The four UNCLE agents were confounded by their lack of evidence of a THRUSH presence on Bali. The one thing they had was the death of an agent. If Dave Rogers was on the island as part of a mission, there was no record of it, and yet his death reeked of intrigue.
"What were the results of the coroner's report?" Napoleon hadn't seen the report yet, but Illya had perused it as searched for clues to why Rogers was dead. As he sat down at the table Illya introduced the agent from Hong Kong.
"Agent Suzi Chen, this is Napoleon Solo. He is CEA of the Northwestern region." The paperwork had been slow in coming to them, passing through several hands before finally arriving on the desk of the Section Chief in Hong Kong. The copy now in Illya's hands was delivered by Agent Chen, dispatched from the Hong Kong Headquarters as soon as it became available.
Suzi Chen was newly appointed to her position, a Section III agent who was part of the emerging female presence. She and April had met while in Survival School.
"I understand you know Miss Dancer." Napoleon was struck by the woman's beauty, and the uniqueness of her features; vivid blue eyes peered from beneath the straight black bangs.
"Yes, we attended Survival School together.' Illya thought he detected something in the young woman's tone of voice, a barely discernible trace of ... something. Her smile was emotionless as she cast a glance towards April. She was still talking...
"I was not quite ready for Section II according to my results, however I am slated for additional training. I am hopeful of being transferred very soon."
Suzi Chen was soaking up the environment among UNCLE's top agents. She aspired to be among their ranks, to be the second woman to become a Section II operative. This detail to Bali was an indication of her superiors' confidence in the young woman, and she was determined to not let this opportunity pass by without the recognition she felt was rightfully hers.
April and Mark returned from ordering drinks for everyone, the food was already on the table; a platter of beef and chicken satay with peanut sauce. Grilled vegetables accompanied the meat, with a generous helping of fragrant jasmine rice. Individual plates allowed for self service of this casual meal.
"I say we eat and talk at the same time, I'm famished." April's announcement was met with approval as they loaded their plates with the satay, rice and vegetables. Each of them related their experiences of the day, laughing at the woodpecker account and empathizing with the lack of corroboration concerning a THRUSH scheme on Bali.
Illya was puzzling over the situation when someone approached the table. Her voice caused him to look up, catching the expression on Napoleon's face as Sharon asked to speak to him privately.
''I can't imagine that there's anything my associates shouldn't be privy to." It was blunt, an emotionless reply that betrayed nothing of the feelings he had for this woman. April exchanged glances with Mark while Suzi Chen remained clueless to what had transpired less than twenty-four hours previous to this moment.
"Napoleon… very well. I suppose we're all in this together." Sharon sat down at Napoleon's gesture to the seat next to Suzi.
"Does this concern THRUSH?" It was possible that the CIA agent had information, and apparently she was willing to share something with the UNCLE agents. Illya thought a form of cooperation might be evolving against all odds of it ever happening.
"THRUSH is nowhere to be found on this island. We mistook certain, shall we say, misleading circumstances, to be indicators of their presence here. We now believe that your man, Dave Rogers, met his death because he came upon another type of conspiracy." She looked around the table, then set her attention on Napoleon.
"And…? Are you going to tell us what that conspiracy is?" Napoleon's tone was icy, almost hostile. It seemed out of character for him, which told his compatriots that something had happened between him and the lovely CIA agent to cause this rift. The effect was not lost on Illya who began to mentally step back from his romantic inclinations regarding April. It would be a mistake, and sitting here watching his friend only served to reinforce what he knew to be true.
Sharon sighed, shrugging her shoulders in a 'I don't know' affect. She didn't have a green light to tell them anything more, only that THRUSH wasn't responsible.
"I wish I had more, I really do. There's a political firestorm brewing here, and on Jakarta. Indonesia is unstable in spite of some economic growth and the leadership of Sukarno. He's …" Illya blanched at the attempt to put the blame on Indonesia's first and only president since their independence from the Dutch.
"I have no doubts about the activities of both Great Britain and America to undermine Sukarno. No wonder we found ourselves surrounded by MI6 and the CIA." Revolution was not the exclusive domain of communists, and fomenting a revolution to rid a man who was endangering an economic base in Indonesia because of his ties to Red China and the Soviet Union suddenly impinged on Illya's tendency to withhold his opinion on such things.
Sharon's expression didn't change, she couldn't give anything away. But Kuryakin was right, and the UNCLE agent had been killed by people endeavoring to usurp power from Sukarno. But it wasn't the CIA who killed Dave Rogers; some of this was simply out of control.
Napoleon caught something in Sharon's eyes, just the glint of recognition in what Illya said.
"Damn it Sharon, is the CIA involved in this? And MI6?' She was shocked at the vitriol in his voice. Could this be the same man who had made love to her just last night?
"Napoleon… What do you want from me? I work for the CIA, I follow the rules."
"Follow what's right, Sharon!" April nearly jumped at the outburst, and Illya got up from his chair and yanked Napoleon up from his.
"Come with me." Illya led his friend away from the table, away from the conflict and confusion.
"She can't divulge more than she knows my friend. I believe her when she says the CIA isn't responsible for Roger's death; there is an hysteria that begins to flow through a population that is being led to revolution or mutiny. All it takes is misplaced zeal to create an environment for mayhem, even murder.' Illya paused to look at his friend, try to gauge his thoughts.
"I do not think this is a situation for UNCLE, and if what I believe is happening is nearing its zenith, then I do not think it is a good place for me." That caught Napoleon's attention.
"What do you mean? Do you think you might be targeted?" Illya shook his head.
"What I mean is, there will be sides to join among the military and the population. Sukarno has warmed up to Red China, and there is talk of him aligning Indonesia with them in ways that will undermine the West. I am a Soviet citizen, neither a Westerner nor a citizen of this domain, the Chinese element. Sukarno is a freedom fighter, but there are those in the military who wish to cut ties with mainland China, who see communism as a plague that will set back their country and make them mere pawns of the Chinese."
Napoleon was suddenly tired. He disliked politics, abhorred the divisions created by opposing factions trying to eradicate the other side. His friend, his partner, might fall victim to whatever or whoever had killed Dave Rogers. Illya was right, this wasn't a situation for UNCLE.
"Okay, let's.. um… let's call Waverly and start packing our bags. I don't see any reason to remain. Dave Rogers' death is going to be attributed to political fallout. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The coroner's report simply states that he died from a gunshot wound to the abdomen; he bled out. Helluva way for a good man to die." Illya put his hand on Napoleon's shoulder as they turned to walk back to the table. None of the others were talking, and the room was empty save for them and a few of the staff.
Napoleon looked at Sharon, he regretted the breach between them after having been so close, even for the brief time they were together. He remembered the first time he saw her, the compassion he felt she possessed in contrast to the people she worked for at the time.
There was nothing left to do but announce their departure. Beyond the idyllic setting in which they were staying, there was danger in paradise. There were real spooks here, the kind that influenced and manipulated seats of power, started revolutions… real spies. UNCLE didn't do that, it wasn't their mission.
"All right everyone, let's enjoy our last meal and go back to our huts to pack our bags. We're done here." Every face was on Napoleon, each person had questions. April was, of course, the first one to speak. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed, and not just for the sake of their assignment.
"So, that's it? We have nowhere else to go with this?" She looked around the table, settling on Sharon. "Are you staying on?" Her tone was slightly accusatory, as though the CIA beauty was the cause of their departure.
"April, I … I still have a job to do.' She looked again at Napoleon, trying to read his mind. "Perhaps I'd better leave you all to your plans." She rose from her chair and turned towards Napoleon, hoping to see something different in his eyes.
The moment was disrupted as a shot rang out.