A man in a white labcoat walked down a long, dimly lit hall. His eyes were buried in the clipboard he held in one hand, while his other hand held his glasses straight. When he got to the end of the hall he turned his attention towards the scanner on the side of the door. He removed his glasses and stared directly into the scanner, where a blue light flashed for a split second.
"Welcome, Professor Yun." A female voice said.
A series of clicks signaled that the door was unlocked, and Professor Yun walked through. The scene changed to a large room full of pods, with three sitting in the middle. Other scientists had their eyes either buried in their computer screen, or staring at the pods, having mild conversations with each other. Professor Yun proceeded to the three pods in the center of the room, where a large, bald man in a black coat stood.
"You're late, Professor." he said in a condescending tone.
"My apologies Commander Mintz, but these tests cannot be rushed. We have to make sure that these trials won't-"
"Spare me the details Professor. I'm here to make sure you and your team of geeks aren't wasting The Company's money. In short, they want results, tangible results." Commander Mintz said turning to face him. His face had a scar that extended from the top of his right eyebrow to the bottom of his jaw, passing directly through his eye. Instead of an eye however, there was a mechanical one with a bright, red light that gave a subtle pulse.
"Well Commander, with Amon now out of the picture it's been rather difficult to win over the equalists and keep these tests going. We can't achieve The Company's goal if we don't get their support as well as these experiments completed." Professor Yun said straightening his glasses.
"Fine, release subject 5." Commander Mintz ordered.
"Commander! Subject 5 is the most unstable one! He's resisted most, if not all sedatives and agents we've attempted to put into him to make him more complient. What do you intend to do? Beat him into submission?" Professor Yun asked in alarm.
"Exactly. These poor souls are nothing more than property, pets if you will. Like any animal you own, you need to give them a strong hand of discipline to keep them in line. Now, release him." Commander Mintz ordered again, adding a hard stare at Professor Yun.
"Commander, the chemicals and methods we used to enhance Subject 5's firebending has made him far stronger than we could have realized. If something were to go wrong, he could level this entire facility. If this is the route you want to take I highly suggest we inform The Board to see-"
"Professor Yun, I am telling you one more time, to release Subject 5. Failure to do so will result in...liquidation." Commander Mintz said with a sinister smile. The red light in his right eye now grew brighter.
Professor Yun sighed,"Don't say I didn't warn you." He walked over to the microphone,"All nonessential personnel, please exit the room. Subject 5 is being released. Security level is now Delta. I repeat: All nonessential personnel, exit the room. Subject 5 is being released. Security level is now Delta."
After waiting for everyone to clear the room, Professor Yun, with a shaking hand, pressed the release button. The middle pod in within the three in the center of the room was slowly raised by a large metal arm under it, and placed in front of Commander Mintz. The pod door rose up and revealed a dark-skinned male, around the age of 18, wearing a black, arm-less hooded sweater with silver trimmings, black pants with a red fire nation symbol on the right leg, tucked into ankle-high black boots with silver laces. A seried of tubes pumping strange colored liquids were attached to nearly every park of him not covered in clothing. After the door stopped rising, the tubes stopped pumping and quickly withdrew from him. With nothing to hold him in place, his limp form simply fell forward. After a moment of silence, he began to wake up, gold eyes staring dizzily around the room.
"What is your name?" Commander Mintz asked coldly.
Subject 5 didn't answer, instead he attempted to stand up.
"Answer me! What is your name?" Commander Mintz now yelled and threw a punch at him.
In an instance all the dizziness and nausea disappeared as Subject 5 quickly caught his fist. Standing up, he stared menacingly into Commander Mintz's eyes.
"My name, is Nori." He said defiantly and threw Commander Mintz's arm aside.
Commander Mintz used the moment to deliver a roundhouse kick to Nori's face, but Nori effortlessly dodged it and followed up by kicking Commander Mintz's supporting leg, causing him to fall. Nori used that chance to run past him and straight to the door. He encased himself in fire and suddenly stopped, sending a blazing silhouette of himself at the door, blowing if off his hinges. He quickly dove forward to avoid the pillar Commander Mintz earthbent to knock him off guard, and ran down the hallway.
Professor Yun quickly got to the microphone,"Code Red! I repeat Code Red! Subject 5 has escaped! I repeat Subject 5 has escaped! Base Lockdown! Echelon 5! I repeat, we are now at Echelon 5!"
Commander Mintz quickly ran down the hall after Nori,"Keep me informed on his whereabouts at all time!" He yelled.
Professor Yun shook his head,"Fool."
Nori ran through a few doors before they began sealing the off using large metal ones. As he turned the corner we was greeted by a group of five guards, who wasted no time in shooting long, metal wires that wrapped around him, then produced an electric shock that brought him to his knees.
"This is Commander Mintz. Do not use any fire or electric-based weapons on the target. Again, do not use any fire or electric-based weapons on the target." Commander Mintz's voice came from the one of the guards radio on his shoulder. They all looked at each other, then back at Nori in horror as he rose up, and with a smirk encased himself in lightning before punching his hands together, sending a powerful wave of electrictiy out in all directions, shocking the guards and overpowering ever device in the area. He cut off the the wires from two of the guns and wrapped them around his arms,"These will come in handy."
"Commander Mintz, subject 5 has reached the upper level; he's nearly at the front door." Professor Yun said.
"How did he get there that fast? Where are the guards?" Commander Mintz demanded.
"Will all due respect Commander, did you honestly think they'd be a match for him when he threw you aside so easily?" Professor Yun asked with contemptous sarcasm.
"Watch your tone Yun. I have no qualms going through with my previous threat." Commander Mintz responded indignantly. He quickly made his way outside and witnessed Nori channeling electricity through the wires he had wrapped around his arms and using them like whips to knock groups of guards out of the way. Commander Mintz used his hand to hold open his eyelid as the mechanical red eye's pulsing increased before it lit up and released a red laser. Nori quickly jumped out of the way, but couldn't clear the blast zone and was thrown through a few crates. He quickly got back up and dashed for cover as another laser beam made a crater out of his previous spot. Nori aimed his fists at the ground and used his firebending to propel himself over the wall of the facility and ran into the forest.
"OPEN THE GATE! FIND HIM!" Commander Mintz roared as he knocked a guard off a motocycle and gave chase along with the other guards.
Nori ran blindly through the forest, not turning to look or slowing down. He knew they wouldn't be far behind him, and he needed to get away fast.
"Commander, he's heading towards the cliff." Professor Yun said through a radio attached to the motorcycle.
"Then we have him cornered." Commander Mintz smiled.
Nori suddenly came to a clearing with a cliff not far from the forestline. He stopped, only for a moment, then ran for the cliff's edge. Commander Mintz emerged not far behind him.
"NO!" he yelled jumping off the motorcycle and stomping the ground, causing a wall to suddenly emerge in front of Nori, who used his firebending to once again propel himself over it. Commander Mintz's eye pulsed again, but this time Nori was ready. In midair he turned around and shot a bolt of lightning at Commander Mintz, who fired the laser as well. Both shots met midway and caused an explosion that sent Commander Mintz a few feet back into the forest, and Nori over the edge of the cliff. Commander Mintz quickly got back up and ran to the cliff's edge, looking wildly around for the any signs of Nori in the water.
"I want every available man searching the water in a 20 mile radius now!" he ordered to the first guard that cleared the forest line.
"Yes Sir!"
"Commander, has Subject 5 been recovered?" Professor Yun asked eagerly.
"No, but he won't get far."
"We cannot afford to lose him Commander. If he ends up meeting the Avatar-"
"I know very well what information he can divulge to her Yun; that is why it is imperative that we get a search party out now." Commander Mintz barked.
"Along with that, The Board has requested an explanation over the recent security measures Commander. What will you tell them?"
Commander Mintz sighed,"I'll tell those clowns what happened, and that the situation is already under control. Continue with your tests Professor; if this does get out of hand, we'll need to speed this little project up asap."
"Yes Commander. Professor Yun out."
Commander Mintz stared out into the ocean,"You can't run forever boy. However, your escape might be just what we needed," he added with a sinister grin.
Korra awoke with a start, then quickly shielded her eyes from the morning sun.
"You don't look so well today Korra. Is everything alright?" Tenzin asked as Korra came down the stairs for breakfast.
"I had the weirdest dream about some guy in a pod who escaped from some other guy with a firebending-laser-eye thingy who was also an earthbender and the guy in the pod used his firebending to fly kinda..."
"Uh-huh..." Tenzin said with a raised eyebrow.
"Anyway...what's for breakfast?"
"Rice" Tenzin said with a smile.
"Would it kill you to have some tofu around here or something?" Korra asked in aggravation.
After breakfast, Korra went to find Mako, who she saw training with Borin in the courtyard.
"Finally up eh?" Mako said with a smile.
"Good morning to you too." Korra said with a playful smile before giving him a kiss.
"You know, there are dozens of rooms here you guys can pick out for that." Bolin said.
"I'm guessing you guys aren't out here practicing for the fun of it are you?" Korra asked.
"Nope. Since they're rebuilding the probending arena in republic city, we figured we should get some practice in for next season. With those wolfbats out of the way, we'll win for sure! Unless you give Tahno his bending back." Bolin said.
"Huh...hadn't really thought of that. I mean, it's the right thing to do right?" Korra asked, looking at the sky in contemplation.
"Only if he promises not to cheat." Mako added.
"Not sure he'll keep that promise. Unless you threaten to take his bending away again." Bolin said happily.
"Too soon Bolin. That wouldn't make me any better than Amon." Korra said.
"Well you wouldn't be declaring war on benders, just probending cheaters. It's like being an illegal ref who does the right things others might not consider so right." Bolin said with smile.
"Wouldn't that make it illegal?" Make asked.
"No."
"Not that I'm opposed to the topic of returning bending to their rightful benders, but let's go see how long it'll take before the arena's completion. At least then we'll have a time limit on how much we should train beforehand." Korra offered.
"I'm cool with that, let's do it." Mako said.
As they headed down to the dock, something by the rocks caught Korra's attention. Walked down the beach and noticed someone laying on the ground. Upon closer inspection she suddenly stopped and stared in horror at the person before her. Dark skin, marks on his arms along with wires wrapped around his forearms. A black, sleeveless hooded sweater with silver trimmings, black pants with a red fire nation symbol on the right leg, tucked into ankle-high black boots with silver laces. His face and arms had scratches, bruises and burns, almost like he was hit by an explosion.
"Oh man, what happened to this guy?" Bolin asked catching up with Korra and a silent Mako.
"C'mon, we need to get him upstairs pronto!" Korra said in alarm as Mako picked him up.
Could that've been more than just a dream? she thought.