Disclaimer: I know jack shit about geography in the Avatar world. Take all the traveling stuff with a giant grain of salt.
I'mma let that shit burn.
He was preparing for a trip to Ba Sing Se when there was a knock on the door. He opened it to find a rather stiff-looking Lieutenant, a surprising look of concern on the man's face. "Is something wrong, Lieu?"
"You might say that," replied his second-in-command noncommittally. "May I come in, sir?"
"Of course," replied Amon, stepping aside to let the other man in. "Chair?" he said, pointing to the table.
"No, I…this'll only take a few minutes – I hope. After all, you're supposed to leave soon."
"I should've been there weeks ago," grumbled Amon in response.
"Well, you've been…distracted…by other things, sir," came Lieu's guarded reply.
Amon tensed, but tried not to let it show. "Running the Equalist movement often consumes more of my time than I fores-"
"I know about you and the Avatar, sir," said the Lieutenant, cutting him off.
"I don't kno-"
"Please, Amon, don't lie to me. You've done plenty enough of that already."
And there is still yet more that you don't know, thought Amon. "Who else knows?"
"No one. I decided that discretion was the wisest course, despite my instincts telling me otherwise."
"Instincts…or jealousy?"
The Lieutenant's face colored. "Fine. You're right once again. It hurts, knowing that you found someone else." His eyes narrowed. "But it doesn't mean that what you're doing isn't wrong or dangerous. She's the enemy, Amon."
"And what better way to take down an enemy than by pretending to be her friend," he replied.
"So you're just using her, then? Wrapping her around your thumb and then discarding her when it suits you?"
"Yes," he replied defiantly.
The Lieutenant's eyes flickered. "Well it's oddly comforting to know that you treat all your bedmates with equal disdain."
"Lieu," he began, but the other man held up a hand.
"With all due respect, sir, please shut it." He cringed when Amon glared at him. Lieu sighed in frustration. "Look…what happened between us…there's no changing that. That…closeness…it was bad. Getting close with the Avatar is an even graver mistake – and you two are getting close," he said, preemptively stopping his boss' attempt to counter. "Just don't forget who and what she is, because I…because we can't afford to have your loyalties divided. We just can't." His eyes darkened. "You may have given birth to the Equalists and encouraged the group's development over these many years, but no single person is more important than the movement itself – not even you."
"…is that a threat Lieutenant?" he replied, quietly.
"Merely a promise that while my…devotion…is mostly to you, I will always do what's best for the Equalist movement. Even if that means coming to blows with you."
"I seem to recall you came to blows from me," purred Amon.
Lieu turned bright red, sharply whipped around and headed for the door. "Just keep your emotions in check, sir. Or better yet, just end it altogether. Otherwise you'll put everything we've worked for at risk – and I won't let you jeopardize the freedom of thousands over some-"
"There are a number of words and phrases that you could finish that sentence with, and you would most certainly regret all of them," he growled menacingly. "And as for my…business…with the Avatar," he added with cold eyes, "I will take your concerns under advisement. Now leave. You try my patience."
"Sir," answered the Lieutenant, who gave his boss a small bow and walked out the door, closing it on his way out.
Once the Lieutenant had left, Amon removed his mask and stared at it, his eyes tracing over the gold lines and the shape of the eye slits.
Noatak, what are you going to do?
The telegram arrived in the middle of the night.
He was pulled back to consciousness by the local Equalist supervisor pounding on his guest room door. Bleary-eyed and struck by a sudden need to piss, he took the missive from the concerned-looking woman and managed to read through the thing whilst he relieved himself.
Avatar missing. Kidnapped by Tarrlok. Councilman a bloodbender. Lost their satomobile in pursuit. Please advise.
His fatigue was instantly set aside. I've been counting on my fool brother to do something rash, and now he has. But it just had to involve Korra, didn't it?
Look on the bright side. You can deal with two enemies in one fell swoop.
Korra's not my enemy.
That's funny. I thought she was.
It's…complicated. We're complicated.
Obviously you weren't listening to Lieu's speech.
The bastard was just jealous and hurt.
After you strung him along like you did? I'd say he has a right to be jealous and hurt.
That…was complicated too.
That seems to be your running excuse these days. But you know your choice is simple. You're either going to let Korra go…or you do what's right for the Equalist movement and all that it represents.
It's not that simple!
Then simplify it, Noatak. And simplify it quickly.
He found Madam Hi waiting for him in the conference room. "Madam Hi, I need to return to Republic City with all haste."
She gave him a small bow. "Certainly, Master Amon, but even our fastest satomobile will take you at least two days to reach Republic City."
"Too long," he replied with a grimace. "Tarrlok will have spirited the Avatar away by that time." He grabbed a nearby leaf of paper. "Do you have-" A pen had magically appeared in Madam Hi's outstretched hand. "Ah, thank you." He hastily scribbled something on the sheet. "Have your wire operator send this to Republic City with all haste. And get Hiroshi Sato on the telephone. I think it's time we tested these new airplanes he's been developing up here."
"So…how exactly did you find out about this little hidey hole of Councilman Tarrlok's?" asked Lieu as he guided the van sped along the mountain roads.
Amon's eyes twitched beneath the mask. "I have my sources. Let's just leave it at that."
"More secrets, I see," was the terse reply. "Figures."
"This isn't the time or the place, Lieutenant." He jerked his head towards the back of the van.
"Fine."
They drove in silence for several miles.
"I have something for you," said the Lieutenant, suddenly. "From the underground gardens." He took one hand off the wheel and reached into his jacket pocket, and pulled out a small blob of white cloth. "I thought they wouldn't come in for another few months, but it seems they were eager to make themselves known." He handed the cloth to Amon.
The man in the passenger seat unwrapped the package to find three bright red peppers.
"I figured you might like them. For your culinary explorations, I mean. It's nice to know that something good came out of…well, you know."
"I…thank you, Lieu," he stated softly.
"Just be careful, sir. They look harmless enough, but those bastards burn like nothing else. If you don't handle it carefully, you could end up hurting yourself."
I can see that someone is not in the mood for subtlety, he thought dryly. "Thank you, Lieu. I appreciate the gift…and the advice that came with it."
"Only looking out for your health and safety, sir," answered the Lieutenant carefully.
They did not speak for the rest of the trip.
They parked the van some 50 feet away from Tarrlok's cabin, and the Lieutenant's hand-picked squad clambered out of the back then assembled in formation just outside the door.
"You know this already, but stealth and speed are of the upmost importance. Councilman Tarrlok is an extremely dangerous waterbender, and now we know his bloodbending abilities can be used outside of the full moon. Lieutenant?"
The moustached man nodded to the Equalist on the left end, who stepped out of line and peeked into the cabin. "It's secure," was the reply.
"All right, we move in," he said. "I'll take point; if he somehow evades my attacks, use all necessary force to subdue the councilman."
"And the Avatar?" added the Lieutenant.
"Tarrlok is the priority," was his terse reply.
He moved towards the door and opened it; he gave a small sigh of relief when it didn't creak, and he waved his hand, signaling the rest of the troops to fall in line behind him.
As he entered the sparse room, he noticed stairs leading down into the basement (as his father had described so long ago) and he began to hear voices.
"…ined everything!"
"Tarrlok, the jig is up and you have nowhere to go."
"Oh no. No I'll escape and start a new life. And you are coming as my hostage."
His heart twisted in anger.
"You'll never get away with this!" came her desperate cry.
His heart twisted in fear.
And then he heard the ascending steps.
Oh, shit.
The hit squad scrambled into combat positions just as his brother emerged at the top of the stairs.
"Amon!" Tarrlok gasped in horror.
Noatak, actually, but you'll probably figure that out soon enough.
"It is time for you to be equalized," he answered in his most menacing voice possible.
"You fool!" said Tarrlok, raising his hands. "You've never faced bending like mine!"
But you have, brother, thought Amon, suddenly seized with regret and sadness. Father made us do it. And now I'm doing it to you again. He steeled himself. But it's different now. You've become a monster. This is for your own good…for the good of everyone…
Tarrlok raised his hands and the Equalist squad dropped to the floor.
But he was prepared for this, and (painfully) bloodbent his own body in order to stay on his feet.
Tarrlok grimaced and pressed harder.
He almost fell under this new assault, but he made the necessary adjustments and managed to press on. And then suddenly the weight of Tarrlok's bending was lifted as his stunned brother lowered his arms in defeat.
"What…what are you?!"
Your brother...a lost friend…your savior, Tarrlok.
"I am the solution."
He was hoisting the unconscious Tarrlok over his shoulder when his team finally recovered from their bloodbending experience.
"I'll take care of him. You four retrieve the Avatar."
The Lieutenant gave him a look. "And what are we to do with her, sir?"
Amon glared at him, but Lieu stood his ground. I warned you this would happen. Don't fail us, his eyes said.
"Do not underestimate her." He paused. "Electrocute the box to knock her out before you open it." He prayed his voice would carry just enough for her to hear his orders, and he prayed that she would somehow forgive him.
"My pleasure," answered the Lieutenant with no small amount of relish as he and his squad headed downstairs.
Amon carried his brother outside to the van and hoped with all his might.
He had just finished putting Tarrlok in the car when the cabin door burst open and Korra stumbled outside.
Their eyes met, and he saw the terror blazing in her eyes.
He opened his mouth to speak, but the Avatar launched a flurry of icicles at him and took off towards the treeline.
"Avatar!" he yelled, starting after her.
She kept running.
"Avatar, wait!" but she had disappeared into the woods.
As he stood by the edge of the tree line, he heard the cabin door burst open again and the squad clambered out, taking up position just behind him.
"I told you not to underestimate her," he said, trying to disguise his satisfaction. He pointed at the van. "Take the councilman back to base. I will go search for the Avatar."
"Is that wise, sir?" said the Lieutenant.
"Bender or not, these mountains are cold and dangerous. If she injures herself and dies out here that does nothing to help us. She must be publicly subjugated to be of any use to the Equalists."
"But you'll be out here al-"
"Do as you're told, Lieutenant!" he snapped. "I'll make my own way back if the search proves fruitless."
"As you wish, sir," came the Lieutenant's terse reply; he then waved to the squad and they headed towards the waiting truck.
Amon slid down the slope until he was sure no one could see or hear him.
Then he bent an ice sled underneath his feet and continued downwards.
It only took him a few minutes of searching to find Korra. She lay next to a tree, her body completely still, and a sizeable gash streaked across her forehead; a thin line of blood dripped from it down the side of her face.
He knelt down beside her.
"Avatar…Avatar, wake up, you have to wake up," he said, taking her by the shoulders and gently shaking her.
No response.
He turned his head and hovered his ear over mouth. She still breathes.
"Avatar, please wake up."
Still nothing.
Then he remembered the Lieutenant's gift.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the white bundle from his pocket and extracted a single red pepper. He crushed the fruit in his hand and immediately regretted it as the juices began to burn the skin of his palm.
What the hell did you give me, Lieu? he thought, gritting his teeth in agony.
He held his palm underneath Korra's nose, taking care not to spill any of the pepper juice on her (despite the ever growing pain in his hand).
Korra bolted upright seven seconds later and began coughing profusely. Amon's hand and the pepper were knocked aside but fortunately none of the juice landed on the Avatar. When Korra saw the masked man in front of her, her eyes bulged with fright and she rolled over to try and scramble away.
He caught her around the waist. "Avatar, it's all right, I'm not trying to-"
"Get off me! Get. Off. Me!"
"Avatar, calm yourself! I am not going to hu-"
He barely heard the growl before a mass of white fur barreled into him, sending him rolling for a good ten feet. Before he could fully process what had happened, a furious polar bear dog had its teeth at his throat.
"Ah…Naga, I presume?" he quipped and almost instantly gave himself a mental slap for even attempting levity at a time like this.
She's going to rip my throat out now, I'm almost sure of it.
The animal in question opened its jaw to oblige him, but then he heard Korra shout "Naga! Heel!" The beast's mouth closed and after giving a baleful look to him trotted over to its master's side.
He shakily got to his feet and was glad to see that Korra had done the same. "Avatar, are you-"
"Don't," she snapped, her voice wavering. "Please, not right now."
"I had to give the order, it wouldn-"
"Amon." She cried out and clutched her abdomen and her leg.
He moved towards her but was stopped by Naga's determined growling.
"Naga, stop it. Now's not the time," she pleaded.
He finished the journey to her side. "Are you alright? Did…did he…"
"No," said Korra, shuddering. "Though if you hadn't shown up," she gave a harsh laugh. "Oh, fuck, the irony. Rescued from a life of captivity, probable rape and servitude by your amorous archenemy. If my friends could see me now…"
"But are you sure you'll be fine?"
"It's nothing, it's just-" She gave him a guarded look. "Food and rest and some waterbending will take care of most of my problems." She nodded towards her pet. "Help me onto Naga."
He swore the polar bear dog glared at him the entire time he was helping Korra onto her saddle. "Take it easy on her, Naga," he commanded. The dog growled at him but Korra sushed her and the beast fell silent.
"No ride for a lonely traveler?" he joked weakly. Korra's eyes flickered uncertainly before he raised his hand and said. "It was a poor jest, Avatar. I understand if you'd rather not enjoy my further company this evening. I can make my own way back, and frankly I think the Lieutenant deserves the panic attack I'm about to give him. Though…please…do feel free to call on me when you're recovered. I'll be waiting for you," he finished softly.
She gave him the barest of nods before patting Naga's head and saying "let's go girl;" he watched as woman and beast disappeared into the haze of falling snow.
Once he thought Korra was safely out of range, he bent the snow into an igloo, a structure he had neither built nor entered for many years now. He sat in the dark and pondered the simultaneously triumphant yet disastrous set of events that had just occurred.
He retrieved the pepper pouch, picked out a second fruit and placed it in his hand; he contemplated the spicy object and the words that the Lieutenant had said to him earlier:
"Just don't forget who and what she is, because we can't afford to have your loyalties divided."
"If you don't handle it carefully, you could end up hurting yourself."
He popped the pepper in his mouth and chewed it as hard as he could.
He stayed in the igloo until the burning sensation in his mouth and chest completely faded away.
Author's notes:
- Botanically speaking, the pepper is technically a fruit even though we don't really treat it as such.
- I did not think of the "eating the pepper whole" scene until I was maybe 2/3 of the way through writing the chapter. Sometimes, I do enjoy my sadistic, angsty writing tendencies.
- If you've ever been curious about the whole "what if Tarrlok had kidnapped Korra" and you haven't heard of or read "Strings"...you need to find and read "Strings" (it's by lantur here on ). It is a fantastically written, morally complex and nuanced look at how something like that might turn out. TBH, it was the fic that made me a Korrlok shipper. And even if you aren't a Korrlok fan, I still think you'll find it a great read.
