Author Note/Apology : (For anyone that actually speaks Vietnamese, my apologies for quite probably butchering the translations - most especially since my computer doesn't have the capacity to type the correct characters needed in some cases.)


Alyona was sleeping deeper than she had possibly ever slept before, so it took her longer to wake up than it usually did. For a few moments, she wasn't sure what had woken her, then she heard the sound of a helicopter close by and could see the spotlight lighting up the night through the chinks in their shelter.

A soft sound nearer to her drew her attention and she turned, barely able to make out the sweat drenched form of Murdock kneeling attentively, gun in his hand and knife beside him. Seeing her move, he spoke to her. At least, she assumed he was speaking to her. She couldn't understand a word he said.

"Im lang."

After a moment, he spoke again in the unknown language and it frightened her.

"Ke thu la gan."

The helicopter began slowly moving away, but Murdock remained at high alert until there hadn't been any sight or sound from it for half an hour. He sighed, putting away the gun and patting the leaves as he gave her a smile.

"Tro lai giac ngu, it mot."

The intent that they should go back to bed was clear, so she gave him a weak smile back and settled down again. She honestly didn't think sleep would come again, but it must have because the next time she opened her eyes, sunlight was peeking through the cracks in their shelter.


One of the information technicians came to Mark in obvious excitement and, as soon as Mark read the report handed him, he was rejuvenated as well. April was practically bursting to know.

"Well, darling?"

Giving her a smile and a wink, Mark headed them to the nearest area map.

"It could be a red herring, but we may have a lead. We've gotten a report on a pair of search helicopters - one over this sector and one over this one. The story given out was that they were searching for a pair of missing hikers, but I've just had it confirmed that no-one's been reported missing in those woods, hiking or otherwise."

"And you think those birds were looking for Howler."

"I do. Plus, who would you expect to actually be up in the air looking for lost people?"

"The police or possibly the military."

"One spotter managed to get us a registration number. Privately owned helicopter and look at the name on the registration."

"That's the name of a T.H.R.U.S.H. corporation. You're right, they had to be after Howler."

"And now we know where they think he might be. Looking at the area, there's only two or three spots nearby that could be possibly the satrip involved."

"We will be taking it down once we find Howler, won't we?"

She managed not to jump this time when Mister Waverly spoke from behind her again.

"With extreme prejudice, Miss Dancer. I have just been informed that Agent David's lower left arm had to be amputated. If there is any positive to be found, it is that the doctors believe he will be an excellent candidate for a prosthetic device. If he agrees to it, I will authorize him to receive one of the advanced models that are being developed in our labs."

Moving closer to the map, Mister Waverly looked over the areas Mark had pointed out.

"Whatever manpower and equipment you need, I will authorize, Mister Slate. Captain Murdock has been endangered by his association with our organization and through no fault of his own. Find him and bring him straight to Medical. If anyone has a quibble with that, feel free to direct them to my office. Assuming Miss Dancer leaves anything of them behind to send to me."

"Thank you, sir. Come on, April - we have search parties to organize."


When Murdock woke again, he was speaking English - much to Alyona's relief. Stretching, Murdock winced.

"Man o man, am I stiff this morning. You sleep well, little lady?"

Alyona hesitated, then answered.

"Except when the helicopter was circling over the area."

The surprised look he gave her took away the relief she had felt at hearing English.

"I slept through that? I must have been more tired than I thought. Sorry, I should have been more alert."

Clearing her throat, she decided to broach the subject.

"You were alert. You kept the gun in your hand and the knife by your side until they had been gone for quite awhile. And - and you were saying some things I couldn't understand."

Running a hand through his hair, Murdock was thoughtful before questioning her.

"Do you mean I wasn't making sense or that I was speaking another language?"

"Another language, I think."

He nodded as if that should have been obvious.

"Yeah, most likely I was speaking Vietnamese. I tend to do that sometimes."

The answer wasn't very clear or reassuring.

"Sometimes?"

Again, Murdock treated the topic as if it was the equivalent of asking him why he wore ball caps.

"Every now and again, I forget what country I'm in or what year it is. No biggie. I know a lot of guys that were over there that have the same problem."

He recognized the look on her face when it clicked with her where he was talking about. Before she said any thing else, he held up a hand and scowled at her.

"Not a single word. You're the right age to have been a protester and, from that expression, I'm betting you were one. Now I fully approve of folks protesting things they think are wrong, but if you were one of the ones that was yelling insults at our boys or throwing garbage at us? You'd best not tell me or I might be inclined to rethink you being a lady."

He paused, then continued.

"Things happen in every war that any side involved should be ashamed of, but the overwhelming majority of those decisions aren't made by the folks that have to bleed for them. Nearly all of folks sent over there were doing the best that they could to follow their orders and stay alive long enough to make it home. The soldiers on their side were the mostly the same sorts, only they had the added dig of it being their home ground that was being blown up and bled on."

She remained looking sulky, but didn't respond back verbally. The look was enough to set him off again though.

"And, might I add, considering the organization that you've thrown your lot in with, you are a classic case of a raven calling a crow black. I've fought against some nasty types before, but those guys are among the worst."

That made her break her silence.

"How would you know? You are not Kuryakin."

He laughed at her - not in a humorous fashion.

"You think U.N.C.L.E. folks are the only ones they bother? They kidnapped my best friend - also not related to U.N.C.L.E. - and then left him to die in a building they sat on fire. As for me, I was injured and unarmed and one of them tried to shoot me in the head. Only reason she didn't was that she'd already used up all the bullets in her gun."

"She?"

"You think you're the first woman they've used? Old Hannah was a piece of work. To my personal knowledge, she was not only into kidnapping, but also torture, slave trafficking, thief, smuggling and espionage. Is that what your future goals are? To be like her?"

Despite herself, Alyona frowned. He sounded so sure of his facts - which were not in line with her own thoughts about T.H.R.U.S.H. She went back to one of the things he said to find out more about it.

"Why did they kidnap your friend?"

That got a rueful chuckle.

"Same reason they kidnapped me. Mistaken identity - wrong place, wrong time."

She was thinking hard enough that Murdock could practically see the gears spinning. He tossed his own question back at her.

"So - why did you join up?"

She straightened her back.

"They want to achieve world peace."

He gave that laugh again.

"I suppose they do, in a manner of speaking. Depends on if your view of world peace entails living under someone else's thumb or not. Me? I prefer a world where, sure, conflicts might break out, but individualism is still allowed. Countries still have their own identities and languages. Some people like marching band - everyone in straight line, matching costumes, playing the same tune. Me? I like marching band okay, but I'm more of a fan of jazz and rock."

Murdock sighed as he gently probed his injured foot and tried to wrap it so that he could manage to walk on it better.

"I'm going to see if I can find us some food. Why don't you give some thought about what the world T.H.R.U.S.H. is trying to bring about would actually look like and be like to live in? I don't think that, if you're honest with yourself, you'll be all that enamored with living in the end results."


Translations:

"Im lang." - Stay quiet.

"Ke thu la gan." - The enemy is near.

"Tro lai giac ngu, it mot." - Go back to sleep, little one.