Appearing in "The Client"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Zuri (First appearance)
- Everett K. Ross
- Dora Milaje (First appearance)
- Queen Mother Ramonda
Antagonists:
- Manuel Ramos (First appearance)
- Mephisto
Other Characters:
Locations:
- Brooklyn, New York
- Leslie N. Hill Housing Project (First appearance)
- Washington, D.C.
- Wakanda
Items:
- Energy Dagger
- Kimoyo Card (First appearance)
- Heart-Shaped Herb
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Client"
The story takes place in the fragmented report of political attache Everett K. Ross, much to his boss Nikki's frustration. In her own words, she feels like she's "watching Pulp Fiction in rewind!" Ross endeavours to be clear but the events of the past few days he's recounting have been surreal and intense. Demonic, even.
It begins with the media scandal that the press refers to as Wakandagate. The Tomorrow Fund, a Wakandans charity focusing on helping the New Lots housing project, has been revealed as a money laundering operation for drug cartels, resulting in at least one known casualty: Jamie Robins, the young girl who appeared in photos for the charity in the arms of the Black Panther.
The situation in Wakanda is already tense. T'Challa has set up refugee camps to offer political asylum to various people fleeing ethnic wars in the surrounding regions, and has found himself not only struggling to break up the riots that take place in the tension filled camps but to quell the political disapproval of the various tribes that make up the nation, who for various reasons wish to reject the refugees.
Despite the current climate and his suspicions as to who is behind it and trying to undermine him, T'Challa is determined to head to the United States and investigate the scandal. As he puts it to his trusted aid Zuri, a child has died. What kind of man would he be to ignore this? Queen mother Ramonda wishes him well.
Ross is handed the assignment by his girlfriend and boss, Niki, glibly dismissing it as just another day at the office and the Panther in general. He gets far more than he bargained for when he shows up at the airport to find not only the king, but Zuri, two of the Dora Milaje, Okoye and Nakia, and an 80 plus entourage.
Through a series of events, Ross winds up in the bathroom of a New Lots apartment with only a drunken Zuri and a large rat he names Buster, as in "Busta my chops", for company. And he's missing his pants.
The Black Panther meanwhile has gone into the city with the Dora Milaje, targeting gang bangers such as Manuel Ramos. After easily defeating his gang with Wakandan martial arts and technology, the king drags Ramos up a fire escape by his hair and defines an understanding between them, of which Romas is to speak of to no man. Slashing the gangster with an energy dagger, set to a non lethal setting, the Panther marks him with the daggers unique energy signature, allowing him to track Ramos with use of the futuristic Kimoyo card. The agreement: Ramos will help the Panther track down Jamie Robins' killer and the Panther will not use the dagger to carve his heart like a roast.
Meanwhile back at the New Lots complex, Ross answers the door to find the demon Mephisto standing on the other side. He promptly slams it and tells Zuri it's for him.
Trivia
Ross's car stereo is blasting Kool and the Gang's Jungle Boogie.
Taking place in 1998, Bill Clinton is president of the United States and mentioned by name.
