4).The Silent in the Night(part 2)

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As the sun was setting on Air Temple Island, the Air family and Korra were about to eat dinner. They bowed their heads as Tenzin starts a prayer, or at least, him, Jinora, and Meelo prayed. Lin and Ikki sat quietly but respectfully because they didn't adopt the Air Nomad's tradition, for obvious reason. And Korra didn't feel like praying because...Korra.

"We are grateful for this delicious food, for happiness, for compassion, and..."

The door behind him opened, revealing a smirking Tarrlok who either didn't notice or didn't care when all eyes in the room snapped at him.

"Good evening Tenzin, chief Beifong, children." He bowed politely to everyone.

"What are you doing here?"

Lin glared at the supposedly uninvited guest.

"Still a ray of sunshine, Chief Beifong." Tarrlok smirked at the woman. He ignored her and turned to Tenzin. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Why are you here?" Tenzin repeated his wife's question, standing up to face Tarrlok.

"Oh, Tenzin, Tenzin." The waterbender sighed, grabbing Tenzin's shoulders like they were close friends. Tenzin startled a bit, but didn't pull away. "After the stunt you pulled at the City Hall, you think you could avoid me all day, and leave without a word?"

"Can it wait?We're about to eat dinner. Maybe you should..."

"Great! I am actually famished right now. Airbenders never turn away a hungry guest, am I right?"

"Care to put that to a vote?" Lin said coldly, reminding Tarrlok that only half of the people in this room were airbenders.

"I...suppose." Tenzin hesitated, but nodded. Even with his wife's disagreement, he was still an airbender, and his dislike toward the man wasn't enough to turn him away.

Seeing Tarrlok walked arrogantly to join them, Ikki noticed her mother's irritation, so she took an empty bowl and scooped the rice from their pot, intentionally chose the part that slightly burnt for little girl handed the bowl to Tarrlok after he sat down beside Korra.

"I believe we haven't met yet, young lady?" The councilman asked, making Lin and Tenzin tensed for a moment, worried how Korra would responded to him.

"Kairi. I'm Chief Beifong's distant relative. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." Tarrlok greet the teenage girl."How long have you been here? I think I never heard of you before?"Tarrlok ate from his bowl and immediately went stiff when he chew on an overcooked rice. He swallowed without complaint to keep his manners, but sending a scowling stare at Ikki. The little earthbender just smiled innocently at him.

"6 days, and every one has those embarrassing cousins they don't want to talk about." Korra simply lied.

"A newcomer then, I hope you like Republic City so far." Tarrlok said while digging through his bowl, tried to find at least one grain of rice that wasn't burned.

"Eh, seen better, seen worse." The girl shrugged.

"Well, at least I hope you'll enjoy the rest of your stay. By the way, are you happen to be a pro-bender?"

"Nope."

"Really? You're certainly look fit to be one." Tarrlok said, commenting on Korra's obvious muscle, a couple of faded scars, and an overall body that built like an athlete.

Jinora wasn't happy, seeing the older man looking Korra up and down like that.

"Thanks, but I'm no sport-girl, just a mercenary."

"You're...mercenary?"

Lin felt like punching the Avatar in the face. Why the hell did she has to tell that to Tarrlok!?

"I'm kinda on 'vacation' right now, but yep. A freelance mercenary at your service."

"What an opportunity. You could be a great asset in our operation..."

"Tarrlok." Lin interrupted the eager councilman. She and Tenzin looked at each other and nodded before standing up. "Maybe we should discussed your business now. Shall we go outside?"

"...If you wish, Chief Beifong."

Tarrlok seemed suspect, but did not protest. The three adults left the dining room, leaving one boy and one teenage girl who went back to their meal like nothing happened, and two little girls that wanted to spit in Tarrlok's bowl.

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"You know, Sato may have the biggest mansion in Republic City, but only your family gets to have a view like this in your garden."Tarrlok comment at the sight of the ocean as they sat down on one of the pavilion. The waterbender didn't ignore the possibility that Lin chose this spot because she could throw him off a cliff in case he annoyed her too much. Even then, the view of sunset above the horizon was a sight to be seen.

"Just out with it, Tarrlok. What do you want?"Tenzin opened the conversation while Lin prepared a small tea-set she grabbed from the kitchen.

"Well, since you want to be so direct." Tarrlok shifted in his seat, turning back from the ocean to the two hosts. "I asked the council for a task force, and even with your help, they only authorize a squad. A squad, Tenzin,of ten people!"

"The council want an actual concrete evidence of Equalist's threat before any further decision." Tenzin replied, trying his best to be calm."I'm sure all of them will come around eventually."

"Let's hope that 'eventually' is before our city falls in to the hand of those terrorists." Tarrlok's voice show a clear distaste for whom he was talking about. "It's a good thing you backed me up when you did. Otherwise the city would've just let these lunatic's rampage went unnoticed..."

"My police force is well aware of the Equalist's thread, Tarrlok."Lin interrupted coldly, when she asked Tenzin to convince the council for help, she never thought that they'd ended up siding with Tarrlok of all people.

"Of course, Chief Beifong, and I'm glad that we'll be working together. At least the police didn't turn the blind eyes like the council." The man smiled, a politician smile that only served to remind Lin why she hated this guy so much. "Speaking of which, do you consider letting your niece..."

"She will not get involved, end of story."Lin interrupted again, and somehow, even colder.

"I understand your concern, but, since she's a mercenary..."

"The brat didn't know what she was talking about. Leave her out of this." The chief locked eyes with the councilman, letting him know that this wasn't up for debate. "And since we're discussing this, I understand that you'll use mercenaries to fill your half of the squad, correct?"

"Yes, I do. And don't you worry, I only pick the best for this job. You'll see."Tarrlok answered with the same smile, making Lin glared even harsher.

"Your definition of 'the best' is what was I worry about."

The waterbender's expression remained unchanged, he only picked his cup of tea, raising it as if to propose a toast."As I said, you'll see."

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At night, a large car with a water tank drove toward a normal looking bookstore in the Dragon Flats borough. Once stopped, twelve people jumped out and up against the wall. Lin was one among the group, and now she was peering through an opening at the bottom to see what inside the basement.

Several men and women were training and learning chi blocking techniques. On the opposite wall laid a large poster with a portrait of Amon staring over the room. Things couldn't have been more obvious.

"Your source was right, Tarrlok."Lin whisper to the councilman beside her, he smirked back and turned to give a hand signal to the rest of the squad.

The City council approved a join force between Tarrlok and the chief of police, a squad of ten people, not counting the two supervisor, for this mission. Not enough to combat an actual thread, but enough to get Tenzin and Tarrlok off their back, even if the latter was more reluctantly. The council was basically just testing the water of the situation, if the Equalist turned out to be real threat, they could authorize more, if not, disbanding a squad of ten people wouldn't make much of a fuss.

Lin had handpicked five members from the metalbending police force, all had proven to have self-control and wouldn't do anything reckless. They needed to deal with the Equalists by the book, no vigilantism, no off the record operation, otherwise Amon might use the skepticism to fuel more hate toward benders.

Hence why she was more worried about Tarrlok's men, all five of them were mercenaries, some of them have decent records, but none of them were clean, either ex-cons, or with a history of violence. She suspected that Tarrlok just took in whoever was already on his payroll.

"We attack on my signal." Lin said, all of her officers nodded. "One, two..."

There was a loud sound of a tank's lid opened, before one of the mercenary bent a stream of water from the tank and force it into the basement. Lin and her officers have to dodged out of the way of the water.

"What the hell are you doing!?"The chief shouted at the mercenary, who replied with a chuckle.

"Flushing out rats."

As he said, the remaining mercenaries already went to break down the front door and stormed the bookstore.

"Damn it! You five, surround the area and find any other exits, don't let anybody get away!"

Lin's officers nodded and dispatched around the store as order. While Lin grabbed Tarrlok's shoulder as he was about to followed his men inside.

"Keep your men in line, Tarrlok! Or you'll ruin the entire operation!"

"They know what they're doing, chief Beifong."

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"You think mom will be alright?"Ikki asked Naga while scratching behind the polar bear dog's ear. The girl popped her upper half through her bedroom's window to play with her pet, and to look at the Republic City.

Naga made a whimpering sound and licked the hand that scratched her, wanting to reassure her little master.

"You're right. Mom's gonna kick those Equalists' asses! I just worry about the ponytail guy."Ikki grunted, she didn't know who or what is Tarrlok like as person, but if mother hated him, then she hated him too.

The girl let out a big yawn a moment later, it was passed her bed time, and tonight didn't have any pro-bending match to occupy her.

"I think I'm gonna go to bed now. Good night, Naga."

After Ikki retreated back into her room, Naga was about to lay down beside the window as usual when she spotted a figure walking pass the garden.

It was Korra...her old master.

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Korra leaned against the railing of the platform that facing toward Republic City, sipping her cup of tea, watching stars like she had no care in the world.

"Well, I tried, Aang." She said casually. "I tried to help, but your daughter-in-law insists that I stay away. So..., not my problem anymore then."

True be told, Korra didn't understand why any problem in the world would require the Avatar's help, specifically. What could she have done that can't be accomplished by a group of three benders? Whatever Aang and Tenzin thought, she was just a simple fighter, albeit a good one, but not the greatest in the world. Korra still got her ass kicked by Kuvira every time they sparred.

Maybe this was for the better, If Lin and that...guy whose name she forgot, took care of Amon and his Equalists, then Korra might get off scot-free. All she needed to do now was complete her airbending training.

Korra's train of thought was interrupted when she heard something approaching from behind. She turned back to see the polar bear dog jogging toward her, mouth opened and tongue sticking out made it look like she was smiling.

"Naga?"

Even after her truce with Ikki, and the earthbender girl even began to open up to her, Korra still kept her distance from Naga. Partly out of respect for Ikki, and partly out of...guilt. Korra only saw Naga when she had exercise sessions with Lin and Ikki in the morning, and the fact that Ikki never let the polar bear dog come near her was telling enough that the little girl still held a grudge.

Korra's thought was interrupted again when she felt Naga nudging her with her nose. Korra couldn't help but smile playfully while petting her head back. She looked around to noticed that Ikki was nowhere to be seen.

"Did you sneak out here to see me?"

Naga made a whining sound like she was saying 'yes'.

"Aww, I'm touched, girl, but wouldn't Ikki mad at you when she found out?"

The polar bear paused for a second, before she moved closer and rest her head on Korra's shoulder. The girl froze, losing all her playfulness as she tried to comprehended what was happening. Slowly, she warped her arm around Naga, burying her face in the polar bear dog's white fur.

"I...I missed you too, girl."

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The raid at the bookstore was a complete success. After securing all the Equalists in the basement, Lin went upstairs to gather the many documents she found around the store, every piece of evidence was valuable for her investigation.

After she went back down however, Lin heard shouting from the basement, the chief came into the room to find one of Tarrlok's mercenary stood face to face with two of his comrades, behind him were a group of tied up Equalists they'd captured.

"Enough! Both of you!" The mercenary said, even with his uniform which cover most of his face, Lin could still tell that his was a young man, maybe teenager around Korra's age. "They're already surrendered, just leave them alone!"

"And what's matter with you? These scumbags hate us benders. We should teach them a few lessons." One of the two mercenaries, a women no less, cracking her knuckle with a sadistic smile.

"I won't let you!"

"I'll be damn, look like we have an Equalist sympathizer over here." The other mercenary snorted. Before the two could had done anything else, the lone mercenary notice Lin entering the room and call out to her.

"Chief Beifong, I believe we need some of yours officers to watch over these captives, sir!"

"What's going on here?" Lin asked, even though she kinda already pieced together what happened.

"Nothing, officer, we're just gonna soft them up a little bit, easier to transport that way." The female mercenary answered with her same grin.

"There'll be no softening anyone." Lin came to stand closer to them, her presentup close, and upset, managed to make the mercenaries felt uneasy. "You did your job, now back off."

"Pff, whatever." The female mercenary grunted, but she and her friend backed away, knowing it wasn't wroth antagonizing the chief of police over this. "Bloody terrorist sympathizers." They mumbled as they walked away.

"Thanks, Chief Beifong. I don't think I could've held back those two by myself." The mercenary sighed.

"Try to play a hero, I see." Lin said skeptically at the teen, but he didn't seem to mind.

"Just don't want anyone to get hurt more than necessary, ma'am."

The chief was surprised to hear that, her experience with mercenaries so far had been unpleasant(especially the one that's hanging around her house), but this young man seemed sincere, a trait she never thought could be found in a thug for hire.

"I didn't catch your name in the briefing room, who are you, son?"

The mercenary looked taken a back, but still removed his headwear to reveal his full feature, the most noticeably was his spiky black hair.

"It's Mako, ma'am."

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...to be continued...

I hope this chapter will make it clear that this isn't a Mako-bashing fanfiction.