Vertigo: Hydra's Greatest Weapon

Chapter 1

Callie:
They call me Vertigo. I'm one of Hydra's babies. They spent years trying to perfect the serum they used on me. It took them too many tries to get it right but now I have my powers. I don't remember my days before having them. All I remember is Hydra. They call me their "greatest weapon". I've been sent on more missions than anyone they've created or any of their soldiers. In fact, I'm on a mission right now.

I crouch in the grass, hidden by the darkness engulfing the night forest. I'm just waiting, playing with the blue wisps that come from my hands to keep myself occupied. I toss a wisp ball a few inches in the air when I hear rustling behind me. I quickly close my fists to fade the wisps into the air and whip around, staying low and quiet. I inch my way to a nearby grounded tree large enough to hide me when crouching behind it. I listen to the distant rustling for a few minutes until I confirm the sounds are footsteps. Remember your training, soldier.

Two pairs of footsteps. One heavier, probably a man. One much lighter, most likely a woman. I don't hear voices, just their footsteps. They're growing louder, coming towards me. But they aren't running. I clench my fists and release, preparing for my mission to arrive.

Every part of me wants to run away, get away from Hydra but I've tried it once before and the outcome wasn't good. I was beaten senselessly and tortured until I was on the brink of death. But they knew, even back then, they couldn't kill me. I'm useful.

"...What about that girl from accounting?" a woman's voice echos near me.

I turn my head in that direction and see two silhouettes just a few feet away from me. My wisps glide around my hands. I was right, one man and one woman. The man I recognize immediately to be Captain America. Hydra has told me a lot about him. A supersoldier created by Howard Stark. The woman, Black Widow, grew up and trained in the Red Room. A Russian spy and assassin. Two parts of my mission.

I watch as they walk past me and as soon as they're past the grounded tree I'm behind, I plant my hands on the bark and fling myself over the log, landing softly behind Captain America. I swiftly stand up and bring my hands to either side of his head, placing my index and middle fingers of each on his temples. My blue wisps flow from my hands into his head and he crumbles to the ground. I quickly duck and roll out of Black Widow's sight before she can even process the fact that her friend is now unconscious. She draws her weapon just as I gain balance from my roll behind a nearby bush. Clearly, she doesn't know where to point it because she aims in a different direction every few seconds.

At one point, it looks like she's staring right at me but I guess not because she turns away after a few seconds. I take my opportunity when she's facing away from me. I crawl out of my hiding spot and go for her head, placing my two fingers of each hand on her temples from behind. This doesn't last long because she rips my hands away and throws me back, whipping around to face me and pointing her gun right at my head. I don't hesitate, I have a mission to complete.

I can feel my eyes glow the same shade of blue as my wisps. I feel it every time. I reach up and smack the gun out of her hand, sending it flying across the ground. I scramble to my feet and the second I'm standing, she throws her first punch. I block it easily, throwing a punch of my own. We go back and forth punching, kicking, and blocking each other.

Black Widow throws a strong punch to my head but I grab her arm, strike her side with my other, and throw her to the ground. She hits the dirt with a grunt. To keep her on her back on the ground, I climb onto her, straddling her lap. I put my hands on the ground on either side of her head. I'm so close to completing my mission, just one simple move and it'll be over.

We stare at one another, our faces inches away. I have my chance to take out Black Widow. But something stops me. I don't know what, though.

I scramble off of Black Widow and run away through the darkness.