A New Infinity Stone

SIXTEEN

The meadow is a glorious expanse of rustling grass and meadow flowers. There is a narrow brook flowing through it, choked with weeds. Tall water-mint with pale lilac flowers, like dozens of tiny bells, grows at the brook's edge. There is a shallow ditch at the edge of the meadow. The grass is thick and lush, growing in dense tussocks. The oak tree provides sun-flecked shade, a cool and refreshing respite from the mid-summer sun. The white umbrellas of cow parsley are blooming before my eyes.
This is a place of many memories.

"It's beautiful." I mutter, hearing soft footsteps behind me. "My father would bring me here every summer when we visited my mothers grave. Her favourite flowers are from this meadow."
I take a deep breath and turn around to face the man standing behind me. His bronze skin is engraved with small oval markings. His dark eyes don't meet my blue ones as he scans the meadow we are currently standing in.
"Why did you want to meet here?" He asks, his voice is deep and velvety.
"You are not like the others. You knew what you wanted, and you attempted to take it. The others never knew what their true goal was." I glance up at him. "Erik Killmonger, I need you on my team."
"In return for what?"
"Front seats to watch the world burn."

1 day earlier ...
"I don't understand why we need this man on our team." Bucky groans as we walk through the halls of our ship.
"I don't either, but Thanos gave me his name, so he must be of some use."
"Ronan is going to be a problem as it is. This Ulysses Klaue seems like another loose cannon."
I smile. "I can deal with Ronan. He is just a boy who needs to remember who is in charge."

Bucky laughs, making my insides feel fluttery. I know that we are just friends, but my whole world seems to brighten when he laughs. His blue eyes crinkle at the edges as he smiles. We pause at a blue metal door and take deep breaths.
"Are you ready to meet Ulysses Klaue?" I ask with a soft sigh.
James swings open the door, and I walk in with a confident stride.

"Finally! I was wonderin' when someone was comin'." A man with grey hair and a matching beard smiles.
I am taken aback by his confidence considering his current situation.
"Ulysses Klaue. Thank you for meeting with us. Please, sit down." I express as I take a seat.
Bucky stands protectively to the side of me, his eyes watching Klaue's every move.
"Oh, yeh. This is nice. Normally, I'm tied to a metal chair, and people are sticking things into me to get me to talk." He grins wildly.
I glance sideways at Bucky, and I notice that his metal hand is clenched in a fist.
"We understand that you have some valuable information for us." I get straight to the point with my questions.
"Ah, yes." He leans forward, watching us carefully. "What do you know about Wakanda?"
Bucky and I pass a look of confusion between us.
"Nothing, I have never heard of it." I finally answer.

"Explorers have searched for it. Called it El Dorado. They looked for it in South America, but it was in Africa the whole time. I'm the only one who's seen it and made it out alive." He diverts his attention to Bucky. "Now, what do you know about Vibranium?"
"Vibranium? As in Captain America's shield?" I question, but Bucky just stares intensely at Klaue.
"It's the rarest metal in the world." Bucky states simply.
Klaue bursts out laughing and wipes a fake tear from his eye. Bucky clenches his jaw as a murderous glint flashes through his eyes.
"Wrong! The element crash-landed from outer space a millennium ago in Wakanda. It enriched the soil and plant life and was mined into a malleable metal, which is now used extensively by the Wakandan's in their everyday lives. Making Wakanda the most technologically advanced country on Earth."
"How come we have never heard of Wakanda before?" Bucky asks rather savagely.
"It has been posing as a third world country, keeping the existence of Vibranium a secret." He pauses. "If you can get the Vibranium and the Wakandan's technology, you would be unstoppable."
"And how do we do that?" I ask, sitting on the edge of my seat.
"There is a man who may be willing to help you."
I smile, silently thanking Thanos for allowing us to meet this man.
"What's his name?"

"Erik Killmonger."