>>"Indeed, Mr. Solo; but, while he sleeps, and if you can manage it, I
need your report."<<

"Not at the moment, you don't," Nurse Fredericks admonished, stepping
up to the bed. "Mr. Solo can barely get a whole sentence out, and as for
*you*," she stated, taking in the weariness Waverly couldn't quite hide,
"perhaps I should put a dart in you as well."

The old man knew when to take a hint, especially since his agents were
out of danger, at least medically. He stood and, after wishing Napoleon
well, took his leave.

Which left the wounded man with nothing to do except think about the
report he was going to have to make sooner or later. He laid back
against the pillow, closed his eyes and remembered . . .

He'd watched Illya exit the lecture room, the younger man remaining in
character by *not* looking around for possible enemies. He'd looked,
if anything, like a slightly bored conventioneer politely allowing the older
man standing next to him to bend his ear -- just as he should have looked.

It had been Napoleon's job to watch for the out of place, and he'd quickly
spotted the sniper on the upper level, aiming at the group who paused
outside the doors. He drew and fired, seeing the sniper fall as he felt the
unmistakable jolt of a bullet entering his torso.

UNCLE hadn't been the only group to have operatives among the hotel
staff, he noted as he saw the waiter slip the weapon back inside his jacket
and fade away during the commotion. He hadn't recalled much after that,
except being moved and hearing Illya's voice, until he'd awakened a short
time ago.

The nurse had said Illya had sneaked in to see him. Was that why he'd
thought he'd heard the Russian's voice as he'd drifted closer to awareness?

He was still contemplating the idea as he drifted back to sleep.

~~~~~~~~

Elsewhere in New Jersey

"Why is Kuryakin still alive?"

"I don't know, sir. Our inside man should have poisoned every UNCLE
agent in the NY Headquarters against him in the last few weeks. It was the
perfect set-up: Kuryakin was the best possible operative to send to the
conference, and the rumors should have guaranteed his back-up to be less
than fully interested in keeping him alive."

"Kuryakin must die -- and in such a way as to drive a wedge between the
Soviets and their Western counterparts in the intelligence community. If
both sides are united against us, it will severely decrease THRUSH's
effectiveness."

"All is not yet lost. We still have assets in the area, ready to be
deployed."

"Give me the list, and a little time to come up with a new plan."

---

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