Chapter 5
I found Yena waiting for me, leaning against the Zuko statue. Her hair was bound tightly in a braid, dressed in unassuming plain, comfortable clothing. When she saw me, she smiled.
"Hey sister. I actually found out where the meeting is. They're not being that discrete," she informed me when I reached her.
"Or you used for feminine wiles on some poor soul to get the information out of them," I threw back.
Her silver eyes burned with mischief. "I can't help it if they fall for it."
I snorted, trying to stifle my laugh. "True."
"So where are we headed?" I asked, watching the street cars rumbling by.
"We can catch one of the cable cars to get us there. It's not that far, only a couple of minutes."
Her head whipped around when the sound of clattering wheels neared, a cable car coming in. Giving me a mischievous smile, she ran towards the slowing cable car. I followed after. To ride the cable car, it cost two Yuans. It seemed like Yena wanted a free ride today as she launched herself into the air, executing a perfect flip, and landing with a small thud on the roof. I leaped as well, catching one of the cables and hefting myself silently onto the roof. We sat on opposite sides of the sloped roof, sharing a smile.
The car jerked backwards before starting again. Some of the kids that hung around Central City Station ran alongside the car, waving and cheering. I waved casually to them and then put a finger to my lips. They cheered louder as the car pulled out.
Yena and I sat there in the crescendo of clattering and rattling of the cable car. We didn't need to talk. As twins, we had the kind of bond, one that passed beyond blood and familiarity.
As we progressed into the heart of downtown, I noticed how the sidewalks were grimy and cracked, weeds shooting up from the cracks. Some of the buildings were also grimy, with cracked windows, and light flickering behind.
Yena and I shared a look. We both were thinking the same thing; Man, did downtown ever get nasty.
Downtown Republic City had always been a little dingy; at least it was when we were growing up. But as the years passed, it got worse and worse. No one in the City decided to do anything about it. Because of the lazy president. He didn't really care about anything.
Things were better when the Council was in power, but the Republic had to elect a President to appease the discontent non-benders since the Equalist movement.
If the Council was back, along with a new President, maybe Republic City would be better.
When we turned a corner onto a really seedy street, Yena tensed, pulling her legs under her. In unison, we launched ourselves off the cable car, landing in a crouch. Yena headed for an alley, black braid swinging as she walked with a bounce to her step.
As soon as we retreated into its darkness, the city sounds diminished. Shiny black garbage bags leaned against the brick walls, some of them having several holes. The smell of rotting garbage filled my nose, making me gag. I heard high-pitched squeaks as well, accompanied by the scratching of nails against pavement. My nose scrunched in disgust.
"Here it is," Yena said, pressing herself against one of the alley walls. I peeked over her. It was one of the many warehouses in Republic City, the ones that you couldn't tell apart. They all had the same dingy, worn look. But this one was covered in colourful graffiti, a mix of bright blue and red characters.
"I think it's a code, the graffiti," I said, pointing.
"Really? I can't even make it out," Yena said.
"I know, the graffiti artists are obviously terrible writers, but there's one bit that says no gods shall trample us. The next parts are man is equal and it is the time of the mortals. Benders have been seen as gods in the ancient civilizations, revered for their power. Mortals represent the non-benders. The part about man is equal is just for people who didn't get the message."
Yena gave me a loving smile. "I think you are too smart for your own good, Tiana," she said.
I made a little bow. "Thank you."
"Well let's get in there. Hopefully we can find something out."
I saw the wink of Yena's onyx whips peek out from her sleeves. Mom and Dad had bought us the whips a few years ago if we needed a little extra help with defending ourselves. They didn't plan on us using metalbending on them. But they didn't know that. They just thought we were extremely skilled.
We dashed to the warehouse, pressing ourselves flat against one of the walls when a pair of chi blockers approached the entrance. The glowing green goggle eyes of their masks gave me the shivers, they were so creepy.
My whip snapped around one of the chi blocker's wrists, and pulled them into the alley with us. My hands delivered punishing hits to their chakra points, cutting off the flow of energy. Just to make sure, Yena put a hand on the chi blocker's shoulder, delivering a small jolt of lightning. It lit her eyes with terrifying blue light. I tried not to think about the thrill I saw there.
We stripped the chi blocker of his mask and his button up jacket. I quickly snapped the brass buttons closed as Yena took care of the other one, her whips shooting out, dripping blue sparks. I heard the other chi blocker convulsing before slumping to the ground.
Tucking our braids down the back of our shirts, we pulled on the masks. I was already starting to sweat but having the fabric of the mask also stifling me, it was quite steamy. We dragged the heavy limp bodies of the chi blockers further down the alley, hiding them behind some heaps of trash.
Nodding, we entered the warehouse. Low hanging lights dangled from the rafters, swinging and flickering. Glass sparkled in the shattered windows, shards littered on the floor and on the window frames. The warehouse was filled with chi blockers, glowing green eyes at the front. Red Equalist banners dangled from the rafters. That angry character blared out war, unrest. Just thinking of it made me uncomfortable.
"This means war," Yena whispered in my ear. I nodded in response. Why else would former Equalists be gathering in a secret location?
In the very front, we spotted the familiar forms of Mom and Dad, their chi blocker masks dangling from the fingers. They were talking to a man with a thin streamline body. Two black hilts poked up from behind his shoulders. Both Yena and I stiffened. Those metal pointless swords, poles, those were the known weapons of the Lieutenant, the right hand man of Amon, the leader of the Equalists. How could this man have them?
Besides the shock of seeing the Lieutenant's weapons, there was something else about the man that drew notice. He wore a black mask that concealed his face except for his mouth and chin. It looked like a demon mask; the plastic features beautiful yet terrifying. His eyes glinted blackly, with an animal light that sent comprehensive shivers down my spine.
Yena gave me a frightened glance. Without really thinking of it, our hands reached for each other's, our pinky fingers intertwining. We always used to do that when we were small.
Silence fell like a weight when the new Lieutenant raised one of his electric poles, sparking with blue electricity. The Equalist banners flapped uneasily.
"My brothers and sisters, we are on the cusp of a new age! Amon had failed with his movement but we shall revive it! The President has not done anything to care about Republic City! The capital has fallen in a deeper pit of corruption, along with the rest of the world. But we, the Neo Equalists, will rid the world of this corruption!"
The Neo Equalists cheered, thrusting their fists into the air. The banners flapped a bit more. I looked over at Yena, my pinky tightening around hers. Letting go, I gave her a hard pinch. The banners rested back against the warehouse walls. I knew beneath her mask she was giving me an apologetic look.
"What are we going to do?" she whispered.
"We can't fight them, there's too many. It would be pointless anyway. We would have to infiltrate one of their missions. That's the only way," I whispered back.
"Is it so bad? That they want to get rid of the President?" Yena asked.
I whirled on her. "What? So are you supporting what they are saying?"
"Well, both of us agree that he is not helping Republic City. He is letting it fester in its own filth and corruption. We have to do something, we are the Avatar!" Yena hissed back.
"The Avatar is always neutral, Yena! We cannot take an active role in a war! We must prevent fighting and maintain peace."
"Well, what if war is the only way to maintain peace? Hmm?"
We turned away from each other. Luckily the cheering was still going on, the new Lieutenant egging the Neo Equalists on. Nobody heard our argument.
Tension radiated off the both of us in waves. The whips wrapped around my arms were tightening and loosening, shaking and trembling.
"Now, we shall start with finding the Avatar!" the Lieutenant yelled. More cheering.
Both of us froze. What did the Neo Equalists want with the Avatar?