Angelique handed Solo the pistol from her gun belt.
"I understand, really I do."
"I figured you would." He tucked that gun in his right pocket, and raised his hands above his head. "Now let's go."
The two THRUSH women walked behind him, each with their heads lowered, jabbing the barrels of their rifles into his back while urging him along.
"Easy," he whispered out of the side of his mouth.
"Darling, you want it to look real don't you?"
"Go through that door," Linda said."Prepare yourself, it won't be a pretty sight."
They escorted him inside, with the two women ducking behind Napoleon so the interrogator wouldn't immediately see their faces.
Illya was laying on his back, strapped down on the stainless medical table. There were electrodes attached to his head with wires running to a nearby machine sitting on a table. The interrogator stood, poised beside it.
"What's zees? I did not call for Kuryakeen?"
Napoleon lowered his hands,"Well you see they were told you weren't having any luck with my partner so they wanted you to have a go at me…apparently."
"Who ze hell are they and why is zis priss-oner addressing moi?" He suddenly spotted Angelique and Linda, but before he could say another word, Solo drew the gun from his pocket and took him out.
"Illya?" He rushed over to his partner, pulling away the electrodes from him and feeling for a pulse.
"I am all right Napoleon! Get these bloody bindings off me."
Solo complied and as soon as the Russian sat up he spied the two women.
"What the hell are they doing here and why is she still alive?"He pointed a shaking finger at Angelique."Give me your gun and I will take care of her, permanently!"
"Not going to happen...long story pal We have to get out of here and stop Altshuler now. We're almost out of time."
Illya stepped from the table and nearly went down; his legs felt like rubber.
"Umm, that might be the morphine," Linda said."It can cause shakiness in the legs, arms hands or feet."
"Come on tovarisch, I've got you."Solo wrapped his arm around his partner's waist, and held onto Illya's arm as it rested across the American's shoulder.
"Hurry, this way," Angelique called. She led them to the elevator and the four of them climbed on.
As it reached ground level and before exiting, Illya pried open a control panel and disabled it, ensuring no one would be able to follow them using the elevator.
"Are there any other ways they can come out after us?" He asked the doctor.
"The only other exit is three miles away, and that's staircases leading from each level to the surface. It's a long walk."
That at least was a bit of good news as they headed directly to the car. This time the good doctor got behind the wheel as she knew where to go.
When they slowly pulled up near the mine entrance; they spotted the van. Altschuler was already here.
Linda was told to stay in the car with Illya but he refused.
"I am all right to go with you," he insisted. "My legs are better."
Seeing no one around, they checked inside the van and found the makings of five more mini-bombs. Kuryakin being the demolitions expert made quick work of them, disassembling the parts. The nuclear material was already self contained so safety wasn't an issue.
One by one they were carried back to the car and deposited in the trunk, leaving nothing in the van but the remnants of snipped wires.
When Dr. Fischer asked what was being put in the trunk, she paled at the word nuclear and decided it was safer to stay with Angelique who had volunteered to stand guard by the mine entrance as a lookout.
"I'll need something more powerful than this." Angelique held up her silver pistol, which she had on her the whole time.
It didn't surprise Solo, really.
"See darling, I was trustworthy and didn't kill the Russian, or you for that matter when I could have easily done so."
He gave her one of the rifles as . The other Illya kept and Solo still had the two hand guns.
Napoleon insisted the good doctor be armed and held out his hand for Angelique to surrender her pistol.
"Come on," he waved his fingers.
Angelique huffed as she handed it over. "Please be careful with it, it was a gift from my father."
"Umm sure," Linda said as she reluctantly accepted it,"but I don't know how to use a gun."
Illya hid his impatience and gave her a quick lesson.
"That is the safety. It will not fire unless it is off. Flip the switch thusly, point the gun away from yourself and at the target, Gently squeeze the trigger and do not turn your head away while you are doing so or close your eyes. Keep a firm double-handed grip like this. There will be a recoil… a kick when you fire so hold the gun firmly and do not let go."
"Will you get going Illya," Angelique said." I can tell her what to do. I know how to shoot my pistol."
"I am sure you do, I was just showing her a courtesy, as she was kind enough to show one to me."
"You two sound like an old married couple," Fischer remarked, and for that she received two very dirty looks.
"Angelique are you still wearing your clothes beneath that ill fitting jumpsuit?" Illya asked.
"What do you think?"
"Strip it off and give the uniform to me...please. It will make it harder for anyone to see me in the cave, rather than me walking in there like this, half naked."
As much as she claimed that she detested the Russian, the thought of seeing him in the buff was suddenly appealing to her, his Soviet origins notwithstanding; he was a rather handsome specimen, though Solo had the more classically handsome looks.
She slowly undid the green jumper, trying to tease him into watching her, but it was pointless. She was after all still wearing her khaki clothing, though it was dreadfully wrinkled now. He really did deserve that nom de guerre, the Ice Prince.
"Here you are," she handed it over.
"Thank you." Illya quickly dressed himself and joined his partner before heading into the entrance of the mine.
The tunnels were illuminated inside by strings of lightbulbs, hanging overhead, giving just enough light for Napoleon and Illya to see as they carefully walked..
Dr. Fischer had never been in the mine and therefore knew nothing of the layout, so they were on their own.
There was the sound of water dripping inside and it echoed as it plopped to the floor in small puddles.
Finally the the tunnel forked and Solo indicated silently that he would take the right; giving his partner a thumbs up as a sign of good luck.
They split up, walking with the utmost care. Solo kept moving forward, until finally he realized his tunnel was a dead end.
Illya moved down his tunnel, but froze when he heard the voice of Willie Altschuler.
"This is but the beginning," his voice echoed." THRUSH wouldn't back my plan for world conquest and now they'll pay the price.
The Russian dared to peek around the corner and saw the man standing in front of a large metal door, like the kind protecting a bank vault.
Altschuler was holding up a small black handheld remote and at his feet was one of the completed bombs. It was active, waiting for the code to be entered and the countdown to begin.
For some reason Altschuler called out the code,"1-4-5-7-6-2-3." Perhaps reminding himself of it as he began to enter it into the device.
Illya rushed him, trying to grab the remote and as they struggled Altschuler was able to punch in the last digit.
"It's too late! See!" He staggered back pointing to the countdown has begun. It's the beginning of the end!"
"I do not think so. You are quite mad, and mad men never win." Illya grabbed the rifle he'd tossed and pointed it at Altschuler; shooting him dead without hesitation.
The red digital readout on the bomb was ticking away counting down the minutes, and it had been set for an hour.
Kuryakin knelt beside the dead man, pulling the remote from his grasp.
In the heat of the moment, he'd only heard the code uttered once. Though Illya had an eidetic memory it was only for the written word, and not spoken.
He struggled trying to recall the numbers Altschuler said. One by one he punched them in to the remote.
"1-4-5-7-6-..." Chyort!" Illya cursed, he knew the last number was 3 but what was the number before it?
If he entered the wrong code, then it could accelerate the count down.
He squeezed his fist tightly as he closed his eyes, trying to envision in his head the scene of Altschuler calling out the numbers.
Illya froze in place though when he heard an all too familiar sound and that was the cocking of a rifle.
He slowly turned his head and saw Fritz standing there with a bead on the Russian's head.
"Drop the remote Kuryakin."
"Altschuler is dead. It must end here, surely you do not want this bomb to go off? Illya spoke softly, but with a deliberateness to his voice.
"The plan is the plan. If I have to set the other bombs by myself then I will. I'll be in charge then, yeah. Nobody will boss me around ever again." He poised with his finger on the trigger, preparing to pull it.
"Hey what about me you dumb shit," his brother Adolph stepped up beside him.
"I meant us Adi," Fritz covered himself. "Now say your prayers UNCLE man."
"BANG!" The shot echoed again and again throughout the tunnels, followed immediately by another loud bang.
Fritz stood there, his eyes wide as he dropped to the ground and did his brother Adolph.
Behind them stood Napoleon.
"I heard tovarisch...you remember the code?"
"Give me a second?" Illya calmed himself, again trying to remember what it was.
"I have it! It is 2! The code is 1-4-5-7-6-2-3!" He punched in the last two digits and the bomb suddenly began to beep. It became faster and faster, and Napoleon and Illya looked each other in the eye for the last time.
"Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep...silence." The digital readout had gone blank.
"That was close," Solo muttered as he gave his partner a hand up.
"Owww!" Illya yelped."My knee!" He mumbled a curse to himself." I was afraid it was going to give out."
"I take it the morphine has worn off?"
"You could say that."
The pain he was experiencing was evident in his voice.
The only thing Napoleon could do was help his partner hobble to the exit where the women waited.
"We have company!" Angelique shouted. A shot ricocheted on the rocks at the top of the mine entrance, over the agent's heads, sending bits of stone flying everywhere.
The two men dove behind the boulder with Angelique and Linda. The femme fatale agent had already fired her rifle several time while the doctor crouched, frozen in fear.
The gun was still in Linda's hands just as she'd been instructed hold it and she'd aimed it a goon who stood up to charge them, but couldn't fire it.
She was a doctor dammit; supposed to save lives and not take them, but then again she'd violated her hippocratic oath by working for T.H.R.U.S.H. hadn't she?
"The hell with it!" Dr. Fischer barked as she squeezed the trigger, and downed the man, much to her surprise.
The goons kept coming at them, but having the boulders as cover, the others managed to hold them off; killing or wounding most of them.
The four of them crawled out from behind their cover behind the boulders once the coast was finally clear.
"Well that was fun," Angelique said.
"Speak for yourself," Fischer said.
"Ladies you both did quite well, thank you," Napoleon said. "And there's more good news as Illya was able to disarm the bomb in the cave."
"Altschuler and his associates are dead. So this is at an end," Kuryakin added.
"Well maybe for you,"Linda said."T.H.R.U.S.H. is going to come after us aren't they Angelique? We're as good as dead."
"Oh darling don't be so melodramatic. We'll simply say the men from U.N.C.L.E. were able to overpower the satrap, killing everyone except us. Apparently they don't like doing such a terrible thing to women. You just stick with me and you'll be fine."
"If you say so," the doctor sighed. She noticed Kuryakin having trouble walking and called out to him.
"Morphine wore off?"
"Most definitely."
Linda drew something out of her green jumper pocket. It was a syringe. "I have one more dosage," she smiled.
Illya gratefully nodded." Thank you, for a member of T.H.R.U.S.H you are not so bad."
She blushed with embarrassment; she might be slightly older but she wasn't dead and found the Russian quite attractive.
"Now how do we get out of here?" Angelique asked.
"I suggest you take the van, while we exit with the car," Napoleon answered.
"Not before you collect the remaining bomb inside the mine, my friend." Illya added. He wasn't in any shape to walk back in there and manage it by himself, at least until the morphine kicked in.
"Correct. Angelique, take a walk with me for a minute?" Solo asked.
She joined him as they wandered out of earshot from the others.
"I wish you'd just been truthful and told me what Central was trying to force you to do?" He took her by the arm.
"We all make mistakes darling, don't we?"
"I suppose."
"So that means you do forgive me Napoleon?"
"Yes I do, but don't let it happen again," he smiled. "Though my partner might be of a different mind."
"I can't promise it dearest, but I'll try. You helped save my sister and niece really, and that I will remember."
"So Pax?"He whispered, pulling her close to him.
"Peace darling."
They embraced in a long kiss, saying good bye for now, and finally parted."
"A bientot." She whispered and headed towards the van, and he to retrieve the device.
Angelique walked past the car where the Russian was sitting atop the slipped down to his feet, standing beside her.
"I am sure Napoleon will explain your behavior to me," he said.
"Yes he will. I want to apologize for the position in which I put you, and the torture. Can you forgive me?"
Illya looked into her eyes, seeing the glimmer of sincerity in them. "Just this once, I suppose."
Angelique leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"Take care of that partner of yours, he really is special...to both of us. Au revoir."
She turned away, not waiting for a response, though Illya had none to give, not this time. He watched as she climbed into the van, joining the doctor and as the two of them drove off, disappearing into the darkness.
Napoleon came up behind the Russian, and wordlessly tucked the deactivated bomb into the trunk.
"I'll drive tovarisch," he said.
"Just make sure you have no accidents, since we are carrying six nuclear bombs in the trunk of our car."
"Point taken."
Napoleon slipped into the driver's seat and starting the car; slowly they pulled away.
When they reached civilization they were able to contact Waverly via telephone and apprise him of the success of their mission. Napoleon omitted Angelique's duplicity, and failed to mention the existence of her sister and niece as well.
Illya having heard the whole scenario already agreed with his partner's summation to Waverly. Now he understood the why's and wherefores as far as what Angelique had done.
He was genuine in his forgiveness of her for the moment Illya also knew there would always be a next time when she had the opportunity to betray Solo or himself yet again, though he said nothing to Napoleon about his feelings.
He had a reputation to uphold when it came to that woman; she was T.H.R.U.S.H. after all.
Waverly made arrangements for his agents to have an escort from the UNCLE office in Toronto the across the Canadian border, given what they were carried. Once arriving back in the United States the American military agreed to take possession of and the disposal of the devices.
Several weeks later Napoleon and Illya were in their office in headquarters going over an addendum to their report on what was now dubbed 'The 7 Cities Affair.'
Teams of agents had been sent to the satrap in Belleterre only to find it destroyed and the vault in the mine opened and emptied.
"One could only suspect Angelique might be the source of a warning to Central," Illya said."The good doctor would have most likely divested herself of the situation as best she could, following Miss La Chien's lead."
"I doubt if Angelique took it upon herself to raid the vault as that would surely make her a hunted woman,"Napoleon said, " though she does love the finer things in life."
"There must have been a lot of gold in there, and a great temptation to a woman like her. Dare I remind you, she did have a van?" Illya suggested. He suddenly lowered his head, drifting into a melancholy mood.
"Napoleon though we stopped this madman Altschuler, albeit with Angelique's help, I am not feeling all that good about it. There will be another to take his place as always, maybe not with nuclear bombs but with something else, some bizarre plan that will yet again threaten the world. Sometimes I feel as though we are spitting into the wind, while they keep coming at us."
"Illya what's wrong?"
"What if we no longer succeed in stopping them?"
"Ah, there's your fatalism coloring your thinking again tovarisch. We'll beat them, maybe we'll falter now and then but we'll keep knocking them down one lunatic at a time."
"Napoleon, your eternal optimism will be your downfall someday."
"And your fatalism sometimes gets old, Illya. If everyone gave into such thinking then the world would be in the hands of the likes of T.H.R.U.S.H. in no time. Me, I choose to fight the good fight, and I'll be damned if the bad guys are going to win."
Kuryakin actually smiled, though shyly. "I did not say I was giving up."
"You better not!" Napoleon gave his partner a little punch in the arm.
"Owwww, my shoulder, remember?"
Solo looked at him, ready to apologize. "Wait a minute, your shoulder is fine."
"Gotcha," the Russian chuckled.
The intercom on the wall interrupted their conversation.
"Mr. Solo a package arrived at Del Floria's. It was taken and inspected by the bomb disposal squad and they found it safe."
"And?" Napoleon asked. "What is it?"
"Well sir, "she hesitated, " There was a card...it's from Angelique La Chien. It was attached to a bottle of 1815 Napoleonic brandy."
There was silence.
"Sir should we open it and have it tested for poison?"
"No noooo, that won't be necessary," Napoleon smiled. "I'll come get it myself. It's fine."
"Yes sir. It'll be waiting for you in the Security office. Oh and yes, there's also a case of vodka for Mr. Kuryakin but there's no note."
That surprised the Russian, as he presumed it was from Angelique as well, and perhaps a statement. Did she think he drank that much?
"And what did we just say about Angelique and the T.H.R.U.S.H. gold?" Illya reminded his partner.
"Loose lips sink ships tovarisch."
"What? Is this yet another of your ridiculous idioms?"
"Nevermind." Napoleon walked out the office door, smiling to himself, followed immediately by his partner who caught up to him.
"Loose lips sink ships, I get it now."
"About time."