Chapter III
Illya had finished his lunch and was picking at his partner's fries when he glanced at his watch. I don't care what he had to do in there, he should have come out by now. He left the food on the table and went to the men's room. "Napoleon?" he called. Walking into the room and not seeing his partner, he checked each stall. He noticed another door marked "Employees Only" and stepped through it into a hallway that led to the janitor's closet and the main restaurant and had a door leading outside to the dumpsters and employees' parking.
He stepped outside and drew his Walther as he approached the dumpsters. Thankfully, his partner was not in any of them. He reached for his communicator. "Open Channel S. Napoleon? Napoleon, answer me!" When no answer was forthcoming, the knot in the pit of his stomach turned ice – cold. Taking deep breaths to stave off rising nausea, he said, "Open Channel D, Priority One."
The clipped British tones of his superior came through the communicator, "Waverly here, go ahead, Mr. Kuryakin."
"Mr. Waverly, Napoleon is missing."
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As soon as Hank had knocked the man unconscious, Jenks came out the stall and pulled him through the door into the back hallway while Hank went to get the car. Turning the car so that it blocked the view from the main parking lot, he popped open the trunk and Jenks picked up the lighter man like he was a ragdoll and threw him inside. He used the rope he had in there to hogtie him securely and placed a piece of duct tape over his mouth.
He closed the trunk and got into the front passenger seat. "Pull back around front; I have to make a call."
While Illya was searching the bathroom and the dumpsters, Jenks was in the phone bank dialing a number that was answered after three rings. "Hi, it's me. Good news: We didn't have to go all the way to New York City. Nope, Wilkes – Barre. The blond guy never saw us. Yeah, lucky for him. We should be there in about five hours, give or take." He hung up the phone, went outside and got back in the car. "Let's go."
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Napoleon came to and slowly became aware of his surroundings. He shook his head to clear it and regretted it immediately. It was hot and stuffy and he could feel movement. Great, I'm in a car trunk! I guess THRUSH didn't appreciate Illya and me ruining their plans with the geneticist. I hope Illya's not captured. He tried kicking his way out by breaking the trunk lock and failing that, kicking through the back seat. That got the attention of his captors. He felt the car pull over and heard a car door slam. Suddenly, the trunk opened and a hand holding a wet cloth covered his nose. Even as he lost consciousness again, his mind recognized he was being chloroformed. They don't want me too damaged was his last conscious thought.
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He was in a beautiful, king – sized bed with a canopy and he wasn't alone. There was a gorgeous blonde whose hands were trailing over his body in the most delicious ways and she was murmuring sweet words of love in his ear. I can almost feel her, he thought. As he got closer and closer to waking up, he realized he was feeling a body against him and someone was whispering in his ear. He opened his eyes with a start.
"Jessica! What the…what the hell is going on?" He looked around; he recognized the room as her bedroom. His arms were tied by the wrists to her brass headboard and shackles were around his ankles that seemed to be attached to the bed legs so that he was spread-eagled. He was naked and his clothes were neatly hung on a hanger on the door leading to her bathroom.
Jessica was stretched out alongside him though she was clothed. "I told you I hoped to see you again soon; I just decided that I would make that happen sooner rather than later. You like playing hard to get but, I saw through you. I knew we were destined to be together the moment I laid eyes on you. You wanted me as much as I wanted you. Any doubts I had were erased when I saw you the next morning and you smiled at me. My brother Clay did call me that morning to bring him some cash but, that's because I had removed it from his wallet before he left for work. I wanted to be there when you came downstairs. When your friend said he was making you leave, I really knew I was right about us so I called my friends and told them to bring you back here to me. I had told them the night before that I might need them to follow you. I'm sorry if they hurt you; I told them you had stolen something valuable from me but, I didn't want to involve the police. I didn't tell them it was my heart you stole."
Napoleon's mind was racing. She's insane, what can I tell her that will get me out of here? "Jessica, you're right. I didn't want to leave but, you heard my partner; he was insisting we go. Where is he, anyway? Did your friends bring him back, too?"
Jessica laughed and sat up. "No, Silly," she said, "Illya never saw my friends! They waited until you were alone and grabbed you. I didn't want Illya hurt; I just wanted to get you back. And, here you are."
Illya's unhurt! Thank God, he thought. He smiled at the young woman and said, "If I had known you felt as strongly as I did, I would have argued to stay longer. I wanted to stay here with you. I want to stay with you now. Let me show you how much." He turned up the Solo charm to heights it had never reached before.
Jessica was elated. "Of course, my darling!" She began to kiss him from his forehead to his chest and beyond.
"Jessica, wait. Two things I need to happen first: I haven't eaten since breakfast and I need to eat something and I really, really need to go to the bathroom. Untie me, please; I swear I won't try to leave. I want to stay. I really want to stay with you."
Jessica got off the bed and reached into a jewelry box on her dresser and withdrew a key. "I'll let you up so you can use the bathroom while I fix you something to eat. By the way, that gun you were carrying? I told my friends they could keep it since they helped me out with you. I'll get you another one. I promise. I hope you don't mind."
Well, that answered one question I had. I hope everything else is still in my pockets. "I carry a gun for personal protection so I'll probably want another one sometime in the future but, a gun is a gun is a gun so it doesn't matter." I don't think those guys will be able to figure out how to switch to sleep darts. I'm just hoping they hold on to it long enough for me to get it back.
"Well, you don't need protection from me but, we'll see." She unlocked one of his legs and began to untie his wrists. If my communicator is there, I'll turn on the homing signal and sit tight. If not, things are going to get violent. She rubbed his arms and asked, "Does that feel better, My Love?"
Napoleon stood up, shakily at first but, he stood. "That feels much better, thank you." He hugged her quickly around the shoulders. "Where's my dinner? I'm starving!"
Now it was her turn to smile. "I'll make you a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. I'll be right back!" she said as she dashed down the stairs. She was so happy that he wanted to stay with her. He really does want to stay with me! This is turning out to be a great day!
Napoleon listened to her go downstairs and then reached into his jacket's inside pocket and thankfully, pulled out his communicator. Working quickly, he put it together and whispered, "Open Channel S, Kuryakin."
The relief in the Russian's voice was almost palpable. "Napoleon, where…"
"I don't have a lot of time, so listen: I've been kidnapped. I'm back in Springville with Jessica. She's over the edge. I'm turning on my homing signal. Please hurry, Illya. Believe it or not, she's still an Innocent. Solo out." He placed the communicator back in his jacket pocket with the signal on and went into the bathroom.
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Illya had searched the grounds around the Howard Johnson's for an hour without finding a single clue to what happened to his partner. Mr. Waverly had dispatched fifteen Section Two and Three agents to Wilkes – Barre to assist him. Illya was stalled in his search and trying to decide whether to retrace their steps, push ahead to New York City or continue searching Wilkes – Barre when Napoleon contacted him.
He contacted Mr. Waverly to update him. They decided the best course of action was to send the other agents back to HQ along with the rental car while Illya met the UNCLE chopper and flew back to Springville to save Napoleon.
Fortunately, Napoleon's homing signal was close to a field suitable for a landing site. Illya had come alone because Napoleon had claimed Jessica was not involved with THRUSH or any other group but, he was prepared to kill if need be, to rescue his partner.