A/N: Ok guys, are you ready for this? Everything this story has been building up to is about to explode in an action packed conclusion. I hope these next chapters knock your socks off!

Chapter Eighteen

The next morning Katara awoke to see the early morning sunshine filtering through her bedroom window. Her room was two floors above the others. Commander Zhao had offered her a room on the same floor but Katara had turned it down, saying she would have more privacy up here. However, her real motives were to spy on the Commander. His room was only one floor down and Katara knew he was up to something. If only she could find out what.

She got out of bed and glanced in the mirror hanging above her bed. Her solemn face stared back at her and she couldn't help laughing at how serious she looked. The laughter died away quickly, however, as she heard angry voices drifting up through the floor. Curious, Katara moved silently out of her room and down the stairs. When she reached the landing to the next floor, she crept quietly along the hall until she was standing behind a half opened door. Commander Zhao's voice could be heard on the other side and he was arguing with someone, presumably one of the guards.

"How dare you try to give me orders! I am your superior and don't you forget it! The boy stays here until the Avatar arrives. We need him to help us win this war."

Katara's heart began to race when she heard the word Avatar. Aang's coming here? Her eyes widened in surprise. How does Commander Zhao know this?

"But, Commander Zhao, I don't understand! I thought that Prince Zuko was the enemy! You shouldn't invite your enemies to stay at your house!"

"You fool! How many times must we go through this! When the Avatar arrives I will need reinforcements to help me fight him. He doesn't know of my powers so he won't be prepared for that but I still need someone to serve as a distraction. And who better than that pompous Prince? He's so obsessed with capturing the Avatar he won't even realize that I'm using him until it's too late. He can do all the work for me, then once he's captured the Avatar I can kill them both and I will rule this land! Soon I can rule the world and all the tribes!"

Katara gasped. She quickly covered her mouth, hoping no one had heard her. He's evil! He doesn't want the fire nation to win! He wants all the power for himself. And he's going to kill Zuko!

"I have to warn him." She whispered to herself, and crept silently past Commander Zhao's room towards the next floor. She was so intent on getting to Zuko that she never heard the Commander as he stepped out of the room.

Commander Zhao was startled to see the young girl heading quickly away from outside his room. It didn't take him to figure out why she was in such a hurry, however.

"Guard!"

"Yes sir!" The guard appeared in the doorway.

"You idiot! You left the door open for the whole world to hear our plans! Now that young water bending pest has over heard and no doubt is off to tell her precious Zuko." He glared at where Katara had been standing a moment earlier. "No matter. Two can play this game." He turned to face the guard. "Go and stall here. Tell whatever you like, just don't let her get to Prince Zuko's room until I've had a chance to talk with him."

"Yes sir. Very good Sir."

"Oh shut up and get going!"

"Right!" With that the guards spun around, ran into the door, and then walked off in a bit of a daze.

At that moment Prince Zuko was staring out his window at the grounds below. Something just didn't feel right. He tried to shake his uneasiness off by thinking about capturing the Avatar instead.

"He should be here soon." Zuko grinned, already imaging how great this capture was going to be. "It's the end of the summer. He'll be here to get Katara back. Try I should say. And to try to defeat the big bad fire nation before the comet strikes." He laughed. "I wonder what he'll say when he sees his best friend has turned against him."

Just then there was a knock on his door. "Prince Zuko? Are you there?" Commander Zhao's voice came through the door.

Zuko stiffed but stood up and walked over to the door. He opened it and eyed the Commander coldly. "Can I help you with something?"

"May I come in? I have urgent business to discuss with you."

Zuko sighed. "If you must." He turned to let the Commander enter.

"Prince Zuko I will be honest with you. I don't like you."

"Well that's a shock." Zuko snapped sarcastically.

Commander Zhao glared at him. "As I was saying, I don't like you. At all. However, your father and I were close friends before his tragic…..accident. He had one last dieing wish, however. That is why I have brought you here. He said to make sure that you were restored to your rightful place as ruler of the fire nation."

Zuko gaped at him. "You're out of your mind aren't you? You banned me from the fire nation! How does that help make me ruler!"

Commander Zhao shrugged. "I didn't say I planned to honor your father's wish."

Zuko felt the anger rising inside him. "Why you-"

"Let me finish before you fly off the handle. I do feel some regret, however, since your father was such a close friend of mine. I cannot agree to make you ruler. You're much too young. And I just don't like you. But I will accept you back into the fire nation and I will make you head general in my army. That should be fair enough."

Prince Zuko stared at him, speechless. "You-you can't be serious!"

"Unfortunately I am."

"I can't believe this! You're going to make me a general? Head general!" He couldn't keep a grin from spreading across his face. Maybe things were going his way after all. Something's not right here. A tiny voice inside his head said. Oh I'm just being paranoid. This is the chance of the life time! He shrugged his worries off.

"I didn't want to say anything in front of the rest of the crew, but I have word from some spies that the Avatar will arrive today. I need you to lead the attack against him."

"What! Today! I've waited all my life for this! I need to prepare! I must go prepare my men!" With that Prince Zuko rushed out of the room babbling incoherently. Commander Zhao watched him go, then a smirk crossed his face.

"I always knew his big head attitude would be his undoing." He turned swiftly and crossed to the door. He had important things to take care off wile Mr. Big Shot was off playing general.