Mentions of death of children and child abuse.

Mako felt a little numb to the situation, detached in a way that wasn't entirely on purpose. There were a select few people who were privy to his past. It's not something he brazenly broadcasted but he didn't deny it either. Though, Mako never elaborated on the details because it wasn't anyone's business. It's probably the only reason why he assisted in on this interrogation.

In the middle of the room, not even cuffed to the table, was one Lightning Bolt Zolt. Honestly, Mako thought the man dead. Zolt wasn't short on enemies who would have taken advantage of his sudden powerlessness after Amon. But there he was, looking worse for wear but alive. He'd looked completely unbothered and bored. That is, until the chief and himself walked into the room. Zolt smiled, confident and amused and Mako supposes that's when the numbness creeped in.

"You know why you're here?" Lin asked in a cool, stern voice.

"I suppose it's because you people have nothing better to do than to harass a poor old man trying to enjoy his evening." Zolt looked thinner, more gray and gaunt than Mako remembered. But as he sat back confidently, he didn't look like the poor old man he claimed to be. Lin took the file from under her arm and slapped it on the table. He didn't even flinch at the sound.

Lin opened the folder and spread out the unfortunate photos of children. She sat down as Zolt grabbed one of the photos, looking at it with one cocked brow. "Street rats? You looking to fill a quota Miss. Beifong? How admirable, though a bit of advice, the sentiment would probably mean more if these kids were actually still breathing." He chuckled, dropping the photo back to the table. They didn't need to ask how he knew where they came from. All the children were bare bones and filthy.

Mako prided himself on his professionalism. His ability to detach from a situation was well crafted. Yet, he couldn't have helped the way his detachment cracked when this case fell in his lap. Mako couldn't stop the sudden personal pursuit, not after a small, thin girl came to him begging desperately to find her brother. Bitterly Mako knew that had she not sought out Mako personally, she probably would have been brushed aside. Street kids being nabbed and trafficked wasn't uncommon. Mako knew that if this case weren't clearly murders, if winter had been the culprit, the case never would have caught anyone's attention.

"That's Chief Beifong to you." Lin snapped tonelessly as she grabbed the sketch among photos. "We have witnesses that say you were the last one to have seen this boy." Zolt grabbed the drawing that the sketch artist drew as close as they could get from the sobbing girl's description. He hummed and set down the sketch.

"Perhaps." Zolt mulled over what to say. "He may be the boy I hired to run errands. I'm an old man now, after all, not as mobile as I used to be." Mako almost snorted and rolled his eyes. More like staying out of the public as much as he can. There is a reason Zolt is alive despite his many enemies and it's not hard to figure out how. "Supposes that's why the kid never came back."

"You don't seem too bothered by that."

"Street rats come and go."

"So why not hire someone more dependable? Why rely on children?" Lin spoke casually but Mako saw the tension held in her shoulders.

"Because they're loyal." His smile widened and he leaned forward with his elbows propped on the table. "Feed them, give them a little attention-" he pointed two fingers at Lin in a familiar fashion "-teach them a thing or two and they trip over themselves to please you. Street kids are desperate to please like that." For the first time since they walked in the room, Zolt's gaze shifted to Mako. "I'm sure you're familiar with that, Chief Beifong."

Mako wasn't quite sure if he was being baited or just insulted. Either way, Mako just met his eyes confidently but remained quiet. There was a lot that Mako could say about what Zolt just said. Things that smolder beneath the surface of his carefully crafted mask but Mako remained still. He couldn't do or say anything here. Not with Lin standing beside him and at least one or two more officers behind the mirrored glass.

"So you manipulate children into doing your dirty work? Give me a reason why I shouldn't arrest you for abusing minors?" Lin responded coolly. If she picked up Zolt's jab at Mako, she wasn't going to acknowledge it. Zolt just snorted and leaned back into his chair.

"You don't have the proof I was hurting anyone and dirty work? You make it sound like I'm not helping these children. Is giving a little money here and there just for someone young to get my groceries a crime now?" Zolt shrugged his shoulders and crossed his arms. "I suppose it is easier for the police to deal with discarding their corpses. Honestly I'm surprised there is such a fuss over a couple dead street rats in the first place. Never seemed to be a concern for the police before. Someone finally getting on your case about it?" This time Zolt looked more pointedly towards Mako. Lin's posture stiffened with unexpressed anger but Mako blocked it out.

Bitterly Mako knew Zolt was right. Where were the police when he nearly killed himself through exhaustion. A fire lit in his hands, trying to keep his brother from freezing to death? Where were they when he and his brother grew thin and faint as their stomachs screamed for food? Where were the people that were supposed to help them when Zolt and his goons were beating and manipulating Mako and Bolin into submission?

Zolt was not a good person. He never did anything just for the sake of kindness. Mako wasn't fool enough to believe that everything he was given wasn't just a payment dealt for his work. But the Threats had given him and his brother protection. They paid them for their work and even fed them when they were feeling generous. Zolt had broke Mako down and as payment had taught him how to be deadly.

"Anyways, I haven't seen your kid since he last ran off. Quite happily with his payment for doing a favor for me. You can check the florist I had him run to for confirmation. And unless you have any more questions, I have things to do today." Zolt didn't make a move to get up but it was clear he was done. He said his piece, jabed sharp and painfully at things he knew would hurt and now he was done with it all. Mako was suddenly hit with the urge to leave like the man had owned the room. The feeling churned his stomach.

Lin just stared silently at him and Zolt met her eye confidently. "We will be checking in to the florist and we will be in contact again." She said swiftly standing and turning towards the door. Mako watched as the corners of Zolt's eyes crinkled ever slightly. He supposes he could take comfort in the man's annoyance, even if it was a bit petty. Zolt stood and Mako quickly fell into line behind him. Though powerless, Mako was a bit relieved that Zolt was to be escorted out by the chief and himself. He'd feel calmer seeing the man leave personally.

As they made it through the station and came just a few feet shy of the door, Zolt suddenly stopped. Mako's shoulders tensed when Zolt turned to look at him. He kept his face passive as Zolt reached in his jacket before pulling up a cigar. "Can I get a light kid?" Mako was a bit surprised, not only by the request but by the fact that Mako's hand was up and alight before he even registered it. Zolt took a long drag and Mako froze when just as suddenly he reached up and patted Mako's face. The touch was light and condescending and Zolt gave an amused "good boy", smoke weaving around the words.

In an instant the air around them shifted dramatically. Mako's blank, passive expression broke into sharp focus. He felt, more than he saw the few people around them shift their focus over to the doors. In his peripheral, he saw the shifted movements of Lin and she bodily turned towards them. The hairs on their arms and necks raised in alarm. The very few who were familiar with it could practically smell the acrid sweetness of lightning. The only ones with loose shoulders were the two firebenders observing only each other.

And just as quickly as it happened, Zolt turned to the door only nodding his head briefly at Lin before stepping through. Without wasting a second, Mako himself turned and walked to his desk swiftly with faux casualness, like he didn't just flood the room with unease. In his head, his thoughts were storming.

Mako felt like an idiot and embarrassment coiled in his chest for reacting the way he did. For a moment he felt himself smaller, accepting the request because he was afraid of the consequences of denying it. Mako couldn't help but scratch at the small circular burns along his side as he scolded himself for lighting the damn cigar. It felt like every pair of eyes in the room were on him now, making his skin crawl but Mako didn't dare to look up to confirm it. Mako loathed, even powerless as Zolt was, still had power over him. He felt pathetic.

"Detective, I want to see you in my office." Lin said as she strode by his desk. He closed his eyes and took a quiet deep breath before entering the office just a step behind her. She didn't have to ask him to close the door. Lin reached her desk before turning to face him, not bothering to sit down. Mako looked at the wall, past her shoulder "There is a reason we don't let people work on cases they have personal connections to. Why didn't you mention to me that you are familiar with Lei before we brought him in." Mako blinked, surprised for a moment. Was that the man's real name?

"You knew … about my involvement with the Triple Threats, chief." He said slowly, was it really so weird that he had any kind of connection with Zolt?

"And I respected your privacy when you didn't offer up the details of your time with them. I don't care what you did as a kid but the moment that man stepped into this station you should have alerted me of your familiarity. I'm not fond of walking into a situation without all of the pieces I need and letting criminals take control of the room, detective." Mako resisted the urge to shift his feet, he didn't know what he could say to that. "Do I need to take you off this case?"

"No, chief." He responded as confidently as he could, dread pooling in his gut. His face felt warm as the embarrassment creeped in once again. Did Lin really have such little faith in his abilities to push past this one tiny hiccup. Or did she just not trust him to act rationally thanks to the near incident just moments ago.

"The case is still yours then. I'll trust that you'll come to me if a problem like this arises again." He didn't get the option to confirm he will. He recognized the order when he heard it. Lin sighed, finally drawing Mako's gaze. "The system is flawed, Mako." His brow twitched at her sudden sullen tone. "But there are good people here. They don't always outweigh the bad ones and the bullshit guidelines but we're trying. Things are better than they used to be. Not by much but they are."

Mako shifted uncomfortably and dropped his gaze to the floor. He knew that, he knew better than anyone that things here could be so terrible it left a bitter, toxic taste in his mouth. Mako wants it to be a good thing, wants to have every moment he spends here to matter and it was a harsh reality that he knew it didn't work out like that. Things have changed but there are still children starving in the street. Scared and helpless kids being left in the gutter to rot. Mako was trying to make things better but he never felt more useless than when photos of kids found his desk.

Lin watched him mull over what she said. Mako knew she cared. She was a hardass, stoic, blut to the point of cruelty but she cared about this city, it's people, him. If only Mako could say the same about everyone else in charge, everyone who has the power to make the changes that matter. They've never been so caring and Mako didn't suspect they ever will. "I have to get back to work." He said and she dismissed him with a nod.

His day had twisted into something cold and bitter and vile but there was a kid out there who needed help. Mako wasn't going to stop until he got the boy back to his small sister. Out of everything he couldn't do, at least he could do that.

"The sYstEm's flAweD" Shut up Lin, the systems fucking broken. Y'all got kids turning to gangs cause they're dying on the streets.

Anyways, Mako definitely finds the kid, reunites him with his sister and then finds them a home. Because Mako's not just gonna let a couple of kids just go back to being homeless, staving and scared. The End.

idk, idk ... this one was just a little different i suppose but i hope at least someone out there likes it