"Man, what am I gonna do about him?" Mako pondered as he stood with Korra and Asami in one corner of the break room, watching Tenzin have a heart-to-heart with Bolin on the other. Until the family matriarch was found, Mako decided that as the eldest it was his duty to be the family patriarch pro tem. There was only one problem, he had no idea how to be the head of anything. "What would Lin do?"

"I wish I knew." Asami frowned. Bolin had lost three family members in his lifetime, all of them to murderers. And now that they knew the equalists were actually killing people, it was getting harder for him not to picture her dead body in a ditch somewhere. It was strange, he always acted so silly and full of life that she often forgot about his past and just how afraid he was to lose anyone else.

"Maybe this is a bad time to bring it up," Korra joined in the conversation, "but what about Rhy?" The Beifong boy her Waterbending Master, Katara, mentioned from time to time, "Where is he anyway? Maybe he could help." There were a lot of unanswered questions about this family, 'where was Rhy','why Mako didn't call Beifong 'mom' like Bolin did', 'why had Mako been alone when Bolin wasn't'...her best guess would be that when Bolin said 'lost our parents', he'd meant 'dad and step-mom', and for some strange reason only one of brothers was sent to live with their real mom. She'd tried to bring it up a couple of times, but every time something different stopped her from getting the question out.

"He's right there." Mako pointed to Bolin as he rolled his eyes, "'Rhy' is short for 'Rhyolite', it's the name he uses when he competes in the Earth Rumble Tournament."

"It's also the nickname Toph gave him when he was little." Rhy's best friend added.

"Really?" Why was he just now finding this out? He felt like an idiot, but not as much as Korra did.

"Katara always called Toph's grandson 'Rhy'." She explained as she added another question to the list, 'why did Katara only count one of them as Toph's grandson'. Maybe they only shared a father, and Bolin was sent to live with his real mother after he died. That would make a little more sense. But seriously, out of the two of them, Mako talked, acted and even looked more like her.

"Aw, that's pretty sweet." The heiress smiled, she'd like to think that the family using her nicknames in her absence would make Toph proud, "She really loved Bolin. I remember, she was joking around, and said that Lin adopted the lovechild of Aang and Sokka." Those weren't her exact words, Asami couldn't, for the life of her, remember what names she called the two of them.

"Oh, you guys were adopted. That makes more sense." Not for Mako, he was sullen and snarky just like Beifong. Korra would've guessed that those two were not only blood related, but really close as well.

"No, just my little brother. It's a long story." Eight years long as a matter of fact, but Korra was giving him a look that clearly meant that she wanted him to elaborate. With a mix of a growl and a sigh, he continued, "Our parents were killed by a firebender when I was eight. We ran away from our orphanage and lived on the streets for awhile. I'd leave Bolin in an alley while I got food, but I hadn't managed to get anything for a day or two so after I left, he stole some bread. Lin happened to be passing by and arrested him."

"For stealing...bread?!" What kind of...monster...would arrest a little kid for stealing food?

"Actually, I asked why she arrested him once." Asami pipped in, "Because if she arrested him, she could keep him at the station until she found Mako. Then she could just drop the charges and put them in a good home. If she didn't, she would have to turn him over to child services, and she knew that wouldn't end well. As it turned out, she was right about that." she trailed off.

"Yeah, they finally took him, Bolin thought he'd been kidnapped and ran away that very night. Worse part was, it was the middle of winter. He would've froze if she hadn't got him to Air Temple Island in time."

"And she adopted him. Saying that was the only she could keep him alive."

"But what about you?" The newcomer asked the firebender.

"I was an idiot. I heard so many stories about traitors selling their friends out to the cops for favors so I thought it was obvious that my little brother had done that to me. They spent eight years looking for me, and I hid from them."

"I'm sorry." It didn't seem fair. All it'd been was a misunderstanding.

"It's what I get." Mako shrugged, "I promised Bolin that I'd take care of him and I didn't, Lin did. And now look at him, he's a good man and champion earthbender. I owe her for that."

"Alright." All three of them jumped, so focused on Mako's monolog that they didn't see Tenzin exit the room and Bolin walk up, "Who's the jerk that told Master Airhead about me going berserk yesterday?" the trio looked to each other and back at Bolin, who was starting to resemble a fur-less badgermole...or in other words, an angry Beifong.

"Mako." Asami claimed with a pointed finger,

"Korra." Mako accused with a causal thumb in her direction,

"Asami." Korra mouthed behind a concealing hand. His eyes narrowed, but his lips formed a pout.

"I hate you all."

…...

"We grateful for our the family among us, we hope for the safety of those who are not. We-"

"I'm not interrupting, am I?" Everyone at the table looked up to see a man in Water Tribe clothing lurking in the doorway.

"This is my home, Tarrlok." Tenzin stood up to face the invader and let him know that he was not welcome, "We're about to eat dinner."

"Good, because I am absolutely famished. Airbenders never turn down a hungry guest, am I right?"

"I suppose." He relented, not being able to argue.

"Oh, you must be the famous Avatar Korra. It is truly an honor. I am Councilman Tarrlok, representative from the Northern Water Tribe." He spoke with a smile and a small bow.

"Nice to meet you."

"How come you have three ponytails?" Ikki asked bluntly as she sniffed the air, "And how come you smell like a lady? You're weird."

"Well aren't you, precocious. And you boys, Mako, Bolin, I am truly sorry for your family's misfortune. You know, your mother's told me all about you two."

"Lair." Both bothers said simultaneously.

"One, she thinks you're slime." Bolin counted off, "Two, she doesn't talk to slime about her family, or much of anything for that matter."

"Why does Aunt Lin think you're slime, are you slippery?"

"He's slime," the youngest airbender pointed his chopsticks at the councilman, "scum, gar-"

"Meelo, that's quite enough." Tenzin stopped him before he could repeat any other words his aunt taught him. Pema was secretly, and a only a little guiltily, cheering him on.

"Obviously," Tarrlok smiled much larger than actually necessary, "she's so proud of you both that she will brag about you even to algae. But be assured that while we do have our differences, I respect your mother and the work she did for the city." The boys eyed each other skeptically, "So, Avatar Korra, I've been reading all about your adventures in the papers. Infiltrating Amon's rally, now that took some real initiative."

"Oh, thanks. I think you're the first authority figure in this city who's happy I'm here."

"Republic City is much better off now that you've arrived."

"Enough with the flattery, Tarrlok." Tenzin eyed his coworker, "What do you want from Korra?"

"Patience, Tenzin. I'm getting to that. As you may have heard, I am assembling a task force that will strike at the heart of the revolution, and I want you to join me." This news was met with mixed feelings.

"Really?" Excitement from Korra.

"What?" Surprise from her teacher.

"I need someone who will attack Amon directly. Someone who is fearless in the face of danger and that someone, is you." He praised her. She suddenly seemed very solemn.

"Joi-"

"Laying it on a little thick, weren't ya?" So that's what he looked like when he was calling his mom the best smartest chief ever the other day. No wonder she didn't buy it.

"I'm sure your mother taught you not to interrupt, Bolin. Now you were saying, Korra?"

"Joining your task force...I can't."

"I must admit, I'm rather surprised." and for the first time that night, everyone at the table believed him, "I thought you'd jump at the chance to help me lead the charge against Amon."

"Me too." Tenzin said softly.

"I came to Republic City to finish my airbending training with Tenzin. Right now, I just need to focus on that."

"Which is why this opportunity is perfect! You'd get on the job experience while performing your avatar duty for the city."

"Korra gave you her answer, it's time for you to go." Tenzin finally put his foot down.

"Very well. But I'm not giving up on you just yet. You'll be hearing from me soon. It has been a pleasure, Avatar Korra." he bowed respectfully, "Even if Korra decides to stay on the island with Tenzin,I want to extend an offer to you two as well. I could use a couple young men such as yourselves. Strong, blunt, persistent, just like Lady Beifong."

"Chief Beifong." Bolin corrected.

"Ah, yes, of course."

"Bye, bye, ponytail man." Ikki waved.

The three teenagers decided to go outside and train for a bit before they all turned in. Korra was practicing spiral foot movements while Mako went through his lightning bending forms and Bolin tried to heighten his seismic sense.

"So...he wants all three of us, huh?" the earthbender broke the ice, taking off his blind fold so he could look avatar and firebender in the eyes.

"Lin wouldn't want us siding with him." Mako reasoned aloud, "But if he's going after the equalists, he could help us find her."

"Yeah, do we have a choice? I mean, he's a scum-sucking, back-stabbing jerk...but unlike Saikhan he's willing to give us the chance to help. We should take it. Right?" Somebody, anybody, else came up to him with a chance like this he'd jump on it whether Mako thought it was a good idea or not. But he'd heard his mom say, more than once, that she would rather dive into the Arctic Ocean wearing full armor than help or be helped by that man. And he was pretty sure she was serious, so he didn't know what to do.

"I don't know."

"Hey, Mom!" Bolin came busting in her office like he owned the place, "Look what I can do!"

"I apologize for my son's interruption, General Ho." She gave Bolin a hard glare, making him slink back.

"It's alright Chief Beifong. I have five granddaughters, they have no concept of propriety at that age.", he assured her it was no trouble, and encouraged the little boy to show his skill to his mother.

"Go on, Kid." She might as well let him do it, she'd get on to him later.

"Alright..." he showed them a piece of soft clay in his hand, "a wolfbat." the clay transformed into a lopsided animal, "Pabu, my pet fire ferret. Great-Uncle Aang," if it weren't for the arrowed head and the staff, she wouldn't have been able to tell, "A girl from Ba Sing Se."

...

…...

…... WHY THE HELL WAS THERE A NAKED WOMAN IN HER EIGHT-YEAR-OLD SON'S HANDS?!

"Where did you see that?!" She shouted as the general continued to stare. He cowered like a beaten polarbear pub and took a few steps backwards, "Well?!"

"They were building statues in the sand pits." He whimpered while trying to figure out what he'd done wrong.

"Who?" Her voice so strained she could barely get that single word out.

"Um...I'm not sure if I wanna tell you..."

"You'd better." Or the boy could take the bastard's spot on her hit list.

"Huang Fu."

"I'll have to...speak with him later." Or throw him in front of a moving train, whichever. Lin smiled at one of the many old memories that'd been invading her mind since she'd been thrown in her cell. It had only been a few days, certainly not her longest visit to jail, but it was by far the hardest. Being trapped in a metal cage was unnerving, it was insulting, and it was taking every ounce of self-control not to throw a fit every time she thought about it. Those memories were the only thing that kept her calm enough to work on an escape plan.

"Beifong." Her favorite guard banged on her cell, accompanied by another goon.

"Tell Amon that I'm not in the mood today." Once a day these imbeciles took her to the interrogation room to speak with their leader. She'd expected as much, what she didn't expect was conversation instead of torture devices.

"And I'm not in the mood for you. Let's go." He barked like he didn't just barely pass the test to join the chi-blockers and he could whip her without the wood baton in his hand.

"Bring your backup and your club in here and make me." And they did too, but not without a bruise or two. 'It's worth it', she told herself as she was forced into cuffs and lead down the hall to her normal interrogation room, 'Just wait and listen, Beifong. Keep your guard up and learn as much as you can'.

"Chief." He greeted her as they sat her down and attached her cuffs to the table chains.

"Amon. I get the feeling your giving me special treatment. Why?"

"Ah," Tarrlok ushered in the brothers with a wave of his hand, "now that you've had a night to think on my offer, I assume you're here to give me your decision?"

"We're in. But let's get one thing straight." He slammed his hands on the Councilman's desk, but he seemed very unimpressed, "We're just doing this to find Lin. We don't trust you as far as we can throw you."

"Your trust is not required, only your obedience."