A/N: Happy Monday y'all. Please review. It's funny. I 100% just write this story from the seat of my pants. Hope you enjoy.

A Terrible Synergy

Chapter 22

"Good, you finally decided to show up."

The man's tone was gruff. The fatigue from the battle and coarseness caused by smoke inhalation was easily recognizable in the councilman's voice. Saikhan cleared his throat loudly and removed his officer's hat. He held it under his arm.

"Sir," the officer's wrinkled forehead, outlined by his receding hairline, was visibly dotted in fine beads of sweat, "Sorry to have inconvenienced you. I had a couple of scrapes to attend to myself, but nothing to be concerned about." The master metalbender undid the top buttons of his state-issued coat as he slowly took in the councilman's state.

Tarrlok was filthy with soot. His infamous blue blazer almost unrecognizable, ripped apart and pulled aside to display a large, blossoming hematoma on his chest. The injury was an ugly purple and red mosaic against his dark skin. He was surprised that Tarrlok could even speak to him.

Saikhan shifted his hat to his other arm, "It seems that you weren't so lucky," the cop stated bluntly meeting his boss's eyes. There too, in the waterbender's dark blue irises, were even traces of the fight. The chief of police had never seen his boss in such a state of disarray. Maybe it was time to call in the military. It was looking like the situation was something that the police force could not contain on its own. Whoever they stumbled upon in that apartment, was incredibly dangerous and needed to be neutralized immediately.

In the waking hours of the morning of this same day, when he was called into action, he hadn't believed Tarrlok claims of the Avatar's enmity against the state or agreed with the extreme of enacting of martial law. There was a serious lack of evidence to act upon and the city couldn't be forced on its knees due to simply Tarrlok's fine-tuned intuition, but the chief was powerless to speak his opposition. Verily and with full mind, he went against his oath as an officer and submitted his control of the police force to the counselor in its totality. He knew his old superior, Chief Bei Fong, would've spat in his face with disgust for choosing self over the honor of the badge, but he could not break the chains of blackmail that Tarrlok held him in.

However, the youthful, idealizing detective that he began as and still resided inside him would not let him disregard his suspensions any longer or turn an indifferent eye towards the unsettling information that he had recently uncovered. How had Tarrlok had known to search that specific apartment complex? What had he uncovered in the Avatar's dwelling and how has he known he would find that information there? What were the rest of the strings the Waterbender had been pulling unseen the darkness?

The waterbender flashed his teeth, "Nonsense," Tarrlok snapped. A bruise disfigured one of his orbitals, making the man's normally handsome face lopsided and unpleasant, "Now, tell me what the situation is."

"Yes, of course," but as the chief opened his mouth to continue the green drapes sectioning off his room burst open.

"Alright, we ran off and retrieved your lapdog for you," the brunt-eyed teenager sneered, intentionally leaving out the word "fucking" to modify his choice of word for an obsequious canine. Despite leaving out the profanity, the intent of his statement was clear. The firebender's temper was getting the better of him and Mako had enough of the run around from everyone, his friend Korra included. He was still writhing from their fight the night before, about the trustworthiness of her shady acquaintance, the man who seemed to be a person of interest in every facet of their current situation.

The chief grunted and looked away as if he did not hear the slight or the feel teenager's palpable contempt. Mako brushed past the policeman in one forceful step looming over the councilmen. He covered the wounded man entirely in his shadow, crossed his arms over his chest- displaying the powerful, twisting muscles of his forearms- and lined his features with a terrifying grimace.

Tarrlok smirked equally as nastily; not a drip of him left impressed or alarmed Trying to intimidate me? You don't know the shit that you're about to step into, you insolent child.

Suddenly, almost acting on pure instinct, the councilman balled is right hand into a tight fist and crushed Mako's cheek. The boy stumbled back in surprise and intense pain. The waterbender had punched him with all the force he could muster even in his weakened state. From the cracking sound of contact and the sharp throbbing of his knuckles, he was sure that he made his dominance explicitly clear. He bit back the sharp shooting pains bursting from his chest, as a result of the sudden movement, never breaking eye contact with the youth.

"What pressure could you possibly supply?" Tarrlok spat furiously challenging him. Saikhan held back the teenager with a hand on his shoulder trying to cool the tension. The chief was frightened by what he saw. The councilman's eyes were anger and darkness untethered. The hair on his neck pricked up and the chief of police instinctually grew uneasy, yet he did not act against the safety of his submission to the councilor. That look spoke volumes of what would happen to someone if they did.

Mako stood frozen, with his cheek in his hand, as a similar alarm to the chief's went off in his head telling him to pay attention. That there was danger nearby. He had never witnessed the composed politician to ever have an outburst like that. It startled Mako to some degree and the ice in the man's eyes showed him that the waterbender didn't give a single fuck about it either.

As fast at the inimical energy was conjured, it dissipated. The councilman released a sigh, visibly cooling off lowering his tensed shoulders, "Where's Tenzin?" he asked shortly, calmly averting his death stare to glance at Bolin who stood at the threshold of the pale, green drapery.

The earthbender swallowed awkwardly, trying to fight through the tightness in his throat, "We couldn't find him." The recent outlash of the councilman terrified Bolin; he had advised his brother against deliberately acting against him. Maybe, Tenzin was right. They were playing into the hands of a worse enemy, but it was for their friend's life, the Avatar's wellbeing, and, subsequently, the fate of their country.

"Where would he go off to?" He wanted to know what the Airbender was up to. That bearded bastard was always contriving a scheme to stunt his power. It wouldn't happen this time.

"Did you ask Winona where he is?" He hadn't seen his nurse in an hour or so. The brief healing session had worked in numbing the pain he felt, but the ache was gradually returning to his wounds in full force.

"No, we couldn't find her either," the Bolin answered, "We don't know where they went."

"What do you want from him anyway? He doesn't have anything you can use," the Firebender stated finally recovering his reticence from the blow.

Mako was right. He had stripped Tenzin of any actual executive or legislative powers. In all honestly, all he wanted was the Airbender muzzled or under his control. He smirked I could go for a good groveling. He pushed a way his nefarious thought, "Since you're a young, inexperienced teenager with no political background, you can't fathom what is at risk here. Tenzin offers balanced council and, though stripped of his governmental power, he is one of the city's leaders and the steward of an ancient culture. He should know the information that is about to be shared."

"Right," the Firebender used all his power not to roll his eyes at him. The waterbender was obviously lying. Using the flowery speech of comradery and mutual interest in the longevity of Republic City to belie his actual wicked goal of manipulation. Mako remained quiet. He felt like a snake had been surreptitiously coiling its body around his limbs.

Tarrlok was happy that the teenager learned his lesson and held his tongue. He turned toward his lackey, "Saikhan, now we have quiet. Finish your report."

"Sir," he pulled his feet together at attention, "My most recent report from Captain Jao from the Upper East Side: The flames at the South Bend Apartment Complex have been extinguished. With the help and coordination from Councilman Tenzin, residents of the building were moved to the convention center at 5th avenue."

"Yes, the residents," Tarrlok brushed past quickly, "But what was left of the building? Anything found in the ash of the first apartment? Evidence? Documents?"

"Part of the structure remains intact, but nothing of value could be recovered. It was confirmed that the fire was started by gasoline spill. Everything was burned to a crisp and was destroyed. However, upon deeper inspection a tunnel was unearthed from apartment's floor where the fire began. It led to the adjacent building's basement, which we assume was their escape route. From the ruts in the earth, it looked like it was constructed by earthbending…"

Tarrlok laughed internally picturing his brother, the antithesis to everything bending, pleading for the Avatar to bend a tunnel to save their asses.

"…The Avatar's work no less," finished Saikhan, "We proceeded with your emergency protocol established prior to the apartment search and placed an all-points bulletin out for the Avatar and the man-in-question. Radio broadcasts calling for their immediate arrests have been playing for two hours now."

The bending brother's eyes widened, and they glanced at one another in confusion. Their friend must've had a good reason. There must be some reason.

"How do you know it was, Korra?" Mako asked quietly, unconvinced, "There are two million people in this city and a sixth of them can earthbend."

"We have reason beyond doubt that she is involved," Saikhan clarified vaguely.

"Reason isn't enough to condemn someone a traitor against the state. If it was her maybe she was being forced against her will."

It was time for the serpent to sink its fangs, "I told you before. Must I say it again? I saw her with my own eyes. She was there in that apartment aiding that man, Arata or Noatak as you are acquainted with him as. She is not who you believe her to be. Avatar Korra has been working with the Equalist plot from the beginning, to your ignorance."

Bolin and Mako were silent unsure of what to believe. They wanted to go find the truth for themselves. They wanted to find their friend. Ask her the truth.

Saikhan cleared his throat, pulling attention back to him, "Sir, Sergeant Wong conducted an intensive background check on Arata, the owner of the South Bend Complex on the property reports as you previously requested as well as cross referenced all available records for the name Noatak."

"And?"

"We found some information of interest."

-0-

He opened the door slowly to a cloud of smoke and a small army of people that awaited his presence. No one said a word. He felt like he was trying to miss landmines walking over to his desk from the incredulous stares he was receiving, but he didn't waver. He didn't even acknowledge the congregation of people, and simply sat down at his desk reviewing the paperwork that sat on top it. As if it were an ordinary day and not the eagerly anticipated moment that his organization and the culmination of twenty years of his effort would be finally brought to fruition.

Sato bit down hard on the cigar he was smoking visibly irritated from the mask man's indifferent entrance. A silent rage boiled beneath his skin and the scientist leaned forward from his seated position on the couch trying to channel his anger. He was sitting next to two lower ranking Equalist Officials, each in charge of their respective divisions of air force and heavy mech. The third Equalist commander, in charge of the infantry, was standing across from the seated group next to his assistant.

In the beginning Amon was a different man: focused, overwhelmingly charismatic, and passionate. One simply could not remain unmoved by his poetic rhetoric or the magnetic draw to his brilliant mind, but gradually things changed.

It was difficult to notice at first, but it was when the Avatar first arrived in the city that the Future Industries CEO noticed the subtle imbalance in his leader's attention. It was very minor at the start, and Sato had written it off as merely the clouding caused by enthusiasm to advance onto the next phase of his plans, but then it started to manifest in disappearances and lapses in the masked man's character. Amon become more of a figurehead then the real, blood-thumbing leader he was. Less and less he appeared in person, delegating orders that he would normally handle to his subordinates.

"Lieutenant, update status," the Equalist Leader said curtly, not looking up from the paper he was reading.

The lieutenant stood next to his desk and watched his boss intently. All wanted to ask where he had been, but all knew that wasn't an option. Sato was sitting next to two lower ranking Equalist Officials, each in charge of their respective divisions of air force and heavy mech. The third Equalist commander, in charge of the infantry, was standing across from the seated group next to his assistant.

His second in command cleared his throat awkwardly, "Sir," he bowed, "Martial law was called into action last night by executive order of Councilman Tarrlok. Subsequently, he searched and raided an Apartment Complex in South Bend."

Amon dropped his papers, "Hmm, troubling," he stated plainly.

"Hundreds of nonbenders were forcibly removed from their homes. Strip searched, detained without cause, or sent to deportation if found without papers. Straight from our informants."

There was a pause. The room was unbearably tense as he had suspected it to be.

"Some of our men were seized from that group. The Identification numbers of these soldiers," he handed Amon the paper with the list. He glanced at it cursorily and placed it on top of the stack of paper, "But someone attacked the task force- Saikhan and Tarrlok were in the fray. The building was burned down."

"One of our own did this?" He played dumb. The bloodbender watched Sato move his weight in his seat. He could tell the portly inventor was itching to say something, yet he maintained his silence.

"We're unsure… of who exactly executed the attack…" his Lieutenant was somewhat dumbfounded that his boss didn't know, "Haven't you heard the radio broadcasts?"

-0-

He pulled out a manilla covered envelop from his bag, "On the name Noatak, we couldn't find much of anything. It's most likely a cover. It isn't a popular name though. There are about scarcely twenty or so residents in city with that name via the census, but nothing of note. However, based on the Northern Watertribe origin of the name, we did contact the Northern Watertirbe for logs of recent naval brigades in the area and are still waiting on the information to be wired."

The watertribe councilor nodded, but he knew it was no cover. He would contact Unalaq to curb that investigation. That could be handled by internal watertribe affairs. He did not need his connection to his brother to be unearthed. "And Arata?"

"He owns a couple other apartment complexes specifically for low income, nonbender families… I deployed squadrons to strip search those buildings for evidence. We are still waiting to hear back from them. There are two bank accounts under the name Arata: one at the Bank of the United Republic and one in the Grand Trust of Bei Sing Si. At first glance, nothing was out of the ordinary."

"Interesting," Tarrlok swore under his breath. There had to be more than that. Something he could use to dig the knife deeper under his brother's ribs. He already had the Avatar's sister, Auma, in safekeeping, unbeknownst to the young girl, but he needed something more to reach his brother's sticking place. He turned his head, "You said at first glance?"

"At first glance all cash flow was just simply perfunctory in nature: regular payments from his tenants; property tax; building repairs, and the like, but we found an interesting recurring deposit. An electronic encrypted wire from the F.N. Financial Group on Ember Island... a large trust holder of Future Industries."

"It was a front."

"Yes, F.N. Financial has been found to be a dummy corporation, with no real legitimacy. It's the independent agency where the Equalist allocate their massive amount of funds. They've been wiring money offshore to evade legal investigation and tax payment under the pretense of international trade investments via the guise of Future Industries. Millions have been funneled from Future Industries into that corp and distributed," Saikhan suddenly hesitated, "What's most troubling is that F.N. Financial has been found to have connections with the Red Monsoons."

Tarrlok smiled sadly. What irony he thought His brother was using the leftover nervous system of their own father's gang to pedal his embezzled money for him. But that could only be the tip of iceberg for his brother's crimes and twisted contradictions. Stealing millions from an International Automotive and Engineering giant... could his brother even be financing the opium and turf war between the gangs? Anything seemed possible. The waterbender was not surprised by his brother's corruption because Tarrlok saw himself in him.

He turned to the silent earthbender and firebender, "This is what you are going to do. Grab Miss Sato and meet me at city hall. Saikhan you're coming with me."

-0-

"Yes, I heard them," he stated irritably, "The equalists are blamed for the arson and attack. The Avatar and an unknown male are on the run," he summarized succinctly, "a very interesting headline, I must say."

Sato narrowed his eyes. The Infantry Commander, who refused to sit, shifted his weight from one foot to the other. His assistant looked just as anxious, "Sir, I think it best we mobilize our forces now and cut the lines, before the military is called in."

"Tarrlok won't do that, Commander Izumagi," Amon answered causally, "He rather die before releasing his control. There's nothing to instigate him to act in that manner."

"We must capitalize on this chaos! He is in the hospital with the other leaders deactivated. We don't even need to take out councilmembers. Saikhan has no choice but to wire General Iroh and the 3rd Brigade," the Heavy Mech Official, Hua "The Great Bear" Tsang, noted resolutely. The two Officials, Commander and assistant, the scientist, and the right-hand were all bemused at why the masked man was beating around the bush. It was an opportune time to act.

"What is the purpose of hesitating, premier?" the Air Force Official, Sergant Rasuna Kui, finally questioned, "This is what we have prepared for! For years behind your lead!"

"Do not question me. It is best we wait," the masked man intoned without further explanation. Noatak was only trying to waste time. He wanted to afford as much as a buffer to the White Lotus as he could garner. This was his act of contrition. Trying to keep the seal on pandora's box a bit longer. A few seconds of his life to lengthen those of others, but he had miscalculated. He had been too greedy to try to save everyone from his mistakes.

"I'm not hesitating anymore," Sato suddenly rose from his seat pulling out something from underneath his jacket. The cigar dropped from his mouth as his pointed an ominous looking handheld, contraption at the masked man. Its long, metallic barrel gleamed brightly from the electric blubs above.

"Sato sit down and point your silly invention at someone else. We have a serious work we have to do."

The inventor grit his teeth from his leader's dismissal. His eyes were open. This past decade working alongside him, all Sato was to the masked man was a prized cash cow. It was Amon's undoing when he had coldly cast away his daughter, kicking his beloved Asami over to those bending dogs.

"I suggest for your own good, Amon…" Noatak heard a click as the scientist pulled back a metal lever with the pad of his thumb, "or should I say Arata, before I shut it for you," and pulled the trigger, "Our deal is over."

-0-

Korra heard a loud bang and shouting from down the hall. She ran out of the guards' quarters to where the sound originated from… it was Amon's office. Other equalist were gathering at their leader's door. She needed to get inside, but she would have to risk breaking her cover.

-0-

White, hot, searing pain shot through his left shoulder and clavicle. Sensing his intent to kill, Noatak deftly bloodbent Hiroshi's hand a fraction to the right- just enough to miss the direct line to his heart, but the damage was still done. The launched projectile shattered his clavicle. Hot liquid quickly spurted from the entry wound. He covered it with his hand. Fuck he thought. The pain was almost unbearable.

He prevented the blood from moving out of the wound with his mind, but he was already losing focus. With his strange, handheld combustion device, Sato had severed his subclavian artery. He removed his palm to find it covered with bright red, atrial blood.

Though stopping the flow to the outside, he was rapidly losing large volumes of blood within his body. Despite his prowess as bloodbender, he could not simultaneously control the pressure of the blood to push outside the wound and guide it perfectly back through the damaged artery in prefect rhythm with his heart. Hypovolemic shock would follow. Then death.

Sato watched his leader in shock. He could not believe he had done it, yet not a drop of blood hit the ground from the lethal wound or saturated his gray tunic. Was Amon actually a God incarnate from the spirit world? Had he gone against the cosmic will of the world by succumbing to his personal woes? Sato wondered. How was he still standing? That blow should've killed him instantly.

The inventor couldn't contemplate his confusion and awe much longer as Commander Izumagi and the Lieutenant tackled Hiroshi to the ground kicking the firing weapon from his hand.

"You fucking bastard! You fucking lair!" Hiroshi shouted. The Lieutenant landed a heavy kick across the older man's face busting his nose and shattering his glasses against the tile floor. The scientist was knocked out cold.

Suddenly, a group of ten equalist burst through the door. Official Tsang and Kui bound forward from their seated position taking on Commander Izumagi and the Lieutenant.

"We're sorry about this brother," Kui disclosed as she striked with the force of panther-lion at Commander Izumagi. It was a coup.

Amon, losing feeling in his legs, stumbled back onto his desk sitting upon it. His vision was blurring. He could not tell if his mind was playing tricks on him. If he actually felt her tick. He breathed out slowly, if that was the last thing he would experience in this world, he would drown in it. He closed his eyes and was at peace.