"I won't say it again," the squadron leader shouted. "Cooperate and surrender peacefully, or we will be obliged to act by force."
"If you're looking for my non-professional opinion," Ghostfreak murmured in his mind, with a hint of amusement, "I'd say they have very restless fingers on those triggers. They're dying to see how fast your brains splatter across the water. What are we going to do?"
"I didn't ask for your opinion," Legion thought, maintaining eye contact with the soldier.
He raised his hands slightly.
"None of this is necessary. We can talk this through — as I already said, Prince Namor..." Legion began, but was immediately interrupted by the sound of a weapon being readied to fire.
"Not prince. King. King Namor," the soldier corrected him.
Legion tilted his head slightly. King?
"Don't play dumb," the soldier continued. "Unlike what happened with Princess Fen, this time your assassination attempt against Namor didn't work. But damned surface dwellers... you don't even show mercy to a sick old man bedridden on his deathbed. You murdered the now-deceased King Thakorr. But King Namor will no longer tolerate excuses, nor you doing as you please in our waters. This is the last display of clemency you will be shown. Surrender now, or else..."
The leader raised his hand. In unison, the sound of twelve loading mechanisms activating echoed through the water.
Damn my luck, Legion thought.
An instant later, a deep red jellyfish drifted past, solitary, between Legion and the platoon.
It was the signal. The leader clenched his fist and, a second later, the corridor filled with light — the soldiers opened fire in unison.
The hero reacted, raising his forearm. A green energy shield projected before him.
The plasma shots struck the surface, producing flashes that momentarily blinded. Each impact forced him back a step, feeling the vibration travel up his arm to his shoulder.
While being forced to retreat, he didn't waste time. With a motion of his other hand, he activated a mechanism in his forearm that expelled two metal spheres directly into his palm, then launched them toward the center of the enemy formation.
The spheres didn't explode with fire, but with something far more effective in that environment — an expanding, sticky foam that, upon contact with the water, inflated suddenly.
In the blink of an eye, the soldiers found themselves wrapped in a dense mass that hardened on contact, binding their weapons to their armor and leaving most of them trapped, kicking uselessly while the foam immobilized them against the corridor walls.
Well, how useful. Although, if you had transformed, you wouldn't have even had to put in that much effort, would you?
Legion ignored the comment, retracted the shield, and began swimming down the corridor, moving away from the soldiers still struggling with the foam.
He descended at full speed, but before reaching the lower level, the echo of shouts and gunfire greeted him.
Rounding the corner, T'Challa, Shuri, Okoye, and the four Dora Milaje were forming a defensive circle while a dozen Atlantean soldiers floated unconscious.
"Where the hell did you disappear to?" Shuri asked when she saw him arrive. "These people showed up out of nowhere saying Namor ordered our arrest. That we killed their former King."
The hero nodded.
"Same thing happened to me up top."
At that moment, a deafening siren pierced the water and heavy metal shutters crashed down, sealing all the cells.
"Surrender! Give yourselves up now or everyone dies," a voice boomed through the room's speakers.
The floor vibrated and four automatic turrets emerged from the walls, aimed directly at them. Behind them, two dozen more soldiers sealed off the exit, rifles loaded and ready.
"This got out of control very fast," T'Challa said, going on guard. "They can't capture us. Shuri, do you have any quick way to get us out of here?"
The princess laughed while her fingers flew over her forearm interface.
"Already on it, brother."
The turrets began to emit strange beeping sounds, as if they were malfunctioning. One soldier, seeing the erratic movement of the weapons, shouted.
"Fire!"
Legion then launched four metal spheres that, upon hitting the floor, projected a green energy dome covering the entire group. The laser shots began striking the barrier with intensity, making the force field crackle.
"How long is this going to last?" T'Challa asked.
"At this depth and this power level..." Legion calculated quickly — more accurately, SID did — "five minutes? Maybe less."
Shuri looked at her brother, typed one last time, and raised a triumphant finger.
The turrets stopped making strange sounds, rotated on their axis, and began unleashing plasma bursts against the Atlantean soldiers.
"Take cover!" one of the soldiers managed to shout before diving behind a pillar.
Legion retracted the spheres, dissolving the shield.
The princess was already swimming toward a lateral wall, waving for them to follow. Before they could reach it, one of the turrets — still under Shuri's control — aimed at the structure and fired.
The thick metal wall gave way, opening a hole large enough for them to escape the sector.
"Let's go, quickly!" T'Challa ordered.
The group moved without pause. Thanks to the routes SID marked out, they avoided the most heavily guarded checkpoints, leaving behind the prison's deepest levels. When a soldier blocked their path, Okoye and the Dora Milaje dealt with them in a matter of minutes, barely giving the Atlanteans time to react before leaving them out of commission.
"We keep going this way," Legion indicated.
T'Challa remained alert, covering the rear, while Shuri — without breaking her stride — made sure her gadgets were in working order.
Legion stopped dead in front of the main airlock.
"Sir, on the other side there are two dozen Atlantean soldiers and two warships," SID informed him.
"That's too many," the hero said, lowering his voice. "Dozens of soldiers on the other side..."
T'Challa clenched his teeth, assessing the situation. He knew they didn't have the terrain in their favor — surrounded in the water, they were an easy target. Their suits would protect them, but under so many shots, their bodies wouldn't be able to keep up.
"Is there no other route?" Okoye asked.
"It's a high-security prison, Commander," Legion replied, pointing at the hatch. "The only way in or out is through there."
Okoye exchanged a quick look with the Dora Milaje. There was a silent understanding — a tacit agreement. The general turned toward the siblings.
"You must flee. My people and I will buy you time. Get to the submarine, return to Wakanda, and report everything that's happening to your father."
"No," Shuri interrupted. "We're not leaving you here. We all go home together."
"It's the only way, Princess," Okoye insisted. "If we lose you, there will be no one to warn our people of the danger coming. Our suits will hold long enough for you to reach the surface. You are our duty, and we will fulfill it."
T'Challa remained silent. He knew she was right, but that didn't make the decision any less bitter. Before they could keep arguing, a metallic crash shook them — the soldiers they had left behind had caught up and opened fire mercilessly.
The group scattered, seeking cover behind the room's columns. In the chaos of the shots, Legion communicated over the radio.
"Actually!" Legion shouted over the din. "There actually is a way out without leaving them behind!"
"Oh really? And why didn't you say so before, you airhead?" Shuri replied.
"Because it's not safe... It's a dangerous transformation — it affects my brain."
"In what way does it affect you?" T'Challa asked.
"The bad way. You know — like with Kofie."
"Sir, I strongly urge you to set that 'plan' aside," SID said. "I know perfectly well that you don't like Commander Okoye's idea, but it is a realistic strategy in this situation. If the Dora Milaje act as a distraction, the princes and yourself have a fifty-three percent chance of escaping. Do not put your psyche at risk over something like this."
Legion shook his head.
"I can't do that, partner. If we leave them behind, there's a very real chance they'll all be killed. I'm not going to allow that to happen."
"Then what's the plan?" Shuri cut in.
"It's to surrender."
Shuri froze for a second, staring at him with disbelief.
"Seriously? That's your grand plan? Isn't that precisely what we're trying to avoid?"
"I'm not finished," he explained, as an image of the high-ranking officer who had intercepted them earlier was projected from his helmet. "Ghostfreak has the ability to possess living beings. I'm going to possess that officer — the one in command here. You surrender, he takes you as prisoners, and as soon as we're alone or I see an opportunity, I'll free you and we get out of here."
The prince exchanged a look loaded with doubt with Okoye. She, keeping her hand on her weapon, shook her head slightly.
"It's too risky. If it fails, we'll have no way out. We'll be finished."
"How confident are you about this?" Shuri asked.
"Confident enough to bring it up," the hero replied.
"And what if you lose control again?" T'Challa questioned.
Legion let out a sigh, dropping his shoulders for a second.
"What if I don't?" he replied calmly. "If we don't try, we all know what will happen to them. At least this way, everyone has a real chance of surviving."
The prince thought for a moment. It was risky, but if there was a way to avoid Okoye and her companions sacrificing themselves, it was worth attempting.
"I trust you, Legion. Do it."
The hero nodded and raised his arm, wrapping his fingers around the watch's dial.
Ghostfreak's silhouette glowed on the interface. He made a face and turned the dial. The alien's image stayed right there, ready.
Hope is the last thing to die, isn't it? Nice try. Now come on — it's time to be a hero.
Legion was about to press the dial when a metallic crash made the entire corridor vibrate.
The enormous prison door buckled inward. The soldiers' fire stopped dead and everyone — both Atlanteans and Wakandans — turned toward the entrance.
A second impact, even heavier, made the metal give way entirely. The hatch was sent flying like a sheet of paper, forcing the group to throw themselves to the floor to avoid being crushed.
When Shuri looked up, her eyes went wide with astonishment. There, filling the entire opening, was Zola — the imposing six-finned whale.
The animal was too large to enter, but upon seeing Shuri, it emitted a deep, vibrant sound while opening its enormous jaws before them.
"What in the..." Okoye managed to say, her spear half-raised.
Shuri, however, had her eyes wide and a smile of disbelief on her face.
"She wants us to go in!"
T'Challa looked at her sideways, with an expression of doubt.
"Go in? Into her mouth?"
Shuri just nodded with enthusiasm.
"And how exactly do you know that? What are you, Doctor Dolittle?" Legion asked, confused.
But she was already beginning to swim toward the dark abyss formed by the whale's lips.
"I just know, okay?! We have to go!"
T'Challa and Okoye exchanged an uncertain glance, but there was no time to debate. The Atlantean soldiers, recovering from the impact, were beginning to retake their attack positions. Legion quickly threw his four remaining metal spheres, creating an instant wall of foam that covered their retreat and blinded the guards.
Already before the whale, Shuri made a gesture with her hand urging them to hurry. Legion was the first to throw himself in, muttering to himself.
"Screw it... if it worked in Avatar, why not here?"
The rest of the group plunged in after him, entering the damp, dark cavity. The moment they were all inside, Zola pulled back with a fluid movement of her six fins and closed her mouth.
Turning to put distance between herself and the prison, she came face to face with two dozen Atlantean soldiers and a pair of warships blocking her path, cannons aimed directly at her body.
One soldier, visibly nervous, approached the formation's captain.
"Captain, what's the order? Do we fire?"
The captain gritted his teeth, watching the immense creature. He knew Atlantis's laws were implacable — harming an Aethelmar, a sacred race in their nation, regardless of the circumstance, was punishable by death. As much as it pained him not to be able to carry out Namor's direct orders, he could not open fire against Atlantis's ancestral creatures.
"Lower your weapons," the captain ordered, raising his hand with frustration. "Everyone, lower your weapons right now."
The ships and soldiers complied immediately, watching helplessly as Zola, carrying the fugitives inside her, picked up speed and disappeared into the immensity of the ocean.
The same soldier who had asked before looked at the whale's wake.
"Should we follow them, sir?"
The captain let out a bitter laugh and shook his head as he watched the creature rapidly gaining distance.
"Only King Namor has the speed needed for something like that. We'd be wasting our time trying."
The officer turned to his subordinate.
"Contact the palace immediately. Report that a young Aethelmar specimen intervened and took the surface dwellers. Request direct orders from the King on how we should proceed."
===
The interior of Zola was strangely comfortable — a vast space cushioned by resilient tissues that moved with the creature's rhythmic breathing.
While Shuri moved from one side to the other, completely absorbed in her analysis and collecting samples of saliva and food remains, the rest of the group tried to process what had just happened.
Legion let himself drop onto a firm surface, releasing a sigh of relief. Having avoided transforming into Ghostfreak lifted an enormous weight from his shoulders.
Damned meddling whale.
Nearby, Okoye kept her gaze fixed on an indeterminate point.
"T'Challa, our mission was a failure," she said with bitterness. "In fact, it ended in the worst way possible."
The prince nodded, visibly downcast.
"I can't make sense of it. Hunter loved Wakanda more than anything else. How did he come to this?"
"That was the problem," the commander replied. "That's why they discharged him and dissolved his unit. His devotion was admirable, yes, but it also blinded him completely. And now here we are... I'm afraid war has already become a reality."
Shuri, who was nearby, set aside her samples and turned toward them with a furrowed brow.
"Don't jump to conclusions so fast! Remember that barbarian leader who's been lurking around Atlantis? Maybe they had something to do with all of this — not Hunter."
"If they were responsible, Namor's forces wouldn't be hunting us," T'Challa replied. "Sister, you were there. Hunter and his people attacked the monster prison and put everyone in danger. I know you love him, but he's taken a wrong path."
Shuri went quiet. She stood looking at her own feet, her shoulders sunken.
"I know..." she finally murmured. "I know what he did is wrong. It's just... I don't want to accept it. It's hard for me to believe he's reached this point."
Legion, who had been listening in silence, took a few steps forward. He cleared his throat, drawing the group's attention.
"Sorry to interrupt your moment. But I think the time has come to fill you in on something important."
===
"I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!" Shuri shouted, jumping with excitement inside Zola's mouth, pointing an accusing finger at T'Challa. "I told you! I swore to you there was someone infiltrating our network and what did you say? 'No, Shuri, you're imagining things,' 'stop playing with the technology,' 'you don't have any friends, Shuri.' Well look who was right!"
T'Challa, Okoye, and the Dora Milaje froze, processing the revelation.
The gravity of Legion's words left them speechless — their home, their security, everything they believed was bulletproof had been compromised long ago.
Shuri moved to stand beside Legion.
"When I realized someone was snooping around in Wakanda's network, I assumed it was you. Though something didn't quite add up when I discovered your partner. SID is an incredibly advanced AI — if she had been there, yes, I would have detected her sooner or later, but however good I am, I could never have almost caught up to her. But now... a group of World War II Nazis with technology from the future? Yeah, that explains it better."
Shuri smiled behind her helmet, having finally identified who she had been chasing for the past two months. Then, noticing that no one was saying anything, she lowered her tone.
Legion looked at her with compassion.
"They just found out their nation's security has been compromised for over a year," he said quietly. "It's normal that they're in shock. You're actually the odd one out here."
She shrugged with indifference.
"Well... I suppose so," she admitted, crossing her arms. "So what now, brother? Do you still think Hunter acted alone, or do we start seeing how we've been maneuvered?"
T'Challa got to his feet.
"Why are you telling us this now, Legion? How long have you been holding on to this information?"
The hero sighed.
"It's difficult to be certain of how far they've reached into the world. They don't just have resources — they have advanced technology, sorcerers and knowledge of the future. I have to be extremely careful about who I share this with. I've tried to keep from them the fact that I know they exist, though honestly, I seriously doubt they don't already suspect me by now."
Shuri furrowed her brow.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because of the source where I got the information originally. Donald Pierce, the White King of the Hellfire Club, is a damned cyborg. When I managed to access his data again, I realized it had been slightly altered. There were subtle traps, trackers hidden everywhere. It's safe to say they already know someone is aware of their existence... They won't be long in making a move. Anyone who handles this information becomes a priority target for Hydra and its allies. That's why I stayed quiet. I don't want to put anyone in danger, much less end up unknowingly handing sensitive information to a Hydra agent."
"So you're convinced they've been behind all of this?" Okoye asked.
The hero nodded slowly.
"I'm certain. I even believe the ones who assassinated Princess Fen were influenced by Hydra. They've advanced enormously in mind control technology. I found nothing concrete on Kwame, but after everything I've seen, I wouldn't rule anything out. They're working with metahumans — perhaps they have someone capable of manipulating people's will. They've been pulling the strings from the shadows to make Atlantis and Wakanda tear each other apart."
Shuri stood thoughtful, connecting the dots he had just laid on the table.
"So... they're working with Attuma? If they have Wakanda in their sights, and that barbarian has Atlantis..."
Legion nodded.
"That's exactly what I believe. They'll take Wakanda, with its vibranium and all its technology, while Attuma takes Atlantis."
"We must notify my father immediately. This has only made everything worse — they could make a move against Wakanda at any moment if both they and Atlantis's army attack together..."
"I already thought of that, actually," Legion replied, cutting through T'Challa's urgency. "Before going down, I gave SID an order — right before losing contact with her. If something went wrong, she had to contact a... teacher."
T'Challa tilted his head, confused.
"A teacher?"
Legion smiled behind his helmet.
"Oh, you already know her. And trust me — you wouldn't want anyone else on your side when all of this blows up."
======
HEYYYY, HOW'S EVERYONE DOING? HOPE YOU'RE ALL WELL!
YOU KNOW, WRITING HAS GOTTEN PRETTY COMPLICATED FOR ME BETWEEN TIME AND EVERYTHING ELSE — I'VE BEEN RUNNING INTO DIFFICULTIES.
I'M NOT SO... SATISFIED WITH THIS CHAPTER. I DON'T KNOW — MAYBE IT'S JUST A FEELING? THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITH THE START OF THE NEW YORK BATTLE. I HAD TO REDO THAT WHOLE SECTION SEVERAL TIMES (AND STILL NEED TO DO IT ONCE MORE) BEFORE I WAS EVEN MINIMALLY HAPPY WITH IT.
THIS CHAPTER IS STILL UNDER REVISION — I'VE READ THROUGH IT MULTIPLE TIMES NOW BUT CAN'T FIND A BETTER WAY TO DO IT. I'LL LET YOU KNOW IF ANYTHING CHANGES. (I THINK I'VE HIT WRITER'S BLOCK AGAIN 😢)
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AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR COMMENTS.
IF YOU NOTICE ANYTHING THAT SEEMS OFF, PLEASE POINT IT OUT — ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE WOULD REALLY HELP 😊
SEE YOU EVERYONE, SORRY FOR ALL THE DELAYS 😘