Episode 9: THE STAKEOUT

GANG FOLLOWS AIWEI TO MISTY PALMS

Kuvira saluted Lin as she approached Yully's room where she was posted, "Why aren't you in her room?"

"Ma'am," Kuvira's voice had a tone of exhaustion in it, "she requested some personal space to speak with Master Huan."

Lin raised her eyebrows, "She requested it?"

"She said she couldn't bare to deceive him any longer."

Nodding her head thoughtfully, Lin turned around, "Carry on soldier."

In the underground car lot Yully tampered with an engine. She had been so absorbed trying to jump start the car she hadn't seen Lin enter.

"What're you doing?" Lin leaned her shoulder against the wall slightly amused at Yully desperate attempt at the car.

Yully's head shot up from underneath the car's dashboard. After taking a breath from the fright she said determinedly, "Helping my friends."

Pushing off the wall Lin strolled towards the car, "Looks like you're the one that needs help. Or would that be Huan?"

Neither of them glanced over at the sleeping figure in another car; a sleeping dart sticking out of his butt. Yully shook her head defiantly, "Have you known them to not run into trouble? And I know what you're going to say," she continued to tinker with the exposed wires, "but I need to help them."

Listening to a quick flurry of sparks Lin rolled her eyes, "Scoot over, I'll drive."

Lin shoved Yully over and reached down without looking at the wires. There was a quick spark then the car roared to life. Yully buckled her seatbelt in awe, "Wasn't expecting that…"

"You're not the only one with surprises." Lin stomped down on the gas petal, jerking the car out of the tunnel. Dodging the guards posted at the secret tunnel; Lin metal-bended them out of the way while Yully steered. When they were safely and quickly on their way in the tunnel Lin hit the car lights and followed the tracks in pursuit of the Korra's pursuit of Aiwei.

"You know Lin, you're not as bad as people say."

Lin smiled, being used to Yully's honest and backhanded compliments, "Neither are you kid."

Then both of the tough as nails women smiled and giggled like little girls.

AT MISTY PALMS

KORRA ENTERS SPIRIT WORLD

Zaheer reappeared beneath a tree, "It seems like he was followed after all."

Korra put up her fists, "That's right. We knew he'd crawl his way back to you."

"You don't need to sound so clever, I was waiting for you." Zaheer calmly sat down.

But Korra clenched her fists tighter, "You're going to talk Zaheer."

"And what would you like to talk about?"

"I need to know why!" she threw down her fists, "Why you killed Yully and kept me alive. What do you want from me?"

He shook his head disappointedly, "How can that possibly change whats already happened?"

"It can change whats going to happen," she snarled at him, "I need to know what sick reasons you excuse yourself with. To think it justifies the things you do for—for your despicable beliefs."

"Our beliefs has always been for the people," he said passionately, "I can't say the same for the White Lotus whose priority was to protect the Avatar. One single person. They went into hiding while a nation was exterminated. They were selfish cowards."

"And kidnapping-killing children isn't?" she yelled.

"We didn't mean to kill her…the first time. We were trying to save the Avatar from those bloated idealists that believed one life is worth a thousand. We wanted to teach and train the elemental bending to the Avatar so you could bring equality and fairness to the world. To do that, we needed to get to you before the White Lotus did. And they locked you away from the world just like us. We tried to free you."

"I am free of you. I'll never be brainwashed by your beliefs and neither will anyone else. You and your ideals will not survive another Avatar Cycle."

"Yes," Zaheer said thoughtfully, "I believe Unalaq thought something similar to that."

"Unalaq?" She had been repairing the damage he'd done for weeks now, but was no where closer to understanding his motives. It was deemed that he was greedy for power.

Zaheer's smile was crooked, "Although I was kept away from the world, the guards were very chatty. You see, Unalaq was a member of the Red Lotus. He was to be Yully's spiritual mentor as he hid her in the North while her parents looked everywhere else in the world."

Korra shook her head, trying to connect the pieces, "But the airship crashed."

"And that chance died with it. So we waited until the next Avatar showed itself. But that failed too. Being alone, Unalaq must have thought power was what he needed to throw the world into turmoil. He had an opportunity; a small fragile chance. But instead of corrupting her, he took it upon himself to become the Avatar we had hoped to create."

"The Dark Avatar? You wanted to train an Avatar to destroy the world?" Could that even be possible? Raava wouldn't allow that abuse to her power.

"To rule over the world in ruins by chaos and anarchy."

"But that failed too," she spat at him, "So what are you planning now?"

Zaheer leaned backwards, "No Avatar will be just as effective as a Dark Avatar."

"You'll never get away with it!"

"I already have," he stood up, "the Red Lotus should have you by now. See you in the physical world." And he disappeared.

ASAMI AND KORRA CAPTURED ON QUEENS SHIP

It had been almost an hour since their capture and Korra was still fighting against her ties. How did Yully get out of these so easily! Every second they wasted the farther they were from the Red Lotus.

Asami however had been calm this entire time even when Korra had explained what she had learned from Zaheer, "Korra stop struggling! You need to calm down."

"Calm down?" Korra shouted, "The Red Lotus is getting away, we're being taken to the Earth Queen and Yully-" she couldn't finish the thought. Korra let out a shout of frustration.

Trying to keep a level voice Asami coolly promised, "We'll figure this out. But you need to stop struggling, it'll only tighten the knots."

After another moment of struggling Korra stopped. The tethers of her bounds held her up. She hadn't given up hope but straining to keep hold of it, "They can't get away with this. First Yully then me and who else before we stop them."

Asami couldn't think of anything else to say, "We'll capture them, we will."

"That's not good enough," Korra growled through her mask.

"Do you mean…" she couldn't say it, it turned her stomach. Not that the Red Lotus didn't deserve it. But they; her, Korra, the boys, even Yully; were the good guys. She didn't think she'd ever be able to do the unspeakable things that they; the Red Lotus, Unalaq, even…Yully; had done.

Korra looked away ashamed for even thinking it, "No…I know that's what Yully would want… but I couldn't…" she shook away the thought, "they need to pay for what they did. And they'd never be able to if they were dead. She'll understand that." Although she didn't believe Yully would.

It was quiet for a moment before Asami quietly asked, "You two got pretty close in the end huh?"

She didn't know why but Korra felt awkward, "In a way…I…when Unalaq destroyed Raava I felt all my past livers disappear except…I didn't feel alone. I felt Yully there with me. And not just her physically being there but…" she felt embarrassed telling this to Asami, "But the other night…I felt her leaving me," she shook her head of that hollow feeling, "I think even though my connection with Raava was "although my past lives where gone, I was still connected with Yully somehow. Like a small line between us. The last-or first Avatars of an age. Avatars who'd lost Raava, but…" Korra look around the room avoiding Asami's eyes, "That is if we ever get out of here."

Asami smiled slyly, "Oh we will. Two guards pass every hour but there's one guard posted at the door right now. So that gives up 57 minutes to escape." She tugged against her restraints.

"How?"

Asami adjust her grip on the bar, "My dad designed these airships but manufacturers are," she tugged at the bar, "Always. Skimping. On. Parts. to. Save. A yuan," the bar came off the wall, Asami stumbling backwards into a smile.

Korra shook her head amazed, "Cheapskates."

Sliding the bar out of her cuffs, Asami knelt to a floor grate and pried it up, "Give me fire minutes then get the guard to open the door."