Just an Old Tea Maker

Chapter 13

The blindfold was removed as Iroh's eyes adjusted to the familiar green glow of the crystals of his cell. Only this time it was not his cell, but a different room all together. In the center was what looked like to Iroh to be a stone track with a dormant lamp sitting awkwardly to one side. He was un-cuffed and placed in a chair, and then using Earth Bending, his Di Lai escort rock cuffed him to the chair.

He was relieved, of course, that his nephew was ok. Even the news of Zuko being in the Earth army was not the worst scenario. This was, Iroh was not sure what exactly Long Feng had planned for him. What ever it was it would not be good.

The agent stepped into the circle and lit the lamp, another agent stood out side the circle and used Earth Bending to make the lamp go around. But before he started the one agent said to the other.

"What about his head?" he said, "we should have that secured too."

"What for?" He replied, "He's just an old tea maker."

With that the "treatment" began, as the light started to rotate. It did not take long for Iroh to realize what was happening. He was both surprised and appalled that the leaders of the great city of Ba Sing Se would resort to "brain washing".

"You're safe now," The agent started as the light began its hypnotic trek.

Iroh tried to hide from the light but no matter how hard he tried to fight it, the light continued to pierce his thoughts.

"There is no war within the walls," He continued, "here we are safe, here we are free."

Slowly he felt himself losing control of his own thoughts and they began to be replaced by ones that were not his own.

"My nephew…" Is all Iroh could get out.

"Your Nephew is safe," The agent continued, "You have nothing to worry about."

"My nephew is safe," Iroh repeated.

No! He Screamed in his head, I must not give in. Iroh tried to hold on but he could not hold on much longer. With all hope lost he found he would need to resort to bending. He closed his eyes blocking out the light, and concentrated on the heat of the sun somewhere far above Lake Liogai. The heat coursed through his body. Then he finally let it all loose. The flame burst from his mouth, engulfing the surprised Di Lai agent.

Then heating up the rocks that bound his hands and feet until it burst apart, Iroh stood up and faced the other agent. The other Di Lai agent was surprised but quickly over came his confusion. He reacted by sending two rock gloves at the old tea maker. Iroh then countered by forming a ball of fire in his hand and with one swift motion he swiped the stones out of the air. Returning the attack with one powerful fire ball, he left the agent unconscious, who was only able to partially block the attack.

Iroh quickly ran over and slid open the door. Running out into the hallway, he was spotted by another agent who gave chase. Iroh turned and ran in the other direction as more agents started pouring into the hallway. Trying to remember which way was the exit, the Dragon of the West took various turns, and soon found himself lost in a maze of corridors.

Dodging the stone gloves of his pursuers, Iroh ducked into another hallway, momentarily losing them. He stopped, letting air fill his lungs as he panted and allowed his muscles to relax.

I should start working out more, Iroh thought to himself. He paused listening to his surroundings. He could hear the foot steps of the Di Lai agents coming closer. He could hear something else, it sounded like… The Avatar's bison! He had heard it just before he was taken out of the under ground prison.

Iroh took off in that direction. Hearing the shouts of the Di Lai close behind him, he continued through the passages until he came to his destination. The Bison could be heard in the cell beside him.

Continuing down the hall, Iroh soon spotted the exit up ahead. As he ran a stone glove caught him on the shoulder. He winced and continued, but as a second glove caught him square in the back he fell and slid a few feet while sending a powerful two fisted fire blast back at the Di Lai.

Flames filled the hall and the agents were forced to duck or cling to the ceilings as the fire passed. Iroh got up and continued until he was stopped by a wall that was raised in front of him.

"Surrender now," An agent said as he stepped forward.

The pause in the chase was just enough time for Iroh to use his bending to create lightning and shatter the stone wall that stood in front of him. The Di Lai agents avoided the flying debris and started after the old tea maker, but as the smoke cleared, he was gone.

Iroh surfaced from the tunnel that led out of Lake Liogai. Having finally escaped the Di Lai's clutches, he started back to Ba Sing Se. Hoping to find a way to some how rescue his nephew, while keeping in mind that the Di Lai most certainly knew the Dragon of the West was in Ba Sing Se.

ATLAB

A Di Lai agent stood out side the door to the Grand Secretariat's chambers. He was not quite sure how to commence in revealing the unfortunate turn in events. The agent had heard rumors that men who gave Long Feng bad news were never heard from again. Of course that was just rumors wasn't it?

So taking a deep breath, he entered the room. Long Feng sat facing the green fire, but somehow he knew the agent had entered.

"What news do you have for me?" Long Feng said, without turning around.

"Well, sir." He started, "It has appeared that the old man has…" The agent paused, not sure how to continue.

"Get on with it!" Feng said impatiently.

"…escaped our base," he finished.

"How?" Long Feng replied calmly.

"He is a Fire Bender, Sir," The Di Lai agent replied.

Suddenly the fire behind the Secretariat flared up. Long Feng was not a fire bender but the crystals that produced the flames reacted to his sudden burst of anger. The agent shrunk off a bit. He had never seen Long Feng this angry, but as his anger quickly died down so did the flames.

Long Feng quickly composed himself and turned to face his agent. "We must search for him, send every available man into the city."

"It's a big city, sir," the agent pointed out, "he could be anywhere."

"I know," he replied calmly, "but we must find him without alerting the citizens of Ba Sing Se. That is the last thing we need."

The agent turned to leave, but stopped, "One more thing, Sir," He said, "This old man was a very powerful Fire Bender. If we do find him, it will not be easy to bring him in." Then with that the agent left with the door slamming shut behind him.

How could he have been so foolish? Long Feng was, not sure how two Fire Benders had eluded him. But one thing he now knew was, he had one very dangerous enemy lose in the city and a suspected Fire Bender in the Earth Kingdom Army. Unfortunately, Lee was still MIA.

ATLAB

Prince Zuko crouched in a tree, lining a road. The others, including Lang, Sen-Su and the Kyoshi Warrior, as well as most of the Freedom Fighters were hiding in surrounding trees.

It was a cool cloudy morning as the banished prince and his companions waited for their target. Which as Keri had explained, the Fire Nation had been moving supplies through for weeks, but each time the Freedom Fighters had intercepted them.

Having finally changed out of the Fire Nation uniforms, Zuko now wore simple clothes with a rain poncho, protecting him from the rain that now began to fall. His swords were strapped to his back in the Blue Spirit fashion.

Drips of water ran off the rim of his hood and fell in front of his face as he watched the road for any kind of moment. Only a couple of months ago, if he would have been told he would be sitting in a tree with a bunch of kids ready to ambush Fire Nation soldiers, he would have had who ever told him that thrown off his ship.

Destiny was a funny thing. However, Zuko was not laughing.

Author's Note: Well it was one of my shorter chapters, but I hope you enjoyed! Update coming soon