Dividing Loyalties

[Deleted]

"You know a couple was killed in a mugging near here just last week. Right in front of their son too. Tragic".

T'Challa's eyes refused to leave the slowly filling auditorium. Part of him was watching for potential danger, another part was simply enjoying the view. In a moment quick enough to miss, his eyes clouded with sympathy for the boy. T'Challa knew what is was like to lose a parent to senseless murder. "I hope he is alright. Such an experience can be quite traumatic". T'Challa stepped away from the railing and turned to face his companion. "Perhaps he can be considered for the Tomorrow Fund".

US government attache Everett K. Ross answered without any hesitation. "Oh nah, his parents were loaded. Gotta big mansion and his own personal butler to take care of him". The man's face darkened. "Could be worse, all things considering".

"It always can", T'Challa replied, nodding slowly. Wakanda's limited trade agreements with the US resulted in Wakanda having way more American currency that the isolationist nation could ever need. With the support of some local businesses, T'Challa had founded the Tomorrow Fund to save children in bad family situations and put them in an environment where they could find health, happiness, and success. Unfortunately for Ross, T'Challa was too preoccupied with other matters to take any interest in a discussion on idle current events, and the government agent soon caught the hint.

In truth, T'Challa had spent the last couple months preoccupied with highly important matters. First of all, he had spent a considerable amount of time working on his combat suit. Doom had managed to exploit some of the suit's weaknesses in the two regent's short battle, and T'Challa had spent the better part of the last few months ironing out some of the suit's shortcomings as well as giving it a bit of an upgrade; however, tonight T'Challa had abandoned the black cowl in exchange for a suit more fitting for the occasion: a jet black William Fioravanti highlighted by a patterned red tie.

In addition to his own protection, T'Challa had spent his recent bout with isolation working on improving Wakanda's defenses. Black Panther's recent battle with Dr. Doom had seemed to leave behind bitter feelings, and T'Challa wanted to be ready in the event Doom followed up on his threat of retaliation.

Latveria was not the only nation whose relationship soured with Wakanda as a result of T'Challa's participation in the Hellfire raid. The US had been less then thrilled to learn T'Challa had sneaked a military-grade combat suit onto American soil to team up with a group of outlaw heroes in a attack on a club full of the rich and famous. While most of the hostility had gone done during recent months, the US government still insisted on assigning T'Challa a handler during the Wakandan King's visit on foreign soil. For the most part, T'Challa was actually fond of Ross' presence. The man seemed to possess a good heart and open hears, to valuable traits in T'Challa's mind, and much to Wakandan party's amusement, Ross almost seemed eager for T'Challa to try slip away and try something crazy.

Craziness was not on tonight's particular agenda, but knowing T'Challa's guest, it was certainly a possibility. Earlier in the week he had sent NATASHA ROMANOFF a ticket to a showing of the play The Crucible as well as a brief handwritten invitation to meet with him. Despite considering Natasha a friend, T'Challa needed to deliver her some news she would rather not hear, and try to convince her to do something she did not want to do. T'Challa poured himself a glass of dark cognac that Ross had recommended. Tonight was going to be a long night.

With the ratification of the SHRA on the immediate horizon, T'Challa could not delay his decision any longer. The calculating ruler was going to add Wakanda to the list of nations supporting the Act, and to prevent any conflict of interest, he planned on resigning from the Secret Avengers. The SRHA, while far from perfect, was currently the international community's best chance to supply the world's superheroes with oversight and accountability. While the limited autonomy imposed by the act was a harsh negative, T'Challa considered it a lesser evil than allowing a exponentially growing population of immature and inexperienced superhumans inflict their will on the world without consequence.

Telling Natasha of his plans was likely going to be the easy past. He suspected that she already had a good idea of what he was going to do. The difficult part was to convince Natasha to change her stubborn mind and change to the Pro-reg side. Thinking of the bug picture, T'Challa knew that the forces of good were capable of protecting the world for as long as they stayed together. Unity was his biggest concern, and he feared the damage Natasha could do if she decided to embark on her own personal rebellion. Additionally, he needed her close to Tony, because she was the only one T'Challa could trust to try keep Tony in check. Despite never having met the man beneath Iron Man's suit, Tony's candid demeanor and multiple public appearances gave T'Challa a good idea of the man's personality. While T'Challa was confident that Tony's heart was in the right place, Stark was also very reckless and impulsive, and thus, dangerous. Ultron's victims were still making their journey to their respective underworlds yet T'Challa's sources told him that Stark was already working on another advanced AI.

Standing up, Ross announced a trip to the concession stand, and was wondering if the ruling monarch of Wakanda would like any licorice. T'Challa refused, but his friend Zuri, a robust warrior twice Ross' size was thrilled to join Ross on an "epic quest for these legendary red vines", leaving T'Challa momentarily alone.

After arriving in New York late in the afternoon, T'Challa had only stopped for dinner before arriving at the theatre way earlier than normal. T'Challa had purchased two booths to watch the show: one for himself, and one for his entourage, ensuring that he and Natasha would be able to speak alone. Standing outside his booth were two members of the Dora Milaje. If and when Natasha arrived, the two bodyguards were likely to offer her a warm nod before allowing her inside to see T'Challa, though he was curious to see how Nakia would handle her second meeting with Black Widow after giving in to curiosity and breaking her oath of silence the last time they had met several years ago.

[NATASHA ROMANOFF]

When she received the ticket and the note, she had to smile. T'Challa was proving to be a very old school intelligence officer, even though technically he wasn't. But the whole scenario reminded her of the ways things were done back in the old days, during the Cold War, before smartphones and snapshots and silly ass Facebook crap! And don't get her started with Twitter! To say that Natasha really disliked Social Media was an understatement of epic proportions. It was the stupidest thing anyone could have invented, so of course someone did. Like someone invented Reality TV, which was the most stupid thing ever. Stupidity was becoming the norm rather than the exception. It never failed to amused Natasha. Anyway, hiding in plain sight, meeting in public places, dead-drops, small signs with predetermined codes, etc... those were the good ole days of espionage, when skill rather than gadgets was the norm. So although it would have been easier for them to just meet at one of the Secret Avengers' hideouts, she could not help but jump at the chance of accepting the invitation because... it has been so long since she could play the Cold War type espionage game!

Several problems arose on how to go about it, though. First and foremost, she was number one on SHIELD and HYDRA's hit list. Her face was well known, and not for the reasons she would have liked. She always complained about the recognition and hero worship people had for Tony, Thor, and Steve while ignoring that there was a woman as equally talented and formidable as those bozos in the team. They even had their own action figures... yes, even Clint!... and she was left out. Probably because she was a woman... misogynistic jerks! Now, though, she could do without the attention. Things had gotten from bad to worse since the raid at the Hellfire Club and she did not expect that to change for the better anytime soon. Although she was not worried about the SHRA thing – she already knew it was coming when she stole the proposal from Councilman Malick's office – she knew that it was going to make a messy situation even messier. The Secret Avengers – although the public did not know the name of the group yet – were becoming the poster children of why the SHRA was necessary. She had to give it to Frost... the woman sure knew how to use the media to her advantage by leaking the raid to the Daily Bugle.

It didn't help matters either that Tony, in his infinite stupidity, was negotiating with the U.N. and the WSC and basically placing the Avengers Initiative in their hands. She understood why he was doing it, he was feeling sorry about the whole Ultron affair and also he wanted to protect those covered by the initiative from the hammer that the SHRA was going to wield, but... damn it Stark! By doing this, he was dividing the alliance against HYDRA. She was sure as hell the X-men were not going to be happy about what they considered a carbon copy of the Mutant Registration Act. Then there was her own team. Natasha had no illusions that her and Steve would not be granted any amnesty, so unwittingly Tony was isolating them. She could bet that Kasandra and Strucker were having a blast watching all this unfold. In essence, the Avengers would become the next SHIELD, inadvertently working with HYDRA. Already Maria Hill had switched sides and Natasha could expect many of the others to follow suit. So far, only Spiderman, Steve, and herself were sure things. Cap and Black Widow would not be given the chance to comply – although they would not regardless – and Spiderman did have a secret identity, which made him the person with more to lose if he agree to the SHRA. The others... it could be a toss up.

But she was not defeated yet...

The X-men she could count on being at the opposing side of the SHRA, so she could continue the alliance with them, although she wished she got off their lazy asses and actually do something! There were also other superhumans and mutants that could join. Not everything was lost, but this was leading all of them down an ugly path none of them want to be in. A possible confrontation with their comrades. The thought of them going against Thor, Banner, Tony, and the others was heartbreaking, but if she must... she must. She was not backing out from her mission to exact revenge on HYDRA and if that meant going down in a blaze of glory and taking with her many of her former comrades... so be it. In fact, she had a pretty good idea this was what T'Challa wanted to speak to her about. It was no mystery that he was the most reluctant of the Secret Avengers and that he joined up as a way to find out more about HYDRA's connection to Klaw. But he was all about order and like it or not, the SHRA was a step to gaining order. In another lifetime she would have being all for the Act. But knowing what she knew now, she could not.

Whatever. She decided to go and have a talk with the handsome King of Wakanda and look hot while she did so. It has been a long time since Natasha had visited a theater... or any cultural thing for that matter. Although... she was bummed that T'Challa didn't choose a nice Ballet, maybe the Bolshoi Ballet performance, which she knew it was in town. It would have been ironic, seeing that her first undercover assignment as a Department X agent was posing as the Prima Ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater back in 1938. She loved dancing in front of people and she remembered vividly how happy she was when she was carrying out that mission. She traveled all over Europe and that helped her gain intelligence, as she was the darling of the high society of the countries in the continent. It was on that guise that she got access to the plans for the German invasion of the Soviet Union, but no one paid attention to it until it was too late. Then the war started and her dream of continuing dancing was over.

First order of business was to figure out a way to walk around without being noticed, so she decided to go Occam's Razor about it: the simplest solution was often the correct one. She fixed a blonde wig on her head, hiding the most recognizable feature about her, her red hair. Then she decided not to use the nanomask – her Widow's Shell – but instead went with old school prosthetic. She change the color of her eyes and also her nose a bit. Looking at the mirror, she was amused to realize that she looked quite similar to the way she looked back in 1938. Fitting, she supposed. Then, dressed in a very provocative evening dress, with expensive jewelry that – of course – she stole sometime ago, and fixing her hair in a very conservative yet elegant hairdo, she drove to the theater. And was surprised out of her mind! A elderly gentleman, probably already pushing late nineties, approached her gingerly and stared at her with tired but surprised eyes. “Excuse me, mam... but... but... you are the spitting image of her...” He said in a very Russian accented voice.

At first she thought this elderly man recognized her from the news and the wanted posters splattered all over the world. Shit! But then she realized this was even weirder. “You can't be her, though... she most probably be dead by now... but you look so like her...” She had no idea what the man was saying until he added. “Natalya... she was a dancer in Moscow back when I was a young man. I... I had such a crush on her. We dated for a while and... I always thought she would be the one, but alas... the war...” She stared at him closer and then her Eidetic Memory kicked in. Yes... she remembered him. Nikolai... sweet guy. This was eerie but at the same time... she had not have a chance to meet people from her time... most of them were dead. Then a woman in her forties approached them. “There you are granddad! I told you not to wander around. I'm sorry, mam. He really wanted to see this play and we wanted him to enjoy it. I hope he didn't bother you.” She said. Natasha smile and shook her head. “Not at all, he seems like a nice gentleman.” She then leaned over to the old man, giving him a kiss on his cheek and then whispered to him. “I also thought you could be the one... if things would have been different. But I am happy to see you had a full and blissful life, Nikolai.” After that, she nodded to the lady and walked away, leaving Nikolai shocked and in awe.

She reached the booth and was met by two of T'Challa's Dora Milaje, one of them she recognized. “Yo! Nakia! Looking awesome as ever.” She said. The Dora Milaje were impressive indeed. Taller than her and quite formidable looking. She had this fantasy of someday spar with one of them, just for shits and giggles. Maybe T'Challa would allow it... a lady could dream, right? Nakia tried her best to hide a small smile on her lips and just nodded and moved aside, allowing Natasha access to the booth. Once inside, she saw T'Challa sitting alone and she sat beside him. “Your highness. I am both honored and flattered that you decided to go on a date with me. I pray you'll be a gentleman and not take advantage of a very impressionable young woman as myself.” She teased him because... of course she would!

@jake

[Deleted]

T'Challa surrendered a controlled laugh to Natasha's teasing words. Outside of Wakanda, when none of his retainers could see him, T'Challa was almost a completely different man. Without the crushing responsibility of an entire nation bearing down on his shoulders, T'Challa's expression and movements were much more relaxed, almost as if he was enjoying himself being a hero, instead of constantly worrying about the threats seemingly lurking around every corner. "Those are not the words I would use to describe you, and I'd almost feel bad for the man who does make that mistake", he replied, his words accompanied by the shadow of a smile.

There was no need for him to offer her a seat, but he did pour her a drink. Behind them, the door closed, hiding their conversation from any wandering eyes and ears. T'Challa would be a fool to assume that Ross was America's only attempt at keeping an eye on the Wakandan monarch, and T'Challa's security detail had taken every precaution in the book to maintain the secrecy of the meeting. It would not be good for T'Challa's declining international reputation if he was discovered meeting with a dangerous fugitive. Not to mention the risk she herself was taking by showing her face in public, though T'Challa was impressed by her clever disguise.

"Tonight, I am no king", he explained, his voice more serious. "There is no need to waste words with titles an formalities". T'Challa was hoping to approach Natasha as a friend, and hoped she would treat him as such, even after he told her of his decision to leave the Secret Avengers and support the SHRA.

The lights in the theatre began to dim, signifying the beginning of the show. Those still standing in the crowd began to hurriedly rushing to their seats as the entire building descended into a muffled silence. From their position in the booth, Natasha and T'Challa would still be able to whisper without causing a disturbance.

"How have you been?", he asked, knowing it had been much to long since he and her had seen each other, let alone have a proper conversation. He doubted being a fugitive was too straining on a woman of her skills and attributes, but he understood that constantly waging a cold war on multiple fronts against an enemy as crafty and dangerous as Hydra could be taxing.

After her answer, T'Challa would waste no more time arriving to the purpose of their conversation. The pair had much to discuss, and T'Challa had never been one for extended small-talk anyway. Despite her teasing words, he was sure that his reason for inviting her here was not a romantic one, and there was no point in keeping her waiting. His gaze shifted downwards toward the ring on his finger, lingering there for a second before he brought his eyes back up to hers. His actions felt like a betrayal, but as King of Wakanda, it was his duty to put his nation before his loyalty to anyone else. "After much thought, I have decided to include Wakanda among the list of nations ratifying the Superhero Registration Act". Despite his own inner doubt, T'Challa's words left his lips with nothing but cold conviction. The King had hesitated for a while before making a decision, but once his mind was set, it was set in stone. "Consequentially, honor demands I resign from the Secret Avengers for the time being as well".



NATASHA ROMANOFF

OOC: T'Challa would be all for a BW/DM sparring session btw.

[NATASHA ROMANOFF]

She could understand the burden T'Challa carried with him. She remembered that T'Chaka had the same weight over his shoulders. T'Challa, though, carried even more, because he had to deal with constant threats from Leviathan ever since his and Nat's adventure a couple of years back, when they thwarted Leviathan's attempts at stealing Vibranium. That metal was dangerous and T'Challa knew full well what would happen if any quantity of it fell into the wrong hands, not to mention that possessing the only source of Vibranium in the world put Wakanda in the crosshairs of every single nefarious organization and hostile country in the world. So she knew how vigilant he had been in order to keep his people safe. “How rude of you. I can assure you that there had been no complains regarding my company.” She joked back and then, staring forward at the performance, she whispered. “By the way... you see the fifty something guy with the brunette eye candy in the red dress in the booth left of you... they are members of the Intelligence Division of the WSC. But I am sure you already know that they are keeping an eye on you.” She was amazed at how stupid the WSC intelligence division was. She could spot them a mile away!

“Right now they are probably asking themselves who is the hot blonde bombshell at your side and running a facial recognition software. Pffft... good luck with that. It's almost a joke that those stupid idiots are going to be part of that new A.R.M.O.R. agency and tasked to hunt me down... I almost feel sorry for them.” She added, always the arrogant Black Widow. Natasha and T'Challa had a very strange relationship. At first, they could not see eye to eye. Even during the mission in Wakanda both of them got on each other nerves. But somehow they made it work and at the end both parted ways with mutual respect. He then proved himself again to her when – without the need to do so – he joined in the attack of Boca Caliente during the Ultron crisis and then later as he joined the Secret Avengers and the Hellfire Club raid. “How are you and Ross getting along? I like Ross... he is a charming little twit. I used to make his life hell when he was part of the SHIELD Intelligence Oversight Committee. Needless to say... he doesn't like me much.” She said with an impish grin.

"How have you been?"

She turned those dead cold... now blue eyes because of the contacts... of hers to him and smiled. “Doing okay. There is nothing like being hunted down by every security agency in the world to keep your heart pumping. I always wanted notoriety and boy, am I getting buckets of it now.” That she had. A lot. Not only she was dealing with what she knew was inevitable... the break up of the Secret Avengers after Frost leaked what happened in the raid – of course, putting her own spin on it – to the media, but also with the sobering fact that the WSC was going to really bring the hammer down on her and Steve once the Act was enacted and they isolate them from the others. Natasha was no fool... she knew that was what the WSC was doing through poor Tony. The previous two and a half years had been prologue... now the real shit was going to hit the fan. “Congrats on Wakanda's diplomatic deal with the U.N., by the way. Does that means that Wakanda Security will also join the hunt for little old moi?” she asked, smiling, putting a brave front. But it was just that... a front. She knew that her days were numbered. Not even the vaunted Black Widow could run forever. It was fine. She had lived way too long and it was time to retire... but not before she killed Strucker and Kasandra. After that, sure, why not?

She kept her stare at him and before he spoke, she interrupted. “Before you tell me what I suspect you are going to tell me... I have a gift for you.” She said and then smiled sadly. “I did some research and I have the name of Leviathan's leader, just so you know who you are dealing with and once and for all end that threat to your people.” She pulled a small USB drive from her dress and handed it to T'Challa. “That's all the info I gathered, but long story short... Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine... ain't that a mouthful? Also known in Department X as Valentina Uvarov. And yes, the jet setting, limo riding, paparazzi candy socialite is the leader of one of the most dangerous terrorist groups in the world. What a world we live in, eh?” Valentina was a well known entity in the rich and useless society, so it was a shock to Natasha to find out she was the daughter of the last leader of Department X, Viktor Uvarov. “I hope you realize how hard it was for me to get that info and reward me with a smile... come on... a small one? Pretty please?” She teased him and then braced herself for what he was going to tell her.

Her understanding smile never faded from her lips as he spoke. He could hide how he felt in his voice, but not his eyes. She could see it there... the struggle. It was bound to happen. Wakanda was a nation that had been also threatened by the recent events with enhanced individuals, not to mention Ultron. It was logical that they would also sign the Superhuman Registration Act, also known as the Boca Caliente Accords. She suspected that T'Challa had been under a lot of pressure from the world community to join in the support for the Act. After he finished, she placed a warm and friendly hand on his arm. “You are so cute when you break up with a lady...” She jested and then became somber. “Be at ease, young King of Wakanda. I understand. In fact, it is the right thing to do. You got your people to think about and you know I am fond of the Wakandian people... especially their cuisine and your awesome Dora Milaje.” She smiled, knowing he would get their inside joke. “A question, though... why The Crucible? Why didn't you take me to see the Bolshoi Ballet? Give a girl her last wish before she dies.” She asked, lightening the mood although inside she knew what this all meant... she was even more isolated than before. She had to grant it to Kasandra, Strucker and the WSC... they were carrying out a perfect game plan.

Her, Spiderman, and Steve were alone. Which made her decide that she needed to tell Parker to also bail out. She could not have him also in danger for her sake and Steve's...

@jake

[Deleted]

T'Challa's eyes followed where Natasha's words had pointed, lingering only for a second on the couple before returning his attention back to the show. While he had been aware that the WSC would be keeping a close watch on him, he had not yet known how brazen they had been in placing their agents. "In truth, I had thought them to be paparazzi", he replied, having noticed them taking pictures earlier to run through the facial recognition system. "Its been a long time since I last appeared in the American tabloids", he continued, almost sounding wistful.

Listening to Natasha trash-talk the WSC agents as well as the new ARMOR agency reminded T'Challa of a scorned lover complaining about her ex's new relationship. Of course T'Challa kept his observation to himself. He was well-aware of the amount of danger Natasha was in, and he understood her fury. If the citizens of Wakanda ever replaced him with an inferior ruler, he would feel angry as well. "This ARMOR, is it a another Hydra scheme?" T'Challa was already pretty sure he knew the answer, but some confirmation would not help, and he wanted to try keep Natasha focused.

Next Natasha inquired about Ross. "I have enjoyed his presence long enough to truly know him", T'Challa answered, "But I feel that despite some his shortcomings, he possesses a noble heart. I am sorry to hear you were unable to get along". T'Challa was surprised to hear that Ross had once been a part of the SHIELD oversight committee, though it made perfect sense. If America wanted to keep an eye on T'Challa, then someone who had once kept watch on a team of super-powered secret agents made the perfect unassuming attache. The Wakandan party would have to be more careful in his presence. "As long as nothing extraordinary happens, I shall of no issues with Ross".

"It is a deal more out of necessity than desire", T'Challa answered. He was almost certain her next words were idle teasing, but he answered truthfully all the same. "You have nothing to worry about from me. Any Wakandan citizens possessing extraordinary powers or desiring to work will be forced to sign the act, but I will not waste Wakanda's resources doing anything more". As he spoke, T'Challa's voice sounded like the one he used during those long UN meetings: direct, impersonal, and unyielding. His voice shifted back to his regular one for his next sentence, "Especially when one of the fugitives they would have us hunt down has been such a great friend to Wakanda in the past". T'Challa sipped his drink before continuing. "As it stands, the SHRA is barely acceptable. I will fight to improve it before I fight to enforce it".

After Natasha presented him his "gift", T'Challa pocketed the drive and gave her the smile she requested. While the grin may have been forced, it seemed as natural as ever. Faking happy facial expressions came easy to T'Challa after years of politics and diplomacy. In truth, a large part of him suspected that Natasha's offering was not a gift at all. While he did not doubt the validity of the information, nor the trouble she must have went through to acquire it, he did doubt her reasons for giving him it. On one hand, Natasha could just be trying to distract him from herself, given her words about Wakanda's Security and Intelligence hunting her down. On the other hand, T'Challa knew that Natasha possessed an unnatural hate for Leviathan, and could be giving him the info to ensure he continued her crusade against the terrorist group in the event Hydra or one of the world's hundreds of other secret agencies managed to land a lucky blow. Regardless of her reasons, T'Challa resolved to hunt down Valentina Uvarov. Both Wakanda and the world would be better off without her. "Thank-you. I will give this information to the WSI upon my return to Wakanda, and we will make sure Leviathan is brought to justice".

T'Challa was grateful that Natasha understood his decision, but most of all, he was sympathetic to her situation. He understood how it felt to be alone with seemingly no allies to turn to. Natasha was losing her shadow war with Hydra, and now she was an international fugitive while all of her allies slowly left her side. Recently, T'Challa had noticed Natasha growing more violent and unstable. From their conversation now, not even Natasha could sound arrogant enough to hide the fear and uncertainty that her death was quickly approaching. T'Challa wondered what her endgame was, and if it included going out with a bang.

"When we first met in Wakanda, you told me that you were beyond redemption. This play is a story of a man who thinks the same, but finds it anyway", T'Challa answered in response to her question. He hoped that by watching the play, Natasha would be able to relate a little to the main character, and maybe even learn that the key to her redemption was forgiving herself for everything she had done. "Besides", T'Challa continued with a genuine smile, "We'll still have plenty of time to attend the ballet in the future". He hoped she would find hope in the intended implications of his words.

Now it was time for the tough part, which was convincing Natasha to turn herself in and sign the SHRA. T'Challa drew in a deep breath and continued. "I understand that the SHRA is not a solution, but it is a beginning. Some battles are fought better with words than with hammers or a cloak and dagger. Hydra is a very dangerous threat, but I believe we can defeat them, as long as the superhero community stays together. United, I believe the Avengers and Secret Avengers can defeat anything, especially a slip of paper. All we need is patience and compromise".


NATASHA ROMANOFF

[NATASHA ROMANOFF]

The way he spoke about paparazzi made Black Widow smile, but it wasn't what he said, but his voice. Natasha loved accents and T'Challa's was no exception. Her own Russian accent has all but disappeared through the years, but she remembered how heavy it was when she was starting to become infamous around the shadow world of global espionage. Although she had learned plenty of languages and she spoke them almost flawlessly, she sometimes wished she hadn't lost her natal speech pattern, but living in America for so long had erased that last connection to her country of origin. It was fitting... she had become a woman with no loyalties... no country... no connections to anything anymore. In a way, she had always been, ever since that fateful day when Department X infused her with the Erksine Formula and basically created her. Although the Serum was just one part. Red Room did the rest.

Wrapping an arm around his, she giggled like an airhead and using that as pretext, she stole a glance at the two WSC agents. Yep... they were having a lot of trouble trying to identify her with the facial recognition software. Served them right! “Then let's give them a reason to have you in the tabloids again. Imagine, the young and respected King on a date with a bubbly blonde. Scandalous! J. Jonah Jameson would have a field day!” She laughed and saw that one of the WSC agents stood up, pulled out a cellphone and walked out of their booth, leaving the other behind to continue to try and identify her. Good luck. Natasha was ex-SHIELD... cut her some slack. She knew how to defeat that silly ass program... SHIELD invented it, after all. She was sure the other was calling their commanding officer to see if they could get someone into T'Challa's booth. Good luck with that as well, with his Dora Milaje guarding the door.

She returned from her internal reveries when he asked about A.R.M.O.R. “Oh yes. SHIELD was not enough, they didn't have complete control of it – thanks to Steve and yours truly – so they are going for the next best thing: a U.N. sanctioned agency with all of SHIELD resources and executive decision making capabilities and, according to my sources... I still have well placed sources, you know?” She raised an eyebrow but left it at that. She wished Isaiah kept his head down and didn't draw unnecessary attention to himself. “Anyway, my sources say that A.R.M.O.R. has even a bigger budget than SHIELD, because this new agency is no longer an autonomous entity but basically belongs to the one hundred and seventeen countries that are part of the Accords.” Which was what many those countries wanted for a long time. SHIELD was too autonomous for their taste. Now they had an agency that will carry out their policies and enforced the Act at the same time. Or so they thought. “They even got the top three companies in the world to work in some aspects of their systems.” Frost International, Stark Industries and Oscorp. They were really serious about this new agency, it seemed.

She wished she could be as optimistic as T'Challa was concerning his reassurances that Wakanda Security and Intelligence would not be part of the massive hunt that was coming. Black Widow wasn't so sure. It would be quite difficult for Wakanda to pick and choose its responsibilities once they sign the Act and she was certain the U.N. and the WSC would put pressure on them to join in the fun. Maybe logistical support or intelligence support or actual agents on the ground, but it was going to be difficult for the young king to stay out of this one. “I hope you are right. I would hate to have to harm any of your people if they come after me.” She said with a voice so cold that could freeze hell. She had no ill will towards his people, she considered Wakanda and it's citizens precious... that said, she would not hesitate in defending herself with extreme prejudiced if it came to that.

If she could read his mind, she would have admitted that he was right in thinking there was an ulterior motive when she handed him the info. Sure, she was sincere in her desire to help him keep Wakanda safe by eliminating Leviathan, but also she was doing it because she wanted Leviathan taken out. On one hand, the last thing she needed was for yet another organization to go after her and Steve. The U.N., the WSC, HYDRA and the Hellfire Club were enough. On the other hand, she did hate Leviathan with a vengeance. They were the remnants of Department X, a group that she believed to be over and done. To find out two years prior, in Wakanda of all places, that they were stronger than ever was not a happy thing for her. Besides, she had no respect for Leviathan. As much as she wanted Strucker and Kasandra dead – and oh God she really wanted them dead – at leas HYDRA had a purpose and an ideology, misguided as it was. Her quarrel with them was personal.

Leviathan, though, it was professional. She despised the fact that they were nothing more than profiteers, with complete disregard of the people they hurt as long as they made a tidy profit from the suffering of others. Nothing but mercenary scum and it insulted her sensitivities as a intelligence officer and a former Avenger. And to be led by Uvarov's daughter.... ugh! The worst Director of Department X in the history of the organization and Natasha had met them all. If she was to fall... and everything pointed to that possibility... she could trust that T'Challa would do what was right for Wakanda and finish Leviathan for her. She could not divide her focus at the moment... she had one goal to achieve first, hence she was passing the torch to T'Challa to deal with Leviathan. “That is not enough, T'Challa. I want you to promise me you'll eradicate them from the face of the Earth, so they could never reform.” She said and stared at him. “In exchange, I promise you I'll eradicate HYDRA. Well, if I live long enough to do it.” She added with a impish smile.

The woman formerly known as Natalya Alianovna scoffed softly as the King explained the play they were watching. Crucible was a very apt title. She was in her own crucible. Two paths were before her and none of them were satisfactory. She could disappear, leave the war with HYDRA behind, leave everyone behind, and just blend into the world and disappear. She could do it... she had done so before. She had enough money and experience to create a new life for herself and just vanish. Maybe run the Fund she set up for victims through Isaiah Ross, her friend and lawyer, and perhaps through those random acts of mercy someday find peace. But that would mean giving up and she could not do that. She would never find peace knowing that HYDRA basically won. The other path was to fight and drag Peter Parker, Steve and even the X-men into a battle that they could not win. Go down in a blaze of glory, guns blasting. Crucible indeed.

Or she could go against the odds and win it all...

She shook her head sadly. “They are not going to give me and Steve that alternative, T'Challa. And even if they did... I don't see him accepting it and neither would I. Three years ago, I would have been right there beside you signing the Act. I do believe that in its core it is a good idea to monitor people with enhanced abilities. But now... I know this is all a HYDRA plan.” She explained to him about Councilman Malick and the fact that he was pushing the enactment of the Act. And he was HYDRA. “I don't know what is HYDRA's goal in all this... something like this is not the usual HYDRA scheme, but I do know they, for whatever reason, are pushing it. By the way, I was not the one who shot Malick, as it wasn't me who shot Alexander Pierce two years ago, regardless of what the Daily Bugle and the World think. I was in Malick's office, yes... and I stole the SHRA from his desk... but as much as I would want to take credit for ridding the world of that stupid idiot... it wasn't me.” It was Kasandra and Natasha still had no idea why the She-Wolf did it. More to the point, it seemed she was hiding that from Strucker, going by the way Strucker seemed to believe that it was Natasha who did it.

“If you were in my shoes... what would you do?” She asked and this was the closest Natasha would ever get to ask for an advise.

@jake