Chapter 20 for all to read. This is still not my stuff.
Chapter Twenty
It had been several hours since all of Team Avatar made it back safely to the Hobo Haven. Jonah watched as his partner cradled Korra in his arms. "They haven't moved." Bolin noted aloud.
Jonah stood. "Yeah…" He was sorry to do this, but had to get them ready to fight one more time. Most people thought he was completely heartless, but Roland was one person he would die for in an instant.
As he approached, Roland glanced up at him with a mild look of irritation. The look in Jonah's eyes apologized for him. "Korra…" Roland whispered as he shook her gently. It had taken two hours, but she had finally stopped crying and had fallen asleep.
"Mmpf." Korra's arms where around Roland and she pulled him in tighter.
Roland tried to push her away. "We have to go." Roland whispered. He withdrew his arms from her and grabbed her shoulders.
Korra looked up at him with red eyes and tear stained cheeks. The scar on her cheek from Tarrlok was rather pronounced from the tears. "What now?" Korra asked. She sounded exhausted and defeated.
"It's the equalists. We need to prevent their escape." Roland helped her to stand. General Iroh and the others stood waiting and ready. Iroh had already briefed them on a plan and they were waiting for the Avatar.
Korra took a few steps to awaken herself. She gritted her teeth and fired a blast of air into a nearby box. "At least something works." She sighed.
"Avatar Korra." Iroh approached them. "I am sorry for your loss, but we need to stop the equalists from escaping."
Korra nodded and flexed her shoulders, psyching herself up to get ready to fight. "Alright, what are we going to do?"
Iroh explained the plan in detail. Roland, Korra, Jonah, Asami, and Bolin would draw equalist attention by creating the best frontal attack they could. For the five of them, it was essentially going to be a fight as you go plan. Mako and Iroh would destroy the orbiting airships with firebending, then they would all rally in the temple courtyard.
"Sounds simple enough." Korra said as the General finished.
She held tightly to Roland's hand as they moved through the tunnels. That was the only outward sign of her anxiety, otherwise she seemed ready to go. Dusk was falling as the group made their way to the docks. Without Korra's waterbending to shield them, they would have to row a boat out to the island. Thankfully, another fog was starting to settle in.
"Ya want this back?" Jonah asked Roland as he tapped the helmet.
Roland shook his head as he took a seat behind an oar. "Nah, it suits you." Roland was still in his equalist disguise, but he had put on his gauntlets from his armor. This way, he could use his fists and wrists with no damage to himself.
"Still got this too." Jonah patted the block of C12 as he took a seat next to him.
Bolin stepped in behind the two Spartans. "What exactly does that do?" He asked, point at the plastic explosives.
"Ya know them bombs those planes had?" Jonah asked. Bolin nodded a yes in reply. "This is two of em."
Bolin stared at the explosives and then at Jonah. "What's it on your armor for then?"
Jonah shrugged. "It's perfectly safe…" He removed a wireless detonator from his belt and synced it to his helmet. "Now it's dangerous" He said as he inserted the small device. His voice sounded even crazier coming out of the helmet.
"Alright, everyone quiet." Iroh whispered as he pushed them away from the pier. The voyage was short. The two Spartans had plenty of muscle, along with Bolin and Mako, they made it across in only a few minutes. As they neared shore, a voice drifted across the water.
"Hey Ling." A younger guy with a squeaky voice asked.
"Yeah Ru?" Ling replied.
"You've ever wondered why we are here." Ru asked as he stooped over and withdrew a small stone from the water's edge.
Ling turned to face his comrade, "It's one of life's great mysteries isn't it. Why are we here? I mean are we the product of some cosmic coincidence? Or are there really spirits, watching over everything, you know with a plan for us and some stuff? I don't know man, but it keeps me up at night."
Ru and Ling just stared at each other, until Ru spoke up finally. "What? I mean why are we in here in patrolling along this beach at night? "
Ling answered with "Oh…uh…yeah."
"What was all that stuff about the spirits?" Ru asked.
"Oh…uh… nothing." Ling said trying not to make himself look weird.
Ru waited for a moment before asking."You wanna talk about it?"
"No." Ling said simply.
"You sure?" Ru tried to get him to talk.
"Yeah." Ling shook his head up and down. Jonah stood and allowed the VISR to slice through the fog, outlining both equalists in red. "Don't worry about..." Two thumps resounded as Jonah dispatched both of the targets.
They all disembarked on shore and stealthily made their way towards the temple. Iroh glanced upwards and heard the droning noise of the airships idle engines. He motioned for Mako to follow him, and the two broke off into the mist.
Jonah had point and scanned the area with his VISR. "There's the temple." He whispered. The others could barely make out the buildings ahead of them.
"I want more guards stationed all around the island!" Sato shouted to his officers. The equalists darted away to follow his commands. It looked as if Sato had taken command of the equalist army for the time being.
Roland also heard the exchange, and he glanced at his friends around him. "Ready?" He knew Mako and Iroh were waiting for them to kick the evening off with a bang. Four nods of approval sealed the equalists fate. Roland stood up from the low crouch he had been in and grasped his combat knife in a reverse grip. "Let's go." He said.
They five of them advanced slowly through the mist towards the equalists. Sato walked away towards the temple itself just as Jonah fired a shot into the man next to him. As blood splattered over his otherwise pristine jacket, Sato screamed "Benders!"
Roland rushed forward as a wave of air impacted the man he was targeting. Korra had thrown one of the few attacks she knew, which disabled the equalist so that Roland could stab his knife into the man's chest.
"ALARM!" Someone shouted and Roland could hear the call echoing throughout the temple area. And explosion detonated overhead just as Bolin crushed one of the equalists who was preparing to fight.
Asami shocked a female equalist and Jonah smashed the woman's skull in with his armored boot. Asami shuddered and moved away from the Spartan as he fired two more shots into an advancing equalist.
Korra sent another blast of air down the path that they were about to traverse. A second airship exploded in the night sky. Roland took off down the path with the rest of the group following close behind.
The walkway led towards the main living area, and Roland didn't hesitate as he smashed his shoulder through the flimsy wooden door. Four equalists, one female, two younger males, and an older male, were inside putting on their uniforms and weapons.
Roland pushed off with his left foot and lunged into one of the younger men. His fist smashed into the man's face, and with the armored gauntlet backing it up, simply caved in the frontal lobe of the skull, killing the man. Roland's senses were in overload as he spun to see the woman reaching for a shock glove.
Roland kicked his leg out, shattering her knee cap and causing her to fall to the floor with a scream. He turned his attention to the older man who was grabbing a wicked looking sword from his belt. The man swung, intent on removing Roland's head from his shoulders, but the wrist guards made an excellent shield. The sword bent slightly from the impact, and Roland wasted no time wrapping his hand around the hilt of the sword. With a sharp twist, he shattered every bone in the man's hand and took the sword for himself. He simply ran the blade through the man's chest, and at that moment, something registered in his mind. Number four. Ran through his thoughts as he spun on his heel to see the fourth man lunging forward with a spear.
Unable to dodge, Roland grabbed the shaft just behind the spear head. As he prepared to disarm the man, a suppressed shot thumped from the door way, and the man's head exploded from the right side. Roland looked up to see Jonah running in within the full armor.
The woman was still on the ground screaming from her broken leg, but Roland dispatched her with the spear as the rest of the attack force entered the temple. Just as Bolin entered the door, a crossbow fired, and cut past his side. "Ahh!" He screamed as he fell to his unharmed side and cradled the injury.
Roland looked at Jonah and grabbed Bolin roughly by the collar. He dragged him to an empty room and pulled the shirt away. "I'm dying, you gotta get a healer!" Bolin cried. Another airship exploded overhead. "This is never going to work!"
Roland wiped away the small amount of blood to see a scratch no longer than his thumb. "You're a wimp." Roland muttered as he stood up and rejoined the fight. Bolin looked at the injury and blushed with embarrassment. He ran out into the hallway to rejoin the fight.
Korra had taken the lead now, and although she was unable to do anything but airbend, she still was kicking butt. With an almost effortless slice, she sent a sharp blast of wind towards two equalists, knocking them aside and allowing her to push past.
Roland and Jonah both stacked up next to a closed doorway. "Bedroom." Roland said simply.
Jonah nodded and stepped back to kick the door in. The wooden frame splintered under his boot as the door flew open. Roland rolled around the corner and was the first in. He looked right and saw an equalist reaching for a sword while bare chested as he had been trying to dress himself. To his left, Roland noticed two more equalists also going for weapons.
Jonah followed Roland a heartbeat later and went left. He lifted his pistol and fired several successive shots into the two equalists. He glanced to the side and saw Roland leaping through the air into the other man. Roland grabbed the sword wielding hand and jerked it to the side, breaking the elbow and the wrist. He drew back his fist and smashed it into the man's solar plexus. As the man started to double over from pain, Roland smashed his elbow into his temple, giving the man a concussion and knocking him to the floor. Jonah stepped forward and shot the man in the head.
"It's good to have you back." Roland muttered as he turned to leave the room. Jonah simply smiled and followed his friend back into the carnage.
Korra had pressed the attack even more. As she rounded a corner, she saw Hiroshi Sato climbing a ladder into one of the attics. Her blast of air just missed him, but it wrecked everything else inside of the hallway. "Sato just went up that ladder!" She shouted as she ran towards the attic entrance.
A fourth airship was detonated, and then Mako and Iroh burst through the doorway at the end of the hall. "The fleet has arrived!" Iroh shouted as he fried an equalist that ran out of a side room.
Roland caught up to Korra with Jonah at his side. "You two." He pointed to Asami and Bolin. "Go with the General." They nodded, and ran to the end of the hallway to rejoin forces and link up with the fleet. Asami quickly hugged Mako before the continued to fight. A different type of explosion rocked the building. The fleet was firing on the island, destroying equalist defenses and preparing to land troops.
"Alright, he's up there." Roland said calmly to Korra and Jonah. "Let's do it." Jonah held his pistol with one hand as he climbed up with another. He slowly poked his head and pistol into the entrance and scanned it thoroughly before he pulled the rest of his body up.
"Clear." He whispered. Korra and Roland both climbed up to join him. The part of the attic was different from where Tarrlok had been imprisoned. It was far larger, and seemed almost like a second floor instead of an attic. Crates and boxes were scattered all over, and Jonah wasn't seeing anything on the VISR.
"Sato!" Korra shouted. "I know you're up here!" Jonah kept his pistol raised and took a step forward. He scanned the room slowly, but nothing was showing up at all. Finally, something flickered red.
"Come out!" Jonah's voice boomed through the speakers. Sato came out from behind a crate with his hands raised.
"I will come quietly." Sato said in a defeated tone.
Jonah continued forward with caution. "On your knees!" He bellowed. Korra was advancing with him, and Roland was watching the rest of the room.
"As you wish." Sato dropped to his knees and Jonah saw a small device in his hand. He fired instinctively and his second to last bullet in the magazine left the barrel. Sato's fat body absorbed the impact, but the hollow point round blew a huge chunk of his flesh out of his back. Sato's organs were ruined and he collapsed on the floor with a dying hiccup of a laugh as he released the button.
At that moment, the helmet flashed him a magnetic alert. MJLONIR armor like the Spartan II's wore was shielded and non magnetic, however the cheaper and lighter SPI armor of the Headhunters was neither shielded, nor anti magnetic. Whether Sato knew this for a fact or not, Jonah felt his body start to move forward. He noticed the metal spikes sticking out of the far wall, and his body picked up speed before impacting them. Every bit of air was expunged from his lungs as sharpened metal spikes cut into every part of his armor that was not covered with a plate. His outer and inner thighs, the left side of his neck, his armpit, and even his elbows were punched through.
"Jonah!" Roland screamed. His knife was tugging at the sheath, but then the magnet shut down, allowing Jonah to fall away from the spikes. Blood started to fiercely pump from the Spartan's injuries. Korra stood there, too shocked to do anything at first. Roland grabbed his buddy and pulled him towards the window. The fog had dissipated, and a full moon shone through, lighting his injuries for Roland to see.
"Hang on pal." Roland said as he slid the helmet off. Korra knelt beside him and placed her hand on his left thing. She applied pressure because that puncture was bleeding more so than any other. Roland started to remove plates of the armor in order to access the wounds. He quickly detached almost everything but the chest plate, as the wounds were extensive and covering the body. He also removed Jonah's backpack that held the cloaking unit and his extra gear and placed it under Jonah's head as a hard pillow.
Roland removed Jonah's med kit and dumped the contents on the floor. A small can of bio foam, two shots of adrenaline, a shot of morphine, and two pressure bandages were all that it contained.
Korra was shaking her head as she tried to stop the bleeding. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" She whispered, barely able to speak from the shock.
Roland moved her hands away and inserted the nozzle of the bio foam into the hole left by the spike. The can was emptied in moments, but the bleeding subsided. However, before they could do anything, the other thigh started to bleed worse. The pressure of blocking this injury had severed Jonah's right femoral artery.
"No…" Roland hissed. He wrapped a pressure bandage over the leg, but it did nothing to help stop the blood flow. Roland tried to bio foam once more, but the can was emptied.
Korra took Jonah's hand and looked him in the eyes. "You can't die." She whispered.
"Sorry Korra." Jonah sighed. It hurt him to let her down. He barely even knew the girl, but it was easy to see why Roland fell for her. Her blue eyes watered with unshed tears for him. "I guess I'm done this time." Jonah's voice had already become fainter. Roland ignored the comment and tried desperately again the stop the blood flow. "Look, just stick that there bandage on my arm, and give me the morphine." Jonah was slightly irritated. "I've done my part in this fight."
"Jonah, I am so sorry!" Korra finally found her voice as Roland wrapped his friend with the already bloody bandage.
"Don't be." Jonah looked at the Avatar. "It's not yer fault at all. Blame Amon, or Sato, or anyone but yerself. Ya didn't do this to me."
"But I can't heal you." Korra cried. She squeezed his hand tighter.
"Ya just take care of Roland for me." Jonah relaxed his head back against the backpack. He could see the moon shining in on him and he thought of the missions he and Roland had fought on throughout out the stars. "Heck, if ya think he's worth it, marry him one day." Jonah grinned slightly at the thought. "I couldn't a been around yer kids anyways."
"No!" Roland had finished with the bandage and looked straight into his friend's eyes. "I'm going to make you watch each one of them." He hissed as he reached for the clean bandage, but Jonah stopped him.
"No use." Jonah said. Roland shrugged his hand off and grabbed the adrenaline shot. Every ounce of his being wanted to cry out for Jonah, but he couldn't even think straight. "No." Jonah said again, bringing Roland back into focus. "Don't waste it."
"Dang it Jay." Roland sighed. He took Jonah's other hand in his own. "You can't go and die on me now."
Jonah was already looking terribly pale from the loss of blood. "Sorry…" Jonah coughed up blood mixed with air. Apparently the force of the impact had shaken his organs as well. Another explosion rocked the island.
Neither the Spartans, nor the Avatar heard the footsteps approaching behind them. Roland felt the impact of some type of wooden object as he fell face first into the floor. Korra tried to fight, but who ever this was put her in a rear naked choke and knocked her unconscious.
Jonah looked up and saw Tarrlok standing there in the moonlight. He tied Korra and then walked over and chained Roland's leg to a wooden post that held up the ceiling. Just as he finished, Roland came to. "Tarrlok." He hissed.
The councilman bowed deeply after making sure he was out of the Spartan's reach. "At your service." He said menacingly.
Roland tried to pull at the chain, but it was far too strong, even for him. Tarrlok stooped over and picked up Jonah's M6C and slid his knife free of its sheath. "What are you doing?" Roland asked through gritted teeth.
Tarrlok shrugged as he approached Korra. Her hands and feet were tied, but Tarrlok quickly hung her by her restrains over a beam a few feet over the floor, just in front of the window. . "You see, Spartan," Tarrlok hissed as he shook Korra awake. "You were right, I was never sorry, and I would do it all over again." Korra's eyes fluttered open. "Except, I would have killed you the moment we met."
"Tarrlok!" Korra shouted. She twisted and tried to break free of the restraints.
Tarrlok looked at Roland. "You see, I am a man of my word." He ran the knife along Korra's stomach with just enough pressure to cut away the clothing. Jonah had always kept his knife sharper than a razor. "And while, I cannot blood bend, I can certainly cause you both as much pain as possible before I leave." Korra's hair had fallen down over her face a bit, but Trrlok used the knife point to slide it back. "So you left a scar for me?" He laughed.
Roland sprinted towards him, but the chain snapped him backwards. "Monster!" He shouted.
Tarrlok turned and aimed the pistol as he had seen the Spartans do. "I suppose so." The bullet smashed into Roland's side, somehow avoiding all the major organs, but still taking a large chunk of flesh out in the process. The slide locked back now that the weapon was clear.
"Roland!" Korra tried to see if he was okay, but Tarrlok blocked her view. The Spartan groaned and sat up to look. Tarrlok smiled wickedly as he drew the knife across Korra's stomach. The slightest bit of blood started to appear on her athletic abdomen. "Tarrlok, no!" Korra cried. "Don't do this!"
"Ah, but your hero has to come save you." Tarrlok smirked as he cut slightly deeper along the same line. Korra winced at the pain. "You see Roland, you may have been able to save this pathetic city, but I am going to make it cost you."
Roland pushed against the wooden pillar once more, but to no avail. "Tarrlok, I swear, I will…"
"You'll what?" Tarrlok asked snidely. "Gut me like I am about to gut her?" Roland pulled harder. "I don't think so. You see Spartan, there is no one to help you now."
Jonah was watching from the floor. He glanced at Roland and then at Korra and the mad man trying to kill her. "Dang it Rolle, ya had to be all worried bout me, didntcha?" Jonah's arms felt like weights as he groped around on the ground for what he needed. His fingers brushed against the small single use syringe filled with adrenaline.
"Gotcha" Jonah smiled as his fingers closed around the medical device. He drew his arm back, and stabbed the syringe into his neck. Instantly, he felt as if he could run a marathon. His feet responded to his brain a little slower than normal, but Jonah righted himself and looked Tarrlok's back.
Korra was screaming at this point for help and for Tarrlok to stop. All Jonah hoped was that he wasn't too late. He rushed forward and smashed his shoulder into Tarrlok. The madman had no idea what hit him as they both tumbled through the glass window and fell three stories to the stone ground below. In the background, Jonah could hear Roland screaming for him, but they were already outside.
Equalists ran to Tarrlok's side to see what had happened and helped him up. "You stupid Spartans!" Tarrlok spat. "Don't you ever die?"
Jonah glanced around. At least a dozen, if not more equalist troopers manned a defensive position here. He noticed the dark green rectangle of C12 with the detonator sticking out of it laying only a few inches from his head. It must have come loose in the fall. Jonah thought.
"Give me that!" Tarrlok bellowed as he took a sword from one of the men. He had some blood dribbling off his face from the glass as well as Korra's blood on his hands.
Jonah's arms moved more slowly now. The affects of the adrenaline were already wearing off. Even through his gloves, he felt his hand close around the smooth detonator. Sorry Rolle. Jonah though. You better make that girl happy. With that, he looked up at Tarrlok standing over him. Blood dribbled down his chin and when he grinned, his teeth were red."Haven't you ever heard?" He choked out. "Spartans never die…." He started to crush the detonator in his hand "we're just missing in action."
The detonator pushed back slightly against Jonah's hand as it exploded. The C12 underneath it was ignited and the last thing Jonah felt was a wave of white heat before there was nothing at all.
Roland saw the flash and felt the reverberations throughout the building. "No…." Was all the Spartan could think. He looked at Korra hanging there. She had blood pouring down her stomach, but none of it looked bad, until he realized the knife Tarrlok had used had been shoved into her. Jonah had stopped Tarrlok just in time, but that knife could cause and issue. A voice came from the entrance to the attic. "Roland?" Mako shouted.
"Over here!" Roland cried back.
"I found them!" Mako shouted as he ran to Roland's aid. He made a torch come out of his finger and quickly severed the chains. Only then, did he notice Korra. "Korra?" Mako asked as he approached her cautiously.
"I'm still alive!" She hissed at him painfully. "Would you get me down?"
Mako cut her down and laid her to the ground as Bolin and Iroh climbed up to the attic as well. Iroh took one look at them both and shouted for a medic.
The water bender ran to their aid as Bolin helped each injured person down. He treated Korra quickly for her cuts and scrapes, but it took a little longer to treat the knife injury. After a few minutes though, he had the wound closed and turned his attention to Roland. "Where is Jonah?" Bolin asked as he looked back into the attic.
"Gone." Roland sighed sadly. "He took Tarrlok out with him." There was no longer a mission to complete, and Roland started to feel the loss of Jonah immediately.
Bolin just stood there silent as the healer finished. "Sir, I'll need to move him to Commander Bumi's flag ship." The medic said to Iroh. "They need a place to rest, and the Spartan isn't held together very well."
"Do it then!" Iroh said as he grabbed Roland gently.
"Wait!" Roland requested. "That pack…" He pointed to Jonah's rucksack. "I need it, and all of those bloodied plates." Even after the loss of his friend, Roland still wanted his gear accountable to him. Bolin packed it all away for him and handed it to Iroh.
Korra managed to make it under her own steam as they walked through the carnage of the assault. The island was pocketed with craters from the incoming fire. An airship was smashed against the cliff, and troops were everywhere looking for the last remaining equalists.
Iroh and the medic led the way and soon, Korra and Roland were in a private room on the ship. Korra sat idly in a chair as the medic finished. "That's all I can do for him, sir." The medic said as he straightened up.
"Very well. You two have earned some rest." He looked at the two teenagers who both looked far older than they were. "I'm sorry there is only one bed, but I doubt you'll mind." He started to close the door. "I placed your bag by the chair. Tenzin should be here in the morning." And with that, he left.
Korra stood and walked to Roland's side. He slid over in the bed to make room for her. Both were injured and exhausted. The Avatar, almost gutted alive, and without most of her bending abilities rolled to face the Spartan. He had lost the closest person to him, been shot, and almost lost his love.
"I'm sorry." Korra said again. All of the Tomboy cockiness she usually had was gone. She was just a hurt girl looking for comfort in one of the few places she could.
Roland kissed her gently. "It's not your fault. It's not mine either. Jonah finished the last of these people off for us, so that we can enjoy each other." A single tear fell from the Spartans eye. He had never and probably never would be much of the emotional type, but it felt as if a part of him was gone forever."It would be a tragedy to not enjoy the life he allowed us to live."
Korra nuzzled her head up to him and slowly wrapped her arms around his core. Roland flinched slightly when she brushed against his wound, but returned the gesture and soon, the two were asleep in each other's arms once more. The city was safe, but they still had another trail to make it through.
Alright, so incase you didn't notice, I don't like Tarrlok. From the moment I saw him in the show, I didn't like him. After killing Amon, I didn't want him to just sit in a cell, so this is the result. I know a lot of people enjoyed his redemption moment in the show, but I portrayed him a smore of a monster from the start, hence the death. Also, Jonah died, for sure. I hate killing him off, but no one else would have worked. I thought the magnetic trap wasn't too far ahead of their technology, so that also played into it. I also threw in a little Red vs. Blue shout out, I love that series. So, how are Roland and Korra going to handle the losses that just happened? Read and Review!