Show Me ↝ Black Panther

12

"I've met Anna before, briefly." Such was T'Challa's confession the following day, when Ross took them to where he was set to question Klaue. "That was before I had to pick sides in a fight that divided the Avengers." 

"So you agree she cannot be trusted," Okoye said. 

T'Challa shrugged. "She's more trustworthy than Klaue, I can tell you that much."

N'Deke zoned out, tuning their rambling out. His mind kept replaying the events of the previous night like a broken record player. The fight at the casino, the wild car chase. The sight of one of Ulysses' men on the pavement. 

It was all he could think about. The memory of his dead eyes haunted N'Deke every time he shut his own eyelids. He hadn't been able to eat much either. His stomach churned so much that he feared he'd just regurgitate whatever he ate. 

Though he'd done his best to put on a front, his behavior hadn't gone unnoticed. Nakia kept stealing glances at him. He turned the other way, pretending not to notice. But she wasn't going to let him off the hook this easily. 

A hand fell on his shoulder. "N'Deke." 

He sighed. He'd been hoping that he could get away with it a little while longer but that had been wishful thinking. He faced her. "Please don't send me back. I can do this, all right? I just need some time."

Nakia frowned. She grabbed his arm and walked further away, where neither T'Challa or Okoye would be able to hear their conversation. "What? We're not going to send you back. You did so great last night." She squeezed his arm. "But I can tell something's bothering you. Talk to me."

He bit the inside of his cheek, staring out the window at the numerous buildings opposite of them. He didn't want Nakia, or anyone else, to think he was weak, but if he didn't talk about it he was going to implode. "When I was in the car, Shuri accidentally ran one of Klaue's men over. I was curious, so I looked out the window and..."

He didn't need to go on. Nakia's features softened. "I'm sorry. That must have been quite the sight for you." 

"I wish I'd listened to His Highness and stayed put."

"You're always going to wish you did something differently when it comes to these situations." They watched a truck drive past them. "I wish I could tell you it'll get better but I'd hate to lie to you. Sadly it doesn't get any easier. This is a part of what we do. One thing that helped me the first few times I went on missions was to pray for them." 

"But they wanted to kill us."

"They were doing what they thought was right, as were we." N'Deke went quiet. "When we're out there, it's either them or us. But they also have lives, families, kids that they're leaving behind. That's why I pray."

N'Deke nodded in understanding. "I'll remember that. I'm sorry, Nakia."

"You have nothing to apologize for. If it makes you feel better we can keep this between us. How about it?"

He smiled gratefully at her. "Thank you."

It was then that they heard General Ross interviewing Klaue. Bast bless Shuri for coming up with those communication devices. They were absolutely brilliant.

It began with Klaue singing some sort of American song N'Deke hadn't heard before. Truth be told he'd never heard American music before. 

"You know, you really shouldn't trust the Wakandans. I'm much more your speed," Klaue said.

"I don't trust anybody. Not in this job. But what I am interested in is that arm cannon out there. Where'd you get that?" Ross asked. N'Deke was taken back to how Klaue had almost gotten him with the cannon. Had it not been for T'Challa, he wouldn't be here right now.