Amon and Naga were camped on the outskirts of Republic City. Naga was asleep while Amon laid against her stomach staring up at the crescent moon above. Naga's fur was keeping him warm against the light snow falling around them. He didn't dare light a fire out here. Not when he was so close to Tarrlok and the Avatar. If he were going to defeat the bloodbender, he was going to have to be able to get him before being seen.
Amon hadn't brought any of his Equalists along. Not for this. They would question the madness of saving the Avatar. They would question it even if they didn't speak up. He could not afford doubt. Of course none of them would understand why he was going to save her. They wouldn't have understood why he saved the polar bear dog instead of killing her. He hadn't planned on becoming friends with the polar bear dog.
Amon didn't love. He did not feel love for anyone or anything. But there was something about the polar bear dog that comforted him. Comforted him enough to remove his mask, which he hardly ever took off even when he was alone. He was disgusted by the man he saw in the mirror. A monster. But this is what his father wanted from him. This is what his father would have expected. His father would be proud of the leader of The Revolution.
So what would his father say if he heard what Amon was planning to do? He would be furious.
Of course Amon told himself the reason he wanted to save the Avatar was so that he could finish her off himself like he originally planned to. It was like he told her, he wanted to save her for last. The grand finale of The Revolution.
When Amon first discovered the Avatar was gone, his only thought had been to save her. Not to save her for last or to save her to finish off himself. Just to save her. Period.
He sighed and covered his face with his hands. He was going crazy. That was the only explanation. He just needed to focus on the plan. On making his father's spirit proud of him.
And yet, with his eyes closed, all Amon could see was beautiful blue, innocent eyes staring up at him.
…
Those eyes. Those stupid, naive eyes were glaring at him. They only made Tarrlok hate her even more. He ground his teeth together. Oh, how he wanted to break her. Break her like a twig. Why did she have to stand in his way? She should have stayed with the White Lotus. It was where she belonged. She had no right to come to his city and roam about it like she owned the place. This was his city! And damn it! He would not lose it to a stupid girl even if she was the Avatar.
...
"I know you're there. Come out of the shadow, you coward!" Korra struggled to sound strong but her voice cracked from disuse.
Tarrlok had not given her a single drop of water to drink. He couldn't risk having any water near her. She was desperate. She wouldn't think twice about killing him when she got the chance. Not if it meant her freedom. Tarrlok knew that.
"Korra, Korra, Korra. Why must you fight me?" Again, Tarrlok spoke from directly behind her. His voice was deep and low as if he were trying to seduce her.
He was too close. She wished she could hit him, burn him, stab him with millions of pieces of ice. But she was powerless. Korra was trying to hold onto hope but it was so hard. Each hour that passed she grew weaker.
Why had she been so stupid?! No one had any idea where she had gone that night. How would they ever find her? And Naga? Oh spirits. What about Naga? If anything happened to her, Korra didn't know what she would do.
"You're not listening to me, Avatar!" Tarrlok growled in Korra's ear as he grabbed her throat and pulled her body against his. "I said, if you joined me I would make sure no harm came to your friends. Join me and together we can control Republic City." Korra could feel his rough lips against her ear.
"I will never join you." She growled back.
Tarrlok chuckled from deep in his throat. It sent a chill down her spine.
"Have it your way, Avatar." Tarrlok released her and backed away. "But I will break you."
Mako was awake laying on the hard metal cot inside the cell. He could hear his brother snoring loudly on the other side.
This is all my fault.
He should have been able to protect his brother and Korra. And Asami. Where was she? She had been separated from them as soon as they arrived at the jail. In all the madness he hadn't really thought about it. He had been too worried about Korra. Now he felt guilty. His girlfriend should have been his first priority.
What's wrong with me?
Mako rolled over and hit the wall, hard enough to hurt but not to make noise. He didn't want to wake his brother.
A whisper of a footstep sounded from outside the window. Mako set up quickly as his eyes narrowed in the direction of the noise. He quietly stood and half crawled, half walked over to the window, trying not to be seen. He rose slowly, only lifting his eyes above the bottom of the window.
The crescent moon casted a ghostly light on the empty yard outside. There wasn't anywhere for a person or animal to hide. Mako stayed still, watching.
Suddenly the bars in front of his face peeled up and away, making a terrible sound. Mako scrambled away, unsure of what was happening.
Bolin jumped awake at the screaming of the metal. He ran to his brother's side prepared to fight. They could hear the sounds of guards yelling and running towards the cell.
Lin Beifong's face appeared in the window.
"Quickly, we don't have much time." Her voice was just loud enough to be heard by the brothers.
Their shock faded quickly and they jumped into action. Guards were only a few feet away. Mako and Bolin grabbed onto the metal ropes Lin offered them as they were lifted up into the night sky.
They were hauled up into the nights sky as they clung onto the ropes. Stunned guards looked up at them, shouting to one another.
Inside the air ship, Mako and Bolin sat down across from Tenzin and Lin.
"Where's Asami?" Mako asked looking directly at Lin.
"She wasn't there. My men searched for her. Either she was released or escaped on her own." Lin's voice remained as emotionless as her face.
"What? That doesn't even make sense!" Mako's hands flew up in the air the way they always did when he was angry.
"We have more pressing matters to attend to at the moment. We barely got the two of you out. It is of the highest importance we find the Avatar. Tenzin would not hear of letting you two remain in prison." Lin wasn't even fazed by Mako's anger.
"No I wouldn't. You were right. We need your help finding Korra." Tenzin said.
"Where do we start?" Bolin asked.
