Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I posted. Life and things... ugh. I wish I had more time to write. Anyway, here's the latest chapter! I'm going to try and post more soon ^_^

Chapter 52

The report

They sped along in their weary exhaustion. Naga's paws slammed against the cement as she ran, crossing the very narrow bridge with much discomfort. The closer they got to the Estate, the more the strength returned to Asami's body.

"Head east here, Korra," she directed the moment they hit the mainland.

Korra steered her polar bear dog into a sharp right, forcing Asami to clutch onto the Southern couple's clothes to hold them in place.

"Easy, Korra!"

"Sorry."

Asami glanced behind her, searching for any signs of pursuers. She spun back around and eyed Korra, who was slouching a bit at the reigns. "Are you alright, Korra?"

There was only a faint nod as a response.

She glimpsed between the brunette at the front and the pair in the back, the latter of which was relying on her to stay on board. "Make a left here, Korra. We'll go to the eastern side. There's more cover there because of the forest."

"Got it."

Naga made another turn – this one less frantic than the last. She paced along at a constant speed, tongue flapping in the corner of her mouth.

"Keep going, girl. You can do it." Korra dug her fingers into her polar bear dog's fur, leaving a faint trail of blood against the white of her coat.

The group moved further away from Republic City and into the mountains, entering another darkened forest. Many painful minutes later of dodgy maneuvering and they were out of the tree line. A large structure was faint in their sight. Some of the windows were lit with a dim, yellow light, while the rest of the illumination came from small lanterns around the perimeter.

"There it is!" Asami pointed, relief in her voice. "Head northeast, Korra. We'll hop the gates and head to the back garage."

She bobbed her head and directed Naga. "Think you can make this jump, girl?"

Naga barked and sped up. With a deep breath, she pushed off of her thin, but strong, back legs. Her front paws grasped onto the edge of the wall, forcing everyone to jolt back from the sudden stop.

Korra gripped onto the reigns and Asami held onto Korra's parents to keep them on the polar bear dog's back. They all hollered in trepidation, ignoring the drop below them.

Naga's back claws scraped against the brick until she got her footing. She pulled and pushed herself up onto the barrier with a huff of her breath. After a brief pause to fill her lungs, she hopped down and landed with an odd sort of grace, though all of her passengers bounced from the collision. She sprinted along, trusting Korra to steer her in the right direction.

There wasn't a single person in sight outside. No Satomobiles were out, no servants or workers traveling to and fro. To be honest, Asami preferred it this way; she didn't want one of them to see the group coming in like this. She scanned the area, looking for an easy way in.

"Over there, to the left!" Asami shot her arm out, her finger aiming at an open garage door the instant her eyes fell on it.

Wait, why is that door open? It shouldn't be open at this time at night…

Maybe dad isn't home yet.

Or he left for the office early.

Maybe. But he usually leaves through the front.

She scowled at the frame in contemplation.

Korra – on the other hand – steered Naga towards the entrance, ropes tight in her hands. She needed to get out of the cold, to get out of all of this mess, to get out of her clothes and get healed. Most of all, she needed rest, a deep, sincere, warranted sleep, one that wasn't threatened by nightmares, migraines, or crazy Strikers trying to kill her.

Almost… there…

They burst through the opening with ease. A light flicked on from their motion, revealing a large array of Satomobiles surrounding them. Naga dug her feet into the ground, forcing the passengers to fly forward from her screeching halt. Asami crashed into the back of Korra. The other Southerners tumbled towards the front as well. Naga was inches from ramming into one of the vehicles but managed to stop just in time.

Asami sighed in relief and pushed herself off of Korra. She hopped down from Naga's back, wasting no time. Her landing was a bit rough, forcing her ankle to twist, but the pain was miniscule. She ran to the door and slammed her hand into a button near the frame, forcing the exit to seal itself.

There. Finally. We're safe.

She eyed the bottom edge until it collided with the pavement. At the same moment, she dropped to her knees, the exertion too much for her still-recovering body.

"Asami!" Korra slid off of her now-sitting polar bear dog and jogged over to the heiress; it was the only speed she could manage at this point. She knelt beside her, their fronts facing. "Are you alright?"

Her peridots met the oceans before her, the blood and other wounds apparent in her peripherals. There were a few bruises and small cuts around her face, and quite a bit of discoloration around her throat. "I'm pretty sure I should be asking you that."

She smiled. "I'm fine. Sorta. I'm just glad we got away."

"Me, too." Asami pushed herself to her feet, bringing Korra with her. "Stay here with your parents. I'm going to go find my dad and tell him we're here and to get some people to help us inside."

She nodded. "Alright. I'll – I'll stay… here."

"Easy, Korra!" She caught the brunette as she swayed. "I'll help you over to Naga, okay?"

She bobbed her head, which was getting rather light.

Asami led her with shaky legs of her own to the resting polar bear dog. She lowered Korra to the ground against the animal. Worry spread across her face. "Just relax. Rest." She straightened and headed towards a door near the center of the garage. "And keep an eye on them, Naga. If anything happens, take them and run. Got it?"

Naga barked and buried her head into Korra's side.

Korra's arms wrapped around the animal's jowls on instinct, though her grip was loose.

Asami glanced at the group for a moment, fingers around the handle, before heading into the Estate to speak to her father.

(-)

Asami travelled along the stairs of the empty corridors with weary legs. She leaned against the railing with all of her might, using it as her life support. She trudged up the steps, one painful push at a time, until she reached the landing leading to her father's bedroom. She walked along the wall, sliding her palms against the free space of the decorated hallway to keep herself standing. The closer she got to his chambers, the quieter her steps became. She grew more confident in her footing and more put together in her demeanor. She brushed her clothes off and straightened her hair, trying to minimize the damaged look in her appearance.

She stopped outside of his door and listened. With a deep breath, she knocked on the fancy wood of the entrance. When there was no response, she turned the handle.

"Dad?"

She poked her head inside to find the chambers empty. The bed was a bit messy, but the covers were tossed over the top, which marked either the beginning or end of Hiroshi Sato's day.

Maybe he's in his office.

She shut the door as quiet as she could and tiptoed down the corridor to her father's study. It was at the end of the long hallway, and by the time she got halfway there, she improved her appearance and energy by double the previous amount. She stopped by one of the reflective glass displays and slipped on a little more makeup to cover up some of her cuts using the little bag she kept in her loose pants pocket, ignoring the vase in the case as she did so. She always had a touch up kit with her, all the way back before her days at the university with Korra. It wouldn't be the first time she had used it to hide an injury from her father, and she admitted to herself that it probably wouldn't be the last.

Of course this wasn't the original intention of her bringing the bag along; she brought it with her when she left her Estate a day or so ago because she wanted to look her best for Korra when they met back up for lunch. A mild blush hit her cheeks and Asami shook it off, knowing now was definitely not the time for such thoughts. She slid the carrier back into her pocket and continued on towards her father's office, noticing its mild tapping against her skin for the first time after everything she had been through with the search for Korra. She could hear the radio playing – its sound faint – as she approached his workspace. Each step cleared the audio until it was crisp enough for her to hear:

"It's a bit chilly out there, citizens, so make sure that you bundle up today. There's a possibility it might snow, so make sure you've got those boots on too and – what's this? I – I've just been handed a special notice by my producer and – oh, dear. Listen up, Republic City dwellers. The northwestern end of the Downtown District is not safe. I repeat, is not safe. Much of the area has been closed off by the police, who are searching for fugitives in the District. Members of the organization known as the 'Strikers' have reportedly broken into the police headquarters in a premeditated prison break. Officials state that no officer was killed in the affair, but the on-duty cops were found on the scene stunned and unable to move. Smoke weaponry and electromagnetic pulse devices were used during the escape. It was determined that an upward of twenty to thirty people were removed from the prison with the aid of the Strikers, who managed to reach all the way into the underground holding cells in the station. The police are issuing an alert for all citizens to avoid this area for their own safety. If anyone has any information on this event or on the Strikers, the Chief of Police, Lin Beifong, urges you to contact them at –"

A ringing telephone interrupted the broadcast, forcing Hiroshi to turn down the volume dial on the radio.

Asami was at the door, her hands shaking from the report she just heard. She was too shocked to enter, so she stood outside, motionless, as her father spoke into the phoning device.

"Hello?"

A pause.

"No, you're not interrupting anything. I'm just sipping tea and listening to the news broadcast before I head back to work."

Another pause.

A chuckle.

"Yes, it does seem like I've been working earlier and earlier these days. Future Industries can't run itself, that's for sure."

Pause.

"Yes, yes I have heard what happened."

Pause.

"Yes, it is terrible. No one was hurt."

Pause.

"I suppose."

Pause.

"Yes, I sent a shipment to you a few days ago. It should be in the warehouse right now for you to perform a trial run with."

Pause.

A pound of a fist.

"What?! What do you mean the prototype gloves are missing? Where could they have gone? I used the utmost security when I sent them to you. No one should have known about them."

Pause.

"Petty thieves? This is sensitive merchandise that could change the way we operate. You mean to tell me that your security is so terrible that petty thieves were able to steal the shipment?"

Pause.

"Yes, I understand, but if someone found out about –"

Pause.

"Well, you better damn well find them. Now!"

The slam of the receiver back into its holster mirrored the drop of Asami's heart in her chest.

No.

She backed away from the door in disbelief. Another ring of his phone reverberated within her. She was out of earshot from her father's conversation by the time he answered the call.

He – he wouldn't. He couldn't.

Her hands wouldn't stop shaking.

It must be a mistake. It has to be. Some misunderstanding.

She stepped behind her until she collided with a small vase display. She spun around and caught the object before it could fall or make any sort of noise. The raven couldn't ignore the horrible feeling in her gut, the instinct that told her to run, to run far, far away.

If this is true…

No, it's not. It can't be.

If he is…

The group was in no condition for a fight, and she knew it. Hell, even she wasn't prepared for combat; she was hardly even equipped to hide her wounds and exhaustion.

I – I have to get out of here. We have to get out of here.

She would have to leave the issue for another day. Korra was bleeding. Senna and Tonraq were immobile. Her only hopes were herself and the tired polar bear dog in the garage, and that wasn't enough. It wasn't that she even believed her downhill thoughts in their entirety, but she couldn't neglect that pounding instinct. While her mind defended him, her gut told her to just go.

So she did.

Asami spun on her heel and bolted, ignoring the pain in her legs and the knot in her throat. She flew down the stairs – skipping every other step – and moved along the shadows. Lucky for her, the servants weren't awake at this hour. She burst through the door and shut it behind her, leaning her spine against the exit to keep it closed, as if she were being chased by someone or something that wanted to consume her.

"Asami? Are you o –"

"We have to get out of here. It's not safe." She approached them with a mixture of flames in her eyes.

"What do you mean, Asami? You said it would be." Tonraq called from Naga's back, his torso pushed up a bit now that movement was returning to him.

"Well, I was wrong. We have to leave." She walked around them and slammed the garage door button with a shaky hand. The lifting of the metal revealed the pounding rain outside; the clouds had finally let loose and its chill forced the group into a subtle shiver.

"Why, Asami? Is everything okay?" Korra struggled onto her feet, swaying a bit from the blood rush.

Asami returned to the Southerners with a vortex of emotions. Her ears were ringing. "Korra, we need to leave." She put her hands on the woman's shoulders and squeezed them. "Please trust me. If we don't, the Strikers will find us, and not only will they kill us, they'll kill my father, too, for harboring us. I – I can't let that happen. He's the only family I have left. They can't take him away from me!" She released her and made her way to the sitting polar bear dog.

"But how would they even be able to find and get into this place, Asami? It's in the mountains and it's got giant walls!" Korra turned to her and waved her arms in exaggeration to her last statement.

"That won't matter, Korra. I just heard a report on the radio when I went to talk to my dad. The Strikers broke into the police headquarters and busted out a few dozen people at the same time that we were being attacked."

"There… there's more of them?"

She nodded. "There would have to be at least double what we fought today to pull off a heist like that, if not triple. If they can get through those security measures, and the ones in the underground holding cells, then I'm pretty sure they'll be able to scale a bunch of fucking walls." There was a bit of wavering in her voice. It was all too much for her.

He couldn't have.

Korra met her at Naga's side and put a palm over Asami's hand, which was gripping the chord of the harness so she could climb up. "It's going to be okay. We'll get out of here, and the Strikers won't come after you if it's just you and your dad in the Estate instead of all of us."

She shook her head. "That won't work. They know who I am; they'll want revenge for what we did to their men. At least Sentai will. He won't stop until we're both dead, you know that. No, we have to leave. If we go soon enough, perhaps they won't think my father was involved at all and will leave him alone."

Because he isn't. He would never do something like this.

Asami wedged her foot between the polar bear dog and the strap and pulled herself up onto the animal's back. "It's not safe for us here – or anywhere in the City – for that matter. Not while the Strikers are at large…" She offered a hand to the Southerner, internally shaking away the guilt from her partial lie. "We have to leave. Now."

After a moment of hesitation, Korra accepted it. "Go, Naga, go!"

Naga jumped to her feet and leapt out of the garage. She sprinted towards the same spot on the wall that she scaled before. It didn't take long for the cold rain to soak them, but there was nothing they could do about it: Senna and Tonraq hadn't recovered enough to Water Bend a barrier, and Spirits knew Korra and Asami weren't going to be the ones to do it.

Asami pulled Korra into the saddle further, ignoring the chilling burn on her skin, and allowed Korra to sit at the reigns. She positioned herself close behind, shaking for the entirety of the movement.

"Hang on!" Her voice was rough as she called over her shoulder, her hair wet and sticking onto her face. She squinted as they approached the wall, a flash of lightning her only source of illumination. The boom of thunder shook her to the frozen core.

Asami wrapped her arms around Korra's waist to stop herself from flying away, taking the Southerner's directions with full heart.

Tonraq and Senna gripped the edge of the saddle, holding themselves and Korra's bag in place.

Naga wasted no time, looking to get as far away from the storm as possible. She dashed and jumped, catching the edge just the same as she did before. She scratched her way up the slippery side with her hind legs until she was on top of the wall. After another pause, she hopped down and sprinted at full speed into the forest.

"To the right, Korra. We've got to get as far away as possible."

"Where are we even going, Asami?"

She paused, defeat in her voice and tumultuous battling in her heart. "I don't know, Korra. I just don't know."

Korra glanced over her shoulder, worry in her eyes. "Are you okay, Asami?"

"Let's just… get out of here." She looked away, raven hair whipping in the wind.

She frowned and steered her polar bear dog around a thicket of trees too dense for her to run through. "So are we going to the Earth Kingdom? It would be the next nearest Nation."

"It's too close to here. If the Strikers are hell bent on finding us, we need to get far away." Tonraq pulled himself closer to the pair, his upper body returning to him. "We need to go home, to the Southern Water Tribe. We'll be much safer there, and if they are stupid enough to attack us where us Water Benders are surrounded by an endless supply of ice – well, then the fight will be quick and easy."

"Maybe my dad's right. They wouldn't bother tracking us all the way down there, especially if they don't have ships."

"We don't have a ship either, Korra."

"Then why would you suggest that if we can't even get there, dad? Naga certainly can't swim all the way there. She's exhausted. We all are."

"I have an idea. Head a bit more southwest than this, Korra." There was ferocity in Asami's eyes. "We're going to Future Industries."

(-)