Guess what? Yep, it's another chapter, that's 3 in less than 48 hours. Got a problem? Deal with it! #SORRYNOTSORRY
Also please don't hate me after you read this.
Chapter 7
Korra
The roar of the engine traveled across the water, Korra scanned every direction. The hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Something's not right, she knows it, can feel it. Sound carries on water, the boat could be anywhere. Why run without any lights? The others around her stare intently out across the water, then taking a deep breath Korra closes her eyes. Concentrating, she listens, feels the deck under her feet rock, the light bulb clicks on, and her eyes fly open.
"Get down, stay down!" She barks to the people around her, she drops to the deck, pulling Asami with her.
"Korra what's going on?" Asami implores, a trace of fear in her voice.
"It's dark, if you can hear a boat then you should be able to see it too. The only way you don't see it is if it's running without lights, and the only reason any boat would run way out here without lights is if they don't want anyone to see them." Korra crawls towards Mako, Mal, Opal, and Bolin, Asami trailing behind her.
"Wrong place, wrong time?" Mal asks smirking and shaking her head.
"Isn't that how it always goes with us?" Korra jokes nervously as she peers over the railing. The moon isn't providing much light, and she can tell the sound of the engine is growing louder.
"I think I see something." Bolin points, and Korra follows his finger. Slowly she creeps towards the edge of the boat, scanning the darkness. Shit. A dark shadow cuts through the water, she follows it with her eyes. Then the engine cuts out, the only sound is water lapping at the hull of the two boats.
Korra holds her breath as a light flicks on from the boat, it can't be more than sixty feet from them. Three figures step out onto the deck, one straps a large air tank to his back. Korra jumps as a warm hand comes to rest on her shoulder, she bites back a curse as she reaches a hand out towards Asami.
A wet plop sounds from the other boat, Korra turns to see only two men on the deck now. What are they driving for in the middle of the night? The voices of the two men carrying across the water, Korra can't understand what they're saying. What the hell language is that? She feels Asami's grip on her arm grow tighter, turning see she's the other woman has her free hand clapped to her mouth.
"Korra, they're going to kill that man when he comes up?" Korra glances back at the boat, then back to Asami.
"How do you know that?"
"They're speaking Bulgarian. They just said when he brings the shipment up they can dispose of him." Korra watches as Asami starts to tremble.
She reaches up with both hands and cups the woman's face. "Deep breath, it's okay. I need you to do me favor. Stay here and listen to what they say. Can you do that for me?" Korra makes out Asami's nod in the dim light the moon projects down. She presses a kiss into Asami's forehead. "I'll be back, I promise."
Before Asami can protest the men start speaking again, Korra quickly scurries to the others. "Mal do you still remember Morse code?"
"Of course." The blonde replies, slightly offended Korra would even have to ask.
"Go into the cabin, use the radio, emergency channels, and send out a SOS or something. Get the coast guard here." Korra turns to Mako as Mal hurries as quickly as she can in her crouched position towards the cabin.
"What's going on Korra?" Mako demands.
"I'm not positive. Three men on the boat, one is diving. Asami said they're speaking Bulgarian. Apparently the diver is recovering some sort of shipment, and when he finishes their going to kill him." Korra racks her brain for what to do.
"We could be in big trouble if they find us right?" Opal's voice quivers as she huddles next to Bolin, his arm wrapped protectively around her.
"Yeah Ope we could be." Mako confirms their fears, and it sinks in, their trip could turn deadly.
"I have a flare gun, a paddle, lifejackets, and an inflatable raft. Our best option is to just stay silent and hope they don't notice us. Otherwise we're not going down without a fight." Korra felt the heat of anger behind her words.
Korra makes a mad dash to the storage area at the aft of the boat, Mako and Bolin right behind her. She pulls the flare case out, flicking it open to spy four shots, four rounds. Flare gun had to be better than nothing. Handing it to Mako she dug for the paddle, finding it she passed it to Bolin. Last she pulled out the raft and life jackets unsure what to do with them. Let's MacGyver this shit.
The boys make their way back towards the bow of the boat, and Korra slips to the cabin.
"Any luck?" She asks Mal who sits over the radio, the volume turned low as she strains to listen.
"I'm sure, it's hard to tell. Radio keeps cutting in and out, makes me wonder if they have a jammer set up." Mal presses her ear to the speaker as it crackles, then shakes her head and taps her nail against the microphone.
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Korra finds Asami where she left her, crouched near the railing, though now she has a white knuckled grip on it.
"He's surfaced twice, this should be the last run. He's bringing up sort of liquid, I'm not sure what it's called. Are we really going to let them kill him?" Korra squeezes her hand, hoping to relieve some of the fear that sounded from her voice.
"I'm afraid it's going to be an us or him situation. We don't have a choice Sami." Korra's eyes widen as she watches a fourth figure step onto the deck, he's yelling and gesturing with his arms.
Asami swivels towards her. "They know we're here."
Korra swears under her breath as Mal rushes across the deck towards them. "I'm still not sure if the message got out to the Coast Guard, but they picked up the signal."
"Shit." Korra swears as she sees them unlash a dingy, she hurriedly slips over towards Mako and Bolin. "Okay, here's the plan…."
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Asami
She crouches in the shadows, the sound of a small engine buzzing closer. She inhales a deep breath through her nose, then exhales slowly through her mouth. Calm, steady. She hears the little engine die and then feels a bump as the dingy comes into contact with the Naga. Two figures climb aboard, too large to be women, both men. One clicks on a flashlight, the beam sweeping back and forth. Her heart hammers away in her chest, and she makes herself as small as possible. They can't find her, not yet. Spirits, Korra. Where are you?
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Korra
When the dingy pulls away from the boat headed towards the Naga, Korra takes a deep breath and slips under the water. In the black water she swims towards the other boat, just below the surface. The sound of the dingy is muffled as it travels overhead. She propels herself forward agonizingly slow, aiming for the back of the boat. She pauses her forward motion as the dingy passes by her, when the blades pass her entirely she continues on. The shadow of the other boat looms before her, pushing herself down she slips under the boat to the back side.
Stealthily she slowly emerges from the water, first letting just her eyes peek above the surface. Slowly she reaches for the low lip of the deck, using her fingers and arms she pulls herself up enough to see. One man stands on the far side, cigarette in hand, the cherry ember glowing at the end of it. She raises her arm and grasped the first rung of the rail in a tight grip, pulling herself up, eyes on the man in front of her. He shifts, she freezes, and he flicks the butt over the rail and then shoves his hands into his pockets.
She reaches up and grabs the next rung, using her arm strength to pull herself up enough to wedge a knee into an opening. She pushes and pulls her way slowly into a standing position and waits. A tiny fire ball rises in the sky, emitting a low whistle, the man jerks his head upward to watch it. Korra launches herself over the railing, voices ringing out from the Naga.
Running to the man she kicks out with a powerful leg, but he turns and side steps her foot. His hands grapple at his pockets and she surges forward, wrapping her arms around him as she drives him back. His foot catches on a metal container, knocking it over. A chemical smell wafts through the air as his back smacks against the railing and he lets out a painful cry. Korra feels them start to tip over, she tries to pull back, but it's too little, too late. Bodies thrashing they plummet into the dark waters below.
Korra pushes the man away roughly and kicks hard for the surface. A steel grip circles her ankle and pulls her down. The man claws his way up her body, she kicks and punches, but he still keeps his hold on her body. A fist drives into her stomach and her breath rushing out in a violent stream of bubbles. She claws at his face, as hands grab for her throat. Her lungs ache, she manages to grab his face with her hands as his close around her throat. She digs her thumbs into his eyes, bubbles spew from his mouth, and his grip slackens.
To Korra's horror his body gives an involuntary jerk as his brain and lungs forces him to suck in air, his body goes limp, then gives another violent jerk as he tries to draw another desperate breath. Korra shoves the body away from her and fights for the surface. Her head barely breaks into open air before the gasps for oxygen, inhaling water with it. She coughs and sputters as she pushes herself towards the boat, then clamors up onto the deck.
On her hands and knees her stomach turns, retching from the sight of the man drowning and the nauseating stench of chemicals. She drags in a ragged breath as screams coming from the Naga reach her. She unsteadily pushes herself up, sirens and lights flashing way in the distance. A black figure lunges up out of the water, the diver, knife in hand he charges at Korra.
"Jump Korra!" Mako yells and a high pitched whistle pierces the night sky.
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Asami
She groans as the man's elbow makes contact with her cheek, snapping her head back. She tumbles off him and rolls up onto her feet into a fighting stance. She draws the man's attention, and as he takes a step forward to charge, he drops like a sack of bricks from the paddle to the back of his head. Lights and sirens rush towards them, as Asami rushes forward, and helps Bolin use the man's shoelaces to tie his hands.
"Mako and Mal took the other guy down. Opal's trying to use the radio." He yanks the man's arms back roughly as Asami quickly ties them at the wrist.
Standing she hears Mako yell, "Jump Korra!" Her eyes find Mako, flare gun pointed to the other boat. She jerks her head to see the glint of steel as a man rushes towards Korra. Asami surges forward when Bolin grabs her in a bear hug. She watches the flare streak out across the water, and as a body tumbles overboard the flare hits the boat.
The explosion lights up the night sky, chasing away the darkness in all directions. A massive inferno shooting skyward, eating away at the oxygen in its wake. Bolin throws himself and Asami to the deck, he covers her body with his. Debris rains down, shrapnel thuds around them, and all is silent.
Asami pushes herself to wobbly feet, silence surrounds her. Her head aches, she staggers to the railing. What's left of the other boat is in flames, then bright lights shining in her face, blinding her. She can't see, she needs to see, she has to find Korra. She calls her name, her voice sounding muffled and distorted inside her head as pain behind her eyes flares up. A wave of nausea wafts over her, the deck reaches up to catch her. She groans in pain as she pushes her way back to her feet. A ringing replaces the silence of the chaotic night.
A hand grabs her shoulder, pulling her to her feet. A man in uniform is talking to her, his mouth moves but she can't hear anything except that damn ringing. She covers her ears and shakes her head, tears spilling down. The man tugs at her, pulling her towards him. She shrugs him off and looks around the Naga. Mako and Mal huddle together, Mako looks up, and then rushes forward, brushing past her. She turns her head to follow his movements.
He drops to his knees by Opal, she's clutching at a body that lays on the deck. Mako shoves at the body, rolling it over, blood coats Bolin's face. Asami's chest aches, she feels sick, she runs to the rail, losing her dinner over the side. Her stomach now empty she rests her pounding head against the cold metal railing. Sound starts to fade back in, the ringing an underlying annoyance. The volume of the world around her increases in a cacophony of sounds to the point she'd gladly welcome the silence back.
The sirens, Opal's screams and Mako's sobs, the stabbing pain in her heart. She rubs at her chest, then wipes furiously at the tears on her face. Where's Korra? The pain in her chest flares, as she searches the black water. Please. She begs to the universe.
"We've got a live one!" A voice rings out.
Asami turns in the direction of the voice, a man jumps over the side. She rushes forward with the man that was talking to her earlier. She drops down to all fours, peering over the edge as the man in the water hauls a person forward. The person turns and reaches for the offered hand above. Asami's eyes lock onto a face with pain filled blue eyes, and she collapses into uncountable sobs, vaguely aware of the set of arms that circled around her.
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Korra
For the millionth time Korra tells the police officer in front of her what happened. Growing increasingly annoyed with the continued set of questions she snaps.
"I'm done talking to you. I've talked to you till I'm blue in the fucking face, repeating myself over and over. You didn't believe me then, you don't believe me now, and you sure as fuck won't believe me in another ten minutes. Get the fuck away from me before I see about pressing charges for harassment." Her chest heaves as she finishes her discourse.
The man's eyes go wide, and Korra jumps as she feels a sharp pain in her hip. Turning she sees the nurse pull a needle and syringe from her flesh. She opens her mouth to speak, to yell some more, but her tongue grows thick. She tries to turn her head but it's suddenly too heavy. The last thing she sees is the look of pity the officer gives her before everything goes black.
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Asami
"I'm fine dad. Really, just a few bruises." Asami paces the waiting room floor, doing just that, waiting. She glances anxiously around the room, eyes settling on where Mal comforts Opal. An officer talking to them. She half-listens to her father on the other end of the line. She lets out a tired sigh, then turns to the sound of running feet. Tenzin barrels around the corner, family in tow. "Look dad I need to go. I love you, too." Asami shoves her phone in her pocket and rushes to meet the new arrivals.
"Where is she? What happened?" Tenzin's voice cracks as he scans the room.
"I was told not to discuss what happened. Korra's okay, she's sleeping right now." Tenzin's eyebrows shoot upwards, and Asami rubs her face vigorously with her hands, letting out a frustrated groan. "They had to give her a sedative. I guess while they were stitching her up she went off on one of the cops."
Tenzin nods. "The others?"
"They won't tell us anything because we aren't family. The only reason we know anything about Korra is because Kya was on duty. She's trying to find out about Bolin and Mako, but they're under guard. As is Korra, and us three." She sweeps her hand to the officer sitting by the other girls. "And they won't tell us why!" She yells across the room, her words directed towards the woman in uniform.
She looks down as a small hand tugs at her ruined shirt. She looks down and sees Meelo, tears brimming his eyes. He sniffles and reaches up with both arms, Asami chokes back a sob, but then Ikki steps over, joining her brother. Asami falls to her knees, finally giving in to the sadness, exhaustion, confusion, and her own pain. She clings to the small bodies that envelope her with a warm embrace. The children seeking comfort just as much as she. Another set of arms circle around her as Jinora settles herself beside her siblings. Asami looks up and through tears finds Tenzin.
"I need to make a call." The older man says as he turns on his heel and storms out.