The King: T'Challa.

Chapter 4: Thaddeus Ross.

"Wanda?" I asked as I knocked on her door.

I could hear the telly on, it was the news, the voice of the female reporter rang through the air as she described the events of the Avengers newest failure. Lagos. I sat on her bed beside her and watched but not really paying attention.

"....killing dozens of Nigerians and eleven Wakandans......."

That caught my attention. Wakandans? In Nigeria? Why were they there? I silently hoped to myself that I didn't know any of them. Wanda seemed to notice my sudden interest and questioned me on it.

"Did you know them?" She asked

"No. I don't think so. Why?" I knew why I just went along with it anyway.

"You took a very sudden interest when the Wakandans were mentioned. I was just assuming you may have known......."

Wanda didn't get to finish before Vision came through the wall. Again. It startled me really, I'm still trying to get use to this guy. I've never seen anything as advanced as he is. Even in Wakanda, the tech isn't that powerful, no matter how much Vibranium they could dig up. I was brought out of my thoughts by Wanda speaking.

"Vis, we talked about this."

She looked at him like you would to a pup who's just walked across a clean carpet with mucky paws.

"Yes, but the door was opened and I assumed that-" he gave a sigh before continuing. "Mr. Stark requests your presence downstairs. He has brought a guest."

And with that he left the same way he came. I exchanged a look with Wanda both of us asking the same question: 'who?'.
I just shrugged my shoulders and stood up to leave, Wanda following close behind.

We walked in the room to see all Avengers had been assembled and are now sitting around a conference table. The look on Steve's face said it all, something was going to happen today and not everyone was going to agree with it. I took a seat beside Steve, just across from Wanda. Tony sat in the corner of the room, a serious expression painted evidently across his face. One I have never seen Tony wear before. Something was seriously wrong. Everyone was silent all eyes on the Secretary of State, Thaddeus Ross.

"Huh, five years ago,I had a heart attack. I dropped right in the middle of my backswing. Turned out it was the best round of my life because after thirteen hours of surgery and a triple bypass, I have found something forty years in the army had never thought me. Perspective. The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt. You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives. But while a great many people see you as heros, there are some who would prefer the word 'vigilantes'."

I stared at him quizzically, trying to soak in and make sense of what he's just told us.

"And what word would you use, Mr.Secretary?"

Natasha spoke up, asking the question on everybody's mind. Ross took no time to even think of an answer before saying:

"How about 'dangerous'?"

The was a pause as everyone sank into thought, before he continued.

"What would you call a group of US based, enhanced, individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about with what they leave behind?"

Again silence. Secretary Ross began to play footage from previous Avenger missions, some of which I wasn't involved in, presumably when I was either still in Hydra or Wakanda.

"New York, Washington D.C., Sokovia, Lagos......."

The footage from Sokavia had struck a chord with Wanda, and I could see that. So, before Ross could show anymore I stopped him.