I so desperately wanted to write this chapter for all of you who were asking for the secret. I tweaked the ending of this a little more with a realization by Irina. I hope you like it

Irina froze in place at the sound of the familiar voice. She started to shake – not from fear, but from emotion. The box slipped out of her hands as she turned to look into her brother's eyes which were full of confusion, concern, anger, and ,something that broke Irina's heart; the look of betrayal.

Irina opened her mouth and tried to speak, but she was not able to utter a sound. She took a deep, shaky breath and tried again. "I wanted to tell you," she whispered, tears running down her face. "I tried. That first night. But then it just got harder to tell you – how could I tell you?" She turned to Napoleon, still sitting in the chair, "I am sorry. This is all my fault."

In three steps, Kuryakin strode across the hotel suite and stood in front of Irina.

"Peril," Solo growled in warning using all of his remaining strength to rise from the chair.

Kuryakin spared his partner a look, but then focused again on his sister. Towering over her, he took her hands in his, crouching slightly so that he could look in her eyes. "Dorogaya," he said with heartbreaking gentleness. "You are safe here. You are among friends. Nobody will hurt you. I swear it. We will keep you safe; please tell me," he paused making eye contact first with Gaby and then with Solo, "...please tell us so we can help you."

He led Irina to the couch,helping her sit down and sitting across from her. Gaby handed her a drink, before sitting down next to Kuryakin, her eyes full of sympathy.

Irina looked into the glass and realized that she was still shaking; the ice in the glass clanking so hard against against its sides that she was afraid the glass would shatter. Irina took another deep breath and fought for control. She was grateful beyond measure when she felt Solo seat himself next to her, offering his silent support.

Irina took another breath and stilled her hands. She looked around, making sure to look into the eyes of each of the three people sitting with her. "In the 16th century, Katherine di Medici took the throne and found that she was at a disadvantage. She had no network to obtain information. She had spies, but there were many places the men could not go. This was the birth of what she called her 'Escadron Volant', her 'flying squadron'," Irina said. She saw the confusion and went on. "Queen Katherine, gathered to her a group of beautiful, educated young women to be her information network both in the bedroom and in the public places. "Five years ago, I was recruited by the KGB...," Irina used the Russian acronym, "to work for their version of the "Flying Squadron". It is called Section 35. I did not want to do it, but they made me." Irina risked a look at her brother and she saw understanding began to dawn in his eyes.

Barely taking a breath, she continued, quickly. "I am sorry, Illya...so very, very sorry. I was prohibited from telling you; they said...," Irina looked at Kuryakin, her eyes begging for understanding, "...they said that if I refused or if I told you, I would...I would," she breathed, trying to calm herself, "...that I would put you in danger. They said that they would not be able to keep you safe."

Kuryaking growled in anger, "So they threatened you?"

Irina nodded. Wiping her tears away. "I understand," the man said. "They told me the same thing when I joined."

"I was recruited after I finished University," Irina continued. "They trained me like all KGB agents and sent me out within the year of recruitment. I was a spy with a focus on influential men who like pretty girls." The look of distaste on her face was obvious.

"Did you have to...,"Kuryakin did not get to finish the question

"No. Not usually. We had other means to get what we wanted." Kuryakin wanted to ask more questions, but thought better of it. He probably did not want to know.

Kuryakin considered his sister. "Did you have a Handler?"

Irina nodded. "Sergei Ashenko. He oversaw...," she stopped speaking when she saw the look on her brother's face. "Illya? What is wrong?" Kuryakin had become pale and his face looked to have aged ten years.

"I know him. Ashenko and I...," he paused, "...have a history." Now it was everbody's turn to look at the big Russian. "When I was in the army, he was my commanding officer," Kuryakin spoke as if the words tasted bitter. "He was a pig and a coward. He got men killed. I made sure authorities knew what he had done. He was removed from command and reprimanded. He has hated me ever since."

"If he was removed from command, how could he have ended up with the posting with the KGB...?," Solo asked the question, but answered it as soon as the initial words were out of his mouth, "Connections."

Kuryakin nodded," His father is high in the Central Committee," he said referring to the leading body of the Soviet Communist Party. "They both dislike me very much,"Kuryakin continued, the wry twist to his mouth indicating the depth of the understatement. Then his face became very serious again as he looked at his younger sister – the one person he had promised to always keep safe. "Did they know who you were when they recruited you?"

Irina nodded, "Yes. Sergei enjoyed reminding me what the consequences of my failure would be. He also tried to pressure me to..." She stopped. "But I would never. He is a,….," she used a filthy term that made even Kuryakin look up.

"Irinachka," Kuryakin started quietly, steering away from a very painful subject. "Your dreams. Who was being hurt? Tell us, please. Maybe we can help."

Irina's face crumpled. She wrapped her arms around her body seeking comfort. "Peril...," Solo said. "Maybe its enough?"

"No," Irina whispered. "You should know everything. You need to understand." She rocked back and forth on the couch. "I was in for several years when Sergei gave me an assignment. I was team lead. There were four of us. Me, Natalia, Katya, and Lara. They were just out of University. Not more than twenty one –it was their first mission. The Mission was to engage with some businessmen from the Crimea since there was concern that they were spying for a foreign power." Irina took a breath and went on. "My orders were to observe outside and let the other three do the work – it was to be their final test."

"Irina," Solo spoke quietly, his voice heavy with pain, as if he knew what was going to happen. "You don't have to."

Irina continued as if she had not heard him; she seemed to be actually reliving the events.

"The girls went in and I was outside listening." She was crying so hard, she could barely speak. "I do not know what happened or why, but the men brought the girls inside. They talked for a little while and there were some drinks. Then, all of a sudden, they attacked the girls. With fists and...and," Irina paused as if in physical pain, "...and other things."

"The girls screamed and cried. They begged. They asked to be extracted. I radioed Sergei, but he ordered me to stand down. I was listening to them getting...getting killed, and I was ordered to not do anything. I begged Sergei, but he would not let me. I waited five minutes before going in – just five minutes. I did not think it was that long. Why did I wait? I should not have waited. I went in. I took care of the men," the cold, hardness of her eyes left no question of the fate of the abusers. "I was too late," she wept. "Too late. Lara, was already dead; her skull was crushed. Natalia, and Katya were still alive..barely alive. They were covered in blood." Irina covered her eyes as if she could block out the horrific memories. I called for help, but Natalia died in my arms." Deep sobs racked her body as she tried to continue talking. "Katya was the youngest. She held on until the ambulance came, but then she looked at me and just closed her eyes... and that was it. She was gone. My entire team. I could not protect them"

Kuryakin dropped to his knees in front of her, taking her face in his hands. Irina lifted her tear stained face."Its alright. It's all over now," he whispered soothingly, stroking her hair. Irina sobbed for a few more moments. "There was nothing you could have done,"Kuryakin said. "This is the type of sick little game that Sergei would play."

Irina looked up. Her eyes were rimmed in red, but now where cold and hard. Solo saw the steel that he had already seen in his partner now expressed in this hurt young woman. "I am going to find Sergei," she said very calmly. "And I am going to make him pay." It did not occur to anybody in the room to doubt her.

"Sergei was not punished, and neither was I. I confronted Sergei, and he laughed. He told me that this is what happened to people who did not do as he ordered. Not that he wanted me anymore, he said. I was used up, he said." She laughed harshly, the sound ending in another sob. Another sob as she tried to bring herself under control. "So now you know," she said simply. "I am sorry, Illya. I never wanted to lie to you. She turned to Solo. "Napoleon," she whispered, gently touching his injured arm. "This is my fault, I am so sorry, to bring this on your heads."

Napoleon, still groggy from blood loss and pain killers, stood up from the couch, reached out and caught her hand, turning her around to face him. All at once, Irina found herself staring into Solo's eyes. His gaze was so intense that she had to look down and found herself staring at his wounded shoulder. Comprehension came to her with devastating clarity causing her to gasp as her free hand covered her mouth. "You stepped into the path of the bullet," she whispered, eyes again raised to meet those of her savior. "You saw...or maybe sensed something, and you moved to shield me from the bullet you knew was coming. "You saved my life. If that bullet hit me, I would be dead. I do not know how...what to say," she stuttered overwhelmed both by what she just realized as much as by what she was seeing the man's eyes. "Thank you," she whispered. "It is so little, but all I can say, is thank you."

Napoleon looked down at the woman who had somehow come to mean so much to him. Fighting the urge to pull her closer yet, and with a voice that was still strong and i resonating with an emotion that he could not name, he said "Like Peril said. You are safe here. I won't let anybody hurt you. I promise you."

Irina looked over at the other man whose intense gaze was willing her to believe that he would continue to protect her. She nodded quietly and Solo, reluctantly, released her hand.

Kuryakin watched this brief exchange with his own dawning realization of what his partner had done both for him and for his sister. "Cowboy...," he started to say, but was interrupted as Gaby spoke breaking the tension in room.

"But who is out to hurt you and why?" She asked.

Irina turned to look at Gaby, her dismay evident on her face. "I swear to you all, I have no idea.

I changed this chapter up a little bit with Irina's realization of what Napoleon did for her. What do you think. What are your thoughts about Irina's secret. Stephanie - you were pretty close to guessing the truth of it, so I guess you win. :). I wanted this to be a very emotionally charged episode. For Irina and also for the men who care about her (I do not think I am giving anything away with that :)). what do you all think. Was this to much or does it feel right. I would love to know. Please read and review and thank you in advance for your time.