PANDORA'S BOX ▷ s.rogers [2]

(3) WAY DOWN WE GO

"HIS NAME IS KHALID KHANDIL."

Steve leaned back in his chair, brows furrowing. "He's the one who..."

"Yeah," Sam looked down. "He killed Riley."

The air went silent. Sitting in the Wakandan council room with T'Challa, his guards, and the others, Eris glanced around. She shook her head, completely lost. And she seemed to be the only one. 

"I'm sorry, Riley who?"

"He was..." Sam swallowed. "An old friend."

Steve leaned forward. "I thought he was in U.S. Air Force custody."

"Yeah, so did I."

"So maybe he's escaped. But what group was he with?"

"The Ten Rings."

They all looked over at Natasha.

She lounged back in her chair, feet propped up on the table, playing with one of her knives. The woman barely even looked fazed at all the eyes fixed on her, shrugging.

"They're a terrorist group. Not your typical organization, though. They've sculpted secrecy to an art form. SHIELD used to be on their tail, but we never even got close before the Triskelion fell."

"So they're basically ghosts."

"Oh, they're quite real," she pulled her feet back, sitting up. "And dangerous. If they're collecting Chitauri weapons, there's a reason. And it's not a good one."

Silence fell over the room. All eyes went to where T'Challa sat, hand over his chin, eyes hooded. He didn't answer for a long moment, considering Natasha's words.

"They got a case of weapons," Steve said. "Only one of the four. But who knows where they could be heading next."

"Lebanon."

"Sorry?"

T'Challa lowered his hand. "Our sources have tracked another deal to Lebanon. More weapons, from the sound of it."

"Then we go there."

"I'm not sure how much more help I can be," the Wakandan king said. He glanced over at Okoye, who stood at his side, then gazed back. "I'm to take my father's place. But before then, I'm to prove my worth. It is Wakandan tradition."

"I understand, your highness," Steve glanced over at the rest of them. Her, Natasha, Sam. "We appreciate all you've done."

"These weapons need to be kept out of enemy hands."

"And they will. It's time we moved anyway, until..." Steve lowered his gaze. "Until any changes bring us back."

"We'll keep an eye on Barnes."

Eris looked sharply up. She blinked at the name, something on the tip of her tongue, before it faded again. She relaxed in her chair again, but felt a pair of eyes staring her down.