Chapter 34: Midnight Hunting Party, Part 10

Interior Directorate Barracks

Agna Q'ela

As the members of the Nanuk Special Police Unit got their gear prepped, none dared to disturb the lone man silently whetting his blades in front of a candle, the flame rising and falling with every breath as steel ground against stone in methodical strokes. It was an unusual sight when contrasted against the more modern instruments of war and combat water rigs that were a staple in their arsenal. Everyone in the team room had a pretty good idea of who the man sharpening his blades were. Yet, their orders were clear; he was to be in the stack when they hit the building in two hours time. As to where his place was in the stack, that was up to the team leader's discretion.

If Zuko was surprised he was to be the first man in the opening breach, he wasn't surprised, but merely grunted his assent. After all, it wasn't the first time the former crown prince had been intentionally set up to be the fall guy, the expendable one, the one lucky to be born. As he got his gear ready, his mind wandered back to events six years ago.

Flashback

Six years ago

Pohuai

Divine Wind Division, 1st Imp. Shock Corps.

"Wonder what the fuck must the poor lad done to piss off ole Pa?"

"Who gives a shit? The fact that he sent him to this Agni-forsaken unit in the middle of bumfuck nowhere against the cream of the Earth King's finest ought to tell you he musta done fucked up. I mean, look at the kid, half his face is a right mess." the other kid replied, taking a long drag on his crudely rolled cigar.

"Ya damn straight his face is a mess, don't know if he can even see out his eye. But still, there's gotta be some rumour, no?"

"Ah fuck, here's what I overheard two muppets from HQ saying he made Daddy O lose face during some war meeting. Apparently insulted some grey haired monkey about irresponsibly throwing away a few companies to bait out those dirt munchers. 'Course the ugly fucker gets all uppity and challenges him to a showdown. Well waddya know, Papa shows up and demands he fights, to which the runt fucking says no, so he burnt his face."

"Agni almighty that is fucked up. Then again, the lassie ain't any better. Sure she's got a hot smokin bod, but fuck she's crazy as they come. Rumour had it, dad had her kill her first man on her sixteenth birthday to blood her and she's been daddy's favourite assassin ever since."

"Ah well, shit's is what it is. Fact is, he sent the poor fucker out here to die. My guess, he'll be six feet under before sundown tomorrow. "

"Your probably right, why the fuck are we even caring about some FNG, even if he is the fucking spawn of that forsaken dragon shit Ozai? Man this talk is depressing as a motherfuck. Wanna hit the club?" he asked, before stamping out the butt of the spent joint, spitting as he did so.

"Ya damn straight. Let's go."

The two soldiers made no attempts to hide their voices, and up in the top bunk, lay a feverish Zuko, sweating and shivering while his face itched and flared with pain, the wound still raw. Yet the marching order was all the same. Retake Pohuai back from those uncultured mud savages, despite them having the area preregistered with artillery and lava pits scattered all around in the defence of the stronghold, which sat on the confluence of two waterways that led up into the North Sea and the Mo Ce respectively.

It was on paper, a suicide run in so many words, especially since he was slotted to be in the vanguard spearheading the attack tomorrow, wound or not as the first division over the top. At least he was dispatched to chase some long forgotten tale of a mystical being who had mastery over the four elements at their beck and call. Then again, laying in his bunk sweating in the oppressive summer heat, Zuko wished he'd actually been sent to hunt the Avatar. In a cruel twist, his father sent him to the hottest spot on the frontline so far. Since you sympathize with rank and file so much, it would do the royal family much good reputation if one of them was to be seen serving on the toughest assignment in the war, he mocked.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice a hand rest on his shoulder. Turning around, he turned to face the rest of the strike team fully kitted out and ready to strike. With a nod he picked up his mask, strapped his swords into their scabbards and joined the rest of the strike group, looking very much out of place. The air between them was tense, thick with the anticipation of the fight, from the moment they left the barracks and hung over them like a spectre over the ride to the target building.

It was midday when they pulled up outside the building. Within a few minutes, a cordon was set up and one fireteam and Zuko stacked up on the front door, while another squad went to the back to cut off any potential escape routes. In a flurry of smoke, fire and whistling shards of ice, both fireteams flooded into the building in a fan shaped pattern, spreading out to secure a larger area and also to get out of the 'fatal funnel. As the sounds of combat echoed and gradually tapered off, the team split off and scoured the place for any scrap of useful intelligence, before advancing up the polished oak stairs, muscles tensed and adrenaline coursing through their veins.

Of course, things started to go sideways when the leader tried to contact the other squad, but all he got for his efforts were static and silence. Chalking it up to magnetic interference, he urged the team to press on. Coming to a crossroads, three members peeled off and stacked up against the right door, leaving Zuko, the fireteam leader and a shooter with the left. Simultaneously, they breached the door with fire and ice, knocking the sturdy door off its hinges and proceeded in single file down a set of parallel corridors overlooking an open space. In the middle, was a barrel with a blaze merrily going, sending ash spiralling into the dark blue sky. At that moment, they knew the game was up and their best bet now was to capture a live one for interrogation and processing.

Using his blade to halt the advance of his column. Zuko closed his eyes, took a deep breath and began to try and sense any heat sources on the other side. What he sensed was a fuzzy, amorphous blob of activity, the thick boots necessary for polar operations hindering his ability to grasp the full picture. Nevertheless, he reported what he saw to the man behind him with hand signals, ears still ringing a bit from the breaching and combat.

Executing the same maneuver, both teams stacked against the last set of doors, before making their entry into a horrifying sight. Before them knelt the other half of the assault force, battered and bruised with what were certain to be demolition charges packed with all manner of 'shipyard confetti'. A tangle of wires led to a switch firmly depressed by a man whose golden eyes dared the squad to try something, anything to save their stricken brothers in arms.

"For the love of the Spirits, put the switch down and I promise you won't be harmed!" the leader shouted.

"And spend the rest of my life under lock and key, supervised by a pack of illiterate savages? Not on your life!" the man spat, thumb slowly loosening its pressure on the switch.

"You don't have to do this!" he shouted back, as they crept ever closer.

"Don't come any closer!"

"Come on, we can talk this out!"

"I said back off!"

"Please, you don't have to do this!"

"Shut your whore mouth up!"
While they were trying to negotiate, the other half tried to angle around for a disabling shot, aiming for the spot where the brain stem met the spinal cord. They were almost in position when the man turned to his left and spotted the other half. Anticipating his move, Zuko dropped his swords and threw himself on the man, keeping one wrapped around the fist of the other while the other slammed into his nose with such force it caved it in and incapcitated him. Making sure the man would not be able to release his grip and blow them all to kingdom come, he grabbed the nearest object and used his palm to shove it down his mouth, sending it smashing into that T-zone and terminating his journey along this mortal coil.

Kneeling back on his haunches, he took a deep breath and reassessed the situation. Getting up and wiping the blood on the dead man's coat, he turned to exit when one of the other members tripped over a wire while trying to help their comrades. In a flash, Zuko just about managed to drag the leader and himself out into a side room as the place erupted into a flash of orange and red, bolts, nuts and human bone whistling through the air at supersonic speed while a gaping hole was torn in the building, the shockwave shattering nearby windows. When they reentered the shattered remnants of the room, it was absolute carnage as bits of human and other detritus littered the perforated walls. The only mercy to be had, if it could be called as such, was that they all died in an instant, though having been terminated via supersonic fragments of fasteners and bone was still unpleasant.

Shock, grief and anger clouded his mind, and he whirled on the nearest Fire National he could find. Naturally Zuko bore the brunt of the man's fury, trying to block his blows as he screamed bloody murder for the staggering loss of his unit. Flipping him over, Zuko slapped him, which shook him out of him seeing red. Grabbing him by the shoulders, he shook him hard, while commanding him to take a breather.

Soon enough, he broke and wept into his shoulder, tears and snot mixing in with blood. All in all, it was not a good day by any stretch of the imagination.

Hospital

The first thing Kiyi noticed was her head spinning at what seemed to be warp speed, making her feel woozy and stomach churn. The next thing she felt was a pricking sensation in her left hand. Slowly, she got up and blinked a few times, before putting a hand over her mouth to stop herself puking over the sheets. Swallowing her bile, she asked drowsily "Wh-where am I? A-Azzie, is-is that you? Where's Zuzu?"

Wordlessly, Azula leapt from her seat and cradled her half sister in her chest, stroking her hair while whispering thanks to Agni. Gingerly, she extricated herself from the bear hug her elder sister currently had her in, before repeating her question.

"Zuko's currently on a raid, he'll be back soon. For now, you need to rest, you don't look so good." Azula chided, pushing her back into the bed.

"Says the one who got put in hospital first."

"Rather me than you. Agni knows mom will throw a hissy fit if she found out two of her three kids wound up in the hospital."

"What she doesn't know can't hurt her."

"Look at you, being all devious and shit."

"Not as good as you, Azzie."

"One day, Kiki. One day."

Giving them some sisterly bonding time, the trio exited the ward. Dismissing Aang, Katara decided to confront Sokka about his statements earlier that day.

"So, about what you said? Do you really mean it?"

"Of course."

Shaking her head, Katara replied "Look, I'm just concerned that you didn't really think this through. I mean, Pakku has a point."

"I said what I said. You don't know her like I do."

"No, I don't Sokka. So convince me. Convince me that this isn't you falling for another pretty face that can whoop your ass like the last time. Convince me that this isn't going to be like Suki all over again."

"This isn't. Trust me, this time it's different." Pulling out a necklace, he replied "Is this enough proof?"

"Not until I hear her say the same thing."

"Hear me say what?" Azula snarked, her arm snaking around Sokka's waist possessively.

"Do you really love Sokka?"

"Against all reason and logic, I am romantically attracted to your oaf of a brother, despite his proclivity to inappropriately vio-"

"Okay okay I get it! You don't have to describe what you both get up to in detail!" Katara wailed, plugging her ears while shuddering at the idea of her brother engaging in sexy times.

"You asked." Azula taunted, a malicious grin spreading across her face.

"I wish I hadn't." she moaned.

Turning her attention to Sokka, she asked "What is that in your hand?"

"It's uh uh, nothing!" he squeaked.

"That was not nothing. Come on, show it."

Sheepishly, he handed over the necklace to her while blushing. "You do realise what this means right?"

"Do enlighten me."

"I uh, well, would you be my forever princess?" he stammered, face increasingly growing red at the embarrassment of having to do it in front of his sibling.

"Mmm, I like the sound of that. Question is, would you be my forever snow savage?"

"Depends on what you say, little firefly." he smirked.

"I. Told. You. To. Not. Call. Me. Firefly. In. Public." she hissed.

"Firefly? Ahahahahaha that is hilarious!" Katara laughed, as it was now Azula's turn to be embarrassed by Sokka's usage of her pet name in public despite her warnings not to.

"I swear to Agni Sokka you're gonna get it from me."

"Here? In public? Sounds rather kinky to me, didn't know you had an exhibitionist streak in you, firefly." he whispered loudly, making her blush even more. Thankfully, their antics were broken up by Hahn and Bulan's appearance.

"Okay lovebirds, knock it off. This is a public place, else I'll have to arrest you both for public indecency."

"Locked up with a pretty thing like her? Oh the horror." Sokka sarcastically replied.

"I didn't say you'd be locked in with her." she replied, folding her arms and showing off an air of displeasure.

"Oops."

"Anyways, me and Hahnny here need to borrow your girlfriend, sorry, fiancee for a moment here. We've got some questions."

"Spirits damn it Bu, the fuck you had to call me Hahnny in front of these two?"

"She'll go if I can go with her."

"Look at you, so protective of your princess it turns me on." Azula cooed, making little Sokka stiffen considerably.

"Gods and spirits you Fire Nation people are a million kinds of fucked up. Let's just go please? I've got a meeting with Arnook in the next hour about that dumpster fire of a raid."

"Hey hey watch it Hahny, remember your beloved is half Fire Nation as well." Bulan growled.

"Wait what happened?" Azula asked, ears perking up at the mention of the raid.

"Motherfuckers burnt all the papers and the sonofabitch blew himself as well as the spirits-damned platoon to bits. Your brother and the fireteam leader were the only survivors. Let's go, time's a wastin."

Somewhere off the coast

Earth Kingdom waters

If the prisoners on board were expecting some sort of trial, their expectations were cut short when they were unceremoniously dragged from their holding cells and marched up the steps to the deck, where a calm breeze filled the nostrils with the salty sea air. Their hoods were lifted from their heads, exposing their eyes to the blinding white light. After they were lined up, their pictures were taken, before they were all made to kneel against the edge of the deck, overlooking the sea.

Behind them, a booming voice listed off various crimes committed by them against the Fire Nation, the usual suspects of criminal conspiracy, attempted murder, drug smuggling, larceny, money laundering, financing terrrorism and other charges echoing in the darkness as if to some other unseen audience.

Of course, such a trial was for show, and all parties knew what would take place. At least that was what they thought, as the order to present arms resounded. The kneeling men tensed, holding their breath, anticipating a sudden pain and darkness. Soon, the sound of weapons made ready filled the air, the movement of metal parts travelling across the seas. Closing their eyes, they braced themselves for impact.

But the impact never came. A suppressed burst immediately cut down their would be executioners, before turning on the presiding military tribunal. Pausing briefly to reload, automatic fire resounded once more, etching a grisly painting on the hull. Then, the familiar code phrase cut through the violence and blood stained air.

"The Earth King invites you to Lake Laogai."

With one voice, the kneeling men rose, bowed their heads in front of the man before replying in perfect unison "I am honored to accept His invitation."

One of the men who was shot, tried to reach for his sidearm but was cut down by another hail of fire. Embracing each man, he greeted each one as one would a long lost comrade. Picking up the arms and ammunition scattered on the deck, they scoured the ship for any other survivors, dispatching them with ruthless efficiency. Gathering the bodies, they were bound in weights and unceremoniously heaved to the embrace of the ocean, before the bloodstained deck was cleaned and the Fire Nation flag cast off to join its citizens in a watery grave as the Earth Kingdom's standard was raised in its place as the vessel now made course for Ba Sing Se.