Marvel: The Enlightened One#109+110: The Fracturing of Wakanda, Graduation and a Summer Trip

Logically, even with its existence revealed to the world, Wakanda should have been able to stand its ground. With an arsenal of Vibranium tanks and jets, they should have been more than a match for any "peacekeeping" force the Five Great Powers could muster.

But not this time.

The Demon Hulk had torn through their country, and the full might of the Wakandan army had been powerless to stop it.

They had suffered catastrophic losses, and the entire River Tribe's district had been reduced to a smoldering ruin.

Most importantly—

King T'Chaka had collapsed again. Wakanda was a nation without a leader, forced to adhere to their king's last command: retreat to the capital and activate the city's Vibranium energy shield.

As everyone knows, the larger the area, the greater the energy consumption. The smaller the area, the more concentrated the power.

T'Chaka had been confident that while Hawk might have been able to shatter the shield protecting their entire nation, he would never be able to break the one defending their capital.

...

Inside the royal command center of Wakanda, the atmosphere was thick with tension.

"It's been ten days. What's the plan?"

"Has the king awakened yet?"

"I say we fight them! Drive the thieves from our land!"

"Fight them with what?"

"That is the combined might of the Five Great Powers out there."

"This is our land!"

The chieftains of Wakanda's various tribes were gathered, their voices rising in a cacophony of dissent as they stared at the holographic projection of the UN peacekeeping force massed outside their capital.

Just then, King T'Chaka appeared, pushed in a wheelchair by a sharp-looking man.

The arguments ceased instantly. All eyes turned to their king.

"My king!"

"Shuri."

T'Chaka, his hair now completely gray, his face a mask of weary defeat, looked to his daughter, who was standing quietly by his side. "Contact S.H.I.E.L.D. Invite them in."

The moment he had seen Hawk shatter their energy shield with a single punch, the shock had overwhelmed him, and he had collapsed.

He had seen this coming—the inevitable consequence of their exposure.

If it had been possible, he would have chosen to reveal Wakanda to the world himself.

After all—

Choosing to reveal yourself and being forcibly exposed are two very different scenarios, with two very different sets of consequences.

But there’s no medicine for regret.

Wakanda's technology might be centuries ahead of the rest of the world, but they were now facing the collective will of the planet’s five superpowers.

If they refused to cooperate, the Five Great Powers might not be able to get in, but they would make damn sure that no one in Wakanda ever got out.

Their isolation had left them vulnerable. They had no strategic reserves, not even enough food to last a prolonged siege.

If the standoff continued, it wouldn’t be long before they destroyed themselves from within.

And so, there was only one path left for them.

Princess Shuri heard her father's command and nodded grimly.

The other tribal chieftains’ expressions changed, and they all turned to T’Chaka.

"My king, you can't!"

"They are not peacekeepers! They are thieves! Vibranium has always been ours—"

“Do you have a better plan?”

King T'Chaka cut them off. He pointed a trembling finger at the holographic display, at the massive army that had assembled in just ten days, at the five flags fluttering in the wind.

"Do you know what those five flags represent?"

"The last nation they 'helped' in this way... do you know what happened to its leader? To his country?"

"If you do not agree with my decision, you are free to leave. Your tribes can declare their independence. But the Golden Tribe will surrender."

King T'Chaka's voice, though hoarse, echoed with the last vestiges of his royal authority.

The other chieftains looked at one another, stunned into silence by his words.

"Shuri."

"Yes, Father."

"Contact them. Now. Before I draw my last breath, I must ensure the safety of our capital. I will not die in peace otherwise."

"Father..."

"Yes, sir."

Princess Shuri looked at the fading light in her father's eyes, and her own voice trembled as she opened a secure channel to S.H.I.E.L.D.

Standing behind the wheelchair, T'Challa placed his hands on his father's shoulders. He could feel the life force draining from him. He looked around the command center, at the faces of his people, and a wave of grief and rage washed over him.

He had left Wakanda as the prince of a hidden kingdom. He’d come home to find it being carved up by the world’s superpowers, his father on his deathbed...

And it was all because of one man.

An image of the man he had seen on the holographic projections flashed in T’Challa’s mind. He instinctively held his breath.

"Hawk."

...

"Achoo!"

In the school library, Hawk, who was helping Gwen with the senior yearbook, let out a sudden sneeze.

Gwen, sitting cross-legged on a sofa nearby, completely absorbed in editing photos on her laptop, glanced over at him as he rubbed his nose. “Catching a cold?”

Hawk rubbed his nose. "I think someone was just talking about me."

It wasn't a guess. It was the Sixth Sense.

Gwen tilted her head.

"Peter?"

"Why would Peter be talking about me?"

"Because you're obsessed with where his webs come from."

"Aren't you?"

"I was," Gwen said with a sly smile. "But I already got the answer out of Mary Jane."

Hawk's eyes lit up.

"And?"

"Not telling."

"What?"

Gwen just shrugged. "You never told me he was Spider-Man. I had to figure that out on my own. So, I'm not telling you his secret. You'll just have to ask him yourself."

The corner of Hawk's mouth twitched. “Gwen, you’re being petty.”

"You're just now figuring that out?"

She was completely immune to his goading.

Just then—

Speak of the devil.

Mary Jane and Peter walked into the library.

"Gwen, is the yearbook layout done?"

"Yep." Gwen looked up. "Just sent it to the printer. What about the contact list?"

Mary Jane nodded. "All done."

Hawk's eyes were fixed on Peter.

Feeling the intense stare since the moment he walked in, Peter’s Spider-Sense made the hairs on his arms stand up.

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. “What is it?”

Hawk just shrugged, his eyes drifting down to Peter's wrists. "So, where do the webs come from?"

Peter’s eye twitched. Seeing the two girls talking, he quickly changed the subject. “By the way, Gwen, did you see the latest news today?”

Gwen looked up from her laptop. "I've been here since seven this morning, helping Hawk with the yearbook. What happened?"

Peter didn't drag it out. "The UN just declared Wakanda a permanently neutral state. And to 'ensure peace and stability in the region,' the Five Great Powers have unanimously agreed to send in a joint peacekeeping force."

Gwen blinked.

Mary Jane, who was now leaning on Peter's shoulder, chimed in. "Didn't they already send troops to some African country like a month and a half ago?"

"This is different. Africa's been a mess for years. The Five Great Powers have never done a joint operation like this before."

While the girls gossiped, the boys talked politics.

Peter shook his head, then looked at Hawk. "Right, Hawk?"

Hawk shrugged. “Africa is a long way away. I couldn’t care less.”

As he spoke, he stood up. "I'm going to go make a call."

Gwen just nodded.

The moment he was outside, Hawk pulled out his phone and dialed Anna's number.

Okay, so he'd lied. He was actually quite interested in what happened next in Wakanda.

The call connected instantly.

"Hawk."

"Anna."

He got straight to the point. "The negotiations with Wakanda are over? What's this about a 'permanently neutral state'?"

Anna chuckled.

"You saw the news?"

"Yeah. Is it a done deal?"

"It was finalized five hours ago. The press release went out immediately."

"Give me the details."

Hawk's eyes lit up. He walked down the library steps and sat down cross-legged on the lawn.

Women loved gossip. Men did too, they just called it "geopolitics."

Hawk was no exception.

On the other end of the line, Anna organized her thoughts.

"Wakanda requested recognition of their capital as a sovereign city-state, the status of a permanently neutral nation, and the preservation of the Golden Tribe's authority."

"The Five Great Powers agreed, in exchange for access to Wakanda's technology and the right to establish a permanent, joint military presence to 'protect' them."

Hiss.

Hawk drew in a sharp breath. "So they're disarmed?"

Anna's voice was laced with irony. "Why would a permanently neutral country need an army?"

An African nation with that many Vibranium weapons? What are you going to do, start a rebellion against the rest of the world?

Hawk's eyebrow arched. "And Wakanda agreed to that?"

"The Golden Tribe agreed."

"Uh..."

"This morning, right after the treaty was announced, the River Tribe, the Jabari Tribe, and the Border Tribe all declared their independence and attacked the peacekeeping forces. The joint command is... not pleased."

"So..."

"The UN is about to make an example of them."

Of course they were.

It looked like the situation in Wakanda wasn't going to be resolved anytime soon.

"Alright. Thanks."

"Any time."

Just as Hawk was about to hang up, Anna spoke again. "Oh, and Hawk? Congratulations."

He paused, the phone still at his ear.

"For what?"

"Happy graduation."

"..."

<><><><><><><><>

The next day.

June 12th, 2013.

A Wednesday.

And the day of Midtown School of Science and Technology’s graduation ceremony for the senior class.

The school’s lawn, bordering the East River, was already bustling with proud parents. With the ceremony yet to begin, they were all busy pulling their children aside for one last round of keepsake photos.

Hawk and Gwen were no exception.

Dressed in their caps and gowns, they were being expertly orchestrated by Helen Stacy, striking one pose after another, much to her delight.

Hawk and Gwen stood under a large oak tree, hand in hand, looking at each other. Gwen offered him an apologetic smile.

“Sorry about this.”

“Sorry for what?”

“My mom’s a little... enthusiastic.”

“I think it’s nice.”

Hawk smiled, glancing over at Helen, who was a short distance away, scouting for the perfect angle.

Helen, peering through the camera lens, suddenly had an idea. Her eyes lit up, and she looked up at Hawk.

“Hawk.”

“Yes, ma’am?”

“On the count of three, you kiss her.”

“Okay.”

Hawk didn’t need to be told twice. He looked at his smiling girlfriend, and as Helen’s count reached three, he leaned in without hesitation.

Gwen met him halfway.

Click, click, click!

Helen, now in full professional photographer mode, held down the shutter button, capturing the perfect moment.

...

A little while later, seated in the audience, Helen was scrolling through the photos on her camera, an unstoppable smile on her face.

It was a good thing George had a case today and couldn’t make it.

Otherwise...

The look on his face would not have been a happy one.

Sitting in the front row, Gwen glanced back at her mother, who was still admiring her handiwork. The corner of her mouth twitched. She leaned over to Hawk and whispered, “Don’t come upstairs to the apartment tonight.”

Hawk looked at her, confused.

“Why not?”

“Because if my dad sees these pictures, I’m pretty sure he’ll shoot you.”

“...”

Hawk blinked. He looked back at Helen, who was completely lost in her own world of photography, and then thought about the series of poses she’d had them do—poses perfectly designed to give a doting father like George an aneurysm. He nodded slowly. “Good point. I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

They had plans to meet Mary Jane and Peter at a new restaurant near Times Square tonight to celebrate their graduation.

Sitting on Gwen’s other side, Mary Jane let out a sigh. “At least you guys get pictures. I’m not even sure my date is going to show up.”

Gwen, hearing the resentment in her best friend’s voice, turned to her.

“Is Peter still not here?”

“Nope.”

“What’s he doing?”

“Don’t know, don’t care. All I know is that if he’s not here in the next ten minutes, he’s going to be my ex-boyfriend.”

“...”

Gwen listened to the aura of resentment coming off her friend and immediately shot a look at Hawk.

Hawk got the message. He pulled out his phone and dialed Peter’s number.

After a few rings, he finally picked up. The moment the call connected, Hawk could hear the frantic sound of sirens in the background.

Clearly, New York’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man was either fighting crime or on his way to fight crime.

Amidst the wail of the sirens and the rush of the wind, Peter’s voice came through.

“Hello?”

“Forget ‘hello.’ You’ve got ten minutes to get here, or Mary Jane is breaking up with you.”

Hawk kept it short and sweet. He hung up, then gave Gwen a nod. Message delivered.

Nine minutes later, as Hawk was watching Gwen—this year’s valedictorian—deliver a brilliant and moving speech, he saw a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye.

Peter, still in his cap and gown, was stealthily making his way from the portable toilets near the stage. He slid into the seat next to Mary Jane, fending off her furious, whispered attacks as he tried to explain.

Mary Jane, true to her word, hadn’t broken up with him yet. But she was making sure he felt the full force of her wrath.

Hawk, meanwhile, sat in his seat, his eyes meeting those of his girlfriend on stage, who was radiating a confident smile as she spoke.

...

That evening.

Gwen emerged from her apartment building and saw the black Audi A8 parked across the street. She smiled, crossed the road, and slid into the passenger seat.

As Hawk pulled away from the curb and headed for Times Square, he glanced at her.

“So, how bad was George’s face?”

“I wouldn’t say bad...”

Gwen looked at Hawk with a serious expression, then her smile bloomed. “I’d say very bad. He even asked when you were coming up. Good thing you didn’t.”

Hawk looked at Gwen’s bright smile but didn’t smile back.

His voice was somber.

“Gwen, you do realize that I can’t just avoid him forever, right? I can’t spend the rest of our lives meeting you on the street.”

“Uh...”

Gwen’s smile froze. “So, what do we do? Turn back?”

“No.”

Hawk shook his head. “We’ll just have to trust in the wisdom of our future selves.”

Gwen blinked.

“What does that mean?”

“It means that’s a problem for Future Hawk.”

“...Hawk.”

“Yeah?”

Gwen looked at him, her expression now as serious as his had been. “If future Hawk ever thinks about today, he’s definitely going to call past Hawk an asshole.”

Hawk just shrugged. “So what? What’s he going to do, travel back in time and kick my ass?”

Gwen just shook her head, a smile playing on her lips as she changed the subject.

“Are Mary Jane and Peter there yet?”

“They are.”

“Good. That place is always packed. Hopefully they got us a table so we don’t have to wait.”

“Already done.”

...

Half an hour later, they were at a French restaurant right on the Hudson River.

As Hawk parked the car and they got out, Mary Jane, who was sitting at one of the outdoor tables, spotted them and waved.

They walked over. Hawk pulled out a chair for Gwen, then sat down next to her. He looked at Peter. “So how late were you guys stuck at school taking pictures?”

Peter didn’t answer right away. He just looked at Hawk, his expression pained. “I feel like my legs are going to fall off.”

Hawk just laughed.

Mary Jane rolled her eyes. “I told you yesterday, Peter. Graduation day is picture day.”

Peter just gave a weak, apologetic smile.

Gwen, seeing his distress, just shook her head and jumped in, changing the subject and asking Mary Jane about her plans for the summer.

Mary Jane’s eyes lit up.

“What if we all went on a trip? Somewhere international.”

“Like where?”

“London. What do you think?”

Mary Jane’s face was alight with excitement.

“I was also thinking Paris, but we can do London this year and Paris next. What do you think, Gwen?”

“I’m in.”

Gwen said, then turned to Hawk. “Are you going?”

Hawk didn’t say anything. He just looked at her, a small, unreadable smile on his face.

Gwen smiled back, then looked past him to Peter. “Peter, what about you?”

Peter opened his mouth.

London...

The plane tickets alone are going to be insane.

He was already mentally calculating the cost, trying to figure out if his savings could...

Just as he was about to decline, Hawk answered for him.

“He’s in.”

“...”

Peter looked at him, stunned. “I am?”

“You are.”

Hawk looked from Peter to Gwen and nodded. “Yep. He’s in.”

Gwen just smiled at Peter, waiting.

“Okay.”

Peter gave up. He’d just have to max out his credit card. “I’m in.”

Gwen and Mary Jane exchanged a triumphant look.

The next second, they both had their phones out, already searching for flights and hotels.

By the time their dinner arrived, they had a rough itinerary planned out.

Gwen was a student aide, after all. She was known for her efficiency.

And Mary Jane... well, she was just happy to be going.

After dinner, they decided to take a walk through Times Square. Gwen and Mary Jane walked ahead, excitedly discussing their trip.

Hawk and Peter followed behind.

Hawk glanced at Peter, who had been quiet and distracted ever since he’d heard the estimated cost of the trip. “I’ll cover you.”

Peter looked at him and shook his head.

“No, it’s fine. I’ll figure something out.”

“What are you going to do? Sell more Spider-Man selfies?”

“Uh...”

Peter scratched the back of his head. “I took too many this year... The Bugle’s not paying what they used to.”

Hawk just shook his head. “Have you ever thought about switching papers? Why are you so determined to stick with the Daily Bugle?”

Peter looked just as exasperated.

“The problem is, besides the Bugle, all the other tabloids pay even less.”

“...Fair enough.”

Hawk fell silent for a moment. “Just save your money, Peter. It’s on me. It’s not like I had to sell my soul for it.”

Peter was curious.

“So where did your money come from?”

“It fell out of the sky.” Hawk just smiled.

Just as he'd said before, of the three versions of Spider-Man, this one was his favorite.

Peter opened his mouth to say something else to Hawk when a massive explosion erupted from Times Square ahead. Amid the chaos, a silver-white arc of electricity tore through the sky and slammed into one of the giant screens.

The screen flickered, then went dark, crashing to the street below.

Hawk and Peter froze, then looked at each other.

In the next instant, they were gone.

...