Black Panther: Rise of the Princess (COMPLETE)

Chapter 30: Okoye

No one had bothered to speak with me since they threw me into this musty cell. Guard patrols passed the door every ten minutes, but they neither spoke nor acknowledged my presence. I must admit, I preferred it that way.

It was difficult to not be frustrated, for multiple reasons. This entire operation was out of my control, which I did not appreciate. Knowing which warriors we had in what positions allowed for me to strategize, and keep track of what threats were the largest at any given point. As it was, I was completely cut off from all communication, since T'Challa insisted that we abandon our connection with the Princess and Mr. Parker. I did not know if they were developing a plan, if they had retreated, or if T'Challa was still in his cell, or being tortured. There were no answers.

This, of course, was on top of the plan T'Challa was opting to follow. I had no reserves about trusting Shuri, but she had no backup, save for an American vigilante. If something were to go wrong, normally I would step in and reinforce her, but I could not do so from my cell. Could we not have used the same plan without endangering the King?

I knew I could break out of this facility, easily. In a matter of seconds, I could steal a key from a guard, open my cell, snatch my spear, and find the King. We could both run to safety, and after we were sure that everyone was not harmed, we could formulate a new plan, with the information we had found out. Even if HYDRA knew we had escaped, the three of us could still handle them. Excuse me, four of us. I keep forgetting Mr. Parker is accompanying us.

Still, I refused to allow my emotions govern my judgement. I sat cross-legged on the bench provided for me and waited patiently for one of the others to signal for action. There was no need to show HYDRA that our circumstances were displeasing me. So long as I was in this cell, they possessed the advantage, although their cells were absolutely shameful. The Stockholm sector of HYDRA treated their prisoners abysmally, especially compared to Wakanda. We keep few prisoners, if any, but they are furnished with a full room and proper food. I cannot say the same about these tyrants.

Almost an hour had passed when I heard shots being fired. Their primitive guns made quite the racket, and I flinched as the sound came closer. I heard men yelling and bodies hitting the floor, and little by little, the bang of the bullet faded to the thwip of a web, and the pulse of a blaster. Shuri and Parker.

I stood and waited for them to finish. When all guards had fallen, Shuri walked up to my cell and destroyed the lock. I could not thank her, though, because I was too startled by what she was wearing.

A suit nearly identical to T'Challa's covered her from her neck down. What looked like her blasters, but downsized, adorned her wrists. She caught my stare and grimaced.

"I'm afraid it's a bit rough around the edges," she explained, "but I did not have much time. It's temporary, just until we stop HYDRA."

I nodded, and stepped out from behind the bars of my cell. Parker tossed my spear to me, and I caught it easily, assuring her, "You will be changing soon, then. Where is the King?"

"Behind you," he answered me, making me jump. He grinned mischievously and confessed, "I heard you fighting and decided to get myself out."

"That's probably for the best, because we're on a time crunch now," Parker explained. "HYDRA is storing all of your vibranium here, and we have to take out their leadership before they can call for backup."

Shuri activated her bracelet and showed us the layout of the base. "There were 84 men in the building when we entered, and no prisoners other than you. We have taken out 23 on our way in, so we have 61 more to find, including the Commander of the building."

T'Challa took command. "Shuri and I will find the Commander. Okoye, will you and Mr. Parker take care of the rest of HYDRA?"

I looked at the Spider-Man, who nodded and activated his mask. Turning back to my King, I nodded. "We will, your Majesty."

The royal siblings darted off towards the offices on the upper floors, and Parker and I sought out more HYDRA soldiers. As we ran, he asked, "Would it help if I drew their fire? I mean, I can take them down too, but I just figured..."

"I would expect for them to shoot at you," I replied, "considering the design of your suit."

"The bullets won't pierce it though," he explained. "Unless something else would work better?"

I shook my head. "I agree. Try not to die."

"Thanks," he answered. "I think. You too."

True to our prediction, the guards were much more interested in the vigilante than myself. Those I could reach, I knocked to the ground, and those I could not, I blasted with my spear. Parker kept their focus away from me, and trapped as many soldiers as he could with his webs. In a matter of fifteen minutes, we had covered the entire first floor of the base with only poor resistance.

"This is the same room we started in," I acknowledged. "Can you communicate with the Princess?"

"I can, but I don't want to interrupt them if they're trying to take down the Commander," he explained. "Besides, we need to find the front doors. We're going to have company soon."

Confused, I ran after him towards the entrance. "What company?"

He yelled over his shoulder. "Shuri called in a favor. Backup is on the way."