Chapter 7: Outside Context

"Are we really sure we can trust him?" Asami asked Mako as they walked in the Air Temple grounds. It was a large, lovely area with many blooming flowers and Air Nomad murals dotting the walls. Pema told her that she usually came out here to relax and enjoy the view.

Asami only cared that it would allow them to see anyone coming towards them.

"Korra's the only one who actually trusts him. For some reason she refuses to admit that he's a monster that's threatening everyone. She keeps thinking she can 'train' him to be a better person." Mako said in frustration. "And he's probably the whole reason Blackwatch are siding with the Equalists. You were at their base. Did you see anything related to us benders? As far as I can tell, they're just here to get Alex contained."

"I think they're after more than just that. I heard a rumour that most of the debended people the Equalist caught were handed straight to Blackwatch, and no one's seen them since. It doesn't really sound like they're just after Alex."

"Why does everyone defend him? He destroyed an entire block. He killed or wounded nearly a hundred people. He almost ate people. And that was just by having a fit. We couldn't even stop him until Blackwatch showed up and yet everyone's acting like he's 'misunderstood'." He sighed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be taking this out on you. You've been through enough as it is. It's just that we've got a walking weapon who can bend all four elements better than anyone alive, and people think he can be tamed."

She gently squeezed his hand. "No, I understand. I'm scared too, and I don't have any bending powers to defend myself. I'm just saying that as bad as Alex is, Blackwatch might be worse. Didn't Korra say that Blackwatch created Alex? I mean, from what she said they made a dangerous weapon trying to make better people, and their first thoughts were 'how do we make it even more dangerous'. All of this stuff scares me." Mako hugged her, holding her in his gentle, yet firm arms. They stayed like this for who knows how long until Tenzin walked in on them.

"Oh, hello." He said to them. "You two haven't seen Korra anywhere, have you?" They both shook their heads, causing him to sigh. "I didn't think so. Maybe if you're not too busy you could help me find her."

"Sure thing. What do you need her for?" Mako asked as they got moving.

"Tarrlok is going to inform the news about Lin's replacement outside City Hall in a couple of hours. He insists that our resident Avatars attend to show their support for the continued support of our fair and just law enforcement."

"Wait. Chief Beifong's being replaced? Why?"

"Yeah. She's been doing a lot of good work." Asami said. "She found out about my… my father's workshop. And she found a Blackwatch base. That has to count for something, right?"

It does Asami, it does." Tenzin consoled her. "But unfortunately people blame her for the Equalist attack on the Probending Arena, Alex's attack on the Docks, and the damage caused by the Blackwatch base collapsing. Tarrlok's trying to placate everyone by assigning someone else as Chief of Police. And probably someone who'll agree with him too."

"So Alex causes a whole lot of destruction, and it's Chief Beifong that gets the shaft while everyone adores him." Mako huffed. "Does Tarrlok even know that Alex was behind all that?"

"He does. I told him at the last meeting. Not everything, but enough to make it clear that Alex is a Blackwatch weapon gone rogue, and he was the one that caused that rampage. But after hearing that Korra's training him and that he almost single-handedly destroyed the base, he chose to keep Alex on and use him against the Equalists."

"And you didn't try and stop them from agreeing?"

"Mako, one thing I've noticed is that everytime I try to vote against Tarrlok he gets the entire council to go along with his plans. And he's made it clear that the public is not to know about this. Frankly, I doubt you'd be able to convince people that Alex is actually a giant monster in human form anyway." As Mako sulked over this new development, Asami spotted Korra over at the Airbending circle, jumping about and throwing fire. Alex rushed after her, spinning and jumping with what she recognised as Equalist techniques. But she was surprised as she saw Alex rush past again, and again. As they got closer, she realised that there were three of him, all moving around and trying to hit Korra. She responded by using Earthbending to throw herself into the air before forcing them to move by throwing fireballs at them. But as she went to land, one of them threw a weighted cord at her boot, pulling her down towards him. Even as the breath left her body, she was already spinning herself to pull free, smacking Alex in the face as she did so. But before she could catch her breath, the third Alex rushed up behind her and tapped her pressure points, dropping her to the ground. After a few seconds, she managed to get back up while Alex reformed back into one.

"Impressive." Alex said. "But you keep standing in one place for too long and you lost track of the last me. You've got to be constantly moving and keeping all the Equalists in sight so they can surprise you like that. If you think you've got too many on you, then move to somewhere you can thin out the numbers."

"Got it." Korra replied. "Still, I held you off for 5 whole minutes. That's got to be pretty sweet."

"Maybe. But no matter how long it goes, the fight isn't over until your side is the last one standing."

"Then we'd better hope you remember which side you're on." Mako said sharply as they got closer. Asami resisted the urge to hold her head in embarrassment. She got that Korra won't let Alex kill her friends, but that still didn't make insulting him seem like a good idea.

"Enough. Alex, Korra, we're expected to leave soon for Chief Saikhan's promotion." Tenzin said before Alex attacked Mako. "And yes Alex, all of us need to be there. Tarrlok was very insistent about that."

"I don't like politicians. Tell Tarrlok that he can go…"

"Alex." Korra interrupted him. "Look, I know you didn't ask for it but people look up to you now. You're an Avatar. People expect us to help solve big problems like this. And if it looks like we're still doing everything we can to stop the Equalists and Blackwatch, then we help give people hope." Alex looked at her strangely, like hope was such a foreign subject to him.

"Alright, I'll go. But only because this would be the perfect chance for Blackwatch to assassinate everyone standing against them." Alex huffed, before down the stairs towards the boat. Asami felt a bit worried, and she was glad she wasn't expected to go too. The boat nearly capsized last time they used it.

"Don't worry." Korra said to her. "I'm mostly sure that's Alex speak for 'I'm doing this because you want to do this, but I'll pretend it's for some other boring reason'. He's always doing things like this."

"Korra." Asami started saying. "Could you please stop that?" She gave Asami a look.

"Stop what? Treating Alex like he's a person? Look, I get it. He's not really a person. He's scary. But if we keep treating him like he's a monster he's never going to learn to be nicer. Just give him a chance, ok? He's actually trying."

"You didn't see him in action Korra. He tore through everything in that base yesterday. Metal, cloth, flesh. It all just fell apart like it was nothing to him. Everything that got thrown at him just made him smile." All the fear she had been feeling yesterday came bubbling out. "He first revealed himself by firing spines through my team's skulls. We weren't even sure what was happening as they just started dropping. And when this giant attacked us, he rip it into the smallest shred he could. There was practically nothing left of the guy when he was done. And you want to stay close to him?"

"Asami. I know what he can do. I probably know it better than anyone else. I was in his head. All that you saw, I saw even more of it. Part of me is terrified of him. But if I can help him, if I can teach him how to be good, then he won't be as scary." Asami gave her a look that screamed 'do you honestly believe that?' "Well he won't be as scary. Come on, you trust me, don't you?"

She sighed. "I do. But if he started attacking everyone again you have to promise me you'll stop him for good."

"Don't worry. I will."

This was the first time Alex saw Councilman Tarrlok, the man pushing back against Blackwatch and the Equalists. And he already despised the man. He was so slimy Alex was surprised he didn't leave a trail like a slug. Alex didn't like politicians at the best of times, but everything was telling him to be wary of this guy from the get-go.

The fact it was blatantly obvious he's got the new Metalbending Police Chief in his pocket didn't endear him either.

"Republic City is facing a threat like none the world has ever seen but there is one man who's been effective against Amon's revolution, Councilman Tarrlok." Saikhan said while Tarrlok acted with humility for the cameras. "That is why for all matters involving the Equalists, I will report directly to him. The police department will lend any and all available resources to the councilman and his task force until we quell this insurgency." He punctuated his statement by slamming his fist onto the podium he stood behind. Nodding to the reporters, he stepped aside as Tarrlok took his place.

"Thank you for your dedication to protecting our fair city, Chief Saikhan." Tarrlok said. "But of course, I can't take all the credit for the recent losses The Equalists and Blackwatch have sustained. While my task force and the Police have managed to do plenty of damage in their own right, the greatest victories have all been thanks to the real Avatar, Avatar Alex." He pointed at Alex, causing the cameras to start flashing at him as reporters shouted things at him. He glared at them all, wishing he could crush those cameras, but when Korra gave him a push he stepped onto the podium. The reporters quietened down as he took the stage, waiting with bated breath for him to speak.

"I'm only fighting to stop Blackwatch." He decided to speak truthfully. "No matter how dangerous the Equalists may seem, they're small-time compared to Blackwatch. I don't give a damn what people think about me. If you're working with them, or get in my way, then you're dead." He turned to leave, but was stopped as Tarrlok grabbed him gently – but firmly – by the shoulder.

"Come now Avatar Alex. Surely you're not against answering some questions?" The floodgate opened, as every reporter tried their best to be heard.

"Avatar Alex, just how far are you willing to go to stop Blackwatch?"

"Does it bother you that there were significant casualties after you destroyed the Blackwatch base?"

"If you're the real Avatar, does that mean that Korra is an anomaly?" He saw her look away as that question was asked.

"Just what is your relationship with Blackwatch? Are the rumours that you previously worked for them true?"

"Where are you from?"

"How long have you fought Blackwatch for?"

He let all those questions wash over him before speaking up. He made sure he was close to the microphone. "Get your hand off me before I rip it off and shove it up your ass." Tarrlok smiled at him, but quickly removed his hand and allowed him to leave. Everyone kept shouting questions, but he ignored them. If they knew the truth about any of that, they'd be crawling over each other to get away from him. But one question did stand out.

"Avatar Alex, what about the monster that attacked the docks? Was that a Blackwatch creation? Are we likely to see it again?" He stopped, and turned to the crowd. He glanced at Korra and Tenzin to see them nodding at him.

"That monster is a Blackwatch weapon, meant to destroy anything it comes across. It has been destroyed by the explosion, which was why it had to be so powerful. And I am the anomaly. Korra is the real Avatar. Now, no more questions." He took his place by Korra, who smiled at him gratefully. This was what she wanted the most. To be the Avatar. If it made her happy, then he didn't even care.

After that, things went by quickly. Tarrlok made a few more speeches, the reporters asked more questions, and then it all started getting packed up. Tarrlok made pleasantries with several people before walking on over to the three of them, smiling all the while.

"Tarrlok, I don't know what you did to get Saikhan in your pocket but I highly doubt it was legal." Tenzin said angrily to him. Tarrlok just kept smiling.

"Oh Tenzin. Always the conspiracy theorist. I didn't do anything. Saikhan just realised that I was one of the few people actually willing to do something about this terrorism. Speaking of which, it's a pleasure to meet you Avatar Alex." He held out his hand, ready to shake it.

"Can't say the same about you." Alex replied, glaring at him. "Everything about you pisses me off."

"Such a shame. I was hoping you and Korra would be willing to work in my task force. You're both powerful symbols of our city, though people respect you far more than Korra. You're a beacon in these dark times, someone who's not only willing to stand against the Equalists, but send them scurrying back to the shadows. We'd need a small army to have dealt with that base you attacked, but as far as rumours go you attacked it with only yourself and two other people. Very impressive."

"We're not joining your vanity project." Korra said to him, also glaring at him. "And Alex isn't interested in what you have to say."

"Oh? I'm not interested in what you think he wants. I'm interested in what he wants."

"Korra's right. I'm not interested. I can deal with Blackwatch on my own." Korra smirked at Tarrlok, but he didn't look perturbed.

"That's such a shame. Such a shame. You know, you said in your speech that you don't care what people think about you. But I'd wager that you'd care if word got out that the Blackwatch monster is in fact you." Alex tried to hide his surprise. "Yes, Tenzin told the Council all about that. About how you lost control, went on a rampage and killed dozens of people. I'd imagine the city would be up in arms about that, hunting you down, uniting under me for a common cause."

"Or maybe they'll flock to Blackwatch and the Equalists, considering that your Metalbending police failed to even put a dent in me. They'd be upset that the 'icon' you endorsed turned out to be monster. So quite frankly, I don't think you have a leg to stand on. And if you really had an idea of what I am, of what I am capable of, then you just made one of the biggest mistakes of your life."

"Exactly." Korra spoke up. "You may have played me. You might've played Beifong. And you might even be playing with Saikhan. But you won't be able to make Alex do whatever you want. You need us, but we don't need you. And as the Avatar, I can fight with the best of them."

"But are you really the Avatar?" Tarrlok asked her slyly. "While you both seem to believe that Alex is the aberration, the cold truth is that he's more capable of being the Avatar than you are. Remember, he announced himself by bending all four elements, while rumour has it that you're still having some… difficulty with Airbending. Why, the public believe him to be the real thing, and you're just some lucky girl able to bend three elements." Korra started looking dejected, and pondered ripping this guy's head off. "No matter. Even if you're not working for me, every Equalist and Blackwatch member you stop helps me out in the end. If you're not willing to help me Korra, then stay out of the way of the real experts." And with that, he walked away, leaving Korra looking very worried.

"Don't listen to him Korra." Tenzin said warmly. "We all know that you are the real Avatar. No offence Alex." He said hurriedly to him. Alex just shrugged. It didn't really matter to him whether people saw him as the Avatar or not. "I know. Maybe you two could meditate on Airbending. Or you could try to contact your past lives. Their knowledge could help you push past this Airbending block."

"I can't. Didn't the White Locus tell you? I'm a spiritual failure."

"No, you're not. There have been several cases where an Avatar has made a connection without realising it. You might've missed it while you were dealing with…" He stopped, before taking a deep breath. "…While you were dealing with Alex's memories."

"…Maybe. I think I got a few flashes of Aang. He looked like he was in trouble."

"It could be his way of trying to tell you something. Just give it time, and the meaning might become clear."

"I'll meet you guys back at the Temple." Alex said. "But quick question. What does Tarrlok's Satomobile look like?"

And where could he find some toilet paper?

"I can't really explain how I do it." Alex said later that night to Korra. "I think I'm able to do Airbending despite my lack of 'spiritual ability' by the virtue of how many of my souls can Airbend. And let's be honest, I've had about as much luck with meditating as you have. All I can do is keep everyone in line."

"I thought as much." Korra said sadly. "Thanks anyway. I guess having someone else who isn't an Airbending master helps out." She sighed and looked towards Avatar Aang's statue. It always made Alex think of the Statue of Liberty, always in the distance and beyond his reach. When he finally got free of Blackwatch's blockade, the first thing he did was climb up it and painted a big smiley face on it.

Juvenile? Yeah. But it was funny, hearing everyone debate on the meaning of a terrorist smiley face.

"You get anywhere with that warning? Is it some other threat or is it about me and Blackwatch?"

"I don't know. I tried and I tried, but I just can't get anything. I can't even really remember who else was in it." They were quiet for a bit before she spoke up again. "Hey, do you ever want to go back home?"

"Back to my Earth? Not really. There's nothing there for me anymore. I drove away my sister; the military are after me; any friends I had are dead. I bet that if I stuck around, other governments might try and capture me to use me as a weapon. Here, once I wipe out Blackwatch I'll be free to just relax. I won't have to worry about constantly getting chased. And I'm still interested in all this 'spirit' stuff. Can you imagine what it's like, to actually end up on an alternate Earth, filled with things science and logic says are impossible? And I've got forever to study it all. To intellectual side of me, I've got everything I'd want right here."

"I'm glad for you. You've got something to do besides killing things. It's probably not completely what the others would want, but it's a start." She gave him a sad smile before looking away. He hated that smile. It reminded him constantly of how he wasn't able to help. He had all this strength, all this power designed to kill anything that got in his path. And yet for all his knowledge he didn't even know where to begin in fixing her problems. Psychiatrists were able to help because they could relate to their patients. He had nothing except for his shared memories.

Friends help friends.

"Korra!" They heard Mako, Bolin and Asami shouting. Pabu came rushing out of the bush before taking a sharp turn away from Alex and hiding behind Korra. The other followed him (Her? It?) soon after. They all stopped as they saw Alex sitting there.

"Hey guys." Korra said with forced cheer. "Alex and i were just talking about Airbending. Tenzin thought that maybe his outside perspective could help me find a way around my block." She sighed. "But it's a no-go. Alex doesn't really know how he does it beyond brute-forcing the connection." She looked completely down. "I'm a terrible Avatar."

"No you're not Korra." Asami said to her. "You're a great Avatar. So what if you can't Airbend yet? That doesn't make you a terrible Avatar."

"She right." Mako piped up. "Besides, Avatar Aang hadn't mastered all four elements when he battled the Fire Nation, and he stopped Firelord Ozai."

"Yeah." Bolin agreed. "and he had friends to help him. Look, we might not be an official Probending team anymore, but we're still your team. We're the new Team Avatar." The three of them placed their hands on top of each other in a circle, looking at Korra and Alex expectantly. When Alex looked at her, she was smiling again. But this was a happy smile. She got up and placed her hand on the circle before turning to face Alex. He saw how Asami and Mako stiffened, watching him and waiting. This wasn't his sort of thing. He was a loner, not needing anyone else. And the others didn't really like him. They only tolerated him because he stayed by Korra all the time. He was better off staying solo.

Friends stand by friends.

"Alright then." He said as he got up. "Looks like the Krew's all together." Korra and Bolin smiled warmly at him, while Asami gave him a nervous grimace. Mako just stayed stone-faced, watching him carefully. "So how are we going to get around? I doubt Naga can carry all four of you guys." Asami looked thoughtful before smiling.

"I think I have an idea."

The police scanner squawked. "Calling all units, Level Four Alert. Jailbreak at headquarters. Officers down, electrocuted. Chi blockers, Equalist convicts and Blackwatch soldiers are still at large, armed and dangerous. Last seen heading east. I repeat, Level Four Alert. Equalist jailbreak!" At the same time, a large group of Satomobiles and trucks drove past, causing traffic to squeal to a halt. Asami gunned the engine, chasing after them as fast as she could. The Satomobile had a few problems, mainly because Alex's weight was slowing it down. Korra was worried that they'd have to ask Alex to hop out. Not that he'd have trouble keeping up, but it would kind of segregate him from the group. Alex fired his whipfist at several of the Satomobiles, grabbing them and throwing them overhead. While he was doing that, Mako and Bolin were using their bending to take out the chi blockers in the way. Mako's Lightning bending looked pretty impressive when he blew the tire out from underneath the chi blocker. But as they raced down the street, the Equalists started getting away, while Blackwatch Satomobiles closed in from behind them. Asami had to swerve as they opened fire with their guns. The few that managed to hit slammed into Alex's shield, before he turned it sideways and threw it on a whip. The spinning sheet of biomass sliced through the satomobile, causing the Blackwatch men to skid along the road painfully. Korra looked forward to see a large truck driving across a junction ahead of them. There was no way they could drive past it, especially with Alex weighing then down.

He evidently thought the same thing. "Well, looks like we've reached my stop guys. See you in a few seconds." He stepped over the side of the satomobile, vanishing as soon as his foot touched the road. Korra and Bolin used Earthbending to make two ramps for their wheels, before she looked back in time to see the other satomobile crash into Alex. While he didn't look worse for the wear, to say the satomobile was written off was putting it politely. Korra turned back to the front in time to see the last couple of Equalist bikes making smoke clouds. Soon, their vision was filled with black, making it impossible to see where they were going. But Asami looked like she could tell.

"Help me make this turn!" She shouted as they reached another street. Korra and Bolin again used Earthbending to create a ramp, but this one was curved to allow them to turn more easily. They made it round in one smooth motion, and crashed into the back of the bikes. The Equalists jumped onto their hood just in time for Asami to shock one with her Equalist glove, while the other got surprised by Alex showing up alongside them. Alex waved at him, distracting him long enough for Mako to blast him off the hood. Alex rushed ahead of them and fired his whipfist into the side of the truck, before landing on the road. Everyone ducked underneath his arm while the truck was pulled off course by his weight, turning in a circle until they slammed into the side of a building. They all got out and walked over in time for the driver to stumble out of the wreck. He looked around in a dazed state until Alex flicked him to the ground. They went around the back and pulled it open, showing a dozen or so prisoners still bound. It was easy to get them to kneel down on the side of the road, and just in time for reporters to show up. She wasn't exactly waiting for them, but maybe if they were working together people would stop thinking of her as less than Alex. They stood around until the police finally showed up, revealing a very angry Tarrlok.

"And just what do you lot think you're doing?" He asked them angrily.

"Hey Tarrlok. Nice of you to finally show up. We were just doing our job. You know, capturing Equalists and Blackwatch members." Korra replied smugly.

"I gave that job to Avatar Alex. Not to you Korra."

"True, but i decided to recruit Avatar Korra and her friends to help me with my arrests." Alex spoke up, smiling underneath his hood. "And it's a good thing too. I nearly lost these guys while i was dealing with their escort. They managed to take out the main transport."

"What they did was tear up several public streets and impede the real authorities from doing their job."

"And if you guys were anywhere near these clowns, we wouldn't have had to do your job for you."

"This is your last warning, Korra." Tarrlok said in fury, pointing his finger at her. "leave this to the professionals. And all of you, stay out of my way." He stalked over to his transport, slamming the door as he drove off. The others stood by the Satomobile, smiling at their efforts.

"He's probably just pissed off because some random person covered his Satomobile with toilet paper." Alex said slyly. "Strangely though, no one's come forward about that. It's like it was a spirit, or something from another world."

Everyone looked at him in surprise, before bursting out laughing.

"How can they still worship Zeus?" Redcliffe wonder aloud as he looked down at a map of the city. They had marked in areas of the city where the people were aligned with their cause, while still showing places that supported the benders. At least half the city was with them, while the other half were content to not rock the boat. "Didn't that Sato girl mention that Avatar Korra was aware of what he is?"

"It is possible that she sees her role as a mediator to mean that she should try and 'rehabilitate' him." Daniels replied. Redcliffe looked at him in surprise. "Sir, we've had a scanner close to her during the unveiling of Police Chief Saikhan. It could only pick up Zeus. So whatever she's doing, it's mostly of her own free will."

"…We'll need to have words with her." Honestly, trying to rehabilitate him? What was that girl thinking? "And see if you can come up with any way of turning the city against Zeus in the meantime."

"At the moment, if we can't make Avatar Korra understand the monster she's with, we could try and pin the blame of her demise on his head. A rivalry between the two Avatars that got a bit too heated."

"It could work." They were interrupted by the door opening to reveal Hiroshi Sato. He looked very haggard, especially after her learnt that his daughter had aided Zeus in attacking one of their bases. Some of the newer generals in Blackwatch back home might've executed him for bringing her into the fold. But Redcliffe wasn't a barbarian. Zeus would've destroyed the base on his own sooner or later. All Asami Sato did was bring him to their door sooner than they thought, and that was hardly worth killing him over. Besides, he was a family man too. He shook his head, driving away the memories. He promised himself he wouldn't think of them again. Not until the mission was complete.

"I just got news from my workers." Sato said to him. "The Council's moving to make it illegal to become a part of the Equalists or Blackwatch, or aid us in any way. And they're enforcing a curfew upon the city."

"Let me guess. It only applies for non-benders." Daniels spoke up. While annoying, it wasn't as damaging to them as it was for the Equalists. They found that at least 57% of their number was a bender of one art or another. They even had Airbenders in their ranks. And history shows that doing a curfew against a minority will only give them more strength.

"Amon figured they'd do something like that. It just goes to show how little control they have left. Daniels, prep the relief team and send them over to the Dragon Flats borough. And get teams 4 and 5 ready in case we need more. With any luck, there'll be riots in the streets. We'll direct them towards the more ritzier areas, help them vent their frustrations and see how many we'll get to join us."

"Yes sir." Daniels said, saluting him before leaving the room. As he left, one of his lieutenants entered at almost the same time, nearly colliding. They spoke to each other before Daniels turned to face him. "We just got word from the Orion personnel. They've reported that he's responding to the modified serum as planned. He should be up and about by this time tomorrow."

"Good. But make it clear that he still can't take on Zeus alone. We don't want anything to happen to them."

"Understood."

The Krew were all sitting around and joking that night as they had a quick dinner of dumplings. Alex had gotten bored and was juggling a few satomobiles for fun. As they were finishing their dinner off and he was preforming a complex technique that required two more arms, they all heard the police scanner squawk again. It was talking about an Equalist rally happening over in the Dragon Flats borough. Korra was a bit worried about a rally, and made Alex promise that he'd avoid causalities. He agreed, but reminded her that Blackwatch wouldn't believe the same. This time, he was running alongside the satomobile, easily keeping pace with them as they talked about what they'd do when they get there.

"…Alex and Korra will use Waterbending from any fountains to freeze the Equalists in place, while Bolin will use Earthbending to hold them. Asami, you and I will shock the ones left standing." Mako was ordering them. They all nodded. "If the rally's as big as the first one we saw, then we'll just have to hold it back until Tarrlok and the police get to us. Don't resort to killing them just because it's taking too long."

"Alright, alright I get it." Alex replied. "I know it's not obvious, but I can respond with non-lethal force. I don't solve all my problems by just hitting it till it dies." By now they were on a straight road to the Dragon Flats, but the whole area was dark and without lights. Was this part of Tarrlok's plan to ambush the Equalists? By the time they pulled into the main square though, Korra had a suspicion that something wasn't right.

"These people aren't armed or dangerous." Alex noted. "They're just pissed off." As he said that, a large black truck pulled away from the crowd, heading away from them. "Blackwatch. Should I go after them?"

"No." Korra decided. "If these people are actually dangerous, we'll need your muscle to stop them. And if they aren't we'll need you just in case." They all heard the squeal of a megaphone. Alex had been surprised when he learnt they had them here too.

"All non-benders return to your homes immediately." Saikhan shouted. "Failure to obey will result in your immediate arrest."

"We'll do it when you turn the power back on!" Someone shouted back.

"You benders can't treat us like this." A woman added. The little girl at her feet jumped up and pointed at Korra and Alex.

"Mommy, mommy. It's the Avatars." Everyone turned to face them, and Alex squirmed under their gaze.

"Please, you have to help us." They were saying. "You're our Avatars too. We can't be treated like common criminals." It pained her to see them this way. None of them were Equalists. They were all scared people trying to live their lives. Korra nodded, firm in what she had to do.

"Everyone, please stay calm. Alex and I will put a stop to this, one way or another." Cause that was the thing with having Alex around. You always had another option. "Alex, could you go to the power station and have a word with the foreman?"

"Sure. I'll move quickly though. One side's going to go too far and we'll have problems then. Well, you'll have problems." He ran off, leaving a trail or cracked ground behind him as he headed towards the power plant. At the rate he was going, he should reach it with minutes. In the meantime, she was going to find Tarrlok and convince him to stop. They found him over by Saikhan, probably discussing how to oppress these people.

"Ah, Avatar Korra." She hated how he said 'Avatar'. It was like his very tone was reminding her who he saw as the real deal. "I don't see your babysitter anywhere. Are you doing this without his authority?"

"Alex has gone to get these people their power back. In the meantime, he wants you to leave these people alone."

"Well unless I hear it from him personally, I'll simply assume that you're lying. Besides, you're telling me that I should let dangerous Equalists roam free, destroying everything we care about."

"These aren't Equalists. They're just ordinary people who want their rights back. You had no right to take their power from them."

"I have every right to take rights from Equalist and Blackwatch supporters. We spotted a Blackwatch truck in here not too long ago. These people were aiding their escape."

"They were just delivering supplies." One of the non-benders shouted at them. "Food, medicine, toys for the kids. They were trying to help people forced out of the docks by that monster attack."

"You see? They admit they were accepting Blackwatch supplies. They were fraternising with the enemy. Round them up!" He ordered the officers. They immediately used their Metalbending to remove the legs on the barricades, wrapping it around the civilians before using Earthbending to lift them up. As everyone else started panicking, Korra quickly bended the people back down to the ground. While she was helping people escape, Tarrlok used his Waterbending to grab Asami and pull her closer.

"Hey! Let her go!" Mako shouted. He tried to get closer, but officers blocked his path.

"Out of the question. She's a non-bender out past curfew, and her father is a known Equalist conspirator. This is all obviously part of her father's plan, letting her join your little group." Suddenly, the lights came on all over the district. Everyone cheered while Korra smiled. Truthfully, she had been a bit worried about how quickly she sent Alex off like that. If he had been here, Tarrlok probably wouldn't have done all this. He snarled at the lights. "Officers, arrest these two for aiding Equalist supporters." Mako and Bolin yelped as they were grabbed with metal cables and pulled in, leaving Korra to keep them busy until Alex got back. She used her Earthbending to shake their footing, forcing them to let go of Mako and Bolin to support themselves. Then then fired of blasts of fire at the others, keeping them away from her. But she was suddenly distracted as the lights went out again, causing everyone to groan. The officers used her lapse to grab the guys, while other bound her in their cables. She tried to struggle free, but she had as much luck as the first time they arrested her. Tarrlok smirked at her as he loaded Asami into one of the police vans. Where was Alex? Why had the power gone out again? Korra, finally managed to use her feet to shake the ground again, pulling herself free. The officers surrounded her, ready to keep going.

"Tarrlok, this is exactly what Blackwatch want you to do." She shouted at him. "If you arrest me for defending civilians, people will start rioting. They'll see you as a tyrant, and you'll be getting rid of one of the few people fighting back." Tarrlok seemed to listen to her, as he waved his hand at the officers.

"We've got enough Equalist supporters for tonight." He shouted at them. "And you, Avatar Korra. Let this be a lesson to you. You can't fight the law. If you ever get involved in my arrests like this again, I will lock you up." And with that, the last of the trucks drove off. The lights came back on, but it was too late. She slumped to the ground, crying tears of anger until Alex appeared next to her.

"What happened?" He asked her. "Where are the others?"

"They… They were arrested by Tarrlok. He was using this as an excuse to arrest everyone, and I tried to stop him. He got Asami for her father being an Equalist, and Mako and Bolin for helping her. I tried to stop him, but there were just too many. What about you? What took you so long?"

"I talked to the foreman and we had an argument about differing orders. I knocked him out and turned the power back on, but then Blackwatch attacked. I guess they decided to use the power outage as an excuse to cause a riot. I had to deal with them before I could keep the power going. So are we going to get them free?"

"You bet we are."

Tarrlok's gone too far. That was the thought on Tenzin's mind as he entered the police station. Bad enough he got that idiotic curfew voted in, bad enough he had complete control over the Metalbending police. But the first thing he does is remove Dragon Flat's access to power simply so he could arrest the entire district. Forget Blackwatch and the Equalist using honeyed words. They'll just have to sit back and wait as Tarrlok tears the city in two. But even as he passed through the doors, his worst fears were unfounded. Everyone was still alive, and Alex wasn't carving anyone up. But given the aggression in his stance, that might not be true for much longer.

"Sorry Avatar Alex." The receptionist said timidly. "Councilman Tarrlok's orders. You need his approval to create another task force, and he's already vetoed those three. It's out of my hands."

"Listen, you bloated snivelling pile of filth. Those three are trusted members of my group. Asami Sato helped me and Chief Beifong destroy the Blackwatch base. That right there is solid proof that she is not affiliated with the Equalists. Now either we can do this the easy way where you unlock their cell doors, or we can do this the hard way where I take your scrawny neck and shove it…"

"Enough Alex." Tenzin interrupted before he decided to make good on that threat. "But he has a point. I see no evidence that allows you to hold them. They were simply trying to help innocents, and you will release them."

"I…I…" The poor man looked like he was going to soil his trousers. "I'll go and get Chief Saikhan for you." He quickly stumbled out of his seat, colliding with the walls as he ran off. Tenzin sighed before turning to Alex.

"Alex, you can't just threaten a man for doing his job. And you certainly can't suggest you'll kill him if he doesn't follow your orders."

"Why not? The three of us know that I can easily carve my way through this place."

"It's not a question of whether you can. It's whether you should do so. Blackwatch and the Equalists could use the lack of officers to begin a full-scale war. We need to avoid that at all costs." At this point Saikhan showed up, looking rather disgruntled. "Let me talk to him first."

"Councilman Tenzin, I'm a bit swamped at the moment. And having a recruit nearly shoulder-charge me babbling about how Avatar Alex threatened to kill him is not helping."

"Well then simply release their friends, and he'll leave you alone."

"They were arrested interfering in police business. You can't just ignore the rules simply because your friend is threatening people."

"That's a bit hollow considering they were arrested stopping you lot from taking dozens of innocent people." Korra said bitingly.

"All Equalist suspects are being detained until we can confirm their allegiance. If you've got a problem with that, you'll have to take it up with Councilman Tarrlok. I'm just following orders."

"Following orders." Alex snorted. "That went out of style at Nuremberg."

"I assure you, I will be bringing this up with Tarrlok at the next meeting tomorrow morning. And you are the worst police chief ever." With that, Tenzin huffed and walked away. Korra and Alex followed, but Alex stopped to grab a freestanding metal post. With only the slightest of resistance, he bent that pole until he was holding a mangled piece of scrap before embedding the whole thing into the wall. "Believe me when I say I'll do everything in my power to get them free. But in the meantime, I want you two to promise me that you won't do anything rash."

"I…I promise." Korra said hesitantly.

"Promise. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a dagger in my eye." Alex replied.

"Good. Let's go home."

"Hold on. I need Alex to move the satomobile out of the way. And… I need some time to think." She looked so sad that he didn't have the heart to say no.

"Alright. Just make sure you get back home safely." And with that, he headed off to the nearest local transport back to the docks.

Part of him was sure they were going to do something stupid.

"You know, in our defence given how long Tenzin's known you you'd think he know you'll do this sort of thing anyway." Alex said as he drove the satomobile to the docks. "Let me guess. I'll go and get the others out while you have a 'chat' with Tarrlok. Do you want me to come round and help negotiate?"

"I can handle it Alex." Korra said firmly. This wasn't about whether she could handle it. This was about her proving herself, showing that she was good enough to be the Avatar. Stupid, but if it made her happy then he was willing to let it slide.

For now.

Normally, breaking into such a large police station/prison would be difficult. There would always be officers around ready for the slightest problem, checkpoints all around, and everyone knows everyone. To get in would be very difficult. To get out, while also bringing along three high value prisoners at the same time, would be impossible.

Fortunately, the last thing anyone would say about Alex is he's 'normal'.

Getting past everyone was so easy it was almost laughable. He had memorised the faces of several officers. Every time he passed someone, he would end up changing shape until he reached the main prison area. The guards here were more alert, and were keeping an eye on everything. But given the way everyone else reacted, former Chief Beifong would be able to get through just fine. As he rounded the corner, the guards stood to attention when he passed. It wasn't until he reached their cells that the guards finally tried to stop him.

"Uh, Captain Beifong. You… You're not actually allowed in there." The guard stammered. Internally, Alex smirked as he glared at the poor sap.

"Oh? And why's that? It is because I'm regarded as another 'Equalist sympathiser'? Or is it because Saikhan and Tarrlok both know that they're disobeying the law?"

"Councilman Tarrlok said that all Equalist suspects are to be…"

"In case you haven't bothered to pay attention, two of those suspects are benders. The Equalists would never allow them entry with their bending. And I've read the report. I know that those suspects are innocent people. I expected more from the guard than acting as Tarrlok's personal force. Our duty is to the people of Republic City. Now are you going to let me through or do I have to assign you to bathroom patrol?" The guard wilted under his glare, and handed over the keys. He quickly unlocked the door to Asami's cell, and then headed to the other end to get Mako and Bolin. He would've loved to let Mako spend some time in here, but Korra was adamant. They all had to leave together. "Oh, and when you see Saikhan, tell him I'd love to discuss with him what the badge means to him." And with a final huff, he led the three of them out the doors.

Being Beifong was great. He actually got to walk out the front door with them and no one stopped him.

"Thanks for busting us out Beifong." Bolin said happily. "Now, if we could just stop at a food stand for some dinner. I'm starving."

"You're always starving." Alex said in his own voice, changing back to normal. "I believe you said you were a 'growing boy'. Now come on. Korra was going to have a talk with Tarrlok about his behaviour. If we hurry, we might be able to get a few 'words' in too." They all hopped into the satomobile, with Asami again at the reins. She quickly drove them all the way over, dodging the rest of traffic like it was nothing. Alex wasn't really for driving - why bother when you can outrun most vehicles – but he was duly impressed by her handling. And it couldn't have been easy with him in the back. They made it to the Council building faster than he thought they would. He grabbed the three of them and jumped through the open window on the side, obviously Tarrlok's office and Korra's point of entry. But inside, they only found the signs of a real battle. The whole place had been trashed. The bookcase was shredded, water dripping away while a stone wall stood near them. At the other end, a mural was jutting out sideways, water trickling down it and pooling on the floor. They found a large hole where the door was, and a reasonably-sized crater at the ground level. The seats had been thrown around like toys.

But there was no sign of Tarrlok or Korra.

"Strange." Alex mused. "Once she got him out of the office you'd think she'd have cleaned the place with his face." He quickly sent out a pulse, but he couldn't pick her up. He tried again, but it came back with nothing. "Wherever she is, it's not here."

"You sure? She could be waiting for us elsewhere." Mako said. "She could be back on Air Temple Island."

"While I bet he'd love to see it, I doubt Tenzin would be happy to learn that Korra assaulted a Councilman to try and stop this whole thing from going nuclear." He sent out one last pulse, not really expecting anything. But he was surprised to get a response.

But it was coming faintly from the North. As far away from Air temple Island as you can get.

He sent another pulse, but it wasn't getting anything else. Nevertheless, it told him what he wanted. She wasn't in Republic City anymore. She wouldn't have gone that way on her own free will, at least not without the rest of them or a note.

And whoever had grabbed her was going to die.

"Sir? One of our inside people just received word that Avatar Korra was taken by Councilman Tarrlok." Daniels said to Redcliffe. "Guess she got too much in his way. I bet you that he's going to pin this on us."

"And send Zeus directly to us." This was… annoying. He wanted Zeus to be more occupied before this sort of thing happened. "how long will it take for Zeus to realise it's been duped?"

"Honestly? I'm hoping he'll figure it by tomorrow morning." Good call. Zeus was as dangerous as they come. Redcliffe believed that one should treat Zeus like a nuclear bomb, or a rampaging tornado. You stay away from it, and you don't poke it without good reason. Considering how many bases its gone through, he had a very good point. "but I do have some good news too. He's ready sir. He's healed faster than we estimated."

"Good. And all the abilities function as expected?"

"Most of them sir. His senses have a habit of working a bit too well."

"Hmm. We'll have to fix that. But what does he think about it? What's his verdict on all that power?"

"Amon says his new power will win the revolution."

I realised pretty quickly that the only way things could be a threat to Korra was if I take Alex out of the scene for a moment. That was the only way Asami, Bolin and Mako could get arrested, and therefore send Alex off to free them so that Korra can get abducted.

And yeah, Amon has been turned into an Orion. Uh oh. Korra had better watch out. Originally I had wanted this to happen, but then I decided to go for having the lieutenant become an Orion, since you can't really be equal if you can bench press a satomobile and punch out small mountains. But then I remembered that he used Bloodbending, even though that went against his movement, simply because it granted him the power to achieve his revolution. So in the end I decided to give it to him after all. And the lieutenant could become a cyborg or something. That would be awesome.