Hello everyone! This is my first Avengers story that I have published on fanfiction. This is hopefully the first story in a series that will eventually become a crossover.

Disclaimer: Avengers is the property of Stan Lee and Marvel. I wish I had a tenth of what Marvel is worth.

Enigma

Chapter One: See you in Hell

April 18, 2008

Vienna, Austria

20:00 hours

The moonless night provided perfect cover for the creeping figure in the alleyway. No moon and the shoddy living conditions in the town masked the figure's activities well.

Soundlessly, the figure picked the perfect building to scale. Like a spider, the agent climbed the building, reaching the roof in mere seconds. Only then did the figure drop its façade and reveal those auburn hair locks and stony green eyes.

The agent took a moment to close her eyes and take calming breaths. Unexpectedly, she vanished from sight.

In her guise, the agent allowed herself a small smile. Mutant powers definitely had some advantages; she thought as she easily opened the skylight and dropped into the building. She landed in a defensive crouch as she scoured the area for guards.

Just one guard stood down the hallway. He was sadly besotted with his alcohol. He never knew what hit him as the agent dropped him with a syringe to the jugular.

She dispatched four more guards on the way down to the main event. The goons downstairs would be harder to dissuade. They were guarding her real target.

Seven guards were outside the lab when the agent walked up. Three were down before the rest even knew what was going on. The agent dropped her disguise for a moment and drew her favorite weapon, the katana.

She brandished the katana and slashed. All four of the weapons that the guards held bit the dust.

She smirked again. This was way too easy.

Two more swings of the katana, and the four were bleeding on the floor. The agent sliced the code to the lab and walked in. She brandished her katana in front of her and stared down at the man in the center of the lab.

"Guten Abend, Schneider. Remember me?"

"Enigma? My goodness, you've grown."

"Don't antagonize me. I know what you did to me. Now you pay."

"You would kill an unarmed man? That is not your style, Enigma."

Enigma smirked. She noted Schneider moving his hand toward a comm. switch. "Unarmed man? Please, you have weapons all around you."

Schneider grinned as he flipped the switch. "We will see how good you are against my weapons."

"Your guards?" Enigma motioned behind her. "Dead or disabled."

Schneider chuckled. "You are quite the gem indeed, aren't you Enigma? Baron Zemo was quite fond of you indeed to give you training with that."

Enigma narrowed her eyes.

Then Schneider struck, brandishing a few knives of his own. Enigma parried the blades with her katana, turning to the side and elbowing him in the chest.

He staggered back, wind knocked out of him. His blades went slack against his sides. Enigma struck before he could fight back, severing his femoral artery as she slashed at Schneider's thigh.

"See you in hell," she muttered as she set an electric discharge bomb next to the dying scientist.

Charge set, Enigma high-tailed it out of the building. She was three blocks away when she heard the explosion rock the building.

Enigma smiled as she made it back to her shoddy hotel room. One less evil scientist working for HYDRA.

One less person on her list of enemies from her former home.

Enigma gathered her belongings together and packed up. She had to get out of Vienna immediately.

Next stop, Lichtenstein.

July 15, 2008

SHIELD Headquarters

New York City

07:00

The pad blinked green as Natasha Romanoff sliced her way into the apartment. She silently closed the door behind her and crept through the living room. She made sure not to step on anything as she made her way to the refrigerator for some ice.

Ice in hand, she silently made her way to the bedroom. She smirked as she heard soft snores coming from the bedroom. She creaked open the door. No movement or grunts from the other room.

Natasha opened the door and crept in. Clint Barton was lying on his stomach, dead to the world. This was going to be fun.

Natasha walked up next to his bed. "Hawkeye, wake up honey," she crooned, rubbing her free hand against his arm, ignoring the jolt of something as she touched him.

"Sleepin'" Clint mumbled.

"Have it your way," she smiled, dropping the ice right on the small of his back.

Clint Barton jumped up so quickly that he knocked Natasha over. When he was a little more alert, he noticed his partner on the floor next to him, doubled over in laughter.

"Damn it, Natasha! I could've killed you!" Clint grumbled.

"Wouldn't have been as fun if you did," Natasha grinned. "Next time, you won't sleep like a rock, will you?"

"It's seven in the fricking morning, Tasha!" Clint grumbled again as he sat up. "Why'd you wake me up at this ungodly hour?"

"Phil and Director Fury want us in the briefing room."

"Fine. I'll be there in twenty."

Natasha still had a smirk on her face when Clint walked into the briefing room nineteen and a half minutes later, still grumbling about the time.

"Agent Barton, how'd she get you this time?" Phil Coulson asked from Natasha's left. He was leaning against the wall.

"Poured a damn bucket of ice on my back," he exaggerated as he ran a hand through his still damp hair.

"Nice one, Agent Romanoff," Phil joked, earning him a glare.

Clint was about to throw another insult their way when the door opened and Nick Fury strolled in, files in hand and a sour disposition on his face. He sat down at the head of the table.

"Agents Romanoff, Barton. Have a seat," he offered in way of greeting.

As soon as they sat down, Fury started talking. "For three months, we have been monitoring a situation in Europe, mostly around Germany, Austria, and Lichtenstein. Someone has been taking out several of HYDRA's top scientists."

"One of ours?" Clint asked.

"No. Chatter in the area suggests that one of HYDRA's top assassins has flown the coop."

"That's certainly interesting," Clint mumbled. Natasha shot him a "shut up!" glare.

"Indeed it is, Agent Barton. This assassin is a woman."

Natasha's ears perked up. Now, Director Fury had her full attention.

"We don't know much about her, but what we do know is that she uses a katana to do most of her dirty work. She is highly skilled in martial arts and moves like a cat."

"So, she's HYDRA's version of me," Natasha muttered.

"Yes. We don't have a name for her yet, but she is called Enigma," Fury continued. "What I want you two to do is find her. I want her alive and able to carry on an intelligent conversation. You leave for Germany in one hour."

With that said Fury gave them the file and left the room. "So, Phil," Clint started as Natasha opened the file, "where in Germany was Enigma was last seen?"

"Munich. You two better get packing."

"Great. I always wanted to try wiener schnitzel," Clint grinned.

Natasha rolled her eyes and smacked him on the shoulder with the file. "Let's go, Hawkeye."

"Sheesh, can't a guy get breakfast first before he gets smacked?"

"No," she taunted with a small smile his way, one she reserved especially for him.

Author's Note: Well, there is chapter one for you. Interested in reading more? Let me know! Read and Review.