Chapter 33

School seemed to drag by on Monday. The Gaang was getting fidgety and nervous. Today was the day to give evidence of the Black Mamba gangs evil doing. Each one of the Gaang members tried to stay calm in order for the day to speed up. But their nerves were eating them alive like a disease.

They were planning on meeting Smellerbee and the others after school, a kind of backup when the evidence was finally given. Suki had made a disk to show the police in case they needed more persuasion. Of all the Gaang members it was Aang and Katara who were most tense. They knew something else was going to happen after this, but they didn't know what. And they hoped their instincts were wrong.

When the bell finally did ring though, the group of friends ran out of the building of Four Nations High. Like they had agreed, the converted gang waited outside in the courtyard. When they saw Aang and his friends they gestured for them to follow. The gray eyed boy looked at his friends grave faces, knowing his expression was the same. Katara squeezed his hand, thinking encouraging words to him. He took a deep breath and followed the gang.

The van that had brought Smellerbee and her friends here was silver in color with three rows of seats: two up front and middle with three seats in the far back. They had parked close to their allies cars. Everyone got into their own vehicles and followed the van to the police station, hoping they can make police listen.

When they made it to the station, the group of friends half expected trouble to come their way. This was way too easy. If the Black Mamba was following them, surely they would have tried to stop them on the way here. They were fortunate, however, that none did, and they walked into the low building.

Inside there were desks and different rooms for all different purposes when working on a case. Men and women in business suits sat at the desks or walked around handing out reports. The main desk, which dominated the far back of the cluttered room, say a woman in her forties, with brown hair pulled back into a severe bun, a few streaks of silver to show some of the strain from working on the force.

It was her the group walked to, knowing they had to talk to her first in order go talk to the chief. She looked up with hard and tired green eyes. Her posture was stiff as if she had been sitting there for years. She probably had. "Can I help you?" she asked a little rudely. She had enough on her plate. She didn't feel like baby sitting today.

Aang, sensing the woman's hostility, stepped forward, hoping to calm everyone down. His parents had told him he could make anyone around him calm. It was who he was. He cleared his throat. "Ms. Jenkins," he addressed when he read her nameplate, "we need to talk to the chief of this force. It's important."

Ms. Jenkins looked doubtful, although some of her resistance melted away from her body posture. She looked at the group. "I'm afraid Mr. Harland is busy," she said briskly. "No one is to disturb him. Unless you have something that can be of use to the case of the killings, you will have to leave."

Aang looked at his friends, and saw Smellerbee nod. It was now or never. His gray orbs looked into her green ones, willing her to understand. "We do have evidence." Ms. Jenkins looked semi surprised at the admission, and he continued. "We have more than enough evidence to present. It could help to stop these people faster. And the longer we wait to give it, more people are going to die." He didn't want to add that he and his friends are some of those targets. He didn't want to sound desperate.

The woman stared into his eyes that seemed older than any child's she had ever seen. It was like the boy had seen and done too much in life. Ms. Jenkins searched his eyes, wondering if this was some joke. But all she saw was honesty and weariness, along with a fierce desire to help and protect. He wasn't lying, and she can tell from his friends that they are the same way. Her resolve crumbled, and she said more kindly, "Have a seat. I'll let Mr. Harland know you are here."

Aang and the others looked relieved and he said, "Thank you, ma'am." He and his friends sat in some of the chairs Ms. Jenkins pointed out. Now all they had to do was wait add the woman made the call.

Ten minutes later the Gang sat in a spacious office with Mr. Harland, a heavyset man with small pig like brown eyes and graying black hair. He eyed them with suspicion as they told him the story from the beginning, when the converted gang had started working there. Aang and his friends recounted the dangers and fights they had been in. They still kept their Bending a secret. They didn't want the man to think they were even more crazy than he thinks now.

On Ji then opened up the case with care, and Mr. Harland couldn't help but be curious about this mysterious poison that these kids seem to know so much about. "Whatever you do, don't touch this stuff, " she warned. "Even the tiniest amount could be lethal. I had managed to take the new poison they had been working on. And I have a test subject that will prove the stuff works."

She put on a pair of rubber gloves, brought out a thick mat and laid it on the desk, grabbed a bottle and syringe, placing them on the mat gingerly, then reached down and brought a small box up with air holes in it. Heart pounding, hating for what she was about to do, On Ji looked Aang as an apology. "Sorry. It's the only way."

Aang just nodded and looked away. On the way here, they had explained to Aang and his friends about how to show that the poison works by phone. He just wished it hadn't had come to this. It made him feel sick, and all he wanted to do was get out of this claustrophobic room and breathe in the Autumn air.

Katara grabbed his hand as On Ji took the stone and needle to pull the liquid into the glass cylinder. Once full to the desired amount, she opened the box and took out a little white mouse, which was squirming to get free. She gripped it a little harder and picked up the needle to inject the poison into the little creature.

The mouse was squeaking like it was in pain before a terrible gurgling sound emanated from its throat. Froth bubbled from the animal's small snout. Spasms wracked the tiny body. Aang could hear the animal suffering, and he wanted it to stop already. No one should have to go through what the mouse is experiencing. It was plain torture.

Finally, after one more jerk of its body, the mouse lay on the mat, dead. Aang didn't want to look, but he couldn't control himself. His heart seemed to stop as he gazed at the animal that had suffered. Small black eyes stared at nothing and froth still bubbled from its whiskers. What they were going to do with the body he didn't know, nor did he want to find out.

Mr. Harland looked bewildered. He cleared his throat in an uncomfortable manner. "Well, you weren't lying. That's some strong stuff you have there." He glanced in Aang's when he heard a gagging sound from the boy. He looked really pale with a touch of green to his face. Concern showed slightly on the chief 's face. "Is he okay? It almost looks like he's going to be sick."

Katara was rubbing her boyfriend's back. She was the one who answered in a quiet voice. "He doesn't like the idea of animals being killed. He was raised to respect all life."

"What is he?" Mr. Harland asked, almost in sarcasm. "An environmentalist?"

She smiled a little. "Pretty much. He was raised as a vegetarian."

Harland grimaced. "I will never understand how someone can live like that without meat," he muttered.

Sokka stretched his arms our like he had met a long list friend. "Finally! Someone understands!" There were a few chuckles at that before things sobered again.

Harland turned to Aang. "Would you like some water?"

Aang nodded slowly, trying to get his stomach under control. The chief stood up and grabbed a cup to fill it with water. He gave it Katara who had her hand out, and she grabbed Aang's hand to help him hold the cup. His hand was shaking slightly as drank a little of the liquid before setting down the cup and nodding his thanks.

The chief folded his finders together and observed these kids spread out in the room. They seemed like good people who wanted to do what was right, to protect people from the killings that had happened recently. For some reason, he gazed at the gray eyed boy. He didn't know what it was about him, but the kid seemed older than his sixteen years of life. It was like he had seen things no teenager should see, leaving a mark on his soul for the rest of eternity. Then he made a decision.

He cleared his throat again. "If what you say is true, and I believe it is, and you kids," he gestured Smellerbee and the others, "were part of the company, that means I would have to lock you up."

Smellerbee sighed. "We know. We'll be willing to do our time. But before you do, it will be better for now to wait until the other members are behind bars. We have the locations of the other businesses in the United States." She took out a folder and passed it to the chief, who looked through it for a few minutes.

When he looked up he said, "There aren't very many of them here."

Smellerbee nodded. "Even they can only go so far." She had called them they before she didn't feel like the Black Mamba member anymore. The girl didn't want to have anything to do with them ever again. She will be happy to have all this behind her.

Harland gazed at her. "Why were you a part of this in the first place?"

She looked at her friends as if silently asking them if they wanted her to tell. Nods went around, and Smellerbee turned back to the chief. "It's mainly comprised of people who were having family trouble or who have lost their parents. It was supposed to give us a chance to do good, to make sure kids don't have those kinds of problems. But it was all lies. We had been used for selfish gain. We hate it. That's why we want all this to stop. That's why we have to stay out of jail until every crook is caught. You'll need our help if you want to catch these guys."

He looked thoughtful for a moment before looking at Aang and his friends. "How are you kids mixed up in this?" he asked.

Katara took a deep breath and placed her hand on her brother's shoulder. "Me and Sokka lost our mother. She was killed by the owner of this company."

"We didn't have this problem until we started hanging out with Aang," Toph added, receiving nasty looks from her friends. "Sorry," she said, meaning it.

The officer looked at the gray eyed boy. The was something familiar about that name. And the eyes reminded him of someone he had known. Then it hit him and he asked, "Your last name wouldn't happen to be Montauk, would it?"

Aang looked up in surprise. "Yeah, it is. How did you know?"

The man stared at him in amazement. "Well I'll be a monkey's uncle. You're Gyatso's nephew, aren't you?"

Aang blinked. "You know my uncle?"

"Do I know him? Of course I do, kid. We used to hang out while living in Florida. I saw you a couple of times. You were two when I left to work here. But I never thought I would see you again. How is Gyatso?"

Aang, surprised beyond belief, answered, "He's fine. He works at the clinic for herbal remedies back in town."

Harland smiled genuinely. "Good, good. Maybe we could get together sometime. And how are your parents?"

Just like that the light went out of Aang's eyes to be replaced by sorrow, and Jack Harland knew he had made a grave mistake. "They were murdered about two years ago by the same people we were talking about."

Harland sighed sadly. "I'm sorry, kid. They were nice folks. Good to everyone they met. You were lucky to have them as your parents."

Aang smiled a little. "I know," he said quietly.

The older man clear his throat again. "Well, I think it's about time to avenge them. Let's start this." He turned to Smellerbee. "You guys are off the hook for now, since I'll need your help with this. But we will discuss this later when these guys are taken care of."

She nodded. "Understood."

The chief took a breath. "Alright. Tell me where the hideout is for this town. I'll hand out these locations to different people so they can call the police in that area."

Sometime later, the teenagers left the police station to celebrate their success. The converted gang have decided to leave to celebrate on their own. They still didn't want to draw attention to themselves. It's still too risky.

The Gaang went to the mall to get a smoothie and something to eat. After that they went to the park to play with the Frisby Sokka had gotten. When the sun was down, they stayed at Sokka's and Katara's house after Aang picked up Appa. The two animals lay cuddled near the teenagers who sat around the room watching a rerun of Tom and Jerry.

Later that night, everyone went to bed with lighter hearts and calmer minds. Maybe now they can live normal lives. However, it seemed weird to think it was over after so long. Sokka and Suki are laying on his bed, talking about what do to now that this fighting business is all over.

"Well," Suki was saying, "you could always focus on school."

Sokka grimaced. "School never really worked with me," he muttered. "I'm lucky just to pass some of my classes."

Suki grinned. "At least you get by," she said, encouraging him. "You're not completely lazy."

He mocked hurt. "Are you calling me lazy? I will have you know I have been more serious and not lazy for some time now."

She laughed. She couldn't help herself. Sokka was to silly and cure when he acts like a kid. "I know, Sokka," she said through her giggles. " You have been serious for a long time now. I guess I just miss your silliness."

Sokka softened and pulled his girlfriend close, his heart near to bursting with love for this girl. He had been thinking about them for some time now, and he knew he couldn't live without her for even a minute. Just as Aang knew Katara was meant for him, Sokka knew Suki was made for himself. He was not going to let her go for anything, not even the world.

He took a deep breath before saying, "I've been thinking about us, Suki." She looked up at him in panic. He sounded serious again. Was he going to break up with her? She felt a pang in her chest. Sokka read her expression and softly said, "It's nothing bad. It was something I had been thinking about." Suki relaxed against him again, her gaze still on his face. He started running his hand through her hair. "What I meant was, and I'm usually not a mushy kind of guy, I knew that when we started dating it was going to be something special. And after everything we went through, our bond grew stronger. I love you so much and I know I will never be able to live without you. So, with that said, I wanted to ask you something very important." He pushed a lock of hair away from her face. "Suki, will you move in with me after high school?"

Suki looked surprised yet pleased, for she smiled and said, "I would love that." She had been hoping he would ask at some point because she felt the same way he did. She couldn't live without him either and she wouldn't leave him for all the riches in the world.

Sokka showed his happiness by kissing her sweetly and thoroughly. Suki kissed him back, heart pounding in her chest, matching his. Their love was obvious, even though they do goof around. Nothing will ever separate them.

He pulled away from her and smiled, as breathless as her. "Thank you," he breathed.

She giggled softly. "You're welcome," she whispered back. "I love you, Sokka."

"I love you too, Suki," he said sincerely. It was then they heard soft moaning coming from the room next to theirs and the couple knew Mai and Zuko were making out again. Sokka sighed, annoyed. "There they go again. What part of bedtime don't they get?"

Suki snorted. "At least we have it easy. I can only imagine how Toph must feel since she can hear better than the rest of us."

Sokka thought about that before shrugging. "You have a point there. I wonder if she made herself able to see so she wouldn't have to feel the vibrations."

Suki smiled. "I don't think that it would have made much difference. Her hearing is still strong."

Sokka smiled back. "You're right. Let her suffer a little. Things are starting to turn back to normal."

They fell asleep that night feeling closer than ever before.

There you go! Another chapter in and getting closer to the finish. A few more chapters and it will be over. Sad face. Anyway, yay! Suki is going to live with Sokka in the future. Will Katara live with Aang in the furture? We will find out soon.