Ch 4: Christmas miracle
On the 30th floor
As Korra's, Tahno's parents and Pema we're watching 1 of the terrorists drag Ellis' body away, Senna felt almost no pity for him. "What was he thinking trying to negotiate with these people?"
"Well, Korra said that he was a cocaine snorter, and he did it before he went in there." Tonraq reminded them. "But who knows what he told him."
"Well, whatever happens, I just hope that Korra and Tahno are alright." Pema said with worry.
"Us too." Laira said with equal worry. "And we can only hope they're the Christmas miracle we all need right now."
Meanwhile, outside
Beifong was on the phone, going along with Tarrlok's demands while Asami was smoking a cigarette beside her. "No, no, Darling. "Asian Dawn." Dawn. D-A-W-N."
The young cop came up to her and got her attention. "Ma'am. Ma'am."
"Yes?"
"The FBI is here, ma'am."
This got Beifong's full attention. "The FBI is here now?"
"Yes, ma'am. Over there." He confirmed while pointing out where they were.
Asami, after taking a drag from her cigarette and blowing out the smoke, asked sarcastically. "Want a breath mint?"
Beifong glared at Asami before walking up to the FBI agents, shaking their hands. "Hello. How are you doing?"
"I'm agent Johnson. This is Special agent Johnson." The black man introduced himself and his white partner.
"No relation." Special agent Johnson said so as not to get Beifong confused.
"I'm Chief Lin Beifong. LAPD. I'm in charge here." Beifong introduced herself.
"Not anymore." Special agent Johnson said, who was scared on the left side of his face, told her.
Meanwhile, inside the building
Tarrlok was checking the explosives, seeing that almost everything was in place, except for the detonators, making him a bit frustrated as he checked out the spot where Marco and Heinrich stopped working before they were killed, leaving his flashlight and gun close to the place before he jumped down, landed bending on his feet and hands before he looked up and saw 2 machine guns pointed at him, as well as a black teenage girl and a white boy about her age holding them.
"Hi there. How you doin'? Korra asked with a smirk.
Tarrlok, knowing that he was this close to getting shot, quickly thought of a way to stay alive before these 2 were who he thought they were. He put on an American accent and said. "Oh! Please, God, no. You're both with them, aren't you? You're both with them." He faked. "Don't– Don't kill me. Please. Don't! Please! Don't kill me. Don't kill me, please."
"Whoa. Whoa. Whoa." Tahno said, trying to calm him down, but at the same time, he had a bad feeling about him. "Relax. Relax. We're not gonna hurt you. We're not gonna hurt you!"
That calmed him down before Korra asked. "What the fuck are you doing up here? What were you looking for?"
Tarrlok then made something up. "I managed to get out of there, and, uh– Well, I was just trying to get up on the roof and see if I could signal for help, you know." He said before getting up and trying to get to his gun. "It's just through here. Why don't you both come help…"
But Korra stopped him. "Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Forget the roof."
"Come on. Come on."
"She said forget the roof. They got people all over there." Tahno told him. "Come on. You wanna stay alive, you stay with us."
Meanwhile, back outside
Beifong was explaining to the FBI agents about the situation. "Well, the best way we can figure it is…we've got maybe 30 or 35 hostages on the 30th floor, and maybe 7 or 6 terrorists up there."
"Sounds like an A-7 scenario." Agent Johnson said. "Thank you. We'll take over from here. When we commander your men, we'll try and let you know."
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Asami asked the Feds.
"Such as?" Special agent Johnson asked.
"What about Korra McClain and Tahno Jones?" Asami asked. But when Beifong signaled her to keep her lips shut, she only told them. "They're the reason we have the information we have up until now. And they're also the reason why you're facing 6 terrorists and instead of 12."
They're inside? Who are they?"
"They're just 2 civilians who're interfering with police business. And who I'm gonna put behind bars for years if they keep it up…and make it out alive, that is." Beifong answered.
Back inside
Korra got out the pack of cigarettes, seeing there were 3 left, and asked the man they were both suspicious of. "Do you smoke?"
"Yeah." Tarrlok answered before Korra took 1 in her mouth 1st and gave Tahno the 2nd 1 and him the last and lit up for all of them. "Thanks. You both don't work for Nakatomi, do you both?"
"I do. But not her." Tahno answered.
"You don't work here?" Tarrlok asked Korra.
"No. I don't even live in this city. I'm a born and raised New York girl." Korra answered.
"New York?" Tarrlok asked, getting a feeling that these 2 were the ones that had severely dwindled his crew by half.
"Yeah. Got invited to the Christmas party by mistake. who knew that this was how it was gonna go?" Korra asked with humor before taking a drag from her cigarette and blowing out the smoke.
Tarrlok looked down and saw that they both were barefoot as he chuckled. "Yeah."
"Better than getting caught with your pants down, huh?" Tahno joked before they all shared a quick laugh. "I'm Tahno Jones."
"Korra McClain." Korra introduced herself while secretly fumbling with her gun behind her back. "Who're you?"
Tarrlok looked at the floor directory board and quickly used 1 of the names. "Clay. Bill Clay."
Korra showed him the gun and prepared it. "You know how to use a handgun, Bill?"
"Well, I spent a weekend at a combat ranch." He lied. "You know that game with the guns that shoot red paint? Ah, but it probably sounds stupid to you, right?"
"Well, time for the real thing, Bill. All you gotta do is pull the trigger." Tahno said as Korra gave 'Bill' the gun. Tarrlok slowly took it before Korra said. "Come on."
But when Korra and Tahno were walking close together and their backs were turned, Tarrlok dropped the cigarette and the floor and stumped it before getting out his radio and speaking German, making both of the born New Yorkers stop as Tarrlok pointed the gun at them and cocked it. They took a final drag from their cigarettes and threw them away before turning around with smirks. "Put the guns down…and give me my detonators."
"Well, well, well. Tarrlok" Korra said, still smirking.
"Finally meeting face to face, are we?" Tahno added. "Guess you wanted to find out exactly who's been knocking off your crew all night, Tarrlok."
But Tarrlok wasn't playing games. "Put them down now."
"That's pretty tricky with that accent. You oughta be on fucking TV with that accent." Korra said before wanting to know. "But what do you want with the detonators, Tarrlok? We already used all your explovies. Or did we?"
"I'm going to count to 3." Tarrlok said, saying the same words he did to Takagi before he killed him.
"Yeah. Like you did with Takagi?" Tahno asked with contempt for the man who murdered his parents' kind boss.
But when Tarrlok tried to shoot Korra, the gun clicked, confusing him before he tried a few more times but got the same result. "Oops. No bullets. You think I'm fuckin' stupid, Tarrlok?" Korra asked as she took her gun back, revealing she'd unloaded it before giving it to him.
But then, the elevator dinged, making Tarrlok smirk. "You were saying?"
That was when Karl, Kristoff and 1 other of Tarrlok's men appeared when the elevator door opened. But Korra and Tahno quickly fired their machine guns, making Karl get out of the way but they shot and killed the other man behind him. Karl returned fire as the 2 New Yorkers made a run for it and got to the other side of the room before getting to 1 of the offices and Tahno shot the other man through the glass in the kneecaps, making him fall head 1st into the nearby glass, killing him instantly!
Karl shouted in German as Tarrlok dived to the floor and got the other man's gun before Korra and Tahno fired on them, making Karl dock behind 1 of the desks for cover while Tarrlok saw them shoot at some of the glass as some of it fell to the floor beside the other man's body.
Tarrlok then spoke to Karl quietly. "Karl." He said before speaking in German but it fell on deaf ears as Korra fired on him again before he said it in English. "Shoot the glass." Before Karl and Tarrlok did just that, shooting all the glass in the room as Korra and Tahno ran out of machine gunfire and moved for a more covered spot, with Korra taking off the bag in the process to move faster.
"Jesus Christ!" Korra said before seeing an exit door but also seeing a lot of glass on the floor, which would be really bad because neither her nor Tahno were wearing any shoes to protect their feet from the glass. "Oh shit!"
But Tahno knew there wasn't any option left for them and took Korra's hand. "No other choice right now, Korra. It's either that or stay here and die." Making Korra nod, as she knew he was right.
Karl slid 1 of his flash bombs on the floor near them and it exploded, causing a bright flash and when it died down, he and Tarrlok checked the room before the leader went to the bag and checked it, seeing the detonators and smiling evilly. "Smile, Karl. We're back in business." Making the blonde look at him, as he was only thinking about his revenge.
Meanwhile, outside in the news truck
Thornburg was watching the news report about the Nakatomi building takeover, as a professional hostage negotiator and hostage situation expert named Dr. Hasseldorf, who had also written a book about his work, was explaining how terrorism worked. Then, his news woman held an envelope in front of the TVs with a smile.
"You got something. Tell me you got something." Thornburg said with eagerness.
"Just Jones' and McClain's names, employment records in their respective cities, vital statistics, and McClain's address in New York and Jones' family's home address right here in LA, and that of a close friend's family also lives in the same home address as Jones' family." The woman answered, making Thornburg exhale with excitement. And after he was told where the home address was, he began driving there, binded by a chance to boost his career to care if he was endangering Tenzin, Zue or the children.
Meanwhile, on the 30th floor
Tarrlok and Karl walked back in the main hall, making Korra's and Tahno's respective parents and Pema all look at them before Tarrlok threw the bag of detonators to 1 of the last of his remaining men. "Go to work."
"Got it." He said before doing just that.
But as Tarrlok went back into the office, Karl stopped and, in a fit of barely controlled rage, broke glass with his gun before joining his leader, which Pema and her friends saw. "God, that man looks really pissed." Pema said.
But Senna and Tonraq knew what that meant. "They're still alive."
"What?" Laira asked.
"Only our daughter can drive somebody that crazy." Senna answered with a grin. "Trust me, we know our Korra."
"If that's true, then it means Tahno is still alive too." Ridaq said with renewed hope for his son, his friends' daughter, themselves and everyone else being held hostage here.
Meanwhile
Korra and Tahno were dragging themselves into 1 of the bathrooms. "Fuck!" Korra cursed as her left foot had glass in it and was bleeding badly, along with Tahno's right foot.
"Look. A… tub." Tahno said.
"Fucking…perfect." Korra said as their feet were trailing their blood.
Meanwhile, with Theo
The hacker saw that he'd just hit the 7th and final lock. He then contacted Tarrlok as instructed. "Tarrlok. You better heat up that miracle, because we just broke through our number 6, and the electromagnetic came down like a fucking anvil."
With Tarrlok
"Well, have a look at what our friends outside are doing, and I'll be right up." Tarrlok told him as he looked out the window.
Back with and Tahno and Korra
The 2 New Yorkers were trying to get the glass out of their feet despite the pain, using the water to wash down the blood when Asami contacted them again. "Hey, Korra. Tahno. Korra McClain. Tahno Jones, you guys still with us?"
"Yeah." Tahno answered.
"But, all things being equal, I'd rather be back in New York." Korra said with humor. "And…you guys can chalk up 2 more bad guys, which makes only 4 left."
"Well, the guys and girls down here will be glad to hear that. I know I am." Asami said before adding. "You guys know, we got a pool going on you."
"Really? What kind of odds are we getting?" Tahno wondered.
"Haha. You both don't wanna know."
"Put us down for 40. Tahno's gotta be good for half and I'm good for 20." Korra said with a bit of pain as she kept pulling glass from her foot.
Meanwhile, outside
Asami chuckled at that. "Hahaha. Hahahaha."
"Hey, Asami, you got flat feet?" Korra asked.
Asami was confused. "What the hell are you talking about, girl?"
Back inside
"Somethin' had to have gotten you off the street." Korra answered.
"What's the matter, Korra? You don't think jockeying papers across a desk is a noble effort for a cop?"
"I do. But I don't think Korra does, considering she's helped the NYPD, who probably do things a little different than LAPD, I think." Tahno answered.
Back outside
"Tahno might think that…but I don't." Korra said, as she was more of a girl of field action. "What'd you do, Asami? Run over your Captain's foot with a car?"
Asami sighed before telling them the real reason. "I…shot my father… on purpose…and years after that…a kid accidentally." Making Korra's and Tahno's eyes widen. "My father was…beating up on my mom…for the 4th time in a week because he couldn't keep his job and turned to alcoholism, which eventually made him abusive towards us. When I was 12 he…tried to come after me…so…I killed him by shooting him with his own gun. That event inspired me to become a cop to prevent anything like that from happening to any other kid. But then, years after that, I shot the kid who was 13 years old. Oh, it was dark and I couldn't see him. He had a ray gun that looked real enough." Asami revealed. "The latter incident was what started my smoking habit. You know, when you're a rookie, they can teach you everything about being a cop…except how to live with a mistake like that. But anyway, after trying to prevent any kid from getting hurt, I went and did it myself years later. And, even if it was just an accident, I just couldn't bring myself to draw my gun on anybody again."
Back with Korra and Tahno
The 2 New Yorkers became sad for Asami, as what she went through as a child was far worse than both of their childhoods combined. "I'm sorry, Asami. I really am."
"So am I. What you went through, I wouldn't wish on anybody, grown up and especially not a kid." Tahno added.
"Hey, guys, how could you know?" Asami asked.
"Well, we had it a little less worse than you, but, we both feel like shit right now anyway." Korra answered as Tahno held her hand in comfort.
"And…if we could have done anything to prevent what happened, we would've." Tahno added, while also thinking about Jinora, Ikki and Meelo, thinking that it could have been any of them in either of those situations.
"Well, then, this won't matter. The LAPD isn't calling the shots down here anymore."
Korra knew what that meant. "Let me guess: the fucking Feds?"
"You got it." Asami confirmed.
Meanwhile
Tarrlok was with Theo in the vault room, observing the monitor from outside. "All right, those are the city engineers. They're going into the street circuits. And those guys in the suits, I don't know who they are."
"That's the F.B.I." Tarrlok told him. They're ordering the engineers to cut the building's power. Regular as clockwork."
"Or a time lock." Theo said with a grin.
"Precisely." Tarrlok confirmed with an evil grin. "The circuits that cannot be cut…are cut automatically in response to a terrorist incident. You asked for miracles, Theo. I give you…the F.B.I."
Meanwhile, outside
The F.B.I. agents were demanding the building's power be cut despite the engineers' protesting. "I said I want the friggin building shut down." Special agent Johnson said.
"I got a problem. I got a switch here–" Walt, the city worker said but Johnson cut him off.
"I don't give 2 shits about your switch! I want the building out! Dark! D-A-R-K!"
"Hold on! You don't understand. I can't do it from here." The other engineer said.
"Yeah, you could."
"It can't be done from here."
"I got a radio." Walt said.
"We can't do it from here. I'm telling you. It's gotta be done from downtown. They've gotta take out a whole city grid. We're talking about 10 square blocks." The engineer explained.
But Beifong didn't like that. "10 blocks? Johnson, that's crazy. It's Christmas Eve. There's thousands of people."
But Johnson said. "You have to go wider."
"Look. The Mayor will have my ass." Beifong said.
"I need authorization!" The engineer told Johnson.
"Authorization? How about the United States fucking government?" Johnson asked before threatening Walt. "Lose the grid, or you lose your job."
Walt, very reluctantly, got his radio and contacted the power company. "Yeah, Central?"
"Yeah?"
"This is Walt down at Nakatomi. Say, listen. Would it be possible for you to shut down grid 212?"
"Are you crazy?!"
"Maybe I should call the mayor." Beifong said with doubt.
"No shit, it's my ass. I got a big problem here. Shut it down. Shut it down now.* Walt said before the building's power went out a few seconds later.
Back with Korra and Tahno
The 2 New Yorkers were still tending to their bleeding feet, with Tahno taking off his shirt and wrapping it around his foot, and Korra ripping off the bottom part of her tank top, enough to still cover her breasts, but enough to wrap around her foot. And she also used her headbands and ponytail to tie it up and let her hair fall free, when they saw the lights go off before a computerized voice said. "Emergency lighting activated."
Korra then contacted Asami. "Asami. Asami, talk to us. What's going on?"
"Ask these Fed assholes. They've got the universal terrorist playbook, and they're running it step by fucking step." Asami answered with contempt for these egotistical Feds.
Back with Tarrlok and Theo
The 2 terrorists and thieves saw that the electromagnetic seal circuits were cutting along with the building's power due to being connected to it. "It's gonna go! It's gonna go!" Theo said before the vault unlocked and began to open. "Yes!" He said with accomplishment before he and Tarrlok watched with surprise as the vault opened, showing the metal cases with the $640 million bearer bonds. "Merry Christmas." Before they went inside and opened the cases.
Meanwhile, outside
The F.B.I. agents were laughing about the situation. "Those bastards are probably pissing their pants right now." Special agent Johnson said to his partner with excitement, while unknowingly having helped Tarrlok and his remaining men by giving them exactly what they wanted.
"The mayor's gonna have my ass for this." Beifong said.
"Well, what are we gonna do now? Arrest them for not paying the electric bill?" Asami asked sarcastically.
"We've shut them down. We let 'em sweat for a while, then we give 'em helicopters." Agent Johnson said.
"Right up the ass. "Special agent Johnson added before calling someone. "This is agent Johnson. No, the other 1. I want that air support ready in 15 minutes. Damn right. Fully armed. We're on our way." He said, much to Asami's great concern, as she had a feeling that these Feds were planning something that would endanger the hostages.
Back with Tarrlok and Theo
The hacker was looking at the bearer bonds while snickering quietly. "Oh yeah."
Tarrlok then contacted the outside again. "I wish to talk to the F.B.I."
Special agent Johnson answered. "This is Special agent Johnson of the F.B.I. The state department has arranged for the return of your comrades. Helicopters are en route as you requested."
"I hear you. We'll be ready." Tarrlok answered.
Back outside
"By the time he figures out what hit him, he'll be in a body bag." Special agent Johnson said, planning a double cross.
Back inside
"When they touch down, we'll blow the roof. They'll spend a month shifting through the rubble. And by the time they figure out what went wrong, we'll be sitting on a beach earning 90%." Tarrlok said to Theo, planning a double cross of his own.
Meanwhile, with Korra and Tahno
Thinking that she might not make it, Korra contacted Asami. "Asami. Yo, Asami, you got a minute?"
"I'm here, guys." Asami answered.
"Listen, girl, I'm starting to get a bad feeling up here. I want you to do something for me and Tahno: I want you to find my mom and dad, and Tahno's. Don't ask me how. By then, you'll know how." Korra requested, making him look at her with worry. Uh, I want you to tell them something: I want you to tell them that, um- tell them in took me a while to figure out what a bitch I was, but, um– but that, that when things started to pan out for them, I…should've…been more supportive and that I should have been behind them more." Korra said, though she was finding this difficult to admit she may have been wrong. "Tell my parents, their friend Pema and her husband and kids…that- oh shit. Tell them that they were the greatest family someone like me could ever have. They've heard me say, "I love you" a thousand times. But they never heard me say, "I'm sorry." And if I don't make it out of here alive, and by some miracle Tahno does, I want you and him to tell them all that, Asami. Tell them that…Korra said she was sorry." She said on the verge of tears. "You got that? You got that, girl?"
"Yeah, I got it, Korra." Asami answered, beginning to worry about Korra and Tahno both.
But Tahno took Korra's hands and said. "Korra, you can tell them all that yourself. If we just keep watching each other's backs, we'll get out of this."
"Listen to him, Korra." Asami said.
Korra sighed. "Well, I guess that's up to the man upstairs at this point." Before she began to think. "Upstairs."
That got Tahno thinking too, about what Tarrlok was doing up there in the 1st place. "Yeah. What the fuck was Tarrlok doing upstairs?"
"Korra? Tahno? Guys?"
"No, Asami, just lay off for a while. We gotta go check on something." Tahno said.
Meanwhile, Tenzin's house
As Thornburg had gotten to the house, he wanted to have the kids speak in front of the camera crew he'd brought but Tenzin and Zue were against it. "Absolutely not! There is no way I'm waking up my kids for some news interview."
"Plus, it's Christmas Eve! They need to sleep for tomorrow!" Zue added.
"Hey, listen! Either you guys let me in right now, or I call the I.N.S." Thornburg threatened. "Now, this may be the last opportunity for these kids to speak to their mother." Making Tenzin and Zue reluctantly let the nosey reporter in.
Meanwhile
Korra and Tahno were checking the area they encountered Tarrlok face to face, wondering why he was even up here. "What were you doing up here, Tarrlok? What were you doing?" Korra asked.
"It probably wasn't anything good, ahe damn sure wasn't looking for us." Tahno said before they both saw something up in the tight area, making them curious before they saw wires and climbed up to see…pounds of C-4 explosives, all wired to blow the entire roof! "Holy shit!"
"Jesus, Mary, mother of God." Korra said with shock before they got down and out of the closed up area and tried to tell Asami. "Asami! Asami, listen to us! It's a double cross! The whole roof of the building's wired to–"
But Korra was cut off when the end of a gun was pointed on her cheek…by Karl as Asami tried to contact them back. "Korra. Tahno. Korra. Tahno, come in!"
Outside
Asami looked at the young cop beside her. "Did you get that?"
"No. Something about a double cross." He answered.
Asami looked up and saw the helicopters flying up to the building from a distance, making her glare. "Tell me about it." She said.
Back inside
Karl took the radio from Korra and stumped on it to break it. "All 3 of us are professionals. But this is personal."
"Fuckin' right it is." Tahno said with a glare before Korra, in an act of fast reflex, punched the rifle out of Karl's hand before punching him, allowing Tahno to push him back into barrels before they both began to land fast punches and knees on him before he got free and landed a kick and punch on them.
Meanwhile, on the 30th floor
Eddie saw the choppers coming and informed Tarrlok. "They're coming. Choppers are coming."
"Okay." Tarrlok said before addressing Senna and Tonraq. "Time to gather your flock, Mr. and Mrs. Gennero."
But then he heard something on the small TV, making him look at it as Pema, Korra's parents and Tahno's parents saw Jinora, Ikki and Meelo on the screen. "Your mom's a very important person. And so are Korra's and Tahno's parents. They're very brave people. So, is there something you'd like to say to them if they're watching?" Thornburg asked them.
Jinora, Ikki and Meelo looked at the camera and said. "Come home."
Then Ikki said. "And Korra: if you're there and if you're watching, it would be the best Christmas gift of all to have you here with all of us. Especially your mom and dad."
Tarrlok saw the looks of fear on their faces and looked at the picture on Laura's desk, seeing her, her husband and Tahno in it. Then, he saw the downed picture and raised it up, seeing Korra with them, surprising Tarrlok before he put 2 and 2 together and confirmed that he'd been holding both McClain's and Jones' parents hostage and hadn't even known it up to now. He grinned and looked at them. "Mr. and Mrs. McClain and Mr. and Mrs. Jones. And the pregnant woman, who I presume is the mother of those brats." He said while getting out his retrieved gun. "How nice to make your acquaintance." Before going out of the office and shooting in the air, making the hostages get up before he ordered Uli and Eddie. "Take them to the roof and come right back. Eddie, help me with these 5." Making them nod before he and Eddie held their guns on mostly Pema, Senna and Laira.
Back with Korra and Tahno
Karl continued to kick Korra and Tahno, making them bleed from the mouth until he kicked them into pipes. But Korra avoided the next blow and pulled him down before proceeding to pummel him. "You should've heard your brother squeal when I broke his fucking neck!"
Meanwhile, inside 1 of the helicopters
"What do you figure the breakage?" Agent Johnson asked his partner, who loaded a Steyr SSG 69 sniper rifle and put on a hat.
"Future we take out the terrorists, lose 25% of the hostages, tops." Special agent Johnson answered.
"I can live with that." Agent Johnson said before telling the pilot. "Keep this thing on the deck. They're expecting transports, not gunships."
Meanwhile
While Uli was taking the hostages up to the, wired to blow, rooftop, Tarrlok and Eddie brought Korra's parents, Tahno's parents and Pema to the vault and told Theo, who was putting the bearer bonds in bags. "Theo. 5 bonuses for us." He said before telling his hostages. "All of you, sit down." He ordered them while pointing his gun at Pema's belly, where her unborn child was, making them reluctantly do so for the sake of Pema and her unborn child, as well as Jinora, Ikki and Meelo. "They'll be useful to us for now." He said before trying to contact the ones who came very close to ruining his plan. "McClain. Jones, I have some news for you." But got no response. "McClain! Jones!"
Back with Korra and Tahno
When Korra kicked Karl back, he grabbed Korra's pistol and fired at both New Yorkers, hitting them in their left shoulders as they retreated to the doorway that led to the roof. Karl followed them and looked around for them before Korra attacked from above, knocking the gun away before they wrestled on a loading cart. "Motherfucker, I'll kill you!"
Back in the vault
Theo armed the explovies and told Tarrlok. "Armed. The truck?"
"The truck." Tarrlok answered, making Theo leave before he continued loading the bearer bonds into the bags.
Pema and the others watched and were a little bit of disgust that all along, Tarrlok and his men were after the money, making them thieves posing as terrorists. "So, after all your postering. All your little speeches, and you and your crew of killers aren't anything but common thieves." Senna said.
"So that's what you've been after all this time? Money? Posing as terrorists makes you even more pathetic now." Tonraq added after his wife.
But Tarrlok held his gun at Pema's belly and warned them. "I am an exceptional thief, Mr. and Mrs. McClain. And since I'm moving up to kidnapping, I suggest you both be more polite, for the sake of the unborn child."
Back with Korra and Tahno
Korra blocked a kick from Karl before she swapped kicked her left leg around his neck and punched repeatedly in the face. "Motherfucker, I'm gonna kill you! I'm gonna fucking cook you, and then I'm gonna fucking eat you!" She said.
Suddenly, Tahno grabbed a chain and wrapped it around Karl's neck and threw him off the railing before he then pulled the chain along the track and let it go, causing Karl's hanging body to slam into the wall, seemingly killing the revenge driven German. Korra and Tahno then retook their guns, checked the mag for bullets and quickly ran up the stairs to save the hostages.
Meanwhile, outside
Beifong and Asami were watching the gunships flying towards the building with worry. "I don't like this, Sarge."
"For once I agree with you." Asami said.
And they couldn't be more right, as the Feds were excited for the chance to kill the 'terrorists', not caring about saving the hostages. Special agent Johnson whooped in excitement and asked his partner. "Just like fuckin' Saigon, eh, Slick?"
Agent Johnson chuckled. "I was in junior high, dickhead." He said as the gunships began flying to the roof, not knowing that they were going to potentially kill the hostages.
Meanwhile, on the roof
Uli finished loading up the rest of the hostages and was beginning to go back down as Tarrlok told him. But when he opened the door, he flinched before being shot dead by Korra and Tahno, who took his machine gun before going up to the hostages.
"Where's Senna and Tonraq? Where's Senna and Tonraq Gennero?" Korra asked.
"And where's my parents and Pema? Where are they?!"
A woman then ran up to them and told them. "They took them!"
"Where?" Tahno asked.
"The vault! On the 30th floor! Up the stairs! They just took them!" She answered.
But when Korra and Tahno saw the choppers coming, the born New York teen told them all! "Get downstairs, all of you! The whole fuckin' roof is wired to blow! Get down! Get down!"
Angry by their lack of responding, Korra shouted. "GET THE FUCK DOWNSTAIRS!" Before she began shooting the machine gun in the air to get them moving, which worked as they began running downstairs.
The helicopter co-pilot saw this and mistook what was happening. "They made us, Bureau! You got a terrorist shooting hostages."
"I see it! Back left!" Special agent Johnson told them before they did just that and he told the soldier beside him. "Nail that little asshole!"
Tahno saw this and quickly grabbed Korra before running to avoid the gunfire, barely making it off the edge of the helipad before he yelled out. "We're on your side, you fucking assholes!"
Special agent Johnson said to the pilot. "Shit! Swing around again! I'll bag those little bastards!"
Korra knew they were coming back and quickly got up, seeing a hose box that she opened and getting the hose out just enough for herself and Tahno to wrap around them while cursing herself. "What the fuck– Jesus! Oh, Korra, what the fuck are you doing?! How the fuck did you ever get into this insane shit?!"
"No idea, Korra, I'm just as shocked and surprised as you!" Tahno answered for her as they wrapped the hose around themselves.
Meanwhile, inside
Eddie ran to the next room and saw that the hostages were coming back down before he ran back and told Tarrlok. "There's something wrong! They're coming back down."
Tarrlok knew that McClain and Jones might be the cause. "Then it seems like I'll just blow the roof now!" Tarrlok said before walking to the armed detonators and getting ready to blow the entire roof.
Back on the roof
Korra and Tahno got on the edge of the roof as Korra promised herself. "If we live through this, I promise I will never even think about going up on a tail building again."
Tahno wanted to ask this 1st before it was too late. "Korra. If by some miracle we survive, when this is over and we heal, will you go out with me?"
Korra looked at him before giving him a quick kiss. "Yes! I will! And I'll even take you to New York and let you take my virginity and fuck me for weeks!" She promised before saying. "Oh, God, please don't let us die. For the sake of Pema and her kids and her unborn baby, as well as Tahno's folks and mine."
And as Tarrlok was about to blow the roof and Special agent Johnson was about to shoot Korra and Tahno with his rifle, the 2 New Yorkers took each other's hand and jumped, just as Tarrlok set off the C-4, causing a massive blast that engulfed the whole roof, as well as the Johnson agents' helicopter, killing the incompetent and arrogant agents and the soldiers and pilots inside.
As Korra and Tahno went down, the fire hose reel snapped off. But stopped at the ledge of it. Korra swung them back and shot through the window with her pistol before swinging them through the window and they landed on the 30th floor before the reel gave out. But the reel fell through the fall and the weight of it began pulling them down, with Korra and Tahno barely able to untie the hose in time to stop themselves from falling out of the building. They then got up and As they were walking on the damaged floor, the helicopter fell and exploded on the 30th and its surrounding floors, causing more damage as Tahno and Korra jumped into the water fountain to shield themselves from the explosion.
Meanwhile
Beifong and Asami saw the explosion as well. "Holy Christ. We're gonna need some more F.B.I. guys, I guess." Beifong said.
"No shit." Asami said in agreement.
Back inside
Korra and Tahno surfaced with gasps as the fire extinguishers came on before they saw the elevator ding before it exploded as well! "Jesus fucking Christ!" Korra yelled.
"Follow me, Korra." Tahno said before leading Korra upstairs.
Meanwhile, in the parking garage
Argyle was sleeping when he heard something and saw someone getting into the back of a truck before driving out in an ambulance. "What the fuck is going on?" He asked with confusion before starting the limo and quickly and slowly driving up to the ambulance that Theo was in before ramming it! He quickly got out and knocked the hacker out cold with a proud grin, preventing Tarrlok's getaway and, on his small part, helping Korra.
Meanwhile, back inside
Tahno and Korra were close to the vault and heard their respective parents and Pema. "What are you gonna do? Sit here while the building falls down around your ears?"
"You may as well just give up! Especially since our respective children have done what even the cops can't: screwed up your crazy plan!" Laira added after Senna.
"Be quiet!" Tarrlok told them.
"All right, you pathetic excuse for a terrorist!"
"Don't worry, guys, we're coming." Korra said while checking the ammo in the machine gun, seeing it was empty. "Shit!"
Tahno checked his pistol and Korra checked hers, seeing that they both had just 1 bullet each left. "Fuck! 1 bullet each!" He said before he saw some Christmas tape, making them both get the same idea.
And minutes later, as 1 of Tarrlok's men ran towards them, Korra and Tahno team hit him with the machine gun, making him drop the bag and spill the bonds before Korra shouted out. "TARRLOK!"
That got Tarrlok's attention before he saw the 2 New Yorkers limping up to him, with Korra holding the unloaded machine gun before he held Korra's and Tahno's respective parents and Pema at gunpoint, much to their shock at Korra's and Tahno's beat up and wounded states. "Jesus."
Korra grinned and greeted them. "Hi, guys." And when they saw Eddie walking up to the bags on the loading cart, she asked with surprise and anger. "So that's what this whole damn thing was all about all along? A fucking robbery?"
"Put down the gun, McClain." Tarrlok told Korra.
"Why'd you have to nuke the roof, Tarrlok?" Tahno asked with a glare.
"Well, when you steal 600 dollars, you can just disappear. But when you steal 600 million, they will find you… unless they think you're already dead." Tarrlok explained before telling them again. "Put down the gun."
Knowing she didn't have any ammo left in the machine gun anyway, as well as not wanting to risk her loved ones' lives, or the lives of Tahno's parents, she threw the machine gun.
Eddie went for a gun but Tarrlok stopped him. "No! These 2 are mine!"
Korra and Tahno put their hands on their heads as Tahno said. "You got us."
"Still the cowgirl and cowboy, Ms. McClain and Mr. Jones. Americans, all alike. Well, this time, Walker doesn't ride off into the sunset with Grace Kelly." Tarrlok said with arrogance, thinking he'd won.
"That's Alex Cahill, asshole." Korra joked.
"Enough jokes." Tarrlok said.
"You'd have made a pretty good cowboy yourself, Tarrlok." Tahno told him with a grin.
Tarrlok then said what Korra said to him over the radio. "Oh, yes. What was it you said to me before, McClain? Oh yes: Yippee Ki Yay, Motherfucker."
That caused Korra and Tahno to start laughing. A seconds later, both Tarrlok and Eddie laughed as well while Korra and Tahno were slowly reaching for their guns that they'd taped behind their back before they called out to their loved ones. "Guys, dock!" Before they quickly drew their guns and shot Eddie dead and Tarrlok in the shoulder before beginning leaning backwards towards the window as Korra and Tahno blew the smoke away from their gun barrels and said together. "Happy trails, Tarrlok."
Tarrlok grabbed Senna as he fell out of the window, making her scream in fear as she was pulled to her back. "AAAHH!" Making Korra and Tahno rush in to save her while Beifong and Asami watched from outside.
Korra saw the Rolex watch that Ellis gave her and began trying to get it off, as it was what was holding Tarrlok, who was looking at the 2 people he hated most, up. Tarrlok slowly pointed his gun at Korra as her mother continued screaming before she finally got the watch off her wrist, causing Tarrlok to make a shocked face as he began to fall to his death.
"Oh, I hope that's not a hostage." Beifong said as she and Asami watched as Tarrlok fell all the way to the ground before landing dead from the impact while Korra pulled her mother up before they, as well as their other loved ones shared a reunion hug with each other and Tahno.
Later on
As Thornburg's news truck was getting back to the building, Korra, Tahno, their respective parents, Pema and all the other hostages were all helped out of the building by firemen, with Korra and Tahno held onto by their parents as Asami walked up to them.
Korra and Tahno looked at the woman with long hair that was about their age and mouthed 'Asami?' while she looked back at them before they walked up to her and after a few more seconds of staring, confirming that they all were who they thought they were, they shared a laugh as the 3 hugged each other, glad to finally see each other in person after everything that had happened tonight.
Korra then introduced her parents. "Asami, these are my parents Senna and Tonraq. Senna and Tonraq Gennero."
Tonraq and Senna shook hands with the young female officer. "Tonraq and Senna McClain." Senna said.
"It's great to meet you, Asami." Tonraq added with a smile.
Tahno then introduced his parents as well. "These are my parents, Asami. Ridaq and Laira Jones."
"Hello, Asami. It's great to meet you." Ridaq said while shaking Asami's hand.
"We understand you've supported our son and Korra through all this. And for that, you've just earned our friendship." Laira added after her husband with a grateful smile for Asami's support for her son and Korra.
"Thank you, Laira." Asami said with a smile. "You guys sure have yourselves 1 heck of a respective kids. You guys take care of them." Then she noticed Pema. "And who might you be?"
"I'm Pema. I'm a close friend of Korra's and Tahno's parents. And a mother of 3." Pema answered.
"And I see you have another 1 on the way." Asami said, noticing that Pema was pregnant. "Congratulations, Pema."
But the moment was broken by the voice of Beifong, who got through the crowd to get to Korra and Tahno. "McClain! Jones! McClain! Jones, I wanna debrief! I want a debrief. You both have a lot of shit to answer for!" She said before getting close to Korra and Tahno. "Ellis' murder, for 1 thing. Property damage and interfering with police business." She said before holding out 2 pairs of handcuffs.
Korra and Tahno recognized that voice and knew instantly that this was Beifong, the 1 who'd been part of their problem instead of the solution. And what was worse, she was trying to arrest them for doing what she and her incompetent police force couldn't: save the hostages and stop Tarrlok and his crew.
They walked up to them and Korra asked her. "Head or gut, bitch?"
"Excuse me?" Beifong asked with a raised eyebrow…before Tahno punched her in the gut, followed by Korra punching her in the face!
But that was when they heard someone scream out in anger before they turned and saw Karl, whose seemingly dead body was still alive, stood up while pointing his Steyr AUG assault rifle at Korra and Tahno, hoping for one last chance to kill them both, making them get in front of their parents and Pema to protect them as he aimed at them for the kill.
But before he could shoot, he was suddenly shot 5 times…by Asami, finally killing him for good, as well as ending his obsessive pursuit of revenge on Korra and Tahno. The 2 New Yorkers looked at her before she smiled, making them smile back, as they felt she redeemed herself from her tragic accident years ago of shooting that 13 year old kid.
Suddenly, the limo that brought Korra to the Nakatomi building, rammed through the gates and Asami pointed her gun at the car. But Korra stopped her and assured her. "Asami, wait. This one's with me."
Asami smiled and said. "Hey guys. About that offer you made earlier: I accept. You guys name the time and place after you heal, and I'll be there with my guy."
"Thanks, Asami. And we'll definitely be bringing everything we'll need for it." Tahno said with a wink and a smile.
But as they made their way to the approaching limo, Thornburg stood in front of them with his camera crew. "Mr. Jones and Ms. McClain, Now that it's all over, after this incredible ordeal, what are your feelings?" He asked as he stuck a mike in Korra's and Tahno's faces…only for Pema, who got angry at seeing the nosey reporter who'd endangered her husband and children, to punch him in the face, live on TV, making some of the people who saw it laugh while Korra, Tahno and their respective parents glare at them as they moved on, leaving Thornburg to asked sarcastically to his cameraman. "Did you get that?"
Korra and Tahno escorted their respective parents and Pema inside the limo, which Argyle opened up for them. "Merry Christmas, Mac."
"Merry Christmas, Argyle." Korra said with a smile before she and Tahno got in last.
Argyle, with his tie loose and a grin on his face, said. "If this is your idea of Christmas, I gotta be here for New Years." Before he got in the driver's seat and drove the limo away from the building, while Korra and Tahno, who were looking at each other with loving smiles on their faces after everything they'd been through together, began to passionately kiss as their respective parents and Pema watched with smiles.
Oh, the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we've no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
It doesn't show signs of stopping
And I've brought some corn for popping
The lights are turned down low
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
When we finally kiss good night
How I hate going out in the storm
But if you really hold me tight
All the way home I'll be warm
The fire is slowly dying
And my dear, we're still goodbying
As long as you love me so
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
There you go, my dear friends, the final chapter of the 1st movie is complete. Next will be a bonus chapter, with Korra and Tahno having a celebration party with Asami and her boyfriend at either her place or somewhere in New York. And also, with Korra seeing Tenzin and Zue and the kids, especially Ikki, who will be most happy to see her. Which my dear friend SreznoJIG will help me out with. So be sure to give him some credit when it's posted. Hope you all enjoyed this exciting chapter, my dear friends. Rate and review and I'll see you all next time.