Chapter 8

Part 1 (Raquel)

Judy had woken Raquel up about an hour ago. Now Raquel sat on her bed petting Nutmeg mostly out of boredom. Judy had fallen asleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow. Bailey was snoring loudly in the bed next to her but it wasn't loud enough to block out the sounds coming from what Raquel assumed was the lobby.

She had been wondering for a while if maybe the Triple Triad knew some information about the White Lotus and the non-benders. Even though she made sure to not to talk about it with the other two, Raquel really was worried about her family. What if they had been captured?

She looked around the dimly light room at her two traveling companions. She thought about her other friends. Jenni and Kelly were both non-benders and went into hiding according to Bailey. She thought about Joel and the phone Bailey had brought that none of them had seen before. She said she bought it for the trip and had given Joel the number, but he hadn't called them yet.

Raquel was starting to get annoyed with herself for sitting there doing nothing. She always had a problem with being patient. She got slowly out of bed and put on her old lady disguise. She made sure to move slowly and quietly; she didn't want to wake anyone up. She crept over to the door and was stopped by Nutmeg. The catmunk meowed at her. "Shhhhhh" Raquel reached over to the table and grabbed some of the nuts they had bought for it and laid them on the floor. Nutmeg went running over to them and Raquel took her chance and quickly ran out the door, closing it as quietly as she could.

She walked hurriedly towards the lobby. She had decided that she would question some of the people in there for information involving non-benders and the White Lotus. When she walked in she noticed a group of people playing cards in the same area as before. There weren't any more police officers hanging around. Raquel looked for the friendliest person. It wasn't easy; all of them looked slightly intimidating. She approached a younger looking woman who was sitting alone in a small armchair.

"Hello there dearie." Raquel said in her old lady voice.

The woman gave her a dirty look and said, "What do you want?"

"Do you or someone you know, know anything about what is happening to non-benders?" Raquel whispered to the woman.

She looked concerned and lowered her voice to a whisper too, "If you want to know about the White Lotus and their plans old lady, you'll need to talk to Shadow. He's over there in the chair." She pointed to a young man about Raquel's age, with dark brown hair, sitting in a chair talking to a few other men. "Come with me, I'll introduce you to him."

She led Raquel over to the man named Shadow. As they approached the woman leaned over his chair and whispered in his ear. Raquel assumed she was telling him about what she asked. People were starting to look at her and she started to feel nervous. Shadow was watching her with curiosity, Raquel noticed he had orangish coloured eyes, and they seemed to be analysing her. The woman walked away and Shadow leaned over to the men sitting with him and whispered something to them. They all got up and left to join the woman in another corner of the room.

"Please sit." He motioned to the chair next to him and Raquel hesitantly sat down. "I was told you want to know about the White Lotus and the non-benders. Why?"

It's not an unusual question but Raquel didn't really have a great answer. She thought for a moment and then said, "On my way out with my brother a man at the door warned us about them. I have friends who are non-benders and I want to know if I should be concerned."

He smiled at her slightly, "Are you a White Lotus spy?" He asked clearly not buying her story.

"No of course not." She replied to quickly.

He studied her for a moment and then said, "You aren't really an old lady are you? You don't have wrinkles. It's a cleaver disguise but I can see through it. Who are you really?"

Raquel could feel her heart beating really fast and didn't know just how to respond. "I… you're right, I'm not an old lady." No point lying now, "But I can't tell you who I am either. If they found me I'd be in really big trouble." She really hoped that Shadow wasn't a White Lotus spy.

"I see. If you want me to tell you what I know about the White Lotus you are going to have to prove yourself." He said seriously.

"How do I do that?" Raquel had the feeling that whatever it was she had to do to prove herself Bailey and Judy wouldn't approve. She was sure that Shadow was part of the Triple Triad. She tried to study him the way he was her. She noticed he had flames tattooed up his arm. She wondered if he was a fire bender.

"You have to help me with a mission. I'm sure you've guessed by now that I'm part of the Triple Triad and I know you saw the police here earlier."

Raquel interrupted him. "How do you know I saw the police?" she asked.

"I saw you and the other one come in while they were here. It's very obvious when outsiders come here. Only two types of people stay at this inn, the Triple Triad members or the really desperate."

"Oh…" was all Raquel could say.

"Anyway, as I was saying, when they police came they took one of our members and we don't think that he deserved to be taken away. Right now he's still in a police truck on the way to prison. Funny that you'd come asking questions when we were talking about a good distraction. All you have to do is use your old lady disguise, go to the police driving the truck and ask in a very confused old lady voice how to get to the nearest hotel or something to distract them. When you do that we'll sneakily break our friend out." Shadow explained. "Well, will you help us for some information?"

Raquel thought about it for a moment. She was already a wanted criminal according to the White Lotus… "All right let's do it." She said in her normal voice before she realised she had. Shadow just smiled slightly and shook her hand.

"Then we have a deal. What name should I call you by?"

"Uh… Tweeny." She said. Shadow might know that she isn't really an old lady but she wasn't ready to reveal just who she was yet.

"Alright." He said and then he yelled to the group at large, "Who's coming?"

Several minutes later Raquel found herself in the back of a truck smushed in a seat in between Shadow and the door. The police should just be finishing their rounds of the gang hang outs and heading to the prison Shadow had explained. "All you have to do is get the truck to stop and keep the driver distracted."

"And how do I get it to stop?" she asked in her old lady voice. The other people in the truck didn't know she wasn't really an old lady.

"However you think you can." He said. "And then meet up with us down the block. We'll head back to the inn and then I will answer your questions."

They stopped the truck down the street from where the prison truck would drive down with in the next few minutes. The Triple Triad members went and hid themselves in the alley as Raquel readied herself near the side of the road.

Within minutes the police truck could be seen approaching them and Shadow gave Raquel a pat on the shoulder, "Good luck." He said before disappearing into the darkness behind her.

Raquel gathered her courage and waked right into the middle of the road. She had no other ideas about how to stop the truck in the dead of night. She hoped that they would stop and not drive right into her.

Just as she hoped, when the police car came near her and the head lights illuminated her standing in the road, it came to a screeching stop. The driver opened the window and yelled, "What are you doing in the middle of the road?" angrily at her.

Raquel waked over to the cops window and looked as flustered as she could, "I'm so sorry officer." She started in her best old lady impression. She tried her best to ignore the people she could hear behind the police truck. "I'm so lost. I have no idea where I am. I was with my husband and we were going to be going to Main Street but I must have lost him. Where are we now? I have no idea. Maybe you nice folks can tell me?"

The cops looked at her funny but gave her directions to Main Street and told her not to be walking around alone late at night. "Are you sure that's the right way. My husband told me that there was a street over here that would take us there faster. The way you're telling me to go will take me forever to get to and I really must get there as soon as possible. My poor husband will be looking for me."

She could see people running away from the truck and going down the alley. She knew she was clear to leave so she said, "Oh maybe you're right officer. Maybe that is the faster way. Well I'd best be on my way. I don't want to waste any more of your time." And with that she started to walk away.

Unfortunately that's when the officers noticed that the door to the back of the truck was open and their prisoner was missing, "Hey you! Wait!" they called and one of them shot a metal bending rope at her. She was just about to fire bend at them when lightning shot from behind her and hit the engine part of the truck causing it to blow up. The explosion caused the officers to be blown off their feet. Someone grabbed Raquel's hand and started pulling her down the alley.

She looked to see who it was and was surprised to find Shadow, "Why did you help me?" she asked him as they ran towards the truck they were in earlier.

"You helped us. Plus I don't need them catching you and you telling them who set this up." He said sternly. He opened the truck door and practically shoved her inside before jamming himself in next to her.

Part 2 (Bailey)

She had been having a good dream when something dropped on her. Bailey woke up fast and ready for a fight before she realized that Nutmeg had just jumped on her. The catmunk looked happy that she was awake. "Stupid catmunk." She said, "Got to bed, I'm awake now. I'll take over watch duty." When she got no reply she got out of her bed and noticed that Raquel wasn't even there.

She looked over at Judy's bed and found Judy sound asleep. The bathroom was empty, meaning Raquel wasn't in the room. Bailey had a sinking feeling in her stomach. Knowing Raquel she'd gone to the lobby and tried making friends with the scary looking people in there. Bailey sighed angrily and quickly put on her disguise. She was going to find Raquel and yell at her for sneaking off by herself.

Bailey debated waking up Judy but decided that she looked to peaceful to be woken. Bailey quietly waked out the door and headed to the lobby where she was sure she could find her friend. When she got there however there were just a few people sitting around the room. Most of them were playing cards or passed out in chairs.

A woman noticed Bailey walk in and approached her. "Are you looking for your sister?" she asked.

"Yes, my sister Twenny." Bailey figured Raquel was in disguise because Bailey hadn't found any of Raquel's costume lying around.

"She left a while ago with Shadow and some of the other Triple Triad members. They should be back soon." The woman said with a smile.

"She did what?!" Bailey said outraged. She didn't think Raquel would be stupid enough to just leave.

"Yeah they went to go help one of our members." The woman said and she walked away leaving Bailey raging slightly.

She walked to the door and burst into the cold night. She had to find Raquel and make sure she wasn't in trouble. And knowing Raquel, she was in trouble. Cursing Raquel under her breath Bailey started to walk down the street. However in her hurry to find her friend she hadn't realized that she didn't have the slightest clue where Raquel actually was.

She was about to turn around and head back to the inn when out of the corner of her eye she saw some people walking down a nearby street. She thought it might be Raquel so she decided to follow them. When she got closer to them however she noticed that they were wearing uniforms. White Lotus uniforms.

Bailey saw them turn down a nearby alley and towards a large factory like building. She could just slightly make out what they were saying to each other. "The non-benders will be gone from Republic City by the end of next week." One of them was saying.

"As long as the Republic City Police continue to cooperate in finding them that is." stated another of the White Lotus members.

They were walking too far away for Bailey to hear anymore but she had suddenly forgotten why she was out here. All she wanted to do was find out where they were going and what they were up too. She started to follow them towards the building at the end of the long alley way.

Part 3 (Judy)

Judy had had a nap earlier that day and she supposed that was why she was currently awake in the middle of the night. She rolled onto her side and decided it was time to stop trying to fall back asleep. She was just going to get up and tell who ever was on watch duty that she'd take over.

It took her a minute after sitting up, to notice that no one was up. Nutmeg was munching on nuts by the table. Judy thought maybe whoever was on watch feel asleep but that's when she noticed how quiet it was in the room. Bailey was a loud snorer and there was no noise coming from her bed. She walked over to the bed and was shocked to find Bailey wasn't there. She started to panic and went over to look at Raquel's bed and noticed she wasn't there too. Where on Earth did they go?

She quickly through on her disguise and ran out of the room. She made sure to carefully close the door so Nutmeg wouldn't get out. She ran down the hall as fast as she could and into the lobby. She had no idea where either of them went. It made her nervous and slightly upset. Why wouldn't they wake her up?

She burst through the lobby entrance and noticed all the people hanging around. Most of them seemed to be talking to one another excitedly. She scanned the crowd looking for Raquel or Bailey. She couldn't see them anywhere and was quickly making her way down the lobby towards the exit. That's when her eyes caught hold of an old woman sitting in a chair listening very intently to a young man with an arm full of flame tattoos.

Why was Raquel sitting there talking to a member of the Triple Triad? Judy was slightly confused. She managed to snap herself out of her surprise and went over to Raquel. She didn't know if Raquel had told who ever she was talking to her real name and Judy judged that she hadn't since she was disguised still, "Aunt Tweeny?" Judy said quietly as she walked over to Raquel.

"Dandelion?" Raquel turned around and looked at her in surprise. "I thought you were sleeping?" she said.

Judy felt kind of upset that Raquel didn't seem happy to see her and that she hadn't bothered to wake her up, "I was but I woke up and no one was in the room." She said angrily.

Raquel looked surprised and was about to say something when the man next to her said, "I'm sure you two would like to argue right now but I don't have all night. Tweeny why don't you introduce us and tell her briefly what we were about to talk about."

"Uh… right. Dandelion this is Shadow. Shadow this is Dandelion." Raquel quickly said, "Shadow was about to start telling me some information about the White Lotus. Grab that chair and sit down with us." She pointed to a chair at a nearby table.

Judy pulled up the chair and sat next to Raquel. Shadow had waited for her before saying anything and she knew that if Raquel thought he had valuable information it was worth listening to what he had to say. "As I was telling Tweeny," Shadow began, "The White Lotus has been going to and from a nearby building in an alley just down the street. We see them coming and going all the time in this huge transport truck. We have no idea what's going on in there but the minute they see you snooping they make you prove to them that you're a bender and then chase you away."

Raquel and Judy were both quiet for a minute allowing this new information to sink in. "Where are they bringing this truck?" Raquel asked. Judy was a little afraid of what his answer was going to be.

"The Spirit Wilds." Shadow said grimly. "That's the rumor anyway." He added.

"What are they doing in the Spirit Wilds?" Judy asked quickly.

"No one knows I'm afraid. Like I said it's the rumor that's been going around." Shadow looked very unhappy about it and Judy wondered if someone he knew was taken by the White Lotus. "So tell me Ms. Tweeny, why are you so curious about the White Lotus?"

Raquel looked at Judy and she knew that Raquel was going to tell him no matter what she said about it. Instead of bothering to argue with her Judy shrugged her shoulders. Raquel took a deep breath and said, "I was at home with my family a few nights ago… or maybe it was a week ago…"

"It's only been a few days." Judy confirmed for her.

"It feels longer. Anyway, I was at home with my parents and the White Lotus showed up at my door. My father is a non-bender you see and they had come to tell him to pack his things. They told him that they were moving all the non-benders to a new location so that they could live away from the benders." Raquel sounded both sad and worried and Judy suddenly wished that she was able to call her family.

"Did they take him away?" Shadow asked in a gentle and hushed voice.

"Well…." Raquel looked slightly nervous about revealing the rest.

Judy didn't blame her for not wanting to admit she got arrested but they might as well tell him more of the story so she said, "No they didn't. Tweeny here decided it was a good idea to attack them and got herself arrested. They were so busy dealing with her that they told her father they'd be back in the morning."

Shadow looked slightly impressed, "You might have saved him." He said to Raquel.

"Might have… but we don't know. They went into hiding that night and didn't tell anyone where they were going. Then Dandelion and Archibald came to the prison I was in, broke me out, and now we're on the run as criminals." Raquel looked at Judy with a slight smile, "It was a good break out."

Shadow didn't seem surprised and Judy supposed that being part of a gang he was used to that sort of thing. "Is that why you don't want to tell me your real names?" he asked them.

"Better if no one knows who we are." Judy said quietly. They sat in silence for a moment before Judy realised that Bailey wasn't with them. She looked around the room and couldn't see her anywhere. She thought Bailey and Raquel were together, "Where's Archibald?" she asked Raquel.

"In the room." Raquel said.

"Our room? She wasn't there when I woke up. I thought she was with you." Judy said and she could see the panic on Raquel's face.

"Do you think she woke up and noticed I was gone and went looking for me?" Raquel asked Judy.

"Probably, but if she's not here where is she?" Judy knew she had to stay calm. They'd find Bailey.

"This isn't good. Where do you think she went?" Raquel was out of her seat and Judy knew she was about to make a break for the door.

Shadow grabbed Raquel's arm to stop her and said, "If she went looking for you, and saw the White Lotus walking around, what would she have done?"

Judy thought that was an odd question but Raquel seemed to be putting together the pieces of some puzzle Judy was fully unaware of, "She'd follow them…"

"I thought so. When we left we did it in between the time the White Lotus members start to gather at that building. I didn't want them to interrupt us and they might have if they thought we were suspicious." Shadow said in a low voice.

"You don't think she got captured do you?" Judy was starting to put together the pieces of the puzzle now and was on the same page as the other two.

Raquel looked at her and Judy could see a mixture of worry and fear in Raquel's face as she said, "she might have been. We need to look for her."

Shadow gave Judy and Raquel directions to the White Lotus building and then he told the people in the room to be on high alert for the old man. Judy asked him to go check on their catmunk because she knew Nutmeg would be hungry. He agreed and the two girls set out into the night to find their friend.