An: So this was largely inspired by AmiraElizabeth on Tumblr (who has amazing and Lin-centric art!), and the disappointing lack of Lin during Book 2. There will be a chapter to follow, Linzin bromance/some unresolved feelings, but can we really expect anything else when we put them in a room together?
The late afternoon sun shined directly on the "life sized" statue of Toph. So dubbed because of her proclamation when it was created, "I'm larger than life, Snoozles, it should reflect that." The building it was placed on was much like the woman herself; tough exterior, intimidating, and important.
Through the large doors made of metal, most everything in the police station was metal (it made damages much easier to fix), that criminals were dragged through everyday in handcuffs was a flurry of noise and activity. There were lawyers demanding to see their clients, criminals demanding to see their lawyers, and police officers demanding that everyone shut up. If you walked through the chaos in the front of the station to the back, the sounds of angry people slowly faded and was over powered by the sound of papers being moved and filed, type writers, phones ringing and being answered, and ever present sound of gossip and good natured ribbing. Somewhere in the maze of desks, a woman considered the evidence pinned to the large board in front of her.
Newly reinstated Chief Lin Bei Fong crossed her arms over her stomach in a familiar gesture, uncomfortable to most in uniform, but metal felt as warm and flexible to her as linen did to others. She turned and regarded the small group of police officers thoughtfully, the metalbenders sitting at someone's desk or in chairs near it. "Do we have any leads?"
"No, ma'am," Officer Chang said, turning his chair to look up at her. Lin's heart still broke a little whenever she saw him. Even though his bending had been restored, the broken look in his green eyes as he said her name when she found them in the equalist jail was permanentely burned into her mind. "We're watching Future Industries and Cabbage Corp. warehouses, but," he shrugged, "that's a lot of warehouses."
"You're right," she turned back to the board, "I don't want to waste men on surveillence when they have other things to do and a low chance of actually seeing anything." For the past two months, there had been a series of thefts of a similar nature; blueprints, notes, research, and even a prototype had been stolen from Cabbage Corp. and then Future Industries. Most people blamed Future Industries for Cabbage Corp.'s loses until a set of blueprints for the flying machine had been stolen. "Asami Sato has volunteered to give us access to and control of the new flying machine so that we might bait the thief." A corner of her mouth turned down in a frown. That poor girl, she had been nothing but caring and generous from what Lin had gathered, and had never waivered in her dedication to "Team Avatar" (knowing the original Team Avatar, Lin couldn't help but roll her eyes whenever the phrase came up). Now that the mess with the equalist was practically over, all Asami wanted to do was rebuild the image of Future Industries, but the poor girl was certainly having a tough time of it. The child should not be punished for the sins of the father.
Besides, Lin liked her.
"So, call our people off?" An officer asked.
"Yes. Miss Sato is coming down to make arrangements and figure out how we can get our officers near it or move it without tipping off anyone that may be watching the machine."
"Lee," the officer sitting on Chang's desk said, "don't trip."
The passing cop's face contorted in confusion, "What?" And then he tripped. Lee caught himself on the board and nearly fell on Lin. He quickly let go and stepped back, looking at the disarray he'd caused with his hands out in front of him, the way someone does when willing an inanimate object to stay in place. "I'm so sorry, Chief."
Lin sighed. Lee had to be the clumsiest officer on the force. "It's alright," she said, starting to reorganize. She would have prefered to do this brain storm session in her office- where this certainly wouldn't have happened- but no one felt comfortable enough to do it, the idea of sitting at her desk seemed to terrify them. All of her officers liked and respected their chief, but as anyone except the people that had seen her toddle around in diapers would tell you, she was scarier than an angry mama saber-tooth moose lion.
"Chief Bei Fong?" The sweet voice of Asami Sato announce her arrival.
The cops turned to look at the young woman, one or two of the men going slightly slack jawed. "Miss Sato," Lin greeted, going around Chang's desk and lighting tapping Zhang Lei, the officer sitting on Chang's desk, under the chin, prompting him to close his mouth. "Thank you for coming down, I know how busy you are."
"Whatever I can do to help."
"And all help is appreciated," Zhang Lei said smoothly, before Lin had a chance to do more than open her mouth.
"Really, I should be saying that to you," Asami smiled.
Lin gave her officer an unamused look out of the corner of her eye, Too young, too soon. "We should get started so you can be on your way," she said, drawing Asami's attention. "I remember you said something about a board meeting."
"Yes, I need to get going in like, fifteen minutes. Sorry to be in such a rush," she apologized, the look on her face genuine.
"No need to apologize," Lin assured. "I've been there." Money may be nice, but it came with many headaches.
"You know, Chief," her most eager officer looked up at her, "I know how much you hate to be pulled away from your work, so maybe someone else could coordinate with Miss Sato...?"
"That's an excellent idea," she agreed. He stood immediately, but Lin turned and said, "Lee." The officers in their small group looked at her, Lee looked surprised. "Please escort Miss Sato to a quieter area and find out what and when would be convenient for her, and how we might be able to get some extra security." Her hand went to Zhang Lei's shoulder and pushed him back into a sitting position, his larger size be damned.
"Um...Uh-Yes ma'am," he stuttered. The nonbender stepped forward and extended his hand, "This way, Miss Sato."
"It was nice to see you, Chief," she waved.
"Believe me, the pleasure was all mine." Though the public prefered Cabbage Corp., Lin much prefered Asami to Gan-Lan. Extreme and impatient seemed to be family traits.
Lin watched them walked away for a moment, then turned back to the board, picking up Chang's helmet and placing it backwards on Zhang Lei's head, so he couldn't watch Asami's ass walk away, without so much as a glance. He took it off and set it back on the desk, shooting Chang a look when he smiled gleefully.
The cops went back to brainstorming for a few more minutes before they were interupted again. "Lin," she heard Tenzin say. The chief turned around and the councilman held up a white bag. "We have a lunch date," he reminded. "Well-I mean-Not a da-We're having lunch together today," he finally settled on. A few of the officers shared looks at the airbending master's awkwardness and looked away. He had been doing this, tripping over common phrases that could have any other conotation whenever he talked to the chief. They were spending more time together, everyone had noticed, having "lunch dates" in her office. Nobody was suspicious of anything, but Councilman Tenzin's behavior was damned odd.
Lin just rolled her eyes at her friend's stammering, fifty years on this planet and she still hated when he stammered. "I remembered, Tenzin, but we're in the middle of something. Would you mind sitting a few minutes?" Tenzin shook his head and was immediately offered a seat at a desk. He set down the food and made himself comfortable. The police officers continued their discussion, Tenzin interjecting here and there, for awhile. When Lin felt it was an appropriate time to break for lunch, she turned to face them.
She got distracted when she saw a new officer walk in. Her eyebrow raised expectantly and Mako said, with a sigh, "The people at the impound lot won't let me get the satomobile without all of these forms I need to fill out, sign, then have you sign." The men at the impound lot were notoriously difficult when it came to new officers, especially ones they felt weren't grounded enough. Lin was still irritated by his unnecessarily showy ways of performing trafic stops, they usually involved a crash.
Now, Lin could have sent a lieutenant or Saikhan over and they would have had the satomobile in front of the police station, only taking as much time as was necessary to get there, sign a single signature, have a few minutes conversation, and drive back. Mako had been gone for nearly three hours.
Honestly, Lin could have called them on the phone and the satomobile would have been delivered to her with coffee.
"Have you filled them out?" She asked expectantly.
"Not quite finished."
"Then why are you here?"
"...To update you."
"I don't need updates, I need results. Get them filled out and on my desk ASAP." Chang pressed his thumb to his lips and looked away from the young man, Zhang Lei was less subtle about the amusement he was drawing from this. Mako had gotten on, for the most part...not well at all with the earthbenders. Rarely did someone under the tutelage of Lin Bei Fong find young hot shots amusing. Except, of course, when he was being forced by their fearless leader to do the crap jobs. Usually a week of filing, coffee runs, and the ever important sewer patrols straightened them out. Mako was proving to be difficult. When he remained in place, Lin, with her arms crossed, raised an eyebrow. The firebender sighed, his head hung and he walked back the way he came. She watched him go until she saw Asami again. Lee was escorting her to the entrance, and it made Lin feel a little better to see the girl relaxed. "Gentlemen," she adressed the group in front of her, "excellent work. Go feed yourselves, then I'll expect you back."
"Yes, Chief," they chorused.
Lin nodded, then walked over to Tenzin after he stood and everyone else had started to clear out. "I believe you know where my office is," she prompted.