The Soldier and the Spy.

Chapter 2

Staring up, I find myself looking into a pair of the bluest eyes I've ever seen. The man they belong to is just as perfect. Snap out of it Variel! You don't have time for this! I tell myself. Slowly, I start to back away on all fours, hoping to find another way out of this room.

Looking down at me, the man offers me his hand as I try to get up, saying, "Here ma'am let me help you."

Ha! He must think I was going to come with him willingly! I've heard of S.H.I.E.L.D.- they "recruit" superheroes and then force them to do whatever they want. There was no way I was going to do that. Taking the offered hand, I surprise him by pulling him down and flipping him over on his back. Running through the now-empty door, I burst outside to find myself surrounded by agents.

Growling, I morph into a huge black panther and take the agents out.Oh yeah- I almost forgot to mention that I have a superpower. I can morph into any animal- real, extinct, or fictional. Which means I can be a dragon. It's pretty sick, believe me! Morphing back to human form I look around when I hear a sharp POP and feel pain in my neck.

Putting my hand up to my neck, I pull out a dart just as I see the man in blue behind me with a gun in his hands. My vision gets fuzzy, and I start to fall...except I don't. I look up in surprise. I see another face, but it's indistinguishable because of my blurred vision.

"Forgive me," the face says, and I fall unconscious.

****Captain America****

Carrying the young lady gently, I set her on the floor of the helicopter.

"The Helicarrier," I say to the pilot, and he takes off. I sit next to Thor and buckle the woman into a seat. Looking at her pale face, I think about the past couple of days......

****Three days earlier****

"Attention all Avengers! Please report to Room 110 at once!" says a tinny voice from the speakers overhead.

Sighing, I put down my book and walk towards the meeting room. The last couple of days have been pretty relaxing, as the level of crime is lower than usual. Opening the door, I walk in and wait for the others.

Everyone else arrives soon after me, except for Tony, who's ten minutes late as usual, and Natasha, who's on a mission.

When he finally waltzes through the door, Tony asks, "What have I missed?"

"Nothing, Stark, we waited for you," Fury says. "But now to the reason I have called you here. This," he says, giving us all files, "Is Alice Smith. We are pretty sure that's is not her real name, and she has the power to morph into any animal real, fictional, or extinct. She also has excellent fighting skills."

"So what?" Tony asks "Why is she soo important? And why don't you guys have a better picture of her?"

I flip open the case file, and I see that the only photo of her is a blurry snapshot that shows half of a girl's face.

"The reason she is 'soo' important, Stark, Fury says, "is because we have no history on her. We can't find any records of her birth, family, or life until now."

"But sir," Hawkeye says,"If she has such amazing powers, why hasn't she come onto our radar before?"

"Good question Hawkeye," Fury replies. "She has somehow managed to avoid all human contact. She doesn't even come into the town nearby to buy food or supplies. We suspect she lives off the forest."

"Like hunting and eating animals?" Stark cries.

"To put it bluntly, yes Stark, hunting and eating animals," Fury says unfazed.

I roll my eyes at him and look over at Dr. Banner and Thor. They both have been very quiet. Suddenly, as if he can read my thoughts, Thor speaks up.

"Director Fury, if I may, this maiden seems scared of someone finding her. She has avoided all your security, and the only picture you have of her is a blurry half-of-a face. How do you expect us to find her?"

"We have a pinpoint on her location. It is in the middle of the Canadian forest, in a little hut a fair distance from the town of Kachinca. I will be sending two of you to bring her here."

I lift my head, curious to see who Fury will pick. I hope that he doesn't send Tony. He would surely scare her.

"Thor will be one" I look at Fury. Thor is a good choice. There couldn't be a more gentle 'god' on the planet. "Rogers will be the other," I start in surprise at his announcement. I didn't expect to be picked. But I'm relieved that he didn't pick Tony.

"Yes Sir," I say, looking back down at the file in my hands. She is beautiful, well, as beautiful as half a picture can be. Looking at her, I see why Thor thought she was scared. Her face is pale and her green eyes are large with fright and cautiousness. Her face wearing an expression that confuses me. It is not fear or confidence, happiness or sadness, love or hate, but something I've never seen before. She is wearing all black, with long pants and a jacket, and the only skin visible is her face and hands.

Shaking out of my thoughts, I prepared alongside Thor to get the woman. I am still wondering at her face and its expression. I find myself eager to meet this strange girl, and I walk out to the helicopter with Thor.

**Present Time**

I study her face looking for that expression, and I don't see it. Her face is tense, as if she is remembering something she would rather forget. I wonder why she is all in black- possibly to blend with the shadows better. Once again, all her skin is covered except for her face and hands. I study her face, unconsciously thinking to myself how beautiful she is...wait! Where did that thought come from? I haven't thought about a woman being beautiful since...well since Peggy. The helicopter bumps slightly as we land on the Helicarrier, and I carry the limp body of the mysterious girl to her room.