Leander stared at the screen of his phone, his grip tightening until the casing groaned. If he hadn't spent the last four months reinforcing his skeletal structure, he probably would have crushed the device into a ball of silicon and glass.
"Four months? One hundred and twenty days?" he whispered, the words tasting like ash. "How the hell did I lose track of time that badly?"
In his mind, it felt like a long weekend. A slightly extended meditation session. But the reality was that the world had kept spinning, and he had been a ghost. He needed to find a signal immediately. He couldn't risk Aunt Jenny or Uncle George filing a missing persons report that might lead back to his "exchange program" and unravel everything.
With a sharp flick of his wrist, Leander sent a pulse of kinetic energy into the rock. A massive jagged opening tore through the hard Vibranium meteorite wall of his cavern, letting in the faint, distant light of the mine's main shaft. He didn't climb out; he ignited.
He shot upward, a golden blur that punched through the skylight of the Great Mound. He hit the Energy Shield at terminal velocity, his frequency-matched aura allowing him to slip through the Wakandan defense barrier like a needle through silk. He didn't stop until he was well beyond the borders of the Golden City, hanging suspended in the humid African air.
Back in the heart of Wakanda, the alarms were screaming.
In Shuri's laboratory, the crimson emergency lights bathed her workstations in a rhythmic pulse. She scrambled to her Kimoyo beads, her fingers flying over the holographic interface.
"Breach detected at Sector 4! The Energy Shield just took a direct impact!" she shouted into the comms.
But as she pulled up the thermal playback, she saw the signature. It wasn't an invading army. It was a single, concentrated streak of gold.
"He's out," Shuri breathed, her eyes widening. "He really stayed in that hole for four months. How is he even walking? He should be a skeleton."
She didn't wait for permission. She tapped a sequence on her desk, and a wall panel slid open. A sleek, black block of metal detached from a cradle and unfolded into a compact Floating Scooter. Eleven-year-old Shuri hopped on, her braids flying behind her as she sped toward the Council Hall.
T'Challa arrived at the Hall at the same time, his face a mask of worry. He found his father, King T'Chaka, already staring at the central projection.
"Father, Leander has surfaced," T'Challa reported. "He's currently holding position just outside the perimeter. He hasn't left the airspace yet."
"I see him," T'Chaka said, his voice heavy. "Where is your sister? I told her to monitor the mine exits."
"I'm right here!" Shuri yelled, skidding her scooter to a halt on the polished floor. "I've got the drone footage. He didn't just walk out; he blew a hole in the mountain. I'm running a residual trace on the cavern he left behind... results should be in soon."
She looked up at the projection of the golden boy floating in the sky. "He's just... sitting there. Why isn't he running?"
Leander wasn't running because he was currently being lectured by a billionaire.
The moment he cleared the jammer-zone of the Wakandan shield, his phone vibrated violently. It elongated and wrapped around his ears, transforming into the sleek Stark-tech glasses. A high-resolution projection of Tony Stark appeared in his field of vision.
"One hundred and twenty days, Leander. One. Hundred. And. Twenty," Tony said. He was standing in a high-rise office, swirling a glass of expensive-looking amber liquid. He looked exhausted. "Do you have any idea how many times I've had to forge school transcripts and 'long-distance' phone calls to your Aunt Jenny? She was ready to call the FBI, the Avengers, and probably the Ghostbusters."
"Mr. Stark, I... I didn't realize," Leander stammered. "I thought it was maybe a week at most."
"A week? You've missed an entire season, kid! I've had to Google scripts on 'how a well-adjusted teenager talks to his mother' just to keep the act going. It was pathetic. I felt like a mid-tier Cyrano de Bergerac." Tony sat down, his expression softening just a fraction. "You owe me, Leander. Big time. Now, before I lose my mind—are you okay? You look... different. More solid."
"I'm fine, Tony. Better than fine. Thank you for covering for me. I'll make it up to you, I promise."
"Yeah, yeah. Save the gratitude. Just so you know, the Lakeside 'exchange' is officially on summer break. You're supposed to be 'home' for the holidays. Call your Aunt before she decides to fly to D.C. herself. Oh, and I sent a file to your glasses—it's a script for your homecoming. Read it, memorize it, and for the love of God, don't mention Africa."
Leander skimmed the file. It was a masterpiece of corporate excuses. He hit 'dial' on Jenny's number immediately.
"Aunt Jenny? It's Leander."
"Leander! Oh, thank God!" Her voice was a mixture of relief and sharp accusation. "Where have you been? You've sounded so... robotic on the phone lately. I was convinced you were being held hostage by some D.C. cult! Why didn't you call me for the end-of-term ceremony? When are you coming home?"
"I'm so sorry, Auntie. The program was incredibly intense, and they had us in a tech-free immersion camp for the finals," Leander lied, his heart twisting. "I'm coming back tomorrow. But I might have to go back soon for a summer research project..."
"Tomorrow? You'd better be on the first flight! I've been practicing those Chinese dumplings Uncle Li taught me. You're going to eat until you burst, do you hear me?"
They talked for nearly forty minutes. She told him about the neighbor's dog, George's new promotion, and Peter's latest science fair win. Leander just listened, a small smile on his face. The mundane details of life in Queens felt more precious than all the Vibranium in the world.
After hanging up, Leander felt the weight of his responsibilities. He couldn't just vanish again. He dropped into a free-fall, plummeting back toward Wakanda. He slowed his descent at the last second, his boots touching the upper balcony of the Council Tower.
Shuri was standing there, her arms crossed, looking at him with an intense, scientific curiosity.
"Leander Hayes. The boy who ate a mountain," she said, her eyes scanning his new Vibranium-fiber outfit.
"Hey, Shuri. Long time no see," Leander said, walking toward her. "I see the whole family is gathered. Did I trip a silent alarm?"
"You tripped every alarm in the kingdom," Shuri said, pulling him toward the interior of the hall. "Four months? No food, no water, just glowing purple rocks? Honestly, I don't know whether to study you or report you to the UN."
"Vibranium energy is... nourishing," Leander said vaguely. "I didn't feel the hunger. But I definitely feel the jet lag now."
"Dad wants to see you. He's got that 'King' face on. They've even got bread and water waiting for you, though I think they expected you to look more like a castaway."
They walked into the Council Hall. T'Chaka sat on his throne, his graying beard neatly trimmed, his eyes sharp and observant. T'Challa stood beside him, a silent sentinel.
"Mr. Hayes," T'Chaka began, his voice echoing. "Your presence in our mines has caused quite a stir. Is there something Wakanda can provide for you to make your... stay... more comfortable? Perhaps a dedicated research suite?"
"I appreciate the offer, King T'Chaka," Leander said, accepting a cup of water from a servant. "But I prefer the solitude of the mines. I don't like to be disturbed when I'm working."
"We could deliver the raw ore to you," T'Chaka pushed, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. "There is no need for a guest of your stature to sleep in the dirt."
Leander's expression cooled. He knew what the King wanted—to keep him in a controlled, monitored environment where his progress could be measured. "The dirt suits me just fine. I like the connection to the source."
T'Chaka nodded slowly, sensing the boundary Leander had drawn. "Very well. If you have need of anything else, my son T'Challa is at your disposal."
T'Challa stepped forward and gave a respectful nod. "Safe travels, Leander."