Chapter 6: Into the Ruins

Azari and Laura listened as the massive doors into the great throne room of Wakanda rumbled open. Stepping through, the pair emerged into a massive hallway. Pillars carved like panthers paired off periodically along the marble pathway. Torches illuminated the room in sconces along the walls behind the statues and braziers sat between the carving's paws. At the far end sat a dais carved from amber. A great throne, once again carved into the likeness of the black wildcat, sat proudly atop it. At the foot of the chair were two more of the beasts, though these ones were flesh and blood.

Resting regally in the throne was an African woman with long white hair. Golden looped earrings hung from her lobs, while matching bracelets jangled on her wrists. A dress of black silk flowed around her, rippling with her movements. Beneath its hem, her bare feet rested against the floor. Kind blue eyes watched Azari lovingly as Queen Ororo of Wakanda stood to greet her son.

"Azari! It is good to see you, my child. Although I am not happy such a thing this is a special occasion." She stared into his eyes with mock anger until he blushed and looked away.

"Sorry mom. I promise that I'll visit more. But we've got bigger problems." He turned back to face her. "James and Hawkeye have disappeared and we need to find them. Tony said that doctor McCoy could help us."

"The fur ball?" Asked a voice from behind them. Laura stiffened as Azari whirled around to face the newcomer, glancing nervously towards his companion after verifying that the speaker was who he thought. The Wakandan found himself staring at a man in a leather motorcycle jacket and jeans that sat on top of a pair of black combat boots. He had thick sideburns and horned hair, styled like wolf ears. His well-built form and scowling features were enough to terrify anyone, though Laura was far from cowed.

"Hello Logan," said Storm calmly, if a tad annoyed. "I thought I told you to wait in the other room. I have guests."

"Don't screw with me Ororo. I could smell my daughter from halfway across the city. I think I have a right to say hello."

"The last time you tried that the two of you got into a fight that wrecked half of Avenger's Tower," muttered the Queen and Azari grimaced at the memory.

"Hey dad," growled Laura as she shot him a glare. He merely nodded his acceptance of her rage.

"How're you doing, kid?"

"I'm doing fine, no thanks to you," she snarled. "Actually, I should rephrase that. I WAS doing well until you walked in the room. What do you want anyways?"

"I'm not allowed to say 'hey' to my own daughter?"

"Oh right, because you tried doing that SO many times in the last EIGHTEEN YEARS! Well now you've said it, so leave!"

Logan regarded her quietly, his face giving no hint as to his thoughts. She had no way of knowing just how much her words wounded him, how much regret he had already suffered over the years. Eventually, he spoke. "Well, I just figured you might want to know where Hank is."

"You know?" Asked Azari hopefully, glad at the interruption.

Wolverine nodded. "He headed to Japan to help them develop weapons and defenses during the war. Now that reconstruction is just about done, he figured he'd come down here to say hello and figure out what to do next. He should be here day after tomorrow."

"That's great!" exclaimed Azari happily, elated that something was going right. "In that case, we'll stay here until he arrives. I guess that gives us some time to hang out." He turned to his mother and grinned, a gesture in which she was happy to return.

Laura glared at him before storming towards the door. Logan closed his eyes as she passed him and let out a small sigh of sadness. Then, his super hearing caught two words. Two simple words that made his eyes shoot open and have him spin around to watch as the door slammed closed behind her. He felt a smile tug at the edge of his mouth.

"Thanks dad."

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Clint maneuvered the jet into an open space, clear of the debris. They quickly moved out and assessed the situation. In front of them towered the burning wreckage. It reminded them all of the Great Sphinx with its little arms branching out to close in on them from all sides. A small pathway was formed directly in front of them, leading into the rubble. Around them ran people little panicked ants, while screaming could still be heard further in.

Steve opened his mouth to issue orders, but James beat him to it. "Our priority should be evacuating the civilians. Cap and I are on that since we have the strength. Hawkeye and Archer, you two have the vision. Get to higher ground and scope things out. Tell us where we can find more trapped people. See if can't get eyes on Iron Man as well. Black Widow, you head deeper into the building. Try and see if Tony went further in and hopefully found the intruder."

The others blinked at him, except Francis who nodded and turned to move before realizing no one else was. James blinked and felt his face heat up. He realized that it wasn't his place to be giving anyone orders, especially not these people. "Sorry, I mean-"

"What are you all standing around for, you heard the man!" Interrupted Steve as he smiled. It was a sound plan that made a lot of sense, no matter who it came from. "Let's move!" He turned and began sprinting towards the people attempting to flee, followed closely by the others. The two super soldiers swerved towards a small pathway in wreckage that several people were trying to force their way through. Each grabbing a side, they strained themselves and pulled the fallen concrete apart, enlarging the gap.

The archers hurried up the mountain of crushed stone, scampering like mountain goats, Clint muttering something about Tony's stupidly humungous structure. Natasha had already vanished into the wreckage, disappearing deeper into the fallen building.

As the pair of super soldiers rescued another group of workers, they heard Widow's voice over the communicator. "I've found Stark. I think you all should get down here. It isn't very pretty."

Sharing a look, the pair raced off into the wreckage, heading towards the location the message had been received from. They wove their way through a maze of stone and fire to emerge out into an opening that revealed the clear sky to them, like the eye of a storm. Standing together were their comrades, both Hawkeyes crouched upon the ground and tugging at something while Natasha watched them. The thing that the males were tugging at was the wreaked suit of Iron Man, sparking and flickering with dying light. Gashes and massive bullet holes had ripped apart the machine, tearing it apart.

Steve hurried forward and pushed the archers out of the way. He wrapped his hands around the metal mask and strained his muscles, grunting as he tore the mask away and revealed Tony's grimy face. The billionaire gasped for breath now that his access to fresh air was no longer hindered. Tony groaned. "Did anyone catch the license plate on that space shuttle?"

"I thought that was your job," replied Clint with a grin. "Unless you want to count getting your butt kicked, of course."

James was about to laugh when a motion in his peripheral vision caught his attention. A familiar silhouette rushed off into the ruins. Without a word, James sprinted after the Black Skull, leaving the others to blink in surprise. He ignored their shouts telling him to wait and charged into the rubble, following his foe and leaving the others far behind him.

His path lead him to an old car port, somehow still standing beneath the building. A tunnel lead off into the darkness across the parking lot from James. Running towards it was the Black Skull.

Without hesitation, James yanked out his guns and opened fired. The Skull used his momentum to leap diagonally to the right and out of the line of fire, pulling a pistol of his own from his belt. He turned as he opened fire, causing James to dive out of the way.

When the boy rolled to his feet, he looked up just in time to see the dark clad figure appear in front of him with miraculous speed. His eyes widened as the man shot his right fist forward, aiming for the boy's head. That was when James noticed something strange. He knew that the man was moving at the same speed as when they had last fought, but he somehow seemed slower. It was like James could read his movements, anticipate where his strike would land. He could tell exactly what was coming and he knew just how to stop it.

James swung his left arm around, diverting the Skull's blow so that it passed harmlessly in front of James's face. Stepping inward, the boy launched his fist into the man's gut, shoving him away. The Skull slid along the ground, clutching at the wound. James swung his left pistol around, firing at the man. Without warning, the villain yanked his sword from its sheath and sliced the bullet in mid air. As James blinked in shock, the man lifted his pistol and fired into James's abdomen.

James hissed in pain, refusing to scream in an act of sheer will as he collapsed to his knees and clutched at his abdomen which was pouring crimson liquid. Instantly, the villain was pulling the boy's weapons from him and tossing them out of reach. The Black Skull sighed in contentment as he gazed down at the boy. Suddenly, a rumble emerged from him, growing and growing until was roaring with mad laughter.

"Amazing!" He yelled excitedly. "To think that after just one fight you'd be able to actually wound me! You've managed to learn my fighting style and predict my movements so quickly, and should we meet again, I'm sure you'll be able to subconsciously predict my reactions from watching me dodge your attacks. In our next fight you might prove to be a match for me! Brilliant! You, my young Captain, are truly a Prodigy of Combat, a Lord of War, a Born Killer!" The Black Skull erupted once more into mad laughter before going eerily silent. "If only we weren't enemies. Together, not even the Avengers could stand in our way."

James winced in pain as he spoke, gasping for breath as he did so. "I'd never work with you. We've stopped Ultron once, and we'll do it again! You won't conquer the earth, not as long as the Avengers are around."

The Skull sighed and shook his head. "You know, that's the problem with you Avengers. You all think too small. You have no vision, no imagination. I'm trying to build the pinnacle of weaponry, of ultimate power. What's the point of building a weapon if not to use it to conquer everything? The earth is merely meant to complete a collection. I don't care for its pitiful might which has already been bested once, or at least will be bested. I intend to use it to intimidate all into serving me. In order to do that I must first display its destructive power for all to see! And what's the best way to do that?" He paused to stare at the boy, as though hoping James would have the answer. When none came, the man gave his response in a whisper that echoed around them.

"By using it to destroying that which is known by all to be the most powerful."

Even though James couldn't see his face, he could practically feel the man's twisted grin. The redhead stared at him in shock. "You're insane," the boy concluded.

The villain shrugged. "Perhaps. Or perhaps I'm a visionary. Only history will tell. Until next time, Captain." With that, the man turned and sprinted down the tunnel, leaving James to await the arrival of the others.