Destiny | Steve Rogers

6

" Drop to 2600, heading 0-3-0".

" I hope you're right about this. Or we're gonna land a lot faster than you want to".

As the quinjet breaks through the barrier, the hidden Wakanda is revealed. The jet lands on the landing pad, and the hangar door is opened. Steve and Lauren walk up to greet the king.

" Seems like I'm always thanking you for something", Steve says as he shakes hands with the king.

Bruce awkwardly clears his throat and bows.

" What are you doing?" Rhodes asks.

" We don't do that here", T'Challa says, then turns to greet Mage, " Mthakathi (Witch)".

" I-Panther".

" How big of an assault are we expecting?", He asks.

" Uh, sir--sir, I think you should expect quite a big assault", Bruce says.

" How we looking?", Natasha asks.

" You will have my Kingsguard, the Border Tribe, the Doa Milaje, and...".

" And a semi-stable 100-year-old man".

Bucky walks up to the group, freshly groomed with a new metal arm, then gives Steve a hug.

" How you been, Buck?".

" Not bad, for the end of the world".

Bucky smiles, then looks over at Mage.

" Where's your smile?".

" YA ubil eto (I killed it)".

----

Vison lays sprawled across the table as Shuri uses her bracelet to scan him. A visual of the infinity stone appears.

" The structure is polymorphic", She says.

" Right, we had to attach each neuron non-sequentially", Bruce says.

" Why didn't you just reprogram the synapses to work collectively?".

" Because we didn't think of it".

" I'm sure you did your best".

" Can you do it?", Wanda asks.

" Yes, but there are more than two trillion neurons, here. One misalignment could cause a cascade of circuit failures. It will take time, brother", Shuri responds.

" How long? Steve asks.

" As long as you can give me".

Just then, Okoye's kimoyo bead trills.

" Something's entered the atmosphere".

Just then, Lauren gasps. Her chest leaps up into the air, arms flail, her eyes turning a gold-orange hue. The kingsguard and the dora milaje all prepare to attack.

She sees nothing but orange and feels as if her soul is leaving her body.

" Hey! Back off!", Steve shouts as he makes his way to his wife, " Lo".

He brings his hands to her face, and her body goes back to normal. A look of terror comes across her face, but looks into the eyes of her husband.

" Yima phantsi (Stand down)", T'Challa orders.

" What was--", Steve starts.

'Don't say anything'

Lauren's voice echos through his head.

' What the hell is going on?'

And by the look in her eyes, Steve knows she's telling the truth when her voice in his head says;

' I have no idea'.