Cracking An Enigma (a YJ fanfic) COMPLETED

Chapter Three: Meeting The Professionals

"I have to tell the story, of a thousand rainy days, since we first met."
The Police, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

AFTER THAT DECISION, things quickly escalated from there.

My first missions with Natasha often ended up with me messing something up, or her making me do something a bit too dangerous. Either way, it usually ended up with her yelling at me when we got back, and then for half an hour I'd throw my good manners out of the window.

It was a constant repeat, and I was getting sick of it. However, everytime I promised myself I would just calm down, I didn't.
In short, it was going well with the fighting, but not with the student, teacher relationship.

I was eleven by now, and Natasha had been teasing a solo mission for me, since forever. One half of me felt like I was about to burst with pride, and was ready to take on the world; the other half was crying in the corner, willing me to simply give up the hero game.
But if I did, where would I go? What would be my purpose in life, to sit dully in a school classroom?

That was a blatent lie actually. I had been going to Gotham North since I was ten; of course my father never cared about my education.

But soon the day came. Natasha, being Natasha, had picked July the Fourth for my first mission, and I was completely nerve racked. I was stalking the hallway of our flat, with a scruffy, brown jumpsuit on (to avoid being recognized) and a dark brown type of beanie hat.

"Chill Shady, you'll be fine!" Natasha laughed at my nervousness.

Shady had become my affectionate nickname now, and I was called it a regular basis. Sometimes, even I forgot my own name. Though, I didn't notice the eminem reference till in my teenage years, when I caught up properly on pop culture.

"I don't like this, Nat. What if I muck up?"

"You won't," she chuckled, "I'm in on comms, but in the time for you to get there, I'll be at 'the hall of justice'."

She made quotation marks at the end of the sentence. I nodded. She'd told me about the publicity cover, and about the watchtower up in space. I was glad I wasn't one of the boys who were being blindly led to a front for media. Needless to say, however, my caring nature couldn't help but feel sorry for them.

"Earth to Shady. You there?" Natasha was clicking her fingers in front of my face. I shook my head and stood to attention. "Ok, here's what's the plan. You go in to Katniss, and find out whatever the hell they're doing. You keep under the radar, and you don't talk to anyone. If someone from the League catches you..." She sucked in her teeth, "we're both dead." She continued briskly, "You'll go in at night, whilst I keep those boys busy, and you get out with whatever info you can get. Understood?"

I nodded robotically.

"Great," Natasha grinned. "Now go get in the car girl, you got a project Katniss to investigate."

I couldn't stop the massive, stupid, grin that went all over my face.

£

When I got there, it was already late, and I was already panicking. I was making myself not bite my nails somehow, but how I was still walking down the corridors of that lab, I don't know.

The hallway was quiet. Too quiet.

Then suddenly I heard a "ding" sound and I turned a corner, to see a silver express elevator closing. What I saw inside though, was completely insane.

I couldn't tell what it was, but it had horns and was incredibly thin. It didn't belong here. I raced down the corridor, but I wasn't in time, and the doors shut in my face. I sighed quietly, wondering whether to radio Natasha, when I heard a scuffling noise. I looked over at the dark hallway behind me.