As promised: No Asami screen time, and lots of action.

We're nearing the end – can you feel it?

Enjoy!

- MAL

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Chapter 25: Escape

Tonight, Korra repeated inwardly. Tonight is the night I get away from this place.

Although gripped by a spontaneous will to escape, the Avatar had needed to reason with herself. She had to wait. At this very moment, pretty much every person in the entire building was dining in the canteen less than twenty metres from the staircase – the very place she would have to sneak down. Clearly, now would be the worst time to try and do it. Nighttime was much better. If she happened to make enough noise to make herself noticeable, it would still take the Equalists some time to get out of bed and locate her. This was as much time as she was ever going to get, she knew.

Staying focused, Korra listened carefully by the door. I would not be long before the Equalists would start leaving the canteen and head back to their rooms – some of them might even proceed to the common room directly below her, and stay there for a few hours. Although she had only been locked up in the broom closet for a few days, she had managed to figure out their daily routines just by what she could hear. Eating supper took about an hour at maximum, some leaving already after mere twenty minutes, others staying behind and chatting much longer. A few hours after supper, everybody would head back to their rooms – presumably around nine o'clock, although Korra could not be entirely certain without a watch to confirm this. Just about then, someone would be sent up to her with lukewarm or cold dinner remains, and shortly after, the hallway lights would go out, and the entire building would fall silent. The only persons authorized to move around at late evening were the Lieutenant and Amon, and perhaps a few others, although she was not sure, seeing as she had not heard much noise from below. Usually, a few doors on this floor would click open or close, but not much, and not too late. If the Equalists were confined to their rooms at nine, Korra estimated that Amon would be leaving his office and return to his room no sooner than eleven.

Which left her with two options: When the usual delivery boy would bring her supper in a few hours, she could either make a go at it almost immediately, while Amon was still working, or she could wait for him to return to his room for the night and then run. Of course, the safest choice would probably be to wait until everybody was asleep, but it would give the Equalists more time to realize that the delivery boy was missing, and somebody might seek him out and figure out what had happened. But trying to escape while Amon was awake was at least as risky; she could not be entirely sure that he would not leave his office early and discover that something was wrong. In that case, she would not have gotten much of a head start, reducing her chances of escaping.

No, Korra finally decided. Amon leaving early is only a maybe, while someone is sure to report their fellow Equalist missing before long, and if they know he was up here, it doesn't take much to figure out what might have happened. I cannot risk that.

Determined, Korra picked up the hammer and weighed it in her hand. It was a rather small one with smooth ends, but when used with force it could easily break the skull of a human. She was not going to do that, of course – killing was not her thing. Only one man so far had been on her death list, and for necessary reasons – and even so, that very man was now moving around, healthy as ever, less than twenty five metres from her. Perhaps his survival was the unmistakable sign that she was not supposed to kill. Not that she couldn't, seeing as she possessed the strength in several ways, but because there were other ways for her to overcome her greatest challenge so far. The Avatar should never have unnecessary deaths on their conscience. A harbinger of peace and harmony, not death and destruction.

So, when the time came, she would use the hammer, but she would measure her strength carefully before doing so. A simple knock-out would do. She just needed enough time to steal the person's uniform.

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Having removed the Avatar from his private quarters had helped on his concentration at first. Now that she was no longer waiting in his room, within reach at all times, it was easier to close her out from his mind. Out of sight, out of mind, after all.

Except that it was not entirely true anymore. It was only a few days since their separation, but he already found his thoughts lingering on her more and more often, almost to the extend of driving him mad.

Maybe it was loneliness or lustful hunger, perhaps even a sort of fear of losing her, but whenever he closed his eyes, even for just a moment, flashes of her naked skin filled his mind as she straddled herself above him and began riding him, and he was once again reminded of how intense the feeling of her had been, and how his body had shuddered beneath her and his eyes rolled in their sockets.

For a few minutes he had been her captive. An no matter how enraged he became whenever he remembered how pathetic he had been beneath her, there was also a part of him that had absolutely loved the feeling of her being in control over him. The fact that she had inflicted so much pleasure in such a short time was nothing but remarkable. Well, until she had ruined it all, that is.

But he made sure to remind himself that it was never to be repeated. Ever. Despite the fact that every cell in his body felt drawn to where he knew she was confined, he told himself that that specific part of the process had passed. They were done trying to dominate each other like that. She might have pulled her trump card last, but the fact that she still remained his prisoner, a soon-to-be sacrifice, proved that he had won their game. With only a few days to go, there was nothing she could do to turn this around. He was going to come out of this as the sole victor.

So why was he feeling so goddamn down at the thought?

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It all went so fast.

Having glanced out through the small window pane in the door for some time, awaiting her supper and the poor fellow who was ordered to bring it to her, Korra had become agitated, nearly hyped, on the adrenalin pumping through her system. And once the chosen Equalist had shown up and entered her tiny prison, it had been difficult to control her strength, let alone make sure the bowl of food had not dropped to the floor and shattered, giving her away. It was a miracle that she had caught the porcelain just above the concrete floor and kept it secure in her grip even as lukewarm soup had splashed everywhere in the process.

Now, the Equalist was lying face-down on said stone floor, a bulge about the size of a quail's egg forming on the back of his head. Korra felt bad for having hit too hard – he had been knocked out cold within a moment, as she had intended, but he had not needed to bleed.

I cannot let this hinder me, she told herself.

Once having made sure he was somewhat uninjured, Korra could proceed with her plans of undressing him. She made sure to avoid staining the uniform as she carefully pulled it over his head.

Ugh, this is tight, she thought, biting her bottom lip as she sought to zip the uniform over her breasts. The lack of light made the process even more complicated than it had to be, but she would be a fool to open the door just yet merely to allow herself more visibility.

Finally dressed as any other Equalist soldier in the building, Korra decided to slip the hammer into her leather strap belt – just in case. And then, with a bitter smirk on her lips, she grabbed the bucket of piss in the corner and proceeded outside.

As expected, the hallway was deserted, and she quickly found the key to the closet in a pocket. Locking it just to make sure the witness stay put, she turned around to face the row of closed doors. As soundlessly as she could muster, she moved to the door leading to Amon's office. For a moment she wondered if he was in there, but the sound of a fist banging against something told her that he was indeed where he should be. So with the feeling of belated, but utmost deserved revenge, Korra placed her temporary toilet just outside his door. If that was not a clear message, she did not know what was.

Continuing to the stairway, head bowed and stride hastened, Korra carried herself down, stopping only shortly to listen for unwelcome presences. Then, with her heart pumping almost painfully in her chest, she turned left and hurried along the hallway.

She was so close now.

The hallway was cast in shadows, but even though Korra could not see it, she knew the door awaited her somewhere ahead. It was the same door she had charged for during her first escape attempt, and the fact that Amon had been so quick to react to her course of direction revealed that it was probably the right way to go.

Keeping a somewhat natural pace was difficult, seeing as adrenaline and desperation rushed through her veins, causing her hands to shake uncontrollably in anticipation, but she could not allow herself to move too loudly. According to her calculations, the lights had just been put out, and people had just retreated to their rooms. She suspected that only a few were asleep already. Carelessness could destroy everything in a moment.

Finally reaching the door, Korra stopped and pressed an ear to the metal surface, hoping to catch any sign of activity from behind the door in case there was somebody out there, but only cool metal and silence met her senses.

Swallowing, she carefully turned the handle, finding the door unlocked, much to her relief. She made sure to peek out through the crack before opening entirely. It would not be smart running into somebody so close to freedom.

It was quite unbelievable – how she was actually going to get away this time. She dared not feel the happiness quite yet, but somehow it was not easy holding it back. As the corner of her eyes watered, she stepped out in something that could only be some kind of garage. Rows of vehicles filled the hall, and Korra let the flickering electric light from above show her the way between them. On the other side of the vehicles was a door leading outside – the night sky was recognizable through the window pane in the wood.

This is really happening, she thought lightheartedly, moving gracefully between the many Satomobiles. Just a few more seconds...

And then, as so often before, Korra's luck turned around in an instant.

With a click, the door opened from the outside and a woman clad in uniform came into view. Blowing out a lungful of smoke, she crushed her cigarette against the dirt before proceeding inside, locking the door behind her with a key.

Quickly, Korra dodged and pressed herself against the nearest vehicle.

Shit. I need that key, she thought.

Impatiently, the Avatar followed the Equalist with her eyes, observing as the woman hung the key on a bulletin board just by the door leading inside the base.

Alright, I can do this.

Biting her bottom lip, she sucked in a deep breath and started moving back from where she had come. Completely focused on sneaking up on the woman, who was now pulling the door to go inside, Korra oversaw the screwdriver carelessly left in the middle of the concrete floor. Her foot collided with it and it was sent directly against the back of one of the cars, causing a catastrophically noticeable clonk.

The woman snapped her head in Korra's direction, letting go of the door.

"Hello?" she called, moving closer. Korra could have smashed her head repeatedly against a wall in frustration, but there was no time for punishment; with quick steps she ducked behind another car, desperately trying to keep herself hidden as she moved away from the Equalist.

Stopping, the woman frowned, listened for a while – Korra held her breath – and apparently decided that it was nothing. With a shrug she turned and proceeded inside, and Korra was left with an incredulous feeling of having just survived something insane.

With no time to lose, she hurried toward the bulletin board, but barely had her fingers grazed the key when the door was thrown agape once again; the woman had returned with assistance.

Three Equalists quickly approached the Avatar, but she managed to dodge their grips and dash for the exit, cursing keys and smokers on her way. She would simply kick in the door if she had to – and a couple of faces, too, if they did not cancel their pursuit.

Korra did not reach the door, however, as the Equalists had divided and surrounded her within moments. This time the bigger one, an intimidatingly broad and muscular man in his twenties, threw his arms around her and nearly crushed her in his hold.

Gasping for air, Korra kicked in every direction, but even a well-placed heel on his shin did not cause him to release her.

"Perfect, Boban – keep her like that. I'll go get Amon," the woman said and rushed inside once again.

Korra felt how panic and fear mingled and sent her into a crazed state. No. Not Amon. Anyone else. Once he was here, she knew she'd lost for good. There was no way he would leave her any functional leg bones to run with after this.

Snaking a leg around the neck of the smaller guy in front of her, Korra forced him to the front of the car next to them, following the attack up by throwing her head back until the back of her skull met nasal bone. It gave a disturbing crunch, and the grip around her loosened just enough for her to slip down and away.

Boban stumbled backward against another vehicle, and Korra took the moment to run for the door again. Behind her followed the other guy, who soon managed to fist his hand in her hair and seize her. It only took a well-placed kick to make him stumble as well.

Just as she kicked against the door for the first time, the door on the opposite site of the hall burst open. She did not need to look; the stinging smell of urine told her that not only had Amon arrived, but her little attempt at revenge had succeeded.

"No!" he roared as her foot collided with the door the second time, and the wood by the lock splintered from the force.

Pushing herself outside, Korra turned right, away from the sea – and stopped.

Before her stretched nearly one hundred metres of flat dirt before the nearest cover, the outskirts of a forest, offered her protection – protection from him and his bending.

There was only one way to go if she wished to avoid his unfaltering body control...

Not daring to look back over her shoulder to locate her enemies, Korra sped for the waves whipping against the cliffs to her left. Without even a second of hesitation she threw herself over the drop, the sound of roaring Equalists right behind her.

Suddenly she was surrounded by the iciness of the sea, a cold so unexpected that she nearly lost her breath in pure shock. But she was stubborn and kept her mouth shut, forcing herself to remain underwater until her lungs felt like exploding. The longer she was hidden, the greater chance they would lose sight of her and abandon the chase.

She stayed underwater for a few minutes before desperately needing fresh air. Swimming closer to the surface, however, she quickly found that getting up was not as simple as she had expected, and once she did manage to reach surface, the waves pulled her along mercilessly.

The thought that she missed her ability to water-bend was the last thing that ran through her mind before a wave forced her head against the cliff, and everything turned black.