Ambush

Chapter 2: The Search

"Where to, young sir?"

The cab driver gave Mako a polite smile. Mako opened his mouth to answer, then realized that he had no idea where to start looking. The operation was secret so Korra mentioned nothing to him about it. An overwhelming sense of despair and desperation gripped him as he realized how impossible it would be to find her.

"Sir? SIR?"

Mako realized the cabbie had been trying to get his attention for the best part of ten seconds. He said the first place that came to his mind.

"Take me to Central Station, please."

Korra's radiant smile flashed through his mind.

"And step on it."

Mako sat on the steps to the station thinking hard about his next move. He looked up at the bronze statue of Fire Lord Zuko. He stood, proud as always. He held aloft an ever-burning flame, which symbolized…. Mako sat up straight.

Zuko's statue. He couldn't be to far even though it's late…

He looked around frantically.

Maybe…Just maybe…

Mako spotted him lurking around the mouth of an alleyway, scanning the new arrivals for fresh pickpocket victims. Mako hurried over to him.

"Skoochy!"

The young orphan jumped and threw his arms in the air.

"Officer, I swear I didn't take nothin'!" Oh, it's you Mako."

Skoochy breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed.

"What can I do ya for?"

"There is a task force that Korra's on with a city councilman. They were going on their first mission tonight. I need to know where they went."

Skoochy whistled, putting his hands in his pockets.

"That's a tall order my friend, but I may have a way to get you that info. HOWEVER, it's not gonna be cheap."

"I don't care. Name your price."

"Well, if you put it THAT way…"

Skoochy's smug smile would normally signal Mako that he was going to have to pay and made him feel slightly annoyed. Tonight, the only thing that smile did was make Mako's blood boil.

I don't have time for this.

"What's the info worth to ya?"

Mako lost control. He grabbed Skoochy and pinned him up against the wall of the alley.

"IT'S WORTH EVERYTHING TO ME!"

The shock and fear Mako saw in his friend's eyes was enough to calm him down. He let Skoochy go, trying to regain control of himself.

"I'm sorry Skoochy. It's just…I think Korra's in trouble. I need to know where she is."

Try as he might, Mako couldn't keep desperation out of his voice.

"Please…"

Skoochy brushed himself off and looked up at Mako, his eyes serious.

"Why didn't you say so? I can find out, but it won't be easy…And you're not gonna like most of it."

"Whatever it takes."

Skoochy nodded.

"Alright. Follow me."

Skoochy took off down the alleyway with Mako not far behind.

"What's the plan?"

Skoochy didn't answer him for a moment.

"A guy from my crew's got friends in low places. This is the part you're not going to like…We gotta head into Red Monsoon territory."

Mako stood impatiently outside the casino. Two very burly bouncers eyed him suspiciously. Skoochy tried to get him in, but a man with bleached hair told him to wait outside until the boss said it was ok. Just as Mako started to wonder how long it would take until something happened, the door opened and the blond man came back.

"Follow me. The boss wants to talk to you in person."

Mako paused for a minute. He realized that he was dealing with the boss of one of the fiercest gangs in Republic City. He began to wonder if this really was a good idea… He didn't realize how long he was standing there until he felt a force pull him into the casino. He stumbled in, quite ungracefully. He looked behind him to see the blond toss aside the stream of water he used to pull Mako through the door. He looked at Mako with contempt.

"Get up. The boss doesn't like to wait."

Mako quickly straightened up and followed the blond man. The casino was full of high rollers, gambling away their money. Beautiful waitresses were flashing radiant smiles and bending drinks into glasses. The dealers were playing slight of hand tricks, making sure no one got too lucky that night. Mako turned his attention back to where he was being taken. He was led to the back of the casino to a hallway blocked by two more bouncers. They let them through and Mako saw, at the end of the hall, were a pair of fancy double doors. On the doors there was an insignia; a red full moon behind curtains of rain. The blond man signaled for Mako to wait as he approached the fancy doors. The man knocked twice and a small panel in the door slid open and the boy whispered something through it. The panel slid shut and the doors opened.

"Get in."

Mako entered the room and the doors swing shut behind him. He was standing in a very ornate office. On either side of him stood two girls roughly his age. Neither of them looked very friendly. Both of them had water pouches on their belts, open and ready. Skoochy was standing next to a desk. Sitting behind the desk was a very pretty girl. She looked to be only a few years older than Mako. She was casually chatting with Skoochy. When the doors closed, she turned her attention to Mako. She really was pretty. She had glossy brown hair that framed her face perfectly. Her eyes were blood red, her gaze as cold and piercing as an icicle. Mako felt himself shiver as she looked at him. Her lips were the exact shade as her eyes and were curved in an amused smile.

"Please, come in."

Her voice was as sweet as honey, as smooth as silk, and as alluring as water to a starving man. She looked past him and made a gesture.

"That will be all Jace, thank you."

Mako turned to see the blond man who showed him in bow and exit the room. He turned back to look at the girl who's gaze returned to him.

"Welcome. You must be Mako."

Mako found that the only thing he could do was nod.

"I understand that you are interested in some information."

Mako glanced at Skoochy, who was staring at his feet fidgeting. Mako made a mental note. If this woman made Skoochy nervous, he had to tread carefully. He tried to speak, but found that he had a lump in this throat. Clearing it, he answered her.

"Uh, y-yeah. I think Skoochy mentioned the information that I'm after."

The woman's red eyes flicked to Skoochy, who met her gaze briefly before shifting his eyes back to the floor. He looked slightly pale.

"Yes…That he did."

The woman made a dismissing gesture and both girls on either side of Mako exited the room. Her eyes returned to Mako. She stood up and walked around to the front of the desk. She was really stunning. She was a little taller than Mako, her slender yet curvy frame sheathed in a velvety dark red dress. A slit ran up the side of the dress, showing quite a bit of leg. She leaned back on the desk and crossed her legs. Mako found himself staring.

"S-so, uhh….You're the leader of the Red Monsoons?" He stammered.

The woman's expression remained unchanged.

"I am. I am Akali. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Mako noticed her eyes became brighter.

"Speaking of pleasure, I have noticed that you have been 'subtly' ogling my beauty this entire evening. You should probably close your mouth."

She casually raised a hand and Mako felt his jaw muscles tense. He tried to move it. Fear gripped him when he realized he couldn't.

"Before I close it for you."

Mako tried as best he could to nod. The woman's hand dropped and Mako felt himself get control of his jaw again. He shut it quickly.

"She…..She's a Bloodbender…"

He thought back to the warning Skoochy gave him before he went in.

You think Lightning-Bolt Zolt was bad? He's got NOTHING on her. You really gotta be careful this time…I've heard very bad things happen to people who set her off. She's a master Waterbender. Like, a MASTER.

Skoochy wasn't kidding.

"Good boy. Now then, back to the matter at hand. I do have the information you seek, but the price will be…Costly."

"What is your price?" Mako wasn't sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

"What do you want?"

At that, Akali's smile became more devious.

"What I want…Is you."

Mako wasn't sure he heard correctly.

"Um…What?"

"I want you."

Her eyes gleamed.

"To make yourself available to me at any time that I request it. You are to come when I call and where I call you to, is that clear?"

Mako swallowed hard.

"What would I need to do?"

"That is information that you do not need to know. I will tell you what you know when you need to know it."

She sounded impatient.

"I understand that you needed this information with some haste yet now I am not so sure if it is even worth my time…"

"No!"

Mako knew he sounded desperate, but he didn't care.

"Please, I'll do whatever you want, just please tell me where Korra is."

Akali smiled and Mako hoped he didn't end up regretting this decision later. Then he remembered who he was doing it for and it made it all worthwhile.

"Alright then. One of my boys happened to notice two police trucks suspiciously parked outside a bakery on State Street. There seemed to be some sort of commotion in the basement."

Mako's heart leapt. He had a lead. But he still wanted to know what he exactly agreed to do.

Turning away from him, Akali waved a hand, casually dismissing the two.

"Go find Jace and he will show you out. I have things that I need to do."

Skoochy hurried to the door, but Mako stayed behind.

"There's one more question I want answered. Why do you need me? Can't you tell me what you need me for? I deserve to know-"

Akali's arm became a blur and Mako found a two foot long spike of ice sunk into the wall inches from his face. When Akali spoke, her voice no longer sounded sweet and silky. It was as sharp as daggers and as cold as her gaze.

"Why are you still here? Did I not make myself clear? If you need another reminder, the next one won't miss."

Mako didn't need to be told twice. He left the office in a rush. Jace was waiting to escort them outside. After the two were blocks away from the casino, Mako turned to Skoochy.

"Skoochy, I know it's a lot to ask, but I need to get to that bakery as fast as possible."

Skoochy held up a hand.

"No worries. Just follow me. If we hurry, we can get there in fifteen minutes."

"You're the best Skoochy"

"Yeah. I know."

The pair took off running.

Almost there.

End of Part 2

Please leave a review and tell me what you think.

Next: Chapter 3-Awakening