Illya awoke from his surgery, momentarily disoriented at the strange hospital surroundings, then he focused his attention on the face of a Solo sitting by his bedside, just not the one he was accustomed to seeing when waking up in a hospital bed.
"Hi there," Hannibal said, sounding just like his brother, "Welcome back."
He eyed him warily for a moment, then smiled just a bit."Thank you, it is good to be back, where ever this is?"
"You're in Meilahti Hospital, part of Helsinki University...you were medivaced in by helicopter.
"Helsinki? We...U.N.C.L.E. has an office here. Were they notified?"
"Didn't have to, some of your agents were there waiting with us at the border, seemed you activated some sort of homing devise...very clever, gave us a heads up that you were on your way. And good thing, since we were expecting you a bit later." Hannibal winked.
Illya realized how uncanny it was that Hannibal looked like his brother when he did that. "And Vasily?" Illya asked wearily.
"Is waiting to be processed and sent to Washington. Your people are actually holding him for us. He's one scared s.o.b. I have to tell you that. Somehow you did it, I don't know how, but you did one hell of a job getting him out unscathed. Shame we couldn't say the same for you."
"I will be fine, it is part of the job." Illya said, shrugging it off.
"Yes, that's what the Doctor said, being fine that is. Speaking of which, that Doctor may be someone you know. At least she insisted she knows you, actually she says she's pretty sure she's related to you."
"Not possible, she must have me mixed up with someone else. I have no family other than my wife and children."
"Does the name Anastasiya ring a bell, Anastasiya Ursari?"
Illya's face drained of all it's color, and Hannibal watched as the seemingly cool Russian began to tremble. "Where is she?" he whispered.
"Right outside, waiting for you to wake up. I'll bring her in."
Hannibal disappeared out the door, then a moment later he reappeared with a woman wearing a white lab coat, over a simple grey dress, with a stethoscope dangling around her neck.
Illya stared at her, looking for anything familiar. She was blond with her hair cut quite short, pretty and of medium height. This was not the young girl of his memories but a grown woman and it was not until the moment that he looked into her blue eyes that he knew she was his cousin.
"Illya...Illuysha?" She smiled.
"Tasiya." He could barely whisper her name.
She rushed to his bedside, wrapping her arms around him and the two held each other, both crying and laughing at the same time.
Hannibal made himself scarce leaving the room and letting them have a more private reunion.
Tasiya finally released him, but Illya took hold of her hand, not wanting to let go.
"I cannot believe it. I saw you, you were dead in that pit in Bykivnia," he whispered to her.
"Well obviously it wasn't me." She smiled happily.
"Tasi, what happened?"
"When the Germans came, you remember we all scattered. Papa grabbed me and dragged me into the forest, we hid in a gully beneath the underbrush. We could hear the gunfire everywhere and stayed there for hours and then we heard it again later off in the distance. When it was quiet again, we went back to the camp and found everyone dead, then later we discovered the rest of our people dead in the clearing, including your father."
"Yes, I was there when Papa was shot. He told me to run and I did. We had been told that Dimitry was bayonetted nearby, but I never saw him again. I found my way home through the forest and along the way I saw a pit filled so many bodies and there was a blond girl laying face down among them. I thought it was you." He gasped again, trying to control his emotions. "I made it home to the dacha and Babushka and Katiya," he paused, "they died not long after."
"We, Papa and I buried everyone we could find. We could not find you, Dima or a few of the others and hoped you were all alive. We went to the dacha but found it burned down." Tears were streaming down her cheeks again" Illya we found Katiya and buried her. I assumed you were dead too, though Papa kept saying no. Oh Illya, I'm sorry we did not find you.
"How could you? I went to Kyiv and I hid there in the ruins of the city," he said. "Eventually the Germans caught me as well as many other street orphans and took us to work in the camp near Babi Yar."
"Oh God you were in Syrets? We heard about that terrible place."
He nodded quietly, not wanting to say more than that, other than telling her he eventually escaped and was rescued when the Red Army retook the city.
"I was sent to a refugee camp and then to an orphanage in Moskva where I grew up courtesy of the State. I served in the Navy, joined Military Intelligence and then I was sent to work for a multinational peace keeping organization and so much of that dear cousin, is also a long story for another time."
Tasiya ran her fingers gently though his hair. "Oh Illuysha, if we could have only found you, if we only knew?"
"Anastasiya, many were lost and separated from their families and were never reunited, I was not alone in that respect. Now tell me how you came to be in Finland, what happened to you and Vanya?" Illya suddenly came to the realization. "Vanya?"
"He is alive, for now. He is old Illya and in a nursing home, and sadly my father is dying...he has the cancer."
Illya closed his eyes for a moment. He couldn't believe this was happening, and his head began to swim. Vanya was alive but for how long?"
Anastasiya saw the sadness in his eyes when he opened them and gave his hand a squeeze.
"Papa and I made our way north, we crossed into Finland though we heard there were Jews who had been turned over to the Nazis, so knew we Rom were not safe either. Papa and I both spoke Finnish and because I was somewhat fair, I was able to pass. Papa's hair turned white after the attack on the camp, so that helped him to pass as well. For a time, we escaped the war, going to Sweden."
"Once the war was over and peace returned, the rebuilding began and I was accepted to attend University. After all the pain and death I had seen, it was my wish to do good, so I studied to become a Doctor...a surgeon to be precise." She smiled at him."It was I who removed the bullet from your shoulder. Illya when I saw your face, I knew it was so familiar, but the hair it was different."
He laughed. "Oh I am still blond, it is this shade from the remnants of hair color...long story."
She looked at him when your people came, and Hannibal, I was told your name...I couldn't believe it was you. This is truly a gift from God, a miracle."
"Yes it is my cousin, and just one of many that I have been blessed with. I am married to a wonderful woman named Elliott and we have two beautiful children, Demya and Lourdes Mary.
"That is such wonderful news, Illya. To think I have gone from having only Papa, to finding my brother...and who has children. Our family has come to life again!" She smiled then laughed joyfully.
Anastasiya composed herself. "Now since I am your physician, I need to do a post-operative check, " she smiled as she examined his wound, finding everything satisfactory and after listening to his heart and checking his pupillary reaction, she pronounced with a laugh that he would live.
But Illya watched her and noted a look of concern in her eyes.
"You have so many scars Illya, your life must have been very hard."
"The majority of my scars were actually gained because of my line of work, I am a field operative for that...peace keeping organization It is not the United Nations and is called, U.N.C.L.E. which stands for the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement. I am an enforcement agent." He smiled shyly, but feeling no need to be secretive with her.
"An agent...so you are some sort of spy."
"Yes, sort of," he smiled. "So my cousin, how soon can I leave here...I wish to see your father."
"In a few days, then I will take you to him." She leaned forward, kissing him on the cheek." I love you Illya Nickovich, I have never stopped loving my and thinking of you." She wiped her eyes with a tissue. "Now it's time for you to rest. Close your eyes and dream happy thoughts, you are safe here."
Illya did just that after she left him, closing his eyes with a smile knowing that his dreams would surely be happy ones. Then he stopped himself, realizing that he needed to call home and reached to the the bed table, grabbing the telephone receiver.
Elliott was relieved of her worries the moment she heard Illya's voice on the telephone, even though she had been told by Waverly that he was alive and had succeeded in his mission. When she heard of the miracle of he and his cousin being reunited, she said an extra prayer of thanks. Illya had been given back some of his family that he'd thought he'd lost. She could hear the absolute joy as he spoke.
Anastasiya sat at his bedside, as he spoke his wife, and listened in delight as he smiled as he babbled to his son and daughter.
They spent the next few days, catching up with their lives. Tasiya was delighted that her cousin had found love and had children of his own. She though, had been so devoted to her career as a surgeon that she gave herself no time for love. What spare time she had was devoted to caring for her father.
Hannibal Solo returned later that afternoon to check on Illya, and was seated in a chair at his bedside when the Russian's eyes opened.
"Napoleon?" he asked groggily. As usual he had refused pain pills and sleep aids but he was so physically exhausted from the ordeal of this mission and being shot, that he was sleeping like a hibernating Russian bear. His body was not quite bouncing back the way he used to.
"Not quite, but close." Hannibal smiled.
"You are still here? I would have thought you were winging your way back to Langley with your prize."
"Nope, not my job. I'm posted here for a few more weeks and don't get to go home...home is a relative word anyway when it comes to me." Hannibal said. "You know sometimes I envy my brother and you. You manage jobs in this sick world of ours and still have homes and a family. You'll have to tell me your secret someday? he sighed. "By the way, Bill Klein is here to escort Krantrishvasili back himself. He wants to handle it personally."
"Really? This is most opportune as I have some things to tell him about his newest acquisition. Can you get me out of here?" Illya said as the threw the bed covers back.
After exerting a bit of Solo-esque flirtation with the duty nurse, Hannibal arrived with a grey sweat suit, sneakers and a wheel chair; having given promises that the patient would be back shortly...that along with the promise of a night out for dinner at a very exclusive restaurant.
Illya smiled wryly; it seemed Solos of a feather flocked together as he watched Hannibal charm the woman so easily, just like his brother.
He took Illya down to a waiting car and headed for U.N.C.L.E. headquarters located just a few blocks away, behind a small heath spa.
When they arrived, an agent escorted Illya and Hannibal to the back, stepping into a sauna signed Epäkunnossa_out of order. They stepped inside, and the agent turned a wooden clothing peg and the wall silently opened and they stepped into another world, one of neutral grey corridors and agents moving about on their business.
They received their badges at the security desk, and were taken down to interrogation were Vasily was being held.
Bill Klein had just arrived and was surprised to see Kuryakin.
"My God man you look like hell," he blurted out, seeing how pale the Russian was, and that paleness augmented the redness that was still evident in Illya's eyes.
"Thank you, so kind of you to notice." Illya quipped.
"No, thank you. You did one hell of a job out there. How's the shoulder?" he asked, noticing he was cradling his left arm.
"Fine, I am sure I will recover well enough."
"So I hear you got some good news...found a long lost cousin?"
"It was more like she found me, and yes a very unexpected side benefit of having accepted this mission."Illya deflected speaking about that personal situation, to one that was concerning an even more private part of his life." But there is something important that I need to speak about to you regarding another unexpected surprise, it is about Vasily Krantrishvasili."
They went in silence to a small conference room next door, Illya and Klein sitting together at utilitarian table inside.
"Okay, so what about him? He isn't dying of something like that is he?"Klein asked.
"Your defector is a war criminal."
Bill Klein took that statement calmly. "And how do you know that my friend?"
Illya lowered his head, hesitating. Though he had unburdened himself of his past to his wife and partner, he had spoken of it to no one else and he was surprised that he was finding this still difficult to speak of.
"He was complicit in the torture and murder murder of prisoners in the Sryets concentration camp in the Ukraine during the war."
"And how exactly do you know this?
Illya pulled up the sleeve to his sweatshirt, revealing the muddy blue tattoo on his forearm. "Because I was there...I was a prisoner in that camp."
Klein wiped his hand across his mouth. "Well I'll be God-damned...that's definitely not in your records."
Illya looked at him painfully. "There are some secrets kept better than others. Vasily was a functionary within the camp, overseeing the children's barracks. He helped in their starvation... stealing food from them...us. He facilitated in the rape and sodomy of the children as he secretly pimped us out to some of the Nazis who had a preference for sex with children. He participated in the beating, torture and murder of countless adult prisoners and acted as a spy for a Czech named Rein, who was Radomski's...the camp commandant's interpreter. It was Vasily who took my friend Irina to the camp medic, one Karl Voelker. She was impregnated by him and subsequently sent to her death in the gas vans because of her pregnancy. Illya left out his own attempted abuse at the hands of the Nazi
"Voelker...Karl Voelker? I know that name." Klein said. " He was that Stasi bastard who tortured you... Illya I am so sorry, I had no idea. Good God, that makes what happened to you in East Berlin even worse." Klein was visibly disturbed by this revelation. "No wonder you were never going to let me live that down."
"I suppose so," Illya said quietly.
"You know this is some serious deep shit. And you had the balls to still to complete your assignment and help this bastard defect in spite of who he was and what he did."
Illya's only response was merely a shrug. "I had an obligation to keep. It was not my place to be judge, jury and executioner, though there were a few times that I was sorely tempted. He is in your hands now, for better or for worse. Once your government is informed of his crimes, I can only hope he will be dealt with appropriately when the time comes."
"Well for all the good it will do, I will report this to the powers that be. What happens to him will all depend upon how useful he's going to be, I'm sorry but you know that's the way it it. If he's a valuable asset, then he'll be protected, and if he's not, then you can rest assured that he'll be prosecuted for his crimes...that is if you're willing to testify against him.
Illya nodded, though he felt reluctant at the thought of publicly baring his hidden past.
"Thank you...Bill. I appreciate your candor. Illya wrote out a sworn statement for Klein to take with him; repeating what he had told him and adding a few more verifiable details for good measure, and he found doing so again quite freeing.
"I have one request of you before you return with him to Washington...I would like to speak to Vasily."
"Absolutely," Klein said.
They went to the next room where Vasily was confined, and Illya was let in. Klein and an U.N.C.L.E. agent watched though a two-way mirror in the adjoining observation room.
"Illya!" said Vasily, rising from his chair. Thank goodness you are alright. When you were shot, I thought you were dead, and no one would tell me otherwise.
Kuryakin waved his right hand in a sharp gesture, dismissing his words.
"I wish to thank you for saving me...for getting me out the Soviet Union, as I surely would have died there. I know how you feel about me, but that was the past. I will be working to do good with my knowledge, that is why I am defecting."
"No Vasily, you defected to protect your miserable life and nothing more, just as you did in the camp. A leopard cannot change it's spots." Illya answered in a very low voice. Then he leaned in closely. " I have informed the C.I.A. of who you really are and of the crimes you are guilty of. What becomes of you will be in the hands of the United States government...for now." Illya then leaned even closer to him, whispering in his ear. " I warn you now Vasily, I will be waiting and watching you. When the day comes that the Americans no longer find you useful, they may convict you of your crimes, or not. But I will not wait for that day, for it will be by my own hands that you will die...this I vow."
Illya stood, turning his back to the now horrified man and rapped on the door to be let out.
Klein didn't ask what he whispered to the man, but by the look on Vasily's face he knew it was pretty bad.
As promised,Illya was taken back to the hospital by Hannibal, though he was looking a little greyer and fatigued and as he was wheeled back into his room. Anastasiya was there waiting for him, her arms crossed in front of her. She was tapping her foot on the floor and looking quite angry.
Illya didn't give her a chance to chastise him and spoke first. "I am sorry, I know what I did was wrong but there was something very important I had to do before it was too late. I promise I will behave and be a model patient."
Tasiya sighed as his words had knocked the steam out of her ire.
"Illuyshenka, I just got you back, I do not want to lose you again?"
"I promise you moya sestra, you will not lose this time."
She and Hannibal helped him back into his bed. She checked his bandages, then removed only his sneakers as he was tucked under his blankets. Tasiya kissed him on the cheek. "Now go to sleep."
She stood for a few minutes watching him, until she was sure he was settled, then she turned to Hannibal. "You!" she whispered to him, "outside now."
Once in the hallway she gave him a piece of her mind.
"You know you're really cute when you're angry." He smiled at her charmingly, and completely disarmed her.
"What?" she blurted out, distracted by his remark.
"I said you're cute when you are angry. Your nose crinkles up in the most delightful way."
Anastasiya touched her nose reflexively. "Really? No one has ever told me that before?" In reality, she realized no one had ever complimented her before in such a way." Thank you, that was nice of you to say...I think?"
"I find that hard to believe that someone as pretty as you not being paid attention to you? Now that's shame." Say would you like to take a break and join me for some coffee...maybe a bite to eat? We can talk a bit about your cousin. He happens to be my brother's working partner and his best friend."
Anastasiya ran her fingers through her hair, trying to smooth it. "Yes, "she smiled shyly," I would like that very much."
.
Two days later, Illya was feeling better and was more like his usual cranky self. He insisted upon visiting his Uncle Vanya as he had a sense of urgency that was beginning to creep under his skin, it was a feeling of concern that the man might pass away before he could see him again. He feared it was one of those premonitions that had visited him all of his life.
Tasiya had told him that Vanya was suffering from an incurable form of cancer and was residing at a special hospital unit called a hospice, where those who were dying were taken care of and helped to pass in comfort and with dignity.
She took Illya to see Vanya, but first she went into her fathers room as she needed to tell him the wonderful news. She was afraid the shock to his system might cause him harm, and asked her cousin to wait outside the door.
Ivan Ursari lay in his hospital bed, he was frail and thin but looked up with joy in his tired eyes as he saw his daughter.
"Papa," she smiled as she stood at his bedside." I have a wonderful surprise for you...no a miraculous surprise. Someone we thought lost, has been found... it is Illya...our Illya is alive."
"Illuysha? "Vanya whispered. "My little partisan...I told you he was alive. I never believed he was dead. I felt it."
"Yes Papa, you did. You were right, and I am sorry I did not believe you. Papa, he is here to see you."
Vanya smiled weakly, but his eyes were dancing with happiness.
Tasiya turned to the door, waving to Illya to come in as he stood there, barely peeking inside the room.
He sat on the side of the bed beside his Uncle, then leaned down and kissed him on the cheek, managing only to whisper his name.
Illya looked at the man he remembered as, strong and muscular...a bear as was the meaning of his name. Gone was his full dark hair, and he was very frail, but his eyes were the same, sparkling with the magic that he remembered as a child.
"Oh my Illuysha...I knew it. I felt you were alive, though I thought I would never live to see you again boy."
"Vanya, I fought to survive and I have grown into the man you said I would be. I strive to do good things in the world." Illya stroked his hand against his Uncle's cheek. " I was so lonely...I missed you, all of you. I thought you were dead."
"Ah but you are still my brave Illya Muromets." Vanya smiled." I can die a happy man now. " He reached over taking his daughter's hand and placing it into Illyas. "God has truly blessed me, now seeing my two beautiful ones together again at last. A dying man could not hope for a better wish to come true,...having his family safe and with him when his time nears. Anistasiya, though I will not live to see my grandchildren, promise me you will have them. You must live your own life now, as you will not have me to take care of any longer. I want you both to live long and joyful lives.
"No, Papa..." Tasiya protested.
"Illya, tell me do you have children?"
"Yes Vanya, a son and daughter."
"Good, then the family still lives. Our Rom blood line has not been lost.
He coughed violently." Illuysha I go to see your Mama and Papa...our family. I will tell them what good and wonderful people you and my daughter have grown into. He coughed again, then nodded his head as he closed his eyes. His breathing became labored and twenty minutes later Ivan Alexaevich Ursari died peacefully with his daughter and nephew at his side.
Illya held his cousin in his arms as she wept, yet he shed no tears of mourning as he had already done that long ago. He was simply thankful that he was permitted to see Vanya alive one last time. Though his heart ached for his cousin who was now an orphan just as he.
"Anastasiya Ivanova," he wispered," my wife always has said when God closes one door, He opens another one. Vanya is gone, but God has given us each other."
"Yes He has Illuysha...He has," she smiled weakly.
Illya remained with her while she signed the necessary paperwork; after shedding her initial tears she was now calm as he had prepared herself for the day it was to happen. Yet Illya felt his presence helped to ease her pain.
He had a flight scheduled to leave for New York in two days, but then contacted headquarters requesting to delay his return in order to attend his Uncle's funeral.
"You have my deepest condolences Mr. Kuryakin, this was both an unexpected boon, and a sadness to deal with."Alexander Waverly said," Take as much time as you need, although your wife and children might not be too happy with an extended absence. Out."
Illya then contacted Elliott, telling her of the circumstances and they both decided it was best the children not be told when he was to return. Elliott said they were getting anxious enough as it was waiting for his homecoming.
"My love, I am so happy ye've found yer cousin, but now it's so terrible to to lose yer Uncle this way, for a second time. Please tell Anastasiya how sorry I am for her loss."
"I will...Annushka, I love you and cannot wait to be with you again, and our children. I miss you terribly."
"We miss ye too. Come home to us as soon as ye can. I love ye. Out." There was nothing but static on the communicator.
They left the hospice a short while later, Anastasiya taking Illya to her apartment. She wanted to spend as much time as possible with her cousin knowing once the funeral was over, he would have to return to New York.
Before heading home they visited an open air market, purchasing food for their dinner, as Tasiya said she was not prepared for company. Then Illya spotted a small Russian store and popped inside. He exited a few moments later carrying a paper sack.
"What did you find?" she asked.
"Just some things for my wife and children." He said, dismissing it as somewhat trivial.
They took a tram to her apartment building, so typical of Nordic architecture with Esprit Nouveau and a modernist influences.
Minutes later they entered her home and Tasi emptied her shopping bag on the Pietra de Cardosa- Italian grey stone kitchen counter top. The interior of her home was modernistic and sparely furnished.
She then opened a bottle of red wine and poured him a glass, ordering him to relax.
"I am still your doctor may I remind you. Now make yourself comfortable, the bathroom is down that hall, " she pointed. "Wander around if you like, think of this as your home too."
Illya smiled, giving her no argument what so ever, and took a little tour of her home., looking at the decor, paintings and the library. Her home was was much larger and open than most apartments he was accustomed to, but this was typical of Finnish architecture, with it's sleek style and open spaces.
There were wonderful black and white photographs on the wall of the Finnish landscape, and a few obviously taken with a telephoto lens that he recognized as far off images that were surely of Russia.
"Come Illuysha, dinner is ready," she called out to him a short time later.
He returned to the dining room, finding the table covered with a beautiful cloth stitched in Russian embroidery. She had a pair dark green tapers set in silver candlesticks on the table, sitting in a centerpiece of pine branches.
"Smells wonderful," he smiled as he seated himself.
"You still have the appetite of a wolf?"
"Be forewarned, yes I do, " he laughed.
"Good, because I made extra portions just in case," she countered.
Tasiya served traditional Finnish food, lihapullat-venison meatballs served Swedish style with perunamuusi -mashed potatoes, -jam and pickled gherkins, darkruisleipä rye bread with fresh butter, leipäjuusto cheese, with cloudberry jam and for desert, rönttönen pastry with lingonberry filling and nice strong coffee. then as an aperitf, cloudberry liqueur.
They chatted together as they ate, forgetting their sadness at the passing of Vanya Ursari, and just enjoyed catching up with each other's lives.
Tasiya could see the delight in her cousins eyes when he spoke of his family, especially when he mentioned his little Lala.
"Demya is wise beyond his years and his sister is such a fiery red head like her mother and has the most infectious laugh." He gleamed as he described them.
They drank, talked and laughed late into the night, then finally Tasiya saw that Illya was fighting off sleep.
"I have been remiss as your physician Illya and have kept you up too late. Now off to bed with you my dear cousin."
He protested, but knew she was right that and the fact the strong wine they had been drinking had gotten him just a little drunk, but then he was possibly drunk with just a little bit of happiness that his beloved cousin was alive.
She lead him upstairs to her guest room, but then he suddenly asked to see Vanya's room and lead him down to it. When they walked inside he suddenly asked her if she would mind if he slept there.
She understood why, and would never deny him.
"Of course," she said, going to a dresser and pulling out a package containing a new pair of pajamas. "I bought them for Papa. I was going to bring to him..."
He gladly accepted them from her, then they kissed each other good night. Illya changed, hanging up his clothes and then slipped into his Uncle's bed, somehow it made him feel closer to Vanya.
He lay there looking around the sparingly furnished room. There was an icon on the wall...the Madonna and child, and on the night stand beside the bed was a worn prayer book written in Cyrillic. He picked it up, thumbing through it and that was when he found it, gasping as he saw an old yellowed photograph of his family...they were all there, standing stiff and awkward in the style of posing for a lithograph. Babushka, Papa, Mama who was obviously pregnant with the twins, Dimitry, himself and Katiya.
Illya ran his fingers across the images in complete awe. This was another miracle for him, seeing their faces. Until this moment, he had nothing but faded memories to hold onto, and his Grandfather's coin. This time his eyes filled with tears as he held the photograph to his chest, and thanked God for this new gift.
He stared at it for the longest time, then set the photo up against the lamp, imagining they were watching over him as he fell asleep.
At three in the morning there was a knock on the door, waking him instantly.
"Illya? May I come in please?" Tasiya called softly
"Come," he answered. "What is wrong?"
"Illya this is going to sound strange...but may I lay down with you, like we did when we were children?"
He smiled as he remembered when the two of them would snuggle together by the fire in the camp in Bykivnia while Vanya told his stories, they would fall asleep together, safe under the night sky.
He thought nothing of it as he lifted his blanket, and his cousin slipped in beside him, then wrapped his arm around her.
"HeBetter my sister?"
"Spacibo moy brat, " she whispered.
"Sleep well," he answered her softly. He lay there looking at her as she closed her eyes and snuggled next to him. Yet this moment was bittersweet, as they would be parted again soon when he returned to New York.