Chapter 22: Threatening Stance

The Fastest Man Alive
Chapter 22
Threatening Stance

Benjamin Blake / Super Fast Semi-Functional Moron / Genius / Hero’ish / Not Quite a Spymaster

Everything in Central Park went off without a hitch. I had invited every community I could think of and had Alfred track all those nasty hate groups and either slowed them down and even outright got rid of a few. There will be no hate or protesting on such a big day. I was super excited that I was even able to pull this off! A master stroke of good advice from Natasha at the end was what made it all work. Then today, I spent a few million and had all the major marketing companies tied in. The world was going to get slapped with the most significant media blitz it has ever seen! I was going to come down so hard on the world with my brand of propaganda; the name Metahuman will be coined by the end of July 5th, 2010.

With just a whisper in my ear from Natasha, I had Alfred make an encrypted phone call to the President’s private phone and offered up one billion in funds for his next campaign. Granted President Ellis just got into office but shoring up some political clout now would be a good idea right when I wanted his backing. This could help me make strides when Ellis gets kidnapped in Iron Man 3 in a few years. Frankly, I was just trying to cover as much ground as I could before all the fallout.

The fireworks were lively in the air and everyone was partying. I noticed the kids and adults from Xavier’s school were having a blast. The ladies of the FURRY club were surrounding Hank since I invited them on his behalf. Michelle had Warren giving flights to the smaller kids, but I did notice FURY standing under a tree with the look of death on his face. Laura and Peter were over hanging out with Gwen and Jean. I looked and found Natasha with the Octavius couple although Rosaline was fussing over her at the moment. That placed a smile on my face. I was happy to see Natasha had won even after all the crazy mess she had suffered.

I turned around, and the Professor was talking to some lady. I guess it was time to do something about fixing his legs. When I turned around to look for the rest of my crew, I spotted Luke who was laughing with Pops and another older gentleman. Hanging on his arm was Jessica Jones. That made me happy. They got together a lot sooner than I thought but what had a frown on my face was a certain Prince.

I was enjoying some quiet time with Ororo when I kept feeling a piercing stare in my direction. At first I was trying to ignore it and enjoy the festivities, but it persisted. Eventually I had to search it out. Ororo must have noticed my unease because she stared me down next.

“What is the situation that I should be aware of?” Asked Ororo from the picnic table where we were seated. The question alone gave me time to think about how I would like to tell her about my knowledge and discoveries. With my mind made up, I just gave her the salient points of the matter.

“That gentleman over there is the Prince to the nation of WAKANDA. It’s one of the most advanced nations on the planet. He is most likely here for you and your bloodline connection to BAST.” I told her straight up.

“And how do you know all this?” Asked Ororo skeptically with her eyebrows raised at me.

“Research my dear, did you know the Prince and the Princess both carry multiple Doctorates and PHDs in multiple fields of study and research? There have been no records of them helping their country or accepting aid. Curious is it not? So I sent a spy drone into Wakanda, and you wouldn’t believe what I found.” I told Ororo making sure I hammed it up. There was no way I was about to let this little princeling get some ass.

“What did you discover that makes you look at him as if your about to challenge him to a duel.” Ask Ororo interested in my story.

“They are using hologram technology. With the low flying I did over WAKANDA, I discovered this.” As I said that I brought up the images of WAKANDA that I had before they destroyed my drone for trespassing. It was too bad for them that I had nano-explosives distributed, so they had no evidence to place it as my own. When I showed her what I was able to record  Ororo crushed the mug she was holding. 

Anyone could tell from the aging of the buildings, and everything thing around, that this city has been there awhile. Then with the advancements that Ororo saw, she stated how this would have helped all of Africa. I kept showing her more, until the footage blinked out.

“They are one of the most advanced hidden nations on this planet, but he isn’t here for me. He is here for your throne and bloodline.” I told her. Ororo gave me a withering look, so I held up my hands.

“What do you know about my throne and bloodline that I do not?” Ororo asked with all joviality gone.

“Well from what you told Xavier and from what I was able to look up, you’re the daughter to the late princess of Kenya. Which puts you in line for the throne, which I also know you have turned down. He is a prince that needs a princess. You see the lady on his arm? That’s the one he loves, her name is Nakia, but she isn’t a Dora Milaje. The situation is a bit complicated you see: his father won’t permit to marry her as his first wife. But what if he was to bring home  the last descendant of the Shamen tribe’s pureblood?” I asked her as I brought up all the info I had gathered on my holo tablet.

“What is a Dora Milaje and what does that have to do with me? Why do you consider me the last descendant to the Shamen Tribe?” Ororo asked, and she was entirely focused now. 

“Dora’s are women trained from birth to be the concubines and wives to the heir of the throne. They are warrior women, raised just for the Prince to pick from unless he has a royal bloodline to marry. Now the Shamen tribe became important because, when I did some traces to see where the trail leads, it went straight to WAKANDA. Your mother was the princess of Kenya, and your father was the last male of the Shamen Tribe of Wakanda. That’s why he came here; to try and woo you. All he has to do is get you in bed and with child and the bloodline is returned to Wakanda and he is free to marry his little concubine with no issues since, well, he is king after all.” I told Ororo. Then suddenly the wind gusted and she took off into the air. Yeah, she was upset alright; but it was best she wasn’t here for him to have an opportunity to get his claws into her. I would have to fix that later, but for now, this won’t become some comic book bullshit.

“Was that necessary?” Asked Natasha from over my shoulder. I knew she had invisibly arrived a while ago. She made her way over to me as soon as I started to eye the princeling.

“She will be mad at me for a while, wont she?” I asked Natasha as I turned to her.

“Ororo will investigate once she calms down. Now, let’s go kick them out.” Natasha told me with a smile, and I could only sigh at that. Over my comms, I called big man Luke. Natasha walked slightly behind me in my shadow. That subtle move made me very aware of how serious she was taking this even if I only planned for small talk. Natasha had plans for going for the kill if the negotiations failed.  She stood at five feet seven inches, and with my six feet three inches, Natasha was easily enveloped by my shadow. Granted she could already turn invisible, but it was okay if certain habits were kept.

“Luke, we have incoming trouble, come back me up” I spoke into my comms, getting his attention from where he was at the grill with Logan and Jessica. I watched as he told Jessica something and then walked in our direction. People parted for him like the sea; it does help that he was such a massive dude. When Luke got to where I was located, he laughed, and so did Natasha, as if I would need back up.

We walked together as a three-person team over to the WAKANDA delegates. Instantly they became alert, although they were playing it off due to the surroundings. I could see Okoye reach for her bracelet. To my eyes, it almost looked ordinary, but that changed when I changed the spectrum I was viewing. Okoye’s wrist and a few things that looked like everyday trinkets were absorbing kinetic energy. This was also something the little princeling and his entourage with whom he was walking around were doing.

That was the first time I was able to lay my eyes on vibranium, and it was extremely hard for me to keep my impulses locked down. I wanted to rob it all, but I would wait until I was able to get my hands on Klaue’s stash. The princeling and his little group got up and met us a little out of the way, giving us some separation from everyone else.

“Good Afternoon Mr. Blake. This is a great thing your doing,” Spoke T’Challa first.

“Good Afternoon yourself, Panther,” I replied with a smile. I was about to cut through all the bullshit and get to the heart of the matter. When I called out his Panther title, his eyes slightly widened, and the rest of his group made movements for items that I knew were weapons in disguise. Since this was the asshole black panther from the comics and not the one I watched before I died, I had no plans to give him face.

“Sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you can call me T’Challa,” Stated the Prince as he held out his hand for me to shake.

“Ohh, don’t be like that Panther, I know why you’re here,” When I told him then the look on T’Challa’s face instantly changed

“And what do you know? Asked T’Challa with a frown on his face as he carefully acted the well practiced part of a confused person.

“Ohh I know a lot prince: like your nation, has never been conquered nor has conquered others. That your nation fought amongst yourselves until you discovered VIBRANIUM. I know that your nation stood and watched as everyone around you was shipped off to be slaves across the ocean! I also know how your nation likes to hide behind that hologram of yours!” I spoke as my anger started to get the best of me. Luke placed his hands on my shoulder, and when I turned around to look at him, he just shook his head. Yeah, this wasn’t the place to break a prince. Natasha though was facing the group at the ready for any sudden moves.

Prince T’Challa’s face changed from pride to a frown; I had just dropped the secret about them in the open. His guards tightened their grip on the items they were holding, but I knew they weren’t going to do much without the prince’s say so.

“If you haven’t noticed we only export textiles and minor things to the world. We do not have the funds to purchase such technologies, Mr. Blake.” T’Challa spoke with such an easy and fluid manner that if I didn’t know better I would have believed him.

“Don’t be like that Panther; your country has advanced far further than the rest of the world.  With all that VIBRANIUM your sitting on. I wonder what the rest of the world will think if they found out Klaue didn’t steal all of the world’s most valuable metal and you lied to the rest of the world to cover up and hide your treasure with a mountain of deception.” I told him with a smile on my face as I watched as the expressions in his little group changed. I had far more knowledge than some outsiders could ever know.

“How do you have such information? And what do you want?” Asked T’Challa with his anger showing now. It would seem that I stepped on the little kitties toes, to fucking bad for him.

“I want you to give up your pursuit of Ororo, I know what you’re after, and I won’t let it happen,” I told the princeling as I stepped up to him.

“And what If I refuse to comply?” T’Challa asked me while stepping lightly into a loose, ready motion. Ohh yeah, he was prepared to throw down alright but too bad this wasn’t the place for our fight. I would break his back and the GOLDEN TRIBE one of these days but lucky for him today is not the day. No, today I was going to be a complete bastard.

So I brought up my holo tablet. When the Prince looked at the image, I could hear his teeth grind. The others around him also showed their shocked expressions. Yeah, I got them right where I want them.

The picture that I had brought up was of the thirteen-year-old princess of WAKANDA herself attending the movies with her friends. The image was of her in BOSTON since she was attending MIT. Of course she would be in the United States attending college.

“You don’t know if I have stationed my people as her friends, or in her classes, or as her roommates and lab assistants. The food she eats on campus may be prepared or served by my people or how many of my people are in the clubs to which she was able to get the last spot to join. Stay away, or I burn it all!” I told the Prince as he looked at me with such a death glare I thought he was going to attack with everyone watching.

“You understand that this isn’t the end?” T’Challa asked in a near growl as he tried to hold his anger.