Chapter 23: Operation Rolling Thunder, Part 4

Ursa's office

Hotel Azulon

"You know, this is the first time I've had Sokka & 'Lala come late to a meeting. Azula's pretty punctual and Sokka is well, he loves his timetables. Way too much, I think." Zuko remarked.

"It is rather odd." mused Ursa, as Kiyi tried to stifle in her giggle.

Turning her attention to her youngest, Ursa raised an eyebrow and asked "What's so funny? Is there something we should know about?", to which Kiyi merely shrugged as if to say Are you serious? You telling me you don't see there's something going on between your eldest daughter and that Water Tribesman?

Just then, the door opened and Aang, Sokka and Azula filed into her office. Noticing that their hairdo was rather hurriedly done up and their hair still wet, Kiyi merely gave her half sister a knowing wink that said I know what you two were up to, so don't try to deny it. In return, Azula looked visibly flustered and mimed a shut up or I'll kill you signback at her, to which she merely pointed at the fact that both of them were holding each other's hands, sending her straight into the scarlet zone.

"Hey, what's up?" Sokka started to complain when she pulled away, already missing her touch before glancing at the room and muttering "Well, fuck me." under his breath when he noticed just who was in the room. Thankfully, Ursa was oblivious to the exchange whilst Zuko was somewhat perplexed by the exchange between the two.

"Finally, everyone's here. I've got a big assignment for you people."

"And what might that be?" asked Azula, hoping to deflect any attention away from her and Sokka.

"I want you people to take a closer look at certain individuals of the northern branch of the Agni Kai. If it's just hearsay, nothing more, then come back as soon as possible. Otherwise, you have carte blanche to give them a through house cleaning. Head office back in Caldera has signed off on it."

"What does the northern branch have to do with this?" Zuko asked.

"There are concerns that this is was just a test run and a prelude to something bigger. A raid early this morning resulted in the capture of a live one as well as a gold mine of intelligence regarding their networks. Apparently, they had Fire Nation names with NWT passports. All of them had a tattoo bearing the symbol of the northern branch on their shoulder blade."

"Falsified passports and tattoos isn't much evidence. Any fool can do so." Azula replied.

"Which is why I am asking you people to take a closer look. If it's just a rumour, then no harm no foul. If it isn't then like I said, give it a proper house cleaning. One last thing, Kiyi will be tagging along for this."

"But why?"

"Because as much as I'd appreciate all of you by my side, the risk of any of you getting hurt or killed is much too high to risk it. Besides, it is high time for Kiyi to get her feet wet as it were. Think of it as a sibling bonding exercise, if nothing else. One last thing, do any of you have a Water Tribe contact? It might come in handy, seeing as we can't really trust them."

At that, all eyes turned on Aang and Sokka, who suddenly felt very uncomfortable with all the attention on them.

"Well?"

Aang turned to Sokka and raised his hands in surrender before saying "I, well, may have been talking to your sister for some time now. Please don't kill me?"

Taking a deep breath, Sokka replied "We'll talk about this later."

"That settles it then. Now go get your winter gear ready, you'll be heading out in an airship soon."

As they trooped out of her office, one of her lieutenants with a folder in her hand entered the now vacant office.

"At ease, Hui Min. You're not in the field right now."

"I have not survived six years as the chief Fire Lance for this area of operations by easing up on my awareness, ma'am."

"Very well, proceed."

"Our surveillance has so far turned up nothing in the way of actual dead drops or physical meets. However, their communicades indicate that they are in close contact with an individual known only as JM. Unfortunately, I believe that they know that they are being observed as all communications ceased two hours ago. For this, I sincerely apologize. This severe lapse in tradecraft will not-"

"Look Hui Min, your targets were the head of counterintelligence for the FNIA as well as their SAD head. Short of outright hiring a unit from the 28th Army Intelligence Detachment*, your men did excellent. Though I suppose if you wish to improve our surveillance team's capabilities, I won't stop you."

"If I may ask a question?"

"Go ahead?"

"How did you know the male individual was the head of counterintelligence for the FNIA?"

"A little hawk from Caldera whispered something in my ear, I'll leave it at that. Now, I don't suppose you have the logs in your hands right now, do you?"

"Right, here you go." she said, before bowing deeply and exiting.

"One last thing, Hui Min. I want you to keep up the surveillance efforts. It's only a matter of time before they slip up."

"Understood."

"Dismissed."

This just keeps getting better and better, she thought to herself as she began to read the logs.

Living room

Blue Spirit Shipping Company

"Alright Sokka, spit it out, what exactly is going on between you and my sister ?"

"I-uh, well, let's just say I like, no I love your sister very much."

"Okay…is that why you were late? Also what was that 'oh shit' I heard on the phone?"

"Well, I could tell you but you'd kill me. Or your sister's gonna kill me. Someone's gonna kill me. So not much incentive for me to tell you. Can we change the subject please?" he pleaded, while attempting to hide behind Azula, who found it amusing.

"Hmm…..no. You're going to tell me." Zuko smirked.

Panicking, he looked at his girlfriend and asked "Babe, you gotta help me out here. Please?", all the while trying to place her in front of him as a sort of human shield. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Aang attempting to sneak away.

"Don'tchu think you're getting away Aangy boi, I see you right there!" he shouted, to which Aang calmly replied "You talking mad shit for someone hiding behind their girl. Come get me if you can. That is, if Zuko doesn't fuck you up first for touching his sister."

"Why you-" he replied, before being abruptly cut off by Zuko slamming him against the wall and growling "Just what exactly did you do with her?" At this point, Sokka merely rolled his eyes, immune at this point to being threatened by just about everyone in the family except the dad himself.

Looking at Zuko directly, he replied "Whatchu' gonna do, threaten grievous bodily harm? Cut my dick off? News flash, you're late to the party. At this point, the only one who hasn't threatened me yet is your dad. Speaking of which, where is he?"

"Where he's at is none of your business. Unless of course, you're eager to complete the set."

"That's enough Zuzu, now let him go."

"Or what?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she replied, while conjuring a blue fireball in her fingers.

"That's enough, both of you!" Kiyi finally interjected, turning their attention from each other on to her. Suddenly, it didn't seem like a very good idea as two angry pairs of amber eyes locked on to her.

Seizing the opportunity, Sokka wiggled his way out of Zuko's grasp and more or less jumped into Azula's arms, before giving her a sloppy wet kiss on her cheek.

"Ew, what the fuck was that for!" Azula cried.

"My affection for you."

"That was fucking disgusting, peasant."

"...Oops?"

"..."

"Do it again."

"What?"

"You heard me." At that, he tilted her face towards to get a better angle on her lips and they made out there and then, much to the consternation and disgust from both Zuko and Kiyi, with the former's face turning green the longer they held the kiss while Kiyi shuddered at how shamelessly public they were with their affection for each other. Hell, he might have given her an exhibitionist streak she thought, sending another shudder down her spine as unseemly images flitted across her mind. With that in mind, the fire siblings moved to prepare their gear and make the necessary arrangements, anything really to drown out the sounds the duo were making.

Terra Triad Headquarters

"You assured me that it wouldn't escalate to this."

"If only the men you picked weren't incompetent fools who didn't know how to set a charge."

"When was the last time you were doing fieldwork?"

"Fair point. Still, I now have 4K and Crimson Typhoon members breathing down my neck if I ever try to make a move."

"Mr Chin, just because one front has stalled does not mean you abandon the entire war effort. You have contacts in Caldera and Fire Fountain City no?"

"Opening a two front war isn't sustainable in the long term, especially with the resources I currently possess."

"Only because you don't currently possess the resources to do so. I promise you, it will be worth your while. Especially when you have access to certain Earth Kingdom resources."

"I'm in for the money, not some ideological bullshit about regaining lost honour. Find someone else to do your dirty work for you. What exactly are you trying to do, provoke a war between the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation?"

"Does it matter to you? Didn't you just say you were only in it for the money?"

"Hard to make money if your customer base is wiped out, don't you think?"

"Not if you invest in the bullets, beans and bandages. Why limit yourself to purely criminal enterprises? After all, having a diverse portfolio is good business sense."

"How much are you offering?"

"That depends on how much you are willing to invest."

"That's no incentive."

"How about a 20% stake in Earthen Fire Refinery and a controlling interest in their rare earth mining subsidiary?"

"How fast could you send the paperwork? My accountants and lawyers will deal with the red tape."

"I'd knew you'd come around to my way of thinking."

Unmarked warehouse

Agna Q'ela

"This is the Changyuan Shipping Company, how may I help you?"

"...Well fuck, this is bad. Alright, I'll let him know."

"Hey Aniki, we've got a problem here."

"What is it?"

"Head office is dispatching some personnel up here for an inspection it seems."

"Now, in this weather?"

"Seems so."

"Damn. Get Wenfu on the line. We have a rat in our midst."

"Should we…"

"No, not yet. Not until we get a sense of who we're dealing with. If they are clueless, then no need to shred the documents. Else, we'll deep six it and burn the rest of the communicades."

"I see. I'll inform the men to be ready."

Airship Prosperous Dragon

Somewhere over the Pohuai mountain range

"Have you seen Aang anywhere?" Sokka asked Kiyi who was busy looking over some papers as Zuko and Azula headed off to spar in a different part of the airship.

"Why?"

"Oh nothing, just want to have a little chat with him."

"Sure you do."

"I swear, we're just going to have a talk."

Rolling her eyes, she replied "You're going to have to work on your lying skills, your big dumb blue eyes are betraying you. Thankfully, sis can help you with that."

"Ugh whatever, now where's that bald boy at?"

"Check the communications room, he should be there."

"Thanks.

Just as she said, he found him in the room, as he was talking rather animatedly to someone else. Catching some fragments of conversations, he realised he was speaking to Katara. With a loud entrance, he spoke into the mic "Sorry sis, but imma have to borrow ya boi for a hot sec. Don't worry, he'll be back in one piece. Mostly."

"Fuck you Sokka, mind your own business. I'm a strong independent woman and I can date whoever I damn well want. "

"I said it'll just be a hot sec, so calm down sis." With that, he dragged Aang out as Katara continued to rant about her overbearing brother. Trapping him against the wall in the corridor, he started off asking rapid fire questions about the nature of his relationship with his sister.

"Spirits Sokka, is this you working out your stress after being questioned by Zuko? You need to calm down."

"This has nothing to do with that, so stop avoiding the question."

"Look, we're still figuring out stuff so no, we haven't gotten to that stage yet. Unlike you, who can't keep it in their pants."

At this Sokka sputtered "What!How?" , much to Aang's amusement.

"I mean, it's pretty damn obvious from the way both of you act around each other. Of course, I could tell Zuko to put on earplugs when he goes to bed. After all, isn't his room opposite your's and Azula's?"

Catching the implied threat, he relented but still shot him a warning glare. As he headed back to his room, he ran into Kiyi, who told him Azula was looking for him."Just keep your noise down low, the walls are pretty thin and there aren't any earplugs to go around. "

"Why does everyone think I'm only looking for her to have sex?"

"Hard to think otherwise, what with how you both act all handsy with each other. Be thankful Zuzu has only one working eye, else he'd toss you overboard if he saw you sticking your hands on her buns."

"I-"

"What's the matter, gatorpuss caught your tongue? Thought you were being sneaky, weren't you." she smirked, as Sokka grew increasingly flustered. Just then, Azula came around and immediately launched into possessive mode, telling her sister to find some other person to flirt with, while hugging him tightly from the sides.

"Go talk with Tom-tom or whoever, just stay away from my savage."

"Why does everyone think I'm romantically involved with Tom-tom? He's so immature it's not even funny." she moaned while pulling her hair.

"Whatever, Sokka's mine. Go find your own pet savage when we get to Agna Q'ela." she replied while squeezing him harder.

"Azula, babe you mind letting go? I can't breathe." he muttered weakly, as Kiyi disappeared down the hallway to head to the sparring room, leaving them alone in the corridor.

Pinning him to the wall, she fumed "I leave you alone for one second and you try to flirt with my sister?"

"No honey I wasn't, please!"

"Fine, I'll trust you just this once. Spirits help you if there's a next time. You're mine, don't you ever forget it."

"So no one can look at me? Not even my boss?"

"I'm the boss of you now."

"Tui and La, just how wide is your jealous streak?"

"Why are you so eager to find out? Unless of course, you want me to tell dear Zuzu just what exactly you did to me this morning. I'm sure he wouldn't take too kindly to his baby sister being violated by a certain Water Tribesman against her will, now would he?"

"Spirits above, why are you so difficult? Can't you play nice for once?"

"Oh I'm sorry, but I'm just too good at being bad."

"Are you now?" he replied, before putting his hands on her arms and spinning her against the wall.

"My my, someone's eager to reprise that day in the alley." she teased, having been cornered literally and figuratively.

"Well what can I say except you're welcome?" Sokka remarked in a somewhat sing song tone, before using his body mass to pin her to the wall before kissing her deeply, as his hands ran wild over her body, whilst she looped her arms around his neck. Soon enough, a wandering hand found its way to the spot between her legs and began to rub, causing her to moan loudly into his mouth as another kneaded her breast. All the while, she squirmed and writhed under him, causing him to rub himself against her harder.

Breaking for air finally, she panted and huffed as the two pronged offensive by Sokka's hands threatened to overwhelm her completely. "Mmph Sok-, please, no I-I can't, I'm so close- I-" At once, Sokka ceased his ministrations, causing her to glare at him angrily as a needy whine left her throat.

"What? I thought you couldn't take it anymore." he teased.

"Sokka….." she growled, a very strong hint of violence bleeding through.

At once, he doubled his efforts, bringing her back to that peak before slamming his mouth against her's, partly to avoid getting toasted by her spitting fire when she came and partly to muffle her voice as she was rather noisy when aroused. Not that Sokka would complain, but stimulating her in the corridor wasn't exactly the brightest move. Then, he felt her entire body tense up and core contract, before she finally broke in an intense orgasm that made her roll her eyes back for a moment, and left her dazed and seeing stars when the orgasmic haze lifted.

Just then, a warning blared over the intercom about turbulence, which did not bode well for Azula's sense of balance as she was just coming down from her orgasmic high. With that, he put an arm around her waist and looped her arm on his shoulders to support her as they staggered to his room, her legs feeling like jelly. With haste, he laid her gently on the bunk as she slowly but surely regain her senses, though her face was still pink with arousal. As the airship swayed back and forth, buffeted by winds screaming from the polar north, he joined her on the bunk, sitting against the wall with Azula leaning on his shoulder, hands intertwined as they looked out the porthole into an endless midnight, the sea of clouds illuminated only by the landing lights and the occasional shooting star lulling them into a fitful sleep.