Chapter 63: Of Ash and Snow, part 14

While Teams 1 & 2 had to factor in potential civilian casualties in their planning, given that their target lived in a high rise in a rich part of Q'ela proper, Teams 3 and 4 did not have to contend with such issues as their target was located far outside. Tellingly however, said compound was not more than fifteen minutes from where the military ran a survival school. In addition, the intelligence provided was a couple years out of date, plus there were no good photos of the Incense Master. Granted there weren't any of their Vanguard either but his choice of hideout made PID easier.

Then again, it was not hard to miss the Fire Nation inspired architecture that stood out in the otherwise unassuming ice plains. In another time and place, it would have been made into a tourist landmark as the northernmost temple of Agni but now, it served not only as a temple but as a training and indoctrination area of potential recruits. Pulling up to the main entrance, the two transport vessels dropped anchor and the teams disembarked on small skiffs. As they closed on the temple, they could see flashes of red and green smash into the thick ice walls of the temple.

As soon as the first troopers hit the shore, silence on the tundra returned, punctuated only with the crunch of snow. Wordlessly, the pointmen tossed a bundle of three smoke canisters through the moon gate, letting the noxious fumes flow across the compound. As they spread into the courtyard in two rows, small units of twos and threes peeled off the main group, heading into the maze of corridors and smaller courtyards, each a potential chokepoint holding either Agni Kai soldiers or tripmines.

As expected, the Agni Kai foot soldiers played their cards excellently, luring in a small fireteam of three down a corridor before opening up with a quick burst of flames that killed one on the spot and left the other two with massive third degree burns, the winter coats and rigging fusing with their flesh from the extreme heat. On the opposite side of the compound, a terrible sawing noise was heard, as a hidden machine gun nest opened up, scything down another fireteam from existence before CS gas flushed them out, where they were immediately bloodbended against the wall and impaled from within with their own blood.

Soon, the atmosphere was filled with the familiar whizz of high speed lead and whoosh of fire, which masked the more ominous whistling of razor sharp ice darts that slammed home into gang members, severing spinal cords and scrambling brains.

Sticking together in a larger fireteam of six, Jiro and Jia Ling moved into the inner sanctum. Glancing over at her fellow Fire National, Jia Ling could see that Jiro was silently mouthing prayers to Agni to not take offence for the desecration of its temple, of which he was a devout devotee of. Focusing back on the task at hand, she was about to turn a corner when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Watch where you're going, missy." Miska called out.

Taking a closer look, she spotted expertly camouflaged concertina wire that was just about the right height to lop off someone's head, which was also connected to some hand grenade somewhere nearby.

"Thank you. I owe you one."

"Let's get this mission done with, then we'll discuss about favours." Miska replied, making her blush under her balaclava at the potential implications. Shaking her mind to rid herself of such thoughts, she peeled off with Miska and another SRT trooper to find another way in.

Turning a corner, Jiro came upon a small group of Agni Kai soldiers running back to grab more ammunition from a supply room. Pistol in hand, he shot from the hip, squeezing off rounds that chipped the pillars and sent shards of ice flying every which way as he ducked back behind the wall. Pulling out a grenade, he yanked the pin, counted to five and bounced it down the corridor, spraying hot pieces of metal that caught the small team squarely in the chest. Whipping out his short rifle and holstering his pistol, he flicked it to fully automatic and loosed off a few bursts before stepping in.

Laying on the ground, face blacked with dried blood and hot metal, was a face Jiro had not seen in ten years. Steeling himself, he muttered a prayer to Agni for the soul of the man before putting him out of his pain with a shot to the head. As they advanced, he wondered how best to break the news to his friend's parents who still held out hope that their dear son was alive in some POW camp somewhere.

With a handful of troopers, Jiro, Jia Ling and Miska stacked up near the last remaining apartment. Finger tensing, breaching charges were placed on the door and detonated with a nod, before they stormed inside, unsure of what they might find. Standing before them were four men dressed in House of Wolves fatigues holding a Fire National hostage. On the one hand, they could immediately open fire and wipe them all out in one fell swoop. On the other, all were somewhat curious as to how they managed to infiltrate given the location.

"Aight fellas let's all take a deep breath and talk. Like adults." Miska opened.

"The fuck you mean talk, you filthy savage peasant! Drop these sons of bitches or-" the hostage spat and yelled, before being rudely silenced with a massive backhand that would at the very least knock his inner ear out of whack for a few days. As it were, some pieces of teeth and blood fell on the now stained rug. Clearly, the man was more of an administrative type, a desk jockey than someone who spent time in the field.

"Hey hey hey easy there, let's not get too carried away there, buddy."

"We ain't no buddies of yours, you sellout."

"Come on, no need for trash talk, eh?" he replied, moving ever closer.

"Step back. I will not repeat again." one of them warned.

"Look, you guys are already wanted men, let's not get extra charges added on to your sentences, yeah?"

"We don't cut deals. Now back off. We know why you're here with these ashmakers."

"Hey hey, watch that mouth of yours."

"Go back to where you came from, or he gets it." the man replied, ice forming around his arm in the shape of a blade.

"I don't think so."

"Don't come any closer."

"Kill him and your only point of leverage is gone. Unless, of course, we kill him first."

"You wouldn't."

"Of course not." Miska replied, before shooting the hostage in the foot.

"What the-" the man gasped in shock, before meeting his end as Miska whirled on the man with the ice blade, dispatching him swiftly with two shots to the head while Jiro engaged the other two with equally swift taps before the rest of them could get their guns online.

Winking at Jia Ling, Miska smirked "Close your mouth missy, else a fly might get in. Not that we have flies this far north but y'know what I mean."

"How- why- I..I I mean…." she stammered, as the rest of them either bagged up the dead for ID later on or performed triage on the Fire National.

Placing a hand on his captain's shoulder, Jiro answered "There is a time and place for questions and answers. Right now, let's focus on the job and get back safely okay."

"Roger that."

NSPU HQ

Commandeering a meeting room, Bulan had installed a bank of communications equipment, maps and a ready rack. When Azula and Sokka entered, there were already a few analysts hard at work trying to pinpoint possible hides and movement patterns.

"Seems like you already have a team set up. Why do you need us?"

"Because it takes one to know one. You were her superior, you know how she fights, how she thinks, her decision patterns. That's something we can't replicate."

"She was nominally under my authority. In reality, she took her orders directly from theater command. I was just a rubber stamp."

"Well, given that those cats are either dead or in prison, you're the next best thing."

"Gee, I'm flattered."

Looking at the map of Agna Q'ela, Azula took a handful of pins and started to stick them on what seemed to be random buildings and locations. Once done, she stepped back and asked "Do you have records of known Agni Kai safehouses?"

"Probably. Why?"

"Knowing her, she doesn't take too kindly to people who remind her of her old command chain. Hell, I'd wager she'd about taken over the entire Agni Kai vanguard operations and put the former Vanguard into a body bag."

"Why?"

"Because….reasons. I'm sorry, but you're just going to have to trust me on this."

"I-"

"Look, I know you want explanations but let it go for now. This is something personal to her, give her time." Sokka interjected, gripping her hand tightly as memories threatened to overwhelm her.

Just then, the communications set crackled to life. Snatching the headset, Bulan answered "Who is this?"

"Who am I? That is for me to know and for you to find out, halfblood."

"How did you get on our frequency? This is a secure channel!"

"A parting gift, from one of your men. Now hand over the mic to our little crown princess, I know she's with you."

"But how-"

"Stop delaying." Turning to Azula, Bulan handed over the headset to her.

"I'm here Zirin, what do you want?"

"How rude. Then again, I can't fault you for it. After all, there is no need for etiquette or manners in your current job, isn't it? I mean, what would dear old dad say if he know you're letting a savage from the south defile his sweet little girl?"

"How did-What me and my consort do is none of your business!"

"Oh, he really has you wrapped around his cock hasn't he? I wonder if you'd ever told him about me."

"Fuck you Zirin. If you-"

"Come after him, I'll kill you. Agni above, that is cliche as fuck girl. If you want to protect your little boy toy, you know what you have to do. I'll be waiting, sister."

"I swear by the spirits if you so much as touch a hair on him I will make sure death is a mercy when I'm done with you."

"Catch me if you can." Zirin cooed, before cutting the transmission.

"Did we get a fix on her location?" Bulan asked.

"Yeah, she's currently in that building with the red pin on the map."

"How soon can we put a package together?"

"No. Don't. That is exactly what she expects us to do."

"Then what do you want us to do?"

"If she wants to play games with us, why not indulge her a bit?" Azula replied.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Oh, you'll see." she smiled, leaving the rest with a slight chill down their spines.

"You're kinda scary when you do that, firefly." Sokka whispered in her ear as they left the room.

"Having second thoughts?"

"No, just...I-well, it's been a while since I last saw that part of you."

"Does it disturb you then, that the one you so boldly declared your love to has a latent vicious streak in her?"

"Maybe. Just a little. But no, I'm not going to cut and run if that's what you're asking."

"That's what they all say, till it's time to get your hands dirty."

"I've killed to keep you safe before and I'll do it again."

"This is different. This is about settling scores."

"And I'm supposed to let you go do whatever it is you want to do?"

"I'm trying to keep you safe. My past is something that is mine and mine alone to deal with. Don't ever take that away from me, please. Stand by my side if you want to, but please, this is between me and her. I cannot and will not let you get hurt because of my actions."

"If that is how you want to play it, that's on you. But I will drag you back to humanity kicking and screaming if I think you're going too far into the deep end. That is my decision. As your friend, partner and fiance, I cannot and will not sit on the sidelines."

"Don't make promises you cannot keep."

"For you alone I can and will do many terrible things if it means I can be by your side till the end."

"Let's hope we don't have to find out how far are you willing to go for me, Sokka."