HIDDEN ─ marvel

XII. Killmonger

Chapter Twelve:
Alex

Running down the steps into the princess's lab, I see the lecture I am about to hear by looking at Soroya's face.

She is sitting at the table where Shuri is working on a device. She is already glaring at me as I hit the final steps.

I smile at her, opening my arms out wide. "How was my baby sister's mission?"

She gets out of her seat and stalks up to me. "You have been out of the palace for two days and you didn't get your suit? I asked you to do one thing, Alex. One! What if something had happened while I was gone and you needed to shift?"

"Then I would have shifted and been fine. When I became human again the bastards who attacked me would get a show of the goods."

Soroya is not amused by my comment. "Shuri is making us the beads they use to communicate with each other. This way I can check up on you and you can call me if you need help."

"Why don't you just put a tracker in my head?"

"Don't tempt me. Where have you been the past two days?"

I don't know how to answer this. What do I say? 'I've been hanging out with an over idealistic attractive man and his revolutionists inside a mountain'?

I sigh, going for a simplified explanation. "I've been with a friend."

That was not what Soroya expected me to say. "A friend?"

"An acquaintance. He's been...showing me a different part of Wakanda."

Soroya's overprotective sister act drops and curiosity seeps into her face. "What's his name?"

"Khari." I say. I hate how warm my cheeks get at the sound of his name, because then everyone can see right through me, especially my sister.

A smile grows on her face as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "Where did you and Khari meet?"

"He was painting by one of the lakes near the forest, I just happened to walk by."

"Sounds romantic."

Now I was the one not amused. Before we could discuss this topic further, a grunt comes from one of the tables in the lab. I now realize it isn't just the three of us. I should have sensed the man lying on the table already, but the conversation about Khari has muddled my mind. He's very distracting.

A man, maybe in his early forties, gets off the table and starts touching at his back confused. He walks towards the three of us, concern replacing the confusion. "Alright, where am I?"

Shuri jumps at the sound of his voice. "Don't scare me like that, colonizer!"

The man takes a step back, ignoring Soroya and my presence. "I'm Everett."

Shuri nods. "Yes, I know. Everett Ross; former air force pilot and now CIA."

Ross turns around the room, shaking his head at himself. "Is this Wakanda?"

"No it's Kansas." I say, not being able to help myself.

Ross's attention falls onto me, and then to Soroya. "Who is this?" He asks her.