Chapter 108: The Snake in the Grass

Sokka was pouring over his maps in the living room. Iroh had not long since gone, and Zuko and Aang were still out back. Toph had gone up to her room to take a nap. Katara was in the kitchen.

He was going over his invasion plan. Iroh had clearly seen something wrong with it, something that could be better, but Sokka just couldn't spot it. A frown was settled on his brow.

So, yeah, he knew that Iroh used to be this big, bad, Firebending General, and that he'd led full-scale military campaigns, but how come he saw flaws in Sokka's plan that even he couldn't see?

He sighed lowly.

Sokka was startled out of his frustrations though by a knock at the door. He looked around, expecting someone else to get it, but no one seemed inclined.

He sighed again. "Just another job for Sokka. Of course."

He stood up and walked over to the door. He opened it sharply, saying, "What?"

Jet stood on the side, smiling jauntily at him. "Hey, Sokka. How's it going?"

Sokka's mind flashed back to the last time he saw Jet, when the other boy had tried to flood an entire town and kill innocent people. He thought of how the other boy had done his utmost to make Sokka feel inferior. He thought of how the boy had manipulated his little sister and taken advantage of her good nature.

Sokka knocked Jet to the floor with a solid punch to the jaw.

He roared, "YOU ASSHOLE!"

Katara was sat at the kitchen table, carefully slicing up a mango, when she heard her brother shriek, "YOU ASSHOLE!"

She dropped her knife and hurried into the living room, hand on the flask at her hip, ready to uncork it.

She saw Sokka stood in the open doorway, shoulders heaving with heavy breaths. Katara could spot a figure lying on the ground outside.

She said, "Sokka, what did you do?"

She hurried forward and then froze as her eyes landed on Jet. He was pushing himself up, blood streaming out of his nose.

He looked up at her and smiled through the blood. "Hey, Katara. How's it going?"

Her blood boiled in her veins. Without thinking about it, she uncorked her flask and pulled out a stream, freezing it into a trio of sharpened icicles. They hovered a foot away from Jet's throat.

Jet didn't move. The smirk remained on his lips, but his eyes were locked on the hovering projectiles.

Sokka's voice filtered into Katara's head. "Katara, he's not worth it. Hit him if you have to, but don't do that."

Aang's voice appeared too. "Katara. Are you okay? Wait, what's Jet doing here?"

Jet spoke then. "Hey, Aang. How's it going?"

"Who the hell is Jet?" Zuko asked lowly.

Katara returned to her senses enough to realise that she was still aiming the icicles at Jet. She turned them back to water and let them drop. Right into Jet's crotch.

She smirked at the hiss he released as ice-cold water made contact with his privates.

She said, "What do you want, Jet?"

Jet, still on the ground with his face covered in water and his crotch damp, shrugged.

"I heard you were in town, and that you'd had issues with the Dai Li. I've got a few myself. Thought, maybe, we could help each other."

Sokka said, "Where's the other Freedom Fighters?"

Jet sighed. "We split up. After… after Gaipan."

Sokka's face darkened once more. So did Katara's.

Aang said, "What do you know about the Dai Li?"

Jet looked around. "We shouldn't talk out here. They have spies everywhere."

Katara glared. "Oh, no. He's not coming in here."

Sokka growled, "Seconded."

Zuko sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Guys, I have no idea who this is, or why you have a problem with him, but if he's got intel on the Dai Li then we need it. And he's right, we shouldn't speak on our front doorstep."

Katara turned her glare on Zuko. He stared back at her impassively. She spat, "Fine."

Sokka drew his boomerang from the sheath on his back and gestured for Jet to step inside. The boy stood up and did so.

Sokka closed the door and locked it for good measure.

"Anyone want to tell me why we have some random dude in our kitchen?" Toph asked Katara from where they stood in the doorway.

Said dude was sat at the kitchen table. Zuko was sat across from him, while Sokka did his best to loom behind Jet's chair. Aang stood awkwardly off to one side.

"That's Jet." Katara growled.

Toph's eyebrow rose. "And I should know that name because…?"

"Because he's a terrible person. He manipulated Aang and me into using our Waterbending to flood a town. If it hadn't been for Sokka… He knew Jet was up to something and convinced them to evacuate."

Toph whistled lowly. "What did he have against the town?"

"There were Firebenders there. Some army, but mostly civilians."

Understanding dawned. "Ah, he's one of those. Sees them all the same."

Katara nodded. "Yeah."

"Has he not noticed Sparky's Fire Nation yet, then?"

Katara frowned. "I don't think so. Jet would say something."

"Think he knows anything useful? About the Dai Li?"

Katara sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe. He's an awful person, but he knows what he's doing. Why he'd go up against the Dai Li, though, I don't know. Last time we saw him all of his hatred was directed towards the Fire Nation."

"Huh." Toph said. She flexed her toes against the ground. There was something weird about him. His heartbeat was almost too calm, too steady. It was kind of freaking her out a little.

"So what do you know about the Dai Li?" Zuko asked in a calm voice.

Jet shrugged. "Same as most people, plus a little more. They keep order in the city, mostly by making people vanish. Sometimes they turn up, not knowing their own name, thinking they're someone else. You met Joo Dee?"

Sokka muttered from behind Jet, "Several."

Jet nodded. "So you know what I mean, then."

Zuko nodded back. "We do. Tell us more."

Jet rested his elbows on the table and leaned. He smiled. "I know they don't like you. Any of you."

Zuko mirrored his body language, leaning forward. "And why is that?"

Jet shrugged. "You're making too much noise. Shaking things up. They like things quiet. Makes it easier for them to keep control, you know."

Zuko nodded, his eye never leaving Jet's face. Something seemed… off about the boy's face; he couldn't work out what. He seemed generally relaxed and arrogantly confident and yet, there was a tension there. It could be that Sokka had punched him and Katara had threatened him, but that didn't feel right to Zuko. There was something else there. Something deeper.

"We've been getting in their way." Zuko said.

Jet nodded. "In a big way, from what I hear. Especially in the last few hours. I've been spying on them, watching them, and I overheard them saying a couple of hours ago that they'd 'lost their leverage over the Avatar'. I knew then that it was time to pay you guys a visit. Reconnect with old friends, you know."

Sokka snapped, "We're not your friends."

Jet glanced over his shoulder at Sokka, tilted his head to the side, and then shrugged.

Jet said, "You know about the base, right? The one under the lake?"

"Lake Laogai." Zuko replied. "Yeah, we're familiar."

Sokka asked, "Why do we need this guy again? Telling us things we already know?"

Jet's smile widened. "Really? So you know about the assassin that the Dai Li have sent to kill Aang?"

Aang jumped at the mention of his name. "Assassin? What assassin?"

Jet shrugged. "I heard them say that they'd sent out an assassin. 'The Asset', they called him."

Zuko demanded, "What's his game?"

Jet shrugged. "I've heard he uses swords. Other than that? I've no idea. I think he's new."

Aang gripped his smooth scalp, digging his fingers into it. "What am I going to do?"

Katara hurried over and placed a comforting hand on the young boy's shoulder. "It's going to be okay, Aang. Any assassin is going to have to go through all of us to have a chance at hurting you."

Aang groaned loudly. "That's what I'm worried about!"

She smiled despite herself. "We work better as a team; you should know that by now. We're in this together."

Toph chimed in and said, "She's right, Twinkle Toes. We'll kick the crud out of any sword-waving assassin that comes after you."

As the GAang focused on consoling Aang, they missed the empty look that settled over Jet's face.

Katara tossed and turned in her bed. She couldn't sleep. Jet was asleep in the living room. Sokka and Zuko had decided that it would be best not to have too many people coming and going, that it might look suspicious to the Dai Li; though, Sokka was extremely reluctant about letting the former Freedom Fighter stay the night. At least, as a guest; Sokka had been all for binding Jet's wrists and ankles and locking him in one of the spare bedrooms. Katara couldn't say she was opposed to the idea. Aang and Zuko had overruled them; Toph hadn't cared either way.

She sighed and sat up, running a hand through her hair and pushing it out of her face.

She didn't trust Jet. She didn't believe a word he'd said. The only problem was, Katara wasn't sure if she was biased or not. Zuko thought she was; she could see it on his face. He thought that she and Sokka were both 'too close' to be rational.

He wasn't wrong. As angry as she was, Katara could admit that she was too close to the situation. She'd gotten too close to Jet. Way too close.

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to push away thoughts of his personal tree-house in the forest surrounding Gaipan. Of the feel of his lips on hers and his roaming hands.

She growled and pushed away her blankets, standing up. Clearly sleep wasn't going to be an option tonight. Might as well go outside and practice her Waterbending while the Moon was out.

The Asset stood in the shadowy hallway, just outside of the target's bedroom. The Asset could hear the slow breathing that indicated deep sleep. His hand drifted to the small dagger sheathed at the base of his spine. The Water Tribesman had taken away his hook swords and hidden them. He'd not found the dagger though.

The Asset's eyes drifted towards the Firebender's room. An instinct he didn't quite understand wanted him to kill the ashmaker first. The Asset shook his head; he didn't know where the slur had come from. The Asset felt no hate, no anger, no prejudice. He did as he was commanded by Long Feng and the Dai Li. The Avatar was the prime target, the strongest opponent. He died first. The Firebender would follow soon after.

He placed a hand on the doorknob.

A cold voice said quietly, "What do you think you're doing?"

The Asset turned. The Waterbender stood in the shadows just outside of her bedroom, glaring at him.

Jet smiled. "Hey, Katara. How's it going?"

Katara didn't smile back. Her hand was on the flask of water buckled to her hip. "I said, what are you doing? That's Aang's room."

Jet took his hand off of the doorknob. His other hand remained behind his back, clutching the hilt of the dagger.

He shrugged casually. "I was looking for the bathroom. Must have gotten lost. It's a big place you've got here."

Katara's hand didn't leave her flask; her thumb was resting against the cork. She said, "Go back downstairs, Jet."

Jet smiled and nodded. "Sure thing, Katara."

He walked past her, heading to the top of the stairs. When he got there, he paused.

"Sleep tight." He said, before descending silently.

Katara watched him go, hand never leaving the flask on her hip.

Zuko rose before the sun, in preparation for his morning training session with Iroh. He opened his bedroom door to find Katara sat on the floor in the hallway outside of Aang's room. Her hand was on her flask.

"Katara?" he asked gently.

She looked up at him, deep bags under eyes. She said, "We have to talk about Jet."

Katara and Zuko stood before Iroh. He stroked his beard, deep in thought.

"Clearly there is more to the young man than there appears." The older Firebender said.

"We shouldn't trust him." Katara said.

Iroh shook his head. "I think not, no. We should, however, watch him. Closely. I believe he may well have been our watcher yesterday."

"Watch him?" Katara asked. "We should kick him out. He might hurt Aang."

Zuko said, "He might try, but it's going to be harder than he thinks. We're onto him now, and he'll have to go up against four benders, plus Sokka's not exactly a slouch, and that's before he even gets to Aang."

"Besides," Iroh said. "His actions will reveal something of our enemy's intentions. We can use him, even as he tries to manipulate us."

Katara sighed and ran a hand down her face. "You're right. I know you are. I just… I don't like it."

Iroh patted her shoulder consolingly. "Games of shadows are not for everyone, my dear. They are a dark and unsettling business. It speaks well of you that you're ill-suited to their nature."

She smiled tiredly. "Thanks, Iroh."

"You are most welcome."

Zuko said to her, "I think you ought to get some sleep. I can throw something together for breakfast for everyone else. You need the rest."

Katara shook her head. "What about Jet? He's still in the house with Aang."

"Right." Zuko said. "You could always slip into Aang's room? There's a couch in there that you could take a nap on. Aang wont notice, or mind."

Katara nodded, the bags under her eyes convincing her. "Fine. Thanks, Zuko. Have a good training session."

Zuko smiled at her and nodded. "Have a good sleep."

She walked back into the house. Zuko turned to see his Uncle eyeing him with a small, mischievous smile on his face. The younger Firebender groaned loudly.

"Whatever you're thinking, Uncle, just… don't."

Iroh held up his hands in surrender. "I did not say a word, Nephew. Not one word."

Zuko narrowed his eye at the older man.

Iroh said, "However, since you bring us onto the subject, Miss Katara is an attractive, young woman…"

He wiggled his eyebrows at Zuko, causing the young man to groan again.

"Please don't ever do that again. Please. Agni, it's just disturbing, Uncle."

Iroh laughed loudly. "You take life far too seriously, dear Nephew."

Zuko shook his head. He changed the subject. "You said you wanted to teach me something important this morning."

Iroh raised a finger. "That I did, Nephew, that I did."

He gestured for Zuko to take a seat on the grass. Iroh then proceeded to pace gently back and forth in front of Zuko, like a teacher before a class.

"You told me that you have encountered your sister in the last few months."

Zuko nodded. "A few times, yeah. It hasn't exactly ended well for me."

"Azula's strength is immense, especially for her age and experience. And her skill is that of a prodigy."

Zuko sunk a little lower. "And I'm none of those things."

Iroh waved a hand. "You have other talents. Just as important, but different. For one, I have never known to back down from a challenge. Confronting Azula, and your father, may well be the greatest challenge you will ever face. I know that you will rise to it, despite the odds."

Zuko sat up a little straighter, a smile playing across his lips. "Thank you, Uncle."

"You are most welcome, Nephew." Iroh said warmly. "Now, I assume Azula has yet to use her latest weapon against you."

Zuko's solitary eyebrow lowered in confusion. "I don't know what you mean, Uncle."

Iroh sighed and he sat cross-legged across from Zuko on the grass. "My sources tell me that in the last year or so, Azula has begun bending lightning."

Zuko sighed as well. "I'd heard whispers. I hoped they weren't true."

"So did I, Nephew. However, the stories I have heard are truth. The sources verified. She can bend lightning."

"Why hasn't she used it against me then, Uncle? I'd have no defence against it."

Iroh shrugged a shoulder. "On that, we can only speculate. However it is your second point that I would like to address in your training, Nephew."

Zuko's frowned again. "Second point?"

"Having no defence against Azula's lightning."

"There is no defence against lightning." Zuko said. "It's why it's considered the ultimate expression of Firebending. All offense, maximum power, it completely overwhelms the opponent."

Iroh nodded sagely. "This is true. Rather, it was true. I created a technique that allows a Firebender to redirect lightning, thus defending themselves from its cruel sting."

Zuko's mouth dropped open. He… had no words. He'd always known that his Uncle was a powerful Firebender; it had been said often about his strength, his skill, his experience wielding Fire. But to invent such a move… it placed Iroh amongst the Great Masters of Old, the first Firebenders who regimented the art.

When he could finally speak Zuko said, "Uncle, that's… incredible. And you can teach me this move? Even though I'm not a master?"

Iroh smiled. "You are not so far removed from being a master as you seem to believe. Besides, the truest expression of mastery is teaching. Perhaps, one day soon, you will take a student of your own. But yes, Nephew, I can teach you. Given your run-ins with Azula, it is imperative that I do."

He stood once more and gestured for Zuko to do the same. "Now, Nephew, we begin."

The Asset watched and waited. The Waterbender interfered in his plan during the night, preventing him from eliminating the prime target. The arrival of the old Firebender complicated matters further; the two ashmakers were outside, practicing their filthy bending.

The Asset frowned. Thoughts that didn't belong to the Dai Li were slipping into his mind once more.

In the depths of the Asset's brain, Jet rattled the bars of his cage, screaming and shouting at the top of his lungs.

The movements required to redirect lightning were like nothing Zuko had ever associated with Firebending; if anything it reminded him more of Waterbending. He said as much to his Uncle.

Iroh smiled, wide and proud. "Very well spotted, Nephew. I based this move on the principles of Waterbending. I observed how Waterbenders push and pull, and how they turn an attack into a counter-attack. Redirection is the key to surviving lightning."

"So you've tested it?" Zuko asked, curious.

Iroh shook his head. "Never against another Firebender. I have had need to redirect natural lightning once or two though and it worked. No Firebender is as strong as nature, so it should work perfectly."

Personally, Zuko thought Azula was akin to a force of nature, but he kept the thought to himself.

Iroh continued, "While the movements are that of the Waterbender, the thoughts and processes are also of Fire. A fusion of opposites. We bend Fire by igniting our chi, manipulating the flow of chi within our bodies. You must create a channel for the lightning to follow; along your arm, down into your stomach, and then out of the other arm. It is important to divert down into the stomach. Why is that, Nephew?"

Zuko thought. A phrase his Uncle had said once entered his head.

"'Sea of chi'." He muttered.

Iroh smiled. "Precisely. The sea of chi."

He paused and then chuckled. "Though, in my case, it's more like a vast ocean."

Zuko smiled, even though Iroh had told the same joke the last time he'd explained the concept.

Iroh sobered and continued, "Your own chi will help to neutralise the lightning and grant you control over it. Additionally, it is vital that the lightning does not pass through your heart. Such a thing would be lethal."

Zuko swallowed and nodded.

Iroh said, "Now, let us run it again."

If Aang was being honest with himself, Jet made him… uncomfortable.

When they'd first met, Aang had thought Jet was cool. He lived in the trees with his friends, and he helped fight the Fire Nation. His group was even called the Freedom Fighters; Aang was all about freedom, being an Air Nomad and all.

Then Jet had used Aang and Katara to help flood that town, and Aang thought Jet was wrong, both for lying and for trying to hurt innocent people.

Now though… Aang didn't know what to make of the older boy.

Unless someone spoke to him, Jet was quiet. His face would get this weird expression on it, like he wasn't thinking about anything. As soon as someone said his name, though, that look would be gone and Jet would smirk and act like he always did.

It was weird.

He'd always noticed that Jet kept looking at him. Watching him. It made Aang shift in his seat and feel uncomfortable. Like he was being measured up or something.

Aang shook his head. Katara had told him her suspicions this morning, when he'd awoke to find her napping on his couch. Maybe she was right.

The Asset knew that they suspected him. He knew that the time was near. His eyes fell on the Avatar, and he palmed the dagger from the small of his back.

Soon.