Okay, I can understand locking Agent Ross in the office. But why me? 

I'm as much Wakandan as everyone else. I should be standing there in support of T'Challa, not locked up like an outsider. This is just embarrassing!

I sit in a corner, my knees tight against my chest. My head buried in my arms. I hate being locked up in a room with people I don't trust. I try to stay far away from him. 

"Can I ask you something?" Agent Ross's voice cuts into to silence. He's standing by the ceremonial masks, having accidentally knocked one over, he turns to face me.

"No." I respond simply. I had a feeling I knew what he was going to ask. 

Ignoring my response, he asks, "How did you end up in Wakanda?" Here we go. 

I groan and take a deep breath. "Are you asking for my backstory?" I ask as I pick my head up from my arms.

"When I was about three years old, I was found near an airplane crash by an old couple. They brought me to the border tribe, who then brought me to King T'Chaka. Mother, the Queen, had just had Shuri but she insisted on adopting me. There were no survivors except for me on that plane. Father went back to look. He found two dead bodies. They were my parents. I was the only one left. So, Father made it official. I was officially adopted by the royal family."

There is a moment of silence before Agent Ross speaks. "So, they didn't contact UN? They just saw two dead bodies and didn't think twice? "

"Agent Ross, there was reluctance letting you in Wakanda. Do you really think Father wanted to open the borders to let everybody in, let alone the UN? Just to figure out why a little boy was wandering around near a plane crash, but instead, find all this!" I snap, turning my face into the corner. 

"I'm sorry. I just-. Why are you so hostile towards me?"

I shake my head. "I'm sorry." I say, my voice quivering. "I don't mean to be so hostile. I just have trust issues with people I don't know. People in general, to be honest. Growing up in a little nation like Wakanda, you get to know everybody, so meeting you put my defenses up." 

Agent Ross nods his head in understanding. He turns to me again. "Okay, explain to me how you ended up being Shuri's bodyguard." 

I let out a laugh as I lean my head against the wall. "Well, to explain that, I would also have to explain The White Wolf." Agent Ross nods, encouraging me on. "Well, The White Wolf is the Protector of Wakanda." Agent Ross has a puzzled look on his face. "I thought the Black Panther was the protector of Wakanda." I lift my head up to look at him. "He is, but I protect Wakanda from itself. Breached governments mostly. I do help T'Challa from time to time. It's just the job of The White Wolf." 

"So how did that lead to you being Shuri's personal bodyguard?" 

I laugh. "It's actually quite a funny story." Agent Ross continued staring at me. "She wanted to spend more time with me, so she convinced Father that she needed a bodyguard."

I pause trying to catch my breath, I'm laughing so hard. Agent Ross joins in, chuckling softly along. "She was twelve years old." 

Agent Ross wipes away a tear, still laughing. "Wow, that's-" He's cut off as Nakia throws open the door to the office, a cloak wrapped around her shoulders. We both hop up at the same time. "What's wrong?" Agent Ross asks, seeing the pained expression on her face. No. 

"The King is dead," Nakia announces, throwing a cloak at him. She steps forward, handing me a cloak. Sympathy in her eyes. 

No. T'Challa can't be dead. He can't! Not T'Challa.

We need to leave now unless you want to end up at the bottom of the river." Nakia says to Agent Ross, rushing out of the office. 

I can't move. I'm frozen in place. T'Challa can't be dead. This is just some sick joke. He will come out any minute now, laughing at us. Just like when we were little. 

Ross throws his cloak on over his head before wrapping an arm around my shoulders, pushing me forward.