Parlor Games Affair

By Sondra

February 1, 2001-July 7, 2001

 

 

 

“Will you walk into my parlor,” said the spider to the fly;

“‘Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy.

The way into my parlor is up a winding stair.

And I have many pretty things to show you when you’re there.”

“O no, no,” said the little fly, “to ask me is in vain,

For who goes up your winding stair can n’er come down again.”

                                                - Mary Howitt

 

 

 

“Alright everyone, we got the information for our next case,” Chris Larabee told his men in their conference room at exactly eight o’clock in the morning.  The black clad leader handed out the folders to the other six members of what had been dubbed by the other teams in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Denver office, The Magnificent Seven.

 

“It seems we have a new player in the gun and possible drug trafficking business in this area,” Chris spoke above the sound of shuffling paper.

 

“Are we going to work with the DEA on this one then?” Josiah Sanchez asked while opening his folder to look at the full size picture on the inset.

 

“Not sure about that yet.  For the time being we have the assignment.  Doesn’t mean the DEA’s  gonna come in and give assistance,” Chris responded.

 

“Krull?” Ezra Standish started after he yawned and blinked.  He hated getting up at the God-awful hour of 6:30 in the morning to make it to the mandatory meeting at 8.

 

Giving the agent an amused look, Chris responded, “Delmar Krull; it looks like he heads up this organization.”  Now looking to Vin Tanner, Chris’s second and the one that knew the streets, he continued, “I want to know what the streets think about him.”

 

“‘K,” came the muffled reply from behind one of the folders.

 

“They don’t think small do they,” Josiah commented at the weapons list he pulled out of his folder.

 

“No, and that’s why we’ve been assigned the case.”  Chris leaned over the table, “Before we start this I want to know everything about this person and the organization he heads up all the way down to the personal habits of the lowest grunt worker.”

 

“How about financial statements?” JD Dunne, their youngest but also their computer specialist, commented.

 

“Good place to start, and I don’t care how you get them, just don’t tell me what you did.”  JD smiled at the comment.

 

“Chris,” Nathan Jackson spoke up, “Looking at this list, chances are good they’ll probably know something about chemical weapons.  I’ll check with the CDC for any possible stolen weapons Krull might have gotten his hands on.”

 

“Do it.”

 

Looking now to Ezra, Chris spoke again, “I want you in there.”

 

“How soon?” the undercover agent queried while scanning one of the documents.

 

“As quickly as you can manage without bringing any undue attention to yourself.  You’re also going to be working with Melanie Branz from Team 3.  They’ve been kind enough to lend her services to this case.”  Turning to the rest of the team assembled Chris continued, “This is going to be a hard case.  Because of that the Judge has shifted the rest of our caseload to the other teams.”

 

With a gleam in his eyes Buck Wilmington spoke, “You think they’ll be able to handle the load?”

 

“I don’t doubt it,” Chris answered dryly.  “Just don’t get too comfortable with the light load.”

 

“Cardinal Enterprises,” Nathan mumbled.

 

“What was that?” Chris demanded.

 

Closing the folder and setting it down on the conference table, Nathan spoke again, “I don’t know, but it sounds familiar.”

 

“Well as soon as you remember I need to know,” Chris answered.  Then passing over the rest of the members again, “If there are no more questions then this meeting is dismissed.  I want all of you to get to work on this ASAP.”

 

There was a general nodding of heads then scraping of chairs as most of the members of Team 7 rose and left the conference room to their small bullpen.

 

“Chris?” Vin spoke from his chair.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I’m headin’ out immediately.  Lookin’ over the information that we have so far it looks like it’s gonna be one hell of a case.  I’ll see what’s up.”

 

“Do that, and Vin, be careful.”

 

“Ain’t I always, Cowboy?”

 

Chris shook his head at the sharpshooter as he easily moved out the door.  The younger man moved with the grace of a hunter.

 

Back in the bullpen Ezra moved over to Josiah’s cubicle.  “I hope you can come up with something good,” he commented to their profiler, who also came up with his undercover fronts.

 

“Don’t I always?” the larger man rumbled easily.  Josiah looked up and found Ezra leaning up against one of the false walls.

 

The two, hearing a sudden burst of keying, looked over to the cube that housed their youngest member.  JD was already digging everywhere he could think of to gather the information Chris wanted and then some, which was no easy task.  But the Kid was good at what he did which was why he was hired in the first place.

 

As Ezra moved back to his work station he could already hear Nathan on the phone, most likely to the CDC gathering his own information.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Vin looked around the run down area he was currently in.  With the grace and ease of a cat he moved in and out of the decrepit warehouses.  Many companies didn’t even consider this area to set up distribution offices, but that wasn’t why he was there.  He knew these buildings like the back of his hand because he grew up there.

 

Seeing movement out of the corner of his eye he turned and spied one of the homeless people that frequented the place.  Watching closely Vin suddenly recognized the person as a frequent squatter named Malcolm.

 

“Malcom?” Vin called out to the much older man.

 

The homeless person looked around for a minute, not knowing who had called him.  Once he caught sight of Vin, he broke out into a large toothless smile as the younger man approached.  “Good to see ya, Vin.  How’s life been treatin’ ya?”

 

“I’m doing.  Have ya been goin’ to the shelter lately?”

 

“Well, when it gets too cold I’m down there.”

 

Vin clasped Malcom’s shoulder when they turned and moved down the ally.  “Have you seen or heard anythin’ goin’ on?  Ya know, a lot of times I don’t have the time to get down here anymore.”

 

“Not really,” Malcom hesitated, “you huntin’ again?”

 

“Not really,” Vin shook his head.  The sharpshooter tried to remain cryptic in what information he could readily give out, but Malcolm knew him too well.  Malcolm also knew when he could ask questions and when those same questions were off limits.

 

“Really, it’s been quiet, except for that break-in of the warehouse on Stemmons.”  Malcom sounded like he was trying to placate Vin.

 

“Break-in?  Didn’t know about that.  What happened?”

 

“Well they ain’t nuthin’ there so it weren’t reported.  Everyone around’s wondering why people would break-in a place like that that’s empty except for us here people.”  Malcolm shook his head.

 

Vin shrugged his shoulders, “Don’t know either, Malcolm.”  He paused then spoke again, “Come on, I’ll walk with ya down to the shelter so you can get somethin’ good to eat.”  Their voices echoed down the alley as they moved in the direction of one of the local homeless shelters.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Once Josiah was finished creating Ezra’s cover he handed the information over to the undercover agent.  Soon Ezra was getting what he needed from other agencies in the federal building they worked in and started coordinating with Melanie for the undercover part of the sting.  Looking at the information he had been given at the start, he began formulating his own plan.  If he could get close to one of the lower ranked members of the organization Ezra knew he could probably talk himself into it.

 

That evening, now back in his townhouse and with Melanie present, Ezra looked over the information once again.  After making a final decision he picked up his cell phone and dialed a number.

 

“Yeah, Ezra, what is it?” the voice sounded perturbed, he had apparently been interrupted.

 

“I need to contact Krull.  You know him?”

 

“Krull?  Are you crazy!  That man’s a lunatic,” the voice exploded from the speaker.

 

To save his eardrum Ezra pulled the speaker away from his ear; when the voice was finished Ezra continued, “Yes, Krull.”

 

“Like I said, that guy’s loony.  If you wanna talk to someone you need to talk to David Harper, he’s under Krull but knows what he’s doing.”

 

“Do you have his number?”

 

“If you think I’m going to give it out on the phone you’re as loony as Krull.  Meet me....” Ezra quickly wrote down the address his contact gave him over the phone.  “Come alone,” he finished.

 

“Don’t I always?”

 

“Yeah, but I can never be too careful.”

 

“Be glad I’m not taking you down, you’re too valuable to me.”

 

“Yeah, and I love you too,” he said sarcastically then disconnected the line.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After the initial meeting with David Harper, Ezra slowly gained the insider’s confidence.  Each meeting that was set up, Ezra, alone at first, then with Melanie, had been wired, that is except the first time.  So far they had been lucky the wires had not been found but they knew it was only a matter of time.  What comforted both undercover agents was that there was at least one member of the team somewhere close by.  Looking at a person in grungy clothing and mussed hair Ezra fancied it was probably Vin keeping an eye on them this time.  He had joined in watching the undercover agents once the streets did not produce anything substantial.  *He can play the part,* Ezra thought to himself.  Now the group Harper was a member of was intriguing to say the least.  Harper had not told Ezra, and Melanie when she was with him, a lot on the organization in their off and on meetings over the past few weeks, but they both hoped that would change with their next meeting.

 

The two undercover agents were now sitting on a bench in one of the many parks that surrounded the area.

 

After half an hour had passed Ezra looked at his watch again.  He seriously considered that Harper would not come this time.  *Maybe I pushed too hard,* the words echoed in Ezra’s mind.

 

“Mr. Stamford?” Harper’s voice broke through Ezra’s musings.  Harper looked to the familiar woman that sat beside Ezra, he had an ample view of her exotic skin tone below her short black hair.  Amazingly enough in her skin tight shirt was hidden a wire and next to her skin were several strategically placed die packs.  They were both waiting for the wire to be found.  Their whole strategy changed when she got bad news from her family.  She had to get out although she didn’t want to.  After discussing the options with the other team members they figured the only feasible option was to ‘kill’ her front allowing her to go and be with her family.  With the sudden turn of personal events Ezra decided to push harder to get into the organization, and because of that they knew they would both be checked for a wire this time.

 

Letting a small smile show Ezra turned to the voice, “Mr. Harper, I’m glad you could make it.”  He offered his hand.  Then as an off comment towards Melanie, “Don’t worry, so far she’s been trustworthy.”

 

Harper took the hand then sat down on the bench but warily looked at the woman.

 

“You know she won’t say anything,” Ezra spoke trying to placate the person.

 

Harper nodded.  Finally he spoke again, “Where do you think your future’s heading?”

 

“Ezra can we go, I’m bored,” Melanie whined as she gripped his arm and leaned up against him.  Even though this was below her abilities she played it up to the hilt.

 

“Not yet, my dear,” he told her while patting her leg, then after telling himself to tread carefully Ezra responded to the question he desperately wanted to hear, “Well I’ve been looking over everyone for quite a while.”

 

For a moment Harper hesitated, this was not expected.  “What do you mean?”

 

“Well,” Ezra leaned back then placed an arm around Melanie’s shoulders, which allowed her to lean in closer to hear Harper better.  “What it means is if I’m not pleased with this organization I’ll take my business elsewhere.  Mind you, so far what I’ve seen has been very good, but one can never know.  Something more profitable might come along.”  Ezra let the sentence hang between the two men.

 

Inside Harper was angry, *How dare he put down The Hierarchy like that!*  “Well whatever they offer you, we’ll give you a  better offer,” Harper answered with confidence.

 

“How am I to know?” Ezra answered with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Listen Stamford, The Hierarchy is the best!” Harper ground out *and you better watch out or we’ll come after you.*

 

“The Hierarchy?  And who might that be?” Ezra was now truly intrigued, Harper had never mentioned the organization before.

 

For a minute Harper seemed to have an air of indecision about him, almost as if he realized he had spoken too much.  When he finally did answer he sounded like he was almost bragging.  “The Hierarchy?  Why that’s the organization I’m a member of.”  He quickly reached for his briefcase and pulled out some equipment, equipment that looked like it checked for wires.

 

“What’s that?” Ezra asked innocently.

 

“I told Krull about your *aspirations* and he wanted me to check you out better.  This is to see if you’re wearing a wire, nothing more, nothing less.”  He was now checking over Ezra with the gadget.

 

“I wouldn’t wear one of those,” Ezra sounded disgusted.

 

“That may be so but you never can be too careful,” Harper answered.  After another minute of fiddling with the mechanism Harper started scanning Melanie for the wire that had been deliberately planted.  Finding it easily Harper turned a cold eye to Ezra, “Trustworthy you said?”  He reached over and grabbed Melanie’s arm.

 

“Please -” she started protesting.

 

Taking hold of Harper’s arm, Ezra spoke again; it was not the congenial tone he had been using but one of coldness.  “Excuse me.”  Harper glanced at Ezra and was surprised to see a marked change in the man, what he saw now could easily be considered a killer.

 

Ezra yanked Melanie up and drug her to the car they had been using.  Even though Harper could hear her begging for mercy he watched as Ezra pulled out a pistol and pumped at least five shots into the woman.  She collapsed in a boneless heap on the asphalt.  Ezra reached down and checked to see if she was dead then unceremoniously dumped her in the trunk and slammed it shut.

 

“What was it you were saying?” Ezra asked, acting like nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.  When he sat back down Harper noticed Ezra was wearing gloves.  Ezra’s actions alone proved to Harper that he was trustworthy enough.  “Come.”  He rose from the bench after replacing the equipment back in his briefcase, and started moving across the park to some of the parked cars.

 

Startled to say the least, Ezra quickly rose and followed Harper.  For a minute he had a silly grin on his face, flushed with the knowledge he had done it yet again with the help of Melanie.  He could not allow himself to think of her family and how she would handle that.  Hiding it quickly Ezra caught up with the man at the car.  Harper slid behind the wheel; not wanting to be left behind, Ezra took the front passenger seat quickly.  The car was already moving by the time Ezra closed the door.

 

 

 

Once Ezra and his contact were out of sight, the grubby looking homeless person on another bench pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number.  “Chris?  Chris, it’s Vin.  Looks like he’s in.”  He slapped the phone shut and rose from the bench.  Watching Ezra do what he just did unnerved the agent.  Vin quickly moved over to the car Ezra had been using and with his own set of keys unlocked the trunk.  He found her passed out because of how confining the trunk was.

 

After removing Melanie from the small space Vin gently laid her down beside the car.  Leaning over her, he gave her a firm kiss.  Just like Sleeping Beauty she came back within minutes.

 

“Damn, that hurt,” she complained as she attempted to sit up.

 

“Well you know he was in character,” he commented as he helped her.

 

“Yeah, but it still hurts.  I didn’t want the vest -”

 

“So they used blanks and stuffed you in the trunk,” Vin finished.  Seeing her nod he gave his own grin then went over to the car and removed the duster from the back seat.  Once Melanie put it on they got into the car and headed for his apartment in Purgatorio.  They knew it would only be a short time before she was on her way to Montana so she had to get ready quickly.  It would be good for both of them to take showers and put on clean clothes again.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

As the days and weeks continued to pass Ezra started to gain the confidence of some of the members of the Hierarchy.  The work was hard but he enjoyed it immensely.  Using his cell phone Ezra started reporting in when he was in secluded places.  There were some things that took place which were totally unrelated to their business at hand, which was what Cardinal Enterprises did, running weapons under their own elaborate cover.(This sentence was a bit confusing, you might consider rewording.)  Being inside the organization he was never able to find out specifically what that cover included.  Not wanting to bring any undue attention to himself Ezra started to discreetly investigate the unrelated events.

 

After finding nothing illegal, Ezra turned his attention back to the gun running.  The weapons bought and sold illegally were not the small stuff.  The Hierarchy did not even consider those,; they worked with high technology.  Just getting one glimpse of the weapons that they were offering to any one that had the money made Ezra shiver on the inside.  He knew if those weapons were, and currently are, put on the streets the police would have no chance.  Hell no one would have a chance.

 

When Ezra rose to the next level he found out more about the organization.  Being on the outside, or still at the lowest levels, he felt cut off from the rest of the group.  Organizations of any kind rewarded their higher level members with more sensitive information dealing with their operations.  The Hierarchy was no different, although he knew you paid for that information with your life.

 

The further Ezra burrowed himself into the operation the more he found out that the gun running operation was just at the lowest levels.  Every once in a while he noticed ‘buyers’ come and visit Krull.  It seemed innocent enough, but something was bothering Ezra.  As he was trying to puzzle it out, the worst thing that could happen, happened.  He had just left one of the rooms when he noticed out of the corner of his eye one of his ex-superiors from when he was in Atlanta.  He hid his alarm when he realized he could not have been recognized, especially since it was only the back of the agent's head he had seen.  But he knew it was a close call and would have to be much more careful than he had been previously.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The two men that moved down the hall seemed innocent enough, until you realized one was an agent from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The words passed between The Hierarchy members were enough to turn any head, but Michael Halloway ignored everything.  Halloway had been in secret contact with Chris Larabee.  He may have hated the ATF agent but he knew a good agent when he saw one.  What made him angry was that Chris had snatched Standish up in front of his nose.  Granted he was glad to see the rogue undercover agent leave, but once he was gone he realized the potential he threw away as worthless.  Halloway caught a glance of the undercover agent speaking with someone he was not familiar with.  For a moment he hoped the ATF agent did not see him, if he had then only quick thinking would get both agents out of there alive.

 

Once past the undercover agent Halloway sighed internally, he did not want the organization thinking he was nervous or anything.  Now paying more attention to his escort he found the man was becoming agitated.  What made the unnamed man’s condition worse was how Michael smiled easily at him, though inside he knew things were far from ordinary.

 

After stopping in front of an innocent looking door Halloway’s escort started fiddling with something on the door.

 

A voice seemed to echo all around them, “What is it?”

 

“Uh, Sir, a Mister Halloway’s here to see you.”

 

“Fine, let him in,” the voice echoed.

 

The nameless escort waved Halloway to the door but the agent had other plans.  “If you think I’m going to touch that you have got to be crazy.  That thing probably has enough juice to fry me.”

 

The other man’s eyes hardened.  As a kind of rebellion he grabbed the knob that would release the door latch.

 

For a moment he stood there as his eyes widened in terror.  It was hard to explain what happened next but needless to say when the door finally opened reveling another room Halloway stepped over the still smoldering remains of the hapless employee.

 

“No trust?” Halloway asked with eyebrows raised.

 

“There is trust here AGENT Halloway, you place it carefully and not willy-nilly.”  The emphasis was not lost on the agent.  As Halloway came closer he heard the door shut behind him, effectively sealing him in the room.

 

“My name is Delmar Krull, and I am head of this satrap."  He didn't bother to clarify to Halloway what he meant by satrap, which was a local THRUSH cell.  Making no move to stand up and greet the agent he continued, “And you Michael Halloway, FBI agent, are a small time player,” he sneered.

 

Halloway’s ire was effectively raised but he dared not show it.  His job was to help stop the spread of illegal weapons.  When he found out about Krull he was all gung-ho to put his operation out of commission, but his supervisors said no.  After asking the same question over and over they finally told him that U.N.C.L.E. would handle it.  “Why can’t we?” he asked exasperated.  “Because that’s who they handle 95% of the time.  They know what they’re doing.”

 

Because of Halloway’s persuasive nature the FBI finally allowed him to investigate.  When he found out about Ezra he was able to put a plan of deceit together.  When he called Larabee and then met the ATF agent in person he outlined his plan in detail.  At first Larabee shook his head but then finally agreed to it.

 

“You’re going to have to earn my trust.  I don’t like what you tried to do to Ezra in Atlanta, but at the same time you opened the way for me to get my undercover agent.”  Like before, the ‘my’ was not lost on Halloway.  Now looking at Ezra he realized what he had thrown away.  The least he could do was make it up to the undercover agent.  And the way he did it was to let Krull know who Stamford was.

 

Halloway gave an evil smile, “How good are your background checks?” he started sounding almost bored.

 

“Good enough,” Krull easily answered.

 

“Apparently not.  You have a mole.”

 

Krull’s eyes grew hard, “How dare you imply that,” he stood menacingly from behind the desk.  “Everyone has been thoroughly checked out.”

 

“Easily,” Halloway answered.  “Ezra Stamford is actually Ezra Standish, FBI agent.”

 

“FBI, huh?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Getting an evil gleam in his eyes Krull continued, “I can do a lot more with him here.”  Then looking at the FBI agent again he continued, “You have helped me much more than any secrets could right now.  You may go,” Krull touched a spot on his desk and the door opened again revealing the hallway that was now spotless.

 

Glancing from the door back to Krull again Halloway’s eyebrows raised a notch.  After getting a slight smile from Krull the FBI agent headed out.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Taking as many precautions as necessary, Ezra continued to burrow deeper into Cardinal Enterprises.  After Halloway left the challenge seemed to disappear.  At first he brushed his sudden ease off as just his abilities, but it still bothered him.  It seemed that the challenge wasn’t there anymore.

 

During one of his regular reports he finally asked about Melanie and how she had faired.

 

“Considering what happened to her, she’s stayed in hiding since she’s come back,” Chris answered the question.

 

“She is probably most uncomfortable in her forced seclusion.”

 

“I don’t know about that, because I do know for a fact where she’s at.”  You could hear the smile in Chris’s voice.

 

“Well, that should surely make up for her imprisonment,” Ezra answered with his own smile.

 

After setting a few more things straight, the line was disconnected and Ezra prepared for his slumber.  What he did not know was that two people were watching his movements closely, and one of the two was clearly more agitated.  Setting the listening device down Harper looked at the now uncovered mole.  *He seemed too good to be true,* he thought.  He then made the decision to tell the satrap about the minor inconvenience of the government agent in their midst.

 

Which is where Harper stood, outside the section of the offices which other members gave a wide berth, the next morning.  There were things that happened in there which most of the people there didn’t want to know about.  Looking at the door that was reinforced with steel, Harper had his own reservations.  Rumors floated around that if someone was called there they never showed up again.  Some say they were killed in the room and then taken underground where they were cremated, *hardly what happened,* Harper thought to himself.  Although he was nervous himself, he had a good reason to be there.

 

When the door opened Harper flinched inwardly, he was just as nervous as the average member in that office.  With his fate now unknown he entered the office.  What surprised him is that it looked like any other office one would encounter in one’s daily life.  But looks can be deceiving.

 

“What were you wanting to tell me Harper?” Delmar Krull spoke quietly from behind the desk as he lit a cigarette.

 

“Uh, Sir, there’s something very important I think you should know,” Harper stuttered slightly.  Inside he berated himself for sounding like a newling to The Hierarchy.

 

“How considerate of you,” he answered easily while leaning back from the desk.  “What’s this important thing that can’t be sent to me through the normal channels?”  He started making annoying tapping sounds on the desk with the pen he had been using.

 

“Um, well, it’s, um about one of the newest members here.”

 

“Mr. Stamford?”  Getting a nod Krull continued, “Don’t worry about that, I already know everything there is to know about him, or should I say Mr. Standish.”

 

Getting bold Harper continued, “I think he needs to be removed immediately.”

 

“And why’s that?” Krull’s voice turned deceptively calm.

 

“He could easily. . .”

 

“Answer me one question Harper, is he a member of U.N.C.L.E.?” Krull said the last word with disgust.

 

Harper shook his head, but remained mute.  No one ever crossed any satrap’s command.

 

“Good, I think he could be of great use to us here.”  After pausing a minute Krull continued, “You’re dismissed.”

 

Harper almost ran out of the room,; he felt lucky that he was even still alive.  *Crossing the satrap was not smart,* he berated himself again.

 

Krull watched as Harper left the room, “That was not very smart of you Harper.  If you continue with this I’m going to have to take care of you,” he spoke darkly.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Agent Alan Kaelin had been watching all the movements going in and out of the satrap with binoculars from an inconspicuous place.  It took a while for him to document everyone he thought was connected to the office.  Once he got that done he started trailing each member seeing where they went and what their routines were.

 

The last person he was able to identify was someone that was one of the the lowest in seniority.  The man’s name was Ezra Stamford and he looked totally out of place, well to Alan’s eyes.  After taking some quick pictures of the person in question, he followed the man to his apartment.

 

Once there Kaelin noticed things that should not have been there.  As Kaelin was listening to the cell phone tap he had set up, he noticed that the Ezra that seemed out of place in his eyes was making a call to another cell phone number.  Even though he made great pains to cover his tracks you could still follow him, that is if you knew what you were looking for.

 

After listening for a few minutes Kaelin’s brow furrowed, *this is not good,* he thought.  He whipped out his communicator and set up the call quickly.  Just from the short conversation on the cell, Alan realized Ezra was an undercover agent.  What was more troubling was that he made no mention about THRUSH so he knew he was ignorant of the organization and in great danger of his life.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Mark Mitchall looked at the report given to him from the communications section.  He knew it was not something he wanted to tell Number One of Section One.  The Boss, as Mitchall called him, was hard and demanding, but when push came to shove if what he wanted was not done or could not be done by one of his agents he would go out in the field and do the job himself.  He also heard from rumor that the head of the New York office was much worse.  And that Mr. Solo had been the Number One of Section Two (the senior enforcement agent) in that office before starting this one.

 

So when Kaelin reported in about the satrap in Colorado he was supposed to shut down and that a local government team had gotten entangled in the affair, he almost didn't want to tell his superior.  Not that he knew the agent could handle the assignment allotted to him, but because of the Boss's private life.  It was no secret that he was happily married and had two kids.  Mark felt almost jealous of the section head.  He heard from some of the older members of U.N.C.L.E. about Solo’s former life.  Seeing him now it seemed more like a joke, and when his wife was in the office it seemed that no one wanted to comment about it.

 

Realizing the seriousness of the situation, he knew Solo would be angry at him if he was not told what was going on.  So out of grudging respect he moved over to the communications section and sent the message that was surely to wake up Mr. Solo.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Something jarred Napoleon Solo awake.  After looking around in the gloom of the quiet room he reached to the other pillow to pull Kathy close to him.  Even though it was getting close to fifteen years he was still as attracted to her as when he first met her up in New York.  After finding the pillow empty, except for a slight crease showing it had been recently used, he sat up.  The light of a full moon shone through the windows, dimly illuminating the room they shared.  All was quite except for the chirping of the crickets and cicadas.

 

After running a hand through his hair, he looked around the room noticing how their clothes were strewn around the floor.  It had definitely been an interesting evening, he mused to himself.

 

Out of more habit than anything else Solo reached under his pillow for the Special nestled there.  Sometimes he told himself he didn't need to sleep with it anymore, but the old habit was hard to break.  He knew he was in a more dangerous situation than any time when he was out in the field and that was why he kept it close; now the danger was directed more at his family than himself.  After pushing the thought off to the side, he threw the covers off.  With the Special in hand he moved easily to the closet.

 

After flipping the light switch, he almost demanded that it be moved to outside the closet, he threw the door open.  He knew Kathy was amused at this but one could never be cautious enough.  After finding it empty he picked out a robe then dropped the weapon in the single pocket.

 

He found her in the parlor near the window.  At the sight of her standing before the window in her chiffon night shirt he felt a surge of desire course through his veins suddenly.  He loved looking at her curves, curves he knew intimately.  Kathy did not seem to hear him, being engrossed in the graceful movements of Ti Chi.

 

He let the desire course through him until he realized the dangerous position she had put herself in.  Granted she could take care of herself but still. . .He let the thought fade away as he moved quietly through the room.  Once he was in arms length he let his hands slip around her waist, pulling her up against him.

 

For a second Kathy tensed till she reached behind her to feel the face of the one that captured her.  Napoleon had taught her how to defend herself from this position and she wanted to make sure it was him and not someone else.  She did not want to do something she would regret later.

 

“Sweetheart, you know it’s dangerous to be here,” he whispered close to her ear.

 

“Hmm?  Well I like the light.”  She turned in his arms and settled against his chest.  Feeling him through the material she gave a small smile while she sighed.

 

Giving a wicked smile of his own Napoleon picked her up and carried her back to their bedroom.  He was already in the process of getting her clothes off when one of his communicators went off.

 

“Damn,” he cursed quietly.  Reaching her face again he gave her a sensuous kiss then got off the bed to get the communicator.  Kathy gave a small pout when his warmth left her.

 

When he came back there was a dramatic change in him.  He sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed his face with his hands.  Not knowing what this was, Kathy sat up and molded herself against his back.  “What’s wrong?” she asked as she slid her arms around his midsection.

 

Solo sat there for a minute, intellectually he still wanted her but his body was not responding at the moment.  Turning he cupped her face in his strong hands, “It seems that some locals inadvertently got involved with a recently formed satrap in the Colorado area.”

 

“Is that the one you sent one of your best to close down?” she asked.

 

Finally feeling the arousal coming back Napoleon let his hands slide down to her shoulders while he moved down her neck.  Pleased at how she gave a quiet moan he moved up to her ear and whispered, “Yes, that’s the one.”

 

She brought her arms up around his chest pulling him even closer.  When she finally found her voice she asked in a whisper, “Who are the locals?”

 

Before he answered he lowered her down then worked his way down her body, he had her writhing in exquisite agony when he finally answered in a whisper inches away from her face, “Either ATF or FBI.  But I’ll deal with that tomorrow.”  He gave her a deep kiss.

 

Just as in the beginning, the joining of their bodies was gently and tenderly done.  Neither of them could get enough of the other and that was just an outgrowth of their relationship.

 

Now exhausted after their loving, Kathy lay splayed across his chest, slightly faded red hair everywhere.  Solo, sensing sleep coming to her quickly, turned onto his side and enveloped her in a strong yet tender embrace.  His overwhelming desire for her to be safe fueled this move but he too was sleeping in short order.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Early morning found Solo in the small U.N.C.L.E. office he headed up.  Sometimes work was so slow he would watch the seconds hand make its rounds around the clock on the wall and think about Kathy.  Other days he would look up and find it late in the afternoon.  He had a feeling this was going to be a long and exhausting day.

 

Solo reached across the report he was reading for his coffee but ended up with a cigarette in hand.  He knew Kathy disapproved of the vice but sometimes when the stress would be too much he would find himself with one in hand.  Be that as it may, the rest of the offices were banned of the smoke, but to help the ones addicted to nicotine he had an area prepared for them with it’s its own ventilation.  He knew there were some people that were allergic to the smoke, but for him it would always be there, just at the end of his reach.  Though he was not really addicted to them, it was just that when the stress rose they would magically appear.

 

In the report Kaelin sent overnight he was able to get a better view of what was going on up in Colorado.

 

Letting a small smile cross his face he put out the cigarette then rose and moved to the communications section.  After letting the section head set up the call he opened the channel.

 

“Kaelin here.”

 

“Kaelin, I want you to shake things up a bit.”

 

“Sir, do you have anything in mind?”

 

“Why don’t you surprise me,” Solo answered with a smile.

 

“Yes Sir!  Close Channel A.”

 

~~

 

Up in Colorado Kaelin looked at his communicator for a minute.  He knew it would be hard coming up with something original.  After pondering the possibilities he finally purchased a map of the city and poured over it.  After looking at the businesses on either side, he started formulating his plan.  He did not want to do anything that would harm the innocents that might be inadvertently involved.

 

Looking over the equipment he carried, a plan started forming.  For it to work he had to make sure he had all the necessary equipment available.

 

It took a while before Kaelin was able to gather everything necessary but now his “toy” set up.  Being as it were the next day he waited until it looked like everyone had come in and was doing the front work.  Staying hidden behind shrubbery and a low wall he aimed his device to the building the satrap had set up for their business.

 

Within minutes there was a sharp noise and one of the power generators that was located right beside the building started smoking.  Kaelin watched as the smoke turned black and the generator started burning in earnest.  What surprised him was that the fire alarm started ringing and people started pouring out of the front door.  All he really wanted to do was to knock out the power so everyone would get outside.  But things didn’t go his way and he would have to work around the slight problem.

 

After easing around to the rear entrance Kaelin easily broke in.  He found himself in an area that appeared to be off limits to all but the highest members of the satrap.  There were folders strewn around a table in one of the rooms as if the occupants hastily rose from what they were doing and raced out to help fight the now quickly spreading fire.  Kaelin knew he had to get out soon, he could feel the heat already rising.

 

Reaching for a folder he opened it and found Stamford.  Apparently they knew all along that he was undercover.  After quickly scanning the material he realized they were toying with him.  This was very disturbing.  Patting his pockets he found his small camera and started taking pictures of all the material available.  When that was done he went to the other folders.  He found at least six, and they all seemed to be members of one of the local government teams.  After quickly snapping pictures of everything he could get his hands on, he looked up to the door.  The steel glowed an ominous red.  Knowing he had very little time now, he moved through the back door and closed it tight making sure no one would be able to tell the place had been broken into.  Making sure no one was watching, he moved away from the scene.  It was getting easier with the fire trucks all around and people scrambling to put out the fire.

 

When he was about a block away he looked back and saw that there were flames now coming out the door he had just left through., “That was too close,” he commented to himself as he watched the roof cave in.

 

When he made it back to the motel room he was renting, Kaelin pulled out his communicator,  “Open Channel A.”

 

“Acknowledge.”

 

“The satrap in Colorado has been shaken up but I suspect the members will stay here.  There’s a local government agent that’s undercover in the office.”  Kaelin really didn't want to tell Solo what really happened to the satrap.

 

“Mr. Kaelin, did you get any hard evidence about this?” Solo’s voice echoed from the small speaker although he already knew about the undercover agent.

 

“Yes, Sir.”

 

“Good, I want you on the next flight back.  I want to see that information.”

 

“Yes, Sir.”  Kaelin replaced the communicator and pulled his belongings together.  After booking a flight back to Austin he went out to get something to eat.

 

Kaelin was back in Austin by late afternoon.  Entering the HQ he pulled out the small camera and took it to the section that handled them.

 

“Kaelin,” Mitchall called from the door.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“The boss wants to see you in Section One.”

 

Kaelin nodded then turned to the people behind him but they answered before he could speak, “We’ll deliver it when we get finished.”

 

“Good, that contains pictures of documents that are very important.”

 

After getting a nod Kaelin moved out and went to Section One’s office.  “Sir,” he greeted Solo while going through the door into the office, “as soon as the documents are printed out. . .”

 

“Good, what else did you find?” Solo interrupted.

 

“Well, Sir, it looks like THRUSH knew about the undercover agent.”  Kaelin sat in the chair available.

 

Napoleon’s eyebrows raised slightly, “Now that’s interesting, what else did you find out?”  The fingers of his right hand drummed on the table.

 

“Well there’s conflicting reports about FBI and ATF agents but I think the agent’s a member of a local team that’s investigating their front.”

 

“Anything on them that you know of?”

 

“Not that much, Sir, all I had time was to give a quick glance through the documents before my time was up.”

 

Giving Kaelin a grin, Solo commented, “I don’t want to know right now what you did or what happened.”  He then pondered the whole affair; the aspects had changed dramatically since this new information had been revealed.  Solo spoke again after considering his options, “I want you to go back up there, I want eyes and ears.”

 

“Do you want me to do anything?” the agent asked surprised at this turn of events.

 

“No, not until I can get a better understanding of what’s really going on up there.”  Solo paused a minute then continued, “You’re free to go.”

 

“Yes, Sir,” Kaelin rose and moved out the small office.  Soon he had booked another flight back to Colorado for the next day.

 

Five minutes after Kaelin left, the documents in question were delivered to Solo.  Taking each page Napoleon examined the documents closely, starting with the undercover agent.  Solo unwittingly repeated what Kaelin had mentioned just a few days earlier when he examined the information THRUSH had on the agents, “This is not good.”

 

Once the documents were placed back in their respective folders he left them on the table for the time being.  It was already getting to look like he would have to go up there himself and sort out the whole mess.  At least he had one contact within the local government offices there.  Because of that he hoped it wouldn’t be as hard as first considered.

 

With another cigarette in hand, but unlit, he touched one of the controls on the table with his free hand, “Donna, I’ll need you to book a flight for me to Denver for tomorrow.”

 

“What time, Sir?”

 

“Late morning will do.”

 

“Yes, Sir, consider it already done.  I’ll tell you the flight once I get it.”

 

“Thanks Donna.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Detective Thomas Mathis looked over the mound of debris that until several hours ago was what looked like a legitimate business.  Moving over to the one who called himself the general managed he found him quite angry at what he considered an arson.

 

“Mr. Krull, at the moment it is not arson, although we won’t rule it out,” Mathis  responded.

 

“I don’t care, I know it’s arson.”  He stopped suddenly as if he knew the party or parties that were behind the fire.

 

After taking note of the comment Mathis took another route, “Mr. Krull we do have people out looking for any witnesses.  If it is arson then the witnesses can help catch whoever it was and find the reason why it was set in the first place.”

 

Krull nodded.  He knew if he was not careful it would blow up in his face.  Luckily none of the weapons were stored there.

 

One of the firefighters, now doing the preliminary investigation came over to Mathis’s position.  “Sir, I think we’ve been able to narrow down the source of the fire.”

 

“Where?” Mathis asked while moving off to the side.  Looking up he noticed the gathering crowd behind the police line.

 

“The power generators are located right beside the building, not on top,” the firefighter was pointing to the melted lumps of metal next to the burned out building.  “So far it looks like the generator closest to the building shorted out.  Which in turn moved to the building.”

 

“Didn’t they have a sprinkler system?”

 

“They shut it off this morning to make upgrades.”

 

Mathis shook his head, either the arsonist, if it was one, was extremely lucky or just bad luck on the part of the company.  “You know, Mike, someone inside could have coordinated the outside operation, that is if it is arson.”

 

Mike, which was the firefighter’s name nodded.  Before he could continue another firefighter came up behind Mike, “Boss?”

 

“What?” he asked while turning around.

 

“We’re starting to examine the generator right now.  From all the evidence so far it does point to arson."

 

Mike nodded then turned back to Mathis, “Will let you know when we’ve confirmed whether it’s arson or not.”

 

While Mathis moved off to the side another officer came up to him with a civilian in tow.  “Sir, Mr. Johnson here said he has something he wants to tell you.”

 

“Mr. Johnson,” Mathis looked to the older man standing beside the uniformed officer.

 

“Well, Sir, I’s just about to call 911, ya know about the fire, when I’s saw him.  He’s doin’ the strangest thing breakin’ inta the building when the fire started spreading.”

 

“Can you give us a description?”

 

“Uh-huh,” Johnson nodded.

 

“Good, why don’t you go with Jameson here and he can get everything set up.”  After watching the two leave Mathis turned back to the rapidly cooling smoldering remains of the building.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Early afternoon of the next day found Napoleon Solo moving easily through the different hallways leading towards the office of AD Orrin Travis.  Instinctively he could feel the women’s eyes on him.  He was so used to it he ignored the feeling.  He had a mission to accomplish, or rather to salvage would be the better term.

 

When he found out from Kaelin about the ATF team and how they had bungled their way into the affair, he almost stopped what he had been doing to see if he could fix it from the HQ he headed up, well almost.  He knew they were on the verge of destroying themselves.  He knew their intentions were genuine but they didn’t know what they were going up against.  Solo hoped to take them off the affair, but he would have to talk to the AD first.

 

Solo opened the door to the secretary to the Assistant Director ignoring the whispers coming from the other female agents and administrative assistants.

 

“M-May I help you?” she was almost overwhelmed by Solo’s mere presence.  He still did that to women.

 

“Yes, I would like to see the AD,” he announced pleasantly.

 

“Do you have an appointment?” she asked lamely.

 

Solo hesitated a minute then answered, “No, but just tell him Napoleon Solo wants to see him.”

 

“Mr. Solo, the AD is a very busy person and doesn’t have time for people to just-” she was cut off by Solo moving towards the door.

 

Indignant of how he ignored her, she tried to stop him before he reached the door, “Hey, you can’t go in there!”

 

“Why not, is he in a meeting?”

 

She sputtered for a minute, “Well, no, but. . . ”  She was cut off again as he opened the door.

 

Once he was inside the secretary spoke apologetically to the AD, “I’m sorry Sir, but . . .” she shrugged her shoulders helplessly.

 

Leaning back Travis spoke with a slight smile, “It’s alright Melinda, you can go.”

 

“Yes Sir,” Melinda answered and closed the door quietly.

 

“So, what brings you here?” Travis asked straight out.  “I know it has to be something big for them to let you out of your little cubbyhole, so to speak.”  He dropped a pen on his desk.

 

“My ‘cubbyhole’ may be small but it covers the entire globe,” Solo responded in kind as he settled himself down in one of the chairs across from Travis.  “I’m here because of one of the teams.  It seems it’s bungled its way into something they are not prepared for.  I want them removed from the,” he paused for a minute searching for the appropriate word, “case.”

 

“Which team would that be?  I have several that I oversee.”

 

“That’s what I’m not sure of.  I think one of the members is an undercover agent.”

 

Travis leaned forward placing his elbows on the desk, “Well do you have a picture of the said agent?”  He was not about to tell Solo that many of the teams have undercover operatives as members.

 

Solo pulled out a folder from the briefcase he carried.  “Yes I do, let me get it.  I knew you would ask for it.”  After a few minutes of shuffling papers around he found what he was looking for.  “Here it is,” Solo handed the photograph across the desk.

 

“Hm.”

 

“You know which team he’s a member of?”

 

“Yes I do.  If you’re wanting him pulled it’s going to be an uphill battle.”

 

Napoleon rubbed the bridge of his nose as he sighed, “That’s what I figured.  But if he thinks he’s undercover his front has been compromised.  They know exactly who he is and what his skills are.”

 

Travis’s face turned serious, “That’s a serious allegation.  They know what they’re doing.”

 

“That may be so,” Solo answered easily, “but this time he’s in over his head, they all are.”  He handed the folder he still had in hand across the desk.  “My agent was able to get several of these before all Hell broke loose.”

 

“You know about that also?” Travis asked over the folder.  After seeing Solo’s nod he proceeded to read what had been given.  When he was finished he placed it back down on his desk, “I see what you mean Napoleon, he is in danger of his life.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ezra sat in the driver’s seat of the car he had acquired after he left the previous one in the park.  Thinking back on the events that had transpired, he found himself fascinated at this particular operation.  The company, Cardinal Enterprises, he was comfortable with, but the driving force behind everything, which they called The Hierarchy, was no where near what he was used to.  The people seemed to take orders from the ones directly above them and it continued that way for who knows how far.

 

Ezra was waiting for David Harper, who was supposed to deliver the new automobile The Hierarchy gave to him as a reward for saving a decent amount of sensitive information from being destroyed.  Looking around the cement city he was now in gave him a slight wariness.  For a minute he had a bad feeling that his time was up, he never had that sensation before.

 

Seeing another car pull into the back parking lot Ezra tensed for a minute, *Show time,* he thought to himself when he recognized Harper in the driver’s seat.

 

After getting out of the car Ezra headed confidently towards the other vehicle, “David.”

 

“Ezra, you look no worse the wear for the fire.”  David paused a minute then continued, “The boss wanted me to deliver it personally.”  Harper looked to the nice car.  When The Hierarchy wanted to get a good car they pulled out all stops.

 

For a moment Ezra wondered which boss he was commenting about, especially since the office was, for the most part, put out of commission.  Ezra could tell David thought it was nothing and that they were already in the processing of setting up new facilities.  Pushing the thought to the side he looked over the Mercedes, “How nice of him to get me this, but I think you deserve it more than me.  I’m just a lowly grunt worker.”

 

“A grunt worker that knows how to handle himself in all situations.”

 

Ezra flashed a smile at what David was assuming, “You are too kind, David, you should know by now I give my all in everything I do.”

 

*Yes you do, I have to admit,* David thought to himself.  He watched the government agent, ATF or FBI they were all the same to him, closely wondering what the person was really up to.  That was one thing The Hierarchy did not like.  *I wish I didn’t have to do this,* David thought sadly to himself.  He knew if Ezra could be turned he would become the best Hierarchy agent in the world and would have the world at his feet.  But he knew this mole would not turn so he took it upon himself to take care of him personally.

 

“Go on take the car,” David urged Ezra.

 

“I will tomorrow once I make other arrangements,” Ezra answered while his mind flashed and sorted through the prospects of taking the car.  He knew he would have to talk to Chris about the gift and the ramifications of taking the car.

 

Harper watched as Ezra got back into the non-descript car and began to pull away from his position.  Harper wanted to eliminate the agent but members of The Hierarchy flat denied his request.  But because of Harper’s outspoken arguments against the mole he had no idea he was being watched carefully.  Ignorant of his own fate Harper had kept grumbling about the mole, but apparently The Hierarchy had different plans for both of them.

 

Ezra looked out the rear view mirror to the car and Harper.  He watched as Harper got behind the wheel then watched as the Mercedes exploded, but not before he saw Harper pull out what looked like one of the deadly weapons Cardinal was offering to the ones that could pay for it.

 

Before he could do anything he felt himself loose control of the car he was driving and slam into the cement wall less than ten feet away.

 

The next thing he remembered was in bits and pieces of being taken in an ambulance.  Recognition set in as his vision cleared.  Before Ezra could ask what was going on a gas mask was placed over his nose and mouth.  A low voice then echoed in his ear, “We’re going to loose you, and you need to play along.”  It took a moment before he recognized the voice.  Nodding in agreement Ezra prepared to watch the EMTs hovering over him and pretending that he was fatally injured as the ambulance slowed down.  As soon as the door was open he was rushed into one of the emergency rooms of the hospital.  Soon the men and women around him started yelling orders to others nearby.  Now watching detached he heard and saw the personnel “administering” CPR.

 

While in the emergency room he watched as one raised up and 'breathlessly' said, “We’re loosing him!”

 

After 'working' on him a few minutes longer they stopped.  *Very good show, I have to admit*, Ezra thought to himself as the sheet was eventually pulled over his head and something attached to one of his big toes, by now most of his clothing had been removed.  He knew he had to control his breathing now because he was fully aware of everything happening around him.  Still, having that sheet pulled over him felt disconcerting.

 

Ezra felt himself being moved again, voices muffled by the sheet were all around him.  After finally stopping somewhere he waited.  For once he hoped they remembered he was alive and not attempt to perform an autopsy on him.

 

What seemed like hours later, Ezra could hear footsteps approaching his position.  Because of how the shadow laid across the sheet Ezra could almost sense where the person was standing.  Feeling his muscle tense he watched as the hand reached over to grasp the sheet covering him.  After the sheet was flung off him Ezra recognized Chris standing over him.

 

“Come on, Ezra, time to go.”

 

Sitting up Ezra answered, “But I’m still undercover.”  He was about to continue till he saw the look his superior gave him.

 

“Not any more, we’ve been removed from the case.”

 

“Why?” Ezra complained as he first removed the toe tag then rose from the table.

 

“Don’t know and that’s what I don’t like about it.  When the order came we had to figure out a way to get you out safely.  When we saw the explosion we took advantage of it.”

 

*Harper,* Ezra thought glumly, he did not deserve to die the way he had.  Suddenly he remembered the car Harper took was originally intended for him, or so he thought.  “Chris, the car Harper was in, that was the car I was originally going to take.”

 

Chris turned to face his undercover agent, “You were extremely lucky this time.  How many more times in this case is that going to happen?”

 

Ezra finally let it sink in, “We’re off?”

 

“Yeah and I don’t like it.”  Chris stormed out of the room.  Ezra finally looked around and found himself in the morgue; stifling a shiver he followed the senior agent out the room holding the hospital gown closed behind him.

 

By the time Ezra entered Team 7’s haven fully clothed, he was angry, well angry would be a nice way to describe his mood.  Just when it seemed like everything was going like a dream, except that little thing of the explosion and even earlier the fire, he had been most unceremoniously yanked from the field.  “If I ever got my hands on the one who did this,” he muttered dangerously under his breath.

 

“Ezra, like I said earlier it wasn’t my idea,” Chris commented again from behind the agent.  “The order came from the Judge himself.”

 

Ezra’s grumbling continued a few minutes longer.  He knew it would be futile to rail against the Judge, the one who granted him this second chance to make something of himself.  He finally commented to Chris’s retreating form, “Well, I’d at least like the privilege of knowing why.”

 

Before Chris could answer, more of the team members started filing into their small bullpen.  They all had the expression of anger in having something taken away from them.  It was rare for Team 7 to be pulled off a case.  Turning to the other members,Ezra found them just as angry as he was.  At least he had the solace of knowing everyone was angry at the sudden turn of events.

 

“Heads up everyone,” Chris called from the door to his office.  “The Judge wants to see all of us.”

 

Josiah looked up a minute then rose from his chair.  He moved over to Nathan and gave a quiet comment, “How bad do you think it is?”

 

“Don’t know.  I guess we’re just going to have to find out.”

 

Looking around to the other members you could tell the mood was subdued.

 

“Come on everyone!  We had no hint this would happen.  If you remember the Judge usually gives us fair warning!” JD spoke, exasperated.

 

“That may be so Kid, but you never know.”  Buck’s voice was subdued.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Orrin Travis was leaning back from his desk when the team arrived.  He almost lost his composure at how Team 7 came into his office.  They acted more like chastised children than professional ATF agents.

 

“Gentlemen,” Travis motioned the agents to the chairs available.  They seemed not to notice the one standing by the window.

 

“You do know why I summoned you here?” Travis secretly enjoyed using these particular words.  It was not that he wanted to make it sound bad, it is just those words could put a negative spin on things.

 

“You removed us from the case.”  The statement came from Chris.  His tone was flat and Travis could tell he was rallying himself for the worst.

 

“Yes, and I want you to know why.”  The Judge turned towards the figure standing at the window but with his back facing the group.  “The ball is in your court.”

 

“You have no idea what you have gotten yourselves into,” an oddly familiar sounding voice spoke from the window.

 

“What do you mean?” Chris asked eyes narrowing, he was angry that this stranger was assuming as much.

 

“Exactly what it means,; you have no idea,” the disembodied voice was finally given a face when the stranger turned around.  He was dressed just as nicely as Ezra, but that was not what the team was gawking at.

 

It was almost funny the way the team did a double take as one to the AD and the stranger.  The unknown person was a younger, dapper you might say, version of the Judge.  Travis cleared his throat getting the team’s attention.

 

Once they drug their eyes back to their superior Travis spoke, “I want you to meet my nephew, Napoleon Solo of the U-N-C-L-E.”

 

There were murmurs in the room for a few minutes until it was broken by Ezra.  “So you were the one who had me pulled?”  Anger could clearly be heard in his voice.

 

Solo scratched his neck with a finger as he formulated his answer, “Technically yes, you were in danger of your life.  They knew who you were and because of that they dangled a carrot in front of you waiting to see if you would take the bait.  I will say you didn’t disappoint them.”

 

Ezra’s mouth opened for a minute then closed.  He finally sputtered, “How?”

 

Napoleon moved to the desk and sorted through the folders accumulated.  After finding what he was looking for he handed it to the undercover agent.

 

After a quick read Ezra looked up, eyes angry while his accent clearly thickened, “If this is some sick joke...”

 

Solo leaned over the undercover agent and pointed a finger at his chest for emphasis, “Do not underestimate THRUSH!”

 

Ezra’s eyebrows furrowed for a minute, “Who is THRUSH?”

 

Solo gave a small grin then answered the government agent, “It’s an acronym, just like U.N.C.L.E..  They are officially Technological Hierarchy for the Removale of Undesirables and the Subjugation of Humanity.”

 

“The Hierarchy,” Ezra whispered which elicited a nod from the U.N.C.L.E. agent.

 

Chris jumped to the defense of his undercover agent, “You have no...” Before he could finish Solo handed Chris another folder from off the desk.

 

After a quick scan Chris tossed the folder back on the Judge’s desk, “Alright, what do you want us to do?”

 

But Ezra was not finished, “What about you?” he asked sarcastically.

 

“Me?” Solo answered.  “Come to think about it, I am one of their most feared enemies.  I have been going up against THRUSH for over thirty years now and they know everything about me, all the way down to how many gray hairs I have on my head.  Like I said earlier you have no idea what you’ve gotten yourselves into.”

 

Chris threw out suddenly, “How do we know we can trust you?”

 

“You don’t, you’re just going to have to trust me on this.”

 

Before anything else could be said Travis spoke again, “Gentlemen, if you want to be put back on the case you will be working with Napoleon and whomever he deems needed.”

 

 

 

After the door closed behind the last agent Travis turned back to Solo, “That went better than I expected.”

 

“Yeah, right,” Napoleon mumbled as he sat down.

 

“You better be careful, you’re starting to sound like Kathy.”

 

Solo looked up to find a grin on the Judge’s face.  “I’m trying not to pick up the accent, which I think I’ve been successful so far, the problem is with their political viewpoints.  They’re vain, arrogant, and so full of themselves,” he chuckled but then continued a moment later, “but they are also the first ones to respond in any emergency.”

 

“Well, what other state can actually say they fought a successful revolution by themselves?”

 

“True,” Solo’s mood turned somber after the levity.

 

“Miss her already?” Travis asked with a knowing look.

 

Solo nodded not trusting his voice to give him away.

 

“You know as soon as we get this case solved, you can go back home.”  After another pause Travis continued, “You better let them in.  If you don’t I will guarantee they will go behind your back.”

 

Giving a wry smile Solo answered, “I’ve worked with someone like that before.  I think I will, mainly to keep an eye on them.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Kaelin stepped off the plane at Denver International Airport.  The journey was uneventful enough to give him the desire to start the affair up again.  Solo had been vague in what he wanted, but he did want to see what was going on with the temporarily homeless satrap.

 

Now carrying his suitcase, he left the baggage claim area and headed for the rental car agencies.

 

With keys now in hand Alan moved to the doors.  Before he left the airport Alan looked around one last time.  Seeing movement on a screen he focused on the images being broadcast.  It was about the fire he had inadvertently set the previous day.  Seeing the building and arson investigators picking through the mounds of debris did not disturb him until he saw a sketch artist’s rendering of his face.  At that moment he knew he had to leave but not bring any undue attention to himself.

 

Turning back to glance at the mass of humanity gathered there he spotted two THRUSH agents that were previously out of the now burned out Colorado Satrap.  They were speaking to two of Denver’s finest.  Not wanting to see if he had been noticed, Kaelin turned and exited the terminal and moved to the rental cars.

 

After retrieving the car Kaelin drove out of the airport and wandered around the city for a little bit.  Every five minutes or so he checked his mirrors for any police cruisers.  He suspected the THRUSH agents had told the police about him and pointed him out.  That would not be good.  He had a job to do and did not want to waste his time dodging the police.

 

After a few more hours and some digging Kaelin finally decided to get a room for the remainder of his time in Denver.  Police aside, his major goal was to find out where THRUSH would set up their new satrap.  As long as Krull was in town the satrap would continue to reappear and cause grief to U.N.C.L.E..

 

He was still puzzling all this out in his motel room when there was a knock at his door.  Looking through the peep-hole he did not recognize the visitor.  “Yes?” he asked after he opened the door.  The hand that was out of sight tightened imperceptibly around his Special.

 

“I’m Detective Thomas Mathis.  I’m here because of the burning of Cardinal Enterprises offices.”

 

Relaxing imperceptibly Kaelin closed the door enough to disengage the chain then opened the door fully.  “Come in Detective.”

 

Holding a police sketch rendering that looked a lot like Kaelin the detective began, “There were several witnesses that reported you snooping around the area prior to the fire.”

 

Kaelin smiled then pulled something out of his wallet.

 

Mathis’ eyes widened slightly when he examined the card handed to him.  “What’s U.N.C.L.E. doing here.  Aren’t you supposed to be in New York or something?” he asked as he handed the card back to Kaelin.

 

“Well, I’m investigating the doings of Cardinal Enterprises.  It seems they’ve been doing some shady business dealings lately.”

 

Mathis nodded, “Well, I still would like to ask some questions.  Are you armed?”

 

Kaelin nodded, “I’ll put it on the table.”

 

Mathis nodded then watched closely as Kaelin, in exaggerated and slow motions, disarmed himself and placed the weapon on the small table.  Keeping an eye on Kaelin, Mathis moved over to the table and sat in the chair available while the U.N.C.L.E. agent sat on the edge of the bed.

 

Pulling out a small notebook and pencil Mathis started, “You already told me why you were here, investigating Cardinal Enterprises.  But where were you yesterday afternoon?”

 

Kaelin spoke with a deadpan, “Why don’t I just save y’all the problems of investigating.  I set the fire.”

 

For a minute Mathis sat there, surprised at the sudden revelation.  He ventured a minute later, “I’m not going to arrest you unless the physical evidence proves you did.”

 

“Do you have the information on how the fire spread?”

 

Mathis gave Alan a speculative look at the question asked.  For a minute he had no idea where the questions were heading and who was asking the questions and whom were answering them.  Not only that but the information on where the fire started was still under wraps.

 

“Let me answer you then, it started in the generator off to the side.  I shorted out one of the generators and watched as it spread to the building itself.”  Alan was not about to mention about the documents he copied.

 

Mathis then decided to drop his bomb, “We have a witness stating they saw you breaking into the building at the beginning of the fire.  Can you explain that to me?”

 

For a moment Kaelin sat there stunned.  He knew he could easily be arrested for breaking into the building.  At least he remembered to break down his ‘toy.’

 

*Gotcha!* Mathis thought at the agent’s reaction.  Although the whole back of the building was completely destroyed, just by the agent’s reactions alone he knew he was guilty of at least breaking and entering.  That could easily get him a few years.  *That’ll knock him down a couple of rungs and teach him some humility.*

 

Giving an exaggerated sigh Kaelin offered his wrists to the detective.  He knew if he ran then all of Denver’s finest would be after him.  Yes Mr. Solo told him to shake up the place, but burn it down?  But that part was an accident he kept telling himself.  He knew there could have been loss of life, if that happened even the legal department would have a hard time defending his actions.

 

Mathis looked at the agent for a moment wary of what he might do; although offering to be arrested was the last thing Mathis expected.  “Do you know what you’re doing?” he asked the agent finally.

 

“Well from where I sit there’s little alternative for me.  If I run,” Kaelin cringed slightly at the word, “then you’ll view me guilty as charged.  If I give up peaceably then I have a much better chance.”

 

“You are wise in your assessment, agent.”  Mathis stood up and pocketed the pad and pencil.  “Because you’re a law agent of some kind, though I never have quite understood what U.N.C.L.E. does, I’ll bring you in without the handcuffs.  But I still have to read you your rights.”

 

Kaelin nodded and listened to the different rights the law in the States provided.  Once that was completed they headed out of the rented room and to the unmarked car Mathis came in.  As they were driving away someone off to the side working to weed a yard watched with a satisfied grin on his face.

 

Once Mathis and Kaelin arrived at the substation Kaelin looked at the phone for a minute.  Yes he did have his own communicator but he thought it best to use the one there.  Seeing Kaelin’s attention diverted, Mathis realized what he was looking at.  “You’re allowed to make a call.”

 

Kaelin nodded then picked up the receiver.  Before he dialed the number he tried to swallow his nervousness,; Solo would not be pleased.

 

After the short heated conversation Kaelin was directed to another room with a table, chairs and a mirror on one of the walls.  Thank goodness it was not a holding cell.  Waiting would always be hard for him.  Looking at the mirror, his fingers drummed rhythmically on the table.

 

 

An hour later, outside in the viewing room Mathis watched the agent closely.  One of their big shot lawyers had posted bail for the agent so it was only a matter of time until he would walk out of there.

 

“So that’s what an U.N.C.L.E. agent looks like.”

 

Mathis re-focused his eyes on the window to look at the reflection.  A man with a visitor’s badge pinned on his lapel was coming towards his position.  Turning to face the visitor Mathis waited till the newcomer told him who he was.

 

“Halloway, FBI out of Atlanta.”

 

Mathis looked at the offered hand for a minute before taking it.  “Detective Mathis.  I’m heading up what’s turning out to be an arson investigation.”

 

“He your prime suspect?” Halloway moved his head in the direction of the interrogation room.

 

“Yeah, we also have a witness stating that he saw this guy breaking and entering at the same time the building caught on fire.  Now that’s either one brave or stupid guy, whichever you decide on.”

 

“Why’s he here instead of a holding cell?”

 

“After his arraignment one of their big-shot lawyers had his bail posted.  At the moment everyone’s waiting for it to go through.”  Mathis shook his head at the prospect of loosing his suspect for the time being, although. . .

 

Seeing the thoughtful look on the detective’s face Halloway asked another question, “You going to have someone ride shotgun?”

 

While staring through the glass Mathis answered, “Only if he agrees on it.  These agents have their own code.  They can do a lot of thing we never could imagine.”

 

Halloway nodded.  It intrigued him, looking at an actual U.N.C.L.E. agent in Colorado.  In the bureau they were mentioned every once in a while but only with international incidents mentioned in the same sentence.  Of course Halloway was not about to tell the detective that he knew who U.N.C.L.E.’s objective was.

 

Hearing the door open again Mathis used the glass to see the new arrival.  While Mathis’s attention was diverted the U.N.C.L.E. agent’s cell phone beeped.

 

Halloway ignored the newcomer and kept his eyes on the agent.  Before he could do anything Mathis reappeared beside him with the newcomer.

 

“Bail’s gone through.  Only a matter of time before he’s out.”

 

Halloway nodded while Mathis moved over to the door leading to the interview room.  The new arrival stayed behind in the shadows for the time being.  Halloway watched as Mathis addressed the international agent.

 

*Your bail’s gone through.  Even though you’re a fellow LEO. . .*

 

*You’re going to have someone following me, is that it?*

 

*Not exactly.*

 

*You want the guy, or whoever it’s going to be, hand-cuffed to my side?!*  Kaelin started rising.  Halloway could almost feel the tension thickening in the room.  Taking a deep breath Kaelin sat back down.

 

*Not hand-cuffed, but I want him riding shot-gun with you until your day in court.*

 

Halloway watched as Kaelin reluctantly agreed.

 

Mathis turned to the window and nodded.  Seeing movement out of the corner of his eye, Halloway watched as the person in the shadows moved from his position to inside the interview room.

 

Once inside Mathis made the introduction, “This is Officer Joshua Curtis.  He is very by the book.”

 

“Someone to baby-sit me,” Kaelin mumbled.

 

“If you want to put it that way, yes.”

 

Curtis spoke for the first time, “You better be good because I can remember.”

 

Kaelin worked hard not to roll his eyes and shake his head.  *Great, I’m chained to a Frank Burns for who knows how long.*  What he did allow himself to do was lower his head in almost resigned acceptance to his fate.  When he looked back up Mathis had already left the room.  Looking back to Curtis he noticed he already had a grin on his face.

 

Now addressing the mirror Kaelin called out, “Can I, I mean, can we go now?”

 

A voice echoed in the room, “Yes, everything’s gone through.”

 

Looking to Curtis, Kaelin spoke as he moved to the door, “Come on, Frank.  If you dawdle I will leave you behind.”  Kaelin felt a bit of satisfaction seeing the officers reaction.

 

As Curtis moved quickly to catch up he complained, “My name’s not Frank.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Sitting at the head of the conference table Solo looked over the still angry ATF agents.  “Have you ever dealt with an organization that could easily re-group and show up somewhere else?  The Colorado operation may be currently under water, but just like a beech ball it will pop back up somewhere else.  Do you have the resources to handle and track something like that?” he demanded.

 

“If not we will,” Chris commented while giving the U.N.C.L.E. agent his trademark steely gaze.

 

Ignoring it Solo turned to JD, “Mr. Dunne, your background shows you to be highly skilled with computers.  I’m bringing someone in that I want you to work with.”

 

JD’s elation at the compliment melted away when he realized he would be working with someone, “Hopefully not a crack-pot,” he muttered.

 

“This ‘crack-pot’ is one of the major contributors to what is now called the web.”

 

JD’s eyes grew big, “So he’s that good?”

 

“Yes and I’ve put my life in his hands more times than I can count when we were out in the field.”

 

There was a knock then the conference room door opened to reveal Nettie Wells, Team 7’s operator and secretary, and a visitor standing just behind.  “Mr. Solo, your visitor’s here.”  She turned to leave but not before glancing around the conference room.  Seemingly satisfied she gave the visitor a pat on the shoulder then left the room.

 

All eyes were on the visitor who had a shock of blond hair and ice blue eyes.  Everyone could tell he was a smaller built than Solo but moved with the grace of a cat.

 

Solo stood then moved around the table, “It’s been a long time Illya, but it’s good to see you again, my friend.”

 

“Same to you, Napoleon,” he answered as he grasped the proffered hand.  The two men held out on any other show of affection, they would catch up later.

 

After Illya sat down and before Solo could introduce the new person he felt his cell phone vibrate.  *What now.*  Letting out a sigh he pulled out the phone, which was also their specialized communicator, and looked to see how the call was coming in.  For a moment Solo remembered with fondness the pen communicators, but those could only take and send messages to and from the headquarters.  This not only could receive those but also take regular cellular calls.

 

It surprised him for a minute that it was a normal call coming through, not only that but he did not recognize the number calling.  “Hello?” he asked slightly wary.  Moving off to the side Solo plugged his free ear with a finger so he could clearly hear what was being said on the other end.

 

“You’re where?” Solo snapped at the unheard voice.

 

The ATF agents gathered around the table, except the new U.N.C.L.E. agent, warily looked at Solo.

 

“No. . .I don’t care what you did, I’ll find out soon enough!  I want you to stay there till I can figure something out.”  He slapped the phone shut effectively disconnecting the call and shoved it back in a pocket.

 

The room was silent when Solo sat down, he had been muttering on his way back.  The only person to actually stand up to him spoke, “Napoleon, you’re lucky they don’t understand you.”

 

A strangled cough came from Ezra’s direction.

 

Solo looked to his old friend with angry eyes.  It took a moment before he realized he was not speaking in English.  Taking a deep breath he physically tried to calm his anger.  Without realizing it his right hand flexed several times almost as if it needed a cigarette to hold.

 

Illya continued in Italian, “Now you know what Waverly went through.”  There was a gleam in his ice blue eyes.

 

Solo glared at Illya then spoke, “Be quiet.”

 

Illya’s eyes grew wide when he realized Solo had spoken in Russian.

 

Now seemingly calmer Solo turned to Ezra, “Mr. Standish, what happened?”

 

To Ezra’s credit he didn't spew the latte he was currently sipping.  “Well, uh, Mr. Solo,” he hesitated.  Then it all came out in a rush, “the building was destroyed by arson.”

 

Solo closed his eyes and lowered his head.  What he really wanted to do was to bang it on the table surface a couple of times.  “Mr. Standish,” Solo’s voice sounded tired, “what did you find?”

 

“Cardinal Enterprises is their front.”  Ezra hesitated when he saw a look pass between Solo and Illya then continued, “They’re selling high tech weapons to anyone who can afford them.”

 

“Did you find anything out of the ordinary?”  It was Illya that asked this question.

 

“THRUSH,” Solo answered for the undercover agent.

 

Illya nodded.  “Where are you going?” Illya asked when Solo rose suddenly.

 

Solo’s glare easily matched Chris’s own.  Then left the room.

 

Once in the anti-room Solo used the communicator portion of the phone to contact the legal department of the U-N-C-L-E.  Once he set in motion the process of getting Kaelin out of jail for the time being Solo leaned up against the wall.  He had to admit Illya was right, he gave Waverly his own share of gray hair, not only that but he had encouraged the agent.  *I would have gotten away with it,* he thought to himself smugly.  Looking to the door another part of his mind asked the question that he never thought of before, *Are you sure?*

 

It took a few minutes but he finally realized he was not going anywhere with this ‘discussion.’  Taking another calming breath Solo opened the door and moved back to his seat.  The ATF agents sitting around the table watched him silently.

 

JD was the one to speak up, “You mentioned THRUSH’s involved?”

 

“Very much so, one of the fronts they use is Cardinal.”  Solo leaned back and placed a hand on the table.

 

“What about the weapons?” Chris spoke up for the first time.

 

“It’s going to be taken care of when the time comes.”

 

“To hell with that, I want to get those weapons off the streets now!”  Chris glared at Solo again.

 

“You can’t fix the problem if you only treat the symptoms!  If you want to get the weapons off the streets then you have to go to the heart of the problem.”

 

“Chris, he’s right you know,” Nathan spoke for the first time.  He continued, “The CDC doesn’t have any record of any stolen chemicals.”

 

“Of course not, they’ve got the laboratories to create whatever they please.”  All eyes turned on Illya by the time he finished speaking.

 

Solo’s voice cut through the silence that reigned supreme again.  “Mr. Dunne, you haven’t found anything, have you?”

 

JD’s eyes grew wide, he had not even spoken to Chris about that.  Looking guiltily to Chris, JD shook his head.

 

“That’s nothing to be ashamed about.  Unless you know what you’re looking for and looking in the right place you’ll never find any information.”

 

JD nodded then glanced at Chris to see his reaction.  He made an almost imperceptible nod which JD reacted to by sitting back a little in his chair.

 

“But,” Solo continued, “first things first.  We’re going to have to find out where Krull’s going to set up operations again.  Apparently Cardinal’s operation is too lucrative to leave this market.”  Pulling a pen out of an inner pocket Solo jotted down a few things on a piece of paper in front of him.  Glancing in Illya’s direction he noticed the imperceptible shake of his head.  Giving Illya a wry grin he continued to make comments.

 

“If we don’t know where to look how will we know where to look?”

 

Solo looked up to find it was Wilmington who spoke this time.  “U.N.C.L.E. has its ways of finding out things.  We’re not as tied down to things like the Meranda as you are.”  After jotting down a few more things then passing the paper to Illya, Solo asked another question, “Are you the only ones on this part of the, uh, case?”

 

A two toned beep interrupted the now more productive discussion.

 

“Excuse me,” Solo commented as he pulled out his cell phone.  Setting it up quickly he answered, “This is Solo, what is it?”

 

“Number One, Section Two passed.”  A man’s voice without distortion could be heard clearly.

 

“Acknowledged.”  After switching it over to the cellular mode Solo dialed Kaelin’s number.  He hoped Kaelin would have it in hand to answer it, and true enough Kaelin answered.

 

“Any information?” Solo queried.

 

“Yes, Sir.  Where are you?”

 

“Federal building on 9th.  Ask for Larabee.”

 

“I’ll be there in a couple of hours at most, Sir.”

 

After Solo closed up the phone he commented under his breath, “I hope that information’s worth it.”  Now looking up he could tell Tanner and Standish were looking at each other.  “Whoever it is I want them here.  They’re more in danger out there than in here.  But then again while THRUSH is still around no one is safe.”

 

Vin looked from Solo to Chris not knowing for sure who was in charge.  After getting a nod from Chris, it was Vin who spoke up, “The other agent’s Melanie Branz.”

 

“Get her in here now.  She won’t know how to go up against THRUSH.”

 

Vin nodded and rose from his chair.  As he started to leave the conference room he pulled out his cell to call her letting her know the new direction the case had taken.  By the time he was in the bullpen the call had ended in a fast busy signal.  Not knowing what was going on, Vin called Carlita then several other families he knew personally at the apartment building.  Every call ended in a fast busy signal.  Vin was getting worried.  Just to let the others know before he headed out Vin went back into the conference room.  The voices died down once the door opened and Vin reappeared.

 

“I can’t get a-hold of anyone.  Fast busy signal.”

 

Chris’s eyes narrowed slightly, “You tried everyone in the building?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Damn,” Solo said quietly.  “THRUSH has already struck.  I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Agent Branz has been taken hostage.”

 

As Solo started rising from his chair another cell went off.  Everyone that had cell phones with them checked to see if it was theirs.  It turned out to be Vin’s that went off.

 

“Yeah. . . .Whoa there, Hector, slow down and tell me what happened.”  After a few minutes Vin gave an exaggerated sigh.  “Alright, we’ll be there.  Don’t worry, just make sure everyone else is safe in their apartments.”

 

Solo was surprised to see the whole team jump up and rush into the bullpen as they started.  “Where the hell is everyone going?”  The quite but firm voice caught everyone’s attention.  Napoleon continued, “You don’t need to send the whole cavalry!  One or two will do fine.”

 

Solo looked to Vin, “You know the area?”

 

“Yeah, it’s my apartment.”

 

“Okay, you can go, but with one other agent.”

 

Chris looked angrily at Solo.  The international agent effectively undermined his power and he did not like it.

 

“THRUSH likes making an uproar.  If you investigate it low key it will force them out in the open and do something unplanned.”

 

Chris had to admit Solo’s tactics would technically work but he preferred to give the commands.

 

“Come on, Ez. . . ” Vin started.

 

“No. If they saw him. . . ” Napoleon didn't have to finish for them to get the picture.

 

“Aw hell,” Vin muttered.  “Alright, c’mon JD.”

 

The kid nodded and the two youngest headed out.

 

Once the door closed Chris pointed to Solo, “I want you in my office.”

 

Everyone else in the office, except Illya who was now at JD’s workstation, started busying themselves with things that seemed awfully important all of a sudden.

 

Solo gave a wry grin and headed into the smaller office.  Once the door was closed Chris started, “I don’t care how you run things, I do not want my authority undermined!”

 

Solo immediately realized what Chris was really getting at.  “You don’t want to be left out.”  He did not need a verbal answer, the ATF agent’s face spoke volumes.

 

“I’ll let you in on the operations and get your input, but I’ll make the final decisions.  You realize I don’t need to use any of you.  The only reason why you’re here is to make sure you won’t go behind my back and get yourselves killed in the process.”

 

 

Once the two agents disappeared into the smaller office Buck turned to Ezra, “Hey, Ez, what did he say?”

 

Giving not exactly an embarrassed look the undercover agent spoke, “Well, it’s not the same dialect I speak but. . . You really don’t want to know.  But I will say his accent is exquisite.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The police cruiser dropped two men off at a budget motel.  They both wore civilian clothing although one looked uncomfortable.

 

Taking a key out, the tall African-American unlocked one of the rooms and moved inside.  After a quick glance to see if everything was still in place the man in question took the Special that was still on the table and holstered it.

 

“Why do you have a weapon!?” the other person demanded behind him.

 

“Because, Curtis, I am an international agent.”  For a moment he thought of shooting Curtis with the specialized knock out drug the weapon was armed with but decided against it.  He figured it would not be productive to say the least.

 

“So where are you going now Kaelin?”  The question was genuine for once, which surprised the dark-skinned man.

 

“Federal Building on 9th.  My boss is there and wants my report.”  Which wasn't much at the moment.  He had seen THRUSH trying to involve Denver’s finest in the airport, then earlier in the course of driving around the city he managed to ask his questions in such a way to find out where Cardinal was heading.  Wherever Cardinal went THRUSH most likely would soon follow.

 

Now in the rented car it was Kaelin who spoke again, “Do you know anything on Cardinal Enterprises?”

 

“The one you torched?” Curtis said sarcastically.

 

Kaelin glared at the officer for a moment then concentrated on driving.

 

“From their records it shows they are an environmental group.  Apparently they’re really pushing the stuff.”

 

*How ironic,* Kaelin mulled over the information Curtis provided.  *This may not be so bad afterall,* he thought.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After Chris finally agreed to the terms Solo laid down the former international agent asked if there was an office close by that was empty.

 

“I need to make some very important calls,” Solo answered the look Chris gave him.  The ATF agent did not like it but now understood that were truly out of their league for once.  It was an odd and unnerving situation to be placed in.  And one he wanted to remedy as soon as possible.

 

“The door to the left of the conference room.  My men use it when they need some quiet phone time.”

 

Giving a nod Solo turned and left the office.  They could hear the lull in conversation the moment the door opened.

 

Moving past wary looks Solo went over to Illya.  “Any progress?”

 

“It’s coming slowly, Tovarich.”

 

“I’m not surprised.  They always seem to be one step ahead of us.  What’s this?”  Solo pointed to some blank looking CDs.

 

“I don’t know and I don’t want to try.  Their specialist has an interesting setup.”

 

“You always understate everyone, Illya.  He might have the key.”

 

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

 

“Lost your touch?” Solo asked innocently.

 

“Never, Tovarich.  Let me get back to work.”

 

Solo smiled as he left.  It had worked perfectly trying to get Illya to rise to the task.  As Solo moved to the extra office he saw Wilmington’s look, he almost looked proud at something but Napoleon didn't know what it was.

 

Once inside the office, it had the same computer setup as the cubes in the bullpen, he sat down and pulled out his cell phone.  The number was so well known he could dial it in his sleep.

 

“Hello?”

 

“I miss you sweetheart,” his voice was a caress.

 

Hearing a smile in her voice Kathy asked, “Are you gonna make it in time?”

 

“You know I’ll try my hardest.  That’s all I can guarantee.”

 

There was a single knock and the office door opened but Solo was not paying any attention.  “If I don’t make it I will definitely make it up to you.  That I can promise you.”

 

“You better.  Love you, and I’ll see you soon.”

 

“Love you too, Honey.”

 

Solo disconnected the line and looked up.  What surprised him was that it was Agent Jackson and he looked quite uncomfortable.

 

“Sir, it was mentioned about how this organization has their own chemical labs.”

 

“Yes, I believe it was Illya who mentioned it.  If you need to know more you’ll have to talk to him about it.”

 

Nathan nodded but had a strange look on his face.

 

“I’m not trying to put you off, Agent.  It’s just that Illya knows a hell of a lot more about that type of information.”

 

Seeing understanding cross the dark agent’s face Solo watched as he left.  Now picking up the phone that was on the desk he made another call.  “I’d like to speak to the AD. . . Napoleon Solo. . .I’ll wait. . .Orrin?  Napoleon.  What do you have. . .”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

When Vin drove up to the apartment building in Purgatorio he was apprehensive.  After getting out he started examining the telephone wires that led from the closest pole to the building.

 

“What are you looking for?” JD asked from the jeep.

 

“I’ll know when I find it,” Vin mumbled.

 

JD looked around after getting out of the jeep and looked around the spot they were in.  Even though Vin had the money to live in a nice area of the city he chose to live here.  Only when he saw the relationship he had developed with the children of the building did JD finally understand why.

 

“Aw hell!”

 

“Whad’ya find?” JD asked as he quickly moved to Vin’s side.

 

Vin answered by pointing to a particular spot on the side of the building.  The spot clearly showed wires, most likely telephone, had been cut.

 

“Ew,” JD commented as Vin gingerly handled the rubber coated wires.

 

“Couldn’t anyone still call?”

 

“JD, no one here is rich enough to own a cell phone.”

 

“Then how. . .”

 

Vin pointed to a convenience store two blocks away.  “Hector was out of breath and the store knows it’s an emergency when he comes running.”

 

“So they let Hector use the phone.”

 

Vin nodded as he pulled out his cell.  After reporting to the phone company the nature of the problem he slapped it shut and shoved it in a pocket.

 

“C’mon,” Vin ordered and moved towards the front door.  Seeing JD ready they cautiously entered the building.  Their first stop on the ground floor was Carlita’s.  Giving the door a special knock they heard the door unbolted then opened to reveal the aged woman’s face.

 

“Seńor Vin, what is happening?  I cannot call.”

 

“I know and the phone company knows,” Vin reassured the elderly woman.

 

“When Hector said you were coming I knew everything would be fine,” she beamed with pride.

 

Vin looked slightly sheepish and mumbled an answer.  After the door closed the two agents started moving through the building.  So far everyone had their telephone service severed abruptly.

 

When they reached Vin’s floor they continued on as before.  Everything seemed the same as on the lower floors.  When they reached the apartment in question they both had their weapons ready.

 

Raising a hand for silence and to signify he was ready, then Vin touched the knob.

 

“Unlocked,” Vin whispered.

 

“Should it be?” JD spoke in a hoarse whisper.

 

Vin shook his head then braced himself to barge in.  They both wanted the element of surprise.

 

The entry was pure textbook quality.  Both Vin and JD fanned out to search the apartment hoping to find Mel and at the same time not wanting to find her.

 

“Damn,” Vin cursed when he came out of his bedroom.

 

“Nothing?”

 

Vin shook his head then pulled out his cell.  “Chris?  Vin.  Nothing.  Uh-huh.  Okay.”  After Vin put the phone up he filled in JD.

 

“Standard police procedure.”

 

“In other words don’t touch anything if you don’t have to,” JD answered.

 

Vin nodded.

 

“Are they sending forensics?”

 

“I don’t know about that.  Don’t know what Solo’s gonna do about this.”  Vin sighed, he did not like it when he didn’t know where he stood.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Chris set the receiver down and thought a moment about what he should do.  He wanted to send a forensics team, but he couldn’t do anything with Solo in control.  Finally he jabbed a button on his phone.  “Solo,” he said gruffly.

 

“What?” the voice was cautious.

 

“Get in here.”  Chris disconnected the line before Solo could say anything although he had a fairly good idea what the international agent would’ve said.

 

Minutes later there was a single knock and the door opened revealing the older man.  This time he had his suit jacket off showing some of the instruments the agent used in the line of duty.

 

“Yes?” Solo asked as he sat down.

 

“Vin called.  He found the apartment empty.”

 

Solo nodded then commented, “Don’t bother to send forensics.  They won’t find anything.”

 

“How would you know anything about this?” Chris asked, his voice rising slightly.

 

Solo sighed, “Take it easy, agent.  THRUSH does a procedure on their grunt workers that removes fingerprints.  But if you don’t believe me then you’d be playing into their hands.”

 

“I know, I know, they love to make a big scene.  Tell me one thing.”  Chris leaned forward and placed his elbows on the desk, “Are you going to send someone?”

 

“Yes,” before Solo could continue there was a knock and Josiah’s face appeared.  “There’s someone here to see Mr. Solo.”

 

“That, my good man, is the one I’ll be sending.”

 

“Who?” Chris demanded.

 

“His name’s Alan Kaelin.”

 

As if on cue a tall dark-skinned individual with close cropped hair appeared in Chris’s office.  After giving Solo a slightly sheepish look he sat down in one of the chairs.

 

It was not Kaelin, Chris was looking at but the one trailing him.

 

“Sorry, Sir, but it was either this or staying where I was at.”  Kaelin could not bring himself to physically say where he had been.

 

Solo saved Kaelin embarrassment by giving him a new order.  “I want you over to look at an apartment.  We have a very good chance that THRUSH was there earlier today.”

 

Kaelin nodded, “That sounds like them, striking out when stung.”  He hesitated then continued, “I might know where Cardinal’s heading.”  Kaelin turned to his shadow, “Why don’t you tell them, you know more.”

 

The man stood there with his mouth slightly open from shock.  “Now wait a minute!” he started.  Seeing the looks he was receiving from the other occupants of the room made him realize he was just a local.  After calming himself down he started, “Since you didn’t introduce me I guess I’ll have to do it myself.”  He gave an exaggerated sigh.  “Officer Joshua Curtis.”

 

“I already know all the sundry details so just get to the information,” Solo interrupted.

 

Giving Solo a glare Curtis continued, “Cardinal is an environmental group.  Their only incident on record is with the fire.”

 

“Are we talking about the same group here?” Chris asked confused.

 

“Why not bring Standish in here,” Solo commented.

 

Chris shook his head then stood up, “I know something better.”  When he reached the bullpen he called for everyone to meet in the conference room.  Looking at the group that came out of his office Chris commented, “I like to hear what my men are thinking.”

 

Once they were all gathered in the conference room again Ezra started fiddling with the phones.  He was attempting to get the two errant agents included in the meeting.  Hopefully their phones were fully charged up, no telling how long the meeting would be.  When he had everything hooked up he spoke in a normal tone, “Can you hear me?”

 

“Yeah, Ez,” Vin’s voice echoed from the speaker.

 

“Uh-huh,” JD’s answered soon afterwards.

 

The meeting seemed to whisk by before anyone realized it.  Up on the wall the silent analogue clock swept away the minutes.

 

Once Kaelin got the address of the apartment both he and Curtis left the meeting and headed out.  Kaelin would know what to look for and maybe the others might learn from the experience.

 

After a thorough once-over of the entire apartment Kaelin could not find anything useful, not even fingerprints, which Kaelin did not expect to be found.  Soon afterwards the four men, for Vin and JD were now with them, went back to the federal building to give their reports.

 

When someone finally glanced up in the conference room where everyone re-gathered, it showed that it was already after 6 p.m..  Solo ignored the looks the other’s gave him, at least they knew that the enemy, which is what he called THRUSH, took no consideration for time constraints.  Several tiring hours later everyone seemed to give up.  It was just too confusing trying to figure out if THRUSH’s Cardinal and the environmental group Cardinal were one and the same.  The only thing that was similar was the name, but that didn’t mean anything.

 

When both Chris and Solo finally let the team go for the evening Solo had a dull headache.  After muttering something under his breath he picked up the receiver for the closest phone and dialed a number.  After a couple of moments he asked, “You still there?”  After a hesitation he finished with, “Alright I’ll be right down.”

 

Turning to Chris who was now coming out of his office with his jacket over an arm Solo asked, “What time does the team usually show up?”

 

Giving a slight smile Chris answered, “No telling, anywhere from 8 to 10.”  Giving a wave he moved out of the office and down the hall to the elevators.  Napoleon glanced over to where he could hear keys being hit rhythmically.  “Illya, you need to get some rest.”

 

The slight Russian shook his head.  “I’ll be fine, Tovarich.  I noticed a couch in Larabee’s office.  I’ll use that tonight.”

 

“It’s locked,” Napoleon pointed out.

 

“When has something as small as a door lock stopped me?” there was a spark of amusement in his ice blue eyes.

 

“Touché,” Napoleon conceded.  He continued, “If you need me I’ll be at this number.”  Solo wrote down a local number on a blank sheet of paper nearby.  “And of course I have my cell with me.”

 

After getting a nod from the younger man Solo turned around and headed out of the bullpen and down to the office of the AD.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

When the first members of the team arrived the next morning they found Solo already in the office he had appropriated, still working on the case, and JD found Illya still at his computer.  “Didn’t you go home last night?”

 

Illya looked at the young man, “Who said I didn’t go home?  Of course I went home, all the way to Kiev and back this morning!”

 

JD backed up with his hands raised in supplication, “Alright, don’t get into a snit, all I did was ask a question.”

 

“Dunne, don’t bother him when he’s working,” Solo’s voice spoke from behind the young agent.

 

JD answered with a whisper, “But it’s my computer!”

 

Hearing a snicker coming from behind him JD turned around to find Illya looking at him, his blue eyes dancing with amusement.  Turning to look at Solo, JD found he was the butt of a private joke between the two.  He rolled his eyes then shook his head at the two men, “You two are just as bad as Vin,” he muttered as he moved past them and towards the small break-room, hoping against hope that Vin had not made the morning coffee.  The problem was Vin had already arrived and had most likely already made it to his liking.

 

Soon afterwards it seemed that the team started living in their conference room for the day.  That was the easiest place for them to discuss the particulars of the case.  ‘Case from Hell’ was what Chris had informally called it, and Vin agreed completely.

 

Now in the leaders office Chris could see the nervousness the younger agent exuded.  Chris tried to keep him calm, “Don’t worry, we’ll get her out.”  Chris’s main worry was that Vin might go out on his own and hunt them down.  He knew if Vin put his mind to it, it would be accomplished, but he was not in control.  Chris hated the feeling but knew it was either this way or none at all.

 

“You don’t like it either,” Vin seemed to voice his friends thoughts.

 

“Yeah, it was either this way or not at all.”

 

“I thought they knew where THRUSH is always at,” The lanky sharpshooter mused.

 

“Not all the time,” Solo’s voice came from the open door.  “You ought to know the forces of evil’s, or whatever term you use, technology is always ahead of the law, even ours.”

 

The two federal agents turned to see Solo leaning up against the door frame.  The newcomer continued almost musing at the same time, “Hide behind an organization that does actual good so when U.N.C.L.E. shuts them down it’ll make us look bad and the criminals look good.”

 

Both federal agents nodded in understanding.  “They just happen to sell the biggest guns to the ones that can afford them,” Chris commented.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Halloway looked around the peaceful setting, somehow it didn’t seem like he was only an hour outside Denver.  It was a good place to gather your thoughts while contemplating the grandeur of the mountains.

 

“You bird watching?” a voice spoke from behind.

 

Halloway turned around not the least bit startled, “Yes, and it’s a good place for it,” he answered the, what looked like, forest ranger.

 

After contemplating both the answer and Halloway for a bit the newcomer finally answered, “Come, they’re waiting for you.”  He turned around and headed into the brush and wooded area.  Not wanting to be left behind Halloway followed, not even being able to see if they were following a trail or not.

 

After twenty or so minutes the two entered a clearing that housed a single low building.  “We had to find some place secluded after the fire,” Halloway’s guide spoke as they moved towards the building.

 

“How do you know I’m not going to give you away?” Halloway threw out suddenly, he did have to report to his superiors on the outside.

 

“Then you will never leave here,” the guide’s voice hardened considerable.

 

Once they reached the door they were scanned for any wires or tracking devices.  After they were past the security they wound their way through the maze of steel hallways to a viewing room of sorts.  Looking past the window and into a stark white room was a single cot with a woman laying on it.

 

“Is she?” Halloway asked.

 

“Oh, she’s very much alive,” Krull’s voice spoke from behind.  “And I want to keep her alive until she is of no more use for us.”

 

Halloway turned to find the guide had disappeared and Krull had shown up now.  “Who is she?”

 

“Melanie Branz, ATF agent and undercover operative for Team 3.  But it’s not Team 3 I’m after, it’s Team 7.”

 

“Then why go this way?”

 

“Because she was working with Team 7 to get their own undercover operative inside.  I will admit he was quite good.”  Krull turned to Halloway, “Which reminds me, thank you for warning us about the mole.”  With a sardonic smile he finished, “But we don’t have to worry about him anymore, because he’s dead.”

 

Halloway carefully hid his emotions, he did not know if he should tell Krull the truth or not.  The whole thing started out so simply, but Krull now wanted to destroy a whole ATF team.  He almost told Krull about Kaelin, almost.

 

“I want them to find her and then I’ll kill every last one of them,” Krull finished with a deadly cold voice.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Somehow it seemed everything had ground to a halt by afternoon.  The agents dared not leak anything to the press about this or they would have a field day trying to cover all aspects of it.  All everyone could do was to continue going over every inch of evidence that came across their desks.  You could not pull Illya and JD from the computer they were using, neither could you understand the jargon they were using now.

 

Which was when Chris received the call, “Larabee.”

 

“I don’t have time to talk so listen close,” the quiet voice spoke from the other end.

 

“Halloway?” Chris guessed.

 

“Shush I say!  Now listen close.  She’s about an hour outside the city.  Don’t ask me why I know this, just trust me on it.”  Scuffling and yelling could be heard in the background.  “Just remember their cover and you’ll know -”  There was a loud noise then the line when dead.

 

“Halloway?  Halloway!” Chris tried to reach the FBI agent again but no such luck.  Somehow he knew something went wrong.

 

After grabbing his cell phone Chris stormed out of his office and into the bullpen.  “Listen everyone, I think we just got our break.”  He glanced to Ezra before continuing, “Halloway from the FBI just called and tried to tell me where Mel is.”  With the last statement Chris got everyone’s attention.

 

“Where?” it was Solo that asked the question.

 

“He said an hour outside the city, and something about their cover and we’d know.”

 

“What’s their cover?” Vin asked, already ready to head out.

 

“Environmental,” Illya commented while checking his own weapon.

 

Nathan procured a map of Denver and the surrounding environs and the group started pouring over every inch.  “Here,” Josiah commented as he pointed to an area west of the city.  “This looks like the only plausible place for an environmental group to choose if they wanted to be out of the way and not have anyone know about their actions.”

 

“Cowboy, we’re gonna need your skills,” Chris looked to Vin.

 

“Then let’s get going,” the sharpshooter commented then turned around again to leave.

 

“This time the cavalry can be sent,” Solo commented dryly as he joined the group.  When they reached the garage Solo told the local agents, “Be ready for anything.”

 

Getting the nod Solo wanted they piled into the larger vehicles with Vin’s jeep in the lead.  Using their cherry’s they easily passed through the city and out into the mountainous region that came up to the western edge of Denver.

 

 

Ezra kept his mouth shut when he heard Chris mention Halloway.  He had never truly forgiven the FBI agent.  Then he saw him at Cardinal, and to top it all of he knew where Mel was.  “I hope he’s not been lured into THRUSH.”

 

“What makes you say that Ez?” Nathan looked at the undercover agent through the rear view mirror.

 

“Too many coincidences my friend, too many coincidences.”  Ezra shook his head while looking out the window.

 

The Cherokee lurched over some rough terrain making all the passengers scramble to lay a hand onto anything stable.

 

“Easy brother,” Josiah rumbled.

 

“We’ll make it,” Nathan answered grimly.

 

Forty minutes later the vehicles slowed then eventually stopped.  Once they were  all gathered it was Vin who spoke, “We go on foot from here.”

 

In an unspoken agreement everyone fell into line behind Vin as he made his way through the underbrush and trees.  Everyone’s senses were on edge listening for the slightest noise.  So when Vin stopped suddenly everyone reached for their weapons.

 

“Shush,” the lanky tracker said quietly, although no one needed the command.  Everyone was straining to hear and see what he could.  Chris watched as Vin inched forward and then parted the brush.  After letting the leaves move back together Vin quietly moved back to the waiting group.

 

“There’s a single one-story building set in the middle of a meadow.  Hard to get to but not impossible.”

 

“Are you sure it’s what we’re looking for,” Solo asked quietly.

 

“Should be.”

 

“I want to see for myself,” the older agent spoke then quietly moved through the group to the line of brush that guarded their position.  Pulling out micro-binoculars Solo scanned the area.  “You know if they’re smart they would have radar on all the outlying areas.”

 

“Well pray they ain’t smart,” Vin ground out.

 

For a moment Solo looked at Vin then backed up to join the others, right behind him the lanky sharpshooter had followed.  “The building is too far set out in the open to hit it now.  Either we wait or call for reinforcements, I prefer the first one,” Solo told the men gathered by way of agreeing it was the correct building.  He did see THRUSH guards outside one of the entrances.

 

After a moment of silence Chris spoke, “We go at dusk.  That way we’ll have a much better chance of success.”  Looking to Solo he saw agreement in the older man’s eyes.  Seeing him indicate another area Chris knew Solo was up to something.  Turning to Buck, Chris commented, “Keep an eye on things, okay?”

 

The larger man nodded, then let Chris head over to the side for the two to discuss what they were most likely going to do in less than an hour.

 

“Okay Solo, what is it?”

 

“We split up into teams when we get there.  Since we have nine we’ll have three teams of three.”  For a moment Solo thought Chris would object, but he didn’t.

 

“Is there any preference --” Solo started.

 

“Hell no!  My men trust everyone else in the team with their lives, but I don’t know about the new guy you brought,” Chris whispered.

 

After the groups were arranged they waited an hour, even though it felt like an eternity for the team assembled in the woods.  When dusk did finally come they began their slow arduous journey across the field.  Right as the lights started coming on they realized they had to run for it.  Luckily they were almost to the building and hopefully the guards wouldn’t notice their running s wouldn’t notice their running forms in the shadows.

Sliding up to the building and into the shadows Solo breathed harder than normal.  He didn’t remember it being this hard.  Pushing the thought from his mind he turned to find both Larabee and Jackson behind him and not out of breath like he was.  As he mentally cursed them for not being out of breath he pulled his Special out of its hiding place and cocked it ready.

Solo looked back at the head government agent again and detected a hint of amusement anmed at.  “Not one word, alright?” he whispered harshly.

 

Nathan shook his head not knowing what Solo was commenting about but Chris just smiled.  “I didn’t say anything.”

 

Quickly finding the door, after Chris's somewhat amusing comment, the ATF agent was going to go in whether Solo liked it or not.  He was tired of waiting and sneaking around.  He was just about to kick down the door when that annoying hand held him back.  “What the hell is it,” his whisper was as intense as the look in his eyes.

 

The look Solo gave him back easily matched Chris’s glare, “This way,” he said gruffly then despite him being still out of breath he slipped silently around the building, past the door, and blending in completely with the shadows.  Before the figure disappeared entirely Chris followed muttering the whole while.

 

The other agents that witnessed the exchange glanced nervously at one another, not knowing if the two were going to kill each other before they reached their destination.  The only one that enjoyed the whole exchange was Buck, he looked like he could not wait for more.

 

“Buck,” JD whispered trying to get the larger man’s attention.  After a second then third try the larger agent turned and whispered, “What is it Kid?!”

 

“I wouldn’t follow them if I was you.”

 

Buck snorted then answered, “Naw, the only one’s that need to worry are those little birdies Solo keeps telling us about.”  Before Buck could say anything more Illya slipped just as silently past the younger and much larger agent.  Looking down the ATF agent found a small round orb had been slipped into his hand.

 

“What is this?” he asked no one in particular.

 

Illya’s voice came as a whisper right behind Buck, “Hold it carefully, and don’t throw it until I say so!”

 

Buck looked at the orb in his hand then looked to the Russian, “Whatever.”  Turning and finding JD with him still he spoke again, “Get going Kid.”

 

Giving a nod JD turned and moved in the direction Josiah and Ezra went.

 

Somehow each team managed to enter the building softly.  Little did they know the occupants were waiting for them.  Solo had an idea they were but didn't tell Chris about it.  He didn't want the younger agent to blow-up in his face, then he would have to deal with not only THRUSH but with the maverick team leader at the same time.

 

"Where's your agent Solo," Chris whispered right behind the older man.

 

"I don't know and I don't particularly care at the moment.  What I will tell you is that he's here somewhere."

 

Chris listened with healthy respect.  He felt the same way about his men.  Just as they were about to pick another door open it opened by itself and there stood both Kaelin and Curtis.  Curtis sported a rather large bruise to his face, apparently getting into some sort of scuffle earlier.

 

"Took you long enough, I think I've found Halloway."  Kaelin turned to let the three agents into the hallway.

 

"Where is he?" Chris asked, slightly concerned.

 

"You don't want to know."

 

"Is he alive?" Solo asked.

 

"Maybe," Curtis spoke from where he moved to after the door opened.  "We haven't been able to find out for sure."

 

"No more talking," Solo broke in.  "I don't want THRUSH to hear everything."  The statement seemed to make everyone else realize the position they were in.

 

With the now serious mood they seemed to inch slowly down the hallways.  At every turn Solo had a gadget that made the cameras go off-line for a short time.  "They'll know what's going on pretty soon, but at least it'll give us some time," Solo commented to the speculative looks on all the locals's faces, not just the ATF agents, as he put it in an inner jacket pocket.

 

For a few minutes it seemed eerily quiet.  It was always quiet before all Hell breaks loose, it's like a force of nature.  As they made a turn they were confronted with several uniformed people with ugly looking guns.  Taking positions by doors and using the corner for cover they returned the gunfire that they had just been given.

 

"There goes our surprise," Solo said through gritted teeth as he took down one guard after another.  The fight wasn't totally one-sided.  There was the sound of a bullet ricocheting off the metal wall then Nathan growled, "Shit!  That hurt.  Now I'm mad."

 

Chris turned around to see Nathan cradling his apparently injured hand, the gun was smoking slightly on the floor.  Now creeping beside Chris, Nathan pulled out with his good hand one of his knives.  "Excuse me," he said quietly, which was almost impossible with all the gunfire in the hallway.  Nathan moved around Solo.  Before he could be pulled back he hurdled the knife with deadly aim, silencing one more gun.

 

Solo did a quick double take.  "Nice aim.  Could have used that earlier if I'd known about it."

 

"Use what you have to," the unofficial healer of the team answered while attempting to tie a makeshift bandage around his hand.

 

Ducking around the corner one last time it was Chris that winged the last of the resistance.  "Come on!" he jumped to his feet and started running down the hallway.

 

"This was a whole Hell of a lot easier fifteen years ago," Solo muttered under his breath as he attempted to follow the younger men down the hallway.

 

The rest of their search went quickly, need hastened the speed at which they checked the rooms.  They found what was left of Halloway literally stuffed into one of the smallest rooms in the building.

 

"Halloway?" Chris asked Nathan as he and Solo guarded the dark-skinned individual.

 

"Yeah."

 

Chris turned around shaking his head, "I may not have like him but he didn't deserve to die like that."

 

"Maybe he did, gentlemen," Krull's voice echoed from the speakers.  After a moment's hesitation the voice continued, "It is quite an honor to have you here Solo.  I always dreamed about if and when we should meet."

 

"Well it'll be short lived," Solo answered gruffly.  He knew at that moment Halloway had attempted to squeal, but it had cost him his life.  Before Solo could say any more a door could be heard opening came across the speakers.

 

"Wha-" Krull's voice sounded almost stupefied.  "You're supposed to be dead!"

 

"News of my demise has been premature, mind you," Ezra's southern drawl answered.

 

The three at the other end of the speaker chuckled quietly at Ezra's comment.  They went quiet when there was some indiscriminate noises then Josiah's deep bass voice could be heard.  "We got him.  Gonna take him out and read him his rights."

 

"Do that," Chris answered automatically.  After a pause he continued, "We found Holloway, don't know if you can see us though."

 

"We can gentlemen," Ezra spoke again.

 

"See ya on the outside," JD decided to make his presence known.

 

"Alright, now get going," Chris answered.

 

When the short conversation was over with and the sound of a door closing could be heard, Chris turned to Solo.  He half expected to be reprimanded by the older agent, but surprisingly enough he wasn't.

 

"Didn't expect for me to go along?" the older agent commented.  "I know they trust you more than they would me, Hell I know you still don't trust me either."

 

Chris was surprised again by the agent's candor, "Yeah."

 

"Well come on, we're wasting time."  Solo had changed back to the hard agent he had projected for most of the time he was there.  With the same amount of care and wariness the small group made their way out of the building, leaving Halloway where they found him.  Their journey out was much faster than going in, it was always like that.  Then again they had eliminated a good portion of the resistance that was in the building in their gunbattle earlier.

 

Once outside they found everyone had made it safely out and with their objectives, well almost.  Seeing Mel being carried by Vin, Nathan made him put her down, but not before they had made it into the wooded area they left less than two hours ago.  Doing a quick examination he confirmed what everyone already knew, she was in bad shape, but still alive.

 

"We gotta get her to the hospital," Nathan said more of a statement of fact than anything else.

 

"We found her in an isolation chamber, the oxygen almost gone," a subdued Buck finally ventured.

 

"That's the least of her problems," Illya spoke up after he did his own quick examination, he didn't have time when then were still in the satrap.  After Illya was finished Vin quickly picked Mel back up and moved swiftly and easily through the forest.  The rest of the team followed with flashlights while Ezra and Josiah brought up the rear with Krull between them.

 

Once back at the vehicles Nathan directed Vin to put Mel in the back seat of his Cherokee while he drove.  Using the cherry once again he raced to the hospital leaving the rest behind to take care of the details.  Everyone had agreed on Nathan taking Vin and Mel because he would need medical attention also on his hand.

 

When Nathan's Cherokee was out of sight they turned to Solo.  He in turn pulled out his cell phone again and started giving orders for the clean-up of the satrap.  Slapping the phone shut and shoving it in a pocket he turned on the gathered men, "We don't need to stay here this whole area will be taken care of."

 

Nodding Kaelin pulled out a tape, "And I think the authorities will love to get their hands on this."  After a hesitation he continued sullenly, "It's of Mel."

 

In an unspoken agreement the rest of the group headed back to the waiting vehicles.  They didn't have any problems fitting the two new people in the cars because they still had the room.  They would have to take care of Krull before they could even think of the hospital.

 

By the time they reached the substation they found two men in dark suits in the criminal check-in area.  Seeing Krull they went over and prepared to take him out.

 

"Wait a minute!  Where are you taking me?" he asked as he was ushered out of the building.

 

"He's right, where are you taking him?" Chris growled at Solo.

 

"It's none of your business, and all of this never happened.  When you submit your report to Orrin he will give me the originals and have any copies destroyed," Solo answered the angry agent.  Chris whirled around only to see one of the detectives pull Curtis aside.  After some words were passed between the two they disappeared into the offices of the substation.  Turning again to Solo he found both the older agent and the two that came with him already outside and getting into the car Kaelin came in.

 

"What about them?" Ezra asked, surprised at the sudden turn of events.

 

Gathering the rest of the team together Chris informed them of what just happened, "As soon as we send our reports to the Judge, we're to destroy our copies.  He's going to then send the original to Solo.  Also he *informed* me that this whole case *never* happened."

 

After everything was all said and done they knew the next place they would head was the hospital.

 

Thirty minutes later they were entering through the emergency doors.  Meagan recognized them immediately.  Not even giving them a verbal once over she simply pointed in the direction Vin and Nathan had taken Mel earlier.  They found the two agents in the waiting area, Nathan's hand already bandaged up.

 

"Any word," Chris asked as he sat down in one of the chairs.

 

Vin shook his head.

 

"All we can do is wait," Josiah spoke softly.  If anyone that worked with them was injured they would wait just as if one of their own were in the ER.

 

What seemed like an eternity later someone came out from the double doors.  The doctor recognized them immediately came towards them.  "She's weak, but alive."  After a hesitation he continued, "I'll have her moved to ICU when we're finished here."  He stayed just long enough for the group to digest what he just told them, then turned and headed back through the large double doors that lead to one of the emergency rooms.

 

Thirty minutes later they gathered in the ICU ward where Mel was placed.  Chris turned to Nathan, "Did Martin ever say what it was?"

 

Nathan shook his head while watching her chest rise and fall rhythmically.

 

After staying as long as they could the team wandered out of the hospital, but not after telling Team 3 where their undercover agent was at.  Vin had taken it upon himself to wait till at least one of them arrived before heading back to the Federal Building.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

By the time Travis received all the reports of the previous case it had been several days.  He did notice that Solo seemed snappy the previous day and now he was down right moody.  Now back in Travis' office the former U.N.C.L.E. agent took the reports one by one and studied them thoroughly.  He really wanted to make sure the locals' got everything right in the reports.  Solo had been quite surprised that they handled themselves as well as they did.

 

"Are you planning on keeping them?" Solo asked voicing his thoughts for the first time.

 

"Team 7?"

 

Solo nodded.

 

"Yes.  No matter how hard you try we're not giving them up."

 

"Thought so," Solo gave a wry smile.  "I can only try."

 

Getting a beep from the phone on the desk Travis commented as Solo put the folders in his briefcase, "Excuse me.  What is it Melinda?  Okay."  After a pause, "Hello Evie.  Yeah finished a case.  I believe so.  Oh really?  Sounds good.  Okay, see you then.  Bye."

 

Turning back to Solo, Travis continued, "When Team 7 finishes a case and none of them end up in the hospital they normally gather at a local bar and grill called The Saloon.  Now I know about yesterday.  If you come then you might be able to get your mind off Kathy."

 

Solo mulled over the offer for a little bit, really wondering if he should accept.  If he went he knew it would make him feel bad about going out and having a good time with her most likely angry.  Even though he told Kathy earlier how he might miss their day, as he called it, he still felt very bad.

 

Finally, Napoleon decided to follow along.  If anything he could drown his sorrows there.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Buck was laughing when he came through the entrance of the Saloon.  When Chris appeared right behind him he was shaking his head.  Buck’s jokes were bad to say the least and he had just finished telling his latest.

 

Chris had to swerve to keep from running into Buck since he had stopped just inside the doorway.  “Buck, will you get out of the way?!”

 

Buck turned around and eyed his boss with a look of anticipation.  Letting a smile play across his face he spoke, “I’ll see you later.”

 

For a moment Chris was puzzled at Buck’s actions, that is until he saw a very attractive woman with striking red hair at the bar talking to Inez.  After shaking his head as he watched Buck saunter up next to her, Chris moved over to the team’s regular table; he knew the rest of the group would arrive shortly.

 

Ignoring the conversation between Inez and the unknown woman Buck broke in during a lull.  “What’s a pretty lady like you doing in a place like this?”  He gave her his best smile to impress the petite woman.

 

Letting out a sigh she spoke, “I’m waiting for someone.”

 

“Well your waiting is over darling.”

 

The woman rolled her eyes at the antics of the large, apparently jovial, man.

 

“Seńor Buck, we’re are having a nice talk.  Por favor go and sit down!” Inez told the large man in exasperated tones.

 

Giving a mock hurt look Buck answered her, “Come on Inez, you know I didn’t mean anything about interrupting.  I just wanted to join in.”

 

“Inez, don’t worry.  I can handle this easily.”  She gave the Hispanic woman a small grin.

 

Catching the underlying meaning Inez smiled back.  The two had almost a conspiratorially look to them.  Suddenly Inez’s attention was pulled to the door.  Looking out of the corner of her eye the other woman glanced to the door also to see the new arrivals.  The person she was waiting for was coming through the door.

 

“Looks like my wait is truly over.”  She hesitated for a minute then continued, “I’d like for you to meet my husband, Napoleon.”

 

The look on Buck’s face was priceless when he realized who it was he was trying to talk into a date.  All he wanted to do was to disappear off the face of the earth.

 

Solo had moved easily beside his wife and placed an arm around her waist; he was ecstatic that she was there.  After glancing to Buck for a minute he still needed to ask, “Kathy, what are you doing here?”

 

Before Kathy could answer Solo turned back to Buck giving him a very guarded look.  Seeing that Buck had stepped back after getting over his his embarrassment.  "Didn't think you'd been able to get yourself a catch like that."

 

"Buck, get out of here," Solo almost growled at the now jovial ladies man.  Then ignoring the local agent, Napoleon took Kathy’s hand and lead her over to a side booth.  After they sat down Kathy finally answered his question, “You do remember what yesterday was, don’t you?”

 

Giving a small smile Solo nodded.  “You know I felt terrible not being able to be home for our anniversary.”  With an arm now around her waist he cupped her chin with his free hand and kissed her gently.

 

A little breathlessly Kathy spoke after they broke contact, “I sent the kids to Uncle Jack.  He spoils them too much.”

 

“Well he is technically their grandfather.”

 

She nodded and settled herself down in the crook of his neck.  “Napoleon?” her voice was muffled, “Who was that?  You were acting like you knew him.”

 

“His name is Buck Wilmington.  He’s one of the local agents that was entangled in the affair.”

 

“Is it over?”

 

“I hope so.  Krull’s been taken care of.  But it’ll never be truly over until THRUSH is destroyed.”


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