---

  Kue didn't ugh.

  Non's demeanour, his knowledge, and the power he'd already shown made one thing clear he wasn't crazy.

  And if someone like that still dared to make bold demands... it meant he had leverage.

  Moments ter, a man in a b coat came rushing out and whispered something into Kue's ear.

  Kue's eyes lit up. He looked at Non again.

  "This is legit. Fully compatible with the human nervous system. You realize how much something like this would sell for? And you just handed it over?"

  Non gnced at the b coat clearly one of Kue's engineers. So Kue had already run some verification. No wonder he was now showing real interest.

  "It's just a piece of tech," Non replied casually. "I'd have figured it out eventually anyway. Don't tell me you haven't been trying to build one. I'm guessing you've been at it for a while now."

  He paused, then added, "As for money? A mechanical arm isn't worth a fraction of Wakanda."

  That made Kue sit up straight.

  His tone sharpened. "How much do you know?"

  "More than you think," Non said, calmly meeting his eyes. "Like the brand on your neck. Where did that Vibranium stash really come from? And that little revenge scheme of yours... with Golden Jaguar."

  Kue's pupils contracted.

  Not just surprise there was fear in his eyes now.

  "You—how do you know that?!"

  The brand, sure. Even the Vibranium smuggling was a known story in Wakanda.

  But the revenge plot? Golden Jaguar?

  Only two people in the world knew that. Kue and... him.

  Did Erik sell him out?

  Non just smiled.

  "This world's full of... unusual people. You know that better than most."

  Kue inhaled sharply. Non's message was clear he was one of those unusual people.

  He'd trafficked Vibranium for years and brushed shoulders with power. But few ever left an impression like Ultron... or the Avengers.

  "You mentioned the Bck Panther earlier," Kue said cautiously. "What did you mean?"

  "Wakanda's new protector. The son of the former king T'Chal. He's about to bring Wakanda into the global spotlight. And S.H.I.E.L.D.? They've got their eyes on him."

  Non leaned in slightly.

  "Now imagine this: T'Chal starts diplomatic talks. Wakanda opens up. And you sitting on a stockpile of stolen Vibranium."

  He smiled coldly.

  "You become public enemy number one. Accused of sabotaging international peace efforts. S.H.I.E.L.D. will bury you."

  Kue was stunned. He'd never considered that angle before.

  "What do you want?" he finally asked.

  He was starting to believe Non. Mostly because Non had known about the revenge pn. No one knew that.

  Sure, he was still sceptical that any smart dealer would be. But Kue had seen the Avengers in action. If they decided to target him? He wouldn't survive.

  Non raised a finger.

  "A Vibranium shield. Just like the one the Captain used."

  Kue frowned.

  "A shield?"

  "That's not a small request," he said after a beat. "And your information, while valuable, doesn't cover the cost."

  He paused.

  "Add ten million. Consider it a discount."

  A Vibranium shield wasn't just expensive it was nearly priceless. No matter how useful Non's intel had been, it wasn't that useful.

  Non didn't even blink.

  "I don't have any money."

  The room went dead quiet.

  Kue smmed his hand on the table, the sound like a whip crack. His lone remaining arm trembled with rage.

  "You pying me?!"

  Around them, Kue's guards tensed, eyes locked on Non. Waiting for the signal.

  "I said I have something better." Non tapped his temple. "I'm guessing there's a problem none of your people have been able to solve. Let me solve it."

  This was Non's strategy to leverage intelligence over currency.

  If you didn't have power, you needed brains. Fortunately, he had both. But between the two, he always preferred mind over muscle.

  Though, in truth... if Kue hadn't brought him here for a chat, Non could've killed him already.

  He just didn't want an enemy. He wanted a partner.

  And Kue, for all his sins, was rich and vulnerable.

  A perfect fit.

  "Nice bluff," Kue sneered. "You're just another grifter with a pretty blueprint. Take your designs and get out."

  He waved dismissively.

  "To hell with your sci-fi nonsense. If that arm blueprint is real, you probably just ripped it off someone else."

  Non wasn't surprised. He expected resistance.

  Kue did own tons of Vibranium. And of course, he was researching its applications. But while he had the money, he didn't have the people. And Vibranium wasn't exactly easy to work with.

  His engineers? Average at best.

  "Then why not test me?" Non said, unfazed. "I'm here. If I fail, kill me. But if I succeed... you gain an ally. And a vault of knowledge you can't buy."

  Kue narrowed his eyes.

  Non's calmness wasn't arrogance. It was a certainty.

  Finally, Kue spoke.

  "Fine. If you fail... I'll kill you."

  "Deal."

  Kue turned.

  "Loudsen, take him. Show him the Sonic Arm project. Didn't you say you were stuck?"

  A blond technician sneered at Non.

  "You want a few years to catch up on the research first?"

  The b had been grinding away at this project for ages. The data was dense, the theory complex.

  And here came some bastard thinking he could solve it in a day?

  Ridiculous.

  He shot Non a mocking smile.

  "You're gonna die trying, little man."

  Non's face didn't change, but his enhanced instincts, courtesy of the Super Soldier Serum, fred.

  He could feel it.

  This guy wanted him dead.

  ---

  Thank you so much for your support and for reading!