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100promptsTitle: Nasty Business
Word Count: 2,403
Characters: Napoleon Solo, Natalia Povlovsky & Alexander Waverly
SL:The Man From U.N.C.L.E. When In Rome
Fandom: The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Prompt:#003 forgo for100prompts
Rating: Mature
Summary: “These are very serious charges, Ms. Povlovsky,” Waverly said in his soothing British accent. Perhaps if he tried another approach he might get some results. Waverly found the need for freedom proved to be a good motivator. “The racketeering charges alone are enough to put you away for a terribly long time.”
Disclaimer: The story is mine, but the characters do not belong to me.
The American Embassy
The dossier he had on Natalia “The Cat” Povlovsky was thick. Thanks to his man at INTERPOL, Waverly was thoroughly versed on his most recent recruit. The arrangement was temporary, but she was one of his for the moment. As much as he would have liked to keep Natalia for the team, INTERPOL had been tracking her for some years. Thanks to Solo, they had finally captured the elusive cat burglar who managed to escape them at every turn. Sometimes it takes a thief to catch a thief, he thought to himself. Waverly studied the woman with weary eyes. They were confined to his temporary office at the American Embassy for over an hour. She barely uttered two words to him. He didn’t blame her. She was going to go to prison for a very long time. He looked down at the dossier again. There were enough charges to put her under the jail.
Grand Larceny
Conspiracy to commit larceny
Money laundering
Racketeering (all lesser charges included)
Reckless endangerment
Public endangerment
Conspiracy to aid a foreign government
Accessory to terrorism
Aiding and abetting
Obstruction of Justice
Some of the charges were decades old. Despite her mile-long rap sheet, Waverly felt compassion toward the woman. Growing up in Stravopol, Russia in the 30s couldn’t have been easy. Natalia Mishka Povlovsky was born in 1931 in one of the most impoverished cities in the country. Her mother died just five years later of consumption. Natalia’s father, Sergei Povlovsky was a hard-working man, but he never seemed to make enough to sustain his family. As a result, Natalia began her criminal career at the tender age of seven. She started off as a petty thief. It began with Pick pocketing and shoplifting until she graduated to breaking entries. At nine years old, her uncle Otto Povlovsky took her under his tutelage and began teaching her the art of lapidary. Natalia became quite accomplished at recognizing gemstones. There were rumors that she could spot a fake with the naked eye. Otto used his nieces special set of skills to increase his business by re-cutting and selling her fenced jewels.
Uncle Otto taught her well and soon Natalia branched out on her own. Although she wasn’t born rich, the thief became adept at insinuating herself in the glittering social circles of the ultra-rich. Over the years she amassed quite a bit of wealth on her own and moved her ailing father from the bitter poverty he faced in Russia, to the sandy shores of Cuba. Sergei felt right at home in communist Cuba and Natalia was content enough to try her hand at retirement. Her retreat from a life of crime was short lived. When Cuba acquired the plans for the most powerful weapon in the world with no way of using it, Sergei found himself in a Cuban prison. And Natalia was forced out of retirement.
“These are very serious charges, Ms. Povlovsky,” Waverly said in his soothing British accent. Perhaps if he tried another approach he might get some results. Waverly found the need for freedom proved to be a good motivator. “The racketeering charges alone are enough to put you away for a terribly long time.”
Natalia jerked her head away from him. She already thought of ten different ways she could escape. Waverly wasn’t an old man, but he was no spring chicken. She could take him. The air vent was the most plausible means of escape. But then she could find herself in the men’s restroom on the third floor.
“I’ve managed to avoid jail this entire time, Mr. Waverly,” Natalia said. Her voice was tense. “I think I can manage.”
“Then I understand seeing your father again isn’t very important to you?”
Of course it was! The only reason she got caught up in this nonsense was to save her father from rotting in one of Castro’s dungeons. He was innocent in all of this. Natalia’s shoulders sagged and she shifted in her chair, avoiding eye contact with him.
“And what about your uncle? Otto, is it?” Waverly pretended to glance down at her file again. “I understand he has a very lucrative diamond exchange that you help with.”
Natalia scoffed inwardly. It had been years since her involvement with Otto's business. There was no way they could link her to him. She was a child when she began her career as a jewel thief. What proof could they possibly have on her? Still, she didn’t want to see Otto thrown in jail because she got caught with her pants around her ankles. They still spent Christmas Holiday with each other. Her aunt Zoya was like a second mother to her. Natalia weighed her options. They were paper thin. If she went to jail, her father would either die alone in Cuba or they’d kill him. Her uncle Otto would go to jail, too. She was in a no-win situation. Natalia let out an audible sigh. Life in prison or a life working for whatever this poor man’s version of INTERPOL was. Either way, her freedom wouldn’t come free.
“What do you want me to do?” She said decisively.
The lines in Waverly’s face creased into a deep smile. “We want you to continue as planned. As you know, the egg was a dud. No code. We still need it.”
“And you want me to steal it for you?”
“Not exactly, no…” Waverly tucked her file into the top drawer of his desk. “We want you to pretend you are. As far as the Cuban government is concerned, you’re still on the job. We want you to continue that charade.”
Natalia nodded. “Okay… and then what?”
“We’ve gathered very good Intel about the whereabouts of Kirkoff. We believe if we put our efforts into locating him, we can end this sooner than later. That’s where you come in. I’ll explain more with the rest of the team present.”
Right. The “team”. “You mean Solo and those other two?”
“Yes. Gabby and Illya are quite capable. Illya is Russian, too. I think you all will get along. You and Solo seemed to have hit it off,” he said with a knowing smile.
Napoleon Solo. He was the reason she was in this mess. If she had followed her instincts the night they met at the DiMarco party she would be on a plane and not in this broom closet Waverly tried to call an office. “And I’ll be working for you directly from now on?”
“Not quite. I might have forgotten to mention it earlier in all the excitement, but this arrangement is purely temporary.”
“So, you’ll be throwing me in jail whether I help or not.”
“No. I have no jurisdiction in that department. But I can make recommendations. You’re sort of on loan to me from my good friends at INTERPOL. Once our mission is complete, I’ll have to transfer you back to their command.”
“Back?” she spat. “I don’t ever recall working for INTERPOL.”
“Well, that’s something that you’ll have to take up with them. But if you want my unsolicited advice, Ms. Povlovsky, I’d say take the deal.” Waverly nodded to emphasize the importance of that “deal.”
Natalia sat stonily before she spoke once more. “Fine. When do we start?”
Waverly clapped his hands together once. “Ah so glad that nasty bit of business is over,” he said with relief. “We’ll all have a briefing shortly. Not in here,” he said when he saw her look around the cramped make-shift office. “I’m still working on securing a conference room.” Natalia lifted a questioning brow causing him to flush. “In the meantime, I imagine you and Napoleon have some things to discuss.” The agent pressed a small brown button on his desk.
“Yes, Mr. Waverly,” a voice came over the intercom.
“Mrs. Branch, can you please send Mr. Solo in my office.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. Waverly,” the receptionist said, before disconnecting the intercom.
“I don’t think this is necessary,” Natalia said. She had nothing to say to the man who cost her, her freedom.
“Oh, but I think it is,” Waverly insisted before the door to his office opened and Napoleon walked in.
“Waverly,” Napoleon greeted his commanding officer.
Alexander flashed a broad smile. “I thought it would be best if you and Ms. Povlovsky got better…acquainted with each other professionally." He looked between the two of them before continuing. "Now that you will be working very closely with each other," He said before slipping out of the office.
The door closed behind them with a soft click. Natalia rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Natalia I—” Solo started.
“No need for apologies, Mr. Solo. You were only doing your job.”
Napoleon retreated from his original approach and smirked at her. “Good. Then you understand completely I had little control over this.”
Natalia whipped her head around, so she could glare at him. “You planned this the entire time!” Natalia rose from her chair to square off with him. “You roped me into your little, ‘I’m out of retirement lie’ so you could lure me into your trap. How much do you get for me? 30 thousand? 50?”
Napoleon shook his head. “I didn’t receive anything, because you weren’t the mission. The egg was.”
“Then I’m merely collateral damage, huh?”
They were both silent for a moment. Natalia didn’t take her eyes off him. She wanted to look into the face of her capture and remember it forever. She was furious. But under the anger, she was hurt. Natalia hadn’t allowed herself to feel it earlier, but now that she was alone with him again, she did. They’d only spent one night with each other, but she thought there was something kindred between them. She had sorely misjudged him.
"You lied to me about being the police,” her voice was like a dagger piercing the silence between them.
Napoleon held up a hand. “Well, now, that’s untrue. I never lied to you.”
“You said you weren’t INTERPOL.”
“And I’m not INTERPOL. I’m U.N.C.L.E.”
Natalia sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. “Same thing.”
“Hardly.”
“You arrest people, right?
“Yes—"
Take away their freedom?
“Well—”
Ruin their lives?”
“Yes, but— Ruin lives? I wouldn't go--”
“Sounds the same to me.”
“Alright, maybe there are some similarities. But anyone who gets taken in deserves it.”
Natalia’s eyes widened with disbelief. Of all the unmitigated gall! “You’re one to talk! You’re exactly like me, Solo. A thief.” Natalia began to pace as she spoke. “So, what did they do? Catch you with your hands in the cookie jar? Or did you decide to play for the other team?”
Solo sat on the edge of Waverly’s desk and watched her rage out before speaking casually. “I was caught and recruited by the CIA. That’s where I’ve been the last five years, not in retirement. About eight months ago I was recruited by U.N.C.L.E. where I will serve out the rest of my sentence.”
Natalia rolled her eyes again. Oh, this was rich. “And the entire time with me… that was all an act to get to the egg?”
Napoleon’s gaze flickered away momentarily. “The egg was part of my mission, yes,” he said carefully.
Natalia wanted to press more, but she knew some questions shouldn’t be asked. Not if you don’t really want the answers.
“But I think you should know,” Solo added. “It was never my intentions to get you caught. Had you not tried to double-cross me at Bernini’s, I would have found a way to stall long enough to give you time to get out of the country.”
“Me double-cross you! You double-crossed me first," she said.
That was a fair assessment. Solo had stolen the diamond back from her. “Only after you planned on double-crossing me. Don’t deny it, because I would have done the same if I were in your shoes.”
He was right. She had never planned on working with him to steal the egg. Her father’s life depended on her retrieving what was inside of it. In her mind, the diamond-crusted thing was worthless compared to her father’s life. “And now here we are, walking in each other’s shoes. Poetic.”
Silence fell over them again. She was still incensed. But there wasn’t anything either could do. He couldn’t change the past. She couldn’t escape her fate with INTERPOL. This was her new life. And if this meant keeping her father safe, she would have to deal with it like an adult.
“Well, now that we’re working together,” she said interrupting his thoughts. “I suppose we should establish some ground rules.”
Napoleon lifted a brow. “What do you mean?”
“We’re professionals, Solo. Teammates now. So, none of that,” she flicked her hand between them to indicate the other night. For a moment she thought he looked disappointed.
“Why? It’s not like we’d be breaking any of the rules.” Napoleon paused for a moment. “You aren’t Catholic, are you?”
Natalia rolled her eyes. “You know why. Besides, that was all part of my plan.” The lie tasted sour on her lips.
Even after everything that transpired between them, she still found him attractive. Perhaps in another life, they could have met under different circumstances. Maybe they would have teamed up together in truth. Maybe they would have gotten along with each other and spent their lives--
“On second thought, you’re right. That was all part of my plan, too.”
“Good. Then we understand each other.”
“I’d say so.”
Natalia sighed heavily. Less than twenty-four hours ago she had held the most precious gemstone known to mankind in her hand. Today, she was a secret agent with one foot in jail. Life was so unpredictable at times. “Well, now it's settled. Let’s find Waverly. He’s supposed to debrief us on the rest of the mission.”
Napoleon straightened himself up and walked the short distance to the door. Natalia wished she knew what he was thinking in that pretty, little head of his. He was very good at keeping his cool. She thought he would make a wonderful poker player. Napoleon opened the door for her. She had to squeeze between it and his sturdy frame.
“After you,” he said with a pleasant smile.
Natalia’s body brushed his and her knees grew weak. Keep it together, she scolded herself as she moved passed him.
Word Count: 2,403
Characters: Napoleon Solo, Natalia Povlovsky & Alexander Waverly
SL:The Man From U.N.C.L.E. When In Rome
Fandom: The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Prompt:#003 forgo for
100promptsRating: Mature
Summary: “These are very serious charges, Ms. Povlovsky,” Waverly said in his soothing British accent. Perhaps if he tried another approach he might get some results. Waverly found the need for freedom proved to be a good motivator. “The racketeering charges alone are enough to put you away for a terribly long time.”
Disclaimer: The story is mine, but the characters do not belong to me.
The American Embassy
The dossier he had on Natalia “The Cat” Povlovsky was thick. Thanks to his man at INTERPOL, Waverly was thoroughly versed on his most recent recruit. The arrangement was temporary, but she was one of his for the moment. As much as he would have liked to keep Natalia for the team, INTERPOL had been tracking her for some years. Thanks to Solo, they had finally captured the elusive cat burglar who managed to escape them at every turn. Sometimes it takes a thief to catch a thief, he thought to himself. Waverly studied the woman with weary eyes. They were confined to his temporary office at the American Embassy for over an hour. She barely uttered two words to him. He didn’t blame her. She was going to go to prison for a very long time. He looked down at the dossier again. There were enough charges to put her under the jail.
Grand Larceny
Conspiracy to commit larceny
Money laundering
Racketeering (all lesser charges included)
Reckless endangerment
Public endangerment
Conspiracy to aid a foreign government
Accessory to terrorism
Aiding and abetting
Obstruction of Justice
Some of the charges were decades old. Despite her mile-long rap sheet, Waverly felt compassion toward the woman. Growing up in Stravopol, Russia in the 30s couldn’t have been easy. Natalia Mishka Povlovsky was born in 1931 in one of the most impoverished cities in the country. Her mother died just five years later of consumption. Natalia’s father, Sergei Povlovsky was a hard-working man, but he never seemed to make enough to sustain his family. As a result, Natalia began her criminal career at the tender age of seven. She started off as a petty thief. It began with Pick pocketing and shoplifting until she graduated to breaking entries. At nine years old, her uncle Otto Povlovsky took her under his tutelage and began teaching her the art of lapidary. Natalia became quite accomplished at recognizing gemstones. There were rumors that she could spot a fake with the naked eye. Otto used his nieces special set of skills to increase his business by re-cutting and selling her fenced jewels.
Uncle Otto taught her well and soon Natalia branched out on her own. Although she wasn’t born rich, the thief became adept at insinuating herself in the glittering social circles of the ultra-rich. Over the years she amassed quite a bit of wealth on her own and moved her ailing father from the bitter poverty he faced in Russia, to the sandy shores of Cuba. Sergei felt right at home in communist Cuba and Natalia was content enough to try her hand at retirement. Her retreat from a life of crime was short lived. When Cuba acquired the plans for the most powerful weapon in the world with no way of using it, Sergei found himself in a Cuban prison. And Natalia was forced out of retirement.
“These are very serious charges, Ms. Povlovsky,” Waverly said in his soothing British accent. Perhaps if he tried another approach he might get some results. Waverly found the need for freedom proved to be a good motivator. “The racketeering charges alone are enough to put you away for a terribly long time.”
Natalia jerked her head away from him. She already thought of ten different ways she could escape. Waverly wasn’t an old man, but he was no spring chicken. She could take him. The air vent was the most plausible means of escape. But then she could find herself in the men’s restroom on the third floor.
“I’ve managed to avoid jail this entire time, Mr. Waverly,” Natalia said. Her voice was tense. “I think I can manage.”
“Then I understand seeing your father again isn’t very important to you?”
Of course it was! The only reason she got caught up in this nonsense was to save her father from rotting in one of Castro’s dungeons. He was innocent in all of this. Natalia’s shoulders sagged and she shifted in her chair, avoiding eye contact with him.
“And what about your uncle? Otto, is it?” Waverly pretended to glance down at her file again. “I understand he has a very lucrative diamond exchange that you help with.”
Natalia scoffed inwardly. It had been years since her involvement with Otto's business. There was no way they could link her to him. She was a child when she began her career as a jewel thief. What proof could they possibly have on her? Still, she didn’t want to see Otto thrown in jail because she got caught with her pants around her ankles. They still spent Christmas Holiday with each other. Her aunt Zoya was like a second mother to her. Natalia weighed her options. They were paper thin. If she went to jail, her father would either die alone in Cuba or they’d kill him. Her uncle Otto would go to jail, too. She was in a no-win situation. Natalia let out an audible sigh. Life in prison or a life working for whatever this poor man’s version of INTERPOL was. Either way, her freedom wouldn’t come free.
“What do you want me to do?” She said decisively.
The lines in Waverly’s face creased into a deep smile. “We want you to continue as planned. As you know, the egg was a dud. No code. We still need it.”
“And you want me to steal it for you?”
“Not exactly, no…” Waverly tucked her file into the top drawer of his desk. “We want you to pretend you are. As far as the Cuban government is concerned, you’re still on the job. We want you to continue that charade.”
Natalia nodded. “Okay… and then what?”
“We’ve gathered very good Intel about the whereabouts of Kirkoff. We believe if we put our efforts into locating him, we can end this sooner than later. That’s where you come in. I’ll explain more with the rest of the team present.”
Right. The “team”. “You mean Solo and those other two?”
“Yes. Gabby and Illya are quite capable. Illya is Russian, too. I think you all will get along. You and Solo seemed to have hit it off,” he said with a knowing smile.
Napoleon Solo. He was the reason she was in this mess. If she had followed her instincts the night they met at the DiMarco party she would be on a plane and not in this broom closet Waverly tried to call an office. “And I’ll be working for you directly from now on?”
“Not quite. I might have forgotten to mention it earlier in all the excitement, but this arrangement is purely temporary.”
“So, you’ll be throwing me in jail whether I help or not.”
“No. I have no jurisdiction in that department. But I can make recommendations. You’re sort of on loan to me from my good friends at INTERPOL. Once our mission is complete, I’ll have to transfer you back to their command.”
“Back?” she spat. “I don’t ever recall working for INTERPOL.”
“Well, that’s something that you’ll have to take up with them. But if you want my unsolicited advice, Ms. Povlovsky, I’d say take the deal.” Waverly nodded to emphasize the importance of that “deal.”
Natalia sat stonily before she spoke once more. “Fine. When do we start?”
Waverly clapped his hands together once. “Ah so glad that nasty bit of business is over,” he said with relief. “We’ll all have a briefing shortly. Not in here,” he said when he saw her look around the cramped make-shift office. “I’m still working on securing a conference room.” Natalia lifted a questioning brow causing him to flush. “In the meantime, I imagine you and Napoleon have some things to discuss.” The agent pressed a small brown button on his desk.
“Yes, Mr. Waverly,” a voice came over the intercom.
“Mrs. Branch, can you please send Mr. Solo in my office.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. Waverly,” the receptionist said, before disconnecting the intercom.
“I don’t think this is necessary,” Natalia said. She had nothing to say to the man who cost her, her freedom.
“Oh, but I think it is,” Waverly insisted before the door to his office opened and Napoleon walked in.
“Waverly,” Napoleon greeted his commanding officer.
Alexander flashed a broad smile. “I thought it would be best if you and Ms. Povlovsky got better…acquainted with each other professionally." He looked between the two of them before continuing. "Now that you will be working very closely with each other," He said before slipping out of the office.
The door closed behind them with a soft click. Natalia rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Natalia I—” Solo started.
“No need for apologies, Mr. Solo. You were only doing your job.”
Napoleon retreated from his original approach and smirked at her. “Good. Then you understand completely I had little control over this.”
Natalia whipped her head around, so she could glare at him. “You planned this the entire time!” Natalia rose from her chair to square off with him. “You roped me into your little, ‘I’m out of retirement lie’ so you could lure me into your trap. How much do you get for me? 30 thousand? 50?”
Napoleon shook his head. “I didn’t receive anything, because you weren’t the mission. The egg was.”
“Then I’m merely collateral damage, huh?”
They were both silent for a moment. Natalia didn’t take her eyes off him. She wanted to look into the face of her capture and remember it forever. She was furious. But under the anger, she was hurt. Natalia hadn’t allowed herself to feel it earlier, but now that she was alone with him again, she did. They’d only spent one night with each other, but she thought there was something kindred between them. She had sorely misjudged him.
"You lied to me about being the police,” her voice was like a dagger piercing the silence between them.
Napoleon held up a hand. “Well, now, that’s untrue. I never lied to you.”
“You said you weren’t INTERPOL.”
“And I’m not INTERPOL. I’m U.N.C.L.E.”
Natalia sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. “Same thing.”
“Hardly.”
“You arrest people, right?
“Yes—"
Take away their freedom?
“Well—”
Ruin their lives?”
“Yes, but— Ruin lives? I wouldn't go--”
“Sounds the same to me.”
“Alright, maybe there are some similarities. But anyone who gets taken in deserves it.”
Natalia’s eyes widened with disbelief. Of all the unmitigated gall! “You’re one to talk! You’re exactly like me, Solo. A thief.” Natalia began to pace as she spoke. “So, what did they do? Catch you with your hands in the cookie jar? Or did you decide to play for the other team?”
Solo sat on the edge of Waverly’s desk and watched her rage out before speaking casually. “I was caught and recruited by the CIA. That’s where I’ve been the last five years, not in retirement. About eight months ago I was recruited by U.N.C.L.E. where I will serve out the rest of my sentence.”
Natalia rolled her eyes again. Oh, this was rich. “And the entire time with me… that was all an act to get to the egg?”
Napoleon’s gaze flickered away momentarily. “The egg was part of my mission, yes,” he said carefully.
Natalia wanted to press more, but she knew some questions shouldn’t be asked. Not if you don’t really want the answers.
“But I think you should know,” Solo added. “It was never my intentions to get you caught. Had you not tried to double-cross me at Bernini’s, I would have found a way to stall long enough to give you time to get out of the country.”
“Me double-cross you! You double-crossed me first," she said.
That was a fair assessment. Solo had stolen the diamond back from her. “Only after you planned on double-crossing me. Don’t deny it, because I would have done the same if I were in your shoes.”
He was right. She had never planned on working with him to steal the egg. Her father’s life depended on her retrieving what was inside of it. In her mind, the diamond-crusted thing was worthless compared to her father’s life. “And now here we are, walking in each other’s shoes. Poetic.”
Silence fell over them again. She was still incensed. But there wasn’t anything either could do. He couldn’t change the past. She couldn’t escape her fate with INTERPOL. This was her new life. And if this meant keeping her father safe, she would have to deal with it like an adult.
“Well, now that we’re working together,” she said interrupting his thoughts. “I suppose we should establish some ground rules.”
Napoleon lifted a brow. “What do you mean?”
“We’re professionals, Solo. Teammates now. So, none of that,” she flicked her hand between them to indicate the other night. For a moment she thought he looked disappointed.
“Why? It’s not like we’d be breaking any of the rules.” Napoleon paused for a moment. “You aren’t Catholic, are you?”
Natalia rolled her eyes. “You know why. Besides, that was all part of my plan.” The lie tasted sour on her lips.
Even after everything that transpired between them, she still found him attractive. Perhaps in another life, they could have met under different circumstances. Maybe they would have teamed up together in truth. Maybe they would have gotten along with each other and spent their lives--
“On second thought, you’re right. That was all part of my plan, too.”
“Good. Then we understand each other.”
“I’d say so.”
Natalia sighed heavily. Less than twenty-four hours ago she had held the most precious gemstone known to mankind in her hand. Today, she was a secret agent with one foot in jail. Life was so unpredictable at times. “Well, now it's settled. Let’s find Waverly. He’s supposed to debrief us on the rest of the mission.”
Napoleon straightened himself up and walked the short distance to the door. Natalia wished she knew what he was thinking in that pretty, little head of his. He was very good at keeping his cool. She thought he would make a wonderful poker player. Napoleon opened the door for her. She had to squeeze between it and his sturdy frame.
“After you,” he said with a pleasant smile.
Natalia’s body brushed his and her knees grew weak. Keep it together, she scolded herself as she moved passed him.
