The proposal
"It will be wonderful, and it will prevent so many civilian casualties!"
"No."
"Please. I'll make anything you want in return - for you or your friends. SHIELD will be absolutely at your service."
"I wouldn't trust anyone else beside you for this. It's too sensitive a subject, to important. Please, Illya."
"Agent Carter, I cannot."
"We made a copy of the uniform modified so it would fit you and it will just be two hours tops, and it would mean so much to us..."
And it was difficult for Illya to say no to Miss Carter. In the time he had worked missions in America, SHIELD but especially Peggy Carter and her associates had been a great support for the UNCLE team. Illya admired the woman, her resolve and abilities, the strength she kept showing when any obstacle arose. And she had helped them a few times and now she was asking for help.... But it was too much.
One thing was working with americans, or even working in America. Another thing was impersonating the symbol of the american way.
It was all about one John Kearney, leader of an ever-growing drug trafficking gang, who was also lately dealing with firearms on the side. And now the arms dealing was evolving into something really dangerous, worlwide. They had an informant that said that the only weakness of this man was a near-paranoia that God would send Captain America back to ruin his big deal, that was going to happen the next week. The thing was, as much as they knew some of the spots where this man hid, they had no idea where the big deal was going to go down. And there had been an idea to just stop it before it even happened: if the very religious saw his worst fears come to life, maybe he would dismantle the whole hit, thinking God was punishing him and wouldn't it happen. It was a long shot perhaps, but it was better than nothing.
Clearly Peggy knew that Steve was not available, and that was why she called the Howling Commandos to help her. She would be there too, and if she could just have someone to play Steve... Of course, it was a tough choice. That uniform had only been one by one man, a man she'd loved dearly, a symbol. If she was going to do this, she needed someone as exceptional as Steve had been. And someone that looked like him physically, too. It was no easy choice, but luckily Peggy knew someone. A person that she would compfortable seeing in Steve's old getup.
Someone loyal and brave as Steve had been, someone as agile, as strong and driven. A person that was as physically imposing as Steve had been, and blonde and blue-eyed too. Someone who also believed in justice, someone who had made sacrifices and had lost people too, and still hadn't lost an inherent goodness inside. A man she had worked with several times, a man who admired her and had no problem with strong women, a man who respected his team mates no matter where they came from, an honest man.
Illya Kuryakin, former KGB, currrent agent of UNCLE.
"You shouldn't talk to much though, we can't have Steve Rogers with a Russian accent." Solo said, terribly amused. "Maybe you could use me instead?"
"You're not blonde, Solo, and you're too shady to pretend to be Steve. I wouldn't be comfortable with that. You could be Barnes at best.... but no. You're built differently. It has to be Illya - he's perfect. The fact that he's taller and has a lower voice will only make it seem like he's even scarier than they remember."
"I would like to see you on that uniform." Gaby said, looking at the blue clothes.
"It has an american flag!" Illya said, outraged. "It would be betraying my homeland. I can't wear american flag, I cannot."
Peggy sighed. She knew that deep down Illya was sensitive and caring, so she would have to do thiscarefully.
"Let me tell you about Steve. Steve liked to read very much, he was very smart, probably would give you a hard time on chess. He was an orphan from a young age, both his parents died. Despite being small, he was always ready to fight anyone and everyone who would come at him. He let himself be experimented on for the sake of his country. He was american, but he was very much like you."
The spy looked at the Brit, knowing she was being sincere.
"Illya, this is important. If those weapons change hands, a whole bunch of criminals will outgun us, have the upper hand. Only someone as exceptional as Steve was can stop this, quickly and without bloodshed, just scaring the man into dismantling his organisation."
Illya thought for a moment. This was wrong, everytime he saw that uniform he thought about it, it was too american, to symbolic, and yet it did seem like the right thing to do.
"You are sure that there is no one else who can do this?"
"How many battle-skilled, tall muscular blondes that are trustworthy enough do you think we have access to? There may be other candidates, but they are not good enough."
"It would be so cool if you did it. The Red Peril becomes Captain America." Solo said, almost laughing.
"No one else would know about this?" Illya asked. If it was kept a secret...
"Just us and the Commandos, Steve's old unit."
"And that unit, they agree to this plan?"
"They do."
Illya looked at Gaby, hoping for some guidance.
“She's complimenting you a great deal by offering you this, Illya. The great Peggy Carter is saying you're as good as that man and asking for your help. I don't think you can walk away from that.”
“And I do want to help Agent Carter, and you know I have in the past, with everything I could. But I am Russian, I am KGB – everything that is against the american way.”
Peggy got closer, sensing a crack in the Russian's armour, a way in.
“Russia and the KGB don't have to know. We'll give you a cover story, say that you are an actor friend of mine – from Canada. Do this and you won't be doing it for any country. You'll be doing it to help me, and help the victim's from Kearney's gang.”
There was a moment of silence.
A pause.
“If it is that important, I'll do it. I'll be Steve Rogers for a night.”