Napoleon arrived at headquarters just after eight in the morning, dropping off his wife while changing to a fresh suit at their penthouse apartment. He was dressed crisply in a light brown suit with a dark silk tie, and in spite of the on-going heat; he looked very cool and collected as he walked with deliberation along the maze of nondescript corridors.
He went straight up to medical, as he had allowed some time before his meeting with Waverly. Walking past the nurse's station; an unfamiliar face of a new duty nurse caught his eye as she signalled which room to head to. But he paused for a moment, leaning forward on top of the counter eyeing her name badge with a twinkle in his, offering her a gleaming smile.
"Thank you, Stephanie. "Solo, Napoleon Solo we haven't met and no offense but I hope that we won't get to meet again under professional circumstances?"
"Oh I know who you are, Nurse Walsh warned me about you."
"Really, and which one was that? Nancy or her sister?"
"Noooo," Stephanie laughed, "she told me you'd probably say that and said to tell you if you can't remember her name, then not to tell you."*
"So there really is two of them?"
"Nice try Mr. Solo, but I'll never tell."she laughed softly.
He leaned his elbow on the counter, resting his head in his hand,"So what else did she tell you about me?" he crooned.
"You're quite the ladies man."
He smiled again, "the legend lives"; he found that amusing. " Ah dear Stephanie, would that I was unattached, I would ask you out for dinner and dancing in a heart beat." He held up his left hand, flashing the diamond encrusted gold wedding band that he wore," but my heart belongs very much to another."
He snapped his finger, flirting with her innocently, playing the game and as far as the Walsh twins, he could really care less if there were two of them or not. A few years ago it would have irked him but now the only woman he had eyes for was his wife Bella. He ended his brief dalliance with Stephanie, giving her a little three fingered salute, then headed down the neutral achromatic colored hallway.
He was usually being wheeled into this part of headquarters on a gurney; rarely taking note of the dreary color of the place. it was just as cold and antiseptic as the rest of building and thought just a touch of color here in medical might cheer up the agents who were confined for prolonged recoveries.
He poked his head through the doorway, spotting Illya sitting at Elliott's bedside, and an empty rumpled bed next to hers. Napoleon wondered if his partner had gotten any sleep at all; seeing the Russian's bloodshot eyes as the man gazed up at him; looking like hell and still dressed in the same clothes he had worn from the day before.
"How is she?" he whispered.
"Her stats are alright, just waiting for her to wake up." He yawned.
"When are you going to tell her?"
"I am trying not to think about that."
"And you tovarisch, how are you doing?"
"Fine."
"That's a lie if ever I heard one."
"Alright, I am not fine, does that make you happy?" Illya looked back at Elliott as she still slept," Could we take this outside?"
They walked out to the nurses station pouring themselves cups of coffee. Illya leaned there, obviously tired from his night's vigil.
"You're going to have to tell her you know?"
"Do you think I do not realize that?"
Max Schneider walked up behind the two of them; overhearing the conversation. " You haven't told her yet?"
"NO, I have not told he yet!" Illya snapped. "Please could you both stop asking me that?"
"Illya, I need to know, since I suspect I am going to have to sedate her" Max said. "given your wife's proclivity towards emotional outbursts."
"Well you would have heard the explosion then if I had told her would you not?" The sarcasm in he voice was evident.
Max gave Illya his version of the stink eye, letting him know that he did not appreciate the Russian's tone of voice.
"Alright, I will do it shortly, just give me a few minutes to freshen up?" Illya walked off the use the men's room to throw some water on his face.
He stood at the sink in the restroom staring at himself in the mirror, his eyes were red, with dark circles under them, looking all the more stark because of the paleness of his skin. His hair was a mess, face his unshaven. making him look all the more unkempt as his beard was was darker in contrast to his blond locks.
He ran the cold water, scooping it up in his hands, splashing it on at least to make him feel more alert. The only thing that would really help was a shower and that would have to wait for now. He returned a few minutes later, nodding silently then taking a deep breath as he walked into his wife's room with his partner and Dr. Schneider
"Just remember buddy, I'm here for you and we're going to find him," Napoleon said.
Elliott was awake now with the duty nurse trying to serve her a light breakfast but the Nurse Stephani was stopped in her tracks as the food tray came flying across the room, missing nurse as she deftly stepped aside just in time.
"She picking up some of your habits, tovarisch?" Napoleon jibed.
"You have no idea, but she does have quite a few alarming ones of her own, Illya said flatly, " you may want to take cover."
"And I heard you were bad Mr. Kuryakin." Stephanie said as she abandoned the mess in the room for now."I'm going to go feed the human patients."
"Stephanie!" Max snapped at her.
"Sorry Doctor," she mumbled as she retreated past them.
Illya went immediately to Elliott's bedside, taking her hand before she could make anything else airborne.
"Find who?" Elliott muttered as she sniffled." And what the hell happened ta me?" She raised her forearm, eyeing the cast that now covered it.
"Annushka, " Illya kissed her hand "I never thought I would say this, but you have to stay here under observation. You have a concussion, not to mention some broken bones. The baby is fine though. So Elliott do as I say, not as I do and please cooperate?"
"Ya right, ye going to tell me what happened ta me then?"
Illya glanced up at Max then back to his wife. "You do not remember the accident?'
"No, what accident?"
"Tell me the last thing you do remember?" Max asked.
She ran her fingers through her long red hair thinking back for a moment. "Demmy was crying, he'd dropped his ice cream cone...ah the poor lad was hot and cranky. I was wiping off his face and hands," she laughed softly for a second, " he was covered in chocolate. God he loves it like you Illuysha.
I gave him my vanilla cone and that did't please him at all. I never should have made him walk into town with Bella and I...wait, is he alright, is Bella alright?" that suddenly dawned on her.
Napoleon interjected at that point. "Bella's fine, I just dropped her off at home. Well so much for a vacation again? How do you manage to complicate these things Mrs. Kuryakin? " he said trying to deflect her thoughts from Demya.
She ignored Napoleon's wisecrack. "Illya what happened ta me?" she asked him sharply.
"You were hit by a car in the street."
"A car?" Elliott held her head. " I was hit ...by a car?" her voice trailed off for a second as she struggled to recall the incident. "Well since I don't remember it then I must disavow any knowledge of my actions." she laughed, then held her head as that made it hurt when she did that.
"How's Demmy, I guess he must have been pretty frightened?"
Illya lowered his head. That reaction did not bode well to Elliott. "Illya where is Demmy?" His hesitation caused her to jump to a horrible conclusion. "Oh God, is he hurt, he's not dead is he? Illya tell me he's not dead!"
Her heart rate began to increase on the monitor.
"Illya where is my Demya?" she demanded.
Now came the moment that he had dreaded. "Annushka" he began slowly," there is a problem."
"What problem, will ye just feckin' tell me. Is something wrong with my Demmy?" The heart monitor continued to beeped rapidly.
Illya gave it to her straight, "Anya, Demya has been kidnapped..." he hesitated again. "we believe that is was Owen Smythe who hit you with the car and in the confusion he took our son."
Elliott's eyes went wide with disbelief."What, what do ye mean he's been kidnapped? My baby, that feckin' gobshite has my baby?"
Her Irish accent became very pronounced. "No...no that can't be." She cried out, becoming more agitated."Ca bhfuil mo bhuachaill_where's my boy!" she screamed out in Irish. Elliott began pulling off the monitor leads, working herself up to a near frenzy. " I have ta get out of here, feck this, I have ta find me boy. Illya we have ta go find him!"
"Annushka stop!" Illya raised his voice as he grabbed her by the shoulders, holding her in the bed. "Elliott, stop it now!" Stop it!" he yelled trying to restrain her. " You have to stay here for now! The baby, you have to think of the baby, our little girl."
"A girl? "that bit of news distracted her for just a second, " we're havin' a girl...but what about our boy. Where is our boy!"
There was no consoling or calming her, giving Max Schneider cause to quickly pull a syringe from the pocket of his white lab coat. He uncovered the needle, giving the plunger a little push, removing any air.
"Hold her still" Max called out.
"What is that?"
"100 mg. Librium."
Schneider injected it into her arm and within a few minutes she had relaxed, becoming a little drowsy."
Napoleon stood at the bedside, watching while the normally stoic Russian nearly lost control of himself, fighting back his tears. There was nothing he could do or say to make his friend feel better, but he placed a strong hand on his shoulder. Illya reached up, resting his hand on top of it.
"Thank you, I am glad you are here."
Elliott finally dozed off, but Illya wouldn't leave her until someone from Security was brought in to stay with her. She was extremely strong willed, and given her state of mind and motherly instincts he knew that she would take off in an instant in search of their son.
lllya felt his own emotions screaming to come out, but this needed to be dealt with a cool head. Right now his wife didn't have her wits about her so he needed to keep a level head, in spite of what the ache in his heart was telling him.
The pregnancy had Elliott already highly strung and now this news about Demya could push her over the edge and endanger the baby. He would rely on Max to keep her calm with his detestable concoctions, even though Illya hated drugs; in this case he knew they were a necessary evil.
Napoleon left them alone for a minute, waiting outside the door for his partner. "We have a meeting with the Old Man in a half hour, " he said looking his partner up and down when the man joined him. "you better get yourself cleaned up."
"Yes I know I look pretty bad, I will see you downstairs then." Illya headed to the elevator, going down to the gym to shower. He had a change of clothing in his office.
He hung his suit near the shower to let the steam smooth out any wrinkles, then stepped in, sighing as the hot water cascaded down his sweaty body. He couldn't stop the memory of his dream as it kept replaying in his head, hearing Demya screaming for his papa he leaned his hand against the wall, letting out a single sob. He finally gained his composure again, knowing that it had to be maintained in order to get through this mess.
Illya dried and dressed himself, arriving at Waverly's office with five minutes to spare, stepping through the door as it opened silently.
Napoleon was there seated at the conference table along with Waverly.
"Good morning Mr. Kuryakin, please be seated?"
"I am aware that you sent out bulletins to all our offices as well as communications to local and international law enforcement agencies, and I commend you for acting quickly given the emotional circumstances of your son's disappearance. However this situation I'm afraid, is too close to you and your wife and I have decided to temporarily remove you from the field. You will be permitted to be involved in the investigation, monitoring communications and overseeing the search efforts from headquarters."
"But sir , I need to be …"
"You need to be here with your wife; this state of affairs is too emotionally charged for you and I will not have you going into the field, possibly getting yourself and others killed."
"You have a wife and another child, a little girl as I understand to worry about as well. Mr. Solo will be spearheading the field investigation and I assure you young man, all of our resources will be made available to find your son, that I promise you."
Napoleon watched as his partner's jaw tightened. His face reddened, the only sign that he was becoming angry. Illya stood up, storming from the conference room with out a word.
"Mr. Solo, you know your partner better than anyone else, I am relying on you to make him understand my decision...Napoleon, find the child and with all alacrity. I do not mean to sound harsh, but we can ill afford having my two best agents unavailable for pressing assignments."
That stung, but Solo knew that the Old Man was right, his people were expendable, though their families shouldn't be. But they were at risk just like U.N.C.L.E.'s agents and it was a reality that had to be accepted. In spite of the circumstances; he and Illya still had a job to do.
Waverly's point hit home, making him swallow hard, thinking about his own wife and children, casting an infinitesimal doubt about having a family. Napoleon knew It was too late now to be worrying about that now as he was married and soon to be a father, and could only hope he could keep them safe.
Both he and Illya knew in the back of their minds that was just a matter time before an adversary made a move against the family member of an U.N.C.L.E. agent. Why it had to be a little boy like Demya was something that Solo couldn't fathom.
This world in which they operated, full of the cloak and dagger subterfuge and danger had finally spilled over into the private lives of Illya and Elliott Kuryakin and could cost them the life of their son. Napoleon wondered for a second that perhaps the original no-marriage clause hadn't been such a bad idea after all?
But he would be damned if he was going to let that innocent little boy die. Napoleon didn't know how, but he was going to find Demya Kuryakin and get him back.
* ref "The Enemy from Within Affair"