Lightning split the sky and the rumble of thunder had turned into a constant roar. Varrick watched the rain pelt against his window. On the streets below he saw the streets flowing like rivers as the last stubborn few tried to get in out of the storm.

I sure hope Asami's infrastructure drains well. Of course, he knew it would. Asami was a brilliant engineer, the best he knew. Of course, he was only saying that because he considered himself and Zhu Li to be scientists, not engineers.

"Varrick, are you going to stare out the window all evening?" Zhu Li asked.

"Maybe. I just don't like this storm." he replied.

"It's a major storm in an urban area. No one likes it."

"That's not what I mean. This storm just doesn't feel right. We don't normally get storms this bad this time of year."

Zhu Li walked over and rested her head on his shoulder.

"It might have something to do with all the spirit energy released during Kuvira's invasion. Maybe they altered the weather patterns in the region."

Varrick shuddered slightly at the thought. As if spirits didn't make him nervous enough already.

"At any rate," Zhu Li continued. "I'm sure everything is fine. It's a bad storm, but it's still just a-"

Zhu Li was cut off mid sentence when lightning struck the building across the street. The lighting bolt remained for several seconds and both shielded their eyes from the light. The thunder shook the entire room with a deafening sound. Varrick stumbled and almost fell, but caught himself on the window sill. When they could see again, they looked at the struck building. A fire had started on the roof, and the few people in the street had been knocked flat by the strike.

"You were saying." Varrick said.

Before Zhu Li could reply, the phone rang.

"Hello, Zhi Li speaking. Who is this?"

"It's President Raiko. I need you and Varrick in my office as soon as possible."

"Is this about the storm?"

"In part. I'll explain once you arrive."


The office door opened and Varrick and Zhu Li stepped in. President Raiko, Tenzin, and Tonraq were already there, along with a man in a brown robe Varrick didn't recognize.

"Alright Mr. President, this better be important to drag us out in this storm." Varrick said.

"It is." Raiko said, not quite hiding his irritation.

"Well then, what is it? And who is this guy?" Varrick said motioning to the brown robed man.

"I am Tree Brother Megildur of the Kurai Rangers." the man replied.

"Ok then. Now what's going on?"

"I've called a meeting regarding a number of problems that have arisen. Problems that may be connected." Rako replied.

"Like what?" Varrick asked.

"Well, at first I only intended to meet with Tenzin and Chief Tonraq. Regarding this."

With that, Raiko reached into his desk drawer and produced several documents. He handed one to Tenzin and one to Tonraq.

"Sorry you three, I only had copies made for two." Raiko said to Varrick, Zhu Li, and Megildur.

Tenzin looked up from the document.

"Mr. President, this is just a list of the recent Raider attacks. I'm not sure what's so significant about that."

Raiko turned to Tonraq.

"Chief Tonraq, you have waged guerilla wars before. What does this look like to you?"

That caught Megildur's attention, and he peered at the paper in Tenzin's hands.

Tonraq looked up slowly from the document.

"I see what you mean, Mr. President. I think your theory might be true. It's what I would do in this situation" he said.

"What theory? What would you do in this situation? What are you talking about?" Varrick demanded.

Tonraq turned to address the group.

"These attacks aren't random at all. The Raiders are doing their best to make it look like these are random bandit strikes, but the bigger picture tells a very different story. The Raiders are attacking infrastructure. Transport hubs, water treatment centers, manufacturing facilities, things of that nature."

Megildur's eyes widened.

"These are no bandits. They're commando units."

"Exactly." Tonraq said. "The Raiders aren't out to make money by stealing. They're waging war."

"That would fit with the money I found at the battlesight." Megildur said. "Someone is funding the Raiders, someone who wants the United Republic and the Earth Federation weak."

"But why? What would there be to gain by doing this?" Tenzin asked.

Raiko turned to Varrick.

"You're pretty experienced in conducting… elaborate operations. What do you think?"

Varrick thought for a moment.

"Well, the way I see it there are two possible motivations for something like this. Either someone with a lot of power and a lot of capital has a personal vendetta against the United Republic and the Earth Federation, or this is only a preliminary operation."

"For an invasion." Zhu Li finished.

"Exactly. If we're so busy tracking bandits that have been sabotaging our infrastructure, we'd be vulnerable to an outside attack."

Raiko looked like was about to be sick.

"We're only weeks past Kuvira's attack! We can't take something like that again for six years, much less six weeks!"

"Wait, Kuvira. Of course, she's the key to this all." Megildur said.

"What do you mean?" Tonraq asked.

"Based on what I found in the Raider's camp, they're being funded by someone with access to the money Kuvira was minting. A lot of that money. This may be about vengeance and invasion."

Raiko spoke up.

"Varrick, Zhu Li. You were both in Kuvira's inner circle for a time. Do either of you know anything about who was getting her money?"

"She wanted it to become the standard currency for her 'Earth Empire.' I don't know much about it, but I know who would. Gunzhao, Kuvira's economic advisor. He was pretty high up in her hierarchy, but he was in Ba Sing Se most of the time."

"Gunzhao. Yes, I think I remember him from the trials." Raiko said. "He was pardoned for his involvement in Kuvira's regime, as he had not violated international law or any committed war crimes."

"We need to find him. Maybe he can give us some answers." Tonraq said.

"In the meantime, we must bring Korra and her team back to the city." Tenzin said. "If the Raiders are just doing someone else's dirty work, I doubt following one of their groups will do us much good."

"I agree." Raiko said. "But how can we reach her? She's well out of radio range."

Megildur stepped forward.

"I will find the Avatar and her companions. Which way did they go?"

"They were heading northeast, through the Haruk pass." Tenzin said. "But you're days behind them, not to mention the storm."

"How long ago did they leave?"

"Five days ago."

"Ha." Megildur said, turning to leave as he put his hood up. " I was thinking this might be a challenge."