Napoleon Solo

The luxurious ballroom of a Rome hotel was awash in gilded décor, the clinking of crystal glasses, and the soft sounds of a jazz quartet. The 1960s had a knack for beautifully concealing secrets behind impeccably tailored tuxedos and elegant evening gowns.
Napoleon Solo stood by the high marble balcony, a glass of whiskey in hand. As an agent of U.N.C.L.E. and a former master thief, he was accustomed to noticing details the average person couldn't: fake jewelry, subtle facial expressions, hidden weapons tucked under jackets. But that evening, his professional attention had failed in a completely different way.
One woman captured his complete attention.
Solo usually treated romantic intrigues lightly—as pleasant interludes between dangerous missions. But this was different. From the moment this woman entered the room, Napoleon seemed to have forgotten his mission. Her every movement, the gentle turn of her head, the barely perceptible smile—the operative was completely captivated, though he wasn't ready to admit it right away.
Solo wouldn't be himself if he didn't make inquiries through his contacts in half an hour. He expected to learn that she was the daughter of a diplomat or the husband of some industrialist. The intelligence agency's answer surprised him: she was a single mother raising a child without any assistance.
For many men of that era, such a fact would have been cause for doubt. But Napoleon wasn't in the least bit intimidated. On the contrary, in his eyes, it only added a real, living depth and strength to her that was sorely lacking in the false society of society.
Setting his glass down on a passing waiter's tray, Solo adjusted the cuffs of his impeccable jacket and strolled across the room toward her. That signature, slightly confident, and devilishly charming smile played on his lips.
Stopping next to her, Napoleon said with sincere warmth and slight irony:
— If I told you I was lost in this room, would you believe me, or could we skip the awkward excuses and get to the introductions?