The Man from U.N.C.L.E: Operation Istanbul

Chapter 5

                 

Napoleon flinched as he heard the shots above him. "What is that?" Salome exclaimed. Her hair was disheveled and only the bed sheets covered her body. They heard a muted shout followed by a heavy clanging of the metal as if some monster was pounding its way through the air vent. Napoleon took this as his cue. It was not that he didn't enjoy the current circumstances, his normal self would have continued. But some part of him felt dirty being with her like this, as if he was tainting something, blotting out the past with the present. He buttoned his shirt and slid out of bed. Salome wrapped herself in the blanket and went after him. "And where are you going?" she asked, intercepting his path to the door.

"I have some business to attend to, so for now you better put your clothes back on and hide in the wardrobe."

"Why? You know I hate small spaces," Napoleon couldn't help but smirk, crossing his arms like an obnoxious big brother. She hadn't changed a bit. Despite her whiplash tongue, she still had that naïve dependency. Just like when he first found her in the cupboard.

"It saved you life the other time." He reminded. Salome's lips parted, she looked away from him, trying to hide any trace of anxiety. Napoleon guessed he shouldn't have brought that up, considering the circumstances then. But being sentimental was not in his nature. Napoleon helped the now silent girl slip her clothes back on and guided her to the wardrobe. As Salome stepped in, she grabbed him by the arm and said, "Just come back." A sharp pang of pity went through him; he remembered that the last person who left her in a cupboard. He remembered because that person never came back.

Napoleon felt as though he was really going to regret what he was about to do. As he closed the wardrobe door behind her, he got out his combination lock, hooked it to the handles and twisted it closed. She realised what he had done and banged the door in anger. "Napoleon Solo! You lying bastard!" Yes, this was the Salome he knew all too well, the foulmouthed girl from the French countryside.

Just as he was about to leave, Gaby jumped down from the air vent. Napoleon stared at her and raised his brow. "Illya went after one of them!" she barked, "Bring your gun."

"He'll be fine by himself."

"He got shot in the shoulder."

Napoleon sighed, zipped open his suitcase and brought out his Colt 45, "Damn it, Peril!" he mumbled, "Can't you just be mortal like the rest of us?" He tossed a second gun to Gaby. She caught it and looked up to the American. "Have you ever shot a gun before?" He asked. She shook her head.

"Just aim and fire," remarked Napoleon, he thought for a moment then added, "And watch the recoil." The wardrobe shook again, wobbling from side to side. Gaby, could have sworn she saw Napoleon wipe sweat from his brow as he looked at the wardrobe. He soon reverted to his calm and collected demeanour as he opened the front door. "Ladies first," he declared. Gaby ran out of the door and Napoleon chased after her. They ran down the corridor past a bewildered elderly couple, through the emergency exit door and down the stairs.

"You're just going to leave her there?"

"She's stayed in a cupboard longer. She'll be fine"

"Then what are you going to do with her? Besides what you were already doing to her..."

"How long have Illya and you been in there?"

A knife slashed at Napoleon out of nowhere. He dodged, grabbed the assailant by the arm, and twisted the knife hand around his back. The assailant held his gun in his other hand and aimed for Napoleon's head. Napoleon grabbed hold of it, and redirected the shot over his head. As Napoleon pressed the man against the railing, he drew out his Colt 45 and shot him. Gaby already had her gun out, her arms outstretched as she scanned the perimeter. A man came from behind her and grabbed her by the mouth. She slammed her gun against his skull; he let go in a daze. Meanwhile, two more came up from the stairs, firing at Napoleon who was at the edge of the step. He ducked and kept shooting. 

Gaby hesitated to shoot the unconscious agent. It should have been easy but she couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger. She decided to walk away. The agent grabbed her and aimed his gun. She closed her eyes as she heard him fire. Except he wasn't the one who fired. Blood dripped down the agent's throat. She looked at Napoleon with his smoking gun for a brief second before he turned back to face the agents rolling up the stairs in squadrons. Napoleon ran to the railing of the stairs, Gaby ran after him. She saw Napoleon reach into the inside of his jacket and bring out a bundle of rope. Hastily, he tied a double eight knot and grabbed Gaby. Just as the squadron had made it to their level, the duo jumped. They slid down, but the agents were soon following them down the rope, shooting. Napoleon flinched as he felt a bullet graze him. Gaby took a knife from the inside of Napoleon's jacket and cut the rope. They plummeted down, the ground ten feet away. Napoleon dived, and touched down on the ground floor with a roll. He caught Gaby and they took a back exit that lead to the garden.

The hedges and cypress were sparkling with lights, there were elegant white tents billowing in the wind, tables sent out, music humming in the summer night, people drinking and dancing in the moonlight. Napoleon and Gaby played it cool. They walked arm in arm and faked smiles and laughs. Out of the corner of Napoleon's eye, he noticed an air vent had been unscrewed and left wide open. They casually strolled over. Napoleon hoisted Gaby so that she was standing on his shoulders. "When you see something move, shoot." Gaby's hand shook as she lifted her gun. She heard the clanging of limbs against metal, each thud came slowly, as if the man was using the last of his strength to make it to the other side. "I don't think there will be a need to," Gaby commented.

Napoleon agreed,"Looks like the Red Peril has done it again." Gaby held onto Napoleon's head as she climbed down from his shoulder. They stood back. A body fell out.

It was Illya.