Work Text:
It had been another day working for Roxxon. James was sent to work in “Neutral Zone W” as the suits called it but everyone else called by it’s true name: Wakanda. He had to wear a company issued hazmat suit whenever he was outside of his personal quarters. James walked through the work camp in the blasted wasteland of the once majestic Wakandan landscape to the command tent.
“Alright”, Said the stern manager of the camp “We need a group of miners to dig at”, He checked his notes “Section S. We’ll be sending squadron B in. Be careful the last group we sent in hasn’t reported back yet. We think it might have been mutated snakes at best or a resistance cell from the Killmongers at worst. Everyone else will be working at their usual sites”
As James left the tent and started to gather the materials that he needed for the mining expedition he felt a sense of dread. The (He thinks the Wakandans called it) snake valley was treacherous before the bombs fell. But after it seemed to have become hell on earth. There were reports of giant snakes, mutated dinosaurs and some of the few well bodied natives had started fighting a guerilla war against Roxxon and other foreign powers and companies. And the Killmonger cell had used the valley as a common ambush spot. Though that didn’t exactly differentiate it from the rest of Wakanda; During the past week or so pursemed K.I.As were more and more common in that damned valley.
James had gathered what he needed for the valley: Rations, patches in case his suit got a hole, a rifle (in case of snakes or dinosaurs) and a handheld laser cutter: one of the few things that could cut through vibranium. James then gathered with the rest of squadron B there was a sense of mournfulness as the field captain, a man named Jack, tried his best to calm the nerves of the 5 of them before heading towards the valley. But everyone even Jack knew that they were heading towards a suicide mission.
The hike from the former mount Wakanda settlement to the entrance of the valley was uneventful. The occasional sound from some irradiated critter would give the squad a minor heart attack. But besides that it was uneventful. Before the bombs fell on Wakanda the valley must’ve been a thick jungle but now like the rest of the country it was more comparable to a vast desert. “Like the grand canyon back home” James thought to himself. Roxxon had already installed a lift down to the valley. Most of the northern end of the valley had been stripped but the southern end (the one closest to the Killmonger village) had not really been touched by Roxxon or anyone of the other powers mining in Wakanda. The lift ride and the subsequent hike through the valley was weirdly eerie. There hadn’t been as many giant snakes or mutated dinosaurs as James expected. And the few they did encounter weren’t as hostile as the reports suggested.
“Maybe the radiation made them hostile and now it’s wearing off?” suggested a newer recruit by the name of Gabe
“If that were true how about we take these suits off and while we were at it say hello to our friends the Killmongers!” James snarked
“It was just a suggestion you don’t have to be an ass about it.”
“Both of you shut it.” Jack said
For a moment there was silence then in the distance they heard the sound of thunder as if a huge hulking beast was walking further down the valley.
“What was that?!” Quivered Roger
“It’s probably just a T-rex or something.” Jack said, “Either way it’s too far away for us to worry about it.”
After that the squad continued down the valley for a couple of hours until they came across a massacre. The bodies had been strewn about the valley having been killed in very brutal ways. Some men had been torn apart and some lucky soul was only killed by being thrown against some rocks.
“God”, said Smith “This must be squad F.”
“A T-Rex must have gotten them.” Jack concluded
“I don’t know.” James said, “I don’t think T-Rexes leave these kinds of footprints.”
James was looking at a big indent in the earth. It was clearly a footprint. It looked like a human’s but it was too big.
“What could’ve done this?” Gabe wondered aloud.
“I don’t know.” Replied Roger, “Maybe the Killmongers had something to do with this?”
“HA, you seriously think that those cancer ridden savages could have done this?” Smith replied
“What do you think happened then?” James challenged
Smith was silent.
“That’s what I thought.”
“You know I heard a rumor.” Gabe started “That one of the prisoners that we held onto a few months ago was babbling about something called “Wak-Na” taking revenge on all of us.”
“What’s a Wak-Na?” Smith asked sarcastically
“I don’t know. But it sounded like an earth spirit. Like the land itself would take revenge for what we’ve done to it.”
“That sounds ridiculous.” James interjected
“Well no matter what this thing is we have to continue with caution.” Jack said “Before Squad F was killed they reported a vein about a mile from here.”
So the squad headed out, continuing south through the valley. The air was tense; the thought of the Wak-Na coming and painting the valley with their blood was all that James could think about. The thought terrified him, of dying in this irritated hellhole for something that he didn’t even do. For only doing something he was hired to do.
They found where the viburnum vein was supposed to be located about 40 miles northeast of the chasm of chilling mist. The squad got to work chipping off the viburnum bit by bit until THUD! They heard the sound of thundering footsteps just like they heard earlier in the valley. But this time it was much closer.
“It’s just footsteps, everyone keep working.” Jack yelled
“Maybe it’s the Wak-Na!” Smith joked
“That's not funny!” Roger replied
Then there was a roar. It sounded like a man’s but more visceral and savage, like a monster. The source of the roar came from the top of the cliff walls where stood a green behemoth bigger than any man that James had ever seen. It roared as it jumped down the cliffside.
“FUCK!” Smith yelled as the behemoth smashed down on the ground near them. The shockwave sent them flying. James was disoriented, but he quickly pulled his rifle out and started firing on the beast. Jack seemed to have the same idea; he also started firing at the beast. James did a quick roll call, Gabe had been killed in the creature’s initial landing and his body had hit the cliffside, his blood staining the vibranium he died for. Roger had started firing at this point but from the looks of it his legs were broken. James wasn’t able to find Smith chances are he ran off to save his own hide. The monster had been taking the bullets as if they were only Nerf darts; The force from the bullets was the only thing that stopped the beast from making any moves. Until it got its hands up and brought them together in a big clap that sent shockwaves. The shockwaves sent the bullets back to their receivers and caused those receivers to be knocked back.
James hit the cliffside hard. He felt something break but he couldn’t tell what exactly. Everything was blurry and he realized he couldn’t feel his legs. As James looked around he could make out the silhouette of what James was now convinced was the Wak-Na, stepping on Roger with full force that seemed to have killed him. James couldn't see Jack; he probably made a tactical retreat which left only James. James decided that he wouldn’t go down without a fight so he left his rifle with the strength he had left and pulled the trigger. The bullet whizzed forward and hit the Wak-Na. The beast turned its head and lumbered over to James. James felt a mixture of fear and relief flow through him as the beast came for him. As the Wak-Na stood before him James’ final thought was about how human the monster looked as it reached its huge fist and finally brought some small amount of revenge for the land.