Illya coughed and swatted his hands to clear the dust in front of his face, they had landed on a concrete floor of which the jungle floor had given way to. He looked to his right and saw a long underground tunnel leading to parts unknown, to his left was Dr. Dane, also coughing, Illya stood and assessed by feeling that he had no broken bones, he looked back to Dr. Dane after drawing his weapon. "Are you hurt?" he asked.
"No, no, I don't believe so. What happened?" Dr. Dane replied.
"We've fallen into an underground tunnel it would seem. If you're alright then we really should get going down this way, the guards will discover the hole before long and wonder how it happened," Illya said.
"Well, let's go then," Dr. Dane said. He got up and started to follow Illya down the long, dark corridor.
Illya turned on a small flashlight that he had in his pocket and that send out a beam of light in front of them as they went deeper into the darkness. "Have any idea where we're going?" Dr. Dane whispered, he was afraid someone else might hear.
"I am hoping this will lead us to the basement of the mansion, I am guessing that this tunnel was dug as a means of escape in case of attack," Illya said.
"Do you think we're likely to be caught?" Dr. Dane asked.
"Is it likely? Yes, I would say so, but we wouldn't go down without a fight," Illya said. As they were talking a door came into view, it wasn't very much large, not quite the size of a man, it was metal with a window in it covered in bars. Illya looked in and saw that it indeed was the basement of the mansion, it was a welly lit room but sparsely furnished and had wooden crates stacked everywhere, across the room in a corner was a stair leading upward.
"Well?" Dr. Dane asked.
"I don't see anybody in there, I would say that the lights were left on to deter any animals from entering. My only concern is if there are any alarms that might go off when we open the door," Illya said.
"Well, we can only try it I suppose," Dr. Dane said.
Illya took the metal handle of the door and opened it, before getting it fully open he saw a wire towards the top and another one at the bottom, he paused and reached into his pants pocket.
"What is it?" Dr. Dane asked. He kept looking behind them and listening to see if anyone had come down the hole yet.
"It is an explosive device, quite a lock, good for keeping people in and out, a trademark of THURSH. I'll have us through in a moment, what I have here will deactivate it," Illya said. He pulled out a small, hand held device with a few buttons on it, pressing one it emitted a low hum.
"I am to take you have dealt with this sort of thing before?" Dr. Dane asked.
"Oh yes, many times," Illya confirmed. Within minutes he had neutralized the explosives, cut the wires and they were inside, Illya then got out another tool and turned back to the wires.
"What are you doing now?" Dr. Dane asked.
"Fusing the wires back together, the explosives are useless now but if the wires are still in tact the guards might think nobody has come through," Illya explained.
"Very smart, Mr. Kuryakin," Dr. Dane admired.
"Experience and training, doctor. As well as a strong sense of self preservation," Illya said. Finishing his task they moved to the stair case and slowly went up, Illya kept his gun in hand as they approached the door at the top, he looked back at Dr. Dane and the doctor nodded, Illya opened the door and found that they were in the kitchen.
There was a woman in a maid's dress standing with her back to them, Illya went up behind her and grabbed her, covering her mouth with his hand, her eyes grew wide. "I will not hurt you, if I let you go will you promise not to scream?" he asked.
She shook her head 'yes' and he let her go, she turned and looked at both men wide eyed and scared. "Who are you?!" she asked.
"Never mind that, where is Napoleon Solo?" Dr. Dane asked.
"Solo?" the maid asked.
"Yes, dark hair, brown eyes, he was brought here last night," Illya said.
"You mean the sick man upstairs?" the maid asked.
"That's the one. You say he is upstairs? Is there a back way up there, a servant's stairs perhaps?" Illya asked.
The maid pointed to an opening of stairs right beside the basement ones. "Very good. You never saw us, and if you go off and tattle about it we'll have to track you down and have you shot," Dr. Dane said.
The maid gasped. "I won't tell! I swear!" she promised.
Dr. Dane nodded as Illya looked bemused, they went up the servant's stairs and from and through a curtain, the hallway was empty and they went from the curtain down the hall aways. They heard a woman's voice and Illya pulled the doctor into the closest door as the voice got closer and opened the door, they held their breath, waiting.