[color=mediumvioletred][sup]Baton Rouge, Louisiana[/sup][/color] [color=mediumvioletred][sup]An old plantation[/sup][/color] [color=mediumvioletred][sup]July 11th, 6:00 p.m.[/sup][/color] [center][img]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/7/72/White_Wolf_%28Earth-11236%29_in_Black_Panther_Vol_3_36.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150908182827[/img][/center] [center][sub]”In the business of cavalier men, I am something of a savant.”[/sub][/center] [center]- Hunter, the White Wolf[/center][hr] Upstairs in the drawing room of the old plantation sat a man in a white suit, purple cravat, white pants, and white alligator shoes. Peppered grey strands of hair sprinkled the top of his head. He was reading a copy of The National Voyeur; there was a story in there about a hero whose moniker was Wonder Woman. A lifted eyebrow, smoke from a pipe shimmering above and into the ceiling. Before Hunter sat Ulysses Klaw, twiddling his thumbs and fidgeting; the two had not spoken a word to one another since Klaw got here twenty minutes ago. Klaue enjoyed silence in small doses, but this was grating his nerves. He spat some words which hoped to cut the silence, “So, heh… about this uh, this assassination thing. You expecting me to uh, infiltrate this Wakanda place just... “ he put two fingers to his temple and pulled his thumb-trigger, “pew! Their king? You don’t think maybe, uh, there might be some… insatiable desire for, y’know, revenge?” Outside was the butler, an African man named Kwame, who was preparing tea and pancakes. He and the wait staff, who were also all of varying nationalities, were at work with several tasks: cleaning the interior, assuring tomorrow’s breakfast was prepared and in the freezer, checking the international communication line back to Wakanda to assure its securities were up to date. Kwame entered the room, two tea cups and saucers in hand. From his reading, Hunter looked up; demure eyes were judgemental of the ragged and rugged Klaw. Hunter gate-folded his newspaper and let it rest on his lap. He sat straight up, back pressed comfortable into the cushion of the couch. “You are not dumb as your employers made you out to be, Ulysses.” “Klaue.” the mercenary objected, “Right, Ulysses,” Kwame broke the rhythm of Hunter’s speech with the clang of both tea saucers on the table. Hunter nodded and Kwame left, “I am sure General Moore has told you briefly who I am and what it is that I do?” “Uh-huh,” Klaue scratched his mangly beard and indulged his tea without tact, “all you types talk a bit too much for my taste, can we get on with it?” Hunter smiled before he continued, “Yes, yes. On with it.” with a waft of his hand, he pulled up a holographic map of the African Union’s meeting quarters for the 2018 summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. “You will set up here facing the east side of the building.” an index finger corresponded his words, “ 1.25 miles adjacent is where your nest will be. All of your equipment will be there and waiting for you. The windows are re-enforced, which is why you will be using the bullet we have provided for you. There is but [i]one[/i] of these, Ulysses. You cannot and will not miss, understood? Expect your death to be swift should you fail. My men will be blocking any escape exits. You will not fire until one of my men give the signal.” Klaue rolled his eyes, “I’m [i]quaking[/i] in my li’l old boots! Haha! Sure, sure; I don’t want the boogeyman under my bed at night.” he put his palms together and bowed, “I will not fail you, Lord Hunter,” another mucus laden laugh. Hunter had a flashing thought of ending Klaue on the spot, but he continued, “Think this a laughing matter, Ulysses, but it is not I who will kill you if you fail--it will be the Wakandans themselves.” Klaue still found these ominous threats plump with hilarity, but he stopped laughing and let Hunter continue. He wanted this to be over with. Still, he knew he had to be cautious, “So, uh… I guess this is the point where I ak a few questions. One of them is, ‘anything I need to be worried about? Bodyguards? Tracking systems? Other snipers?” Hunter smiled, “Not at all, Ulysses. If you do as you are told, no problems will come to you. If you find yourself compromised, however, you [i]will[/i] be on your own.” “Sucks to be me then, huh?” Klaue was nervous; this was a big job with an even bigger payout. All he had to do was follow orders. “Okay, right… but are you [i]sure[/i] there aren’t any bodyguards I have to worry about? How the hell am I getting out of there after?” Hunter had another sip of his tea, ice grey eyes not having left Klaue the entire time. Ulysses was unsure if the ‘White Wolf’ had blinked even once, “It has all been arranged. As for… wild cards, there is the problem of the Dora Milaje.” “The who?” “Do not worry about it. Never mind that I said anything, my men will deal with them, too.” the Wolf knew he needed to plant that seed of doubt in Klaue’s mind. “The King’s guard; I need not explain them to you, for if you were to see them face to face it would not matter. They would be the last thing you saw. I believe that is all I need of you, Ulysses.” Hunter set his teacup down, “please, see yourself out.” “But I haven’t even finish my tea!” Hunter did not find Klaue amusing in the slightest; Klaue found Hunter uptight. He hoped the Wakandans weren’t that way, dead King or not. Klaue’s smile died. Hunter spoke up, “Kwame,” the head butler arrived, “please send Ulysses some breakfast to go.” Kwame nodded and went to the kitchen to wrap some pancakes and a plastic container of syrup in some aluminum foil. When he returned, he handed it to Ulysses who accepted with glee. “It has been a pleasure, Ulysses.” “Hey, strange as you people are, you got some damn good hospitality.” Klaue gave a playful bow, waved non commital to Kwame, and made his way out. Hunter and Kwame stood in the room alone. Hunter spoke in Xhosa to Kwame, “Xelela abahloba bethu ehkaya.” Kwame nodded and exited. The White Wolf finished his tea. T’Challa and his father would know how much they needed the Hatut Zeraze even if Hunter had to bring war to Wakanda’s doorstep for the King and his son to see it.