We arrived back at some sort of office building around two hours later. I was brought to the medical bay and put under temporary medical watch. They patched me up well.
I then joined T'Challa and Okoye in the interrogation section of the building. Nakia obviously getting the job of lookout. We were looking at Klaue through the glass and I could feel the anger radiate off of T'Challa as we continued to look, before Ross entered the room.
"I figured we'll go good cop, bad cop. I'll go in first then you guys."
Okoye then spoke to T'Challa.
"asikwazi ukumvumela ukuba athethe neKlaue yedwa. (We cannot let him talk to Klaue alone.)"
He then turned towards here and replied to her in Xhosa.
"bhetele ukuba amvumele akhulume neKlaue yedwa imizuzu emihlanu kunokubangela umcimbi apha. (It is better letting him talk to Klaue alone for five minutes than cause a scene here.)"
I looked over towards Ross, an amused smile on my face as I watched him look at the pair in utter confusion and curiosity. He then glanced my way to see if I understood the conversation that was taking place, I just shrugged my shoulders, got up off the table I was sitting on and went to stand beside T'Challa.
"After your questioning we are taking him back to Wakanda with us."
I looked straight ahead of me as I said this, not paying attention to Ross' furrowed eyebrows and shaking head.
"What? No."
All of us now faced the Agent.
"Look, I like you a lot...."
He points an accusing finger at me.
"You I'm not so sure about. But he's in my custody now. He's not going anywhere. Listen, I'm doing you guys a favour by letting you even be in here. Especially you, Miss Cassidy."
I nodded my head, seeing where he was coming from and partly agreeing with him. He placed his hand on T'Challa's shoulder as some reassurance that what he said, he meant. Although it was a simple gesture, and a natural one at that, Okoye sent death glares Ross' way.
"ukuba uya kukuthinta kwakhona, ndiza kumbethela kule desiki. (If he touches you again I am going to impale him to that desk.)"
I chuckled slightly as Ross removed his hand from T'Challa's shoulder, a dumbfounded look on his face with a hint of fear for the woman.
"Does she speak English?"
Okoye raised her eyebrow, sending glares at Ross before answering his question, her arms folded.
"When she wants to."
Ross didn't even make an attempt to continue that conversation before turning to T'Challa once again. I had returned to sitting on the table as my leg was starting to cause some discomfort.
"I'm going in. When I'm done you guys are up."
"Agent Ross."
Ross turned to face the King.
"Yeah?"
"I do appreciate your help in Busan."
T'Challa place a hand on Ross' shoulder, unknowns to Ross, placing an audio device there. Allowing us to hear their conversation through our ear pieces. Ross looked at Okoye, directing his next statement at her.
"You see that? That's called diplomacy. Your welcome."
As T'Challa began to walk away Ross pulled him to the side, whispering something to him.
"Just to put it out there..."
Ross began.
"Keep your little girlfriend there out of trouble or I'll have to throw her in a cell with Klaue."
And with a small smile he entered the interrogation room.
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Ross had begun the interrogation. T'Challa was watching closely through the glass as we listened to their conversation.
"You know, you really shouldn't trust the Wakandans." Klaue stated.
"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?"
"It's an old mining tool that I made some adjustments to. But I can get you one, if you like."
"Why don't you give me the name of your supplier, and I'll ask them."
Klaue chuckled at Ross.
"He's right outside. Why don't you ask him yourself?"
"What? T'Challa? You're telling me that weapon on your arm is from Wakanda?"
"Bingo. What do you actually know about Wakanda?"
The conversation went on between the two for a while more, more words shared that I had zoned out on. I was interested as to how Klaue got that Vibranium and I had a horrible feeling in my gut that he wasn't alone, even now in the interrogation room.
T'Challa had come to lean against the table beside me. His arms were folded and he look straight ahead. I look over at him curiously, wondering what's going through his head.
"A penny for your thoughts?"
He then adverted his eyes to meet mine.
"Ross has posed a threat towards you."
Now I was curious.
"What type of threat?"
"To keep yourself out of trouble or he will throw you into a cell with Klaue."
He looked down at his feet as I let the information sink in. Threatening to put me into a cell? Really? How childish. I decided not to let it bother me, knowing I haven't been in any kind of beef since the Civil War, which even then I supported both sides.
I nudged T'Challa with my elbow, a smile making it's way onto my face.
"Don't let it bother you, T. Ross isn't going to put me in a gaol of any sort, okay?"
He looked at me dead in the eye, I'm guessing somewhat surprised at my light heart on the situation. He took my hand in his, stroking my bandaged wrist with his thumb.
"I will not let him take you away from me again."
I offered the King a small smile.
"I know you won't"
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Our peaceful silence was soon disturbed by a pissed off Ross barging into the room.
"Your father told the UN that Klaue stole all the vibranium you had. But now he's telling me you have more."
Ross folded his arms over his chest, an annoyed tone to his voice.
"And you believe the word of an arms dealer strapped to a chair?" I replied, also folding my arms.
"How about you shut up before I let you rot away in a cell?"
His harsh words had taken me by surprise. But T'Challa only seemed ticked off by it. He stepped towards Ross, his tall frame towering over the Agent's.
"Do not talk to her like that again, do you understand?"
His tone was menacing as he delivered his sentence. In response Ross only furrowed his eyebrows once again.
"How much more are you hiding?"
T'Challa didn't get a chance to finish as Nakia came bursting through the doors.
"into eyenzeka ngaphandle. (Something is happening out back.)"
Before we knew it an explosion went off, sending us flying. We got to our feet as quick as possible, looking for the source of the blast. My eyes landed on two men and a woman walking through the door. The man wearing some sort of tribal mask opened fire, letting the bullets shower down on top of us. The other man and the woman had already got Klaue in the air, carrying him out of the building. The masked man ceased fire and threw a grenade through the shattered window. Immediately the Black Panther jumped on top of it, shielding it with his body as the grenade went off, due to the vibranium, only making a little puff of smoke.
I stared at the man with the mask. Something felt......familiar about him. His presence in the room, his build, posture, all of it made me feel like I had encountered him before. He must have caught onto my curious look as he too stared back briefly before turning and leaving. T'Challa seemed to notice our staring, but chose to talk about it later as Klaue was getting away. The Black Panther started sprinting across the room and through the hole in the wall. Okoye had gone after the Black Panther while Nakia and I attended to Ross, who was now shaking on the floor as the masked man's bullet lodged in his back.
"He just jumped in front of me."
I looked at Nakia, who was pretty shaken from the whole ordeal.
"Give me one of your Kimoyo Beads."
I placed my hand out for her to hand me the Bead. Once Nakia had placed it in my hand I moved around to Ross' back, immediately finding where the bullet had launched itself into. Carefully I placed the Bead into the wound, giving him temporary relief. Then T'Challa and Okoye re-entered the room, their attention immediately going to Ross' limp body on the ground.
"I used a Kimoyo Bead, it will stabilise him for now. But I don't think he'll make it here. It hit his spine."
T'Challa nods, taking in the information. He then turned to Ross' colleagues.
"Let us take him back to Wakanda, we can heal him there."
Shook from everything that happened in the past five minutes they merely nodded in agreement. The King then turned to me.
"Can you help him?"
I turned to look at him, nodding in response.
"But not here, there's too many distractions."
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