood sugar dropped because you haven't been eating right if at all have you? You're a bit are anemic as well..."
Illya looked at an empty plasma bottle hanging beside the bed and a band aid on his arm where a pic-line had obviously been inserted.
"I gave you a transfusion and a B-12 shot...because I know there is no way you will stay in bed...at least not until the Summit is over."
"transfusion...why?"
"You're going to need your energy...it's a temporary fix until you can get back here after it's all over... you got me? You need to start eating right again...green leafy vegetables, liver...and no more coffee!"
"You have got to be joking?"
"No I'm not joking Illya," he said flipping through the Russian's medical chart. "you have pushed the envelope a bit too far...you're not getting any younger you know."
"But I have to..."
"Look, I know what you have to do...that's the only reason why I am going to release you from medical...temporarily. But I need you to promise me you will stop second guessing yourself and worrying so much? Napoleon, he's staying here to get some sleep for second half of your security meeting is later this afternoon correct?...That'll give him a good two hours to rest."
"Illya I'm going to give you a mild sedative," Max said.
"Nyet..." Illya held up his hand," no sedatives. This I insist. I cannot be groggy."
Schneider was in no mood to spar with the stubborn Russian and rather than work Illya up into a shouting match about the sedative, he decided to just let it go.
"Alright Napoleon, out!" Nurse Walsh ordered as she hustled the senior agent to the door.
"I'll be back to get you for the meeting tovarisch," he called to his partner before being pushed out by the nurse.
She pulled the curtains and dimmed the lights as Kuryakin settled back in the bed, trying to get some rest...but it was a restless sleep that fell upon him.
He dreamt or more so had a nightmare that the Continental Chief's cars had been blown up while traveling to the hotel...from beneath in the sewers. Illya awoke with a start...that's what was troubling him! That was what he missed!
He got out of bed, dressing himself quickly, straightening his tie as he walked past the nurses station.
"Oh no you don't!" Nurse Walsh snapped.
Illya shoved his finger rudely into her face...
"Do not start with me...I have something very important to take care of!" Illya spoke harshly, then apologized, realizing she did not deserve to be addressed thusly.
"I am sorry...there is something that I neglected to do. I must remedy that as live depend upon it."
Illya headed back to the empty conference room, it was 3:00 p.m. and he had an hour and a half to to work up the additional security for the sewer system that ran under the travel routes for the motorcades.
He called through the intercom to Janet, asking for a city map showing the sewer systems, every entrance and every manhole cover.
"You're kidding?"
"Janet...please and quickly?"
"No problem Mr. K...jut give me few minutes?"
The briefing reconvened on time...Illya having the sewer system highlighted in purple along the transparency projected on the wall as the team returned.
"Gentlemen, there has been an additional security contingency added to all routes...requiring the assistance of section three agents and any other able-bodied agent we can get to cover. We will need to post them along the routes in the sewer system..not a pleasant assignment but a necessary one none the less. We need these agents here with the greatest of alacrity..."
The meeting adjourned leaving Solo and Kuryakin alone in the conference room.
"Good call on the sewer system...missed that myself." Napoleon said.
"It literally came to me in a dream,"Illya smiled..."speaking of dreams I am going up to guest quarters and going to bed."
"Where's Elliott?"
"She will be staying at home tonight...I think it is best we have no distractions tonight."
"Well, I'll be entertaining the visiting troops...sure you won't want to stop upstairs for a nightcap later...might help you sleep?"
"No thank you...though Schneider's ministrations have made me feel better...I know I need to get some sleep...so a bed beckons to me. See you in the morning."
"Good night sweet Prince," Napoleon smiled as they parted ways in the corridor.