Republic City was in a middle of a war for months while the Avatar sat in her office comfortably. Tarrlok knew he was only being used now as a personal henchman whenever his younger sister asked him to raid a location. The other day, he watched her deal with Future Industries and Cabbage Corps. Both owners were reported missing after their meeting and the heirs to the company were left with threats of a worse death if they failed.
He had watched the young Sato girl hide her face away as she left because of being threatened. If he had words to comfort her, he would have spoken to her. Tarrlok was tired of apologizing for his sister's actions though.
Later in the day, he caught his sister in a compromising spot as the only thing blocking him from seeing her and her current partner naked was the Avatar's office chair. He snarled.
"They make other rooms for that." He said as he held his hand up.
Korra laughed before resting her arms on the back of her chair. Whoever her partner was at the moment was not stopping his playfulness, leaving her trying to fight the touch and communicate in a business sense. "There is also something called knocking. What do you need? I'm busy at the moment with triad stuff. The broken up Triple Threats are finally joining the Red Monsoons."
Her brother sighed, "I'll come back at a later time."
"Right." She said sitting back from the chair and looking at the man under her, "Where were we?"
Tarrlok gagged as he walked out.
He was currently on his way to her office to try and give her his message again when he had a feeling from dread come upon him. Unconscious police officers and triad members lined the halls. Knowing that something was indeed wrong, he rushed towards the Avatar's office. Equalist foot soldiers guarded the entrance and the councilman spared no time in rendering them useless. Tarrlok had a feeling that this would happen and their ambush was successful.
"You are nothing more than a tyrant abusing your impurity, Avatar Korra. Do not fear, I will release you from its curse and free the city from your tyranny."
Tarrlok was seconds late from being able to stop the masked revolutionist. The bounded Avatar was allowed to fall to the floor before the masked man turned to him.
"Declare bending illegal, Councilman," he spoke, "Or you too will join the Avatar in embarrassing defeat."
The councilman nodded in fear as he gave in, "I will have a broadcast sent out over the radio. Republic City is at your mercy, Amon."
The next few weeks were spent watching arrested benders line up before Amon to have their bending removed. He despised himself for giving the city up but they would be free from the Avatar's crueler rule. Now, he was left with the city as the Equalist spread out to finish the United Republic.
None of it mattered anyhow. He failed to protect the city from his family's gift. Or was it was curse? What bravery he thought he could muster failed him but at the same time, the triads were under control and people could walk the city without being harassed. Unless they were known benders.
He was finally allowed to visit the bendingless Avatar in her cell after a few months. Tarrlok wished that he had even half of the evil bone that Korra had so he could flaunt his ability to still bend in front of her. He could not find it in him to. Instead, he was going to remind her that he was right in the dangers of Amon.
"You should have listened to me when Lin and I first brought this up." He said with his arms crossed.
She sat facing the wall with her matted hair hanging loosely. This slightly peeved him as he could not see her reaction.
"I listen to no one, not even my past lives." He heard her say. Tarrlok assumed she had that signature grin on her face because of the tone of her voice. She had something up her sleeve, figuratively, "Amon is a fool. He should have let me keep my bending."
"Why is that?" he asked before his muscles became stiff. He was forced to the ground in shock at her returned powers.
"Because I now know who he is and he will not best me this time. The coward has hid long enough." She said as she stood up and faced him, "Amon is our dear lost brother Noatak. The feeling of losing my bending was ever so familiar, but unlike your practicing, this actually hurt. I am going to find him and permanently end his hypocrisy."
"How," he tried to speak through the pain, "How did you get your bending back?"
"Avatar Aang is a fool if he thinks that I will follow the path of the Avatar. Power and money are my true calling. His kindness is his folly and my lucky break." She said as the metal bars bent open, "Sleep well, brother. Only one of us will properly rule over the world. I will take back my reign or I will burn it all with me."
Tarrlok hit the ground but he would not know it. His sister would break him before stepping on the body to walk out. Sounds of broken, non-bender bodies hitting the stone walls echoed through the halls as she left with a sense of vengeance.
With what was left of her followers, Korra knew she needed fresh bodies with bending abilities to enact her revenge. At the moment, she was meeting with a probender whose brother lost his bending.
"The almost famous Mako. Mako with moxie." She grinned, "So you want revenge too?"
"He took Bolin's bending. I already failed at protecting him from that. I don't want to see others lose theirs."
Korra rested a pen in the gap between her ear and the rest of her head, "Well, you have worked with the Triple Threats before. I hope you won't have loyalty issues?"
"I'm not in it for money and other issues."
He watched the Avatar sit back. Her hat was taken off of her head, "Listen kid, I'm not one for noble causes. If you want to be noble, go join the navy. I'm sure there are sailors there that would love to ream your young ass while you sail the world and try to help others. We are out for blood and power. I don't need softies."
The young man's brow raised some in shock of her rejection, "I can, eh, bend lightning?"
Korra slowly smiled as she reached into a drawer and brought out a bottle of some brown liquid and a couple of shot glasses. She could not bend the formerly rare firebending ability. No one was willing to teach her, "Lightning? Actually, I might have a spot for you now. Here, drink this. It'll take all of your noble thoughts away."
The firebender looked at the glass. His lower lip was jutted out as he pondered what this stuff would do to him.
"Come on, City Boy. Don't let me down know. Don't think about it and drink it."
"Hey Boss," the current leader of the Red Monsoons poke his head in, "Miss Sato from Future Industries is here."
Mako stared at the drink as the Avatar waved the woman in. The brown liquid was not calling at all and his hand slowly made it to the glass before the Avatar snatched it and offered it to the business woman.
"Shot? City Boy here is taking forever to drink it."
Asami glanced at the drink with a worried look before politely declining, "No thank you, Avatar Korra."
The Avatar hummed with disappointment before grabbing Mako's jaw and forcing the drink into the man. His arms went up, reacting to being grabbed. The firebender coughed as he swallowed the drink hard.
"How's that feel, City Boy? Better?" Mako responded with putting his thumb up. The Avatar laughed at his misfortune before looking back at the woman, "Look, don't take this personal, but the removal of your father was necessary. Now, you have a choice, Miss Sato. I can take out my pen and checkbook, and personally buy your company from you. We can kiss and make up or I will take the company by force."
The green eyed woman glared, "You killed by father right in front of me. No. I am not selling my company to a bender. Especially you. You keep threatening me like I'm some little troubled child."
She regretted her outburst when Korra forced her to her knees, "Mako, do you know what happens to people that argue back to me? Especially rich, prissy children?"
The firebender dared not to answer. He watched as the Avatar walked over to the nonbender. Asami was released and allowed to fall to the ground.
"I could have made you richer so you could disappear from this city but now that you refuse, I have to do something. You will hand over your company and all resources. I will pick someone to run it and you," Korra reached down to pull her face closer, "I may just keep you. I'm not sure for what yet, but you showed more backbone than City Boy here did. He's even a bender."
"I'm not giving it up without a fight."
The blue eyed Avatar leaned in closer to whisper. All of her joking and teasing was cleared away from her tone, "There won't be a fight. I don't think you realize how easy I could kill you and the kid before you two could even react. Besides, I'm thinking that a quick painless death doesn't suit you. I can bend more than just water and each element will torture you in some way. Now sign this paper stating that I will own Future Industries or you will find out how much pain you can manage before death takes you. You and I both know that you cannot hold up a strong front for long. You will be crying after this is done."
The younger women looked away in defeat, "The company is yours. I don't want to be in this city any longer."
Korra straighten up, "Now, wasn't that easy? Mako, go take this young lady on a date or something. Food, dancing or even just take her to bed, and have fun. I don't care what you do to her, just get her out of my sight and make sure she ain't causing trouble."
Mako nodded and hurried over to help the young woman up, "Come on."
After the door was closed, Viper stepped out from behind a banner.
"Now that I have both of the companies, clear them out of nonbenders. One of these companies makes Amon's equipment."
"Got it Boss."