Everything happened so quickly, so unexpectedly and without provocation. A duo of renegade thieves who specialize in rare weaponry had targeted the humble nation of Wakanda shortly after they had gotten word that Ulysses Klaue had found vibranium and linked it directly with the reclusive and secretive country. While King T'Challa had been requested to speak at the United Nations in Austria his Queen Mother Ramonda had asked to join him so that she could witness the bridges being built between Wakanda and other countries, and in return Agent Everett Ross agreed to accompany the Queen to ensure her safety and comfort.

It was during this meeting that the two thieves, Damon Willis and his partner in crime Tim Nelson made their move. By sneaking into the building disguised as security guards the selfish duo located Queen Ramonda and had decided to hold her captive in exchange for vibranium. Unfortunately for them Everett had refused to leave Ramonda's side and was with her when the two made their move.

"Get back!" Everett shouted loudly as he made a move to draw his gun holstered at his left hip beneath his jacket.

Everett boldly planted himself between Ramonda and Damon; a man well over six feet in height, buff, blond hair with brown eyes and a nasty scar marking the side of his face. Unbeknownst to Everett his partner Tim; almost as tall as Damon and just as broad in build with dark red hair and blue eyes walked up behind the frightened queen and pressed the sharp blade of his eight inch hunting knife against her back.

"Don't even think about it." Damon sneered as he pulled a knife from a small leather sheath attached to his belt. "Drop the gun or the Wakandans will have to mourn for their Queen."

At those words Everett's eyes went wide and he dared to catch a glimpse of Ramonda over his shoulder. It was then he saw Tim holding one hand over Ramonda's mouth while his other hand kept the menacing knife pressed up against her back.

Unwilling to let Ramonda's life be at risk Everett pressed the safety on his gun and raised both hands to surrender the weapon.

"Smart move." Damon remarked as he reached out and snatched the gun from Everett's hand. "She comes with us, no one follows or we stick a blade through her heart."

Ramonda's eyes went wide with fear as she clawed desperately at the hand covering her mouth as she tried to call out defiantly to Everett.

"Wait!" Everett stated firmly, his hands still in the air and his back still to Ramonda. "Why do you want her? What are your demands."

"Vibranium." Was the sharp and succinct reply. "All of it."

Thinking quickly Everett tried to seize control over the situation. "And what makes you think she'll be able to help?"

"She's the Queen." Damon stated as he motioned for Tim to back out of the corridor and drag Ramonda with him. "The Wakandas can either pay up the vibranium or bury her."

Keeping his cool and banking on the thieves' gullibility Everett continued with his ploy. "Do you really think the Wakandans would allow both their King and their Queen to leave the safety of their borders? She's a stand-in, a bodyguard for the real queen. She's prepared to give up her life for the sake of her country, you'll get nothing out of her."

The two men froze in place, Tim who had nearly reached the end of the corridor and Damon who was beginning to walk past Everett. They looked at each with confusion for a moment before Damon raised his knife to Everett's throat and pressed the blade uncomfortably close to his carotid artery.

"How do you know all this?"

"Because I'm the liaison between King T'Challa and the United States government. It's my job."

"Liaison..." Damon gave Tim a look and his partner knew what to do next. "So you know as much about Wakandan resources as an actual Wakandan, yeah?"

Reacting with a keen sense of duty and honor Everett played along. "Yeah, like I said, part of my job."

Tim whispered in a hoarse, gravelly tone right into Ramonda's ear. "This is your lucky day sweetheart." He pulled her head back until her beck was bent painfully to force her look up at his face. "Tell your king that if he wants to see his little friend again he'll pay up." Replacing his knife into a sheath on the back of his belt he pulling a phone of his pocket and slapped it down hard against the back of Ramonda's hand as she continued to claw at his own over her mouth. "Wait for instructions."

Damon quickly flipped the knife around in his hand so that the blade was in his palm and the handle was facing outward toward Everett. With a sudden and precise swing he struck Everett near his right temple with the hard, cold handle of the knife and knocked the C.I.A. agent unconscious in a flash.

As Everett fell to the ground, knocked out cold and defenseless, Tim let Ramonda go from his grip and threw the helpless Queen down at his feet.

"Come on." Damon instructed as he easily hoisted Everett up and over his shoulder. "We can't afford to be seen!"

"Right." Tim responded as he and Damon rushed down the corridor and toward the exit that only security personnel could normal access.

Ramonda remained where she knelt in the corridor as she watched in fear as the two men fled the building with Everett now as their hostage. She slowly reached for her Kimoye beads that she had tucked away into a small pouch beneath her silken wrap and used it to make contact with T'Challa.

"My son!" Her voice was shaking but understood clearly as T'Challa's likeness manifested before her in a sand projection originating from the beads. "Two men have attacked us! They have taken Agent Ross!"

"Mother!" T'Challa's normally confident voice was full of worry as she studied his mother's frightened face; a faint bruise was beginning to form over her mouth from Tim's tight grip and streams of tears were flowing from her eyes. "What has happened? Where are you?"

"Please! They have taken Agent Ross! They want vibranium!"

Anger swept over T'Challa as he struggled to remain composed. "Mother tell us where you are. Okoye and I will find you, and we will find a way to save Everett from these men."

A sharp pain in the side of his head and a relentless throbbing in his skull was enough to rouse Everett from his state of unconsciousness; sticky dried blood clung to his skin at his temple right where he had been struck by the handle of the knife. As his senses returned his became aware of a cold pressure around his wrists just below his hands and moving slightly up his forearms. His shoulders were aching and his back felt stretched to its limits.

Opening his eyes slowly Everett blinked a few times to clear his vision. It was in that moment he wished he hadn't.

Chained by his wrists to the ceiling Everett was strung upward, his feet just barely able to reach the concrete floor. The walls were dark cinder blocks with no windows. A single light in the center of the ceiling illuminated the room in a dim light and shone just a few inches behind where Everett himself had been chained.

The only exit was a large metal door on the far side of the room. A door that had two towering figures standing before as they spoke to one another in low voices.

"Oh boy..." Looking around at the new environment he unwillingly found himself Everett swallowed nervously knowing a 'torture room' when he saw it. "This could have gone better."

"You're awake." Damon stated somewhat amused as he stepped forward into the light from the darkness. In his hands he held Everett's gun and his badge. "Everett K. Ross. C.I.A. agent. Guess you were telling the truth."

In his mind Everett wished he had thought of a better lie or at the very least had the good sense to turn on a radio to broadcast the encounter in the corridor before things escalated so far.

Damon threw the badge indifferently into Everett's face and laughed as Everett just glared at him. "Agent Ross, let's make things easier, yeah?"

"I'm listening."

"Good, that's good." Damon opened Everett's gun and let the full loaded clip fall out and into his opened palm. "Why don't you go ahead and tell us about the vibranium reserves in Wakanda and how we find them."

"And if I don't?"

Damon began flicking the individual bullets out of the clip, one by one, with his thumb. "Then we beat you until you change your mind."

"And if I don't have the information you want?"

"Then we beat you until we get bored."

"Well then," Everett awkwardly shifted his weight to try and reduce the strain against his sore, swollen wrists and hands. "this is going to be a long night."

Damon just laughed as Tim walked up beside him with a large metal pipe in his hands. Tim waved the pipe menacingly in front of Everett's face before slamming it down hard into the palm of his opposite hand.

"Have it your way."

T'Challa and Okoye had rushed to where Ramonda had been thrown to the ground. As the righteously angry king tended to his mother Okoye, the most loyal and fiercest warrior who swore loyalty to the throne had threatened the lives of the numerous security officers who failed to stop the assault and the abduction.

"She should not have come here without proper guards to protect her." Okoye reprimanded angrily, bitterly. Her tone was biting and her eyes were burning as she addressed her king with frustration. "Why would you permit an outsider to protect our queen?"

"It was an act of faith." T'Challa calmly explained to his righteously upset General. "We needed to show that we are willing to trust, especially when guests on neutral ground shared by all nations. Agent Ross had volunteered to stay with her and in the end he did everything he could to protect her."

Okoye pulled her eyes from T'Challa and glared at the gathered security team just a few feet away. "I fear it will not be enough."

Turning his attention elsewhere T'Challa decided to focus on his mother's well being and comfort. "Mother, please come with me. You must return home where it is safe." T'Challa held his mother's face gently between his warm hands as he spoke to her. "I will find Everett and I will make those men pay for their crimes. I swear it."

Okoye finished reprimanded the security team, who had been frightened considerably by the fearless warrior, and joined T'Challa. "Please your Majesty, allow me to return you to Wakanda."

"T'Challa, I fear that I may have failed-"

"No mother!" T'Challa refused to let his mother accept any responsibility for the events that had just unfolded. "This is not your error. Please, return home. I will take care of everything."

Okoye gently put her hand on Ramonda's arm to escort her outside of the building. "Come. You must rest my queen."

Before Ramonda took a single step she gave the phone dropped by the thieves to T'Challa. "They claim that they will deliver instructions. Do not show mercy when you track them down, my son."

"You have my word." T'Challa accepted the phone and discreetly pocketed the item. "Once they call I will inform Shuri so that she can identify their location and we can capture these fiends."

"Come." Okoye insisted in a surprisingly sweet manner. "The matter will be handled promptly."

T'Challa watched as his mother and elite guard walked down the corridor, his heart aching and his mind reeling. How did the thieves manage to so easily sneak into the building and obtain false clearance? What was their end goal and why is the vibranium so important? Did they want the precious material for its value or its indestructibility?

The head of security approached T'Challa with the utmost remorse in his voice. "Your Majesty, we're investigating this breech of security as we speak. We will not stop until we know exactly how this happened."

"Thank you." T'Challa sincerely thanked the man. "I do hope that this does not become a common occurrence."

"No, we won't allow it. If there is anything else you need..."

"No. You have been extremely helpful. Thank you." T'Challa politely dismissed himself from the conversation and made his way to the exit of the building to be alone to think. "But not helpful enough."

Everett groaned in pain as he clenched in teeth and tasted the blood pooling in his mouth. His white teeth were stained red as he spat a glob of blood from his mouth onto the floor at his feet. His jaw was swollen and bruised, his right eyes was purple and swollen shut, a small trickle of blood oozing from his battered eye. Dried blood stained his nose and lip, all he could taste and smell was the blood.

His wrists were swollen and discolored from constricted blood flow, his left shoulder was dislocated and throbbing with great pain as his full body weight gnawed with a burning pain against the damaged limb.

Blood stained through his tattered suit jacket and the shirt beneath as long, deep lacerations lined his ribcage, his back and his abdomen. His legs hadn't fared any better, especially his knees.

Tim and Damon would take turns with the pipe beating Everett mercilessly and leaving bruises with each strike. When Everett refused to say anything about the vibranium, not that he knew much about it to begin with, the twisted duo got more creative with their methods in trying to coax him into speaking.

Aside from the pipe they used a crowbar, a leather belt, their hunting knives and butt of Everett's own gun against him.

"Getting tired?" Damon asked as he watched Tim punch Everett in the stomach as hard as he could.

"I could take a break, yeah."

"Good." Damon pulled his phone from his pocket and prepared the dial a number already programmed into the phone's memory. "Let's see if we can't get his allies to loosen his tongue for us. I'd hate to have to cut it out."

T'Challa had taken a position atop the United Nations building to take vigil over the area. Having summoned his vibranium suit over his body to not only protect him from a possible attack but to conceal his identity, he perched high above the city and scanned the streets diligently looking for any sign of the thieves or those who could potentially be linked to the thieves.

The phone that had been left behind by the thieves began to ring and T'Challa summoned Shuri over his Kimoye beads. "Shuri, trace this call."

'I'm on it!' Shuri responded sharply and seriously over their shared connection. 'Answer it and I'll be able to isolate their location.'

T'Challa answered the call and kept his voice steady. "Who is this?"

"Never you mind." Damon's voice retorted without hesitation. "Give us what you want and your friend goes free."

"And what is it that you want?"

"Vibranium. All of it."

T'Challa just shook his head as the absurdity of the claim was almost laughable. "You want all of the vibranium?"

"You heard me, all of it."

"You do realize that collecting such a massive amount of vibranium will that time?"

"We're patient men, yeah." Damon stated arrogantly over the phone unaware that Shuri was honing in on his exact location. "We can wait, but I don't think your friend can."

"Is he still alive?" T'Challa hated to ask but knew the question needed to be answered.

"For now." Damon's voice was filled with a sickening contentedness that made T'Challa's blood boil. "Have it ready by ten o'clock tonight. I'll call and give you a drop location. You don't do anything stupid until then, yeah."

The line went dead as Damon hung up. T'Challa lowered the phone and stared angrily at the dark screen.

'Scumbag!' Shuri lashed out as she reported in with T'Challa. 'But at least I know where he is holding Everett captive.'

"Give me the address, I'll track him down."

'With pleasure!'

On that final note T'Challa tightened his hand into an enraged fist around the phone that caused the electronic device to shatter in his hand. Sparks, metal and glass rained out between the claws of the Black Panther as he ran along the rooftops in search of his missing friend.

Everett let his head drop, his chin resting heavily against his chest as exhaustion overwhelmed his battered and beaten body. He fought to retain consciousness but his wounds and the massive blood loss made it nearly impossible to keep his eyes open, let alone his mind focused.

Tim pressed the end of the pipe under Everett's chin and lifted his head with a careless indifference. "Stubborn, aren't ya'?" He taunted mercilessly. "You Americans are always stubborn. But that makes it all the more fun for us when we finally break you, yeah."

A trail of fresh blood oozed from the corner of Everett's mouth and down the side of his chin.

Tim let Everett's head drop and he backed away. Wrapping both hands around the pipe and tightening his grip around it's lower half like it was in a baseball bat, he reeled back and swung as hard as he could at Everett's chest.

"GAAAAHH!" Everett let out one loud cry of pain as the pipe broken numerous ribs with the single strike and knocked the wind from his body. His eyes snapped shut and his entire body went limp as he was rendered completely unconscious by the final blow.

"Ooooh." Tim feigned empathy as theatrically grimaced in reaction to his own assault. "That's gotta' hurt, yeah?"

Damon walked over to where Everett was hanging and patted the side of Everett's swollen face. "Not much fight left in him. As soon as we get the vibranium let's dump his carcass over the bridge."

"You made the call? We're getting our pay out?"

"Sooner or later." Damon smugly stated as he turned his back to Everett to face his comrade. He looked at the time displayed on his phone's screen and smiled "Ten more minutes and we'll-"

The metal door to the room was forced open, bursting off of its hinges it flew into the room and crashed onto the concrete floor and skidded for a few inches before stopping right in front of Damon and Tim's feet.

The Black Panther entered the room with a fierce stance and his sharp vibranium claws drawn.

"Oh shi-" Damon didn't have the chance to finish his statement before Panther rushed into the room and tackled him to the ground with a single swift strike.

Tim backed away wisely and scrambled for his knife but his hands were shaking too violently to get a grip on the handle. Panther leapt up from Damon's chest and kicked Tim in the face sending the cowardly thief flying backward, his head slamming hard against the cinder block wall.

Damon had turned from his back onto his stomach and was trying to drag himself away from danger but Panther was too quick! Grabbing onto Damon's leg with one hand he pulled the retreating man back toward the scene of the fight cut the knife from Damon's belt using one of his claws.

Unarmed and alone Damon could only cower and beg for mercy as Panther grabbed him by his shirt collar and hefted him into the air. "You are a thief. You are selfish and do not care for the people around you."

Damon tried to pull his shirt free from Panther's strong fist but couldn't wrest himself free.

"You are wasting your life while making the lives of those around you miserable. This is no way for a man to live."

Bringing his elbow up quickly Panther smashed his arm into Damon's face, breaking his nose and rendering the man unconscious easily. Dropping the man to his feet Panther gracefully stepped over his body and approached Everett, who was still chained and hanging from the ceiling.

"Everett?" Panther called to his friend as he allowed the mask to fade from his face and the gloves to fade from his hands. He pressed his fingers to the side of Everett's neck to check for a pulse and was grateful to have found it. "Please hold on for a little while longer, my friend."

Summoning his claws to cover his hand once again he easily swiped and cut through the metal chain holding Everett's left arm upward. T'Challa supported Everett's weight with his opposite hand as he cut through the second chain and gently lowered his friend down to the ground where the discarded bullets and the various tools that had been used to torture the agent had been tossed aside carelessly.

"Everett? Can you hear me?"

A sickening gurgle emanated from the back of Everett's throat as the pooling blood collecting in his mouth and stifled his already struggling breaths as he fought to breathe through his broken, battered chest. His face was pale and his eyes were closed but there was something about Everett's expression that spoke volumes to the heroic king.

"My friend I will heal your wounds." T'Challa stated as put his hand under Everett's head and lifted him up slightly until he could no longer hear the gurgling sound and his breathing eased.

Everett coughed once, sending a spatter of blood out from between his teeth and all over the floor. He sucked in a wheezing breath as he fought to open his one good eye. "...Your Majesty?"

"My friend." T'Challa nodded happily as he supported Everett's body. "You are still with me. This is good."

"...Qu-Queen Ramonda?"

"My mother is safe. Thanks to you." T'Challa confirmed. "Do not worry. Everything will be okay."

Tim was beginning to regain consciousness, his eyes being drawn to the center of the room where T'Challa was holding Everett steady. Angry and seeing an opportunity to attack Tim pulled his knife from the sheath on his belt and slowly crept toward the unsuspecting king's back.

Everett could see the man approaching from behind T'Challa and he reacted instinctively. Reaching out to where his gun was resting just a few inches from his hand he quickly aimed and opened fire, the single bullet exited the chamber and struck Tim square in his left shoulder.

T'Challa also reacted quickly, turning to see his would-be assassin clutching his fresh wound to his shoulder and struggling to stay on his feet. Letting Everett lay down on the floor T'Challa leapt up again, his claws covering his hands and his mask hiding his face as he returned his attention to the dishonorable thief. With a single swipe of his claws he sliced into Tim's hand and forced him to drop the knife and cry out in pain.

Jumping backward Panther grabbed the two chains that had once held Everett hostage and used the two strong restraints to tied the two men together, back to back on the floor and up against the wall.

"Do not move again." Panther cautioned as he stood over the two men. "The police are on the way. You can either answer to them, or to me."

Panther turned his back fearlessly to the two incapacitated thieves and knelt beside Everett. The agent just flashed a weak smile.

"...Nice move."

"Same to you." The claws faded from Panther's hand as he pulled Everett's gun from his hand. He looked around at the mess on the floor and motioned to the gun curiously. "All of the bullets had been removed, how did you manage to shoot?"

"There's always... one in the... chamber." Everett's smile faded as unconsciousness stole his thoughts steadily. "Had to... make it... count."

"Everett?" Panther put his arms under Everett's shoulder and under his legs as he easily picked the horrifically beaten man from the floor. "Please do not give up. Not yet."

Just as quickly as the Black Panther had stormed the building he left with Everett, his friend, now safely in his arms. The sound of police sirens filled the air as the authorities, aided by an anonymous tip, converged on the scene to arrest the two thieves and charge them with numerous crimes.

Nearly an hour was all it took for T'Challa to return to Wakandan borders with Everett unconscious and under his care. The wounded agent hadn't regained consciousness since his rescue and his broken body struggled to keep itself alive amidst all of the injuries he had been forced to endure for information he refused to divulge.

Queen Ramonda had been waiting with Shuri in her lab for T'Challa to return. As soon as they saw T'Challa directing the gurney with Everett's body into the lab Shuri rushed over to check in on the brave agent.

"This seems like a bad dream playing over and over again." Shuri put her hand gently on Everett's swollen cheek. "Whenever he comes here to be healed it seems as though chaos follow anyone who tries to help others."

"Do not worry sister," T'Challa insisted as the gurney stopped next to the exam table. "I have faith in humanity as well as your skills."

Together Shuri and T'Challa lifted Everett up from the gurney and placed him down gently on the exam table. As Shuri began the initial scan to chronicle the full extent of Everett's injuries Ramonda walked up the table and softly ran her hand through Everett's hair while she clutched her opposite hand to heart as if she could feel the emotional pain on a physical level.

"He lied to protect me." She lamented with tears in her eyes as she looked down at Everett's pale face. "T'Challa, your father would be proud that you have put your trust in such a noble man."

T'Challa reached out his hand and took his mother's hand in her own. "Mother, he is strong. He will recover."

Shuri finished her scan and took a deep breath before listing off the many painful wounds that Everett had managed to endure. "He has four broken ribs, his left lung has collapsed, he is hemorrhaging in his liver, his left shoulder is dislocated, his right knee has torn ligaments, his right tibia is broken in two places, his jaw has been fractured as well as his right orbit and is suffering from a concussion. His wounds are devastating but I am confident that I can still heal him."

Ramonda gave Shuri a thoughtful look. "If anyone can aid him it is you, my daughter."

"I will do my best mother."

T'Challa walked around the opposite side of the table to escort his mother out of the lab. "Come. Leave Shuri to work while you tell me what had happened."

As T'Challa tended to his mother's needs Shuri focused on Everett's condition and keeping the brave agent amongst the living.

Okoye was bound and determined to finish what T'Challa had started when he tracked down the two thieves, but they were in police custody and (safely) out of her reach. As an act of faith in the law outside of Wakandan borders T'Challa and Okoye returned to witness how the two thieves would be dealt with.

"Let me handle this." Okoye insisted as she and T'Challa looked at the two men through the one way window to the interrogation room of the police station. "I can ensure that these two do not dare to try and steal vibranium again, and I can locate any allies they may have hiding in the shadows."

"No, Okoye." T'Challa shook his head slightly as he stared at the two men through the mirror. "We must let the authorities handle this. The crime was committed outside of our borders, we cannot interfere."

"They threatened your mother, they abducted and tortured Agent Ross and they tried to kill you. Borders do not matter."

"Unfortunately General, even we are not above the law. Please, be patient."

The two men were visibly shaking as the police questioned them about their activities. Damon had tissue pressed to his broken nose while Tim had his wounded arm in a sling. The duo were cooperating surprisingly well with the authorities after they were informed that Klaue had been eliminated and that he had been an enemy to the Black Panther himself.

Being the last members of the small, yet effective, team of black marketeers specializing in vibranium the arrests of Damon Willis and Tim Nelson would cease the most active weapon exchanges in the Eastern hemisphere.

"This will not take long." T'Challa scoffed as the thieves explained everything, desperate to have their sentences reduced without upsetting the Black Panther in the process. "Without honor they are weak. And only dishonorable men try to wage war against those who cannot defend themselves."

Shuri worked meticulously to heal the numerous injuries to Everett's broken body. Her hands moved swiftly and gracefully as she guided the scanners to the appropriate locations throughout his body to heal the damage and stabilize his vitals. Slowly Everett's condition improved but he did not open his eyes or utter a word as he remained unconscious under Shuri's care.

"How did you manage to survive such an onslaught 'Colonizer'?" Shuri grumbled under her breath as she finished repairing Everett's bleeding liver. "I'd say I'm impressed but I fear that would be complimenting your abductors more than your resolve."

Everett gasped a little as the bleeding in his chest finally subsided and her plural cavity was cleared of the pooling blood.

Worried that Everett's oxygen levels were too low Shuri reached up to a small compartment near the table of the exam table that contained a breathing apparatus. Strapping the mask gently over Everett's face, mindful of his fracture jaw and swollen eye, she watching as his began rising higher with each assisted breath.

Queen Ramonda returned to Shuri's lab silently. She watched from the top of the metal staircase as Shuri fought to keep Everett alive while simultaneously healing his injuries with her amazing technology and equipment.

"I know you are there." Shuri stated loudly without breaking stride. "Mother."

"Shuri." Ramonda gracefully walked down the staircase and stood at her daughter's side. "He still lives."

"Yes. Americans are stubborn, you know this."

Ramonda laughed a little as she watched Shuri work. "I have prayed and asked the ancestors to guide him back to the world of the living. Between your skill and their mercy I am positive he has a chance."

Okoye was unhappy with T'Challa's decision to allow the authorities outside Wakanda deal with the thieves. Despite the two being the last confirmed black marketeers who sought vibranium weapons she still wanted more information on the two men and on their activities.

"Okoye, please." T'Challa asked somewhat annoyed as she piloted their craft back to Wakanda. "They have been arrested, they will be given a trial and sentenced accordingly. They have a history of harboring illegal weapons, assault and theft already working against them. Adding their threat against my mother, the abduction and assault of Everett and their attempt against the Black Panther's life added to the list of charges they will be imprisoned for the rest of their lives."

"They should be put death. Slain like the rabid beasts that they are!"

"I agree." T'Challa admitted as he rested his hand on Okoye's shoulder. "But we cannot make such decisions."

"I am aware. We have no authority outside of our borders. But that does not mean I have to like it."

Expertly Okoye landed the craft into the hangar nearest Shuri's lab. The two occupants exited the craft and walked briskly down the lengthy corridor until they reached the entryway into the lab.

"How is he?" T'Challa asked as he approached the exam table where Everett was still laying motionless.

"He has lost a great deal of blood." Shuri stated as she rested her hand down on his barely moving chest. "But he is holding his own."

"You were able to heal his wounds?"

"Yes. It took some time to stop the internal hemorrhaging but there will be no permanent damage."

"When will he wake up?"

"I do not know. It could be a couple of minutes, it could be a couple of days."

Ramonda watched as Okoye did her best to hide the concern in her eyes. "Okoye, will the two men be punished for their crimes."

"Yes my Queen." Okoye confirmed proudly. "They will not wander freely for the rest of their natural born lives."

"This is good. We now know that justice for Wakandans outside of our borders is possible."

Four days passed before Everett began to stir from his deep slumber. His dark blue eyes fluttered briefly before a gentle hand lifted the oxygen mask from his face and spoke to him.

"Everett Ross." Shuri stated his name clearly. "Can you hear me?"

Everett opened his eyes and looked up at the princess somewhat confused. "Shuri."

"Do you remember what has happened?"

"I... I remember being... taken." He tried to sit up but a sharp lingering pain in his chest forced him to lay back down and wrap his arm protectively over his sore ribs. "Ow... That hurts."

"Do not move. Not yet." Shuri cautioned. "You were badly wounded and suffered internal damage. I have healed you but your body will still need some time recover fully."

"How long... was I unconscious?" He pressed his opposite hand to his eyes as she fought to piece together his broken memory.

"Four days." Shuri gauged Everett's reaction as she spoke. "But there were no complications."

"That long?"

"You frightened us greatly when my brother brought you here, but we were certain you'd pull through."

"Your mother, she's safe?"

"Yes. She told us what you did to protect her. Thank you." Shuri was usually an emotional enigma whenever she spoke to Everett. It was an instinct to mask her true feelings from any outsider but she knew he'd see how much it meant to still have her mother in her life. "Mother spoke proudly of your sacrifice."

"It's my job." Everett replied somewhat coldly. "You don't have to thank me."

"Yes it is. But you still deserve to be thanked. So I have."

Everett laughed a little at the rebellious young teenager's remark as he took in a tentatively deep breath."And the two men who did this?" He lowered his hand from his eyes and slowly rolled from his back and onto his side as he braced himself upward on the table. "Have they been captured?"

"Yes." Shuri put a hand on Everett's back to hold him steady as he sat up slowly on the table. "Why do you insist on getting up when I told you not to move?"

"Because he is strong." T'Challa's voice sounded off from the top of the staircase as he entered the lab to check in on Everett's progress. "And the two men have been arrested and will stand trial for their crimes."

"Your majesty." Everett greeted the king as he stood before him.

"My friend." T'Challa gratefully put his hand on Everett's shoulder. "It is good to see you awake."

"It's good to be awake." Everett rubbed his hand along his chin, flinching slightly at the dwindling pain from the fracture in his jaw and feeling the stubble that had grown along his face while he was unconscious. "I think I missed a few things while I was out, would you kindly fill me in?"

"Gladly." T'Challa promised as he helped Everett hop down from the table. "Come my friend. Let us talk We have much to discuss."

-The End