Hardball

If you want to support me check out my patréon at https://www.patréon.com/athassprkr

I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions of them so you can read up to 20 chapters ahead as a bonus.

I would like to thank my beta, Akisu, for his help in this chapter.

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Chapter 347: Hardball

20th May 2013, Avengers Tower, New York City

(Tony Stark POV)

"You wait for a bit until you see how the Accords will be enforced and implemented. Leak any misuse of power, any unjustified arrest while showing them that they could be next. If that doesn't work, we bring the big guns and we execute the last resort plan. We fake an invasion and have you say that you wouldn't want to risk being arrested for saving people. You blame it on the Accords, and the rest of the world will take you seriously. Although, by that time Jasmine would probably have already returned, and she would probably have better plans."

"I still don't like this…" Tony complained.

"Do you have any other plan that might work?" Wanda glared at him.

The billionaire gulped and thankfully Jean chose to change the subject, "Speaking of implementation of the accords. How is it going to be enforced?"

Tony shrugged, "I don't know for sure. But the UN committee in charge of the Accords have been communicating a lot with a certain company. Trask Industries, I believe it was called."

It was five days later that Tony, and his companions took a portal to Vienna, where the Accords were being signed. The billionaire had never experienced teleportation in his life and was surprised by how smooth it was.

The portal was more like a doorway, which didn't make sense, since it should have been spherical to account for the fact that the universe existed in at least three dimensions of space. Physics breaking aside, the three of them walked towards one of the hotels. Maximoff simply walked towards a bald woman with tattoos on her head and said, "We are here to speak with King T'Chaka. It is an urgent matter."

"My King has no appointment to see you today." The woman answered with a heavy accent.

"Tell him that it's about Ulysses Klaue."

Tony had no idea who that Klaue person was, but from the widening of the woman's eyes, she didn't share his ignorance. It was a rare thing for Tony to be the only ignorant one in a conversation. He decided that he definitely didn't like it, not one bit.

The bald bodyguard nodded and silently walked towards one of the elevators. Ten minutes later, a small delegation of bald women came to speak with them, "We will escort you to our King."

They all walked in silence to one of the elevators, until they arrived in front of a room, where another two guards were stationed. Honestly, Tony knew that they were visiting the King of Wakanda, unannounced, no less, but he didn't expect that kind of manpower for a UN meeting of all things.

Still, the guards opened the doors to show an old man with greying hair and a goatee, "Hello, Mr. Stark, Miss Grey, and Miss Maximoff, how may I be of assistance?"

Grey nodded, "We needed to talk, and this was our ticket to have our conversation."

She moved her arm in a circle and a portal appeared in the roof of the building, another weird man with spikey hair and grey eyes, fell from the portal to the ground, where he was immediately apprehended by the Wakandan guards.

"We are giving you Ulysses Klaue as a token of goodwill, the buy in, if you would, to start the conversation. We will also give you the entirety of the stolen Vibranium after our discussion is over, even if the meeting goes poorly." Wanda Maximoff explained.

The man looked calculatingly at them, "This is a fine gift to Wakanda, and more than enough for me to grant you an audience, but I have to wonder why you would part with such treasure."

"Wakanda is not the only source of Vibranium, King T'Chaka. We, unlike most of the world, do not hunger for your metals, and while my mother dislikes your isolation, we are not here to discuss such fundamental differences." Maximoff replied.

What the hell were they talking about. There was very little Vibranium in the world or Tony would have known about it. And the Billionaire was sure that Wakanda wasn't isolated at all, they were just too poor to make any impact on the international scene.

"Our isolation is necessary for our survival…" the King protested.

"It is, but it does not have to be complete. You could help the world catch up and then reveal yourselves. You don't even need to reveal the truth about your natural resources, just your discoveries. The world would be thankful for your help, not hostile." Jean argued back.

Still Tony had no idea what they were talking about, but just nodded to argue his companions' points. The King gave them a glare, "You did not come here just to argue about our way of life. So why have you come?"

"Jean and I are here as emissaries of the nation of Genosha while Stark is here as a representative of the Avengers. To be perfectly brief, we need you not to sign the Enhanced Registration Act, and to make a headquarters for Avengers in Wakanda." Maximoff answered.

The bodyguards immediately started whispering with glares on their faces, "Or you'll do what? Reveal Wakanda's existence?"

"You misunderstand, King T'Chaka, this is not a threat. We do not need to threaten you in any way. But I don't understand why you are supporting the Accords anyway. Will you register your son as well? After all, the Black Panther is technically an Enhanced person as well." Jean drawled.

"So, you are demanding that I stop supporting an international Bill that is being signed by over a hundred countries?" The King protested.

"Seriously, you have read the document, have you not? It practically gives the UN cause to investigate any sightings of enhanced activity without any resistance. Are you willing to let anyone just get inside your kingdom? I thought you valued your secrecy, King T'Chaka."

"And the Avengers?"

Jean Grey gave him a smile, "We need a place that's technologically advanced enough to support the Avengers, and yet inconspicuous enough to be dismissed by the international scene. They will act as the Avengers to the countries that haven't signed the Accords."

"You seek to make Wakanda the silent opposition to the Accords? We both know that they are necessary with the rise of the mutant population. People with superpowers need to be kept in check."

"Yes, they do," Wanda responded to the man's surprise, "We have a similar system in Genosha. Everyone's registered and their powers tested, but mutants are not oppressed there. The number of human rights violations that are in the Accords is baffling, and this is our solution."

"You seek to use the Avengers' reputation and love of the public to protest the Accords, and say that they are too severe. Probably to demand amendments and modifications to secure it. But why did you come to Wakanda to sponsor it?"

"We need a nation that is underestimated, but can defend itself in case something happens. We would have chosen Genosha to do it, but it's a relatively new country, and we have too many operations to save the mutants all over the world to make it the headquarters of the Avengers. It was either Wakanda or Latveria, but we don't want to associate ourselves with Victor Von Doom in any way if we can avoid it." The telepath simply responded.

The King scratched his goatee, "And why should I put a target on our nation for the Avengers?"

"Well, for one, they will defend your land from any possible spies trying to sneak in. They will be the first layer of defense, and the gun that you can point at other nations. You can be sure that no one like Klaue will come again. Plus, I believe Princess Shuri wouldn't mind working with people like Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, would she?" the redhead proposed.

The man's lips twitched, "We have our means to defend ourselves, Miss Grey."

"Perhaps, but not openly. Still, there is the matter of the greatest threat to your rule running around while you do not know of it. We are willing to trade you information about them, in exchange for your cooperation." Wanda smirked back.

"Wakanda has no threats, girl," One of the bald women interrupted.

The reality manipulator's smirk didn't even grow, "Not even prince N'Jobu's son?"

The King stiffened and stood up suddenly, "How do you know that name?"

"You think we haven't been observing Wakanda for decades? Because we have, and for a very long time, we haven't even tried to interfere in your ruling. We even witnessed what happened in Oakland, and we weren't the only ones to do so."

"EVERYONE OUT!" the King bellowed out.

"But, my King," one of the bald women protested.

"I SAID, OUT!"

Everyone, save for Tony, his companions, and the King, left the room. The man walked and looked at Maximoff straight in the eye, "Be very careful with your next words."

Tony would admit that he was terrified. Somehow, he knew that there was more to the old King than he first thought. But Maximoff didn't seem even slightly intimidated and continued smiling, "After uncovering your brother's betrayal, you went to his safehouse. I will not say what happened, because you perfectly know. You acted as the protector of Wakanda, as the Black Panther, there is no shame in that, and we will not judge you for what you have done. But your nephew witnessed what occurred, and he is out there, plotting to destroy everything that you have built, to have his revenge on you. So, that's our deal, you remove yourself from the Accords and build a headquarters for the Avengers, and we will tell you everything you need to know about your nephew and what he's been doing all these years. What do you think?"

"You will not tell anyone about it, or I will simply sign the Accords, Avengers be damned." T'Chaka responded.

"We will not. You will be our ally. Genosha will help you, if you need it. You will have done us a great service, and we always pay our debts." The telepath answered.

"And you, Stark?" the old King questioned.

Tony seriously had no idea what the hell these people were even talking about. He was just there, not understanding one bit of what happened. From what he could infer, Wakanda was some secret powerhouse that had something to do with Vibranium. Genosha was responsible for the mutants disappearing into thin air, and somehow the King of Wakanda did something that his secret nephew saw, and was now planning revenge for. Tony missed the days where all he had to do was fight aliens and deal with Hydra, not this mess.

"I won't repeat a word of what has been said in this room," Tony simply answered.

The billionaire didn't even know enough to blab to people about it. But the man seemed to relax at his words, so he took that as a win.

The image of the stern King deflated, and he just looked saddened, "Then we have an agreement. I will retract our signature from the Accords, stating that the ethical concerns troubled me, and I will arrange for a headquarters to be made for the Avengers."

Jean Grey nodded, "And as promised," she waved her hand and a small portal opened, with a file falling into her hand, "here is the file about N'Jadaka, your nephew, who is also known as Erik Stevens. He's currently working for the CIA, but trust me, he hates your family with a passion. Do with it as you see fit."

The King nodded, still looking solemn, "An agreement has been reached. He should have been raised in Wakanda."

"Maybe, but my mother has always told me that it is unwise to think on what should have been and forget to live. Keep that in mind." Maximoff responded.

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention," The King replied.

"Oh, and the Vibranium that Klaue stole has been teleported to Wakanda, into the vault to be precise. You can check with them later. Thank you for your cooperation, King T'Chaka." Wanda spoke up before turning and leaving the room.

As soon as they left, Tony voiced his thoughts about the meeting, "What the fuck just happened?"

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If you want to support me check out my patréon at https://www.patréon.com/athassprkr

I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions of them so you can read up to 20 chapters ahead as a bonus.

Thank you guys for your support in these hard times.