The Sweetest Night Flower of Wakanda Chapter 13
Nobody slept that night.
Klaw was transported from Busan to Seoul where he was taken to the American Embassy deep in the city where he was being held.
Nakia kept watch in the front of the building while Tamu, T'Challa, and Okoye were in the back where Klaw was restrained in a room waiting to be interrogated. His appearance was quite bedraggled given the end of the chase and capture.
Klaw was being his usual obnoxious, annoying self.
"Hello," said Klaw, restrained in a chair with his vibranium arm removed for safety reasons, grinning at the one way glass window. "I can see you! I can. I can see you."
That's a lie. He couldn't see through to the other side, but he still had a pretty good idea who was.
Klaw laughed smooching at those.
The corner of Tamu's left eye twitched. She sniffed in disgust.
Coming up to the glass alongside the Wakandan's, Agent Ross said "So this is a big mess. I figured we could go good cop, bad cop. I'll talk to him first, then you guys go in."
Okoye did not like that idea. Instant red flag's went up.
Speaking in Wakandan so Agent Ross was oblivious to what she was saying, Okoye said "We can't let him talk to Klaue alone."
"Okoye is right. Who knows what Klaue will tell him once he's in there," said Tamu, seconding Okoye.
All three of them turned to look at Agent Ross who was staring back at them slightly irritated to be cut out of the conversation.
Smiling, T'Challa said "Better to let him talk to Klaue alone for 5 minutes than to make a scene here."
A King's command so Okoye must obey.
Addressing Agent Ross, T'Challa said "After your questioning we will take him back to Wakanda with us."
T'Challa, Okoye, and Tamu then moved closer to the one-way window for the interrogation.
Cutting them off, as politely as possible given the situation, Agent Ross objected "What? No. Look, I like you, a lot. But he's in my custody now. He's not going anywhere. Listen I'm doing you guys a favor by letting you even be in here."
Agent Ross thumped T'Challa's shoulder with the back of his knuckles for emphasis.
Oh he is going to get it from Okoye.
Snapping around, eyeing Agent Ross's hand movement with steely eyes, Okoye said "If he touches you again, I'm going to impale him to this desk."
Tamu snorted covering up a laugh.
"Does she speak English," asked Agent Ross, indignant..
"When she wants to," said Okoye, silkily, in a threatening manner.
"Agent Ross, let me remind you once more that my brother is a King. He outranks you," said Tamu, sharply. "And if you touch T'Challa like that again you will lose the hand."
"Huh," said Agent Ross, stiffening, pointing at Okoye. "Is that what she said."
Shaking her head, Tamu smirked "No. To the contrary Okoye here said that she'd impale you to one of these desks."
Tamu could've been imagining things, but Agent Ross might've gone a tiny bit pale.
Clearing his throat, Agent Ross said "I'm going in. When I'm done, you guys are up."
Agent Ross couldn't leave that room fast enough.
"Agent Ross," said T'Challa, stopping him.
Agent Ross turned back towards them.
Clapping a hand onto the mans shoulder, T'Challa said "I do appreciate your help in Busan."
"You see that," said Agent Ross, smug, at Okoye. "It's called diplomacy. Your welcome."
Agent Ross then left them stepping inside the interrogation room not even realizing that T'Challa had slipped a device onto him that would allow the three Wakandan's to hear every single thing spoken inside that room.
Slowly turning to face his sister and Okoye, in a playful manner, T'Challa reprimanded "Okoye. Tamu. Play nice."
Tamu simply rolled her eyes letting out a groan.
Waving a dismissive hand, frustrated, Okoye scoffed "Americans."
Inside the interrogation room Agent Ross took the chair positioned in front of Klaw. Klaw was singing to a ridiculous song.
Agent Ross took a peek at the time on his watch in annoyance.
Finished, Klaw said "You know, you really shouldn't trust the Wakandans. I'm much more your speed."
"I don't trust anybody, not in this job. But what I am interested in is that arm cannon out there. Where'd you get that," said Agent Ross.
Klaw laughed a gigantic grin splitting on his face.
"What's so funny," said Agent Ross, blinking.
"If you think I'm going to hand over my secrets just like that then you're out of your mind. There's only one person I'll talk to and it's not you," said Klaw.
"If not me then who," Agent Ross, head tilted, arms crossed.
"Princess Tamu," said Klaw.
Wait. Say what now?
All three of the Wakandans looked at each other not expecting this. Neither did Agent Ross.
"Excuse me," he said.
"You heard me," sneered Klaw. "If you want answers to your questions I'll speak to the Princess and only her."
Mere seconds later anxious knocks were heard banging on the glass.
Nodding his head in that direction, Klaw said "You may want to answer that."
More knocks were heard. T'Challa would not be ignored.
Agent Ross reluctantly got up and left. Outside the room Agent Ross was met with Okoye. T'Challa and Tamu stood back a bit speaking in hushed voices. There's no mistake by the different expressions ranging on their faces that they were arguing with each other.
"What's the play now," said Agent Ross.
Okoye remained silent.
Finally T'Challa and Tamu came back over having reached a decision. One that T'Challa certainly didn't agree with.
Holding up his hands in a placating gesture, Agent Ross "There's no-."
"I'll do it," proclaimed Tamu, not at all sheepish.
Surprised, Agent Ross said "You're absolutely sure about that? 'Cause there's no need for you to go in there."
Nodding, Tamu said "I'm sure."
Placing a hand on her shoulder, T'Challa said "At any time you feel uncomfortable just get up and leave. If he tries anything Okoye and I are right here."
"Of course," said Tamu, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly to calm her nerves.
Tamu then went in taking the seat that Agent Ross had vacated.
Roving his eyes over her, Klaw said "Princess Tamu. You know the pictures there are of you don't do you justice."
"Let's cut down on the idle chitchat. The arm cannon, where did you get it," demanded Tamu, picking up where Agent Ross left off.
"It's an old mining tool that I made some adjustments to. But I can get you one, if you like," offered Klaw.
"I'm more interested in the names of your suppliers. Why don't you give them to me and I'll ask them," said Tamu.
Motioning with the fingers of his one hand toward the door, Klaw said "He's right outside. Why don't you ask that King of yours."
"T'Challa," said Tamu. "What would he have anything to do with this?"
"Oh come now, Princess," chuckled Klaw. "I may be a mercenary, but I'm not stupid. You know very well that the weapon on my arm is from your country. You see I know about the true Wakanda. You see, not the version you feed everyone else making you all seem like shepherds, textiles, and cool outfits. It's all a front your people play. Explorers searched for it for centuries. El Dorado, the Golden City. They thought they could find it in South America, but it was in Africa the whole time. A technological marvel that easily surpasses the rest of the world. All because it was built on a mound of the most valuable metal known to man. Isipo, I believe you call it. The gift. Vibranium."
Keeping her composure, smiling, Tamu said "I'm afraid you're mistaken. Whatever vibranium we had ran out long ago after you stole it."
"So you say. But I know that it's not just a metal. You Wakandans sew it into your clothes. It powers the city, your tech…your weapons," said Klaw, smug. "Yeah, I know about those too. Stuff that makes my arm cannon look like a leaf blower."
"Obviously all those hits to the head have caused major trauma to your brain. Wakanda is a third world country and I say once more that you stole all of our vibranium," said Tamu.
"I stole," laughed Klaw, maniacally. He then startled her by trying to lung at her. Thankfully the restraints kept him in place. "All of it? I took a tiny piece of it. Your country has a mountain full of it. You've been mining it for thousands of years and you still haven't even scratched the surface. I'm the only outsider who's ever outsmarted you guys. Someone who's seen it and got out of there alive. You can deny it all you want, but I know what your King's suit is made out of. What his claws are made of. I'm sure that after this conversation is done the Americans are going to be very interested with this new piece of information. I bet right now that American Agent is probably wondering how many more secrets King T'Challa is hiding from the world."
There was an uncomfortable pause as Tamu processed the fact of how much Klaw knew and what this might mean for Wakanda. Klaw seemed to revel in the discomfort he caused her.
"Why did you want to talk to me? Why not just say all this to Agent Ross," questioned Tamu, quietly.
That had been nagging her mind since she sat down.
Leaning forward, whispering in a conspiring manner, Klaw sang "I know somebody that's very eager to meet you! Someone long lost in your past."
Eyes narrowed in anger, Tamu said "If you're talking about my parents they've been dead for years. Victims of when you attacked Wakanda in the Border Tribe after you stole the vibranium."
"The Border Tribe," repeated Klaw, hysterical, finding what she said to be hilarious. "You actually think you're from the Border Tribe!"
"What are you talking about," demanded Tamu.
Tamu never would get an answer from Klaw.
Suddenly a major explosion shook the foundation of the American Embassy.
Authors Note:
And so Tamu and Erik are about to have their first meeting face to face in spite of her not exactly realizing it yet.
Hope you guys all like this one.