Chapter I

The three UNCLE agents still sat around the table in Napoleon's kitchen. The remnants of their dinner, spaghetti and meatballs, breadsticks and salad, were on the counter and the dishes were in the sink. Each held a glass of chianti that he sipped as they discussed ways to flush out the mole.

"So, so far," Slater was saying, "Illya, you are proposing we set up a sting that involves sending my agents and yours to accompany a North Korean scientist and his wife who want to defect to the United States. Said scientist has developed a weapon that will revolutionize modern warfare and give whoever possesses it the ability to practically rule the world, which puts it right in THRUSH's wheelhouse. Who are you thinking is going to be able to play those roles?"

The Russian looked at his partner. "Napoleon," he asked, "do you have a copy of the latest Survival School graduates list here?"

"I do, indeed. Be right back." He came back from his office and handed a sheaf of papers to Illya who flipped to the third page.

"Yes, look right here. Park Jung Loo and Kim Yong, male and female respectively, were assigned to UNCLE Seoul. None of their classmates were assigned to New York, so no one here knows them. They would be perfect to play our defectors. They speak English, of course but, we will tell them not to which will necessitate our using Agent Lee as a translator while your guys provide security."

Napoleon pursed his lips while he thought about what his partner was suggesting. "If we do this, what would we tell the Korean agents we were doing?"

"Field testing," Slater responded. "We tell them that I am testing the field competence of my new transfers and that I want them to rate the agents on how well they handle themselves and their duties in what they consider a real situation. The Old Man can tell Number One Asia whatever he wants; that is not our concern."

Napoleon smiled and said, "This could work! I can have Miss Rogers tell Darla in Communications to let the new support staff handle the check – ins for the 'mission.' Then, we just monitor the lot of them to see who notifies THRUSH."

There was silence as the three men examined the idea and mentally checked it for holes. Illya spoke first. "I have to be a part of the detail."

"Why you?" Slater asked, "It's ostensibly a Section III operation, so why should Number 2, Section II go along for the ride?"

Napoleon leaned in to answer, "Several reasons. One, Park and Kim will only be watching them to rate how they handle procedures; two, it is normal for a higher ranking agent to be in charge and since we obviously cannot bring anyone else into this and it would be out of the ordinary for a Number One of either section to oversee this type of mission, Illya is the logical choice. Three, Park and Kim will be at a disadvantage because they won't know they are possibly in the company of one or more traitors and someone has to watch their backs and no one is better at that than my partner."

"Really, Napoleon, you flatter me."

Slater snorted and said, "Be that as it may, I think you're both right; Illya should go along for the ride. I know you just got back and I hate to say this but, you and the other agents need to fly to Asia tomorrow."

"I know," the Russian sighed, "The sooner we catch the mole, the safer we will all be."

Napoleon refilled the glasses and said, "Then, it's settled. I'll contact Mr. Waverly first thing in the morning. Slater, you apprise your transfers of their assignment; Illya, speak with Agent Lee. You're on a flight to Seoul tomorrow night."

The three men clinked their glasses together and drank.