Thank my amazing Co author, BG-13! :)
Korra's POV
I couldn't get Howl's words out of my head. Murderer. That's what he'd called me. You'd think I'd be used to it by now, having heard it so many times before. But it always seemed to sting a little more every time it was said. And with Howl, it had practically seared my soul. I had blood on my hands. There was no denying that. Didn't mean I didn't regret it every minute of every day.
I needed help. That was a fact. But since Howl didn't want any part of this, I had been forced to seek out Mako. I had to admit, I was surprised he had agreed so willing to meet me, the Blue Spirit me that is. I waited for him on the roof of the Police Station. I heard his footsteps before I heard his voice.
"You were right," he admitted, walking over to me. "He might actually be innocent. But we can't do anything unless we have this guy with the third eye."
"I can't hand him over alive." The slits of my mask met his gaze. "He's too dangerous."
His amber eyes narrowed. "I didn't become a cop to break the law," he said, his tone clipped.
"I do what you fear to do. I do what is necessary."
He scoffed and pinched the bridge of his nose. I saw him breathe in and out and then cross his arms over his chest, meeting the eyes of my mask once again. "If what you're doing isn't wrong, then why do you wear the mask?"
I didn't reply at first. I had more than a few reasons for wearing this mask. It gave me a new identity, concealed my face, made me forget for a few short hours who I was and what I'd done. It was like a blank sheet to me, my past having been wiped away. But there was still one other reason, more powerful than the others.
"To protect those I care most about in this world."
He studied me, trying to find any sign that I was lying to him. His expression softened after a moment, a sad look in his eyes. "Sounds like a lonely existence."
"It can be," I admitted, turning around and walking to the edge of the building. I looked over my shoulder at him. "But not today." And with that I used my Airbending to leap to the next rooftop.
Howl's POV
I didn't guard the Avatar at all the rest of the day. I let her run around as she pleased, staying at the restaurant since it opened till night. It would be closing soon, but I didn't care. I would pay some fisherman to take me to the island after I knew everyone was asleep. I didn't need another scolding from Tenzin or the Avatar's parents.
"So are you going quit or what?" Carly asked, sitting down with me. "Forget about the Avatar, I say."
"It's not that easy," I replied with a small smile, taking a sip of my coffee.
"It is," she countered. "Being a sentry is dangerous. Look at what happened to dad."
"Does it ever brother you that we don't know what happened to him?" I asked. But I did know, of course. "If he's dead, who killed him?" She didn't say anything. "I want to make a difference, Carly. I always have."
"Then stop being a sentry and do something you want to do. Or be a sentry and make a difference either way."
"What if it's wrong?" I asked. What if the path I choose, does more harm than it does good? Could I ever live with myself? I thought about Avatar Korra, imagining if she'd ever thought about things such as this before she took on the 'mission' my father had given her. I couldn't imagine she had.
My sister sighed heavily. "Howl," she began. "If you believe in something, then how can it be wrong?"
I thought over the response. Then gave her a small smile and nodded. She had a point. This was my decision. It's what I thought that mattered. Being a sentry wasn't exactly what I had planned but my sister's words made me realize that by being a sentry I was offered this opportunity. The opportunity to bring my father's murderer to justice. I just had to decide if I was willing to do whatever it took to do so.
Dead Shot's POV
I had never been in Republic City before. Usually my work was done in the Fire Nation, where the mob leaders acquired my services. But after my client showed me all the tech they had to offer…I just couldn't resist coming here. My mission was simple and self explanatory. Take out the nut job with the blue mask. At first I thought it would be a piece of cake, but after our first encounter, it looked like I would actually break a sweat.
There had been others like me with a third eye. 'Combustion Man' was one of the few left at the time of the last Avatar. He was brought down with a fatal hit on his third eye, which is why I had accepted this deal. My clients had provided me with a shield that would protect my third eye. I didn't want to end up like my father's uncle.
The hand "gun" that I wore was an additional toy I liked. It released poisoned darts or bullets as I called them. It wasn't all that easy to recover from one of these suckers but that 'Spirit' didn't seem to have a problem with it. I was just cleaning it when a gust of wind knocked me back. I looked up to see the Blue Spirit standing in front of me. I ground my teeth together as I stood up, ready to blast the sucker out of here.
"You do as so much as light a flame and we'll both blow up," the masked figure said holding a cut gas cable. My jaw clenched at this and I looked at the glove. "That stay's," the person added making a move to blast air at me.
I broke the window and got out. I expected the nut job to follow me but they didn't. I punched the wall out of frustration. This wasn't over yet.
Mako's POV
I was on my desk working on Lee's case when someone dropped a metal glove on my table. I jumped a bit and examined it. I had never seen anything like this. I looked at the holes in the knuckles and guessed that was where the bullets the prisoner had been talking about came out. I looked up to find the Blue Spirit a few feet from me.
"What is this?"
"Evidence to prove that Lee wasn't the murderer," the masked figure replied.
"As a cop, I don't think I would have ever gotten this," I said. It was true; I had never seen anyone get so much leverage in such little time. "I always thought the law was sacred…it fixed everything."
"It now will," the Blue Spirit replied. "Now what do you think?"
"I think there are too many people in this city who only care about themselves," I replied sincerely. "People who are selfish. I think they need someone who cares about the lives of other people. Maybe someone like you."
The Blue Spirit stared at me for a long time before retreating. Bei Fong was…upset, to lightly put it that I was cooperating with the vigilante but since Councilman Tarrlok had taken over the case and insisted that Lee was guilty, I had no other choice. I leaned back against my chair. Maybe the Chief was wrong and there was more to the Spirit that meets the eye.