He brought me downstairs, back to the tunnel I had travelled through with Liu. The halls were empty. Ping's hand was a heavy weight on the back of my neck.

"You make a fuss, I break your spine," he said. I thought of a series of unsolved Triad murders, and believed him.

We reached a platinum door. Ping fumbled in his pocket, searching for the keys while his left hand stayed on my neck. I thought of running. Thought better of it.

Too late now. The door was open, and Brother Ping ushered me through.

We entered a small chamber partially illuminated by bare bulbs. A yellowed world map was pinned to a wall. On the opposite side of the room was a desk, and on the desk sat Liu, looking bleak. Ping locked the door behind him and took up position in front of it. He released the shackles at my hands and feet, giving me a smirk to say, I know you're powerless.

As evenly as I could manage, I said to Liu, "I think we need to talk."

"Lin, I-"

"If you're about to tell me you can explain-"

A shadow of a smile crossed his face.

"It's complicated," he said.

"Isn't it always?"

"What have you figured out?"

"You knew Megumi."

"Slightly."

"Well enough that she could blackmail you."

Liu nodded.

"Because you were an Equalist for a hell of a lot longer than you admit. And you weren't just a rank and file member." I hesitated, but I knew I couldn't stop at half the truth. "You were there when I lost my bending."

"Yes," he said. "I was."

"And ... Megumi?"

"She got mixed up in a street fight near her apartment. I captured her and brought her to Amon."

"So now you know."

Megumi emerged from the shadows.

She was tall - almost my height - and very pretty, but she had lost weight since the photographs I'd seen had been taken. Her cheekbones were more prominent. Her hair had been cut, too, into a short bob that curled around her ears. She wore a grey Future Industries coverall that was slightly too big for her.

She stood with her hands behind her back, like a school girl. She was terribly young.

"It's nice to finally meet you," she said. "The great Lin Beifong."

"Good morning, Megumi," I said. "Is this your revenge?"

"Justice," she corrected me.

"What did you have over Deng?"

Megumi smiled. "It's silly, really. He moved his widowed mother to an estate in the country. She's a nice lady, very kind. I played pai sho with her once."

"You threatened her."

"The only thing he really cared about."

"Why?"

"Isn't it enough that he exploited the needy and profited from their suffering?" Megumi's grey eyes were wide. "It wasn't personal. He was a cancer on Republic City. He needed to be cut out."

"So you could take his place," I said.

"What?" Megumi looked disconcerted. "No, that's what Deng assumed, because he thought everyone saw the world the way he did. He was a predator. I hope to become a more benign force."

"Megumi has political ambitions," Liu said quietly.

"The Republic City Council is just a different breed of criminal institution," said Megumi. "I plan to reform from within."

I said, "Professor Qing would be proud."

"Do you think so?" Doubt mixed with hope. "She thinks change has to come from the people. She doesn't believe anyone of my class could be sincere about wanting to better the system."

"I can't say I blame her," said Liu.

"I lived in Dragon Flats," Megumi snapped. "I've seen what it's like to live from week to week, selling your belongings or taking loans from sharks because your family needs food. Being so disregarded, you're just ripe for exploitation by people like Amon, because you know the world is unfair, and they seem to give you a reason for it."

"I believe you," I said. "I know you care about people who have nothing. I saw your apartment. And your cat."

Megumi's face lit up. "Yanwu? He's all right? You took him in?"

"I did."

Sheepishly, Megumi said, "He bites."

"We know." Feeling braver, I moved across the room to lean against the desk. Liu reached for me, then stopped. I ignored him and said to Megumi, "You must have left in a hurry, to abandon him."

"I knew my mother was coming. I thought she'd let him out."

"Why did you leave?"

"Mother. Everything was coming together, and she would have taken me home." Her gaze turned inward. "I didn't want her to know I lost my bending. I wasn't ready."

"Yes," I said. "I understand."

"I know I should be used to it by now-"

"But sometimes it feels so close-"

"Like ashes that are still warm." Megumi shivered. "I'm cold all the time."

"The earth is too quiet," I said.

"Yes." Megumi looked lost and sad. "You understand why I have to do this."

"A little." I turned to Liu. "It was your daughter, wasn't it? The reason you left the Equalists?"

"Yeah."

"You were there when she was caught."

Liu looked away.

"You were right," he said. "I was one of the most senior Equalists. Not because I believed wholeheartedly in Amon, but I thought something good would come of the revolution. I wanted to be part of that.

"I didn't care that you lost your bending. It was a shame, but you were a dangerous enemy. I didn't know you. I didn't know what it meant for you. But I admired your courage. No one else had been so brave."

"And Megumi?"

"She was a strong bender. No soldier, but dangerous. We had to knock her out to take her in. Even with her chi blocked, she kept fighting."

Megumi smiled. "My royal great-aunt believed we should all learn to fight without bending."

"You didn't need to lose your bending," said Liu. "One of us recognised you as Fire Nation nobility. We wanted to keep you as a hostage."

"Am I supposed to be grateful?" she asked. Liu shrugged.

"It made no difference. Amon insisted on cleansing you. He was also determined to take the bending of Tenzin's children. There was ... dissent. People began to desert."

"But not you," I said.

"I still thought the revolution could be salvaged." He was far away. "On the third day, my daughter was captured."

"And you finally had your change of heart," said Megumi.

"I'm not proud of it."

"Good."

"And in many ways, the revolution was a catalyst for positive change. Before Amon, no one would have dreamed of opening the Council to native-born residents."

"And that helps you sleep at night?" I asked.

"You know how I sleep."

"As easily as you lie." I looked over at Brother Ping, then back at Liu. "Tell me," I said, "did you have Deng killed?"

"What do you think?"

"I know one of you did it. When you left me the other day, was it to tell her what Deng had done?"

"Yes," Liu admitted.

"You - the two of you - realised he was becoming desperate. It was just a matter of time until he betrayed you, Liu."

"I did realise that."

"He was already dropping hints to me. Not that I listened."

"I didn't have him killed, Lin. I promise you that."

I smiled bleakly. "More lies?"

"What's the point?" He looked past me, at Megumi. "I'm not leaving here alive. I've done things I'm not proud of, and yes, I favoured pragmatism over my conscience until the revolution threatened my family But I didn't kill Deng."

"Just think," I said quietly, "if you hadn't taken my bending, I'd know whether or not to believe you."

"What do your instincts say?"

"That you'll say anything to salvage your reputation."

"I'm sick of lying to you."

"Good."

"I love you."

I closed my eyes.

"Lin-"

I took his hand in mine. It was clammy. My fingers found his pulse. His heart-rate was elevated, but the signs that would let me distinguish between lies and fear were too subtle for mere hands to recognise.

"Liu," I said, leaning closer. I whispered in his ear, "Ping first."

He nodded. I released my grip and stepped back.

"Now," I said.

We moved as one, my leg sweeping out to knock Megumi off her feet as we threw ourselves at Ping. He was taken by surprise, and by the time he had raised a defensive rock wall, I was already standing on it. I rose with the stone, crouching to keep from bashing my head against the ceiling. Balance? That was second nature.

He increased the speed of the wall, attempting to throw me off or crush me, but all I had to do was jump. I launched myself at him, pulling him down with me, and that was when Liu took advantage of his distraction to kick him in the knees.

There was no form here, no style or discipline. Ping and Liu were self-taught streetfighters, and although I had once mastered three forms of earthbending, I wasn't much better. And Ping was bigger than both of us; no sooner had we pinned his legs than his arms got free. Liu tried to block his chi, but Ping evaded him.

It was absurd. It was hopeless.

One bolt of electricity, and I was suddenly lying on my back, looking up at Megumi. She deactivated the shock glove, pushed her hair out of her face and smiled at me.

I thought of the way she kept her hands behind her back. Like a little girl.

"Ping," she called over her shoulder, "end this."

The sound of stone projectiles embedding themselves in flesh. Liu gasped. I closed my eyes.

"What about Beifong?" Ping asked.

I opened my eyes. If I had to die, I wanted to see it coming.

"I want her alive," said Megumi.

"She's a witness."

"Hardly credible anymore."

"Suit yourself."

Pain rocked my body. For a second, my entire being was on fire with it, and then I passed beyond pain into a profound numbness. Ping looked down at me and shrugged, walking away. Megumi lingered for a moment. She looked like she wanted to say something, but then she just shook her head and walked off.

Slowly, I became aware of my body again. My fists were clenched. I was dizzy. My leg ... I tried to sit up. I caught a glimpse of blood pouring out from what had once been my left knee. Then I fell back again.

Someone was struggling to breathe. Liu. Nearby.

I rolled over onto my stomach, almost blacking out from the pain in my leg. I concentrated on my hands, planted flat on the stone floor. Dirt under my torn nails. Bleeding from a scrape. Strong hands. I was strong, I told myself. This would be easy.

I got myself up on my elbows and dragged myself forward. My leg was in agony. Fine. I bundled all that pain up and pushed it down. Let it fester.

"Liu."

I was sweating and shaking by the time I reached him. His eyes were unfocused. Blood bubbled from his mouth.

"Lin."

He reached for me, his hand finding mine.

I closed my eyes as he died.

Someone was shouting. Asami?

"Down here! They're down here! We need a healer. Hurry!"

I heard Mako swear. I know, I wanted to say, it's an ugly scene. I'm sorry.

I couldn't speak.

"Hang on."

I opened my eyes. Asami was kneeling over me.

"Just a bit longer," she said.

I heard Tenzin's voice, and Chan's, and then there were strangers all around me. Water wrapped itself around my leg, drawing the pain away. Then I blacked out again.

The first thing I heard was Bumi's voice saying, "Go home, Tenzin. I'll sit with her for a while."

The brothers bickered quietly, and I lay still, not quite awake but no longer unconscious. I heard a chair creak as Bumi sat down.

"Well, Lin-Lin," he said quietly, "you just take your time."

I tried to move, to open my eyes and tell him I was fine, but I had no energy at all. The sound of Bumi's voice echoed as my awareness faded again.

Next time I woke up, it was to find Asami dozing in the chair beside my bed, the newspaper slowly slipping from her hands to the floor.

"Sato?" I said, but my mouth was so dry, I could barely squeak. Still, she stirred, opening her eyes and looking at me. She froze for a second, her face lighting up, then ran to alert a nurse.

I lay back, wishing she had stayed. I had so many questions, but my brain was so foggy, I could barely remember what they were. I craned my head, trying to read the headlines on Asami's newspaper, but the angle was all wrong.

A nurse appeared, followed by a healer and two physicians. Only the nurse spoke to me, and she just wanted to ask questions, not answer them. I saw Asami appear at the door, but she was chased away by an irritable healer.

The nurse brought me a bowl of lukewarm soup. I could only drink half of it before I fell asleep again.

When I woke up, it was Tenzin in the chair. There were deep circles under his eyes.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"I don't know." I was vaguely aware that my mind was attached to a body, and that there was pain somewhere, but it was very far away. There was a more urgent issue, if only I could remember… "Liu," I said.

"He's dead, Lin."

"I know." Memory was flooding back. I closed my eyes. "Megumi?"

Tenzin's lips thinned. "She's fine. She's with her family."

"Oh."

Yumiko would be happy. Perhaps I could delegate Iroh to tell the Fire Lord that her young relative was a murderess.

"Brother Ping is missing," Tenzin went on. "He and his mother have left town." He reached for my hand. "You haven't asked about your leg," he said.

"Tell me."

"The healers managed to save it. But they say the damage is considerable." Taking my silence for unhappiness, he added, "I could get my mother to come. She might be able to-"

"It doesn't matter."

"I'm sorry. I was told not to upset you."

"I think I'd like to be left alone, Tenzin."

"I understand."

He kissed my cheek and walked away, closing the door behind him. It was five minutes before the nurses came - two, this time, and only one physician - and by then, I had my feelings under control.

I was angry. It was a detached kind of rage, muffled by the morphine in my blood, but it was the strongest emotion I was capable of feeling. How dare Liu sleep with me, gain my trust, earn my respect, all the while lying about the part he had played in my unbending. How dare Megumi order his execution before I even had a chance to confront him properly.

It was selfish and indulgent, but I couldn't think of anything else. I nursed my rage, circling around all the signs I had ignored and the moments Liu could have - should have - taken his chances and risked a confession. I might have forgiven him, I thought, if I'd been given the chance.

That turned my mind to Megumi, alive and well, returned to the bosom of her family. What had she told them?

When the evening nurse brought my dinner, I asked for a newspaper, or better yet, a radio. She laughed and said, "Not quite yet. The healers say you shouldn't worry yourself about anything yet."

So I ate in silence and fell into a fractured sleep, dreaming about kneeling in the mud before Amon, his Lieutenant and Equalists watching as I fell.

The next morning, the physician came to examine my leg, and I got my first look at the injury.

"The healers did their best with the broken bones," she said, pointing to the misshapen lumps around what had previously been my kneecap, "but so many fragments were lost in the tissue, we had to reinforce the joint with pins."

"Pins," I said. "Metal?"

"Yes, it's quite a new technique, but-"

Metal in my body, and I couldn't feel a thing. I ran my hand over the scars they had left. I wanted to cry or throw up or both.

I swallowed and said, "Can I walk?"

"Maybe another day."

She met my eyes, then looked away quickly. Too late: I already knew she doubted whether I'd be able to walk again.

Anger welled up, and I swallowed it down.

As she was leaving, I said, "Can I have a newspaper?"

I saw her hesitate, but she said, "Yes, of course."

Half an hour later, a nurse arrived with the day's papers. Megumi smiled radiantly from the front page of the Republic Daily News.

Royal Heiress To Take Seat On Council? the headline asked. The article itself was more sober, an assessment of the likelihood of Ming stepping down and Megumi taking her place.

"Ironically, my time as a prisoner of Councilman Liu and Diamond Deng taught me more about the needs of Republic City than any university course," Megumi told reporters at a press conference yesterday afternoon. "If the opportunity arose, I'd be honoured to serve the United Republic."

The Fire Nation government has not offered an opinion about Councilwoman Ming's replacement. A spokesman for the palace said that such appointments were entirely in the hands of Republic City's government.

"So now you know." Asami leaned against the doorframe, a bundle of newspapers in her arms. "I wanted to tell you myself."

"And people are buying this story?"

"Why not? Beautiful girls, corrupt politicians, crime lords. People eat it up. I hear Varrick wants to make a mover about Megumi." Asami sounded bitter. "The police have been going through Deng and Liu's papers. Liu hired Brother Ping two months ago. And paid for his accommodation near the factory."

"Could be-"

"Forged, yeah, I know. But it looks like a lot of Deng's people were employed at the factory. Remember the young-looking guy who took us to the casino? I ran into him while I was looking for the cops. He had a job in the cafeteria."

I looked up, trying to remember what I had heard Liu saying to Deng on the night we met. You can't control every business in the city…

"Deng wanted a piece of the action," I said.

"Yeah. And Megumi was right there to make sure Liu gave it to him."

I said nothing.

"I'm really sorry, Lin."

"Don't bother, Sato. I'm fine."

Asami glanced at my leg, hidden away beneath bandages and blankets.

"So," I said, "Megumi's playing the victim?"

"She says she recognised Liu as an Equalist and went to confront him. He was scared she'd reveal his secrets, so he had Deng kidnap her. And it was just luck that Brother Ping showed up to have it out with Liu that morning, or he'd have killed her right there."

"And what part do I play in all this? Aside from Liu's stooge?"

"Well," Asami looked uncomfortable, "that's about it, really. Megumi's putting it about that you tried to rescue her, only to find your own lover was the villain."

"Close enough to the truth."

"I - wasn't going to say that." Asami quickly moved on. "She says Liu had Deng murdered because he threatened you."

"How kind."

"There's no evidence that he didn't."

"No. I know." I lay back, my head spinning.

"I'm sorry," said Asami. "I've upset you."

"It's about time someone told me the truth."

"I wish-"

"I know."

"What's this?" The morning nurse was back, scowling at the newspapers that had appeared in my room. "You're supposed to be resting, Ms Beifong. Visiting hours are over."

"But it's only eleven-thirty!"

"It's fine," I told Asami. "Go. I'll see you later."

They left me alone with my anger.

My morphine dose was reduced that afternoon. The pain was magnified, but only a little, and in the absence of the drug, other emotions started coming back. Self-loathing, that was a good one. Regret. Even grief. I had never really known Liu, but he had presented a facade I had liked and cared about.

I fell asleep after lunch.

"You need to let go."

I was walking along a beach. It was cold and overcast, and the wind cut like a knife.

"You need to let go," Aang repeated.

"It's a dream."

"Yes," he said, as gently as if he was instructing a new Acolyte. "Are you scared?"

"I'm not scared of anything."

"Better not let your mom catch you lying like that." Aang reached for me, enveloping me in a hug. "Be brave," he said, and touched my forehead, the chakra point Amon had twisted and destroyed.

I woke up to find my face wet with tears. I lay still, looking up at the ceiling, thinking of Aang's touch. Then, feeling stupid, I reached for the metal bedframe.

Nothing. It was cold.

I laughed.

"Is something funny?"

I sat up so fast I got dizzy.

"Megumi."

"I didn't want to wake you."

She was sitting in the chair beside my bed, neatly dressed in a burgundy suit. Her hair and make-up were perfect. There was a book in her hand. Avatar Aang's History of the Air Nomads.

"I came to apologise," she said. "I didn't know Brother Ping intended to injure you so badly."

I said nothing.

"I suppose there are other things I should apologise for as well. I didn't think my mother would involve anyone outside the family, you see. I had to leave in a hurry when I realised she was coming to see me in person. I thought I had more time."

"But you had a deadline," I said. "You wanted to destroy Liu on the day of the reopening."

"I know it must seem petty to you."

I shrugged. "Criminals have all kinds of reasons for their behaviour. It doesn't make much difference in the end."

"Is that how you see me? A common thug?" Megumi sounded genuinely hurt. "I know I made mistakes, but I assure you, I've thought very carefully about every step I've taken."

I shook my head, wishing I could get up and walk away.

"Listen," said Megumi, "I have an offer for you. Tomorrow, Councilwoman Ming will be naming me as her replacement. Everyone on the Council except Tenzin supports me. But there's one more empty seat."

I looked at her.

"You could take Liu's seat," she said. "You have a good reputation. You're honest. And there's romance, too, with you having been Liu's lover. You'd be incredibly popular."

I was speechless.

"It would be an honour to work with you," Megumi persisted. "I think we have more in common than you realise."

"Get out."

"I'm leaving." Megumi stood up, gathering her handbag and book. She hesitated, then reached into her bag. "This is yours."

She put my ring on the nightstand. My meteor ring. My mother's metal.

"You broke into my house."

"I needed to know who you were."

"Leave."

She paused in the doorway. "Please," she said, "think about my offer."

I did think about it. I sat up into the night, thinking about Megumi's offer, until the night nurse threatened to sedate me.

When Bumi arrived the next morning, he found me taking careful steps around my room.

"Look at you!" he said, opening his arms, and I collapsed against him. "The nurses will kick me out if they think I'm letting you push yourself."

"Help me," I said, leaning on his shoulder.

"You need a walking stick? Like an old lady?"

I didn't laugh.

"My knee won't take my weight," I said. "And it's-"

"Painful. I can see that." He helped me into the chair. I was pouring with sweat and I'd barely completed a circle of the room. "You need to give it time."

"Hypocrite. How much time did you take after that elephant koi dislocated both your shoulders?"

"Oh, but I was younger and stupider back then." Bumi sat on my bed, watching as I caught my breath. "You want to talk about it? Liu and … everything?"

"Not yet."

"I hear you've had a job offer."

I looked up. "How did - Tenzin?"

"Do you want my big brotherly advice?"

"Your advice is always terrible." I sighed. "Okay, what would you do?"

"Run - or hobble - as fast as you can and don't look back. Megumi's not your ally, she's definitely not your friend, and she'll have a knife in your back as soon as you look away." Bumi pondered for a second, then added, "Maybe literally. She is Mai's grand-niece."

"That's my instinct," I said. "But how can I just let her take power like this?"

"Trust your instincts, Lin."