Chapter 6

Jo and Jimmy arrived at London UNCLE headquarter that afternoon. Morton greeted them with the news that Napoleon and Illya had missed their check-in times twice. A fast call to Waverly changed their assignment to retrieving the machine, papers and, if possible, the missing agents.

"That place needs to be leveled, Miss Kuryakin, no matter the cost." With that, he clicked off.

"What type of help can you give us?" Jo asked.

"I have four new agents available The rest are on another problem."

"We will take them." Jo said knowing that they would have to storm the place now that Thrush knew UNCLE was aware of it.

Three men and a woman arrived for a briefing.

"Your attention please," she said called everyone to order. After talking to Jimmy who had been in school with two of them, it sounded as if the group was an excellent selection of various skills.

"We are going into Thrush's stronghold to get documents, a machine and hopefully two of our agents. The building will be blown high destroying its usefulness to them. Questions?"

A proper English voice piped up, "Our priority?"

Jo glanced at Jimmy a moment before answering, "The machine and paperwork. But I would consider it a personal favor if we could rescue my brother and boss."

"Boss," someone in the back snickered. "I heard it was more than that."

The glare the speaker received from Jimmy had him taking a step back.

"He is the CEA and deserving of respect," Jimmy angerily said.

The man reddened and sputtered an apology.

The others left to get their equipment while he placed his hand on his new partner's arm.

"Are you alright, Jo?"

"I guess I need to get use to that type of thing, but Napoleon does not deserve that type of disrespect."

"Mr. Solo would just laugh it off. Come on, let's go get them out."

Jo knew he was right and followed him out the door smiling. Napoleon would've made a joke of it and actually enjoyed the comment. She hoped he was well enough to enjoy it when they found them.

…..

Napoleon's fever and chills had continued to increase through the night, even with the cold compresses. Illya had made a pillow out of his coat laying his partner on the thin mattress that had been in left the room

The next morning the cell door opened and Bovkac came in wooden rod in hand waking the sleeping agents. Two guards were behind him with machine guns pointing at them.

"So Mr. Kuryakin, would you care to tell me where my laser and papers are or do we have to persuade you to talk?"

Illya said nothing glaring at the man, making him take a step back.

Within moments, he was chained to the wall facing the room. To his surprise, they grabbed his partner cuffing his hands then hung him from a hook in the middle of the room. Although his eyes opened, Illya could see that he wasn't complete aware of his surroundings.

Bovkac walked around the moaning man, touching him with the rod.

"Perhaps you will reconsider when you see your partner beaten." An evil grin spread across his face. "I will enjoy trying to make you talk."

As he finished talking, he swung the rod into the middle of the CEA's back. A scream escaped the UNCLE agent's lips bring him fully aware. Painful eyes looked at Illya, but his voice was clear.

"We don't deal with terrorists or bargain for the life of one of our operatives in trade for dangerous items."

Napoleon looked at Illya clearly indicating he understood the need to keep the machine's location a secret. The maniac in front of him would use it for worldwide destruction, and they couldn't allow him to succeed.

"So you think that Ukrainian will not allow you to die? Really Solo, you do not know these people well. They are all cowards; it is in their blood. They are second-class humans in the Soviet Union. He will gladly watch you be tortured to keep his precious secret so he will look good in the eyes of your employer."

With that, he swung the rod again this time hitting the broken leg. Another scream echoed in the room before the injured agent could stop it.

Illya pulled at his chains wanting only a moment alone with the Thrush chief. One look at his face caused the two guards to move further away from him. As Pyotr hit his partner repeatedly, the Russian kept his eyes fixed on Napoleon giving him the only support he could.

After Napoleon has passed out Pyotr left both men where they were, promising to return later for more enjoyment.

…..

"Napoleon wake up," Illya yelled at the hanging man after hearing gunfire and fighting. "I think our rescue party has arrived."

The American opened his eyes looking around as the door banged opened. Pyotr came rushing in, knife in hand. He jerked the American off the hook letting him land on the floor, a yell escaping as Napoleon's broken leg bent abnormally.

Putting the knife on the CEA's throat, he began yanking the agent. "Up Solo or die laying there like the coward you are."

"Leave him be!" Illya yelled.

"Your turn is coming, do not rush into it." He shouted back.

Napoleon forced himself up, the knife's point pressing hard under his chin.

"I'm fine Illya." He said teeth clenched in pain.

….

The rescue team from UNCLE arrived at the Thrush satrapy. They entered the grounds and building, darting anyone they saw. Jo and two agents went towards the labs while Jimmy and the other two went in search of the senior agents.

Jimmy's team entered the cell with guns drawn. He was the head of this group, and he knew they were looking to him to make the next move. Stopping in front of the two men, he took a deep breath.

"Let Mr. Solo go now." He demanded.

"Are you really trying to take charge of this situation, little boy?" He dared the agent.

"I said leave Mr. Solo go."

"Or what will you do? Shot me. I doubt it, you wouldn't endanger your boss that way."

While the men were talking, another agent called the other team informing them of their whereabouts.

"Don't let him go Mr. McLaughlin," the CEA said trying to give the young agent support. "Remember we're all expandable."

Pyotr pressed the knife's edge in a little deeper, drawing blood. A hiss escaped the UNCLE agent's lip but nothing more. It wasn't difficult to see he was barely able to maintain the standing position.