"Some people do everything, some do something, many do nothing - which is bad enough - but the worst of the lot are those who break down what others have built."

― Christina Engela, Fearotica: An Anthology of Erotic Horror

Chapter 6 - Murky Horizons

Dark grey, menacing clouds loomed over the grey skies of Republic City that late afternoon. Air Temple Island was much too quiet. The bombing at the police station injured some officers and a majority of the staff and even some of the surrounding buildings' inhabitants. Tenzin instructed many of the airbenders and acolytes to go help the injured and city, and most importantly, ensure everyone stayed calm.

The face of the Air Nation stood at the end of the dock, watching Republic City from a far. Despite surviving Kuvira's spirit energy weapon, the police station was now in shambles. If he concentrated hard enough, the smell of burning metal infiltrated his nostrils.

"Staring won't do you any good," Lin gruffly said, coming from behind and standing beside him.

"What has the city, the nation that my father built become? Kidnapping the citizens? Blowing up the police station? Desecrating what the greatest earthbender of all time, your mother, built from the ground up?" he angrily questioned.

"We're in a state of transition. We're vulnerable right now to whoever desires power. I'm going to do everything I can with the remainder of the force I have and Korra's team." Lin huffed angrily at her own thoughts of shame and kicked the dock beneath her. "Do you know what it felt like when I heard the alarms? The ground shaking? Jumping out of bed and seeing the flames and smoke where I know the station is? I failed my officers."

"You didn't fail them, Lin. I know Kya and the rest of the healers are doing everything they can to heal all of them as quickly as possible." Considering many of them were near the core of the explosion, they had serious burns and broken bones. Healing was a magnificent power to accelerate healing, but depending on the severity, time was still crucial to the healing process. That was the path many officers faced.

"They better or there's going to be hell to pay. I might have to ask Su if she could spare some Zaofu guards temporarily," she grumbled, not wanting to ask her little sister for help. They may have reconciled, but she didn't want to swallow her pride.

"How is she? Kuvira isn't giving her too much trouble on her house arrest, is she?"

"House arrest? Pfft, it's more like she's a teenager sent to her room without dinner. A cozy bed, a window overlooking Zaofu in all its glory, food made by a professional chef. If she was in my custody, she'd get our worse cell crawling with elephant rats, and I'm sure the other prisoners would have some words with her."

"Ah, there's that cold, brash woman everyone loves."

It wasn't too long afterwards that the airship arrived at Air Temple Island. Team Avatar exited and were welcomed by Tenzin and Beifong. Without even bothering to move inside, Lin began filling them in.

Several bombs had been planted underneath and around the station the previous night without anyone noticing. A small fraction of the station remained standing like a beacon of destruction as smoke rose up among the ashes and rubble. Injured officers and staff struggled to emerge from the damage. The officers and select few staff not seriously injured surveyed the area to find nothing useful to identify anyone.

With all the chaos going on between healers and medics stabilizing the wounded, the fire department putting out the flames, and the press and media, anyone could've been a suspect in disguise, blending into the crowd and slipping away.

"It sounds suspiciously like something Varrick would do," Mako pointed out, thinking back to when he discovered his hired men escaping from blowing up the cultural center.

"A few officers had the same thought, but when they entered their home…let's just say he and Zhu Li were otherwise occupied. I'm keeping a close eye on him just in case, but as devious as he is, I don't think he'd risk Zhu Li's reputation with his actions."

"But how can we not have anything solid on these guys? We don't know for certain if they're benders or nonbenders. We don't know why they're doing it. We don't even have a footprint or how many there are. For all we know, it could be a cynical group of women!" Bolin argued.

"That's where you four come in since I'm strapped for officers and staff now." Lin looked between Korra and Asami then at Bolin and Mako. "Tenzin's got most of the airbenders and acolytes in the city trying to maintain the peace and helping the less seriously injured."

"My captain said that Future Industries was involved?" She hadn't mentioned it before, knowing that lives were more important at the moment.

For the first time since she began discussing the previous night's events, Beifong hesitated, gazing at Asami. "Cabbage Corp, Keum Enterprises, and Future Industries were all hit. It's likely while the station was in flames when they were all infiltrated because the reports didn't come in until the employees came in for the day. Like the small-scale robberies occurring in Republic City, none of the corporations will suffer massive losses. Stolen raw inventory, a few busted machines, but nothing detrimental. The problem is that Future Industries' break in was different than the others."

"Different how?" Korra pressed, not liking the tone of the chief.


In the city, Beifong dropped Mako and Bolin off at what remained of the station to pick up one of the few surviving police vehicles. Bolin was barely out of the car before peeling off. She was annoyed with the younger brother's comments the whole ride over, but she didn't have the luxury to be picky at the moment.

From the outside, nothing appeared out of place of Future Industries' main factory. Upon further exploration inside, Asami noticed that parts here and there were missing as well as the few busted machines. While she wasn't particularly pleased with stolen inventory, it wasn't the worse thing. Most of it was raw materials that she could easily replace and new machines would be ordered the next day.

"Now, I need you both to remain calm when I open this door," Beifong heeded, moving to prevent the other two from opening the door.

"Beifong, I swear to Raava if you don't open the door this inst-" Korra growled until Beifong open the door, revealing the mess of Asami's office.

Papers were scattered over the floor like a tornado ripped through. Books were ripped from the shelf in the corner, couch cushions haphazardly hanging off, chairs overturned. The houseplant that Bolin had gifted her was burnt to a crisp and burns marred the walls. That wasn't even the worse part.

Embedded in Asami's desk was a large combat knife sticking straight up in the center, puncturing the glossy wood. On the left side wall, the safe was busted open, door hanging open and slightly distorted from fire and physical force revealing its empty contents.

"Asami," Korra took her chin in her hand, but all she received was a blank stare, "no one is going to lay a hand on you." On the outside, Korra was calm, but on the inside, she was ready to pummel whoever dared cross her girlfriend.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the different I mentioned earlier is that knife and the fact that her safe's broken into. The others' offices were messed up and had some minor documents stolen that were in the open, but neither their safes were busted open nor were there any knives in their desks. What was in that safe, Asami?"

It wasn't the knife that was making the CEO mute. She'd been exposed to spirit energy and powerful benders over the years, a knife was child's play. The vacant safe was the cause of her muteness, the cause of the erratic thumping against her chest. A flash of her father breaking her mecha tank window and about to deliver the final blow in that warehouse. Sato inventions wreaking havoc on Republic City once again.

"The glove, the updated glove, the HSV, some city road plans, and additional housing developments on the outskirts of the city."

At the beginning of the day, Asami was living her best life, away from business and waking up in her girlfriend's strong arms. Midday, she learned about her parents' past and finally returned to her mom's hometown. Now as the day wound down and dusk fell upon Republic City, everything was going to hell.

The three women entered the office, examining the damage up close. Korra and Beifong observed the knife, neither having seeing one like it before. Six inches of pure, lethal metal. Korra being Korra, ran her finger along the edge, feeling the cool metal and sharpness of the blade. With one small jerk of her finger, she'd be cut in an instant.

"I'm surprised you didn't take it into custody already." Korra gripped the sturdy handle and pulled the knife out and laid it on the desk.

"Figured I'd give you the honor, Avatar," Beifong countered, leaning over the desk and gripping the black and red handle of the knife, getting a feel for it. "The real question is why leave a knife and why single Asami out of all the break ins?"

"It's because of me." Guilt ran through Korra as she witnessed Asami almost robotically move about her office to tidy up.

"Don't sell yourself out so quick, kid." Lin placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You know as well as I do that she can take care of herself. They're planning something and hopefully your friends are gathering some intel right now."

Korra hoped so too. Sensing Asami's unease, Kora walked over to her and wrapped her arms around her tightly. "It's going to be alright, baby. No one is going to lay a hand on you or construct your inventions. You're the only one capable of building an electric glove, and only you and Varrick understand the HSV plans."

Varrick.

Hearing his name infuriated her, blood boiling in her veins. Beifong said he'd been at home, but Varrick was a clever man. He'd conned her before. He knew her office. He knew she was going to be out of town for the weekend. Asami swiped Beifong's keys and yelled at the other women to follow her.

For some strange reason, the chief didn't fight Asami, but she quickly regretted that decision.

"I let you drive the car, not street race! We have a limited supply, and I don't think you need the added orders of police vehicles." Beifong shouted as Asami took a sharp right, nearly flipping the vehicle.

She was a woman on the mission. The car screeched to a halting stop. Asami jumped out and barged into Varrick's home. Voices were coming from upstairs. She kicked the door open to reveal Zhu Li laying getting a back massage from a masseur.

"Where is he?" she demanded, opening every cabinet and door in the room.

"Asami, what is the meaning of this?" she asked, genuinely confused about her intrusion.

"Nothing like a massage on this lovely night." Varrick waltzed out of the attached bathroom proudly with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Asami marched over and grabbed his hand, applying an extraordinary amount of pressure on his bones that had him writhing. "Ow, watch the hand! Do you know how much I have to do to maintain them?"

Korra and Beifong caught up just as he said that, standing just inside the doorway and watching the scene unfold.

"Did you double cross me? I told you what I would do if you did!" She showed absolutely no mercy to his hand.

"I haven't the foggiest clue what you're talking about, Asami. I promise on Mrs. Beaks grave. Please, you're bruising my luscious palm!"

"Look me in the eye. Tell me you didn't blow up the station, destroy my machines, take my inventory and materials, break into my office, and steal the plans for my glove, the HSV, and the city!"

"What?" he howled and found the strength to shake Asami's death grip off his hand. "Someone stole the plans? You accuse me of stealing my own plans and going through the hassle of sneaking in undetected when I could just schmooze you if I needed the plans back that bad."

"You don't exactly have the best track record, buddy," Beifong interjected.

Varrick narrowed his eyes at the chief and Korra. "Hey, I blew up my own building! I have that right! I have no reason to blow up the station nor do I have a reason to steal plans that are a joint project between our companies." Varrick took Asami's face in his smooth hands and pressed his forehead against hers, looking her straight in the eye. "I, Iknik Blackstone Varrick, did not blow up the police station or rob any of the companies. You think I'd tarnish my wife's reputation like that? That was the old Varrick! The new Varrick stays on the clean side of the law!"

"I've got my eyes on you, Varrick." She roughly poked him in the chest and walked over to where Lin and Korra were standing.

"Varrick was nowhere near Future Industries, Cabbage Corp, Keum Enterprises or the station yesterday. I know he's acted unethically before, but I promise you, Varrick's a changed man," Zhu Li promised, standing next to him.

"Like I told those cops who so pleasantly barged in like you, Zhu Li and I were doing the thing. All. Night. Long. In fact, I think we'll do the thing right now. Zhu Li, do the thing!" Zhu Li did not do the thing, but gave him the eye. "Fine, I'll do the thing!"

Off went his towel, sending the other three running out of the room and their house.


On the other side of town, Bolin and Mako were walking the streets. Nightfall never stopped citizens from roaming the streets of Republic City before, but very few citizens dared tonight. Shops were closed already, some boarded up. What was more unsettling was the vacant hangouts where the street kids hung out.

"This isn't right. Republic City is too quiet," Bolin said sadly.

"You're right, it is too quiet. Stay on high alert." Mako was more suspicious than anything.

The two brothers began knocking on doors, asking the occupants if they noticed anything suspicious the previous night or recently. A few of the homes were victims of the recent crimes, and some pleaded for the safe return of their family members and friends. Others were furious and called the police every name in the book.

They were exiting an old woman's home when a familiar face walked across the street.

"Skoochy!" Bolin shouted, waving his hand at his old pal. Skoochy froze briefly then fled the area, recognizing the voice.

"Split up!" Mako yelled, chasing after him.

Mako ran behind Skoochy, bending a few fire blasts close to him to slow him down. Bolin took a secret alley way and bent a wall up to trap Skoochy. The wall slowed him enough for Mako to grab the back of his shirt.

"We just want to talk, Skoochy," Mako said as Bolin bent the wall down and joined them. "What's the word on the street about all these robberies?"

"Hey, I know nothing. I'm surprised, Mako. You know as well as all these other street kids, we don't talk to the police," he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Not unless you try to kill us all in a setup. I hope you were paid handsomely for that. Bo and I may have done some unsavory things in our past, but we never got our hands dirty in people's lives."

"Potato, potatah, same thing. You do what you can to survive out here. You know that." He shrugged, not caring. "I've got nothing for you. I'm just looking for my friends after an errand. The explosions rattled everyone and word on the street that a few street kids are missing. If I'm lucky, they left Republic City for a new part of the United Republic. More Republic City real estate for me."

"Anyone we may know from the streets gone missing?" Bolin inquired.

"Nah, you've been off the streets for years now. Fresh meat now. Heard there's been a few scraps though. Whoever's missing from the streets is throwing the dynamics off just like you rich folks. Who knew?" Having had enough of Skoochy's smart mouth, Mako released his grip on him. Skoochy brushed his clothes off like he was actually dirty from him. "Always pleasure doing business with you two. Consider it free for almost killing you. Next time the information's triple!"

Both brothers were dragging their feet by the time the other three met up with them. Each team briefed each other on their findings, or lack therefore of findings.

"This is ridiculous! We can't find one citizen who has any good clues or leads?" Korra growled and pounded her fist against the dashboard of the car, denting the radio. Beifong hissed at her to watch it.

"Maybe the assailants have developed some sort of technology to become invisible," Bolin thought, rubbing his chin in deep, serious thought.

"Don't be ridiculous. That's impossible," Mako countered, not in the mood for anymore of his brother's exaggerated thoughts.

"Wait, he may be on to something," Asami supported.

"I am?" Bolin questioned, surprised.

"When my father first thought of the idea of Satomobiles, investors looked at him like he was crazy. One man gave him a chance, and Future Industries was born. I'm not saying it's invisible technology, but something that we're not aware of or not thinking of."

The public radio crackled alive, turning everyone's head towards it like it held all their answers.

"I do not understand how President Moon has allowed these events to go on for as long as they have. Children and adults are missing, our biggest corporations are getting robbed, and our police station has been bombed. Anarchy is among us if she does not contain this situation immediately.

"Where was Avatar Korra during these events? Wasn't her girlfriend's company one of the targets? In fact, where was her whole posse that always shows up with her? Both President Moon and Avatar Korra are failing the United Republic. If I was still in office, I never would have allowed things to escalate to this magnitude."

The Avatar punched the radio again, furious with Raiko's statements and crushing the radio beyond repair to which the chief slapped her on the back of the head.

"Where does he get off? If he was still in office, he'd be doing a worse job!"

"Korra, relax." Asami gave her thigh a reassuring squeeze. "We'll figure this out. We always do."

Asami could only hope they would figure it out before she was in another scandal and on the brink of bankruptcy again.


Posted: January 8, 2021

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