The update is a little later than expected, but here we are nonetheless. I want to thank Maria Sato, SaoirseParisa, and Taurus The Dragon for reviewing the previous chapter. It's also interesting that we're posting this new chapter today, because today is the 30th anniversary of the release of "Rain Man" in 1988. I always say that Korra's mannerisms are based on the lead character, and what better way to celebrate that than to have an autistic character initiate the plan to save everyone? If you want to check out how she does it, then you have to read this crazy ride of a chapter!
Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own the Legend of Korra.
Tarrlok readjusted the cuffs of his suit jacket while his eyes darted around the wide hall. Tonight was the night when the candidates were to be confirmed, and he was amongst those who had enough nominations. He already had a speech planned to steal the thunder back from Tonraq. His rival had the audacity to have Senna and Korra join him on stage, all the while Varrick, Zhu Li, and the Satos sat in the audience. "If this is not an attempt to make me look bad, then I don't know what is," Tarrlok muttered to himself.
At the same time, he was surprised to see that, among the foreign dignitaries, Unalaq was in the crowd. The Northern Water Tribe leader did not mingle much with anyone, nor did he approach Tarrlok to greet him. Instead, it was like Unalaq had his mind occupied with another thought, and that he was only here for perfunctory reasons. It was very unlike Unalaq to not drop by his way, given Unalaq loved to demonstrate his control at any given time. Why would he be here if he had no intention to meet the candidates?
Tarrlok's eyes turned back to the side door, where the candidates were to enter in order to wait backstage. Raiko was speaking with some candidates, including Tonraq, who marched in with Senna and Korra. He knew the candidates had to congregate soon, but he also wanted to keep a distance between himself and Korra. After all the times Korra made him look bad, the last thing he wanted was to have a blow-up at such an important moment.
"Excuse me, Minister Yakone," a female voice from behind Tarrlok called. Tarrlok turned just in time to see Ginger saunter up to him, eyeing him with half-dropped eyelids. "I hope you will remember some of the things I requested when I helped you with your speech. You won't forget how that can affect the race, especially your chief opponent, right?"
Tarrlok snarled as Ginger crossed her arms. He thought he lost Unalaq in the control department, but it seemed like Ginger was just as bad. "I'm perfectly fine taking care of that," he responded curtly, "However, I remind you not to associate too closely with me right now. The public isn't aware of our alliance yet, and now is not the time to rock the boat."
Ginger smirked again. "I'm surprised you would say that, Minister. You've spent so much time hiding your family past, even when all that is public knowledge," the socialite remarked, "And it's no secret either that you have ties to the Northern Water Tribe and Unalaq. So why would you be worried about being seen in public with me?"
Tarrlok really had to bite his tongue at Ginger's comment, which was a low blow even for someone like her. It was true that being the son of a crime lord and the brother of a terrorist did Tarrlok no favours, but it wasn't like Tarrlok didn't break away from them. For the last two decades, Tarrlok was careful to craft himself as a clean politician, trying to do the right thing while garnering support everywhere he went. There was a reason why he got enough votes to be made a minister, becoming the youngest member of cabinet when Raiko appointed him the post of Minister of National Defence during the latter's first term.
Tarrlok turned back at Ginger, glaring at her for a few more seconds before marching off. He didn't even have to look to know that Ginger was headed back for her seat, the smirk not leaving her face for a second. Despite his resentment for being controlled, Tarrlok had to admit that this was indeed the case. Even after getting out of his father's control and his brother's shadow, Tarrlok was still under the influence of Unalaq, Ginger, and other people. It was all to maintain his squeaky clean image, even though Tarrlok knew he did some underhanded things during his time in power. Sometimes he wondered if it was all worth it, given how much he just wanted to have a peaceful time away from the turmoil in his life.
The backstage area was a totally different animal compared to the outside ballroom. Compared to the wide room with various tables set up and VIP's conversing with one another, the backstage was much more narrow and hectic. Stage hands ran back and forth trying to set up the event, while candidates discussed mainly with their families or aides. Tarrlok glanced over to see Korra speaking with her parents, and he made an effort to beeline away from their area. Raiko had yet to enter the room, as it was tradition that the outgoing president introduced and confirmed the candidates. With Raiko planning to leave everything to Tenzin after nomination, Tarrlok knew it was not a night he would enjoy.
Finding a corner where he would not draw attention, Tarrlok pulled out his cue cards from his jacket pocket and reviewed them once more. He had to admit that despite his awkward allegiance to Ginger, the socialite was an expert marketer. She hit on all the points that Tarrlok wanted to hit, such as cleaning up the government system and eliminating bureaucracy. But most importantly, she did it in such a way that spun all negative connotations into positive traits. Even with Korra present on Tonraq's campaign, Tarrlok knew she would have trouble turning the votes against him. With Ginger knowing Korra's background by virtue of their history at Future Industries, it felt like Tarrlok's momentum had been fully restored.
"Minister Yakone, if you please?" a voice gently called to him. Tarrlok looked up from his notes and saw a security guard ushering him to the group. "We just have a quick briefing to do before we start our event. Will you please join us as we go over the security details?"
Tarrlok looked around and realized how close he was to the doors leading back outside. He was supposed to wait in the back with the rest of the candidates and their loved ones. Then, once Raiko introduced them, they would enter the stage through the curtains. Given his role in directing the Department of Public Safety, Tarrlok knew these protocols like the back of his own hand. While he was proud to come up with them, he also knew how troublesome they could be.
As Tarrlok marched to join the group, he noticed some waiters and caterers nearby. He was aware that a banquet would be held after all the speeches were done, but Tarrlok wondered why the catering staff would loiter back here. Of particular interest was a bald waiter with a scar on his left eyebrow. It seemed like he was leading this group, discussing quietly with them while well within sight of the candidates. Why would they be here and not waiting at tables?
"We will have the president give the first welcoming speech, and then the candidates will be named one by one," the head of the security detail explained, gesturing at the curtains. Tarrlok snapped his eyes back to the group, focusing on what would happen next. "Security will be at the sides of the stage and in the back, and we will be in your view the entire time. Once the speeches are done and the next person is announced, please step into the designated area for candidates. When all candidates are done, we do a quick photo shoot and we'll escort you to your seats."
But while Tarrlok was being briefed by the security detail, he could not help but notice that the waiters now shuffled outside. The bald waiter was the only one left, and he picked up his phone once more. Tarrlok wasn't sure what was going on, but he found this waiter's conduct quite questionable. While it wasn't suspicious per se, Tarrlok really wanted to know what was going on with this individual. There was just a bad vibe coming off of this person, and at this point Tarrlok just did not feel safe with this individual present. Excusing himself from the group, Tarrlok approached a member of his security detail. "Do you see that bald waiter standing at the edge?" he pointed out to the security guard, "Ask him to leave and keep an eye on him."
The security guard nodded, but as soon as he made his move, the bald waiter with the stranger scar moved out of their sight. That left Tarrlok dumbfounded, as it was almost like the man could guess exactly what they were saying. Where could he have possibly gone? "Follow him and keep watching him. Something is wrong and I want to know what," Tarrlok demanded.
"So Mom, what do you think of the candidates?" Opal asked, glancing over at the older woman seated on her left. Suyin, Kuvira, and Opal all made it back from Zaofu after the New Year holiday, and Suyin decided to stay behind to see the nomination. As part of the leadership of Zaofu, Suyin was a recognized political leader and was granted access to the convention, which also allowed Opal and Kuvira to tag along. "Does anyone stick out as someone Zaofu may work with in the long run?" the air bender queried.
Suyin clacked her tongue, her eyes scanning through her set of notes. "Well, I do have my biases, but I'm not afraid to let that show by saying Tonraq Arnook is my favourite," she replied, tapping a finger on a specific line, "I'm not saying that because you work with Korra, nor am I saying that because of our family history with the Southern Water Tribe. Those are partly why I like him, but there are other reasons as well."
"I have some idea what some of those reasons are, but I hope the other reasons are the same as mine," Kuvira stated from Opal's right. The head of Zaofu's security forces took a long sip of water before scanning the stage once more. It was still empty, but she figured the VIP's would march in soon enough. "One of my reasons is that he's the best candidate to defeat that Tarrlok Yakone, who's just been an absolute thorn. Much as I criticize Korra for how she dealt with the warehouse fiasco, I can't overlook how many rules Tarrlok broke to get his way."
"Well, I don't doubt that, and his family history doesn't help. I know he'll keep trying and trying to hide it, but he can't run away from the unsavouriness that lingers with the Yakone name," Suyin added, flipping another page and pointing out the points regarding Tarrlok's father and brother, "And add the most recent shenanigan about the warehouse, and how Korra took him apart at a supposedly confidential cabinet meeting, and I say Tarrlok has just become his father."
Opal fumed, still thinking about the way Tarrlok treated everyone. It didn't help that part of the consequences involved Bolin siding with Ginger in desperation, causing a rift amongst the group. "It makes me wonder who that guy is aligning with," Opal murmured to herself.
Suyin caught her daughter's comment and slowly closed her notebook. "Politics isn't an easy game, Opal," she responded, placing a hand on the air bender's shoulder, "You have to make alliances, hope those alliances help you get to the top, and then reward some of them while keeping others loyal. There's no doubt every candidate has to make alliances, but it's about how smart you are about making them. Tarrlok definitely bet his money on the wrong ostrich horse, and even though he's still near the top in support, I can't see it lasting during the campaign."
Before another word was said, a voice called from the stage. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to tonight's ceremony to confirm the nominations for the upcoming presidential election," the host, a thin unimposing man wearing a tuxedo announced from the stage. The young man adjusted the microphone on the podium slightly before glancing back at the crowd, and Opal now kept her eyes directly back to him. "At this time, we would like to introduce all the candidates and their families to the stage. They will confirm their nominations and introduce themselves and their platforms to you all."
A loud round of applause echoed through the hall, with Opal following suit. She took a look around her and saw Suyin emotionless but listening with interest. Meanwhile, to her right, Kuvira's eyes seemed to alternate between the stage and the walls on the side. Opal wasn't sure why she kept peering over, but figured that it had something to do with security. She knew that the Red Lotus could be in Republic City, and this event was as good as any other to strike. Opal also observed that security was heavier today than usual, but nothing so far made her feel unsafe. Was Kuvira just making sure that the United Republic security forces did their job right?
"The next candidate is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Please welcome Tonraq Arnook," the host declared. A huge grin appeared on Opal's face as the large man appeared with his petite wife, causing Opal to clap enthusiastically. She glanced over a few tables across and saw Varrick, Zhu Li, and Asami's family, all of whom cheering heartily as well. After waving to the crowd, Tonraq and Senna stood back with the rest of the candidates.
But oddly enough, Korra was nowhere to be found on stage. Despite telling Asami, Opal, and everyone else that she would join Tonraq and Senna, the autistic water bender was not with her parents when her father's name was called. "Hey, do you know what happened to Korra?" Opal whispered to Suyin, "Why isn't she on the stage with them?"
"And here are all our confirmed nominated candidates, so please give them another round of applause," the announcer stated once more. Opal clapped along with the crowd, scanning the people on stage again. By now, Tarrlok was also on stage, but he certainly didn't seem pompous and arrogant. Instead, it almost looked like he was shielding himself behind a couple of people, and he was closer to the edge of the stage where he came in from rather than front and centre. It was a huge change from what he was usually like, and Opal wasn't sure what to make of that.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and welcome the president of the United Republic, President Raiko!" the announcer declared. At this time, Opal got to her feet and applauded, watching the familiar face of the bespectacled and moustachioed man hobble onto the stage. Despite being out of his coma and active again, it was clear that the Red Lotus incident took a lot out of Raiko. While Opal was sure that Raiko still wanted to fulfill the rest of his term, it was clear that he just wanted it to end so he could enjoy his retirement.
Raiko shook the host's hand before taking the stage. Shuffling his notes a few times, the president adjusted the microphone on the speaker lectern before turning to the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for coming tonight!" he declared.
Before Raiko could say another word, the ground suddenly rumbled. Opal and everyone at her table glanced around, and before her eyes was a strange sight. A man stood at the end of the ballroom, taking a sturdy earth bender stance. However, all the concrete underneath the building rose up and turned into lava, scorching all those near him. Even the security team's best earth benders were no use, as the strange man turned all those rocks into lava as well. It was only a matter of seconds before the man separated all the guests from the main entrance.
Immediately, non-bending security force members pulled out their firearms and instantly shouted at the crowd to duck down. Opal and Suyin followed their instructions, although Kuvira did so hesitantly, still keeping her eyes around for the assailants. But it was all for naught, as an even stranger woman with water tendrils for arms froze them to the walls, and a tall woman with a third eye tattoo used combustion bending to blast them away. "Protect the president and the other candidates!" a security guard yelled before getting blasted by the combustion bender.
The group whipped their heads towards the stage, but the candidates were not going anywhere. Various members of what they supposed were a terrorist group held the president and the candidates at gunpoint, all the while an air bender blasted security personnel to the walls. The bald man marched onto the stage, giving the announcer a death glare, before sending him flying to the other side of the room with an air blast. Giving Raiko and the candidates a look that sent chills up their spines, the man stepped up to the podium. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am Zaheer, the leader of the Red Lotus. And now, you are our hostages," he declared.
Opal looked over at Suyin, who stared back with a look of shock. On Opal's other side, Kuvira glared at the Red Lotus leader, all the while various Red Lotus members in disguise pushed the VIP's to the front. Opal knew Kuvira was probably thinking about how to fight back, but at this point she didn't know what to do. How did the Red Lotus bypass such strict security, and how would they notify the authorities outside? And most importantly, where was Korra?
It seemed like forever since the sounds of battle stopped, but Korra could still feel it in her bones. The water bender never expected a bathroom break to end in disaster, especially when Tonraq and Senna were so close to taking the stage. "This is just insane," she muttered.
But here she was, huddled in the far corner of the bathroom, just outside the same stall she was at earlier. She heard the unmistakable sounds of gunfire just outside the bathroom, followed by rapid footsteps and lots of yelling and screaming. Other than diving back into the stall, locking the door, and barricading herself, Korra didn't know what else she could do.
Korra rocked her body back and forth, using her own pounding heart to tell time. For a while, it felt like she was encased in ice to the point of paralysis. The furthest she went from the stall was the corner of the bathroom, leaving her anxiously staring at the bathroom door for intruders. "I hope everyone else is okay," she whispered to herself, pulling out her cellphone.
Just as her shaking hands pulled out her cellphone, Korra paused. What if she sent a text out and that sounded off to the recipient in the assailant's presence? Would that give away her own position, or get the recipient harmed? With no good options around, Korra's frustration rose by the second. "I just can't do this," she stated while clenching her free hand into a fist.
Korra readjusted the grip on her cellphone while placing both hands over her face, rubbing her now squeezed shut eyes. It was like the interrogation all over again, where ice blocks were sent flying at her head and she was powerless to dodge them. She didn't want to be locked in here forever, but she also knew there were dangerous people out there. She wasn't sure if there was any water source outside the bathroom, meaning her water bending would be limited. And if any of those assailants had weapons, Korra wasn't sure if she could survive.
But at the same time, with all her friends and family still in the main ballroom, Korra knew she had to do something. She just renewed ties with Tonraq and Senna, and the former was a VIP tonight. In the crowd were Varrick and Zhu Li, Asami and her family, Opal and her mother, and countless other people. Heck, she even included Tarrlok, even though she didn't care for him. If she stayed here while they all got killed, Korra would never forgive herself.
"One text message, that's it," Korra finally decided, gently lifting her hands away from her face. She took several deep breaths before scrolling through her address book to find the right person to text. She figured that her parents were probably the worst options, given they were VIP's and most likely to be held hostage. "Varrick and Zhu Li are both non-benders, but Zhu Li can fight better than Varrick," she murmured to herself, "Zhu Li would most likely have to protect Varrick, meaning texting her would most likely distract her."
After scrolling through her phone once more, Korra chose her targets. "It'll have to be Asami and Opal," she declared to no one in particular, "Asami fights just as well as Zhu Li, and Opal has air bending, meaning she can bend anytime she wants." With that, Korra clicked on the two names and sent them a message asking where they were and if they were alright.
Korra then glared at her phone, waiting for the seconds to pass before a reply was sent. She wasn't sure if the assailants tried to take away people's cellphones. If so, then Korra's message would be lost, or worse, they would notice that Korra was alive and tried to track her down. Should she have texted Mako, Bolin, or Kai? Why did she miss something that obvious?
After a few agonizing seconds, a ping on Korra's phone got her attention. She flipped to the message screen and saw Opal with a response. "In main ballroom, being held by Red Lotus," she read, getting the chills over her body all over again. So the security guards at the beginning were correct, and there was a terrorist attack! What was she supposed to do now?
Another ping sounded off, this time it was Asami. "Are you safe right now? If you are, then go get help. We are completely surrounded in here," Korra read. Immediately, she realized she was the only chance this group had for outside help. Taking another deep breath, Korra willed herself off the ground and headed for the door, against every muscle in her body.
Turning to her phone once more, Korra sent one quick message to Opal and Asami. "Did you text Mako and Bolin? If not, then I will text them. In the meantime, stay safe while I try to get you out of there." Upon hitting send, Korra knew it was all or nothing.
Korra gently pulled the door open and stuck her head out. There was no one in the hallway to her either side. The bathroom was located on a different hallway from the front door, meaning Korra would have to loop around the building. Korra trotted into the hallway and headed straight for the front door. She still recalled where Mako was when she entered, and her only hope now was to reach him in time. Pulling out her phone, she clicked on Mako, Bolin, and Kai, hoping to send them a text so they were at least aware. "I'll just give them the details in person when I see them," Korra muttered, scrambling for words while hustling down the hall.
But just when she entered the next hall, a voice hollered out. "Hey, you!" someone shouted. A man with a grey goatee and wearing a strange grey suit with a red hood marched up to Korra. "What are you doing here? Are you trying to escape?" he demanded.
Korra instantly turned and sprinted in the other direction, with the other man in hot pursuit. She would not be surprised if the stranger, whom Korra was sure was a Red Lotus member, would be asking for reinforcements right now. Seeing a door nearby, Korra pushed through and threw herself to the side, hoping the Red Lotus member didn't see her.
"Where did she go?" the Red Lotus member shouted from the outside. Korra knew he had a backup now, meaning the only choice she had was to fight back. Korra lifted her head to survey her surroundings, and found herself in the kitchen, where all sorts of liquids were available. There were even pots boiling water, most likely to prepare tonight's banquet. With hot water at her disposal, Korra was now in the perfect position to retaliate.
She stood from her position and marched straight to the closest pot, which happened to be filled with boiling water. Waving her arms around, she gathered some of the liquid and held it around her body. Then, focusing all her attention on the kitchen door, Korra rushed out straight into the hall. In another stroke of luck, Korra caught both Red Lotus members off guard, as their backs were to her. "Eat this!" she yelled, flinging the water just as they turned around.
The boiling water did the trick, scalding the Red Lotus men right in the face. Using all her momentum, Korra then hardened the water into ice and hurled the blocks at their heads, each one landing with a sickening thud. Even if they weren't unconscious, Korra was sure she gave them both concussions. Glancing around once more, Korra noticed a nearby broom closet, and she didn't even hesitate. With whatever remaining water left, she wrapped those two in with a water tendril and, whipping the broom closet open, hurled them in as hard as she could.
Korra made sure to grab a broom before closing the closet, sliding the broom over the latch to ensure they could not get out. Now that Korra had a potential weapon, she could turn the tides. Quickly finishing her text to Mako, Bolin, and Kai, Korra hurried back into the kitchen. This time, she turned her attention to Opal and Asami, informing them where she was and what she discovered. "It's time to throw the Red Lotus out of here," she stated with determination.
"This is absolutely unacceptable. I want a report ASAP on what happened to our internal security and how in the world a slew of Red Lotus terrorists got inside the convention centre!" Lin Bei Fong demanded, leaning her head into the lead police van that housed the surveillance equipment. Word soon got out that the convention centre was subject to an attack, with the VIP's and presidential candidates all held hostage. By the time Lin had her team regroup, the Red Lotus initiated a lockdown, barricading themselves within the building. "We're supposed to have top security for tonight, so who dropped the ball?" she yelled.
"Do we have any word from inside on what the Red Lotus' demands are?" Saikhan chimed in, craning his head to see what the technology experts had on their screens, "How about the other people? Are they all being held by the Red Lotus right now?"
From behind the crowd at the van, Mako could only look on in worry. He knew Korra, Asami, Opal, and their families were all in there. When he was at the front, he did not notice any Red Lotus members, which was surprising given all the tips they received about the Red Lotus potentially crashing this event. Did the Red Lotus hide themselves this well, or did somebody inside assist them with getting in? Whatever the case, Mako could only hope they could resolve this soon, before disaster struck further for their group.
"Lu and Gang again, why am I not surprised?" Lin shouted. That got Mako raising an eyebrow, and the fire bender could not help but take a few steps closer to the van. Peeking over several senior officers' shoulders, he could see one of the screens handled by the technology expert. The security footage showed an unmistakable shot of his nemeses trying to guard an entrance, only to be completely blindsided from behind and knocked unconscious. Even though Mako would love to see Lu and Gang get humiliated in public, he certainly didn't want the Red Lotus to kill them. "When we get out of this, I am so demoting them!"
"Hey, Mako," a voice called from behind him. The fire bender turned around to see his brother leaning right up against the police line. Bolin had his cellphone out and waved it around excitedly. "I think Korra got out okay, because she sent me this text from inside."
Mako excused himself from the police van and stepped closer to his brother. From behind, Kai also stepped forward, showing Mako his cellphone as well. "I got the same text message," the air bender described, "She said she took out a couple of Red Lotus guys, locked them in a broom closet, and now she's in the kitchen."
Mako hurriedly reached into his pocket and fumbled for his cellphone. Indeed, he received the same message from Korra, but didn't get a chance to read it due to focusing on his job. "That might mean not all the hostages are captured, and we might have a way to get our guys inside," Mako exclaimed. With that, he excitedly trotted to Lin's direction.
Elbowing his way to the front, Mako grabbed Lin by the shoulder, ignoring her attempt to snap at him and forcing her attention on the phone. "Chief, Korra is inside and she has some idea what's going on," Mako explained, "If we establish a link, then we can…"
Just then, one of the technology experts interjected. "Chief, I have a call from the interior. It seems to be Zaheer, the leader of the Red Lotus," he pointed out, waving at another screen.
Lin, Saikhan, Mako, and all other officers nearby focused on the largest screen in the van. Even Bolin, Kai, Toza, and Yung, who were amongst the crowd, could not help but look in. The screen showed a bald man with a distinct scar over one eyebrow, and behind him lined scores of VIP's. "Attention Republic City, I am Zaheer of the Red Lotus," the man announced, "I have the presidential candidates and President Raiko behind me, and they are my hostages. I inform the citizens of the United Republic that as long as I have these people in this room, your government must unconditionally meet all of my group's demands."
The group all glanced nervously at the screen while Zaheer continued in his broadcast. "In the next fifteen minutes, I would like your Vice President Tenzin Anil, a fellow air bender, to be in communication with me to meet my next demands. If Vice President Anil does not appear, or he is not prepared to meet our demands, then I will wipe out these hostages. We will kill a hostage every fifteen minutes until our demands are met. The clock is ticking, so I suggest you make haste and bring me the vice president."
The message soon disconnected from the screen, sending chills up everyone's spines. While Lin and Saikhan commented on what a madman Zaheer was, something else came across Mako's mind. Whipping out his cellphone, he immediately texted Korra. "From your place in the kitchen, can you see what's going on at the main ballroom?" he typed into the message.
"Hey, Mako," Bolin called again. Mako glanced up and saw his brother take a gander around the large convention hall. "How do you think those terrorists got in? I mean, even if they knocked out your two rivals, they probably can't go far. Do you think you can check the cameras or something to see who might have helped them?"
"Wait a minute, are you suggesting that there's a mole inside?" Toza inquired, furrowing his brows while splitting his attention between his foster child and the police van, "Why would a government official from the United Republic help out a well-known terrorist group?"
Mako shook his head. "It doesn't necessarily have to be from the United Republic," he replied, flipping through his phone once more, "State-sponsored terrorism is something that I ran across when I was researching the Red Lotus in the Fire Nation. There have been rumours that a certain political leader has been pretty active in funneling support to them. With the nomination confirmation happening tonight, it won't surprise me if he tries something weird."
"Mako, stop talking to your family and come over here," Lin barked, waving her hand at the fire bender, "Vice President Anil is rushing over and he'll arrive at any minute. We have to come up with a game plan so we can at least respond to Zaheer. Most importantly, we still have to set up a reconnaissance team to isolate all the threats."
Mako slowly edged towards Lin, but not before clicking on the messages section on his cellphone again. "No need, Chief, because we already have a reconnaissance inside," he pointed out, showing Lin the messages page, "Did you know that Korra is still not captured?"
Lin and Saikhan stared incredulously at each other before turning back to Mako. "Is she okay? Where is she right now? How did the Red Lotus not capture her?" Saikhan inquired.
"Never mind that, we'll figure it out later," Lin replied. Turning back to Mako, she brought him into the van. "Ask Korra to look around and see if she can identify anyone or anything around her. Maybe they can be used to our advantage. In the meantime, our team will log into the convention centre's security system and check all camera footage for the mole."
As Mako slipped into the van, his friends and family outside could not help but let out a small cheer. Knowing Korra's observation skills, they were sure she would find a way out. "In the meantime, let's keep an eye out for everything out here," Yung suggested, leading the group back to the front, where they had a perfect view of the convention centre entrance, "If some of the Red Lotus people come out to terrorize us, we'll hit them back with everything we got!"
Asami and Opal glanced nervously at the scene before them, all the while hiding their cellphones from view. To no one's surprise, the Red Lotus took all the VIP's and kept them on stage. Their senior leadership of special benders guarded the stage while junior members surrounded them with gunpoint. They also separated the people in the crowd via their bending abilities, making it difficult for anyone to defend themselves. "It's a good thing they kept the non-benders with the air benders, or we'll never be able to contact Korra," Asami stated.
Opal nodded. She could see that the earth benders were forced at gunpoint to step onto a wooden platform at least three feet off the ground. It meant the earth benders could not use the concrete underneath the building to their advantage. The fire benders were kept in the coldest part of the conference hall and away from electric sockets. The water benders had all fluids kept away from them. "We air benders can air bend at any time, and I'm guessing that's why they had guys with the most powerful guns in front of us," Opal replied, gesturing to the front.
Indeed, marching in front of them were two Red Lotus members, each holding what appeared to be semi-automatic weapons. In their haste to keep everyone apart, they neglected to confiscate cellphones and other electronic devices. That gave Asami and Opal the opportunity to communicate with the outside world. Now that they turned their phones to silent, and they knew Korra was free in the building, they had to get to her. "Korra is our only chance of getting any help from the outside, so let's hope she did reach Mako and the police," Asami added.
Asami and Opal felt buzzing in their hands, and both young women turned back to their phones. This time, the message was from Bolin confirming that Mako and the police were indeed aware. "The vice president is on his way," they read, "Hopefully they will negotiate soon."
"I wouldn't get your hopes up," a male voice chimed in. Asami and Opal looked up to see Hiroshi lean his head over. "If I know anything about these terrorist groups, it's that any negotiation with them is a huge risk. They aren't the type to just get some money and run off. They mean business and if they don't get what they want, they will execute the VIP's."
"They already said earlier that one person will be executed every fifteen minutes, and time is just about up," Yasuko added, taking another gander on stage. They had all the VIP's tied at the wrists with plastic zip-ties, and a laptop was set up with webcam function so Zaheer could communicate with the outside world. "If Vice President Anil can't talk these guys down, it will not surprise me if President Raiko is the first to go."
The phone buzzed again, this time from Korra. "Take some photos in secret and text them to us," Asami and Opal read again, "We can then show them to the police so they can identify the perpetrators. It will help them if they plan on getting in here."
"How do you even get any photos of them if you're all the way back here?" Yasuko asked, "We're on the ground at the side of the stage. Based on how low the angle is, we can barely see anyone. And what if we take photos and they notice us?"
"They won't notice you, because I'm about to create a distraction," Varrick stated. Then, without warning, he marched right up to the guard in front of them. "Buddy, I really have to use the bathroom. Just let me out for a second, and I won't bother you for the rest of the day."
The guard shoved Varrick in the chest with the butt of his weapon, demanding Varrick took a seat. However, Varrick stood firm, and in the process drew the attention of the other guard over. It gave Opal and Asami perfect timing to slip out and snap some pictures. "Let me make this clear with you," Varrick lectured, waving a sword-like finger in the guards' faces, "I went through a police check, a national security check, who knows how many pat-downs, and nearly risked being frisked before I'm allowed in here. I really have to use the men's room, and the last thing you want is for me to go in front of you. So you can do me a small favour and let me step out, or my kidneys will explode on you, leaving you to clean up."
"Yes, I can vouch for my husband," Zhu Li interjected, raising her hand and stepping forward. The Varrick couple was doing an excellent job creating a diversion, and no far none of the guards noticed Asami and Opal. "Varrick has a condition called polyuria, meaning he has abnormally large passage of urine. Will you please just do us this kind favour?"
"Okay, I got enough. Let's start sending them," Asami decided, slipping back into the crowd. She crawled back into the formation, positioning herself next to her parents. "You can tell Varrick to cut the act now," she told Hiroshi and Yasuko, "I don't want him to get shot."
Unfortunately, Opal tripped on her dress and stumbled a bit, causing her phone to hit the ground. Despite Opal being in a crawling position and the phone dropping only a small distance, the noise was enough to take the attention off Varrick and Zhu Li. "Hey, what are you doing?" one of the gunmen demanded, "What have you got there?"
Immediately Opal tried to hide her phone, but to no avail. From within the crowd, Asami cursed under her breath, both at her friend being in danger and the fact that the text message was not sent to Korra yet. Realizing the Red Lotus gunman coming down on Opal, and the fact that many other lives were threatened, Asami had to do something. Giving one more desperate look into her parents' eyes, Asami swung her body around and kicked out her legs.
Asami's feet connected with the Red Lotus member's ankles perfectly. The man's stumbles gave Opal time to grab her phone and scurry away. As the air bender tried to get to her feet, she could see the other Red Lotus member being distracted by Varrick and Zhu Li turn his weapon on her. "No, you don't!" Opal yelled, sending a huge air blast in that man's direction.
The trick worked, as it allowed Opal to escape. Meanwhile, Varrick and Zhu Li ran interference, blocking the other Red Lotus member, who had to shove his way out. Seeing the chaos, Asami snatched the weapon the first tripped gunman dropped and followed Opal out. Now that they were out of the ballroom, it was the perfect time to find Korra. "Opal, Korra said she was hiding in the kitchen," Asami whispered to the air bender, "Let's head there right now."
"You heard Zaheer's orders. We find those two girls and kill them on the spot!" Opal and Asami paled upon hearing that comment. They both turned around in time to see the two Red Lotus members they attacked earlier barge out. "There you are!" the one holding the gun snarled.
But that man never got a chance to use it, as a large beam of water slammed right into both men. Hearing the men scream in agony while witnessing steam around, Asami and Opal knew it was boiling water, and the force of the blast could only mean one person. "Hey, are you two okay?" Korra called, sticking her head out of the kitchen.
Asami and Opal breathed a huge sigh of relief to know that their friend was alright. But there were other matters at hand, as there were two assailants they had to disable. "What do you want to do with these two?" Asami asked, snatching the other firearm from the ground.
Korra tilted her head to the broom closet where she held the other two. In the meantime, Opal managed to find extra zip-ties on the Red Lotus gunmen, which were used to tie up the VIP's earlier. Using those very zip-ties, the ladies made quick work of the two and pulled open the closet, where they also zip-tied the unconscious Red Lotus members stashed there. As they locked the door again, Korra beckoned them into the kitchen. "Did you text Mako and the others outside?" she inquired, "Because if we can cause a disturbance, we can do some damage."
Asami and Opal both nodded, the former placing down the two weapons while pulling out her phone. Both of them rapidly sent the photos they took to Mako, Bolin, and Kai, hoping they could inform Lin or Tenzin. "So what's the plan, Korra?" Opal asked, "Even with guns in our hands, we're outnumbered and there are too many hostages. What should we do now?"
"I'm here, Lin," Tenzin called, slipping into the police van and taking a front and centre seat. The vice president of the United Republic was literally rushed from his mansion to the current location after receiving the news. Originally, Tenzin was not to appear until the middle of the events, after all the candidates gave their speeches and Raiko had left the area. But when news got out that the president was held hostage by the Red Lotus, leaving him in charge of the country, Tenzin raced here as quickly as he could. "What's the update?" he inquired.
"Not good, I'm afraid," Lin reported, showing Tenzin printouts of photos texted to Mako and his friends. Luckily, Asami and Opal took pictures of the main ballroom, where Zaheer lined the hostages up on the stage. They texted them to Korra, and she in turn sent them to Mako, Bolin, and Kai. "We have visual confirmation that they are all members of the Red Lotus, including the senior leadership that went missing in the Fire Nation. But right now we still can't confirm the state of the audience, and we can only assume they're also held."
Tenzin rubbed his bearded chin while the creases on his forehead multiplied. Behind him, Pema and his children were placed in a different van where national security personnel guarded them. Jinora was the only one who leaned her head out the van's slightly open door. She tried to get an update from Kai, who showed her his cellphone photos. "Can we establish communication with their leadership? At least we can hear their demands," Tenzin suggested.
Lin shook her head. "I'm not sure how much your aide briefed you when you were on your way here. They explicitly wanted you here before they make their demands," the police chief explained, "They even said if you didn't show up, they will kill a hostage every fifteen minutes. And by the looks of it, time is just about up."
Before Tenzin could say another word, one of the technology experts got his attention. "We have connection from within the ballroom," he reported, putting on his headset and pointing at the main screen. Tenzin leaned closer just as the signal was made, revealing a bald man. "Per your request, we have the vice president, Zaheer," the officer reported.
Zaheer sneered at the screen before beckoning one of his comrades forward. Soon, a limbless female with water tendrils joined the air bender, this time holding an unassuming man with a side comb-over hairstyle. "Mr. Vice President," Zaheer began, standing to the left of the screen while letting the new man take centre stage, "I have with me Mr. Lee, of mixed United Earth States and Fire Nation descent. I believe he is the president's primary assistant. Perhaps we can negotiate with him present, is that agreed?"
"Zaheer, I don't know what you're trying to do. You'll be well-advised that our government has a policy of not negotiating with terrorists," Tenzin warned, speaking into the microphone in as stern a voice as he could muster, "I won't let you use the president and the nominees as hostages, and we will never let you threaten our people."
"Oh, really?" Zaheer retorted with a lifted eyebrow. Meanwhile, the president's assistant now sweated bullets, despite Ming Hua's icy tentacle squeezing him that much harder. "That's very interesting, because if you just cooperate, then everyone here will walk free. I would think a true air bending master like you is willing to set aside the use of force as an option."
Tenzin pursed his lips, which caused a chuckle out of Zaheer. "My goal is to have you relinquish all power of the United Republic's government. I'm not going to take power for myself, but instead you will give power back to the hands of the people. They've had enough of political bureaucrats telling them what to do, and now it's time to free them," the bald man described, "You will complete all relinquishment of power immediately or these hostages, all of whom belong in the halls of oppressors, will die one after the other."
Tenzin sputtered at that request. "First of all, I already told you that we won't negotiate. Secondly, do you know how much of a constitutional issue this is? You can't just relinquish power without legal tools. There's a reason why people choose their governments, so for you to claim that we're oppressors is delusional!" he exclaimed, his bald head becoming redder by the second, "And even if we agree, you should at least give me more time to consult the cabinet!"
Zaheer smirked again before nodding at Ming Hua. Without warning, the water bender thrust a sharpened tendril through the assistant's chest. The man's entire body grew limp and, as the tendril was withdrawn, fell onto the stage, stone cold dead. "See you in fifteen minutes, Vice President Anil," Zaheer responded, "Let's hope you'll be in a more receptive mood then."
Zaheer then cut the line, leaving an eerie silence within the police van. Even the usually unflappable Lin could not help but bring a shaking hand to her forehead, her mouth and throat going completely dry. Meanwhile, Tenzin's head dropped into his arms, too sickened by the cold murderous act he just witnessed. Taking several deep breaths, the older air bender could barely struggle to his legs. Leaning his head out of the police van, he requested for his aide. "Please call the remaining members of cabinet. We have to have an emergency meeting," he ordered.
From just outside the police van, Mako and Bolin instantly pulled out their phones and texted Korra. "A VIP just got killed and they'll kill another one in fifteen minutes. Can you get yourself to safety first?" Bolin read out as he typed the chilling words to his friend.
"Mako, I don't think the Red Lotus will come out," Yung pointed out his observations to the fire bender, "They'll just keep executing VIP after VIP until they're all dead. At this rate, you may have to launch an assault into the ballroom, or else you won't have anyone left in there."
Mako was about to respond but was interrupted by a sudden ping. He glanced down at his phone and saw Korra writing a series of rapid messages to him. "What are you doing, Korra?" Mako muttered, scrolling through the wall of text, "Are you really challenging those guys?"
Soon, Mako got the answer when Kai and Jinora trotted up to them, followed by several national security personnel. While the security guards apologized to Tenzin for letting Jinora slip out of the police van and past them, the two younger air benders compared notes with Mako. "I think Korra wants to use air bending to set off the fire alarm," Kai remarked, "Why else will she ask if air benders can bend smoke created by a fire bender into the sprinklers?"
"Hold on, are there even air benders inside the building that aren't held by the Red Lotus right now?" Toza queried, taking a peek at Bolin's phone, "And even if they aren't held captive, how will setting off the sprinklers get everyone out of there?"
"I think I know," Jinora chimed in, tapping her chin in recollection, "Korra told me that she once tried to fix a leaking pipe at your warehouse and ended up getting drenched. I think she's trying to use the sprinklers as a water source so she can fight back. As for fire and air, we have them right here. At this rate, we might be her only hope to get those people out."
From behind her, Tenzin's eyes grew wide. Was his own daughter suggesting that she wanted to enter the building to challenge these deadly terrorists? He couldn't possibly send her in to face her death. Glancing back at the clock, the air bending master knew time was running out before Zaheer killed another witness, meaning his options were slowly running out.
And we have a huge list of acknowledgements to go through, so stick around as I get through all these:
1.) SaoirseParisa has to get credit for editing the third scene, where Korra was hiding in the bathroom. As we discussed multiple times, Korra's autism makes her different than the show, especially in how she reacts to stressful situations. She can't just go in and kick butt like before, because her brain doesn't allow her to process stress the way most people do. And when she's facing a terrorist attack, she's beyond overstimulated, and it's reached the point of shutdown. I'm glad we discussed how to best portray this and how we can get Korra back into the action. So thank you to SaoirseParisa for your contribution and I hope the scene worked well for its purposes.
2.) There are a list of movies that I used to address the hostage-taking scene, going all the way back to the 1980's. I'm trying to do a mix of pre-9/11 and post-9/11 mentality, where it's a comparison of waiting for negotiators versus taking action to save everyone. Either way, the point is that the Red Lotus infiltrated the convention hall through Unalaq's help, and in turn they neutralized all security. Korra being the only person around to save everyone is also a trope from those types of films, where one person turned themselves into a wrecking ball and challenged the terrorists head on. It's all the way back to "Die Hard" in the 1980's, so I'm really reaching back now!
3.) The issue with Tenzin taking control is again, based on the show, but there is also some constitutional authority on this in the United States. The 25th Amendment of the United States Constitution states that an incapacitated president may invoke that section to allow an acting president to act in their place. However, for this case, one can argue that Raiko has no ability to act not because of a coma, but because he is under duress. He is held by terrorists and forced to give up power in order to save many VIP's, so one may argue that he has no capacity to act and must defer to Tenzin. Whatever the case, Tenzin is now in charge again and he will have to lead the nation.
4.) Lu and Gang being ambushed and letting assailants past them is from "Night of a Thousand Stars" in Book 2 where they were ambushed at the debut of Bolin's mover. Varrick listing off undesirable traits in an attempt to distract the Red Lotus is from "Reunion" in Book 4 where he said similar distasteful things to an Earth Empire guard in order to get past the checkpoint. Zaheer's speech to Tenzin about freeing the people from government oppressors and negotiating with a fellow air bender is from "Long Live the Queen" and "the Ultimatum" in Book 3, where he said something similar after killing the Earth Queen and demanding Korra turn herself over. And Kai insisting on taking action to save everyone is from "the Ultimatum" in Book 3, where he attempted to distract P'Li in order to let the rest of the air benders escape on bison.
And we have officially started the retaliatory move by Korra, with more on the way. Will Korra get out of this alive, and how will the rest of her friends help out? If you want to see what happens next, you won't want to miss the next update!