True Identity

Tribute to Chadwick Boseman

Dedicated to Chadwick Boseman, November 29, 1976 to August 28, 2020.

5 Years Post Blip

"Shuri, Nala and the others are in there," T'Challa says, motioning to the large, concrete storehouse in front of them through the trees.

JJ nods, his helmet covering him as he gets ready, T'Challa follows suit. Their suits are identical, except that JJ's has green accents instead of purple. He was proud of it, and despite not having the powers of the Black Panther yet, he felt like he did in the suit. T'Challa motions his hand forward and both start toward the storehouse. They creep silently through the trees until they come to the clearing.

"It's about a ten yard dash, we can make it," T'Challa says quietly.

JJ searches his mind for any objections, but his mind is too full of worry for his sister and cousin to see anything wrong. He nods and they run forward, hitting a magnetic field. They pause, their suits becoming patchy and virtually useless. JJ dives out of the way as he sees a spray of bullets coming towards them, covering himself with his force field. T'Challa dives the other direction, rolling back up to his feet, he identifies the shooter in a second story window and runs towards him. JJ groans in pain as a vision fills his head, he snaps out of it just in time to see it come true. He watches as two bullets hit their marks, passing right through T'Challa's compromised suit.

"No!" JJ screams, rushing to his cousin and covering them both with his force field. "T-T'Challa?" JJ asks as his helmet pulls back, his heart pounding with fear.

T'Challa looks up at him, his breathing heavy. "N'Juzo," he says softly, calling JJ by his Wakandan name. "You must save our sisters, and the others."

"But... but... you'll die!" JJ exclaims.

"Death is not the end, N'Juzo. It's more of a... a stepping off point... You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet... they lead you into the green veld where... you can run forever."

Tears roll down JJ's cheeks as he shakes his head. "No, no, not yet. You can't go yet, you haven't taught me everything."

"I've taught you all..." he pauses, grimacing in pain. "All that you need to be who Wakanda needs you to be. You are the next Black Panther. "

JJ shakes his head. "I'm not ready, umzala, I am only 17..." (cousin)

T'Challa cuts him off with a raise of his hand. "Go, save your sister and your cousin. Shuri is the only one who can help now anyway. You need to go...." he stops, beginning to cough, blood dribbling down his chin. "Now."

JJ doesn't move, afraid to lose someone else.

"Go," T'Challa says. He presses his ring into JJ's hand. "Go."

JJ's hand tightens around the ring and he nods. He stands and turns to face the gunner. He slams a force field into the man's chest and sends him flying back inside. With one last look at his cousin, JJ turns and rushes for the entrance. He slams the door open with the weight of his body and rushes in. Three doors confront him. Which one were the girls behind? Did he have time to look through them all? T'Challa's life was at stake if he didn't find Shuri soon. He quickly searches the future and chooses the door to the left, a dark staircase leads down infinitely. JJ creeps silently down the stairs and the further he goes he can hear what he couldn't before, crying. He gets to a door at the bottom of the steps with a faint light showing under it. When the door is unable to be opened, he rakes his vibranium claws through the handle, causing it to fall to the floor with a loud clang. JJ winces and the crying stops. He pushes the door open and his eyes grow wide. Shuri, Nalla and the border girls are tied in pairs to poles scattered across the room. Each pair has a guard, each with a gun, and the guard with Nala and Shuri has two guns, one pressed against each girl's temple.

"One wrong move and I blow their brains out," the man says, he has a thick English accent and JJ wonders why in the world he needs the other girls.

"If you want a ransom, all you need are Shuri, maybe Nala," JJ says with a growl, his helmet pulling back so they can see who he is. "Let the others go."

The man laughs. "I don't want a ransom, child. They will fetch a higher price on the black market than your precious haven would give me."

"The only thing you're getting are panther claws in your chest," JJ says, taking a step.

The man cocks his guns and JJ freezes. "If you kill them, you will lose your highest prices. Two princesses of Wakanda? They would get you so much money," JJ says, buying for time. He looks the Englishman in the eye but keeps Nala and Shuri in his peripheral vision.

The man smirks and nods, another man flicks a switch. Another magnetic field fills the room, rendering JJ's suit useless.

"Give up, Prince N'Juzo," the Englishman says.

JJ closes his eyes. Ancestors, Aunt Tasha, help me. His eyes fly open and he dodges the first bullet, batting it back at it's owner with a part of his arm currently covered in vibranium. The men advanced on him as he deflected their bullets. He kicks the first man's gun away, yanking his knife from his hand and throwing it to Nala who catches it expertly, having burned away her bonds. She cuts Suri's ropes and the two princesses start freeing the other girls.

"Get them out!" JJ screams as he fights the men, glad for his powers for maybe the first time in history. Dodging bullets and knowing where the vibranium would and wouldn't be covering him. Nala sets a few men on fire and the girls make their escape. JJ jumps out of the way of an on fire soldier, jumping right into the path of a bullet, he sees it just before it pierces his skin. He cries out and turns, clutching his shoulder. The Englishman holds a gun, a wicked grin on his face. JJ runs to him, sinking his claws deep into the man's chest before he can even pull the trigger again.

The soldiers freeze as they see their leader fall. JJ stands there, looking at his blood covered claw. He turns to face the others but they drop their weapons and flee. JJ races back up the stairs, his shoulder in more pain than his mind could fathom. He found Shuri outside with Nala, kneeling over T'Challa. JJ's heart sinks to his stomach.

"He's gone," Shuri says softly, tears threatening to fall.

Nala lets out a stifled sob and rushes to JJ, hugging him, starting to cry, the sobs shaking her small body. JJ lifts her into his arms, wincing at the pain in his shoulder. Nala clings to him, her face buried in his neck.

Two of the border girls come rushing back from the jet with a stretcher. They help Shuri lift T'Challa's body onto it, the princess letting her tears fall, pressing her forehead against her brother's. JJ starts towards the jet carrying Nala, his heart heavy and tears rolling down his own cheeks.

When they arrive back at the palace everything moves in a blur. Nia takes Nala from him as he is ushered to the lab. A doctor takes care of his shoulder as he watches Shuri and Mary frantically try to save T'Challa's life. But it has been too long. He had taken too long. He was too busy worrying about his sister to see the danger. He looks down at the ring in his hand. T'Challa's death was his fault. He had killed the king of Wakanda.

This is a book two chapter, but I thought it was fitting. It is written in advance as a tribute to Chadwick Boseman. And as we all know, JJ has not killed him, but he died a hero's death as he deserved. Chadwick was a hero, acting in so many movies while secretly battling with cancer. He deserves a hero's death. Rest in peace.