Chapter 16: The Imprisonment

Lee woke when a bucket of water was thrown against his face. He took in his surroundings without getting up or moving too much. He was on the stone floor of a prison cell surrounded by four Dai Li agents. One was holding the accursed bucket. Lee decided that he would take him down first when he busted out of here.

"It is nice of you to join us, Lee." He looked up from his spot on the floor to face Long Feng himself standing just outside the bars. Lee felt a glimmer of pleasure that he was considered that important. "Did you have a restful sleep?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then maybe you will be inclined to answer a few questions for me."

"I doubt it." Lee sat up and wiped the water off his face. The back of his head hurt where they had hit him with one of those stupid rock fists.

At least he had gotten off some good hits before they took him down. At least the kid had gotten away. At least he had finished his mission, although getting caught probably nullified the whole thing. Damn it.

Long Feng gestured to someone else outside the cell, who brought forward an ornate chair. He made himself comfortable, slipping his hands into his long, ornate sleeves.

"We'll start with something easy. Today you will admit that you are part of the resistance movement. Tomorrow you will admit that you are the leader of the resistance movement. The day after you will give me the names of others within the movement. And after that you will tell me of your plans."

Lee laughed in his face. "I'm not going to do any of that."

"I think you will."

"But you're not real smart."

Long Feng sighed. "This is why I brought a chair. I knew you would take a while. You see, I already know these things – yes, I know all about you, Lee of the Jasmine Dragon. I know all about your uncle and your employees and your friends. All I want is to hear you admit it. You are in the resistance. Tell me that and I'll leave you alone. It can be painless."

"You're a fool."

Long Feng's hand reappeared and made a small gesture. Lee's hands and feet were immediately earth bent together, securing him to the floor. That's alright. He wasn't going to break out right now anyway. Best to wait it out.

Long Feng had his servant bring him a cup of tea, while the first Dai Li agent stepped forward to punch him in the face.

Right Punch. Left punch. Stomach shot. Upper cut…

After a time a second Dai Li agent took over.

Right Punch. Step on his hands. Knee in the face…

Then another Dai Li took his place.

This was all pointless. He knew how to withstand torture. He'd been taught how to disassociate himself, how to know what information he could and couldn't give up, how to stay sane. He would never be broken and Long Feng would lose.

He did not say he was part of the resistance on the first day. Long Feng did not seem troubled by this.

"How are you feeling this morning?"

"Peachy." Lee's good eye was swollen shut and he was pretty sure his jaw was misaligned. He placed the heel of his hand against the side of his face and shoved. It hurt like a bitch as it popped back into place with a CRACK, but he didn't give Long Feng the satisfaction of seeing him in pain.

Bring it on.

He was earth bent to the floor again, his arms and legs spread out, his face pressed into the cold, dirty stone.

"I really would like you to say it today. But if you don't that's alright. I have plenty of time."

Lee could barely see the man standing over him with a whip.

He closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and thought of Jin.

He was chained to the wall. He had been chained to the wall since the morning before. The chains were loose enough so that he could sit on the floor, but then his hands were held up over his head and his feet were spread far apart unless he curled his legs up. He spent most of his time standing and it was wearing him down physically.

"Have anything to say today?"

He raised his head slowly to meet Long Feng's eyes. "Not really."

Long Feng sighed theatrically. "I'm starting to think that you might not be worth the effort. It's a shame. I really didn't want to hurt the old man. I'm not sure his heart will take it."

Something clenched in Lee's chest. No. It was a lie. It had to be a lie.

"And the little girl…" Long Feng shook his head, "We will have to wait for her to stop crying, but I'm sure that it will stop soon."

It was a lie. It was a lie. It was a lie.

Long Feng laughed. "It's as if she hasn't realized that you're the reason that she was taken from her mother. She thinks that you are going to come rescue her. And then," he chuckled again, "she tried to stab one of the Dai Li." He removed a small dagger from his sleeve, inspecting it so that the blade caught the light. "Can you imagine?"

His heart stopped. He knew that knife.

Suri.

Long Feng had Suri. Long Feng had his uncle. They were going to be tortured.

"I am in the resistance."

Long Feng smiled. "Very good."

He had no idea how long he had been kept here. He vaguely remembered the last time he was beaten, but not the last time he ate. He remembered pain. Exquisite pain in his hand. Pain he could still feel even as he lay in the pitch black cell, cheek against the damp stone of the floor.

He remembered blackness. Vague, blurry figures looming over him. But he dimly recognized that seeing faint images wasn't really remembering. He didn't remember the last time he slept. But maybe he was sleeping right now.

The last time he had seen someone was his last beating.

The last time someone had spoken to him was well before that. They had wanted names. He gave them the names of people who were dead.

The last time he had used his voice, he had shouted in pain.

The last time his shrieks could be deciphered as words they were the lyrics to a song.

It's a long, long way to Ba Sing Se

But the girls of the city are oh so pretty.

And they kiss so sweet that you've really got to meet

The girls from Ba Sing Se.

The last hallucination he had had was of his mother. She told him that everything would be alright, and he had known then that his death was near.

The one before that – or was it two before that? – was of Azula. She wanted him to do a cartwheel, but he couldn't stand. She told him that he was weak.

It's a long, long way to Ba Sing Se

But the girls of the city are oh so pretty.

The last time he heard his uncle sing was in the back of the tea shop. He only heard half the song before he left to give someone their order. Ginseng with lemon. The memory seemed overly bright compared to the dark cell.

The last time he and Mimi had fought was when he bumped into her and she spilled tea down her front. Black tea with lots of sugar.

The last thing Smellerbee had said to him was that she wouldn't spit on him if he was on fire, but she would spit on him any other time. Red tea with pomegranate juice.

The last time he kissed Jin was at the firelight fountain. Simple green tea. She had been happy. He had been happy too. He tried to remember the feeling, but it didn't come easily.

And they kiss so sweet that you've really got to meet

The girls from Ba Sing Se.

That's him? He looks terrible/Yes, he's being a bit uncooperative/Hmm. What did you do to his face?/We beat him a bit, but that scar predates his incarceration/Turn his head. I want a better look.

It's a long long way to Ba Sing Se-

Sweet Agni! Do you know who this is?

But the girls of the city are oh so pretty-

Lee of the Jasmine Dragon. He admitted to being the resistance leader.

And they kiss so sweet that you've really got to meet-

He heard laughter and it became more and more maniacal until it was the only thing besides the blackness and the pain.

There was shouting in the hallway.

"I think they're coming to kill you, Zuzu. It's about time really. I don't think you're going to hold out much longer," Azula purred. She crouched down next to him and placed her hand on his back.

The sounds of shouting were growing louder. "You know, if you tell them everything they might spare your life. They won't hurt you anymore. Wouldn't you like that?"

He heard more scuffling, like the sounds of fighting, muffled by the heavy wooden door and the fuzz in his brain.

"No one expected you to hold out this long. Everyone out there thinks that you've already broken. They've given up on you and moved on. There's really no point in staying quiet any longer." She inspected her fingernails. "You should tell them. It's the coward's way out. You know all about that."

The door to his cell burst open and he could make out a blurry silhouette darting towards the bars.

Jet?

Keys jangled and soon Jet was crouching next to him. Where did Azula go? He was going to tell her off. Damn it, what did Jet do with Azula?

"Come on, we need to move." Jet pulled on his arm to lift him off the floor, but it pulled at his injured side, and Lee screamed.

Jet cursed. "You're too heavy for me to carry. You've got to help me out here." He adjusted his hold and pulled him into standing. Then he was moving, but he wasn't sure how. Surely his legs didn't work anymore.

It was Jet. Jet was making him move. He needed to go with him. He would bring him to the afterlife. Agni, I do not fear death for I will find paradise in your arms.

Out of the darkness, he was surrounded by a green glow. It was still blurry, but it was blurry and green now. He was moving through passages - long, narrow, winding passages. He was leaning against Jet and running. He didn't know where they were going, just that they had to keep moving. He knew this because Jet kept telling him.

Other figures darted around them. They would pop out ahead and run from behind and clash with one another and fall back. They were like shadow puppets, indistinct and other-worldly. But Jet never stopped. He didn't seem to notice the complicated dance of the other figures. He just kept moving, and Lee knew that if Jet was still leading him, then he would follow.

The light changed again. It was dark like his cell, but less stuffy. It was a natural darkness, like night on the beach on Ember Island, like night with Jin curled up against his side. He could even smell the soap that wafted off her hair.

There was agony in his side as hands lifted him. The pain caused his vision to fail - not that he was seeing much anyway. He could hear voices, but couldn't make sense of them.

Will he be ok?/I hope so/You got everything?/Yes/You're sure about this?/Absolutely/We'll miss you/Stay safe/Good luck/You too.

He could almost make out Jin's voice.