Chapter 17
Confrontations
Zuko stayed clutched to the side of the Earth tram. He was just high enough that he could avoid being caught in the track, but low enough that he was able to stay out of sight if a weary traveler peered out the window. The banished Prince still wore his new Blue Spirit mask. It was similar to his old mask, despite a few differences that the average person wouldn't notice.
He always felt better hiding his face behind the blue and white mask. When he wore it, he was no longer the banished Prince whose father scarred him for speaking out of turn or whose own sister would kill in a heart beat. It had started out as just a way to keep his face hidden from the Fire Nation soldiers and the Avatar who would recognize him, and ruin his chance of recapturing the boy. But somehow, it had become a part of him.
By the rapid reduction in speed, Zuko knew that the tram was soon ready to stop. Quickly he began to scope out a way into the city unnoticed, so he could complete the next step in his plan. His body ached from the limits he had forced himself to succeed and his mind screamed in need of rest. But he ignored it all, he had to.
His chance at redemption was too close to let a little thing like rest get in his way, he didn't need it. As the tram slid to a stop, the banished Prince waited until the people were busy bustling out of the doors and going their own ways. Zuko figured they would be busy with their own problems at the moment to notice a man in a blue and white mask. Still, he knew he would need to use caution to get around the crowd.
So taking off his mask, Zuko tucked it into his rain poncho, which he still wore. True enough, he was not dressed like the Blue Spirit, but the mask was what really made him the infamous Spirit. Zuko casually walked through the crowd, if anyone cared he had two broad swords strapped to his back, they gave no sign of doing anything. They were just happy to be safely behind the walls of Ba Sing Se.
Zuko knew, that once he was on the inside the wall, he would once again need to don his infamous mask. He had no doubt that Long Feng would have agents out looking for him, that is, if somehow news of his desertion reached the secretariat's ears.
ATLAB
"Lang, Sen-Su? " Loam shouted when he spotted his two formally MIA comrades coming into camp. They were tired and dirty, but that was better shape than what the Earth Captain expected of them. "You ok? It's good to see you!"
When the other members of their unit saw what all the commotion was about, they all rushed out to greet the new arrivals. In all the confusion and excitement, the question got asked about what had happened to Lee. Both Lang and Sen-Su knew that question would be brought up sooner or later, unfortunately neither of them knew what to say and all eyes seemed to be on them.
"Well, what happened to Lee?" Katso demanded, when the two failed to answer right away. Sen-Su and Lang glanced at each other, not sure how to explain, Lee really being a reformed Prince Zuko.
"Lee…" Sen-Su started to explain, but was cut off by Lang.
"is dead," Lang finished with an answer surprising Sen, as well as the rest of the unit. "He was killed by the Rough Rhinos."
"He was a good man," Loam said, shaking his head sadly, " a brave man and deserves the honor of a hero."
After they finished greeting each other they all gathered for a short service in honor of Lee, who unknown to the Earth soldiers was the son of Fire Lord Ozai, their enemy. Sen, however had his thoughts on a different matter. It was Lang, he didn't understand. The man had been ready to hand Zuko over to the Earth General without a second thought.
Zuko and Lang hadn't exactly parted on friendly words either. That is if you count Lang attacking Zuko with a sword, which was ended by Zuko rubbing Lang's face in the mud. No, something was definitely up with Lang, and Sen-Su intended to find what it was. After all, they could both get into serious trouble for hiding an enemy of the Earth Kingdom, who was still bent on capturing their only hope at winning the hundred year war.
Later that day after they cleaned up and were debriefed by the Earth General, which resulted in Lang once again lying to a superior officer, Sen decided that the best way to really find out what was going on was to confront the problem at the source. He was able to corner the soldier in his tent.
Lang appeared to have just finished a letter and was on his way to deliver it when Sen stopped him.
"What's going on Lang?" Sen asked casually. Lang looked genuinely confused by the other man's question.
"Nothing much… I'm just mailing a letter to my parents." Lang answered while waving a letter in front of his face.
"You mean parent don't you?" Sen said, emphasizing the fact that Lang had told him he had lost his father to the Fire Nation. " And maybe your little sister? Oh, wait, I forgot you lost her to the Fire Nation as well didn't you?"
Lang looked stunned, as his face turned red with anger at Sen's accusations. Or maybe it was something else…
"How dare you talk about my family like that!" Lang's hand clenched tight around the piece of parchment.
"Prove to me that you are not a traitor," Sen said, more calmly realizing he had hit a nerve. "I'll apologize one hundred times over if it's not true. Just let me see the letter."
"I don't understand," Lang answered. "You have no reason to believe that I would betray my country."
"But you have," Sen pointed out. "We both have, the only difference is I did it for a friend. I'm just not sure why you have… Let me see the letter, Lang."
Lang did not answer, he seemed lost in his thoughts. His face was still hard with anger.
"You may have forgotten but I am your commanding officer, soldier!" Sen shouted after a moment of silence. "Hand over the letter or risk being reported as a traitor." At that moment Sen stopped being a friend and once again resumed his role as an officer of the Earth Kingdom. When Lang did not move, Sen reached out and snatched the letter from the Earth soldier's hand.
Opening the letter, Sen had to only read the first line to realize he had made a terrible mistake. His face paled as he looked up and saw Lang with a small smile on his face.
"What's this?" Sen stammered as he read, "To the head of the representatives of the Cultural Authority of Ba Sing Se." Sen stopped reading, "Isn't that…"
"The Di Lai." Lang finished, holding his hand to the ground. Stones rose out of the dirt and formed a glove around his hand. Then, before Sen knew what was happening, the stone glove shot off his hand and grabbed hold of Sen's neck. Gasping for air as Lang spoke, Sen could not believe what was happening.
"It's true, I'm an agent of the Di Lai, specifically selected to keep an eye on Lee whom I now know to be Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation." Lang said casually, while keeping his arm out stretched to keep control of the rocks that now threatened to squeeze the life out his former comrade. With his other hand he took the letter from Sen-Su's grasp. "I was ordered to be undercover so deep, even to the extent of not bending."
"I don't understand…" Sen gasped.
"Of course you don't," Lang sneered while tightening his grip, making Sen struggle a little bit harder. "You are just an Earth peasant. I have been trained since birth in the culture of Ba Sing Se and in the art of bending to the extent of perfection."
As Lang tightened his grip a little bit more, Sen drew his sword and with one last exertion of energy, he sliced through the rock so close that he nearly severed his own head from his shoulders. Falling to the ground before he stood up, staggering a bit he faced the young Di Lai agent.
Gripping his sword tightly in his hand, this time ready if Lang decided to attack again. But he didn't, he just stood there with an amused look on his face.
"You must understand, the news of Prince Zuko in the Earth Kingdom army must be classified information. Any news of the Fire Prince threatening our army must not be spoken of." Lang turned to walk out of the tent, but as he reached the entrance way he stopped and turned to Sen, "If any news of Zuko's identity or mine for that matter is leaked, it will result in your permanent end. Do you understand, soldier?"
With that, Lang disappeared out of the tent. Confronting Lang had not gone exactly how he planned. But now Sen realized he was in the middle of something more dangerous than a war.
Author's Note: Thanks to all of you who have been patient with me the last few weeks, I've been in kind of a writing slump. (I'll blame it on the lack of new Avatar episodes). Anyway thanks for reading and I'll post the next chapter soon.