"Do you know how expensive it is to erase someone, Korra?" Varrik asked innocently, his chair facing the large window behind him. There was a speck gliding towards the horizon, carrying away their most recent problem. He tapped a pen on his knee rhythmically, "Just give me a ballpark estimate here? How much do you think it cost me?"
"I don't know. Can't say I care. Any price is worth it." Korra replied vacantly, her eyes also watching the window. Her brown pinstripe jacket had been seared in the fight. One of the guys gave her an old suit he outgrew; navy with grey piping. Folds of extra fabric collected at her joints, but she rather liked being able to submerge herself in the blue silken sea.
"Well I care! It cost me half the month's revenue," He hissed and spun around slapping his hands on the expensive mahogany desk.
"Careful sir, wood scratches easy," Korra tutted and pulled out a smoke, casually puffing it into the air.
"Put that out! My plants don't need your stink fouling the air!" Varrik shouted, and the guards poked their heads into the room. He shooed them out with his hands. Varrik carefully composed himself, steepling his fingers and crossing his legs.
"Korra, you remember that you owe me a great sum of money. Now I have you working for me so that-"
"I can work off my debt. But! If I skrew it up, you'll have me thrown in an unnamed pit in Omashu to rot forever. I remember." She recited, throwing in a few hand gestures that impersonated a version of himself that Varrik did not like.
"Yes, but I am tacking the charges for this on to your debt. A drop in the ocean really," He shrugged and slicked his mustache.
"Thanks, now I've gotta play tonight, so if-"
"Oh. You're on probation from this fine establishment, young Avatar," Varrik added as if it were a careless happenstance that he had no part in deciding on.
"What!?" The blood drained from Korra's face, the cigarette dropped from her fingers and smoked on the carpet.
"Sir, I give you all my tips I make playing!" She argued, her face straining with distress.
"You can pay me by running liquor, what you're good at! I've already hired a new pianist to take the stage for the next few months. His wages, by the way, are also part of your debt. Go enjoy what is left of your day, you've got work tomorrow."
Korra was still. There was nothing she could lose now, so she leaned forward and demanded, "Are you framing Asami Sato?"
"What kind of ridiculous que-"
"Answer me! Did you burn down Future Industries? Are you framing Miss Sato?" Korra repeated grabbing Varrik by the soft fur of his collar and hauling his psychically across the desk like a hermit carb being pulled from it's shell.
"What! No, of c-course not!" He sputtered as she wrenched his collar in her fist. Korra felt heavy hands come down on her shoulder and she released his neck as she was forced down in her seat. The guard boys waited for their orders while Varrik struggled to fix his wrinkled outfit, clucking and tutting like a mother hen over her chicks. Finally he turned and seemed surprised to see Korra was still seated there- the hands of the guards like iron locks on her shoulders.
"Well I cannot tell you much. You have proven that you are a disaster with responsibility. However if it will sate your cravings, you know Miss Sato is a certified genius in engineering and auto-works. I hired her, because I need her safe until one of my eggs begins to hatch. Happy?"
Korra nodded. The hands lifted from her shoulder, and she bowed and left.
Outside the door the guard apologized profusely and handed her a bottle of liquor for the road.
Korra drank it all on the spot, and whistled for Naga.
xXx xXx xXx xXx xXx xXx
Asami checked her makeup in the mirror of her dressing room, and adjusted a few curls to fit in the half up-do she wore tonight. This was one of her favorite looks for herself, and she smiled at the mirror. A shadow filled in behind her in the mirror and without looking up Asami wondered aloud, "Korra is that you?"
"Try again! Think a little less muscular, but totally more handsome. A real lady-killer, also a famous mover star? Need another hint?" The chatty-cathy mover star plopped himself on the pink stool next to the mirror and leaned in next to her, holding his cheeks and flashing his head side to side. "Which side do you think is best? Trick question! The answer is both."
"Hello Bolin, how are you tonight?" Asami asked politely as she continued about her business without indulging his distractions.
"Dandy! Except for the fact that I haven't seen Korra all night… and Tenzin left the bar… And my brother got caught by the guards, and they have him in interrogation right now." Bolin's voice seemed to grow smaller with each item on his list. Carefully she plunged her mascara brush back into it's tube, and gave Bolin her full attention.
"Your brother? Why would they interrogate him?" She asked, and nodded her head for him to proceed.
"He's a police officer. They found him on one of their shipment boats," He answered and now Asami could see he was barely holding it together. His hands were gripping the fabric on his knees and his cheerful grin faltered and fell all together.
"They're going to send him to no-man's-land. It's the only thing they can do." Bolin rumbled, his voice cracking on the end. All his fame and wealth, and he could not save his brother from this fate.
Asami leaned forward and put her hand on his knee, "Bolin he'll be fine. He's been in worse situations I am sure."
"I'm not going to see him again," He choked and his face crumpled like a trampled cardboard.
Asami's heart ached, she stood and wrapped her arms around him. Sobs wracked the rich play-boy, and it hurt Asami more to know that he came to her, a near stranger, for comfort in his time of need. She knew the burdens of fame and riches too well. She just whispered sweet nothings to the hurting brother until his tears dried.
"Sorry," He mumbled swiping his sleeve over his eyes. He looked at the ground, gathering his energies to put up his mask. "Guess that just makes me more desirable, if my other half is gone," he chuckled hoarsely the paused and frowned.
"Be careful, Asami" he said then left, kicking at the wall leaving a dent in the brick.
Asami sat in silence for the next hour, alone with her thoughts. Eventually there was a knock and she opened the door a crack, but a loose body slumped against it and smiled lazily in her direction. She struggled to keep the door minimally open as he spilled in and croaked, "Hey doll, I'm Tahno the new piano man. We're up, and I hope you don't skrew up."
"Please get off the door. I'll meet you on stage," Her lips were tight as she heaved against the door and slammed it shut. She breathed and slid her back down the door. The announcer called her to stage, so she tweaked a curl, and left her dressing room. Stepping into the blinding lights of the stage, she squinted and noticed the crowd was thin tonight. She sniffed the air, it smelled like burnt wool instead of cigarettes and whiskey. The people looked uneasy, Asami figured it had something to do with Bolin's brother. She put on her best smile and waved to the crowd, and they clapped, eager to give their attention to something pleasant.
"Alright folks, this first number is a jazzy something," She turned to see the black haired Tahno slumped at the piano, and gave him the count. Tahno tried to switch the rhythm half-way through and the whole band dropped out of sync. Then he jumped up and tried to pull a solo act, but the other musicians just played over him. The song was a disaster, but the crowd didn't seem to care. Most had their heads buried in their drinks.
Asami, Tahno and the jazz band struggled through a few more that went about as well as the first, then their shift limped to an end. The singer was eager to get home, shower, and drive laps for a few hours. She changed to her street clothes in the dressing room and made her way to her car.
"Wait up Miss Smart-o," Tahno called out, and with a sigh she paused to wait for him. "Varrik wants to speak with you in his office," The slick-haired bender gave her a lop-sided smile that made her skin crawl.
"Thank you Tahno," She said with well practiced politeness and headed back inside the White Lotus, submersing herself in the crowd just to escape his gaze. At the back stairwell she found the first set of guards, and they showed her up the stairs. The guards on this level patted her down, and escorted her three floors up. "Ask for an elevator when, would ya Miss?" One guard wheezed, then opened the frosted glass door for her.
"Miss Sato!" Varrik bugled as he stood with his arms outstretched in welcome. Asami shook his hand and seated herself in a stuffed leather chair, that seemed to be lined with a rare pelt. She folded her legs and assumed her business posture.
"Did you see the show, sir?" She asked, half-hoping he had, and that he had been inspired to send Tahno out on the boat that supposedly carried Bolin's brother.
"Unfortunately, I had other matters to attend—matters with the Avatar. Could you tell me what is the matter with her?" He asked with a suggestive 'hmm' in his voice, leaning back in his chair with his finger steepled.
"I'm not sure. I was thankful you sent her with me last night. Some youths have been vandalizing my house and-"
"Your safety is my priority, Miss Sato. I had hoped the sentiment was mutual, but are trying to turn Avatar Korra against me. And after all I've done to help you?"
"You offend me, sir," Asami crossed her arms and narrowed her green eyes to grass-blade width.
"Well, Avatar Korra believes I am framing you. I would hate to end our friendship over a dirty criminal like the Avatar," Varrik said with a dramatic frown, dropping his shoulders.
"I will uphold our agreement," Asami dipped her head and said, "and I can talk with Korra tonight when I see her on stage."
"That won't be for quite a while. She is temporarily banned from the White Lotus," Varrik informed her as he picked at his bright purple nails. "Chipped," he groaned.
"Very well," Asami accepted and nodded her head, "Please send her to see me."
"Truthfully, I'd like the Avatar to stay with you until the police give up on you. I'd hate to see you waste away in prison," He whined, but they both knew it was an offer she could not refuse.
"Very well," Asami answer reflexively without any emotion to color her response. Varrik snorted and shuffled some papers on his desk. He was annoyed that she did put up a fight, Asami smiled to herself.
"In a few days I will have real work for you," He announced, leafing through his ledger.
"I look forward to it sir. May I leave? I'd like to be home in time for dinner.."
"Of course— guards! See Miss Sato to her car."
Asami curtsied and the guards escorted her down the stairs. Still she felt Varrik's eyes on the back of her neck until she drove into the next district.
