Chapter 1: Beginning

"Okay Bolin, we are going to try this again. I'll hide and you find me." She ran/limped as quickly as her skinny legs would allow her. Earlier today, Bolin had panicked when she suddenly disappeared so he created a small crater in the ground in which she promptly fell into. He fetched her out, like usual, after his bending. Now, though, she had thoroughly explained the rules and believed this would be a great game.

She hobbled to the side of the building just shy of Bolin finishing up with his counting. "Ready or s'not, here I come!"

Her giggling eventually led him to her. "Gotcha!" He tagged her and she immediately said he broke the rules by listening for sound and this was a seeing game.

He retorted with a No-Making-rules-On-The-Spot rule.

It went back and forth a good while before Mako strode over and said, "You guys hide and I'll find you."

Bolin talked Flint into letting Mako play. After that day, the few times they played hide-and-seek, Mako was always seeking them. No matter how she stopped her breathing, stood still, or covered herself in dirt, he always found her first.

Of all the memories to come back to her when the soothing tingle of the healing water was raining over her new bruises. She had gone back to the ink shop to buy, well, ink and had run into a battalion of metal bending officers. Their attention was forward, but she dove for the gutters before one stray eye spotted her. From the gutter she rolled onto some very uncomfortable gravel. Hence the tiny indention and bruise on her left side.

Kadaug—Kad she called him—was humming a tune as he healed her. "Thank you," she mumbled.

He raised a brow and smiled. "I enjoy using my healing. I don't usually get the chance to in the ink shop business. I should thank you."

For the first time, Flint studied him. He was a tall six foot five with a slender built. It looked like his body was going to snap in half if a good wind blew too hard. His face was angular and pretty with flawless mahogany skin. His thick brows cast mysterious shadows over his kind blue eyes.

"All done," he stepped back and she sat up.

"Thank you again. I don't know what I would have said to my parents." She shrugged as she slid off the table.

"Flint, you don't have to lie to me." Kad's knowing grin made her frown unexpectedly. Of course she wasn't that great at coming up with lies on the spot, but she was sure she hadn't said anything incriminating about herself here. "I never ask about your injuries because I don't want to know where they come from. That is none of my business. I just enjoy healing." He winked, turned and began cleaning up the evidence she was ever here. Flint left with a new ally.

Blair was furious when Flint arrived with another torn shirt and no ink. But it was in Blair's nature to quickly forgive her friend when the games were on. So when Flint walked into the underground hideout of the Equalist loudly, Blair gave her one sour look and a good "SHHHH!" The radio was turned down low so that Blair had her ear next to the speaker. It was the championship game for the probenders. Apparently Blair's favorite team had beaten the odds and were valiantly fighting for the title.

"C'mon, you guys. You can do it. Take Tahno down!"

Flint became interested at the name. "Tahno of the Wolfbats?"

"Yeah, the Fire Ferrets are keeping strong. Mako is," Blair had a dreamy tone, " holding it down for the team. I have a feeling the Wolfbats are cheating! Cheaters!" She got up, shouting at the radio like it was the referee.

Flint felt sick when the name passed her friend's lips. The name alone made the bile rise to her throat threatening to choke her. "Oh. " Flint made it obvious she didn't fancy listening to the games by sitting far enough away from the radio. The steady hum of it, though, calmed her. Imagining Bolin striking down Tahno brought a smile to her face.

At the same time the Wolfbats won, her last bit of hope at ever contacting Bolin safely vanished. Ammon made sure to secure the reputation of the Equalist with his stunt at the probending arena. Flint put her head on her knees; the Equalist were cheering loudly.