Chapter 3

Two days later, the beeping of Jo's communicator interrupted supper. "Kuryakin here."

"Is Mr. Kuryakin there with you?"

"Yes, sir," Illya called out.

"We have a problem. Mr. Solo was kidnapped from the safe house. We have reason to believe they're heading out to California with him. He had just finished giving up the rest of the information including the other codes and passwords that you'll need Miss Kuryakin to complete your part of the assignment. I'll have this information sent by carrier. Be on the watch for Mr. Solo.' Waverly instructed them, "However, your assignment comes first. After all Mr. Solo is quite resourceful on his own."

Jo closed the communicator giving it an irritating glance and looked at Illya. "You know, someday I will say what I am thinking before he hangs up."

"Sure you will. Just like the rest of us will" shaking his head to mean it would never happen.

"I will search for him around the building and see if I can find out anything. You look into their communications. One of us should be able to come up with something. Otherwise, we might need to do a little night work," Illya proposed.

….

Napoleon had just finished his report to Waverly including the other codes and passwords. He was napping when a crash of the door brought him awake. Before he could reach his gun, two THRUSH agents were at the bedroom door with their guns pointed at him. He heard the cough of a silencer and loss consciousness.

Waking up Napoleon kept his eyes closed and used his other senses to decide where he was. The bed he was on was soft and comfortable; covers were keeping him warm. Not the usual Thrush cell he was used to. Two voices spoke softly about his condition. That was strange as he had been at a safe house, and the doctors had just given him an okay for discharge from medical although on desk duty at work, he was no longer considered invalid.

Slowly he opened his eyes and looked around. A beautiful nurse was looking over him with a doctor right behind her.

"Well hello Mr. Solo, I am glad to see you are awake. I am nurse Grace, and this is Dr. Wilson. We were worried about you after the attack."

Well they were admitting that the house had been attacked, but were they really UNCLE.

"Where am I? Last I remember was sleeping in my bed and there was a lot of gunfire. Then someone shot me."

"Yes, yes Mr. Solo. Thrush attacked the safe house, but we were able to get you back before they took you. Mr. Waverly had you transferred to this secure wing of the hospital until we make sure there are no side effects of the drug they shot you with," the doctor explained. "He wanted to make sure that you were okay before continuing with the report."

Napoleon continued to keep his face from showing his true feelings. They did not know that he had finished his report, strike one. Thrush was playing one of their games, and he intended to play right along with them for a while. Agents were not put into the general hospitals unless in critical condition. Medical could handle any other problems.

"I can't wait to get back to the report. When can I be released? I have no side effects that I can notice."

"Sorry Mr. Solo, but Mr. Waverly left orders that you were to stay here until we clear you," the doctor insisted.

"Okay, give me my communicator, and I'll contact him. I have information that he needs", Napoleon dangled the bait in front of them. He knew they would want to find out what he knew, but how they were going to get out of letting him reach Waverly should be interesting.

"I am sorry Mr. Solo, but Mr. Waverly said he would be out of touch for the next few days" Napoleon knew that this wasn't true as the Old Man was setting up a conference in a few days, strike two. "However, if this is really important, a Mr. Snide from interrogation has been waiting for you to wake up. Would you like me to get him?"

"No, this is need to know information, and only Mr. Waverly is to have access to it. How about you give me my communicator, and I'll contact him directly," he suggested again.

"Well to be honest with you, it wasn't brought in with you. Why don't you get some rest, and I'll see what I can do about having them deliver it here for you," Dr. Wilson suggested, strike three.

After the two left, Napoleon quickly left the bed, searched the room, and attempted to open the door—locked no surprise there. Finding his clothes in the closet, he searched each pocket—empty. However, they did leave some of his toys such as his exploding buttons on his shirt, if he could just figure out what they were up to.

The doctor came in later with some 'medication'. When asked what it was, he assured Napoleon that it was just a relaxer. Napoleon refused the injection, which upset the doctor.

"Now Mr. Solo, I have heard about you agents in Section 2. I feel that it is important that you rest to complete the healing process. Mr. Waverly did order that you were to follow medical directions."

"Even Mr. Waverly knows how I felt about drugs. No drugs doctor," Napoleon responded with anger. "I'll not need anything to relax", with this, the doctor left the room. "Wonder what is next?" Napoleon said to himself.

It didn't take long for that question to be answered. The door open and two large Thrush goons entered the room with the doctor.

"Enough of these games Mr. Solo. Quite obviously, you know where you are and what's going on. We want to know how much of the list of codes and passwords you have remembered, and we want it now."

"List, what list?" Napoleon asked innocently.

"Games, Mr. Solo. Let's not insult one another. You have the list of codes to our programs, and we want to know how many of these codes UNCLE knows, and who was given the list."

"Sorry, I can't remember. My memory, you know," he grinned at his captures tapping his head.

"Mr. Solo, you will find that your sense of humor doesn't amuse me. Gentlemen see if you can get Mr. Solo to share his information with us. Remember, however, we need him alive. I'll be back with some drugs later after you have softened him up a bit," the doctor directed.

….

When Napoleon next woke up next, he was in a typical Thrush cell. His body hurt all over, and blood smeared his face and head. He was attached to the wall with hand manacles. No one was in the cell with him, and he heard nothing from the hall. Looking over his clothes, he still remained in the pjs from before and therefore had none of his toys located throughout his clothes. Wondering when his interrogator would return, he looked around for a way to escape. None was visible at this time, but he was never one to believe an opportunity won't come along.

A few hours later, the two goons and Wilson entered the cell. They had a chair, which was set up in the middle of the floor. Napoleon was released from his manacles and taken to the chair. Before they were able to seat him, he broke loose attacking one of the men. The door opened and two other men with rifles arrived.

"The easy way or the hard way, Mr. Solo?" Wilson asked.

Napoleon raised his hands with a shrug and sat down. Quickly his hands were bond to the chair arms.

"Now Mr. Solo, I have a new truth drug from Thrush. You're to be our guinea pig. I've been told that each time you refuse to give me an answer to a question or an untrue answer, severe pain will shoot through your body becoming progressively more painful. There will be no physical signs of torture just mentally well…. Perhaps you'd like to talk before we see if this drug lives up to Thrush's specifications."

"No thanks. Wouldn't want your new drug to be use without a trial run," Napoleon answered with a sparkling grin.

"Actually Mr. Solo, I'm glad you feel that way. That is the type of response I have heard about that you are famous for, but again I am not amused. I think the test run should be very enlightening. Push up his sleeve and hold his arm still" with that Wilson injected Napoleon with the new drug.

At first Napoleon felt nothing and wondering if it was really working. Wilson asked him for his name and position. Napoleon who was ignoring him when suddenly he was hit with a wave of pain. It started in his head and tore throughout his body.

"Answer now Mr. Solo or you'll find that the pain will continue to get worse."

To determine exactly what would happen with the drug, Napoleon answered the first question, which would give nothing that they didn't know already. As soon as he answered with his name and position, the pain disappeared. Well, he knew how the drug worked now. However, he also knew that this was the beginning of a lot of pain as he won't betray UNCLE.

….

Because of the pain, drugs, and beatings caused him frequently to pass out from the torture, so he didn't know if hours or days had passed when he blacked out again.

"Leave him to think about the drug's effect. After all, anticipation is often worse than the actual pain" Wilson directed as they left Napoleon lying on the cot.

Later on after several more rounds of drugs and softening up, Napoleon was having a hard time even getting to his feet. Which was worse he wondered—the drug and the waiting. Beatings weren't new to him, but he did believe that the combination would get to the point where he wouldn't recover from one of the rounds.

….

Unsure how long he had been held in the cell when Wilson entered and directed his men to escort Napoleon to another cell, he looked up at Wilson not making a move to rise.

"Sorry, old man but my social calendar is filled up for the night," Napoleon said turning his back to Wilson attempting to get a rise out of him.

"I see you still have your sense of humor Mr. Solo, let's see if you can keep it. Get him up and place him in with the other one." Wilson directed as he moved out the door