In Hiding

Summary: Korra tried hard not to think about Kuvira living in a jail cell waiting for her trial to start – until she finds her sitting on her bed, looking for a place to hide. Set after series finale.

Chapter 17

"Kya," Tenzin boomed, Rohan let out a whimper, covering his ears and burying his face into his mother's chest. Pema began to gently rock him. "How long have you known she was here? How long have you been here? Why didn't you tell any of us? You put my family in danger?" his face turned bright red.

"Tenzin, how do you expect me to answer your questions if you don't stop to take a breath?" Kya asked while rolling her eyes. "Calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down," he shouted, slamming a hand onto the table. Su jumped at the sound while Rohan burst into fresh tears. Pema placed light kisses on his cheek before carrying him out of the room. "You brought a terrorist into my family's home-"

"They're my family too, Tenzin," she snapped. Kya clicked her tongue before crossing her arms over her chest. "This isn't one of my 'loopy adventures' or whatever it is you call it. I trust Korra and I trust her judgment, both as the Avatar and as a person. I believe she's doing the right thing." Tenzin ran a hand over his jaw, breathing hard through his nose. "Besides, if Lin wants to arrest me, she can. I've been nothing but cooperative. I could have easily denied helping them."

"What did Korra say?" Lin barked.

"Kuvira escaped from prison when the electrical problem occurred. She wants to show the people of the Earth Nation and Republic City that she has changed," the water bender answered. She turned away from her brother before facing the chief of police, her eyes softening. "Her idea is to travel back and help with reconstruction, to show that she isn't as bad as she was."

Lin crossed her arms over her chest, the metal squeaking loudly as the pieces rubbed together. She faced her sister, raising an eyebrow. "You took her in when she was young. What do you think of this?"

Su tapped her chin, glancing at everyone in the room. Kya regarded her with a soft smile in a sea of harsh faces. Tenzin continued to seethe from his spot, the redness in his face circulating. "I've seen how driven she can be. When she wants to do something, she'll go after it until it happens."

Mako slowly entered the room, as quietly as he could. A few of the police force turned and faced him, the metal of their uniform creaking. Lin didn't look in his direction. She just snapped her fingers and pointed to a spot at the table. He ducked his head, following the silent orders.

"If it weren't Avatar Korra, then she would have found someone else to help her. Kuvira's parents abandoning her…it's messed her up, and while I did feel betrayed when she left Zaofu, you have to admit she reunited the Earth Kingdom. If we can't trust the Avatar, then we'll be hypocrites in following her in the past."

"What do you know about all of this, detective?" Lin asked, catching Mako's attention. He cleared his throat. "You're under oath as a part of the police force. This isn't about your friends, this about your job…your duty to the city."

He sighed hard, lacing his hands together, pressing his forehead against the knuckles on his hands. "Korra is taking her to Ba Sing Se. She believes with the relief efforts Bolin and a few of the airbenders are working on, Kuvira will be able to slip in and help," he admitted. "Then, when everything is moving towards the better, she'll able to show that Kuvira really has good intentions."

A radio pack on Saikhan's hip rang loudly. He unclipped the radio and held it up to his ear, pressing a button on the side.. "Chief, it's President Raiko," he announced, holding the radio out to her.

"Tell him I'm busy," she barked, waving a hand in the air. "Mako, you're fired!" Lin snarled. He nodded, lowering his head. He pulled his badge out from the front pocket of his pants before placing it onto the table. She huffed before facing the five members of the police force. "Go to the train station and look at the people heading to Ba Sing Se; see how they're dressed. Hop on the next train in the morning. Blend in, but don't be obvious about it. Understood?"

"Yes, chief," Saikhan nodded. He turned sharply on his heel before heading out of the room. The other police officers filed out behind him.

"Take Kya with you," Lin ordered. The water bender raised her eyebrows, glancing at the chief of police with incredulity. Her blue eyes narrowed, causing a few crow's feet to appear in the corners. She raise her chin, arching an eyebrow before following the men out of the room.

"Here," Mako said as he stood up. The chief of police held out her hand and he placed his badge into her palm.

"Please, leave us," she ordered. Su and Tenzin nodded once before filing out of the room. The closed the door upon their exit. Lin looked down at the badge in her hands before tossing it back to Mako, who caught it right before it struck him in the eye. "Keep it."

"What?"

"I'm not firing you, I just said it to keep up the charade," Lin answered. "The same with Kya. I've been trying to arrest her for years, but somehow she always finds a way to slip through the cracks. Korra is a lot like her." She squeezed her eyes shut before shaking her head. "Spirits knows, the world doesn't need another one."

"What are you talking about?" Mako demanded.

"Some things aren't adding up, and I could use your help." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "You are my best detective so I can trust you on this. Radio your brother in the Earth Kingdom and ask him to keep a look out for Korra and Kuvira, and then head to the station. I want you to look into the electrical problem."

"But, chief, you'll be working against the law," he pointed out.

"It won't be the first time."

"Yes, chief." He nodded before glancing down at the badge in his hand, running his thumb along the bumps and ridges of the surface. He used the sleeve of his shirt to polish the cool metal before placing it back into his pocket.

Mako walked over to the door and opened it, stepping to the side to allow the chief of police to walk through first. She regarded him with a raised eyebrow before jerking her head to the side. Mako stepped out of the room, Lin soon following.

As she marched down the hall, she spotted Su speaking quietly with Tenzin. He had seemed to relax a bit, the color draining from his cheeks, although he still stood upright and rigid. "Come on, we don't have much time," Lin said as she passed, grabbing Su by the arm and pulling her along.

"To do what?" Su wrenched her arm free.

"We need to find Korra in Ba Sing Se before my police force do, or the Dai Li, or anyone," Lin explained. "If Kuvira is found to be hiding in the Earth Nation, then nothing good will come out of it.

"That's fine, but we're going to have to stop in Zaofu first," her sister answered. "We're going to need some help."