Black Panther: Rise of the Princess (COMPLETE)

Chapter 53: Shuri

Director Fury's phone rang, and he had to accept the call. The three of us dismissed ourselves and began talking amongst each other.

"Is there a plan to form the rest of the team?" I asked, once he was out of earshot. "The Avengers are illegal, but if we are already here, there must be something we can do. Perhaps another one of your loopholes?" I asked the agent.

Raven nodded. "All three of us were recommended for the Avengers Initiative. Director Fury can't necessarily act on those recommendations, but he can accept them."

Peter nodded, thinking out loud. "We just have to find people to recommend. How many options do we have?"

"A few, most in the United States. I've already started looking through SHIELD's Index, trying to sift through enhanced individuals. A few vigilantes have popped up as well, we can examine them if we want." She opened her computer up, and showed Peter and I the screen. "All we have to do is fill out this form. If the candidate is poor, we can report as much. If the candidate is good, the Director will save the forms and use them when he receives clearance."

Scratching his head, Peter led the way back to the observation room. "If we want to have the usual six, we need three more, and a way to communicate with all of them."

I reached into my pockets, where I had been hiding two wristwatches until this moment. "I was waiting for you to say that. These might help you."

Peter took his and passed the other one to Raven, on his right. After examining it, Peter looked up at me. "Communications?"

"Yes, as well as GPS, so we can find a place to meet, if we have to. They also can record audio and visual, which may come in handy for your missions, Raven," I explained. I figured a spy could use gear like this.

She seemed pleased. "It will, I'm sure. However, in order to keep ownership of these, never describe them as Avengers equipment, or the United Nations will claim them. These are gifts, as far as any politician can know."

Peter turned to her, staring quizzically. "How do you know all of this stuff?"

"I spent five years in the Records department," Raven retorted. "It gets boring after the first hour."

"It seems useful for things like this, though," I remarked as they secured the watches on their wrists. "You seem to have the best understanding of the Accords."

We all stood at the window to the medical lab, where Steve Rogers was sleeping in his new body. The surgery was over, and all he had to do was wake up, and he would be ready to go home.

I looked over at the other two to say something, but I saw Peter staring off into space. After a minute, he quietly suggested, "We're going to need a leader, Raven."

To my surprise, she shook her head. "A leader needs to be someone the team can trust, and you can't trust a spy. It has to be someone everyone can rally behind." Raven looked back at him. "And seeing as you are the one who convinced Princess Shuri to join, I don't see who else it could be."

That was not the answer he was expecting. He turned to me, probably to ask for help, but I nodded. "I can be a technology resource, but you kept this mission driving forward. You were the one who told me it was possible to save T'Challa and Okoye in Stockholm. I would have come home if you had said nothing."

"We will give you all the pieces you need, but someone has to put them together," Raven added.

Peter turned from one of us to the other, multiple times, before sighing and, reluctantly, saying, "You two are crazy."

I made eye contact with Raven and smirked. "You chose us, Spider-Man. From now on, it is your call."

"That's a scary thought," he joked, staring back at Steve. Then, after a pause, he set his face and murmured, "Watch out world, here we come."