20 - The Corfu Affair Read Free Page A

spell out the situation in detail," he said. "As I've already explained, Corfu is difficult. It is small, so that strangers tend to be conspicuous. We cannot possibly undertake an action in force unless and until we are absolutely sure of our ground. And we can hope for nothing from the local authorities. What's needed at the moment is information, a lot more information, before we can take any decisive action of any kind."
    "The time of year is right," Solo offered. "What could be more natural than a tourist wanting to look over a palace?"
    "I imagine that is precisely what Stanton thought," Waverly pointed out. "We can't go at it as easily as that. Above all I must have your assurance that you will not initiate any action until you have obtained sufficient hard data."
    Solo looked pained. "I'm not about to let her take my scalp, sir. It's not the thing for me to say, but I am not exactly strange to the ways of good looking women."
    "This woman is more than just a pretty face, Mr. Solo. She has buried four husbands already." Waverly swung his chair to face the impassive Russian agent.
    "You, Mr. Kuryakin, will approach the other aspect of the business. As you heard, Countess Louise is owner and director of a laboratory in Paris. The laboratory specializes in biochemicals, with special emphasis on cosmetic surgery. You will investigate that end. You will, if possible, get into the business."
    "Any idea how, sir?"
    "Yes. You'll have to look it up, but there is this. Surgery, and particularly orthopedic surgery, is increasingly involving itself with electronic aids. Heart pacemakers, artificial limb control, radar for the blind and so on. Familiarize yourself with the latest matters in that field. You will assume a suitable identity. You will go by a roundabout route into the U.S.S.R. We will have cooperation laid on. From there, after an adequate period to establish a background, you will enter Paris. You will be an undesirable Russian bioelectronics specialist seeking to do a shady deal with the St. Denis laboratories. And so on. We can elaborate that as we go along. For the beginning you need to get into the technicalities of the part. Understood?"
    "If you say so, sir." Kuryakin shrugged and kept his reservations to himself. Studying up on electronic aids to surgery and similar fields would be no more than a chore, and he didn't mind that part. But entering the Soviet Union was something he didn't care for at all. His homeland had memories that he would just as soon have left forgotten.
    Waverly dismissed the two men with a gesture, hardly bothering to watch them go. None knew better than he just what hazards he was sending them into, but he had that faculty indispensable to any commander, of being able to dismiss a problem entirely once it had been dealt with. Almost before they had left the room he was leaning back and reviewing the next stage in his strategy. First there would have to be a stringent check on all U.N.C.L.E. security, to minimize any valuable hints Stanton might have given away. That would have to be done without letting too many people suspect that one of U.N.C.L.E.'s best men had gone sour. Then there was the need to get those sample modules to research, to try and find out what Thrush, and in particular, Countess Louise, could want them for.
    Also, as his insulted digestion complained to him, there was the matter of the canteen to be looked into. Others called it "cafeteria", but he called it "canteen", and either way it left a lot to be desired!
     
    Outside Waverly's door the two agents paused for a brief word before going their separate ways. Kuryakin was more serious than usual.
    "Take no chances with the black widow, Napoleon," he advised. "She has forgotten more about the battle of the sexes than you'll ever know."
    "I've never been afraid of a woman in my life, Illya, and I'm too old to start now," the other retorted.
    "Corfu is quite a place too. Your titular ancestor fought a battle or two