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Chapter 17

War Council

For the second time in less than a week Aang was standing in an unfamiliar setting. After speaking at length with The Order of the White Lotus, Zuko had convinced them that the Fallen Angels would be an invaluable asset in the effort to defeat Fire Lord Ozai. That was how Aang had come to find himself and his friends waiting in a dilapidated warehouse waiting for Angel and whatever members of her gang she brought with her.

"So why here?" Sokka asked. "I mean I get Serpent's Pass, but why here specifically?"

Because she knows this place," was all Zuko replied. He had no intention of revealing to everyone that this was where Angel's brother had been kept and where he had received his cut.

Sokka was clearly nervous about the area. He had already mentioned the dangers of it being enemy territory. Suki and Katara on the other hand appeared at ease. They must have trusted Zuko's judgment more than Sokka did. Toph was pacing like a caged lion. She was itching for a fight and thankfully it was looking like she would be going home disappointed. At least Aang hoped so.

Everything was moving so fast since the attack on Angel's home. So many people had suffered so much at the hands of one man's influence and now Aang was waiting to have a war meeting over what to do about it. He was just a high schooler, how did he end up here? And why him? Why did it have to be him and Zuko? Was there no one else? Or was there some other reason? Why would Iroh hide things though?

"Hey," Katara interrupted his thoughts. "You okay, Aang?"

"Yeah," he smiled in reply. "Just thinking is all."

The metal door of the warehouse flew open with a resounding bang that reverberated through the walls of the building. At the entrance Aang made out the unmistakable figures of Andy and Lynn as they strode over to the group. Andy's movements were slow and controlled due no doubt to the injuries he sustained. Lynn stood close to his side helping him to maintain balance without being overwhelmed by their size discrepancy.

"Where's Angel?" Andy asked.

"Haven't seen her," Zuko answered.

"How are you moving already?" Toph asked. "Last I heard you were a human pin cushion."

"I'm thick skinned," Andy replied shortly. "How'd you get her to agree to this meeting if you haven't seen her?"

"How'd you know we were going to be here?" Suki asked.

"We have our connections," Lynn answered.

"Exactly," Sokka said. "Controlled release of information."

"And seeing as how you two know, do you really think your boss lady hasn't heard?" Toph asked.

"Good point," Lynn acknowledged. "But how do you know she'll come? She probably thinks it's a trap."

"You know better," another voice came from the doorway. Everyone turned to the new arrivals. Azula was standing beside a tall man with short, almost military style, brown hair. "Even if she were positive it was a trap, Angel would show up anyway."

"Dwight?" Andy asked. "Is that you?"

In response to the question, Dwight stalked up to the behemoth and delivered a right hook to his face.

"What the he-"

"Since I would never hit a lady, that was for Lynn," Dwight explained. "This one's for you."

Another powerful blow to the giant's wounded chest had him nearly doubled over in pain and rage. By the time he was able to regain his footing, Andy's eyes were burning with an intense desire to do the cowboy bodily harm.

"You got two seconds to explain," Andy warned.

"Dax."

"You act like it was our fault!" Andy raged.

"You never did understand," Dwight told him.

"So explain it," Angel's voice came.

All eyes turned upward to the source of the voice, but Angel was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, movement could be seen up in the catwalk. Angel's figure leaped swiftly from beam to beam before catching hold of one and sliding gracefully down. She was clad in the same black formfitting outfit as when she and Zuko had rescued her brother.

"Honestly, I'd love to take a swing at you too right now," Dwight admitted.

"It won't change the fact that he's dead."

"I love you!" Dwight yelled at her. "I love all of you! But the last time I saw my best friend was the last time I ever got to see him and we didn't exactly have a pleasant conversation, did we?"

"I asked him to do that," Angel told him.

"I know."

"I was trying to keep you safe. You finally started to have a life outside the Angels and I didn't want you to give that up."

"I know. But that wasn't your call to make," Dwight replied. "If I had been there I might've-"

"If you had been there, there's no guarantee things would have been the same, better, or worse," Azula cut in. "Instead of arguing among yourselves why don't you grieve your loss and move on?"

Dwight took a deep breath and closed his eyes before letting it out. He stared at each of the Angels before another loud sigh and nodded his head.

"We'll grieve later," Angel promised as she turned to Zuko. "Right now we've got things to discuss."

"We've got a Fire Lord to unseat," Zuko said. "It's time we went on the offensive. What we need is a plan to do it."

"So what do you need from us?" Angel asked.

"As much information as you can give us," Sokka replied. "We need people, places, plans. Anything you have could be useful."

"We've got nothing," Lynn said. "Ozai's always sent people or gone himself when he's had dealings with the other gangs. No one knows where he stays at."

"What about ways of contacting him?" Suki asked.

"You don't contact the Fire Lord," Andy said.

"Reasonable," Azula said. "He would never concern himself with anyone else's thoughts or concerns. As long as he forwards his own ambitions he doesn't care."

"Concerns . . ." Angel echoed quietly.

"What are you thinking?" Aang asked.

"Every few months the gang leaders get together to talk," Angel said. "Well, more to butt heads. It's basically a way for us to minimize the street wars. We hash it out until some sort of agreement is reached. Most of the time it sort of works."

"You don't think they're going to still have one, do you?" Katara asked.

"He has to," Angel said thoughtfully. "There's too much at stake for him if he doesn't."

"What do you mean?" Aang asked. "I thought you said he didn't care about other people's concerns."

"No, it makes sense," Azula said. "So many different gangs with so much history with each other is no easy task. Just because one man steps in and takes over does not mean that the history and animosity disappear."

"That's true," Suki added. "Fear is a powerful motivator, but that doesn't mean all the anger and hatred is gone."

"Things like that need an outlet," Zuko said. "They need to be managed."

"Exactly," Angel finished. "Even if Ozai were to be against the idea of the meeting, that wouldn't stop the gangs from doing it. They need to look after their own or they lose absolutely everything."

"So how is this supposed to be helpful?" Toph asked.

"If the gangs get together, there's no way Ozai won't make his presence known. He still has to show them he's in charge or they're going to stop being afraid," Angel explained.

"You think he'll be there," Dwight said.

"Or he'll send someone important enough that we can get his attention."

"Where is this meeting supposed to take place?" Zuko asked. "And how do we get in?"

"It's in a parking garage," Andy told them.

"It's pretty close to the more civilized neighborhoods," Lynn went on. "Kind of like neutral territory."

"There's no secret password or anything to get in, you just show up. No problem."

"Wait a minute," Aang said, holding up his hands. "You mean we just waltz into a parking garage that's going to be overflowing with gang members and they let us in? No trouble? Why am I not believing this?"

"As long as you get to a spot not claimed by another gang, you don't have to worry about stirring up any trouble," Angel told them. "And I can help you with that."

"Okay, does no one else see how bad of an idea this is?" Aang asked. "Even if it's only an agent or something of Ozai's, do you really think they'll be by themselves? And so what if they are? What are we gonna do if they're surrounded by gangs that are all working for them?"

"You call them out," Andy growled with a smile. "You call 'em out in front of everybody and they don't have a choice but to go at it with you."

"How does that make sense?" Azula asked. "If Ozai were called out, he would simply order the person or persons foolish enough to fight him killed."

"You don't understand street mentality," Dwight informed her. "It's like issuing a challenge for dominance. No one's gonna get involved with that kind of fight. If he doesn't step up, he runs the risk of losing the control that he has."

"Not to mention that with his own recent losses he doesn't seem so invincible right now," Andy added nursing his wounded arm. "We've showed them he can bleed, now we have to show them he can fall."

"I still don't like this plan," Aang said. "We're risking a lot. If it's a challenge like you're talking about, then we'd have to have just one person to fight wouldn't we?"

"One person for each of his," Angel agreed. "We have to assume the worst case scenario for this if we're really going to do it."

"Then let's assume we're going to be outnumbered," Zuko said. "What do we do then?"

"We'd have to have someone challenge the present head honcho directly," Dwight answered. "One on one fight. Most likely if we're outnumbered though, it'll degrade into a free-for-all between our team and theirs."

"Still, odds would be more favorable if we could arrange a one-on-one fight," Azula said. "If we assume the worst, that means that Ozai will be the one that one of us is fighting."

"Why would it be Ozai?" Katara asked.

"He's the most dangerous," Zuko explained. "He's more dangerous a fighter than anyone else I've seen. He didn't rise to his self designated role through threats and blackmail alone."

"And he has no hesitation," Azula added.

"So whose volunteering?" Dwight asked.

"I'll do it," Andy said.

"No go, big man," Angel said. "You're injured. Man like Ozai would smell the blood in the water."

"Then I'll do it," Zuko volunteered.

"You think that's a good idea?" Katara asked. "I mean, do you think . . ?"

"I can handle it," Zuko said sternly.

"And why shouldn't I do it myself?" Angel asked.

"My family mess," Zuko replied. "I'll clean it up."

"You aren't that capable," Azula said. "I say Aang."

"Me?" Aang asked. "Why me? How did we get to me?"

"You're the most adaptable and capable fighter I've ever seen," Azula admitted begrudgingly. "If anyone here has the capacity to fight Ozai, I believe it's you."

"Why not you? And why aren't you saying anything, Toph?" Aang asked. "You've always been the best at putting people in their place no matter what kind of situation it is. Especially when it comes to beating people up!"

"I've gotta admit, sounds like a lot of fun," Toph said. "But Princess here has a point. I've never seen someone handle fights the way you do."

"It doesn't matter!" Zuko yelled. "I've got this. I'll take care of Ozai."

"There's not much time until the meeting," Angel told them. "We've got about a week. Get yourselves ready by then."

With that the Angels left. Aang looked at each of his remaining friends with a horrible sense of foreboding. In less than seven days there was a very real chance that some of these people would not be with him anymore. And the most likely of these people appeared to be Zuko.

A/N: Another short one, but at least it's on time!