Author's Note: last time, Bumi recieved a threatening letter from Asami, who has sworn retribution against the Candyman! But Bumi has an ace up his sleeve, in the form of "Rocksworth"...
It was a bustling workday at Future Industries. But strangely, the new company chairwoman wasn't relaxing in her office and counting up the money. She was hard at work, trying to think of new ways to get back at Candyman Bumi. Asami was still sour about her trip down the garbage chute, along with not being able to get a duck-goose that laid golden chocolate eggs. But what really stuck in her craw was that she had lost her Everlasting Gobstopper in the trash and couldn't sell it to anybody, including "Rocksworth".
Asami was sifting through the photos she had taken with her spy camera when her phone rang. Irritated by the distraction, she slapped down the photos and picked up the receiver.
"What is it," the young heiress snapped.
"Miss Sato, I do not mean to intrude, but you have a visitor," replied the voice of her secretary.
"Tell them to make an appointment for another time," Asami parried. "I'm in the middle of plotting another hostile corporate takeover!"
"But Miss Sato, she is adamant that she able to speak to you immediately," the secretary continued. "She says she is a Miss Lin Rocksworth."
Upon hearing this, Asami's mood shifted. She knew why "Rocksworth" was here, but she wouldn't be able to get an Everlasting Gobstopper. Nevertheless, the heiress felt safe discussing her plans with Bumi's archrival.
"Very well; send her right in."
A moment later, the woman Asami believed to be Rocksworth walked in. Playing her part to the hilt, Lin Beifong began speaking in her icy tone.
"It's good to see you again, Miss Sato. I apologize for my unannounced visit, but it has been over a week since the factory tour and I have been curious to see if you were successful in the endeavor that I offered to you."
Asami's face fell slightly, and she answered, "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I failed you. I did manage to get a hold of an Everlasting Gobstopper, but I lost it later in the tour."
Not wanting Asami to get wind of the sting operation, Lin pretended to act surprised. "How did that happen?"
"I saw lot of strange things inside Bumi's factory, and you wouldn't believe me if I told you," Asami continued. She then gestured to the photos. "So, I'll have to show you as well."
Truth be told, Lin didn't need a recap since she already knew what happened during the tour, but in order for the sting to be a success, she had to play along. So, for the next few minutes, Asami went into explanation about what she had seen and secretly photographed during the tour. With each revelation, Lin pretended to be amazed or impressed. Eventually, Asami reached the end of her narrative.
"…and I climbed up onto this Egg-dicator thing to make my point, and it just drops me down into a trash heap! Then, a bad egg fell down from above and splattered all over me! It took me three days to get the stank out of my hair!"
Lin looked smugly amused. Getting back into character, she said, "Well, this is a surprising tour, I must say. The famished earthbender falls into a chocolate river and gets sucked up a pipe, and you end up falling down a garbage chute while trying to get one of Bumi's newest developments for yourself! But the coup de grace certainly has to be when the Avatar swells up into the biggest blueberry I've ever seen! I was only asking for a Gobstopper, but it seems you managed to get more information than I ever have!"
Lin paused, and then began to lay the seeds for the sting. "You know, I may be able to put Bumi out on the street if I had these photos. The newspapers and tabloids just eat up this sort of story with a spoon!"
"What are you proposing, Rocksworth," Asami asked warily.
"An alliance of sorts," Lin replied smoothly. "If you allow me to publish this story and its photos under my name, it would sidestep any and all fallout from impacting your factory. And if you allow me to take over this little project from you, then in exchange, I will make you my silent partner. You'll have a stake of twenty percent in the company, and with Bumi out of the way, you can run his old factory under my name! Think about it: Asami Sato, head of Future Industries and the Republic City site of Rocksworth Candies, Inc.! You'll have everything you always wanted, and no one could tell you otherwise!"
Asami was beyond intrigued; she was practically giddy, but she didn't show it. She wanted to get back at Bumi and show everybody else on the tour what she was capable of.
"Running my own candy factory where Bumi used to trod is certainly appealing. However, I want forty percent of a stake in your venture," Asami demanded.
"Twenty-five," Lin replied firmly.
"Thirty-five," Asami countered.
"Thirty percent and that's my final offer," Lin said adamantly. "Take it or leave it!"
After a long pause, Asami flashed a Cheshire cat grin, shook hands with "Rocksworth" and added, "I believe we have an accord."
"Excellent," Lin replied in her icy, yet also delighted, tone. "If you will allow me to take custody of all your photos and notes, I'll make sure that none of them will see the light of day until the time is right."
Too blinded by her own greed and revenge scheme, Asami gladly turned over everything to "Rocksworth", who promised to phone her when everything was in place. Lin then left Future Industries, but instead of heading back to the Bumi Factory, she headed in the direction of the headquarters of the Republic City Police Department. Upon entering the precinct, she headed straight for the Chief of Police's office.
"Saikan, I hate to surprise you like this, but I need your help with something," Lin said slyly.
The current Chief simply grinned and answered, "Anything for my former mentor! What do you need, Lin?"
"In about two days' time, I'll need you, and two of your officers at my current workplace," Lin explained. "Bumi is setting up a sting for a certain little rich girl, and I know we'll need Republic City's finest to help us execute it."
A/N: all the pieces are coming into place...will the sting operation be a success? Come back next chapter and find out!