Note: Two chapters in one week? What is this nonsense? Seriously, we're almost at the end now, and we want to thank everyone who has followed along on our crazy two year journey. It's been an absolute pleasure to write this, and who knows? Maybe we'll write a sequel afterwards (if there are any characters left alive to write about). We're cutting up the last three chapters to be (hopefully) dispersed over the next three weekends, followed by a brief epilogue, so stay tuned for more, and enjoy as this mystery finally starts to come to a close!
Korra and Asami stayed up all night compiling evidence. By the time the sun began to rise, Korra's room was covered with flash cards and notes carefully jotted with names, places, and times. Asami took care of the organization, creating a web of words so dense that only she had a chance of understanding it. Still, it was a far more effective method than anything Korra had managed to accomplish by herself, and thus she had to give Asami credit. It finally seemed as if they were getting somewhere. The only problem was that Korra did not like where they were headed.
Asami's knowledge of the attacks was the missing piece of the puzzle. Four were killed with knives, expertly dissected and disposed. Four were missing, three of them children, silently stolen in the night. Three injured in bombings, all dear friends. There was plenty of information to work with, but they had been asking all the wrong questions. It didn't matter why the Killer spared some and killed others, or why some were obviously connected while others seemed like random acts of violence. Approaching the case traditionally had gotten them nowhere, so they focused on what they did know: whoever was closely connected to Korra. With the playing field of suspects narrowed, all they had to do was match the methods of the killer with the skills of the individual, and their Killer would be revealed. As they soon found out, that was easier said than done. Even after limiting the suspects, no one appeared to match.
Korra was fairly convinced that she did not murder anybody, so she was ruled out.
Asami was out of town when Valos Basteln was murdered in cold blood, so she was ruled out.
Mako and Chen were investigating a lead downtown while several kidnapping occurred, so they were ruled out.
Bolin and Opal were ruled out for obvious reasons.
Lin was ruled out for obvious reasons (although Korra had a theory that Lin blew herself up on purpose to cover her tracks, though Asami claimed that was stupid).
Varrick and Zhu Li were with Asami on the airship, so they were ruled out.
Tenzin was out of town for the past month, so he was ruled out.
Pema was out of town for the past month, so she was ruled out.
Kya and Bumi had been out of town for years, so they were ruled out.
Suyin and her family were in Zaofu, and were comprised almost entirely of pacifists, so they were ruled out.
Toph lived in a swamp, so she was ruled out.
Jinora, Kai, Ikki, Meelo, and Rohan were being babysat by Korra when Bolin and Opal were attacked, so they were ruled out.
Korra's extended family was accounted for in the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, so they were ruled out.
And lastly, Amon, Tarrlok, Unalaq, P'Li, Ming-Hua, and Ghazan were dead, Vaatu was an immortal spirit being that vanished from existence seven years ago (and probably wouldn't have wasted its time as a serial killer anyway), and Zaheer and Kuvira were in prison, so they were ruled out.
"Do we really need to include those last guys?" Asami asked, sorting through the cards with careful consideration. Korra rested on her bed and stared at the ceiling. She hadn't moved a muscle in three hours.
"What if one of them decided to get revenge?" Korra reasoned. "I know for a fact that Zaheer still wants me dead, and I did lock Kuvira up for four years. That's pretty good motivation if you ask me."
"But Amon? Really? Are we still talking about that?"
"Tell that to Illu Satori."
"Who's that?"
"Someone else who should probably have her name crossed off the list." She stretched her arms out over her head, and groaned. "Are you absolutely sure that it's someone we know?"
"It has to be," Asami said confidently. "Opal knew the person who attacked her. It has to be one of us."
"Yet nobody lines up," Korra stated. "Not only would they have to have the medical skills to cut someone without killing them, but they also would be keeping four people locked up in a cellar somewhere in the city. Do you really think any one of them is capable of doing that?"
"I don't know," Asami said, tired and frustrated. "But it has to be one of them. I know what I heard."
"Maybe the Killer has a split personality that makes them suddenly want to kill things?"
"One: it's called Dissociative Identity Disorder. Two: that's not how it works. Three: I'm sure they would have told us about it."
Korra poured over the list of suspects again, searching for anything she missed. "Hmm… Kya is a healer. That would give her plenty of medical knowledge, right?"
"Isn't she also against all forms of violence? What about Jinora? She's unassuming, can easily get around places, and she's been known to do crazy things from time to time. Didn't she once take her top off at a fancy party Tenzin was throwing?"
"She was drunk. Accidentally drunk. And I was with her during one of the attacks. Maybe it's… wait, that's stupid."
"What's stupid?"
"Well," Korra said shamefully, "I was going to say that Sy could be the killer, but I doubt that girl is even smart enough to hold a knife."
"I don't even think I knew who Sy is," Asami admitted.
"She's Mako new girlfriend," Korra explained. "Well, maybe not 'new'. They've been dating for half a year. I think you met her once. She's the one who looks like a sheet of paper came to life, and also has all the brains of one."
"Oh, that girl? They're still together?" Asami said in shock. It was true that she only met Sy on one occasion, and it was very brief. Asami was preparing to go on another business venture, and when she went to say goodbye to Mako, she noticed the strange young woman magnetized to his arm. By that point, all of Mako's past eight girlfriends blended together, so she was not expecting much to come out of it. Sy merely gave her name, claimed that Asami's shoes were "kickass", and lamented that her hair was not nearly as dark or luscious as the Sato Heiress's. The very fact that Mako managed to stay in a relationship for more than a week was the biggest revelation of the evening.
"I guess he sees something special in her. Maybe he thinks she's the one."
"Please," Asami said dismissively. "He must be settling. There's no way he would turn down both of us so he could be with the ghost of a teen fashion magazine."
"Is that a hint of jealousy I'm detecting?" Korra teased.
"It's a hint of skepticism. You know how toxic Mako is in relationships. What made her stick around with him for six months?"
"I'm going to make a wild guess here and say that she thinks he's hot."
"Or, maybe she's hiding something."
Korra laughed at the absurdity of the statement. "Seriously, Asami. There's no way Sy is the Hanzi Killer. I know I just made fun of her, but she's a pretty decent girl. A bit out there, but decent."
"Does she have an alibi?"
"No, but she's not a murderer," stated Korra, unwavering in her confidence. "Come on, it's Sy. She's harmless."
"Korra, how much do you really know about her?" Asami questioned. The doubt was planted firmly in her mind, and slowly, it was starting to fester. "What does she do all day? Where does she live? Hell, do you even know her real name?"
Korra sat up on her bed. "That doesn't matter. Sy isn't the Hanzi Killer. There are a dozen obvious reasons why that can't true."
Asami crossed her arms, honing in on her target. "Such as?"
"To start, she…" Korra paused. She knew there were perfectly reasonable explanations, but she drew nothing but blanks. An image of Sy, friendly and perky, danced in her head, but she couldn't point to any specific thing that would prove to be an adequate defense. Sy merely radiated innocence; she was purity in human form. She was always optimistic even at the worst of times, helping others smile through their struggles. There was not a negative bone in her body. Korra thought of the time Sy tried to cheer up Mako before the press conference. When Mako was falling and felt like a failure, she picked him back up and motivated him to stay on the case. She was right there when Mako needed her, like a true friend.
She was there during the press conference. She was there when Lin was attacked, behind the scenes, past security, where no one would ever notice her.
"Think about it, Korra," Asami said, piecing together the puzzle. "The Hanzi Killer always seems to be one step ahead of us. What she's ahead because she can follow every step of the investigation as it happens? No one would ever suspect her because she's just—"
"A teenage girl," Korra said, startled. "No wonder the police would ever tag her as a suspect. With a look like that, who would ever think twice?"
"She could walk circles around the entire police department and get access to all the information she wanted without them ever batting an eye."
"Wait, slow down," Korra grunted. "We don't know that she did it. We don't have proof. This could all just be a coincidence."
"Who else could it be?" Asami wondered, throwing her hands in the air. "The first few murders were reported in the victims' homes, yet there weren't any signs of breaking or entering. All she would have to do is knock on the door, and they would have invited her inside without question. Three young boys got taken away without so much as a struggle, because if she could flash a bit of skin and they would come crawling to her. She has access to every file in the police archive, not to mention all of Mako's personal information. How else would the Killer get access to our addresses? Our phone numbers? Opal said the Killer wasn't a threat before she was taken out, because she thought Sy was innocent. Just like you. Just like Mako. Just like everybody else. That girl is playing us, Korra. You know I'm right."
Korra was silent, lost in contemplation. She never really liked Sy; that much was true. She thought she was annoying and shallow, a woman who had no place in the world and made no effort to find it. Still, she never thought that Sy could be capable of such an evil thing. Sy was joyful. Sy was radiant. But, as she reflected on her memories, the lines grew blurry. Every one of her smiles seemed a bit more nefarious, every joke a bit more forced. Every interaction was always marred and off-putting, and Korra never really knew why until that moment. There was something cruel beneath Sy's pale skin. Something that always seemed out of place. Something greedy, lustful, and envious.
And suddenly, it seemed like that little girl was capable of so much more.
Korra jumped out of her bed, and clenched her fist. "We need to warn Mako and Lin. Who knows what else Sy could do if she isn't contained."
Asami nodded. "Let's get moving. I bet Mako is next on her hit list. Now that she knows I'm back, she's probably starting to feel a little desperate."
"Then I guess we don't have any time to—"
Suddenly, a deafening screech ripped through the air. A tremendous feedback loop rocked the foundation of the temple, and Korra and Asami collapsed to the ground, clutching their hands over their ears.
"What is that thing?" Korra screamed, barely audible over the turbulent cracking of sound.
"I don't know!" Asami cried, urgently trying to silence the world around her. For a brief moment, the sound halted, before a powerful voice rippled through the airwaves.
"Attention! Attention!"
Korra crawled onto her bed, and peered out the window, searching for the source of the sound. It did not take long to find. Over the sea, a massive airship came rocketing towards Air Temple Island, massive speakers strapped to it hull, large cannons armed and ready, and giant engines attached to its back. Asami froze, shocked by the presence of a voice that she had been all too familiar with. It was distorted and echoed endlessly, but its sour note was one that Asami would never forget.
"Attention, Asami Sato!" Shang called from over the speakers. "We know you're in there! You have something that belongs to us! Hand it over now, or we'll take it from you!"
"I don't get it," Mako said, slamming down the receiver. Sy looked onwards from the couch, fixated on her boyfriend as he paced angrily around his apartment. "Asami disappears the second I get to the hospital, and now she won't answer my calls."
"I'm sure its fine," Sy said calmly. "Have you called Korra and asked if she knows where Asami is?"
"Korra isn't picking up either," Mako groaned.
"Have you considered that she might be, y'know, asleep? It is six in the morning."
"But she wouldn't leave me in the dark for hours. I'm worried about her. What if the Hanzi Killer—"
"Ugh," Sy scoffed, rising to her feet and grabbing Mako by his shoulders. She guided him to the couch, and forced him into the cushions. "Can we stop with this Hanzi Killer bullshit for just one day? Korra is fine. Stop worrying."
"What makes you say that?" Mako asked, curious. Sy simply gave a shrug, and wandered towards the kitchen.
"A hunch," she explained, flaunting her expertise. "No killer would be dumb enough to pick a fight with the Avatar. They would get their asses kicked. Instead, they go after people by surprise. Seems pretty simple to me."
"Then maybe you should be investigating the case."
"I'll gladly take your salary. Better than that dumb shoe store," Sy joked. "Anyway, I know just the thing to pick you up: a special Sy breakfast!" She rummaged through the fridge, pulling out every ounce of food she could find.
"I'm not really hungry."
"Nonsense!" Sy declared. "Food makes everything better. I'm going to fatten you up until you can't even move. Oh, this is perfect." She happily pulled out a leftover steak dinner from its foam packaging, and slammed it onto the stone countertop, red juice flying in every direction. "How about steak and eggs? That's perfect for a growing boy like you."
"Whatever you say." Mako knew that resistance was futile, and since he knew that no harm would come of it, he gave Sy free reign of his kitchen. "I hope you inherited some of your mother's cooking skills."
"Oh, I inherited plenty from my mom," Sy said with a devious smirk. She pulled out a knife from one of the cupboards, and held it high to examine it. The stainless, serrated steel glistened in the light, and Sy felt immense satisfaction. "Looks, brains, cooking skills… in fact, I even picked up some medical knowledge from her. You really learn a lot about biology when your mother never shuts up about it."
"You're not going to start taking my blood, are you?"
Sy snickered. She took a step out of the kitchen, blade still in hand, and swept back her buoyant, colorless hair. She twirled the knife in her fingers, allowing her mind to be lost in its hypnotic rhythm.
"Mako, I want you to know that I really appreciate everything you've done for me," she said tenderly. Her shoulders were slouched, and there was a far-off look in her eyes. Mako could tell that she was distracted by something.
"What's wrong?" he asked. She took another step forward, rubbing the tip of the blade between her index finger and thumb. Her smile was gone, as he noticed the trembling in her knees.
"I think you're a really great guy," she stated softly, drawing closer and closer, grey eyes never wavering from the steel. "And I feel like I can always count on you to make me feel better. You're the best friend I've ever had."
"Then why are you sad?" Mako asked worriedly. Sy stopped inches away, hovering over him. The light struck her back, casting her pale face in shadow. Her grip on the knife tightened, and she held the blade close to her chest.
"Because I'm tired of keeping secrets," she stated coldly. "I want you to get to know me. The real me. Not the girl you think you know."
Mako shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I don't know what you're talking about." She was completely still, silently transfixed on the weapon in her hands. She looked like she was about to burst, as if her secrets were eating her from the inside out.
There was an aggressive knock on the door. Sy nearly jumped out of her skin. The knife fell to the floor with a clang, and she dashed into Mako's arms.
"Sy, get off of me," Mako sneered, tossing his girlfriend to the side. "I need to get the door." He brushed the loose strands of white hair off of his shoulders and straightened his shirt to look presentable. Sy cowered on the couch as he opened the door. He was not worried at all. He called Lin earlier about following up on Asami's disappearance, and he had been expecting her to arrive for over an hour.
What he was not expecting, upon opening the door, was the thick boot that jammed into his stomach, sending him reeling onto the ground in agony. He was not expecting to see Jackdaw's towering frame in the doorway, a cigarette dangling from his lips and four other men surrounding him. And he was not expecting the absolute delight in the madman's icy blue eyes as he stomped on Mako's chest, knocking the air out of his lungs.
"Hey, Mako. Long time no see." He beckoned his followers into Mako's apartment, and they wasted no time in trashing everything in sight. Jackdaw kicked Mako in the ribs with one of his abnormally long legs, as his gaze drifted towards the terrified teenage girl, paralyzed with fear. "Good news, detective. I think I found your Hanzi Killer for you. Took a long time, and a lot my resources, but I came through in the end. Far better than you, at least."
He took another puff of his cigarette, sprinkling the ashes on the floor. Mako watched on, confused and horrified, as Jackdaw approached Sy calmly and steadily.
"She was a wily one," he laughed. "When I first met her at that crime scene, I didn't think much of her. But when I started digging deeper, it became obvious. Not only is she the daughter and heir to the Kyoriku crime family, but she also happens to be sleeping with the one man in charge of putting her away? I'm amazed she didn't give herself away. Then again, that hasn't worked out very well in the end, has it?"
Mako did understand what Jackdaw was talking about. All he could focus on was the immense pain in his chest. He saw horror ignite in Sy's face. Instinctively, she dashed towards the knife. She scooped it off of the ground, and in a moment of desperation, took a wild swing at Jackdaw's head. He countered effortlessly; he grabbed her arm mid-swing and tied it around her back, while snatching her by a fistful of hair with his other hand.
"Let… let go of me!" she screamed, trying in vain to free herself. Tears poured down her cheeks. Mako felt helpless as he watched Jackdaw guide her over to the kitchen.
Jackdaw grinned. "You look really ugly when you cry. Let me fix that for you." She begged for mercy, but he ignored her. He pulled her head back as far as it could go, and then, slammed her head into the stone countertop as hard as he could.
Sy's face exploded upon impact. Her nose folded in on itself with a crunch. Some fragmenting pieces of cartilage bent sideways across her face; others drove inwards towards her nasal cavity, piercing through layers of tissue as it pressed into her skull. Her two front teeth connected hard against the stone, cracking in half; the jagged remains cut into her lips and gums. The skin on the bridge of her nose ripped like paper, exposing the raw layer of flesh beneath. Her forehead cracked as if it were glass, leaving a viscious dent in her skull. As Jackdaw peeled her face away from the countertop, bits of skin and flesh stuck to the cold stone, and her thick blood oozed profusely from the gashes in her head, nose and mouth, dyeing her creamy white skin a violent red. Mako saw no emotion in her grey eyes as Jackdaw threw her to the ground. The only indication that she was still alive was the slow rise and fall of her chest.
"Boss, the apartment is trashed," said one of the criminals. "Do you want me to finish off the girl?"
Jackdaw flashed a wicked smile. "No, no, no. Leave her for the police. I was promised freedom if I caught the Hanzi Killer alive. Besides, she's not the one we came for." He walked over to Mako, and delivered another swift kick to the ribs. The detective was powerless to do anything, as he watched Sy bleed out on the floor, her face an indescribable mess of color and meat.
"Why are you doing this?" Mako choked.
"Because you've disrespected me, Mako," Jackdaw said cruelly. "You've disrespected my livelihood, and you've disrespected my power. You suffer because of your arrogance. It's time for you to learn a very important lesson, detective: You don't ever try to start trouble in Jackdaw's Den."