Shadow Killer

Twenty Five

I find myself rocking back and forth, slightly moving from the tips of my toes to the balls of my feet, as I stand between Jamal and Tyrone, behind Captain America and the others. I glance over my shoulder to see the large grassy fields of Wakanda, where we all gather. I look ahead where we are over halfway between towards the edge of the dome.

Just on the other side of the dome stand several towering spaceships, rising above the tree line, smoke and dust swirling from their impact. The faint orange glow of fire spreading through the trees can be seen, adding to the smoke, giving it an almost haunting feeling. The spaceships seemed like pods almost, as if they came from a main mothership that floats above the Earth's atmosphere too far away for us to see or know of.

At the edge of the tree line, I can see two figures emerging, walking towards the dome that keeps us separated from them. Keeping us protected... but who knew for how long?

"Posie, come with us." T'Challa says, looking over his shoulder at me.

"I'll be right back," I whisper to Jamal and Tyrone before moving over to where T'Challa stands with Steve and Natasha. "What's up?"

"We are going to go to see the border, where those two stand." He says, pointing to the two figures who have yet to reach the border.

"Why do you want me over there?"

"Perhaps we can negotiate."

"With all due respect Steve, thats the stupidist thing I have ever heard someone say, and I've spent the last year or so with Jamal and Tyrone. They want war, so I doubt negotiation is on the table."

"So what do you suggest?"

"I don't know, I'd say we should read them, but as we get closer I recognise the blue-horned freak from Scotland, so I doubt we can learn much more about them."

"And what have you learnt about them?" Natasha asks, sounding curious.

"They're loyal to this Thanos... they will do whatever it takes to get that mindstone. Death is nothing to them. We are nothing but an object in the way. A variable to be removed."

"You sound pretty confident."

"Yeah, well they remind me of me when I was under heavy HYDRA influence, do whatever it takes to complete a mission, no matter the cost."

Steve and Natasha share a glance, pressing their lips tightly. T'Challa looks at me, "so then what?"

I shrug, keeping my eyes locked on the two individuals in front of us.

I keep my hands unfurled by my sides as we walk across the field. My fingers itched to grab any of my weapons, but I knew that there was no need as long as the forcefield remained up. The feeling from earlier in the day only seemed to grow as we moved closer, and the gun hung over my shoulder felt abnormally heavy. I rolled my shoulder back, trying to keep my composure.

One of the two figures was the blue-horned creature from back in Scotland. The other one is beastly and almost reptilian looking with scales hidden under all its armour. They both sneer at us we arrive, which dissolve into disturbing smiles that only further amplifies the negative feeling that is growing in my stomach.

"Where's your other friend?" Natasha asks

"You will pay for his life with yours. Thanos will have that stone." The blue-horned creature sneers, its voice sending a chill down my spine.

"That's not going to happen."

""You are in Wakanda now. Thanos will have nothing but dust and blood."