Not So Friendly Anymore

Chapter 25: Battle of Wakanda II

T'Challa sat at the head of the great hall, flanked by Wakandan soldiers and advisors, poring over a series of holographic reports projected above the table. The rest of the Avengers filed in, looking a little worse for wear but victorious. Shuri stood beside her brother, her arms crossed as she updated him on the situation now that communications had been restored.

T'Challa looked up as the Avengers approached. "You have my gratitude for your assistance in securing the communications relay," he said, his voice calm but firm. "With this key infrastructure restored, Wakanda has a fighting chance to coordinate against Hydra's forces. However, this battle is far from over."

Shuri nodded. "Unfortunately, the reports are troubling. Hydra has focused its efforts on seizing the armory. If they gain access to Wakanda's weaponry, they could arm themselves with technology far beyond anything they could create on their own."

"Who's leading the assault?" Natasha asked, stepping closer to study the holograms.

"Taskmaster," T'Challa replied gravely. "An all-too-familiar mercenary hired by Hydra. You've encountered him before, so you already know his reputation. His ability to replicate fighting styles makes him a formidable opponent, but this time, he's brought an elite squad trained to match his precision. They've fortified their position at the armory, using its defenses to their advantage."

As the team digested the news, Clint leaned against a column, arms crossed, and let out a derisive snort. "Great. Another warmonger for Spider-Man to show off his unique diplomacy skills against. Maybe this time he'll leave a few alive for us to interrogate?"

Peter shot Clint a sideways glance, his tone dry. "And maybe this time you could hit the broad side of a barn with one of your arrows? But hey, we can't all have superpowers, or relevance."

The room fell silent for a beat as Clint's face turned bright red. "You little—" he began, stepping forward, only to be stopped by Natasha's hand on his shoulder.

"Don't," she warned, her tone sharp.

Before the tension could escalate further, Tony Stark folded his arms and smirked. "Speaking of Spider-Man's diplomacy, maybe we should talk about the whole brutalizing Hydra soldiers thing. T'Challa, did you happen to notice how Parker was cutting through them like a lawnmower? Not very hero-like, wouldn't you say?"

T'Challa looked up from the reports, his gaze as sharp as a blade. "You misunderstand, Stark. Whether Peter killed them or not is irrelevant. This is Wakandan soil. Any Hydra agents captured alive would have been executed under Wakandan law. Here, treachery is met with justice. And if Spider-Man's methods ensured fewer of my people died, then he has done me a service."

Tony opened his mouth to argue but quickly thought better of it, clamping his lips shut. T'Challa returned his attention to the holograms.

"As I was saying," T'Challa continued, "Taskmaster's forces have fortified their position near the armory. We need a two-pronged assault: one to draw their attention and another to disable their defenses. Taskmaster is intelligent and will anticipate a direct attack, so we must act with precision."

Natasha leaned forward. "I can lead a stealth team to infiltrate their defenses and sabotage their heavy weaponry. Once they're vulnerable, the main assault can push through."

Thor cracked his knuckles. "A distraction is something I can deliver. With the Hulk and Spider-Man at my side, Taskmaster will have no choice but to engage us directly."

Peter smirked under his mask. "Sounds good to me. I've got some ideas for Taskmaster he won't see coming."

T'Challa nodded. "Then it's settled. Prepare yourselves. We move at nightfall. Wakanda's future depends on this mission."