As usual, Hawk skipped lunch at NYU and went to Empire University to find his fiancée. That was where he heard the newest—and juiciest—news.
"Mary's new boyfriend is Flash?"
"Yeah."
"Damn!" Hawk hissed through his teeth, staring at Gwen, who looked just as shocked. "What's Mary thinking? Getting back at Peter?"
Flash—
a.k.a. Flash Thompson. Their classmate, same year.
Sure, his grades weren't great. But he had other strengths.
He'd carried Midtown High to runner-up in the national football championship. That alone earned him a scholarship and a spot as vice-captain of Empire University's football team.
But—
Flash had another reputation too.
The school bully.
Ever since Uncle Ben's death, Flash had stopped picking on Peter. But that was only because he couldn't. Peter had become Spider-Man.
Still—the history was there.
And now Mary Jane was dating him.
This…
"Does Peter know yet?"
"How should I know?" Gwen shot back. "I only found out this morning. I'm as shocked as you are."
Hawk clicked his tongue twice.
Gwen frowned. "When Peter gets back, he won't do anything extreme, will he?"
Hawk shook his head. "No way."
"You're sure?" Gwen pressed.
"Yeah." Hawk smiled faintly. "At most he'll brood a little. For others, this would be the end of the world. For Peter? Small fry."
At worst, "dark Peter" would show up—demanding J. Jonah Jameson give him a raise, maybe buying himself a discounted suit.
Nothing more.
Unless Venom had already landed on Earth…
Hawk thought to himself.
Mary dating Flash Thompson—the guy who once bullied Peter Parker. It shocked both Hawk and Gwen.
But shock was all.
They didn't dwell on it.
After lunch with Gwen, Hawk left first.
He had an appointment—someone to meet for afternoon tea.
Sharon was back.
Not from her vacation in Texas, but from Wakanda.
At a café near NYU, Hawk accepted a tablet from Sharon while listening to her story. "Didn't you say you were on vacation in Texas? How'd you end up in Wakanda?"
That was why he hadn't chased her earlier. She'd promised to call when she returned. Disturbing someone's vacation was bad form.
Sharon sipped her free coffee and rolled her eyes. "The day after your call, my vacation got cut short. Emergency redeployment. Not just me—basically every S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Level 5 and above."
Hawk raised a brow. "Level 5 and up?"
"Yep."
"Something happened?"
"King T'Chaka is dead. His heir, T'Challa, launched a rebellion. Killed the UN peacekeepers stationed at the palace. Attacked the vibranium miners. Heavy losses all around."
"…Wait." Hawk blinked. "Didn't Wakanda's crisis already end? How's there a sequel?"
Sharon shook her head. "No. T'Chaka wasn't dead before, just in a coma. Now he's gone. The Golden Tribe had accepted the treaty. But once T'Challa took the throne, he tore it up."
Hawk exhaled, understanding. "And then?"
"The rebellion broke out on the night of the 31st. The Council hadn't realized the Golden Tribe still had hidden vibranium tech and weapons. By the time word reached us, UN forces had already been driven out of the capital. Some soldiers captured."
"The Council was furious.
"Next thing I know, I'm dragged out of my hotel and shipped to Wakanda."
Hawk fell silent.
He knew every word Sharon was saying. But strung together, it felt unreal.
The UN army—driven out of the capital?
Wakanda—capturing soldiers?
Unbelievable.
Then again…
The last time he'd spoken with Maria Hill, the UN army had been steamrolling Wakanda. But that was months ago.
Almost a year now.
He remembered clearly—last spring.
Back then, Wakanda was reeling. Hawk and Hell Hulk had torn the land apart. Blood ran in the rivers. Hawk had nearly killed T'Chaka himself. Even the vibranium shield was broken.
And T'Chaka had chosen peace. Ordered the Golden Tribe to negotiate.
But that was then.
Now? With the old king dead and a new one crowned, everything changed.
Empowered by the Heart-Shaped Herb, T'Challa became both king and protector. His first act: tear up the treaty.
Then he rallied thousands of Wakandan women into an army and stormed the capital, overrunning the UN base.
They even sank a UN warship offshore.
After that—
The vibranium dome went back up. The other tribes emerged from the forests and reclaimed their lost land.
"And now?" Hawk asked.
"Reinforcements, of course. Thankfully, an airbase was nearby. By the time we arrived, the Golden Tribe had already sent envoys asking for talks."
"And?"
"We're still talking." Sharon grimaced. "Pierce is pushing for a crackdown. Paris and London are against it—they don't want bad press if it escalates. The other two? Abstained."
"Figures." Hawk nodded. "They abstained the first time too."
Sharon suddenly pulled out her phone, showing him a video.
"Look."
Onscreen, soldiers lined up on a warship's deck—jumping overboard one after another. Some in shorts, some half-naked.
"What the hell?" Hawk frowned.
"Deck surveillance. That night. It's like they were under a spell. Every one of them leapt into the water. That's why the warship couldn't provide support."
"Any idea why?"
"Still under investigation." Sharon shrugged. "That's why the Council hasn't decided—war or peace. And that's why I'm finally back. Thank God. That place was too damn hot. I swear I'm tanned."
Hawk smirked, eyeing her. "You are darker."
"God, just kill me now." Sharon collapsed on the table, face in her hands.
A moment later she sat up, changing the subject. "By the way—why are you so interested in cloning?"
Hawk scrolled through the files on the tablet. "To bring back my sister."
"Oh." Sharon nodded, sipping her coffee.
Hawk skimmed the data and frowned. "This is all about organ cloning. No full human cloning?"
"Hawk, we're still S.H.I.E.L.D. We answer to the Council. Organ cloning is already tolerated. Full human cloning? That takes authorization way above my pay grade."
"Fair enough."
"But…" She hesitated. "A few years back, we did catch a guy experimenting with human cloning. Merrick, I think. He's locked up in the Black Prison. I could pull some strings, get you a meeting."
Hawk's eyes lit up. He looked at her. "Thanks."
"Buy me another coffee sometime."
"No problem." Hawk smiled, clinking his cup against hers.
But then—
His expression changed.
In the blink of an eye, before Sharon's eyes—
Hawk vanished from his seat.
…
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[Thank You For Your Support!]