Note: Thanks for the new reviews and whatnot! I hope to get the next chapter out tonight (fingers crossed).
Ingyu opened a window and looked outside down at the busy streets of the capital. He turned around and sat back at his desk. Korra sat in front of him as she put her parka back on. Ingyu grabbed a scarf and wrapped it around his neck before he got to talk with Korra. She grabbed the piece of paper from her pocket and placed it on Ingyu's desk.
"So what is this?" Ingyu said.
"It's a note we found," Korra said.
Ingyu's eyebrows rose. He reached for his glass of water to drink as he stared at the paper.
"What do you need with this?" Ingyu said.
"Noatak supposes that it's a code for something. He says you're good at figuring this sort of thing out," Korra said.
"Where are you finding stuff like this?"
"I can't say…"
"Seriously? You can't go running around this city looking for- I don't know what this is. Whatever it is, it's a wild turtle-duck chase that's going to get you killed."
"Can you just look at this?"
"Okay."
Ingyu grimaced and took a piece of paper. He started scratching out little messages and diagrams before smacking the paper. He looked at Korra who was giving him a quizzical look.
"This is a message for a meeting. I can tell by the types of characters they used. A lot of them have dual meanings- even triple meanings. You'd have to be pretty smart to get them. That or knowledgeable of the code these people set up," Ingyu said.
"Hey Ingyu, what code? You aren't leaving me out of something, are you?" Qilaq said.
Qilaq carried in a stack of papers and folders and dropped them onto her desk. She pulled out her silver cigarette case and pulled a cigarette to light. She waved at Korra as she took a long puff from the cigarette and slowly exhaled.
"It's nothing Qilaq. Just some sort of mess that the Avatar is trying to get into," Ingyu said.
"Give the note to me," Qilaq said.
Ingyu took the two pieces of paper and handed them to Korra who gave them to Qilaq. She looked at the notes for a while and smoked some more. She tapped her hand on her desk and glanced at her calendar.
"So who's going?" Qilaq said.
"Don't encourage her!" Ingyu said.
"The three of us certainly can't go. We're too high profile for something like this," Qilaq said.
"It's not a matter of whether or not we're too high profile. This is definitely Black Squall related, and that means it's loaded with spies and the like," Ingyu said.
"Why not send Noatak?" Korra said.
Ingyu spat out his water.
"Korra!" Ingyu said.
"Noatak? Who is this? Is this the guy you're seeing?" Qilaq said.
Korra nodded.
"We'll have to get him something decent to wear, but I don't see why not. Have him stop by the office. I'll get Ingyu's tailor to stop by with something ready made," Qilaq said.
"Look, Noatak would be great, but you're forgetting one thing Korra," Ingyu said.
"Huh? What is she forgetting?" Qilaq said.
"Noatak is a fugitive," Ingyu said.
"Ingyu!" Korra said.
"Is that true? The man you're dating is a fugitive?" Qilaq said.
Korra bit her lip and looked at Ingyu. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.
"Qilaq, you better sit down for this," Ingyu.
Qilaq shrugged and sat at her desk. She stubbed out her cigarette and poured a glass of water.
"Korra, you don't have to worry about this. I trust Qilaq. She won't do anything if we tell her. Right Qilaq?" Ingyu said.
"I don't even know what I'm agreeing to, but sure, I do," Qilaq said.
"Noatak is my best friend, and he is Korra's lover. But he is… he is known as someone else in Republic City," Ingyu said.
"Okay… so what is it?" Qilaq said.
"You wouldn't recognize him without his trademark head gear but…" Ingyu said.
Ingyu pulled up his sleeve and pointed at the tattoo at his wrist.
"Yeah, I've seen that tattoo a million times. I know it also happens to be the mark of that Equalist movement… Shit! Are you fucking kidding me Ingyu?" Qilaq said.
"Qilaq, before you get upset-" Korra said.
"-Holy shit… The man that you are seeing… that man… he's Amon!" Qilaq said.
"Qilaq, please understand," Ingyu said.
"Fuck… Do you have fire ice in here? I need a bottle before I let this sink in," Qilaq said.
"Please Qilaq, I think he can really help us out. He's helped me out so far. He wouldn't hurt anyone," Korra said.
Qilaq turned around to the assortment of bottles behind her and took out a bottle of fire ice. She opened it and took a swig. She pointed to Korra and Ingyu.
"What I should do is turn the three of you in. This is pretty serious. He almost destroyed Republic City," Qilaq said.
"But I saved it!" Korra said.
"You almost got killed in the process. Do you understand why having a person like that loose is a danger? This isn't a question of the destruction of benders or the oppression of non-benders. It's a matter about the safety of all the citizens of this nation. Do you understand?" Qilaq said.
"I do…" Korra said.
"And right now, he's the only person who can scare the Black Squall," Qilaq said.
Qilaq grinned and took another drink of fire ice.
"Send him into the fire. Maybe he'll come back," Qilaq said.
"What?" Ingyu said.
"Let's see him in action. Amon versus the Black Squall. Sounds interesting to me. If he makes it out alive with good information, then maybe I'll trust him enough not to call the navy. If he doesn't, then that's one less criminal this tribe needs to worry about," Qilaq said.
"Always so positive," Ingyu said.
"Hey, I'm just interested in what's going on. What's so interesting that they have to keep it a secret? If it's the Black Squall, I'm going to crush them. If I can find Hahn at the bottom of it, even better," Qilaq said.
Qilaq grabbed her phone and dialed quickly.
"Hey, yeah this is Councilwoman Qilaq. I need a suit… He's rather tall and muscular. I wouldn't know. Just get large suit and fix it so it fits him! Be here in a few hours," Qilaq said.
She went to the radio and turned to Korra.
"What boat is he on?" Qilaq said.
"I don't know… the captain's name is Pakak," Korra said.
"Okay… that's the Otter-Penguin," Qilaq said.
Qilaq turned the knobs on the radio and tapped out her message to broadcast.
"What did you say?" Ingyu said.
"Something about an emergency. We'll go there in say… an hour?" Qilaq said.
Noatak got off the boat and looked around. Nanuq and Sirmiq shrugged.
"They said there was an emergency?" Nanuq said.
"Where's the emergency?" Sirmiq said.
'It's over here," someone said.
Noatak, Nanuq, and Sirmiq turned around to see Qilaq, Ingyu, and Korra. Qilaq stood proud with her hands on her hips and smirk across her lips. She tossed her hair and raised eyebrows.
"So you're Korra's man," Qilaq said.
Noatak braced himself and looked at Ingyu and Korra. Qilaq gestured at Noatak and then pulled out her cigarette case.
"She told me. So no use in hiding," Qilaq said.
Sirmiq and Nanuq looked at Noatak.
"Hey Noatak, you in trouble?" Sirmiq said.
Noatak gritted his teeth and folded his arms.
"What's this about Councilwoman Qilaq?" Noatak said.
Qilaq lit her cigarette and blew smoke in Noatak's face.
"I need you to do a favor and come with me. My Satomobile is already started. I'll brief you once we get in," Qilaq said.
Korra took Noatak's arm and pulled him towards Qilaq's Satomobile. Korra and Noatak sat in the backseat while Qilaq and Ingyu took the front. Noatak tightly gripped Korra's hand and looked ahead at Qilaq smiling in the mirror. Ingyu exhaled and slumped his shoulders. Korra stroked Noatak's hand and smiled at him. The thought that he was going to be jailed or executed had crossed his mind several times, but he never suspected it would be at the hands of someone like this. A lifetime of being too clever seemed to get him nowhere.
"Settle down Noatak… Or should I call you by your alias?" Qilaq said.
"Noatak is fine," he said.
"I don't trust you, but these two do. I don't know if that's because of naïveté or sheer stupidity, but I take Ingyu's word all the time," Qilaq said.
Qilaq roughly shifted and stepped onto to the gas. She zipped through the streets and narrowly avoided other people. Reckless wasn't even good enough to describe Qilaq's driving style.
"We need you to go to the meeting described in that note you and Korra found. It's going to be tomorrow night. I want a detailed report of everyone in attendance of the meeting and what is said," Qilaq said.
"What's in this for me?" Noatak asked.
"I'm not going to call the United Forces to carry you off to the prison you belong in. I figure that's reasonable enough," Qilaq said.
"It is… Did Korra tell you anything about the note and its origins?" Noatak said.
"Nope but Ingyu filled me on most of it," Qilaq said.
Ingyu shrugged and heavily sighed.
"Korra and I found that in a former brothel that the Black Squalls ran. It was written by Prince Desna," Noatak said.
"Is that true Avatar?" Qilaq said.
"Yeah…" Korra said.
"Prince Desna… What are you up to?" Qilaq said.
Qilaq swung her car around in front of the council building and fetched one of the assistants to park it for her. They ran up to Qilaq and Ingyu's office. A nervous looking man held a tape measure and hunched over. Qilaq slapped the man on the back and pointed to Noatak.
"Measure him. He needs to look impeccable," Qilaq said.
"Where is this meeting that I necessitate new apparel?" Noatak said.
"The Magnolia Club, where else?" Qilaq said.
Noatak snorted. The Magnolia Club… the Northern Water Tribe's finest club of debauchery. Of course that was where the meeting was. That's where all the meetings were…