Chapter Twenty-six
Avengers, Assemble
The next day was nothing less than pandemonium. The townsfolk were in a fit of panic and confusion when warned about the fate of the town. Families packed what they could as they made ready to flee the island. Most were forced to leave meager possessions behind.
At evening, the bell rang through Strathcona, signaling evacuation to commence. The town was in a disarray. Families gathered their belongings and made hasty rushes for their boats in the harbor as they made to flee the island. Not even curious thrill-seekers wanted to stay to steal a glimpse of the monster. All knew it was a matter of time before their doom arrived.
Using the stone to get back, Nova and M'Wabu helped with the evacuation. The latter kept glancing up at the sky every now and then to see if it was coming or not. But no evil incarnate occupied the sky. He had to hurry when Nova barked at him.
Nick made sure all of them were out the door before he stepped onto the barge himself. They set off down the canal and towards the open water. A great shadow flew was made visible in front of the moon. Screams of terror filled the air as the group looked up. The monster that Nova warned them about was more terrifying up close than they could've imagined. They watched as it swoop over the town before circling back around.
"Get down!" Nick cried out. He threw Everett and Nakia down to the floor. The latter would have found it humorous to see herself pushed to the floor for her safety once more if it weren't for the danger set on them. Cries of terror filled the air as a hot breeze swarmed through the atmosphere. The beast had unleashed a wave of fire upon the town and its people. Strathcona was like a blazing inferno that rose from hell. The occupants of the barge could only observe the carnage.
"I don't know about you," Kurt gulped, "but I don't think I want to know what the afterlife looks like now."
Nakia handed him a pole. "Well, if we are to go through hell," she said, "we might as well keep moving."
"Look out!" Dave called out.
Everyone looked up. Kurt and Nakia had to use their poles to stop themselves, but not in time. The Master's boat collided with theirs. Cassie screamed, prompting Dave to hold her closely. Nakia knew how greedy the Master was. She was still shocked by the gold piled up on his barge.
"The town in need of a miracle, and all he cares about is the damn gold?" Shuri scoffed.
"She's right. I say we rise and cream that yellow-belly weasel," M'Wabu proposed. He had heard of what the Master had done to the town and its people. It only seemed fair to be disgusted by his actions. Although nothing compared to Ultron, the Master was on top of M'Wabu's list.
"Um, I thought we could just send him into exile," Shuri said nervously.
"No!" M'Wabu worked over. "Let's smash him. Let's crush him. Let's grind him up into the miserable worm he's become, then send him to Wakanda one piece at a time!"
Everyone gawked at him.
"Too much?" M'Wabu chuckled sheepishly.
"How long have you been working on that?" Bucky asked.
"How old am I right now?" M'Wabu humored himself.
"Dragon!"
The sudden outburst ripped through the air. All was silent now around them. The dragon directly stopped in his place. Those closest to the voice turned their eyes up. There, standing on top of an untouched building, T'Challa emerged from the smoke. Those who weren't yet fleeing the town noticed his presence.
"You," Fin growled.
"I am the one you are looking for," T'Challa called. "And as you can see, I am not dead! Come and face me if you wish to."
"T'Challa, no!" Bucky shouted.
The Wakandan king didn't flinch when the dragon started to make his way towards him. On a closer inspection, the kinetic energy had been building up on his suit. He just needed to get close enough to Fin to release it.
Fin immediately released a hot wave of fire towards him. T'Challa took that opportunity to release the energy that had been building up, but this time he directed it towards the drake. Fin cried out in anger and frustration at the heat that hit his scales. T'Challa rushed forward, jumping over the canal to the next building.
"T'Challa!" Shuri pleaded for him to come back and escape with them.
The Black Panther didn't acknowledge that he heard as he landed on the roof and continued to run forward. His hearing picked up wings beating as Fin flapped towards him. T'Challa kept his attention focused on him. When the dragon was closed he jumped and made a grab for his tail. Unfortunately, his plan didn't seem to work as it whipped and sent him flying into a burning building.
He wouldn't give up. Not yet. He needed to buy more time. Once more the energy built up in his suit. He decided to concentrate that on his rival. He wanted to use the same trick he had been taught by Thor and Tony. Focusing on the energy, he let it flow to his hands and clapped. This time, it zapped and the bolt cut along the length of the dragon as he flew directly overhead.
"He hit it!" Dave declared, having witnessed the attack. "He hit the dragon!"
Bucky shook his head. "No," he differed.
"What? He did," Dave insisted. "His magic cut down the middle. I saw it! You all saw it too, right?"
"Dragons have been around longer than man have here," Bucky firmly spoke. "Their hides cannot be pierced. I doubt anything will."
The group fell into silence. They wanted to join T'Challa in battle, but they also knew it was also a race against time. If the dragon and the fires weren't the first to get them, then it was sure that the thickening smoke would.
Shuri hadn't said anything since they had left. Always proud and snarky, she didn't have the will tonight to find a reason to find some comfort for her own peers. She only had a downcast look until she picked up her bag and noticed something inside. Inside were her panther gauntlets that she prized the most.
I doubt anything will.
Bucky's words echoed in her mind. He was wrong if the dragon's hide would be tougher than nails to penetrate. He had yet to learn the importance of vibranium. T'Challa might be able to kill the dragon if he had some backup. The question was if Shuri still had the courage to do it. A determined look came over her face as she made her choice, transforming from a girl to a woman. She knew what to do. Her timing had to be perfect.
Nova cautiously kept her telepathy open each time they came near a corner. Both canal and sky were respectively clear of traffic and the dragon. She signaled the others to resume rowing. The boat moved through a string of burning structures on either side. The barge passed close to a structure with a crane hanging overhead. That was when Shuri made her move.
She had placed a cloth over her mouth to breath. Then, she stood up and grabbed the crane's hook. The rest of the passengers was caught by surprise as she swung clear onto an adjoining dock. Shuri ignored the cries for her to come back as she dashed into the fires of the town. M'Wabu tried to go after her, but Bucky held him back.
"Leave her!" he said. "There's nothing that can be done about her now."
Fin was enraged that Ultron failed to mention the powers the Black Panther possessed. He released a jet of flames towards T'Challa. His response infuriated him even more. Rather than being burnt to a crisp, T'Challa triggered the built up energy and created a shield out of it as the flames came at him. He dispelled it just as soon as Fin stopped. He glared up defiantly from behind the mask. His plan for now was to occupy him until the others have arrived.
Something hit Fin on the side of the neck, causing the dragon to bellow. T'Challa turned, expecting to find one of the Avengers. Instead, he saw Shuri on top of a house, her gauntlets aimed for the dragon. She kept firing shots at the dragon, pissing him off even more. T'Challa quickly rushed over each rooftop.
"Brother!"
"Stay where you are," T'Challa called back. "I'm coming!" He knew it was only a matter of time before the dragon attacked them out in the open. The only thing that mattered was getting to his sister before the monster struck again.
Shuri kept bombarding the dragon with energy blasts as he came towards her. Fin countered by taking off with a powerful flap of his wings. The young woman was violently flung after being hit by his tail. T'Challa leaped and caught her in time, holding her tightly as they crashed into a building burning.
"I thought you were leaving with the others!" T'Challa said as they got up.
"I came to help you," Shuri responded.
"Shuri, go back right now!" T'Challa ordered. "I don't know how powerful the dragon is, but I will not risk anymore lives to find out. Get out of here now!"
"I am not going anywhere without you again!" Shuri protested. "Not after everything that has happened. We've been through much since we were little. What's so different about now? If this is going to end in fire, then we will burn together!"
Time stood still as T'Challa had a moment of proud understanding. He grasped Shuri's shoulder just to show it.
"My dear, brave sister," he softly praised her. "I know you want to fight with me, but it cannot be here. Please, go."
Shuri was immediately prevented from complying. Looking past her brother, she noticed Fin approaching the wreckage rapidly.
"Brother!" she yelled, but her warning proved too late as Fin soared over them, smashing his tail through the burning pile. T'Challa had enough time to throw her down to the ground. He hauled Shuri up to her feet. He knew his sister's fate would now be the same as his.
"Come on," he urged Shuri to follow him.
The pair sprinted for the section of Strathcona that was not burning. They reached that path that led straight for the front doors of the town hall. Most of the building lining route were on fire. Going inside the unharmed house, they made their way up the stairs and up onto the rooftop. They watch the dragon land some feet away from them.
"Who are you to stand against me?" he raged at his enemies.
"Why has Ultron decided to attack here?" T'Challa demanded. He knew the answer. He just wanted to hear it from the firedrake himself.
"Why don't you ask my brother when you join him?" Fin taunted.
Shuri glowered at this. T'Challa took her hand into his and gave it a careful squeeze. The young woman immediately calmed down as she gripped his hand tightly in return.
"You two are forsaken," Fin continued to taunt. "No help will come."
It was there that T'Challa cracked a smile. "You might want to tell that to them."
The will to further mock them was lost when they heard the crack of thunder. Fin found himself puzzled at this. Everyone, young and old, man and woman, looked up in confusion. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and yet there was a streak of lightning flashing up above. Somewhere, Nick couldn't help grinning. He knew exactly what was coming.
Thor was the first to make his appearance in almost thirty years. He flew down from the sky at an inhuman speed towards the dragon. He slammed into Fin with an incredible force, striking him with his war hammer. Furious, the dragon took off after the thunder god. A sudden blow to the jaw sent him screaming in frustration. He turned to see Sam flying towards him, a battle cry ranging out as he fired blasts from his own gauntlets at their target. With one leap, Fin began to chase him.
"Is it them?" Shuri asked.
"At the moment," T'Challa smiled.
Fin pursued both Avengers in the wreckage, caught off guard by the barrage shots from their combined efforts. Thor brought down a lightning bolt to singe his brow, causing Fin to let out another blast of fire. As soon as it cleared, he realized too late what they were leading him to. They split to either side of the bell tower as Fin crashed into it, sending him flying into the ground.
T'Challa grabbed Shuri and held her tightly to him. "Hold on," he told her. The energy built up once more and, like the last time, he released it and they were sent flying through the air. They landed on the other side of the town close to the town square, one of the very few places that had not yet been caught victim of the wildfire.
Prior to the crash, the two flashed in front of the worst attention ever caught. The Master saw T'Challa land before setting his sister down.
"Stop!" the Master urgently ordered his crew. "Halt! Halt!"
The royal siblings turned their attention as he made the command.
"Protect my escape, Your Highness!" the Master pleaded to the Black Panther. "I'll pay your weight in gold!"
T'Challa felt Shuri take his hand and give it a light squeeze. She leaned over and whispered what happened on the barge in T'Challa's ear. The man was shocked and angry to hear it. He turned his attention back to the barge. Within the light of the surrounding inferno, the shadows on T'Challa's face and his voice took on an almost demonic hue.
"Once the beast is dead," he warned darkly, "you are going to pay for your sins."
The pair rushed to the square soon after he delivered his threat. The declaration alone terrified the Master more than the dragon.
"Go! Go!" he hysterically commanded. "To open water!"
As they entered the square, the others have arrived as well. Sam and Thor touched down to join them.
"What's the story upstairs?" Steve asked.
"Everyone is heading towards the river," Thor reported. "But it's getting crowded at the opening."
"I sent word to one of the officials," Sam said. "They'll have the people out of here in no time."
"In the meantime, we need to keep the creature's attention on us," Natasha said.
"How do you suggest we do that?" Shuri inquired.
"As a team," Steve answered.
A thunderous roar shook the atmosphere. Everyone turned towards the direction of it. Fin rose from the wreckage of the bell tower. There was no mark left on him. The only thing that was wounded was his ego.
"Your call, Captain," Clint said.
"Eyes up," Steve advised. "Stay sharp."
Fin was slowly crawling towards them, advancing from the front. The dragon stomped through the burning remains of the marketplace within downtown. While not being able to understand the purpose of the arrival of these beings, he saw how they stood with T'Challa in center. The dragon quickly joined the dots.
"Are these friends of yours?" he mockingly inquired. "You cannot save them from the fire. They will—"
"I'm sorry. Strathcona is closed today," Tony called to the dragon. "You best better pack your fire and head along home."
"Panther Cub, do you let a white man bid to your talking?" Fin sneered.
"This is your only warning," T'Challa replied, ignoring his taunts. "Turn around now or the ashes of this city will be your burial ground."
"That means get lost, Puffy," Tony concluded.
"Tony, you really need a new hobby," Sam told the sorcerer.
Fin reared his head back.
"Everyone, get around me!" Tony shouted.
They did as he said. He raised his hands up and let them be engulfed with his magic. Water shot out of the canals and swirled around them. They could feel droplets of the water being sprayed on them. It proved a minor safeguard when Fin unleashed his fury on them. It also put a great stress on Tony, who struggled to keep their shield up.
"Steve, we got to keep him in the center!" Sam shouted over the noise.
"We need a plan first," Bruce called out.
"We have a plan: attack," Thor responded.
"Um, my joke?" Tony said.
Fin felt annoyed by his attacks not working. He flapped his wings and soared above them, his talons ready to make a grab. Tony returned the water back to the canals.
"Scatter!" Steve yelled.
Thor leaped through the air, Mjolnir aimed for the sky. Tony flew past the others after Thor. The rest flew into different directions as Fin slammed a paw down where they had been.
"How the hell did Ultron manage to create something this big?" Sam asked.
"You wanna turn around and ask him?" Tony replied.
"Yeah, like this!" Sam tucked his wings and flew straight for Fin. He brought out his blasters and started to pepper the wing membrane with each shot. Fin now found a more obnoxious opponent than the Black Panther. He reared his head and attempted to encase Sam. A bolt of lightning singed Fin's brow, causing him to roar in anger. He spun around, his tail acting like a whip. Bruce was one of the people that was hit by him, flying into the smoldering remains of a building.
"Bruce!" Natasha cried out.
Steve launched his shield, watching it ricochet off beneath the dragon's eye. Fin turned to face him now. Thor leaped onto Fin's head and began slamming Mjolnir into it. Fin swatted at Thor, but the Asgardian drifted out of his reach. The monster bit his cape and pulled on it, sending Thor flying through the air. An arrow detonated in his view, blinding him. Holding his eye in one paw and swatting at the air with another, Fin's claw managed to clip a crumbling building. Only three Avengers found themselves buried beneath it.
Bruce was dizzy from the impact. He had to crawl form the wreckage and lean against it in order to stay focused. He rubbed the back of his head to ease a little bit of the pain.
"That hurts," he remarked to no one.
A familiar presence stirred from within. Just as Fin's paws stomped against the ground, he could feel the Other Guy pounding to get out. Making sure no one was around, he crawled back into the flames.
Tony flew towards the fallen beams and reached his armored fingers in between the shafts, pulling at them with all his might. He heard footsteps coming to a halt and saw T'Challa pulling on the opposite of him. Together, they picked up the remains to get their comrades out of the heap. Ashes, embers, and smoke billowed into the air with each push and pull. They finally made a hole for Steve, Clint, and Natasha to crawl out of. The trio took in the open air of the outside.
"Thanks, Stark," Steve coughed.
"Don't be so quick to thank me," Tony said as he patted his friend on the shoulder.
A loud booming rumble interrupted their conversation, and a thick shadow fell over them. The Avengers turned to see Fin standing over them. An angry sneer lined his face, his yellow eyes piercing through them.
"Get down!"
They turned and found a large object being hurled at them. They crouched low as it flew over them. Fin shrieked in surprise before it collided with him, forcing him to be buried in the burning rubble.
The square had become eerily silent. All of the combatants turned to see who had thrown the crumbled building at him. T'Challa and Shuri could not help but stare in awe at the being. One of the Avengers had a positive reaction.
"Yes!" Thor cheered.
Bruce had appeared to have transformed into an eight foot creature with green skin and wearing the remains of his torn trousers. Its build proved powerful with the bestial roar it gave out. The arm and leg muscles shaped themselves like a man's while its facial features and hair were a warped form of Bruce's. Living in Wakanda, T'Challa had seen the monsters Ultron had bred. But even after seeing the pictures, seeing it in real life was a different perspective.
Shuri had been slowly backing up towards Steve. Having seen who let out the roar, she remembered Natasha saying Bruce had a side to him that he kept locked up. The Black Widow even claimed that the good doctor was not himself whenever he got angry. Shuri thought it was an exaggeration since everyone got mad. But now she knew that it wasn't a joking matter anymore.
Once she stood next to the captain, she leaned in to ask, "Is that the Hulk?"
"Yep," Steve confirmed.
"Holy shit," Shuri squeaked.
Fin thrashed and threw the chunks of smoldered wood off of him. He let out a frustrated roar, but it was distant thanks to the Hulk. Standing up, he hissed at them in hatred.
"That is it," he sneered. "This is going on far enough!"
"Hulk get!"
"Hulk, wait!" Natasha called out, but her words fell on deaf ears as the behemoth slammed into Fin, grabbing onto the shoulder. The dragon just used one of his paws to swat Hulk off. Hulk hit the ground with a thud. He staggered to his feet, dizzy from the kick.
"Smart move, genius," Shuri groaned.
Hulk smirked and picked her up.
"Wait! What are you doing?" Shuri shrieked as Hulk threw her. The woman screamed as she found herself flying through the air. Luckily, Tony caught her before Fin did anything.
"What is your goal? To get the people you barely like eaten?" Tony had asked that as he landed. Natasha had fallen back, analyzing the beast they were fighting.
"This is the first time we've fought something like this," Natasha noted. She turned to Shuri. "You sure you want to help? There's no shame in joining the others."
Shuri turned back to the monster. He had been searching for the others, the fire rising in his eyes. She returned her attention to Natasha with a steely resolution.
"I'm not going to abandon my brother this time. He's never left me, and I will not do the same. No matter what happens, I will stay and I will fight."
Natasha was about to reply, but was cut off when Fin released an enraged roar. They turned in time to see him swing his paw in a vertical arch. It was coming in hot, and they realized what his target was.
"Sam! Look out!"
Sam looked up and flew out of the way in time to avoid getting hit. The paw landed close to them.
"Okay. We've got his attention," Tony confirmed. "What the hell is step two?"
"Don't let him out of your sights," Steve directed.
As if to emphasize his point, a loud stomping started, indicating that Fin had started walking. His heavy footsteps shook the square and sent up ashes into the air.
"Does anyone have a plan?" Clint asked. "Seriously, anyone? T'Challa?"
T'Challa didn't answer. He walked up towards the hulking creature and called out, "It's frustrating, isn't it? Trying to focus on nine individual minds?"
Fin stopped in his tracks. He turned back and glared at T'Challa.
"T'Challa," Steve warned. But the man didn't acknowledge him.
"I thought of you to be a warrior of fear and darkness, but I can see that it cannot be true," T'Challa continued to taunt Fin. "I never have seen one such as yourself be so slow, you witless slug!"
That surely snapped something inside of Fin. The dragon reared his head back and spat fire out. Tony threw up a shield to cover everyone from the attack, but the heat could be felt. Shuri screamed at the roaring flames, tears welling in her eyes. It felt like an eternity had past when it was only mere seconds. A second surprise presented itself tonight.
As the smoke cleared, even Fin was taken back at T'Challa, who stood there unharmed. His outfit was glowing with lines of purple. As if by some miracle, the perimeter around him was also left untouched.
"Like my new trick? You haven't seen anything yet."
T'Challa had spreaad his arms wide out and clapped his hands. The energy dispersed, sending a purple wave towards Fin. The dragon was surprised and taken back by the sheer force that collided with him. He was sent flying backwards into the charred remains of a building, sending up a billowing cloud of embers and thick smoke.
They gathered around T'Challa, waiting for the dragon to stand as they stood by. Slowly, Fin raised himself up, dazed by the impact. It had led to a new discovery. Fin had tried to protect himself, rising up in the process. The burst had collided harshly with the underside of his left wing. Now, it appeared that the patch had been cracked, loosing its luster and permanence.
Tony and Steve blinked before looking at each other. They both knew they had the same idea, and they now knew how to execute it.
The barge that contained their allies had made it out into open water by then. They could now watch the island be consumed by the flames. Worried washed over them as they could see smoke billowing from where the square was.
"I should have gone back," Nakia berated herself. "They will need help."
"Are we able to get around somehow?" Bucky shouted over the noise.
"No," Dave replied. "Not unless putting civvies and our own boys in danger is part of a plan."
Nick pressed his hand against the earpiece. "Hear that, Captain?" he spoke. "We're all sitting ducks out here."
"Yeah? Tell us something we don't know!" Tony said.
"Is the entire town evacuated?" Steve asked.
"Yes," Nick confirmed. "You should be safe to take it out. I just hope the king knows what he's doing."
"Maybe. But we've found a way to put him down for good," Steve said. "Get everyone down the river. The trees should be thick enough to conceal them from the dragon's eyes if we fail."
"We're gonna die?" Kurt asked.
Nova's response was as enigmatic as ever.
"We are farther from death's door than he is," she said.
"Does everyone know what to do?" Steve asked.
A chorus of yeses resonated once they regrouped.
"Alright. Let's do this," Steve said.
Once more, the team scattered to divert Fin's attention. Clint made his way towards one of the watchtowers that had not fallen. As Fin regained his senses and made ready to incinerate them, a dense column of water shot into his mouth and nostrils. The dragon's attack was disrupted as the water caused him to curse and splutter. Now it was time to execute the riskiest part of their plan.
Tony released a thick burst of his own power from his hands. The energy wrapped around Fin's neck like a lasso. Thor came over and quickly — and purposely — dropped his hammer. As Fin cried out in frustration of his right wing being pinned down, Hulk pulled at his tail. Sam picked up Shuri and launched themselves straight for the dragon. He dropped her off by the fountain before he took off. Shuri rolled towards the firedrake and aimed her gauntlets at him. An intense wave of the blasts struck the cracked patch underneath Fin's left wing. Shuri held her ground as she focused on the spot, hoping to weaken the scales at a molecular level.
Fin wasn't unaware of what she was doing. As his coughing subsided, the dragon lashed out at Shuri with his left talon. Natasha quickly rushed forward and grabbed her, escaping before Fin's punch connected. T'Challa saw his chance and took it, rushing forward. Steve held up his shield and T'Challa jumped from it. He curled up into a ball as he hurled towards Fin. He collided with the affected spot, causing all of them to go flying back.
T'Challa groggily sat up and looked at the dragon. Fin was slowly making his way towards the group. The good news was they had managed to break a few scales off from beneath his left wing. The bad news was that he was too exhausted to even draw up a plan.
"You are all spent," Fin gloated. "None can withstand my might."
"Man, will you shut up?!" Sam shouted.
Clint threw the door open to the observing deck. As he emerged, he noticed the dragon crawling towards his comrades. He reached for an arrow in his quiver as it advanced. No doubt it would want to mock them further before feasting on them.
"I laid low to warriors of old," the dragon boasted. "I instilled terror into the hearts of Men. I am more powerful than you will ever be!"
Clint notched the arrow and pulled back the bowstring, aiming at the spot they had stripped. "Shame you won't find out," he retorted.
He let loose the arrow. It flew straight for the hole in a trice deep in it went, so fierce was its flight. Fin released an agonizing roar before launching himself into the air in shock and pain. Everyone took cover into the canals as the dragon took to the sky.
The dragon rapidly ascended while he screamed and wheezed in pain. Fin was yards into the air when he breathed his last. The dragon's eyes dimmed as his corpse dropped over open water. It resulted in the final victims of his attack. Due to the weight of all the gold, the Master's barge had been slowed down. He looked up nervously at the sound of a rushing whoosh. Fin's corpse fell straight onto him and his entourage a split-second later.
The people had made it down the river by the time the dragon fell into the water. Everyone panicked as the waves crashed against their boats. The people on one of the barges were startled out of their somber trance.
"What was that?" Everett gasped.
The one that had been paying attention to Strathcona's destruction witnessed the whole thing.
"It fell," Dave revealed. "I saw it."
All turned towards the burning island as the sun began to rise.
"Wait, it's dead?" Luis wanted confirmation. "The dragon is really dead?"
Everyone around them still wavered to believe it. Before long, they heard a clamor of caws overhead. Blackbirds began to circle high above the treetops. Cheers began to spread over the living and laughter rang out. Others burst into tears, relieved to know the monster was dead and they were going to live another day. Not even having loved ones unaccounted for could dampen their joy for that moment.
"The son of a bitch did it," Everett whispered.
Nakia kept her eyes on the burning city behind them. She waited for a sign, an inkling that T'Challa was still alive, if he survived the dragon's wrath. She gave Nick a withering glare before gazing at the city once more.
The Black Panther had been unable to prevent the Master's demise. He vowed to see him pay for his crimes. In T'Challa's mind, that meant handing the Master over to the people to decide his fate. That decision now lay at the bottom of the lake underneath the dragon's belly. He had no other choice but to flee with the others from the fiery inferno.
As they reached the opposite shores, all they could do was watch the burning. Shuri stood by his side as she witnessed it. T'Challa landed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. The young woman could only smile.
"They've got him," his sister confirmed softly.
"No."
Brother and sister turned around to the source of the voice.
"Not without you," Steve kindly disagreed.
T'Challa and Shuri smiled at him. The rest of the team were joining them now. A fantasy becoming a reality, spirits were soon lifted after all of the tragedies they had suffered through.
"I think this deserves the highest of fives," Thor declared. He held up his hand. "So, high-five?"
T'Challa stared at the hand that Thor offered to "high-five," whatever that was. He couldn't help grinning. "Why not?" he complied, ready to have his hand meet with Thor's.
"No, wait!" Sam shouted.
The warning came too late. As soon as their hands clashed, the energy was released like a shockwave. Both men were sent flying backwards, falling to the ground in a daze. They could hear Shuri and Hulk laughing as the others cringed.
"Thor go again!" Hulk cheered.
"Thor no go again," the thunder god groaned.
"Delete that footage!" T'Challa ordered his sister.
The Black Order had separated themselves in the mountain. What was thought as an earthquake turned out to be a monster emerging from the side. Even Maw was shocked to see an enormous creature rise and take flight to the west. As long as it did not attack them, they saw it as no threat. Currently, one of them was making a beeline for the access room.
The doors opened, and the five Wakandans looked up to see Proxima entering.
"Leave!" she ordered.
They didn't hesitate. One order meant no hesitation. They quickly abandoned the room as Proxima looked at the monitors. She had to switch it to observe all relevant movements and activities in the mines and the more important cities surrounding the Golden City. That included the whereabouts of the Black Panther as well. The fact that he had not yet been found left her seething.
No one had been able to leave the country undetected. The fact that T'Challa had even escaped Maw was hilarious, although it left a scar on the Black Order's reputation. Proxima swiped the information to the side. The next profile showed the New World and its surrounding seas. The upper and lower components of Vespucia had been declared the next target. The military buildup had been noted by someone. But the fools still had no idea of the unparalleled danger they would be facing.
Her thoughts were interrupted when the doors opened up once more. She turned to see who dared to enter, then knelt as her father approached. Seeing the dragon finally come out of hiding forced Ultron to calculate its movements. The fact that it suddenly blinked out of his own radar was enough to push him to his next task.
"Where is your sister?" Ultron questioned Nova's disappearance.
"Ayo claimed she went to stay with the Jabari tribe," Proxima said.
"What?" Ultron did not betray his surprise. He glanced at the monitors. "What the hell is she doing there?"
Proxima swallowed a nervous lump. No one feared Ultron more than the Black Order (Vision technically did not count as a member). The price of being his most favorite was also subjected to the worst punishments. The fact that Nova had dared to leave without permission would be seen that she got the worst of it.
"They said that she didn't tell them," Proxima answered. "She only vowed to slit their throats of they continued to ask."
Ultron raised a brow. Never before had he heard about Nova threatening a person's life. He thought her time with the Maximoff twins and Vision had made her feel like she had been walking on a tightrope. Did she know anything?
Proxima began to worry as Ultron walked up to her. She held her breath, trembling as he came closer. Instead of stopping, Ultron passed by her to the monitors. Proxima sighed inwardly in relief. Rather than continue to interrogate Nova's absence, her father studied the screens in front of them.
"I want Okoye to meet me in the garden with her second-in-command and first lieutenant," Ultron instructed. "It appears even that oaf of a reptile couldn't withstand life outside the country." He waited for an answer, but then he frowned when he received no reply. "Is something wrong?"
"General Okoye has gone missing," Proxima finally revealed.
Ultron's eyes widened at the news. "What do you mean she's gone missing?"
"No one has seen her since you sent us out to the mountain. The same is said with the Tribal Elders."
In anger, Ultron slammed a fist against the screen. Proxima flinched, but said nothing. Better the screen than her own face.
"Comb every corner of this country," Ultron snarled. "I want them found!"
