Chapter 9

Hans Schmit, shackled by the ankle to a metal table, sat smoking a cigarette and waiting for his attorney. The guard told him they'd been advised a lawyer was coming directly from Germany. He felt relief, for now he knew his comrades in Germany were still look out for him. As he smoked, he shook and sweated from the latest ordeal of being arrested; but he thanked God he was at least safe in here from the clutches of Herr Pinet.

He heard footsteps, rattling of keys in the door, and it opened. He stood in shock as his attorney walked in.

It was a woman!

She waited until the guard closed the door then she approached the table, putting down her valise. She put out her hand, and as Schmit shook it, she said in German:

"I am your attorney, Miss Althoff.". She sat, and opened her case. He sat also. They spoke only in German.

"I will record our conversation. Understood?"

"May I see identification Fraulein Althoff?"

She reached into her valise and took out a laminated card. It had a picture of her...Blonde hair in a bun, glasses. No smile. It also had an embossed swastika with her member number. He handed it back, smiling with relief.

"Have you heard from Messieur Pinet since your arrest?"

"No."

"Has anyone contacted you about your mission since your arrest?"

"No."

"Has Pinet fulfilled his obligation to us?"

"I cannot say. I was arrested before I could meet with him."

"Herr Schmit, we suspect Messieur Pinet planned your arrest so he could keep all the gold. We must stop him immediately. We have people ready and waiting to apprehend him. Where is he?"

Hans Schmit was livid. He spat when he said,

"That French swine!" He shakily lit another cigarette. Then he told his attorney where they could find Pinet. She smiled and patted his hand.

"I will report this back. You have done well." She said as she shut the recorder, and shut her valise and got up to leave. He took her hand to stop her.

"One moment...what about me? When will I be released?"

"Never, Herr Schmit..." She smiled. He jumped up, but the shackle prevented him from moving further.

She pulled her hand away. Then she took off her glasses. She pulled off her wig and shook her brown hair loose. He gasped.

"What is this?!" He bellowed.

"It's called justice, Herr Schmit...and it has finally bitten you on your ass!"

She knocked on the door and the guard let her out. All the while she heard Hans Schmit screaming revenge and death, she just kept smiling. When she got to the front door, she put on sunglasses.

Gaby Teller looked at the bright blue sky and thought she'd never seen such a beautiful day.

The guard waited for Gaby to leave. He picked up the phone on his desk at his station, dialed, and waited for an answer. He spoke in French.

"Hello, my friend. I heard Schmit say Pinet is at..." and he told the person the location and hung up. He took his sandwich out of his brown bag and after taking an enormous bite, he thought revenge never tasted so good.

The person on the other end was Jack LeMont. He and a few others were friends from childhood. Each lost precious members of their families because of Henri Pinet. He quickly began to call the others, giving them the information, which set in motion their plan.

When Gaby got to the hotel room she knocked on the door and Napoleon let her in. She gasped first at his condition, and then saw Illya looked no better. Shaking her head, she said,

"Really? You boys have to learn to play together nicely!"

Neither one remarked, so Gaby proceeded to play the tape for Waverly. When it was done, he got the phone and dialed.

"Waverly here. Pinet can be found at 1228 Rue de Rennes. " He hung up, eyeing his two top agents.

"I would like to send you both to get Pinet, but in your condition..."

Illya scowled...

"There is no 'condition' I will go. Cowboy here can remain with you..." He looked at Napoleon's bandaged hands.

"Peril, put a gun in my hand and I'll do just fine."

"All right then...good luck." Waverly nodded and they left for 1228 Rue de Rennes.

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Henri Pinet heard the footsteps and whispered voices. He was in the middle of packing a suitcase and putting two of the three gold bullion into it that he managed to steal when they crashed through the front door.

"Who are you? What do you want?" There was a group of them. Nobody spoke.

"Get out!"

They just kept walking towards him, and he backed up until he hit the wall. Then they began to hit him.

Each one took a turn, stating their names. Pinet knew who they were then. Blow after blow, he begged for them to stop. Finally he lay bloodied with his cheeks fractured, eyes swollen, nose flattened, but still conscious. One of them knelt down beside him.

"You wanted this so badly?" he whispered.

"Choke on it."

He shoved a gold bullion into his mouth, breaking teeth, dislocating his jaw, and making Pinet gag until he died. Then they all left.

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Illya was driving to their destination when he glanced over at Napoleon unwrapping his right hand, flexing the fingers, and then securing the gun. He felt more than secure he could fire it.

"You sure?" Illya questioned.

"Yes. You?"

"I am not the wounded one, Cowboy..."

"No? That knot on your head with 10 stitches doesn't qualify?"

"I have endured worse and carried on...that is the Russian way."

"Whatever you say, Peril...just stay out of the way when the shooting starts."

Illya actually chuckled.

"Trust me; I will stand behind you to avoid getting shot by you by accident!"

Napoleon couldn't believe Illya was actually trying to be funny.

"If I shoot you, it won't be by accident..."

"Shut up, Cowboy...we are here."

They entered the house, and faced the carnage. Putting their weapons away, they walked around the mess.

"Nothing left here to do..." Illya commented, looking down at Henri Pinets battered corpse, with the fragments of gold left in his mouth.

"No, guess not."

"Whoever created this mess was very angry."

"Yes, I would say so."

"Okay then...Let the others coming clean up this mess." As they turned to leave, Napoleon saw the bullion. Illya saw it too.

"Tempted, Cowboy?"

"You know? Another time and place, perhaps; but this brought enough heartache and death to so many, it's tainted. Let the government return it to its rightful owners."

They headed back to the hotel to meet up with Waverly and Gaby. After giving their report, Waverly said,

"Napoleon, Gaby and Kuryakin will take you to where Marie and her son are. When you're done, Gaby will take them to a safe house outside of Paris until we know Hans Schmit cannot cause any more trouble. Then return here. Understood?"

"Yes." All three said, and they took off.

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Marie, her son and nanny were sequestered in a small house on a quiet street. When Gaby, Illya and Napoleon arrived, Denise, a young woman answered the door.

"Please, come sit. I will get Marie." She spoke softly and her English had a slight French accent.

She let them sit in the living room area, and left.

Marie stood in the door way. When Napoleon saw her he stood, and she walked to him, touched his face gently, and then embraced him. She turned to Illya who stood, and did the same thing. Gaby smiled and extended her hand to shake.

"I am Gaby Teller. I also work for U.N.C.L.E. When you are done and ready, I'm going to take you to your new home...Illya and I will wait in the kitchen..."

"Thank you...for everything..."

When they were gone, Napoleon and Marie sat on the couch.

"You are a sight, Napoleon!" She looked at his hands which were both partially bandaged.

"I couldn't let you be a part of Pinets scheme."

"Always the protector... I am so fortunate to have you in my life. I would like you to meet the other person you have been protecting...Justin? Sweetie, come here, I want you to meet mamas very best friend..."

A little boy came around the corner shyly. Then he ran to his mother's side. Napoleon thought he looked just like Marie.

"Justin, meet Napoleon."

Napoleon smiled, held out his hand for a shake, but Justin turned to his mother,

"C'est Sergeant Napoleon mama?" Marie chuckled.

"Oui...but speak English...go, shake his hand."

Instead, Justin pushed himself between Napoleon's legs, and gave him a resounding kiss on his cheek.

"You are mama's hero!"

"Hardly...but we are forever friends, and now you and I are also forever friends, oui?"

"Yes...in English!" Justin giggles when Napoleon poked his rib.

"Go help Denise get ready, ok?"

"Yes, mama..." and he ran off. Sitting next to Marie, Napoleon cupped her chin and kissed her on the lips quickly.

"I will miss you, Marie. Please do whatever the police or agents tell you for your safety. I assume now you know what I do."

"I have a good idea...dangerous work!"

"Don't flatter me... I have to go along with this life for another few years...have to pay my dues for the life I led after I joined the army..."

"I don't care what you did or what you might have to do. Long ago you helped an innocent little girl and her orphaned friends in their time of need. We are forever in your debt..."

She spoke softly, and her eyes welled with tears.

"I will write you my new location and number...but I will return to Paris. It is my home."

"Be safe, Marie. I'll look forward to hearing from you." They stood and hugged tightly, took one more look into each other's eyes, then Marie walked away to gather her son and nanny and leave with Gaby.