Authors note: Alright, I updated this so I guess you all know now that I'm gong to continue it. I am still upset that many people who read it don't review it but I'm not going to stop because the few that do review really like it. So I hope that group really enjoys this and I'm really sorry for leaving you on a cliffhanger.
Chapter Sixteen
Find Me, If You Can
"Here's your bill sir."
"7.80?"
"Uh, yeah."
"I don't owe that much. I only ordered a sandwich and a pop."
"No sir, you ordered a sandwich, a pop, and a bag of chips."
"I did not!"
"Sir, the bag is on the table."
Zuko glanced at the bag and then smirked at the customer. The man just frowned at him and tapped the table nervously with his fingers. After awhile, he pulled out his wallet.
"I still think that's too much for what little you gave me!"
Zuko rolled his eyes and was about to walk back to the counter when he caught a quick glimpse at the man's wallet. There was only five dollars, just enough for the sandwich and pop. The man was rummaging in side of it like there was enough but Zuko knew there was only a five dollar bill.
Looking around, making sure Long Feng was no where in site, Zuko ran to the cash register. He pulled out his own wallet and put in seven dollars and eight cents. After doing so, he walked back to the table.
"Uh, I totally forgot," Zuko said, "Today is um…ugh…get a free sandwich, pop, and chips day."
The man looked up at Zuko with a puzzled face. He seemed to be unconvinced.
"It's true, my boss has this new promotion," Zuko assured, "Get a free sandwich with a pop and chips on Friday! It's…it's new."
After an agonizing silence, the man stood up.
"Your sure of this?" he questioned.
"Yeah, positive."
Nodding his head, the man walked slowly towards the door. He was just about to walk out when he turned around to Zuko.
"Oh and…thanks," he said with a small grin.
"Just doing my job."
With that, the man walked out the doors. Zuko was in no surprise to see Aang walk in right after. He had a worried look on his face that always made Zuko immediately feel worried himself.
"Azula want's you," Aang signed.
"I'll see her after my shift," Zuko replied.
"She want's to see you, now."
Zuko quickly pulled of his apron and grabbed his coat. No words were needed as he walked down the street.
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"Dad!"
Almost tripping to the floor, Ty Lee ran to the family room. He father was no where in site.
"Dad!" she screamed again.
Tears were streaming down Ty Lee's face as she ran up the stairs. She banged on his bedroom door but no one answered. Finally giving up, Ty Lee ran into the room. Hokada wasn't inside.
"Dad, where are you?!"
"Ty Lee?"
Ty Lee raced back down the stairs to see her father and Sokka walking in the doors. She fell into her father's arms, sobbing against his chest.
"Ty Lee, what's wrong?!" Hokada urgently asked.
"It's…it's…"
"It's what?!" Sokka screamed.
"It's…Katara."
Sokka gasped as more tears flowed from Ty Lee's eyes. Hokada had a blank expression on his face and he tightened the grip on his daughter.
"What happened to her?" he asked gravely.
"Someone…someone took her Dad, they took her away! The person just came up from behind us and took her. They knocked me out before I could do anything. I woke up on the sidewalk…"
Hokada ran his hand through Ty Lee's hair before pulling her away from him and holding her firmly.
"Did you know how the person looks?"
Ty Lee lowered her head, not answering.
"Ty Lee, you have to answer me. Did you know how the person looks?!"
Sokka gazed at Ty Lee's face, tear stricken and devastated. Slowly, he reached out his hand and broke Hokada's grasp. He slowly pulled her into his arms and whispered.
"Ty Lee, if you, I, and Dad ever want to see Katara again then we have to find every lead. I know your scared…I'm scared too. But we have to put Katara first, we have to find her. So please tell us…what the person looked like."
Ty Lee closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.
"Of what I saw," she murmured, "There were two of them. They were wearing masks but I could see hair coming out of one. It was white hair…pure white. It was a girl and she had blue eyes. The other one was all covered up and I couldn't see the person's hair color but he was a guy. He was the one knocked out Katara, he took her out first. I'll never forget his golden eyes…just like the sun."
"The sun?" Sokka asked.
"The sun," Hokada stated, "They look like the sun…"
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"Azula, what do you-?"
Zuko dropped his coat when he saw Jin sitting on his kitchen table. She looked overly worked and depressed as usual but something even more was going on. She had a different look of obscurity to her.
"What's going on?" Zuko asked.
"Don't you already know," Jin responded grimly.
"No, I don't know and it would be nice if you could tell me."
"Well let's see…this should ring a bell: I thought it was the past."
Zuko shook his head, "It can't be…"
"And yet it is…Azula knows about Katara."
Slamming his fist against the wall, Zuko clenched his jaws in anger.
"You know what the strange thing is," Jin mumbled, walking towards him, "I have the strange feeling you knew all about this too. Did you purposely tell Azula about Katara?"
"Why would I do that?!" shouted Zuko.
"I don't know…to make it seem like you found an enemy to our gang which Katara definitely is…"
"Jin, how can you even think I did that?!"
Jin scowled at Zuko while walking to the front door.
"I have my reasons," she muttered, "Oh and by the way, Azula has her right now, locked up in cell. She's about to go and integrate her…you know things work…"
Zuko stared wide eyed at Jin who opened the front door and then the screen door.
"Someone always has to pay."
Slamming the door behind her, Jin walked off the porch and down the street. Zuko watched as she left, waiting until she turned the corner. When Jin finally did, he ran as quickly as he could down the street, heading for the heart of H. Taed…the gang's hideout.
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"So Katara's your name, right? Pretty, though it doesn't really fit you. I was thinking more like nuisance or irritant."
Katara held her side tight to try an escape the pain. All she could do was look up at the girl staring her down. Her dark, black hair and beady eyes were enough to scare you but the guns hanging all around her belt were enough to kill before the trigger was even pulled.
"You know, you have quite the family. Such a dedicated father, he'd do anything for his kids…and he'd doing anything for your dead mother too."
Katara gasped, "How do you know about that? How do you know anything about me?!"
"Oh Katara, we go way back; all the way back to when you met one of my group members. You two got along so well that you decided to hatch a plan…and kill our leader."
Katara shook her head.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know anything about your group."
"Lies, lies, and more lies…is that all people do these days?"
"I'm telling the truth, I don't know what you're saying!"
"Oh really?"
The girl knelt down and grabbed Katara's shirt. Katara screamed in agony as the girl punch the side that was already bruised.
"Well we can do this all day until he tell me. I've been trying to figure out for months who defected my group, who became a traitor. Whoever was with you did it and you are going to tell me. Who was with you? Who killed our leader?"
"I said I don't know…"
"You do, so answer me. Who…did it?"
Katara covered her face as the girl threw her to the ground. She scuffed, turning around.
"I…I don't know," Katara whispered.
"Well then…I guess you won't be getting out of here. See you tomorrow…"
Katara was about to burst into tears when she heard the door open again.
"Oh and I'm Azula. I'm glad we had such a lovely time, Katara. I know we'll become great friends."
Azula smiled before shutting the door close. Katara instantly let all the held in tears flood out when she knew the girl was gone. She returned her hand to her side, moaning at her hand's touch. She was scared, in pain, lonely and above all…lost. Katara tried and tried but she couldn't find her way out. For truly, there was no way to be found.
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Authors note: I'm glad to say I'll update soon. I didn't think this was a cliffhanger but a lot of people would disagree so…please just review.