Ambush

Chapter 4: In the Pursuit of Love

Mako and Skoochy raced through alleyways and backstreets. They ran through places in the city that Mako never even knew existed. They came to the mouth of yet another alleyway when Skoochy stopped short. Mako almost barreled right into him.

"What is it? Why did we stop? We need to keep moving."

Skoochy made a hushing gesture at Mako then motioned for him to get against the wall of the alley.

"Calm down. We're here."

They peeked around the corner and, sure enough, there were two police trucks parked by a nearby building. Mako scanned the immediate area. They seemed to be alone.

"Alright. Lets go."

They snuck over to the nearest truck, keeping low. It was abandoned. No cops in sight. Mako made his way over to the other truck. That one was abandoned as well. Looking over at the building, he saw that a wide hole had been blasted in the bottom of the wall. He motioned to Skoochy to join him and the pair leapt through the hole. They landed in a large puddle of water. They looked around. There was water everywhere, along with rocks and piles of brick that didn't move there naturally. On the back wall of the room was a torn and waterlogged poster of Amon. Skoochy scratched his head.

"Yup. Something big went down here. Akali was right."

Mako noticed a door next to the poster that had been kicked off its hinges.

"There. That way. We gotta hurry."

They went through the door and hurried cautiously down the hallway. They came to a few forks, but they only led to small chambers filled with charts of the human central nerve system, books, and human models with pins sticking out of them. They then came to a large fork in the road. They looked at each other.

"Right or left?"

Mako thought hard for a moment. They couldn't afford to waste time going down both one at a time, but they couldn't afford to split up. If they ran into chi blockers alone, they would be as good as done.

"We'll head right."

Skoochy nodded.

"Let's go."

They headed down the right fork. After a little while, they reached a metal door. It was open slightly and light was spilling out. They could hear music coming through the door. Mako tapped Skoochy on the shoulder and signaled him to take a peek. Skoochy shook his head vigorously. The two had a silent argument. Mako won. Reluctantly, Skoochy snuck up to the door and peeked inside. He waved Mako over.

"Check this out."

Mako snuck up beside Skoochy and looked inside himself. It was a medium sized room filled with supplies. On one wall, there was a closet full of chi blocker suits. On another there was a rack full of those things that chi blockers threw at their legs to slow them down. Mako didn't know what they were called. All around the room were metal shelves full of boxes. It seemed like they were getting ready to get shipped out. In the back of the room was another metal door. In the middle of the room was a desk. The music was coming from a radio on the desk. A man was humming along with the music, packing things up. They two fell back. Skoochy looked at Mako.

"What do we do?"

Mako thought fast. He could easily take the man on, but he wanted to attract the least amount of attention. This needed to be quiet. Mako got an idea. He pulled Skoochy close and filled him in on the plan. Skoochy nodded, stood back, and closed his eyes in concentration. He nodded to Mako, who opened the door and darted in. He rushed toward the man who didn't notice him until Mako was a few feet away. He opened his mouth to scream, but before he could, his mouth was full of gravel. With a perfectly swift fiery roundhouse, Mako knocked the man out. He caught him before he hit the ground. He gently eased the man to the floor as Skoochy bended the gravel out of his mouth. Mako gave Skoochy a thumbs up and he moved to the other door. It was locked. Mako cursed under his breath. After everything he went through, a locked door was the last thing he wanted to stop him. He heard a rummaging noise. He looked around and saw him looking through the desk.

"What are you doing?"

Skoochy made a triumphant exclamation and held up a simple paperclip.

"Lookin for this. Move over."

Skoochy pushed past Mako and knelt by the lock.

"Thirty seconds, we're in."

True to his word, after half a minute, Mako heard a faint click and the door opened. Skoochy smirked up at him.

"I guess all those 'unexpected house calls' are coming in handy."

Mako couldn't help but smile. Sometimes, he almost felt glad that his friend was a borderline criminal. Skoochy, feeling brave, snuck through the door to scout ahead. He came back seconds later and shut the door quickly. His face was pale.

"What is it?"

"Chi blockers…"

"How many?"

Skoochy looked at him.

"…Lots."

Mako decided to see for himself. He opened the door and looked outside. It was a very short hallway that led to the right. He looked around the corner. The hallway led into a large room that looked like a warehouse. It was full of crates that were being loaded up on trucks. Chi blockers were everywhere. Mako counted at least twenty. Six of them were in a circle in the middle of the room. There were more people in the center of the ring of chi blockers, but Mako couldn't make any of them out. He saw a way to get closer, but he couldn't get closer without being seen. He saw a crate that could hide him easily if he could somehow get behind it. He doubled back to Skoochy.

"Skoochy, I need you to make a hole in the wall big enough for me to get through."

Skoochy gave him a look that said; Are you nuts?

"Come on. We've made it this far. I need at least make sure she's ok."

Skoochy sighed.

"Fine…But I'm not going in with ya. Sorry Mako, but I'd rather turn myself in to Chief Beifong."

Skoochy did some fancy earthbending and made a nice, slim doorway. Mako gave Skoochy an appreciative smile. He slipped through and hid behind the crate. He peeked around the corner. Most of the chi blockers were busy with loading up the trucks. The others were either moving crates or standing in a circle in the middle. Mako noticed that another man had joined the chi blockers in the middle. He needed to get closer. Mako began hopping from crate to crate, staying low and behind cover all the while. He got close enough to make out the details of the people in the middle. They wore special uniforms, similar to the Metalbending Corps uniforms. It was the Task Force. They were bound and gagged. Two of them seemed unconscious. One was Councilman Tarrlok. The other was Korra. Mako's hear leapt and he resisted the urge to rush over to her. There were two transport trucks there, waiting to take them away. The man who recently joined the group was making noted on a notepad. He was dressed all in black. He was very pale and had a gait that reminded Mako of a vulturewasp. The man finished writing notes and clapped his hands together. His voice was high and cold. It made Mako shiver.

"Right-o! Lets find out where you all belong, shall we?"

He made a shooing gesture at the chi blockers and they arranged all of the prisoners in a line. The man in black moved to the first prisoner and pressed his middle finger and forefinger to the task force member's skull. The task force member shuddered hard, like he was just dunked in a bucket of ice. After a few seconds, the man removed his hand and jotted something down on his clipboard.

"Waterbender."

Mako had no idea how he found that out. He decided that he should stay put to see if he could find out where Korra was being taken. The man walked over to the next person in line. He did the same thing.

"Earthbender."

After he declared their element, a chi blocker picked them up and loaded them into a specific truck. He did this over and over, until he reached Tarrlok.

"Earthbender, Earthbender, Waterbender, Earthbender, Waterbender, ooooh! Well, isn't this a treat! A councilman graces me with his presence!"

He made a flowery gesture at a chi blocker.

"Wake him."

The chi blocker took out a small metal rod and pressed it to Tarrlok's side. Tarkkok sat bolt up right, his mouth open in a silent scream. The man in black chuckled.

"Water and electricity never mix, you know."

The chi blocker removed the rod and Tarrlok collapsed against his bonds, panting. He looked up at the man and Mako heard him gasp.

"You…You're….You're Madman Kayne…"

The man called Kayne swatted the air like he was clearing smoke, a disgusted look on his face.

"Ewww! I HATE that nickname. I prefer 'Insane Kayne' better. Has a nicer ring to it."

Kayne laughed and smirked down at Tarrlok.

"While I poke around your chi passages, I do hope that we get to know each other better."

He looked at another chi blocker.

"Put this Waterbender with the rest. And make sure he's comfortable. Got to make sure the noble Councilman's arrangements are up to standard."

Tarrlok struggled helplessly as he was gagged then tossed into the van with the other Waterbenders. Kayne moved onto Korra. Mako's heart hammered. He was scared. Kayne took his time examining her before he commanded a chi blocker to awaken her.

"Pretty, this one…Hope she stays that way. Wake up the pretty princess, if you please."

Mako watched helplessly as Korra was shocked awake like Tarrlok, except she was able to scream. Kayne hooted as she fell, panting.

"Hoo hoo! The lungs on this one! I like her. Now then, lets take a look see…"

He pressed his fingers against her temple. She stiffened and shuddered like the others. Almost instantly, Kayne jerked away. An animated look of shocked disbelief plastered on his face.

"No…Way…"

He cackled and pranced around like a five year old who just got told he could have any toy he wanted in a toy store.

"YES! YES YES YES YES YES! HA HA!"

He skipped in a circle singing in a mocking tune; "I've got the Avatar! I've got the Avatar!"

His playfulness vanished in an instant. He suddenly looked menacing. Mako understood how he got his nickname.

"The Avatar herself. What an honor. I'm going to have such fun experimenting with you. My research will take off because of you."

Korra stared at him with hard eyes.

"What research?"

"Chi blocking, my dear girl. The one true weapon us non-benders have against your ilk. I'm very close to finding a way to make it permanent."

Korra scoffed. She sounded way braver than Mako felt.

"Get a clue. Your boss already knows how. For a mad scientist, you're not very smart are you."

Kayne chuckled.

"Cheeky. Very cheeky. Yes, I am well aware of Amon's talents. But that skill can only be performed by him, and him alone. Imagine if every non-bender could do what he does."

Even from that distance, Mako could see Korra turn pale. Kayne smirked.

"Now you're getting the big picture. This research could revolutionize the war against bending. And make me a very rich man."

He gestured to a chi blocker.

"Put the princess back to sleep and load her up. Take very special care of her."

Mako realized that this was his cue to back out. If he stayed any longer, he could easily get caught. The loading of crates was getting close to his hiding place. He started sneaking back to the hole Skoochy made when he heard Kayne calling out.

"You know, I hated this place. Full of vermin."

Mako heard a swish. A throwing knife missed his head by inches and imbedded itself in a crate behind him. He whirled around to see Kayne looking at him, his arm outstretched. Korra, now unconscious, was being loaded in the van.

"Speaking of vermin…"

Mako was stunned by fear momentarily. Then he turned and bolted, as fast as he could. He heard Kayne shouting after him.

"I SAID, 'Speaking of vermin!'….Oh, for the love of-! Never mind, just get him you idiots!" Go!"

Mako got to the hole long before the chi blockers did. Skoochy was leaning against the wall shifting nervously. He straightened when Mako burst through. Before he could ask Mako what was going on, Mako cut him off.

"Close the door, now!"

Skoochy didn't need to be told twice. He made sure to block the metal door as well. Mako nodded at him.

"Nice touch. Lets move."

They bolted back through the storage room. The man they knocked out earlier was coming to as they left. They raced back down the hallways and only stopped when they reached the fork. They leaned against the wall, panting.

"Which….Which, way…Do….We go?"

Mako tried to remember their initial trip. His eyes flicked open. He pointed left.

"This way."

They ran down the left fork.

"We're almost back to the bakery! We'll go to Air Temple Island and get Tenzin to-"

Mako suddenly noticed he couldn't move his legs. They were pinned together. He fell hard. He turned and saw chi blockers gaining on them. He realized that, if Skoochy came back for him, neither of them would make it out. Roaring, Mako unleashed a heavy salvo of fire at his attackers, stalling them if for only a moment. He unwrapped his scarf from around him and held it out to Skoochy. He spoke as fast as he could and made sure Skoochy understood him.

"Take this. Go tell Tenzin what happened. Use that to help Naga track me. I know she can do it. It's how we found Bolin. Go now!"

Skoochy didn't move for a moment, worry in his eyes. Then he took the scarf and bolted. Mako turned his attention to the advancing chi blockers and fired off as many shots as he could before one snuck behind him and struck him down. Mako lay there, helpless, for about a minute. Kayne came around the corner, panting.

"Woo! Man, you guys are fast. Oh, you got him. Good, good. Now then…"

He glanced down at Mako and did a double take.

"Hang on a tick…I know you…I'm sure I've seen you before."

He observed Mako closely. Mako tried to avoid his eyes. Kayne took his first two fingers and pressed them to Mako's skull. Immediately, Mako felt as if tentacles of ice were slithering their way into his mind. He stiffened and shivered. He felt sick. It was as if Kayne was invading his very soul. Kayne removed his fingers and the feeling vanished. Mako felt drained. Kayne stood up; his face had an expression equal to a toddler on Christmas morning.

"Oh this is my lucky day. The Avatar AND a Pro-Bending star? It's almost too much!"

He straightened up, a pleasant smile on his face. His eyes showed only malice.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners? Kayne, at your service, big fan. Maybe after I'm finished causing you immense pain I could have your autograph?"

Mako glared up at him, hating his very existence.

"I'm guessing that's a no. Sad. Ah well. Can't win em all, right?"

He turned to leave and carelessly waved a hand behind him.

"Knock him out. Not because he needs to be, but because I just like giving that order."

The last thing Mako heard before he lost consciousness was two chi blockers talking about the sea, a submarine, and Avatar Aang Memorial Island.

End of Part 4

Please review and tell me what you think.

Next: Chapter 5-Declaration of War