"Thirty-thousand yuans?!" Bolin shouted at the man who brought them the bad news. And they had to have it by the end of the week. 'Let's see, I've got about fifteen on me and seventy in the bank...Mako has a few hundred maybe... yeah, there was no way we could come up with that. All that hard work, that near death experience after I told mom about our new teammate, it was all for nothing'.
"You wouldn't happen to have a secret avatar bank account that's overflowing with gold, would you?" He asked his special teammate. She turned out her pockets to reveal the empty insides...not very encouraging.
"I've got nothing. I've never really need money. I've always had people taking care of me."
"Then I wouldn't say you have nothing." Mako shot bitterly.
"Bro, she didn't mean it like that." Yeah, his brother had a point, but he shouldn't be so resentful. It's not like it was Korra's fault that she had plenty of caretakers growing up when Mako had nobody, just like it wasn't his fault that he had his mom.
"I'm sorry." Korra immediately apologized. And what's worse, she honestly didn't know what she was apologizing for.
"It's okay, it's just that after we lost our parents, Mako's had to take care of himself."
"I'm so sorry, I didn't know."
"So anyway-" Mako cut off any reply before it could be made, "How are we gonna come up with the money?"
"Hmm...well," he scratched his pet on the head, "maybe you could do some street preforming, Buddy."
"Come on, Bolin, we need serious ideas."
"He's got to work on that sense of humor." Pabu seemed to drop his head in defeat, "Don't worry Pabu, I bet you could make a ton of money for us...you'd be a star."
"Whatever. Look, don't worry about it. I'll figure something out, I always do."
"Actually, I just got an idea. A good, serious, idea." He pipped in before Mako could get out the door, "But," his eyes narrowed and his voice deepened, "it would mean facing the most ferocious creature on the face of the earth."
"Quit playing around, Bo." Mako rolled his eyes before heading out.
"I was being serious." He said to the door.
"Bolin, you weren't just kidding?" Korra got her hopes up.
"No, I might be able to get the money. It's a long shot, but it's worth a shot." He got a bellowing laugh, "What?"
"I'm sorry," she snickered, "that just sounded like a radio endorsement. But anyway, what's the plan? Are we going to...capture a dangerous animal and collect the bounty or something?"
"No, but that's a good idea!" He wondered where they would go to find out if there were any man-eating beasts with bounties on their heads, "No. That'd take too long."
"So what are we going to do?"
"Actually...you might just wanna sit this one out." If Korra found out what his plan was she'd...do something to stop it, he was sure. She wouldn't want to take the money from his mom any more than his mom would want to give it to her.
"What?! Why?" Well, because if she showed up there'd be an epic battle; half the city would crumble, the other half would go up in flames, floods and earthquakes. And they could kiss that money goodbye.
"Because, I'm the only one who knows how to deal with the creature." But this time, even his polarbear pup look might not be enough.
Bolin gulped as he heard the creature rage on the other side of the door, but he could only be grateful that the earth was shifting so loudly that he couldn't hear the poor suckers cry in pain as they stumbled beneath the heavy weight.
"Can I help you?" He asked when the victims dragged themselves past him. Some people say that this was punishment for them, that they did something deserve it. His mother said it would help them in the long run, but he didn't know...it seemed a little cruel.
"Just leave me alone." One woman shot at him when he tried to help her. No one else wanted any aid from him either, he got the sneaking suspicion that it was because he shared a family name with the creature that inflicted the pain on them.
"Boy, what are you doing here today?" the creature called from it's lair.
"Mom, do you really have to be so hard on them?" he asked as he ventured into the room, "I mean, what did they do?"
"Questioned my methods." She gave him the death look.
"Oh, right." 'sorry guys, but it's every man for himself', "Yep. They deserve every bit of punishment. You're the smartest Police Chief ever and they're dumb to question you."
"Nice cover, Boy. But you're laying it on a little thick."
"Really? It sounded good to me." he'd have to work on that.
"What do you want and why did you bring the rodent here?"
HISS
"Lee has a seal-hound that loves rodents." She told Bolin, but eyed the fire ferret.
"Can it, Pabu. When she says he loves rodents, she means he loves to have them for supper." Bolin warned his pet as he clamped a tiny jaw shut, "Can't a guy just drop by with his faithful fire ferret to say hello to his loving, kind, generous-"
"How much?"
"Thirty-thousand." he barely managed to whisper through his overly wide smile.
"Is that all?" Sarcasm; Sokka taught her well.
"I know what you're going to say." she always said that she'd never give him money, if he wanted something he could earn it just like she had to; no son of hers was going to be a spoiled rich boy, "I'd work hard to get the money myself, but I need it by the end of the week or my team can't compete in the Championship."
"Hmm."
"Maybe you could consider it an early birthday present...for the next two-hundred years or so? Or maybe...," he needed a valid idea, and it hit him like a bolt of lightning, "Hey! Could you loan it to me? I could come do odds jobs for you during the off season. You'd get your money's worth, I promise."
"Boy, I told you not to come whining to me every time you want something."
"..." He just hung his head. Why couldn't she just say 'no'?
"But, since you have other people depending on this, I'll give you the thirty-thousand."
"You will?!" He pulled her into a hug, making Pabu jump and run for a more stable roost. "You are the best mom ever!" He could almost see her look to the right, and then to the left before returning the hug.
"Yeah, yeah...I'm just doing it because the airhead's convinced that probending will teach that reckless avatar how to airbend. And the sooner she airbends, the sooner she can get out of my city." She insisted. Bolin smiled, spirits forbid that she admit...or let her underlings find out... that she's doing something nice, "Erhem," she cleared her throat and pushed him away, "Get outta here. I'll have the money for you tomorrow."
"Thanks! You know, you really are the best." He waved as he picked up Pabu and headed out the door.
"Enough with the flattery, Boy, you already got what you wanted!" She yelled at him. So he stuck his head back in,
"But it's true." And quickly brought his head back out as a fist sized boulder came sailing in his direction, "That woman really needs to learn how to take a compliment."
…...
A crumpled yuan fell out of Bolin's pocket. He didn't seem to notice as he continued past his Great-Uncle Zuko's statue. Another yuan fell out just a few yards away from the first, again it went unnoticed. He smiled as he heard the street kids snicker at him, not believing someone would be so stupid with their money. It was a time honored tradition, he used to do this with his mom when they went out to look for Mako. It was only fifteen yuans in total, but every little bit helps, right? They needed it more than he did.
"Look at that, Boss." Shin said from the Satomobile, "The Beifong Boy. And he's all alone." his tone so full of villainy that his boss didn't need to ask why he'd pointed it out.
"What did I tell you about him?" Lightning Bolt Zolt asked his minion bitterly from the passenger seat, "You want the Chief to plant me six feet under?!" assuming she and all of her attack seal-hounds didn't slice him up and feet him to the wolfbats.
"No, no. Of course not Boss, but think about the possibilities for a second. What if his waterlogged body was found near the Red Monsoon Headquarters?"
"Then Beifong would go berserk." He realized, "Half of the triad would be dead and we wouldn't have to lift a finger."
"Not a half-bad plan, right?"
"Get him."
"Hey Beifong!" Shady shin called as he and his boss got out of the vehicle. The boy turned to see who called him and instantly got into a fighting stance.
"Go away!"
"Hey, Hey." Shin put up his hands in a nonthreatening manner, "We're not here to fight. I know the Beifongs and the Triple Threats had some problems in the past, but we really don't wanna be on bad terms with you. You're a star probender, after all."
"I'm not taking any bribes, Shady Shin."
"Bribes? Who said anything about bribes? We just wanted to offer you a job. Just normal security work, nothing illegal." Pabu hissed at him.
"Sorry, there's plenty of strong earthbenders in Republic City, find someone else." These guys tried to kill him and his brother, he didn't want to even be in the same country as them.
"Well if that's how you feel-" a waterwhip came at him without warning, cutting a nick in his arm and sending the fire ferret flying.
"Hey!" He punched the ground, sending Shin flying before having to raise a barrier between him and Zolt, "What have I done to you two lately?!"
"You're gonna do the job whether you like it or not."
"I'm not doing anything for you, Zolt!" He sent a wave to knock them both off their feet, "Now leave me alone!"
….
"Hey Mako!" Jinora waved as she saw him coming up to them.
"Hi, Mako!" Ikki followed suit.
"You've seen Bolin?" Mako asked Korra abruptly. The two girls pouted when he ignored them.
"Nice to see you to. No, not since practice. You think something's wrong?"
"I don't know. Bolin has a knack for getting himself into stupid situations." He sighed. This was going to be a long night, "See ya."
"Wait. I could help you look for him."
"Naw, Asami said she'd meet me at the docks, we got it."
"Hey, let me help you guys. We can take Naga."
"Who's Naga?"
"My best friend, and a great tracker."
….
"Seriously, haven't any of you heard of a fair fight?!" Bolin asked as some more of Zolt's goons happened to be passing by and decided to join the fight. Now outnumbered four-to-one the teenager decided that this would be a great time to run, so that is exactly what he did. Turning down a street, he came upon a shop that had a window on the front door. It was then that he decided that jail time for breaking and entering wasn't as bad as death. Snikt! The glass broke, allowing him to put his hand through and unlock the door. "Telephone, telephone, where would I find their telephone?"
…
"Chief Beifong." a tired Lin mumbled into the receiver from her matress.
"Mom, I'm in trouble! Zolt's after me and he's got his goons! Help!"
"Where are you?" she shot up.
"By Zuko's statue-"
"Bolin?...Bolin?!"
…
He ran out the back door of the shop as he heard his attackers closing in on him. It was a trap. He slipped on an inch of slick ice. With no connection to his element and with a helpless position he tried to chuck a rock. He did manage to get a good sized rock off the ground, but he couldn't get enough momentum for it to do a lot of good. This was it, he just knew that he was done for...except he wasn't. The Triple Threats fell down as hands came up from behind them and jabbed a few strategic places of their bodies.
"Phew! Thanks guys, that was a close one. Why are you guys coming into my personal space?" Jab! "Oh, I see how it is..."
…
"He comes here to give money to the street kids." Mako explained to the confused avatar from on top her polarbear dog.
"Speaking of kids, this place is usually full of them at this time of day." Asami looked at the eerie city square, "Where are they?"
"Spread out." Mako ordered, getting out of the satomobile.
"Aye, Aye, Captain." Korra sarcastically threw a salute as she jumped off Naga.
"There's Pabu!" Mako saw the little animal chasing after something. The sound of screeching tires was heard, and they all looked at each other. Without another moments hesitation, they ran towards the sound just in time to see Bolin tied and gagged in the back of a truck.
"Naga, come!" She leaped on the polarbear dog and offered a hand to Mako.
"Go, I'll catch up!" Asami said over her shoulder as she ran back to get her car, "Thank the spirits! Lin!" she saw the metalbender scanning the area for her son, "They took Bolin that way!"
"Drive!" And they sped off to join Mako and Korra. They followed flashes of light and the sounds of motorcycles a large open area, where a fight was already taking place. It couldn't have happened more perfectly if they'd rehearsed it. Lin stood up in her seat, Asami put the car into a skid. As soon as the vehicle was broadside, Lin jumped out, capturing Mako's opponent in her cable and slamming him into Korra's, "Where is Bolin?!"
"We lost them!" Mako roared with clenched fist. It took all of the Chief's composure not to punch the ground until her hands bled, throwing a fit wouldn't help get her son back. She needed to remain calm...as difficult as that may be. First option, unmask the goons and get what information she could. Goon number one- unconscious. Goon number two, while conscious, was completely out of it. Her head swayed from left to right, her mouth was agape and she had the stupidest look on her face.
"Mako, give me a flame." She held the woman's pupils open as the firebender ignited a small fire close to the chi blocker's face. No response, "Damn concussions." She always did have that particular problem with her suspects. Second option, follow the tire tracks. "The tire tracks are too basic." she inspected the evidence, "I'll lose the trail at the intersection. Damn it!"
"What do we do now?"
"Now we look for him!" Mako shouted as if it was the dumbest question he'd ever heard.
"Now we ask for help." she glared at the boy, "This is too big a city to just wander around and hope we catch a glimpse of him. I'll bring all the officers I can to help interview the people around here, maybe some of them can point us in the right direction."
"Fourteen different leads and a bunch of people who are too afraid of Amon's henchmen to talk." Lin delivered the bad news the four regrouped a few hours after the fight.
"Amon? That anti-bending guy with the mask?" Korra guessed.
"That's him." Asami nodded, "I don't know why he would want Bolin, though."
"You don't think..." Mako turned to Lin with wide-eyed realization, "he's using Bolin to get to you?"
"At this point, I hope he is."
"How could you say that?!" He shouted at her. This woman raised his little brother and she wants the equalists to do something like that?! He always knew she was her own special brand of crazy, but up till now she became a deranged, blood thirsty psychopath when someone threatened Bolin.
"If they were trying to start a fight with me, they would've killed him." Lin candidly pointed out, "If they're using him as a hostage, it wouldn't be in their best interest to hurt him."
"Why would they use Bolin against you?" Everyone looked at Korra like she'd grown a second head. Why wouldn't they? Was it really so peaceful in the Southern Water Tribe that no one would think to use a powerful opponent's kids against them?
"It makes sense." Now that Asami thought about it, "The police won't mess with them if they have the chief's son as a-"
"The chief's son? You mean that you and Bolin are..."
"You didn't know that?"
THUD