Issue #7 (Oct 2018) Written by Jake Hawkins Featuring:
Black Panther
CASABLANCA THE BLUE PARROT
Tetu sat in the middle of the floor, his eyes shut as he focused on the earth calling out to him. It was there, he felt its urges, its pain. The blood that had run through this city’s soil, the bodies that decayed in its mud. Tetu embraced everything the earth wanted to share with him and sought to harness its rage. Man had trampled over it for too long, and it had chosen Tetu to wield its wrath.
There was a sharp knock at the door, and Tetu’s concentration was broken. Much to his annoyance he crossed the room and wrenched open the door, ready to accost whoever interrupted his preparations. He immediately fell silent upon seeing Zenzi, who motioned for him to let her in. He stepped in front of her path before she could enter the room.
“What happened to twenty minutes?” He asked condescendingly. Zenzi ignored his taunt while pushing past him and took a seat on the lone bed in the room. Tetu sat in the middle of the floor once again.
“You must be a damn fool, coming to my shop the way you did.” Zenzi accused him, but Tetu didn’t react in the slightest.
“The time for secrets and disguises is over. The orphan king has cast his eyes off the land. Too busy seeking vengeance in the name of the Queen Mother. There is no better moment to vindicate our sacrifices.” Tetu responded, his eyes shut as he tried to concentrate. “I’m sure you’ve heard the whispers. I know you’ve received my messages, yet your hesitation radiates off you. Why?”
Zenzi studied him for a moment before getting up and crouching down next to where Tetu sat. “I’ve carved something for myself here. Who am I to risk an honest peace for the dreams of a little girl?” Zenzi asked him, her eyes miles away as she relived the life she had endured up to this point.
Tetu opened his eyes but still didn’t glance in Zenzi’s direction. Instead he merely pointed a finger at her heart. “There. That pain, that ache that irregulates the pattern of your heart. That is what your dreams are worth Zenzi. Come now,” He stood up, finally turning to her and grasping her hand as he pulled her to her feet, “It’s time we reshaped a nation.”
BIRNIN ZANA THE GOLDEN PALACE
Ororo Monroe sat on the massive bed in T’Challa’s private quarters, watching as the king of Wakanda stood on the balcony, gazing out into the capital as the sun set on the country. They had seen hell itself, seen a world where their many sacrifices had gone in vain, and yet he showed no signs of falter. His chin never trembled, he never strayed from whatever path he had set himself on. It was this unyielding fire that first drew her to T’Challa so many years ago. Long before their responsibilities in life forced them apart.
A soft chime emitted from T’Challa’s kimoyo band, and he left the balcony as he pressed a key on his kimoyo card to answer the incoming call. The holographic image of Natasha Romanoff appeared in front of the two of them.
“King T’Challa, to what do I owe this exchange?” The Black Widow asked, her eyes darting curiously between them.
“I have stumbled upon a few questions I was hoping you’d be able to shed some light on, Agent Romanoff.” T’Challa answered as he pressed a key on his kimoyo card. Footage of the man discovered inside of the casket obtained by T’Challa played, and Natasha watched in silence as the man wreaked havoc throughout the lab before the footage finally ended.
“I thought they had finally shut him down, he hadn’t been seen in years...” Natasha pondered out loud as she re-watched the footage a few more times.
“You’re familiar with this man?” Ororo asked before she got off the bed and joined T’Challa.
“For quite a long time, I thought he was a myth. It wasn’t until I defected to SHIELD that I finally got a glimpse of him.” Natasha reminisced, lost in the memories that had begun to engulf her.
“Please, continue.” Ororo urged, T’Challa sharing her eagerness for the widow to elaborate.
“Seven years ago, Agent Shen and I are on an Amtrak to Chicago to intercept a courier attempting to deliver plans for a dirty bomb created by renegade AIM scientist. It should have been simple, routine even, though not much in this job ever quite fits that description. The moment Shen eyeballed a Hydra agent, everything fell apart.
“You and Shen are two of the most skilled and decorated soldiers in SHIELD’s history, how is it this man is still breathing after crossing paths with you?” T’Challa wondered, his eyes now focused on the live feed connected to the man’s infirmary room.
“As soon as Shen took a step towards the courier, our car is smacked with sub machine gunfire. As you already know, Shen got the worst of it pushing me and a few passengers out of the line of fire, cost him his legs and a career I know he misses every day. The Winter Soldier attacked us alone, completely blowing our cover and injuring dozens of citizens in the process. Just to kill the courier before we could get our hands on the bomb’s schematics.”
“This is the fabled Winter Soldier?” T’Challa wondered as he turned to Storm, who took his kimoyo card and studied the live readings coming from the tests ran earlier.
“You know Fury will insist you hand him over to SHIELD the moment he finds out you have him in your custody.” Natasha warned him sternly.
“Which is why I trust you to keep this between the two of us, at least until I find out more about this wayward soldier. Your discretion on this matter is appreciated, Natasha.” T’Challa replied just as an alert from the kimoyo network flashed in front of him. “If you would excuse me...” Natasha nodded, and the video call ended just as an array of test charts and graphs appeared where the hologram once was.
“The DNA scan is reading as successful, but-” T’Challa trailed off mid-sentence, not entirely sure how the results in front of him could be possible, let alone conceivable. But he knew in his heart that what he was seeing was no miscalculation. He and Shuri had spent hours conducting the necessary tests themselves. Ororo glanced over T’Challa after reading the results in front of them, the projection identifying the Winter Soldier as none other than James Buchanan Barnes. She watched as his shoulders sagged, the weight of this revelation taking its toll on him already.
“Beloved, who is this man?” Ororo asked, wondering what about the Winter Soldier’s identity that could be troubling T’Challa this much.
“Kimoyo, run data collected from Fury private server 78-34.” T’Challa instructed the network, and moments later archived footage from World War 2 played in front of them, many of course featuring the exploits of Captain America and his young partner Bucky.
“This man is the long presumed deceased United States Sergeant Bucky Barnes, a man who as you see served side by side with Captain Rogers.” T’Challa explained. He took a seat in a nearby chair, wracking his mind on how to best proceed from this point forward.
“Shouldn’t you call Avengers Mansion? The captain needs to know his friend is alive.” Ororo suggested, surprised T’Challa hadn’t done so the moment he read the results.
“I am not so sure that would be the wisest course of action at this moment, beloved.” T’Challa stated flatly, much to Ororo’s shock. “From what I have read in Fury’s private files, Sergeant Barnes is believed to have been the culprit of multiple assassinations and mass bombings. Fury even believes he may have been behind President Kennedy’s death. Now of course with him being in the thralls of Hydra for who knows how long surely attest that his actions could not be of his own free will, but just imagine what these revelations would do to Steve Rogers?”
“His heart would be torn between his duty and his friend.” Ororo realized, her heart aching at the situation T’Challa had found himself in the middle of, on top of everything he had endured over the past week.
T’Challa took a deep breath before standing up and once again grabbing Ororo’s hand. “Come, let us see if Aneka has had any success removing his memory implants.” The pair of them exited T’Challa’s chambers and headed back to the palace beta lab.
NAKANO, TOKYO JAPAN
Erik Kilmonger was hard at work in his personal lab, a facility he and the Hand commandeered from a group of American scientists on a research grant just a few days prior. He pulled the safety glasses off his face and took a step back, reveling in the work he had completed in just the last 36 hours. The door to the lab opened behind him and Viper entered, her eyes catching the pair of massive machines being crafted by the Hand’s new leader.
“I know you requested to not be disturbed, but I thought you might want to know how things have been proceeding.” Viper told him, her eyes still on the machines. She had never known anyone like N’Jadaka in all her years walking this earth and serving the beast, and she took pride in the fact that she helped deliver the Hand’s savior when they could sink no lower.
“You have my ear, go on.” Kilmonger instructed as he continued his work, sitting down at a nearby desk and beginning to set up the program that the machines would run on.
“Most of the major crime families have agreed to our terms. Unfortunately, there are certain high-ranking members of the Yakuza and Black Dragon clan who are too foolish to see past their pride at the opportunity we are offering. I figured this might be a matter you would like to handle personally.” Viper advised, stepping closer to the machines and running her hands along them.
“He’ll be here soon. I know he will. For all of his short-sighted faults, T’Challa is a man of immense pride, and he has lost much in recent days. If we are to finish the beast work, my concentration needs to be focused here, and nowhere else.” Kilmonger responded, his eyes never leaving the computer screen.
“Very well. I will have the situation handled accordingly.” Viper began to leave but paused for a moment, turning back to watch as Kilmonger worked for just a moment. “I hope you won’t let your...zeal to see T’Challa fall get in the way of our long-term goals here.”
Kilmonger stopped typing, turning to Viper and shooting her a look that made even her take a half step back. “You have served the Hand a long time, your palms are stained with blood spilled in honor of the beast. I know this, because he and I are one.” Kilmonger stood up, crossing the room to where Viper stood. “So, when I tell you that the beast itself fuels my every move, desire, and subsequent action you should take it as nothing short of the will of the beast. Trust me that this world made in God’s image will burn and only those faithful to the hand will inherit its ashes.”
Without another word Kilmonger returned to the computer. After a moment of studying him, Viper left the room. As she entered the hall of the former research facility Bullseye stood waiting for her, a smirk on his face the moment he saw her.
“You promised me a whole lot more than what we been doing so far.” Bullseye reminded her as he followed Viper down the corridor.
“And you shall have what you seek. The moment the Hand reigns over Tokyo we shall set our sights on New York. We will deliver Hell’s kitchen to you then, and not a moment before.” Viper told him, pausing to turn back and look him in the eyes. “Until that time comes, I need you and our new general to handle the Black Dragons.”
“They don’t wanna fold in? These guys stupid or something?” Bullseye wondered, excited that he would get to see some action nonetheless.
“Sonny Wei’s oldest son is getting married today. It should be a joyous occasion. Make sure it is not.” Viper continued down the hallway, leaving Bullseye alone.
ASAKUSA, TOKYO
Sonny Wei sat at his table, drink in hand as he watched his son Jackie dancing with his new bride. He took every moment he could to enjoy the sight. There were plenty of moments he could recall in his life where he was sure he would not live long enough to see his son get married, and as he watched the newlyweds enjoy their moment, he wondered to himself what the life he had lived thus far had cost him. He thought about Jackie’s mother, and how his own pride and the mistakes it led to made it impossible for her to be here, and he prayed his son wouldn’t make the mistakes he had. Even now, as he tried to enjoy the reception, his mind couldn’t help but wonder if recently he’d made the gravest mistake possible: defied the Hand.
*TRANSLATED FROM JAPANESE
“*Boss, the other families aren’t happy with us not taking the deal. And this ain’t exactly the time for us to be stacking up enemies.” Liu Gedo, Sonny’s chief of security said bravely as he took his seat next to the head of the Black Dragons. Sonny glanced at his oldest friend, flashing a look of disdain that he would dare talk business at a time like this. He puffed on his cigar, blowing smoke out towards the dance floor as many of the guests began to join the couple on the dance floor.
“*Too many times in the past we have allowed the Hand to trample over us. When they fell, I promised myself should they ever rise again I would not kneel before them. Never again.” Sonny responded firmly, attempting to end the conversation at that. Liu stared at him in awe, amazed his friend could be so defiant in the face of such danger. Even after the things they had endured over the decades, the battles for turf against the invading triads and Yakuza, Liu knew the hand were a threat to not just them, but everything they held dear.
“*You are allowing your pride to get in the way of the bigger picture. The last time you considered defying the hand, you and Jackie lost Shisai. What do you think they will take this time?” Liu warned him, desperate to do whatever he could to talk his friend off this particular proverbial ledge. Sonny turned his sights back to the dance floor, watching his son enjoying a happiness he couldn’t remember ever having, and let out a deep sigh.
“*I will not live the rest of my days on this earth as a pawn for the Viper, Gedo. Should I fall, I will fall with honor, and nothing less.” Sonny stated flatly, refusing to look in Gedo’s direction any longer. Liu finished the rest of his champagne and stood up.
“*Then I can follow you no longer. You are not the only man with something to lose, and that is a fact you fail to grasp.” As Liu began to leave the table, the startled gasps and cries of the reception guests caused them both to turn their eyes towards the center of the immaculate hall as a massive portal appeared in the middle of the dance floor. Bullseye exited the swirling mass of energy, followed closely behind by the young man known as Eden, and Okoye.
“I’m sorry we were late, guess we must have missed the ceremony. Congrats by the way, I’m sure she’s worth it. I hope.” Bullseye said as he shook the shocked Jackie Wei’s hand before turning his sights on the leader of the Black Dragons. As Bullseye crossed the room, dozens of security closed in on him, their guns all on the assassin and his cohorts. Okoye’s eyes scanned the room, her mind only registering the hostile environment she was now surrounded in. Her blood began to boil as she itched for the inevitable battle to begin, her fingers gripping tight around the vibranium spear in her hand. Eden hung behind the two of them, crossing his arms as he waited for Bullseye’s antics to begin. “Viper has made a declaration of war sending you here.” Sonny threatened the assassin as he stood up from his table, smoke billowing from his cigar.
“War? That’s for people who stand a chance at gaining something. You turning your noses up at us did nothing but mark you and everyone remotely associated with the dragons for extinction. I’m just the head of the firing squad.” Bullseye said with a shrug and a smile.
Sonny and Liu looked at each other, Liu’s face full of a dread Sonny had never seen on his friend in the two decades they had known each other. “*Kill them! Extinguish the flame of the hand before it can become a fire.” Sonny instructed the Black Dragon members, who wasted not another second before they began to spray bullets throughout the hall.
Eden grimaced, reluctant to play the role he was assigned in all of this, but a role he knew he had to play regardless. He clenched a fist around his own spear, one far less advanced than the weapon Okoye wielded, and a portal appeared around the three of them that engulfed the bullies before they could be harmed. Suddenly the bullets came spraying back out of the orange swirling masses of energy, this time redirected at the Black Dragons and guests, who tried frantically to escape the line of fire. As screams echoed around them, Eden took a seat, refusing to participate more in the slaughter. Bullseyes turned to Okoye and gave her a slight nod, which gave her all the affirmation she needed to spring into action.
As Sonny watched in horror as his friends, family, and loyal subordinates were gunned down, Okoye waded through the chaos around her before launching the spear through the air with deft speed.
Liu didn’t hesitate to shove Sonny out of the weapon’s path, knocking him to the floor as the spear pierced his chest. Sonny watched in shock, frozen to the spot where he had fallen as Liu slumped to the floor. Bullseye smirked as Okoye crossed the dance floor and pulled the spear from Liu’s chest, her eyes cutting over at Sonny as blood dripped from her weapon.
Jackie locked eyes with his father, and after a brief moment of hesitation grabbed his bride by the hand and took off towards the exit. Bullseye snatched a plate off one of the tables, examining it for a moment as he was impressed by the ornate designs, before tossing it at Jackie. The plate crashed into the back of his head, dropping him with a crash into a nearby table. The newly titled Mrs. Wei screamed in horror as a pool of blood spilled from the back of her husbands head. Bullseye rolled his eyes, annoyed by her shrill screams and tossed a crouton from a uneaten salad directly into her mouth with unparalleled skill.
Mrs. Wei gasped for air, clutching at her throat as she turned blue before crashing to the floor next to her husband, dead. Sonny scanned the room, appalled by the slaughter he had just witnessed before him. His eyes locked on to the place where his son laid, and the fact that Liu’s warnings just minutes ago were not only correct, but that his pride had been far more costly than he could have even imagined broke him. He dropped to his knees next to Liu’s body as Okoye moved closer to him.
“ You know what your problem is? People like you never learn how to be humble. I’m happy I got to be the guy to teach this lesson.” Without another word Bullseye nodded at Eden, who generated another portal, this time for them to depart. Okoye grabbed Sonny by the back of the neck and pulled him to his feet before following the two of them through the portal.
Inside the golden palace, alarms rang as an alert graphic flashed around Shuri’s lab. The doors slid open as the princess eagerly rushed into the room and pulled up the map she had been charting the energy masses across. She copied the information on to her kimoyo card and sped from the room as fast as she had entered.
T’Challa walked into the beta lab and approached the chamber where the unconscious Bucky Barnes was being held. He was joined by Aneka and Akili as W’Kabi spoke with a few of the palace doctors.
“We did our best to remove most of the psychic blockers and memory triggers that Hydra had planted. Please tell Ororo we appreciated her putting us in contact with Ms. Frost, her expertise helped expedite the process.” Aneka explained as she held up her kimoyo band and several graphs charting the brain activity of the Winter Soldier appeared before them.
“His brain functions appear to be stable enough now. Wake him up.” T’Challa instructed some of the lab orderlies, Akili flashed a look of concern but said nothing. Aneka however was shocked the king would be willing to place them all in danger once again.
“My king, with all due respect, are you sure this is wise? This man is a complete unknown commodity in the heart of Wakanda.” Aneka questioned, her eyes turning to the Winter Soldier.
“This man was stripped of everything that made him who he was and forced to commit uncounted horrors as a slave for the very same people who attempted to invade the golden city. What kind of man would I be if I didn’t at least attempt to give him his life back?” T’Challa wondered to Aneka, who turned back to him fuming.
“You would be a king! A king whose need to be a hero has cost us far too much recently!” The outburst came from Aneka like a tidal wave as Ororo and Shuri joined everyone in the lab. The doctors prepared to open the tube holding Bucky, draining it of the fluid they had used to help heal his wounds while T’Challa confronted the second in command of the adored ones.
“Aneka, mind your tongue!” W’kabi told her forcefully, and she shot him a look of pure contempt.
“it is fine W’kabi.” T’challa told his friend, waving him off as he approached Aneka. “I understand why you feel this way. It is the same way I felt when my mother was taken from me. I too questioned my priorities, and whether I am doing my people a disservice through my actions, no matter how unselfish I perceive them to be.”
T’Challa eyes met Ororo’s and he crossed the room before taking her hand in his. “And then I saw a future where the world had been broken. The universe in a state of war where the earth was nothing more than a casualty, one of far too many. Ororo saw her fellow mutants used as nothing more than weapons and slave fodder, she watched as she was slain right here in the golden palace while carrying our child.”
Aneka’s face softened as tears welled in her eyes, her emotions getting the best of her as she imagined the world T’Challa was describing to them all. “This man needs us. The way you once needed Wakanda. We are no longer a people who turn our backs on the world. The world is going to need us now more than ever before if what we saw has even the slightest possibility of coming to fruition.” T’Challa placed a hand on Aneka’s shoulder and she raised her head to meet his eyes. “And as we search for Okoye, for the people behind our troubles to be brought to justice, I will need you and the immeasurable strength I know resides in you by my side.”
Aneka merely nodded, touched by the words offered to her from her king. It was then every eye in the room turned to Bucky Barnes, who began to stir as the tube rose from around him. “Who the hell are you guys?”
“Sergeant Barnes, there is much you need to be notified of.” T’Challa answered before offering his hand to the soldier. Bucky hesitated for a moment, scratching the stubble on his chin as he looked around the room before finally shaking T’Challa’s hand.
“Brother before you go any further, I’ve managed to narrow down a few locations as to where Okoye could be.” Shuri chimed in, showing her kimoyo card to him as she reached his side. T’Challa studied the readings on her map, his eyes narrowing as he considered the possibilities of the situation they could potentially be walking into. “I scanned local news stations in the area of the most recent energy mass and found this.” Her kimoyo band emitted a video of a news broadcast covering the wedding reception massacre.
“I believe I may have figured out who Taskmaster and Bullseye are working for. W’kabi, get the jet ready for immediate departure.” T’Challa ordered before W’kabi took off towards the palace hanger immediately.
“Sergeant Barnes, it appears we will have to get better acquainted another time. While I am gone you are a guest of Wakanda under the guidance of Captain Aneka.” T’Challa informed Bucky as he turned to follow W’kabi. Before he could depart Aneka grabbed him by the wrist, spinning him around towards her.
“I am not sitting this on the sidelines as a glorified babysitter! I want to hunt down the men responsible for Ramonda’s death just as badly as you do!” Aneka said through gritted teeth.
“I can’t afford to have you and Akili with me as we venture into uncharted terrain. Would you leave the capital unprotected in a quest for vengeance?” T’Challa asked her, and at once she relented. T’Challa kissed her on the forehead before following W’kabi towards the hanger, Ororo right behind him.
W’kabi and Akili prepared the royal quinjet as T’Challa, Shuri, and Ororo entered the hanger. “Shuri, make sure my prototypes from file eighty-eight are on board. Now will be as bold a time as any to test them.” Shuri nodded as she controlled a pair of drones from her kimoyo card that were loading crates into the back of the jet.
“That massacre, it reminds me of the damage I’ve seen the Hand capable of.” Ororo surmised, much to T’Challa surprise.
“You’re familiar with the Hand?”
“They attacked Logan once at the mansion. I’d never seen anything like them.” Ororo recalled, lost in the memory of the X-men's only encounter with agents of the Hand.
“I heard they had disbanded from a few credible resources in Hell’s Kitchen, but there is no doubt they are the ones who sent Bullseye after Kilmonger. But what do they need Okoye for?” T’Challa wondered out loud to himself as he and Ororo prepared to board the ship.
“The answer to that is simple, Haruma-Fal, and one I am frankly disappointed you haven’t found yet.” A video sprung from T’Challa’s kimoyo band, much to the surprise of himself and Ororo. The face of Erik Kilmonger smiled broadly at the king of Wakanda, the towering machines he had spent the last few days working on loomed behind him. “You can thank your brother for my access into the kimoyo network, he told me he spent quite some time trying to hack into your servers.”
“N’Jadaka, you are a fool if you think brazenly coming before me now hasn’t cost you whatever upper-hand you may have had.” T’Challa whispered, his voice a low rumble.
“Idle threats from a soon to be dead king. You took my mind from me, you sunk me lower than the filthiest animal, and have the nerve to stand there with misplaced dignity.” Kilmonger barked as Okoye appeared behind him, her eyes a coal black haze. “Your general and I have been blessed with the enlightenment of the beast. We see past your borders and false gods. I have been tasked by the beast itself to burn this world to ashes, to stomp all over god’s creations. But I couldn’t possibly do any of that without your skull crushing beneath my boot heel first. So, I took something from you, and look how quickly you are prepared to come running.”
“We’ve done this for too long N’jadaka. When I lobotomized you personally, I sought to hold on to my humanity but still rid Wakanda of your evil permanently. I now realize that such a compromise is impossible with you. Soak in your last days Kilmonger, you are not long for this world. Kimoyo, override hostile transmission.” Moments later the video feed cut out and the conversation ended, leaving T’Challa boiling with a rage even Ororo had never seen in him.