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The Hobsons Choice Affair Chapter 32
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Disclaimer
This is a work of amature fiction, no contravention of copyright is intended and no profit is made from this endeavour.
Illya wasted no time. He grabbed Napoleon's arm and dragged him
around the car, putting the vehicle between them and the shooter.
One hand tightly gripping Napoleon's arm, and the other now holding
his gun, he risked a quick look, both to ascertain if Ryan was indeed
dead, and if the shooter was still at large.
The only thing that kept him from getting shot was Napoleon yanking
him back behind the car. The bullet whizzed by in the space where
his head had just been.
Illya glanced at him. "Thanks."
Napoleon gave him a crooked grin. "No problem." He waved in the
general direction of the shooter. "I'm guessing he isn't only
gunning for Ryan."
"Apparently not." At the sound of feet, Illya pivoted his body, gun
raised, his arm across Napoleon's chest, keeping him from any
heroics. When he saw it was Mark and April, he lowered his gun.
Mark hissed at Illya. "Who the hell is shooting at us if Ryan's dead
and Angelique's at UNCLE?"
Illya scowled. "A very good question. I thought Ryan was the
traitor but this complicates things."
Napoleon patted the car they were hiding behind. "I have a crazy
suggestion. Maybe we should get in the car and drive away, and
figure this out later."
Illya gave him a fleeting grin. "For once I concur with your
opinion, Napoleon." He reached up to open the driver's
door. "Everyone get in on the count of three." He waited while
April opened the back door.
There was a loud whoosh and something solid landed in the car.
Illya's eyes widened as he took in the grenade now sitting on the
front seat. Grabbing Napoleon, he yelled. "Run!"
The four of them ran. The force from the car exploding knocked them
to their knees but they got up and half-ran, half-crawled until they
were behind the rest stop building. Panting for breath they all eyed
each other for possible injuries.
Illya patted his jacket for his communicator. When he came up empty
he glared at Napoleon. "Do you have my communicator?"
Napoleon winced. "I did. Angelique took it."
Illya rolled his eyes and gestured to Mark. "Hopefully you have your
communicator." He gave April the once-over. "I find it hard to
believe you have yours given that outfit."
April let out a short, embarrassed laugh as she ran a hand down the
very form fitting and very short dress she'd been forced to wear as
her cover. "I'll have you know I do too have my communicator."
All three men looked at her, their eyebrows up, waiting for her
explanation.
She sighed. "It's in my purse, in the car."
Illya quirked his lips in an almost smile. "Mark, call Waverly, tell
him we need back up." Mark hurried to comply. While Mark was
talking, Illya risked another look. He saw a man running from Mark
and April's car to the dumpster in front of the rest stop. His face
grew pale. "Bozhe Moi."
Napoleon took in his pale face. "What is it? Who did you see?"
Illya shook his head, not wanting to believe it. He was thinking
furiously. "Durak!"
Mark inched his way over. "Who's an idiot?"
Illya slapped himself on the chest. "Me, I'm an idiot. I can't
believe I didn't see it."
Mark poked him in the arm. "Hey, want to let the rest of us in on
the situation? This sounds like a golden opportunity to harangue you
and I hate to miss out on it."
Illya nodded tersely. "Do you remember that mission, the one where
Grovesnor's wife was killed in the crossfire?"
Mark nodded, grimacing. "Bad bit of work that was."
Illya completely agreed. "Do you remember what UNCLE agents were
involved in that case?"
Mark thought for a moment. "Casey, March, Wilmington, Franklin,
Jiminez, Reynolds." His voice trailed off. "Blimey, that's all the
dead agents."
Illya nodded. "I just saw Jessie."
Mark's eyes widened. "Grosvenor? I thought he was dead."
"So did I. But, if he's alive, it explains a lot of things. He
would have had all of UNCLE's resources to plan the deaths of those
agents. If this is some twisted from of revenge, it also explains
why with every death, there was an innocent killed as well.
Grosvenor has clearly gone mad."
Napoleon shook his head. "I saw him get shot, Illya. Half his head
was blown away. There was no way he walked away from that."
Illya glanced at him. "He must have used a double to make us think
he was dead. After all, if he was dead, we'd be much less likely to
think of his revenge as a motive." Illya risked another glance
around the corner. A bullet ricocheted off the building by his head.
April instinctively ducked. "Do you think he's by himself?"
Illya shrugged. "I don't know. He seems to be the only one shooting
right now."
Mark gave him a serious look. "You were on that mission, Illya."
"I know." Illya glanced at the other three. "We should split up.
All he wants here is me."
Napoleon shook his head. "And me. I'm the so-called innocent he's
gunning for."
April frowned, neither she nor Mark moving an inch. "So where do
Ryan and Angelique fit in to all of this?"
Illya checked his gun to make sure his clip was full. "Angelique
probably started sniffing around when UNCLE agents started to die. I
would imagine it ruffled her feathers that someone else had the
temerity to start killing off victims she thinks of as her own."
Napoleon let out a frustrated sigh. "And Ryan?" He didn't want to
really think about why Ryan was involved. He certainly didn't want
to think about that kiss between Illya and Ryan.
Illya shook his head. "I don't know. He said he wasn't working for
her but she was blackmailing him." He didn't mention that Ryan had
been attempting to do the same to him. He let out a soft bitter
laugh. "Maybe it's all a case of colossal bad timing. And the only
people who could tell us, won't. One because he's dead, and the
other, well, because she won't."
Mark scoffed. "She'll talk. Waverly's got our best interrogators
working on her."
Illya flashed him a look. "Yes, she'll talk. She'll sing like a
bird, but it won't be anything of use. I guarantee it." A bullet
rang out. Illya tried again to take charge. "We need to split up.
We're too big a target." He flashed Napoleon a pleading look, but
when he got nothing but defiance back he let out a sigh. "April, you
and Mark work your way around to the front and draw his fire. Then
wait for reinforcements. Napoleon and I will head for the trees, and
work our way around from that angle."
Mark nodded. Then he grinned and smacked Napoleon on the arm. "Try
not to get him killed, will ya, mate?"
Napoleon didn't grin back. His look was full of
determination. "Count on it."
Mark acknowledged the promise, and then, keeping low, he and April
made their move. Poised for movement, the two men waited for the
sound of shots. When they started, Illya grabbed Napoleon and the
two of them ran for the woods.
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