Part XI – Wrinkles and Hurricanes

This was one of those times when Face was briefly tempted to take an oath of chastity. He was mentally berating himself. He was a conman, for pity's sake! He should know better than anyone to watch out for a pretty face pulling a scam.

His real worry was Murdock. Leaving him alone in a new town hadn't been in Face's plans at all. Thinking of Murdock got him agitated and he twisted again in the attempt to get a better look at the cuffs keeping him prisoner. He had to get back – hell, Murdock didn't even have the keys to the car and, so far as Face knew, didn't have any money on him either.

Scent more than sound told him that he wasn't alone anymore. Her scent. Kind of reminded him of those hot cinnamon candies he occasionally had a kid. Still in that green silk dress. She had a natural looking sway to her walk that he now suspected was very well rehearsed. Stopping in front of him, she insisted, yet again, that his name was Solo. Her eyes took on a slightly venomous look when he denied it.

"We'll see. Perhaps one of you will feel more cooperative once your partner joins us."

Smirking, she swayed her way over to the wall area right in front of where they had him facing. Face's stomach got a little queasy when he saw the shackles permanently attached there. This obviously was not her first time doing this sort of thing and he really felt like kicking himself for following her. The thought that she might be about to chain up Murdock made him start trying to slip his cuffs again. After the camps, none of them could stand being restrained, but it was the worst on Murdock. Damn it – he was not going to just sit there and let them mess with his best friend if he could help it.

The door opened and his heart went into his throat as the men started carrying in a limp, lifeless looking body. Then they came close enough for him to get a better look. Recognition hit then and he spoke without thinking first.

"Illya?"

Swallowing, relief flooded over him. Not that he had anything against Illya, but he was just thankful that it wasn't Murdock. Then he felt those green eyes on him. Damn. She looked mad enough to chew nails as she turned away from him and had the men shackle Illya to the wall. He had to look away as the man's body started to jerk against the chains. That had to hurt.

He looked back just in time for her to stalk back over to him, getting down into his face almost close enough to bite his nose. Which he was not about to put past her at this point. Her question about the relief she'd seen in his eyes was the one that he'd been afraid of. His internal mantra was not to mention Murdock -fortunately his skills at coming up with a plausible lie quickly didn't fail him.

He looked past her then and into Illya's eyes. Illya didn't seem as surprised to see Face and when their eyes connected, he saw the force of will behind those eyes. Illya seemed to be trying to communicate something with him. Face just wished he knew the man well enough to know what.

Then the woman came up with a name that Face had heard. Napoleon. The man Illya had been waiting for.

"Not even close. You people really need to update your files. Napoleon retired last year after his birthday."

Those words told Face what he needed to know. Illya was trying to protect his friend just as Face was trying to protect Murdock. Fine – he knew the scam now and tried to fall into the role of Illya's partner. He just really wished he had a better idea of what exactly they were partners at.

When he saw the woman go to a table and pick up a wicked looking knife, he went cold. But it was Illya's grey pullover that she was attacking rather than the man himself. The material was soon in shreds on the ground. Face swallowed again. What the hell did Illya do for a living to end up with so much scarring?

"Now then – which of you wants to start telling me about the reason U.N.C.L.E. was meeting with the CIA?"

Face looked to Illya again. Wait a minute – he'd heard that before. That story Murdock told now and then was about agents working for U.N.C.L.E. But that had all been just a story Murdock made up – hadn't it? Another look at Illya's scarred torso made Face begin to reconsider that. Then he heard the question in Illya's voice.

"CIA?"

The woman practically hissed as she used the knife again to slice a four inch line shallowly into Illya's chest.

"I am growing tired of these games. You do not think I know a CIA man when I see one? I have seen Howlin' Mad in action before so don't lie."

Face paled a little at that. Okay – so maybe he didn't know his best friend quite as well as he thought he did. He felt Illya's eye on him again, questioning. The woman was looking toward Illya so Face took the chance and mouthed 'Murdock'. Illya's slightly raised brow was all that told him that the message had gotten through.

"I was merely making sure I heard the right agency's name. I deal with so many. As to the reason for the meeting? That is none of your business."

The woman looked as if she was ready to scowl, but then changed her mind as well as her questioning.

"Solo. Where is he?"

"Far from here, I am sure. Where exactly? Who knows? Napoleon spoke of several places he would like to spend his retirement years. The Plage de Tahiti in Saint Tropez came up, as I recall. However Napoleon and I have not exchanged so much as a postcard since his retirement."

Face watched breathlessly as Illya took a long studying look at the woman in front of him.

"You know, you should really get some sleep. Staying up late cause forehead wrinkles. You should have seen the number that Napoleon collected from –"

The blonde man had a death wish apparently. At least the woman only slapped him instead of stabbing.

"We'll see if a night in the comfort of your surroundings makes you more cooperative."

"Good night. Oh, you might try using cooled teabags on your eyes. Helps with the puffiness."

The door slammed with a force that made Face wonder that it hadn't cracked. If the woman had had a gun, he wouldn't have been shocked if she'd used it on Illya.

"You're crazier than Murdock."

"Howlin' Mad? That is his nickname?"

"More like – his reputation. Nobody really called him that around the base."

Face glanced back to where the woman had disappeared through the door and took a chance.

"So, partner? Exactly what sort of partners are we?"

"Not to go into details, consider the job to be one of troubleshooting."

"Troubleshooting?"

"Da. Someone causes trouble – we shoot them."

"Please tell me that was a joke?"

Face couldn't quite make out Illya's expression. He also noted his question wasn't answered.

"Try to get some rest, Mister Peck."

"Hey – since we're partners now, call me Face. And do you really think either of us will get much rest like this?"

"I have spent nights in less comfortable conditions than these and I suspect you have as well. Try."

At the hotel, Hannibal had been mostly silent – he still hadn't handed the card back to Solo and kept glancing back at it. He'd seen enough fakes done by Face to decide this one seemed genuine enough. At any rate, it hadn't just been made in the last day or two.

The main reason for Hannibal's quiet was that he was trying to cast his mind back when Murdock had gotten orders pulling him away from the team. Murdock was prone to tell what sounded like some pretty tall tales though, so he hadn't paid strict attention to the stories the pilot had told when he came back. Hannibal did recall that Murdock came back to them wounded – nothing major and nothing that stopped him from flying. Well, nothing that he let stop him from flying. He'd also told about a beautiful girl that was along with him that he called April Showers. Hannibal had assumed that she was another of Murdock's inventions made to poke fun at Face. Now? Now he wasn't so sure and he was having to rethink it all.

Murdock generally didn't curse, so when he did, it snapped Hannibal out of his thoughts. Then he mentioned that mission and Hannibal remembered the other beautiful woman in the story.

"Please tell me it's not the woman you called Hurricane Hannah?"

The expression on Murdock's face told Hannibal that was exactly who he thought the woman was and he groaned. What he could remember about her was all bad.

"Sorry, sir. I wish I could have placed her sooner. Maybe then –"

The U.N.C.L.E. agent spoke up then.

"Actually? If you've recognized her, there's a very good chance she recognized you as well. If she'd gotten wind at the time that you remembered her, there no telling what might have happened, but I'd have to say the odds would have been for it being violent. You not remembering sooner probably saved a few innocent lives."

Napoleon could tell from his expression that Murdock wanted to believe that.

"So – you don't think I could have stopped her from taking Face and Illya?"

"No, I don't. That letter wasn't just jotted off. She came there to take Illya and myself. Do you really think she'd have left without us peacefully?"

"No. No, I don't. I remember what she was trying to pull in Croatia. When things started going against them, she was about to kill the hostages. Collateral damage doesn't worry Hurricane Hannah."

B.A.'s curiosity must have overwhelmed him because Napoleon heard him speak up.

"Gonna regret asking this, but why'd you call her Hurricane Hannah? Hannah her name?"

A fond smile formed on Murdock's face as he thought back.

"Never found out her real name, big guy. I named her that in honor of how Junebug got her to leave the hostages alone."

"Junebug?"

"She was my chopper on that mission. Oh man-o-man, was she a sweet lady. Any way – I heard Higgins yell and saw what he was trying to tell us. Me an' Junebug spotted a nice pile of trash not far away and Junebug was really cooperative about getting at the right angle for our air to whip that trash around. Hannah was getting nailed with everything from dirt to old beer cans and table scraps. Betcha it must've taken her a solid week to get all the trash and tangles out of her hair."

Hannibal chuckled at that as he glanced at the clock and finally passed the card back to Solo.

"Doesn't sound like it could have happened to a more deserving woman, but if we're going to be moving out in the morning, we'd better get some rest."

"Hannibal? If it's alright with you and Murdock, I'd like him to come with me tonight. He can use Illya's bed."

Hannibal cast a glance over to Murdock before agreeing, but B.A. apparently was less than thrilled with the arrangement and went over to Murdock, laying his hands on the pilot's shoulders.

"You got the number – you use it if you need to. Be careful out there, Fool."

"I will be, big guy. We'll get Faceman back. I'm not going to refind you guys just to lose you again."