Chapter 365: Chapter: 365
"Coulson, you need to give us a clear explanation. The World Security Council's actions are hypocritical and fickle!"
In the meeting room of the Avengers' base, Rhodes was engaged in a heated argument with Coulson.
The reason behind this was that after they had jointly resolved the Lizard People incident on the Europe continent and handed over the mastermind, Green Goblin, to S.H.I.E.L.D., the United Nations reneged on their previous promises to the Avengers.
They used the "Seoul Accord," which the Avengers had not officially agreed to, as a basis to place Captain America, Scarlet Witch, and Falcon – three members of the Avengers – under charges that violated international conventions, and subsequently detained them all.
At the same time, Natasha had previously revealed information about the pursuit to Captain America, and her assistance in evading the pursuit was uncovered by a United Nations investigative group. This led to Natasha being charged with complicity and harboring.
However, Natasha's instincts as a spy were still sharp. When the United Nations' action unit began to apprehend Captain America and his team, Natasha had already sensed the danger and made preparations. By the time the capture was attempted, she had vanished without a trace.
As for the Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes, after undergoing treatment to restore his original appearance, he remained hidden within the old office building of the Mark Research Center, much like before.
Therefore, he escaped the ordeal and found himself on the global wanted list alongside Natasha. However, he did not lose his freedom.
As for T'Challa and Mark, while the World Security Council possessed evidence of their violation of the "Seoul Accord," both were formidable figures – T'Challa being the next king of Wakanda and Mark a tech genius and a super-billionaire. Disturbing them wouldn't be wise for the Council members; thus, they turned a blind eye and didn't focus their efforts on them.
Even so, after the Avengers had helped inept governments and international organizations solve significant problems, they ended up facing this kind of treatment. The remaining members couldn't help but feel anger and resentment.
And to make matters worse, the World Security Council members had passed a resolution to incarcerate Captain America and his two companions in the Raft Prison!
It's important to note that the Raft Prison is one of the most tightly guarded and technologically advanced high-security prisons on Earth. Situated in the middle of treacherous oceans and submerged beneath the water's surface year-round, it's often referred to as an inescapable underwater tomb.
From its inception, this prison was designed to house exceptionally dangerous super-criminals possessing special abilities. Some of these inmates were old acquaintances of S.H.I.E.L.D., handed over to them by the Avengers after being defeated.
Now, the Council members had placed Captain America and his companions in this prison. This wasn't just an insult to their reputation; it was clear that they were intentionally causing trouble for them.
"Sorry, Rhodey. I had no idea something like this would happen either. You know, I'm a devoted fan of Captain America. If I had known the senators were going to pull such a stunt, how could I not have informed Cap in advance?"
Coulson felt unjustly accused by Rhodey's questioning, and for him, the actions of the Security Council were equally difficult to accept. This wasn't just because of his admiration for Captain America; it was also due to the deep bond he had forged alongside the Avengers, fighting side by side.
"Alright, enough of this quarreling. The hypocrisy of politicians is beyond shameless. You both know it well; don't mistake the conditions set by politicians for promises.
The reason they fulfill their own conditions isn't to uphold their reputation but to amass enough political capital and other interests.
Once they're enticed by greater benefits, these so-called promises and agreements are nothing more than empty words in the end, utterly meaningless.
In the beginning, Green Goblin incident shook their fundamental interests, so they made all sorts of 'promises' without any moral boundaries.
But now that the matter is resolved and Green Goblin has been handed over for detention, the phase where this incident could destabilize their core interests has ended.
The trouble now is that Captain America and his two companions have blatantly violated the 'Seoul Accord' they were instrumental in creating.
If they don't provide an explanation to all representatives of the United Nations, it will seriously damage their future credibility and reputation.
At this point, the charges against Captain America and his team are nothing more than chips in the political game – chips that can be exchanged for larger stakes and benefits while avoiding their own risks, of course."
Tony, having a thorough understanding of this outcome, saw through it all. As someone who had once been the biggest arms supplier to the defense department and the military, he was well-versed in such political games, having participated in them himself.
However, this didn't mean he was willing to accept the outcome. Tony Stark would never be subservient! Those who wanted to ride roughshod over him and cause trouble were now pushing up daisies.
But unlike Rhodey, Tony wasn't limited to verbal retaliation when facing dissatisfaction. He would take action.
...
On the evening after Natasha's escape, Tony and Mark had already begun planning for their trapped comrades.
In the meeting room of the newly constructed building at Mark Research Center, the two had been waiting for a while. It was now late at night, and apart from the security robots patrolling, there were no employees or clients within the building.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Suddenly, a knocking sound echoed on the window of the meeting room. Tony and Mark turned to look; the source of the commotion was none other than T'Challa, the Wakandan king who had participated in the Europe rescue mission.
At this moment, he was wearing the Black Panther suit, adhering firmly to the glass curtain wall of the building's facade using the electrostatic adhesion devices on his palms and soles.
Mark opened the window for him, letting T'Challa inside. Clearly, he was the person they had been waiting for on this late night.
"Why did you climb in from the outside?" Tony looked at T'Challa, who appeared mysterious, making this meeting seem like a clandestine deal. Although that was indeed the case – something not meant to be seen.
"It's just to avoid being noticed. Climbing up the wall is a bit more discreet."
"But we specifically chose this time so you could walk in through the front door without a fuss. If we had known you were going to take such an unusual path, we would have scheduled the meeting during the day.
Now I'm sacrificing my sleep, spending the middle of the night in this room with you two grown men." Tony once again displayed his sardonic nature.
"Alright, enough with the banter, old man. What we need to discuss now is how to rescue Captain America and his team. T'Challa, we brought you here hoping you'd cooperate with us to free them and then take them back to Wakanda to evade the UN's scrutiny."
Seeing that Tony was about to start rambling again, Mark quickly interjected, steering the conversation back on track.
But faced with Mark's request, T'Challa hesitated. On one hand, he had fought alongside Captain America and his team and also owed Mark a favor.
In principle, considering the situation, T'Challa should have agreed to Mark's request, both ethically and practically. After all, for him, it would be a simple nod of agreement.
However, on the other hand, Wakanda's long-standing policy of isolation was primarily aimed at safeguarding the secret of their vast reserves of vibranium, preventing other forces from coveting and invading the country due to this significant resource.
Bringing Captain America and his team back to Wakanda would mean exposing the closely guarded secret of the nation's vast vibranium resources to them.
If Captain America and his team were to leave Wakanda in the future and disclose the secret of vibranium to the outside world, it could potentially lead to an unprecedented crisis for his nation.
Sensing T'Challa's hesitation, Mark, being a reincarnator with knowledge of Wakanda's truths, could roughly guess the concerns weighing on T'Challa's mind as the next king.
It's important to note that the previous Wakandan king, T'Chaka, went to extreme lengths to protect the secrecy of vibranium, even going so far as to order the assassination of his own brother. T'Chaka's brother's orphan, Erik, was also abandoned outside Wakanda.
And according to the original movie's storyline, T'Challa only had a change of heart after his cousin, Erik defeated him and he fell off a cliff. He then rejected the isolationist policies of previous Wakandan kings and was willing to open Wakanda's borders and technology to the world...
T'Challa's hesitation now stemmed from the recent passing of his father, T'Chaka, who was also the former king. He believed it was his duty to carry on his father's mission of safeguarding Wakanda.
However, his inner goodness and the friendship he had forged with the Avengers made it impossible for him to turn a blind eye to their current predicament.
"T'Challa, I know what you're hesitating about, and I also understand that Wakanda isn't as backward as the outside world assumes it to be.
You're concerned that if Captain America and his team enter Wakanda, it would increase the risk of your nation's long-guarded secret being exposed. It could also bring about complications and trouble for your country.
However, we've been through some difficult times together, especially you, Captain, Wanda, and Sam, working together to thwart Green Goblin's plans.
I believe that in this process, you've come to understand Captain America's character. If he and his team weren't truly worth entrusting your back to, if they weren't trustworthy partners, you wouldn't have helped them evade pursuit and fought alongside them against the enemy.
Don't let past traditions and rules limit your thinking. Times are changing, society is progressing. You've studied at Oxford University for so many years; you surely have your own viewpoints.
What I want to say is that whether from your own perspective or from the standpoint of Captain America's character, the risk of our request is close to zero. I hope you can agree to help us accomplish this."
In response to Mark's persuasion, T'Challa was initially shocked! He hadn't anticipated that the secrets Wakanda had been striving to keep hidden would be known by people outside his country, and they seemed to have a clear understanding of the matter.
Then Mark's words hit a chord deep within him, causing the balance in his mind to tilt increasingly toward Captain America and his team.
"Where did you learn about Wakanda's secrets?" While T'Challa had already made up his mind, he still needed to clarify certain matters first.
Of course, Mark couldn't reveal the true reason that he was a reincarnator who had seen the "Black Panther" movie. He needed to fabricate a reasonable and convincing lie to deal with the situation. For someone as intellectually adept as Mark, this wasn't a problem.
"You attended the United Nations meeting held at their Vienna headquarters this time. Besides announcing Wakanda's intention to strengthen its communication with other nations, do you also recall the 'Seoul Accord' that we were supposed to officially sign?"
Instead of directly answering T'Challa's question, Mark responded with a counter-question.
"Of course, I remember," T'Challa answered succinctly.
"In the Seoul incident, Max acquired a substantial amount of vibranium from a smuggler named Ulysses Klaue. It was used for his own augmentation."
"From Ulysses Klaue's activities, our investigation revealed that the vibranium he possessed was smuggled out of Wakanda. Subsequently, through continuous inquiry, I followed some clues. After piecing together these fragmented bits of information, I finally arrived at an incredible truth—that which Wakanda has been safeguarding for a long time."
After Mark's explanation, T'Challa was even more astonished! However, he wasn't shocked by the lie Mark had constructed; he was astonished by the logic and intelligence exhibited within that lie.
With only a few leads, Mark had managed to follow the trail and uncover the truth about Wakanda. Such an ability was both admirable and eerie, as if his keen eyes could expose any secret, leaving one shivering.
Of course, Mark was unaware of T'Challa's thoughts and speculations. Even if he knew, he would probably just chuckle nonchalantly, thinking that the indigenous inhabitants wouldn't understand the world of reincarnators.
"Alright, as the heir to the Wakandan throne, I agree to this request. How do you need me to cooperate in this operation?"
Upon hearing T'Challa's agreement, Tony and Mark exchanged glances—it was a done deal!
"Given the circumstances, General Ross is currently in charge of the Raft prison. Both Mark and I have some rapport with him. Tomorrow, we'll..."
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