"You're lacking. Fight harder. Like you did when I tried to kill you." Korra's sweat drawn face contorts and struggles to remain focused as she tightens her muscles and tries again to reach for a pistol that sits idly on a small stand in front of her. Next to her stands Tahno, alive and well in Korra's mind as his voice fills her ears. "I know. I'm trying!" She yells at herself, flinching when her index finger grazes the caliber. "Not hard enough. Come on Korra, where's the fight? How do you expect to amount when you can barely pick up a gun!?" Korra shouts and kicks the stand to the ground, the pistol triggering and firing a blast to the open room. Korra stands motionless, her ears ringing the familiar ring of murder. The day she killed Tahno; the day she killed her own father.
"Korra?" Korra jumps at the sound of her name and does what she's been trained to do; she strips a knife from her belt and flings it at the voice. Raven hair flies in the air just in time to evade the sharp object as it snaps on the wall and drops with a sharp cling.
"A-Asami?" Korra's eyes widen as she realizes what she'd done, watching as Asami is breathless and her eyes strained. "I-" The tan girl doesn't have any words. "Korra….." Asami breaths out and stands tall, her fear disappearing and confidence returning. "Are you okay? I heard a gunshot…." But Korra is now on the floor, tears streaming down her face. Asami rushes to her, gathering her in her arms. "Korra it wasn't your fault." "Yes it was. You're a monster, Korra." Korra shakes her head, "I'm a monster!" Asami can't help but sigh; when was this going to stop?

Asami rubs her eyes as she exits her and Korra's shared room. She finally was able to lull the tribal girl to sleep, but somehow Asami can't. It's getting worse, she tells herself. Both Korra's behavior, and her lack of sleep. But something has been picking at the corner of her mind ever since a few days ago; Zaheer. Who was this man? And why does she feel it has some sort of connection to Korra? "Asami? What are you doing out here so late?" The emerald-eyed girl shakes her thoughts and tilts her head to see Iroh, his orange eyes sparkling with curiosity and concern. "Is it that late then?" She manages a small smile, sliding a piece of hair away from her eyes. Iroh raises a brow, "Is something bothering you?" The girl stops her movements and freezes; should she push it? Would Iroh know anything?"

"Actually, yes. Something is bothering me." She gives Iroh a stern look, and Iroh nods swift. "Why don't we go to my courters?"

"Tell me what you know about Zaheer." Asami watches as Iroh stands at his kitchen, preparing a steaming pot of tea. His sigh dents the stream of steam, before he pours the tea into cups. "Before he came into power, Tonraq was a part of congress. Every day he was looking for patents for his experiments he wanted your father to conduct. Of course, congress would over-rule it every time. He wanted to perform these experiments on volunteers. And," Iroh turns and hands a cup to Asami whilst taking a seat across from her, "when he came into power, these dreams became reality."

"What were these experiments?" Asami asks slowly. "A serum. A serum that can turn someone into something else. Something… controlled and unstoppable." Iroh grips his cup as he talks. "So, Zaheer was the first volunteer? Or…. Victim?" Asami chooses her words carefully. Iroh shakes his head, "No. Your father performed each experiment, but won't tell us who the first victim was. Zaheer was the second." Iroh pauses, and Asami scowls. "Maybe I should talk with my father, after this is all over." IRoh doesn't say anything, and the girl tilts her head. "There's more?"

"We-" Orange eyes dart away, shoulders tense, and invisible sweat begins to pour from Iroh's temple. "We think Korra is the third." Asami's eyes widen as she grips the table, "What?! You mean, that syringe… was full of this serum? That's what Tonraq was talking about?" Her voice begins to rise, but Iroh shushes her. "Quiet! I'm not even supposed to be telling you any of this." The CEO sits slowly, eyeing her friend. "Why?"

Iroh reaches across the table and takes Asami's hand, "Keep in mind, I wanted nothing to do with this." Asami scowls in response, ready to witness the explanation that is being kept secret.

"They want to see if Korra can control it on a moderate level. Unlike Zaheer, she was only given a small dosage. It hasn't affected her completely. At least, not yet. Do you remember the footage of Zaheer? It was the same as Korra; screaming, then sudden silence with a burst of unknown strength. But that's where it gets different: Zaheer went berserk. He was unable to control the serum. Now he's nowhere to be seen. We don't know where he is, so we don't have the end results. But we have Korra, who has been kept sane this whole time."

"She's not sane." Asami interrupts and Iroh raises a brow. "I don't know how to explain. She's different; and it's not just the PTSD. Although I think that adds onto this situation. She sees hallucinations. She's seen her mother, her father. Even Tahno. She's scared, terrified even. I've never seen her so scared." Iroh settles back into his chair, his face contorted with worry. "This isn't good." Asami sits up, "Why?"
But before she can hear a word from him, he stands and grips her arm, "You need to leave. I've given you too much information. Don't let them know anything. You hear me? Don't let Lin know this information I've given you. Stay away from her, because she has no idea what she's gotten herself into. I'm so sorry, Asami I really am. You have to go." "Wait! I still-" But Iroh drags her out the door before she can even gather her thoughts. "What's going on?"

"Alright, I think it's time, Ladies." Lin stands in the familiar office room, facing both Korra and Asami. Asami shifts in her seat, unnoticed by either women. "Now, you remember the plans, right?" Korra nods slowly as her gaze is nowhere near Lin's, and Asami nods as well. "Go through the North side of the city, make our way behind the perimeter of the affected. We should reach the capitol in a day, maybe less depending on our travel." Korra seems to relay the information perfectly, while Asami tries to look unsuspicious about Lin. Beifong nods, "Exactly. Keep in mind, if you manage to get far enough to the capitol, the third room on the right of the bottom third level contains the documents you shall retrieve. Then, we'll pick you up. Easy enough, right Sato?" Asami looks up from her daze, "Of course. I see no flaw." Lin scowls at the sarcastic comment, but turns her attention away. "Go pack and retrieve your items."
The girls stand, walking out the room until Lin catches Asami's arm before she steps out the doorway. "I don't know what you're up to, Sato, but it's going to have consequences. Bad consequences." Asami grins slyly for a flash of a second, before dropping her expression. "Well, good thing I'm not up to anything, right?" Lin let's her go with a huff, "Hurry, and don't be late." Asami nods and walks away, her face stern. She knows what's going to happen; and she'll be ready for whatever they throw at her.

Korra grips Asami's hand as they sit in a helicopter, the noise dulling their senses as the wind whips all around them to propel them up. "Are you okay?" Asami can hear Korra speak to her from her speaker. The CEO nods, "I'm fine. Just a little nervous." Korra shakes her head with a soft smile, "It'll be okay. I have a good feeling about this. It'll be a fun mission. Just the two of us; no one else." Asami grips Korra's hand firmer, leaning over and planting a soft kiss on her exposed cheek. This is who she needs; the Korra who always lifts her up in the most troubling times. The one who is strong, yet sensible.

"We're here girls!" Both girls lift their heads and lift the latch to open the copter's sliding door, causing them both to gasp. All around the city stands a tan wall at least 200 meters tall, from what Asami predicts, and have barb wire hugging the top of it. "Why is that wall there?" Korra asks the pilot. "To keep the infected in."

"Here we are! Make sure you have everything!" They've landed just outside a metal door that separates the city from the outside, and watch as the pilot flies away. Both girls look at each other, "Well here we go. You ready?" Asami asks, her voice filled to the brim with anxiety and excitement.
She takes a good look at Korra who stands beside her, wearing a long sleeve black shirt that hugs her well, revealing the muscles in her arms. She wears her regular black cargo pants, but a bandana of blue crawls around her neck and her brown hair swishes in the wind, freshly cut from her usual long style. Korra fixes the metal blades that sling around her back, and turns to Asami, her cyan eyes grazing over her body. Asami wears the same black long sleeve and cargo pants, a traditional United Forces uniform, but a long gun snakes her back and twin pistols sit at her waist. Asami adjusts them with her gloved hands, while her emerald eyes shine. But Korra can't help but notice the necklace that ties around her neck.
"You kept it?" Korra asks thoughtfully, as her eyes stay focused on the necklace. Asami nods slightly, looking down and pulling out the necklace from under her shirt. It's wooden, carved into a bear that Korra made herself when she was up late working with the police. Korra smiles, walking to her lover and pulling her into a deep hug. "I love you, Asami. Don't forget that." Asami smiles back and digs her face into Korra's neck, "I love you too, Korra. Now, we have a mission to accomplish."

I hope you liked this chapter! It was mostly explanations, but the real action is just getting started. I'm so excited! Alright, here are your questions my friends. :)

1. Do you think Korra is going to go berserk like Zaheer?

2. What do you think these 'documents' are and why they're so important?

3. What exactly do you think Lin had gotten herself into?

Hope you have fun with these questions, and if you have any for me, feel free to ask me! Read on my friends. :)

-PMI