Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter: Between a Rock and a Hard Place
It was cold; almost as cold as the North Pole. Zuko huddled in on himself shivering, trying to control his body temperature by maintaining his breath of fire. He silently thanked his uncle again for teaching him the technique. The collection of nuts and bolts he had removed from the sides of the Cooler were like a pile of ice chips in his lap. He wondered how long it would take Sokka to come release him.
Zuko's body still ached from his sessions with the Warden over the past few days. His simulated fight with Chit Sang had not helped. Maybe I should be grateful to be in this icebox, a doleful part of his mind thought. At least it will help the swelling go down.
The morning after his discovery and introduction to the Warden, Zuko had been taken back to that awful room. Chained and partially suspended, he had managed to endure the Warden's second set of taunts and blows better than the first. After another session in the afternoon, Zuko was finally dragged out to participate in his chore section. This was no doubt intended to be another form of torment; both to degrade a prince to the level of a servant and to force him to do physical labor with his injuries.
This was Zuko's first opportunity to really view the inmates of Block Eight. There were about two dozen in the group. None exhibited the prison yard bravado or obsequious servility he had seen in so many of the other prisoners. Instead, the group fairly hummed with tension; each inmate seemed acutely aware of each of his fellows' actions and movements. It was as though a loud noise or sudden movement would send the group leaping at each other's throats.
Taking up a mop as it seemed the least painful task, Zuko noticed the girl next to him did the same. He inspected her closely and was surprised to see Sokka's girlfriend, Suki. As they began mopping the same section of floor, he caught her shooting him suspicious furtive glances, more pointed than those of her section mates. Zuko was unsure of what Sokka had told her or what plans had been made in his absence.
Zuko was just summoning the nerve to introduce himself when Sokka appeared on the stairs above them, saying, "Oh, good. You guys have met."
The girl, Suki, replied in a strained voice, "Actually, we met a long time ago." This was accompanied by a quick glare as she continued to mop her section of the floor.
"We did?" Zuko asked, sifting through his memories for when he had met this girl. He had certainly never seen her with the Avatar's group. Maybe in some town or village they had passed through during his pursuit of them? Zuko couldn't remember meeting many villagers other than during his time as a fugitive.
"Yeah," Suki continued, now openly glaring at him. "You kind of burned down my village."
"Oh," he managed. The ever-present well of guilt in Zuko rose up, threatening to engulf him. "Sorry about that," he apologized lamely. He had burned several villages during his time chasing the Avatar, but thinking back he was pretty sure it must have been that first one on Kyoshi Island. This girl had the bearing of a warrior and that island was famed for producing the best female fighters outside of the Fire Nation. "Nice to see you again," he finished, trying to seem as nonthreatening and contrite as possible. As he had proved in his first days at the Western Air Temple, apologies were not his strong suit.
Zuko continued to feel guilty and awkward throughout Sokka's ensuing explanation of his escape plan. It was clear that Suki was less than thrilled about having to team up with the firebender. As Sokka continued and they each expressed doubts about using a Cooler as a boat, Zuko felt some of the tension leave the air between Suki and him. Perhaps it was just that the girl felt more relaxed around Sokka. The Water Tribe teen's humor and enthusiasm were infectious.
Continuing to show supreme practicality, Suki asked the essential question, "But how are you going to get the Cooler out?"
A deep voice from above them interrupted, "Yeah, how are you going to get the Cooler out?"
Above them loomed the massive form of Chit Sang. Again displaying agility contrary to his size, he easily slipped below the railing and leaped down to their group. Zuko saw several heads turn to follow the man's movements. Apparently, Chit Sang's most recent disobedience had gotten him bumped up to Block Eight. Suki and Zuko immediately went into defensive positions in front of Sokka. Zuko was grateful that Suki was there. With his injuries, he wasn't sure he could overcome this giant if it came to hand to hand combat.
Sizing the inmate up again, Zuko noticed a definite fatigue to Chit Sang's movements as if his time in the cooler had dampened his inner fire. Zuko was glad the Warden had yet to throw him in there. Physical beatings were one thing but unending cold sapping one of power and strength; it was a firebender's idea of Koh's Lair.
"What?" Sokka blurted. He made various hand gestures indicating denial. "We didn't. We... We didn't say that," he expostulated.
Zuko could almost feel the other teen's panic. Stone faced, Zuko growled, "Yeah, you heard wrong." Internally, he begged Sokka to calm down. His antics were only making them seem more suspicious. He glanced around to see that their little group had become the focus of every inmate in the chore section. Zuko hoped that none of them could hear the content of their discourse.
Disregarding the boys' protestations, Chit Sang looked Suki up and down and addressed himself to her, "I heard you hatching an escape plan and I want in." It was clear to Zuko, at least, that the two had met before. Suki must really be something if this giant was deferring to her.
"There's nothing to get in on," Suki said not breaking eye contact with the inmate. There was nothing angry or threatening in her tone, just complete certainty. For an instant, Zuko thought they might be able to pull this off. Her simple statement seemed to have closed the door on the discussion.
Unfortunately, Sokka didn't appear to be picking up on the currents in the conversation. "Yeah," he interjected unhelpfully. "The only thing we're hatching is... an egg?" Zuko and Suki both let out exasperated sighs. Zuko hung his head at the boy's idiocy. In moments like these, Zuko remembered his former impression of his companion as the Avatar gang's buffoon, always cracking bad jokes and generally in the way. Zuko had certainly re-evaluated Sokka since joining the group but occasionally the old impression resurfaced.
Glancing pityingly at Sokka, Chit Sang responded, "Ok, well, I come with you or the Warden hears about this egg too." The large man let his gaze roam around the room pointedly taking in all the poised inmates and obtuse guards.
Fear shot through Zuko. Not fear for himself, he was already the focus of the Warden's daily attentions, it was the cold dread of something awful happening to someone he cared about. Something happening to Sokka. He met Suki's eyes; she also looked afraid. She nodded. They shared a moment of perfect understanding. They both knew what could happen to Sokka in a place like this.
Suki turned to Sokka, saying seriously, "I guess we have no choice."
"Okay, you're in," Sokka said briskly. He adapted easily to having new companions thrown into his plans. Katara and later Aang had always been bringing home strays wherever they went in the Four Nations. This new guy might even prove useful if he didn't attack them when their backs were turned. Getting back to the logistics of his plan, Sokka continued, "Now, first we need someone to unbolt the Cooler." He reached inside his robe pulling out a wrench. When none of them said anything, he emphasized, "From the inside." He looked pointedly at the two firebenders.
Zuko had been foolish to agree to this. He had been foolish for agreeing to the staged fight with Chit Sang. He had been foolish for allowing himself to be captured in this prison. He had been foolish to come with Sokka to the Boiling Rock. He had been foolish to tell his friend where Hakoda was likely being held. He had been foolish to not join the Avatar sooner. He had been foolish to side with Azula in Ba Sing Se. He had been foolish to insist on attending that war council all those years ago. Deciding that he might as well acknowledge the source of many of his foolish decisions, he had been foolish to ever seek his father's love and approval.
Drawing in another deep freezing breath, Zuko tried to let all his foolishness pass from him as he heated his core. As much as he tried to learn from his past mistakes, he always seemed to find a way to make new ones. He just hoped that this most recent one would not be his end.
Because you are Prince Zuko! You are unstoppable! You always show up, you always survive, you always keep going. Being trapped in some cave is not going to be the end of you.
Katara's words from their shared captivity echoed in his mind. Zuko had thought he had come to his end that day in the crystal cavern when the food had run out. Now, as they had then, her defiant berating words bolstered his flagging optimism. Three days of this ceaseless cold had slowly been draining him of energy and hope. He told himself sharply that he was not going to freeze to death in the Cooler or die in this prison. He had fought too hard for too long to give up now.
The last few days of enclosed solitary imprisonment had given Zuko far too much time alone with his thoughts and regrets. He had turned over each choice that had led him to this freezing cell. With the remembrance of her words, Zuko once again revisited the week he had spent with Katara under Ba Sing Se. Part of him shrunk from the memories as now being a major source of guilt and discord in his life. Another part of him cherished those days of enforced closeness and deep sharing.
Katara had gone from aggressively hostile to warm and consoling so quickly. Her very changeability had made him distrust the genuineness of her offer of friendship. It had all seemed too good to be true. Now having lived through weeks of her implacable resentment and antagonism, Zuko could clearly see the depths and steadfastness of her feelings. She had been his first true friend and at the first opportunity, he had turned on her.
Watching Katara's devotion to her friends at the Western Air Temple, Zuko had only grown to further appreciate her character and kindness. From the daily thankless drudgery of seeing to everyone's needs to the support and comfort she offered, Zuko had marked each of her little acts of service. Despite her antipathy towards him, she had gone as far as feeding him and cleaning up after him as she did with the others. He wondered at her ability to hate him and yet take care of him.
Zuko had tried to show her his willingness to help and care for her in return. He had tried to help with dishes, laundry, tea making, even cooking. She had almost universally rebuffed his attempts. Finally, she had grudgingly allowed him to make and serve tea to the group. She had kept a close disapproving eye on him throughout the process as if afraid he would poison the group given an opportunity. He hoped that in the coming months his constancy might melt the ice she seemed determined to build up between them. I guess we will see who is more stubborn; fire or water.
Of course, if Sokka did not get Zuko out of this Cooler soon, water might just win without an effort on Katara's part. He had finally lost feeling in his fingers and toes about an hour ago. As if this thought had at last summoned the boy, Sokka unbarred and opened the door to say, "I can take you back to your cell if you've learned your lesson."
Lifting his head and letting out a final breath of fire, Zuko replied, "Yes, I have." He leaned back to expose the various nuts and bolts collected in his lap. Then, thinking back over his three days of introspection, he added in an undertone, "Completely."
"How you doing? I thought you might've turned into a royal popsicle by now." Sokka was looking Zuko over with an appraising eye.
"If you'd left me in here much longer, I might have. What kept you?" Zuko was too relieved in feeling the rush of warm air washing in from the hallway to be properly irritated with Sokka's delay.
"Sorry, the Warden gave orders that no one should let you out for three days. He's been regularly checking on you. I couldn't risk it." As he explained, Sokka slipped inside and began testing specific points on the walls. "I got Suki and Chit Sang out of their cells a few minutes ago. They'll be waiting for us at the shore."
Finally getting to his feet, Zuko stepped into the hallway to better thaw out and give Sokka more room to work. He darted back in a moment later closing the door behind him. "Someone's coming," he answered Sokka's surprised questioning look.
Two pairs of footsteps were growing more audible, accompanied by voices gossiping comfortably. The first thing the two teens could make out distinctly was a male voice replying to a question, "Yeah, new arrivals coming in at dawn." Both boys tensed. They leaned forward to press their ears to the door.
"Anybody interesting?" asked the other voice, sounding bored.
"Nah, just the usual. Some robbers, couple of traitors, some war prisoners." Sokka turned sharply to meet Zuko's gaze, eyes wide. "Though I did hear there might be a pirate." The voices passed and became less distinct. The last thing they managed to make out was the other guard's comment, "No foolin'."
Sokka's gaze had not left Zuko's. Zuko could almost see the panic, hope, and frustration battling in the other boy's mind. Hoping to help Sokka process, Zuko stated, "War prisoners. It could be your father." He was genuinely concerned for his friend. Each passing day not only brought more danger to himself but also an increased likelihood that Sokka would be caught.
Looking away from Zuko, Sokka closed his eyes and groaned, "I know."
Zuko could not make this decision for his friend. It was not his father's or his girlfriend's lives in jeopardy. Sokka had set himself this task to regain his honor; only Sokka could decide what would fulfill it.
Trying to keep his voice as neutral as possible, Zuko asked, "Well, what should we do? Are we going ahead with the plan or are we waiting another night?"
Shaking his head, Sokka replied, "I don't know." Sokka met Zuko's gaze again and the Fire Nation Prince was surprised to see tears in his friend's eyes. "Is it right for me to risk Suki's freedom? All of our freedom, on the slim chance that my Dad is gonna show up?"
Zuko put a steadying hand on Sokka's shoulder, he said, "It's your call, Sokka."
As Zuko watched, he saw a sort of bleak resolve come over Sokka. Turning away from Zuko, Sokka began prying the Cooler loose from the door frame. "Come on, let's get this down to the shore," he said, grimly.
After safely getting the Cooler down to the beach on the edge of the boiling lake, Zuko and Sokka were unpleasantly surprised to see an enlarged group of prisoners waiting for them. In addition to Suki and Chit Sang, with whom any group became a crowd, there were a friendly but tough looking woman and a man who oozed anxious energy even when seated. Both the strangers were keeping well away from Suki and seemed poised for an attack. Zuko thought this was not a promising beginning to their escape.
Chit Sang was the first to speak. Looking over Zuko, Sokka, and the Cooler, he said, "Took you guys long enough. This here's my girl and my best buddy. They're coming too." He looked obstinately at Suki as if they had been arguing this point before the boys' arrival. She glared at the large man then turned to Sokka, letting the decision rest with him.
The strain of his own inner conflict and the urgency of the moment were wearing on Sokka. Giving Chit Sang and his friends an annoyed look, he gritted out, "Fine, everybody in the Cooler. Let's go." He turned his back on the group and stalked over to where they had hidden their clothes. He snapped out the clothing in an exaggerated fashion, trying to alleviate some of his tension.
Suki watched this display with surprise and apprehension. Sokka had seemed significantly less tense when breaking Chit Sang and her out of their cells only an hour or so earlier. She glanced at Zuko to gauge if something had similarly discomposed the firebender. Zuko was watching Sokka intently, a hint of concern just discernible on the unmarred side of his face. Sokka seemed to be avoiding eye contact with anyone in the group including herself as he slung his sword over his shoulder.
Just as Suki licked her lips preparing to ask Sokka what had happened, Zuko spoke, "Are you sure you want to go? You're the one who said you wanted to redeem yourself. Redeem your honor. Rescuing your Dad is your chance."
"Your Dad?" Suki questioned, taking a step towards Sokka. He looked up at them both with an expression of desperation. Suki could see him trembling slightly in the illumination of the moon. She wanted to reach out and comfort him but she held back sensing that Sokka needed to make this decision on his own.
In a strangled voice, Sokka replied, "If I had just cut my losses at the invasion, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess. Maybe sometimes, it's just better to call it quits before you fail."
"No, it's not," Zuko spoke with the voice of experience. "Look Sokka, you're going to fail a lot before things work out." Never give up without a fight, Zuko's personal motto echoed in his words.
"That's supposed to make me feel better?" Sokka asked incredulously before stalking away from Zuko and his troubling fatalistic assurance.
"Even though you'll probably fail over and over and over again," Zuko continued, following Sokka, undeterred. Sokka stopped unwillingly listening to his former enemy.
"Seriously, not helping," Sokka commented sarcastically, trying to shake off Zuko's words.
Seizing Sokka's shoulder, Zuko persevered, "You have to try every time. You can't quit because you're afraid you might fail." He willed his words to sink in. It was a lesson Zuko had learned over and over the hard way. He felt Sokka straighten, throwing his shoulders back as whatever resolution strengthened within him.
Not having listened to the teens' little melodrama, Chit Sang interrupted, "Hey, if you two are done cuddling, can we get a move on?" He was impatient after decades of prison life to taste freedom once again.
"No, I'm staying," Sokka replied dropping his bag and turning around to address Zuko and Suki. "You guys go. You've been here long enough." He placed a hand on Suki's shoulder squeezing lightly for emphasis.
Grabbing his hand reassuringly, Suki said warmly, "I'm not leaving without you, Sokka." She had known for two years now that there was no other boy in the world for her. She was not going to leave him to face peril alone. She knew he would always try to protect her, even when in actuality she would be protecting him. And she loved him for trying.
To Suki's surprise and renewed suspicion, Zuko stepped forward saying, "I'm staying too." What possible motive could keep the banished Prince in harm's way by his own choice? Suki wondered.
"Not me, I'm out," Chit Sang said with no hesitation. "Let's roll, baby." Without looking back at the young trio, he pushed the Cooler into the water and jumped into it.
Sokka had one last sobering thought for his companions before returning to the prison. "We gave up our only chance of escaping. I hope we haven't just made a huge mistake." With these ominous words hanging in the air, he began climbing back up the cliffside.
Zuko had not taken his decision to stay lightly, but in the end, there was not truly a choice. Beyond his own disinclination to leave a companion behind in a dangerous situation, Zuko could just imagine Katara's reaction if he showed up again without her brother. Zuko was fairly certain he would find himself thrown off a cliff or drowned on the spot. He had no doubts that Katara could come up with something even more inventive and painful if he returned alone. He was just about to follow Sokka, when Suki's strong hand closed around his wrist, turning him to face her. The suspicion he had seen glaring at him at their first introduction was back unabated.
"Just what are you trying to pull here, Prince Zuko?" Suki demanded accusingly. "If you think that you can turn Sokka over to the Warden or something, now that he's staying, think again!"
Annoyed, at once again having to defend his motives for doing the right thing, Zuko growled, "I'm not pulling anything! I stayed to help my friend find his father. That is it!"
"Since when is a Fire Nation Prince friends with a son of the Southern Water Tribe?" she sneered.
"Since that Prince realized what an idiot he had been for doing what the Fire Nation expected of him!" he snapped back at her. Taking a deep calming breath, he looked Suki in the eyes and said with what humility he had, "Look, I completely understand why you don't trust me. I am truly sorry about burning down your village. I was young, angry, and stupid. I am trying hard to learn from those mistakes and atone for them. Part of that atonement is helping my friend get back what my nation has stolen from him, even if it costs me my life. I am here for Sokka and I am here to do the right thing."
For a moment, neither spoke after this rather startling and heartfelt explanation. Zuko was even surprised by the words that had poured out of him. He had somehow managed to express himself and his feelings without saying something counterproductive or foolish. Maybe the three days of introspection had done him some good after all. For her part, Suki was moved by the earnestness and simplicity of Zuko's words. She knew she had made plenty of mistakes in her own life and she had not had the disadvantage of being raised by monsters. Sizing Zuko up again, she decided to follow Sokka's lead and trust the odd firebender. This adventure would show her what the Prince was truly made of. She let her hand fall from his wrist and took a step back. Finally, she nodded at him and they both took off after Sokka's retreating form.
Safely hidden on an upper escarpment overlooking the prison yard and landing, the three teens watched as the gondola pulled up. "This is it," Sokka said, nervousness and excitement both evident in his voice. "If my Dad's not there, we risked everything for nothing." He had not felt so anxious since the day of the invasion.
"We had to," Suki said reassuringly.
As though he had not heard her, Sokka egged the conveyance on, "Come on, come on." His eyes were glued to the door. In a moment, he would know if he had doomed his friends or saved his father.
Zuko watched as the gondola docked and the guards opened the door. A big, burly man with shaggy long hair, a weathered face, long beard, nose ring, and a tattoo on his arm was the first to disembark, handcuffed and blinking at the sudden light. The man's cheekbones were fairly prominent despite the facial hair. Still not sure what Hakoda was supposed to look like, Zuko asked hesitantly, "Is that him?
Glaring at Zuko over his shoulder, Sokka scoffed, "My Dad doesn't have a nose ring!" He turned back to watch the rest of the prisoners file out, hoping with each new figure that one would reveal himself as his father.
Zuko was watching Sokka more than the prisoners. Each burst of hope and successive disappointment were obvious in the boy's posture. The bursts were getting smaller and the disappointments larger as what seemed like the last few prisoners exited the gondola.
In a near frantic voice, Sokka asked, "Where is he?" He seemed to be begging the Spirits more than asking his companions as a last shirtless figure stepped forward. In numb disbelief, Sokka said, "That's it? That can't be it." Sokka crumpled in on himself and Suki moved forward to comfort him. Over her soothing words and his moans of defeat, the noise of an altercation at the gondola arose. A guard was shouting at what appeared to be someone lingering inside the conveyance. Sokka looked up sharply just in time to see one last man emerge. Unable to take his eyes off the tall man, he uttered one word tonelessly, "Dad."
So that's what Sokka meant by seriously intense cheekbones. In the end, Zuko had not needed Sokka's verbal acknowledgement of the man's identity or the boy's earlier description. Zuko would have recognized Sokka's and Katara's father anywhere. He was a proud, powerfully built man without the bulk or savagery of some of his fellow prisoners. His eyes blazed blue in a tan face over a pair of striking cheekbones. His demeanor conveyed a sense of strength and cunning, an arctic fox-leopard to his core. Watching Hakoda line up with others also settled the question of his leadership status for Zuko. This man knew what it was to command, he had the same indefinable air about him that Zuko's uncle and father had.
It became clear from where the Water Tribe siblings had gotten their stubbornness and indomitability. The Warden would not find it easy to break this man. Zuko watched as Hakoda refused to defer to the Warden's bullying. Even when he was struck to the ground, the man managed to express his defiance by tripping the Warden and making him look the fool. Zuko was impressed.
The relief of at last locating Hakoda was short lived as they saw the Cooler being hauled ashore by mighty cables. Chit Sang and his friends were caught. Both Zuko and Suki had no hope that the prisoners would keep the secret of how they escaped or who had helped them. They needed to make their escape soon or their luck would run out.
When Zuko's next session with the Warden began, it was clear the man was more discomposed and frustrated than during Zuko's previous beatings. Zuko wasn't sure if it was the near prison break or the infuriating Water Tribe leader causing the Warden to be less careful in his blows. Zuko only hoped that Hakoda hadn't sustained too much damage in his own quality time with the Warden. But as Sokka had repeatedly pointed out to Zuko, Katara could heal whatever injuries they might sustain. She would certainly have no hesitation in healing her father. They just needed to get out of this place.
Hearing that the two Water Tribe men had already devised a new escape plan had reassured Zuko. He focused on making it through this session in one piece so he could meet them in the yard at the appointed time. During a fleeting conversation in Zuko's cell, Sokka had also informed him that Chit Sang had fingered Chi Fu, the guard who had so tormented the inmate, as the person who had devised and assisted in the failed Cooler escape. Apparently, the giant had a more true sense of honor and justice than Zuko had given him credit for. He was glad that Chi Fu would never again be in a position to abuse the prisoners.
Something of these feelings must have shown in Zuko's expression, because the Warden suddenly hissed, "Don't look so smug Prince Zuko. If you want something to smile about, I have a gift for you. Each month, I entertain a very special guest here at the prison. Your dearest sister, the Princess Azula takes time out of her taxing schedule to bestow us with her talents. I am sure she will pay you particular attention, being family. It is a delight for me to be able to facilitate such a happy reunion."
Azula is coming. A wave of hatred and terror washed over Zuko. He could not imagine a worse situation in which to confront his sister; unarmed, beaten, and imprisoned. Unconsciously, he began to strain against his restraints; his fight or flight instincts overwhelming his common sense.
The Warden cackled at getting such a strong reaction from the formerly stoic prince. "It seems I have finally found something to enliven you."
Of course, Azula spends her leisure time with creatures like this. Zuko thought in disgust, seeing the pleasure his tormentor was taking in his anxiety. Sokka had indicated the next day as the time to escape. Zuko knew none of them could afford to wait that long if Azula was coming.
As he was dragged back to his cell an hour later, Zuko saw Suki being marched towards him by her own contingent of guards. Taking the risk, he began loudly moaning about Princess Azula's imminent arrival and how he had never seen a real princess before. One of his guards snickered at his delirious rantings and said, "Don't worry, you'll be seeing plenty of Her Highness. Princess Azula always likes to acquaint herself with all the Block Eight inmates."
To Zuko's satisfaction, he saw Suki's fleeting look of comprehension and horror as they passed each other. He was sure she would take the necessary steps to inform Sokka and push him to move up the timetable. If what the guard said was true, Suki must already be familiar with his sister and her proclivities.
Not long after being thrown back into his cell, Sokka arrived to confer with Zuko. "Suki tells me your psycho sister is coming!" Sokka blurted as soon as he closed the door. "When is she going to be here?"
"I'm not sure. Any minute. The Warden told me that she regularly visits and he's looking forward to our 'reunion'," Zuko elaborated suppressing a shiver of revulsion.
Pacing back and forth across the cell, Sokka began muttering, "This is not good. This is not good!"
"Sokka, don't panic. We just need to get out of here. Do you really have a new plan?" Zuko said trying to not let any of his own fear show. Once Azula knew he was here, there would be no chance of his escape.
"Yes, my Dad and I came up with it together. We're gonna commandeer the gondola and we're gonna take a hostage with us so they won't cut the lines," explained Sokka. He took heart in how crazy and ambitious their scheme was. There was no way anyone would anticipate something so insane. "It'll have to be the Warden or they will just cut the lines anyways."
Thinking through the logistics of the plan, Zuko pointed out, "A group of our size will never make it onto the gondola. There are too many guards; they'll shoot us down in the open."
Smiling confidently, Sokka said, "My Dad already thought of that. He said we'll need a distraction. That's why we're gonna start a prison riot. You all have a chore section in half an hour. See if you can start the riot in the yard then."
"It won't be much of a riot with only two dozen of us. We need more prisoners released into to the yard simultaneously." Thinking fast, Zuko asked, "Can you get me away from the other guards when we're being sent out for the section?" He was not sure that he could pull off his idea but he was desperate to get them all away at any cost to himself.
"Maybe," Sokka answered fingering his chin thoughtfully. "But you would only have minutes before they noticed that you were missing."
"Do it. I'll take care of the rest," Zuko said emphatically. "See if your Dad or Suki can start the riot once there are more prisoners in the yard. If I am not there when the time comes, leave without me."
"What?!" Sokka squawked.
"I am serious, Sokka. Leave without me." Zuko took Sokka by both shoulders to force him to listen. "The important thing is that your Dad, Suki, and you get away."
Sokka shook Zuko's hands off, giving him an incredulous look. "No way! We came here together. We are leaving together." As if the idea had just struck him, he finished, "Besides if you get trapped here, who is going to teach Aang firebending?"
There really was no argument Zuko could make to that. He was more touched by Sokka's dogged loyalty than he could express so all he said was, "Fine."
Half an hour later, Zuko's muscles were screaming at him that this was yet another horrible mistake. Creeping along the ceiling above the heads of several guards, he wished he had come up with a less painful way to approach the cell block control room. Thus far, he had only needed to incapacitate one guard along his path who had looked up when someone dropped something on the floor above. His plan was simple: get into the control room without raising an alarm, release the prisoners, disable the controls, and eliminate anyone who stood in his way. He only had another fifty meters to go. He prayed to Agni that his limbs would carry him that far.
Way to go, jerkbender! Sokka thought as he watched streams of prisoners enter the yard from the other eleven cellblocks. He was impressed that Zuko had also managed to disable the alarm. Seeing the confused looks on several guards' faces, Sokka walked over to them and explained that the Warden had ordered a complete prison roll call after the recent breakout attempt. As this story spread, Sokka made his way over to where Suki and his Dad stood watching the filling yard with widened eyes.
"Sokka, what's going on? And where's Zuko?" Suki said when Sokka was close enough to speak to without being overheard.
"Zuko released all the prisoners to make our riot more distracting. He will be here soon," Sokka explained; adding silently, I hope.
Crouching low and moving as quickly and quietly as he could, Zuko made his way back towards the yard. The Spirits must have been smiling on him for when he had entered the control room, he found only the brutish female guard, who had first arrested him, with her back conveniently turned. The controls had slowed him down a bit, taking a number of tries to discover the release mechanism. After that, disabling the alarm had been simple. Rounding another corner without incident, he was on the verge of feeling optimistic when he heard them; first a tinkling laugh from the walkway above followed by a longsuffering sigh. His heart was suddenly in his throat and he thought he might be sick. Backtracking hastily, he raced deeper into the prison away from the yard. He knew their luck had just run out. Azula was already here.
With Chit Sang's help, the riot was in full swing. The mass of prisoners were fighting the guards and each other indiscriminately. The exceptions were the Block Eight prisoners who seemed bent on eliminating as many guards as they could with ferocity and speed. Sokka tried to keep their small group as close to Chit Sang's back as possible, allowing the giant to clear their path across the yard. The chaos had been underway for a good fifteen minutes and there was still no sign of Zuko. Suddenly, there was an almighty explosion from deep within the prison that sent a quarter of the guards racing inside. Great plumes of steam and smoke were rising from the central building. About five minutes later, a sooty and tired looking Zuko appeared next to them out of the churning brawl.
"Zuko, what happened?" Sokka demanded, relief evident in his voice. "I thought you were just going to release the prisoners?"
"Sort of ran into my sister's friends." Zuko grimaced at Sokka's and Suki's horrified expressions. "Decided we needed a secondary distraction to delay them finding us."
"Your sister's already here," Sokka squeaked. "Well, let's stop wasting time and get out of here. Now, all we need to do is grab the Warden and get to the gondolas." Sokka pointed out a squat angry figure on a balcony high on one of the towers.
"And how do we do that?" Zuko asked. He was already feeling exhausted from his earlier acrobatics and beating. He did not fancy fighting his way through the crowd then scaling the tower alone.
Sokka seemed to size up Zuko's physical state then hesitantly answered, "I'm not sure…"
Tearing at his hair in frustration, Zuko snapped, "Argh, I thought you had thought this through." He knew he was being unfair to Sokka but they were truly out of time.
Almost hysterically, Sokka replied, "I thought you told me it's okay not to think everything through!"
Clenching his fists in an effort to control his panic and temper, Zuko gritted out, "Maybe not everything. But this is kind of important." Sokka looked contrite and pensive.
At that point, Chit Sang cut in, "Hey, uhh, fellas. I think your girlfriend's taking care of it." Both Zuko and Sokka spun about looking for Suki. When they spotted her, she was most of the way across the yard, leaping from person to person as if she were stepping on stones crossing a brook. Her speed and agility were incredible. Twice, a prisoner made a grab for her. Each time she disabled her assailant without slowing her progress. Zuko had only ever seen his sister and her friends come close to Suki for skill in hand to hand combat. No wonder all the inmates had kept well away from her.
Sokka, Zuko, and the two men fought their way after her as she cleared the yard and began rapidly scaling the tower wall. Reaching the first of the platforms, she effortlessly knocked out three guards without a singe from their firebending. By the time, the men caught up with her, Suki had the Warden tied up and gagged, kneeling at her feet. Two more guards lay sprawled unconscious beyond her.
Raising her eyebrows at the quartet of panting men, she cheerfully said, "We've got the Warden, now let's get out of here."
Holding his stomach, Hakoda panted, "That's some girl." Zuko and Chit Sang silently nodded their agreement with his assessment.
Exchanging a look with his father then gazing back at Suki, Sokka wheezed, "Tell me about it." He had come a long way in accepting and appreciating Suki's superior skills. Rather than finding them intimidating, he now found them awe inspiring and alluring. Katara would have been proud and a little disgusted by Sokka's development.
Once they gained the platform, Zuko quickly looked out over the seething mass of guards and prisoners searching for any sign of his sister. Luckily, she had not emerged from wherever she lurked within the prison. He did notice that most of the Block Eight inmates had fought their way to just beneath the landing where their group stood operating the gondola controls. He had an uneasy feeling about their presence. A cry from Sokka, brought Zuko's attention back to a formation of guards pouring out onto the platform behind them. Leaping into action, he intercepted and dissipated several bursts of flame. As Chit Sang was currently encumbered carrying the Warden, it was up to him to protect the group from firebenders.
As more guards swelled the ranks of the formation, Zuko snarled, "Back off, we've got the Warden," indicating the man flung over Chit Sang's shoulder. A mutter of uncertainty arose from the closest guards. Despite their loosened stances, Zuko knew that it would only take a moment for them to realize that the numbers were stacked largely in their favor. "Let's go," he growled to his companions not taking his eyes off the guards.
The gondola pulled up at last. Suki flung open the door, calling for all of them to climb aboard. The guards began pressing closer waiting for an opening to strike. As the rest clambered into the gondola, Zuko stepped to the lever controlling the gondola's movements. Forcing the lever down, he heard the gondola begin to move away. Steeling himself for the impact, Zuko began furiously kicking the lever. He had to ensure that there was no way for the guards to reverse the conveyance's movement once they were all aboard. As he felt the lever break, he also felt the heat of a fireball pass just over his head. He whirled to find the guards were charging and, far worse, Azula standing in the nearest doorway.
His mind went blank as his body turned and flung him out over the railing into nothingness. By instinct, his arms reached out grasping for the retreating gondola. Just as gravity took over and he began to plummet towards the boiling lake below, he felt a hand close about his forearm. Looking up, Zuko saw Sokka struggling to maintain his grip on Zuko's arm. With their combined efforts, Zuko managed to scramble aboard.
The next few minutes were a blur of adrenaline and violence. Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai came tearing along the cables after them. The fight quickly split into three separate contests. Suki engaged Ty Lee, her speed and agility forcing the pink-clad acrobat to struggle to keep from being thrown into the lake. The two Water Tribe men ducked and dodged Mai's missiles, managing to keep her from actually entering the gondola. The final match inevitably came down to Zuko and Azula.
In the rush of combat, Zuko's aches fell away as he leaped and whirled fending off Azula's attacks. He had not properly fought her in more than a year. Thanks to his near constant practice and recent training with the Sun Warriors, he was now able to keep up with her as he never had before. This only spurred Azula to new heights as their fight ranged across both gondolas' roofs.
"Cut the line!"
The Warden's shout brought back a larger awareness of their surroundings to all the combatants. The guards on the platform began sawing through the cables carrying the gondola. Their gondola shuddered to a halt as the wheel on the platform was stopped. As the realization of their predicament spread through both sides, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee leaped over to the other gondola heading in the opposite direction, towards the prison and safety. Smiling wickedly back at them, Azula called out in her most patronizing tone, "It's time for us to leave. Goodbye, Zuko."
The sudden change in the gondola's movement sent Sokka staggering back, slipping out over the edge. Zuko threw himself forward, rescuing his friend. Ty Lee waved merrily as the distance grew between the two gondolas. Looking over his shoulder, Zuko saw they were maybe a distance of ten meters from the landing on the far side of the lake. They had almost made it. But not quite.
"Look at the platform!" Suki shouted, pointing behind them. As they all turned, an amazing and horrifying sight met their startled gazes. The score of Block Eight prisoners who had been following them surreptitiously throughout the struggle had attacked the guards trying to cut the gondola cables. These prisoners were not merely incapacitating the guards but tearing them apart. It was a scene of carnage. Zuko now understood why they had been kept apart from the rest of the prison population. He wondered what had possessed these crazed animals to help them. Then he saw her. Chit Sang's girlfriend was in the thickest part of the melee. She had fought her way to the wheel with the cable. As they watched, she threw the guard preventing it from turning over the railing into the boiling lake. The gondola started moving again. In a strange moment of calm, the woman looked out over the space separating them and raised an arm in a silent farewell before turning back to the fray.
"Goodbye, my love," a raspy voice choked. Hakoda turned to see tears streaming down Chit Sang's face. He knew what pain the larger man must be feeling. He stepped forward to put a supporting hand on the giant prisoner's shoulder.
Azula's gondola was more than half the way back across the lake. Having disposed of the guards, the prisoners turned their attention to this second cable. They picked up the saw and began cutting. Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee took a moment to realize what was happening then they started to run up the cable, back across the lake to where the gondola carrying Sokka and Zuko had just landed and was discharging its passengers.
Running as quickly as they could, the group followed Zuko around a bend in the path. Ahead of them, two airships were docked. Grabbing the Warden roughly off Chit Sang's shoulder, Zuko flung him to the ground. This sadist would be the one to face Azula's fury at their escape. Pointing to the slimmer more well-appointed airship, Zuko shouted, "Board that one, quickly! Azula will be on our heels in no time." He knew he had indicated Azula's own vessel. A part of him felt quite smug for using his sister's ship to affect their escape.
Not waiting to see if he was obeyed, Zuko rushed forward blasting the second balloon to smithereens. He glimpsed a dark blur of red charging around the corner of the path as he leaped for a dangling rope of the already launched second vessel. He climbed quickly hearing the roar of Azula's fire behind him. As he cleared the side of the ship, he looked down to see her face two meters below him as she rocketed herself up into the air in pursuit. There was a moment when he thought she had caught them. Then, Sokka's boomerang came flashing out of nowhere accompanied by its owner's characteristic war cry. The projectile forced Azula to veer off course allowing them to fly away into the wide open sky. They had done it! They were free!
A/N: Thanks for patiently waiting for this chapter. I had two-thirds of it written when real life suddenly became too full. While I struggled to finish this one, I wrote the next several. So I can promise less of a wait time between postings for a while.
I realize that I gave some of Suki's lines to Zuko. It just made the story flow more easily. I promise I will make it up to her in some of the upcoming chapters I have written.
Without Mai's sacrifice, there would be no split between Azula and her friends at this juncture. This will obviously impact many things to come.
Wishing you all a happy new year!