Napoleon received the summons to Waverly's office the moment he had passed through the the agent's entrance in Del Florias and headed directly there.
"Good morning sir," he announced his entrance to his boss as he walked into the room.
"That Mr. Solo could be a matter for some debate...please be seated. There has been an incident in Greece with one of our agents."
"I heard there was an assassination yesterday in Athens...a General Alexandropolous, one of the leaders of the junta, correct?"
"Quite correct as it were...I'm afraid that the agent in question is one of our Archangels."
"So I take it we are responsible for the elimination of the Greek General?"
"Again correct Mr. Solo." Alexandropolous was a member of THRUSH. Unfortunately our agent was seen after completing his mission. From what I understand there are posters with police sketches of him now plastered all over Athens."
In his last communication the agent designated as Gabriel indicated that he would be taking capsule B as he feared his imminent capture by Greek authorities. He was supposed to have activated the homing device in his communicator at that time, but has failed to do so... but given the preponderance of wanted posters around the city; I think it is safe to assume that he still has not yet been apprehended. That at least is a hopeful sign."
'Your mission is to head to Athens and get Gabriel out Mr. Solo. And of course, I need your word to accept that an order of termination exists here as well, just as it did with Azriel, if you are not able to complete the extraction."
"Yes sir, though I don't like the idea; I will take care of the agent if I cannot bring him back... who is he?
"I am sorry to say Mr. Solo that the agent codenamed as Gabriel is Mr. Kuryakin." Waverly tossed a copy of the wanted poster that had been sent from Greece via a new technology device called a fax-machine.
"What?"
"You heard me correctly. I know you have been partnered for a long time and feel friendship for each other but that must supersede the possibility that Mr. Kuryakin, if captured will certainly be tortured into revealing his identity and his affiliation with UNCLE...this cannot be permitted to happen.
Napoleon stared at the facsimile of the sketch in front of him...there was no mistaking that it was Illya Kuryakin.
"U.N.C.L.E. cannot under any circumstances be compromised," said Waverly." If the existence of the Archangel program were to be revealed, the blow to this organization's credibility would be severely damaged. I know you understand this."
"Sir...kill Illya?"
"You were willing to take that responsibility prior with Miss Mc Gowan...this situation is no different,"Waverly's tone of voice changed from cold to one of sympathy."I of course would be prefer that he be brought back safely but if in the event he cannot then better Mr. Kuryakin's end come at the hands of a friend , then have him suffer at the hands of the ESA. They are notorious for their brutality and live up to the motto displayed at their headquarters...
"Friend or Cripple exits he who enters here." Mr. Kuryakin, if he were to even survive their abuses would most certainly be crippled for life...however he will more than likely be executed once they have gotten what they want from him. I know he is strong and resists torture better than most...but I think not in this case. I must add that you as CEA are the only one privy to the knowledge of the Archangel program outside of section one...I cannot risk bringing another field agent in on this mission. This assignment has to be yours and yours alone Mr. Solo."
Napoleon sighed heavily. Waverly had maneuvered him into a corner so easily, yet he knew the man was right...better he should take Illya out if need be, before he suffers.
Solo left Waverly's office feeling very conflicted. He couldn't couldn't speak to Elliott about any of this, even though she herself was an Archangel...she knew nothing of Illya's involvement in the program. She was aware of the termination order that Waverly had issued on her, so logic would stand to reason that she would figure out that the same order would hold true for Illya if he told her of the mission. The reality still remained that he may have to kill the man she loved...even though he did not want to and would try his damnedest not to.
"NO!" he said out loud... he would find a way of bringing his partner back. Napoleon resolved to save Illya somehow...he owed it to Elliott.
He boarded the private UNCLE jet at JFK an hour later, taking off for the airport at Thessalonikis. He only hoped that that his partner had not been captured and he wondered how the hell he was going to find the Russian in a city where so many were already looking for him?"
"Kalí Nickólaos proí_good morning Nickólaos," smiled Aphrodite, handing him a mug of strong coffee.
Illya accepted it gratefully."Efcharstó...myrízei ypéroch_thank you it smells wonderful," he said so, taking a long sip.
"I need to check your wound to make sure there is no sign of infection," she said as she gently unwrapped the bandage in his arm.
Illya looked at the wound, seeing that it was clean and neatly stitched. "Did you do this?" he asked her.
"Nai_yes I did." she smiled back at him,"One learns to do many things when isolated sometimes at a dig site...it looks clean, no infection, that is good." She wrapped his arm in a fresh bandage, then checked his head. That cut seems fine, though you still have a sizable lump. Do you want to try getting up?"
Illya nodded, sitting up slowly then swinging his legs to the edge of the cot and stood up, a little shaky.
"Whoa." he exclaimed as he tried to steady himself. Aphrodite grabbed him around the waist holding him until he had his balance. She could feel his strong muscles beneath his shirt.
"No, I am alright now...really." he smiled.
"I brought this for you...one of the men donated it." She handed him a clean powder blue shirt.
Illya immediately stripped off his blood-stained top as Aphrodite admired his lithe, muscular chest, thinking he surprisingly pale for a Greek.
Illya blushed a little when after pulling the shirt over his head when he realized Aphrodite was staring at him.
She suddenly realized that he saw her staring and blushed herself. "I am sorry, I did not mean to stare but that shirt makes your eyes seem like the color of the Aegean," she caught herself flirting then stopped,"I have to go into Athens today for supplies...that was what I was supposed to be doing when I found you yesterday.
I had walked up the Acropolis just to enjoy the view before going down to the market...that was when I saw your body laying a the base of the the Erechtheum. When I saw the blood; I first thought you were dead. You came to and I helped you walk down to my truck..."
"I am thinking right now though that it is wise you stay here...it is obvious that someone wanted to harm you. Better you stay out of sight and out of the city for now, alright?"
"Yes, that might be prudent if things are as you say."
"Nickó...do you remember anything at all. Who might have tried to hurt you?"
"Nothing yet."
"Last night I came to check on you while you slept. You were very restless and talking in your sleep but I could not understand the words...they seemed like a foreign language to me?"
Illya shrugged again, not having a clue.
"It was not French, nor Italian...not German either."
"Étes-vous sûr que ce n'était pas le Français...Oder vielleicht in der Deutchen...O forse Italiano_are you sure it wasn't French, or maybe in German, or possibly Italian?'He switched seamlessly from language to language. "I have been told though that my Italian accent is not good but I am not so sure of that is true," he chuckled.
"Nickó! Look what you just did...you spoke three separate languages without hesitation and you said someone commented about your Italian accent...you remembered!" she exclaimed, suddenly grabbing him in an excited a hug.
Their eyes met and Aphrodite leaned in kissing the handsome blond on the lips. She had never been quite attracted to a stranger as she had this man, much less acted upon it. He seemed gentle to her and somewhat sad. Was it because he had lost his memory? That to her must feel like the ultimate loneliness...
Nickó slipped his arms around her narrow waist pulling her to his chest. He could feel her heart pounding in excitement
"No," he stopped himself, taking a step back as he released her. "This is not right...you do not even know me? I do not know me Aphrodite. I could be some sort of murderous lunatic?"
She nodded her understanding of his concern. "That I do not believe to be true,"she said and then left him. She returned to Athens, arriving in just a little over an hour and found the city was in utter chaos. The secret police and military had arrested and detained thousands more people, holding them on the suspicions they were left-wing, communist sympathizers or some for no reason at all. Everyone was on edge, afraid to speak...watching over their shoulders. She was shocked when she saw posters of Nickó's face hanging everywhere claiming him to be the assassin who had killed General Alexandroplous.
Aphrodite did not find that frightening for some reason...he seemed like such a gentle man and in her eyes he was now a patriot for having done the deed.
While driving along the coastal road she had seen military transports travelling to and from the city, setting up road blocks and encampments in some of the smaller towns along the way. Their presence reminded Aphrodite of her distant memories as a young child when the Nazis and the Italians occupied her country. The images frightened her and she decided to buy extra supplies at the open air agora in Monastariki, thinking it might be harder to eventually get near the city. She would have to be careful herself as she did not sympathize with the new government.
Napoleon stepped from the sedan sent to Thessaloniki airport sent for him by the American Embassy; they were away of the situation with Kuryakin and the ambassador had offered their services knowing that travel would be even more difficult through out all of Greece since the assassination of General Alexandropolous.
Solo was traveling under false U.S. diplomatic credentials that would allow him greater freedom of travel though out the city and the surrounding towns. Illya could not have gotten far and had more than likely had been befriended by a local, the effects of capsule B were quite potent and the Russian would have absolutely no memory of who he was. Good if he were caught...bad that he was a wild-card wandering the city not knowing what he was capable of. Capsule B wiped an agents memories but not his instincts and knowing Illya they way he did, he guessed he would more than likely get himself mixed up with exactly the type of Grecians the military and the police were detaining.
The thought hadn't crossed his mind until now but he had to consider the possibility that Illya was hurt, dying or was lying dead somewhere, though he didn't want to believe that. Napoleon decided to think positively and presume Illya was still alright...
His first stop was to the Acropolis...Illya's last reported location. Solo didn't expect to find his partner there in such an open location...but he had to look anyway as there might be some clue...you never knew with the Russian. He found nothing.
He checked the hotel Attalos where Illya had reported he had registered and luckily the secret police had not discovered that fact yet. Illya's things were still there...his uncle ID, suitcase and briefcase with his attachments for his special all seemingly intact. He destroyed the ID card, then disposed of everything else before the police would inevitably arrive, then hit the streets to continue his search.
He wandered a hundred yards or so from the hotel towards an open air market. Illya had a penchant for such places and perhaps he was hidden among the many stalls and the multitudes of shoppers. Napoleon strolled casually among the many stalls and booths listening in on hushed conversations and watching their body language. He was dressed in a short sleeve khaki shirt with a bandana tied around his neck, wearing light khaki trousers...looking very much the inept foreigner, and a tourist. If he had to ask questions, he didn't want the locals to become tight-lipped thinking he was a member of the secret police. If he himself were stopped...his diplomatic papers and passport would cover him.
The posters of Illya's face were scattered everywhere, and it seemed to him that most people were not happy about it. He over heard whispers of conversations spoken carefully mentioning the un-named man who had murdered the General...their tone seemed to be that of pride.
A strikingly beautiful woman with long black hair rippling down to her waist caught his eye and when she glanced in his direction, seeing that she had the most amazing pair of green eyes. She had the proverbial hour-glass figure dressed in a rather fitted white tank top and long flowing skirt...if he wasn't occupied with trying to find his partner...well? He shook those thoughts away.
He continued to watch as the woman suddenly reached up, grabbing a poster of Illya's likeness, pulling it down and crumpled it up in her hands as he heard her complain quietly to an older woman selling bolts of cloth.
"Aftós eínai énas kalós ánthropos...prosopiká, eímai eftychís pou to ékane_He is a good man...I am personally glad he did it.
"Étsi eínaiai zontanós tóte...chaíromani Afrodíti_so he is alive then...I am glad Aphrodite." smiled the old woman." He came bounding through my booth yesterday with soldiers chasing him after him...he is with you then?"
"Yes he is safe with me Euphêmia. I must go." Aphrodite whispered to her then disappeared quickly into the crowds...
Napoleon smiled when he overheard the conversation and tried following her but she moved too quickly through the throngs of people now crowding the agora and he lost sight of her. What he had not seen was another man who also overheard Aphrodite's conversation with Euphêmia. He was a member of the secret police...and had no trouble following her through the market.
Napoleon headed back quickly to the booth hoping he could get information from the old woman.
"Geia sou_hello there..." he greeted her, examining a bolt of cloth,"such a hot day for a young thing like you to be working so hard," he flashed her a charming smile.
Euphêmia blushed, laughing behind her hand like a school girl, "Such a handsome man as you flatters an old one like me!"
"Tell me...that beautiful woman you were speaking to, the one with the green eyes. Where is she from?"
"Aphrodite? Oh yes she is a pretty one isn't she? Very sad though...she doesn't mix with the men too much. She has her mind on her work all the time! Such a waste...she breaks the men's hearts. Named after the goddess of love herself," she clicked her tongue," such a waste!"
"What type of work does she do?"
"She is an archaeologist...always digging among the ruins, surrounding herself with stone instead of a man's arms..."
"Really? I'm an amateur archaeologist myself...on vacation here. My name is Arthur Penderghast, I was hoping to join a dig somewhere."
"Oh you are in luck then...Aphrodite is always looking for free help with her work. You can find her down the coast at Cape Sounion near the Temple of Poseidon."
"Why thank you my dear," she smiled again, kissing Euphêmia's hand, making her laugh.
"My aren't you the bold one Mr. Penderghast!"
Aphrodite returned to camp early in the afternoon hearing from her people that Nickó was fine and had wandered down the cliff to the waters edge to do some exploring. She prepared a picnic style meal for her team of seven men and women...
The long table covered with a plain white cloths was set with a nearly a dozen bowls. Greek olives, crusty bread were always a must at the table. For starters dolmathabi_stuffed grape leaves with rice and lamb, tzarziki_ a yogurt, cucumber and garlic dip.
Tyropitakia_small triangular wedges of phyllo dough filled with four different cheeses,horiatiki salata_ a salad of tomato,onion, green pepper and feta cheese. Bifteki skhara_grilled pork and beef burgers, potato salad with egg, chobani_Greek yogurt and for desert,mixed fruit with orange juice and honey, and baklava_ a honey sweet pastry with ground walnuts. And of course plenty of ouzo and wine.
"Aphrodite! Such a feast? Why the special meal?"asked Hektor, her assistant.
"Maybe it's for our handsome new visitor, Nikó?" one of the women teased her.
"Stop!" Aphrodite denied it, but in truth it was for his benefit." Spyros...get your fingers out of the chobani and go fetch Nikó and the others...supper is ready!"
Nikó was relaxing down by the water's edge dozing, as he had spent the afternoon exploring the shoreline. He had noticed a small yacht anchored off shore, it's bow decorated with the traditional Greek "all seeing eyes"... put there for protection. He wondered who the vessel belonged to.
As he slept, he became aware of a woman's presence in his dreams and knew somehow those blue eyes belonged to her. He could not see her face though...just felt her presence and he kept hearing words but he did not understand what they meant.
"Annushka. Demya." echoed in his mind... were they words or names...he did not know.
"Nikó...NIKÓ! Wake up!" Spyros called to him.
But Illya had already heard the man coming towards him along the water's edge. "Eímai x'ypnios_I am awake." he answered instantly.
"Come on Nickó...let's go. Aphrodite will be cross if her special guest let's the food get cold!" He offered his hand pulling Nickó to his feet.
"Special guest?" Nikó asked as they trekked up the path together.
"Yes...she has made a very special meal with many foods. We only get this when there's company! So it is good for us that you are here enh?" Spyros gave Nickó a hearty slap on the shoulder.
Greeks are warm, hospitable and demonstrative. Some of them embraced Nickó kissing him on the cheek, slapping him on the back as they welcomed him to the table...sure that their bounty was due to his presence.
The conversations were loud and gregarious as they all dug into Aphrodite's feast...Nickó sat quietly at the opposite end of the table from her and after realizing she was watching his every move, he could no longer take his eyes off her as well.
Aphrodite being the hostess offered up the first toast. "Stingyiosy_to your health!"she said, looking directly into Nikós eyes.
"Ach na agapíse_ah to love!" shouted Spyros.
"To love!" they all raised their glasses, looking at Aphrodite and Nickó. The two blushed again, looking at each other.
Nickó went through the motions of eating properly with his fork in his left hand and his knife in the right, remembering to keep his elbows off the table. They were all talking and laughing, plucking and sharing food from each other's plates. But Nickó felt very much out of place.
He finished everything on the plate feeling the urge to eat more but he resisted it. He then put his napkin next to it, laying the knife and fork parallel on top of his plate, handles facing to the right to indicate he was finished eating...all the while feeling as though this was all foreign to him...these Greek customs that should feel so natural to him. It seemed to him as though he was standing outside his body, a stranger watching himself do these things.
After all was cleaned up from supper Aphrodite's crew pulled out musical instruments...bouzouki, the bowed lyra pontos, a set of gaida bagpipes and a small toumbi drum.
Spyros broke out into a song while they all sat around the campfire.
"Miá voskopúla agápis,Miá zileméni kóri, Miá voskopúla, Miá zileméni kóri_I fell in love with a shepardess an excellent girl, I fell in love with a shepardess an excellent girl...Ke tin agápisa polí, Imún alálito pulí, Deká hronón agóri_ I was a speechless bird, I was a speechless bird and loved her very much..."
Aphrodite and Nickó disappeared together, walking up the hill to the Temple of Poseidon as the vouce of Spyros continued to echo below them. The the skeletal remains of the temple reached out like tall fingers to the sky, the pink marble gleaming in the last rays of the sun as it began to fade.
"Apó tin mési m'árpacse, Me fílise sto stóma, Apó tin mési m'árpacse, Me fílise sto stóma_she embraced me about the waist, she kissed me on the mouth, she embraced me about the waist, she kissed me on the mouth." Spyros' words could still be heard in the distance.
His song made Aphrodite feel a little nervous at first being alone with Nickó, remembering that he was an assassin. She dared not tell him anything...she wanted to prolong his ignorant bliss for this handsome man for as long as she could. She was feeling greedy,knowing that once his memories returned, he would probably go back to his old life...
She spoke of the Temple to calm herself, behaving more like a scientist than a woman.
"The temple was constructed approximately 440 b.c. and is almost 60 meters above the Aegean. She pointed up to the columns...they are Doric style colonnades twenty feet tall and are of locally quarried marble...only 16 remain of the original 42...if it was intact, the temple would have resembled the Temple of Hephaestus in the old Agora in the city...it is theorized they were both designed by the same..."
"That is all very interesting Aphrodite," Nickó smiled as he reached his arm around her waist.
"But right now I find the sunset and some other things more intriguing," he said quietly.
He motioned her to sit down on the steps in front of him, wrapping his arms around her as the sun began to set a spectacular red upon the blue waters of the Aegean sea that surrounded them on three sides. A full moon was already visible in the sky over the water behind the island of Nisida Patroklos. As the sun finally faded, Nikó leaned forward kissing her on the throat.
Aphrodite felt her apprehension disappear as he held her and turned her head back to him, her lips meeting his... then stood taking his hand.
"Érchetai...éla mazí mou_come... come with me?"she whispered to him.
Aphrodite took Nickó by the hand, leading him down a back path to the shoreline, there they climbed into a small dingy and Nickó rowed out on the now dark Aegean waters that were so calm, they seemed like glass towards the boat still anchored off shore.
"This is my boat," she told him." It is called the Nereid Thetis."
"Yes, the sea-nymph Thetis," he smiled, " the mother of Achilles."
Nickó suddenly quoted from the Iliad, "Thetis cried out in sympathy of Achilles' grief for his slain cousin Patroclus...There gathered 'round her every goddess...every Nereid that was in the deep salt sea depths...and the silvery cave became filled with sea nymphs..."
"Well said,"Aphrodite smiled as she lead him below deck to her cabin.
Aphrodite turned and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Then she stopped, pulling the bottom of her tank top, raising it up slowly over her head and revealing her ample breasts to him. Her skin was tanned by the warm mediterranean sun in stark contrast to the almost alabaster paleness of his.
Nickó could not help but respond...a goddess was offering herself to him. He pulled Aphrodite to him, kissing her deeply, drinking her in, tasting her, exploring her with his hands.
He reached under her skirt, pulling away her panties then lifted her onto him, leaning her back against the bulkhead...he made love to her slowly, allowing her to savor every bit of him as she climaxed with a loud cry of pleasure.
Nickó then carried her to the bunk, laying her down gently caressing her with his lips as he removed the rest of her clothes, then his own. Then he rolled her over, taking her from behind in a wild frenzy until he too climaxed with her as he cried out "Annushka!"
Nickó dropped down beside her on the bunk, breathless.
"Mmm that was nice," Aphrodite whispwered,"but what is Annushka?"
"I do not know," he said,"but you are right, it was very nice, "then laughed softly, burying his head in the crook of her neck, kissing her again.
But all the while he was making love to her, the image of those blue eyes...the other presence, kept flashing in his mind. Was it his memories trying to return to him...what was this word that he had called out in his passion? The blue eyes...he did not know who they belonged to, but he was sure that they were waiting for him somewhere."
The next morning Nickó did not feel that well as the water was getting a little choppy...a storm was on the way. And after making sure the boat was battened down and the archor secure, they rowed back to shore.
"Ah so Nickó, another clue about you...you are obviously not a man of the sea as you get seasick!" she laughed. "Today, I will show you my discovery. It is an underground temple...I believe it is a shrine to Alexander the Great himself! If I can prove it...it will be one of the greatest finds since the tomb of King Tutankhamen in Egypt!"
Aphrodite lead him down the far side of the hill beneath the Temple of Poseidon to what looked like a small cave...as soon as Nickó stepped inside, he hesitated.
"I have been here before," he whispered.
"Nickó, that is impossible, we just opened it a few days ago...no one has been in here for centuries!
They walked together down a long corridor with flashlights, when Nickó suddenly told her to stand still. He placed a broken piece of marble on the floor, then stepped forward, depressing some sort of release in the floor. A secret door slid shut in front of them, the marble keeping it from closing.
"How did you know to do that Nickó?" Aphrodite demanded.
"I told you...I have been here before" he insisted, modulating his voice lower.
The military truck filled with a half dozen solders headed down along the coast road towards the Cape of Sounion. The secret police sure in the knowledge they were closing in on the assassin. They would be there shortly to arrest him and those harboring him.