BOOK I - UNION
Chapter 3: On The Lam
"Welcome to Republic City"
"Huh sir?" Herman quipped
"It says so on the sign." I pointed at it. "Ten miles to the downtown area."
"Miles? they use imperial units and not metric, aw man."
"Hey its fine I guess, just imagine you're in America except everyone looks East Asian. Come on just a little bit more and we'll be at the suburbs."
We continued on and I checked the time on the watch. Midnight already, most people should be asleep by now. We walked for another ten minutes before we came across our first occupied building, a gas station of some sort. It had a wooden building which I assumed was a convenience store of some sort and several pumps being covered by a roof just outside of the building with the whole place being brightly lit. By then the forest had started to thin out with just a couple of trees here and there unlike before where the whole place was saturated with foliage. We laid down on our stomachs about a hundred meters away from the building and the streetlights, and I took my binoculars out.
"They've got gas stations?" Hans asked.
"No shit sherlock, how the hell would their cars get fueled?" Jonathan replied.
"You got a point. So corporal are we going to go talk to people or just avoid them?"
"We're going to need to talk to the locals sooner or later, might as well start somewhere." I replied. "Right then, I'll report to Outpost about it and afterwards follow me in and don't do something stupid. Just... just do as I say."
"Yes sir, we already were."
I took my radio out. The cons of being a squad leader is having a larger but more powerful radio than the men, the range of my radio is at least fifty kilometers while the less powerful but smaller and lighter 'walkie talkies' of the men can at most reach twenty.
"Outpost this is Expedition calling and listening."
"Expedition this is Outpost, how's the situation, over?"
"Outpost we are about to make contact with locals in a gas station approximately ten mikes from the downtown area, over."
"Roger that Expedition, ten mikes from downtown. How's everything going, over?"
"So far so good, discovered vehicles exist here in one niner two zero era type, over."
"One niner two zero type, roger anything else, over."
"No that's all Outpost, I'll report again after we finished interacting with the locals, Expedition out." I put the radio back into my pack and looked at the men. "Its time boys lets go, single file and I'll be on point."
We got up and started moving out. As we got closer I was able to see several vehicles on the station getting refueled, the drivers were still inside their cars while workers from the station were the one to refuel their cars and bring the money back and forth between the drivers and the cashier. Huh, so just like some Asian countries then
"Alright" I said "I think we should walk in from the front instead of creeping in from the back and try to act like customers."
"Yes sir." They replied.
We then changed our course and headed towards the road and afterwards followed it into the gas station while walking just outside of the vehicle lanes. When we arrived at the station both costumers and workers alike stared at us more out of curiosity than horror.
"Sir, they're all looking at us." Steinmeier whispered behind me.
"Of course they are, they've never seen men dressed in camouflage and having face paint on walking around holding... well iron stick with wooden attachments, and also our big ass NV goggles on our helmets." I replied as we head towards the main building.
"I know but still, it feels weird."
"Suck it up Steinmeier this is just the beginning." Jonathan said
I heard Steinmeier sigh before continuing. "God you're such an asshole."
"Thanks!"
"Oh god." Argh, goddamned kids.
We entered the building and it was far larger than I thought. Around three fourths of it looked like a big convenience store with a few rows of shelves stocked with goods like food and auto parts, and a fourth of the building looked something like a diner with a single long table serving both as the table where customers would eat, and the boundary between the kitchen and the rest of the store. There was around a dozen people inside excluding us and all of them seemed to stare at us at the same time.
"Huh, looks... quaint." Walter said.
"Hey doc, you ever went into those old timer diner like the ones Hollywood shows in the movies?" I asked
"Jesus corporal I'm not that old." He pouted.
I chuckled. "It fine doc just joking."
"Excuse me sirs, do you need anything?" We all turned around to see an old man approaching us. He seems to be in his mid fifties and was wearing the same brown blue shirt as the workers except he had an additional red stripe over the front of his shirt. A supervisor?
"Ah well, do you sell water?" I said.
"We do! One yu-an for a cup, the pitcher's over that counter." He pointed out the counter. Yu-an? Yu-an... yu-an... ohhh yuan! God they pronounce it weird.
"How much water does the pitcher contain?"
"A gallon, good for twelve cups."
"What kind of gallon is that? Is it imperial?"
He frowned. "What do you mean imperial? There isn't any other kind of gallon."
"Okay, just curious. My guys would refill their cante... water bottles so can you lead us to it?"
"Yes sir, right this way."
He led us to a the counter which on one end had an old school cash register, several bottles of wine, and a small rack of assorted goods like bubblegums and candies. The other end contained the water pitcher and a metal cup chained to the table, and a few bottles of milk.
"So we're supposed to drink the water from that one cup?" Walter asked.
"I think so, you know people back in the day weren't that into germs and bacteria doc." I replied.
"Hey they actually were, Louis Pasteur did the his experiments on microbes in the eighteen fifties and by the nineteen twenties people were already very knowledgeable to germs and stuff like that."
"I know doc, but I don't think the poorer people actually gave a shit about it, I mean yeah they did but I don't think they gave that much.."
"Well, at least people didn't drink directly from the pitcher, that would be bad."
"I know doc." I looked at the old man. "Excuse me mister, can we... get some water now?"
"Yes yes of course, of course, just pay at the register after you're done. Remember one yu-an a cup."
"Alright, thanks." I then turned back to Walter. "Hey doc can you get the money from my pack, all of it and count it please? The rest of you." I said to the men. "Go start filling your canteens."
"Yes sir." They replied.
I took my pack off and gave it to Walter and while he was holding it I got my canteen and threw it towards Herman to get refilled. I then went to the old man and put my hands on his shoulders. "Hey can I ask you some questions?"
"Sure sure, anything sir." He replied.
"I was wondering if there's anywhere nice to stay in the city, cheap ones of course."
"I see, you're travelers! I assume that's why you have weird clothes?"
"Yes, camouflage for... hunting."
"Ah, so that the prey won't see you coming, very clever. May I ask what is that big black thing in front of your helmet?"
"Its, umm... a binocular, easier to hunt when you just need to swing it down instead of needing to get it from the bag and holding it."
"Wah, very very clever! Where are you guys from? I've never seen hunters dressed like that before." Shit.
"We, well... umm, came from the town of... Berlin..."
"Berlin? Hmm never heard of that."
"Its a pretty small town deep in the forests of the south, fairly secluded from the outside world."
"Is it still in the United Republic or in the Earth Kingdom... I know I know its going to be the Earth Republic in a few months but I'm used to it." Earth Kingdom? Hmm.
"Its in the United Republic, far to the south... anyways about the hotels."
"Yes yes! Sorry I got distracted, not a lot of customers like to talk with clerks you see." Just like in our world. "there are a few hotels I could think of that's both nice and cheap, but most of them are in the water tribe district from of the city and you seem to be the Earth Kingdom type guy so there would be a fair amount of cultural differences there."
"Its fine as long as its nice."
"Okay then, one's called the Polar Eclipse and another is the Northern Lights."
"Sounds like strip clubs."
"They're legitimate hotels, though there are strip clubs close by if you want to visit them." he leaned on the counter.
"Okay then, do you know where the... umm, palace is?"
"Palace? There's no palace here, I think you mean the city hall."
"Yeah that's it, the city hall."
"Its in the downtown area though its carpeted with spirit vines especially after avatar Korra opened that new spirit portal in the middle of the city." He pointed at a small poster map that was on the wall behind the counter.
"Ah, how about the... police?"
"The RCPD? Well they're holding up quite nicely though ever since the battle a year ago triads are popping up everywhere, even equalists! Can you believe it?" Equalists, so they're some kind of gang also.
"This battle, how did it go down."
"What have you been living under a rock or something?"
I glared at him.
"Fine, you did say you town was fairly secluded. So Kuvira's army with her giant mecha tank came from the southern pass which is to the east of the city, General Iroh already had men to try and stop her but that dumb ass president of ours just surrendered. So naturally Kuvira's got her giant mecha tank to enter the city but Avatar Korra, her girlfriend and friends went to stop her, in the city, that's why the city looked fucked, if the goddamned president just let it fight out outside the city then thousands of lives could have been saved, not to mention the billions of yu-ans worth of destruction and maybe the spirit portal could be outside the city and not in the middle of it. Well I suppose it did let Future Industries expand their construction sector to repair and rebuild the city." Her girlfriend? Does that mean this world is more tolerant than ours?
I was staring at him for a few more seconds, quite dumbfounded. Spirit portal, giant mecha tank. What kind of a world is this. "This Kuvira's giant mecha tanks, how big is it exactly?"
"Its as big as a skyscraper! I've seen it myself you know." He held both his hands up indicating it to be very very big. What the fuck, a skyscraper. What the hell are they, Jagers from Pacific Rim?
"Sir we're done refilling." Herman said as he threw my canteen back at me. "Used about one and a half pitchers."
"Okay, thanks." I looked for Walter and saw him sitting on the ground beside the shelved holding my pack. "Hey Walter, how much money do we have?"
"Huh?" He looked up disoriented. "Oh money, umm... twelve hundred total, if I read the numbers right."
"Hey can you give me my pack back and the money." Twelve hundred, hopefully it could last. I turned around back to the old man. "How much does the hotel cost a night?"
"Hmm." He started to count with his fingers. "I think its about two hundred sixty a night."
"Two sixty... do you know how much it would be for those expensive ones?"
"Expensive ones? Oh wow I could remember it to be over eight hundred yu-ans a night."
"Eight hundred, jesus."
"I know right, rich people."
Walter came up from behind and patted me on my back. "Here you go sir, the pack and the money." He handed them to me.
"Alright private, thanks." I put my pack back on and started counting the money. "Right umm how much is it for one and a half pitchers?" I asked the old man.
"One and a half." He stroked his chin and looked down. "It supposed to be eighteen yu-ans but since you're new here I'll give you a special discount... Fifteen yu-ans, heh?" He nudged my arms.
"Fifteen it is then." I handed him a twenty.
He took the money before giving me a small bow, then went to the cash register and afterwards gave the change of three one yuan coins.
"Thanks you, me and my men will be off then."
"Wait, are you going to the water tribe district now?" He held my arms in which I gently brushed off.
"Umm yeah."
"I can provide transportation... For a price of course." Cheeky bastard.
I crossed my arms and slightly frowned. "Enough for six people?"
"Of course of course, though it may not be the smoothest ride you'll experience. Its my delivery truck you see..." His delivery truck? So he's the owner? "its quite hot at the back but its got benches, enough for at least eight people."
"Hmm." This time I'm the one stroking my chin. "How much is it?"
"Well since the district is pretty close... a hundred yu-ans."
"I'll talk over it with my men first."
"Very well sir."
I nodded before turning around and walked towards the men who were standing around and talking among themselves beside one of the shelves. "Hey the clerk offered us a ride in their truck to our destination in what they call the water tribe district, sixty yuan for all of us. You agree or not?"
They looked at each other for a few moments before Karl spoke up. "I'd rather take the ride than walk ten more miles with this heavy ass mg."
"Any objections?" I asked looking at their faces.
They all shook their heads. "Karl's right, we're tired of walking. We've been walking since we first came here which was like what, four hours?"
"Three, Herman."
"Yeah sir, three. It'll be nice to ride in their cars, have the experience. We're here to learn more about them anyways so why not? It'll be a nice touch to the report sir."
"Yeah you're right. Okay then we'll be riding."
They all smiled "Thank you sir." before continuing to chat with each other.
I turned back towards the old man "Alright a hundred yuan it is."
The old man's face lit up. "Why thank you sir! I'll go call my son now, he'll be the one to drive you to your destination since I need to keep my business running here." So he is the owner.
"Okay, but for the payment I'll give you fifty now and the other fifty when we arrive at our destination... the Polar Express hotel."
"A down payment? Very clever, okay its a deal. You and your men should follow me to the back of the building where the truck is and after I get a word to my son, you'll be on your way."
"Thank you."
"No, thank you." He smiled before signaling us to follow him.
I whistled to my men to grab their attention. "We're moving out to the back of the building and get your asses ready for a rough ride boys."
"Of all the time period that this world could have existed it was the twenties where car suspensions weren't a very big thing. Gahhh! My fucking ass." Herman was complaining ever since the truck started to move.
"Come on Herman its just like having an ass massage." Walter quipped.
"Hey at least we got to ride in an authentic twenties car." Karl added
The truck we rode on was about the size of a pick-up except there are two compartments. The first one was the front where the driver's cabin and the engine (on the nose) was located. The rear compartment was just a big box with no ventilation and lighting at all since its original purpose was the transfer of goods. The truck had a gray overall color and bronze radiator grills with a metal gear in front of the nose just like how Ferrari did with the horse.
"Hey corporal, if this truck really was just for goods then why the hell did they even put folding benches in here?" Herman asked.
"I don't know, maybe they're human traffickers? Its impossible for anyone our side to see whats in here so they could've easily smuggled stuff anywhere." I took my hanker chief out and started wiping sweat from my neck and my forehead. "Damned it is the paint on our faces sweat resistant?"
"It should be for quite some time unless you start wiling it when the sweat is still wet. Damn is it hot in here"
"How much longer do we need to be in this fucking oven sir?" Walter was also wiping sweat away while trying to fan himself using a small piece of cardboard.
"Just a few more minutes, its just ten miles and we've been travelling for over twenty minutes already."
At the same moment the truck jerked to a stop and I heard the door in the front compartment being opened then closed. Moments later the double doors of the rear compartment opened with cool air and orange street lights rushing inside.
"Oh god that felt great." Herman threw his hands up and started wiggling around. "Polluted air never smelled better."
The old man's son was the one who drove us to our destination and he was also the one who opened the door. "I'm sorry if it took a while, can't go very fast when there are officers who would pop out suddenly from a corner. Anyways how was the trip?"
"Hot as fuck." I smiled "So we're here?" I got out of the truck still wiping sweat off followed by the rest of the men.
"Yep we're here. The Polar Express's just over that corner. I can't drop you off in front of it because it would look too suspicious, you know, six men in weird outfits getting off an unmarked truck and immediately proceeding into the hotel."
"Yeah it does." I reached for the fifty yuan that I've already prepared in my pocket. "Here you go, fifty yuan as promised."
"Thank you." He smiled and bowed as he took the money. "I want to let you know though its pronounced yu-an here not yuan."
"Ah, okay thanks. We'll be off then."
"Nice doing business with you!" He smiled once more before boarding the truck and driving away.
There weren't as many people as I thought were on the streets so me and my men sat down on the side walk trying to cool our bodies down. That spirit portal sure is bright.
"Normally there would be more people than this in a hotel area... even when its midnight." I murmured as I fan myself with Walter's cardboard.
"I know right, sir. The bars and restaurants around hotels would normally be open twenty four hours." Jonathan remarked.
There are in fact quite a number of people and cars moving around though not in the same volume as in our world. They all looked at the six weirdly dressed green men sitting on the sidewalk fir a minute or two before continuing on with their business.
I wiped the last few drops of sweat off before putting the handkerchief back to my pocket. "Alright time's up boys, lets go."
I got off the side walk and started stretching with the men following suit. After stretching and checking our equipment we formed a single file with me once again on point and started walking towards the direction the boy said the hotel was in. We walked for several minutes and along the way people staring at us, just like what I expected. There were some drunks who were stumbling around the street but most people were sober and theie gazes were unforgiving.
We walked and walked and walked but we weren't able to find the hotel.
"Corporal are we lost?" Walter looked worried and was scanning the area for something.
"I believe so, or that boy fucking dropped us in the middle of nowhere." A scam, should've fucking saw it coming.
We stopped right beside a closed restaurant and tried to get out bearings. As the men talked over where along the road we got lost and tried to backtrack I looked around the area and saw there were in fact several restaurants and bars, all closed for the night though. I looked up to the sign of the restaurant we were standing in front of. Na... Naro... Narook's Seaweed Noodles. Hmm never though you could make noodles out of seaweed, I would like to try that.
Herman's shout got me out of my thoughts. "Sir I think we know where we got lost."
"Oh, so where was it private?" I crossed my armed and leaned on the walls.
"You see sir, the boy pointed at this direction but instead of taking a right on the second intersection we continued on and took the right on the third one, I think that's where we got lost."
"Well lets get going then." I walked over to the men "Right, Herman's on point since he thinks he knows where the hotel is." I patted him on the back and smiled. "Herman make us proud."
He gave a faint smile before leading the way.
"I think we're lost... again. This doesn't look anything like the district before." Walter was visibly disappointed and was already frowning a little.
"Yeah, I think I screwed up. Fuck!" Herman shouted the word out before putting his hand on his hips and looked down on the ground. "Well there goes shower and a bed."
"Hey come on cheer up boys, think of this as an adventure." I gave a fake laugh to try to rally the men. We are so fucked.
The neighborhood we got it looked very dilapidated. The houses were made from pieces of wood and sheet metal and there were a few gigantic vines going around the place. Damn, those vines are on fucking steroids. There were people, very poor people to be exact that lived in the houses and they seemed unfazed that we were there, perhaps because they've seen enough bullshit to not care anymore.
"I think we're in the slums." I said. "Squad, hold."
The formation stopped and when I looked around we were surrounded by dilapidated houses.
"Sir we should keep moving, at least until we get out of here. You never know what desperate people will do." Herman warned.
"Okay... okay okay, lets keep going then."
We continued moving on and after a few minutes got onto a deserted street with vines now becoming denser. The street lights were on but the air around the place was very eerie. Walking down the road it abruptly ended with the vines making a walk with a just a small opening, a wooden sign board was placed beside the opening.
"'Please refrain from entering the spirit wilds without a guide, it is very dangerous.' Well that's ominous." I said as we stopped in front of the opening.
"So... should we continue on sir?" Herman walked up beside me and looked around.
"God no, didn't you hear what it said? Don't go in without a guide, i don't want us to get killed by some weird mutated animal."
"I think we should backtrack again, see if we ca go around it." Jonathan suggested.
"Yeah Jonathan's right, we'll go around then."
"Yes sir." They muttered.
Turning around, we were stopped tracks by a dozen men blocking off the road. What the fuck? How the hell get here?
"I believe you have something that we want." One of them spoke, he was wearing a red suite of some sort with a white undershirt and had a small bowler hat. He looked significantly older than the men he was leading and had a gray beard and a yellowish skin complexion with green eyes. "The Agni Kai does not take too kindly with people stealing our shit." Agni Kai? Wait, how the hell did they know?
"Sir, what the fuck's happening?" Herman nervously asked.
"Trouble." I replied. "Don't point your guns at them yet, I'll try to talk this out shit goes down you're clear to fire." I told the men.
I walked forward cautiously towards the man and he smiled before walking forward himself and stopped when we were around ten meters from each other.
"Now then boy I will assume you're fresh off the boat to not know what will happen if you cross with the triads. So... I'll be teaching you boys how to properly respect us." He grinned.
"I'm sorry but I have no idea what you're talking about."
"No idea? No idea!?" He shouted before throwing a small fireball onto the ground in front of me.
I jumped out of the way and heard my men raising their weapons, I turned my head around and shook it in disagreement which the guys hesitated before lowering their guns again.
"My men got killed by you fucking pigs and you looted them, don't tell me you didn't do it because I have eyes and ears everywhere!" He was now furious with his eyes gazing into mine. "I will ask one more time, where is the necklace." So that's what he wants. He made a small ball of fire on his hands trying to intimidate me while his men crossed their arms trying to send the message that they meant business. "I know all of you are non benders and don't know how to chi-block so give it now or I'll burn your faces off." God I want to shoot these assholes in the face but the last thing we need is to be recorded as murderers in this world.
"Hey come on now, can't we talk it out?" I shrugged
"Talk it out? You son of a bitch who do you think we are, some fucking airberner? No, its either you give it to us or die!" The flame on his hands became bigger and more intense.
"So what will happen if we did give this necklace to you?"
"Then I'll let you go... after you've given us all your money and valuables as compensation to the trouble you caused us." Bah, this won't work.
"Hans! Ready your smoke grenade and throw it on the ground on my signal, the rest of you prepare to run back and into the forest thing while Karl, try spraying a few bursts of the mg into these triads!" I shouted in German while still facing the man.
"What the hell did you say you fuck? I've been far too patient on you, give it now or die." The fire ball in his hands had now become very large with his men also making fireball of their own. Fucking hell.
"Hans are you guys ready?!" I shouted again.
"Yes sir!" They replied.
Time's up. "Now!" I fired a burst from my rifle and hurriedly ran back to my squad who also fired bursts.
I heard the triads shouting but I ignored it, Hans's smoke grenade immediately came into effect as the squad started retreating into the 'spirit wilds' and the fireballs started coming but every shot missed. Karl, our mg gunner fired several short bursts into the smoke covering us before he too fell back. We ran as fast as we could into the dark place all the while still hearing the frantic shouting of the triads, we continued until I could not hear the triads anymore before I halted the squad.
"That was fucking... just fucked up. What the hell do they want anyways sir?" Walter was panting as the squad formed a circle around me.
"He wanted the necklace of the avatar, said he'll kill us if we didn't give it to him and if we did he'll rob all of our stuff for compensation." I looked around the place and saw it just covered in extremely dense and large vines. Too dark, need to use NV here.
"Jesus, thugs are indeed the same everywhere." He sighed.
"Yeah doc, now... we need to get out of this place through another exit, if there is even one. Ready your NVs, we wouldn't want to wake anything that's living in this place."
"They kept saying something about spirits didn't they? So does that mean spirits are real here?" Jonathan asked.
"Maybe, maybe not. If they are then we'll have to deal with it."
"How sir? Shoot it?" Herman interjected.
"Hey you never know." I grinned before signaling to put on the NV goggles. "We need to get moving, I have a feeling that these triads don't give a fuck about spirits and shit. Now umm, Jonathan you're on point." I pointed at him and curled my fingers seductively.
"Oh fuck off corporal." The gave me the middle finger which the whole squad laughed before he went in front of the squad.
The squad followed suit forming a line with me behind Jonathan and at the same time swung their NV goggles down.
The area around us was light green through the NV which meant that there is a fair amount of light in the 'spirit wilds'. "Alright squad, move out... that way."
We started walking in a northern direction through streets and buildings just plastered with vines, vines so dense you could barely see the buildings itself.
"Stay alert, you never know what might hit us here." I fiddled with my rifle fire selection from auto to semi.
I looked around the men and saw them raising their rifles alternating to the left and the right. Good good, training's kicking in. Bloody hell is this place creepy as fuck. I was still looking back at the line when I bumped into Jonathan who had abruptly stoped.
"What the hell Jon... Jesus." Right in front of us was a serpent like creature that looked like the Chinese dragons in painting though it didn't have legs, it had a vibrant colour of violet and red, was standing... or slithering in front of us looking at us with eyes that are as black as a black hole. "Don't... Move." I whispered to Jonathan in which he slowly nodded.
I looked to the back and saw the rest of the men petrified and all pointing their guns at it. "Put your guns down! We don't wank to provoke it for fuck's sake!" I whispered at them and after a short hesitation they lowered it slowly.
I turned around towards the creature and slowly walked towards it. Shit its transparent? Jesus so it this a spirit? "Umm... Hi?" I said.
"You." The creature's voice echoed even though we were in an open area. "Did you not see the sign you humans put which said that you need a guide. Did you not see it or are you one of those pesky triads that wish to cut some spirit vines and sell it to other degenerates?" The creature started levitating and then flew to our right trying to surround us with its body.
The men once again raised their weapons but it held Walter's and Jonathan's rifles down. "Don't! Fuck sake follow orders!"
"Human weapons cannot hurt me, no matter what they are that you've brought from your world." Our world? How did he know?"
"What do you mean, our world?" I asked
"Do not test me human as I can sense the spirits within you. You are not of this world, I saw you coming out from the cave in Nan Shan mountain, it had long been known that the avatar sees strange visions of another world, visions which spoke of men in green... just like you." He suddenly lunged forward making us jump backwards before he receded and started circling us. "So, why are you here then human?"
"We were just passing... umm, through. We ran from the triads because we didn't want to kill them."
"You didn't want to kill them because you don't want to, or was it because it will make you look bad?" Oh what? Come on how did he do that? He continued circling us which by now the squad had formed a circle.
"We, well... ugh."
"What?"
"Hmm, to not look bad."
"Ah, yes honesty. Something of a rarity in humans that come here on their own, they tend to lie a lot about their motives." He broke off circling us but came in front of me and rested his body on the street. "Tell me then, why should I let you through?"
"Sir, what the fuck is happening?" Herman nervously asked.
"Quiet! I'll tell you later." I whispered before facing the creature again. "We wanted to know more about this world... I've men a kid, a teen girl with a blue tattoo on her forehead and was wondering if I would be able to meet her again to clear some things up. She mentioned something about avatar... umm Ang or ugh Aang I think before gliding off."
"Ah I see you've met an airbender, this girl... does she have short hair?"
"Yes."
"Yes.. Yes... She is called Jinora and she served as a guide to the spirit wilds to... touristssss"
"Tourists, you hate them?"
"Yes I do, they come here not to seek spiritual guidance or any other spiritual activities, instead they come here to take what you humans call 'pictures' and sightsee. Though I will admit there are indeed some who come here for spiritual purposes, most are just rabbles." He started levitating again and went back to the position where I first saw him. "Very well human I shall grant you passage over the spirit wild, an exit is over there." He pointed using his tail. "Do not meddle with the spirit vines or I will know and I will be most displeased with it... and kick you out."
"Why can't you like kick us out now instead of us needing to walk all the way there?" Shit that was a stupid question.
"Kick you out? I don't think you understand the magnitude of that. When I kick you out I kick your spirit off your body and that will cause you to die physically, your body may or may not be found by other humans but if not... then they will rot here just like that man." He looked to one of the vines.
I looked at it and saw several bones and cloth surrounded by vines growing over it. Yikes.
"Go now, as I have been lenient on you today. Go before I change my mind." He then disappeared right into the street. Fuck so spirits are real huh.
"Sir what the fucking fuck just happened!" Jonathan shouted out with voices of concern following.
"This is a lot to take in... Wait." I squatted down and pinched the ridge of my nose. After a few seconds I stood back up. "Okay lets start moving, I'll tell you on the way."
"Light! I can see the light in front of us!" Jonathan shouted excitedly. "This door or whatever they call it is definitely bigger than the ones we came in... hell I don't think there's actually a door, just a hole."
"Oh my god I can see it too." I exclaimed. "Come on lets run it, twenty minutes in this shit hole is more than enough for me! After we get out of here I would like to look for a nice quiet place for us to get some chow, right boys?"
"Yes sir!" They replied.
We jogged the last fifty meters or so of vine covered land before finally getting out of the spirit wilds and entered the light. It was blinding at first since I still had my NV on but even when I've already swung it up my eyes were still not focused enough to see clearly what's up ahead. Fuck, should've took the NV off when we were still in that hell hole. Everything was quiet except for the sound of panting from my men, it was immediately shattered by the godforsaken sound of a siren getting closer. Police?
I looked up and with my eyes now focused, saw a single police car (still looked like a Model T) with a man getting out. Damn, its one in the morning and their police responds this quick? Wait, what is he responding to anyways? He had a clean cut hair and brown eyes, he wore a gray overall just like the cars, his clothes had a yellow badge on the left breast area and he only carried a pair of handcuffs on his belt, no weapons. So is he one of them fireball throwing guys? Fuck now we're on the run from both the police and the thugs.
"Excuse me, are you guys alright?" He walked towards us extending his hands.
"Yeah we're alright, uhh thanks... officer." I shook his hands
"My name's Mako, I've got a call from Jinora telling me to wait for six guys in green which... well you're the only ones here. You do know her right?"
"I think so. I've only met her once in the mountains in front of a cave, she said a few words before gliding off."
"So it was you? Huh she kept telling us how she met those people in Avatar Aang's visions, her dad went with her to the cave and gone to the other side but no signs of you guys." So it was them the residents of Hürtgenwald. "She told me to bring you guys to air temple island." He looked at his car worried. "It would be quite a tight fit in there since its designed to hold five at most but it'll only take a few minutes before we get to the port." He turned around. "So, you want in?"
"Fine I guess, I'll tell my men about it first."
"Okay, I'll be waiting at the car." We waved at me before proceeding to go to the car and leaned on the hood.
I told the squad about it and most of them rejected it.
"Sir this is a fucking trap, he'll send us off to the police station or the bloody triads. You never know how corrupt they are." Herman said.
"But we don't have a choice now do we Herman? We need to find this Jinora right sir? Like what the spirit thing said she knows a lot about spirits and well this world." Walter replied.
"Settle down boys, okay we WILL go with the man and that's an order. This isn't a fucking democracy and I'm in charge so if I say anything you will do it, understood?!" I said.
"Yes sir." Herman grumbled.
"Good, I'll go tell Mako about it and we'll be on our way." I went to Mako and leaned on the hood of the car beside him. "I'll accept your offer."
"Great! At least Korra isn't going to get pissed at me now." He got up and proceeded to the driver's door.
"Korra? You mean the avatar?" I signaled the men to get into the car.
"Yeah she is, its a good thing that you're coming here with some knowledge of our world. It makes conversations easier." He got in and started the car in which I got up from the hood and went to the front seat.
"I see, so how long will this trip take?" I asked as Walter was the first one to get into the back of the car.
"Ten minutes max."