Chapter XXIX: Confessions Part I
"What the hell were you thinking?" Asami asked when Saltrall finished telling his story. The others except for Korra all voiced a similar question. Saltrall clenched his jaw and stood, not expecting that reaction.
"I've been around for over 600 years. I've faced down Cybermen, Daleks, Slitheen and every other menace in the galaxy! I thought a simple recon mission would be simple and I didn't want to put any of you at risk!" He shouted back in response he growled and stormed down a nearby hallway.
"No matter what his intentions, that was stupid and reckless," Bolin said and the others agreed with him. Everyone except for Korra who stood and jogged after him while Mako watched.
Saltrall punched a box and growled in anger, trying to calm himself.
"Saltrall?" Korra asked, approaching him cautiously.
Saltrall looked at her but kept pacing. "You here to talk shit too?" He asked angrily before punching the wall.
"Saltrall, what's going on? You're never like this. Talk to me, please." She replied, slowly walking up to him. He kept pacing until she grabbed his arm, which made him stop.
He sighed and rubbed his face, almost as if he was snapped out of a trance.
"I'm so sorry, Korra, I didn't mean to-" He started, but was interrupted by Korra kissing his cheek and smiling.
He blushed and looked away. Korra giggled and smiled.
"That's the big old dork I know," She said, smiling, "Now come on talk to me."
They sat down on a crate leaning against the wall and Saltrall looked at his Sonic.
"I-I think that was the Pentamood Disorder rearing it's ugly head," he said with a nervous chuckle. "I'm so, so sorry, Korra, really."
He looked at her and saw her smiling softly. She put her hand on his and he felt himself calm down more.
"It's completely okay, Saltrall, I'm just glad to have my friend back." She said.
Saltrall smiled a little before sighing and standing.
"I have to go apologize to the others," He said as he started walking back down the tunnel.
Korra opened her mouth to say something but closed it and frowned a little, deciding now wasn't the time.
She followed behind Saltrall at a distance looking down at her feet as she walked, lost in thought. Suddenly two Equalists appeared seemingly out of nowhere and grabbed Korra from behind.
"Hey, what the-!" She exclaimed, trying to shake free, "Saltrall!" She shouted, before one of them covered her mouth with a rag.
Saltrall wheeled around and saw it. "Korra!" He shouted and ran towards the three of them, grabbing his Sonic from his pocket.
One of them grabbed her and ran off, the other stayed back to face Saltrall. Saltrall just pressed the switch down and made his Sonic glow blue. He ran past the Equalist who struggled to moves his legs.
"Blue is non-violent, got it, that means green must be violent, good to know," He thought to himself as he kept running.
The commotion attracted the attention of the others, who ran down the corridor.
"Saltrall, Korra what's happening?" Asami yelled as they stopped to catch their breath. When they didn't hear anything they ran faster, past the stunned Equalist.
"Well, we know we haven't passed them yet," Mako said, panting as he ran. They eventually caught up to Saltrall who was slamming his hands against the wall at the end of the tunnel.
"NO NO NO! DAMMIT" He shouted, desperately slapping the wall and using his Sonic.
"What happened?!" Asami shouted as they tried to catch their breath.
"Korra's been kidnapped, I stopped one Equalist but the other opened a door and ran through. I can't- OPEN DAMN YOU!" Saltrall replied, his voice desperate as he kept slapping the wall.
"What?! They took Korra?" Mako exclaimed, making Asami frown and look away. Saltrall wheeled around.
"You three," He said, pointing at them, "you go on foot, take Naga and try to pick up a trail," He pulled a communication device from his pocket, "Here, use this and call me if you find anything,"
He tossed it at Mako, who caught it. "Wait, why don't we all take the TARDIS?" Bolin asked.
"Too risky, I have no idea where they've taken her and if we all go together we can all be captured together," He replied, "Trust me, I can handle myself in a fight."
Mako nodded reluctantly, "I hate to say it but he's right, come on guys, let's go,"
The others sighed but nodded and ran back down the hallway. Saltrall waited a bit before walking back to his TARDIS. He sighed and went in.
"Alright Korra, I'm bringing you home," He said to himself as he went to the console.
He lied to the others about not knowing where Korra was being taken, he knew exactly where they were taking, after all, he'd been there before, and it made sense they take her to the same place. He pulled out his Sonic's power core and stuck it in it's spot. He had seen that when Amon tried fiddling with it while he was captured that he accidentally activated a tracking system without realizing it. Saltrall deactivated it but kept the log, which he brought up on screen and set coordinates near the starting point on the log.
He gathered his things and waited to land. When it did he put on the brakes and opened the door. He was outside the Equalist base where he was kept hostage. He hadn't had a good chance to look at it when he escaped, but now he saw that it appeared to be an old factory taken over by the Equalists.
He heard a motorcycle engine coming closer and he ran and hid behind some stacked crates. He watched the Equalist with a bound and gagged Korra behind him. She was struggling, but only a little, and she looked to have some bruises and burns on her arms. Saltrall noticed to wounds and glared as the door opened and the motorcycle drove inside before the door closed behind them.
He moved from behind the crates and looked around. He knew he couldn't follow through the door, too many guards, and he looked up and saw a low standing roof next to the TARDIS with some high windows leading inside the building.
"Bingo," He whispered and pushed a large crate next to the TARDIS.
"Sorry girl," He said as he rubbed the side of his craft before maneuvering his way up on top of the ship. He took a few steps and jumped onto the roof.
He ran over to the window and looked in. He saw a large room, full of science equipment and chemistry tables, at least that's what it looked like. Saltrall pulled out his Sonic and managed to remove the window completely. It was a calm day, which was good because that meant that there wouldn't be a draft. He set it down quietly and climbed through.
He landed behind a safe just as the door opened. He crouched down and listened as two scientists walked in, discussing something.
"How is the serum production coming?" He heard one voice say.
"Good, very good," Another one replied, "We can use the test dose on the Avatar once she's been drugged and restrained."
"Are you sure that's safe?" The first man asked, "Amon will kill us if we do anything to the Avatar."
They had walked over to the table right next to the safe and had their backs to it. Saltrall stood up and killed them both with his Sonic.
"Not if I kill you first." He said as their lifeless bodies crumpled in heaps to the ground.
He walked around the safe and stood in front of the table, kicking one of the corpses so it rolled over out of his way. Normally he'd have felt empathy for killing in cold blood, but these weren't normal circumstances. This was a rescue mission, but not only that, he was here for revenge.
He looked at the chemistry table in front of him. It had several test tubes and vials full of clear and dark liquids, along with a Bunsen burner and two syringes on top of a notepad. Curious, Saltrall moved the syringes and looked at the note.
Welopurpate development following time frame perfectly. Drug in current state can paralyze whoever is injected for 5 hours. Preliminary tests on rats successful, Amon OKed first human test on Avatar.
Saltrall clenched his fist and looked at the two syringes. One had a purple liquid inside.
"That must be the Welopurpate," He said to himself, picking it up and looking at it closely before setting it down and looking back at the notepad. The rest of the page had various scribblings, but at the bottom of the page there was a list of ingredients and the formula for the drug. Saltrall ripped it out and folded it into his pocket. He looked at the next page and kept reading.
Isopropylanthine development progressing faster than expected. First human test successful, the subject has been cured of his bending. More tests to follow before mass production can begin.
Saltrall's eyes widened when he read the last bit.
"No, that's not possible..." He said, looking at the other syringe, which was full of a clear liquid. "A drug that can paralyze and a drug that take away people's bending..."
He gulped and shook his head, trying not to think about the horrible implications that come with the knowledge that the Equalists are developing drugs to take bending away from people. He saw the formula under the notes, but there was more, smaller writing below that. He gave it a closer look.
Production on combined paralytic-bending cure is progressing slower than anticipated. Looking for new chemicals and ingredients to prevent further reactions.
Saltrall growled softly and looked at the syringes again before pointing his Sonic at them and shattering them. He watched the liquid drip off the table and flow around the instruments. He sighed and put the other piece of paper in his pocket before tossing the notepad in the puddle.
He knew he had to find Korra and get her out of here. He dragged the corpses out of plain sight and put on one of their uniforms. He pulled the mask over his head and put the Sonic in his pocket.
"Alright, oh, good, a voice changer," He said as his voice deepened, "That works for me."
He stepped out of the room and closed the door. He looked around and locked the door with his Sonic. Trying to avoid unnecessary attention he stayed off to the side and found a map of the facility pinned to a wall. He scanned it with his Sonic and double tapped the switch. The blue light shined on the floor and he followed it to a door.
Saltrall placed his ear against the door and heard Korra cry out in pain. He looked around again before trying to open the door. He found that was unlocked so he just walked in. There was a guard standing in front of a bound Korra with her hands over her head and legs separated. The guard was torturing her with an electric glove. He grabbed her shoulder and shocked her causing her to yell in pain. Korra looked passed her torturer and saw Saltrall, her bloodshot eyes filling with even more fear when she saw him in disguise, which made his heart drop.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" The guard torturing Korra asked, turning and facing him.
"Amon said you could use a break." Saltrall replied, drawing his Sonic.
"Wait, what the- GAHHH!" The guard cried out in pain as Saltrall pressed the Sonic to his head and killed him.
Korra looked surprised and terrified, not comprehending what was happening as tears rolling down her cheeks. Saltrall looked away and fought his own tears before going back over to the door and locking it with his Sonic. After he did that he ripped his mask and ran over to Korra.
"Korra, you're safe now," Saltrall said when he reached her.
"Saltrall, oh thank God it's you..." Korra said as she burst into a fresh round of tears. Saltrall released her restraints quickly and she fell into his arms before hugging him tight.
"Shhhhh, shhhhh, you're okay, I'm here, I'm here," Saltrall said softly, petting her head as she cried into the crook of his neck. He held her close, trying to keep his own composure. He pulled his communicator out of his pocket.
"Mako?" Saltrall asked.
"We're here, any news?" Mako replied, his voice crackling out of the device.
"I got her, get back to the sewer, we'll meet you there." Saltrall replied. He smiled softly when he heard the audible sighs on the other end.
"Right, we're on our way." Mako replied, relief filling his voice.
Saltrall smiled, "See you soon," He said before hanging up and drawing his Sonic.
He held it in the air and his TARDIS appeared out of nowhere. He picked up Korra and carried her into the TARDIS before closing the door behind him.
He sat on the couch and rubbed her back. She had her head against his chest, face up and eyes closed.
"It's okay, Korra, you're safe, thank God you're safe now." Saltrall said softly, moving a loose strand of hair from her face and wiping away a stray tear.
Korra sat up slowly and sniffled. She looked at him with relief and... something else was in her eyes. Saltrall watched her and he saw that look in her eyes. He was about to ask what happened but Korra got the jump on him.
Before he knew what happened Korra grabbed his cheeks, pulled his face close, and kissed him.