~Chapter 16~

Burns and Incents

Tonraq walked into the Fire Nation thrown room two letters in his hand. He looked up at the women surrounded by fire who looked down at him through gold rimmed glasses. There was silence between them for a moment.

"I've gotten troubling news about my son and the effect it might be having on the Avatar." Izumi's stern face softened. "I'm sorry we have to meet like this."

Tonraq looked at one of the dragons painted on the wall. "We never meet under positive circumstances…even when your late husband was alive." He looked at her. "So what do you presume we do?"

"We must protect the avatar. The world is still fragile we cannot allow the avatar to be seduced on to the wrong path." Izumi looked down. "That is our first priority."

.o.

The spa room was pleasantly dim. Vanilla incents burned in a corner of the room. Korra sat on the massage table wrapped in a towel patiently waiting for her misuse to walk through the door. She highly doubted it was going to be an employee and as Iroh limped in to the room Korra prided herself on being right. She looked her husband up and down taking stock of his was on crutches, employee uniform, and heavy breathing.

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you in some kind of rush?"

Iroh chuckled. "Little bit. It was harder than I thought to slip away from my new friends. I'm surprised you actually came. There was a good chance you'd just set fire to the card and be done with it. "

"And forever wonder what you were going to say when we came face to face? Not a chance." She looked at his ankle. "What happened to you?"

"I was attacked the same night I disappeared. My broken ankle is the least of my souvenirs from that night." Iroh unbuttoned his shirt reveling the medical wrappings.

Korra stood up and examined the bandages. "Cut or Burn?"

"Burns, they cover my chest and left arm. It's not pretty and very painful."

"The equalists did this?" Korra looked up in disbelief. "How? Did they set you on fire before you joined them?"

"No, the people I was investigating in the United Forces did. Amon saved me in a way. He had his men take me out of my burning office and patched me up. He offered me a position in his army."

"Which you took." Korra frowned. "I need to heal you up."

"No, that would raise suspicion. It could blow my cover."

"Not if you're as good a spy as you think you are." Korra said sternly. "This isn't debatable I'm healing you up and you can act like you're injured." She walked over to the sink. "No arguing. Now sit on that table."

"I didn't come to see you to get healed Korra."

"I know but you're getting it anyway. You can talk while I heal take off your shirt and remove your bandages."

Iroh nodded and did as she commanded. "Yes, princess." There was silence for a moment as Korra started to heal him. "So you're not going to ask me what side I'm really on?" Iroh ventured eventually.

Korra shrugged. "I really don't think it matters. I don't care."

Iroh frowned. "You don't care? You don't care about what? Me?"

"No the conflict. I care about you; I love you, but the conflict? Benders against Non-benders? I've seen this play out before the names and faces are different but the motive's the same. The two leading forces are trying to gain power." She took a deep breath. "It's my duty to stop it and create balance but that's not the same as caring about it. Do you care about the cause you've aligned with?"

"I've always cared about non-benders' rights but Korra I'm concerned you've not the apathetic type. The avatar can't be apathetic."

"Well I am, I don't care about sides. People? Yeah I guess a little but the men in charge?" Korra looked like she could spit. "Tarlock's only in it for the power. He's making life a living hell for non-benders in the city."

"Amon's got a similar M.O. he want's power and control. He's not what he says it is."

"So why join him?"

"Lack of good options." Iroh wrapped his arms around Korra. "Joining Amon was the best of the bad options."

Korra didn't seem to react to his touch. "And if you rejected Amon's offer he would have killed you?"
"No, he would have just locked me a way and I'd escape eventually and Tarlok would have killed me or someone acting on his orders."

Korra sighed and leaned against Iroh. "So what do we do? Do I come on board with you and Amon? Runway? Stay but remain neutral? What?"

"None of those things." Iroh pulled away. "Korra, while Amon speaks a good game he's a thug and a bad guy. He's not even a non-bender. You have to fight him, he can't win."

"But you just said Tarlok was the bad guy. How can I join his side?"

"I don't want you to join him, just fight against Amon. Only use Tarlok if you must but I'd rely on Lin and Sozza if you can."

"That might be a problem, they're very preoccupied right now with Mako."

Iroh tilted his head. "Mako? You're propending captain? Why are they preoccupied with him? Was he killed?!"

"No, just really hurt in the bombing, he's recovering from having his hands severed." She looked at Iroh's shocked face. "They put them back on, don't worry, but even at work the two are distracted."

Iroh nodded. "Yeah, can't blame them. I would be too if my kid was gravely injured."

"Did you know Sozza had two sons?"

Iroh nodded. "Yeah I knew, but I only since I went and did research on your teammates did I realize they were her kids." He looked over at her. "Nothing personal against them I just wanted to make sure you were around safe people."

"Speaking of personal." Korra laced her fingers in his rave hair. "Do you have to leave soon or can we get a little more personal?"

Iroh checked the clock. "I've got a little time before I have to start back." He smiled. "What did you have in mind?"

.o.

Bolin looked at a groggy Mako. "Hey, you are feeling better bro?"

Mako groaned. "I think so. I'm still really sore."

"Do you still feel wracked with guilt?" Bolin bit his lip and held up a tray. "Uh, hungry?"

Mako nodded. "Yeah, a little hungry…and still a little guilty."

Bolin put the tray on his brother's lap. "Well eat up and like you said he kissed first which kind of exonerates you of guilt and you're with Asami and you like Asami."

Mako ripped up a roll and shoved it in his mouth.

"You do like Asami right?"

Mako gulped. "I do care about her, really she's a great person, one of the sweetest girls I've ever met."

Bolin frowned. "I sense a 'but' coming."

Mako made a face. "But I just don't know. I mean I got with Asami so fast and I was literally stuck by her in the street. I don't know I think I just got swept up, I could tell she liked me and I'm a people pleaser Bo! I do things to make people happy! You know that!"

Bolin nodded. "Yeah, I know that, you even said Momma Sozza could cook when they first adopted us."

"Exactly! So what am I going to do? I like Asami but not in that way."

Bolin frowned. "Really? Not even just a little like that?"

Mako gave his brother a look. "Bolin… have I ever liked a girl like that? I've never had a girlfriend before Asami! So no, not even a little but I don't know how to tell her that without her thinking I used her!" He sighed. "I don't want to talk about this now. How's everything else going?"

"Well, just about as well as your love life."

Mako took a drink of water. "Well shit the world's really going to hell."

"Not the world, just the city, and it's not too bad but you can feel the electricity in the air. Something really bad is going to happen really soon. The moms are thinking of sending us away to be with family to be safe."

Mako sighed and held up his cast hands. "I can't blame them. I mean look at me I'm useless."

Bolin nodded. "Yeah you're pretty useless now but don't worry you'll heal."

Mako looked at his casts. "I hope so, because right now I can barely feel my fingers." He moved his fingers. "I wonder if I'll ever have full feeling again."

Bolin shrugged. "Don't know bro, but you should eat. We can talk about this later."

.o.

Korra sighed contentedly resting her hand against his shoulder. "That was probably a bad idea."

Iroh nodded. "Yeah, but I'll regret it later right now let's just enjoy this moment."

Korra sighed and sat up. "But moments don't last my love. I need to go before they start looking for me."

Iroh nodded and sat up. "Yeah, me too. Korra before you leave I need to warn you. Amon he's got something planned, something big at the end of the week. I don't know more then that."

Korra' eyes widened. "At the end of the week? That's what Mr. Sato said about his…business deal with the Fire Nation Navy…." Korra looked at Iroh growing pale. "There is no deal with the Fire Nation Navy is there?"

Iroh shook his head. "No, Fire Nation Forces arm themselves in house, we reach out to any outside industries and people think we're arming up for war. If Heroshi Sato has a big business deal it's not with the Fire Nation."

"Oh, Yue, I've got to go! I've got to tell Lin! Or Someone. Heroshi Sato, he can build anything!" Korra started to hurriedly put on her clothes. "People, people are going to die."

"Korra calm down." Iroh stood up. "Amon doesn't want to kill anyone. It won't help his cause if he want's that."

Korra slowed down. "Iroh, think for a moment Amon ruins people's lives and Mr. Sato doesn't strike me as the man who would just be happy with making shock gloves. Amon's never going to try and gain control by legal means."

Iroh sighed. "You're right, I'll keep an eye on Amon and try to gather as much info about his plans."

"Or don't and come in from the cold. You're not on a mission come home."

"I can't, Tarlok probably wants my head already. I'll be more useful working for Amon then in a jail cell waiting for someone to shiv me."

Korra crossed her arms. "You're paranoid but…. it might be good to have a man on the inside but please the moment you think Amon's on to you get out of there. Ok?"

Iroh nodded and kissed her. "Will do…and please don't let Tarlok know you met with me."

"I won't." Korra looked around. "I probably shouldn't let anyone know I met with you."

.o.

Lin looked at the telegram in her hand and sighed. Sozza looked up from her papers. "What is it love?"

"You know those telegrams you sent to Chief Tonraq and Fire Lord Izumi?"

"Yes."

Lin handed Sozza the papers. "Well they got them and they are on their way here…. Was that what you were hoping for?"
Sozza shook her head. "No it wasn't."

"What wasn't?" Korra walked in to the room looking disheveled. "What's wrong?"

Sozza grimaced. "Your father and mother-in-law are heading to the city."

Korra's eyes grew big. "Oh…no no no! Whenever they get involved things only get worse! Sent them a message to go back! It's not safe here…. they can't be here!"

A/N: Thanks for reading guys! Please comment if you feel so compelled! I'm sorry There's been kind of a slump in updating but I was bit by a dog a little over a week ago, lost a lot of blood, treated for rabies, and been on medication that I'm now just getting over. Long story short…please obey leash laws. PLEASE! This has been a mini nightmare but I'm all good now so life goes on. See yah later!~C.C.