"I think they’re safe for the moment. Now, to get our badges."
    "Reception, Illya?"
    "Exactly," he replied happier now that he knew that THRUSH, as yet, had not harmed anyone inside U.N.C.L.E..
    Landa watched as Kuryakin pushed another button and yet another door slid silently open, this time revealing reception and one frightened girl huddled under the desk. Kuryakin was quickly out, keeping low to avoid any surveillance cameras, he pulled her to the floor and kissed her long and full on the lips.
    "Illya!" she gasped.
    "Well, as napoleon is all tied up at the moment I have to do his job as well as mine."
    Fear and bewilderment lit her face yet she managed a weak smile and a faint blush of hope added slight colour to her cheeks. Perhaps in other circumstances the romantic mood might have blossomed had not Landa skidded across the floor knocking Kuryakin flat.
    "Thank you! Did you have orders from Solo?"
    "It’s hopeless, hopeless!"

    "Calm down, what is hopeless?"
    "Just down the corridor is a large machine with a big blue dome. It’s humming and flashing on and off like one of those things in England… Those things on Zebra crossings… Blinker Beacons…"
    "The Blinker Stopper I think you might find it is. Jamming everything Uncle has. I think we need to blow it up."
    "Illya, there’s about twenty men guarding it, we wouldn’t get halfway up the corridor!"
    "Pessimism is not in the handbook, gambling is. Not down the corridor, on top of it… To the armoury, my friend, we need more weapons I think." He wanted to add that he also needed Solo and his expertise but his partner’s rescue would have to wait.
    "Illya? Please be careful!"
    "We have a date tomorrow, yes? I’ll be there."

Blood stained the usually crisp white shirt from the constant chaffing of the ropes as Solo tried in vain to loosen them. A wordless conversation was taking place between him and Waverly, nods, twitches and eye contact were used to try and format a plan. Every piece of escape aiding equipment had been removed from their person and the situation was becoming desperate. Constant taunts were being thrown at Waverly by the THRUSH guards including jabbing him in the ribs with his own cane. Solo noted how remarkably calm the old man remained, often addressing the men as if they were small children incapable of understanding adult conversation. The outcome was always another taunt and another bruise.
    Solo was puzzled by Jackson’s unconsciousness, even though a headache still lurked, most of the affects of the gas had worn off yet Jackson still slept. He couldn’t help but notice that the ropes tying the agent to the chair were loose and one look back at Waverly brought the whispered answer.
    "Think about it, Mr Solo."
    Even as he began to piece together the happening of the last few weeks three men entered whom Solo instantly recognized as being from THRUSH Central. One, known only to Solo as Mega was known to be the top agent and he stood grinning in triumph as he surveyed the captives. Even as Mega spat at Waverly the old man’s eyes betrayed a satisfied smile and realization finally reached Solo. Everything was a double bluff, Jackson was working for THRUSH, feeding them only the information that Waverly wanted sent. Kuryakin had supposedly been suspended from U.N.C.L.E. after abandoning his men. Jackson’s statement had been that Kuryakin was injured by a stray bullet while running away from the fight. This would have meant an injury to the back of the leg, Kuryakin’s was in the front, he had been running towards his men when he was shot, probably by Jackson. Waverly knew this and played along with THRUSH by suspending Kuryakin, now he had one man on the outside, one man! sighed Solo, that was not enough to save U.N.C.L.E.; Waverly’s plan was going to backfire. He knew now that he had been used, purposely kept in the dark to make THRUSH believe they were winning. Waverly knew THRUSH would want to keep U.N.C.L.E.’s top agent alive and he wanted theirs. He knew that THRUSH planned to invade at some stage and had laid foundations to catch many important THRUSH agents when they did; these foundations were built on boggy ground. Solo knew now that his job was to guard Waverly while Kuryakin removed the Blinker Stopper. He pulled again against the ropes, how could he protect Waverly when he couldn’t even move?

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