This chapter took ages, the last two pages went through so many different versions you would not believe. I kept changing my mind as to how I wanted the next part of the story to develop but I know now and from this point on I have no more major plot changes to deel with.

Disclaimer: I do not own the legend of Korra or any of its characters, however Project Nomad is mine and if I see them copying Im suing someone!

Chapter 3 – Difficult Customer

"So you made a bet with this guy that if you lost to him you would kiss him?" Mako had to go focusing on that one didn't he.

"He didn't say where," Korra said trying to defend herself, "and honestly what were the chances of him getting the drop on me like that?"

Mako just shook his head in disbelief and leaned back against the sleeping Sky Bison's stomach. They had been going over this for almost half an hour and he kept coming back to that point.

"Korra why do you keep making things harder for your self?"

She glared at him, "You try talking to him and not want to punch him in the goggles!" she was dead serious.

"That reminds me," Mako said looking at her strangely, "why are you still wearing those?"

Korra's hand went instantly to the cracked green goggles she was now wearing around her neck, "I won," she said simply, "this is my trophy!"

"Cracked goggles?"

"There mine now I earned them," she said stubbornly.

"It's just weird," Mako said sounding peeved.

She frowned a little, "What's your problem?" she asked getting annoyed.

"You say you hate this guy..." he started but Korra slapped her hand over his mouth to stop him.

She felt a little ill and again, "If you say what I think your going to say your the next one Im punching," she cupped his cheek affectionately and gave him a small smile, "don't worry Mako the last person on earth who could steal me from you is that guy."

"What guy?" asked the suddenly present Ikki, ruining the moment, "And why are you wearing Nam's goggles? Oh and were you guys about to kiss?"

"None of your business Ikki," this had been happening a lot lately, Ikki and Jinora had vanish after waking up and she had stupidly let her guard down.

Ikki gave her the 'that's no fun face' and hmphed at her, "Where did Nam go I can't find him?"

"He's at the police station," Mako answered, as usual sounding a lot more patient with the girl than Korra was in these situations.

"Why?" she asked her big grey eyes like giant saucers of curiosity.

Before Korra could answer with a very helpful and constructive, "Because he's a massive jerk!" landed next to Ikki looking a little out of breath.

"Can't find him..." she gasped, "looked everywhere..."

"Korra said he was at the police station," Ikki said as if it were the most important piece of news in the world.

"You guys know Nam?" Korra asked a little interested.

Jinora was the one who answered, with her hands together in her usual 'this thing is so wonderful voice' "Nam-kha studies ancient Air Nomad practices," she said like she was about to swoon, "he's an embodiment of what it once meant to be a true nomad!"

"Plus he has a cool wooden flute thing," Ikki added ruining Jinora's moment of Hero worship.

"Flute?' questioned Mako.

Korra pointed to Nam's coat which was still crumpled on the ground, on top of which was Nam's bamboo flute which Mako had stopped her from breaking.

Seeing the flute Ikki dived for it, "Mine!" she cried snatching it up and air scootering away.

Jinora glared after her for a moment before turning back to Korra, "So why is he is prison?"

"There juts asking him some questions," she replied shrugging, "did you hear about the break in at Future Industries?"

"There was a break in!" she said in shock answering Korra's question.

She continued, "Someone broke into one of there secret vaults last night, ripped the vault door right off!"

"Was anyone hurt?" she asked looking a little worried.

She shrugged again, "Nothing to major but that's not the weird bit, the thief painted an Airbender symbol on the vault wall before they left!" Jinora gasped which made Mako laugh a little, "What?" Korra asked, irritated that he found this funny.

"Nothing I just don't think the symbol on the wall is anything to worry about," he replied raising his hands in defence.

"How can you say that!" Korra snapped angrily, "If this gets out to the wrong people it could get people to point there finger of blame here!"

"That's half my point!" he snapped back, "Odds are the thief put it there for that exact reason, to make us look in all the wrong places."

He did have a point but it still bugged her, "Seems like an weird place to place blame," she pointed out, a little more calmly, "a group of the most peaceful people on the planet."

"Maybe that was the point," Mako said thoughtfully, "the best kind of distraction is confusion."

"Fake conspiracies are often used to hide the truth," Jinora put in, "Grandpa Aang," she looked at Korra making her feel happier for some reason, "wrote an account of this man named Long feng who tried to make him out as an anarchist to keep the war secret from the Earth King."

"Exactly," Mako said pointing at Jinora like she had just proved his point.

Korra frowned in thought for a bit, she so wanted to believe that it was just some random criminal trying to take the heat off themselves. But why did she have this niggling feeling in her head that was telling her that that just was not the case.

She wished she could talk to Aang about this but she had yet to master the art of calling him out. Maybe later if she flew over to his statue she could get a moment with him...or she could go sit on master Katara, that seemed like it would work just as well...

"It seems to easy," she said at last.

"Sometimes it is," Mako placated.

"For us," she said meaning it as a joke but it came out like she was admitting a painful truth.

Jinora placed a comforting hand on hers and gave her one of her motherly smiles she had inherited from Pema, "Don't worry about it," she said optimisticly, "arguing over it won't help, you should just wait an till you know more."

"Stop making me sound stupid!" Korra complained jokingly ruffling Jinora's hair and making her laugh. She was right of course but she did not feel the need to admit that. After a few more minutes talking Jinora scootered away from them, probably to take Nam's flute from her hyperactive sister,

When she was gone Korra leaned against Mako's chest and rested there enjoying the silence. She did not keep track of the time, she just let herself drift away. She may have fallen asleep at one point, she did not care this was her Korra time...well Korra plus Mako time.

Eventually Mako broke the silence, "It's getting late," he said in a tired voice, "do you want to he down to the station yet?"

Korra looked up and sighed, the sun was beginning to set already, "Why do they even need me?" she complained, "Im no interrogator."

Mako shrugged almost making Korra fall off him, "Chief must have her reason's, she mentioned he was a real pain to question."

She frowned at that, it conflicted a little with what she had been told, "I though she said she had only met him once?"

"No," Mako corrected, "from what she was telling me he was a constant problem when he was last here. He never did anything to serious but he had this thing about sharing information."

"Sounds like a guy to me," Korra grumbled playfully earning her a nudge in the back.

"That better not be directed at me," he said chuckling a little.

"Oh ye," she replied sarcasticly, "your an open book, it's not at all like I had to ask Bolin what your favourite colour was!"

"Ok I get it."

"Or whether you liked my hair up or down."

"I swear you never asked me that!"

"Or if you felt like less of a man having the most powerful woman in the world as your girlfriend!"

"All right that's it," he said diving on her and tickling her sides. She screeched in delight making what must have been some very unladylike like noises at a volume most of the island should have been able to hear.

It turned out this was not the best of ideas as her screeching unfortunately woke there sleeping head rest. The gigantic Bison groaned loudly at being woken up and turned over onto his stomach and onto them...

They took Naga down to the station, Mako having left his bike there when he took the airship over. Though her rest had helped her clear her head she was still worried about all this and not just because on of her friends was troubled by it.

Maybe it was her Avatar senses kicking in or some kind of female intuition but she could feel something was about to happen. Like a cracked ice berg ready to shatter, you could try to stop in and you could if you knew enough to try. But in the end all you could do is prepare your self and hope that nothing you cared about was damaged.

It did not take them long to get to the station but by the time they did the sun had well and truly set. She hoped she had not left it to long and they had finished already or killed Nam out of shear frustration.

When they arrived an officer was already there to meet them, "Lieutenant, Avatar," he bowed to each of them in turn, "the Chief asked me to bring to striate down when you got here."

As they followed him into the building Korra decided to voice her guess, "He's not cooperating?"

The officer sighed loudly, "He does not like being man handled," he said sounding tired.

"Has he tried to escape?" she asked trying not to sound hopeful.

"No," the officer said also sounding as though he wished he had, "he just likes to...play with who ever is sent to guard him."

"Play how?"

He grimaced, "Play like we had to take extreme measures to make him behave!"

Korra was going to ask what these were but though it would be better to see first hand. She was rewarded with a sight that nearly had her on the floor laughing.

They had been lead to a similar interrogation room that she had been taken to on her first day in Republic city. Only this one seemed a lot more cramped with six people in there not counting her, Mako waited outside. The oddest part however was Nam who was now tied to a metal chair across from Beifong.

He looked oddly at ease for someone who's head, torso, arms, legs and everything else was now bound with metal cables to a chair. He gave her a cheeky smile when she came in and blow her a kiss.

"Korra!" Beifong said in relief, "I hoped you would come."

"Having problems," she threw a dirty look at Nam to show what she meant.

Lin glared at him as well, "He's been testing my restraint," she replied her eye twitching a little.

"Sup," Nam greeted in a mock casual voice.

"Why are you wearing his goggles?" Beifong asked with a raised eyebrow.

"She secretly loves me," Nam supplied at once.

Ignoring him Korra said simply, "My trophy," Lin smiled at her a little.

"Well lets get this over with," she said vacating her chair across from Nam and offering it to Korra.

She frowned at the chair feeling confused, "What's going on Beifong?"

"Korra..." Lin started but Nam cut her off.

"It's my fault really," he said aetiologically, "I felt like we bonded before so I ask the Chief here if the lovely Avatar Korra might not do me the honour of squeezing me for information."

Beifong gave him a sour look, "Ye...that," she turned back to Korra and gave her a sympathetic look, "he promised to answer three questions truthfully if you were here. Just go with it and you can get away from him a little quicker."

"We stay on the same island," he pointed out then made an embarrassed face, "I'm not help am I."

Korra make a noise of irritation and sat as angrily as she could into Beifong's chair. The quicker she did this the quicker she was gone and she could at least avoid this guy.

"All right will you answer any question I ask you truthfully?" she asked.

"Yes and that was a terrible first question," he gave her an evil grin, "just kidding."

Ignoring his bad humour she kept going, "Who robbed Future Industries last night?"

"A girl named Yangchen from Temple city, she usually goes by just Chen," the honesty his voice shocked her a little.

"That's a lye," Beifong said at once, "witnesses said it was a large man that attacked them."

"Then they are wrong or lying," Nam said still quite serious, "Chen is fast and dangerous she could have given them all a shave and they would not have noticed."

Korra was a little taken aback by his forthrightness, he not even smiling which seemed so out of character she was a little worried, "Why did she steal plan's from the vault?" Korra asked finding herself less eager to leave now.

He gave her a scathing look, "Im not going to dignify that with a response," he said cooly, "anyone with half a brain can figure that one out."

He had a point there, anyone with a cause they wanted to fight for wanted to acquire Future industries technology. It could tip the balance in any fight.

"Ok," she said accepting his refusal and turning to speak to Lin, "what else should I ask him?"

Lin put a hand on the table and spoke to the whole room, but looked at Nam, "Asked him how she managed to break through a two foot thick platinum alloy door without explosives?"

Korra looked at Nam who looked at her expectantly waiting for her to repeat the question, "How did she breath through the vault door?" she asked as evenly as she could manage while wanting to strangle him.

"Good question," he said with a slight grin, "she bent it open."

"Ha!" Korra said triumphantly, "No metal bender can bend platinum," everyone knew that.

"I would be clapping if if I hand the freedom to do so," he said sarcasticly, wiggling his fingers for effect, "she is not a Metalbender."

"Then what kind of bender is she?" Korra asked getting annoyed again.

"Is that your final question?" he asked sounding a little disappointed, "You'll find out one way or the other."

"What do you mean?" she asked a tiny feeling of panic starting in her chest.

He smirked at her, "Well the way things are going you are bound to be attacked by her sooner or later. Well that or at least you will be around when she comes to kill me."

Korra stood up suddenly, "What the hell are you talking about?" she yelled at him, making him wince a little, "Stop messing around and just tell us what you know. People have been hurt, people are going to get hurt more if you don't help. But all you can do is joke around!"

Nam was silent for the longest time Korra had seen so far, he did not smile and that mad excited light in his eyes was almost completely gone. He did not look angry, to be honest Korra did not know how to describe his face right now. Was he sad, disappointed or had she just annoyed the humour out of him.

"I have my reasons," he said simply straining at his bonds a little trying to stretch, "to be honest I had to do it this way."

Korra sat down again and gave him a distrustful look, "I find that hard to believe Nam."

He smirked a little but it lacked it former lustier, "I could have done have done this differently," he said genuinely sounding a little ashamed, "but fear can drive you into a corner, if you catch my meaning."

"Your not making any sense," she complained tired of his dodging the issue, "just tell me would you!"

"Avatar Korra," he said proving he was still the same man, "I want to help you, I really do. So I made sure that I would be here as long as possible and that you would be here."

She frowned at what he was saying, "So you've been a joke for show?" she asked almost hopefully.

Now came one of usual grins, "Oh no," he said happily, "Im always like this, tell her Lin!"

She looked Beifong who glared at Nam answering that question at once, "Are you telling us that this Chen person wants you?" she asked shocking Korra who had not thought of that.

"Is that true?" Korra chimed in.

Nam looked a little uncomfortable, "Yes and no," he replied, "Wants is the wrong way to put it. To put it more accurately, she wants me back."

"Back how?" Korra asked still not getting what he was talking about.

"Oh you," he said at once giving me an innocent smile.

As he said that Lin slammed her hand onto the table making Korra jump, "Are you saying your using your self as bait to lure her here!" it was not a real question but Nam nodded anyway.

"She's coming here," Korra yelled in surprise, "WHY?

He actually started laughing then, as if luring her here was the funniest thing in the world. Similar to before his laugh was like a dog barking, it was a short while before he was done, "Sorry," he said calming down, "its just so funny errrrm," he cleared his throat loudly, "she thinks you've arrested me for her crime!" he began to laugh again though luckily less loudly.

"I need to marshal the troops!" Beifong said at once shoving open the door then turning back to the officers, "Keep him here and don't let him go." she rushed off passed a confused looking Mako.

"What did I miss?" he asked stepping into the metal and frowning at Nam.

"He set us up!" Korra said angrily pointing at Nam who looked offended.

"Hey!" he said indignantly, "I did not set you up...well I kind of did. But the point is I set her up, this is a trap. Trust me it's the only way you will be able to catch her."

Korra had had enough of this guy, lunging across the table she grabbed the smiling freak by the shirt and pulled him and the chair forward an till they were nose to nose, "You are going to tell me everything you know about this girl who is coming for you!"

There was no fear on his face, even now when he was tied to a chair and facing her, "You would not believe me if I told you," he said cooly, "and I don't respond well to threats!"

Suddenly wanting to test that theory she let go of his shirt and let him fall forwards. He hit the metal table with a loud thud before falling to his right and hitting the floor. He grunted loudly as he hit the floor and glared up at her with a mixture of anger and what she thought was respect.

"What is she?" Korra asked making her voice as threatening as she could manage.

Just as Nam looked like he was about to answer there was a sudden violent shudder in the air followed by the sound of shattering glass. She rushed outside her metal box to see what had happened.

Have mouth fell open, outside the interrogation room all the windows on there floor had been shattered along with all the lights plugging the corridor outside into near darkness, the only lights left came from outside.

She rushed back inside and turned to Nam who was still on the ground, "What the hell was that?" she asked yanking him back upright.

"Untie me!" he said at once looking a little worried.

"I'll go check it out," Mako whispered in her ear giving a shoulder a quick squeeze, "three of you follow me!" he said to the Metalbenders before he and three of them rushed out of the room. As id on cue Korra felt another shock wave from above.

"Untie me!" Nam yelled at her, he seemed to be on the edge of panicking.

"Why should I?" Korra asked grabbing the from of his shirt and pulling his face closer to hers again, "how can I trust you when you wont even tell me what she is!"

The frustration on his face obvious and he struggled against his bonds, "I will not tied up and left here while our one chance to catch Chen goes out the window!"

"Then tell me," she said seriously letting him drop back onto his chair legs, "tell me and ill let you go."

"Lady Korra," the one remaining officer said pleadingly, "he's to dangerous to let go!"

"Give him a chance," Korra said hardly believing that she was defending Nam but the situation called for it. She looked down at Nam who had calmed down some but was still staring daggers at her, "why wont you tell us?"

He looked away his face hardening, "I promised her when we were children that I would never tell anyone," he said slowly as if just saying that was betraying his old friend, "I don't break promises."

Korra thought about that, about the way Nam had been acting this whole time. Maybe he was a pain in the butt most of the time but he seemed to have another layer in him which she was beginning to think was a very deep sense of honour. Even if he had set her up he refused to break his one promise to her.

It may be a moral grey area but she had to respect him for defending a friend even when he knew she was in the wrong. But...wait if he had manipulated all this, all of them to get them to this point...if he was that smart could he have been trying to tell her what Chen was all along.

What did Tenzin say before about the place that Nam and Chen had grown up. A community made from the descendants of Air Nomads which she had thought was the source of Nam's odd fighting style. But what if...

She looked Nam seriously finally realising the truth, "Nam," he looked at her seriously, no smiles or jokes, just a man defending his people, "I have one question left right?" she asked, he nodded stiffly. For some reason she just knew he would honour there former deal.

"I can't tell you what she is," he said sadly, damn he actually wanted to help her. She could see it in his face, like he was begging her to ask a question that he could answer. One that would tell me what I needed to know.

She knelt slightly in front of him so that they were eye level. His eyes were a dark almost stormy grey, they seemed to almost vibrate with energy. It was possibly those eyes that made her believe the impossible she realised.

"What type of Bender at you?" she asked half hoping that it was not true what she had figured out.

He smiled warmly at her, like she had just lifted a great weight from on top of her shoulders. "Avatar Korra," he said making her almost smile, "I am Nam-kha the first Airbender born from Project Nomad. Now if you please let me help you catch the second."

Oh that went so much better than I thought it was going to go. If anyone's interested in the old version of the story Nam keeps his secret for most of the story before finally using it to save Korra's life. but that story is gone now and this si the present story so I hope you enjoy it.

Its a shame in a way, the old version of this chapter had Chen appear early and kick some ass (if you will pardon my french) I hope I remember my decription of her because it was awesome. I almost feel like cencoring it out just to mess with you all.

As alway i like reviews as well as wild theories and mad shipping ideas.