Chapter 3 –The Heist

Sokka studied the Republic City map. Republic City National Bank was located in the financial district on the north side of Yue Bay. Central Station was on the main peninsula in the old quarter. Sokka identified 5 possible routes the gold convoy could take from the bank to the station. Two bridges connected the north side to the peninsula, but only one, the 22nd Avenue Bridge, could handle the combined weight of four armored wagons and six million gold pieces. That eliminated three of the routes. If anyone were to try to take the gold, Sokka reasoned, the bridge would be the best place to isolate the convoy from their security. He would watch the bridge.

…..

Wu Ten Fat, his ten best firebenders, and the woman known only to them as 'The Empress' gathered in an empty warehouse with a scale model of Republic City set up on the floor. The Empress, pointer in hand, was briefing her plan.

"Whatever route the convoy takes, it must cross the 22nd Avenue Bridge here," she indicated with her pointer. "That is where we will stage our ambush. A team of five firebenders will be stationed at each end of the bridge. Once all four wagons are on the bridge, we will set off blasting jelly charges on each abutment, isolating the convoy. The firebenders will rush the wagons, and eliminate any resistance. Once the gold is secure, you will lower the gold and yourselves to a waterbender powered barge that will await you below the bridge. This operation must be conducted with military precision, and any failure will be dealt with swiftly and decisively. Any questions?"

"Who's on that barge?" Wu Ten Fat asked.

"Independent contractors. They have no knowledge of the cargo." The Empress answered dismissively.

"And where will you be?" Wu Ten pressed.

She rolled her eyes. "I will discretely follow the convoy from the bank and will be with the firebender team on the west end of the bridge when we spring the ambush."

A young firebender spoke up, "The bridge is steel truss construction, right?"

"Yes, but I hardly see how that's relevant," answered the Empress.

"Well," the firebender started, "after the charges go off, we can hit the bridge with lightning and fry the komodo-rhinos pulling the wagons, maybe their drivers too. Might simplify things."

The Empress smiled beneath her veil. "I like how you think. What's your name?"

"Zolt," the young firebender answered.

"Can you bend lightning, Mr. Zolt?" asked the Empress.

Zolt smiled. "That's why they call me 'Lightning Bolt."

Lin Beifong was standing on the bank's loading dock supervising her squad as they provided security for the gold transfer. Once the treasure was loaded, she and her squad would board a police airship and follow the convoy as an airborne rapid reaction force. The United Forces platoon would ride with the wagons providing security enroute. She let out a sigh as she watched her mother approach.

"Mom, what are you doing here? I can handle this detail," Lin protested.

"I know you can, Lieutenant. I'm here for them," Toph gestured toward a carriage that Councilmen Kazef and Mung were exiting.

Toph escorted the councilmen into the bank vault. 24 iron chests were arranged around the vault floor, each bearing the Fire Nation's insignia.

Councilman Mung addressed Toph, "Well, Chief, is it all here?"

Toph concentrated a second, focusing her attention on the contents of each iron chest. "It's all here, Councilman."

Satisfied, Councilman Kazef handed a scroll to Councilman Mung. "On behalf of Fire Lord Zuko and the people of the Fire Nation, I present this gold to the Earth Kingdom."

Mung examined the scroll and affixed his own seal. "I accept this gold on behalf of His Majesty, the 53rd Earth King," and handed the scroll back to Kazef. The two councilmen shook hands. "I'm certainly relieved we won't have to do this again," Kazef smiled.

"Speak for yourself, Kazef. I won't relax until that gold is in the treasury in Ba Sing Se," Mung grunted.

The short ceremony concluded, Toph called out to the guards, "OK boys, load it up!"

Toph and Lin watched as the soldiers loaded the last of the chests on to the wagons. Lin turned to board the awaiting airship and asked, "Are you coming, Mom?"

"No. This is your detail. Besides, you know I hate those things. But keep your eyes open. I have a bad feeling about this."

….

The Empress watched the soldiers load the gold chests through a spyglass on a nearby rooftop. She turned her attention to the area surrounding the bank and observed the nearby airship. It was of no concern. She then scanned the other nearby rooftops. Where was he?

….

The Wolf observed the bridge from his own vantage point on the east side of the river. He didn't see anything out of place on the far side. Then, some movement on the eastern abutment caught his eye. Three men were unloading a barrel out of an ostrich-horse cart and moving it under the bridge. He dropped from his perch to investigate.

Two of the men carried the barrel under the bridge while the third stood as a lookout. The lookout didn't notice the shadow come up behind him until it was too late. "Hi there!" the Wolf smiled as he knocked out the lookout.

"Ping! What's going on up there?" called out the larger of the two men as they climbed out from under the bridge. He ignited a flame as when he recognized the cloaked figure standing over his partner. "Bing, the rest of you get out here, looks like we've cornered us a wolf!"

The other firebender came up from under the bridge and two more emerged from the shadows. Surrounded by four firebenders, the Wolf drew his sword. "Not too smart, fire bending around all this blasting jelly," he remarked.

The thugs extinguished their flames. The big one said, "There's four of us and one of you. We don't need fire. Let's get him!"

Two of the thugs tried to grab the Wolf's arms while the third dove for his legs. The Wolf elbowed the one on the left solar plexus and swung his sword at the one on the right, cutting him across the chest. He sidestepped the one who went low and kicked him hard in the gut. With three of his assailants temporarily disabled, he turned his attention to the fourth, the big one, who was staring in wide-eyed disbelief. Under his hood, the Wolf smiled and pointed his blade at the man. "Boo!" The big firebender turned around and started running.

The Wolf was about to give chase when he heard the drone of an approaching police airship. He retreated to the shadows as the treasure convoy approached the bridge.

….

Lin watched the armored wagons as they turned on to the bridge. They'd made excellent time from the bank, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

….

The Empress met up with western team at their hideout on their side of the bridge. "Zolt, report," she ordered.

"The charge is ready and so are we, Empress. I haven't received the signal from the other side, though. And that airship worries me," Zolt reported.

The Empress frowned. "The Wolf must have discovered and taken out the other team. No matter. I'll take care of the airship and we continue according to plan. The last wagon is on the bridge. Go!"

A massive explosion rocked the west end of the bridge. The bridge erupted in an electric blue arc from Zolt's lightning. The electricity killed the beasts pulling the wagons, and stunned the soldiers riding them. The Empress took aim at the airship, and launched a blue flame.

Lin watched in disbelief at scene unfolding below her. The west end of the bridge was aflame and the convoy was stopped in the middle of the bridge. "Lower the ramp and launch the zip lines!" She ordered. The airship lurched around. "What's going on?" She asked the pilot.

"Rudder's jammed, I've got no control, Lieutenant!" he answered.

'Now I know why Mom doesn't like these things,' Lin thought as the airship drifted uncontrolled towards the bridge.

….

The Wolf watched, stunned, the scene in front of him. The armored wagons were stopped in the middle of the bridge and the soldiers guarding them were knocked out, possibly dead. The far end of the bridge was on fire and five men were approaching the wagons. Then he saw a blue fireball engulf the airship's rudder, sending it out of control. 'No, it can't be,' he thought as he raced toward the bridge.

….

"Abandon ship! Use your cables to drop into the water!" Lin ordered. Once she verified her officers were safely off the airship, she kicked out the control room window, and launched a cable toward a strut on the underside of the bridge.

….

The Empress strode through the flames onto the bridge. She called out to her team, "Hurry up boys, we haven't much time!" Then she saw her quarry at the east end of the bridge. "Zolt, take the team and leave," she ordered.

"What about the gold?" Zolt asked.

"It's of no consequence. We have what we came for."

Grudgingly, Zolt took the team and left. The Wolf drew his black sword and advanced toward the woman. She smiled in recognition. "I had so hoped it would be you. It's good to see you again."

"I can't say the same, Azula. Working with common criminals now? That's not quite your style. You're not getting away with that gold," answered the Wolf.

"Oh, I've experienced quite a lot of personal growth over the years, and I really don't care about the gold. It was enough to bring you to me so I can kill you," Azula said as she launched a fireball at the Wolf.

….

As he watched the blue fireball approach, Sokka thought he was dead. Then the bridge deck disappeared beneath his feet and he dropped toward the river. A cable snaked around his waist, stopping his fall. He looked up to see Lin smirking at him.

….