Ch. 8 Quicksand

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Klaue wakes up before Erik, showers. Goes to have coffee downstairs by the terrace. He has run out of time. Ultron severing his arm was nothing. He has been sick, for a while now. He's been trying to avoid the subject of his fragility and nearing expiry date. Stage 4 cancer. After his body failed him at the hotel with Erik, he realizes that he is not as bullet proof as he thought.

Klaue thinks about his last visit to the doctor.
"Mr. Klaue have you been listening to anything I have been saying? Your health is deteriorating."
"I think I got a hint this morning when I my nosey couldn't stop dripping blood everywhere."
"You have less than six months."
"Aw, don't bum rush me with all that bad news."
"You should start considering your options."
"A dying man has options?"
"I meant if you want a painless ride out of here."
"I am a man. I have my pride. I'm not taking the easy way out."
"Sorry, perhaps my delivery was wrong."
"Maybe I should visit a Sangoma to do a hokie pokie kind of spell so that I can turn my life around." Dr. Drescher is speechless.
What in the hell does hoodoo have to do with a terminal illness. Klaw is always on the run.
"Me and my cronies have a nice little hospital, tucked away in the islands. It will feel like taking a nice little vacation. For a small fee we can make your last days painless and pleasant."
The world can be disgusting place, especially if a doctor trying to sell healthcare like a it's a fancy five star resort. When your sick what fucking difference does it make?
Drescher can see that Klaue has trouble making up his mind. He slips his card into Klaue shirt pocket.
"Give me a ring, and don't take too long."

Meeting Erik made him want to live a little bit longer. It's not like his been taking any of his meds or listening to the Drs advice. He hopes to at least go out with a bang. He doesn't want to spend his remaining days wallowing in regret. It's too late now. Klaue hasn't felt human in a very long time. Maybe this is his parting gift, spending his last moments with Erik.

From the beginning of this week Klaue has a weird feeling in his gut, like he's being tailed. He glances out to where his men are supposed to be stationed. They are all flat, lifeless on the ground. He almost loses it when he sees a familiar figure approach him out of the shadows.

"Prince T'challa, you look just like your daddy."
"Klaue,..."
"All of that money daddy spent for you to go to private school. That was some sloppy hacking."
"Now that I have your attention."
Klaue puts out his hands out for T'challa to cuff him and he shakes his head in disapproval. Klaue is shocked by his boldness. He laughs hysterically, he's not going to make it out alive. Klaue asks for his cigarettes and a lighter. He seats facing away from him.T'challa is going to kill him with the most primitive weapon in Wakanda; a gun.

When Erik wakes up it's around 0800 hrs in the morning. Klaue side of the bed is bare, must be having breakfast. He has a shower and borrows Klaue's black silk sweat suit. Erik does a bump of cocaine. Something to get his morning started. Klaue has been strange lately, it's too silent. Erik hears something like a loud pop. Shit, here we go again. He would hate to be implicated in any grimey shit.

 He would hate to be implicated in any grimey shit

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He goes down and heads to the terrace. His face blanches upon seeing T'challa seated casually in a chair unbothered with Klaue's dead body just a few inches away from him. Klaue is on the floor, forehead adorned by a bullet hole, face down, a pool of blood forming around him. Erik rushes to him, he touches his arm, it's Cold, there is no response. Erik is in disbelief. He burries his face in his hands and cries.

He is taken away by the Dora. Ebru and the rest of the team are busy combing through Klaue's belongings for more stolen artefacts from Wakanda. They have siezed the yacht too and a spare warehouse. T'challa is not interested in bargaining with the SA gvt about Klaue's body and what belongs to Wakanda.

"My father has been funding the building of infrastructure in this country and how do you repay him? By harboring Wakanda's greatest adversary, Ulysses Klaue. What excuse could you possibly have? Does father need to come down here?" T'challa snarls angrily.

The police inspector cowers down. 1billion is nothing in comparison to whatever work he will do in this lifetime. He requests Prince T'challa to brief him on their findings.Two jets have come and left, one with Erik, Klaue and Wakandan artefacts. T'challa and Ebru are left behind cleaning up Erik's mess. They both insist that Erik was working undercover for Wakanda to absolve him of being associated in criminal activity.

 They both insist that Erik was working undercover for Wakanda to absolve him of being associated in criminal activity

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The inspector accepts whatever he is told, he doesn't want to lose his job. The Prince of Wakanda is a no nonsense type unlike his father who is mellowed out. He guesses at the end of the day it's a win-win situation. Klaue has been stirring the pot for a very long time. Very popular in many African countries as the King of underworld dealings. He's suprised that the man has met his demise, he seemed to last so long. He's had a good run.

The next day after dealing with paperwork and the authorities T'challa jet's back to Wakanda with Ebru.

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