Act 4: "Tooth and Claw"
Napoleon probably should've considered he was walking into a trap when he went after Elaine, but just as truthfully he had thought it would be a simple one. He had not expected the same freeze-gun that the other Section 2 agents had been subjected to, not after all of them had been lost to Avian or others. So when he was woken up with a splitting head ache, it was to find himself strung up spread-eagle in the air, braces on his wrist and elbows, as well as his ankles and knees making it impossible to get to any of his devices that might help him with escaping or even moving. He winced as the dim lights came up a little more to illuminate his condition and he heard Dabree say simply, "So good of you to join us, Mr. Solo. I'm sure you're eagerly awaiting Miss Salomon's arrival as well. No worries, of course. My Ethan is taking good care of her."
Napoleon glared at her past the headache before saying, "This isn't about her, Dabree. You have me. Let her go."
Dabree gave a cackling laugh that made Napoleon wince slightly at the sound, his head protesting the loud sound and the bright light after whatever that dart was that hit him. "Let her go, Mr. Solo? After all that has happened because of you," her eyes behind the thick glasses turned deadly as she moved forward, gazing up and him with deep venom, "I should just let her go? I think not. Ethan wants to keep her. He's taken a liking to her, you see, and I believe he'll do better for her then you will. Still, it will be quite nice for you to see the effects of one of my newest creations. After that, though, I'm afraid you'll have to give me what is coming. A pound of flesh, no more, no less…"
Napoleon fought back a shudder at the pronouncement before saying, "I hope you don't expect to get any blood out of that either."
Dabree glared at him before turning away, stalking out of the room as the lights dimmed again and Napoleon was left to wait and hope he could get Elaine out of this.
"Suzanne Alejandra Lancaster-Morin!"
Celeste looked around the empty room and tried very hard to not scream anymore, or to hit a wall. That would hurt.
"You are so dead!"
The car stopped abruptly and Sue kept her hand over Hazel's muzzle to keep her quite as the sound of the others closing the door was heard and they headed towards the warehouse. She hadn't mentioned to her sister, or any of them in fact, that she was going to go along and had been holding the trunk shut for the past mile or so it had taken to get them there. She had also been holding Hazel, who remained quiet for once, and after another count of 60 she slowly raised the trunk and looked around before letting Hazel out and getting out herself, closing the trunk as quietly as possible before looking around and picking the back entrance to go through.
After all, if she saved Elaine, that would count against her sister's wrath…right?
She was jostled as she was picked up, waking her as her head came to rest on Ethan's shoulder and causing her to frown at the comfortable position. Why was he moving her? She was sleepy still, and was waiting to be helped by Solo, as much as she didn't want to admit it. Because if he came in then she could at least know Illya was nearby, and after that Celeste and maybe those two…what were their names? Mark Slate and April Dancer. April was nice, for all that she knocked them out with that sleeping gas and Mark was okay too, even if it appeared he shouldn't have been in the field. He was still nice and helped to break in April, and had stories about when Napoleon had first came into the field and been assigned to New York.
She sighed and resigned herself to being moved, some part of her screaming that she should move herself, not be so lazy that he moves her! Hostage situation if held for a while is that you do what you can to cooperate but not cooperate, to plan on your escape. I'm supposed to make this hard for him…aren't I?
They finally turned into another corridor and walked into what appeared to be a large medical room, or at least a large area with dimmed lights that went up as they entered, showing off the man in the center, who looked up at her with worried eyes as he assessed how she looked.
"Mr. Solo," Ethan said a little bitterly as he walked over to place Elaine on the chair, Elaine's eyes not leaving Napoleon as they moved.
"Are you okay, Elaine?" Napoleon asked while Ethan placed her down on the seat.
Elaine licked her lips to try and simulate an answer. "Tired. Worried." She took in the way he was strung up then smirked. "Better 'n you."
Napoleon gave a small smile as Ethan glared at him. "Glad you still have a sense of humor."
"Enough," Ethan growled, causing Elaine to flinch at the new voice. She liked his nice voice…this wasn't her.
"Napoleon…" Elaine whispered, shaking as Ethan walked off to the side with purpose, "Napoleon…"
They were slow, moving through the warehouse and checking before Illya motioned to the one unchecked door. April and Mark nodded as Illya lead them in, making sure there were—
The door slammed behind him, leaving April and Mark outside and to whoever might be out there. Cursing his own stupidity and THRUSH for what happened, he looked around to find the only way out to be the door, which was too thick to break, and a thick glass that allowed him to see inside of a room which held Napoleon, strung up, and Elaine, who was sitting in a chair nearby and wearing a strange collar of sorts. He had to guess she wasn't restrained because of that, and he tilted his head slightly upon seeing the man described as Ethan, one of the masterminds behind this.
"Glad you could join us, Mr. Kuryakin. I must admit I wasn't expecting this much company, but it should keep me occupied for a while. Thank you."
Illya stayed silent as he looked into the room while Ethan prepared something wicked-looking in the corner, his back turned to Elaine and thus hiding his work. Illya briefly wondered if this was a two-way mirror and thus didn't allow Napoleon to see him.
"He can see you, Mr. Kuryakin, just as you can see him. I would guess he hasn't noticed that he has company. But don't worry. He will soon. Ethan shall make sure of that. By the way, Mr. Kuryakin, I suppose I should warn you that trying to escape will force me to kill Mr. Slate and Miss Dancer. They've come under the same gun you knew about from our last meeting. I'm sure David helped you with that." There was an angry sound from the other end of whatever microphone she was using. "Mr. Solo will pay for them, and you shall watch as your payment for David."
Illya balled his hand into a fist as he heard it, a glare fixing on Ethan as he tried to think of a way out of this.
Having finished making the machine, one which would allow him to create a good-sized shock on Solo or, if he felt like it, to cut into Solo at least an inch stabbing. He looked over at where he had set Elaine, happy she was still in her seat and had been silent for the most part. He looked back over at the viewing window where he could see Kuryakin, who glared at him anew as he smiled.
Good, all was going according to plan, then.
Sue slowed, pulling on Hazel's leash as she did. "Shh, Hazel…great." She looked over to one side, seeing the two who had helped Celeste start to escort her home, both of them apparently frozen by something and being held by what looked like one bored man.
Hazel let out a small whine.
"Fine," she said with a smirk, "got get him, Hazel. Go get him!"
Hazel was off, Sue racing after her as the dog surprised the man and Sue hit him with a wrench she had brought for such an occasion, sending him out like a light. After a quick check she found an odd stick she had to guess was smelling salts or something to revive people quickly. Grabbing two, she tried one on April first, causing the girl to blink and jump before Sue held up her hands in surrender just in case.
"What…owww…"
"Where's the Russian and the others?" Sue asked, waking up Mark and helping him from falling.
"Went into a door, but now…I dunno. What are you doing here?"
"Making sure my sister's friends stay alive. Look, go and call backup or something. I don't think they'll notice me and Hazel as much as you two."
April and Mark paused, then April said, "I have a better idea."
Solo let out a yell as he was shocked again, Elaine whimpering at having to watch this before saying loudly, "D-don't hurt him! Stop, please!"
Ethan stopped from his next attack to look at her, frowning as he did. "Why?"
"I—I said so. Don't. I—I don't like it."
Ethan looked at her before placing the item down and moving to where she was. Elaine waited as he got closer. Yes, he made her feel good and knew how to pet her, but she wasn't about to sit here and watch Napoleon be tortured!
Illya watched as Ethan approached Elaine, frowning as he looked over to Napoleon then back in time to see Ethan start to kneel down next to her.
"But I have to. If I don't, he--."
Ethan didn't finish that sentence as Elaine lunged at him, getting in a good scratch along his face before he pushed her off of him and hit her soundly, forcing her to curl up as Napoleon struggled against his bonds.
"I'm doing this to protect you! Why did you do that? Why?"
"What did I tell you, Ethan? You can keep her, of course, but only if this succeeds. She had to like you, and this is not showing me that she likes you."
Ethan looked around apparently able to hear the voice as clearly as Illya heard it, and caused him obviously some grief. "No. Doctor, I promise, it's just...she's not fully well yet. She'll be good, I promise. I won't--."
Around that time was when all hell broke loose.
Sue had to be thankful that, of all the things David left her with, it was with an idea of how to throw gears into a frenzy and loosen a few of the right bolts.
That had been her job description as Mark and April set out to secure the area while Hazel was Hazel and was let loose near the area to create a distraction.
"What is that doing here?" the scratchy voice asked as Sue slowly started to rise from her area, aware that it was near the control area.
"We, um...that is, Doctor Dabree..."
"Kill it. I have more important things to do then deal with a dog."
She waited as the sound of a door closing announced the doctor leaving before opening a small side and muttering, "Go, Hazel."
The dog, until then friendly, suddenly growled and launched for the nearest person while Sue waited before throwing open the door and using the wrench to take out the rest and whistling. "We make a good team, don't we Hazel?" Hazel panted and wagged her tail quickly before Sue said, "Go find Elaine, Hazel. Go find her!"
Hazel raced off as Sue looked at the controls and said, "Buttons, buttons, who has the buttons...and if not Willy Wanka as portrayed by Gene Wilder, then me of course. Let's see what havoc we can create."
Ethan looked around as the lights, noises, everything went off, and when he turned around he found Mr. Kuryakin's room empty, the door opened, while a clank was the only notice that Mr. Solo had been released before he whirled, intent on hitting him hard, making him bleed, when a strong force knocked him down, tossing the item away from him and knocking the wind out before he realized, looking up at barred fangs and a growling, angry face, that he had been attacked by a rather medium sized but vicious dog.
Over the intercom, he heard, "Good Hazel. Now watch him and make sure he doesn't move."
Ethan had ever intention of not moving as he saw Kuryakin walk in with Dancer and Slate, handing Solo a gun. "We found out where Dabree might be heading. April and Mark will take care of Elaine and Sue. Are you okay?"
Solo nodded, "I am now. Let's go."
Dabree cursed as she headed for her escape route. She had been so close! She should've taken her revenge on Solo when she had the chance, and not left it up to that weakling Ethan! Next time...
"Dabree!" Solo's voice caused her to stop and turn, looking over at the man where he stood, his blond companion by his side, both with gun's raised. "It's over, Dabree. Give it up."
She glared at him. "No. Not until Elmont, and David, and Flo are given their revenge against you, and all those dear to you. I will take everything away from you!"
She pulled the gun, and realized in the back of her mind that Solo was faster, stronger, more able to attack her, but didn't care until the two shots sent her backwards and into darkness forever.