The Man From U.N.C.L.E: The Thief From Moscow

Chapter 2: Meeting With Saunders

The bar in Belarus was nearly empty, as most of the city men and women of the city were outside watching the first couple of snowflakes of the year fall from the night sky. A waitress smiled welcomingly as they walked through the door and sat down at a wooden table in the corner.

"Welcome," she said, in a strong accent. "What would you like today?"

Solo smiled flirtatiously. "Four scotches, and you can bring on those to my room tonight." He winked at her.

The waitress' eyes lit up and she smiled at Solo. "Of course, sir. I'll bring the scotches." She wandered off, and Solo watched her figure walk through the kitchen doors.

He looked pleasingly at Illya. "I hope Russia provides just as much as Belarus."

Illya smiles sarcastically at him before giving him an angry grunt. "You won't disrespect my country." He blue eyes looked straight at Solo. "Or I will break your neck."

Just before Solo could retort something to the Russian agent, Saunders lay his hand on his shoulder, turning the agents' attention to him at once. "Good evening, agents." He cocked his hat at them and sat down next to them. "Where's that waitress?" He clapped his hands and the waitress came bustling out of the kitchen, holding the scotches.

She laid the scotches in front of everyone before Saunders ordered. "Just a whiskey."

"Of course, sir."

"Thanks, darling," he cleared his throat as the waitress left so he could talk to the U.N.C.L.E. group. "So, you'll be on a train to Moscow tomorrow. I'll remind you of your mission. The KGB has been given the task of making sure Alexei Kosygin, the Chairman of the Council, and his family are safe. You've been given the task of finding who wants Kosygin dead."

"The whole of Russia," Illya sighed.

"Maybe," Saunders chuckled. "So you have to work double time if that's the case."

"Will we be meeting with Kosygin?" Gaby asked and took a gulp of the scotch.

"That'll be one of the first things you'll do." Saunders replied. "He's got the letters with the threats on them to help you. And you'll also be talking to his wife and daughter."

"Specifically the daughter, hopefully." Solo smirked.

Saunders glared at him before smiling as the waitress came through with his drink and she put it down on the table in front of him. "Now your covers for this mission." He took out three envelopes from his coat pocket. "Here is all the information about yourself in case someone asks." He turns to Illya. "Agent Kuryakin, as soon as you're in Moscow and not in Kosygin's home, you're a retired Russian sergeant called Victor Mustafin."

Illya nodded. "Not hard."

"It's if you can't control your temper." Solo reminded him. "Not a lot of sergeants have mastered judo and can control a gun as if it was a butter knife."

"I'll take that as a compliment, Cowboy." Illya smirked.

Saunders passed the envelope to Illya and turned to Solo. "You're an American journalist working for a travel magazine. It'll give you an excuse to do a lot of looking around the city." He passed Solo his envelope. "And Agent Teller..."

"I'm the sergeants girlfriend, fiancé or wife," Gaby sighed and smiled at Illya. "Give or take."

"Not this time." Saunders smiled when he saw Illya and Gaby's shocked expressions. "Agent Teller, you're going to be Solo's wife accompanying him on a business trip to Moscow."

Illya started to see flashes of red as he noticed Solo's smug expression eye up Gaby next to him. But he kept his mouth shut, because he wasn't going to make a scene in front of her.

"Ok Agents," Saunders downed his drink before getting up. "Have a good evening." He puts down a couple of Belarusian Rubles on the table before leaving the agents alone in the deserted bar.

Gaby got up from the table first, and extended her hand to Illya. He took it politely, but couldn't help thinking that tomorrow, Solo will be holding her hand and parading her around his home country. Solo put down the money on the table and winked at the waitress who came to pick it up.

Outside in the cold, most of the city people had already gone back home. Illya leaned into Solo's ear. "If you touch Gaby, or say something I don't like, I won't hesitate to kill you."

Solo laughed. "Yes, Peril. Of course."