A/N: OMG! Your reviews! You folks are so awesome! *hearts*

DISCUSSION OF EPISODE 9 in the author's note. If you have not seen it, please skip this author's note and go straight down to the writing instead.

~START OF EPISODE 9 SPOILERS~
Okay, I can't believe this, but...I underestimated how badass Amon is. Seriously, by a lot. I was running with the idea that Tarrlok was actually going to be the big bad when I created this story. WRONG. Oh man, seriously, how amazingly badass was Amon this episode? *swoon* My previous interpretation seems a bit laughably pathetic now. The good news is that this episode brought a ton more Amon fans to the fold (Welcome! We have homemade masks and propaganda doodles!) The bad news is that this fic is now completely and utterly AU. I will still finish it the way I planned anyway, but please bear in mind that in THIS universe, Amon is not nearly as badass as he is in Ep. 9, which means bloodbending – and thus Tarrlok – is a far bigger threat than it is in the canon universe. I kind of feel like I'm doing a disservice to Amon, but I suppose that's what happens when you try to write fanfic for a show that hasn't finished airing yet. ;)
~END OF SPOILERS~

TL;DR – this fic is officially AU.

.*.*.*.

IX
Challenge

The more members of the Red Monsoon that Amon captured, the more he began to realize that they were not the bloodbenders that Korra had expected. Had they been, they would surely have pulled out the technique in desperation as they fought to keep their bending.

And so, the devices that the Equalists had built went untested.

Not that he suspected they would be very useful. So far, the most plausible weapons seemed to be smoke bombs, but he couldn't even test if bloodbenders needed to see their victims in order to bend them. One of the labs had developed sun reflection bombs – small balls that cracked open and used a crystal to amplify the sun's rays in an aura around them – on the vague hunch that strengthening the sun might weaken a bender who drew power from the moon. They were fragile weapons. Amon sat at a desk in one of his many offices, idly flipping the sun crystal open and closed.

"It seems a bit of a gimmick rather than a useful weapon, doesn't it?" asked the lieutenant, who was sitting beside him, drinking a bottle of ale.

"Definitely the prettiest weapons we own, though," said his third-in-command.

It had been a long, fruitless day of trying to get a single second of bloodbending out of Red Monsoon captives, and both the lieutenant and his third were cutting loose a little. A bottle sat in front of Amon as well, uncapped but nearly full. He had never been one to drink much.

"Anything new in concept, Midori?" he asked.

"Marus was drafting up plans for a platinum-lined suit," said his third wryly. "He seemed offended when I pointed out that its weight would bog you down. Other than that, nothing. Without testing our ideas on what we're dealing with, we're stumped."

"Then I suppose we have to work with what we have." Amon retrieved a rolled-up map from a side drawer and smoothed it atop the desk, weighting its curling edges with the beer bottle and the sun crystal. His finger stabbed a large, blank square in the dock district. "If we face Tarrlok here and station our mechs in a circle around it, we have ample back-up should the ground forces fail."

"We will fail," said the lieutenant, pausing to take a long swig of ale.

"Then we need to plan for that and determine how we can turn it into a victory in the long run." Amon drummed his fingers on the table. "Midori, can you arrange a radio patch tomorrow morning?"

Her eyes widened. "Yes, but isn't that premature?"

"We don't have a choice." Nearly a thousand Equalist supporters had been arrested in the past two days – one thousand! – and more were ongoing. Tarrlok's madness had spun out of control, and it was time to end it, no matter what the cost. "You two had best retire for the night. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

The lieutenant held up his ale in a toast, then drained the rest of it. "Goodnight, Amon."

"You might as well bring this with you." Amon handed him his bottle.

"I'll put it to good use." With a grin, the lieutenant bobbed his head in farewell, then departed.

His third spoke only when the door had closed behind him: "I met with the police force."

Amon's head snapped to her. "The police force?"

"About the letter. I figured it was valuable to see exactly how much information they had." At first, he had been worried that she had done so out of mistrust, but her face was even. She wasn't hiding anything, he judged.

"What information did you have to trade for this?"

"The location of one of Sato's warehouses." She smirked. "The one filled with all our failed prototypes. That will throw them in the wrong direction for a bit."

"Good. And what did they tell you in return?"

"That you were spotted entering the Avatar's bedroom window, and engaging in secret conversation with her. Whoever collected the information also had a transcript overheard after the window shutters were drawn. It is rather thorough." Clearing her throat, she handed him a piece of paper. Amon's eyes drifted down it.

..."If word of our encounter has reached anyone's ears, even your closest friend-"...

..."Korra, I am accustomed to emotionally distancing myself from my past, using it to fuel my resolve rather than weigh me down. But there is one memory I cannot shake-"...

..."Do you need me too, Amon?"...

...[the Avatar cries out in pleasure]...

Rereading the words made his face flush and his frown deepen all at once. He had not spoken with the Avatar at all in the week since their last encounter. Not only had it proven too dangerous for him to visit her, but her words had made it clear that she had lost all trust in him. Though he had tried to write it off as a benefit – no more emotional distraction – rereading these words made him realize how badly he missed her.

"Their spies are thorough," he said, his voice flat. "They didn't miss a single detail."

"If I may be so frank, this transcript is too honest to be only manipulation. Amon, if you have feelings for this girl, it could seriously compromise our goals."

"Our goals are first. Always."

"I believe you," she said. "But there are mutterings, so please be careful. The lieutenant himself spoke to me after your last meeting with the Avatar. He found it suspicious that you insisted on talking to her alone."

He sat back in his chair. "I assure you: our goals are first. If the lieutenant has similar worries in the future, please request that he talk to me directly." Pulling out a pen and paper, he added, "Now if you will excuse me, Midori, I must work on my speech for the morning."

She bobbed goodnight and departed.

Amon stared at the paper, but after a few minutes, he pulled out the paper from the police force instead. His fingers traced over it, one line at a time, as he allowed the memories to fill his mind, and his throat began to tighten.

.*.*.*.

Morning, as always, came too early. Korra sat up, eyes half open, and then swung her legs to the side of the bed. Plodding outside her door, she nearly walked into Asami.

"Whoa! Morning, Korra." Asami smiled, her face somehow already made up and perky even though it was barely after sunrise. "You're up early."

"Wanted to catch the news," mumbled Korra, rubbing her eyes. Since the crackdown and arrests, she had been debating the next move she should make. Clearly, Tarrlok was overdue for a beat-down, but she hadn't yet figured out how to approach it without jeopardizing her safety and the safety of her friends. She had hoped that in spite of how poorly their last meeting had gone, Amon would appear out of the blue and offer his Equalists in support, but as each day passed, reality sank in more and more: that alliance was over. So, she clung to every word about the arrests, hoping a solution would present itself.

"Are you okay, Korra? You're frowning," said Asami as they walked toward the kitchen.

Korra's frown deepened. While Bolin swore he hadn't told the others anything about her time in the cave with Amon, they had been doting over her lately in a way that indicated that he hadn't been able to keep his mouth shut. Thank goodness she hadn't told him the full extent of it.

"I'm fine. Stop asking." Every time they asked, she was reminded that she had things to feel badly about.

The radio was already on as they slid into place at the table. Tenzin was reading the newspaper, while the kids were arguing over who got to feed Naga her morning breakfast. Bolin and Mako weren't up yet, no doubt sleeping in. Team Avatar had been up late the night before listening to the police scanner, tracking the arrests as they happened.

"Any more this morning?" asked Asami.

"Two-dozen ongoing right now," said Pema, her normally sunny face sagging.

The table fell silent. Korra's hands curled into fists. She had wanted to take Tarrlok's bloodbending to the media to shut him down, but Tenzin had gently pointed out that there was no proof. Her other idea had been to weed out Tarrlok's spies on Air Temple Island, but that was proving to be fruitless.

She did not like being helpless.

"People of Republic City," said the radio.

Her eyes snapped to it, her muscles tensing. Amon. Around her, the others set down their food and turned, all ears alert.

"To my followers, I thank you for all your support thus far. I apologize for interrupting your normal newscast, but it is time we had another talk. No doubt you have heard of the unjust arrests performed by Councilman Tarrlok. It is time that his reign of terror is ended. Tarrlok, for misusing your bending in heinous and oppressive ways, prepare to be equalized. I will face you at the main dock in the Central City Shipyard at noon tomorrow. Bring whatever forces you deem necessary, but be warned that I will respond in kind. This ends now"

There was a sharp sound of static, and then the radio was quiet for a moment before the regular newscast continued.

"He's going to die," said Korra, her heart sinking.

"That kind of takes care of one of the problems for us, doesn't it?" asked Asami.

"Excuse me." Korra stood, her appetite suddenly gone, and stormed from the kitchen.

.*.*.*.

Amon had intended to return to his desk and continue planning his strategy once the broadcast was complete, but instead he found himself staring out the window, his eyes lingering on Air Temple Island. Lost in thought, he didn't notice his third enter.

"Amon." Her hand touched his shoulder. He turned.

"I will need transport tonight," he said. "I need to tell the Avatar to stay out of this fight."

She gave a small sigh.

His eyes narrowed. "It would be strategically disadvantageous if she were to-"

"No, I don't need a reason. I understand the need to say goodbye." She patted his shoulder, her face sympathetic. "But if you're going to do that, at least let me be the one to fly you in. It will be a far easier secret to keep that way."

"Yes, well..." Clearing his throat, he sat at his desk. "Thank you. Would you mind fetching the lieutenant? We need to finalize a task force roster."

"Of course, Amon." With a bow, she departed.

Knowing that he would see Korra that night cleared his mind, and he bent over the map, continuing his work.

.*.*.*.

Sorry that this one is so short – this chapter was going to be like five million words if I didn't take a break there! Chapter 10 coming soon. :) Thanks for reading!