The negotiations took several more days to finalize, and in spite of Viktor Karkoff's protestations, he was ordered to surrender Kuryakin. General Niko Vladimirovich, still the Chief of the Directorate in Moskva contacted him personally, ordering him to relenquish Illya Kuryakin and to do it immediately. The General was not pleased with Karkoff's interference in GRU business.
Vladimirovich was the man who had offered Kuryakin up to U.N.C.L.E. so many years ago and though the Directorate had no interest in Kuryakin per se, Vladimirovich carried a personal feeling of pride for the young man's success with U.N.C.L.E. and was after the fact, sorry that he had given him up so easily to Alexander Waverly.
Karkoff was livid at being robbed of his revenge against Illya Kuryakin; letting a few words slip that he should not have uttered to his former Komrade at the Directorate.
But Vladimirovich knew one learned by one's mistakes; Kuryakin though no longer his agent, still served a purpose, though there were those who, like Karkoff thought otherwise. Karkoff was another of his mistakes; he should have had him sent to the furnaces at Serpkov years ago, but instead he gave him leave and let him join the KGB. But now he would rectify that moment of leniency that he had shown Karkoff.
No sooner had Illya Kuryakin been placed on a flight to Arkangelsk; Viktor Karkoff was arrested and became a prisoner of his own making in Solovki. He was made odinochka_a solitary one in confinement for his own protection and Vladimirovich would see to it that was there he would end his days.
The C.I.A would handle the exchange as the presence of U.N.C.L.E. was initially banned upon request of the East German government, due in part to Karl Voelker's accusations against U.N.C.L.E.'s complicity and citing their agent was guilty of committing espionage by entering the country using false documentation. But Alexander Waverly insisted one of his agents be present on the bridge and that agent was to be Napoleon Solo.
The prisoner exchange was scheduled to take place at the northernmost border crossing in East Berlin, the Bornholmer Strasse Bridge that spanned the railroad between East to West Berlin and was near one of the many 'ghost stations' along the railway, where trains were no longer permitted to stop thereby denying East Berliners access and freedom to travel.
Though U.N.C.L.E. was supposed to have but one agent on the bridge; Alexander Waverly ignored those conditons and planned a little surprise for the East Germans; a contrivance that would more than likely upset the C.I.A. Waverly was not above a little payback once in a rare while and his plan would send a clear message to Langley as well as the STASI.
Elliott Kuryakin was positoned with a sniper rifle on a small tree covered hill top on the western side overlooking the bridge, giving her a clear view for when she was ready to take her shot. The plan called called for assassination; one of her specialties and this would be particularly sweet for her...a little payback of her own for what had been done to her husband.
At first Waverly had been hesitant to assign her to the task; given the depression she had been in over her husband's capture. But she was the best agent they had with a sniper rifle and she was adamant about being involved in the operation.
Elliott steeled herself as she waited on the hill; putting aside the sadness, fear and hatred she felt. Revenge was best dealt with a cold heart and a steady hand, and right now she was the Ice Princess for her Ice Prince; frozen in place and waiting to act. Her finger resting patiently against the the trigger, watching the bridge carefully for the right moment, as her shots had to be timed just right.
This was not to be a standard shooting for Elliott, no... research and development had come up with something special, a compound loaded into a projectile fired from her riflle that would shatter upon impact, leaving the liquid substance to become quite viscus, sticking to the surface upon impact. Ten minutes later that substance would destabilize and explode. It would be quite spectacular, and give that very clear message that Alexander Waverly wanted to send.
They anticipated the STASI agents would be taken away in a separate car from the KGB operative. Her strict instructions were to taget the East German vehicle only and under no circumstances was she to fire on the one transporting the KGB agent. Right now their quarrel was with the East Gemans. Russia was a member nation to U.N.C.L.E. and best to keep things on the status quo with them. But as to the C.I.A. that remained to be seen...
The time of the prisoner exchange was to take place just before a scheduled train was due to pass the Bornholmer ghost station; as it traveled directly beneath the bridge the noise from the locomotive would cover the repeat from Elliott's rifle.
Illya would cross the bridge simutaneously with the three enemy agents and would be wisked away by the C.I.A. in a vehicle waiting on the western side then brought to the Berlin office of U.N.C.L.E. once they left the scene.
If all went according to plan, the German vehicle would blow once they were all well away from the bridge; shifting the finger of blame to the KGB, or so they hoped. But it might shift to the C.I.A. as well, but all Elliott cared about was getting her Illuysha back home safe and sound and didn't give a 'rat's arse' as she put it about who would be at whom's throat after the fact.
"The feckers can all kill each other for all I care." was the last comment she made on the plan.
Illya Kuryakin had been missing for six weeks they had no idea idea what conditon he was in. Whether the C.I.A. had been provided with that information or not; no one knew. Elliott prayed that he had not been severly injured as she watched the black sedans slowly pull up on either side of the bridge.
Napoleon lifted a small pair of binoculars to view the figures as they exited the vehicles on the far side of the bridge, as he was joined by several C.I.A. agents. Together they watched things unfold on the East Berlin side of the span.
Three men with crewcuts, clearly STASI agents emerged from one of the cars, pulling a blond man from the second of the three vehicles parked there now.
"Yes!" Napoleon let slip quietly, clenching his fist as he confirmed visually that it was definitely Illya.
And then the C.I.A. did the same, bringing out their three prisoners as well.
Solo looked at his watch as the minutes ticked away until the agreed upon time arrived and the captives all began their journey to freedom across the bridge; they had been instructed to walk and not to run. Though seeing how his partner moved; he doubted Illya could run even if he wanted to. They were 'crossing the Rubicon' now and everything had to go according to plan.
Napoleon watched as his friend began walking slowly, his steps short and measured. Then he staggered at one point, holding on to the metal girders of the expansion bridge to steady himself. Solo wanted so badly to go to him and help, but if he made one more; the East Germans would surely gun them both down.
"Come on tovarisch, you can do it...try to walk a little faster?" Napoleon whispered.
As Illya finally made it to the western side of the bridge; it was then Napoleon saw how frighteningly gaunt and weak his partner was. He wore a clean prison uniform but his hair was filthy and looked as though it had been hacked and a scraggily beard covered his thin face. His eyes were sunken, with dark circles under them but it was the look in them Napoleon found disconcerting as they seemed lifeless with no expression at all. The bright blue of Illya Kuryakin's eyes seem glazed over and dull.
Solo was shoved aside as he tried to grab Illya but before he could even say a word, Kuryakin was pushed quickly into one of the two waiting Mercedes and the door slammed closed in Napoleon's face. He climbed into the second car, annoyed that he was being cut off from his partner.
On the East German side, the STASI agents and the KGB agent each entered their respective cars. That was the moment the train arrived, traveling noisily under the bridge and that was when Elliott, had patiently watched the drama unfold as she saw the frail movements of her Illuysha, struggling to cross the span. She saw him pulled into the car, then on the East German side the STASI agents and the KGB agents disappeared into their respective vehicles as they received smiles and pats on the back.
That was the train arrived, traveling noisily beneath the bridge and that was when she fired her rifle, hitting the rear of the vehicle containing the STASI with two shots on the side where the fuel tank was located. No one heard them, nor did they notice the nearly clear liquid that slpattered on the the fender.
The lead car with the KGB remained untouched as it pulled away then the second car, then followed by the third car with the STASI.
Elliott turned, running down the hill; throwing her rifle into the trunk of the waiting Volvo, with her partner Ari Ziv behind the wheel. She climbed into the car, saying nothing as they sat waiting while she looked at her watch, ticking off the time.
Nine minutes and fifty-five seconds later she began the count down. "Five, four, three, two, one..." There was silence, then a huge explosion, followed by a second and Elliott smiled as she turned to see a the flash and smoke on the other side of the 'wall.'
"Burn in hell ye feckers!" she cursed as Ari hit the gas pedal, taking off for headquarters.
"I would love to be a fly on the wall when the infighting over this little surprise breaks out!" Ari said. "and let's hope to God the C.I.A. doesn't pull anything when they find out it was U.N.C.L.E. who added this little revison to their deal?"
"Please, don't ye even think it Ari, though I'm sure the old man won't let that little secret out" Elliott said, fearing a double cross by the C.I.A. as they had already pulled a fast one with Illya as it were. Her secret fear was that now that they had Illya in their custody, they might not decide to give him up, in spite of threats made to them by Alexander Waverly.
The two Mercedes pulled up in front of a complex of buildings, guarded by U.S. military personnel and Kuryakin was whisked inside immediately. Leaving Napoleon outside shouting his protests to the guards that blocked his way.
"What the hell is going on here? This was not where we were supposed to be taken!" He tried muscling his way through the door but was shoved back. "I'm an American citizen and I have a right to go in there!" he insisted.
"Sorry sir, this is a United States Military facility and headquarters of the U.S. Berlin Brigade. And you are not a member of the Military nor a member of the Mission staff. So please step back sir."
Napoleon refused and they shoved him back without a word, aiming their rifles at him. He stopped, straightening his jacket, then smoothing the stray hair that had fallen out place on his forehead before he walked calmly away towards the parked Mercedes; leaning against it as he pulled out his communicator.
"Channel D overseas relay-Waverly"
"Yes Mr. Solo, was the exchange success?"
"Yes sir and our little suprise went off without a hitch but I'm afraid the C.I.A. has pulled a little something of their own. They've taken him to the U.S. Misson instead of going directly to headquarters...and they won't let me in to see him."
"What the deuce? I'll see to this Mr. Solo, you stay put in the mean time. Out"
Napoleon adjusted his communicator, making another call, "Channel F- Elliott Kuryakin."
"Napoleon where the hell are ye? We're here at headquarters. Ye should have been here before us. What's happened? Please tell me he's alright?"
Napoleon could hear the anxiety creeping into her voice.
"They diverted us to USBER and I can't get inside. Waverly is trying to see what's going on."
"Oh Jay-sus Napoleon, what the hell are they up to? I'm on my way. Out!"
Napoleon waited impatiently outside the building, looking up at it's architecture as he paced, suddently remembering that it was once was the former site of the headquarters of the German Luftwaffe for Berlin defence during the Nazi years. On the ends of some of the buildings were Nazi ornamentation; large cement eagles on some of the corners, minus the swastika that used to be at their feet but still a stark reminder of the past.
Elliott and Ari pulled up to the mission a half hour later, and she flew out of the car, heading straight towards Solo.
"I want ta know what the feck is goin' on here dammit!"
He grabbed her by the shoulders," Calm down, losing your cool is not going to help him."
"Help him, what do ye mean help him? I don't understand why this is happening? How can ye be so calm about this?" She pulled free of his grip walking to the door, but was immediately blocked by the guards.
"Ye are holding my husband in there and I better be let in ta see him or there will be hell to pay ye bollaks!"
"Ma'am, please step back." the soldier tried telling her nicely.
Elliott reached for her special but Napoleon was by her side in an instant restraining her before she ended up getting herself shot.
A well dressed man in a business suit appeared at the door, addressing her. "Excuse me, you said you were his wife...you are Mrs. Kuryakin?"
"Yes I am."
"Alright then, you can come with me please."
"Excuse me?" said Napoleon, "what about me?"
"And you are?"
"I'm his partner Napoleon Solo, and I was authorized to be part of the exchange process. Just exactly why was Mr. Kuryakin brought here instead of the agreed upon location...U.N.C.L.E. headquarters on the Friedrichstrasse?"
"I apologize Mr. Solo, you should have been informed that Mr. Kuryakin had passed out and it was deemed safer to bring him here for medical treatment rather than take the longer drive to your headquarters. Your Mr. Waverly has just contacted us and we informed him of the situation."
They were escorted inside but stopped at a security desk. "I do have to ask you both to please surrender your weapons before we prodeed to the infirmary? They will be returned to you when you leave."
The did as requested and were taken to Illya's hospital room. Napoleon reached his arm around Elliott's shoulders supporting her as she gasped when she she finally saw her Russian for the first time in over a month and a half.
