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T’ Challa had spent the last seven hours trying to replicate the plans that had been lost in the explosion. His eyes were straining in the dimly lit room, beads of sweat gathering on his forehead. The glossy exterior of AIM had been pulled away and the real beast exposed, they had ordered him to develop more weapons for them. He knew that AIM had managed to put his non lethal sonic missile into production before the explosion, but he could not let that be, it was unfinished and too powerful. He had to keep working to show them there could be an alternative before that missile saw the field.  His conscience wouldn’t allow him to rest until then.

He had no idea of where he was being held; all he knew was there was no natural light, it was deafeningly quiet even with an armed guard by his workstation. He wondered how long they would keep him in these conditions, or perhaps, just how long they would keep him alive. They didn’t seem like the kind of people to show mercy once they have what they want. From the whispers he’d heard about the fate of his predecessor, he couldn’t say with much confidence that they valued a human much past what service they could provide; an attitude T’Challa had pitied the Americans for upon his arrival. 

T’Challa stood, allowing his eyes to glaze over the blueprints in front of him wondering how long he would be willing to develop the weaponry they wanted. Rather, whether he would weigh up the preservation of his life in these conditions against those innocent people he was aiding to harm. Turning back to his calculations he pushed the dark thought to the back of his mind. If he could keep working long enough to prove he was trustworthy perhaps he would be afforded more freedoms, allowing a window to escape.

AIM was well aware that T’Challa was a prodigy in his field, and having gone to great lengths to recruit him, expected fast results. However working under in such a tight timescale he couldn’t do it all on his own. He had requested his friend B’Tumba to assist him but the icy response confirmed fears for his friends’ safety. Using the same excuse as to why his predecessor hadn’t ever returned to work the armed guard grunted; “He’s been moved to a different department, promotion of sorts”.

Between frantic calculations, worry for his friend and the guilt that weighed on him, his thoughts drifted back to thinking about his home. He knew his father could help. The Black Panther wouldn’t see danger come to Africa and threaten his people. If only he could find some way to warn them.

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Shuri was crouched in the dark alleyway. The sights and sounds of this neighbourhood were completely foreign to her, all taken in her stride. However the cocktail of offensive smells clouded her heightened senses. The rain had lifted the burnt rubber scent from the pavement, and trails of cigarette smoke thickened the stench. Near where she was hidden, greasy polystyrene containers littered the alley where festering rotten food was being scavenged by rats. The life these people lead was chaos. Living piled on top of each other in cramped apartments, televisions, shouting, babies crying, how could they stand it? Shuri silently scaled the metal fire escaped that encased the outside of the building, her expert agility made reaching the eight floor light work. Ducking underneath the windowsills she scanned each apartment on that level. Being suddenly immersed into a foreign environment the Wakandan accent was easy to recognise. He was clearly in a panicked state on the phone, pacing back and forth in the confined space, she could hear his agitated voice shaking a little as the conversation drifted through the open window.  

“Don’t hang up on me again; I know you know something else has happened here. I left him working there and three separate people saw him make it out the building, and now I can’t get hold of him.” 

The figure stood facing the fridge head bowed, his arm above him supporting his weight. Shuri had stealthily made her way through the window into the darkened bedroom and slid with her back against the wall up to the doorframe listening to them speak.

“It would be better for you to stop asking questions now. You need to do your job like everyone else, anyone that had tried to dig deeper gets a mysterious promotion and isn’t heard from again. Do yourself a favour and leave it be.”

“I can’t do that, he is my friend, I was responsible for him being here and I know they are covering something up.....hello? Cass? You there?”

The man hung up the phone with a heavy sigh and paused as he went to open the fridge. Shuri took her moment launching from the darkness of the room. Thrusting her weight forward as he bent to check the contents of the fridge, his head slammed into the metal trays sending the few items crashing over his body. Shuri stood waiting for him to leap up to defend himself, her head was never clearer than when adrenaline was coursing through her veins. Surprised there was no immediate counter attack she looked down to find the man passed out; maybe she’d underestimated her strength.

He awoke to find himself tied to the radiator with Shuri stood opposite him, the black outfit making her barely distinguishable from the shadows.

[b]“B’Tumba, thankfully for you it’s been a while since you and I crossed paths. Now, where is my brother?”
[/b]

“Shuri? Is that you Shuri? Shit, I thought AIM had sent someone to kill me, you have no idea what a relief it is to hear a familiar voice, although I have to say I wasn’t that fond of your ‘hello’.” 

[b]“I wouldn’t find too much comfort in it, this could be the last voice you hear, don’t make any mistake that I won’t have any reservations and save AIM some work if you don’t tell me where my brother is.”[/b]

“Look, Shuri, I know you don’t trust me, but I don’t know where your brother is, there was an explosion at our lab, I know he got out but no one has seen or heard from him since, I think he’s could be in real trouble. You know I love your brother like he was my own blood, I’ll do all I can to help find him don’t want anything to happen to him and I know what AIM are capable of. I’d be responsible, I was the one who recommended him to work with me on the research, I brought him into this mess. I swear, I’ll do everything I can”

[b]
“Yes, you are going to do everything you can, you owe this family, our country!”[/b]

Shuri slammed the back of her fist across his face.

[b]“Starting now, you’re going to tell me everything you know about this, your bosses, where he might be, who I need to find, or kill, to get him back. And don’t think that excludes you.”[/b]