different » marvel ¹

forty-one

   We watched through the window in Shuri's lab as multiple ships landed just outside of the city's borders. I let out a breath, mentally preparing myself for what could possibly ensue. "Now might be a good time to speed up your surgery," I said to Shuri. "Because I don't think they're gonna wait on us."

   "Evacuate the city," King T'Challa began ordering. "Engage all defense procedures," he continued and then turned on his heel and pointed a finger at Steve. "And get this man a shield."

• • •

   "I'm glad you know how to use that," I said, talking about the Hulkbuster armor Bruce was now wearing. "I could've just done a little poking around in your head. The Hulk would've been out in no time."

   "I think I'll pass on that offer," he replied over the comms. "I'm getting the hang of it! It's just like being the Hulk without actually—" Bruce's words were cut off as soon as he misstepped and face planted into the dirt, causing the rest of us to fly past him in the hovercrafts. "I'm okay, I'm okay," he assured.

   "I got two heat signatures breaking through the tree line," Rhodey announced as we all began to get off the hovercrafts and create a lineup in the large field. From the position we now held, I could see our opponents walk up to the barrier and inspect it with curious gazes.

   Natasha, Steve, and T'Challa walk together to the barrier that separates the enemy from us. I watched cautiously as one of the aliens dragged her sword against the barrier, testing its strength. "Don't worry, if anything happens I got it," I reminded them through the comms, referencing that I could use my powers from this distance effectively.

   "Copy that. It's good to hear you over a comm line again, Nix," Steve said in a comfortable tone.

   "It's nice to know I've been missed," I say bluntly, catching Bucky roll his eyes from the corner of my gaze. I nudged the soldier with my elbow as I dropped my hand to my side.

   Another minute or two passed before the three came back to us.

   Bucky grasped his gun tightly as he looked forward. "Did they surrender?" he asked sardonically.

   Steve shrugged. "Not exactly."

   The alien that dragged a sword against the barrier held the weapon high in the air, a signal for their forces to charge. I shifted on my feet as I ran my thumb over the slide on one of my handguns. It wouldn't be long before they found some way through or around the border.

   It was unexpected when multitudes of large, dog-like aliens began charging at the barrier, slamming their bodies into the burning screen between us and seeming to not care for the effects it had on them.

   "What the hell," Bucky said flatly, his brows furrowed as he watched the scene before him.

   Natasha let out a small laugh. "Looks like we pissed her off."

   The alien dogs shoved their limbs into the force field, not caring when they were severed or singed beyond recognition. It was as if they had no idea what they were doing.

   "They're killing themselves," Okoye spoke up in an odd tone. I glanced over to the woman to find a horrified expression on her face as her eyes widened. I looked back to the force field to see many of the dogs' heads gone or their bodies cut in half. I cringed.

   But while some died, others used the brief weakness in the barrier to squeeze through.

   As the creatures charged at our forces, the Border Tribe took a knee and raised their shields, while the Kingsguard rose their spears behind them and fired when T'Challa shouted the order. Their spears pierced into the aliens easily, but for every one they killed, one more would squeeze its way through the barrier.

   I wrapped my palm around the grip of my handgun, flipping it up and aiming at the creatures. "This is nothing like Men in Black," I remarked, earning a snort from James as he began firing at the dogs with his machine gun.

   I shot off a few rounds and made sure to make each one a headshot, finding that it was most effective in taking down the creatures.

   "You seen the teeth on those things?" Sam asks over the comms as he flies close to the barrier.

   "Alright, back up, Sam. You're gonna get your wings singed," Rhodey retorted, flying over a mass of the alien dogs and dropping a barrage of mines that take out the majority of them.

   The dogs were beginning to get smarter, though. As I replaced an empty magazine in my gun with another, I saw the aliens starting to circle around the barrier, making my eyes widen. "They're starting to circle around the barrier!" I announced through the comms, shooting another alien-dog in the head.

   "Cap, if these things circle the perimeter and get in behind us, there's nothing between them and Vision," Bruce elaborated, a sliver of worry in his voice.

   "Then we better keep them in front of us," Steve replied, keeping a blank expression on his face.

   Okoye's brows furrowed as she looked to T'Challa. "And how do we do that?"

   "We open the barrier," he says, not missing a beat as he spoke. "On my signal, open northwest section seventeen," he ordered through his comm set. It was quiet for a moment as the control room operator requested confirmation. "On my signal," he affirmed.

   "This will be the end of Wakanda," M'Baku remarked lowly.

   Okoye lifted her head up slightly, a sudden prideful aura around the woman. "Then it will be the noblest ending in history."