The White Wolves

Compromising

T'Challa
It had been 24 hours since our arrival at the hospital when the defence secretary of the United Kingdom arrived with representatives of America and the countries of the other children. We all sat around a painfully perfect circular table ready to debate the lives of people who don't get a say. I began the conversation, " We wish to offer to take these children back to our country and cure them there." A representative of one of the neighbouring countries to Wakanda spoke next, " And you are sure you can complete your goal?" By the panther I hated politicians, talk about stating the obvious, " Yes, I am certain" Next to probe was the U.K. representative, " What would you have happen to the patients once they are cured?"
"Whatever they want to happen. They can go home or they will be welcome in Wakanda." The U.K. defence secretary spoke again, " These patients belong to us, you have no right to take them." Before I could retaliate, with a comment about no one owning anyone, the representative of Libya did my job for me, " Just take them, get them out of our hands." All of The representatives except the defence secretary mumbled their agreement.

Acting as a glorified middleman, the American piped up, " Well then that settles it, you can take all of the patients except the British one."

"They are more than patients, they are children and I refuse to leave a single child here where there is no hope of a cure," I blurted without thinking about the consequences. " Then you may take none of them, your choice."

"We will continue negotiations tomorrow," I said hoping that a new day might bring some heart to these gargoyles of stone.

Maya
This was the first time I had smiled in months... and laughter. I had forgotten how sweet it could sound. Shuri and James sat in their chairs, James taking the only empty one left, next to my bed. They were offered beds in a different room, like T'Challa, but they refused. They were going to stay with us, until they could take us with them.
It made this room feel safe and welcoming for the first time.

When I woke, I actually felt rested and honestly, a little less ill. Then I winced and Shuri noticed, " You ok?" She asked causing James to turn too.
"Yeah. It's always worse in the morning," I said referring to the pains I get in by back. "It's weird really, it's not on my spine as much as it is on either side of it and high up. Like here," I pointed to my back just below my shoulders and in towards my spine a bit.

"On the shoulder blades?" Asked James inquisitively. I nodded curtly. "James?" I asked causing him to chuckle slightly.
"Not James, Bucky."
"How am I meant to know to call you Bucky from James Buchanan Barnes?"
"You weren't meant to know, that was before I trusted you."
"We hardly talked."
"You left an impression."
"I just hope it was a good one." Before Bucky could answer, the doors opened and I'm stormed T'Challa and Okoye in what seemed to be a fierce rage.

"Guessing that didn't go well?" asked Shuri. "Idiots the lot of them. Talking about you lot as if you are robots that need to be fixed, not human beings. Children even." T'Challa ranted and then kicked the wall opposite my bed. The plaster caved in and he stopped embarrassed by his own actions.

"Sorry, that was unprofessional," the admitted, ashamed. "Don't be sorry, if I was in that room the politicians would be bleeding out on the floor," Bucky comforted but succeeded only in making T'Challa more uncomfortable. Bucky stood and began to pace at the base of the bed. "What was the compromise?" I asked, politicians are always looking for a compromise a way to slow the cause of change and from T'Challa's reaction these had been no different. "That we take the others..." the king began but stoped surprised at my political knowledge. "And leave me," I finished, I had thought that might be the case but being prepared for the apocalypse doesn't make it hurt any less when you get shot. Shuri and Bucky's faces darkened and Okoye spoke for the first time, " Why can't we just take them all and burn this building to the ground before we leave?"
"I second that notion," said Bucky his friendliness replaced with rage.
"Bucky, we are not starting a war over me," I protested, more blood was not what I wanted, blood never solved anything, sitting and talking however could change people's minds, "I trust you asked to continue negotiations T'Challa?"
"Yes, of course, I wasn't happy so I wasn't going to let it end there," T'Challa responded, taken aback once more.

"Good. Now, we need to stop worrying about the fact they want me and work out why," I said and Bucky stopped pacing immediately, catching my drift a second before Shuri did.

"The incident with the boy?" Shuri asked causing me to nod in agreement. "This is more than just the curiosity of a scientist over a singular event, why risk a life for curiosity?" T'Challa added as he glanced to each bed in turn. "Not curiosity," I continued, " why be curious about something when you already know why?" This comment brought looks of confusion to all of the faces around me except Bucky's, if anyone understands the corruption of governments and organisations it is the Winter Soldier. "Not curiosity jealousy, the nuclear weapons conundrum," Bucky said causing Shuri's expression to also shift to one of realisation. "A country's need for something another country has. Super soldiers. Create a virus that changes someone into one of these beings when they are most susceptible, as children. Turning someone into a living weapon," Shuri added. "But why not use adults? If you have an army, which we can assume this country does, then there will be volunteers," Bucky argued and then realised what he had said and added, "like Steve."

"Genetic mutation would require children. Change their very DNA make them something more than human, a mutation. More than human but also less," I added, beginning to realise that this wasn't someone else I was talking about, this was me. Me and 9 other children, and I was the oldest. The five year old violated and turned into a murderer. "Yes but what country?" T'Challa asked irritated as a dog being teased with a treat. " My country, they were the only ones wanting to keep me and look at the others. No more than look, see."
"The British Empire, all their countries were part of the Empire," Bucky said. T'Challa glances at Shuri then and for the life of me I can't work out why.

Shuri
I hated lying to her. We had our suspicions about the origin of the virus, but this girl, this wonderful girl has worked out what we for all our technology and algorithms could not. We came to help 9 children in need of our resources and we  discovered that it was never going to be that simple. At least now she has figured it out on her own I can stop looking into her round innocent hazel eyes and having to lie  right at them.

I could never leave her, she was everything I needed and wanted. She is strong where I am weak and weak where I am strong. I prove things, I don't speculate. Yet her speculation is so fool proof, so impermeable  that I find it difficult to not take her word as proof.

Maya
The look on Shuri's face melted my heart. The worry, the pain, that's me. My doing. She is hurting because she cares.

"Maya?" I was snapped out of my trance by Bucky calling my name as if he just remembered something. "Yeah?" I inquired, my eyes still fixed on T'Challa and Shuri sitting on the floor in the corner laying out his arguments for the next day. "What where you going to ask before, when you called me James?"
" I was going to ask if it ever hurt? Your arm."
"Not really. This hunk of metal is hot wired into my nervous system so I can feel with it but not in a painful way no. Shuri made it, it's my second." I couldn't help but feel proud of this girl I met 48 hours ago even though I was not part of her success at all. That was all her.

All this amazing girl.

Well, what do you think? Let me know by liking and commenting your thoughts. So Shuri and Maya are starting to feel a bit for each other now and Bucky seems to becoming a good friend to the both of them. However, the whole world seems to be against them.
Hope you like it so far
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Ravenclawofdistrict2
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