Cadence Chapter Ten: Benevolence
The battle took a lot less time than Korra would have expected. It seemed barely five minutes had passed before Mako and Ghazan were standing among a mass of fallen foes, both smirking as they sheathed their blades.
"I'll look for the key!" Ming Hua announced, shoving Korra towards the males as she made for the open entrance.
Mako caught Korra as she fell against him, and he couldn't help smirking at her muttering of, "I'm not a damn power disc, quit tossing me around like one!"
"I found them!" came Ming Hua's yell from within the base a few moments later. She came out brandishing a small ring of brass keys, which Korra assumed she'd taken from a guard's body.
They entered the hideout, and Korra's first thought was of a hospital. The stone was cleanly, precisely cut, not the usual rough-hewn walls of the other bases she'd been in. And this one had electric lights positioned at even, frequent intervals along the ceiling.
They came to crossroads, and here Mako stopped. "Ming Hua, you have to lead the way."
"Who's taking order from who here, Mako?" she quipped.
"Get used to it. Mako's a jerk with a stick so far up his ass he can probably taste it in his throat," Korra muttered.
Ghazan roared with laughter. "Well, she's certainly got you down to a T, hasn't she, Mako?"
Because she was resting against Mako's chest, Korra couldn't see his expression, but she was willing to bet he was scowling.
"You really going to let her say things like that about you?" Ming Hua droned.
Korra grimaced, not having the energy for an argument.
"Leave her alone," Mako ordered, a touch of true irritation in his voice. "Which way?"
"That way," Ming Hua said, pointing to the right corridor.
Ghazan turned first, but when Mako went to do the same Ming Hua's arm shot out, blocking his path.
"This way," she whispered, nudging him in the direction of the forward corridor. "You can just leave the girl here – she'll be fine..."
Korra's brain felt like a limp dishrag, but she knew what Ming Hua was trying to do. She suspected, well, she knew, judging by those shifty eyed looks, that Ming Hua had it in for Mako– she was trying to get him alone.
So Korra raised her voice, just enough to get the attention of the white-haired man who was walking in the wrong direction. "Ghazan!"
He turned, saw Ming Hua trying to nudge Mako, and Korra in his arms, in a different direction, and gave a very unpleasant grin as he retraced his steps. "I suppose I should have expected something like this from someone like you."
Korra paid their argument no attention– she was gingerly testing the strength of her legs as she slowly moved away from Mako. She was grateful that they seemed ready to support her on their own now, even though she doubted she'd be able to move particularly fast.
She realised that Mako was watching her carefully. She looked up, ready to screech that she wasn't in any condition to escape but the words died in her throat at the expression on his face. He wasn't watching her like a guard watching a prisoner, he was watching her as though he needed to make sure she was steady on her legs, as though he needed reassurance that she was recovering.
"Well, are we going, or what?" Ghazan asked, forging on ahead. And then, noticing Korra was standing on her own again he asked, "You feeling better, Princess?"
"A little," Korra admitted, starting off down the corridor.
When Mako slid into step beside her, hovering like a large, scary mother hen, Korra told herself it was only because he didn't want her slowing him down.
"So this is Zaheer's cell, huh?" Ghazan said, staring at the door in front of him. "A bit of overkill, don't you think?"
The door was reinforced platinum, with four separate locks and two chains draped across it to hold it closed.
"Someone didn't want him getting out anytime soon," Korra murmured as Ming Hua used her stolen keys to open the locks one by one as Mako removed the chains.
"I'll go in first," Mako told them. "Korra, stay behind Ghazan."
Korra rolled her eyes, but did as he asked. As much as she hated to admit it, sheer force of will was pretty much all that was keeping her on her feet at the moment, and at times discretion really was the better part of valour.
Mako cracked the door open.
"You're dead!" came a scream from inside.
And then a large bald man flew from the cell, laughing manically as he slammed into Mako and sent him ploughing into the wall behind them. Korra had just enough time to note that there was a ball and chain attached to the strange man's leg, as well as attached to his wrists, before Ghazan yanked her to his chest and twisted so his body was between her and Ghazan, sheltering her from the rain of debris from the shattered wall. Ming Hua fell backwards beside them, the force of Zaheer's charge pushing her aside like a paper cup.
"Mako!" the Avatar screamed.
Korra's heart was in her throat until the dust cleared and she saw that there was something pierced through Zaheer – it looked like an electrified pole.
The Mako shoved Zaheer backwards, and Korra realised Mako's blade was struck through Zaheer's shoulder. The blade had lightning running through it.
'This must be the lighting blade that Bolin told me about,' she thought dimly, feeling slightly repulsed at the smell of burning flesh.
"I don't want to fight," Mako said. "I want to talk with you."
"I don't think he's in much of a mood for talking, certainly not now you've pierced him with a blade that has electricity coursing through it," Korra commented.
A broad, shark-like grin broke out on Ghazan's face as he stepped away from Korra. "Hey, Mako, can I fight him?"
"No, Ghazan," Mako said. "We didn't come here to fight."
"So you're Ghazan!" Zaheer roared. "I remember you!"
And he lunged. Ghazan raised his sword and swung, the blade clashing with Zaheer's right arm.
Korra was still feeling rather sluggish, but she could see that the sword would make a complete rotation unless it was arrested somehow. And since she was standing behind Ghazan, that complete rotation would cut her in half at the waist.
And then logical thought was wiped from her brain as every synapse screamed that there was a very big, very sharp sword coming towards her and she needed to get the hell out of the way now!
Korra dropped flat on her back, breathing hard as she waited for the sword to pass over her. But the blade never came.
Deciding to risk raising her head a little, she was astounded to find that two enormous flames had warped themselves around Ghazan and Zaheer, immobilising both men where they stood. She blinked when she realised that several coils of flames were looped around Ghazan's sword, halting it in the air about a metre away from where she had been standing.
Mako's amber eyes were alight with anger, his voice was cold and savage, deliberate malicious intent saturating the air. "Do you want me to kill you?"
Not waiting for a reply, he bent down to Korra, helping her to her feet. "Are you hurt?"
His voice was still cold, but Korra was surprised to realise he looked genuinely concerned.
"I'm fine," she assured him, rather astounded at how fast his fire bending technique had been performed. He would have had only a few moments to react.
The flames receded, and Korra kicked Ghazan in the shin to cover her unease at the killing intent still radiating off Mako. "You could have killed me!"
Ghazan looked a little sheepish, but she noticed him watching Mako warily. "Sorry about that, Princess."
Ming Hua was also staring at the fire bender, but she was smirking, an impressed, glazed look in her eye.
Not that Korra could really blame her. Aggressive Mako, while deeply irritating and infuriating, was also very attractive. And the whole tight pants situation...
'No, no, no!' She gave herself a mental slap. 'Traitor, jerk, holding you against your will, remember? You are over him, you do not feel anything for him – he means nothing!'
And yet, each repetition of those sentiments only made them less convincing.
Zaheer blinked, as Mako's lightning blade was retracted from his shoulder. He stared around him, looking confused and disoriented as though he had just woken up. A sort of terrified realisation settled over his face, and he bolted back into his cell with a scream, slamming the door behind him.
"Lock the door!" he screamed at them. "Lock the door!"
Korra blinked, bewildered by the abrupt turn-around.
"I came here to free you," Mako called through the door. "Come with me."
"I don't want to kill any more people!" came the anguished reply. "Don't make me go outside…just leave me alone!"
"It's like he has a split personality," Korra breathed, blinking away the sudden sting of tears.
Zaheer couldn't control himself but he hated the idea of killing so much that he would hide himself away from the outside world.
"Amon is dead," Mako said bluntly. "This base will crumble. If you stay here, you'll die."
"I don't care!"
And that was when Korra made up her mind. She didn't want to help Mako walk down a path that would take him farther from Republic City, but she couldn't turn her back on someone who was so clearly suffering.
She strode past the others and unceremoniously yanked the cell door open.
"What the hell are you doing?" Ghazan yelped.
Ming Hua ogled her. "Are you crazy?"
Mako's hand shot out, grabbing at her shoulder, but she shrugged it off and stepped quickly out of his reach.
As she entered the cell, Zaheer scrambled backwards, pressing himself against the far wall. "Get away from me!"
Korra ignored his outburst and stuck out her hand as though they were being introduced at a cocktail party. "Hi, I know you're Zaheer, and I'm Avatar Korra, pleased to meet you."
The bald man stared up at her, completely nonplussed. Korra could hear Ghazan spluttering incoherently behind her, and a comment from Ming Hua reached her ears.
"She's gone completely loopy!"
After waiting for several breaths, Korra reached down and seized Zaheer's wrist, guiding his hand to hers and shaking it firmly.
Zaheer was staring at her as though he'd never seen another human being before. But Korra could understand his surprise – she had a feeling she was probably the first person in a long time not to treat him like either a valuable commodity or a dangerous lunatic.
She sat beside him, smiling as though they were old friends. "You're a good person, aren't you?"
Zaheer blinked at her, and there was nothing but silence from the others. Korra supposed her statement had been a bit of an odd one.
"I mean, you're so desperate not to hurt anyone that you're prepared to spend the rest of your life locked up like some kind of criminal," she clarified.
"This is how it has to be," he insisted. "You should just go, before I try to hurt you."
"Meaner and scarier guys than you have tried."
"Go!" he yelled, one hand swinging towards her as though to push her away.
Korra ignored it. "And you'll remain in isolation because you're terrified of anyone getting close enough to be hurt. You know, you kind of remind me of one of my friends."
Korra couldn't help but feel slightly concerned that she was so desperate for the company of her friend and teammate that she was beginning to see aspects of her friends everywhere, but forged on ahead anyway. "If you come with us, I'm sure that you could become my friend too."
"My friend?" Zaheer said dully.
"Yeah. He may be a cold-hearted jerk, but if Mako wants to set you free, why not take a chance?"
"Mako?" Zaheer repeated, looking startled. "He is Mako?"
Korra nodded, realising this obviously meant something to Zaheer.
"P'Li died for you," the man said, his eyes fixed on the dark-haired man who stood at the entrance to his cell.
Korra vaguely heard Ming Hua explaining that P'Li had been Zaheer's lover – capable of stopping the big man's rages – but her attention was riveted on Zaheer's expression. It was a strange mixture of longing, remembrance and a sort of tentative hope.
Something told her that he was teetering on the cusp of a decision – all he needed was the slightest nudge to push him into making it.
So Korra climbed to her feet, once more trying to ignore the momentary lightheadedness that shook her, and extended her hand down to him like a child offering to help a playmate up after a fall. When he only stared at her outstretched limb, she wiggled her fingers enticingly, trying to coax him into grasping them.
In spite of her sunny smile, she hadn't really been sure what he would do, so it came as a surprise when Zaheer slowly slid his hand into hers, and she tugged lightly on his arm as he gained his feet.
In that moment, she knew Zaheer would accompany Mako. And some part of her was glad – while Ghazan was nice to talk to, she couldn't forget how bloodthirsty he obviously was.
But it seemed that Zaheer was anything but violent, under normal circumstances.
His hand in hers was timid and tentative, as though he couldn't quite believe this was really happening, and Korra wondered how long it had been since he'd had simple human contact.
"So," she began, unable to resist grinning at the others, all of whom seemed to wearing expressions that were various degrees of stunned. Ming Hua's was the most extreme, while Mako's was barely a raised eyebrow. "Can we go back to the surface now? I want some light and air; I'm sick of all these underground tunnels."
Mako did his best to ignore the way Ming Hua was practically breathing down his neck on the way back to the surface. He was more concerned with Korra, who was still looking a little unsteady on her feet, sandwiched between Ghazan and Zaheer, chatting happily with both men.
He realised she'd stopped really talking to him since they'd departed the main base, more specifically since he'd forced her to go with him. But couldn't she see why he was doing it?
'Apparently not, or surely she wouldn't be so furious with me.'
He considered telling her point blank why he was bringing her but somehow, he couldn't bring himself to do it.
Korra, for her part, had asked Ghazan why he'd stepped in front of her when Zaheer had charged out of his cell and slammed Mako into the wall. He hadn't really struck her as the compassionate type.
"I'd hate to see that pretty little face get stomped on," he smirked. "And I'm not real eager to find out what Mako would do if I allowed someone or something to hurt you."
"I don't think he'd be that bothered about me," she protested.
Ghazan chortled. "Keep telling yourself that, Princess."
Korra sighed, kicking a rock idly as she trotted along behind Mako, thinking of what she'd just heard.
He'd explained to the others that he had formed the team with the goal of killing Zolt, like Korra hadn't seen that one coming a mile away, while the others seemed to agree to travel with him for various motives. Apparently, Ghazan was after certain swords; some people collected stamps, some people collected bugs and Ghazan, well, he collected swords.
Ming Hua had muttered something about being along for the ride, but Korra suspected it was her infatuation with Mako that was keeping her with them, while Zaheer had said he wanted to determine if Mako was truly worthy of P'Li's sacrifice.
Korra had found that reason to be kind of sweet, if not morbidly bizarre.
Mako had christened the new group and announced that they would be seeking out Zolt. Korra had no idea how they were going to go about this, but supposed Mako had to have a plan of some sort.
"A four man team is more efficient," she heard Ming Hua mutter to Mako. "Why are you bringing her along? Unless she really is a whor-"
"Enough, Ming Hua," Mako said sternly.
The water bender subsided, but Korra was still rather irked.
"What is it with her and me being promiscuous?" she asked Ghazan.
He shrugged. "She just doesn't like you."
"I actually got that. What I'm wondering is why?"
"She perceives you as a threat to her advances on Ming Hua," Zaheer said quietly.
Korra blinked at him, then laughed. "Let me assure you, as far as Mako's affections go I'm no threat. I never had much of a hold on him in the first place."
"If you say so..." Ghazan muttered, sounding unconvinced.
"By the way, where are we going?" Korra pitched her voice to be heard by the two traveling a little ahead of them.
Mako glanced back at her. "Somewhere you can get new clothes."
"Really?" It was almost comical to watch the way she perked up, like a child who had been offered ice cream.
"Really," he confirmed blandly.
He knew where he was going to take them. The Equalist's had a weapons store nearby. They could stock up on supplies and it could also serve as a shelter for the night.
"You are the most conceited, arrogant, blind son of a bitch I've ever met!"
Ghazan snickered. Honestly, Mako and Korra's interactions were like a rollercoaster; up and elated one moment, down and antagonistic the next. While Korra had been practically ecstatic at that thought of soon being able to discard the rough brown clothing she was wearing though eventually the subject of her return to Republic City had come up again.
Mako had, again, refused to let her go. And again, Korra had retaliated by the only means available to her; words.
Ming Hua muttered darkly under her breath beside him, and though Ghazan couldn't quite hear the words, he was confident it was something along the lines of 'she's got it coming'.
"Well, I guess you have to give up on Mako now," he commented, watching Korra shriek curses upon Mako, down to his remotest descendant and the most removed ancestor.
"And why is that?" she practically snarled.
"It's obvious he's got a thing for Princess."
Ming Hua scoffed. "Oh, please, he's just tolerating her."
"Yeah, well, it's obvious he 'tolerates' her a lot more than he tolerates us. If one of us hurled one of those insults he would have brought a world of hurt down on our heads. But he hasn't done anything like that with her. He lets her get away with stuff he'd never put up with from anyone else. I mean, are you going to be tossing out some of the phrases Princess is using at Mako?"
"Hardly, I have a little more class than that!"
"And because you know he'd probably feel the need to impress upon you why it's not a good idea to insult him. I've seen people burn for things less insulting than what Princess says, but I've yet to see him so much as slap her."
Then he turned back to the subjects of their conversation. Their argument seemed to be winding down. Korra was looking weary and downtrodden, while Mako's eyes were flintier than usual.
"You know what?" the Avatar said softly. "When this is over, you'll be all alone, and you'll have no one to blame but yourself."
"That doesn't bother me." But even as he said it, Mako knew that it did. Solitude had been necessary for these past years but he hadn't exactly welcomed it.
Something about being utterly and entirely alone reminded him too much of an empty house and a bloodstained alley way...
"Don't lie," Korra whispered. "It scares you unlike anything else, doesn't it? That's why you gathered these people; not for their power or their assistance, but so you wouldn't be alone."
And though she didn't say anything because it was nothing more than a sneaking suspicion in her mind, Mako privately wondered why the current group of 'comrades' seemed to remind her of the old Team Avatar in more ways than one.
Mako, for his part, was wondering how Korra had read his motives so effortlessly. Was she performing some kind of mind-reading technique without his knowledge?
But then again, Korra had always seemed to have been able to read him like an he were an open book. After all, she was the one who had been waiting for him the night he'd defected from Republic City. No one else had suspected what he would do. Not even Bolin, who had spoken to him barely hours before, so how had she?
He dismissed that thought, telling himself she had probably just had a bad feeling or something along those lines.
Because the alternative, that she really understood him that deeply, was a little frightening.
"Korra is still alive."
A stunned silence followed Lin's proclamation, before Bolin whooped, "I knew it! I knew it! I knew she was alive!"
Asami and Tenzin blinked, one too unskilled at showing emotion and the other too used to not showing it.
"Unfortunately, our intelligence says she's with Mako-"
"Really?" Bolin interrupted, positively beaming. "So my brother is coming back?"
Tenzin said nothing, but there was a certain bleakness in his eyes that made Lin think that he knew what she was about to say.
"She said 'unfortunately'," Asami pointed out. "So, wouldn't that mean this isn't good news?"
"Though our intelligence indicates Amon is dead, Mako has shown no inclination to return to Republic City," Lin continued. "He is hunting down the triads in an effort to locate Zolt and Korra is accompanying him against her will."
Bolin's shock was so palpable the Chief of Police could practically feel it echoing through the room.
"So...he's kidnapped her." Tenzin's voice was perfectly flat, perfectly controlled.
"Essentially, yes," Lin sighed. "Reports vary, but it's obvious Korra was captured by the Equalists on her way back here from her mission, and it seems she was given to Mako for very specific purposes. Apparently Amon wanted a child of both Mako and Korra."
Her words fell with all the weight of a dozen anvils.
"Mako raped Korra?" Asami blurted as the blood drained from her face.
"Nothing has been confirmed," Lin said quietly.
What little she could see of Tenzin's face behind his hands was grey, as though he were about to be violently sick.
"No…no way!" Bolin shouted. "He wouldn't have..."
"You three will be among a group of officers I will dispatch to liberate her," the Chief of Police continued. "It won't be the usual four-man team, mainly because I anticipate a lot of problems with this mission. Your first goal will be to locate Mako, and I recommend you try to do so by first tracking down Zolt. And when you have found him..."
She trailed off, but she could tell they understood. Their priority was to free Korra; everything else, including Bolin's self-proclaimed goal of dragging Mako back to Republic City, had to take a backseat to that.
Onwards and upwards. Review!