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31_days2015-03-05 04:58 pm
insaneladybug.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2015-03-05 04:58 pm
[March 5th] [The Man From U.N.C.L.E.] Motivations
Title: Motivations
Day/Theme: March 5th - Imagine what you'll know tomorrow.
Series: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (specifically, The Odd Man Affair episode)
Character/Pairing: Mr. Wye, Mr. Ecks, thoughts of Mr. Zed
Rating: K+/PG
By Lucky_Ladybug
The organization to which Ecks and Wye both belonged had always paraded along in its dreams of grandeur. For as long as Wye could remember, it had spoken of the day when it would lead the world and what that would mean for the Earth’s future.
Some of the members were actually sincere in wanting the new world order because they believed it would be the best thing for the planet. The things the organization spoke of—all the peoples united, no boundaries or discrimination, world peace—captured their deepest-held ideals. Many never stopped to think about the darkest side of the coin, that the plan was to force everyone to comply with the organization’s vision, whether they were ready to or not. Others, perhaps the most frightening of the extremists, thought about it and believed it was right. Nothing else could possibly bring about world peace.
Then there were those such as Mr. Zed, who laughed at the dreamers even while he was concocting dreams of his own. His were both more realistic and more openly selfish—power, prestige, personal gain. . . . He did not believe in allowing the organization to take over the world, for he wanted it himself. And he had convinced Wye and Ecks to go along with him.
It hadn’t been that hard a sell, really. Wye had always laughed at the idealists in the organization. He had lived too long and seen too many things to ever feel that the world they longed for could happen, especially by seizing control of it by force. Zed’s vision was far more likely and Wye had always gone along with him. Even when they had been loyal to the rest of the organization, he had been Zed’s right-hand man.
Ecks was his partner, a kid Wye had trained from the day the organization felt he was ready to be a full-fledged agent. This organization had existed for many years in the shadows; Ecks had never known anything but it, due to his parents having both been involved as highly-ranked agents. The organization had the same expectations for the son as they had from the parents. But Ecks was sick of the place and its “suffocating idealism” and was ready to jump on Zed’s bandwagon. Wye hadn’t even needed to convince him.
If Wye had thought he was cynical, Ecks introduced him to a whole new meaning of the word. While Wye was mostly entertained by the dreamers in the organization, Ecks was actively annoyed, even angered, by them.
“You know what the world is like outside of this place,” Ecks told him once. “You’ve lived long enough to have experienced really being alive. You’ve seen so many idiots through the years that maybe now, being surrounded by them, you’ve got a right to laugh at their stupidity. You joined these people of your own free will. I never had a choice.”
Really, there was only fifteen years’ difference in their ages. Wye was the senior agent. And it was true, he had seen much during the years leading up to his joining the organization. He had learned to laugh at many of the bizarre things people did. It made him sad, really, to see how bitter Ecks had become during his shorter lifetime.
He tried to explain to Ecks that really, Zed’s goals might be different but he was still dreaming in his own way. And the plan for the world probably wouldn’t change much no matter who was in charge of it. It was all ridiculous, all nonsense, and all leading up to the inevitable turn-around when someone got sick of it and overthrew the government again. But Ecks was stubborn and felt that Zed’s ideas were both different and better. And really, what he probably wanted most was simply to deliver a “Screw you” to the organization that he had come to hate for expecting everything of him because of the memory of his parents.
Wye had known Ecks’ parents long ago, before Ecks was even born. Wye had been but a boy himself, curious and fascinated by the mysterious couple that lived across the street from him. Back then, he hadn’t had any inkling of what they actually did for a living. He just knew that they were both secret scientists. To a teenage boy, that sort of thing was what spy pictures were all about. He had been intrigued to no end. It had sorely disappointed him when they had moved away not long after that, wanting to get to a fancier neighborhood to raise their soon-coming son.
Of course, he had never known the truth about them until he joined the organization years later and had, quite by accident, seen their picture hanging in Zed’s house. It was strange, how certain people’s lives connected multiple times and multiple ways, often without the people even realizing it half the time.
And now . . . now their lives had connected for probably the last time.
Wye sat on a bed in an upstairs room of Zed’s house, reloading his gun. He should be downstairs at that meeting, but right now he didn’t have the heart for it. It was a miracle Ecks was still alive at all, but the doctors hadn’t given Wye much hope. The wound was serious and Ecks had already lost a great deal of blood. He had stopped breathing right there in the emergency room. Wye had stayed long enough to see them manage to get him back, barely, but then he had to leave for that blasted meeting or it would look suspicious.
Wye didn’t have much hope, either. He knew exactly how bad wounds like that were, and Ecks had looked so frail and helpless lying on the gurney, bleeding out what was left of his short life.
He hadn’t deserved that end. He had deserved to really have the chance to live, as Wye had.
Bitterness surged through Wye’s veins. There wasn’t much that could actually make him downright furious, but this was one of them. Ecks had been placed in his charge and he felt protective and responsible for him. Not just that, but he cared about the boy, plain and simple. Ecks had rarely let anyone into his life, but over time he had allowed Wye in. He was cold and professional and detached most of the time, but a definite fire burned in his heart, as well as a deep love for people he cared about. Their bond was special.
He should have stopped Ecks, somehow. He should have tried to discourage him from joining Zed’s plan. Oh, of course he really couldn’t have; Ecks was endlessly stubborn and demanded his own way when he could get it. But knowing what he knew now, Wye couldn’t help but wish he had tried.
Those men in the park had stabbed Ecks. And that woman had been with them. She had already dealt Wye a humiliating blow by knocking him off the autobus. But being involved with Ecks’ would-be killers was far worse of an offense.
Wye wanted to see all of them pay for what they had done. And they would; he would bloody well see to that.
He would never forgive any of them for what they had done to that boy.
He wouldn’t forgive himself, either.
Day/Theme: March 5th - Imagine what you'll know tomorrow.
Series: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (specifically, The Odd Man Affair episode)
Character/Pairing: Mr. Wye, Mr. Ecks, thoughts of Mr. Zed
Rating: K+/PG
The organization to which Ecks and Wye both belonged had always paraded along in its dreams of grandeur. For as long as Wye could remember, it had spoken of the day when it would lead the world and what that would mean for the Earth’s future.
Some of the members were actually sincere in wanting the new world order because they believed it would be the best thing for the planet. The things the organization spoke of—all the peoples united, no boundaries or discrimination, world peace—captured their deepest-held ideals. Many never stopped to think about the darkest side of the coin, that the plan was to force everyone to comply with the organization’s vision, whether they were ready to or not. Others, perhaps the most frightening of the extremists, thought about it and believed it was right. Nothing else could possibly bring about world peace.
Then there were those such as Mr. Zed, who laughed at the dreamers even while he was concocting dreams of his own. His were both more realistic and more openly selfish—power, prestige, personal gain. . . . He did not believe in allowing the organization to take over the world, for he wanted it himself. And he had convinced Wye and Ecks to go along with him.
It hadn’t been that hard a sell, really. Wye had always laughed at the idealists in the organization. He had lived too long and seen too many things to ever feel that the world they longed for could happen, especially by seizing control of it by force. Zed’s vision was far more likely and Wye had always gone along with him. Even when they had been loyal to the rest of the organization, he had been Zed’s right-hand man.
Ecks was his partner, a kid Wye had trained from the day the organization felt he was ready to be a full-fledged agent. This organization had existed for many years in the shadows; Ecks had never known anything but it, due to his parents having both been involved as highly-ranked agents. The organization had the same expectations for the son as they had from the parents. But Ecks was sick of the place and its “suffocating idealism” and was ready to jump on Zed’s bandwagon. Wye hadn’t even needed to convince him.
If Wye had thought he was cynical, Ecks introduced him to a whole new meaning of the word. While Wye was mostly entertained by the dreamers in the organization, Ecks was actively annoyed, even angered, by them.
“You know what the world is like outside of this place,” Ecks told him once. “You’ve lived long enough to have experienced really being alive. You’ve seen so many idiots through the years that maybe now, being surrounded by them, you’ve got a right to laugh at their stupidity. You joined these people of your own free will. I never had a choice.”
Really, there was only fifteen years’ difference in their ages. Wye was the senior agent. And it was true, he had seen much during the years leading up to his joining the organization. He had learned to laugh at many of the bizarre things people did. It made him sad, really, to see how bitter Ecks had become during his shorter lifetime.
He tried to explain to Ecks that really, Zed’s goals might be different but he was still dreaming in his own way. And the plan for the world probably wouldn’t change much no matter who was in charge of it. It was all ridiculous, all nonsense, and all leading up to the inevitable turn-around when someone got sick of it and overthrew the government again. But Ecks was stubborn and felt that Zed’s ideas were both different and better. And really, what he probably wanted most was simply to deliver a “Screw you” to the organization that he had come to hate for expecting everything of him because of the memory of his parents.
Wye had known Ecks’ parents long ago, before Ecks was even born. Wye had been but a boy himself, curious and fascinated by the mysterious couple that lived across the street from him. Back then, he hadn’t had any inkling of what they actually did for a living. He just knew that they were both secret scientists. To a teenage boy, that sort of thing was what spy pictures were all about. He had been intrigued to no end. It had sorely disappointed him when they had moved away not long after that, wanting to get to a fancier neighborhood to raise their soon-coming son.
Of course, he had never known the truth about them until he joined the organization years later and had, quite by accident, seen their picture hanging in Zed’s house. It was strange, how certain people’s lives connected multiple times and multiple ways, often without the people even realizing it half the time.
And now . . . now their lives had connected for probably the last time.
Wye sat on a bed in an upstairs room of Zed’s house, reloading his gun. He should be downstairs at that meeting, but right now he didn’t have the heart for it. It was a miracle Ecks was still alive at all, but the doctors hadn’t given Wye much hope. The wound was serious and Ecks had already lost a great deal of blood. He had stopped breathing right there in the emergency room. Wye had stayed long enough to see them manage to get him back, barely, but then he had to leave for that blasted meeting or it would look suspicious.
Wye didn’t have much hope, either. He knew exactly how bad wounds like that were, and Ecks had looked so frail and helpless lying on the gurney, bleeding out what was left of his short life.
He hadn’t deserved that end. He had deserved to really have the chance to live, as Wye had.
Bitterness surged through Wye’s veins. There wasn’t much that could actually make him downright furious, but this was one of them. Ecks had been placed in his charge and he felt protective and responsible for him. Not just that, but he cared about the boy, plain and simple. Ecks had rarely let anyone into his life, but over time he had allowed Wye in. He was cold and professional and detached most of the time, but a definite fire burned in his heart, as well as a deep love for people he cared about. Their bond was special.
He should have stopped Ecks, somehow. He should have tried to discourage him from joining Zed’s plan. Oh, of course he really couldn’t have; Ecks was endlessly stubborn and demanded his own way when he could get it. But knowing what he knew now, Wye couldn’t help but wish he had tried.
Those men in the park had stabbed Ecks. And that woman had been with them. She had already dealt Wye a humiliating blow by knocking him off the autobus. But being involved with Ecks’ would-be killers was far worse of an offense.
Wye wanted to see all of them pay for what they had done. And they would; he would bloody well see to that.
He would never forgive any of them for what they had done to that boy.
He wouldn’t forgive himself, either.