Happy April Fool's Day, everyone! I hope you didn't get pranked today, and just to show I'm not pranking you, we have an update to this story! I want to thank SaoirseParisa and Wildstar93 for their reviews. They also helped me, once again, with the editing of this chapter. Things will slowly unravel more, with some pretty interesting revelations being made. On that note, let's get started!

Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own the Legend of Korra.

"It's been a little while since we've done this, right?" Asami stated, taking a sip of her tea and glancing out over the hills. It was one of those days where Korra and Asami both had time off, and Asami reached out to Korra once again. They agreed to have lunch on the back patio of Korra's home, overlooking the hills and to the harbour afar. "It reminds me of when we used to do this so frequently, before our lives got in the way."

Korra remained mum, pursing her lips while her eyes avoided Asami. She could feel the ocean breeze flow across her skin, but that did nothing to soothe her. In her mind, before life got in the way also meant when things were simpler. There were no foster parents being arrested, no politicians manipulating them just to gain an advantage, and for sure no secret crushes revealed due to a privacy breach. While Korra believe their relationship warmed up since the journal incident, part of Korra was still concerned about Aasmi. Would there be another embarrassing secret revealed, even if Asami never intended to humiliate Korra?

"Korra, what's on your mind?" Asami asked. That snapped the water bender back to attention, tearing her eyes away from the ships crossing the harbour and back at her friend. Asami's green eyes filled with worry, almost like Korra had injured herself and Asami had to be the healer. "You're not eating much and saying even less. Is something wrong?"

Korra opened her mouth, but no words came out. Asami could see Korra's face creasing, like every muscle tightened involuntarily. Sensing Korra's discomfort, Asami decided to break the ice first. Taking a sip of tea, she allowed the liquid to linger in her mouth for a few seconds before swallowing. "I should start by thanking you, Korra," she stated, "If it wasn't for you, the police would not be investigating the Triple Threats right now. Because of that, the police now see us in a more positive light, which let us submit Varrick Industries' accounting records. Nothing in there indicates the funding of terrorism, so Varrick should go free too."

Korra felt her fingers tighten around her teacup, raising it to her lips with a shaking hand. As she allowed her tea to flow down her throat, Korra was surprised she did not break the cup with her hard grip. "But I don't know if I actually did that much," Korra murmured, "You're the one who gathered the whole team, rallying us and encouraging us not to give up. I heard from Opal that you went against your company's entire board of directors, to the point where even your mom was impressed. How am I great when you're doing so many more big things?"

"But Korra, you are great. The fact that you fought against the odds throughout your whole life, and still get to where you are today, that's much better than lots of people," Asami insisted, reaching across to grab Korra's shoulder. The water bender winced, but did not flinch away like she did at Future Industries. "You were born with autism, you had problems with social interaction, and you're always worried if things won't work out. But look at where you are and what you've achieved! People would be crazy to not like a wonderful person like you!"

Korra didn't respond, opting to take a bite of the food on her plate instead. As Asami pulled her hand back, Korra thought back to when Asami revealed that she read Korra's private journal. In the journal, Korra wrote about how great she felt Asami was, and Asami told Korra that she felt the same way. It only brought back the underlying issue that caused them to fall apart in the first place, and it chilled Korra to the core. "I guess it's not a crime to like, or even love, someone," Korra responded, "But I never expect to like, or love, someone like you. I never even intended to reveal your identity, so I'm really not sure what to think right now."

Asami swallowed her bite of food as well, cleaning the corner of her mouth with her napkin. "You're right, Korra. It's not a crime to like, or even love, someone as great as you," she added with nods of agreement, "And I'm really sorry if what I did with your journal caused you so much uneasiness. If I have to apologize a hundred times over to make it up to you for what I did, I'm willing to do that. Please understand that I never did that out of malice, Korra. I just let my curiosity get the better of me, and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

Korra put down her eating utensils and lowered her head, her eyes squeezing shut while her hands massaged her temples. "I'm really glad you feel that way about me, Asami," the water bender stuttered, each word coming out like she was regurgitating, "Until I met Toza and Yung and their families, you are amongst a handful of people who believed in me. Your parents, my foster parents, Opal, I appreciate them all, but it's you that I appreciate the most."

Asami's eyes lit up, with Korra's positive words warming her entire body. Even so, the discomfort in Korra's face never went away. "But right now, I don't know if I can accept dating you, even though I really want to," Korra continued, lifting her head from her hands and facing Asami with a helpless expression, "I talked to Kya about this, and she told me that for the longest time, the Fire Nation had Fire Lords that didn't approve of homosexual or bisexual people. You still have relatives from your mother's side living in the Fire Nation, so I'm not sure how they'll feel. If they disagree with us being together, then I don't want to get you in trouble."

"But I don't mind it, and I doubt my parents will mind it," Asami insisted, sitting up straighter than before, "My dad is born in Republic City, and even though my mom still has Fire Nation citizenship, she's really accepted the United Republic's culture and values. I'm sure if we just explain to them, they should be fine. Don't worry about me, because I won't get in trouble."

"But I don't know if I'm ready to explain it!" Korra suddenly shouted. Luckily, she became aware and lifted a hand to excuse herself. Taking a few deep breaths, Korra spoke in a calmer and gentler tone. "I'm just really confused right now, even after Kya told me to find myself. I know I value our friendship a lot, and that's why I didn't hesitate to help you. If it helps, I'll let you know that I already forgave you for reading my journal and terminating me. But am I ready to start dating you? I really don't know right now!"

Asami slowly relaxed, a rush of feelings going through her head. She was definitely happy to hear that Korra was ready to move on from her transgression, and relieved to know that Korra was willing to continue their relationship. But Asami was also disappointed to hear that Korra was not ready to discuss any romantic feelings between them. Asami was aware that Korra's autism made her worried about multiple things at once. It was best that Korra took time to figure out what she wanted from their relationship. However, part of Asami still hoped that Korra was prepared to take the final step. "In that case, I'll respect your decision. But my personal belief is that if we truly love each other, then we shouldn't be hiding in the dark about it," she replied, taking another sip of tea, "How long have you known that you feel that way?"

Before Korra could answer, her housekeeper trotted out onto the patio. "I'm sorry to bother you, but the penitentiary just called," she announced, waving the wireless phone at them, "They just told me that the investigators cleared Mr. Varrick and Ms. Moon. The warden will give them their walking papers today. Will you go to the penitentiary to pick them up?"

Asami and Korra both reacted with cheers and fist pumps, reaching across the table and holding each other in a deep embrace. "The nightmare is finally over," Korra whispered, feeling tears forming in her eyes, "My foster parents are coming out, and I'm sure your dad is next."

"I'll drive you to the penitentiary to pick them up, if you want," Asami offered, rubbing her hand up and down Korra's upper back, "After staying here all alone for all those weeks, you deserve to be the first to greet Varrick and Zhu Li when they're released." As the two young women remained in their embrace, Asami's mind immediately raced towards Hiroshi. With one target down, what could she do to show the investigators that her father was innocent as well?

"Is there a reason why you asked me to come here, Opal?" Kuvira asked, marching up to her adoptive sister. It was another quiet afternoon at the warehouse when Bolin again excused himself from the operations. But this time, Opal asked Kuvira to drive after Bolin's vehicle. "It's not that hard to spot him, since Bolin was driving Toza's van," Kuvira commented, tapping her fingers on the wheel, "But why exactly are we following Bolin?"

"I just don't have a good feeling," Opal insisted, her body now tightening in the jeep's passenger seat. They could see Bolin park Toza's van in the alley before casually strolling out, looking both ways before entering a nearby café. "Maybe we were hard on him before, but now I really think something weird is going on," Opal stated.

Kuvira stayed mum, thinking about what happened in the past few weeks. She admitted that she misjudged Korra, and maybe was unnecessarily controlling over Bolin. Even so, Kuvira knew rules must be set and was adamant whoever worked with her implemented those without question. If Bolin harmed productivity at the warehouse, then Kuvira would put an end to it.

Yet Opal's reasons for following Bolin flew against all logic Kuvira believed in. "I don't think Bolin is out here seeing another woman," Kuvira told Opal, pulling her jeep into a street parking stall, "Your brother Baatar and I have dated for years now, and we've even talked about marrying soon. But even then I don't follow him around and spy on him from afar."

Opal inhaled deeply, unbuckling her seatbelt before exhaling again. Even though Opal and Kuvira did not always see eye-to-eye, Opal still loved her and accepted her. Given Suyin raised Kuvira, and Opal's oldest brother was dating her, Opal considered Kuvira as family. It was also why Opal asked Kuvira to help her, rather than her aunt Lin. "I know Baatar never did this, but what if he started going off on his own and won't tell you why?" Opal asked, "And he does this repeatedly, to the point where it's near impossible to track him down?"

Kuvira stared back with her eyes narrowing. "I would probably ask Baatar why he's running off and if there's a problem he has to solve," the metal bender responded. Since Baatar was an engineer, Kuvira knew that he always had to go to worksites to ensure safety. "And even though I'm not an engineer, I might ask him if there's anything I can do to help his work, if the reason he ran off is related to work. Isn't that what it's all about, helping each other out?"

Opal nodded while Kuvira shut off the jeep's engine. Even though it was the middle of summer, Opal could not feel any warmth inside their vehicle. Rubbing her temples, Opal kept her eyes down before continuing, "I know, and I'm not saying Bolin is a bad boyfriend. He was there for me when I was attacked by Triple Threats, so I am definitely grateful. But right now, I have to get to the bottom of this. If Bolin is indeed in trouble, then I should help him in return."

Kuvira turned her head to the café, where she could see Bolin head to a table at the back. Seated at the table was a woman dressed in blue, but her hair was the most distinctive feature. "Is he meeting someone with bright red hair?" Kuvira exclaimed.

Opal leaned over to her left and immediately her jaw hit the ground. What was Bolin doing with Ginger at the café? More importantly, why was Bolin acting all subservient, dipping his head and avoiding Ginger's eye contact? "Is Ginger pushing him around or something?" Opal pointed out, watching in awe as Ginger leaned her face in while her jaw flapped exaggeratedly.

Kuvira opened the car door. "I think it's time we confront him," she stated, changing her tune completely, "When Ginger was at the pier, did she show any signs of bullying Bolin?"

Opal followed Kuvira out of the jeep. "No, I don't recall," Opal replied, hustling into the café with Kuvira, "I did see Ginger approach Bolin and me once when we were at a restaurant, and Ginger said some really weird stuff about Bolin. I thought she was trying to blackmail him, but Bolin never told me anything about it. Do you think Ginger is really going after Bolin right now? If she is, then she's more dangerous than I thought and we have to stop her!"

The two women trotted into the café, entering just in time to see a squat, older man approach the table where Bolin and Ginger sat. Kuvira and Opal paused, opting to stand in the barista's line instead. So far Bolin did not notice them, his eyes more focused on the newcomer. Ginger did most of the talking, but Bolin was completely tense. His hands were clasped tightly before him, while his body shifted like he was on a turbulent aircraft. It was obvious to Opal that Bolin did not want to be there, but for whatever reason was compelled to stay.

But just then, the older man turned to Bolin, who spoke for the first time. Kuvira and Opal could not clearly make out what Bolin said, but it did not end well for him. Ginger only turned to him and berated him, twisting her face and waving her arms in frustration. Bolin could only helplessly babble on, feeling the wrath of the former mover star. Sensing things were falling apart, Opal decided to intervene. "Bolin," she called out, trotting over to the table, "I saw you coming in earlier. Is this why you're not at the warehouse all the time?"

Bolin glanced up, completely shocked at Opal's appearance. By now, Kuvira had joined Opal, standing there with narrowing eyes and arms crossing her chest. "Guys, I can explain," Bolin stuttered, "This is not what it looks like. I'm doing this for the entire group, okay?"

"I saw you looking completely overwhelmed while Ginger over there was being pretty melodramatic," Opal described, her face and tone both darkening, "If you had a problem at the warehouse or with the group, why didn't you tell us? We would have helped you out."

"I'll just interject here," Ginger chimed in with a frown, "I am helping Bolin out more than your merry band can ever do so. We're meeting with Minister Yakone's aide, and we're about to close a deal until you two bozos interrupted us."

Indeed, the bespectacled aide shuffled all his papers and put them back into his folder. "Miss Ginger, it seems like your group isn't really ready for this meeting," he observed with a neutral tone, "Perhaps you should work it out with them first? We can always reschedule."

Ginger tried desperately to keep the aide here, but to no avail. As the former actress followed the aide out, begging him to reconsider, it left Bolin to Opal's mercy. "I thought we were supposed to help each other as a group," Opal snapped, planting balled fists on her hips, "So why did you start meeting with Tarrlok's people on your own? Do Toza, Yung, and Mako know about this? What about Asami and Korra, who helped us all this time?"

Bolin winced, surprised at his girlfriend's fury. "Look, Ginger just said she wanted to give us another option to save the warehouse," he insisted, roughly running a hand through his hair, "We figure that if Tarrlok is taking forever to investigate, then the warehouse will run out of business. Ginger thinks if we get on Tarrlok's good side, then we'll be okay again."

"Did you forget that Tarrlok has it out for Asami's family? Did you forget that Varrick, Zhu Li, and Hiroshi are all detained because of this guy? What makes you think he'll side with us?" Opal demanded, waving her arms incredulously, "I can't believe you're turning your back on us right now. Leave with Ginger if that's what you want! It's clear you've chosen your side!"

Whipping around, Opal stormed out of the café, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. It left Bolin alone with Kuvira, whose tone was colder than ice. "That's not a smart move, Bolin. And I'm not just talking about Opal's feelings either," she growled, "You just deviated from our plan to get back on track. You have a lot of explaining to do when you get back."

The atmosphere was much different today compared to the previous time Asami went to the penitentiary. Back then, Asami went to see her father, and she was still in shock about his involvement with the Equalists. It did not help Asami that she had an argument with Hiroshi in the visitation room, where Asami stormed out in tears after Hiroshi's confession.

But right now, things were totally different with Korra. The water bender stood at the front desk, waiting for the same bored clerk Asami ran into to finish the paperwork for releasing Varrick and Zhu Li. The water bender was giddy during the entire car ride here, stammering about what she would do to welcome Varrick and Zhu Li home. Even now, with the clerk going through the motions, Korra had a huge grin on her face. She kept pumping her clenched fists and bounced on the balls of her feet. "Come on, can't this go faster?" she asked.

The clerk flashed a look of annoyance at Korra before picking up her phone again. Despite the unfriendly look, Korra was completely unaffected. Now glancing at Asami, Korra placed her hand on Asami's elbow. "Hey, cheer up," the water bender stated, "Remember what I told you earlier? After Varrick and Zhu Li, your dad will be next, I guarantee it!"

Asami smiled back, but chose not to respond. Deep down, she was still concerned about the way things were going with Hiroshi. Varrick and Zhu Li were cleared because nothing from Varrick Industries went to any individual or organization linked to the Equalists. The evidence was so strong that Tarrlok had no choice but to free Korra's foster parents. But when Hiroshi himself admitted to being tied to the Equalists, the evidence must be stronger. Was there another way to overturn this, even though Hiroshi was directly tied to those guys?

"Just sign these forms, and you'll be fine," the clerk drawled, sliding the sheets under the transparent panel to Korra. The water bender bounded up to the station and gave the forms a look-through, which signalled to Asami that she should leave Korra alone. Knowing not to break Korra's concentration when she was in the middle of her routine, Asami moved to one of the benches in the waiting area and sat herself down. While she kept her eyes on Korra, who rubbed her forehead at the front desk, Asami's mind was anywhere but the penitentiary.

Asami ran a hand through her long dark hair, thinking about some of the legal research she and her mother did. Upon discussion with their lawyer, Asami and Yasuko could decipher the details of this special power. While there was cause to keep Hiroshi detained, it was not to be used commonly. Instead, it was only used for exceptional circumstances where public safety was severely jeopardized. And even so, the detained individual must still be formally charged and brought to court for determination of guilt. In other words, Tarrlok and his team still had the onus to prove Hiroshi's guilt, which allowed the Satos more room to maneuver.

"Okay, they're all done," Asami could hear Korra exclaim. She turned back in time to see Korra handing the forms back to the clerk. It reminded Asami that if Hiroshi was detained for too long, they could always make a pre-emptive strike against Tarrlok. They could claim that Hiroshi was held without knowing the charges he would face. If the matter got into court, a judge must balance the factors of the funds going to the Equalists and the damages this action caused. That meant proving Hiroshi's money actually financed activities that killed or harmed people. While this would be more difficult due to not knowing how the Equalists used their funds, Asami was certain they could at least make a case.

Just then, Korra plopped down on the bench next to Asami. Her smile stretched so wide that Asami was surprised Korra did not tear her cheek muscles. "Now that Varrick and Zhu Li are out, you don't have to worry about running Future Industries all by yourself," Korra pointed out, "It also means I can help you and your mom free your dad. Can we go over the evidence for your dad's case again? Do you think we should get Mako involved to search the Equalists?"

Asami shrugged. The only way they roped in Mako was because he was suspended. Now that he was back on the force, accessing him was much more difficult. "Besides, Lin probably wants him to focus on the Triple Threats, now that we got her the evidence," Asami explained, "But if we can clear Varrick and Zhu Li on our own, I'm sure we'll have something to help my dad. If not, then my family lawyer will be getting a lot of money in the next little while."

Korra and Asami both chuckled, but before more could be said, a familiar voice caught their attention. "Boy, I thought they'd never let me out. It's about time they do their jobs right. What am I paying all my tax dollars for?" Varrick could be heard exclaiming.

Korra beamed from ear to ear, bounding up to her foster parents and enveloping them in a gigantic hug. "I'm so glad you guys are okay," she whispered, tears now spilling out of her eyes, "Promise me you will never leave me like that again!"

"Don't worry, Korra," Zhu Li responded, releasing Korra and staring her in the eyes, "You know this isn't permanent, given the lack of evidence they have against us. Besides, no one can hurt us in the penitentiary, since I was with Varrick the entire time."

Both Korra and Asami had their eyes grow wide. "Do they even allow co-ed cells?" Asami asked, "I'm sure they won't keep Varrick with the ladies, so did they throw you two in with the men? That can't be safe with the types of criminals you might face in there!"

"Hey, you think a bunch of thugs can threaten Zhu Li? Her incisors are sharper than knives, and she can carry me on her back even with a sprained ankle!" Varrick declared, chuckling the whole way, "But seriously, they should have given us our own special cell instead. Given how much infrastructure Varrick Industries contributed to in this city, we should have a cell made special, in case we end up staying here. But no, the wardens won't agree to that!"

While Asami conversed with Varrick and Zhu Li, Korra felt a buzz emitting from her pants. Reaching into her left pants pocket, she pulled out her cellphone and glanced at the messages section. Indeed, a new text message was left there by Kya, who had kept an eye out for Korra during this time. When Korra read the message, her face lit up even more. "Guys, you're not going to believe this," she stated, bouncing on the balls of her feet again, "Kya just told me that Senna and the First Lady are showing signs of waking up from their comas."

Varrick and Zhu Li seemed perplexed. Seeing that the clerk was annoyed at their chat in front of her desk, Korra and Asami pulled Varrick and Zhu Li into the waiting area before filling them in on everything. Due to their detention, Varrick and Zhu Li received limited news from the outside. They were only somewhat aware that there was a terrorist attack against the president. "So we have Buttercup Raiko and Senna both in comas, but they're waking up now?" Zhu Li tried to confirm, "What about Tonraq and the president? Are they doing okay?"

Korra frowned. Flipping through her text messages again, she could not find any news on Tonraq or Raiko. "I guess they're still out cold, but at least two out of four will be okay," she reported, "Do you guys want to see them? I've wanted to see Senna since she went into the hospital. But you guys were detained this whole time, so…"

Varrick and Zhu Li glanced uneasily at each other. Korra glanced at them, but could not make out what bothered them so much. Even Asami, who was not part of this family, could feel the tension in the air. Finally, after a few minutes of hearing nothing but the ventilation, Zhu Li spoke up. "Let's settle back at home first, and then we're make plans, okay?" she suggested.

Mako crossed his arms and focused his eyes into the interrogation room. Inside, Two-Toed Ping was being grilled by Lin and Saikhan. The fire bender only rejoined the force about a week ago. Everyone greeted his return in a friendly and considerate way. Mako knew Lin probably spoke positively of him to the team, given his contribution to investigating the Triple Threats. Whatever the case, he knew he was no longer the pariah of the station.

But staring at Two-Toed Ping through the one-way glass separating Mako from the interrogation room, Mako felt the examination was going nowhere. Two-Toed Ping was a smooth talker, slick enough to frustrate Lin and Saikhan. "Who asked you to get involved with the riots in the city?" Saikhan ranted, slapping a hand on the table in front of the criminal.

"Maybe someone's directing us, and maybe they're not," Two-Toed Ping responded. His smirk was front and centre while his back leaned casually against the chair, "I couldn't really say for sure. What I will say is that you're getting nothing more out of me."

"Don't play games with us, Ping," Lin growled, glaring at Two-Toed Ping from across the table, "My own niece filed a police report stating that your own leader, Viper, attacked her with two of your associates. She explicitly heard that the Triple Threats were messing with the city, and that's only the beginning. What's Viper talking about and who else is involved?"

Two-Toed Ping opted to inspect his fingernails instead of answering. From the other room, Mako shook his head in disgust. "This is getting nowhere," he murmured, flipping through his notes in frustration. His group did lots of work to narrow down the involvement, with their own human security camera pointing out all these details. While Mako had the proof of what happened, they still had to link it to the people involved. What could they do to accomplish that?

"Ripping through those notes won't do you any good, May-ko," an obnoxious voice called. Mako did not have to turn around to know that it was Lu and Gang again. Their bullying decreased a bit after Lin gave Mako her vote of confidence, but they still refused to let him off the hook. "We all know the Triple Threats won't turn on one of their own," Gang pointed out, leaning on the table right next to Mako, "I think your buddies shouldn't have gone after them."

Mako glowered at the two senior officers. "My family and friends did not make a mistake, and I'm not about to start doubting them," he retorted, "Korra pointed out where every security camera was and where each Triple Threat member went. The security footage backed up her words. Since you made fun of her for being autistic, I think you have egg on your faces."

"Okay, so we were a bit harsh on the little girl, but it's all just harmless fun," Lu insisted, stepping up to Mako's other side, "Besides, unless one of the Triple Threats squeals, the chief and the captain will be in there all day. Even if you get your pal Korra in there to regurgitate all the details, what makes you think Two-Toed Ping will tell you what you want to know?"

Suddenly, Mako froze. Instead of becoming angry at Lu and Gang, he felt his nemeses had lit a fire in him. Shuffling through his notes once more, the fire bender cracked a small smile. "You're right," he murmured, "We just have to make him think someone already spilled."

Before Lu and Gang could figure out what Mako meant, Mako left the room and headed for the interrogation room. Opening the door, he beckoned to Lin and Saikhan, asking one of them to join him. Lin stayed behind while Saikhan headed in Mako's direction. "You picked the worst possible time to interrupt this interrogation." Saikhan stated, a frown etched onto his face.

Mako shook his head before handing the captain his set of notes. He requested Saikhan take one of their colleagues to interrogate another Triple Threats member. "Go for Mushi, since he's a more junior member of the Triple Threats," Mako suggested.

Saikhan gave Mako an incredulous look, but realized they had limited options right now. Two-Toed Ping was engaged in a war of attrition with Lin, and it was only a matter of time before he ground Lin to bits. "Song, come here," Saikhan called to the officer seating closest to the interrogation room, "Let's bring Mushi up for interrogation."

The pale-faced officer was just as shocked as Saikhan, standing up reluctantly and trudging towards Mako. He glanced at the notes Saikhan handed him, the same notes Mako held earlier. "What are we supposed to do with this?" Song queried the captain.

Mako just waved them off, causing both Saikhan and Song to eye him suspiciously. The two plodded off, while Lu and Gang exited the observation room. Ignoring the confused stares of Lu and Gang, Mako entered the interrogation room himself. He marched up to the seated Lin, who also looked at him strangely. "What exactly are you playing at here?" she demanded.

Mako tapped a finger on his lips. He signalled Lin to follow him into the corner of the room. From outside, Lu and Gang looked perplexedly at each other. Even Two-Toed Ping, who was so defiant against Lin earlier, became concerned. "Hey, you guys want to let me in on what's going on?" he called in the midst of Mako's whispers into Lin's ear.

After a few minutes, Mako and Lin turned back to Two-Toed Ping. In the most shocking move ever, both of them smiled at the Triple Threats member. "Why don't we take a quick break for now?" Mako offered, his voice sweeter than honey, "Would you like a tea or coffee?"

Two-Toed Ping's jaw nearly hit the floor, which caused Lin to chuckle. The police chief excused herself from the room, leaving Mako alone with his fellow fire bender. Mako took a seat across from Two-Toed Ping, placing his hands on the table and stared silently forward. Seconds ticked by, soon turning into minutes. With nothing but the ventilation and the tapping of Mako's fingers on the table, the room soon sent chills into Two-Toed Ping. "Come on, what's the catch over here?" Two-Toed Ping demanded, "How long has it been since your chief stepped out?"

Mako glanced at his watch, doing the sum in his head before heading to the door. He opened it and stuck his head out, waving at Lin to re-enter. "She got you a drink, but she also went next door to see the other interrogation," Mako reported, holding the door open for Lin, "Those guys were at it with Mushi for about half an hour now, and it seems like he spilled."

Lin placed a cup before Two-Toed Ping before taking her previous spot. "You buddy Mushi just told Saikhan and Song that you masterminded the whole riot," the chief described with a smirk, "And we have a witness with photographic memory pointing out where each Triple Threats member went during the riots. You still want to deny your leadership?"

"What? Mushi said that? He's lying!" Two-Toed Ping exclaimed, nearly shooting out of his chair, "It was all Zaheer's plan. He and the Red Lotus blackmailed us into helping them. We tried to fight them but they overpowered us. Now we must follow his orders or we're all dead!"

By the time Two-Toed Ping finished his rant, Lin already scribbled everything down. "Now is that so hard?" Lin replied with a chuckle. Watching Two-Toed Ping's face go paler than before, Lin picked up her own mug and took a sip. "Why don't you give us more details, and this time speak right into the recorder. I've got one in the other room, and Mako has his own one."

Two-Toed Ping shakily turned to Mako, who waved his cellphone in the criminal's face. "I recorded your every word," he pointed out, gesturing at the audio function, "So let's hear what you know about the Red Lotus and if you have any idea of their whereabouts, okay?"

"Alright, I appreciate your updates. Thank you for your hard work, Lin," Tenzin stated into his cellphone before ending the call. It was a stroke of incredible luck when Lin provided him with the latest update. A Triple Threats member identified a connection between the Triple Threats and the Red Lotus. Now, with that lead, the police were getting closer to filing charges against certain individuals. They could potentially track down the Red Lotus themselves too.

Slipping his cellphone back into his pocket, Tenzin re-entered the room where Senna and Buttercup were. Kya was with the medical team monitoring every aspect, and already Tenzin could see an improvement from before. Neither Senna nor Buttercup required an oxygen mask to breathe, and today they even sat up a bit more instead of being completely reclined. "How are they doing today? Did they react further to any stimulus?" Tenzin asked.

Kya lifted her head from Buttercup, glancing between the clipboard and her brother. "Not yet, so far," she responded, "Remember when Dad told us the story about when he was a kid, his guardian was in a coma? It took him weeks before he spoke, and months before he walked again. If they only reacted a few days ago, it'll be a long time before we reach that stage."

"I see," Tenzin murmured, watching as Kya moved from Buttercup to Senna, "I hope they can give their version of events when they wake up. We've got a lead on the Red Lotus, and I think we can close in on them really soon."

Kya listened intently while directing the nurses with further instructions. She was very surprised that Mako could get one Triple Threats member to talk by pretending another already revealed. "Two-Toed Ping mustn't be very smart to fall for something like that," Kya pointed out, scribbling some notes on the pages at her clipboard, "So did Mako and Lin even interview Mushi at all, or was it all a big make-pretend at that point?"

"They did interrogate Mushi later on, but Ping spilled because Mako bluffed him so well," Tenzin replied, leaning his back against the wall near the door, "I wonder why Lin won't give Mako more chances, given how well he does his job. Bumi had dinner with Mako once and said he was fantastic. Lin should be very fortunate to employ such great staff."

Kya smiled and nodded. "Do you have any other meetings today?" she queried, "There's some international incident at the South Pole, and Tarrlok still had his anti-terrorist taskforce on the loose. What's next on the agenda for you?"

"The South Pole slowed down for now, with our diplomats on the way there. Even though Chief Unalaq hasn't responded to us in person, we hope the situation on the ground is still stable," Tenzin reported, "As for the taskforce, Varrick and Zhu Li are released, so Korra will have some stability at home. We still have no results from the investigation of Hiroshi Sato, and Asami insisted she will clear his name."

Before Kya could say another word, one of the nurses approached the physician. "I'm sorry for interrupting, Dr. Anil and Mr. Vice President, but we thought we just heard the patient just whisper something," the nurse reported, pointing to Senna.

Kya tilted an eyebrow and slowly leaned down. Tenzin also gingerly stepped forward, getting a good look at the wife of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Unlike Buttercup, whose had dropped eyelids, Senna's eyes were much wider, the bright blues like they spotted her sliver of hope and eager to dart towards it. "Senna, I'm Kya," the physician stated, placing her ear on the side of Senna's head, "Are you alright? What are you trying to tell us?"

"Daugh…ter…" Senna whispered, her lips barely moving. Kya had to crane her ear just to catch Senna say it again, each syllable taking an enormous effort. "Daugh...ter…"

"Did Senna say daughter?" Tenzin inquired, his eyebrows creasing more than ever, "Last time I checked, Senna doesn't have a daughter. I've known Tonraq for almost thirty years, and I've never seen him and Senna mention having a child or bringing their child with them to any function. What's the meaning of this? Is Senna recovering correctly?"

"I'm not sure," Kya replied, writing down what she observed, "I do know that some patients who wake up out of comas might regain their functions, but their brains are still in an unclear state. Senna might be thinking about someone else's daughter, and mixed it up as her own. She might even be referring to me, since Tonraq is Uncle Sokka's apprentice once upon a time. Since I'm her current physician, maybe she's referring to Katara's daughter, which is me."

Tenzin bit his lower lip while stroking his long beard. "So are you saying Senna is so confused that she doesn't know what she's talking about?" the air bender asked, still not able to digest all this, "Or does she really have a daughter that none of us know about?"

"I'm not sure," Kya responded, flipping through her notes again, "We should get the psychiatric experts in here, and maybe even Mom as well. You inform the rest of the cabinet, but let's not get our hopes up too much until we confirm this."

Tenzin nodded. Immediately, he and Kya went their separate ways. Tenzin sent a message to his assistant at his office, informing the assistant to gather all the cabinet members to come to the hospital for an emergency meeting. Meanwhile, Kya rushed off to contact the psychiatry unit, asking for any expert available to come to Senna as early as possible. She also called Bumi and Katara to update them on these developments. Given how close their family was to Tonraq and Senna, Kya was sure Bumi and Katara wanted to check on their friend.

Before long, several members of the cabinet, along with important government personnel and friends of Buttercup and Senna gathered. Tenzin and Kya stood at the front, gazing at the entire group seated in the patient lounge of the unit. Bumi and Katara sat in the front row, along with Tarrlok and Iroh. Various government aides and national security personnel were at the back, all the while local police kept the doors locked, as to prevent the press or any unauthorized people from entering. Glancing at Tenzin one more time, Kya nodded her head to the air bender.

The vice president stepped up and, quickly clearing his throat, addressed the group before him. "Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for joining me on such short notice," he declared, "You are all gathered here because the First Lady and Mrs. Arnook are exhibiting signs of emerging from their comas, which should help us greatly into our investigations."

Tenzin, with Kya's assistance, then went on at length about the emergence from comas and what recovery was required, along with the strange comment made by Senna not long ago. "I know it's not the highest priority right now, but we should check into the truth of that comment," Tenzin pointed out, flipping through the notes Kya handed him, "If her family is missing a child, then the appropriate department should investigate the matter."

Immediately, the group murmured amongst themselves. But there was one particular person who was not exactly impressed by the announcement. Tarrlok whipped out his cellphone and glanced at the messages section, frowning the entire way. While he had relative control over the taskforce, Tarrlok knew it would only last until Raiko awoke again. With the way things were going, he had to act quickly if he wanted to succeed in his overall plan. Tapping the button for his schedule, he made a new entry into the week before putting his phone away once more.

Unalaq stood stoically at the head of the planning table of his warship. He observed the plans his crew made for the invasion of the Southern Water Tribe. His team arrived at the vicinity of the Southern Water Tribe just less than two weeks ago. Since then, Unalaq had sent teams in to scout the area. While there was no actual invasion force yet, Unalaq knew it was only a matter of time before he pushed forward with uniting the two tribes.

"The leadership of the defence force is currently led by fairly junior members, given the state of Tonraq," one of Unalaq's assistants explained, much to the delight of the Northern Water Tribe chief. Unalaq was dismayed that the Red Lotus could not finish the job by killing Raiko. However, putting Tonraq in a coma bought him more time. With no senior leadership at the Southern Water Tribe, things would stay in disarray for at least until Tonraq was awake. This would give Unalaq the time required to do some major damage here.

"If there's nothing further to add here, then let's just break for now. We'll wait for the right opportunity to strike," Unalaq declared, dismissing the group from their meeting. As the group left the room, Unalaq trudged back into his office, still thinking about how to address the current situation. Despite Tonraq's incapacity, the United Republic, under the interim leadership of Vice President Tenzin Anil, sent a team of diplomats to negotiate with him. Unalaq really had no time to deal with those diplomats, as all they did was delay and obstruct his every move.

Unalaq returned to his room and closed the door. Those diplomats kept asking for further negotiations and a peaceful resolution. Going straight to his desk, Unalaq grabbed the phone and dialled for Republic City. Even if he could not get the United Republic to back down, he could at least run interference, which was what he hoped Tarrlok would do for him right now.

It took a couple of rings before Tarrlok picked up, and Unalaq did not pull any punches with the Minister of National Defence. "Tarrlok, I don't know what you've been doing right now. Your first and only priority is to stop your vice president's diplomacy efforts," Unalaq ordered, "At this rate, it'll only be a matter of time before the United Forces are sent here!"

"Don't worry about the United Forces, because even if the president wakes up, I still have control over them," Tarrlok responded, "I'm more surprised how quickly you invaded the Southern Water Tribe, given how worried Tenzin got earlier. I have to say, Unalaq, this is not what I expected with our collaboration. I know you want me to give the Northern Water Tribe the advantage, but I didn't expect it to mean taking over the Southern Water Tribe."

Unalaq chuckled. "It's good that you can read between the lines, but your view of the world is still too narrow," Unalaq chided Tarrlok, "The two tribes were one to begin with. The South Pole was first colonized by our people, and we always had ties. Before this whole secession movement began, the Northern Water Tribe had control over those guys. We're just reuniting the tribes. If we can't do it via economics and trade, then we'll do it militarily."

"Unless the president or Tonraq wake up, I can run interference from here. Don't forget Hiroshi Sato is still detained, even though Varrick and Zhu Li Moon have been released," Tarrlok pointed out, causing Unalaq to make an unimpressed frown. With the ties Varrick and Zhu Li had to the Southern Water Tribe, they might still supply the Southern Water Tribe with weapons and technology. "Buttercup Raiko and Senna both showed signs of waking, and Senna in her semi-dazed state mentioned something about seeing her daughter. Do you know what she's talking about? My understanding is that Tonraq and Senna have no children of their own."

Unalaq creased his eyebrows again. This was not a development he liked. He could not give instructions without giving away his advantage. "Did your government look into this yet?" Unalaq demanded, "If they start a search, then we're in trouble."

"No, not now," Tarrlok replied, his tone slightly frazzled by the unusual topic, "The vice president wants to investigate. But the Red Lotus still at large and the Triple Threats are coming back into the picture. Senna's family is not a high priority now."

"Keep it that way, because this descendant will affect the whole plan. I'm also Tonraq's brother, so this unknown person is also related to me," Unalaq pointed out, his hand tightening on the phone, "I don't want a mysterious family reunion, so stall them as long as you can."

Unalaq then hung up the phone, mulling over the situation at Republic City. With so much uncertainty over there, Unalaq could only move forward smoothly if the Red Lotus caused more mayhem. Grabbing his phone again, Unalaq made another call, this time to the leader of the Red Lotus. "Let's see what Zaheer can do for me," he murmured.

When Zaheer finally picked up, Unalaq gave brand new instructions to the air bender. "You have to be the centre of attention again," Unalaq suggested, filling Zaheer in on everything that had happened, "If those guys wake up from their comas, then all our efforts are wasted. So it's either you give me support at the United Republic, or I'll have to divert some of my forces over there, which will leave me shorthanded in the Southern Water Tribe."

"Do you want us to attack the United Republic, or should we target elsewhere?" Zaheer asked, "Things are messy here, but I think we can do some damage in other areas. If we can get the military out of the Republic, then it leaves them vulnerable."

"You also have to worry about the Interpol after what happened at the attempted assassination," Unalaq pointed out, flipping through his notes once more. The Southern Water Tribe had outside allies supporting it, including support by the Fire Nation. "Maybe you can cause some havoc in the Fire Nation. After all, the general of the United Forces is a Fire Nation prince, and maybe we should make him sweat some."

After Zaheer agreed, Unalaq hung up once more. Glancing back at his plans, he thought about what could be done at which time. "I give myself no more than two months to infiltrate the Southern Water Tribe, which reaches into their spring," he muttered to himself, "Then I still have time to travel to the United Republic and cause more havoc there before their election nominees are named. If this can be done before the New Year, then I have full control of everything."

At the same time, Unalaq was moderately aware of the mysterious relative that Tarrlok spoke of. He knew that during the civil war, Senna had given birth to a child, even though Tonraq never introduced the child to Unalaq. He was aware that Tonraq shipped the child out of the Southern Water Tribe as a guest of war, and that child grew up under the care of an affluent couple in Republic City. While Unalaq had not kept in touch with that child at all, he knew who that child was and what threat that child could put to him. "Here's hoping that Tonraq doesn't wake up and Senna doesn't get her family reunion," he murmured.

Turning back to his war plans, Unalaq prepared the next steps for his invasion. While he could always appear to be conciliatory before the United Republic's diplomats, he knew outside help must be relied upon. If the Red Lotus caused problems for the Fire Nation, it would spread the Southern Water Tribe's defences thin, making this target prime for his taking.

And we still have our usual list of inspirations to get to:

1.) SaoirseParisa deserves a lot of credit for editing the first scene, where Korra and Asami renew their friendship but are hesitant to take their relationship further at this point. We decided that they should talk it out and just be calm about the whole thing, all the while being mindful that Asami is trying to redeem herself while Korra is still uncomfortable with what happened. Korra's autism also plays a factor because her brain is not wired to process all this info at once. She will become withdrawn and hesitant, making any progress in their relationship very difficult. Thanks so much for giving me this advice, and I hope this covers the issues we discussed.

2.) Wildstar93 deserves a lot of credit for editing the second scene, where Kuvira and Opal confront Bolin. In my headcanon, before Kuvira became the Great Uniter, she has very good ties with Suyin's family and treats them all, including Opal, like her siblings. Since she is not and will not become the Great Uniter in this AU, I see this relationship continuing the way it does. Opal is more likely to confide in Kuvira instead of Lin, given Kuvira is dating Baatar Jr. We discussed how this relates to the way Bolin is being treated, which is that he is manipulated to the point of helplessness. Unlike a certain other fic I helped edit, which is so awful that I refuse to even say its name or its writer, Bolin will get himself out of it, and there are others who will help him. Again, thank you kindly for every advice you gave me, and we will see Bolin redeem himself as well.

3.) The coma recovery scene is a continuation from what occurred a few chapters back, and is also recycled from my Avatar modern AU. In that story, it was Gyatso who was in a coma and Aang who was concerned about the recovery. Tenzin and Kya mentioning those tidbits are references to that fic, and the medical knowledge I used from there. For medical and nursing advice, I have to, once again, thank Kelev for her input. She is just amazing with this stuff and I don't know where I'd be in these fics on medical and nursing issues without her.

4.) Opal telling Bolin to leave and that he chose his side is from "Enemy at the Gates" in Book 4 where she said something identical to him. Varrick insisting that him and Zhu Li get their own special cell in jail is from "Night of a Thousand Stars" in Book 2 where he and Zhu Li had their own special cell to stay in at the penitentiary. Varrick stating that Zhu Li could carry him on her back with a sprained ankle is from "Reunion" in Book 4 where he said something identical when he was escaping Earth Empire Troops. And Mako and Lin bluffing Two-Toed Ping into talking by pretending that his associate already revealed the truth is from "Turf Wars, Part 1" where they employed the same trick on Two-Toed Ping, getting the exact same result.

Thank you very much for reviewing this chapter, and I hope next chapter will excite you as much as this one did!