54 Wakanda

It was about 4 PM when I got to the Wakandan Embassy in Midtown. Well, the Consulate General at least. Funnily enough, I ended up flying over the Embassy of my parents' homeland, Morocco. As I landed on the sidewalk in front of the tall red brick building, people started taking photos with their phones. I ignored them to step through the gates and walk up the stairs toward the entrance. Men in black suits, all of them African, stood around the grounds of the embassy, watching me carefully as I walked towards the front doors. Two guards in green military uniforms carrying rifles stood at either side of the doors, while a beautiful African woman with a shaved head wearing a black dress waited for me.

"Good afternoon," I said politely, feeling a bit ashamed for the fact I was still wearing my Iron Man shirt, but going with it. "I have a meeting."

"I know," the woman said grimly. "I am Ayo. I will be guiding you."

"And guarding him," I added. She didn't answer, simply waving at the guards, who both opened the doors. I followed Ayo inside.

The inside of the Wakandan Embassy was all right. Not exactly what I was hoping for, as any reference to Wakanda itself were kept to some weapons along the walls, very traditional looking artwork, and the various servants roaming around. I noted the 'servants' often were bald women in great shape but ignored that. Ayo went into an elevator, nodding for me to enter as well. After a wait, the doors opened to reveal an office, where two men turned to look at us.

One was T'Chaka, the King of Wakanda eyeing me as I followed Ayo. The other I recognized from news reports. He was tall and strong looking, with skin as dark as the kings, and a well-trimmed beard. He was giving me a suspicious look when I entered. Couldn't blame him. Not nice when someone knows your country's millennia-old secrets.

I gave the Wakandan salute, both arms crossed over my chest. "King T'Chaka. Prince T'Challa. It is wonderful to meet you both. I'm honored."

"As am I," T'Chaka said, nodding towards me. "Please, sit," he gestured to a couch with a traditional looking coffee table. I moved towards it, sitting down on the sinfully comfortable couch. T'Chaka sat down in front of me in a large chair, while T'Challa was to my right in another one. Ayo stood behind T'Chaka as a servant woman with no hair walked over to stand to my left. "Now, I believe you know what I wish to talk about?"

"About how Wakanda is currently the most advanced nation on Earth, despite masquerading otherwise?" I said simply.

T'Challa, Ayo, and the servant were very, very focused on me. T'Chaka simply nodded. "Indeed. I suppose, my first question, is... would you like something to drink?"

I blinked, surprised, then laughed. "Yeah, that would be nice. Something from your nation? I haven't had the privilege of trying Wakandan food and drinks."

"Tea, I believe, would suffice," T'Chaka waved at the 'servant', who walked into another room, Ayo subtly moving to another position. "Now, for my second question. How did you discover our secret?"

"Other universes had to reveal it," I said. Everyone blinked. I thought for a moment."... This information does not leave this room. I want all three of you to promise, please."

T'Challa leaned forward, the prince staring at me. When he spoke, his voice was accented, though less than his fathers. "Is it truly that important?"

"It's worth more than all of the world, no matter how much vibranium you have."

T'Chaka thought about that. "...Very well. By the Goddess Bast, I will not reveal this."

"As do I," T'Challa said. Ayo only nodded.

I spoke immediately. "I had the dubious privilege of seeing into other universes recently. I destroyed the means by which I did so, but before that, I saw other worlds, other possibilities, even futures. In more than a few out of the infinite ones in the multiverse, I saw ones where Wakanda revealed their true power to the world. In many cases, to defend the Earth from danger."

T'Chaka frowned but waved for me to continue.

"In these worlds, you were sometimes...," I glanced at T'Challa. "Sometimes dead. Old age, assassination, self-sacrifice, all the reasons a person can die. And the Black Panther steps onto the world stage. He joins the Avengers. Saves the world. Sometimes, Shuri will become the Panther as well so that you," I indicated T'Challa. "Can aid the universe."

I might as well had dropped a bomb in the room. Ayo and T'Challa seemed stricken at the thought of their king/father dead. I wondered, for a moment, if the Dora Milaje were betrothed to the king as in the 616 universe before pushing the idea down.

The 'servant' walked into the room with my tea. "Thank you," I said, taking the tea and taking a sip, wincing when the aromatic and delicious drink singed my tongue slightly. I put it down on a cloth coaster the 'servant' had provided.

"How can we believe this?" T'Chaka asked, looking skeptical, a natural response.

"Because I know too much," I answered simply, dragging up the stuff I was certain was constant between universes. "I know about the Black Panther, and the Heart-Shaped Herb. I know that you gained your power from a mountain of Vibranium sitting beneath your nation. I know you were the first in space. And that you guys have pride in having 'never conquered, nor been conquered.' I mean... there's more, but that's most of the important stuff."

T'Chaka sighed, rubbing his forehead for a long moment, eyes closed in irritation. "I suppose you will be telling your Director about this?"

"I've thought about it," I noted how Ayo and the 'servant' stiffened. "But I'm as much African as I am American, in the end. I've got respect for you and for your people. I'd rather you tell them yourself... and you'll have to."

"Why is that?" T'Challa asked, glaring at me. "Why should we tell anyone?"

"Because you're about to lose your technological advantage," I answered simply. "I'm not going to comment on all the crap that happened in the world that you people could have stopped. Those are the decisions of other kings, and I won't have you answer for that. Not like I can yell at them personally," T'Chaka's lips twitched at that. "But right now, the pragmatic decision is not to simply watch as BRIDGE accelerates the entire world past you. Being isolationist isn't going to work for long."

I stopped to take a sip of tea, trying not to reveal how nervous I was. Damn it, I was giving too many speeches lately. I put it down after a moment. "You turned your back on the rest of the world," I said, my voice taking an odd tone that made T'Challa blink. "But I won't have BRIDGE do the same. Join us, King T'Chaka. You can try to match our technological abilities, but I guarantee you, it won't last. Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, me, all the aliens we hope to make treaties or possibly trade with? Wakanda needs to be a part of the conversation."

"And you think the rest of the world will simply let us be?" T'Chaka asked. "Some will not forgive us. Others will attack us, attempt to dominate and manipulate us."

"They will," I said. "They're trying to do it to BRIDGE. To take all the tech we're making, the superhumans we've found, and use them for their own ends. I've even got people making offers for this," I said, tapping the Omnitrix. The 'servant' poured me some more tea. "Thank you. But we are stopping them. Fighting them. And in the end, I'm not saying Wakanda has to reveal itself in its entirety right now. Just to join us until your ready."

"...Hmm," T'Chaka leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin. "I see. We would more actively support BRIDGE, give you our aid, and in return, you allow us to advance our technology alongside yours?"

"Until you reveal yourselves," I added. "That's going to happen. Considering the way the world is going, it's inevitable."

T'Chaka shook his head. "You must understand. I've worked all of my life to keep our secret. Killed, to keep it. The other tribes will fight this."

"...Then it's up to you," I finished my second cup, chugging it. "I can't speak for your people. I'm only giving you a warning and some advice. There are going to be a lot of benefits. I know you've seen the tech we're making and it's only going to get crazier and crazier. Wakanda can either join us, or be left behind, and eventually get found out by a quickly advancing world. I don't want that. I have too much respect for your nation, for the legacy of the Black Panther and for Wakanda itself."

"And if we were to offer you something, in return for you joining us?" T'Chaka asked. He ignored the stunned looks the others in the room gave him. "Wakanda has many things you might find attractive. Technology, land, even women. What would you want, in trade for you, by yourself, allying with Wakanda? Advancing us to the point that none in the world can match us for millenia."

I scoffed. "Even if I didn't think you were just testing me, I made a promise to BRIDGE, to the world at large, that I'd protect it."

T'Chaka smirked. "I see... I will speak to my people... T'Challa, my son, what do you think?"

His son blinked, looking over at me. His mouth opened, then closed, a thoughtful look on his face. When he spoke, it was halting, but strong. "You are... not wrong. If Wakanda is to be safe, we may have to take some risks. But I believe, we must also keep our secret. And we may be able, for a time, to do so. If Shuri, myself, and some of the Dora Milaje join BRIDGE and the Avengers, then we can help them in trade for technology and resources. With time, we can reveal ourselves, or simply allow others to believe our advancements are due to BRIDGE's technology."

"It would be more complicated than that," T'Chaka noted. "National laws-"

"I know, father," T'Challa smiled. "But I don't believe our young friend is very political."

"He's not wrong," I said with a grin. "I'm trying, believe me, but I'm mostly the punching and shooting guy."

T'Chaka chuckled. "Very well. You have made your point, my young friend," he rose from his chair, T'Challa and I following. "I will speak to the people of my nation and come to a decision. Depending on what is said, I will speak with Director Maria Hill. I must ask, will you support Wakanda if we require it?"

"Yeah," I reached into a pocket and pulled out a device shaped roughly like a cat, handing it to T'Chaka. "Here. This is the Panther's Trail. It gives the location of Ulysses Klaue, no matter where he goes in the world. As well information on the location he hides in, it's defense, his resources, so on and so forth."

The whole room froze again.

"Klaue?" T'Chaka asked, his voice weak.

"He can't counter this, no matter what he tries," I said, tapping the device. "If you need help, I'm in, and I'll let some of the Avengers know. But if you want to do it on your own, this will help."

T'Chaka clenched the device tightly. "...Thank you, for this. Why didn't you simply offer it from the start to trade?"

"I'm no politician, but I figured you wouldn't think of this as worth the trade," I admitted. I noted the looks on their faces. Huh. Guess I'd been wrong.

Live and learn I suppose. Live and learn.

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Author's Note: Later, Dial is going to regret not fanboying over meeting the Black goddamn Panther. As for Ayo, she's the Dora Milaje who says 'move or you will be moved' to Black Widow. And the reference to Dora Milaje is kinda a weird and creepy thing in the comics we'd all rather ignore, man. Better to forget that, really.