Sometimes We Don't Succeed Conclusion
Go-go dancing, Thrush villains, and Kolob Canyon are the backdrop of a new project by Thrush. The agents need not only to put a stop to it, but first they must find out exactly what the project is.
Chapter 1 http://mfu-scrapbook.livejournal.com/818923.html
Chapter 2 http://mfu-scrapbook.livejournal.com/820241.html
Chapter 3 http://mfu-scrapbook.livejournal.com/821839.html
Chapter 4 http://mfu-scrapbook.livejournal.com/823769.html
Jimmy and Jo woke up chained to uneven moss covered walls that were cool and damp making up three sides of the cell. Their bare feet were flat on a dirt floor.
"Some type of cave. I don't think we are in New York any longer," she said.
"Good guess, Nicki or should I say Josephina Kuryakin?"
Sam stood at the bars surrounded by Thrush guards.
"Would you care to tell us where we are?" She asked.
"A small unused Cave in Kolob Canyon, Utah not that it will do you any good."
"Enough Sam," Naan ordered entering the cell.
"You two caused me a lot of time and money." He said looking over the agents.
"Glad we could make our visit memorable," Jimmy told him. The chieftain backhanded him viciously across the mouth sending his head whipping sideways.
"I don't appreciate your wise guy attitude. How did you find out about Miss Langie?" Naan asked.
Jo saw no reason not to tell him, so she let them know about the receipts then added, "Just can't get good help these days, can you?"
Ignoring the last part of the comment, he asked, "And your assignment?"
"Would you believe that was it?" Jimmy said.
Naan glared at the two agents, "I'll have my answers. Gentlemen," he said turning to the guards. "You may correct their attitudes but I want them alive. When you're done, re-chain them to the wall and let them think about their predicament. I have a few things to finish in the next couple of days so I hope you don't mind waiting for my attention until then. Perhaps hunger and thirst will make you more agreeable." With that, he left the UNCLE agents to their fate.
…..
Napoleon and Illya found a place to hide near the cave that was surrounded by high bushes. They nibbled on some trail mix from their backpacks waiting for the sun to dip behind the canyon wall.
As it became dark, each took out a guard with a dart and quickly changed into their uniforms before entering the cave under the darkness of night.
There was only a minimum of light from the torches along the way.
"This cave is doing my shoes no good," Napoleon complained after stepping into another puddle.
"It too bad you always have to be a fashion statement. I told you to wear some hiking boots."
"They wouldn't have gone with my suit," he grumbled back.
"Oh would that be the suit you complained was being ruined when we were laying on the top of the hill or hiding in the bushes." Illya said with a smirk in his voice.
"Okay I've get the point." Napoleon muttered then let out a groan as he stepped into another puddle.
They met only a few other Thrush on path to the cells, which they rapidly darted and hid. After reaching the cell area, they continued to search until they heard soft voices coming from one of the last cells. Carefully peeking in the cell, Illya saw the missing agents.
…
Resting against the cold wall they were chained against, Jimmy looked at his partner.
"I have never been so happy to get chained up," Jo said grinning at him through a swollen face. The beating had been professional enough to be painful but not seriously injury them.
"May I ask you something?" He words a little slurred by his bleeding lips.
"Sure."
"How do I know if I'll be able to withstand torture? I mean I never have been-well you know. You, Mr. S and Mr. K have had to face it before. How do you handle it?"
"Jimmy you'll do fine. Hang on as long as you can that's all you can do."
"But what is the secret of not talking?"
"There is no secret. Everyone has their way of dealing with it. I antagonize them. Some say nothing, still others make up lies."
"What if I can't handle it? Tell them what they want to know?"
"We all have our breaking point and once reached we react in different ways. Jimmy don't worry, you will do what is best."' She then gave him a lopsided grin, "Otherwise you would not have succeeded in survival school."
"What if they tried to use you against me?"
"We are both expendable. I have accepted that and so must you."
"Do you think they'll bring us supper?"
She laughed, "I would not bet on it."
"Shh, I hear something," he said and both quieted.
…..
Illya's face appeared in the barred window, "They are in here."
A moment later small sparks could be seen and the door opened.
"What took you two so long?" Jo asked.
"You forgot to leave a trail of breadcrumbs. We had to come the round-about way." Napoleon told her as he started to release Jimmy while she was released by her brother.
"How are you two?" Illya asked looking over them.
"Just bruises and contusions." Jimmy assured him.
"Josephina?"
"Fine."
Illya took her face in his hands before she could move away.
"What happened to you?"
"Nothing."
"It looks like you antagonized your captors again and they back handed you…. again."
"You are no one to talk," she pulled her head from his hands swinging her arms to eliminate the pain in them from hanging.
After the CEA undid the chain, a moan from Jimmy indicated that the pain in his arms made movement difficult so he helped the man lower his arms.
"Give them a few minutes to adjust to the lower position. They tend to hurt for a bit until the blood flow improves after hanging like that."
Moving his arms slowly to relieve the pain, Jimmy quietly asked. "How does he know she was backhanded and no just slapped or punched?"
"Experience. She's not bruised enough for a punch and too much for a slap. He's had it happen to him often enough to know the difference."
"Are you two able to help complete this assignment?" Napoleon asked the freed agents.
"I have a few things to say to that man and would like to do it in person," Jo answered.
Assured they were able to continue, once the two agents replaced their shoes that were found in the corner of the cell, they made plans to get the information and Naan.
Once the rescued agents changed into Thrush uniforms, the four headed toward the fence and the lab itself.
"Let's go finish this affair once and for all people," Solo led the way.
…..
The agents spread out as they climbed the stairs to the lab area. There were only a few guards on the way up which were quickly overwhelmed and darted. They went down toward where the lights were off and a number of the doorways were in shadows. The only thing lighting the hall seemed to be a flashing glow coming from the last room.
As they passed one of the dark entrance ways, someone grabbed Jimmy from behind one arm around his throat, the other pulling his arm cruelly twisted to the point of dislocation.
"Drop your guns or Mr. McLaughlin will have a broken arm." Sam ordered.
The other agents turned their guns out and pointing at the Thrush agent and his captive.
"Mr. Laughlin what do you say about that?" Napoleon asked.
"We don't negotiate, Sir. So I guess I need to do something about it myself."
A shout came as the arm around his throat tightened pulling Sam's attention to his prisoner. Hitting him hard and low, Jimmy's right elbow buried itself into his stomach. A second solid blow into the Thrush agent's unprotected stomach sent him to the floor. As Sam fell, the young agent slammed a fist into his head sending him into darkness.
"I hope that was what you had in mind, Mr. S," Jimmy beamed.
"Nice moves. It seems you took care of that problem. Let's get to Naan and his project now," Solo led the way.
As they reached the lab's window, they could see the cause of the glowing light. A fire was burning fueled by folders filled of papers. Rushing into the room they saw the colors and hear the crackles of the flames filling the middle of the cement floor while the density of the smoke made it hard to breath in the hot, heavy air.
Naan stood on the other side of the flames; his hand on the machine next to him. The smoke highlighted his face, allowing the madness etched into it to become visible.
Glancing toward the next room, they could see the rest of the lab workers' dead bodies.
"It's over. Give up and come away from the flames," Solo ordered.
"You're right Mr Solo, this machine will explode in less than five minutes and there is no way to safely stop it. Everything will be over," Naan yelled back as he hit a switch.
"Grab that guy and let's get out of here," Napoleon ordered.
Jo and Jimmy ran around the flames, grabbing the Thrush chief who fought them, while Kuryakin examined the machine. A shake of his head agreed that nothing could be done to deactivate the explosive. Illya hurried to help the other agents chopping Naan neck knocking him out and threw the man over his shoulder as the group ran for the exit.
As they hit the outside door, the blast wave hit them knocking them down helping them avoid the shrapnel from the building. When Illya fell, the unconscious man rolled off his shoulder waking up. The Thrush prisoner started to run back into the building when the fire from the explosion started to heat up everything within the building. A second blast wave sent him into the wall and into a sharp piece of metal.
…..
The fire department and police finished talking to Napoleon who weaved a story that was acceptable but not necessarily believed. His UNCLE ID and a call from the chief of police helped.
Naan had been picked up by an UNCLE ambulance and delivered to the airport where he would be delivered to New York headquarters in a UNCLE Jet as soon as senior agents were aboard.
Jo and Jimmy were to be left to clean up the situation.
"Waverly is not going to be happy," Illya said as they headed toward the airport. "Twice we had the information and machine, twice it was destroyed."
As the jet took off he said, "We did the best, that's all we can do," Napoleon shook his head knowing there would be explanations demanded.
….
Solo stood next to Waverly looking at the patient in medical. Naan, the only survivor, still wasn't conscious and the doctor didn't think he would make it. With the loss of all the files and machine, the purpose of this attempt to rule the world remained unknown.
"You know nothing of what he was trying to accomplish?" Waverly asked Solo.
"I'm sorry sir. When we entered the room where the machine was, Naan already had the timer set and the files burning. We had only enough time to grab him and run. When he broke away, he ran toward the blast area just before the second explosion. It threw him against the wall and where he cracked his head on some shrapnel. We were lucky to get him and ourselves out."
The loud thrill of the machines called their attention to the man in the bed. Nurses and doctors rushed to the patient's side, but nothing could be done to save him.
As the two men walked away from the room, "And you believe he shared his idea with no one?"
"He didn't brag about what he was trying to do, didn't give us any idea at all. He wanted a council seat, and I believe this was the way he hoped to achieve it. The files, machine, and rest of the staff were lost. I think at this time, his project is dead sir."
"We can only hope Mr. Solo. We can only hope." With that they separated, each going on to the next item of business.