Second to last chapter. Enjoy and review please!
The sudden appearance of police cars and air ships alerted them that something was probably going wrong. They left the entrance of city hall, only to find that Korra was dragging a leg behind her from down the street. Looking back at the doors of city hall, they could see that cops were running towards them. The metalbender stopped to seal the entrance to City Hall. Then she sealed off the road with a high wall of earth.
"I don't think you are going back to jail, Kuvira." Mako said as he grabbed her shoulder to bring her along with him.
"I was afraid of that." The former dictator responded.
Zhao had already started running towards the wounded Avatar. Her trousers were stained with blood coming from where she was hit by the bolt.
"We can't seem to leave you along without you getting hurt. What happened?" he asked as he caught her from falling.
"Ambushed," she said through difficulty breathing, "He was rigging everything to kill me and frame it as self-defense. Just get me out of here. The poison's settling in."
Mako and Kuvira finally caught up and Zhao informed them. Both firebenders looped the Avatar's arms around their neck to carry her away from City Hall. The metalbender attempted to call for the air bison only to watch the metalbending officers scare him away. They continued down another block of the city. People were running away frantically as Mako shouted at them.
"Where's the nearest hospital?" Kuvira shouted as she blocked off the street with another wall.
"We won't make it there on time if we are carrying her." The former detective said before stopping.
Korra let out a grunt of pain from the sudden jolt, "Easy Mako."
He looked down the street and soon smiled. Ignoring his friend's plea of pain, he started running again dragging her and Zhao with him.
"We're hot wiring a Satomobile."
"You are going to have to explain what this hot wiring is, Makoto." The other firebender growled.
"Just get her into the thing."
They managed to get the door open before setting the wounded Avatar into the front passenger seat. Mako ran to the other side of the red Satomobile and began his attempts to get it to start. In the meantime, the other duo was trying to hold off the Republic City Police.
Another close call left the dictator and admiral cringing from chunks of rock passing by. They were suppressing the officers the best they could.
"Come on, Makoto!" Zhao shouted, "I thought he was some criminal in his early life?"
"I don't think he was a car thief." Kuvira added as she ducked down again from another barge of pellet sized rocks, "I am positive that these officers are not planning on apprehending us."
Another piece of their wall flew by.
"I don't think so either." He said before standing and hitting one of the vehicles with a fireball.
The explosion gave them enough time to retreat to the Satomobile. The metalbender ripped the roof off before leaping in and pushing Mako out of her way.
"You are taking too damn long." She said as she searched for what she needed.
"Sorry that I'm not a car thief." He responded by putting it into gear, "You both didn't have to deal with the Avatar vomiting into your lap. Whatever this poison is, it's really affecting her."
Kuvira reached around and opened one of the Avatar's eyes, "Avatar State. Mako, we have to go somewhere fast."
"Hold on to your panties, Great Uniter." The firebender said as he swung the Satomobile around a corner.
Their escape became a car chase as they turned every other intersection. Zhao sat behind the Avatar, trying to keep her head from bouncing around as the driver jerked the wheel too hard and too often. Kuvira was successful with closing the streets from behind them. Now, they just had to lose the air ships before they could stop.
"Overpass," Kuvira pointed as she sat down again, "Drive under it."
Mako nodded, "It will only get us so far and then we'll have another block before the hospital."
"Park this thing under the overpass thing." Zhao's temper was picking up, "Then we switch machines."
As they drove under the overpass, Kuvira had a better idea. Traffic was halted for a moment and she grinned.
"Keep your heads low." She said before taking the roof of a few more red vehicles, leaving the owners terrified.
Topless red Satomoblies drove off in every direction as the drivers panicked. Kuvira then kicked the back of Mako's seat, getting him to take off too. She had been watching the air ships readjust to the sudden panic on the streets.
"Park it." She shouted.
"You are a demented woman! I'm working on it."
Instead of waiting, Zhao leaped over the side of the automobile. Running alongside it, he reached in to forcefully yank the wounded Avatar from her seat and restraint. Mako slammed on the breaks as he began shouting.
"Easy there! She is wounded."
"And you are being a complete moron." He said before putting the Avatar on his shoulder and running towards the hospital. Kuvira was soon joining him.
Deciding that he had enough, Mako stopped the Satomoblie and left it in the middle of the street.
The four of them barged in and Zhao went straight to the first hospital worker and began ordering the woman around. The metalbender took care of the security as Mako began to apologize to everyone. Moments later a hastily chosen team of doctors, healers and nurses took the Avatar into a room and began to take care of her injuries. Both of the firebenders were threatening the workers that were trying to make a call into the police.
It was the middle of the night. Zhao was sitting along in the Avatar's room, grasping her hand. For the first time in a very long time, he looked worried about someone other than himself. He was watching her pain-filled face. The team of doctors and healers managed to barely get the poison out of her and had sealed her injury.
"This is silly." He began speaking to himself, "I, the almost greatest admiral in all of the Fire Nation, is brought to tears over a savage of the snow. Yet, here I am, holding your hand and thanking you for reminding me of what life is supposed to be like."
He leaned down close to her ear, "If you die on me, I will find your next life and make it unbearable."
He sat with the receiver and transmitter of a telephone in his hands. The hospital did not think to update their phones to the newer models, but Mako did not mind. He was trying to call his brother for the umpteenth time.
"Hello?" the other side finally said.
"Opal? It's Mako. I need you to give the phone over to Bolin. It's an emergency."
He was on hold for a moment before his brother picked up.
"Hey bro. What's going on? The radio stations are going crazy and saying stuff like you and Korra caused serious trouble."
Mako grunted, "I will explain later but I need you and Opal to do me a favor. Go check on Asami for me and don't leave her side."
There was a moment of silence before the earthbender spoke, "You and Korra really did cause trouble, didn't you?"
He was about to shout but the sleeping metalbender readjusted on his shoulder, reminding him to keep his voice down.
"Just do it Bo. She will really need friends with her."
"We're leaving right now."
The firebender let his head drop back against the wall after hanging up. He was tired of holding the hospital hostage as the police searched for them. Lucky for them, the hospital kept them in a secluded area and had the police running around aimlessly through the halls as the Avatar and her team rested and hid.
"Excuse me." Mako's head popped back up at the sound of the head doctor, "I cannot hide criminals in my hospital any longer. The police chief is getting serious with his threats to the two hospitals in the city. You all must either leave or give yourselves up. I am giving you an hour to decide before I call them."
The metalbender peeked around the corner of the hospital before waving the others by. The firebenders carried the unconscious Avatar through the alleyways as they headed deeper into the city. Mako said something about old friends and now they were making their way over to the Triple Threat Triads. If anyone could smuggle four people out of the city, it would be them. Unlike their previous meetings, Mako was no longer a cop, he had a large checkbook to use, and maybe when Korra woke up, Shady Shin could finally have his bending back. He was mostly hoping to just forge the Earth King's signature on a large check. The firebender could deal with Wu later.
"Makoto, if you keep jerking her around, she will wake up in a foul mood." The other firebender growled.
"She's not waking up. They gave her a strong sedative. Korra will be fine." He returned with a growl of his own.
"Will you two stop bickering?" Kuvira shot at them, "We won't escape this city if the both of you won't work together."
"Why don't you try carrying her, Great Uniter?" Zhao retorted, "She's heavier than she looks."
The metalbender shot a fist up to stop them from continuing, "Police."
The walls surrounding the two cops came together. They did not have time to respond to the sudden attack.
"Sure, let's make our list of crimes even fucking longer!" Mako shouted in a whisper.
"We won't be heading to jail if they catch us." She argued back, "Trust me, Mako."
"It's hard to trust the person that brought a giant mech-suit into the city to destroy everything."
Zhao reached with his full arm to slap the other firebender on the back of the head, "Stop fighting and let's go."
"You guys," Korra muttered softly, "Are the worst team Avatar… ever."
Everyone stopped to glare at Mako. He finally flipped them the bird before making them all move again.
He beat on the door like a madman. It took some time for someone to answer the door.
"What do you want? Don't you know the cops are everywhere right now?" a pair of blue eyes peeked through a small gap in the door.
"It's Mako. Tell Viper to open the damn door before I beat it down." Mako hit the door again, "I know it's you, Shin."
The door opened and the former waterbender let out a whistle, "It is true. You are on the run."
"And I have a full coin purse if you and the gang can manage to get us out of the United Republic."
The gangster let him and the rest in. He raised a confused brow as the Great Uniter, the Avatar and some new face walked in.
"Seems like you have new friends, Mako. All wanted criminals."
The firebender ignored him as he walked the halls. He knew Viper was around somewhere. The now older waterbender was still leading the Triple Threats. He sent his arms out wide to welcome the firebender.
"Coming back to us again?" Viper asked with a grin on his face, "You know that we don't like cops."
Kuvira and Zhao snorted in jester to Mako's frown.
"I'm not here as a cop. I'm here because we need to get out of the United Republic and you are the best at smuggling."
The waterbender tapped the desk with his fingers, "I don't know Mako. Chief Song is offering a few thousand yuan for the Avatar and her posse."
"The Earth King can double that." Mako responded, "No, triple it. You get us out and I will personally make sure you get the money."
"Sounds like a good deal, boss." Another of Viper's men said.
"And if we get caught?"
"We're all dead anyways." The former detective said.
Shifty blue eyes looked at each of them. He lingered too long on his decision but Mako knew he was thinking it all over.
"Shin, get the truck and make sure our guests are comfortable." The gang leader finally said, "Looks like we have a deal Mako, but just so you know, if we don't get paid, we will hunt you down. No stinkin' Ba Sing Se will save you."
Kuvira shifted the Avatar's arm around her neck before speaking to the Earth Kingdom bodyguard.
"Can you really trust them?"
"No. Not really, but we don't have much of a choice."
Zhao and Shady Shin sat in the front of the truck. Since Zhao's face was not as known as the rest of his friends, he sat upfront with the former waterbender. They made sure to have firm plan before reaching the checkpoints and gates around the city. Both were wearing grey jumpsuits to look the part of travelling traders and both wore fake beards.
Mako and Korra were stuffed inside a box that was labeled as cabbages. The firebender was only there to make sure the Avatar could not speak. Korra was given another sedative to keep her quiet.
The former dictator sat behind a series of boxes with plenty of metal around her. Should their escape become insanely hostile, she would have access to fight back.
Fake papers were handed over to the city border guard. He checked the paperwork before wanting to see what was in back. Hearts were pounding inside of the truck as the guard opened the back. Yellow eyes searched the inside of the truck from where he stood.
"It's your lucky day, gentlemen. Random inspection." The cop said, "Please pull off to the side. We will have to inspect the entire shipment."
Shin and Zhao gave each other a look before complying. The truck was moved and they followed the cop as he directed them. Both were seemingly nervous. They just hoped that the cabbages covered Mako and Korra well. Kuvira was stuck trying to find something to hide in. Squeezing under the seats would have to do, as uncomfortable it was.
"How's the search for the wanted criminals?" Shin asked as the cop started his search, "I heard they did a number on folks in the city."
The cop sighed, "I know it's hard to believe, but I hope they get caught. Avatar or not, she killed our president."
"Rough."
"Yeah."
The guard continued his search, finding nothing. Kuvira let out a sigh of relief when the doors shut. Her sigh was sucked back in when Zhao and Shin sat down on the seats.
"You both are crushing me." She managed to get out.
"You'll live." The former waterbender grinned.
Now that they were finally out of the city, the last obstacle was the national border. The former waterbender and Zhao made small talk. Somehow, they managed to get along. How they did, Kuvira and Mako would never know.
A slip of paper came out from the crate that Mako was in. They would need it to get past the Earth Kingdom customs. It was signed and dated by him, which, according to Mako, he might as well be running the kingdom. They should have no problems. Until the United Republic border guards made them stop and empty the truck.
The Great Uniter made sure that the ground shook as Mako carried the Avatar over the border. Zhao quickly followed. The Earth King's bodyguard started shouting about helping them. In a mixture of confusion, the Earth Kingdom and the United Republic had a short skirmish on the border. The former detective was sure that he would certainly hear some sort of complaint from Wu.
With the border guards fighting, Shady Shin managed to sneak back to the United Republic. He sure hoped the reward was worth it.
The three conscious members of Team Avatar let out a long sigh of relief. They managed to escape over the border without injury.
"The next time I have to come with you three, I might just hang myself." Kuvira said.
"Trust me," Mako panted, "I might join you."
Korra reminded them that she was still there by drooling on Mako's lap. The things he did for her.