Dragons & Panthers (T'Challa Udaku)

Prologue

And we are back!
Bunmi "Regina" Klaue looks at the baby wrapped in the pastel pink blanket and smiles. The baby girl is sleeping peacefully, her small hands in a fist. Her husband, Ulysses Klaue, smiles as he looks at his wife and new daughter.

"What will we name her?" He asks softly.

"Jelani Druk: Powerful Thunder Dragon."

"Thunder dragon?"

"She will be more than a dragon. She will be as powerful as thunder."

Ulysses smiles at his wife and daughter.

"Jelani it is."

Regina smiles as she kisses Jelani's forehead.

Eighteen Years Later

Jelani stares at the coffin. Laying in the black oak coffin is her mother. She looks so peaceful as if her illness had not made her last months on earth pain filled and torturous. She grabs the cold hand of her mother and has to fight back tears as years of memories flood her mind. She will never hear her mother singing in the kitchen as she cooks, her soft voice singing in Xhosa with ease. Never see her mother smile as she gently scolds Ulysses or politely tells him she does not need another gift. Hands touch her and she looks up at her father who holds sadness in his blue eyes.

"We...We have to go."

Jelani nods as she presses her final kiss to her mother's cheek as she turns,  fighting back her sobs as she walks out the funeral home with Ulysses. She can't hold it anymore as the dam of emotions breaks, collapsing in Ulysses' and Mark, one of his men, arms.

"Momma! Momma!" She wails as her heartbreaks. "Umzuzu ndifuna wena!" (Rough translation: Momma I need you!)

Elsewhere, the black glass-like dragon egg that sits next to the marble dragon egg crumbles into dust, never having hatched.

Three Years Later

In one fluid motion, Twenty-one-year-old Jelani pulls the dagger from the neck of the man and flicks, removing the blood from it. She reholsters the dagger, walking forward in her black catsuit, coming to light.

"Anyone else finds what was said funny?"

There's silence as her calm black eyes look over the men. Ulysses smiles at his daughter. She has grown so much in the three years since her mother's passing. She had gone to school full time, finishing her masters in Chemical Engineering. She is now working on a PhD in Psychology and Computer Science. She has become a smart and deadly woman,  going on jobs with Ulysses to learn the family business.

"Uh...Boss Lady?"

"Yes?"

The tall man steps forward, his green eyes looking at her.

"Will you be going with us to Moscow?"

Jelani grins.

"Yes I will. In fact, if we hadn't been interrupted by the recently deceased, you would've heard the good news," she says as she walks in front of her father. "I will be in charge. I have the final say."

The men look at her as she smiles, giving the insane grin that is identical to the one Ulysses gives.

"Any objections?
A chorus of "nope." "None at all". "No Ma'am." fills the air and Jelani smiles.

"Good. Now: we have work gentlemen."

Five Years Later

Jelani pushes the new man into the room, closing the door behind her. The man looks at her before grinning.

"Boss Lady. I've heard about you."

"Show me your lip."

"Excuse me?"

"Show me your lip Stevens."

"It's Killmonger and why?"

"Because I want to know what tattoo you have on your inner lip."

The smirk on Killmonger's face falters and Jelani gives him a calm stare. Gone is the insane grin that maybe 21-year-old Jelani would have given him. Killmonger pulls his lip down to reveal the vibranium tattoo. Jelani looks it over before pulling her own lip down to reveal her own. Killmonger's eyes widen. She turns.

"Oh and Killmonger?"

"Yes?"

"I suggest you don't try and kill my father. I will kill you before you even get the chance to act on it."

Jelani walks out of the room, leaving Killmonger to stare at where she once was. He growls before slamming the wall.

Present Day

Jelani sips her coffee as she sits in the cafe of the busy diplomatic city, Vienna. She notices the man with the baseball cap and dirty looking hair. People rush around him as she takes his appearance in. He's muscular and tall, dark bags under his light blue eyes that hold confusion and slight panic in them. His small ticks scream military training and Jelani stands walking over to the man.

"Excuse me, sir."

He looks at Jelani who gives a soft smile.

"I see you keep looking at these plums. How about I buy you a few and you indulge me with small talk?"

He looks at her up and down.

"Okay," his slight rough voice says as Jelani tells him to pick and she pays the man. The two walk off, Jelani hooking her arm with his. He stiffens at first before calming down enough for her to lead him to a secluded spot.

"Something is about to happen and I don't know why but something tells me you may get involved. Bucky right?"

He looks at her in shock.

"How--"

"I have my ways. Look: I have an offer for you."

"What is it?"

"I keep SHIELD and their pets away from you and you do maybe two or three jobs for me."

"What kind of jobs?"

"Weapon pushing mainly. Maybe an assassination. Sounds good?"

"I could hurt you."

"You won't. Honour among thieves remember?"

"We aren't thieves."

"But we are criminals."

Bucky nods as Jelani holds her hand out.

"Do we have a deal?"

Bucky looks at her and then her hand before shaking her hand.

"Deal."

Jelani smiles as Bucky eats a plum.