"Mr. Solo, I take you have witnessed the exchange between Mr. Kuryakin and Deacon Duvall". To the point. Napoleon couldn't ask for much more. The office of Alexander Waverly had been scanned and searched prior to this conversation. No risk would be allowed to hinder the success of Kuryakin's assignment. It was imperative that no one discern the ruse, whether friend or foe. Too much was at stake, including the life of the Russian agent. Waverly had no desire to see sacrifice in pursuit of their targets, regardless of the accepted status of all agents as expendable.
"Yes sir, I was able to see them conversing. I assume that this is a covert operation". Why waste time pretending he didn't understand what was going on. He wouldn't believe it was anything else, regardless of how it was set up.
The window beyond hinted at clouds forming for an afternoon shower. The skyline was grey against an even greyer background. He felt grey right now; grey was formless and without direction. Grey didn't know whether it wanted to be white or black, and somehow grey just wasn't adequate at the moment.
"I take it you have had sufficient time for weighing this situation and it's ramifications. Mr. Kuryakin must be allowed to carry this through to it's completion. You will not interfere, regardless of how it looks or whether or not he appears to be...in peril. Do you understand Mr. Solo?" How many times had he been required to respond to that question?
"Yes, Mr. Waverly I do understand. I also suspect that we are looking for a Thrush agent within UNCLE. Is it possible that I can be utilized in the search for this individual?" There. He might as well put his cards on the table next to the old man's. They usually understood each other very well; this shouldn't be an exception. The stakes were too high.
The elder gentleman paused before continuing. Now he did reach for the briar, affecting a search for tobacco, he fiddled for a moment or two as the habitual roaming of his hands began. Napoleon observed this, as he had thousands of times before; the wait wouldn't be long and he had time to place his own thoughts in order as the pipe was lit and delicate plumes of smoke began to twist their way above the head of the UNCLE chief.
"Yes, indeed there is someone here who is not one of our own. Mr. Kuryakin's goal is to infiltrate Thrush by means of Mr. Duvall in order to gain information related to our problem here. We believe that he is the contact for our target, and with Mr. Kuryakin's apparent defection, he will be made privy to the information we need for exposing this individual. It is unusual to be required to go to these lengths, but whoever we're looking for is deep; he or she has been successful at remaining so deep within the organization that all other efforts have failed. Up to this point it didn't seem necessary to bring in Section Two in order to facilitate the search; we have reached a dead end, Mr. Solo. and the obvious choice for this job of being the traitor, as it were, fell to Mr. Kuryakin for...I should think even to you...obvious reasons".
Obvious reasons. Why was it so obvious? Because he's Russian he is the obvious choice to betray his commitment to UNCLE. Because he's...yes...because he is. It wasn't Solo's rationale, but it would be that of many others, even in UNCLE. Too many times had he been called the red menace, or Solo's commie friend. Illya had taken it with an incredible amount of grace and tolerance. He dreaded to think what it would cost his friend, emotionally, to be caught in this horrendous escapade of deceit; how many people would finally show their true colors as they pointed to what they assumed were his?
"Mr. Waverly, am I going to be able to at least stand up for my partner, or do I have to fall in line with the accusations? At what point do I yield to what is portrayed as the truth?" He knew this question would have an unpleasant response. He asked it anyway, if for no other reason than to make it clear he would go as far as he could before surrendering his friend to the eventual and unavoidable fall out from this plan.
"I believe that you should play the part as you would if it were true, Mr. Solo. Mr. Kuryakin is launching into this charade in spite of certain eventualities; he will be falsely accused, and yet that is exactly what we are aiming for. His descent into the Thrush organization must be on the heels of being ostracized here. No one leaves from a position such as he holds here without leaving a trail of destruction behind. There is no easy way out".
Napoleon heaved a sigh without intending to. He nodded his agreement and looked up to see his superior's face falling into a compassionate and understanding expression. They understood each other.