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100promptsTitle: Maybe In Another Life
Word Count: 2104
Characters: Napoleon Solo & Natalia Povlovsky, Illya & Gaby
SL:The Man From U.N.C.L.E. When In Rome
Fandom: The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Prompt: #28 Trust for100prompts
Rating: Mature
Summary: Solo bit back a smile. She told him the name of the jewelers. Could that mean she did trust him on some level now?
Disclaimer: The story is mine, but the characters do not belong to me.
Solo blinked against the sunlight. A faint, satisfied smile touched his lips. He thought about the evening before and reached for Natalia. His eyes fluttered when his fingers grasped the empty sheets behind him. Solo’s eyes snapped open as he felt around the bed, she was gone. The spy sat up in the wide bed and looked around the empty room. Had she given him the slip? Napoleon stood up and walked toward the closet. Her clothes were still inside. There was also a plush men’s terry cloth robe hanging beside one of her dresses. Napoleon slid his arms inside before walking out onto the balcony. She was already sitting down for breakfast. Napoleon tightened the belt to his robe and observed her from the doorway. She sipped on her espresso while taking in the view. Napoleon appreciated the angles in her face and the delicate way she drank her coffee. This Natalia was quite different from the Natalia he had the previous night.
“Good morning,” his voice was rich and deep. Natalia paused and hid a smile behind her espresso cup. Solo caught it and felt warm with satisfaction.
Natalia turned her head to face him. “Good morning, Solo,” she said with a smile. “I took the liberty of ordering us room service. The fruit here is fresh.”
Napoleon’s eyes flickered over the breakfast table. He took the seat across from her and spread the linen cloth over his lap. “I thought you might have given me the slip,” he admitted.
Natalia smirked and took another small sip of her coffee. “Is that what you would have done if the shoe was on the other foot?” Her question was as direct as her gaze.
Napoleon thought about her question. When he was in the thick of it, things like this happened to him quite often. A double cross never bothered him unless he was on the giving end. When Solo woke up that morning and thought she left, he felt… well, he couldn’t describe it. There was a bit of anger, but there was disappointment, too. It bothered him that he cared. It bothered him that he wanted their night together to be mutually satisfying. Solo knew sexually they had knocked it out of the park. But good sex didn’t guarantee loyalty. Natalia had no reason to be loyal to him. And after today, he feared this was a bridge that would be irrevocably burned.
“I asked first.” He tried to sidestep her question.
“No, you didn’t. But it’s alright. You don’t have to answer. Both of us are here now. Let’s enjoy some breakfast and discuss our plans for tonight.”
Ah, that’s right. They were supposed to be stealing the egg together and splitting the take. Solo eyed Natalia over his bite of egg brioche. She looked pensive as she silently gazed out over the city. In the few days that he’d known her, he’d never seen her this way. Solo wondered if she regretted what she was about to do as much as he did. The American spy thought about the file Waverly handed the team before the mission. Maximilian Kirkoff, scientist, engineer, genius. Three months ago, the German scientist appeared out of nowhere with a bomb he claimed rivaled any bombs in known existence. It was supposed to be stronger than the H bomb. Several nations fell over themselves trying to purchase the plans for the explosive, including the United States. According to Waverly’s file, the high demand for the weapon gave Kirkoff the leverage he needed to negotiate. He dangled the plans like a carrot in front of a team of horses desperate to get their hands on the weapon. Kirkoff managed to incite a bidding war. Cuba won. But the scientist withheld one vital piece of the plans… the code. He it in a Faberge egg and sold it off. The bomb was useless without the code. The country who retrieved the code first would then have the negotiating power. It was a dangerous game and the team from U.N.C.L.E. was tasked to retrieve the code and neutralize it.
“The egg will be transferred back to the DiMarco family estate at around 3 pm this afternoon. The family will be hosting another party. I have already secured our invitation,” Natalia continued.
Napoleon nodded and poured himself a cup of coffee. “Where will the egg be transferred from?” He didn’t look at her while he asked the question. Instead, Solo casually dropped two sugar cubes into his coffee.
Natalia was quiet for a moment. When he finally looked at her, he noticed a battle brewing behind her tawny eyes. He could fall into those and eyes and swim in them.
“A jewelry shop. Bernini’s. It’s very old. Very respected. The truck will be heavily armored and almost impossible to breach.”
Solo bit back a smile. She told him the name of the jewelers. Could that mean she did trust him on some level now? “Ah, I see. You think it would be easier to lift it from the home?”
Natalia nodded.“Yes. The other night I did a sweep of their home and security system. Standard locks. Standard safe.”
“Shame. I was hoping for a challenge.”
“I enjoy a challenge, too… but I just want this over and done with.”
Napoleon lifted a brow. Now, that was something. He studied Natalia’s face again. She tried masking her emotions, but he recognized the pensive look behind her eyes. There was something more going on than a simple heist. He wanted to ask her what was troubling her but decided it wasn’t his place. One night together didn’t suddenly make them intimate. “Have you gotten in touch with your man about the diamond?” He asked switching the subject.
“Not yet, but I will later this afternoon.” She stood, and Napoleon followed her back into the room.
He thought about the diamond nestled in his coat pocket. He had stolen it back from her while she slept. The sound of the bed shifting when he crept between the sheets had awakened her. He had no choice but to distract her with another long and exhausting round of sex. Not that he minded at all. Napoleon almost felt bad for taking it from her. But he knew Waverly would take issue with him breaking the law, even if it was for the mission.
“How later this afternoon?” He asked taking hold of her wrist and pulling her against him. She was warm and pliant. Napoleon liked the way her body melted against his.
“Not too much later.” She said looking up at him. Her lips brushed against his as she spoke. “Do you have any plans in the meantime?” He asked kissing her throat. Natalia all but purred beneath his kisses.
“None that I’m aware of.”
“Good,” he said with a smirk. “I don’t have any plans either.”
++++
They slept together again. But this time when they kissed, it was tinged with a hint of desperation. Napoleon would give Natalia as much time as possible for her to leave the country. Once Waverly got his hands on her, he was sure INTERPOL would follow. It was one thing to double cross her, but another to turn her in. There were fates worse than jail, but for a wild cat like Natalia, it would be torture. Napoleon watched the steady rise and fall of the sheets as she slept. He wished he could say he didn’t wake her because she looked too peaceful to disturb. No, that wasn’t it. Solo didn’t wake her because he needed to make a quick escape. Maybe in another life, he thought as he closed the door quietly behind him.
The moment he left the room, Natalia’s eyes snapped open. She waited for a few beats before she threw off the covers and made her way to the bathroom. She had work to do.
++++
Illya and Gaby were waiting for him back in his hotel room. The Russian spy clutched a newspaper in his hand and stared at him with steel blue eyes. “You made the front page,” his accent was thick with annoyance.
Solo read the headline and frowned. “Rat Infestation In the Galleria Museum! Priceless Diamond Missing!” He had hoped for something a little more exciting than that. Back when he was active, his headlines always had a certain je ne sais quoi. Solo extracted the paper from Illya and said, “A little bland don’t you think, Peril?”
“Waverly will not like this,” Illya responded.
Solo wanted to tell him to relax. He had the diamond and it was secure. They would return it to the museum, and all would be right with the world again. Napoleon walked over to the safe in his room. With a flourish of his hand, he produced the rare diamond and watched his partner’s eyes go wide in shock.
“You stole it back!” Gaby exclaimed rushing toward him. “Of course. You didn’t think I would allow her to keep it, did you?” The diamond sparkled in the natural light and reflected off Gaby’s eyes. “Do you want to hold it?”
“Now, wait a minute, cowboy!” Illya interrupted. If anyone was going to give Gaby jewelry beyond price, it was going to be him, not cowboy.
“Relax, Peril. It’s only on loan. I’ll have it back where it belongs before Waverly ever catches wind of it.”
The Soviet regarded him with skepticism. So far, despite his shortcomings as a spy, Solo had proven himself to be a valuable asset to the team and a loyal partner. But he was still a thief at heart. Illya was afraid something like this would cause him to slip back into his old ways. The diamond was worth millions. Would a million and a pretty face tempt him away from the team? “Then I think it would be best to let us keep it safe,” Illya said moving beside Gaby.
“What? You don’t trust me, Peril?”
"I don’t trust her. She stole my watch right from my wrist. What will stop her from stealing this diamond back?”
Napoleon nodded his head and handed the diamond over to Gaby. The woman clutched it in her hands and weighed it in her palm. “It’s heavier than I thought,” she said with interest.
“Pure diamond,” Illya explained. “Not cut and weakened by merchant hands.” Illya studied Gaby’s face. She looked at the diamond with awe.
“You like?” His voice was thick.
“Huh, oh—” Gaby looked up at Illya. They were standing close. Her face colored slightly.
“It’s a diamond. Who doesn’t like diamonds?”
Illya stared at the gemstone in her hand. For a moment he imagined presenting her with a diamond of his own—a real one. Not the baubles they used as part of their cover.
Solo shook his head and cleared his throat. “The egg will be on the move soon.”
Illya snapped himself out of his fantasy and refocused. “Did you find out where it’s being appraised.”
Napoleon nodded. “Bernini’s. They are one of the oldest jewelers in Italy. According to Natalia the truck it will be traveling in is heavily armored and nearly impossible to penetrate.”
“A problem you never seem to have,” Gaby sniffed.
Napoleon flashed her a grin and tilted his head. Where was the lie? “It seems we will have to get a little creative.”
“Like Istanbul,” Illya reminded them. They all took a moment to reflect nostalgically on Istanbul.
“So, what does that make me? Bait again?”
Napoleon gave Gaby a quick once over. “Only for a short time. After that, you’ve got the most important job.”
“And that is?”
“We’ll need you to drive.” Gaby’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. Illya’s lips twitched into a slight smile as he watched her enjoyment. He knew she was itching to have more of a role on the team lately now that they were beginning to find their footing.
“What’s the time?” Illya asked.
Solo glanced at his watch. The truck would be on the move at approximately three in the afternoon. They needed time to work out the finer details of the plan. There were a few things that needed to be tweaked from the Istanbul mission. The plan was to intercept the diamond before it reached the DiMarco family compound and rendezvous with Waverly at the drop point.
“Three give or take. Let’s plan for some take rather than give.”
Illya gave him a firm nod. “I’ll contact Waverly and secure the drop point.”
“And I’ll secure this,” Gaby said shaking the diamond nestled in the black velvet bag.
Word Count: 2104
Characters: Napoleon Solo & Natalia Povlovsky, Illya & Gaby
SL:The Man From U.N.C.L.E. When In Rome
Fandom: The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Prompt: #28 Trust for
100promptsRating: Mature
Summary: Solo bit back a smile. She told him the name of the jewelers. Could that mean she did trust him on some level now?
Disclaimer: The story is mine, but the characters do not belong to me.
Solo blinked against the sunlight. A faint, satisfied smile touched his lips. He thought about the evening before and reached for Natalia. His eyes fluttered when his fingers grasped the empty sheets behind him. Solo’s eyes snapped open as he felt around the bed, she was gone. The spy sat up in the wide bed and looked around the empty room. Had she given him the slip? Napoleon stood up and walked toward the closet. Her clothes were still inside. There was also a plush men’s terry cloth robe hanging beside one of her dresses. Napoleon slid his arms inside before walking out onto the balcony. She was already sitting down for breakfast. Napoleon tightened the belt to his robe and observed her from the doorway. She sipped on her espresso while taking in the view. Napoleon appreciated the angles in her face and the delicate way she drank her coffee. This Natalia was quite different from the Natalia he had the previous night.
“Good morning,” his voice was rich and deep. Natalia paused and hid a smile behind her espresso cup. Solo caught it and felt warm with satisfaction.
Natalia turned her head to face him. “Good morning, Solo,” she said with a smile. “I took the liberty of ordering us room service. The fruit here is fresh.”
Napoleon’s eyes flickered over the breakfast table. He took the seat across from her and spread the linen cloth over his lap. “I thought you might have given me the slip,” he admitted.
Natalia smirked and took another small sip of her coffee. “Is that what you would have done if the shoe was on the other foot?” Her question was as direct as her gaze.
Napoleon thought about her question. When he was in the thick of it, things like this happened to him quite often. A double cross never bothered him unless he was on the giving end. When Solo woke up that morning and thought she left, he felt… well, he couldn’t describe it. There was a bit of anger, but there was disappointment, too. It bothered him that he cared. It bothered him that he wanted their night together to be mutually satisfying. Solo knew sexually they had knocked it out of the park. But good sex didn’t guarantee loyalty. Natalia had no reason to be loyal to him. And after today, he feared this was a bridge that would be irrevocably burned.
“I asked first.” He tried to sidestep her question.
“No, you didn’t. But it’s alright. You don’t have to answer. Both of us are here now. Let’s enjoy some breakfast and discuss our plans for tonight.”
Ah, that’s right. They were supposed to be stealing the egg together and splitting the take. Solo eyed Natalia over his bite of egg brioche. She looked pensive as she silently gazed out over the city. In the few days that he’d known her, he’d never seen her this way. Solo wondered if she regretted what she was about to do as much as he did. The American spy thought about the file Waverly handed the team before the mission. Maximilian Kirkoff, scientist, engineer, genius. Three months ago, the German scientist appeared out of nowhere with a bomb he claimed rivaled any bombs in known existence. It was supposed to be stronger than the H bomb. Several nations fell over themselves trying to purchase the plans for the explosive, including the United States. According to Waverly’s file, the high demand for the weapon gave Kirkoff the leverage he needed to negotiate. He dangled the plans like a carrot in front of a team of horses desperate to get their hands on the weapon. Kirkoff managed to incite a bidding war. Cuba won. But the scientist withheld one vital piece of the plans… the code. He it in a Faberge egg and sold it off. The bomb was useless without the code. The country who retrieved the code first would then have the negotiating power. It was a dangerous game and the team from U.N.C.L.E. was tasked to retrieve the code and neutralize it.
“The egg will be transferred back to the DiMarco family estate at around 3 pm this afternoon. The family will be hosting another party. I have already secured our invitation,” Natalia continued.
Napoleon nodded and poured himself a cup of coffee. “Where will the egg be transferred from?” He didn’t look at her while he asked the question. Instead, Solo casually dropped two sugar cubes into his coffee.
Natalia was quiet for a moment. When he finally looked at her, he noticed a battle brewing behind her tawny eyes. He could fall into those and eyes and swim in them.
“A jewelry shop. Bernini’s. It’s very old. Very respected. The truck will be heavily armored and almost impossible to breach.”
Solo bit back a smile. She told him the name of the jewelers. Could that mean she did trust him on some level now? “Ah, I see. You think it would be easier to lift it from the home?”
Natalia nodded.“Yes. The other night I did a sweep of their home and security system. Standard locks. Standard safe.”
“Shame. I was hoping for a challenge.”
“I enjoy a challenge, too… but I just want this over and done with.”
Napoleon lifted a brow. Now, that was something. He studied Natalia’s face again. She tried masking her emotions, but he recognized the pensive look behind her eyes. There was something more going on than a simple heist. He wanted to ask her what was troubling her but decided it wasn’t his place. One night together didn’t suddenly make them intimate. “Have you gotten in touch with your man about the diamond?” He asked switching the subject.
“Not yet, but I will later this afternoon.” She stood, and Napoleon followed her back into the room.
He thought about the diamond nestled in his coat pocket. He had stolen it back from her while she slept. The sound of the bed shifting when he crept between the sheets had awakened her. He had no choice but to distract her with another long and exhausting round of sex. Not that he minded at all. Napoleon almost felt bad for taking it from her. But he knew Waverly would take issue with him breaking the law, even if it was for the mission.
“How later this afternoon?” He asked taking hold of her wrist and pulling her against him. She was warm and pliant. Napoleon liked the way her body melted against his.
“Not too much later.” She said looking up at him. Her lips brushed against his as she spoke. “Do you have any plans in the meantime?” He asked kissing her throat. Natalia all but purred beneath his kisses.
“None that I’m aware of.”
“Good,” he said with a smirk. “I don’t have any plans either.”
++++
They slept together again. But this time when they kissed, it was tinged with a hint of desperation. Napoleon would give Natalia as much time as possible for her to leave the country. Once Waverly got his hands on her, he was sure INTERPOL would follow. It was one thing to double cross her, but another to turn her in. There were fates worse than jail, but for a wild cat like Natalia, it would be torture. Napoleon watched the steady rise and fall of the sheets as she slept. He wished he could say he didn’t wake her because she looked too peaceful to disturb. No, that wasn’t it. Solo didn’t wake her because he needed to make a quick escape. Maybe in another life, he thought as he closed the door quietly behind him.
The moment he left the room, Natalia’s eyes snapped open. She waited for a few beats before she threw off the covers and made her way to the bathroom. She had work to do.
++++
Illya and Gaby were waiting for him back in his hotel room. The Russian spy clutched a newspaper in his hand and stared at him with steel blue eyes. “You made the front page,” his accent was thick with annoyance.
Solo read the headline and frowned. “Rat Infestation In the Galleria Museum! Priceless Diamond Missing!” He had hoped for something a little more exciting than that. Back when he was active, his headlines always had a certain je ne sais quoi. Solo extracted the paper from Illya and said, “A little bland don’t you think, Peril?”
“Waverly will not like this,” Illya responded.
Solo wanted to tell him to relax. He had the diamond and it was secure. They would return it to the museum, and all would be right with the world again. Napoleon walked over to the safe in his room. With a flourish of his hand, he produced the rare diamond and watched his partner’s eyes go wide in shock.
“You stole it back!” Gaby exclaimed rushing toward him. “Of course. You didn’t think I would allow her to keep it, did you?” The diamond sparkled in the natural light and reflected off Gaby’s eyes. “Do you want to hold it?”
“Now, wait a minute, cowboy!” Illya interrupted. If anyone was going to give Gaby jewelry beyond price, it was going to be him, not cowboy.
“Relax, Peril. It’s only on loan. I’ll have it back where it belongs before Waverly ever catches wind of it.”
The Soviet regarded him with skepticism. So far, despite his shortcomings as a spy, Solo had proven himself to be a valuable asset to the team and a loyal partner. But he was still a thief at heart. Illya was afraid something like this would cause him to slip back into his old ways. The diamond was worth millions. Would a million and a pretty face tempt him away from the team? “Then I think it would be best to let us keep it safe,” Illya said moving beside Gaby.
“What? You don’t trust me, Peril?”
"I don’t trust her. She stole my watch right from my wrist. What will stop her from stealing this diamond back?”
Napoleon nodded his head and handed the diamond over to Gaby. The woman clutched it in her hands and weighed it in her palm. “It’s heavier than I thought,” she said with interest.
“Pure diamond,” Illya explained. “Not cut and weakened by merchant hands.” Illya studied Gaby’s face. She looked at the diamond with awe.
“You like?” His voice was thick.
“Huh, oh—” Gaby looked up at Illya. They were standing close. Her face colored slightly.
“It’s a diamond. Who doesn’t like diamonds?”
Illya stared at the gemstone in her hand. For a moment he imagined presenting her with a diamond of his own—a real one. Not the baubles they used as part of their cover.
Solo shook his head and cleared his throat. “The egg will be on the move soon.”
Illya snapped himself out of his fantasy and refocused. “Did you find out where it’s being appraised.”
Napoleon nodded. “Bernini’s. They are one of the oldest jewelers in Italy. According to Natalia the truck it will be traveling in is heavily armored and nearly impossible to penetrate.”
“A problem you never seem to have,” Gaby sniffed.
Napoleon flashed her a grin and tilted his head. Where was the lie? “It seems we will have to get a little creative.”
“Like Istanbul,” Illya reminded them. They all took a moment to reflect nostalgically on Istanbul.
“So, what does that make me? Bait again?”
Napoleon gave Gaby a quick once over. “Only for a short time. After that, you’ve got the most important job.”
“And that is?”
“We’ll need you to drive.” Gaby’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. Illya’s lips twitched into a slight smile as he watched her enjoyment. He knew she was itching to have more of a role on the team lately now that they were beginning to find their footing.
“What’s the time?” Illya asked.
Solo glanced at his watch. The truck would be on the move at approximately three in the afternoon. They needed time to work out the finer details of the plan. There were a few things that needed to be tweaked from the Istanbul mission. The plan was to intercept the diamond before it reached the DiMarco family compound and rendezvous with Waverly at the drop point.
“Three give or take. Let’s plan for some take rather than give.”
Illya gave him a firm nod. “I’ll contact Waverly and secure the drop point.”
“And I’ll secure this,” Gaby said shaking the diamond nestled in the black velvet bag.
