----
The bartender froze.
So did everyone else in the bar.
They'd all worked under Klaue at some point. And if you worked for Klaue, you knew better than to joke about Wakanda. Some things you just didn't say.
And yet here was this blood-streaked stranger, calmly claiming he could help Klaue attack Wakanda?
Ridiculous.
A towering brute scoffed and stood, muscles bulging under his vest. He looked like he could go through a wall.
"You? You think you can help Klaue?"
He walked toward Nolan, hand raised to slap him across the face.
"Wherever you got your info, kid, you need to understand running your mouth gets people killed out here."
But before his hand could land, Nolan caught his wrist.
The brute blinked in surprise, then winced in pain as Nolan's grip tightened.
Crack.
Bone shifted. Joints strained.
The man tried to pull back, but Nolan squeezed harder.
Crack. Crack.
The giant let out a grunt of pain.
"What the hell are you?!"
With a swift motion, Nolan twisted the man's arm at an unnatural angle and drove his boot straight into his stomach.
"Too much talking."
The man flew backwards, crashed into a table, and collapsed into a pile of splintered wood and shattered bottles. He groaned in pain, holding his stomach, the fight knocked clean out of him.
A few of his buddies stood, tense.
Nolan lifted his pistol, eyes cold.
"Come at me one at a time, I won't use this. All at once? You'll regret it."
They froze.
The entire bar fell into an uneasy silence.
"Did you see that? One hand. He broke Lone Wolf's arm like it was a twig."
"This guy's not normal. Did you see his build under that coat?"
Respect came fast in places like this and it always followed power.
Right now, Nolan had all of it.
"If Klaue thinks I'm some clown," Nolan said, scanning the room, "ask him this does he know HYDRA's been watching him?"
The bartender stiffened.
HYDRA.
That word carried weight.
Nolan didn't explain. He didn't need to.
The bartender gave a stiff nod.
"I'll go get something from the back."
He slipped through a door behind the bar.
Nolan didn't move. He knew what this was. The bar wasn't just a hangout it was one of Klaue's safehouses. That bartender? Probably Klaue's direct man.
HYDRA's files made it clear: this was where Klaue did business.
Sure enough, the bartender returned a moment later with a bottle in hand.
He set it down in front of Nolan.
"Drink this, and Mr. Klaue will see you."
Nolan stared at the inky liquid, then gave a faint smirk.
"Klaue really thinks I'm here to beg for favours?"
He looked up, voice sharp.
"Tell him this unless he wants Wakanda's new Black Panther tracking him down, he better come out and talk. The Avengers are already looking to recruit Wakanda. You think Klaue can dodge S.H.I.E.L.D.? Or Tony Stark?"
He turned on his heel.
"Pulling power plays before the deal's even on the table? Amateur."
He made for the door.
If Klaue didn't want to cooperate, fine. Nolan would just sell his location to Wakanda. They'd love to see Klaue gift-wrapped.
Some of the other patrons began to move.
Nolan raised the pistol again.
"Try something. I dare you."
Just as he reached the door, a voice stopped him cold.
"Easy there, kid. No need to be so quick to leave."
A man stepped out from the back.
Nolan turned and immediately recognized the face.
Ulysses Klaue.
Exactly like in the files. Older. Paler. The missing arm was sealed in a bulky prosthetic stump.
"Klaue," Nolan said. "Didn't expect you to be hiding in plain sight. You're not afraid HYDRA will come knocking?"
Klaue chuckled.
"If I was afraid, I never would've made it out of Wakanda with a pile of Vibranium."
Then his smile vanished.
"Let's talk. Somewhere private."
"Lead the way."
---
Outside, a matte-black SUV was already waiting.
Klaue climbed in. Nolan followed.
"Not here," Nolan said. "Unless you want HYDRA sniffing around your doorstep."
Klaue narrowed his eyes, pulled out a burner phone, and dialled.
"Full evac. Clean sweep."
He hung up and stared hard at Nolan.
"You just cost me a safe house."
"HYDRA already knew. They just hadn't made their move yet. You're a resource to them, Klaue. They're just waiting for the right time to take a bite."
Klaue's face tightened.
Nolan tossed a thick folder into his lap.
"Call it compensation."
Klaue opened it. His expression shifted.
Blueprints. Mechanical schematics. Designs for something… advanced.
"A mechanical arm," Nolan said. "Custom-built with Vibranium. Stronger than the one Ultron took. With this, you could be more than a black-market dealer. You could be a weapon."
Klaue flipped through the schematics, stunned.
"This tech… this is next-gen."
"Chitauri enhancements. HYDRA neural interface. Fully integrated with human biology."
To Nolan, it was just scrapped from the archives. But to someone like Klaue? It was priceless.
"Drive," Klaue muttered to the driver.
The SUV surged forward.
They arrived at a mountain pass. Hidden behind rock and shadow, an entrance opened.
Guards raised weapons and then lowered them when they recognized Klaue.
Inside, the mountain had been hollowed out. Walls tiled, floors reinforced, furniture modern.
A hidden stronghold.
They entered a wide chamber. A striking woman, clearly Klaue's assistant, stood waiting. He handed her the schematics.
Then turned back to Nolan.
"You said you could help me take Wakanda."
He leaned in, eyes sharp.
"With what?"
Nolan tapped his temple and smiled.
"With this."
---
100 Power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter