Hhm, not so long this time between updates. Well, I left you with a cliffhanger last time. Now, we find out what happened to Enigma this time.
Chapter Fourteen
The Past Bites Back Again
The first thing Marissa was aware of was the deep throbbing pain in her skull. The second was the pressure in her arm. Great, an IV, she moaned inwardly. I landed myself in the medical bay again. What the hell did I do to myself this time?
Marissa remembered fighting sentinels with Storm, Wolverine, and Jean. She recalled dropping to the ground in exhaustion, putting up her hand for one final mental push. Then, the lightning and unconsciousness.
"Hey, you're awake! Lemme go get Jean!" A southern drawl interrupted her thought process.
Marissa jumped up in surprise, nearly ripping her IV out.
"Whoa there, Sugar! Give yourself a chance to recover before you start leaping tall buildings again."
"I'm fine, Rogue. You just startled me," Marissa replied, finally spying her visitor, the dark auburn hair with the white streaks finally coming to focus for her.
Rogue stood at the doorway, a concerned look highlighting her green eyes. "Ah, okay."
Jean walked in. "Hey, I knew I heard your voice from my office. What do you remember about what happened?"
"Everything. The battle with the sentinels in the danger room, the last sentinel that didn't want to go down. I was über tired from exertion. I just wanted that last sentinel to die. I was so angry. I saw a flash of lightning, then I collapsed. Storm must have fried him for me."
"That's what we thought at first," Jean replied pensively.
"What do you mean, at first?" Marissa asked, sensing Jean's reluctance to speak any further. "It must have been Storm. None of us can control the weather."
"It wasn't me," Storm said from Jean's office. "And Rogue wasn't there to absorb my power."
"So, where did the lightning come from?"
The three women were giving her the strangest look. The sense she was getting from them…
"Me? I did it?"
Storm nodded. "I was flying overhead to assist you. I saw you drop to your knees and hold up your hand for one last mental push. The lightning crackled from your hands."
"It was an anger response. You were livid that the sentinels were getting the best of you. I felt that angry burst of energy before you passed out."
"I remember that I wanted to fry that bastard's circuits. I guess I did." Marissa paused. "What the hell kind of mutant am I?"
"We honestly don't know. You're definitely a mutant. Your DNA and your powers show that you have the X factor, like us."
Marissa could feel Jean's confusion. "But?" she prompted.
"Some of the pathways in your brain are structured completely differently then either the professor or I have seen. Also, you have that weird microorganism in your bloodstream. It's like you are a different kind of human all together."
"Different kind of human? Like Captain America different?" Being like her close friend was something she could live with.
"No, more Asgardian different, we think. Like Thor. Too bad we can't ask him right now for a sample of his DNA to compare with yours."
"Great," Marissa muttered. "A freak of nature among mutants."
"I know what you mean," Rogue said, walking over to her bed and tripping on Marissa's IV stand. Her head collided with Marissa's hand.
"Ow! Rogue, I always suspected you were hard headed, but damn! That hurt!"
"Rogue!" Storm exclaimed in shock.
"What?"
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Rogue replied, rising up from her position on the floor. "Jus' a nasty bump on the head. Marissa, your hand?"
"Stings like hell, but I'll live."
Jean was looking at the scene incredulously. Marissa noticed immediately. "Jean? Something you want to share with the rest of the class?"
"How are you not weakened again? Or unconscious?"
"What? She just hit my hand, not my head. I'm fine. What's the problem?"
"She hit your bare hand with her head! Rogue's power should have weakened you."
"I'm fine."
"Rogue?" Jean asked.
Rogue thought for a second. "No flashes of her life, no hyperawareness of my surroundings. Nothing."
Jean looked at the two of them. "Rogue, touch her hand again."
Rogue touched Marissa's hand again.
"Nothing. How are you immune to my powers?" Rogue asked.
"I don't know! I don't know what's going on with me!"
"I haven't been able to touch anyone since I was a teenager!"
"This is so weird!" Marissa exclaimed.
"Indeed. We need to tell the professor about this," Storm said.
Jean nodded. "We'll see you in a bit. Right now, you just rest up a bit and recuperate."
The trio left with uncertain smiles on their faces.
Marissa sighed and laid her head back down on the pillow. "Easier said than done," she muttered. She had a million questions and no one around to answer them.
Two weeks later, Marissa found herself in a mental match against Rogue in the courtyard. She threw rocks and Frisbees at her friend. Rogue managed to dodge most of Marissa's mental attacks.
Then Marissa was caught by surprise when another mind joined the attack. She dodged Jean's first attack, and then pulled out her katana to turn a stone into gravel. Other rocks deflected off of the adamantium blade. She flipped over Jean as she tried to attack her physically.
"Couldn't resist the flip, could you, Enigma?" Jean replied with a grin.
"Nein. Too much fun aided by my mental powers."
Marissa, I need you in the War Room please, Xavier called for her mentally.
Right away, Professor, she answered. Aloud, she replied, "Sorry ladies. Playtime's over."
She sheathed her katana and walked inside the school. She found Xavier along with Storm and Wolverine. "Professor? You needed to see me?"
"Director Fury is on a secure line for you," Xavier replied, pointing to a headset.
Marissa grabbed the headset. "This is Agent Marissa Hermann, codename Enigma. Authorization Code: Rote Schadel."
"Confirmed, Agent Hermann. Your training is over. You have three hours to report to HQ. Briefing will occur thirty minutes later. Understood?"
"Roger that, Director Fury."
"Good. I have asked Professor Xavier to send two of his team along with you. Bring them with you. Fury out."
Marissa dropped the headset back onto the console. She turned to the three mutants. "So, you two are coming with me?"
"Looks like it, Darlin'," Wolverine answered.
"We'll have your transport ready within thirty minutes. Scott and Rogue are arranging it for you."
"See you in thirty," Marissa answered as she left the War Room.
Marissa packed up her meager possessions in her room and walked to the garage twenty-eight minutes later. Her two companions and Xavier were waiting for her.
"You're just in time," Xavier replied. "Rogue is pulling your transport up, now."
Marissa gasped at the beauty of a vehicle that pulled up in front of her. The car needed some repair, but it was serviceable.
"Are you serious?" she gulped. "A 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 convertible!"
"A unique car for a unique individual. I have no need for it anymore. It fits you perfectly. The title and insurance will be transferred to your name by tomorrow."
"Mine? You're giving me this beauty?"
"Indeed," Xavier said with a grin as if he read the bewildered thoughts racing in her mind. He checked his watch. "You three need to get going."
Marissa took the keys from Rogue and sat in the driver's seat. She sat there for a moment, rubbing her hand across the leather bound steering wheel.
"You know how to drive this car, Darlin'?" Logan asked from the shotgun spot.
Marissa responded by starting up the car, putting it in first gear, and flooring it out of the garage, shifting gears fluidly.
Storm let out a whoop of joy behind Wolverine. "She knows how to drive!"
Two hours later, she arrived at the Triskelion. The agent that met her gaped at the blue Mustang with the black racing stripes. "Yes, that is my car, and no you will not touch it."
She walked on by without breathing another word to the trembling rookie.
"Do you intimidate everyone you meet?" Storm asked.
"Only those who don't know me well."
"That's a lot then," Wolverine added with a feral grin.
An Asian woman met them at the elevator to Fury's office. Marissa smiled at her colleague. "Melinda May, it has been a while."
"It has." She took in the two mutants with Marissa. "And you are the two that Professor Xavier sent to help us?"
Storm and Logan introduced themselves. "Pleasure to meet you. Let's get this over with."
Two minutes later, the group stood in front of Fury.
Fury handed them a briefing packet. "SHIELD has been tracking an individual across the US for the last six months. We don't know his true identity, but we know that he has been appearing out of nowhere and striking at secure locations across the mainland. We suspect that he is a shapeshifting mutant. You will need to confirm that. Recently, he has hit the Naval Base at Pax River. This means that NCIS will be involved now. Work with them, but your task is to eliminate the threat by any means necessary."
Marissa took a look at the briefing packet and noted the ever changing identity of the attacker. Different face, but the tactics were identical. "Are we certain that the attacker is male?"
"Ninety percent certain," May answered. "I tracked him myself from Oregon to Nevada. I will be your handler for this mission."
"Can't think of anyone better to watch my six than the Calvary," Marissa joked.
Melinda's eyes narrowed, but she did not retort back. "I'll fly you to Pax River in one of our jets. You'll be on the ground within the hour."
"I'll take co-pilot," Storm answered. "I am qualified on our Blackbird at home."
Melinda nodded.
"Good. You're dismissed."
"The briefing packet includes dossiers on the NCIS team that is leading the investigation. You will need to familiarize yourself with them."
Marissa opened the folder. She heard Wolverine in amusement. "I like this Agent Gibbs."
Marissa glanced at the photo of Gibbs, then paused. The agent name that appeared behind him…and the information on her…
"Damn," she muttered as the memories flashed to the forefront.
Agent Ziva David, former Mossad Liaison Officer…older sister of Tali David, her friend…until she died.
"Marissa?"
"Ziva David. I know her from my Hydra days. That could be a problem."
"How?"
Marissa sighed. "In 2003, I was sent to Israel to perform a threat assessment on Mossad. I was supposed to complete my mission and move on. I never expected to befriend the Assistant Director's youngest daughter. Tali David was sixteen like me. I saved her from some thugs who were teasing her because she liked opera. We became friends. I met her big sister, Ziva, soon after she returned from her tour of duty with the Israeli army.
"Ziva accepted me initially as a friend, but she quickly grew suspicious of my behavior as she started training to be a Mossad operative. She started questioning me. I deflected her questions as best I could until I had to return to Germany."
Summer 2003
Tel Aviv, Israel
Marissa tapped her fingers impatiently on the table as she waited for Tali to show up at the coffee house. She was notoriously late for their excursions in the past, and today shouldn't have surprised her. Marissa sipped her cappuccino and settled in her seat.
Tali slid in the seat next to her moments later. "Sorry, Marissa. Ziva wanted to talk to me at the last minute."
"It's okay," Marissa smiled. "At least you made it before I had to go to the train station. I wanted to give you my contact information in Germany. I would love it if you could visit my home as I did yours."
"I would love that. Write it down while I make my order," Tali smiled and bounded out of her seat.
Jeez, the girl had limitless energy, Marissa thought as movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. The way the man was moving…
"Bomb!" she screamed as the man pressed the switch on his vest.
Marissa dived for cover a split second before the bomb detonated, the shockwave deafening her for a moment as she took in the devastation around her.
Victims were moaning in pain, others too mutilated to speak, still others lifeless. Where was Tali? She had been close to the bomber. Too close!
"Tali!" Marissa exclaimed, searching frantically for her friend. There was a flash and the rubble around her caught fire.
Marissa coughed as she looked for her friend. "Tali!" she choked out.
She finally had to get out before she choked to death from the smoke. She prayed that her friend would be all right.
After one hour, the flames were out. She rushed back into the ruined coffee house to look for her friend. Ziva had made it as well. Together they found a charred body with a very familiar Star of David pendant around her neck. Pieces of the bomb were all around saw a very familiar symbol on a piece of the detonator.
A Hydra.
"Tali?" she heard Ziva moan in grief..
Marissa looked up at her, still holding the Hydra detonator. "She's dead," she whispered as she dropped the detonator and ran.
Her handler picked her up half a mile from the coffee house.
"That Hamas operative had a Hydra bomb. Why?"
"It was convenient. You befriended Tali David. Attachments make you weak. We eliminated a threat."
"Ziva David has every reason to hate me. I am responsible for Tali's death. I befriended her, and she died because of it."
"You don't know that for certain," Storm replied sympathetically. "It could have been a ruse to keep you loyal to Hydra."
"Be that as it may," Melinda interrupted. "We still need to work with Agent David and the rest of NCIS to catch this guy. Lessons from the past always serve to make us stronger when they bite us in the ass."
"Don' I know it," Wolverine commented, flexing his hands.
"Are you going to be able to do this?" Storm asked Marissa.
She nodded stoically. "Let's do this."
"Director Fury has already notified the NCIS director—Vance—that we are coming. I suspect that we will be briefed at the Navy Yard in DC."
Marissa nodded again as she followed Melinda to the jet they would use for the short flight to Washington, DC.
Author's Note:
Yep, another minor crossover coming up next chapter. Don't you just love me? For all of you Captain/Enigma fans, more interaction is coming up. We are at the Avengers timeline now, peoples. Until next chapter!