"Alright Mako, I'll see you first thing tomorrow morning," the police chief said in a slight huff, shuffling through the papers on her desk for what seemed like the millionth time. In response Mako stretched lightly, drawing in a breath as he felt the night's work weigh on him finally.
For just a second, the chief's eyes shifted up to meet his. "And take it easy for me, you've been so worked up lately."
Even the thoughtful gesture she made had a slight bite to the tone. That's just the way she is though, Mako had come to recognize.
"Of course. G'night chief." he said, turning to leave the station. The night was clear, the air had a slight chill to it's underside that made it perfect for walking in. But as an officer, he knew better. Republic City wasn't overrun with crime, it was a great city, but it definitely had it's share of bad guys and teenagers wanting to start trouble.
He walked a short distance to his car, then bent down to get in. The car was old, run down, but it got him to work and home. As the ignition roared(more like purred)to life, he wondered if his brother was home.
Bolin had got a new job a few months ago doing muscle work for some place, he never really asked. He shook his head at the memory of Bolin getting swept into doing 'muscle work' for Yakone and his goons a few years back.
The money was good, he wouldn't lie, but his brother was in constant danger.
Bolin swore up and down that this new job was nothing like his old one on terms of danger, but that just made Mako wonder how the jobs were similiar on every other term.
As he drove he thought about what the chief had told him.
Take it easy.
He hadn't been that wound up, has he?
The silent night was slowly flooded with loud, thumping music as he drove down a particular street. He looked out the window to his left and saw the large neon sign of The Spirit World nightclub, a new venture here to save the dwindling night life of Republic City.
Since it's opening a few months back, the crime rate had increased 3 times.
Mako suspected more people out at night, pumped with adrenaline from the loud music and sweaty bodies, of course they would want some illegal fun to get into.
He started to slow down as he approached it without even noticing.
Take it easy.
Well, it couldn't hurt to just see inside.
He was a smart man, an officer of the law. He would never partake in illegal activities, and could never be persuaded into doing so, so he had nothing to be anxious about. But still his heartbeat quickened as he parked out front and turned the car off. He got out of the car, closed the door, and heard a familiar voice right away.
His eyebrow raised slightly as he followed the bellowing voice to the door of the club.
"Bo?" he said once he found the voice's owner, his brother leaning against the door.
"Mako? What are you doing here?" he asked, not hesitant to scoop him up in a famous Bolin bear hug. Mako patted his back twice before he was set back down. "Is this the muscle work job you told me about?" he asked, eyes scanning over the building's layout while he waited for his brother's answer. "Yeah, I just bouce outside. Make sure no troublemakers get in the club, ya know? Kinda like what you do!" he laughed, squinting his eyes shut like he did when something made him laugh.
Mako shifted a little, but inside sighed in relief.
Bolin wasn't doing grunt work for a gangster and some thugs. He wasn't beating up anyone who looked at a gang wrong or loitered on the wrong property.
"So what brings you here? You and I both know that clubs aren't your scene." he said, crossing his arms over his chest, revealing some dried blood on his tank top he was wearing.
Mako didn't question, but every cop insitinct in his body yelled at him to.
He shrugged, "Chief told me to take it easy, figured it would help to unwind in a totally new scene." The answer sounded nonchalant and to the point, exactly Mako's style. Bolin looked him up and down, and stepped slightly to his right, catching Mako off guard. "Well, go ahead in then!" he beamed.
Mako patted his brother's broad shoulder once, giving him a slight nudge lovingly as he pushed past him into the dark club.
It was filled from wall to wall with people, all of them surrounding a square stage with long runways connecting them to a backstage, closed off by a curtain. In the middle of the stage was a large silver pole, gleaming against the multi-colored stage/house lights.
Oh.
It's a strip club.
Mako stifled a cough and proceeded in, spotting a large bar with an older bald man drying a cup behind it. He figured drinks would be needed to get through a night in this environment, so that's where he headed. He sat at one of the quite expensive looking stools and leaned on the bar.
The bald man noticed him after he sat the cup down he was washing and made it over to him. "Hello sir, what'll you have?" he asked, his voice gruff and raspy. He was definitely older than any bartender Mako had ever seen, but he guessed that just meant more experience. "Uh, bourbon on the rocks, please." The bald man nodded once and turned his back to him to make the drink.
The lights dimmed slightly and all of the people crowded around the stage started to yell and scream. Mako turned to see what all the commotion was about, and noticed a spotlight of blue light hit the pole on the stage and a thumping beat begin to creep through the boosted speakers littering the ceilings.
He was intrigued, but snapped back forward when he heard the clink of the glass be sat on the bar in front of him.
He picked it up, tossing it back, feeling the unfamiliar and almost long lost burn of alcohol slide down his throat. He looked back at the stage, the music picking up slightly, then back to the bald man. "What's going on?" he asked, turning his neck slightly to gesture to the stage.
The bartender had picked up another glass and was cleaning it lazily.
"Oh, are you new? Korra is on tonight."