BLACK PANTHER ALTERNATE
by Gunman

Disclaimer: I do not own The Black Panther or their characters.

Summary: What would have happened if Klaue had died in Busan instead of being captured?

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(Wakandan Royal Throne Room)

T'Challa, king of Wakanda, sat at the end of the small circle of people gathered in the room. With him were the leaders of the other tribes. The River Tribe, The Mining Tribe, The Merchant Tribe, and The Boarder Tribe. There was also his mother, Ramona, and one of his best friends, W'Kabi from the Boarder Tribe, and General Okoye of the Dora Milaje, who was giving the briefing.

"A misidentified Wakandan artifact was stolen yesterday from a British museum. We have learned Ulysses Klaue plans to sell the vibranium to an American buyer in South Korea tomorrow night." Okoye said, using her Kimoyo Beads to project the hologram of the vibranium and Klaue himself.

"Klaue has escaped our pursuits for almost 30 years. Not capturing him is perhaps my fathers greatest regret. I wish to bring Klaue back here to stand trial." T'Challa said.

"Wakanda does not need a warrior right now. We need a king." the female elder of the Merchant Tribe said.

"My parents were killed when he attacked. Not a day goes by when I do not think about what Klaue took from us. From me." W'Kabi added.

"It's too great an opportunity to pass." Okoye agreed.

"Take me with you. We'll take him down together, side-by-side." W'Kabi said to T'Challa.

"I need you here protecting the border." T'Challa retorted.

"Then I ask, you kill him where he stands, or you bring him back to us."

"You have my word. I will bring him back." T'Challa said to his friend. "We will proceed with the mission." he said to the Elders as he stood up from his throne.

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(Busan, South Korea, 24 hours later)

It had been a spirited and difficult car chase. Bullets and energy blasts raining down on the streets of the city as T'Challa, Okoye and Nakia gave chase to the black SUVs that Klaue and his men were using for their escape.

T'Challa had taken out two of the SUVs, with Shuri remote-driving a car that he was using for the pursuit, while Okoye and Nakia had taken out a third vehicle before Klaue used his vibranium arm-cannon to take out their car.

The chase had ended with T'Challa jumping on Klaue's SUV and disabling his tires, causing it to crash and tumble over itself before it finally settled.

While Klaue climbed out of the wreckage, vibranium package in hand, he heard a shout.

"KLAUE! Did you think we would forget?" T'Challa shouted as he advanced, claws out, on the man.

Klaue wasted no words as he raised his left arm, the energy cannon opening up and firing.

BLAST!

The blast struck T'Challa in the chest, but his suit absorbed the blast and he just continued along his way towards Klaue.

T'Challa yanked the arm off and then kicked Klaue back into the damaged vehicle.

"Look at me, murderer! Where did you get this weapon?" he demanded of the arms dealer.

"You savages didn't deserve it." Klaue taunted the Wakandan king.

T'Challa grabbed him by his shirt, pushing him up against the damaged SUV, his claws out ready to strike.

"Oh, mercy, King. Mercy." Klaue laughed in fear, getting those around him to stare.

"Every breath you take is mercy from me." T'Challa hissed at him.

("My King!") Okoye shouted in Wakandan.

("The world watches!") Nakia said, also in Wakandan.

T'Challa then realized his surroundings. He had been so focused on Klaue, he hadn't fully realized that they were surrounded by dozens of people, curious as they watched him and Klaue face each other. And many of them had their phones out, recording the event.

He then noticed Everett Ross of the CIA in his own vehicle.

"Come on. Guys. Let's go, huh?" Ross said to the ground.

T'Challa then looked back to Klaue, who was grinning.

"Yeah." Klaue said in a mocking tone.

T'Challa knew why he was grinning. Being captured by the CIA meant that there was a chance he could either bargain his way out of prison time, or buy himself time to escape. Either way, he would not be facing Wakandan justice for his actions.

Just then, Klaue's driver stumbled out from the other side of the damaged vehicle. He scrambled to his feet and pulled his gun, aiming it at T'Challa.

"T'CHALLA!" Nakia shouted.

BANG!

The bullet struck Panther in the head, only to ricochet off his mask and strike Klaue in the forehead.

"Uhhh...oh..." Klaue gasped, as his body went limp.

T'Challa looked at the dead man in his clutches, then looked back to see the shooter, who just keeled over and fell to the ground. Dead.

T'Challa realized the man used the last of his strength before his body succumbed to his injuries.

Ross just looked at the scene, realizing that Klaue's own man had been the cause of his own death.

The numerous people taking photos and videos of the event would only confirm that T'Challa did not have anything to do with the killing of Klaue himself.

He had only one option left. It was time to make a deal.

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(Wakanda, 5 hours later)

T'Challa was just watching as Shuri examined the information taken from the suit, as well as the nanites that were within it. Ayo, one of the Dora Milaje, was standing next to Klaue's body while one of Shuri's tech aids was examining his body for any other vibranium sources he might have had within him.

"Was it wise to let Ross have the vibranium?" Okoye asked T'Challa.

"A fair trade. He let us have Klaue's body." T'Challa said.

However, Okoye could tell that he was sullen about something.

Just then a new figure, dressed in the blue robes of the Boarder Tribe, arrived in the lab.

"W'Kabi." T'Challa said, acknowledging his arrival.

"You did it." W'Kabi aid as he looked over and saw Klaue's body.

"Not exactly." T'Challa said with a sigh as he walked back over to the large window that overlooked the vibranium mine.

Confused, W'Kabi went over to talk to Okoye.

"Why is he so upset?" W'Kabi asked.

"Because he does not feel like he accomplished his mission." Okoye replied.

W'Kabi looked at Okoye in confusion.

"He killed Klaue." he said.

"No, he didn't." Okoye said as she showed him the video.

W'Kabi watched the video as she played it.

"He captured Klaue." he said.

"But before he could bring him back, one of his men shot at him." she said, showing the man with the gun aiming at the Black Panther.

"He tried to kill T'Challa." W'Kabi said.

"And shot his boss in the head instead." Okoye said as the guard shot at the Black Panther and ended up killing his boss instead, before he fell to the ground. Apparently dead.

W'Kabi sighed.

"I see. He didn't get the chance to bring Klaue back alive to stand trial. But he didn't kill Klaue with his own hand." he realized.

"Justice was served in another way." Okoye said.

"Agreed, my love." W'Kabi said with a smile.

Okoye watched as W'Kabi walked over to the Wakandan king and started talking to him. The pair talked for several minutes before T'Challa placed his hand on W'Kabi's shoulder and gave him a soft smile before walking back over to Shuri.

W'Kabi walked back over to Okoye, a slightly troubled look on his face.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Well, T'Challa is fine, but... he is looking to make a change in how we do things."

"Oh? Like what?" Okoye asked.

"He wants to bring in the Jibari Tribe, and he said something about a social outreach program? Do you know what he's talking about?"

"I can only imagine." Okoye said with a wiry smile.

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(Busan, South Korea)

Erik 'Killmonger' Stevens growled as he reloaded the clip full of bullets for his sidearm. He had stripped and rebuilt his rifle, counted how many grenades he had, and sharpened his knife.

He was upset, but continued to go through the motions of his training. It was the only thing that seemed to calm his mind.

Klaue was dead. His ticket into Wakanda was gone. His planned revenge was gone.

Now, he would need another way in. By force if necessary, but it would be a long time planning and preparing for such a thing.

He had seen the video of Klaue being killed, by his own driver if nothing else. He didn't know if he should laugh or scream, at the idiocy of the world. It was like fate was conspiring against him.

All Klaue had to do was not die and he would have his way into Wakanda, overthrow the king and take control. His revenge would be had.

But no. He couldn't get to Wakanda, couldn't get to the throne. His plans were ruined. All because of some idiot with a gun.

All he could do now... was get drunk and screw his girlfriend.

Erik put his weapons away and went to drown his frustrations. There would be another day, another chance. But right now... he would just wait.

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Authors Notes:

This is just a little drabble about what might have happened if one small thing was changed in the movie.

Just something I was toying with. Not meant to be a lengthy and epic story. But when you watch a movie, it is always amusing to see what might have happened if there was one small change to certain situations and events. While it means that certain other events would not have happened, the endless possibilities abound.

Let me know what you think. Read and Review.