A/N: Another long chapter for you guys. I wasn't able to write as much as I thought I would. I was sick for a few days, and then I grew severely insecure about my writing. All of this is still pretty new to me, so I lost my spark for a while. But, it's back! :D
Anyway, Asami is hellbent on getting Korra back. She also addresses her feelings for Mako. And the angst, oh God, the angst. And the feels? It's so visceral; I love it. Kya and Lin are also there. We see them in action. It gets pretty bloody, too. Honestly if LOK wasn't a Nick show, then I'd like to assume there would be lots of blood and death. This isn't just rated Explicit for the hot sex scenes to come folks lol. Please enjoy. :D
Her eyes burned upon opening them. The illuminating brightness almost causing her to flinch in pain. She sealed them shut, only this time using the aid of her palm to block out some of the intensity of the overhead lighting. However, her body felt unnaturally weighted for some reason. What? Asami's eyes squinted open with an accompanying deep breath as she tried to lift her legs. They felt as if they were magnetically bound to the surface. Where am I? Her eyes watered under the blinding light forcing them shut once more. The void beneath her eyelids somehow reminded her of the emptiness currently dwelling within her own consciousness. A tear escaped the seal of her lid as her mouth parted wider, a hollow gasp emitting from her throat.
"Oh God, no…"
It all came rushing to the forefront of her mind. How could she have forgotten—regardless of how brief—how could she have forgotten about the sweet beautiful friend that she failed to save? The immobilized teen saw Korra's cerulean eyes flash across her mind, her gorgeous smile, that rich almond complexion. Asami felt her body tremble uncontrollably as she cried out in incoherent sobs. Her eyes blink open, allowing a torrent of tears to sweep down her face. Her breathing now convoluted in nature. A needle is ripped from her arm. The monitor adjacent to her bed began to beep rapidly . Emerald eyes rolled back to reveal a pale white canvas. Rushed footsteps and raised voices surrounded her. Warm hands on either side of her wrist was her final sensation before falling into unconsciousness.
"...I'm not even sure if she'll feel like speaking with anyone, but you're free to wait outside."
An older woman's voice.
Asami felt a familiar sting in her eyes as she groaned, "No lights," she croaked. Her voice sounded foreign.
The room darkened and Asami felt her body relax as her eyes were finally able to adjust comfortably. She quickly scanned her surroundings, I'm in a—
"Hospital," the woman interrupted her thoughts, "you're at the Republic Nations Medical Hospital, Ms. Sato. Your father had you transported here to ensure you receive the best medical treatment to expedite your recovery. You've sustained multiple injuries—"
"Where's Korra?" The young teen took a bandaged hand and massaged the length of her throat. It hurt to talk.
Concern lined the older woman's mahogany skin, she paused before responding. "I'm not sure. All we know is your friends found you and you were brought here immediately. The police are involved, and I'm sure they're doing everything in their power to help. From what I hear, you're a hero. You and Korra saved dozens of lives that day."
Silence fell. Asami stared at her bandaged arms between furrowed brows, she then looked up at the woman, "How long have I been here?" Her words were slow and deliberate.
"Three days."
"Three—?!" Asami's voice scraped against her raw throat. She leaned forward clutching her neck, her voice now more of a whisper, "three days?
No, that can't be. I need to get out of here. I have to find Korra—" the battered teen attempted to pull herself out of bed. A shattered whimper escaped, as her body painfully throbbed in retaliation.
The nurse quickly rushed to her side and helped her back into bed. She carefully chided Asami, telling her that moving is not a good idea nor was it recommended until she was healed.
"And how long am I supposed to sit here wasting time?" She wheezed.
"At least six weeks, Ms. Sato. It's a miracle your bones didn't shatter with all of the injuries you sustained."
Asami raised her hand to silence the woman, " I don't care about that! I don't care about any of that! Who gives a shit how injured I am? There's no way I'm going to lie around useless for six weeks! All I care about is finding Korra—you know what? Where are the police? I must speak with them. Somebody that can give me answers about something I actually care about," she panted. Asami was in excruciating pain, exhausted, and anxious. Her emotions were frayed.
The older woman said no more, she simply nodded and bowed respectfully before leaving. Moments later the door opened revealing a dark haired woman with a scar extending from her jaw to just beneath her right eye. Asami noted her uniform as she entered. Following her was a woman with sharp cerulean eyes and salted dark brown hair that was pulled into lazy bun. They both looked exhausted, but the woman that followed in toe looked as if she hasn't slept in week.
"Asami Sato?" Emerald eyes follow the uniformed woman until she was standing at the foot of the hospital bed. Asami lifted a brow in acknowledgement. The woman continued, "My name is Officer Lin Beifong, and I'm told that you're the only one who knows what happened to Korra Armaruq at the time of her disappearance. Is that correct?"
Asami felt her blood drain as her words failed her. The fact that Korra disappeared is her waking nightmare of a reality, regardless of how fervently she wished for it to not be so. She moistened her dry lips in attempts to will her clenched jaw to unlock itself. But, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't let the words pass her lips that Korra is only gone because she failed to save her. I'm a pathetic failure. Korra is—
"Is that not correct, Ms. Sato?"
Asami's attention snapped up towards the officer. She had begun crying without even realizing it. A bandaged arm swiped across her watered lids and dripping nose, her eyes went to the corner past the woman, "Yeah. T-that's correct," she rasped.
Lin looked to the woman standing behind her and nodded. Apparently she had her eyes trained on the officer the entire time and carefully stepped towards Asami's side.
"This woman is Kya Enook; Korra's aunt," the woman simply stared at the teen, as if she was looking past her. Lin went to Asami's side, "is it alright if I ask you some questions?"
Asami nodded, tears still making their way past bloodshot eyes and down her neck. The woman's eyes remained downcast upon pulling up a chair and sitting down. She turned to Asami and deeply exhaled. Asami's lips began to tremble as her cracked emerald gaze met pale green irises.
"What happened?"
Her voice was stern, yet reassuring. The battered teen began recounting events incoherently as her heart rate accelerated. Words tripped past her lips with little coherency. During the times that her jaw locked from exhaustion, the officer would calm her down with gentle words reassuring her that Korra will be found and what happened wasn't her fault.
" But, it's all my fault!" Asami leaned forward, her voice shaking with desperation, "It's all my fault. I couldn't save h-her. And now she's fucking gone. Korra is gone."
Asami looked past Lin and noticed the ice chip glare of the woman leaning against the wall. Bengaled arms unfolded themselves as she scoffed and left the room. The officer stared at the door, before returning to Asami.
"Mrs. Enook is in pain, just like you," she opened. Her gaze focused on the teen, "She's been raising Korra since she was separated from her parents at a young age. I don't know all of the details, but I know she loves her as much as any caring mother would love her child," Lin looks away, a fragment of a smile teasing her lips. "You know, the first time I met Korra it wasn't on good terms, but I could see without a doubt that she was tough as nails. That kid was so stubborn, so determined." She looked back to Asami, "Wherever she is I have a strong feeling in my gut that Korra is going to be alright. A kid like that doesn't give up so easily, so we shouldn't either. I'm going to do everything I can to bring her back."
Asami's eyes softened, a whispered 'okay' was the only sound her body permitted in her convalescent state. The officer told her that she would be back soon and gave the teen a kind smile before exiting the room. A few minutes later, the nurse returned to inject morphine into her IV to relieve the pain. Asami watched as she checked her vitals and moved to leave.
"...Wait," she strained.
The older woman turned back, "Is everything alright, Ms. Sato? Do you need anything?"
"I'm sorry I was so rude earlier...it was inexcusable behavior," the words practically dripped from her lips as the opioid took affect.
She smiled, "...I appreciate that, Ms. Sato."
"Jus— 'Sami is fine."
Not long after that she felt her body dull before passing into unconsciousness.
Several hours later, Asami woke with a jolt. Her eyes shot open and her breathing hitched. Her sweaty palms clenched as her body trembled. A reassuring hand was placed atop of hers. She looked over and saw Kya sitting at her bedside; worry donning her countenance.
"I-I'm sorry," the teen opened, pulling herself upright.
Kya looked down as her brow furrowed, "Me too, kiddo," she paused briefly, "Lin told me everything that happened after I left, and I wanted to let you know that it's not your fault."
Tears regained occupancy as Asami's vision hazed. She blinked rapidly, "I keep hearing that, but with my combat expertise it shouldn't have been that difficult. I should have her," she met Kya's gaze, "those people—whatever they were—were unlike anything I've ever encountered. They were insanely fast. It was inhuman. I could barely keep up, and before I knew it…" she bit her lip as a tear escaped.
Kya briefly raised a curious brow, before slatting her expression. "That is odd. Korra has been trained by myself along with a few other masters over the course of her life, and the whole situation seems off," she thought to herself momentarily, before standing up. "Take care of yourself, Asami. I have some matters to look into."
Asami felt her body heat up as she used what energy she had left to protest, asking if she could help. Bengals jingled slightly as the woman gestured towards the bed pointing out her immobilized body.
The teen shook her head and pleaded, "It's not as bad as it looks. I'll be alright. I just need to find her. Please, I'm begging you!" Her voice trembled.
Sharp cerulean irises bore into her own, searching momentarily before she walked into the restroom. A few minutes later, the woman emerged with a glass of water. Asami blinked in confusion.
"You really care about her, don't you?" Kya eyed the teen carefully. Asami almost swore she saw a phantom smile appear on her lips, but she dismissed it.
"Yes," she answered steadily.
"Then, I'll be in touch," Kya responded, extending the glass.
Asami's confusion peaked, "What's this for?"
The woman reached over to hand her the medicine on her nightstand, "The nurse left this here, and I told her I'd make sure you took it after you woke up."
Asami hesitated, then back the medicine and downed the cool liquid. It soothed her raw throat, "Thank you," she whispered.
Kya hummed in acknowledgement, "Now, get some rest and stay out of trouble until this thing is handled, alright?" The battered teen simply nodded as her body was once again overwhelmed with lethargy. She heard the woman say something else, but it didn't register as her consciousness waned.
Asami felt significantly better when she woke up the next day. Her eyes weren't as sensitive to the light, and she could shift in her bed without her joints scraping together in agonizing pain. Sure her muscles were stiff and her body was still a bit sore, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. The lithe teen carefully got out of bed and walked over to the bay window, she carefully pulled back the satin drapes, and was surprised to see that the sun had already gone down and been replaced by a full moon. Did I really sleep all day? Asami walked over to the armoire to gather her personal effects, which were consolidated into a cloth bag. She winced upon opening it, everything was still covered in mud and dried blood. However, she pushed it all to the back of her mind as she quickly slipped on the tattered clothes. She carefully inspected discolored socks, before tossing them aside and pulling muddied boots over bare feet. Asami stretched lightly, as she headed to the wall-length mirror in the restroom. Shit, I can barely recognize myself, she thought as she observed darkened eyes and a bruised jaw. Bandaged fingers touched the bridge of her nose where realignment had taken place. She looked awful; her ivory complexion was drained of its vigor and replaced with the ghostly hue that covered her body. She took in her bruised arms, and audibly gasped when she lifted her shirt to reveal the mauve discoloration that covered her torso.
"I don't have time for this," she mumbled to herself.
Asami hurriedly combed fingers through raven locs, before pulling it in a messy bun. She slid on her bloodied jacket and entered the main room to grab some food from the kitchenette, a few bottles of water, and stuffed it all into the bag. It would be a waste for her to not take full advantage the luxury room her father placed her in to aid with recovery. I feel better already, Asami thought as she placed an apple in her mouth. She unplugged her phone from the charger and tucked it into her back pocket, and did a once over of the room before checking the windows. They all were sealed shut.
"Way to think it through, old man," Asami scoffed to herself.
She quickly left the room, went down the darkened halls, and through and emergency exit at the far end of the building. It was easy enough to slip past without being noticed. He probably wasn't counting on my legs working, the lithe teen concluded with a smirk.
Once outside, Asami could have sworn she felt reborn. Her pace quickened as she tried to get as far away from the dreadful place as quickly as her legs would allow her. The moon provided enough lighting for Asami to get around the city with little to no problem. But, as resourceful as she was, Asami knew she wouldn't get far sleeping on the streets and following raw intuition alone to find her friend, no, she needed somewhere to stay. Asami didn't have many friends, though, unfortunately the only place she could think of was her boyfriend's place. Do I still even want to call him that? She slowly rubbed her scalp, whatever, I don't have time to think about that right now. Storm clouds rolled over the city, and Asami zipped up her jacket and flipped her collar preemptively.
One relentless downpour and forty-five minutes later, Asami finally arrived at her destination. Regardless of how great she felt a few hours prior, at that moment she was drenched and exhausted. Her entire body ached as she made her way to the fire-escape at the southern end of the building. She released a controlled breath, before leaping up to catch the ladder. Apparently, Toza broke it off a couple years ago, after someone tried breaking into his gym. Something that was never a problem for Asami before, but now it was prohibiting her progress. After missing to catch the bar for a third time, she fell backwards on the damp ground wheezing. A few minutes later, she had gotten up with a light bounce, loosened her arms and released another controlled breath. This time she ricocheted off the wall to lung herself towards the bar. Success. Asami grunted in pain as she dragged herself over the landing. Four flights up, and she was in front of Mako's window. The drapes were pulled back, leaving his bedroom exposed to the pale moonlight. Asami squinted through cupped palms, and noticed he was in bed. Why is he asleep so early? She almost felt bad about waking him up, but then she noticed that his arm was jerking in short controlled motions. Odd. What is he—-? Asami's face grimaced as she realized that she had stumbled on to Mako masturbating. I don't have time for this, she groaned, and began knocking on the window. His motions didn't let up.
"Sick. Are you fucking serious? Come on," Asami's knocking became louder with urgency.
Mako's head flipped back towards the window and his body trembled as he climaxed the very moment he noticed Asami watching him. He scrambled off the bed completely mortified, adjusted his boxers, then rushed over to the window, practically yanking it open.
"Asami?! I was just—uh, fuck. W-What are you even doing here?"
Rather than entertain the potential of their interesting exchange, Asami just leaped through the window making a Beeline for his dresser and began rummaging through his clothes searching for something that wasn't covered in bodily fluid.
"It's a long story," she said while observing a shirt and tucking it back in the draw once she decided against it, "and don't worry about me catching you masturbating. Believe it or not, I've seen worst. Besides I'm here for another reason." She grabbed an acceptable black T-shirt and grey sweatpants, before closing the drawers.
"A-And what reason would that be?" Mako stammered, he remained awkwardly placed by the window, unsure of what to do with himself.
"I'm going to look for Korra," she stated as she slid out of her wet clothes.
Mako's eyes grew wide once he saw the damage on his girlfriend's body. Asami paid him no mind and continued getting dressed.
"Holy fucking Divine, Asami how are you even able to move?!" He eyed her battered frame as she slipped into some dry clothes. "Wait—what do you mean you're going to look for Korra? No one knows where she is," his voice was strained.
Asami untied her hair, allowing dark tresses to roll past her shoulders. She combed through the thick locs in therapeutic motions, "I have a few ideas on how I can find her. But, first thing's first, I need a place to sleep. I'm not even trying to face the shit storm my father has for me after he finds out I broke out of the hospital," a cynical chuckle escaped her lips.
"You broke out of the hospital? Are you insane!?" He slowly moved towards her, "Do you not understand that you almost died that day? The only reason you were rushed to the hospital, because you were losing blood and completely unconscious. They told us if we had waited any longer, you could have died! Doesn't that even matter to you?!" He shouted with less than a meter between them.
Asami shook her head and scoffed, as she pulled her hair into a loose ponytail. "You don't understand," she responded, turning to leave.
Mako grabbed her shoulder to spin her around. He was only inches from her face, now, eyes tinted with rage, "How fucking wreckless can you be?! I don't get it? I almost lost you, Asami, how can you be so fucking selfish?!"
Particles of spit landed on her face, causing her to wince, "Hey, back the fuck up," she pushed him away with a solid shove against his chest causing him to stumble back, "I shouldn't have to apologize for wanting to rescue my fucking friend. The real question is why you're acting like you don't give a fuck when you clearly have feelings for her!"
Her boyfriend's eyes widened with disbelief., "You think that I like Korra?" A spiteful chuckle echoed through the small room, "I see. So that's what this is all about, huh? Well, I got bad news for you. Yeah she's attractive, but definitely not my type." He crossed the room and stepped into a pair of shorts lying on the floor. "But, if I didn't know better, I'd say you're projecting your shit on to me."
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
Mako flashed an incredulous smile, "Is that a serious question? First, you almost die rescuing her. Then, you are supposed to hospitalized but escape, because if Korra has any hope of being found it's only by your hand. Oh, also let's not forget that you're so bruised that half of your body is fucking purple!" Sarcasm laced his tone, but Asami ignored it.
"So what, Mako? What is your point?"
"My point is if you keep going at the rate you're going, you might end up killing yourself. Why the fuck are you risking death for Korra? Yes, she's awesome and we were all enjoying being around her, but fuck, Asami, you haven't known her long enough to give a damn—so why risk everything?"
Mako's words hit Asami harder than expected, and they both stood in silence for several moments just staring at each other. How was she supposed to answer such a loaded question? Yes, she hasn't known Korra long, but why should that matter? Isn't every life worth saving, regardless of the connection shared? For as long as it mulled over in her mind, Asami couldn't find the answer to Mako's question: so why risk everything? I don't know, she thought. Perhaps…
"Because," she finally broke the silence, "it's the right thing to do. It doesn't matter how long I've known her. It was me who saw her get taken by those fucking people—whatever the fuck they were." Her voice began trembling. "I'm risking everything, because I need to do what's right by her. That's all there is to it."Her boyfriend stared at her with a stern expression, his lips pressed into a thin line, and he finally spoke up.
"Alright," he said, "I guess that makes sense." He tentatively rubbed the back of his neck. "So, um, you can crash in here with me if you'd like. I know you caught me at a bad time, but I can change the, uh…" he trailed off when Asami answered in the negative with slight shake of her head. "Right…"
"Yeah, I think I'll go see what Bolin is up to," Asami stated, gesturing towards the door.
"Yup."
Asami heard Mako swear under his breath on her way out. Bolin's room was just down the hall, and when he saw her upon opening the door, Asami could swear that he broke his arms the way they snapped up in the air to hug her. He beckoned her inside, and they were able to catch up on everything over the next few hours. The young philanthropist informed Bolin on what the police had said so far, also how Korra's aunt feels about the whole situation. She expanded on her own theories about what those dark figures were, but ultimately concluded that she would need to gather more intel before she even knew what to do.
"That's so intense, Asami!" Bolin exclaimed, "So, what's the next step?"
"I need to know what the police know," she stated, "I'm completely useless to helping Korra if I'm going at it blind. Intel is crucial right now." She released a heavy sigh.
Bolin just stared at Asami, shifting his gaze to his hands before looking back up. "So, what time do we leave tomorrow?"
"We?" Her brows lifted.
"Yeah, why not? Plus, we're Team Avatar, remember? It wouldn't be fair for you to rescue Korra all by yourself, you're not the only one who cares about her," his eyes seemed distant.
"I know, Bo Bo."
After Bolin offered Asami the bed while he took the floor, Asami had trouble trying to fall asleep. She kept seeing the small teen's body draped lifelessly over the dark figure's shoulder. The torment felt like hours, but when sleep finally did take her it only manifested into her worst nightmare. Korra's tormented screams echoed through a seemingly endless space devoid of light. The encompassing feeling of dread washed over the dark haired teen in deep waves. She felt all hope drain from her body. Her feet moved in frantic search of the source of those awful wails, but was too late once again.
Why am I so useless?
The next day, Asami found herself alone in the parking lot at the Republic City Police Department pacing anxiously. She clenched her fists, forcing them down stretching the dark fabric of the oversized hoodie she borrowed from Bolin's closet. This was such a bad idea coming here without a plan, she chided herself. It's probably best if I just— then, she saw it. A woman with long dark hair being escorted from the building by a female officer. Both women seemed irritated with each other, and when the other woman finally turned to leave, Asami noticed how the officer watched the woman leave before going back inside. Wait a minute, that looks like Korra's aunt! Kya passed a few parked Sato Moblies and stopped at a large polar bear dog sitting under the shade of a birch-palm tree. Asami hesitantly walked over to the woman who simply lifted a cautious finger in her direction without looking up.
"Don't think I haven't noticed you," Kya paused to look over her shoulder.
"H-How did you know it was me?"
Kya turned to disheveled teenager, her deep cerulean eyes giving her a once over. Asami couldn't help but feel as if the older woman could see right through her. "I oversaw Korra's training for years, so I'm pretty sure I'd pick up on a kid watching me from across the parking lot. Anyway, I knew you'd be here. You still want to help find Korra, don't you?" Asami pulled off her hood and nodded sternly, never breaking eye contact with the woman. Kya resumed, "What do you think you know about what happened that day?"
Asami paused for a few moments. "I'm not sure what to think. Korra was taken by people who wore dark clothing and their movements were inhuman," her brows knitted together with concern.
"That's my main issue with this whole thing," a contemplative finger brushed against her lips, "it's all so suspicious. I have a bad feeling that if something isn't done fast, Korra could—" she clenched her jaw, "I'm not allowing it to get to that."
"That reminds me, I had this awful dream about Korra last night. It felt so...real," Asami felt her eyes sting as she looked up, "I tried to reach her, but there was no light. Just empty darkness… all I could hear was Korra screaming in pain. It was relentless. Almost as if…"
"As if she sounded like she was going to die…?" Kya gasped. Her eyes seemed reminiscent before mounting Naga. Her demeanor shifting from calm to rushed. "I'm sorry, but I have to leave now. There are some things that need verifying. I have a hunch."
"Please!" Asami gripped the woman's wrist causing her bengals to jingle slightly. She released her grip after receiving a cautious glare. "Please, let me help you. I don't want to just wait around," her mouth began trembling as tears stung her eyes. "I can be useful. I have resources, too—money, even. I can do anything you need me to! Just, please…" Tears streamed down her face.
Kya looked at her for a moment, before dismounting Naga. "Alright, now," she sighed. She reached into a pack attached to Naga's carrier and pulled out a an old flip phone. "Take this, I'll be in touch. Don't do anything until I contact you, understand?"
Asami took the phone with trembling hands and nodded tentatively between sniffs. Kya gave her a gentle smile and wrapped the teenager into a comforting hug. "Stop that, now," she said, "save those tears for after we rescue Korra."
Asami arrived at the Nakamura residence later on that evening. She knocked on Mako's window, and to her relief he was fully clothed doing pull-ups in the doorway. He let her in and to her surprise, pulled her into a crushing embrace. She was first to break contact and noticed how upset he looked. A simple "what" being the only response she could offer at the moment.
"Really? Asami, where the hell have you been? Bolin told me that you were gone by the time he woke up. No note or anything, you just left. Why didn't you contact me to let me know that you were okay?"
"I was just in the city, I had some things to take care of." She began taking off the hoodie and setting her things on a nearby desk.
"This 'something' to take care of is related to you finding Korra?"
"Uh, yeah, but I didn't know that I had to do daily check-ins," she joked, "you need to relax, man."
"I need to relax? Asami, you need to relax! You're taking this 'rescuing Korra' thing too far. What if something else happens where no one is there to find you and you end up dying?"
A cynical smile appears on her lips. "This again," she chuckles. "Mako, what's your deal, huh? What's with the sudden switch? Even before Korra transferred to our school, our relationship was hanging on by a thread and you didn't show any signs of caring. Korra transfers to our school, and you flirt with her unabashedly—in front of me, your brother, the whole damn world. But, the moment she gets kidnapped and I risk my life trying to save her, someone that I consider to be a friend, you start discouraging me from doing what I can to help them and pretending like you give a shit about me? What's your endgame here, bud?"
A thick silence sat between them. "It's complicated,"he responded. Mako's eyes were downcast, his expression harsh. "It's complicated," he repeated almost to himself. He met gaze, "I don't have an endgame, Asami, I just—I don't know, I guess I've just been a bit all over the place emotionally."
He stared at her expectantly. "Yeah, well who isn't?" She finally said.
"I'm sorry."
"...Me, too."
"Can I give you a hug?"
"Maybe some other time."
With that Asami opened the door to leave and almost walked into Toza, who stood broadly in the hallway with large hairy arms locked across his chest. He glared down at the dark haired juvenile and arched a thick brow, "I think you should leave, little lady," he grumbled. Bolin peered from behind his towering form with an apologetic smile.
"Right," Asami sighed. She went over to collect her things from Mako's desk, then turned towards the doorway. Toza remained planted in the entrance as he pointed a hairy finger to the window.
"From the way you came."
"Of course," she quipped.
A Future Industries company car sat parked around the front of the gym with the family driver standing by an opened passenger door. Asami groaned to herself as she got in. During the ride back home, all she could think about was the infuriating conversation awaiting her. And to her displeasure, it was for worst than she'd imagined. Hiroshi wasn't just infuriated, he was irate. Completely beside himself with anger. Toza had informed him that he caught Asami in Mako's room with his clothes on, and Hiroshi completely lashed out against her by calling her a whore and saying that his coworker had been right about her all along. Once again, Asami was unable to defend herself against her father's torrential accusations. After he finished, he had escorted to her room by a personal guard he'd hire for the sole purpose of making sure she didn't leave the mansion until she'd made a full recovery. Hiroshi didn't seem to care about anything going on in his daughter's tumultuous life, to Asami all he cared about was maintaining the flawless image of Future Industries that he had spent years cultivating. I won't give him the satisfaction of seeing me crumble, Asami thought to herself as she cried into her pillow. The events of the entire night weighed so heavily on her that she had fallen asleep in between sobs. That night she was haunted by the same nightmare; Korra screaming in agonizing pain and she being unable to do anything, but run aimlessly into a dark void. But, something unprecedented happened that hasn't any of the other nights. For a brief moment, Asami heard Korra choke 'I don't know,' before her incessant cries resumed. She awoke the next morning with a violent jolt. She didn't know why, but on top of being soaked in her own sweat Asami felt sick to her stomach. She spent the rest of the day locked up in her room, but all wasn't lost since it was large enough to function as a single bedroom apartment on its own. A quick power nap turned into a slumber, and it wasn't until later that night at around midnight did she wake up. The cellphone Kya had given her was vibrating indicating that she had an incoming call from an unknown number.
"Hello? Ms. Kya, is that you?" Asami tried to control the shakiness in her tone, but ultimately failed.
"Yes, Asami it's me. I think I know where Korra is, Lin has been letting me work with her on the case."
"R-Really? You know where Korra is?"
"Yeah, we have it triangulated down to an area, but right now we're just trying to find the exact location. It shouldn't be long, though. I—hold on," Kya began speaking in a hushed tone.
"Let's check the Granite Warehouse one more time," the voice responded to her. Asami's ears perked up, she knew where that was.
"No, we've been through there twice, now. Let's check over here towards that wooded area," Kya responded. "Sorry about that. But, I'm serious, Asami, let me handle this. You may be in better shape from what I gave you, but it's not a good idea for you to keep looking into this."
"Wait, what? What did you give me?"
"Shit, never mind. Forget what I said—there's too much going on right now," Kya huffed in frustration. "Don't come looking for me, Asami! I'll keep you updated. I have to go now."
"No, wait, wait, wait!"
Before she could get another word in the line was already disconnected. Asami just sat up in her bed as her lips curved into a smirk. It didn't matter whether or not Kya planned on revealing her location, because Asami knew the area they were in. My father owns a property near the Granite Warehouse, Asami thought to herself with a smile. I'm on my way for real this time, Korra. Just wait for me. She replaced her lounge attire with an all black ensemble consisting of a nylon long sleeve shirt, cargo pants, and breathable multi-purpose sneakers. She strapped a few bladed weapons to her torso and kept other essentials in her utility pack. If Asami prided herself on anything, it was planning for the worst by being overly prepared. After going through another mental checklist of all her gear, Asami made her escape through her bathroom window with the aid of her mother's favorite weeping banana tree. Asami had to contain her joy when she realized that she had parked her motorcycle by the pool house rather than in the garage. She wasn't particularly excited about a thirty kilometer trek, and now she doesn't have to endure one. A little over fifteen minutes later, Asami was in the outskirts of town pulling up along the side of the Granite Warehouse. Aside from the distant cry of insects, the night was still. Asami didn't see any sign of the women, as she navigated through the dark gravel alleys. Why her father owned property out in the seemingly desolate area was beyond the dark haired teen. There was still a lot that she had to learn about the company, before she could properly understand all of her father's business decisions regardless of whether or not she intended to take over. A sharp stabbing sensation brought her from her thoughts, and that was when she realized that someone had the edge of a needle pressed meticulously into the nape of her neck. Asami's breath hitched as a woman's laugh was heard from behind.
"Isn't it past your curfew?"
" ?"
"Yeah. By the way, how the hell did you even find me?" The pressure was instantly relieved from her neck. Asami released a heavy breath she had no idea she was holding. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead. "You can come on down, Lin," Kya laughed, beckoning to the tree above them. Asami felt a slight breeze followed by the subtle noise of the earth shift quietly. She turned around to see Lin straightening up with a slight rotation of her shoulder.
"What? Did you just drop down? That tree is huge—"
"You're not the only one who excels in combat, kid," the woman said firmly.
Kya spoke up, "Asami, back on task. How did you find me?"
"Future Industries has property out here. I heard Officer Beifong mention the Granite Warehouse, so here I am."
"There are so many things a mouth can do, and yet yours chooses to make so much noise. Why is that?" Kya deadpanned.
"I'm not even going to dignify your tomfoolery with an answer," Lin sputtered. "What the hell are you looking at, kid?" Asami had no idea how long she was just staring at the women. She felt her eyes grow wide with embarrassment as her attention snapped forward.
"Nothing," she mumbled.
They arrived at an old building that had succumbed to forest overgrowth due to neglect. However, when the doors were tried they were latched shut with appeared to be new deadlocks and chains. Lin offered to give her companion a boost to look into one of the windows, and Lin was shocked to report that the inside was completely renovated. Kya smashed open the window and after lifting Asami up Lin followed right behind. A cursory look around revealed out-of-date models of an old battle suit and an office at the far end of the building. These suits look familiar, Asami thought. Then that's when it had hit her that the seemingly abandoned building was, in fact, the very same building that her father owned. But, why did he leave the outside looking so awful? The dark haired teen felt a sinking sensation in her stomach as she slowly approached the outdated metal suit.
Lin did a quick three-sixty scan of the open space. "If this place is abandoned, then why the hell does it look like so polished?" She looked over at Kya who seemed to be encompassed in her thoughts.
Asami spoke up in barely a whisper, "this building isn't abandoned, my father owns it."
"Well, that's suspicious," Lin stated. Asami instantly glared at the older woman.
"Just because my father owns this building, doesn't mean he has nefarious ties to whoever took Korra. For all that he has done for Republic City, I know for a fact that he wouldn't throw away his reputation on whatever bullshit you're insinuating about him," she huffed. Asami had no idea why she had just defended her father's honor. Why should it matter to her what Lin—or really what anyone else thought? He doesn't even defend my honor. Asami felt a tinge of regret for the way she snapped at the officer, but kept quiet.
Lin simply shot her a cautious look. "Watch it, kid."
Kya broke from her thoughts to intervene and get them back on task. "Your father's building or not, we are still searching it. We're not ruling any possibilities out, so put your family pride aside for the time being. For starters, I'll go check out the office. Lin, could search around on the second floor and Asami can you search around here on the first? Come get me as soon as you find anything. I have a feeling that we are close."
They went off to their separate tasks and the young teen found herself walking with the officer, who only offered her a side glance. "So, why is it just you and Ms. Kya?"
"What?"
"Why isn't there backup or something if you've triangulated Korra's location? It seems like there should be more than the three of us."
Lin paused at the stairs and turned around. Her pale green eyes held a streak of sorrow in them. "Apparently, just a hunch doesn't warrant backup and resources, kid. Kya and I collaborated to gather what we have, and it's just us for now. At least until we stumble upon something more concrete."
"You have me, too," the teen offered.
A faint smile ghosted the woman's lips. "Get to work, then."
Asami inspected the entire first floor in just under ten minutes, which is oddly revealing of the suspicious nature of the building. Why was the exterior dilapidated and overgrown, while the interior was completely refurbished? Why were there outdated battle suits when the military had already agreed to go with the current model of suits that are currently in use? Weren't all of the older models scrapped down and recycled like the others had been? Why is such a massive building so empty? Open ended inquiries with no answer in sight seemed to be the theme of the chapter Asami's life suddenly nose dove into with little regard to her own feelings. Nothing made sense, and yet, everything seemed so clear. I have a bad feeling about this, Asami thought to herself. To muddle things even further, Kya presented to her a maintenance log that had the exact same thing written in it dating back almost a year ago when the place was purchased. Asami mumbled phrases of disbelief to herself, while Kya pulled out something even more troubling.
"Then, there's this sheet of equipment. I have no idea what an of it is used for. Do you have any idea what this is?" She seemed out of breath.
Asami flashed the woman a concerned look as she looked over the document. Her mouth fell open. "The materials here are used to construct a large machine. I'm not exactly sure what, but the tools needed would already be massive by themselves."
"What does that mean?" The older woman seemed desperate. Asami tried to not mirror her desperation and cleared her throat.
"It means that the materials should be here and in plain sight. I've been to all of our locations, and nothing matches the description of what I'm seeing here. Nothing as massive, at least." Her brow wrinkled with worry. Kya shook her head contemplatively and went upstairs to find LIn.
Curiosity led Asami to the corner office where she began looking for more clues. Why would the maintenance log have the same thing written on it spanning a year? Something like that would never be the case, she thought. The back of her hand swiped her forehead to catch trailing beads of sweat. She felt her body tremble in anticipation of finding something horrible. All of the files she went through were either blank or completely unintelligible. Asami looked up to release a burdened sigh and noticed a spider hanging just above her head. Shocked, she jumped back with a sharp gasp and let the papers drop from her hands and onto the floor. I'm prepared to face death in order to save Korra, and a spider is what does me in? Of course, Asami snorted under her breath as she knocked the spider away. She got on her knees to reach under the desk to grab the last bit of scattered documents, but hit the back of her head upon trying to get up.
"Fuck," she winced, rubbing the back of her head. Then, it happened. The back wall pushed inward and slid to the side revealing a secret entrance into a sub level. Asami stood frozen, she couldn't even will herself to move, let alone speak. It was Kya and Lin who broke her out of her temporary stupor and immediately probed her with questions. "I don't know," was her response to each one. "I just hit my head, and the fucking wall opened. I don't know…" Lin quickly went over to the desk giving it a quick inspection. She waved Kya over.
"Look, it has a sensory pad. The kid tripped it when she hit her head." They briefly looked at each other, then Kya turned to face Asami with severity embedded in her deep cerulean gaze.
"Last warning, Asami," she said, "things from here are going to get very dangerous. I'm not sure what your father has to do with this, but I don't think it's anything good. You can leave now, and we'll keep you updated. Your choice."
Her head was spinning. Why is this going on in my father's building? Did he sanction this activity? Probably not. They're probably just framing him or something, she concluded. Her thoughts were running wild, but she didn't have time to entertain them. Korra is the only thing that matters right now, she thought as she walked past the women and through the entrance. "Let's get going," she responded.
The stairway they descended led them to a clearing illuminated by a single light bulb, and an elevator shaft just beyond that which took them deep below the surface. Once out there was nothing but pathways that had been carved out of stone and soft amethyst crystals that lit their path. They walked until they reached a railway system, but noticed that there weren't any rail cars. Then, as if on cue, a flatbed rail car pulled up containing three men donned in black clothing. Asami felt her stomach drop, as bile tickled the back of her throat.
"It's them," she whispered to Kya. The woman's jaw clenched causing the light protrusion of veins to appear on her temples. Lin had to place a reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder to try and suppress her growing rage, but it didn't help her in the slightest. Asami had to place a hand over her mouth to choke back a whimper as the men got closer. Then, she noticed that none of the men were wearing the pale masks she saw the others wear when she was at the park. Was this the correct group or did they stumble onto something else entirely? It was all a moot point, when the sound of a grunt echoed throughout the large cavern revealing their position. Whether or not these people were involved with Korra's disappearance, their lives were still in danger. Without hesitation, Lin emerged from the large boulder they were all hiding behind and engaged them.
"Where the fuck did she even come from?!" One of the men yelled, while they all scrambled trying to converge on her position.
Lin ran parallel to the wall opposite of Kya and Asami and guided the men back towards the direction they just came from. The women took the opportunity to get on the rail car and head deeper into the tunnels. It led them to one large cavern that sectioned off into multiple chambers.
"We're going to have to split up," Kya said. Frosted irises glared down the opposing tunnel, before settling on the dark haired teen. Asami gave a stern nod in response.
"Be careful out there, Ms. Kya."
"Right. You too, Asami. Contact me on the cell if you come across anything. I'll do the same," she said, then turned to start down the chamber. But, raised voices were heard fast approaching the women, and with nowhere to hide all they could do was hug the shadows and wait.
"Blessed is our purpose, brother." A woman's voice said.
"Yes, indeed, my sister," a male's voice replied, "and may the enlightened one come forth." They then began discussing how problematic the new intruder has become, since they ended up near the holding chamber. Both women exchanged charged glances at the newly found information. Korra's whereabouts were finally confirmed and Asami had to suppress the overwhelming urge to have an emotional breakdown. The past few days have been spiritually and physically taxing on her. Then a thought occurred, they've gone the wrong way if Lin stumbled upon the holding chamber and they found the equivalent of what could be a staff room. The man and woman then changed topics and went on about the mundanities of their shifts, but that was suddenly interrupted by the woman dropping to the floor unconscious. What? How? Asami didn't realize what was happening until she saw Kya appear behind the man and snap his neck in a swift motion.
"T-They didn't see us, why did you kill them?" Her voice was shaking.
"That's where you're wrong," Kya replied succinctly. She pointed behind the teenager, "the light from the crystals illuminated our figures. They noticed us immediately, look." She walked over to the woman, rolled over her corpse to reveal prepped a blade hidden between her sleeve. The man had one, as well. "They were going to try and kill us, and there's no way in hell I'm letting that happen, so I took care of it."
The teen became slack-jawed. "How did you know?"
"After a certain number of assassination attempts on my life, I started to recognize a pattern. When someone intends to kill you, their blood lust becomes so intense it's almost palpable." The older woman noticed her young companion's worried expression. She released a small chuckle. "Don't worry, kid, I'll be watching your back. Just try and pay more attention."
Asami observed as the women began removing their clothes, "what are you doing?" She asked, she sounded tired. Having witnessed death first-hand seemed to quite literally knock the wind out of her. Kya tossed the woman's jacket in her direction followed by the pale that was strapped on her head.
"Put these on," the woman ordered as she followed suit. "Let's try to blend in and if things go tits up, we'll improvise."
"By killing everyone?" Kya responded by tossing the woman's ID at her. Asami inspected information on the card. Her name was Yuki Matsumoto, she thought solemnly. No, fuck her she tried to kill us. And these are probably same people that took Korra. So, fuck her...the lithe teen released a controlled breath before placing it in the pocket of her jacket and sliding the mask over her head. "Alright, let's go."
Kya and Asami looked nothing like the people on their ID's, but hiding in plain sight was the least of their worries. Upon arriving at the holding chamber they searched everywhere, but Korra was nowhere to be found. Asami chewed on her lip to suppress a of desperation. She has to be here! Her internal voice cried out relentlessly. If she wasn't in the only place that was designated for captors to be held, then where else could she be? Fuck it, Asami thought to herself, as she approached someone who looked like they could be of any help.
"Um, blessed is our purpose, b-brother," Asami stammered with a nervous smile. Playing nonchalant was never a strong point of hers.
"Ah, may the enlightened one come forth, sister," the man responded with a polite smile. He paused and wrinkled his brow, "I don't think I've seen you here before." His smile turned into one of suspicion. Asami's smile thinned in response to his uncanny deductive skills. I'm going to have to kill this man. I'm going to have to kill this man—wasthe mantra filtering through her mind once she realized that her cover might have been blown, but suddenly a light chuckle released the tension building between them. "Who am I kidding? I am horrible with faces." Another chuckle. "How can I be of service, sister?"
"B-Brother, do you by any chance know where a prisoner is? She has brown skin and blue eyes? Um, shoulder length chestnut hair and is a little s-shorter than me…" Asami felt a familiar sting in her eyes. The man's gentle smile was replaced with a crooked stare.
"And how would you know about that?" He asked in a crisp tone. "The only people who are aware of such a person were part of Operation: Jade Dragon, and they're all away on business." He gave her a once over with dark sunken eyes, his thin lips threaded into a sinister smile and spoke in a soothing tone. "How a little girl like you was able to infiltrate our base is beyond me, but I'll make sure to correct the mistakes of our...new recruits." His eyes bulged with excitement. Asami's heart leapt from her chest pumping with adrenaline. I have to kill him before he kills me. Her internal mantra kicked in full force. Despite the few others that surrounded them, Asami took action. The man attempted to slice her abdomen with a bladed elbow, but failed as the agile teen swiftly locked his arm in place and broke it in a subtle motion. The man cried out in pain, as his contorted elbow caused the blade to puncture his back. At that very instant, a blade found its way straining against her throat and her arm was twisted into her back. The man before had collapsed into a shallow pool of his own blood twitching out of consciousness. The others began shouting angrily, wondering if another traitor was among them. Kya wasted no time pulling poison tipped needles from her thigh straps tossed a few into the side of the man holding Asami, incapacitating him instantly.
"Asami," the older woman pointed above towards the ceiling, "there's a latch into the vents above you! Leave! Now!" She was interrupted by a large man charging towards her, but dispatched him with a lucid kick to the jaw causing his teeth to shatter on impact.
"What about you?!"
"I can handle this! I'm trusting you to Korra! Fuck—!" A pale woman latched onto her back shrieking horribly and began pounding into the woman's head with balled fists. Kya growled as she flipped them both into the ground crushing the woman on the back. "Asami, leave!"
She went against every nerve in her body that screamed for her to stay and help her companion, but she left through the vent anyway despite her own feelings. Kya could still be heard through the vents by the time Asami reached the end of the narrow steel chamber and the only way of continuing would be to climb up. Ms. Kya will be okay, Asami, you need to focus on finding Korra, she convinced herself as she carefully shimmied up the steel walls using nothing but strength her back and feet as support. Asami tried to keep her mind clear of conflicting thoughts by just focusing on a plan to get them all out alive. She has no idea whether or not the cynical officer was alive or not, and after having to leave her friend's aunt alone to fight for her life Asami couldn't help by feel responsible for everyone's misfortune. Her climb came to an abrupt end when the vertical shaft finally reached a horizontal duct that sectioned off in cardinal directions. She decided to go down the duct that had a light source illuminating from the distance. It led her to a grand hall of what appeared to be a palace. Are we even still underground? Asami's confusion was punctuated by how elaborate all of the decorations were. Almost as if it was a place for royalty or only the most distinguished of the social elite. Her eyes were drawn to the massive hand carved fire oak doors that adorned the halls. Asami had no idea if her small friend would be in any of those rooms, but decided that it was better than doing nothing. She quietly removed the vent cover, and landed on the soft sangria carpeting below. Even through the drop wasn't too harsh, she still felt the impact in her tender muscles. Combat ready or not, her body was still in noticeable pain. Asami began by inspecting the first door, but cursed to herself upon discovering that it was locked. Of fucking course. The next few doors yielded the same results, causing her positive outlook to falter. The sound of a door opening further down the hall brought her back to her senses, as she pressed herself against the solid door to minimize her presence as much as possible.
"How the fuck is she still alive?" Mumbled a male's voice. Asami physically felt her heart palpitate in her chest as her breathing hitched causing her to audibly gasp. Then, a sudden breeze caressed her face and she felt that a presence had appeared behind her. He was so quick that she could barely react in time to counter his attack. Barely. Asami preemptively pivoted out of range before the man could grab her. She countered with a mirrored attack, but he flipped up and began running along the wall. He can run on the fucking wall? Asami was justifiably disillusioned by the uncanny strength and agility her opponent possessed. He was fast, strong, and deceivingly calculating by the way he was able to counter her attacks and strike with forceful precision. The dark haired teen was fighting a man twice her size with half of her strength and reaction time, but she was still able to see his movements and was able to dodge his most critical blows. But, the encounter was physically draining, causing her reaction time to dramatically decrease. A miscalculation resulted in Asami not being able to counter the the man's bladed attack, which resulted in her being stabbed in the side of her abdomen. She released a guttural shriek, as the man pushed the blade in deeper causing blood to pool around her wound an leak profusely. The only thing she going for her was the deliberate way in which she angled her body, so that it missed all of her vital organs. Asami's blood loss began to blur and distort her vision. She panted heavily with her body propped up against the door by her assailant.
He turned to face her, and removed his mask. If it wasn't for his acute desire to end her life, his eyes would be completely devoid of emotion. "I'm going to kill you now," he whispered affectionately. He pulled his hand from the blade in her abdomen and ran a finger along her bloodied cheek and jaw. This is it, Asami thought between sputtered breaths. This is how I die. Unable to save the person I care about. I failed...her eyelids grew heavy, but they quickly shot back open.
"N-No," she spat out. The man stared her blankly and cocked his head slightly.
"No?" He repeated.
"No!" The battered teen cried out in pain as she used her last reserves of energy to lunge forward and bite the man's jaw. The foul taste of rusted metal and soft flesh overwhelmed her senses. He hunched over to clench his torn face. To which she wasted no time spitting his own bloodied flesh back in face, then promptly mounting him and thrusting his head repeatedly into the ground. The man's body had stopped moving after his skull cracked beneath her, but she wanted to be sure that there was no way he would ever get up again.
"Asami!" The dark haired teen looked up to see the battered faces of Lin and Kya rushing over to her. She fell backwards, her shaking hands ghosting over the blade lodged into her abdomen. Kya pulled out a medkit and began laying out her tools to treat the wound. Asami tried to focus, but she could feel herself fading once more.
"Here, kid, drink this for the pain." Lin pulled out a flask from the breast pocket of her newly equipped jacket. Asami slowly shook her head and the woman frowned."We're treating this wound, whether you like it or not. You aren't allowed to die in this godless place." Lin propped her head up and Asami parted her lips. The liquor burned down her throat, but slightly helped with the pain radiating from her core. After receiving a nod from the medical specialist, Lin spoke up, "brace yourself, kid."
A searing white light burned into Asami's consciousness as the blade was removed and her wound was treated and stapled closed. The pain was so unbearable that her screams carried no sound as the flooding tears came. Both women help her on her feet, but Asami refused when Lin offered to carry her on her back.
"I think Korra is down there," Asami said with a grunt. The women ignored the groans of disapproval from the ailing teen and helped her walk down the hall. At first glance, Asami didn't know if what she saw was a delusion brought on by intolerable pain, or reality. Pockets of air left her in short sporadic breaths, as she felt her legs rush towards the tattered figure of her sweet beautiful friend. The small teen was strung up by her wrists covered with minor to severe lacerations all over her body. Her clothes were worn down by the physical torment Asami could only assume that she was forced to endure. Desperate hands clawed up towards Korra's scrapped feet and grasped them tightly in her bruised arms, but she was unable to get her down. With shaking hands, Asami frantically tried to find a way to cut Korra down. Kya rushed over to her side and quickly determined that she was still alive by the slight rise and fall of her chest.
They went to work searching around the area trying to get her down, when Lin called out that she found the lever to the the machine that kept Korra bound. Timing their efforts, when Lin pulled the release, Kya and Asami caught the small teen's limp body and placed her delicately on the ground. Asami used her lap as makeshift padding to rest Korra's head against. Kya pulled out her necklace and detached a small vial that contained a clear fluid. The lithe teen watched as the woman poured a small drop into Korra's mouth, then reattached the vial to her necklace and slipped it back under her clothes. To her surprise, the small teen began to stir beneath her and Asami began tenderly rubbing her scalp.
"It's okay," Asami whispered gently, "I have you Korra. I have you." Her voice trembled with each word, but she couldn't contain herself any longer. It wasn't until she had her friend safely in her care did she realize just how much she cared for her. Perhaps Korra wasn't just a friend, maybe a best friend? Asami couldn't even entertain her thoughts much longer, as lids fluttered open to reveal soft cerulean marbles. Asami didn't know how much she had missed looking into those eyes, until she gently pressed bruised hands on either side of her face and silently weep tears of joy. Kya knelt beside her and began gently stroking the small teen's face. Asami noticed the stream of tears flowing down her face, as well.
"...I don't know. I swear I don't…" Korra slurred incoherently in soft gasps. Asami didn't have time to respond, because they were instantly surrounded by dozens of dark figures in pale white masks. Asami was prepared to fight to the death to protect her Korra, but something miraculous occurred—not a moment later did the room get stormed by the Republic City Police Department armed with automatic weaponry and donned in riot gear. The figures then disappeared as quickly as when they had arrived—it was like they were never there. Asami held onto Korra protectively when the medics arrived and began questioning she and Kya about Korra's condition. When it had been suggested that she go with them, against Kya's wishes, Asami declined. She knew that being back in a hospital is the last thing she needed, regardless of how beat up she was. She'd rather heal at home and deal with her father's rage, than be trapped in another hospital. Kya seemed too exhausted to argue and relented. When the paramedics finally carried Korra off, Asami had to experience the painful sensation of having her hands slipped from the small beauty's grasp.
"She'll be okay, Asami," Kya reassured the dark haired teen with a gentle rub on the back. As they carried her way, she felt a piece of herself leave, too. After everything that she had just gone through to rescue Korra, the last thing she wanted was to be away from her when she felt compelled to be by her side. The police followed up soon after with a barrage of questions so jarring that Asami's immediate response was unbridled rage.
"What the fuck did you just say to me?" She panted.
The officer uncomfortably cleared her throat and repeated the question, "Do you know why the victim, Korra Armaruq, was being held at a site owned by Future Industries?"
That's right, she thought. In the midst of fighting for her life, Asami had completely forgotten that her father was somehow involved. She clutched her throbbing abdomen, "I didn't know about any of this," she grunted. Lin came over and pulled she and Kya to the side away from prying ears. Her face held a grave severity to it that Asami hadn't even seen before, and she saw the pained smile on the woman's face when they were forced to part ways. They all knew that death was a possibility, and yet Asami didn't know what Lin could possibly say that had her looking like knew she wouldn't like it. The woman leaned in closer and spoke in a low even tone.
"Asami, right after you left your house Hiroshi also left. But, he left the country. We have no idea where he went or why he left, since he had pending meetings that he had to attend for the financial benefit of Future Industries. It doesn't make any sense."
"So, what are you telling me, Ms. Lin?" Asami felt her frayed nerves skyrocket once more.
Lin shot a concerned look at Kya before continuing, "Hiroshi Sato is now the primary Person of Interest in the disappearance of Korra. All of his accounts have been frozen and all Future Industry properties have been seized until the investigation is over," she paused, "that includes Sato Mansion."
Of fucking course, Asami thought to herself. Why is she always right during the worst of times?