Act 6
Napoleon and Illya were halfway through the flight to Munich. Illya spent some of the flight studying the limited information on Konrad Reinhardt, trying to find any slight clue to what he was doing in Leipheim and why he would turn up at the Skunkworks.
Napoleon was sat in the aisle seat while Illya was next to the window. A dark haired stewardess came and offered Napoleon a pillow and blanket, Napoleon flirted with her and by the time she had gone he had her phone number and the promise of a date.
Illya gave his partner a disgusted glare and returned to his reading.
"Does she know that she is the fifth?"
"Ah, you're just jealous, tovarisch, I can't help it if they just want to please me. If you thawed out a bit, you would get some attention too!"
"I do not need the attention, thank you, I am quite happy as I am."
The Russian put the folder away and put his head back and closed his eyes.
"I would get some rest if I were you, I have a feeling it will be a long night."
"Yes, I suppose you're right, a few hours would help keep us more alert later."
"Mmm, I suggest that our first stop should be the airbase, we need to find out more about it."
"It'll be dark when we get there so we should be able to check it out without being too obvious; I presume you brought the night binoculars?"
"Of course, Napoleon!" Illya said with his eyes still closed.
He crossed his arms and settled into the seat making his point clear that he was going to sleep and within seconds, he was.
Napoleon smiled and shook his head, still marvelling after all these years how his partner could fall asleep instantly anywhere. He tried to follow suit and settled himself down and shut his eyes.
Just as he was about to drift off something wet landed in his lap and he instantly came alert and his hand automatically went to the gun in his shoulder holster. An auburn haired woman was bending down next to his seat picking up a cup from the floor
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry Mr. err.."
Thankfully the blanket had absorbed most of the drink and he used a dry part of it to try and mop up what had gone through to his trousers as he replied to the woman.
"Solo, Napoleon Solo, not to worry Miss…?"
"Felicia Vogelsoor. I'm so sorry Mr Solo, I tripped and spilt my coffee down you, what must you think of me?"
"Don't worry Miss Vogelsoor, no harm done."
He thought about the dry cleaning bill he was going to have to face to remove the stain and grimaced.
"I'll dry out and, please, call me Napoleon!"
"Oh, okay, err, Napoleon. Please call me Felicia. Have you been to Munich before?" She sat in an empty seat across the aisle from the agent.
"No, I've been before; though this time, a friend is letting me stay in their house in Leipheim with sleeping beauty here for a while!" Indicating the sleeping form of Illya. "My friend and I are having a holiday, we've been working hard and need a break."
"Yes, I know Leipheim, my Mother lives there! I'm visiting her for a few weeks." She smiled "Maybe I'll see you and your friend around."
Napoleon was thoughtful "Yes, that would be nice, a friendly face in a strange place!"
Napoleon grinned "Sorry, I suppose I should introduce you, my sleeping friend here is Illya Kuryakin. Maybe you could help us, we don't know the town very well and wouldn't want to get lost. We have a car waiting for us at the airport, if we give you a lift maybe you could show us the sights?"
Felicia smiled "Yes, I'd like that, I know the town very well."
Napoleon studied the woman for a while as she talked, she was pretty and chatted quite freely about when she lived in Leipheim and how much she was looking forward to going back home for a while.
"Oh, look at me, I could talk all day, I must be boring you silly!" and she got up to leave.
"No, not at all, I'm quite enjoying hearing about the place, don't feel you have to leave on my account."
She sat back down and the two spent the rest of the flight talking. Shortly before the flight was due to land she got up.
"We're going to land soon, I must go back to my seat now, maybe see you later?"
"Yes, I'm sure we will." Smiled Napoleon.
"You really can't help yourself can you?" Illya said dryly opening one eye slightly and giving his partner an icy glare.
"I don't know how Lizzie puts up with you."
"She knows my flings don't mean anything, that they're just business."
Illya rolled his eyes, knowing he would never win.
Fifteen minutes later the flight had landed and they were making their way to the baggage claim area. After retrieving their bags they started to make their way to the car park to find the car that had been allocated to them when Felicia found them.
"Hello again, Napoleon."
"See, I said we would see each other again later!"
Illya fixed Napoleon with a glare when Napoleon proceeded to introduce him to the young lady. "Felicia, as you know, this grouchy person with me is Illya Kuryakin, Illya meet Felicia Vogelsoor."
"Good evening, Miss Vogelsoor." Illya replied
"Please call me Felicia, Napoleon has told me all about you, Illya. Can I call you Illya?"
He shot her an icy glare "Seems you already have."
Felecia turned to Napoleon as Illya walked out of earshot looking for their car "Have I done something wrong?"
"No, you'll have to ignore his moods, he's like that with everyone. I, on the other hand, more than make up for his tetchiness!"
Felicia laughed and arm in arm with Napoleon, hurried over to the Russian when he indicated that he had found their car. As they caught up with him he was checking the car over to make sure that it hadn't been tampered with or booby-trapped.
"Well, it's not quite what we are used to" commented Napoleon as he looked at the car. "Do you think it will get us anywhere, it looks about ready to be scrapped!"
The car was a 1965 Opel Rekord, it was a grey 4 door saloon and though not that old, it looked as if it had seen much better days, there were dents and scrapes along the sides and patches of rust showing through the bodywork.
"I guess The Old Man is getting fed up with your driving, partner mine! I get the feeling that the finance department have been complaining again!"
Illya threw his partner a chilly look, "If you did not always manage to get us chased, I would not keep damaging the cars we get. Anyway this one is safe, let's get going, it is nearly midnight and it will be a long drive to or accommodation in Leipheim."
Illya got in the driver's seat while Napoleon got in the back with Felicia and put her arm around her shoulder pulling her close. Illya glanced at them in the rear view mirror and bit back a retort, he knew it would do no good.
Although the car looked very rough from the outside, looks were deceiving. The engine purred like a dream, the car's engine, at least, was in excellent condition. The 2 hour drive to Leipheim went with no problems at all.
Once they arrived on the outskirts of Leipheim, Felicia gave them directions to the street where her mother's house was. The town was a typical Bavarian town with streets of whitewashed houses , reddish orange roofs and painted shutters at the windows.
They found the street they wanted easily with UNCLE's directions and the house they pulled up at was one of a few detached houses with a garden area at the front and a parking space round the back out of sight of the road.
Illya parked the car round the back and they both got out and entered the house with the key that was in the cars glove box. The house was two storeys, downstairs was a kitchen, dining room, living room and a downstairs bedroom. Upstairs was a bathroom and three further bedrooms.
The kitchen was well stocked and on seeing the food, they realised how hungry they were. While Illya took the luggage from the car and put it into two of the bedrooms, Napoleon made something to eat.
Illya sat down at the table as his partner dished out the food
"Thank you, I am starving. I have found a map of the area and the airbase is not far away from here."
"We should have a look tonight under cover of darkness and see what kind of security measurements are in place before turning in." Napoleon said stifling a yawn.
"If you had slept on the plane instead of chatting up anything in a skirt, you would not be so tired!"
"Maybe, but where would the fun be in that? Anyway I did try to, but got disturbed by our Miss Vogelsoor."
"Yes, well we will see about her, a little convenient that she is in the same town as us do you not think?"
"You're suspicious about everything Illya!"
"I have good reason to be" The Russian retorted "Seeing as I am usually the one who gets the raw end of your 'co-incidences'!"
After the two agents had finished their meal and tidied up, they dressed in dark clothing, picked up their night vision binoculars and a torch and set off for the airbase following the map. It took about 20 mins to walk to the northern end of the base.
The walked along the fence surrounding the base and found a good place to make a gap so they could get onto the base easily. Along the northern side there was a series of long three story buildings, the third floor being in the roof as evidenced by the dormer windows. Some were connected by shorter buildings, while others were in rows.
They followed these east until they ended and it was open ground. To the south was the runway and standing points for aircraft. In between the buildings and the runway were a few more scattered buildings and open ground.
In the Northwest area of the base were what looked like rows of 4 storey barracks and a recreation area with what appeared to be an oval running track and a baseball pitch.
There were only a few patrolling guards and they were easily avoidable. Napoleon looked through the windows of some of the buildings along the northern end, thinking that any offices would be more likely to be in these, while Illya kept a lookout.
"I can't see much, they look like mess rooms and storage rooms." Whispered Napoleon as he looked through the first few windows.
"Shh, get down. Company." Hissed Illya
He pushed Napoleon towards a prickly bush between two of the windows that he had just been looking through and crouched down behind it.
"Ow, couldn't find one a bit more friendly?" Complained Napoleon as he felt the thorns pricking his skin.
"Shut up or there will be bigger holes in your skin!" Growled the Russian quietly.
Two THRUSH guards walked by; guns slung over their shoulder and chatting happily, oblivious to the two agents hiding in the bush.
When the guards had gone far enough away, they finished looking through the windows, but could not see anything helpful. "I think it's time we went back home now, it's gone 3am and I for one am quite tired now, partner mine."
"Yes, I am in agreement. Lets go."
The two agents safely made it back to the house. Setting the security system, they settled down for the night, Illya took the bedroom downstairs and Napoleon took the bedroom at the back of the house upstairs. Within minutes the exhausted agents were asleep.