Getting It Together
'How could this happen!?' A fist slammed down on the desk. Raiko nervously readjusted his glasses and stared back at the chief of the Southern Tribe. 'My daughter goes missing for a week and I just hear about it yesterday!?' The anger flashed behind his otherwise kind blue eyes. He heard the news about the attack in Ba Sing Se and when he heard nothing from Korra, he thought she was alright and too busy with cleaning up the mess to call her parents. Being the father of the Avatar meant that you couldn't worry about every lack of communication, but yesterday news reached him that Korra was missing and without hesitation he took a boat to Republic City.
'Uhm, we thought the new president of the Earth Republic would have contacted you. We were wrong.' Raiko honestly didn't know why the chief was angry at him. He wasn't the Avatar's babysitter, thank the spirits.
'And what are you going to do about this?' Tonraq stared the president down.
'Well, we.. uhm… It's a delicate situation…' Tonraq grabbed the president by the collar and pulled him a little out of his chair, showing from whom Korra got her fiery character.
'Don't tell me about delicate situations. My daughter and her friends are gone. I want answers.' He let Raiko go, who sank back in his chair with a nervous gasp. 'I will look for her myself!'
'No, wait! Don't go to the Earth Republic. The last news we got from Avatar Korra was that the elections were a fraud. You might not know what you're walking into. Our chief of police is there, taking stock of the situation. We will hear back from her soon enough.' Raiko blurred out, not wanting Tonraq to make things more difficult than they already were. Something his daughter seem to do to him as well.
'A fraud? So the president is in on this?'
'We're not sure. But if you go barge in like this, things may escalate.' Raiko said, reposing himself. There was a soft knock on the door and before Raiko could answer Tenzin burst in.
'Tonraq! I heard you were in the city.'
'Tenzin, good to see someone sensible.' The chief answered and gave Tenzin a firm hand.
'Yes, don't mind me. I'm just trying to keep the peace.' Raiko murmured under his breath, upset with the bad manners of the Southern and the airbending master.
'I'm so sorry we reached you so late about Korra. We thought you already knew.'
'Better late than never.' Tonraq answered, glaring at Raiko.
'So any news from Lin?' Tenzin asked.
'No, they must have arrived yesterday. But it might be hard to find a secure line to inform us.' Raiko answered diplomatic despite his annoyance.
'We didn't know of anyone who wanted to corrupt the elections. This all comes as a suprise.' Tenzin said to no one in particular. He couldn't leave Republic City. He was member of the small counsel and panic had reached the streets of the city as well. People were worried that another Kuvira might stand up and attack their homes again. It was hard work to keep everyone calm.
Another knock on the door. Oh for spirit's sake! This isn't a walk in office for everyone who just feels like it. Raiko thought in desperation. At least this person was waiting for him to answer.
'Yes, come in.' Raiko said. The door was pushed open and one of his assistants poked his head in the office.
'The vice-president of Future Industries is here. He has news from Asami Sato.' He said with a calm voice. Tenzin and Tonraq looked up, feeling a flicker of hope.
'Yes, let him in.' Raiko said. The assistant nodded and disappeared from the door. Several seconds later Tadao entered. Surprised to see Tenzin and Tonraq, he made a little bow.
'Thank you for seeing me, President Raiko, Master Tenzin, Chief Tonraq.' He said politely. That was something Raiko always appreciated about Future Industries, the employees were polite and respectful.
'I heard you have news.' Raiko said.
'Yes, I just got a phone call from miss Sato herself. She's in the Fire Nation and told me that Future Industries should continue with the planned constructions in Republic City, but should delay all business with the Earth Republic.' It was silent for a while. The fact that she was in the Fire Nation meant that their problems extended beyond the borders of the Earth Republic.
'So it was just a business call?' Tenzin asked, a little disappointed with the news.
'Well, sort of. I think she was worried that someone was intercepting the phone call. So she kept the information to a minimum and vague.' Tadao said nervously, feeling the tension in the room.
'Did she say anything about the Avatar?' Tonraq asked.
'She said that she and Wu will be home soon enough, but first needed to get some things in order. But I was not to worry. She also said that I should tell the president about her right away. So constructions wouldn't be delayed. Now, of course I don't know anything for sure, but I think she wants to say that she and Wu are safe and are going back to get her friends.' Asami was hastily on the phone, but she sounded determined which meant she had a clear goal in front of her. She used the same voice when she spoke about year quotas or goals in new production lines.
'Okay, that's some good news.' Tenzin said, genuinely relieved. The fact that one member of team Avatar was safe and sound was good news indeed. And Asami was the kind of person who knew what she was doing. If she said that she was going to take care of things, she would. Of course, he still had to prepare to lent his help when the time came. 'Let's wait for Lin's phone call. Maybe she knows more. In the meantime we better keep calm.' Tenzin proposed. Tonraq nodded reluctantly. He didn't came all this way to sit still, but with the situation in the Earth Republic being way worse than he thought, it was better to wait for more information. He just hoped his daughter was okay and her friends were able to help her.
Asami rolled a bandage around her ankle to keep it more stable. She just had called Tadao to let him know she was fine and was aware of the situation in Ba Sing Se. Now she was preparing for take-off. Wu was loading some supplies into the biplane and saying his goodbye's to the people he befriended in the small village. You could say a lot about Wu, but he was very social.
Asami took a little time for herself to get in shape for the trip back. A small knock on the garage door dragged her out of her thoughts. Akena walked slowly up to her.
'Here, I washed your clothes. You could need a spare.' She said, handing Asami a bag. Asami nodded. She was wearing fire nation clothes and had wondered where her Future Industries outfit was. Akena cleared her throat and looked Asami in the eye.
'You asked me why I hadn't come visit you when you needed me the most. It wasn't that I didn't care or felt no love for my sister's family.' She started, picking up their conversation of that morning. Before Asami could say that she hadn't time for this Akena gave her a picture. On the picture was her aunt, she looked younger. Her facial expression was happy and tranquil and her hair was still all black. On her knee sat a little boy, smiling at the camera. 'That's Jun, my son.' Akena's voice sounded sombre and a deep sadness resonated through it. Asami looked up from the photograph and saw her aunt struggle with her emotions.
'We don't have to talk about it now. I can come back.' Asami said softly, but Akena shrugged the words away.
'I need to say this. Jun was born too early and people said he wouldn't make it through the first months. His father had already left us and I did everything to keep him alive. I made him potions from local herbs and plants. It was a tough time, not knowing if he would wake up the next morning, but he always did. He survived the first months and the months after that. His muscles were underdeveloped and he had trouble breathing sometimes, but with medication he grew up as an happy boy. He was interested in technique, playing with miniature Satomobiles my sister had sent him on his birthday. I thought travelling was too hard for him and your parents were tied to Republic City due to the growing business of Future Industries. So we haven't had the chance to visit each other. But your mother and I wrote a lot to each other in that time.' Akena took a break. Asami had a feeling that this story won't have an happy ending. 'Jun disappeared in the woods when he was six years old. People said that he must have had an accident, but we never found his body. This was around the time your mother died. I was lost in grieve for my son and I couldn't make myself go to Republic City or answer your father's letters. I had to wait for Jun. Years passed and I still haven't found him.' An uncomfortable silence fell over the garage.
'I'm sorry. That's no way to lose a child.' Asami said feeling sad for her nephew.
'I don't know. Somewhere in my heart I know he is out there. The chances of him surviving are slim, but if he died in the woods I must have found something.' Akena mumbled. Asami wanted to hand back the picture, but Akena refused. 'Keep it. If you see him somewhere, please tell him I'm still waiting here for him.' It was a stupid request, knowing that his chances on survival were close to zero. But Asami didn't say anything and put the picture away.
'I'll be off then.' Asami just said, standing up from her chair. Her ankle still felt uneasy, but she couldn't put too much thought on it. Mind over matter, that was important right now.
'Be careful.' Akena said as matter of goodbye. Asami wanted to leave the garage, but before she was out the door she turned around.
'I-I'm sorry I got so angry. There's just a lot going on right now. Maybe I can come back some time and we can talk about all this family stuff.' Asami said, not wanting to leave things on a bad note. 'I would like that.' Akena answered and for the first time the two smiled at each other. Asami still felt hurt by her, but if she learned anything from her last days with her father it was that she needed to forgive. With that thought she left for the biplane.
Yamamoto watched how the Avatar spooned up her gruel with shaky hands. Her simple meal was enough to keep her alive, but not enough to give her a full feeling. She was used to the constant nagging of her stomach and just tried to enjoy every bite of her tasteless diner.
'So you understand. You had your path laid out before you when you were born. The White Lotus made sure you could become your best self. Don't everyone deserve a White Lotus to explore and develop their talents? Isn't it a birth right to become the best you can? Everybody needs a little guidance before we all can be free.' His words droned through her head and the small house popped up in her head again.
'Everyone deserves a house with friends and family…' she mumbled in-between her chewing, not that there was a lot to chew on.
'Friends and family aren't important. That's what creates inequality, just like love. Some people don't have families. Is that fair? Should I tell the orphans that they are different due to some random act? That they can't enjoy life like others?' Yamamoto let a silence fall and Korra looked up to him, trying to come to an answer.
'No?'
'Exactly. The same goes for love. People in love are selfish. They just want to share with each other and don't care for the world around them. We need to establish bounds throughout the whole world without exceptions. Family ties, friendships or relationships exclude, we need to include everyone. Make everyone work for one another. It's not about individuals, but about the whole.'
'No individuals, but the whole.' Korra spoke after him, setting her bowl down in front of her. 'But I like my friends and family. I love Asami.' Whenever she said that name, pleasant colours sprang up on the walls.
'But isn't that selfish? You want to keep miss Sato to yourself while she has a company to run. Her duty is to advance technology, but with being with you she is hold back. She spends her time travelling the world without results. How much inventions could she have made while she was searching for airbenders with you or when you two escaped to the spirit world? I don't blame you, it's the world that got it wrong. There's too much freedom, too many ways to squander away your talents and time. You need guidance to avoid wasting your or someone else's potential. You and miss Sato have different duties to the world and it would be wrong to withhold those talents to indulge in yourselves.' His words were harsh but rang true. Or maybe they didn't. But he sounded self-assured enough.
Korra winched when her head filled with guilt. She always had a feeling that she was holding everybody back. When she was gone for three years Asami almost single handily redesigned Republic City. Bolin had a good job trying to help people. Mako became the personal bodyguard of royalty. When she returned they all dropped their work for her. She was the most selfish person on the world. Tears ran down her face while the cell seemed more cramped and she could feel cold claws tearing at her limbs, dragging her to oblivion. She didn't deserved the little house in the field of flowers. Her friends and family didn't have time for her. Asami had better things to do than to life with her in a small house.
Yamamoto saw the Avatar tremble and sink back against the wall. It was hard to let go of relationships, but it was the only way to become one with everyone else. To really make everything equal and organized.
'I know it's difficult to accept. Everyone wants to do whatever springs up in their hearts. But remember that there is no freedom without rules. Love is supposed to be for everyone. Love between two people only generates resentment and hate.' He stood up and a guard came in to take away the bowl. They left the Avatar to herself and locked the thick door of the small cell.
They had crossed the border of the Earth Republic a while ago and were approaching Ba Sing Se. The biplane had flown better than Asami could have wished for and the journey had been pleasant. Now the problem of landing somewhere safely without being seen came up. The desert was an option, there was space enough. But being stuck in the desert wasn't a good prospect. The forest was not an option as well. There was simply not enough space.
Asami's eye fell on a large lake in the middle of a forest when she scanned the ground below them. Perfect. She thought.
'Okay Wu, I'm going to try to land in the lake. You have to get out of the plane as soon as it's still on the surface.' She yelled to her companion, who shot up in shock.
'What!? You're going to land on the lake!? I'm pretty sure that's like super-duper dangerous!' He shouted back at her.
'Just hold on!' She knew it was dangerous. If she hit the water in the wrong way the biplane would crash on the surface. If she did land the biplane successfully, the force created by its sinking could pull them both to the bottom of the lake. But there was also a chance that they would make it out alive and Asami wouldn't have to worry about being found out. The biplane would be underwater, safe and out of sight.
With a turn Asami approached the lake again and started to descend. She took a deep breath and pushed all unnecessary thoughts away. The lake grew larger and larger while they came closer to the surface. Wu sat startled in his seat, praying to the spirits that he would survive this stunt. Soon the biplane was inches away from the water. Slowly it touched the surface and the plane slowed down abruptly, sending a shock through the machine. Wu could heard metal rip and he closed his eyes. Asami saw how the sides of the plan came off, but without too much casualties they came to an halt in the water. She turned the engines off.
'Wu, jump and swim to the shore.' She yelled. He opened his eyes and did what he was told. Asami got her backpack and a tube from under her chair. She made sure that Wu got out of the plane and jumped after him into the water. The shore was pretty far away and when they reached it they were both exhausted, their chested heaving up and down in need for oxygen. Asami saw the biplane go under in the distance.
'Next time let's use a landing strip.' Wu pointed out.
'Don't be so boring.' Asami joked, happy to be alive to hear the ex-king's complaints.
Opal had talked her way into the office of a construction company working on the repairs of the palace. With a sweet smile and mentioning her father Bataar, who had designed Zaofu with her equally brilliant mother, she was let into a makeshift office on the building site. She promised to look over some building plans, although she didn't had a clue about architecture despite her family name.
She paced up and down the room. A man had told her to wait so he could get the crew together. Opal didn't know how she was going to bluff her way out of this, but she was going to find a way. The door creaked open and caught her attention. A man in his thirties walked in and he looked familiar.
'Oh, hello. I'm here for a job interview.' The man said, looking at Opal questioning.
'Hi, I don't work here, so I can't help you. My name is Opal.' She said. The man looked her up and down, noticing her airbender wingsuit.
'Opal Beifong! I'm sorry, where are my manners. I'm Yuu.' He said shaking his head and extending his hand towards the airbender.
'Yuu, from the elections. Now I remember. I saw you're face on a poster.' Opal said, accepting his hand.
'Yes, well let's hope this job interview goes better.' Opal noticed the tired look of the ex-candidate. He had a shadow of a beard and looked a bit unclean.
'So, you work in construction?' She asked, thinking about how a man could let himself down like that.
'No, I work in management. I worked for Mountain Top Industries. This is a smaller company providing builders, but you already knew that of course.' He said, trying to flatten out his messy hair with his hands.
'Then why don't you go back to Mountain Top? They're more profitable and they already know you.' Opal asked in a kind voice.
'I don't know. I left there because it gave me the creeps.' Yuu answered raising his hands in the air and letting himself fall down on a small couch.
'The creeps?' Opal asked frowning. Yuu was the first odd thing she encountered on her research into the companies surrounding the attack on the palace. So she wasn't going to leave without Yuu explaining himself.
'Well, the CEO is a nice guy, but there's something off about him. I'm probably shouldn't say this.' Opal sighed, this man needed a little push. She took a seat across from him.
'Life is tough. I'm here waiting for my mom. She helps with the new designs for the palace, but the people from Mountain Top Corporations just seem to block her at every turn. They are polite enough, but somehow my mother can't seem to get any ideas through.' Opal made up a story to trigger Yuu in telling his. Lucky for her it worked.
'I know right! He wants you to put all your talent and enthusiasm into a project, just to nod and do something else completely!' Yuu yelled out in frustration over his old job, happy to find at last someone to complain to. 'He's supportive enough, but in the end I was feeling like I was running in circles. Like he was making you do work and promoting creativity, but never using your plans when they didn't overlap with his own. And you never can complain about it, because he would always say how proud he was of you.'
'Wow, that sounds infuriating. But you must have worked on cool projects with him?' Opal asked, wanting to hear more about the CEO. Yuu huffed in discontent.
'First I did. Later I just did paper work for his many orphanages around the Earth Kingdom. Registering the kids and making sure that the finances were in order. It was boring work. That's why I left for politics, I needed to believe I was more than a pen pusher.'
'And he let you go?'
'Yes, eventually. First he told me that politics was harsh and that, even though I was charming enough, there was just a small chance that I could win. Suggesting that the orphans needed me more and what's more beautiful than helping children in need. I said I needed to try it for myself and he just smiled, wishing me luck.'
'Did you like working for the orphanages?'
'Like I said, the work was mind-numbing. To be honest, it were weird places. The kids were trained in specialized areas as soon as they show a talent for something. Discipline was everything there. Some kids didn't like it and caused trouble. They always disappeared. I asked Yamamoto about that once, since I had to change the records all the time when a kid would leave. He said that they weren't running a prison, so the kids could leave anytime they wanted. Strange right? Where does an orphanage go on its own? I just didn't ask any further…' The door opened again.
'Yuu? You're here for an interview?' A young woman said.
'Ah, yes! They told me to wait here.'
'We have time for you now, if you would follow me.' She said. Yuu nodded and stood up.
'Sorry for the sob story. It's always a pleasure to meet a Beifong. We are lucky with your help.' Yuu said with a more formal voice. Opal smiled up at him.
'Good luck with the interview. Hope you get a more fulfilling job out of it.' She said genuinely. Yuu bowed towards her before leaving the cabin. Opal sighed. That was a strange story. Maybe I should check out these orphanages. She thought to herself, walking towards the door. Before she could open it the man who told her to wait wanted to enter. They almost bumped into each other.
'Oh, miss Beifong. The crew is ready for you.' Opal walked swiftly passed him.
'Don't worry about it. The plans looked great!' She yelled over her shoulder, exiting the building site, leaving the man in confusion.
Wu groaned when he pulled his leg free from a bush with thorns.
'When do we arrive in Ba Sing Se?' He whined, while Asami walked on bravely, supressing the pain in her ankle and head. She took a look at her compass. The contents of her backpack had become wet due to the water landing, but the sun was shining and most of their things were dry now.
'I don't know, but we must be approaching the desert soon.' She answered, not looking forward to sand in her shoes and a burning sun on her head. Wu took a small sprint to catch up with her.
'We could sing to kill the time. I know a great song about…'
'Let me guess, does it begin with badger and ends with moles?' Asami asked, rolling her eyes. She didn't get an answer though. 'Wu?'' She said, turning around. Wu stood still behind her, his eyes fixed on something on the ground. A few feet away from them was a pile of berries. Wu heard is stomach growl.
'Wu, don't! It's obviously a trap.' Asami yelled at him.
'Oh come on. That will be way to obvious. It's a pile of berries disguised as a trap.' He answered. Asami furrowed her brow going over the logic of what Wu just told her. Then she saw him move towards the berries.
'No!' She ran after him. Two steps away from the berries Asami tripped and stumbled forward into Wu. He lost his balance and fell with his face in the berries. They both held their breath, waiting for some kind of device to be activated.
'You see, no trap.' Wu said, licking some berries from his face.
'Wow, okay. I think you're…' With that they heard a tree branch creak and ropes beneath them swept them up into a net. They were caught. 'Wrong.' Asami said giving the ex-king underneath her a deadpan look.
'Well, at least we have some berries. Want some?' Wu said, repositioning himself in the net. He wiped his hand over his face and stuck his berry covered hand out to Asami.
'Hmmm, no thanks. I think I sit this one out.' She said with a disgusted expression.
'Fine, suit yourself!' Wu said, happy licking the remains of the berries from his hand.
Opal had inquired about orphanages around the city. A man at a bar was really helpful, although she was pretty sure his intentions to help her were less innocent. She was happy to leave the little bar after she wrote the addresses down on her hand and she flagged down a taxi. I wish Juicy was here. She thought, missing her slimy companion.
Sure enough a taxi stopped and she got in. The first orphanage was in the lower ring. There was nothing suspicious about that one. There were playing children and some supervisors. Another one was in a small town just outside the walls. Again, nothing strange. Opal sighed, she had still one address written on her hand. This one was further away and she was slowly but surely running out of time. She walked back to the taxi, making up her mind about what to do.
'I have one more address. It's a bit further into the desert, is that okay?' The taxi driver looked at her over his shoulder.
'Masago?' Opal peaked at her hand.
'Yes, how did you know?' The driver smiled into the rear mirror.
'I'm from Masago and you were looking into orphanages right? We have one there, I was once an inhabitant.'
'Really?'
'Yes, they trained me to navigate since I have a solid feeling of direction. In the end I couldn't keep up with the program.'
'So what happened then?' The driver shrugged his shoulders.
'They just stopped caring. When I was eighteen they got me a room in town and I never saw them again.' He continued, revving up the engine again. 'Anyway, I know a shortcut to Masago, so we'll be there in no time.'
'I kind of grew up alone. My family didn't let me be among common people. So my childhood was filled with luxury, which I love, and etiquette lessons. Now every time I meet someone I just want to take them to Wu-world. Do you know what I mean?' They were stuck in the net for about an hour now. Wu started singing but stopped when Asami started to kick him. Now he was just sharing his stories, which she preferred over his singing voice.
'I also kind of grew up in isolation. After my mother passed away my father kept me close. I had private lessons in everything at the estate. My father gave most of the lessons, preparing me to become the CEO of Future Industries. I never lacked anything except for friends. The employees at my father's company were always kind, but when I grew older I knew that they liked me because I was the boss's daughter.'
'But now you have friends! Mako told me you ran him over with your moped.' Asami couldn't help but smile at that memory.
'Yes, I was quite clumsy in that time. But I'm grateful I ran him over that day. Else I would never be part of this and I don't know where I would have been then.'
'Awh, it's such a good beginning for a romantic story! Of course Mako had to screw it up. Honest to spirits, he is so out of sync when it comes down to the ladies.'
'Well, I can't blame him for choosing Korra over me.' Asaim said with a smirk. Then the two heard barking. Wu shot up.
'Good, wild animals! I can direct them with my smooth voice!' Oh spirits, not this again. Asami thought, feeling her head pounding already. The barking got louder and soon enough a white polar bear dog jumped out of the bushes.
'Naga! It's you!' Asami yelled, feeling tears of happiness and relieve. She tried to turn around in the net which was harder than it looked. Naga barked happily at the duo and wagged her tail.
'Okay Naga, chew the rope around the tree. You can do it.' Asami said, pointing to the rope that kept the net tied up. Naga excitedly hopped around a couple of times and moved to the tree. She started to chew. 'That's it girl!' Asami said gleefully.
'You also know you're way around beasts.' Wu commented. With a snap the rope broke and Wu and Asami fell to the ground. Asami groaned, wondering which part of her body was now going to nag all the time. She felt a wet tongue licking her face.
'You're the best Naga!' She said despite the pain in her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around the head of the animal who helped her up. She tightened the hug, feeling closer to Korra then she had in days , petting the soft fur of the Avatar's spirit animal.
'Naga!' A familiar voice pierced through the forest. Asami looked up.
'Bolin!? Is that you!?' She yelled. If Bolin and Naga were here, maybe, just maybe Korra would be around. Either way, she was happy to find two of her friends. Bolin came running towards his lost friends.
'Asami! Wu! You guys are alive!' Bolin wrapped his arms around Asami and lifted her from the ground. When he put her down she ruffled up his hair. 'Mako is alive too! He's waiting at our cave. Come I'll take you there.' Bolin gestured for the two to follow him while Naga walked happily in front of them.
'Do you… Is Korra…' Asami didn't dare to ask. Bolin looked at her with sadness in his eyes.
'I'm sorry Asami. We don't know where she is…' Asami nodded.
'It's okay. We will find her.' She said. At least their team was stronger now they were reunited with Bolin and Mako. 'So did you made those traps?'
'Yeah, pretty good huh? Varrick had learned me how to make a couple of traps, saying how traps would open up your mind or something. I just liked to tie the ropes. I can't believe I tricked you into it, though. Me Bolin catching king Wu and Asami Sato!' Bolin said grinning. He might always lose from her in Pai Sho, but he did catch her in his net.
'Very impressive indeed.' Asami mumbled, smiling at her gloating friend.
'I heard you've been visiting the Avatar.' His voice sounded more booming than normal. He was annoyed beyond the point he could hide it.
'Yes, just checking how her treatment was going…' He gave a weak excuse. His visits to the Avatar became more frequent. He found out that the uncanny smile she flashed him in the little cell had its purpose. She was trying to influence her hallucinations by thinking about happy things. Which must be an extremely difficult task in such a depressing situation. It made him feel in awe with the girl. Sometimes she faltered and dread crept over her face. But usually she picked up a new thread of dreams and started to smile again. It was her way of staying sane and even though it looked like she wasn't fighting, she was constantly raging against her predicament.
'I'm personally in charge of her treatment. Don't worry about it. You have to find her friends and tie those loose ends together. I feel like I'm losing you.'
'I? Isn't it supposed to be we?' He mustered up the courage to ridicule his boss and master. Since he has been observing the Avatar, the feeling that he was wrong all those years was growing. Faults in the system started to show and pushed him into guilt and confusion. Yamamoto squinted his eyes, locking them on the young man in front of him.
'If you want to leave you can just walk out of the door. We're not running a prison here.'
'I'm exactly where I need to be. Where else must I go?' The big man scoffed at that statement.
'Don't play the victim here. You know why I asked you to eliminate Asami Sato, don't you?'
'Because she is close to the Avatar and the grief would make her turn to us easier?'
'Don't make me laugh. You're a smart man. You know exactly who you are, but you decided to shake those feelings off. Because you must have felt it when you looked at her car, when you tinkered with her alarm system, when you looked her in the eyes. Still, you wanted to kill her, even when I called you back. With that you chose to be on our side, so don't turn your back and tell me it's our fault.' The young man stared at his feet. If the Avatar could repress terrible thoughts, so could he. 'I give you one last chance. Bring me Team Avatar, dead or alive.' The young man nodded without looking up, turning around and left the room. It was clear to him what he had to do.
Opal stepped out of the taxi and told the man to wait for her. The village was small and humble. There was sand everywhere and the sun shone mercilessly, scorching everything in its path. She wiped her brow and wondered how people could life here. In front of her was an uncharacteristically big building with a fence around it. A sign hung besides the gates, Yamamoto Orphanage it said. She grabbed the balusters of the fence and peeked inside. The gates where locked with a couple of chains and there were no children outside. Opal sighed and decided to walk around the building and would then head back to Ba Sing Se.
The perimeters where big and it took her a while to make the full round. The windows of the building were blinded and she saw no one, which was strange, but not enough to look into it. She was about to walk back to the taxi when three trucks approached the building. With a small burst of wind, Opal propelled herself behind a wall and peaked around the corner to the trucks. A couple of man emerged from the vehicles and bended the gates open. They looked well trained and strong. The trucks drove up to the orphanage and more people appeared. They all made a military impression and looked well disciplined. That's weird for an orphanage. How much security do orphans need? Opal thought to herself when she saw the men closing the gates again and disappearing through the front door of the building. At least I have something to report now. She smiled to herself, thankful that her day was not spend in vain.
