Hail Hydra: What a tangled web we weave...

[Viper]

Madripoor was becoming a boring place to be for Viper, but she hoped the influx of black market vendors and buyers to the island nation's shores would make things a bit more interesting. She had heard that her old acquaintances in SHIELD were scouting around for a lot of mystic weapons that had started popping up around the world. If they were in play, Hydra would be the one to snag them in the end.

She had just gotten an update from the latest skirmish between SHIELD and the self-proclaimed forces of darkness that seemed to be holding court that week. Manhattan looked like a war zone, and the sight of injured SHIELD agents made Viper smile. The sight of the Avengers in play did not.

"Keep me informed about the items in play," she said over the video feed between her and the Hydra operative. "If these are on par with items we've found recently, I want all of them!"

"Yes, Madame Hydra," the operative replied before the line went black. Viper sat in her chair in Madripoor and grinned, thinking all the while about the next move the Avengers might make.

[Mystique]

"Well," Mystique said as she walked into the room where Viper was doing whatever she was at the moment. "what was so damned urgent? Your invitation did rip me out of some prior plans of my own."

"Raven Darkholme, you are such an annoying little thing," Viper said as Mystique crossed to her and grabbed Viper by the wrist.

"The next time you call me by that name will be your last," the shapeshifter hissed as she loosed her hold on Viper. "Now, what is so damned important? I need to take care of my own business here."

"Well, Mystique, how would you like to put an end to your least favorite X-Woman and her magical gaggle of a family? I might be able to help you take care of that...if you're interested," Viper said as Mystique crossed to the window and looked out at the streets of Hightown.

"I'm listening," Mystique replied as her yellow, pupil-less eyes seemed to glistening with excitement.