Gosh I am so sorry guys. All of a sudden my job got super busy. I was planning on having this ready a while ago, but I had to write it in lots of small chunks. And when these chunks formed a completed chapter, well…let's just say it wasn't very good so a lot of editing was necessary. Also, speaking of jobs, I just got an opportunity to move to a new company. I'm super excited. It'll present a lot of fun challenges and the increase in pay certainly doesn't hurt either. But, this'll mean weeks of training so I wanted to get this out before then and when I get done, I will continue Be Strong. Regardless, I hope you enjoy it. This is a bit of a unique chapter in this story. The title kinda gives it away and there isn't a lot of dialogue.

The Tale of Jet

The three warriors walked through the streets of the great earth kingdom city. A beacon of hope for those looking to escape the tyranny of the Fire Nation. And also, a complete dump. The lower ring was a living nightmare of crime, filth and poverty. None dared to enter the other rings for fear of the domestic soldiers and the Dai Li. The three had heard whispers about this secret police force. An omnipresent force, repressing the will of the people. So much so that very few were reluctant to speak of them was enough to halt further questioning.

There was a stench that filled the streets. Rotting vegetables and meat that had clearly been sitting in the stalls for days if not weeks.

"We need to help these people!"

"Jet, what exactly can we do about it?" Smellerbee's raspy voice retorted.

Jet brushed it off, waving his arms about, "I don't know. Something. Food. Clothes." He continued to push through the streets of the lower ring.

The young girl looked around her as she tried to keep up. "From where?"

"We can go to the Upper Ring." Jet stated it so matter-of-factly it almost made Longshot say something.

"Jet, we'll get arrested. And even if we manage to get it back here, those we give it to could also be arrested."

"This is why I formed the freedom fighters, Smellerbee." He ignored her once more.

Smellerbee stopped walking. Staring at Jet in utter disbelief. They had come here to put their past behind them. Her head hung low, "I thought we were starting over." It came out as a whisper. It was dejected enough to cause Jet to halt and turn to her.

"We are. We help people in need instead of fighting those who take away." He strode back towards her. He knelt down and rested his right hand on her left shoulder.

"We came here to start a new life. I thought we were done getting involved."

"I know. But my heart says otherwise." He stood and turned and resumed his march with a quicker pace this time. "We have to help."

Smellerbee and Longshot jogged to catch up. "Jet. It's too risky. We can't lose what we have."

"These people have already lost."

"I don't think stealing from the Upper Ring is the smartest way to help." She was pleading, begging him at this point to just stop and think."

"I didn't think you'd lose your nerve." There it was. His old attitude was poking its way through.

"Only against the Dai Li, Jet. It seems like they run this city and what they don't run, they know about."

Jet stopped and let out a sigh, "You don't have to come with me but at least help me make a plan. I promise I will come back at the first sign of trouble."

Jet had waited for the darkness of night to fall over the city. To his benefit, it was a moonless night so traveling across the closely packed rooftops of the Lower Ring was a viable option as his silhouette would be more difficult to spot.

He had spent the evening with Smellerbee and Longshot. As refugees, they were given a small apartment in the lower ring. Well…small was kind, it was just a single room on the second floor of a building. No personal wash or bathroom; that was communal. It was better than nothing and it was big enough for the three of them to eat and friends went over the plan. Though they wouldn't help him directly, he was still their friend. They wanted to make sure he was fully prepared with as few flaws in the plan as possible.

The plan they had decided was pretty simple. Jet would just have to sneak his way through the checkpoints. Getting to the middle ring wouldn't be that hard as there were various trains and road checkpoints that were easy enough to get through with the right amount of money, paperwork or in Jet's case, agility. He wanted to avoid interacting with as many people as possible to limit the possibility of positive identification during questioning if things got loud.

Getting from the Middle Ring to the Upper was a different story. The walls were higher. The trains moved through a highly secure checkpoint with little room to hide, or run. The roads leading in were guarded by a squad of domestic soldiers and two visible Dai Li. Most domestic soldiers in the city were non-benders. Easy for Jet to deal with, but the Dai Li. He heard tell that all of them were earthbenders. He couldn't hope to compete with them. Eventually they decided that he would just have to scout out the entrances into the Upper Ring and then make a judgment from there on how best to proceed.

After dinner and tea, Jet waited for the inky blackness to fully take hold over the orange and pink painting of sunset. As darkness fell, the freedom fighter blended into the lower ring. Deciding for the first few blocks to just walk the streets before moving to the rooftops. He wanted to see more closely who needed the help, who were just criminals or those who occasionally came here to take advantage of people's desperation. As he did so, the cool spring air had dissipated the stench that permeated during the midday sun.

After moving down the streets a few more blocks, the darkness that had arrived provided stealth not only for himself but for those looking to commit more heinous acts. Sure he could probably take them all in a fight, but attracting attention was the last thing he wanted.

Suddenly, he felt a presence following him. Muggers he suspected. As he turned the corner into a dark, dead-end alley he chanced a look through his peripheral vision. Yep. Definitely muggers. Three shaggy looking men in patched up burlap clothing were following him. The one in the center was brandishing a knife in his right hand while the others walked at his sides, hands tucked into pockets.

Once out of sight in the alley, Jet used a couple of barrels on the ground to leap up and grab onto the sill of a window. Once there, he readied one of his hook swords in his right hand. He pushed off the exterior wall and spun his body around, using the hook of the sword to grip the edge of the roof. From there, he pulled himself up. The muggers had no chance.

As he gathered himself, calming his breath, Jet noticed how it seemed the city gently slope upwards as if on a hill towards the Royal Palace. This wasn't entirely a terrain feature. Buildings got taller as they approached the inner parts of the city. In the distance he could see the top of the palace. Grand and imposing; an oppressive force over these people.

Taking a deep breath, Jet began to lightly jog across the rooftops. Slat, clay, thatched; every roof made a different sound under his feet. He didn't know which he liked least to bound across, the unstable thatch or the noisy clay. Either way, he made good progress passing smoking chimneys and cat-owl roosts. It was rather exhilarating to do this again. After being stuck on boats, trains and busy streets for weeks, maybe even months at this point, he missed his days of swinging through the trees with the wind in his face. He missed his friends, his freedom fighters. Sure he still had Longshot and Smellerbee but Pipsqueak, The Duke, Sneers. All of them. The good ol' days.

But, those days were behind him. He could still never forgive the Fire Nation for what they did to his family. He still doubted his ability to hold back if he were to be faced with a firebender again. But, after the incident with the dam, after walking through the destroyed village, he saw what he had done. Sokka had been right, those people weren't firebenders. They were innocent people just trying to make their way through life. After seeing little kids no older than eight having to help rebuild the town, he was done. Smellerbee was the first one to convince him to let things go. She was always the most level-headed and compassionate member of their little band.

Soon, his thoughts brought him to the middle wall. He laid down on a nearby rooftop to observe a nearby customs check. A large archway that spanned the street separated the rings. No gate and only two guards. He noticed many food carts pass through. It would be easy enough to move back a few blocks and steal small amounts of food off each cart, but that would hurt the simple folk just trying to make a living. He had to wait until it was sold in the Upper Ring and then steal it from the noblemen.

Jet observed as multiple carts and carriages moved through to get an idea of the process. One guard would check the paperwork, while the other would inspect the cargo. Some of it in barrels, while some under the cover of burlap tarps. After a couple of hours, another pattern emerged. It seemed that the standard procedure was for the inspecting guard to wait for a command from the other to begin inspection. However, most of the regulars seemed to pay a bribe of some kind; when those carts approached, both guards would leave their station and walk about ten feet closer to the cart before waiting, clearly eager to get their share. Jet smiled at himself. He would just have to wait for the guards to tip off the right cart.

The freedom fighter selected a large cart piled high with something, but most importantly was covered in burlap. This would be easy to hide in. He turned his head back towards the guards who had both left their station. Perfect. Jet quickly jumped down a side alley and moved towards the main street to wait for the approaching car. As the wagon slowly passed, being pulled by two ostrich-horses, he swung himself into the rear and under the burlap. This cart had loose goods everywhere: Hay, watermelon, papaya, barrels of alcohol, sacks of rice.

One of the guards eventually spoke. "What have you got for us today?" It was a bit sing songy. Definitely not lacking confidence.

"Oh the usual." Jet could make out the sound of coins being tossed and then caught, presumably in one of the guards' hands.

"Excellent." The other guard let out a hearty laugh.

Now the driver was trying to be friendly. A little too much for Jets liking. "How's your evening been?"

"Better now." The answer was short and blunt. Jet had the feeling these guys said it to every merchant.

"Any news lately?"

"Eh. Rumor has it that the King's party at the palace tonight was crashed. Heard some officers talking about it on their way back to the wall."

"Really? Who was the culprit?" The driver sounded surprised if not entertained by that little piece of news. Jet smiled at himself as well.

"Eh. Don't know. Don't care. Move along." Clearly the guards were done at this point.

The cart creaked as it lurched forward once more. Jet decided upon staying in the cart as long as possible, taking a few peeks from under his cover to gauge how far he'd gone. Hopefully this cart would make its way close to, if not all the way to the inner wall. If that was indeed the case, he would have to bail out early as security would likely be much stricter up there. Eventually, the warrior felt the cart begin to slow. Taking this as his cue to get off, Jet lept from the back of the cart and into a side street as quickly as possible.

Once again bathed in the cool air of the spring night, he looked around. The Middle Ring was much better off at first glance. Every building within his sight was made of stone. Angled roofs of fired clay and slate capped the buildings off. Many of them had what appeared to be gutters. In the lower ring, any rainfall would either trapped on a flat rooftop or poured straight off the roof and onto the street below.

As nice as the buildings were, they were so tall he couldn't exactly tell where he was. The cart had made a few turns; Jet had tried to keep count of the lefts and rights but to no avail. He would have to get an elevated view. He began to move through the streets, looking for a public access building or one with suitable fixtures he could climb. As he Jet did so, he gazed upon the citizens who were out and about. So far, this ring seemed better off. Whereas the lower ring was full of refugees struggling to survive, the Middle Ring was at least cleaner. It was busy too. For how late it was, Jet had expected it to be deathly silent, but he supposed less crime gave people more confidence. Each block he moved through had at least one establishment serving food or drink…or both. Most here appeared to be skilled merchants. As opposed to the lower ring where most people were selling mostly rotting food, alcoholic beverages and some…less desirable commodities, the merchants here tended to sell items such as clothing, tools and in some instances…art. Even this late at night, trade commenced. These people were friendlier too. There was a brighter outlook on life. Laughter echoed from outside the restaurants and taverns. While these people didn't seem rich by any means, they were living comfortably. Just comfortable enough to keep you from fighting back. Jet thought

As he continued, many of the citizens parted the streets, standing off to the side. A pair of Dai Li sauntered by. As they did so, everyone bowed their heads and broke eye contact as they moved past. As heads turned down, it looked as though a wave moved across the water. Jet, however, gazed at them with indifference. The agents eyed him suspiciously as they walked past but continued on their way nonetheless.

"You have to obey them." A man had moved alongside him. He was dressed decently, but smelled of drink.

"Or what?"

"Or you'll be taken away."

That was ridiculous. He knew this place was different. There were rules but certainly such a minor offense would be discarded. "Where?" He asked nonetheless.

"No one knows. Some disappear forever but some return…changed." The man appeared to shiver. "We've assumed that they either send people off to serve in the army or they interogate and torture to get information. Regardless, people seem…off when they come back and they don't remember anything."

"Hmmm. Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"Not really. Most of them patrol in pairs. Occasionally you will see one on their own."

As Jet approached the Inner Ring, his heart sank. It was by far the most imposing wall within the city itself. It had almost no way through it other than the road checkpoints and the elevated rail. The road checkpoints he observed were heavily guarded and all wagons were inspected with great detail. Of the three inspection points he managed to observe, the fewest number of guards he could see on his side of the wall was six. More likely waited on the other side as well. The people who walked through had passports. No bribe was attempted, probably because it would result in arrest on the spot.

He decided his only course of action would have to be the rail. The thought crossed his mind of stealing a passport, but his current garb would stand out against the fine silk clothing that was worn in the Upper Ring.

Finding a rail station would be easy. He could see them everywhere. Jet quickly found a station and waited in the shadows for a train to depart. Still, this time of night…or early morning, he couldn't tell anymore, it was exceedingly busy. Citizens were selling items to others who exited the train while some were simple beggars asking for anything those 'from above' could spare. Jet's energy was beginning to fade. Most of these trains came from other parts of the Middle Ring or from the lower ring and the waiting game was killing him. Eventually a train arrived on a single, straight track from the Upper Ring. It ground to a halt, empty. Most of these people were going home for the night after visiting some of the more…rowdy establishments in this section of the city. Once loaded, the train just sat there. It felt like hours to Jet. Must be the last one for the night. He thought.

Finally a whistle was blown and it began to move suddenly. Jet shook off his fatigue and sprinted across the platform leaping into the gap between two of the cars. The train rumbled and screeched its way down the line and approached the inner wall. Sucking himself inside the gap, sound echoed around him as they entered the tunnel through the wall. Though it was dark, Jet could surmise that he made the right choice by squeezing himself in the gap. If he would have ridden on top, he certainly would've been severely injured if not outright killed. The echo disappeared and the rush of air returned. The train soon came to a halt and passengers disembarked. The freedom fighter held still for a few minutes. If this was indeed the last train, he hoped that the station would be completely empty in a short manner of time. He squeezed his way out of his hole, bounding the gap between the train and the platform.

This station was different. Enormous stone columns rose like trees into the sky, meeting the ceiling above. The columns were gilded at the base and where it met the ceiling. A large opening stood in front of him. The Palace. This station wasn't too far from the King's dwelling. He scanned the platform; his assumption had been correct. No one was here. Still, he walked slowly, silently, using his hunting skills to make his way to the exit. When he reached it, the view of the Upper Ring greeted him.

It was disgusting. Some may call it extraordinary, but to Jet it was a disgusting display of excess and opulence. The rich, feeding off the poor and the destitute. He couldn't help but look deep within himself. He hated the Fire Nation for what they did to him and his family, but now…a deepening hatred was beginning to boil in his stomach and make its way to the surface. These people. These nobles. These were the people that were supposed to protect his family; instead, these monsters stood on their pedestals proclaiming they were serving the people but sat back in opulence and gluttony instead.

Jet would make them give back tonight. The original plan of 'simply' getting clothes or food would prove to be difficult. Those items would be far too difficult to return to the Lower Ring. But gold pieces, however, that was another story. He had only seen a couple of gold pieces in his life. Here, there would be thousands for the taking. It would be much less bulky to bring back with them, and if he could distribute it amongst the poor they could use it for what they needed most.

Jet decided to make his way to the homes near the palace as these, he thought, would house the most important people and their income of course. But as As Jet was making his way towards the palace walls, he felt presence following him. He turned his head to the right. Dark, tall silhouettes stood just outside the limits of his vision. The freedom fighter turned back quickly to the left, unsheathing and slashing one of his swords at the attacker. He heard a loud clang sound as the man caught it in his hands. Jet slowly looked up, following the blade of his sword upwards until he saw a stone covered hand clasp around the blad. A tall man glared down at him from under a large hat. The man's dark eyes remained emotionless while a small crease between his eyebrows formed. This wasn't anger, but concentration; like he was trying to read his mind.

A second presence moved from behind him, grabbing his other arm and binding it in stone. He tried to fight back but now both of his arms were bound by earth behind his back. The boy moved to run but was quickly taken down by an earthbending attack. His leading foot was encased in rock and he pivoted hard. Without his arms to brace his fall, Jet smashed his head into the ground. Everything went black.

"He's coming to, Sir." A low voice penetrated the darkness in front of Jet. His eyes fluttered, but it took all of his energy just to open them.

"Excellent." This voice was deeper. Sinister. Without emotion, but with conviction. In just one word. This man commanded his attention.

Jet tried to crane his neck around, but his head was still buzzing. Bright lanterns formed a ring around him on some sort of track. Damp, brick walls surrounded him. "W-Where am I?"

"We've been watching you, Jet." The voice made its way from behind him, to directly in front. The man glared down at him. Dark mustache outlining his smirk. "I think you will make a great ally."

Jet looked up at the man in front of him. He seemed to be a leader of some kind. His uniform shared the patterns of other Dai Li agents but the materials were more regal and less utilitarian. "What do you mean?"

This man now moved to clasp his hand behind him. "We have eyes and ears everywhere, boy." He began to slowly pace in front of Jet. Commanding attention, but not once looking at his captive. "The palace, the generals headquarters, all wards and districts and…" He turned his head to gaze at the freedom fighter before him "...the ferries."

"You followed me?"

"Indeed. And I think your unique skill set will prove useful."

Jet struggled against his restraints. Attempting to lunge at the man before him, "I will never help you!"

He chuckled. "I am afraid you do not have a choice in the matter. Your friendship with the waterbender provides us with a great many avenues."

"We're not exactly friends anymore."

The man scoffed. "It doesn't really matter. Acquaintances, friends? Either way, you're connected to the Avatar. I simply require leverage…He has jeopardized the stability of this city."

"Wait. Aang's here? He made it? Did Katara make it?" Jet couldn't help but smile a little. If she made it here and Aang was also here, there was hope. He had allies…well probably reluctant ones. But they could help him fight the Dai Li if he could just get out of here.

"Yes. Yes. The Avatar and his little waterbender have reunited. It was all very touching." He shook his head in disgust. "He has also brought along the banished Prince Iroh and Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation."

"What does the Fire Nation have to do with this?"

"We will kill three birds with one stone." The agent walked away as another Dai Li agent replaced him. "Start the procedure!"

The lanterns began to spin in front of him, as the man's soft voice began to speak. "You are safe now…"

I hoped you enjoyed the chapter. Again, in all likelihood I won't be posting for a while due to the new job (don't worry it won't be 5 years like last time). I am hoping to have a new Chapter of either or both of my current fics around the first of the year. Until then, Happy Holidays!