Black Panther: Rise of the Princess (COMPLETE)

Chapter 24: Shuri

As Okoye and T'Challa were disarmed and shoved into the vans, I watched from above, utilizing satellites orbiting above Northern Europe. It was not particularly interesting, but I was so frustrated that Peter just ended up following them on foot (still in civilian clothing) while I paced the ship. It didn't help that I had just accepted the power of the Black Panther, because now if I hit something out of frustration, it would dent or break.

If I were to be honest, it did not surprise me, not even slightly. Not after over twenty years of knowing him. I just didn't understand how we were supposed to take down the terrorists without him and Okoye.

What strategic value lay in sacrificing themselves to them? It was only giving them what they wanted, wasn't it? They wanted Wakanda, and to do that, they would need the King. What would they do to him in their cells? How long could T'Challa hold out for?

Peter interrupted my thoughts, thankfully. "Hey, Shuri, did we say that the outreach center was in southern Stockholm? 'Cause these guys are heading north. Or did I just get the address wrong?"

I double checked the locations, but Peter was right. These vans were not heading to the right place. "These people must have a separate headquarters. It would explain why we haven't found out about this sooner."

"Can you pick me up?" Peter asked. "I'm not going to be able to keep my cover up if I keep following them dressed like this."

"I'm on the way," I answered, activating the ships autopilot commands. I made sure the panels were set to stealth and took off. Five minutes later, Peter was rewatching the footage from the fight, and I was looking out he window of the cockpit with my knees drawn to my chest.

When Father had died, I hidden in the laboratory for hours at a time, only leaving to be with Mother. It wasn't until I learned that T'Challa was still safe that I had calmed down, and started staying around the palace more. For the days I had spent in fear, I had also spent preparing the new suits. It had taken hours to solve, but it was during that time that I realized how to trap kinetic energy in the suit and store it. I couldn't let the same thing that had happened to Father happen to T'Challa too. Not when it was my suit that failed to protect him.

Now T'Challa was in danger too, and again, I was helpless to solve the problem. This was not a bomb, where I could absorb the energy to protect him. I couldn't create anything that could cure him of stupidity, and as a result, he willingly gave himself up to the enemy. It was like trying to find the infinite integral of a divergent graph: Impossible to solve.

I heard Peter walking up behind me, but I didn't turn to look at him. If he had some sort of motivational speech ready, I didn't want to hear it.

As it turned out, I was wrong. "I found something, and I want you to see." Without another word, he went back the way he came.

Normally, this Princess didn't let white men tell her what to do, but somebody clearly needed to, as I was at a loss to do it myself. If I was to follow someone other than T'Challa, then I was glad it was Peter.

Reluctantly, I followed him back to the console in the center of the ship. The satellite feed was focused on the building that the vans had stopped at. "HYDRA's base," I observed.

Peter rewound the footage to the moment before T'Challa and Okoye were transferred from the vehicles to the base. "See if you notice anything," he told me.

As he played the video, I tried to see what he had seen. It couldn't be too hard, not if he was expecting me to find it. The clip wasn't long, only about twenty seconds, but I picked up on one particular detail.

I rewound the footage and watched T'Challa closely, to make sure I hadn't imagined it. Sure enough, when he came out of the van, he was wearing his civilian disguise. More importantly, Okoye was not. She was still in full battle armor, which had been hidden under her coat during the fight.

That didn't make sense. If anything, Okoye should have been stripped of her uniform, and T'Challa should have kept his on, since only he controlled it. It could have been a result of the audacity that had caused him to be captured in the first place, if it hadn't been for the fact that he looked up and not-so-subtly raised his arms in an 'x' with a silly grin on his face. A grin that meant he had a plan. Honestly, it is a miracle that the guards hadn't noticed.

"He has the suit," I realized, "but he's not wearing it. He's bringing their guard down."

"And, he's inside the HYDRA base," Peter added. "For being their prisoner, he's actually doing pretty well, so far."

It was debatable. "He's still going to be under guard. If HYDRA has Wakandan weapons, then they can bring him down."

Peter nodded, then leaned back on the console and faced me. I didn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me do the same. "You know, when I was fifteen, I hacked a Stark suit with a laptop and a USB cord."

....okay, and? "That's...good?"

"Shuri."

"What?"

"Hack the suit."

"Hack the..." I stared at him. "Ngaba uyangcikiva? What if T'Challa needs it?!?" I would be leaving him vulnerable!"

He pointed out the door. "Remember what you said about this being a bad plan? All of this?" He gestured to the video. "That wasn't it. You were his play. Not the kidnapping, you."

I opened my mouth to protest, but no sound came out. The Heart-Shaped herb, leaving me in the ship, telling Peter to stay behind, getting kidnapped, it couldn't all be a part of his plan. It was so dangerous, so illogical, T'Challa wouldn't bet all of Wakanda on me...

Would he?

Author's Note: Endgame spoilers below!!!

So originally in this series, starting with Sergeant Barnes, I decided that Tony and Pepper would have a son named Ethan, as a subtle nod to RDJ's son Exton. I liked the name, and I thought it might be cute...

Until I saw Morgan Stark. And now I love her. Should I go back and change Ethan to Morgan? Comment below with what you think.

Lots of love!!!

Sparkplug02 <3