Work Text:
Four men entered the room taking a seat at the table headed by Dr. Axios. The doctor looked at them and stood up.
“You’re supposed to be the best of Thrush, yet he is still living. I have asked nicely that he be killed, instead he continues to get in my way. Capturing your men, stealing my money, and making a fool of me.”
“Sir, he is one of UNCLE’s best,” a man said right before a shot rang out and the man fell dead.
Glaring at each man separately, “Is there anyone else that has excuses?”
After a minute, he continued, “I have set up the next demonstration of my produce and am assured that the Solo/Kuryakin team will be sent to deal with it by my plant. I have demanded one million Kroners from the Netherlands government there. I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE MONEY, I WANT THE MAN DEAD. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD,” he loudly demanded.
“And the other one?” Ever asked.
“I want him alive. If you need to shoot him, make it something to disable him, not kill him. Do you understand your orders?” Axios demanded.
“Yes sir,” the remind three answered.
As they walked to the door, Axios stopped them. “If you don’t kill Solo you will pay an agonizing fatal result.”
xxxxx
Napoleon and Illya entered Waverly's office and took their normal seats. The files before them were picked up and read as Waverly filled his pipe before setting it on the table.
“I have received a communication from the Netherlands that a demand has been made that they pay a ransom or one of their potato field a day will be destroyed each day the money is not paid. Dr. Axios has been seen in different areas, taking the free tour of some the best fields.”
He continued, “Our agent also states that there are three Thrush assassins seen in the area. I believe that a trap might be being set up. Be careful.”
“Sir,” Napoleon started a serious look on his face. “We have someone who is giving out where we’ll be.”
“I believe you’re correct. While you two deal with the potato problem in the Netherlands, Mr. Slate and Miss Dancer will be working on it from here.”
As the men headed toward the airport, Napoleon teased, “Oh great encyclopedia why is Axios attacking potatoes of all vegetables in the Netherlands, not Ireland?”
Illya ignored the comment rolling his eyes, “Netherlands is the world’s top export of potatoes. Ireland imports a large of potatoes. Besides Axios could get more money from the Netherlands as it is essential to their economy.”
Arriving in Drenthe in the northern Netherlands, they were escorted to the destroyed field. The farmers in the area surrounded the men wanting to know what they were going to do about it to prevent any more damage.
Being aware that this might be a trap, the men tried to get the farmers to meet them after they examined the field. However, the farmers insisted on staying until gunfire caused the group to run for cover.
Napoleon headed one way, Illya the other. Illya stopped moving when he noticed the shots were heading in Napoleon's direction. “Napoleon get down there after you.” Illya continued his climb when two men, stepped in front of him with guns drawn.
“Don’t make us shoot you,” one of the men said. “Drop the gun.”
Twilling around, Illya shot both men between the eyes Checking them, he knew they would no longer be a problem.
In the meantime, Napoleon crept up on the last shooter. Placing his gun on the back of the man’s head, he recognized as a Thrush assassin, he said, “Mr. Dean, you’re wasting your bullets.”
The man dropped the gun, stood, and put his hands behind his head. Illya joined Napoleon. He grabbed the man's hands and cuffed them while Napoleon kept the shooter covered.
Pushing the man back down, Napoleon shoved the gun into his face and demanded. “Who sent you? And how was the fields going to be destroyed.”
“Look just take me in and lock me away. I’ll tell you everything if you protect me,” the shooter pleaded.
“Why would we do that? You just tried to kill me,” Napoleon asked.
“You’re alive and Axios will kill me agonizingly for not completing the job.”
“First answer my questions. Also, how did he know we would be here?”
“Look promise me you’ll protect me, and I’ll answer anything,” the man implored.
“Just tell me how to stop any more fields from being destroyed,” Illya as the agents walked the cuffed man to their car.
“Axios wasn’t planning on doing any more damage, he just wanted to get you here to kill you Mr. Solo, and capture you Mr. Kuryakin.”
As the agent and Dean reached the car, the farmers glared at Dean. “What about our crops?” a farmer yelled.
“They’re safe,” Illya told them as they placed Dean in the back seat and entered the car themselves.
Napoleon looked at his partner, “You believe him?”
“We’ll interrogate him HQ he’s too scared to be lying. We’ll place him in the local lock-up for the night, and head there tomorrow.”
As they drove Napoleon asked, "How did you know Illya and I would be the ones sent?”
“Axios said his plant told him but didn’t tell us who he was.” After dropping him off for the night, and assigning one of the local sheriffs to watch him, they went to the hotel and reported in.
When they woke the next morning, they arrived at the sheriff’s office to find the sheriff shot and Dean torn apart.
“Axios is getting agitated,” Napoleon said as they headed home. “He wants you badly. There must be something about his formula he needs your help badly.”
“And needs you out of his way,” Illya said.
The two were lost in their thoughts as they flew home.