A.N.: Here's Chapter Eight, the Escape, part one! Finally Zhi and Suki are ready to break out of prison! This escape sequence is so long that I've been forced to break it into two parts, kind of like they do with the actual show. Hope everyone enjoys this Chapter!
Chapter Eight: Escape, Part One
The two prisoners went over the details of the plan several times, making sure there wouldn't be any mistakes. If something were to go wrong they could be recaptured or worse; things neither wanted to think about. Both thought up a few contingency plans just in case.
Time was running out as the serving guard's arrival approached. Both prisoners kept a close watch on the cell block door.
Suki quickly looked over to her neighbor. "So once we're out, we'll make our way across the palace grounds into the palace itself to look for your friends' things, then try to slip out one of the servant's passageways down into the city?"
Zhi didn't take his eyes off of the door. "That's about the whole of it, yes. Hopefully before we reach the palace we can find a guard or someone to interrogate for the whereabouts of our weapons and your friends' things."
Suki nodded and turned her attention back to the door. "But remember, if things go bad, we'll have to forget that part and run. From what you've told me about the palace grounds, there may even be some good places to hide, in one of the garden areas or something."
"Yeah, I think tha-" Zhi stopped abruptly as the cell block door creaked open. The guard was approaching their cells, in no way suspecting what was in store for him. Zhi shut his eyes and took a deep breath, preparing for the moment when he would spring forward and attack the guard through the bars.
He opened his eyes just as the guard was sliding Suki's food tray through the slot. He was ready; he knew what he had to do and carefully rose to a crouched position, sneaking a quick glance over at the man.
What happened next surprised him as much as it did the serving guard; in a lightning fast series of movements, Miss Suki leapt to her feet and reached through the bars, just as he was standing back up after delivering her food.
She grabbed the guard's gold and green collar with her left hand and, in a graceful movement, batted the conical hat off of his head with her right. Before he could react, she jerked backwards, pulling him forward.
As the conical hat fell to the ground, the guard's forehead made contact with one of the bars of Suki's cell. He groaned softly and Suki released her hold upon his collar, letting him slide to the floor, unconscious.
"Wow," muttered Zhi, watching as his neighbor knelt down and searched the guard. Having found what she was looking for and something more, Suki rose and turned toward Zhi.
"Ready to get out of here?" she said, smiling.
"Of course… but that was really something!" said Zhi, rising to his feet.
Suki chuckled. "I have been training since I was eight years old, remember?" she said with a smirk. "Oh, and you're going to want these."
Suki held out her hand through the bars and Zhi took the two items; one, he found, was a ring of keys, no doubt for their cells, and the other was the knife from his father.
"My knife! That dirty Earthy must've taken it out of my boot when they brought me in," said Zhi, inspecting the small weapon for any damage or abuse.
"I thought you'd be happy to have that back. Now I think we should hurry up and get moving."
"Think you're right." Zhi returned his knife to its sheath in the ankle guard of his boot. He then quickly unlocked his cell and his neighbor's before grabbing the unconscious guard by his feet and dragging him back into the cell.
The two former captives managed to remove the guard's green and gold outer robe and black under robe, as well as his black leather boots, leaving him in his white underclothes. They placed him in a seated position with his back against the bars, arms pulled back, and crossed behind him.
Using the strap from Zhi's coin pouch, they tied his wrists together, and, to ensure the guard remained silent even if he awoke, they used a large handkerchief as a gag. They finished by shutting the cell's door and locking it up.
"Alright, I'm going to change into these robes, so… don't peek or anything," said Zhi, picking up and dusting off the guard's robes.
Suki rolled her eyes. "Alright, if it makes you feel better," she said, before turning her back to her companion, facing down the cell block.
He quickly tugged off his armored bracers and bicep pieces, setting them aside. Next, he removed his outer armor and the black shoulder guard collar piece. Beneath this, he wore a long sleeved gray uniform shirt, and this too was tossed aside, leaving him wearing only his gray uniform pants, his belt and his Size Two boots.
Suki snuck a quick glance over her shoulder, catching sight of Zhi's bare, pale back, but what caught her eye was a series of black characters painted on or burned into the underside of his right forearm. Before she could get a better look, he'd slipped the black robe over his head and into place before snatching up the green outer one.
Soon Zhi had the outer robe on and was pleased to find that it fit him quiet well. He turned and picked up one of the guard's boots but promptly set it back down next to its mate. Those are not going to fit me. I'll just keep my uniform boots; no one will be able to see them underneath this robe anyway.
Satisfied with his disguise, Zhi grabbed up the conical hat. He placed it upon his head and fastened the chin strap; the hat fit perfectly over his top-knot, revealing none of his black hair.
Suki was becoming rather restless, waiting for her companion. How long is he going to take? Maybe I should say something.
"Ready!" said a voice from behind her and Suki turned to face him. He stood before her, the hat pulled down over his face, hands together, hidden by the sleeves of the robe. "How do I look?" he asked, his face only visible up to his nose.
Suki inspected the disguise. "Pretty convincing, I'd say."
Zhi pushed the hat back up a bit and smiled. "Thank you. Oh, want to grab those boots there?" he said, placing his foot next to one, comparing the size difference. "I don't think you should run around barefoot… and if they don't fit very well you can use the pair off the unfortunate fellow we'll be getting the rest of your disguise from."
"That's a good idea," she said, sitting down to put on the boots. Once she had them on she took a few steps to test them out. They fit well enough... I'm sure I look silly in this awful brown robe and this red cloak with these big boots on.
"Alright, let's go see about my disguise," said Suki, sneaking up the cell block to the iron door.
"Just a minute." Zhi scooped up his uniform and folded the cloth pieces together into an orderly stack. He tucked the bundled up uniform and armor under his arm and followed after her. "Couldn't leave my uniform behind," he said, quietly.
Suki peered back over her shoulder and chuckled softly as Zhi caught up. They stopped at the cell block door and stood in silence. Both knew the door would creak loudly, but what might be waiting on the other side, neither could say.
Together they pulled the door open very slowly. Thankfully it barely made any noise. On the other side was another cell block; this one, however, was occupied. Despite the low light from the torches that lined the wall to their right, the two escapees could see the shadowy forms of at least eight prisoners.
Zhi strode forward down the cell block, trying to appear official; he gave no notice to the prisoners in their cells, just feet away. Suki tried to do the same and followed closely behind her disguised companion. Several of the prisoners sprang to life and crowded at the front of their cells. They threatened and cursed the "Dai Li Agent" and leered at the girl in the tattered brown robe who followed him.
Suki glanced quickly at the prisoners; the loud ones were all criminal types, bearded, angry men who looked like they'd kill you as soon as look at you. These she tried hard to ignore, their lustful looks and terrible hands reaching out through the bars of their cells at her.
One reached out from beneath his bars, the hand, missing two fingers, only inches away from Suki's boot. "C'mere, little one! You'd be a lot safer with me than that Dai Li fella!" said the prisoner in a gravelly tone. Disgusted, Suki lifted the heel of her boot, turned her foot slightly and brought it down upon the prisoner's remaining fingers.
He cried out in pain and yanked his hand back under the bars, glaring at the girl. Suki wrinkled her nose at the him. That'll teach you.
The shout caught Zhi's attention; he had been fixated on reaching the next door and getting away from the prisoners. Now, he turned his head and looked back over his shoulder to check on his companion. She was walking along with a confident stride, seemingly unfazed by the prisoners' remarks and looks.
He'd briefly considered reaching back to take her hand, but now he wasn't sure if she would exactly appreciate such an action. The two escapees soon reached the next door, passed through into an empty cell block, and shut it behind them, leaving the cruel-looking bunch behind.
"Well, that's not something I want to do again," said Zhi, quietly.
"I think the feeling is mutual there, Zhi."
As they made their way up the next cell block, once again single file, Suki couldn't help but remember the few prisoners who had not reacted to their arrival. They just sat there… like I used to…
Lost in thought, she nearly walked into her companion. Zhi had stopped suddenly and cupped his hands behind his ears, trying to amplify his hearing. "Someone's coming… around the corner up ahead," he whispered.
Zhi set his folded up Fire Nation gear on the ground. "Stay here and I'll go have a look." He then quickly walked up to the corner.
Suki waited all of two seconds then quietly followed after Zhi; he turned the corner and she could hear him talking to someone. Carefully she approached the corner and, with her back against the wall, peered around and down the hall.
Zhi had taken a deep breath as he turned the corner. There was another Dai Li guard approaching. He stopped as Zhi neared. "Ching, where've you been? You're late and we're supposed to have that report ready for the warden today," said the Agent.
"Sorry, I, uh… that Fire Nation prisoner was giving me trouble again, you know?" said Zhi, imitating the serving guard.
Zhi was only a few feet away from the guard when he responded. "I thought I told you, never listen to prisoners. They just try to get into your head and…" the guard's expression became cold and serious. He dropped into an Earthbending stance, his stone gloved fist held out, pointed down the hall.
"There's someone there, around the corner," he hissed.
Suki pulled back around the corner. He saw me… he knows I'm here, she thought, preparing herself for a fight.
Zhi wasn't entirely certain of just what had happened, but he acted quickly nonetheless. He reached out and took hold of the guard's wrist with his left hand and simultaneously grabbed the, now surprised, guard's shoulder with his right.
Before the guard could react, Zhi kicked his right leg out from under his robe, swept it forward and knocked the guard's left leg out from under him. With a quick tug back on the guard's shoulder, the Dai Li man toppled backwards, landing hard upon his back.
As the guard landed, the air knocked out of his lungs, Zhi quickly pinned him to the ground with a knee to the stomach. The guard's head hit the iron floor with enough force to knock the hat off of his head. Hard enough to knock him out, as well.
Suki raced around the corner and reached her companion just as the guard landed on his back. Zhi stood back up and turned around, startled to find her standing right behind him.
"Hope this guy's robes fit you," he said.
Suki sized up the unconscious agent. "Shouldn't be too bad." She looked back up at Zhi, smiling. "You're pretty good yourself, taking that guy down."
Zhi smiled, blushing slightly, though invisible in the low light. He enjoyed praise from Miss Suki; he always had. "So… let's get this fellow back down to that empty cell block. We can get his robes off and tie him up back there like we did with the serving guy," he said, bending down to take hold of one of the guard's legs.
They dragged him back and bound his wrists around the bars using shoelaces from his boots in a similar method as they'd done with the former owner of Zhi's disguise. Suki took the guard's robes, and some of his underclothing as well, and quickly changed in the hallway. Zhi had turned his back to her without request and waited until she'd finished.
"I'm ready. Tell me what you think," she said, standing in a regal pose, clad in the green black and gold robes of the Dai Li.
"Very nice!" said Zhi, enjoying the sight. "You look different without that makeup on… Good, look good… very..." He trailed off, noticing she'd wiped most of it off with a handkerchief she'd found on the guard. She really is beautiful… he thought, as several different compliments came to mind.
Suki grinned and shook her head. "Come on, stop staring and let's get going. I'll bet the warden knows where our things are."
"That's what I was thinking too," said Zhi, nodding. He quickly retrieved his uniform and armor, tucking the bundle back under his arm as before. The two escapees started off again, in search of the warden.
As they made their way down the hallway where Zhi had knocked out the second guard, Suki quickly knelt down and picked up the discarded hat, placing it upon her head.
Walking along through the seemingly endless maze of hallways, she could easily remember the way Zhi had looked at her. He does give me some funny looks at times, doesn't he? The same way Sokka did… She felt odd thinking about such things and tried to concentrate on what she would have to do when they met the warden.
He would no doubt be a skilled Earthbender, probably a veteran Dai Li Agent, too. What if he's got other guards with him? This may be difficult, thought Suki, certain they were getting close.
After wandering the halls of the prison for what seemed like an eternity, the two escapees came upon a hallway with many wooden doors instead of the usual iron ones. It seemed as if they'd reached the administrative wing of the prison.
"Look over there," whispered Suki, pointing down the hall at a door near the end. The door was left slightly ajar and light shone out into the hallway.
"Someone's burning the midnight oil," said Zhi, quietly. The two escapees pulled their hats down to cover their faces and slowly approached the door. When they were both positioned before the door, they took a few peeks inside; the only occupant of the room was an older-looking man seated behind a large desk. He wore the robes of a Dai Li officer, the ornate golden collar distinguishing his rank.
The man appeared to be busy working through a few large stacks of paperwork, his fingers stained with red stamp and black calligraphy inks. He was so consumed in his work that he didn't even look up when Suki and Zhi slipped into his office, locking the door behind them.
Without taking his eyes off an official-looking document he addressed the two disguised escapees. "Ching, Cai, you're late. You were supposed to have finished feeding our guests and returned here ten minutes ago."
"I'm sorry, Warden, we ran into some trouble. It was unavoidable," said Zhi, using his guard imitation, hoping that the man before him was the warden.
The Warden looked up from his work, jade eyes studying the two Agents. "What kind of troub… wait, you're not Ching!" he shouted, rising quickly from his chair.
Before the Warden could get around his desk, Zhi dropped into the stance he'd seen Firebenders use, right arm extended with two fingers pointed directly at the man's throat. "Don't make a sound or I'll turn you to ash!" he barked, trying to sound threatening.
The warden hesitated, unsure of what to do. In the split second he stood, staring dumbly at Zhi's fingers, Suki had moved quickly behind the older man. She grabbed his wrists, pinned them together behind his back, and pushed him over onto the desk.
He landed, bent over the desk, with a crash, his chest crushing the stacks of paperwork that he'd been working on only seconds before. A bottle of calligraphy ink was knocked on its side, the ink running all over the papers and splashing up on the warden's face.
The warden struggled and grunted. "Let me go! Let me go! You'll pay for this!" he shouted, unable to wriggle out of Suki's grip. He began to buck and kick wildly, trying to free himself, cursing his disguised assailants.
It took both of them to finally subdue the frantic Dai Li officer, and even more effort to get him tied securely to his chair. He stopped shouting once they had him tied down and sat quietly sneering at the two escapees. Once they'd removed their hats, he recognized them; he knew all of the prisoners, having memorized their files.
Suki and Zhi conferred in whispers on the other side of the room, hopefully out of earshot of the Warden.
"What was that when we first came in here? I thought you said you couldn't bend," Suki said, still a bit surprised by Zhi's diversion.
Zhi shrugged. "I can't. I just figured he might fall for it, at least for a second."
"Well… it did work. Now, we need to get this guy to tell us where our things are. Any ideas?"
"Ahh, not really. He hasn't said anything since we tied him up, so… I doubt he's going to just tell us where our things are," replied Zhi.
Suki snuck a glance over at the warden. I'm not going to like this…, she thought, but it may be the only way. "I think I've got an idea to get him talking... Let's see if it works."
As the two escapees whispered back and forth in the corner, the warden paid them little attention. He was far more interested in the thin layer of sand and dirt that had been, over time, tracked into his office. There was just enough of it on the iron floor to bend, though it would take considerable concentration.
Before he could focus on the dirt and sand enough to do anything with it, his attention was drawn away as Suki and Zhi approached.
Zhi sat down on the desk to the right side of the bound warden while Suki leaned nonchalantly against the wall to his left. "There're really two ways we can do this, warden," said Zhi, placing his hands on the edge of the table, leaning forward a bit.
"The quick and easy way…"
"Or the hard way," added Suki, finishing her companion's sentence.
The warden's expression changed to one of amusement and he chuckled. "You really expect me to tell you anything? You're both fools. Even if, by some miracle, you do manage to escape the palace grounds, I promise I shall see your lifeless bodies delivered to King Long Feng before the sun sets tomorrow."
Zhi frowned and turned to Suki. "It looks like it's going to have to be the hard way."
Suki gracefully stepped forward, standing before the warden. She placed her hand beneath his chin, forcing him to look up at her, trying to replicate the same interrogative techniques that the Fire Nation's Princess had used upon her.
"You are going to tell us exactly what we want to know, do you understand me?" she said, in the same cold and cruel tone Azula had used. Zhi shivered; he'd never thought Miss Suki capable of sounding so merciless.
The warden seemed a bit taken aback. A flicker of fear shone in his cold jade eyes but it passed quickly, his silent defiance unbroken.
"Oh, still don't want to cooperate?" said Suki, tracing a finger up the Warden's cheek.
The man shook his head away from Suki's hand and gave her a cold stare. "I shall tell you nothing, child," he spat.
Suki began to feel less confident in her interrogation abilities; just acting cold and cruel wasn't working. She thought back to the tortures the Princess had put her and her friends through when questioning them about the Avatar's bison. The pain – she could still remember right where the Fire Nation Royal had pressed.
"You'll regret that decision," she said flatly, then dug one of her knuckles into his side. Striking the pressure point produced the same effect that it had had on her; the warden tensed up, gritted his teeth and let out a groan. Suki lightened the pressure slightly, but the man only sneered at her.
The next thing Suki knew, she'd practically without thinking grabbed the man's left shoulder to hold him still, then once again attacked the pressure point, this time with far more force than before. He groaned louder, straining against his restraints. "You'll… pay for this… I'll see that... your death is long and… painful," the warden muttered, in agony.
Suki took her hands off of the man. What did I just do..? Why won't he just tell me! If he'd tell me I could stop this… she though, conflicted over what to do next. Soon frustration got the better of her and she turned to Zhi.
"Your knife," she demanded.
He stared for a moment, seemingly confused, then, in a mechanical motion, reached down and removed the knife from its sheath before holding it out by the blade to Suki. She snatched it from his hand and held it up, inspecting the small weapon. The warden looked up at the knife, the flicker of fear returning to his eyes, now fixated upon the blade.
Zhi found his voice, a bit shaky at first. "All… all you need to do is tell us where you're keeping her things and my weapon. If you do that, we'll simply leave."
The warden's eyes turned back to the girl standing over him but he remained silent. Zhi watched as she placed the flat of the knife's blade against the warden's face, the tip just two inches below his left eye. The warden said nothing, but as Suki applied slight pressure to the blade, just enough to draw blood, his face drained of color and he seemed to go rigid.
"Do you want to know what we'll do with you if you don't tell us?" asked Suki, moving the knife back, away from the man's face. She stopped a few inches away, however, and pointed the tip at the warden's eye.
Still seated on the desk, Zhi reached into his robe and removed the ring of keys, setting them on the desk, within the warden's view.
Suki tilted her head to one side slightly. "If you don't tell us, we'll see that you spend some time with your 'guests' here. I'm sure they would enjoy the company of their captor, especially if he's unable to Earthbend."
There was an immediate response; the warden's eyes went wide and he swallowed hard. "Your things… I'll tell you where they're being kept," he croaked, a scowl crossing his aged face.
Suki returned the knife to Zhi and stepped back. A wave of relief swept over her; she no longer had to imitate the horrible methods employed by the demon Princess. Every moment of her imitation had felt sickening and only reminded her of the way she and her friends had been treated. But what frightened her more than that was the ease at which she'd lost control of herself, even if just for a few moments.
"Your fans and outfit are being kept with two others like it down the hall and to the left… the last door at the end," said the Warden in a contemptuous tone. He then turned to Zhi. "And your polearm along with the rest of your comrades' things are being stored in the servant's room that you took. They're all dead too, might I add." He smiled cruelly at the last bit.
He considered mentioning the fate of the other Kyoshi Warrior who had been brought in with Suki but thought better of it; the sooner he was left alone, the better.
"Let's go, Zhi…" said Suki, turning toward the door.
Zhi rose from the edge of the desk and returned the ring of keys to its place in his robe; he didn't look at the warden and quickly followed Suki out the door into the hallway.
The warden watched them close the door, leaving him alone. He turned his attention back to the sand on the floor. Not only would he soon free himself, but he now knew exactly where the two would go.
As the dirt slowly rose from the floor and snaked though the air, the small wisp of sand wearing against the ropes that bound his hands, the warden smirked to himself.
Out in the hallway the two escapees paused. Zhi looked over to Suki who stood with her arms folded over her chest, stooped over a bit as if she was cold. He carefully approached her. "Are… you alright Miss Suki?"
She turned quickly to look at him. "Yes… I just… I hated that in there, you know?"
"The way you were questioning the warden? I… that was pretty, well, frightening. I have to admit. But, I understand that you… we had to get him to talk," said Zhi, cautiously placing his hand upon her shoulder.
"I suppose you're right." Suki set her left hand upon Zhi's. "Now… we should get going."
Zhi nodded slowly then knelt and picked up his folded uniform that he'd left outside the warden's office. Then he followed her down the hall so she could retrieve her things. The next part, making their way to the Palace and escaping into the city, was about to begin and neither expected it to be an easy task.
A.N.: And there's part one. Hope all my readers liked it. Part two is nearly done but may still be a while.