Chapter Eight:
Akio darted across the chaotic battlefield. He hurled bolas towards the line of White Lotus soldiers. A fireblast flew by him, and he jumped to the ground to avoid another one.
Akio glanced up and saw a White Lotus soldier coming at him. He could tell from his uniform that he was the commander. The commander pulled his hands back, and Akio rolled to avoid fireblasts.
Akio threw bolas low to ground, and the commander stepped and jumped to avoid them. The commander came closer and continued to launch fireblasts. Suddenly he flew up into the air. The commander let out a jet of flame from his feet to stabilize his fall.
Then a rock flew at the commander, who ducked and threw a fireblast in return. Akio quickly glanced over, and saw his brother Katashi lunging at the Commander. Katashi threw his whips at the commander, and one of them wrapped around his right hand.
Katashi yanked hard and pulled the commander into the air, who pushed out fire from his feet to keep himself stable and threw a fireblast downwards. Akio threw a bola, hoping to tie his legs, but the commander kicked it away.
Right then the commander came towards the ground as Katashi pulled again. Akio rushed towards him, but he soon got up. The cable began to glow red, and Katashi quickly cut it off. Now free, the commander lashed the hot whip at Akio.
Akio ducked and then quickly backed off as the sizzling whip came towards him. It suddenly stopped as Katashi held it in place, but the commander threw a blast at him and continued after Akio.
Akio hurled bolas towards the commander who caught them on his whip. The casings of the bolas melted against the hot whip. Katashi again took control of the whip and Akio joined in by continuing to throw bolas.
The commander threw the whip to the ground and threw blasts at Akio and Katashi. He tried to force them back, but they duck and blocked and fired back at them. Feeling cornered, he leaned back and took a breath.
Akio and Katashi jumped back as the commander blew a sheet of flame back and forth. Katashi lifted up a wall of earth between them. The wall shock, but Katashi reinforced it to keep it up.
Akio grabbed a gas grenade and threw it over the wall. Green smoke billowed over the wall, and the commander boosted himself upwards. Katashi lifted up a pillar towards him, and the commander tried to break his fall.
Before he could do that, the pillar hit his feet and he fell backwards. He landed beside the wall and Katashi quickly buried his limbs into it. The commander leaned his head back, but Akio threw a bola at him that wrapped around his face.
Akio and Katashi followed their forces out of the prison grounds and into the streets. They darted down an alley, and saw a large group of gangsters. Katashi and some other earthbenders pulled stone from the nearby buildings to make a wall between them, and Akio threw a gas grenade before the walls shut.
Akio, Katashi and the rest of the forces backed off to the street. They looked one way and saw another group of gangsters. Katashi threw a cluster of rocks at them, and he and Akio went the other way.
Katashi and the earthbenders raised short pillars out of the ground. The gangster tripped and stumbled over them, and Katashi and his allies threw rocks and fireblasts at them. They retreated down the street, with the gangsters' attempts to pursue them constantly hindered.
Out of an alley came a water whip, but Akio dodged it and threw a bola in return. Katashi shifted the ground under the restrained waterbender and he fell down. A fireblast came at the brothers, and Katashi lifted up a wall with Akio following up by throwing a gas bomb.
Akio and Katashi went a few blocks further. At this point that had reached resistance occupied territory. They're forces were quickly reinforced by various resistance fighters. They continued to throw element blasts, bolas, and gas bombs at the incoming enemies.
The White Lotus soldiers and gangster continued up the street, but the barrage they faced faltered their advance. As hard as they pushed, the resistance overwhelmed them.
Arashi was not happy, not happy at all. They had been a huge prison break and the resistance had gotten a huge boost in morale. He looked up at the two men standing in his office. "So what do you have to say for yourselves."
The men looked at him dumbfounded. It was clear that they did not understand what Arashi was accusing them off. He let out a deep sigh. "Do I really need to spell out what is the problem."
"The prison break." said one of the men, the leader of the Cabbage Corporation.
"What we don't understand is why you summoned us." added Ghashiun, the Future Industries head.
"My men reported seeing weapons such as shock gloves, bolas, and gas grenades; all made by your companies." Arashi explained. "Since they have caused me such great inconvenience, I am hereby nationalizing Future Industries and the Cabbage Corporation."
"M...m...my cabbage corporation!". Said one of the men, throwing up his hands in outrage.
"As pathetic as your dimwitted founder." sneered Arashi. "Guards, take them away."
A pair of guards grabbed the Cabbage Corp head and dragged him out of the office. Another pair approached Ghashiun "I'll go." he muttered.
The guards did not restrain him, but remained at his sides as he walked out of the office. They glared at him, ready to cuff his for the slightest false move. He wasn't going to give them such a satisfaction.
After the Ghashiun noticed his private driver was not there, he began to walk home. He pulled out his cellphone and called the bank. After some ringing, an employee answered.
"Where is my bank account?"
"It's gone." the banker replied. "A man walked in and said he was part of the White Lotus, and told me they were seizing all of your money."
"What?!" he replied.
"I could not believe it myself." said the banker. "I called Arashi himself, and he confirmed the seizure. I'm very sorry about it."
This was the worst thing to happen since the disappearance of Asami. This new regime was completely crazy, no wonder everyone was rebelling.
I sat down, back in the resistance hideout. A TV report discussed the recent events, about the fall of Broad Bend prison. Of course, they portrayed us as the bad guys, with the White Lotus controlling the airwaves.
The TV suddenly cut to a commercial. A look a like of Sokka held up a bottle of green liquid. "Drink cactus juice!" he announced. "It'll quench you! Nothing's quenchier! It's the quenchiest!"
I looked over to the earthbender. "Well that was weird." I said.
"Tell me about it." he replied.
"By the way I didn't catch your name."
"My name's Fung." he said.
"Nice to meet you." I said. "Mine's Fai."
After a few more commercials the TV cut back to the news. White Lotus soldiers and police stood outside of Future Industries. Others moved in and out, dragging crates as well as employees in chains.
"Future Industries and the Cabbage Corp have been nationalized by the government. There assets have been seized, and there employees have been taken away for some honest work." announced the anchor.
"The same place all of those broken out of prison would have gone." added the co anchor.
I looked to Fung. "Wait what does he mean by 'would have gone'. I asked the prisoners where my father is, and the ones who saw him said he was transferred.