The Man from Yesterday
A Man from U.N.C.L.E. Story
by Darklady
Chapter Forty-Two: (Turn and Face the ) Cha-Cha-Changes
Rated: PG-13
****
"Welcome home." Mark meets us in the driveway. "Was the recruiter enthusiastic?"
"Very." Napoleon tucks his new pistol case under one arm and heads for the trunk.
I put up the roof and lock the car. "We were shot at. And someone tried to run us off the road. Twice."
"That does seen a tad aggressive. Especially since your not signing up for the football team." Mark picks up the berries and starts back to the house. "Are you sure it isn't just someone you annoyed, Illya?"
"I do not annoy people."
Napoleon looks over at Mark. "You don't sound surprised."
"April called." Mark sets the berries down on the outside table and unlocks the front door. "By the way, your new car should be here within the hour. I hope you like black."
"I have had no particular opinions on that color before." I answer as we step into the hall. "But it is fast becoming an acquired distaste."
"Any idea why you chaps made the hit list?"
"Gunmen were local rent-a-thugs." Napoleon shrugs. "April thinks they were sent to even up a little inconvenience we caused a thief on the train outside Tallin."
Mark hands the berries to David and locks the door behind us. "You believe that?"
"Any reason she would lie?" A bitter question, but one that must be asked.
"No." Mark shakes his head slowly, then faster. " No, April's OK that way. She's still..one of us." His fingers brush over his scared palm. "And she's probably positioned the best to solve this."
"If she can." I make it a question.
"Oh, if it's just a money thing, the perps will catch on fast enough." Mark checks the bolts. "I had a bit of a...discussion.... when we first came out. One or two of the China trade blokes didn't want to respect my career change."
"And you persuaded them?"
"With a bit of help from the brothers. It's all just business the dealers. Pop a few underlings, and as soon as losses hit the bottom line, they catch on. Might take a bit more if you riled someone personally, but... I wouldn't sweat. April knows just how to get that message across."
"Just watch out." David came back from setting the berries in the kitchen. "People in her position don't do favors for nothing."
"What could she want from us?"
Davis gives Mark a significant look, but says nothing.
"Mark." Napoleon cuts in. "If she wanted us back in U.N.C.L.E., we'd be there. It's not like we asked to leave. She's the one who offered us desks." Turning to David, he adds. "She's also offered us a safe house. I was not certain we should even have come back here tonight, but...."
"You've been in this house four days already," David finished. "If anyone was going to move on you here, they would have."
"Even so.. I.."
"Won't endanger an innocent?" David reaches back to pull out his own derringer. "Trust me, Napoleon, after twenty-five years of Mark I'm a lot less innocent then I was when we started. This wasn't be the first time I covered the front door. Probably won't be the last.
"I regret that.." I begin.
"Don't, Illya." He cuts me off. "I'm a grown man. I caught what I was getting into the first time Mark took me to the range."
"You're a prince."
"No, I'm a queen."
Mark snorts a bit at that. "David's right. You are very welcome to stay. Which you *should* know. Seriously. I built this place. It's harder than it looks. With the shutters closed?" Mark flips open a panel on the wall that I had mistaken for a fuse box. Despite the apparent rows of circuit switches inside I now gather it is not. He flips a switch and the living room shutters slam shut. Two more, and the same sound echoes from the rest of the house. Mark smiles. " Blast steel. To get past that, they'd have to bring up a tank. And I don't think the bridges are built for that."
"Impressive," I concede.
"That's nothing compared to our old place." David turns up the lighting to replace the now-covered windows. "Mark put gun-ports in the bathroom doors. I used to live in fear some poor old bum would break in to the 'other' apartment while we were at work and run into that mine-field he built in the unused entry hall."
"Really," Mark insists. "You will be better off among friends."
No doubt. But that leads to the question... "Which April is? Or is not?"
Mark thinks, then answers carefully. "April's a blood sister, Illya. Still and always." He pauses a bit. "But her people? I don't say they're bad... but your going to find a lot of blank palms in the ranks."
"They don't..." I unconsciously rub my palm.
"One of the other reasons I left." Another, longer pause, then Mark continues... "After Sir John came in, he started to hire from the companies. Took people in above the training level. It got to where there were ...regional tensions, and.. a lot of blank palms on the management level. Rather a question of trust."
"If.."
"Not like you, Illya. You never lied about where you stood. To anyone. But it's one thing to think about the oath, then take it. It's another to take the oath.. then think about it."
"You mean they.." I could not say the words.
"A traveling brother found the whole thing written up in an MI5 file. Words, names, everything. Whole sodding de-brief report."
"Did you...?" Napoleon looks serious.
"No. Not quite a sanction level matter, after all. But after that? Folks got a bit more careful about who came in." Mark shrugged. " Once there were more that weren't than were? It was never the same."
"And now?"
"The black-suit boys? We don't even think to ask."
*************************
A quick shower. No time for more, if we are to make this night's appointment without being 'fashionably late'. That is concept which might amuse Napoleon, but one I will never be comfortable with.
Briefs, my white sweater, and..denims. Black again. The only color I have. Perhaps a trip back to the mall is in order? Something in light tan might be nice.
As I step from the bathroom Napasha is adjusting his newest tie.
"Nice suit." It is. Another new one. All of Napoleon's suits are always nice. Or possibly he simply has the knack of looking stylish in them. Me? Even when I try to look tailored, I rumple. Not that I would let it bother me, but... it is good such things apparently no longer matter.
"Thanks." He slides his jacket on and adjusts it to lay smoothly over his shoulder harness. "Since it is an interview dinner." He raises one eyebrow at the clothes I am pulling from the closet.
"I will wear my best jeans." At his unconvinced look, I add. "Honestly, Napasha. If you could have seen what Dr. Decker looked like. I don't think they would have let a janitor into Cambridge dressed like that.
"That bad?"
I pull up the stiff denim and tuck in the edges of the knit top. "At least my pants do not have holes in them.
Napasha says nothing. Just shakes his head.
***********
I left my jacket downstairs, so I am still adjusting my holster as I follow Napoleon down to the hall. Mark and David are sitting in the living room when we get there.
David looks up. "You two are still going out to dinner?"
"Should we not?" I ask Mark.
"No reason not to." He smiles and tosses Napoleon a black fobbed bundle of keys. "The new car is a virtual tank. Besides which, April's people told me they are fairly certain they have all the actives in custody."
"How would they know?" David snaps. "The punks haven't even said who they work for."
"Probably because they don't know." Mark shrugs. "Strict work-for - hire types. A pair of gang bang punks and their crews. Makes it more likely that it's just an industrial job. And my own net is catching nothing against you guys."
"Still..." David begins.
"We cannot remain indoors forever," I remind David. "Otherwise why not just move in to April's safe-house."
"No," David replies quickly. "You're better here."
"And the rad lab has more security then we do," Mark reminds him gently."Besides, luv. If the local crew isn't in on it...the boys may still want the job."
True enough. And, for all my inherent discomfort with the alliance, Livermore was one of the first places to ask for both Napoleon and myself as a team. Which may reflect a better access to sealed documents rather then a better personnel policy, but it still makes their call among the most interesting. If matters are truly changed..? I admit to a certain...curiosity, and it cannot hurt to hear what the man has to say.
"Maybe.. Just be cautious." David hands me my jacket. "Some of these electronic companies play rough."
**********
The new sedan is very comfortable, and very quiet. Whatever shortcomings Mark may attribute to April's organization, their hardware at least is excellent. Our short drive through the home dotted countryside is very pleasant, and as we pull up in front of the well-maintained 'hacienda' where the director lives the first bright streaks of fuschia and turquoise sunset are starting their journey across the evening sky. I wish I could see it through the smoke of the glass.
END CHAPTER FORTY - TWO