We landed at Birnin Zana - the capital city of Wakanda. It's population was two million; Wakanda's was six million. We dissolved our suits and met up with the king and his senior staff, notably his younger sister, Princess Shuri. "Welcome to Wakanda; better circumstances would have been preferred." Peter/I bowed. "Yes highness; agreed." We entered the royal palace following our brief introductions.
The king took us to a situation room variant filled with monitors/holograms and defense personnel. The Chinese fleet was highlighted and closing toward the continent. "Surrounding nations are on high alert my king," said a warrior. T'challa nodded. Hands behind his back T'challa turned toward us. "We have regional security agreements with these nations. Wakanda will lead them into any major battle if needed." "Understood highness. What of the internal situation?" He knew what I meant. He walked over closer to me. "They could be anyone/anywhere. They likely know you're already here." "Will your gods help majesty?" "They may; the venerable Bast likely would. She did not help create Wakanda just to see it fall; but she will also depend on her children to do their part." I nodded. "We're here to help highness in any way possible."
A man garbed in the robes/regalia of a Bast priest stepped forward. "This is Halar; senior priest to Bast. He also heads Wakandan intelligence. Please work with him to deal with the Sobek matter." "Yes highness." T'challa left to attend other matters of state. "Mister and Mrs. Parker, please follow me." He took us to another secure room connected to that main situation room; a sort of sub situation room. There were only a few people here, all intel officers presumably. "We've actually been watching out for the crocodile cult for quite some time." "Do you suspect them of the embassy hack in New York?" "Most likely. They were using the embassy system due to its being the most isolated of Wakandan systems. That doesn't mean insecure." "Were they successful?" "Yes and no." "They were able to access some classified files on the richest of vibranium mines/processing areas, but we shut them out before they could do more damage." Peter said, "Were you able to trace the hack sir?" "No. It was definitely from within our national borders, as Shield concluded, but nothing more." "Do you have any leads on the cult's whereabouts or their bases of operation?" "There are a few; they've been under surveillance for a number of years. It's possible they are located throughout the continent as well; especially in the regions surrounding Wakanda." I said, "They could have used those positions to develop yet greater factional alliances; for it would be no surprise the nations around Wakanda, inasmuch as China, would want what Wakanda has." "Very true. All because of a vibranium meteorite crashing into our nation ten thousand years ago has created all of this crisis potential."
Suddenly a series of alerts came through... "Report!" demanded Halar. "A number of bombs are going off throughout the capital - and across other major population centers of Wakanda." "Terrorism," said Peter. I could only agree; crocodile cult terrorism. The timing wasn't coincidental. Mandarin through his crocodile cult allies in Wakanda was sending a message. Change was coming; communism was on the horizon.
