The White Phoenix 13: A Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Fanfiction

Chapter 4: New Information

Alexandria. Virginia. 

CIA agent Everett Ross jogged along his usual path. A dragonfly came buzzing into his vision and he swatted it, but it persisted, coming into his face again. He stopped curiously, eyeing the thing in front of him. He moved back and forth slowly, and it followed him. Then the creature turned and buzzed away into the forest. 

'I got it. I got it,' he muttered, beginning to jog after the mechanical dragonfly. 'Will you slow down?' He jogged into a clearing, where a tattooed hand grabbed the mechanical creature. Shuri placed it back into her Kimoyo Beads where she stood, waiting, with Okoye and myself. 'You didn't think to call?' he said, looking at the three of us. 

'Now why would I have your number?' Okoye snarked, and Shuri and I snickered. 'We are looking for the scientist who built the vibranium detector.' 

'So it was you guys in the Atlantic?' Everett asked accusingly. Shuri and Okoye looked at each other. 'Come on. Mining ship. Lot of casualties.' 

'What happened?' Okoye asked. 

'Seriously? It was a joint operation, us and the SEALS. Thirty of their top guys, two of our best officers, friends of mine. Gone. Just like that. You throw in the fact that they were tracking vibranium...' 

'I can assure you Wakanda had nothing to do with this.' 

'So who was it?' The three of us remained silent. 'God, look, the way that this is supposed to work is that I give you information, and you reciprocate.' 

'For our own safety, we cannot tell you,' Shuri replied. 'It's imperative that we get to the scientist before anything else happens. You owe me, Ross. You owe my brother.' 

'Okay, look. There are agents who have been sentenced to death for less than I'm about to give you now. And we got a new director. She's watching me like a hawk.' 

'We will be very, very careful,' Okoye said reassuringly. 

'Not just careful, you've got to be fast. The US needs another machine, and this kid is the only person in the world who knows how to build one. So they're coming for her.' 

'A kid?' Shuri asked in surprise. The two walked away after a moment, and I was left behind with Ross. 

'The new director. It's Valentina, isn't it?' 

'What's your business with the Wakandans?' 

'They saved my life, Ross. And that of my husband's.'

'Right. I forgot you were still married to Barnes.' 

'Are you going to answer the question or not? The new director is Valentina, isn't it?' He hung his head in resignation. 

'Yeah. It is. But what's your business with it?' 

'I've got a pretty good idea of what's coming. In the future. Someone worse than Thanos. Much worse. And I know Val's up to no good being in that kind of position of power. I aim to send a message, if not, then speak to her personally. I know she reached out to my husband.' 

'You're putting yourself in situations where you don't belong. It's going to get you hurt - or worse.' I looked up at the trees, putting my hands on my hips.

'That's my specialty, Agent Ross. Stick my nose where it doesn't belong.' I turned, walking away from Everett.

Shuri, Okoye and I stood outside of the school, watching the teenage girl walk away from the boy. 

'Is that an iPhone I see?' Shuri asked.