Napoleon felt the lorry come to a stop, and again heard the footsteps approaching, an then there was the gush of air as his tomb was reopened.
They pulled him out into the daylight, this time the sun was bright and his eyes squinted from the brightness.
Mishi was being lifted out as well, and he saw again how reddened her face was, and that wild look was still in her eyes.
She swayed, and was unsteady on her feet, though one of the guards tried to help her.
"Get your fucking hands off me!" She barked, pulling away but still staggering.
"Now now Colonel," Fleming called to her from the ground as he stood beside the truck," that's not very lady-like language is it?"
"Up yours Fleming!"
"If you would please?" Fleming called to the guard next to her.
The man back handed her across the face. "Enough!" He growled.
Napoleon lashed out, kicking the guard in the the stomach and sending him flying off the flatbed, but ceased any other action as he heard Thrush rifles being cocked.
"Mr. Solo, such gallant actions will get you nowhere." Fleming called out then laughed."Save your energy as I think you'll be needing it soon enough. Now let's go."
Napoleon was finally joined by the Colonel as they were lifted down from the back of the truck as their hands were still bound.
"You alright?" He asked her.
"What the hell do you think?" She snapped at him; the shaking in her voice gave him a better answer to his question.
"I wasn't claustrophobic before, but I think I am now." She then said a little more calmly. "Where are we Napoleon?"
"Somewhere in New Zealand."
"New Zealand but that's where..."
"Shush," he whispered." Don't say it. That may be our ace in the hole. We've missed our check-in with Waverly, so I'm sure our friend is aware of the situation. He has a way of putting two and two together and finding me...I hope."
"Stop talking!" A guard slammed a rifle butt into Solo's back, making him stumble.
He flashed the guard a dirty look for that.
"Wipe that look off your face Solo."
They were led down to a picturesque strand, Pohutukawa and Kauri tree-fringed with colorful flora and tranquil white sands dotted by rugged rocky coves and crystal clear blue waters
It looked like a bit of Paradise to Napoleon, but then the rifle shoved into his back again called him to reality.
They walked a short distance down along the water's edge to a twelve foot wooden dinghy that was beached.
Fleming and some of the scientists boarded it, then Napoleon and Mishi were helped into it, the guards shoved off then hopped in themselves.
Napoleon scanned the calm waters, looking for any sight of a larger boat but saw nothing. "Where are you taking us?" He asked.
"Patience," Fleming laughed as his men continued to row the boat out farther into the bay.
They were quite a ways out into the vivid blue water, when the surface started to churn around them, and suddenly a pod of dolphins appeared, with their blowholes spouting into the air. Some of them came in closer making long arking leaps and spectacular spins in the air as they hovered around the wooden boat.
Something struck Solo odd about this group of dolphins, they weren't all of the same species. He recognized Bottlenose, Dusky and Common dolphins among them, and a few others he wasn't familiar with.
Then something large began to break the surface next to them, at first he though it was a whale, but when a significant amount of bubbles ran along the length of the dinghy, he knew he was wrong.
A fair sized submersible surfaced along side, and minutes later its hatch opened, with Fleming stepping aboard. One by one the other scientists followed going down into the sub as he waited topside.
"Now Mr. Solo, your hands will be released in order for you to board. If you try anything at all, the Colonel will be shot."
Napoleon flashed Mishi a concerned look then set his jaw and nodded his agreement to Fleming.
He rubbed his wrists from the chafing of the ropes, then stepped across to and descended into the submarine and a minute later the Colonel followed.
Napoleon put his arm around her, pulling her close to him. "You okay?"
"Not doing good with the claustrophobia thing again," she said nervously.
"Hey, I'm here." He smiled, trying to reassure her.
"I know, do you really think we'll get out of this?"
"We've got the Solo luck on our side... and he'll find us don't worry."
"I hope so," she sighed.
The hatch was sealed and the sub dove beneath the gentle, clear waters of the bay.
"May I direct your attention to the porthole," said Fleming.
Napoleon and Mishi pressed their noses to the glass, seeing schools of fish dart past, like flashes of brightly color spotlighted in the rays of sunlight shimmering down through the water.
Some of the dolphins that first greeted them looked inwards, peeking at the humans behind the glass.
"Dr. Fleming, isn't it a bit unusual to have different species of dolphin forming a pod?" Napoleon asked.
"Very astute of you to notice. It has been noted that some species will swim with the pod not of their kind. It will all be explained when we reach our destination...there." He pointed to the porthole.
Napoleon leaned to Mishi, whispering to her. "This is no pod, every one of those dolphins are of a different species."
She shrugged, not understanding the significance of that statement."
Not far from them they saw beneath the surface a large domed structure. Napoleon guessed an underwater habitat of sorts.
The submersible maneuvered beneath it, then docked with it with a loud thump, moments later the hatch was opened. But before leaving the sub, Fleming cautioned his prisoners.
"I will leave you unbound with the understanding that there is no way for you to escape this facility. It has full video surveillance and the only way off is via this submarine... that does not remain docked here. And don't think about trying to fire any weapons as any gunfire within the habitat could shatter the protective dome and you would cause everyone within, including yourselves, to drown."
Napoleon cocked his eyebrows as drowning was something that was a private fear. "Understood Doctor," he nodded.
One by one they climbed up the ladder, emerging into a completely different world. The habitat was like being inside a fishbowl, but with the fish on the outside.
The under sea life surrounded them, the dolphins, swirling schools of snapper, bright snapper, tarakihi, kahawai, cobalt blue Demoiselle fish, white spotted Demoiselle and other species glided with the ebb and flow of the current as they ignored the humans.
Suddenly the schools scattered as a giant fish swam among them. At first it appeared black and had to be nearly seven feet long, moving along at a leisurely pace as it stared into the dome. The light from above caught it, changing it's color, with bright yellow iridescent markings on its blue head as it shifted its position in the water.
"Quite fascinating are they not?" said Fleming," Ironically enough that big one is called a Napoleon Wrasse, but enough of the outside world. Come let me show you this world."
Napoleon and Mishi were given the tour of the kitchens, dining areas, and what looked like a room with a pool inside, but when Solo spotted diving gear, he knew that was a way out.
Then lastly they were lead to the next section of the habitat that was a laboratory of sorts, filled with equipment. There were several tanks containing dolphins that had some sort of electrodes attached to their heads, with wires running from them to a large computer like machine.
There stood a small man, outfitted in surgical garb hunched over a stainless steel operating table. He was concentrating on the the cranium of the fairly large bottlenosed dolphin laying there and looked to be stitching closed an incision.
"Doctor," called Fleming.
"Not now Christopher, can't you see I'm busy? Give me a moment."
The fellow took a pair of scissors, snipping the thread and indicating to his burly assistants to put the creature into a tank immediately.
"Now done," he announced, turning to Fleming."And who do we have here?"
"Evelyn, the prisoners I told you I was bringing, for your research?"
"Oh yes yes, now I remember." He eyed Napoleon and Mishi up and down. "I think they'll do nicely, fine specimens, fine."
Napoleon eyed the man back, watching as he stepped down from the platform next to the operating table to the floor. He stood less than five feet tall, with fine, almost elfin features, with salt and pepper grey hair tied back into a ponytail.
"This is Dr. Evelyn Genius," announced Fleming." And this Doctor, is Napoleon Solo of U.N.C.L.E. and Colonel Michaela Mirgorodsky, of the Amercian Army CID."
"Impressive," smiled Dr. Genius."But not so impressive that they let themselves be captured by you Christopher. Take them to their quarters. I won't be ready for them for a few days." He waved dismissively, then walked away.
"And clean them up please. Dinner will be at seven." Genius turned back to tell them.
They were lead to adjoining bedrooms, with the walls and ceilings completely open to the view of the water.
Napoleon's bed was large, circular with a comforter covering it that was the same bright aqua color of the water. The chairs and tables were clear acrylic like the dome above him. He looked up, the movement above catching his attention again.
He suddenly found himself a little aroused, thinking of making love to a woman in such a world within a world, with the aquatic scene alive and moving sensually around them.
Napoleon shook himself free of the feeling, turning to the door, checking and finding it surprisingly unlocked.
Venturing back out to escape with Mishi would have probably been easier than he first imagined, since after catching a glimpse of the diving suits, he knew the " no way out" warning by Fleming was a lie. But for the moment he needed to see what these people were up to and would plan he and Mishi's escape accordingly.
He walked into the bathroom, which at least had a modicum of privacy, with a suspended opaque ceiling and walls. After removing what remained of his once pristine designer suit, he stepped into the shower and let the warm water cascade down his sore and bruised muscles.
After toweling himself dry, he located a beige jumpsuit in the closet and slipped into it, comfortable but a bit baggy for his taste.
Then he stepped out to Mishi's room, knocking on the door first.
"Who is it?" She called out.
"Napoleon, may I come in...are you decent?"
"Unfortunately yes."
The Colonel was sitting on the edge of a bed identical to his, the furnishings being the same as well. She was dressed in a black and beige pencil skirt, with an aqua blouse that was a bit tight for her figure, revealing a bit more of her cleavage. Solo had to admit, she looked more serene now and quite desirable.
He sat down beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders, looking into her eyes, something he knew he shouldn't have done. "We'll get out of this, I promise."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Trust me," he said leaning in, letting his lips meet hers. It was a long, kiss, but not filled with passion. It was one filled with doubt and tinged with the fear of the unknown.
Solo pulled back, stopping himself from going further, having meant only to comfort her. An Mishi did not pursue the opportunity his embrace had offered, as she'd promised herself not to.
"We're going to make it through; I do this kind of stuff for a living, and besides, I told you Illya will find us."
"Do you have any idea where we are Napoleon?"
"New Zealand," he chuckled.
"Be serious."
"Sorry, haven't got a clue."
"So if we don't know where we are, how can Illya know?"
"He has a way of finding things out."
"Yes, you're certainly right about that," she smiled.
.
Evelyn Genius watched the two on his monitor, disappointed that his voyeuristic needs would not be fulfilled. They seemed to be strong-willed and that pleased him, as that would make the experiment all the more interesting. Then he wondered who this Illya person was.
A moment later his question was answered when a small, hand-held radio on his desk came to life.
"Sir, we have a problem." The voice said at the other end.
"There's an U.N.C.L.E agent here at the Chesapeake Lady. His name is Kuryakin, Illya Kuryakin."