The sky was dismal; it almost felt like the same pressure in the air; you would almost think it was the same day. The difference was Tenzin's son was turning four years old. Lin didn't even want to look into her office. Like her mother, the chief preferred the physical side of the job. Even if Lin had prevailed in the art of drab, it was still only a requisite to her profession. But even accordingly, the stack would only grow if she ignored it. Lin was briefed on where her officers were going; she accepted, not by choice.

She had worked all day ignoring the gnawing in her gut that something would happen today, that she should interrogate Haruk. She instead chose to focus on clearing her desk for the day, keeping up on the administrative end of her job. It was a rare slow day. Mako came to her office. She could see it was nighttime now; she felt like time was escaping her more and more.

"Chief, I wondered if you wanted me to pick Haruk's brains and see what else he knows."

"He's in solitary, for now, he seemed surprised by it whatever big idea they had they already made a misstep, and if Haruk stays there for a few days, he will spill."

Mako thought it over, unaware they moved him, or if it was the most humane thing, did it even matter?

"Something big is coming. I can feel it." He sighed.

He looked over at his chief. Lin would die if it meant the people around her were safe. He knew Raiko had surrounded them in red tape as he had four years ago, but there had to be more. There had to be a link.

"The air temples have no actual ties to the bombings last time, but it is a place that had a comeback story for benders." Lin mused, signing her name in some documents; her voice had gravel.

"so, why would they destroy it if that's the same thing the Equalists are trying to do?"

Lin looked up with steel green eyes, narrowed but not with bitterness.

"What if they aren't. What if those terrorists are bluffing to keep the cops far from where they want to attack?"

Lin's gaze fell back to her desk; they were fucked.

" I'll call the others. Let them hear it out. At least we won't have to go to a kid's party."

Lin almost laughed, her lips curled into a smirk "wasn't going if they paid me, Mako."

Mako laughed to himself, tickled she had been less guarded with him.

Lin thought about Raiko, how she knew he wouldn't listen, how he had so much unrestrained sovereignty and no idea what he was doing. Lin regretted using her discretion over Pema and Air Temple island all those years ago. It was so hypocritical a mishandling of her duty, and she knew benders had abused their powers eternally. She even knew the police gradually were evolving into authoritarians of the indigent and powerless to protect the pouches of big money in republic city. Maybe it perpetually was that way. She didn't pay attention back to them as she should have, but these politicians did the same they only hid it better, and the Equalists wanted to do the same it was all power in the end. It felt like everyone was becoming a haze of the same fiend with endless taking, selfish, abusive hands. Hands like her nightmares. Hands she yearned for, his hands.

She should be sleeping. She hadn't in a few days, but instead, she blinked, and time passed again. She was in fresh clothes in Raikos's office, and it was starting to be close to going back to work time. She didn't even know what she was doing anymore or why, just that she couldn't leave, couldn't lose. Being a failure again wasn't an option; besides, what else did she have really? She would die or end her life one day, and until then, she would do the only thing she had tried to do her whole life, primarily, the right thing.

She would fill her numbness with pain. It seemed to be the only thing she could have. Kya had once told her positive thought would bring positive changes or some crock-shit spirituality if only she knew it was hopeless when it came to her.

Something in Lins's core filled with dishonor when she realized what she had done again, and She indeed was a hypocrite sleeping with somebody's husband. She didn't even fully remember these chasms in her memory, intimidating her slightly. She always emulated being powerful but poised in complete control and having no weakness, but her veil was coming undone.

"I hope to take you dancing one day, Lin. Did you guys ever do that?" Lin's eyes narrowed.

Rule number one with Lin Beifong was don't talk about Tenzin.

" I don't do public romances, and I will not answer that, and if you ever even think about asking me about anything in my past, you'll regret it."

"But- I." but before he could let his anger or a thought voice itself, she was stomping out.

Mako had called when she arrived at the station, informing her that Korra would speak to Raiko with everyone else again, and Lin groaned. Mako chose not to ask, telling her he would meet her there. Lin wondered if she would reek of liquor if she had a few more drinks, mouth scorched. She decided to have one who would like anyone noticed before.

Opal peered at her aunt she had tagged along because she hadn't seen much of her. Something felt off when she looked into Lins eyes and saw nothing; Kya noticed and looked at the dark and murky reds, yellows, and dulled oranges surrounding her aura, which told Kya something was skewed. If the chief didn't blink, she would look like a pillar. She was silent, not even greeting anyone.

When they got to City Hall, Raiko was In a fresh suit, it almost looked like he had never spent the night in his office. Raiko had already decided he would not do what Lin wanted; She pissed him off and made simple conversation impossible. He still could have his wife. He hadn't ended it ultimately, but he was still a man, and the chief certainly was a knockout and had all the physical traits a man would wish sure; she had a name so highly regarded throughout all four nations and was a at the top of her field. He still had his earthly appetites.

He did consider his reelection a messy divorce would be weakening. Still, a relation to the echelons of upper society and on a global stage, the disgrace it would elicit could be worth it. It made him think maybe he should swallow the contentment that Lin had rejected him, and it was fair she was cheated on publicly. She, in turn, publicly tarnished her reputation, but it didn't stick, probably because of her allure and heroism. He decided to rethink his plans.

The Avatar and her lover explained why they should spread out the police while Mako elaborated on theories he had Bolin interjected despite not knowing what truly was happening.

"I agree it would be wise to disperse the police. We don't know where they would attack." he looked for Lins's responses secretly.

Lin's eyes had widened for a split second; she decided to stare at the floor the whole conversation, Kya eyeing her like a sick baby air bison. Opal was distracted by Bumi and Tenzin's suspicions

"Interesting, wonder what suddenly made you so agreeable," Bumi said his cheery lightness gone.

Raiko managed not to get caught looking at the Chief.

"I just realized it was the right thing to do. Helping people is my job." He attempted to charm.

From the corner of Makos's eye, a tall man had appeared, he wouldn't admit it, but the whole thing got him on edge

"Mako, Bolin, hey?" the man said, the voice cast down.

"Hi, uh, how are you," Bolin said, luminous and unaware of how spontaneous this was.

The man fell to his knees, which made Mako observe him more. The man's eyes had bags, eyes emerald he was closer to Su in age than a slight frame. He apologized again and again with desperation, saying he had nothing to live for anymore now that he was cleansed of his impurity. That he deeply regretted killing their parents and for Mako to detain him.

There were audible gasps. Mako looked to his boss, shielding his sudden rage.

"Take him down to the station." She stood straight; it was just like Haruk

" Yes, I'll take him down for questioning." Mako seethed, not looking at his brother

"We will be coming with you, Mako," Korra said softly, and she put her hand on Bolin's shoulder.

Kya decided to ask Tenzin if he thought Amon had returned. Nobody ever found the brothers, only an exploded ship with remains.

"Why fake their deaths and come back four years later to do the same thing in the same city? It makes no sense."

They followed Mako and Lin, but on Oogie, Raiko decided to focus on his task at hand and not go into that dreadful Police station until later

They pondered the whole ride; when they landed, they found themselves in the same interpretation room they were in a few days ago.

Lin watched from outside with Mako, and The chief had Saikan handle the interrogation. It made Mako more and more emotional.

"He knows more, just like that Haruk character. He isn't even asking good questions, chief."

Lin couldn't stop her eyeroll.

" if you don't cool it down, detective, I'll find something more suitable for you to do. You know why you can't go in there." Lin crossed her arms prickly before Mako could say anything more. She spans to meet the rest of them.

"Nothing to see here. Let's go over to the next room to discuss." Mako groaned. They followed. They overheard Lin and Mako, and her tone was fierce. She wasn't in the mood for anyone's crap.

When they all sat down, Lin crossed her arms,

" We have a copycat. They may be a blood bender, and they may be attached to the remnants of the Equalist movement."

" how do you know it's not among one of his goons."

" His targets are experiments. For now, he sent them to ask forgiveness for their crimes. They're associated with gangs only as of now. It's one of those vigilantes, besides the methods that scum just described was nothing like Amon."

"But how can you be sure, Lin," Tenzin said. He flinched when her eyes narrowed.

" I'm sorry, did you listen to his testimony just now? Do you want my badge Tenzin?"

"Lin, what he's saying is it's too soon," Korra said weakly, not wanting to think about when Amon took her bending

" Haruk said, in the coming month, everything would be a mess."

" Who's, Haruk?"

"Another criminal, he came to confess his crimes." Lin said coolly.

"Speaking of we should see if he had his bending taken to."Mako glimmered.

The rest of them glared at Lin

" You mean to tell me you had somebody else here, potentially with answers and you didn't question him?" Tenzin's face red

"Why didn't you tell us you had an idea of what's going on, Beifong," Korra exclaimed, unsure how this flipped so fast.

" Should I tell the Avatar, every time a criminal confesses crimes to people that are loosely associated with her, I had no idea those were the rules." Lin bit back sarcastically.

"I'm just saying, and a little heads would be nice."

"She doesn't want to deal with it because it's personal, but she doesn't want anyone else to be involved," Mako said harshly.

"Chief, we have four more people confessing to crimes. One was involving the Sato mansion murder, one was a former Commander of the United forces, and it goes on, all had their bending removed." Saikan

Lin pinched her nose and sent mako to give them each an interrogation room and told Saikan to get an officer to make a statement.

"Add to my list. This person seems only to be targeting the avatars circle," Lin said

" wouldn't that suggest revenge?" Opal said

"it could be, but why come back. It could be revenge but not against the avatar."

They spent all day, trying to figure it out but everyone only had parts nobody had a full idea. When Raiko had shown himself at the station he realized that he wasn't going to get anywhere the tension could be cut with a knife. Republic city was under attack and he decided it was Amon again.

When Saikan heard the Haruk guy was part of this strange wave of people that lost bending that committed crimes, he lumped his statement along with the other four. It had been a chaotic day crime had been high today. There was a turf battle taking place, and Shady Shin was at the center of it. He needed help, but everything was spread so thin after Kuvira.

"Alright, let's read these reports while Mako and Lin get everything processed."

"You think we should be reading these? I don't know if I can," Bolin interjected. He didn't want to read about his parent's death. He still could remember the smell of burning flesh.

" Me either, but we have to look for clues that must be some overlap," Asami said, determined. If only her father could know who killed her, maybe it would've been closure, if only things were different. Korra noticed the grief in Asami's eyes; she put her hand on Asami's, and they looked at each other; a comfort filled their hearts.

It was the only thing keeping the room down, each story sadder and sadder, learning Bumi was hazed and that this commander had harmed females under his command. This murder took out a new air bender, and it got more disturbing, and worst of all, none of these confessions had overlap besides gang violence. The slaughters of Mako and Bolin's parents and Asami's mother. Opal had tears in her eyes. The city indeed was an awful place, killing people for such simple things. Kya had read Haruks knuckles, pale. She remembered it like it was a bad dream. Tenzin and Bumi put a hand on a shoulder,

"Lin never told me; I just remember how she clung to me quietly," Tenzin mumbled. He hated this; so many personal traumas and memory brought up for everyone. Lin must feel so exposed, Tenzin thought, surprised she let them read hers.

"Nothing had overlap, but we should let Lin and Mako read them. They're coming back now." Korra said softly, rubbing Opals back

Mako set down a teapot and some cakes he thought would ease the mood. Lin hated it. Food again decided to read all the statements while the rest discussed what they read, writing different gangs. Lin felt the room shrink when she saw Haruks report. She handed them to Mako, and when he noticed, he knew today wouldn't get any easier. Bolin hugged Mako. He assumed he was reading about their parents. Lin fought all her urges anger was all she felt; somehow, these days kept getting worst. "We're going nowhere with this information." Lin stood up. She felt all their sympathy eyes all washing over her in waves, it made her feel like she would be sick. That feeling was back she couldn't stand it, weakness. She needed to disappear; she didn't understand it; kids witnessed murders and all sorts of trials in their life. Why feel bad for her? She was a no entity.

" Are, Are you okay?" Opal wiped her eyes,

"Never been better." Lin lied, she didn't want anyone to know and she needed to get out of this room. She started walking to the door, she told them she had to check back in with Saikan about the gangs. She closes the door behind herself and found walking to her office the tears were pricking at the corners of her eyes her breath suddenly felt like it weighted as much as bolder she had to move faster. When she got in her office the radio was on, she felt the floor the loud crashes the heat screams and burning. It felt like forever the smooth song tuned to a different sound

"This just in mass destruction at Yue Bay," the report had contained, but Lin looked out her window, remembering the Pro-bending bombing. Watching the flames for a second before snapping back to work.