-Shiva-

"Lin?" Bolin asked to the radio, starting his car.

"Bolin! Oh thank goodness."

"Lin. I lost Steel. He took off. I tried to follow but he was a master firebender…and earthbender."

"He could bend both elements? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I just have no idea what is going on anymore."

"Bolin, the drug that everyone has been fighting over. It is called Clasma. It can allow people to bend."

"…"

"Bolin, it is extremely dangerous and has a devastating effect on the user. They go insane. I urge you not to take it!"

"I wasn't planning on doing that, Lin." Bolin was driving through the city, looking for any signs of Steel.

"Bolin, this news is most disturbing and it just came to my attention as well. Do not return to the police station today. Just go home and meet me at my place in the morning."

"Lin, Steel is on the loose. He is out of his mind. He tried to kill me and blew up his whole apartment."

"Notify the police, Bolin. I know that sounds strange from me. They aren't good at solving cases but they will at least make sure a crazy man like Steel doesn't destroy their city if they want to protect their image."

"Alright, I'll just head on home…" Bolin stopped talking when he saw movement in his rear-view mirror. Movement from his backseat. He slammed on the brakes. A person had stowed away in the backseat of his car. Bolin cursed, dropped the radio and screeched to a stop. This person put her hands against doors of the car to hold on. Bolin thought he was going to be murdered. He thought it was Steel, back to burn him up in fire. He breathed heavily. This was all getting too much for him.

Bolin jumped out of the car and prepared himself to fight. Whoever was in his backseat sat motionless, scared to death. He then realized it was just some random girl. Probably drunk. He ushered for her to get out but she remained. He got frustrated and ordered her in a more intimidating manner. She got out finally and stood before him. Bolin was surprised this actually worked.

She had a hood up over her head. The hood was part of a long jacket that covered the rest of her. She had no shoes on. Under her jacket were a few items of clothing but not something a girl would wear out in this cold weather. The sun was going down at this point so he took out a flashlight.

"Ma'am, can I help you with something? I hope you weren't planning on stealing this car. I am going to have to take you in," he asked. She didn't speak. She was panting, nervously. Her face was covered in cuts and bruises. Recent cuts. She had been running.

"I'm…sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you." She wouldn't look at Bolin in the face. She couldn't have been much older than he was.

"Ma'am, are you okay? You look hurt. Is something wrong?"

"Please, can you help me?" she asked. Cars drove around Bolin's stopped car. He didn't want to get too much attention. His head was in overdrive after the events of the last twenty-four hours. Bolin was letting it clutter his brain until he realized that this was the essence of his job: being there for someone who needed help. That was why he became a cop. He would never forgive himself if he turned his back on her.

"Why don't I get you out of the cold. I'll take you to get something to eat and get you warm. It's freezing out here. You can trust me," he smiled. She backed away slightly, then looked at his car and around her. Bolin didn't know why he felt he could just trust this girl, but to him she was lost and looking for help. "Please, I can help you. I won't hurt you or anything. It's my job to protect people." She stood for a moment nervously then nodded. They got into his car and he headed for his favorite dumplings place.

"The name is Bolin. Hey, you like dumplings? I could really use some right now," he asked. She didn't answer. "Well, we can hang out there for little to get warm and get you fed."

"Can you take me somewhere safe? Somewhere that isn't in public?" she asked.

"Well I can take you to my place, but first you're going to have to tell me what is going on. I can't do anything for you if I don't trust you," he said. It was a little while before he was back in his part of town. As he drove, watched her. She kept her head hidden under her coat's hood.

"I can't tell you very much," she said.

"Why's that?"

"Because I don't really know, myself. Where I came from they called me Shiva. That's not my real name, but I don't remember my real name so it doesn't really matter."

"Where did you come from?"

"I was a prisoner. For some people," she started tearing up. "I'm sorry, I didn't know who they were or what they wanted. All I know is that they locked me up, and the food they gave me made me forget things. I have a hard time remembering anything before I got there or how I got there." Tears were coming down her face.

"Hey, don't worry about it, don't let it stress you out, uh," Bolin didn't know where to take her. He didn't want to take her to the police station. They wouldn't do anything for her. Her story was interesting to him. These cases were getting out of hand anyway, he might as well take on another one. He decided his place would be safe for her. At least until he thought of what to do and she got cleaned up a little. "Alright here's what we'll do. I'll stop and grab us some food to take home back to my place. I can also grab some clothes for you at the place next door. Some value store sells cheap pajamas probably. I got a bed and a couch and a bathroom so you can clean up and eat and shower and whatever, have a sleep and tomorrow we can figure things out. How's that sound?"

Shiva smiled, barely. Bolin knew that was just what she wanted to hear. He didn't know if she had any malicious intentions to hurt Bolin, but he doubted it. He could tell that, even if there was more to her than she told him, she desperately needed help. Maybe Bolin was just too easy to fool, but Bolin was also lost, so he figured they could be lost together. Bolin would never turn down a person in need. "That sounds great. Thank you so much, Bolin."

Even he couldn't believe it after the mess he had just been put through, but Bolin was happy again. For the first time, he saw the effect he had yearned for, the effect of excellent police work, in this young girl, who was initially scared and helpless. But now she smiled, even if it was only a little one.