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100promptsTitle: In Plain Sight
Word Count: 3502
Characters: Napoleon Solo, Natalia Povlovsky, Gaby Teller, Illya Kuryakin, Maximilian Kirkoff
SL:The Man From U.N.C.L.E. When In Rome
Fandom: The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Prompt:#019 Hunted for100prompts
Rating: Mature
Summary: The trees cleared away, opening back up to the clear, white slopes. Napoleon broke through the opening at the same time he did. The two spies managed to get ahead of Kirkoff. Illya watched as Napoleon pivoted on his skis to face their opponent. He tossed his pole aside and reached inside his Parker.
Disclaimer: The story is mine, but the characters do not belong to me.The rest of the story found here When In Rome [AO3]
Maximilian Kirkoff was a man who enjoyed the finer things in life. His base of operation in Austria wasn’t the back-alley hole Solo expected. Instead, the team from UNCLE found themselves at Sölden. A ski resort that overlooked gleaming, white snow-capped mountains and plush ski hills. As far as locations go, Solo appreciated the scenery (for more reasons than one). His gaze fell on Natalia. The Russian beauty was dressed head to toe in a white snowsuit that fit to perfection. She completed her outfit with a white, fur Cossack that made her look even more foreign and exotic. They all looked good. Even Peril.
The foursome sat in the great hall of the ski lodge together. To outsiders, they were two couples on a ski holiday. Upon closer inspection, they would notice Illya’s shrewd unblinking stare trained on the main entrance. Or the way Solo sat at the ready. They all had the same objective, bring in Maximilian Kirkoff alive. Waverly was sure to emphasize the word alive when he gave his orders to Illya and Solo.
Solo stood at the concierge desk and waited his turn. He’d already worked out what he was going to say to the German hostess in charge of guest relations. The spy plastered on his most charming smile and moved up the line.
“Hello, I’m Nick Dempsey,” he introduced himself using the same name from Rome. It was easier for him to remember.
“Good Afternoon, Mr. Dempsey.” The woman spoke English with a heavy German accent. “How can I help you?”
Solo leaned against the desk as if he was about to share something very confidential. “I’m looking for someone. An old friend of mine. He goes by Kirkoff, Maximilian Kirkoff. I need to know what room he’s staying in.”
The concierge frowned and shook her hair. “I’m sorry, Mr. Dempsey, I’m afraid I cannot give you that information.”
“Really? You see, Maxi and I made plans to meet here at this resort this weekend. I’m sure of it. And try as I might, I haven’t been able to find him. I know I’m asking you to break all the rules, but…”
The girl glanced briefly to her left and right before she looked through the list of guests. “I’m sorry, Mr. Dempsey,” she said a few minutes later. “I don’t believe we have any Maximilian Kirkoff staying at this resort. Perhaps you are mistaken.” She gave Solo an empathetic look.
Alright. He was going to have to try another tactic. Solo nodded his head and pretended to turn away. “Just one more thing,” he hedged. “Sometimes my friend likes to go by a different name. You know, for privacy reasons. Could his reservation be under a different name?”
“I don’t know…”
Solo placed his hands over his heart and gave her a wounded look. “Please, Johanna,” he said reading her name tag. “He and I served in the military together. We promised each other that if we made it out alive, we would meet here on this very weekend.”
Johanna sighed and looked through the guest records again. After a few seconds, she motioned for him to come closer and whispered the name Kurt Voss in his ear. Solo took her hand in his and flashed another smile before kissing it.
“Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me.”
“Please don’t tell anyone what I’ve done. I could get into a lot of trouble, Mr. Dempsey.”
“Oh, don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.”
The hostess smiled while she scribbled something on a slip of paper. She slid it across the desk toward him. Solo looked down at the cabin number she scrawled on it. “Is this his room number?”
Johanna smiled. “No. It’s mine. I get off at seven,” she said before calling up the next guest.
Solo looked down at the room number again. A few weeks ago, he’d have entertained it and Johanna for the night. Solo’s eyes darted toward Natalia, she was speaking casually to Gaby on the other side of the room. As much as he wanted to be interested in the number, he couldn’t muster a single reason to show up at seven. Only one woman that piqued his interest these days. Solo made his way toward the over sized fireplace. He furtively tossed the paper into the fire when he was sure Johanna wasn’t looking. The hostess didn’t notice. But Natalia did and a small smile tilted the corner of her lips. Solo watched the paper burn for a few moments before joining his team.
“Well, what did she say after you finished flirting with her?” Illya asked.
“If you must know, I wasn’t the one doing the flirting,” Illya grunted. He didn’t believe him. “Anyway, Maxi is here. He’s assumed the name, Kurt Voss. The resort isn’t that big. We can track him down soon. In the meantime, keep your eyes open,” he said to his team.
After spending an hour in the lodge, the team decided to take their surveillance to the slopes. Napoleon hadn’t noticed anything unusual. There was a man with dark skin and heavy mustache sitting alone in the den. But after watching him for a few minutes, the spy decided he wasn’t anyone of interest.
According to some of the guests, “Mr. Voss” was an avid skier and spent most of his time mastering Sölden’s courses. The day was cold and crisp with the sun hanging in a cloudless blue sky. It was perfect for a day to be out on the slopes. If Napoleon wasn’t careful, he’d lull himself into thinking their stay at the resort was a real holiday. It certainly felt like it.
The men helped Gaby and Natalia unto the ski lift before joining them. Gaby let out an excited gasp as they soared over the resort’s breathtaking view. Napoleon bit back a smirk when he noticed she’d forgotten to stay upset with Illya. The two sat close together on the narrow wooden bench. Illya’s lips twitched with a secret smile. Napoleon shook his head. Those two really ought to get on with it, he thought to himself. Beside him, Natalia used a small pair of gold binoculars to peer down at the other guests.
“Casing the place?” he asked close to hear.
Natalia let out a sultry laugh before answering, “Old habits. But no. I’m keeping an eye out on our scientist friend. Care to have a look?” She handed him the binoculars.
Napoleon handled the gold-plated binoculars with care. The resort was popular with couples and families. The slopes were busy that day. He could see why Kirkoff had chosen it. Hiding in plain sight. Smart. Napoleon handed the field glasses back to Natalia and gazed over the mountain tops. For a moment, he imagined they were all friends; two couples on a winter holiday together. He glanced up at Peril and snickered to himself. Oh, who was he kidding? He and Peril friends outside of work? They were barely friends while on the job. The cozy atmosphere was clouding his sense of reality.
“I think I see him!” Natalia alerted her teammates.
“Where?” Gaby peered over Illya’s shoulder for a better look.
“Just over there. In the blue.” Natalia pointed a gloved finger at the man she believed was Kirkoff.
They all trained their eyes in the direction Natalia pointed. From that distance, Solo couldn’t be sure if it was him or not. The man in blue appeared to be the same height. It could be him. “Are you sure?”
“Nearly positive.” Natalia positioned herself to make the jump.
“Peril and I should go,” Solo said.
Natalia tossed back a look that said otherwise. “No. I think this needs a woman’s touch. Maybe even two. Gaby, shall we?” She asked her new partner.
Solo and Illya watched speechlessly as the two women made the jump together. Illya’s body tensed. He didn’t take his eyes off Gaby until she landed safely on the snowy ground below.
“She’ll be alright, Peril,” Solo assured him.
“Of course.” There was a hint of pride in his tone. Gaby landed without so much of wobble. The two men watched their women ski toward Kirkoff. “We should stay close,” he said before leaping off the ski lift behind them.
++++
Natalia skied like an expert Olympian toward her mark. A lot was riding on Kirkoff’s capture. Unlike the rest of her team, this was personal. She thought about her father again and wondered how Waverly would make good on his promise. Would they use Kirkoff as a bargaining tool to get her father back? It had also occurred to her several times that Waverly may be using her. Just as Solo had used her to get to the egg. Lately, her instincts were all askew. Until she had her father back safe and sound, her entire life was in a state of panic.
“He’s over there,” Gaby said coming up beside her.
They moved down the easy slope in tandem. Natalia wasn’t sure what they were going to do when they finally got to Kirkoff. But she had enough experience with men to know that it didn’t take rocket science. Men were easy. Kirkoff was standing with another man speaking casually in German. The two women hung off to the side and turned their backs toward him so they could strategize their next move.
“How do you want to do this?” Gaby asked her.
Natalia glanced back at their target. Natalia smiled down at Gaby. “Just do whatever it is you that makes Illya do that thing with his face.”
“Wait, What thing?”
Natalia tilted her head to the side. Oh, come on. She had to know. “You know, that thing,” She said before skiing toward Kirkoff again.
Natalia wasn’t sure what she was going to do until she plowed right into the German scientist. They toppled over into the powdery snow together. She braced her hands on either side of his head and looked down at him. “I’m so sorry,” she apologized, scrambling to her feet. Natalia pretended to lose her balance again, forcing the man to steady her.
“You should really watch where you’re going,” Kirkoff said annoyed. “This run is no place for armatures.”
Natalia dusted some snow off her legs. “My apologies. First time.”
Kirkoff looked at her with cold grey eyes. He looked at his friend and said something Natalia couldn’t understand. Oh, no, she had miscalculated this one.
“Pardon my friend,” Gaby said in German once she was on top of the group of skiers. “She can be a little clumsy at times.”
Kirkoff warmed to the sound of another German accent. “Perhaps you should keep a better eye on her then.”
Gaby smiled and kept her eye on the man. “I try, but you know how silly us women can be.”
Kirkoff and his friend laughed. “A woman who is self-aware. You don’t see that too often, do you, Friedrich? They laughed again.
The two men turned away from the women and began to speak in German in hushed tones. Natalia looked between the Germans unable to decipher what they were saying. But her instincts told her the men were having a laugh at her expense. It didn’t matter. If all went to plan, she would have the last laugh.
“Often. try never.” The two men laughed again. “I’m Friedrich and that’s my friend Kurt,” the second man introduced himself.
The group made their introductions. Natalia and Gaby didn’t bother giving them fake names. They didn’t plan on being in Austria long enough to leave a footprint. The man called Friedrich gave Gaby an approving once over. He leaned in and whispered something in his companions’ ear. Kirkoff glanced at Natalia and frowned before nodding his head.
“My friend and I would like to know if you ladies will join us for an early dinner this evening,” Kirkoff said in English.
Natalia looked over at Gaby. The other woman gave a slight nod of her head. “We’d love to join you,” she answered.
“Good. We’ll see you back at the lodge at 4 P.M., then?” he said.
Natalia smiled. “Yes. We’ll be there.”
“Auf Wiedersehen,” Kirkoff said. The two men bowed their heads slightly before taking off down the slope together.
Natalia watched them until they became two blue dots in the distance. “That was close,” she said to Gaby. “I almost blew it.”
“It doesn’t matter. We’ll meet them at dinner and figure out a way to get that code from Kirkoff.
“What was that all about?” Napoleon said, appearing out of nowhere with Illya close by his side.
“We’ve got a date,” Gaby said proudly.
“A date?” Illya’s face darkened. His hands clenched into two fists at his sides.
Natalia’s eyes connected with Solo’s and the two of them shared a secret laugh. “Yes, thanks to Gaby. Whatever you said must have really impressed them.”
“It was nothing.” She smiled at Natalia with an excited gleam in her eyes. “I wonder what we’ll wear.”
“You won’t be wearing anything. Well, to dinner that is. Illya and I will take it from here.”
“What?!” Natalia and Gaby spoke at once.
“I agree with, Cowboy,” Illya said. “We will handle the men.”
“And what will you have us do? Sit around and braid each other’s hair?” Gaby asked.
Illya shrugged. “If you want. It’s a free country,” he said repeating her words from earlier.
Gaby rolled her eyes and made an exasperated sound. “Men!”
Natalia shook her head. Typical. As much as she would have liked to get in on the action, She was relieved she wouldn’t have to go on the date. “We’re supposed to meet them at four,” she said.
“Alright, we have a dinner date.” Solo looked at Illya. “Make sure to wear something pretty,” he said to the other man.
++++
Illya watched Kirkoff and his friend from the bar. The Russian spy waved off the bartenders offer for a drink and kept his eyes trained on his mark. He could see Napoleon sitting alone from the corner of his eye at the edge of the dining hall. The plan was to get Kirkoff alone and get the code from him by force if necessary. With Gaby and Natalia safe in their room, he and Napoleon were free to handle the German any way they saw fit. Waverly said to bring him back alive. He didn’t say unscratched.
The one called Friedrich excused himself from the table. Illya gave Napoleon a slight nod and followed the man out of the formal restaurant. He trailed behind Friedrich at a safe distance down the hall and into the men’s room. The two men met at the latrine. Friedrich gave Illya a brief nod and turned to look straight ahead. Illya picked a spot on the wall and kept his eyes focused on it as Friedrich relieved himself. He waited until the man pulled himself out of his pants before using his forearm to cut across the man’s throat.
Friedrich ducked in time to miss the powerful blow from connecting with his neck. Illya cursed under his breath and made another swing at the man’s face. This time it connected, sending him staggering back into a bathroom stall. Illya wrapped his hand around the top of the door frame and pulled his body upward before dealing out a sharp kick to the center of Friedrich’s chest. The man sagged down into the toilet with a painful groan. Illya shook his head. Too easy. He almost felt bad punching him again. The last blow left Kirkoff’s companion knocked out against the stall. Illya closed the door behind him. As he exited the bathroom another man walked in.
He shook his head. “I wouldn’t go in there if I were you.”
The man tried to peer over Illya’s shoulder “I, uh, I’ll just wait a few.”
“Good idea,” Illya said and made his way back to the restaurant. They didn’t have much time.
As soon as he returned to the dining room, Napoleon stood to his feet. The American spy walked over to Kirkoff’s table and sat down uninvited. Illya watched the exchange from a distance. Napoleon said something to Kirkoff, causing him to frown. Sensing something was about to happen, Illya joined his partner at the table.
“I see you’re not alone,” Kirkoff said looking between the two men.
“No. And like I said earlier,” Napoleon said calmly. “You can come with us quietly or—”
“We can do this hard way,” Illya interjected.
The German scientist looked between the two spies and smirked. “You two don’t scare me. What do you want? Whatever it is, I can assure you I don’t have it.”
“The Code,” Napoleon said.
“What code?”
“The code. Don’t play dumb. He doesn’t like it when people play dumb.” Napoleon nodded toward Illya.
Illya grunted and leaned forward menacingly. He started to say something when he noticed Gaby and Natalia walking into the restaurant. Didn’t they tell them to stay in their rooms! Women. Distracted, Illya looked up in time to see Kirkoff toss his drink in Napoleon’s face, stunning him. Illya stood up just as Kirkoff made a swing for his face, catching him in the jaw. He staggered back dazed by the punch. He shook his head to clear it. Kirkoff took that moment to push past the two spies, knocking Illya into a waiter. Dishes clattered to the floor and the waiter let out a string of German obscenities. Kirkoff ran toward Gaby and Natalia. The two women tried to block him, but he overpowered them, knocking Gaby to the restaurant floor. Furious, Illya stalked toward the exit. His face was placid but his eyes held a deadly glint.
Napoleon threw the napkin he used to wipe his face down on the table and followed behind his partner. “We told you to stay in your room,” he said as he passed the women. He didn’t give either of them time to respond. Solo followed Illya outside. It was still early, and the sun hadn’t set. People were still enjoying the slopes.
“Over there!” He pointed toward Kirkoff.
The man was running toward the snowmobile rentals. They watched as Kirkoff pushed a woman off the back of the machine and forced the man she was with to drive at gunpoint.
“Let’s go!” Illya said ahead of him. He grabbed a pair of skis, ignoring the owner and locked his boots into place.
Napoleon shrugged apologetically and followed behind his partner. Kirkoff had a good head start, but the two men were close behind. They raced down the slopes cutting around oblivious guests. Illya leaned forward, forcing his weight to carry him even faster down the snowy hill. He was determined to get the man who momentarily bested him and knocked down his woman. He only had one target and it was just a few feet ahead of him.
Kirkoff turned around stunned to see Illya so close. Panicked, the German reached inside of his coat and pulled out a gun. Wild shots rang out loudly as they flew down the mountain. Illya zig-zagged, avoiding the bullets. Solo did the same.
“You go left!” Napoleon yelled once he was close enough for Illya to hear him. He motioned with his hands so his partner could understand.
The Russian gave a curt nod of his head and leaned left. He cut down a second path and continued down the slope with trees to the left and right of him. He could see the snowmobile between the bare branches on the right. Kirkoff had gotten rid of the driver and was now manning the machine alone. Good. Less casualties he thought. The trees cleared away, opening back up to the clear, white slopes. Napoleon broke through the opening at the same time he did. The two spies managed to get ahead of Kirkoff. Illya watched as Napoleon pivoted on his skis to face their opponent. He tossed his pole aside and reached inside his Parker.
“No!” Illya yelled when he saw his partner pull his gun. Instead of shooting at Kirkoff, Solo shot at the tires of the snowmobile. The machine careened into a nearby snowbank. Illya turned his feet sending a cloud of snow into the air. He dug his ski pole into the ground until he was at a standstill. Without his pole, Napoleon continued down the mountain on his own. Illya watched his partner for a few moments. He’ll stop eventually, he thought. Illya leaned down and quickly unlatched his boots. At that moment, Kirkoff climbed out of the snow just as Illya freed himself. The two men took off running. With one long leap, Illya tackled Kirkoff down toward the snow. The two men grappled around on the floor until Illya got the upper hand.
“No one touches my woman,” he said and slammed his fist into Kirkoff’s face knocking him out cold.
Word Count: 3502
Characters: Napoleon Solo, Natalia Povlovsky, Gaby Teller, Illya Kuryakin, Maximilian Kirkoff
SL:The Man From U.N.C.L.E. When In Rome
Fandom: The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Prompt:#019 Hunted for
100promptsRating: Mature
Summary: The trees cleared away, opening back up to the clear, white slopes. Napoleon broke through the opening at the same time he did. The two spies managed to get ahead of Kirkoff. Illya watched as Napoleon pivoted on his skis to face their opponent. He tossed his pole aside and reached inside his Parker.
Disclaimer: The story is mine, but the characters do not belong to me.The rest of the story found here When In Rome [AO3]
Maximilian Kirkoff was a man who enjoyed the finer things in life. His base of operation in Austria wasn’t the back-alley hole Solo expected. Instead, the team from UNCLE found themselves at Sölden. A ski resort that overlooked gleaming, white snow-capped mountains and plush ski hills. As far as locations go, Solo appreciated the scenery (for more reasons than one). His gaze fell on Natalia. The Russian beauty was dressed head to toe in a white snowsuit that fit to perfection. She completed her outfit with a white, fur Cossack that made her look even more foreign and exotic. They all looked good. Even Peril.
The foursome sat in the great hall of the ski lodge together. To outsiders, they were two couples on a ski holiday. Upon closer inspection, they would notice Illya’s shrewd unblinking stare trained on the main entrance. Or the way Solo sat at the ready. They all had the same objective, bring in Maximilian Kirkoff alive. Waverly was sure to emphasize the word alive when he gave his orders to Illya and Solo.
Solo stood at the concierge desk and waited his turn. He’d already worked out what he was going to say to the German hostess in charge of guest relations. The spy plastered on his most charming smile and moved up the line.
“Hello, I’m Nick Dempsey,” he introduced himself using the same name from Rome. It was easier for him to remember.
“Good Afternoon, Mr. Dempsey.” The woman spoke English with a heavy German accent. “How can I help you?”
Solo leaned against the desk as if he was about to share something very confidential. “I’m looking for someone. An old friend of mine. He goes by Kirkoff, Maximilian Kirkoff. I need to know what room he’s staying in.”
The concierge frowned and shook her hair. “I’m sorry, Mr. Dempsey, I’m afraid I cannot give you that information.”
“Really? You see, Maxi and I made plans to meet here at this resort this weekend. I’m sure of it. And try as I might, I haven’t been able to find him. I know I’m asking you to break all the rules, but…”
The girl glanced briefly to her left and right before she looked through the list of guests. “I’m sorry, Mr. Dempsey,” she said a few minutes later. “I don’t believe we have any Maximilian Kirkoff staying at this resort. Perhaps you are mistaken.” She gave Solo an empathetic look.
Alright. He was going to have to try another tactic. Solo nodded his head and pretended to turn away. “Just one more thing,” he hedged. “Sometimes my friend likes to go by a different name. You know, for privacy reasons. Could his reservation be under a different name?”
“I don’t know…”
Solo placed his hands over his heart and gave her a wounded look. “Please, Johanna,” he said reading her name tag. “He and I served in the military together. We promised each other that if we made it out alive, we would meet here on this very weekend.”
Johanna sighed and looked through the guest records again. After a few seconds, she motioned for him to come closer and whispered the name Kurt Voss in his ear. Solo took her hand in his and flashed another smile before kissing it.
“Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me.”
“Please don’t tell anyone what I’ve done. I could get into a lot of trouble, Mr. Dempsey.”
“Oh, don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.”
The hostess smiled while she scribbled something on a slip of paper. She slid it across the desk toward him. Solo looked down at the cabin number she scrawled on it. “Is this his room number?”
Johanna smiled. “No. It’s mine. I get off at seven,” she said before calling up the next guest.
Solo looked down at the room number again. A few weeks ago, he’d have entertained it and Johanna for the night. Solo’s eyes darted toward Natalia, she was speaking casually to Gaby on the other side of the room. As much as he wanted to be interested in the number, he couldn’t muster a single reason to show up at seven. Only one woman that piqued his interest these days. Solo made his way toward the over sized fireplace. He furtively tossed the paper into the fire when he was sure Johanna wasn’t looking. The hostess didn’t notice. But Natalia did and a small smile tilted the corner of her lips. Solo watched the paper burn for a few moments before joining his team.
“Well, what did she say after you finished flirting with her?” Illya asked.
“If you must know, I wasn’t the one doing the flirting,” Illya grunted. He didn’t believe him. “Anyway, Maxi is here. He’s assumed the name, Kurt Voss. The resort isn’t that big. We can track him down soon. In the meantime, keep your eyes open,” he said to his team.
After spending an hour in the lodge, the team decided to take their surveillance to the slopes. Napoleon hadn’t noticed anything unusual. There was a man with dark skin and heavy mustache sitting alone in the den. But after watching him for a few minutes, the spy decided he wasn’t anyone of interest.
According to some of the guests, “Mr. Voss” was an avid skier and spent most of his time mastering Sölden’s courses. The day was cold and crisp with the sun hanging in a cloudless blue sky. It was perfect for a day to be out on the slopes. If Napoleon wasn’t careful, he’d lull himself into thinking their stay at the resort was a real holiday. It certainly felt like it.
The men helped Gaby and Natalia unto the ski lift before joining them. Gaby let out an excited gasp as they soared over the resort’s breathtaking view. Napoleon bit back a smirk when he noticed she’d forgotten to stay upset with Illya. The two sat close together on the narrow wooden bench. Illya’s lips twitched with a secret smile. Napoleon shook his head. Those two really ought to get on with it, he thought to himself. Beside him, Natalia used a small pair of gold binoculars to peer down at the other guests.
“Casing the place?” he asked close to hear.
Natalia let out a sultry laugh before answering, “Old habits. But no. I’m keeping an eye out on our scientist friend. Care to have a look?” She handed him the binoculars.
Napoleon handled the gold-plated binoculars with care. The resort was popular with couples and families. The slopes were busy that day. He could see why Kirkoff had chosen it. Hiding in plain sight. Smart. Napoleon handed the field glasses back to Natalia and gazed over the mountain tops. For a moment, he imagined they were all friends; two couples on a winter holiday together. He glanced up at Peril and snickered to himself. Oh, who was he kidding? He and Peril friends outside of work? They were barely friends while on the job. The cozy atmosphere was clouding his sense of reality.
“I think I see him!” Natalia alerted her teammates.
“Where?” Gaby peered over Illya’s shoulder for a better look.
“Just over there. In the blue.” Natalia pointed a gloved finger at the man she believed was Kirkoff.
They all trained their eyes in the direction Natalia pointed. From that distance, Solo couldn’t be sure if it was him or not. The man in blue appeared to be the same height. It could be him. “Are you sure?”
“Nearly positive.” Natalia positioned herself to make the jump.
“Peril and I should go,” Solo said.
Natalia tossed back a look that said otherwise. “No. I think this needs a woman’s touch. Maybe even two. Gaby, shall we?” She asked her new partner.
Solo and Illya watched speechlessly as the two women made the jump together. Illya’s body tensed. He didn’t take his eyes off Gaby until she landed safely on the snowy ground below.
“She’ll be alright, Peril,” Solo assured him.
“Of course.” There was a hint of pride in his tone. Gaby landed without so much of wobble. The two men watched their women ski toward Kirkoff. “We should stay close,” he said before leaping off the ski lift behind them.
++++
Natalia skied like an expert Olympian toward her mark. A lot was riding on Kirkoff’s capture. Unlike the rest of her team, this was personal. She thought about her father again and wondered how Waverly would make good on his promise. Would they use Kirkoff as a bargaining tool to get her father back? It had also occurred to her several times that Waverly may be using her. Just as Solo had used her to get to the egg. Lately, her instincts were all askew. Until she had her father back safe and sound, her entire life was in a state of panic.
“He’s over there,” Gaby said coming up beside her.
They moved down the easy slope in tandem. Natalia wasn’t sure what they were going to do when they finally got to Kirkoff. But she had enough experience with men to know that it didn’t take rocket science. Men were easy. Kirkoff was standing with another man speaking casually in German. The two women hung off to the side and turned their backs toward him so they could strategize their next move.
“How do you want to do this?” Gaby asked her.
Natalia glanced back at their target. Natalia smiled down at Gaby. “Just do whatever it is you that makes Illya do that thing with his face.”
“Wait, What thing?”
Natalia tilted her head to the side. Oh, come on. She had to know. “You know, that thing,” She said before skiing toward Kirkoff again.
Natalia wasn’t sure what she was going to do until she plowed right into the German scientist. They toppled over into the powdery snow together. She braced her hands on either side of his head and looked down at him. “I’m so sorry,” she apologized, scrambling to her feet. Natalia pretended to lose her balance again, forcing the man to steady her.
“You should really watch where you’re going,” Kirkoff said annoyed. “This run is no place for armatures.”
Natalia dusted some snow off her legs. “My apologies. First time.”
Kirkoff looked at her with cold grey eyes. He looked at his friend and said something Natalia couldn’t understand. Oh, no, she had miscalculated this one.
“Pardon my friend,” Gaby said in German once she was on top of the group of skiers. “She can be a little clumsy at times.”
Kirkoff warmed to the sound of another German accent. “Perhaps you should keep a better eye on her then.”
Gaby smiled and kept her eye on the man. “I try, but you know how silly us women can be.”
Kirkoff and his friend laughed. “A woman who is self-aware. You don’t see that too often, do you, Friedrich? They laughed again.
The two men turned away from the women and began to speak in German in hushed tones. Natalia looked between the Germans unable to decipher what they were saying. But her instincts told her the men were having a laugh at her expense. It didn’t matter. If all went to plan, she would have the last laugh.
“Often. try never.” The two men laughed again. “I’m Friedrich and that’s my friend Kurt,” the second man introduced himself.
The group made their introductions. Natalia and Gaby didn’t bother giving them fake names. They didn’t plan on being in Austria long enough to leave a footprint. The man called Friedrich gave Gaby an approving once over. He leaned in and whispered something in his companions’ ear. Kirkoff glanced at Natalia and frowned before nodding his head.
“My friend and I would like to know if you ladies will join us for an early dinner this evening,” Kirkoff said in English.
Natalia looked over at Gaby. The other woman gave a slight nod of her head. “We’d love to join you,” she answered.
“Good. We’ll see you back at the lodge at 4 P.M., then?” he said.
Natalia smiled. “Yes. We’ll be there.”
“Auf Wiedersehen,” Kirkoff said. The two men bowed their heads slightly before taking off down the slope together.
Natalia watched them until they became two blue dots in the distance. “That was close,” she said to Gaby. “I almost blew it.”
“It doesn’t matter. We’ll meet them at dinner and figure out a way to get that code from Kirkoff.
“What was that all about?” Napoleon said, appearing out of nowhere with Illya close by his side.
“We’ve got a date,” Gaby said proudly.
“A date?” Illya’s face darkened. His hands clenched into two fists at his sides.
Natalia’s eyes connected with Solo’s and the two of them shared a secret laugh. “Yes, thanks to Gaby. Whatever you said must have really impressed them.”
“It was nothing.” She smiled at Natalia with an excited gleam in her eyes. “I wonder what we’ll wear.”
“You won’t be wearing anything. Well, to dinner that is. Illya and I will take it from here.”
“What?!” Natalia and Gaby spoke at once.
“I agree with, Cowboy,” Illya said. “We will handle the men.”
“And what will you have us do? Sit around and braid each other’s hair?” Gaby asked.
Illya shrugged. “If you want. It’s a free country,” he said repeating her words from earlier.
Gaby rolled her eyes and made an exasperated sound. “Men!”
Natalia shook her head. Typical. As much as she would have liked to get in on the action, She was relieved she wouldn’t have to go on the date. “We’re supposed to meet them at four,” she said.
“Alright, we have a dinner date.” Solo looked at Illya. “Make sure to wear something pretty,” he said to the other man.
++++
Illya watched Kirkoff and his friend from the bar. The Russian spy waved off the bartenders offer for a drink and kept his eyes trained on his mark. He could see Napoleon sitting alone from the corner of his eye at the edge of the dining hall. The plan was to get Kirkoff alone and get the code from him by force if necessary. With Gaby and Natalia safe in their room, he and Napoleon were free to handle the German any way they saw fit. Waverly said to bring him back alive. He didn’t say unscratched.
The one called Friedrich excused himself from the table. Illya gave Napoleon a slight nod and followed the man out of the formal restaurant. He trailed behind Friedrich at a safe distance down the hall and into the men’s room. The two men met at the latrine. Friedrich gave Illya a brief nod and turned to look straight ahead. Illya picked a spot on the wall and kept his eyes focused on it as Friedrich relieved himself. He waited until the man pulled himself out of his pants before using his forearm to cut across the man’s throat.
Friedrich ducked in time to miss the powerful blow from connecting with his neck. Illya cursed under his breath and made another swing at the man’s face. This time it connected, sending him staggering back into a bathroom stall. Illya wrapped his hand around the top of the door frame and pulled his body upward before dealing out a sharp kick to the center of Friedrich’s chest. The man sagged down into the toilet with a painful groan. Illya shook his head. Too easy. He almost felt bad punching him again. The last blow left Kirkoff’s companion knocked out against the stall. Illya closed the door behind him. As he exited the bathroom another man walked in.
He shook his head. “I wouldn’t go in there if I were you.”
The man tried to peer over Illya’s shoulder “I, uh, I’ll just wait a few.”
“Good idea,” Illya said and made his way back to the restaurant. They didn’t have much time.
As soon as he returned to the dining room, Napoleon stood to his feet. The American spy walked over to Kirkoff’s table and sat down uninvited. Illya watched the exchange from a distance. Napoleon said something to Kirkoff, causing him to frown. Sensing something was about to happen, Illya joined his partner at the table.
“I see you’re not alone,” Kirkoff said looking between the two men.
“No. And like I said earlier,” Napoleon said calmly. “You can come with us quietly or—”
“We can do this hard way,” Illya interjected.
The German scientist looked between the two spies and smirked. “You two don’t scare me. What do you want? Whatever it is, I can assure you I don’t have it.”
“The Code,” Napoleon said.
“What code?”
“The code. Don’t play dumb. He doesn’t like it when people play dumb.” Napoleon nodded toward Illya.
Illya grunted and leaned forward menacingly. He started to say something when he noticed Gaby and Natalia walking into the restaurant. Didn’t they tell them to stay in their rooms! Women. Distracted, Illya looked up in time to see Kirkoff toss his drink in Napoleon’s face, stunning him. Illya stood up just as Kirkoff made a swing for his face, catching him in the jaw. He staggered back dazed by the punch. He shook his head to clear it. Kirkoff took that moment to push past the two spies, knocking Illya into a waiter. Dishes clattered to the floor and the waiter let out a string of German obscenities. Kirkoff ran toward Gaby and Natalia. The two women tried to block him, but he overpowered them, knocking Gaby to the restaurant floor. Furious, Illya stalked toward the exit. His face was placid but his eyes held a deadly glint.
Napoleon threw the napkin he used to wipe his face down on the table and followed behind his partner. “We told you to stay in your room,” he said as he passed the women. He didn’t give either of them time to respond. Solo followed Illya outside. It was still early, and the sun hadn’t set. People were still enjoying the slopes.
“Over there!” He pointed toward Kirkoff.
The man was running toward the snowmobile rentals. They watched as Kirkoff pushed a woman off the back of the machine and forced the man she was with to drive at gunpoint.
“Let’s go!” Illya said ahead of him. He grabbed a pair of skis, ignoring the owner and locked his boots into place.
Napoleon shrugged apologetically and followed behind his partner. Kirkoff had a good head start, but the two men were close behind. They raced down the slopes cutting around oblivious guests. Illya leaned forward, forcing his weight to carry him even faster down the snowy hill. He was determined to get the man who momentarily bested him and knocked down his woman. He only had one target and it was just a few feet ahead of him.
Kirkoff turned around stunned to see Illya so close. Panicked, the German reached inside of his coat and pulled out a gun. Wild shots rang out loudly as they flew down the mountain. Illya zig-zagged, avoiding the bullets. Solo did the same.
“You go left!” Napoleon yelled once he was close enough for Illya to hear him. He motioned with his hands so his partner could understand.
The Russian gave a curt nod of his head and leaned left. He cut down a second path and continued down the slope with trees to the left and right of him. He could see the snowmobile between the bare branches on the right. Kirkoff had gotten rid of the driver and was now manning the machine alone. Good. Less casualties he thought. The trees cleared away, opening back up to the clear, white slopes. Napoleon broke through the opening at the same time he did. The two spies managed to get ahead of Kirkoff. Illya watched as Napoleon pivoted on his skis to face their opponent. He tossed his pole aside and reached inside his Parker.
“No!” Illya yelled when he saw his partner pull his gun. Instead of shooting at Kirkoff, Solo shot at the tires of the snowmobile. The machine careened into a nearby snowbank. Illya turned his feet sending a cloud of snow into the air. He dug his ski pole into the ground until he was at a standstill. Without his pole, Napoleon continued down the mountain on his own. Illya watched his partner for a few moments. He’ll stop eventually, he thought. Illya leaned down and quickly unlatched his boots. At that moment, Kirkoff climbed out of the snow just as Illya freed himself. The two men took off running. With one long leap, Illya tackled Kirkoff down toward the snow. The two men grappled around on the floor until Illya got the upper hand.
“No one touches my woman,” he said and slammed his fist into Kirkoff’s face knocking him out cold.
