A tough decision had to be made by Kuryakin. There was no doubt in his mind that he had to get to the Soviet outpost; heading to the UNCLE base might just be a waste of precious time as they could be dead or changed like the others. He was convinced now the answer lay with his fellow countrymen. It was the only logical conclusion. Each of the attacks at the French and British bases were committed by what were his fellow Soviets. Though no one saw who attacked the Americans, he had no doubt who it was.
He'd dismissed the idea of THRUSH being involved and focused now on this situation having originated with his people. What the hell had they done, and why?
Illya insisted Aggie remain behind to continue working in her lab trying to solve what was happening to everyone.
The four of them, Illya, Aggie, Tommy and his brother Billy were all wearing hazmat suits now, as well as surgical masks and latex gloves for protection.
Though they'd been exposed already, it was best not to take a chance in the event things weren't transmitting via bodily fluids, especially through the coughing.
All coughs contain a miniature droplets and if a person is infected, the droplets in their cough containing bacteria could survive for hours, especially on surfaces.
Perhaps they'd realized it too late, and that was why the others had become ill...though why the remaining four had not was a mystery. There was no rhyme or reason as to why they hadn't been affected since they'd been around everyone before and as well as when they became sick.
Aggie took blood from each of them, and herself, the brothers Ironside and Illya as well, hoping she'd find some sort of antibody that was keeping them from becoming sick...so far. It she found it, then it could be used to possibly come up some sort of cure. It was a hope she held onto for dear life, though the reality of the situation was becoming just too dire. Time was short, and would there be enough to help everyone?
She saw to it the rest of the crew along with Solo, though bound, were made as comfortable as possible.
Tommy's job was continuing trying to raise Ticonderoga on the radio. Billy and Illya, set about sanitizing every hard surface possible, especially cooking utensils, and anything else they could manage with a bucket of bleach and rubbing alcohol.
That was all they had as a possible defense, if it would do any good at all at this point in keeping them from becoming sick as well...that and keeping everyone affected confined. Nothing else could be done.
The four of them slept together that night; Aggie's quarters were the safest bet. Using sleeping bags and extra blankets they huddled together. It was the only location not visited by any of the others prior to the outbreak; though the cleaning products were used there as well as a precaution.
The room was kept cool, while the rest of the station was kept even cooler in hopes the lower temperatures might slow down the spread of the bacteria. Warmth might...well, the bacteria was thriving in warm-blooded hosts so, logically why make the environment any more friendly to the little buggers, as Aggie said.
Illya and Aggie spent half the night awake, taking shifts to tend to the others.
When it was Illya's turn, he could only check to see if they were as comfortable as possible, considering everyone was tied up inside a cold room.
Everyone was huddled together, lying in sleeping bags and blankets, as there wasn't enough room for all of them and cots.
So far none of them were showing any signs of worsening and thankfully nothing unusual was happening...yet.
Maggie was sitting up, leaning against Napoleon, her head nestled on his shoulder. Her breathing was ragged, and her face was beginning to look different. Her transformation was beginning. Having been exposed to Duval's cough as well as his blood made sense she would be the first to metamorphosize.
Napoleon was awake, his eyes bloodshot and tired. His face looked a bit swollen and like the others, he was feverish.
Buckets of snow had been brought inside to make ice packs, and Illya went about filling and changing them. They were being used to help keep down their temperatures. Yet the room itself was cold enough for him to see his breath.
"Hey tovarisch," Napoleon whispered, clearing his throat. "That's a new look for you." He was eyeing Kuryakin's hazmat suit. His voice sounded small and weak. "How's it going?"
"We have cleaned and sanitized as much as we can. Aggie has been working in her lab trying to...well, figure out this thing. As soon as it is morning, I will be heading out to the Soviet outpost. I suspect they are at the root cause of this, though for the life of me I cannot believe this was something deliberate on their part. At first I truly thought our feathered friends were responsible but now I think not...I will find out if that is true when I get to the Soviet base."
"Please tell me you're not going by yourself?"
"No, Billy will accompany me, purely for navigational purposes mind you. Tommy will stay here and continue trying to raise help on the radio."
Illya gave Napoleon a drink of water, and wiped his partner's feverish brow with a cold towel.
"Thanks partner," Napoleon rasped. "Let Billy be a protection detail too? I think he can handle a rifle all right, once you pointed out the safety to him." He tried to laugh, but it only resulted in a deep chesty cough. "Be careful out there will you? "
"That is the plan. Now get some sleep my friend."
"Good luck tovarisch," Napoleon said before closing his eyes.
"It is not a matter of luck I am afraid, now go to sleep Napoleon. I need you to resist what his working against you. Please still be you when I get back, hopefully with good news?"
"I plan to Illya. But I'll say it again, good luck." " Napoleon closed his eyes, going right back to sleep.
"I am going to need it," Illya admitted to himself as he left.
He wouldn't say it to anyone, not even Napoleon. but he was afraid. He feared this thing, whatever it was, and that it might not be stoppable. He feared he would lose Solo and the others. He feared it was his people who had done this and deep down inside there was a hint of shame that was trying to rise to the surface.
He was also afraid he would change into one of those creatures and dying that way. How would his family know him then if they were waiting to meet him in the great beyond? Illya just as quickly chastised himself for such childish thoughts. He had a job to do and he was going to do it or die trying.
Illya went back to Aggie's room, feeling guilty that he had to wake her, but to his surprise, she wasn't there. He found her already awake and in her lab, still trying to make sense of it all.
"Illya, my turn already?"
"I am afraid so," he yawned.
"You need to get some sleep otherwise you'll be no good in the morning. You have to stay focused lad. I know you know what you're doing, but I wish you'd let me come with you. This is my area of expertise dear boy, dare I remind you?"
"No need to tell me that. You must stay here where you are relatively safe, and I promise you I will return with whatever information I can find. Together we will beat this."
"And if you don't find anything, then what? We can't risk calling in help and risk contaminating anyone else." Aggie was tired as well, but was made of sterner stuff and wouldn't give up until the bitter end.
It was absolutely imperative they make contact with the outside world. If in the event this blight could not be stopped; extreme measures needed to be taken. He would have to head to Tartarus and hope he could resolve the communication issue there. Hopefully they hadn't been affected by the bacteria...then again, could he carry it there? It was a double edged sword and one he had no choice with which to deal.
Once he made radio contact, Illya would call for a small atomic device to be detonated. One that would make the area uninhabitable, and hopefully destroy the bacteria for good.
Tartarus and everyone there would be doomed as well...there was no choice. They couldn't be evacuated for hear anyone had been exposed.
Still, Illya Kuryakin was not one to quit. He was always known for his being a stubborn scrapper, and would be one to the bitter end.
There was a painful knot in his stomach that wasn't going away and he said nothing of his plans to Aggie...better she not know.
"I will get answers, I promise….obeshchayu." He promised in Russian, knowing she understood the word."
"Yes I understand," she whispered. Aggie took his gloved hand, giving it a squeeze.
Illya and Billy were up early, and dressed themselves in silence.
Soon the winter season in Antarctica would begin; the sun would set and there would be months of darkness. For the scientist trained to deal with that it was doable, but for anyone else not accustomed to such things it would be difficult. That was if they were alive to deal with it that is…
Aggie was not one for sentimentality and her last words to Billy and Illya were, "Don't bollocks it up you two."
"We will endeavor not to do so," Illya winked at her.