Will be posting another chapter on the 21st of July for the anniversary of Makoto Iwamatsu, voice actor of Uncle Iroh. I've just realised that I'll probably be writing more like 45-50 chapters. Hope you enjoy!

Mako lay silently in his bed in the ward, listening to the groans of a couple of cops who had been worse off than him. He wasn't concussed somehow, but his body was a stiff as a rock. Everything hurt, apart from his legs, which were just a little scraped. But the bandage starting from the bottom of his abs all the way up to just underneath his shoulders was no joke. He'd managed to ignore it for the duration of the fight, but the cut inflicted on him was deep enough, and he had also broken a few ribs. The serious gashes on the back of his head and the front of his body were very susceptible to being reopened, so he lay there still, only his thoughts for company.

He'd done it. He'd really done it. He had finally avenged his parents' murder. Sure, Shinoda hadn't physically gone there and killed them himself, but it was his orders, or policy as the Agni Kai had phrased it, that indirectly killed them, and certainly orphaned many other children too. His reign of terror was over, Mako had seen the hole itself. There was nothing a healer could do to replace a blown-out heart. So why didn't he feel satisfied?

"Agh!" Mako groaned as he shifted slightly. He was in way too fragile a position to not be relaxing and recovering, adjusting his head in the movement as well. Another bandage was on his head, going over his left eye, which was for the head cut. He closed the only eye that he could open and shut out the sounds of the ward, trying to get a little bit more sleep. He'd woken up several times during the night from turning his sleep and aggravating the wound.

Twenty minutes later, Lin Beifong walked through the door. Mako could tell purely by the sound of her footsteps, she was a tiny bit lighter than most cops and her armour jingled slightly differently. She also just had an aura about her, the way she entered a room so confidently and sure of herself. He peeped open his eyelid a crack, and saw her going around to each of the officers, praising them for their work. She didn't try to comfort them because she was pretty bad at being therapeutic, but her giving credit was something that people genuinely appreciated. It wasn't that she was a cold person (not as much anymore anyway), she just said it as it was. She reached Mako's bed last, and stood over to his side. He tilted his head as much as it would go without the pain flaring up again.

"I've heard what you did," Beifong said. "You don't realise how important your actions were last night. If Kenichi Shinoda had started running around again, only the spirits know how bad things could've got."

"He had it coming," Mako grunted.

"I know that you're not in great shape," Beifong said, getting straight to business, "but I need to hear your side of the story."

"Look, I know it's not my place, but…" Mako started, struggling for the right words. "I'm really not in the mood for talking right now." Beifong blinked, had a double take and put on a stern expression.

"Mako, as a commander, you will listen to me," Beifong said firmly. She looked at him, her face emotionless. She waited, and Mako remained silent. "Well?"

"Fine," Mako sighed, and began to tell her about what had happened. He started with the waterbender, 'Ruk, and explained how 'Ruk had cut him up pretty badly, before Mako smashed his head into a crate. He didn't spare Beifong any of the details, and when he finished that part, she nodded silently, then said;

"I haven't heard of that type of joint operation bodyguard in years."

Mako hummed an agreement, and then continued. He didn't stutter when he talked about how his decision to eliminate the two remaining bodyguards, and Beifong didn't interrupt. He went through everything in terms of the fight with Shinoda, and how badly the street got messed up. He took partial blame for this, as he could've stopped them from getting so far earlier, in his opinion, but he didn't sweat it. Then he got to the part where he was cornered against Shinoda when running away.

"I don't know why he didn't try to incinerate me then," Mako said. "I think he let his temper get the better of him, and he wanted to blow me out of existence."

"There have been reports in the past of how he can go overboard when you anger him," Beifong backed Mako up. "He probably wasn't in his right mind, given how he was talking about his past."

"Yeah, I was a bit confused by that," Mako said. "Anyway, I realised that I couldn't redirect it if he let it loose from his fingers at that distance, so I just kinda lunged and grabbed his wrist. It flowed through my body and I just poured everything back at him in one huge shot."

"Would that have anything to do with the gaping hole in his chest?" Beifong quizzed.

"I did that," Mako said, and then felt the sudden urge to let everyone know, as confirmation. "I did that! I killed Kenichi Shinoda!"

"Quiet!" Beifong hissed. "Do you realise what you've just done?"

"He was responsible for my parents' deaths!" Mako challenged back, returning her glare. He heard a couple of cheers and looked around to see everyone who could was clapping and congratulating him.

"Yeah!"

"Bastard had it coming!"

"Drinks on me when we get out!"

"Everyone, shut the fuck up!" Beifong shouted, and the ward went still, the regular beep of the machines the only thing penetrating the atmosphere. She turned her face back to Mako. "Do you understand what the repercussions of this are? If word gets out that you brought Shinoda down, every Agni Kai in the city will be out for you!"

"I'll kill every last one of them!" Mako declared, and Beifong ground her teeth together, hitting the bedside table to her left.

"Listen up, everyone!" she announced, turning around. "There will be severe consequences for ANYONE who spreads the fact that of what Mako just said. This is classified information and will be treated as such for the time being. I'll know if you do," she added, then turned back to Mako. "Given the knock on the back of your head, you're clearly not in your right mind! We'll continue our conversation at a later point."

With that, Beifong stormed out of the ward. Mako lay his head back down and took a deep breath. He'd probably just fucked up majorly there, but he didn't care. His head sunk into the soft pillow and closed his eye. The ward was still dead quiet.

Mako fell asleep again, and didn't wake up until late in the afternoon. He groaned, his body restless from all the extra rest. He sat up without too much difficulty, and shifted his legs to the side of the bed. He felt like going to the toilet, but then Hazukk walked in. Mako rubbed his eye and smiled. Hazukk returned it, and sat on the bed beside Mako.

"Hi Mako! You don't look too great," he commented. "It seems that you got hurt pretty bad."

"You can say that again," Mako agreed. "I'm barely able to move at the minute. I got cut up by a crazy waterbender. What's the visit for?"

"Just popped by, wanted to see if you were doing ok and if you needed anything," Hazukk said graciously, taking Mako back. He was being very nice, maybe a more considerate side to him than he had ever shown before coming out.

"Wow, thanks," he said stupidly. He tried to show gratitude, but his head was all over the place. If he stood up, there was a good chance he wouldn't be able to keep his balance, so coherent thought wasn't coming as easy as he would've liked.

"Think nothing of it," Hazukk said. "Is it true? Were you really the one to do it?"

"Do what?" Mako asked cautiously, even though he knew exactly what Hazukk was implying.

"Shinoda," Hazukk whispered. "Did you really bring him down?"

"How do you know that?" Mako hissed. He wasn't sure how he should be reacting. Beifong had told him personally not to go sharing it with anyone, but here was a journalist who, no matter how much they had bonded over the last few weeks was still a journalist, had come in and asked Mako directly for confirmation.

"It's the word going around the Sun," Hazukk said, "and judging by your response, I'd hazard a guess that I'm correct."

Mako cursed silently. He wasn't ashamed of what he had done, but for some reason, when he expected to feel pride, he just felt empty. On a more concerning issue, Beifong's advice from earlier had properly penetrated now. He was most likely #1 target for the Agni Kais now, if they heard it was him. They probably wouldn't even ask for proof, they'd just show up at his door.

I can take them all, he thought, refusing to be negative. "Fine, you got me. But please don't go telling everyone at the Sun. It's still technically classified."

Hazukk appeared to brood over this for a minute, then nodded. Mako let out a sigh of relief.

"It's good to have a journo I can trust," he said.

"I'm just trying to serve everyone the best I can," Hazukk said, seemingly dismayed, but his expression changed to a happier one a few moments later. "I nearly forgot to mention, the article has sold like hotcakes. It's my most popular story yet!"

"Article?" Mako repeated, then remembered the whole reason Hazukk had come on the raid for. "How did you get one out so quickly? It's only the afternoon."

"Better to write with a fresh memory, and we persuaded an officer to give us an exclusive early report. You're going to love it!"

"That's… great to hear, Hazukk!" he said, happy for his former teammate.

Mako and Hazukk chatted for another while. Hazukk asked about how Mako had taken down Kenichi Shinoda on his own, and Mako was forced to answer him, although he altered it slightly to say that he blew the car up before they got in, and dealt with the two bodyguards easy enough without killing them. Hazukk listened carefully, and only offered encouragement or sympathy when needed, which was really what Mako needed, given how he was still coming to grips with the fact that he had just murdered someone, even if that someone was Kenichi Shinoda. After about forty-five minutes, Hazukk's smile disappeared from his face.

"I have to leave now, busy schedule," he explained, "but before I go, there's something you need to hear." He leaned in closer, and stared at Mako the eyes, dead serious. Mako, who had been cheerful a few seconds ago, wiped his smile off of his face and showed that he was paying full attention.

"Is it bad? Did one of the Triads break out already?"

"They haven't broken out," Hazukk started, "but what's really troubling is how they're all claiming Avatar Korra defeated them so comprehensively." Hazukk's eyes darted around the room, searching for any eavesdroppers. When he was satisfied that no-one could hear them, he whispered; "They say that she used bloodbending to render them unconscious."

"WHAT?!" Mako nearly shouted. "That's absurd! She was never taught how to do that, and knows first-hand how horrible it is! The results of Amon bloodbending her nearly drove her to kill herself! Don't make up lies like that!"

"Mako, I'm only telling you this because it concerns you greatly. All of the truth see-ers have said that they're not lying. I would keep an eye on her during the full moon if I were you. Don't worry, I don't intend on letting anyone in the media hear about this." With that final comment, Hazukk stood up and left a stunned Mako to contemplate what he had just heard.

Why would I trust him over Korra? hethought. But his tip about the shipment was a goldmine. And I haven't even brought it up to her yet. Please don't let this be real.

What Mako overlooked in his desperation to deny this was how Hazukk had gotten information on the interrogation of the Triple Threats. Hazukk smiled to himself as he made his way out of the hallway to the stairs. An anonymous tip was in order.

As he turned the corner, a bulky young man raced by in the direction Hazukk had come from, barely avoiding him, and Hazukk swore he looked familiar. Oh well, it's probably just nothing, he thought, and continued on his way.

Bolin crashed into the ward, startling Mako and all the other occupants. He looked around desperately, then raced over to Mako as soon as he saw his older brother. Mako was about to greet him with a 'hello' but Bolin crushed him with a hug.

"I came as soon as I heard," Bolin said, relieved that Mako was okay.

"Ribs!" Mako wheezed, and Bolin released his bear grip on the older sibling. He took a moment to catch his breath, and then returned a smile to Bolin, who was breathing heavier than Mako out of worry, somehow.

"What happened?" Bolin asked, grabbing the chair beside the bed and sitting down on it. "You look messed up."

"I got him," Mako said, grinning, even though the happiness hadn't really sunk in yet. He was having second thoughts about telling people but everyone in the ward already knew, and if anyone else had a right to know, it was Bolin.

"Did what? Act all tough then get beaten up?" joked Bolin.

"No, I got him. Kenichi Shinoda, leader of the Agni Kai's, the person responsible for mom and dads' deaths!" Bolin paled back a bit at the sound of their parents' deaths, but then his face lit up as he realised what Mako meant.

"You caught him?" Bolin asked ecstatically, grabbing Mako's shoulders and shaking him.

"Even better," Mako said, ignoring the pain flaring up in his ribs from the movement. "I put an end to that sick bastard's excuse of a life."

Bolin kept on smiling, then it dimmed slightly as he took in Mako's words. "Say again?" he asked.

"He's dead, I killed him myself," Mako said louder and clearer. "He'll never be able to hurt anyone else ever again!"

"Wow… that's, that's, great news!" Bolin replied with fake enthusiasm, letting go of Mako's shoulders, but Mako saw through it in an instant; The way Bolin half-heartedly emphasised 'great' wouldn't fool a dog.

"What's the matter?" Mako asked. "This is great, yet you've just gotten all quiet."

"It's… well," Bolin started, trying to find the right words. "You really killed him? Straight up, there's no chance he survived?" Mako mistook Bolin's hesitation for doubt on whether the job was really done.

"Yeah!" he stated. "I blew a hole right through his damn heart. He was using blue flames and everything! There's no way it could've been anyone else!"

"I just…" Bolin said, then stopped altogether, his eyes staring at the ground.

"Spit it out!" Mako said, beginning to get irritated by Bolin's sombre reaction. He should have been overjoyed, not at all sad in the slightest.

"It's just that…" Bolin continued. "It's just that I never imagined you murdering somebody, even a man like Kenichi Shinoda. Couldn't you just have detained him?"

"Detained him? Are you nuts?" Mako said, now angry. "I've avenged mom and dad. You and me have been waiting for this moment for over thirteen years now, for crying out loud!" Then Mako's expression turned dead cold and locked onto Bolin, who lifted his head and returned the look uneasily. "Are you about to defend him?"

"What, no, that's stupid!" Bolin answered, offended, his voice rising, and stood up. "Why would I ever do that?! I was there with you with when it happened, I was holding onto you for dear life!"

"You aren't happy, evidently, why aren't you happy?!" Mako cried, rising to meet Bolin eye-to-eye despite the pain flaring up again.

"Two wrongs don't make a right! Why did you have to kill him? Mum and dad wouldn't have wanted to you to kill him. You're a commander now, you have authority to arrest whoever you want!" Bolin argued.

"What's gotten into you? I left that waterbender from the Red Lotus in the mountain near the Northern Air Temple when it was caved it with lava," Mako reminded him. "I told you that then and you had no problem with it!"

"That guy was committing suicide, we barely got out ourselves!" Bolin said, now shouting. He stepped forward and met Mako's glare with his own anger. "That doesn't make it ok. You're just as bad as the firebender that killed mom and dad! You're proud of the fact that you took another person's life! You're not that low, Mako!"

Mako's heart skipped a beat.

He didn't just compare me to him, did he? Mako tried to not to believe his ears, but he had always been a realist. He couldn't open his mouth. Bolin and him had had numerous fights over the years, but it had never, ever gotten this personal. Bolin realised what he had said, and tried to take it back.

"Wait, no, Mako, I didn't mean that," he mumbled, fiddling with the fabric of his trousers. Mako sucked his lips in behind his teeth, and took a deep breath.

Then he slugged Bolin on the jaw. Bolin let out a gasp and fell on his ass. Bolin looked up at Mako, who was vehement, furious, outraged, betrayed, glowering at his best friend.

"Don't." Mako growled, "You. Dare. Compare. Me. To. Him. Ever."

"Please Mako-"

"GET THE FUCK OUT!" Mako roared, and Bolin scrambled away from him, nursing his bruised jaw and tears starting to form in his eyes, and didn't even bother shutting the door as he ran away, crying. Mako glanced around at the rest of the ward, scaring off anyone who tried looking at him back.

"Bastard deserved it," Mako stated loudly, and flopped back onto his bed, tired. He shut his eyes and tried to think over what he had just done.

Did I overreact? No.

Start of the main plot starting to get off the tracks! Hope you enjoyed! RR!