[Noon, City Hall]
The midday bore down on Republic City with unwavering cold despite the high sun, its golden rays glinting off the glass and steel of towering buildings. But inside City Hall, the brightness ended at the marble steps.
Police cruisers lined the front courtyard, their engines cooled but their presence still lout. Barricades were raised, cordoning off the entrance from curious onlookers and concerned civilians.
Officers worked in tight formations, filtering in and out of the grand doors. A few questioned people. Others examined scorch marks and shattered debris.
The main hall had become a scene of a battle.
Cracks ran like spiderwebs across the once-pristine marble floor. Chunks of stone from the broken pillars lay scattered in heaps. Bits of weaponry glinted under the ceiling lights. The second floor office was the worst of it all. Half the halls had caved in, reduced to rubble and dust.
Medics knelt by the wounded, using glowing water to treat wounds.
From the entrance came a rhythm of clanking metal.
LIN BEIFONG
AGE: 51
STATUS: Came As Soon As She Was Called
She stepped over a fractured tile, her boots ringing out sharp and clear. Every step echoed quiet authority.
Her eyes scanned the wreckage with the same eyes she's kept as the Chief of Police.
Eventually, her gaze landed on a figure sitting against a column, bruised and half-bandaged, a healer working diligently at his side.
"You're looking better" Lin muttered dryly, her tone skirting the line between mockery and observation.
It was the closest she'd get to smugness.
TARRLOK
AGE: 37
STATUS: Injured
The councilman glanced up, his expression tight. Despite the gash above his brow and the awkward burn on his left arm, his pride still clung to him like a cloak.
"I'm surprised to see you here" he said, voice gravelly from exhaustion, but no less sharp.
Lin didn't offer a response—her indifference was plain, carved into the hard lines of her face. She scanned the room again, not showing concern to the injured councilman.
"So" she said at last, her tone lacking any empathy. "What happened here?"
It was obvious. The damage spoke for itself. But Lin wasn't the type to take anything at face value. She'd be a fool to not investigate thoroughly.
Tarrlok let out a quiet breath, then gestured curtly to the healer beside him. "That'll be enough"
The healer nodded and stepped away, leaving him to steady himself as he rose. Despite the stiffness in his body, he straightened with practiced grace.
"Well, as I told Tenzin" he began, smoothing his coat as if to reestablish his presence. "Korra came to my office late last night. She was upset tha—"
Lin lifted a hand and cut him off. "I don't care about the melodrama. Get to the point"
Tarrlok's jaw tensed. He clicked his tongue but bit down the retort clawing at his throat.
"Zhen along with a bunch of Equalists ambushed us" he said instead, measured and careful. "I did everything I could to protect her. But one of them managed to electrocute me. When I came to… she was gone"
The story sounded plausible. The wreckage, the bruises—it all lined up. Anyone else might've believed him.
But Lin wasn't anyone.
Her mind wandered back to the old investigations, the crime scenes Zhen had left behind before. Each one executed with a chilling sense of precision. And though his methods were grotesque—bodies mutilated, arranged like morbid displays—he never left an obvious trace. No weapons or any items were left discarded.
But this? This was sloppy.
A bola dangled from a cracked pillar, swaying like an afterthought. An electric glove lay abandoned near a scorch mark. Across the room, one of the officers was sealing an Equalist mask into an evidence bag.
The Zhen she's been chasing for a year didn't make mistakes like these.
As if someone wanted the evidence to be found.
Then, like a jolt, her thoughts returned to that worn leather book she had just found earlier today in one of his safehouses. The pages were filled with names, faces, dossiers. And Tarrlok's name was on that list. In ink so dark it bled through the page.
She didn't believe in coincidences.
"You?" she echoed, her voice colored with disbelief. "Protect Korra?"
Her words were laced with ridicule—just enough to draw a reaction.
Tarrlok's eyes narrowed, his tone defensive. "Yes. Do you think I would just stand by while she was attacked?"
Lin folded her arms across her chest, brow arching high.
"I doubt the Avatar needs you protecting her" she said coolly. "Assuming she didn't knock you out herself"
Tarrlok's lips thinned into a line, but he said nothing.
At first.
Lin could see it in his eyes—the churn behind the calm, the effort to hold his temper. A man like him couldn't afford to lose composure, not here.
"I don't know what you're implying, Beifong" he said stiffly. "But I don't have time to argue fantasy against fact. Not when evidence is right in front of you"
He turned sharply, adjusting his scorched robes with a brisk tug, clearly eager to end the conversation on his own terms.
But he couldn't resist giving the last word.
"I guess you're just as blind as your mother"
Lin didn't take the obvious bait. She exhaled through her nose, offering nothing in return but the faintest roll of her eyes.
"Lin" A voice called out—breathless, tight with panic, utterly uncharacteristic of its owner.
She turned just in time to see Tenzin weaving past the medics and officers. His usually composed posture was wilted by exhaustion, his brows damp with worry.
TENZIN
AGE: 51
STATUS: Has Been Here All Day
He stopped right in front of her, pressing his palms together briefly before letting them fall.
"Thank you for coming to help" he said, voice low. The weariness in his tone made the air around them feel heavier. "I feared I was the only one taking this seriously"
Lin's rigid stance softened by a fraction. "The Avatar going missing is urgent enough to make me get back to work"
Tenzin nodded quickly, his eyes scanning the wreckage around them before settling back on her. "Have you found anything? Any leads at all?"
There was desperation in his voice, clear as day.
Lin glanced around at the patrols, the healers, the too-many ears listening. She stepped in closer.
"Not here" she murmured. "Follow me"
Without waiting for confirmation, she turned and walked off toward the far corridor. Tenzin, though clearly confused, didn't hesitate.
He trusted her. And right now, that was all he could do.
Lin led Tenzin down far from the noise and probing eyes of officers and medics. The marble floor gave way to quieter stone, and the buzz of the investigation behind them faded into a dull hum.
"Well?" Tenzin asked, his voice hushed but tinged with impatience. "What did you find?"
Fweeet~
Lin let out a sudden sharp whistle that echoed through the quiet.
"I'm here" and came a voice from the shadows.
A uniformed officer stepped into view—middle-aged, fully-bearded, but his eyes strangely sharp. Neither Lin nor Tenzin recognized him, and they turned to him with mirrored expressions.
"Who the heck are you?" Lin asked, clueless.
"It's me"
The man simply reached for his face and, with a gentle tug, peeled it off.
Skin gave way to synthetic latex, revealing a much younger face underneath.
QORU
AGE: 19
STATUS: Investigating
"You asked me to investigate and already forgot about me?" Qoru said with a lopsided smirk, crumpling the false face in one hand and tossing it aside like old paper. "I should've just escaped, huh?"
"I don't have time for your jokes" Lin folded her arms, her patience worn thin. "What have you got for me?"
Qoru gave a lazy shrug. "Honestly? Not much"
"Wait, wait, wait" Tenzin finally cut in, his voice rising with incredulity. "Who is this? What in the world is going on?"
Lin didn't even blink.
"Just an Equalist elite I picked up on the way" she said, as fatly as if she were describing the sky.
Tenzin blinked. Once. Twice. Then, finally, the words sank in.
"What?" He sputtered. "You—you—You can't just bring an active Equalist here! He should be in prison!"
"Oh don't be such a baby" Lin replied with a roll of her eyes, brushing past his outrage. "He's useful at the very least"
"That's not the point!" Tenzin's voice cracking like a whip despite whispering, his arms thrown in the air, flustered beyond reason.
But Lin ignored him, turning instead to Qoru. "Well? What did you find?"
Qoru tilted his head and tapped a thoughtful finger to his chin, the ghost of a smirk tugging at his lips. "Well… It's clearly not Leader's work. But I can't say for sure it wasn't the Equalists either"
Tenzin groaned, massaging the space between his brows. "That's not even remotely helpful"
Lin didn't respond. She seemed to be thinking about something.
Qoru caught the flicker of an idea in her expression and immediately shook his head. "Nope. No. Don't even think about it. You still haven't agreed on my terms"
Tenzin's head snapped between the two of them like he was watching a Pai Sho match. "What terms?"
"Fine" Lin said after a sigh. "We'll do it"
"We?" Tenzin's voice cracked again. "What do you mean we? What are you two planning?"
"Perfect!" Qoru clapped his hands once, gleefully.
He reached into his uniform, taking out a police cap just to set it on his head at a jaunty angle.
"Now that that's settled—let's go!"
He strode off with a spring in his step, Lin falling in beside him.
Tenzin stood alone, staring at their backs, red rising to his bald scalp like steam from a tea kettle.
"Will someone please explain to me what's going on?"
Both Lin and Qoru stopped.
Lin turned her head slightly, just enough for him to hear:
"We're breaking out a few criminals"
—————————————————————————————
[Republic City Police Headquarters]
Tap… Tap… Tap…
Time moved differently in a cell. It was unusually slow, like a bored child dragging their feet. Between the foul stench of unwashed walls, the unforgiving metal bunks, and food that somehow managed to violate every existing healthcode, prison life was miserable.
But more than anything, it was boring.
A small rubber ball bounced rhythmically off the wall and back into the waiting palm of the boy sitting cross-legged on the bottom bunk. He tossed it again—
Tap
Then caught it.
Then again.
Tap
Catch.
Tap.
Catch.
Over and over.
"Can you stop with that? I can't concentrate" came a groan from the corner of the cell.
One of the boys hunched over the metal toilet, arms crossing, his fly down.
BOLIN
AGE: 16
STATUS: Desperately Needs To Go
The boy with the ball stopped mid-throw and let it rest in his hand, exhaling with mild irritation.
"Just go already" he complained. "You're not gonna make it through the week if you can't even handle this"
MAKO
AGE: 18
STATUS: Actually Needs To Go As Well
Bolin groaned louder and kicked the base of the toilet for dramatic effect.
"I can't go when I'm aware there's someone just behind me"
Mako gave him a look. "It's either this or I start humming. You pick"
Bolin whimpered in defeat.
Mako started bouncing the ball again.
Tap. Tap.
The sound echoed dully in the cramped cell, but it wasn't alone for long.
A gentle splash of running water trickled from where Bolin stood.
Then—
BANG!
The ball almost froze mid-air. Mako's hand caught it automatically, his eyes lifting toward the sound.
BANG!
Another crash.
It didn't sound like heavy footsteps. It sounded like someone was being bludgeoned with a metal rod. Its heavy blows sent faint vibrations through the floor. Even the chains suspending the bunk bed gave a soft rattle in response.
Mako felt it first—sitting on the lower bunk, the tremors traveled straight through the frame. He shifted, alert, just as a faint, pained groan echoed through the concrete corridor outside.
CLANK!
The mechanical lock on their cell clicked open with a sharp snap, and the heavy steel door groaned as it slowly swung wide. A shaft of pale hallway light sliced into the dim room.
"Oh there you are" said a cool, unimpressed voice.
Lin Beifong stepped into view, her silhouette sharp and commanding as ever.
Mako blinked up at her, straightening instinctively. "Chief Beifong?"
Behind him, Bolin let out a panicked yelp, nearly falling over himself.
"A little privacy, please?" He called out from where he was hunched, still facing the toilet.
Thankfully, his dignity remained, if barely, intact. His back was turned.
"Hurry up" Lin said flatly, showing zero regard for his situation. "I'm not breaking you out for nothing"
Mako stood quickly, the tension in his body stiffening. "Did something happen?"
The ex-chief of police hesitated, just for a beat.
"We aren't actually sure yet" she admitted. "But we have reason to believe Amon has Korra"
The hopeful spark that had flickered in Mako's chest the moment the door opened instantly died.
"What?" he breathed eyes wide. The light drained from them in real time. "No…"
"C'mon" Lin nodded once, curtly, already turning away. "We've got an Avatar to save"
Mako didn't even blink twice. He bolted out of the cell, even though he had no idea where to go.
Behind him, Bolin scrambled awkwardly on his feet, still fumbling to pull himself together.
"Wait up!" He called.
Lin, watching him fumble closer to her, lifted two fingers pinching the air and gave a subtle flick upward.
Zip.
Bolin yelped, jumping slightly as his zipper sealed itself shut with a tug.
"Your fly was down" she said, deadpan.
Face reader than a firebender's flame, Bolin mumbled.
"Thank you…"
And hurried after his brother.
Lin shook her head, partly regretting breaking them out in the first place now.
Still, she followed close behind. Her boots echoed against the polished floor as she caught up to the boys without breaking a sweat.
"Do you know where she is?" Mako asked breathlessly, the urgency shaking his voice.
"Not yet" Lin replied, barely winded. "We're breaking out the girls for that part"
Mako shot her a puzzled look. "Asami doesn't know where the Equalists are"
"It's not your girlfriend I need" Lin muttered.
"Sera?" Bolin caught up then, panting lightly but keeping pace. His tone was somewhere between surprise and concern.
Lin gave a short nod. "The girls are being detained in a separate facility due to their involvement with the Equalists"
Bolin skidded to a stop.
"What does Sera have to do with the Equalists…?" His voice cracked a little—equal parts disbelief and rising anxiety.
Mako slowed too, glancing back at his brother, then at Lin. "Yeah. We know Sera. There's no way she's getting involved with those guys"
"I don't know what to tell you" Lin's tone clipped, clearly done with the questions. "But if we waste time standing here, Tarrlok's going to find out I'm springing you two. So move"
She turned without waiting and strode ahead.
The brothers exchanged a look—Bolin's eyes still wide with shock—but fell into step beside her.
"So we're heading to where they are?" Mako asked, hoping.
"We don't have time" Lin replied firmly. "I've got other people retrieving the girls. We're heading to the rendezvous point to regroup"
"And after that?" Bolin asked, more cautiously now.
Lin didn't answer. Her jaw was tight, her focus dead ahead.
"After that" Mako said, a different spark burning in his eyes. "We find Korra"
—————————————————————————————
[Central District, Noon]
A hulking metal transport truck rumbled down the packed streets of Republic City, scattering pedestrians from its path. The Republic City Police emblem gleamed on its sides, a warning as much as a reassurance.
Inside, the cab smelled of metal and stale coffee. The driver lounged against the window, one hand lazily steering as the siren-less vehicle barreled through traffic.
"Remind me why we're hauling these nobodies to a separate lockup?" He asked, voice thick with boredom. "Feels like a lot of effort for a couple of nulls"
His partner didn't answer right away. He kept his gaze fixed on the crowded sidewalks, a sheen of sweat on his temple.
Finally, he muttered. "Councilman Tarrlok's orders. Wants the Equalists held somewhere private. And with Chief Saikhan eating out of his hand… we don't get much of a say"
The driver snorted, shifting gears as they cut a sharp corner, ignoring the horns of passing cars. "Figures. Politics. Always making us do the legwork"
The passenger shifted uncomfortably, gripping the fabric of his pants.
"Pull over. There—" he pointed at a modest restaurant they were about to pass. "Need to take a leak"
The driver groaned, rolling his eyes. "Again? You oughta get that bladder checked, bud"
Still, he slowed the transport and brought it to a halt in front of the shabby little restaurant. The truck's engine rumbled beneath their boots, a low, restless growl.
"Don't take too long" the driver muttered, shifting into park but keeping the motor running. "I wanna hit that new gambling den in the Borough before the tables fill up"
"Yeah, yeah. Get off my ass"
The passenger snatched the folded newspaper from the dash as he pushed the heavy door open. He hopped down, boots clanging against the curb, and slammed the door shut behind him.
The driver sighed, tugging his cap low over his eyes. If his partner was anything like usual, he'd be a while. Good enough time for a quick nap.
But his lids had barely lowered when the door opened again.
"Let's go" the passenger said, climbing back inside.
"That was fast" the driver raised his cap, squinting. "Where's the paper?"
The man paused, patting his metal coat absently as though just realizing.
"Think I left it" he said at last.
Something in his voice was… off.
The driver frowned, turning slightly to get a better look at him. "Yer looking a bit pale there"
"The heck you mean pale?" The passenger retorted. "Your dumbass is colorblind"
"Oh yeah…" the driver chuckled, settling back in his sear. "Still—Ack!"
The sound cut sharp as his body jerked. A cold, smooth edge pressed into his throat. He clawed at it with trembling fingers, only for them to catch on something razor-sharp that sliced his skin. Warm blood ran over his knuckles as he felt clean metal rubbing against his muscles.
"Sorry" the passenger said casually, leaning back. "You were on the list"
The driver's eyes went wide, then glassy. His killer gave him one last look before—
Schrrip.
Fingers curled under the edge of his own face. The skin peeled back in one slow pull, like stripping bark from a tree.
"Dear Yangchen" he exhaled, finally free of the face. "I can't stand old people faces"
QORU
AGE: 19
STATUS: In a Mission
Qoru tossed the skin-mask onto the dashboard where it landed with a wet slap. The driver was already long gone, he was dead before the mask hit the dash.
Unbothered, he tugged the small knife from the man's throat with a sickening squelch. Warm blood splattered his cheek.
"Gross" he complained, wiping it with the back of his hand. Not that it helped.
He dragged the limp body toward him, maneuvering it aside as he slid into the driver's seat.
"Alright" he muttered, flexing blood-streaked fingers around the wheel. "Let's see if I can drive this thing"
The gear clicked into place, and the truck rolled forward. No screeching tired, no wild shaking—just a smooth, casual cruise down the streets as if the dead man slumped in the passenger seat didn't exist.
Clang! Clang!
He rapped his knuckles against the metal partition behind him, the sound echoing like a hollow drum
"I know you've worked your way out of the cuffs by now" he called.
The sliding peephole scraped open. Two sharp, cerulean eyes stared back at him.
"Didn't think you'd be the one busting us out" came a playful voice, light without a trace of worry. "What, did Leader need me back?"
SERA
AGE: 16
STATUS: Ex-Equalist
"You're needed, alright" Qoru replied, eyes fixed on the empty stretch ahead. "Just… not by who you'd expect"
The truck drifted off the main road, tired crunching over grit as he steered into a narrow alleyway. Shadows closed in around the vehicle.
"Should be around here…" he muttered, easing his foot off the accelerator. The engine dropped to a low growl as his gaze swept the silent brick walls.
His hand found the lever beside him. He yanked it.
CLANG!
Metal screamed as the rear door slammed open, a rush of cold wind flooding the cargo hold.
Sera and another girl peered toward the yawning gap, their first taste of freedom in a couple days rushing in on the breeze. But neither moved.
"Do we drop here?" Sera asked, one brow arched, her voice more curious than cautious.
"Just sit still" Qoru said, leaning back in his seat. "They'll be here soon"
Sera exchanged a glance with the other girl, both silently agreeing there was no point in pressing. The cold steel benches groaned under their weight as they settled back in.
And Qoru, as expected, wasn't lying.
The faint sound of rhythmic clinking of metal plates against the pavement came first. Getting closer.
ASAMI!
But the clearest sound was a young man's unrestrained voice, shouting in raw worry and relief.
Both girls turned toward the yawning rear doors, catching sight of a small group sprinting toward the truck.
Sera's eyes flicked to the girl beside her, noting the sudden shift in expression in her expression. She smirked, leaning over to nudge her ribs.
"Guess your prince charming came through" she teased.
Faint warmth bloomed across the other girl's face, and she tried to hide it by sweeping her hair across her face.
"Shut up" she muttered, nudging back.
ASAMI SATO
AGE: 18
STATUS: Escaped Captive
Despite everything they'd been through the past couple days, the two shared a quick, girlish giggle—a small normalcy in the chaos they've been experiencing. Then they rose and stepped out the metal enclosure.
The moment Asami's boots touched the stone, she was swept into familiar arms.
"I'm so glad you're safe" Mako breathed, his voice low with relief, letting his forehead weigh on her shoulder.
Asami held him just as tightly, pressing her cheek to his chest. "You too"
But almost as quickly, she eased back, eyes locking to Mako's face.
"What are you doing here? Did something happen?"
Mako's gaze faltered. He exhaled slowly, looking away.
Asami's frown deepened. "Mako… what's wrong?"
There was something faint in his expression. Something outside the obvious distress.
Almost guilty.
But before he could answer, a sharp, metallic voice cut through their reunion—her tone as hard as the armor she donned.
"Amon has Korra"
Lin didn't waste a second. She began laying out what she'd learned so far, her words brisk and to the point. Asami listened, her mind still reeling.
"I understand breaking Mako and Bolin out" she said at last after getting a firm understanding of the situation. "They've faced the Equalists before. But… Why me?"
Compared to the two trained probenders, she thought her skills were modest—though she certainly won't fall behind when push comes to shove, she lacks the experience the brothers had.
"Don't kid yourself" Lin's reply was blunt, her eyes flicking past her. "I'm after the one next to you"
Every gaze shifted to Sera.
"Me?" she pointed to herself, flinching from the sudden attention.
"Woah, woah—no way" Bolin immediately cut in, stepping between them like a human shield. "We are not bringing Sera along. She can't fight"
His words hung in the air, heavier than he expected. Every head turned toward him—Lin, Asami, even Qoru from the driver's seat—gave the eyes with a kind of bafflement that made Bolin's stomach twist.
Confusion. Disbelief. Like he had just spoken another language.
"Hear that Sera? Hahaha!" But Qoru's was amusement as his booming laughter made it clear. He leaned halfway out the window, grinning ear to ear "You're fucking harmless!"
The laugh carried down the alleyway, bouncing off the walls until it felt like the whole city was in on the joke. Mako and Bolin exchanged a quick, unsettled glance.
"What's so funny?" Bolin muttered, irritation creeping into his voice.
"Bolin…" the one to break the tension was Lin, unexpectedly. She stepped forward, her face uncharacteristically softened, almost pitying. "I'm not sure—"
But a hand raised in front of her stopped her before she could finish.
"Give us some time" Sera asked quietly, though her voice carried an edge. She met Lin's eyes. "Please?"
Lin let out a heavy exhale through her nose. Then she nodded once. "Two minutes. Then we leave"
That was all she said before turning on her heel, her boots echoing against the concrete as she strode toward the front of the truck.
Silence pooled in her absence, broken only by the low hum of the engine. The four youngsters remained in the dim back of the truck, the tension stretching thinner with every passing second.
Finally, Mako spoke, unwilling to let the quiet fester any longer. "What's going on?"
Sera glanced sideways at Asami—who already knew the asnwer—and then back at the brothers.
"It's… hard to explain in words… I think?" she admitted, though unsure.
Her hand moved behind her, fumbling for something. When it emerged, she held it before her face with a strangely playful grace: a porcelain-white fox mask, its smooth surface gleaming faintly under the alley's fractured light, showing its faint scratches and smudge.
Almost cutely, as though daring them to laugh.
—————————————————————————————
[Underground]
Republic City wasn't the only place that built prisons. Even criminals knew the value of a cell… sometimes more than the authorities themselves.
And what better place to bury someone than beneath the earth, where no one could hear the screams.
One such labyrinth of concrete and steel sprawled under the Equalists' control, a prison complex carved like a scar into the bedrock. It stretched half the breadth of City Hall above. Though the irony was that the place barely held anyone at all.
Why?
"STEAM"
AGE: ???
STATUS: Warden
"How are the officers we captured?" Steam's voice was distorted by the hiss of vapor that forever leaked from the seams of his reinforced mask.
The guard at the massive iron door gave a curt nod. "We've separated them based on the severity of their crimes like you ordered"
Keys clinked. Locks groaned. The jailer twisted open the first barrier, and together they stepped into the dim corridor of cells. One Equalist remained posted at the entrance.
Steam's boots echoed as they pressed deeper into the narrow hall.
"Have you double checked the list?" He asked. "Last time, the Leader nearly tore us apart when a prisoner with a petty charge was put in with a murderer. Ended with blood on the walls"
The jailer stiffened, unlocking the next door. "We've been careful since then. More care than ever. It's… the least we can do as his followers"
Steam halted mid-step.
"If Mask heard you say that" the hiss of his mask exhaled like a warning. "He'd try you for treason"
The jailer swallowed, but said nothing.
Steam's gaze lingered on the dim cells lining the corridor.
The Equalists preached unity, equality, the breaking of chains—yet even here, it had cracks. For all their chants of devotion, not every follower bent the knee to Amon.
This prison was proof of it.
The men and women stationed in its halls carried the banner of Equalists, but their hearts followed a different rhythm. Their loyalty was not to Amon, not wholly. And that was dangerous.
Amon's shadow stretched long over them, demanding obedience. To pledge oneself to another—worse still, to whisper and show loyalty toward Zhen—wasn't simply disobedience. It was a gamble.
Steam knew this too well. If Amon ever gave Zhen an order to kill those loyal to him, the facade would shatter instantly.
"That's enough of that" Steam said at last, his voice a low rumble. "Show me the prisoners"
The jailer nodded quickly. "Yes, sir"
He turned the key and swung open the last iron door, offering up a clipboard with both hands.
Steam accepted it without a word, stepping past the man into the dim corridor beyond. The jailer did not follow; instead, he shut the door with a heavy clank, though he left it unlocked.
A slow exhale misted from Steam's mask, a sigh that came out as cold smoke.
He walked on, stone walls narrowing into rows of iron bars. Names and numbers filled the list in his hand, a routine inventory—faces to tally, prisoners to confirm, a tedious cycle of order and containment.
Then—
Br…
The floor shifted faintly beneath his boots.
Steam halted, glancing down at the stone as if it was about to give out beneath him. Was it his weight? No, he wasn't that heavy.
"Sir"
The jailer's voice came from behind, quiet but urgent. Steam didn't so much as flinch at the suddenness
"I've just received word from outside" the jailer continued. "A fresh batch of captives is on it way"
Steam arched a brow. 'So soon?'
It was unusual to collect new prisoners so quickly. Much more without the presence of their leader.
"They were brought in by a grunt named Qoru" the man added.
At that, Steam turned slightly, enough for the jailer to catch the faint tilt of his head. His expression was hidden by the mask, yet his posture carried a smirk, almost expectant.
"Let them through" he ordered.
The jailer saluted sharply and sprinted back down the corridor, boots echoing against the stone.
Steam stood in the silence that followed. Heat rolled from his mask in a hiss of vapor as he muttered beneath his breath. "I hope you know what you're doing… Leader"
He approached one of the cells where an officer slept fitfully against the wall.
Without waking him, Steam slipped a folded scrap of paper between the bars. Then, without even so much as a backward glance, he turned and walked away,
—————————————————————————————
[Above Ground]
The van rumbled through the sleeping city until it rolled to a halt before a gaping sewer entrance, its mouth yawning like a beast.
"Are you certain we can just drive in?" Lin asked, her eyes narrowing on the rusted gates.
"Relax" Qoru, hands loose on the wheel, dismissed her concern with a wave. "I told them I'm transferring new prisoners. They'll open the way"
He flicked a switch, and the headlight cut through the dark, painting the stone walls in sickly yellow light as the vehicle crawled forward.
"Just remember your roles" he added.
A small metal peephole slid open from the partition behind him, and Asami's voice filtered through with doubt.
"Did we really need to be in cuffs?"
"Yes" Qoru replied without looking back. "And blindfolds. We require prisoners to wear them when going in. It's a maze down there, we do this to make it harder to escape. Now put it on"
Asami sighed, the clink of chains and the soft rustle of cloth following her reluctant compliance. In the rear, the rest of the group already sat bound and veiled in darkness. Only Qoru and Lin were spared the indignity.
Lin shifted uneasily in the passenger seat, tugging at the Equalist mask strapped to her face. "How do you even see anything properly in this thing? Everything's green"
"I don't need you to see with your eyes" Qoru said, finally allowing himself a grin. "I need you to memorize the map with your earth sight thingy so we don't lose them"
The van slowed, its engine purring low as two Equalists emerged from the gloom ahead, their silhouettes framed by the swaying of glowing sticks. They lifted their arms, signaling the vehicle to stop.
Qoru slipped his own mask into place, his voice muffled by its hard edges. "Just follow my lead"
He stepped out of the vehicle first, the crunch of his boots echoing in the cavernous silence outside the prison gates. Two Equalists waited, clipboard in hand. One squinted at him behind green goggles.
"Are you the prison transport?" the man asked.
Qoru scoffed "What do you think I'm driving? Cabbages?"
The sharp retort cracked through the cavern, making the Equalist flinch.
He fumbled for words. "Th-then I'll have to do a headcount—"
"Do what you need" Qoru folded his arms, looming. "They should be assigned where the hostages are"
The Equalist hesitated, his grip tightening on the small board.
"That's not something we can decide. We have procedures to do. They'll be assigned to cells based on their crime like everyone else"
Without missing a beat, Qoru shoved a second clipboard into his hands. "They're the Avatar's friends. Treat them as hostages and put them together with the officers"
The man's eyes darted between sheets, scanning the names, affiliations, and physical descriptions with painstaking care.
His gaze sharpened, then softened into compliance. "Understood"
"Good" Qoru clapped him on the shoulder with a feigned camaraderie and strode past, pointing behind him. "Now escort them. We need words with the Warden"
The Equalist followed his gesture. Lin, her face hidden behind an Equalist mask, walked silently behind Qoru.
The man gave them a crisp salute as they disappeared into the wide, looming entrance.
Only when they were gone did the grunt lower his arm and turn to his men.
"Unload the prisoners" his voice snapped with authority. "And get that vehicle out of here"
"Are they not entering with us?" Lin asked, her sharp eyes scanning the vast chamber.
The entrance was less a prison and more a warehouse swallowed by stone—rows of storage crates and rusting machinery huddled in corners, mucus standing like silent guards. In the middle ran a set of rail tracks, their carts waiting.
"Prisoners use a separate entrance farther in" Qoru explained, already climbing into one of the carts. He offered a mock-polite salute to the Equalist on guard before holding the door for her. "We're going to the main halls. Then the offices"
Lin stepped inside. The gate clanged shut behind them, and before she could blink.
Grnnnk… screeeeee—!
The cart lurched forward, wheels shrieking against steel. Dim lights sputtered weakly along the narrow cavern walls, their glow barely enough to paint the jagged stone. Wind whipped against their masks as the cart picked up speed on the downward slope.
"Why the offices?" Lin asked, arms folded tight. Her tone was curt, sharp as stone. "I came here for my men, not a sightseeing tour"
"Course" Qoru leaned lazily against the railing, though his words carried a sharper edge. "But by now… Amon has probably already gotten to them"
"Doesn't matter" Lin cut him off before he could continue. "I want them out before you zealots decide to execute them on a whim"
A vein bulged at Qoru's temple, though he forced a smile. "How ignorant. We don't kill for sport, Chief"
Lin scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. "Makes no difference. You're still criminals trying to tear the city apart"
Qoru only shook his head, almost pitying her.
"We aren't denying that" he admitted, proudly even. "But we're doing more good than you ever managed"
"You really think that justifies the blood on your hands?"
"And what about the blood on yours, Chief?"
The venom in his voice cut through the rattle of the cart. Lin froze, caught off guard by the sudden weight of his tone.
"How many nonbenders have you killed indirectly just by letting this city's parasites walk free?" Qoru pressed on, his eyes cold now, his usual levity stripped away. "How many innocents choked on your so-called justice while the real criminals thrived under its protection?"
He leaned forward, words dropping like stones into the dark.
"The law you serve is just as broken as Amon's movement. The men who wield it are corrupt. You'd do more good by doing nothing"
Lin's jaw tightened. The tunnel wind whipped at her mask, shadows clawing across her face, but her glare stayed fixed on him.
"You talk like you're all some kind of saviors" she spat. "But all I see are cowards hiding behind masks and shedding blood in the dark"
Qoru chuckled under his breath, a sound with no humor in it. "We're well aware what we are. But you? Remind me, Chief—what's your place in the system you serve? The reason you took off your badge when coming to rescue your men?"
Lin's eyes narrowed, but her silence spoke more than words.
The cart rattled violently as it hit a sharp bend, wheels screaming against the track. A sudden hiss burst from the walls, steam venting from pipes embedded in the stone, filling the air with a metallic tang. The nose made Lin glance up.
Qoru didn't bother.
"Our Leader actually respects you, Chief, despite how you've been treating him" he just went on, voice almost conversational. "He knows how much you love this city. How… your position is more than just the Beifong name you carry.
He tilted his head slightly, watching her from the corner of his eyes.
But you officers? The men you're so desperate to save? Half of them don't even believe in what they serve. They'll enforce the law so long as it fills their pockets."
Lin's fists curled at her sides, her knuckles popped. Because deep down… she knew there was truth in his words.
Qoru pressed harder, his tone sharpening. "How many times have you turned a blind eye to their bullshit, Chief? How many innocent cries have you locked away because of falsified evidence slipped into your hands by men you trusted?"
His voice started rising with every word. Almost reminiscent, as if a memory was surfacing as he kept speaking.
"How many times did you choose to trust them, knowing full well of their lies?! How many families who have done no wrong have you broken up so they could fill their greed?! How many have died trying to prove their innocence only for you to cover your ears?! How many?!"
His voice rose with the clatter of steel, until it merged with the screech of the cart grinding to a halt.
They stopped before towering iron gates, gears churning as the doors yawned open.
Beyond stretched a massive facility carved into the earth—three tiers of catwalks, doors branching into endless halls, the echo of chains and shouts carrying through the cavern.
Qoru unlatched the age and stepped onto the stone cold floor. Before moving on, he cast one last look back at her, his mask gleaming in the greenish light.
"Welcome to the Equalist prison, Chief. The place where we cage the criminals you were too afraid to touch"
Lin followed, her boots dragging across the cold floor.
Blankly… Quietly…
Because deep inside, she was grateful he hadn't forced her to answer.
She was no longer sure what words might come out—whether they'd be steel, or confession. Admitting he was right… admitting she wasn't as innocent as she clung to be… might just break her.
Her eyes lingered on Qoru's frame as they walked. Only now did she realize how small he truly was. Beneath the mask, beneath the cruelty and the blood he carried, he was just a boy.
The thought gnawed at her, following her footsteps as the two pressed deeper into the underground.
The hallways stretched wide, framed in steel ribs that groaned faintly with the weight of the city above. Lin expected cells lining every wall, cold cages for the enemies of their movement.
But what she found was something else entirely.
Doors open into rooms and cafeterias. Training halls echoed with the crack of sparring. Workshops clanked with gears and the slap of hammer against anvils. And farther still—classrooms. Actual classrooms, chalkboards covered in lessons, rows of seats filled with young recruits scribbling notes as instructors lectured.
Her eyes narrowed, disbelief flickering across her face.
A prison? No. This was a town. A twisted, smaller reflection of Republic City itself, buried beneath its very foundations.
And what unsettled her most wasn't the architecture. It was the people.
Equalists strolled through corridors without masks. They laughed together, traded gossip, shared meals on benches, lent hands to one another like neighbors, fell in love, played games.
It jarred against everything she knew of them. The Equalists she'd faced so far were ruthless fighters, merciless in combat, overwhelming not just her officers, but even the Avatar herself.
But here… here they looked ordinary. Human.
The only thing they were wearing were smiles.
Hey!
A sharp snap of fingers cut through her daze.
Lin blinked, pulled her from her spiraling thoughts, and turned to find Qoru watching her with a tilt of his head.
"You'll get lost if you don't focus" he said, voice clipped but not unkind. He turned back down the corridor, not breaking pace. "We're almost there"
The deeper they went on, the more the easy atmosphere thinned. The laughter, the chatter, and the casual warmth of the outer halls gave way to the stern rhythm of duty.
Equalists in full uniform now passed them by, arms loaded with documents, boxes of parts, and crates of tools. Some strode briskly, while other dragged their feet, too tired to even walked properly.
Knock… knock… knock…
They stopped before a thick steel door. Qoru rapped his knuckles against it slowly, rhythm deliberate, as if signaling a code.
Then his patience evaporated instantly.
"Open up, you Tin Can!" his shout cracked the hum of the hallway.
Grrrrnnn—
The door groaned to life, splitting down the middle as gears clanked inside the frame. Qoru slipped through the widening gap without much thought, and Lin followed behind him.
The heavy door started groaning shut behind her. Lin half-turned, expecting it to have closed on its own—only to glimpse an Equalist soldier sealing it tight from the outside before shutting.
"Slow. Too slow"
The voice vibrated through the air, a low mechanical goran that carried menace even muffled behind a layer of metal.
At the end of the room, framed by smoke and steal, stood the hulking exoskeleton she remembered all too well. Every joint hissed and spat heat, his mask glowing faintly where pressure valves pulsed.
Her gaze dropped—inevitably—to his arms. Those crushing, steel-wrapped fists. Lin's own hand clenched to her side, knuckles whitening. The pain of their last encounter had long since faded, but the memory of his blow still lingered in her body.
"You think it's easy to convince these people to follow me?" Qoru shot back, planting himself before the desk as though the suffocating presence in front didn't faze him.
Steam exhaled sharply—and literally, a vent on his shoulder blasting white heat into the air as though mocking a sigh.
"Ha… fine"
But when his gaze shifted toward Lin, the temperature in the room seemed to spike.
"So who is this?" he asked, voice heavy with suspicion.
Qoru snapped his fingers. "Take it off"
Lin hesitated only a heartbeat before tugging the Equalist mask free.
The moment her face came into view, the air shifted violently.
"You—"
Steam's body whined and screeched as pressure surged, the hiss of hot gas roaring from his valves like a working machine. Heat rolled off him in waves. The air turned suffocating, thick enough that Lin's breath caught in her throat.
Was it rage? Intimidation? Excitement?
She could imagine him weaning a grin.
But whatever it was, it felt like the room itself was closing in on her.
And then—just as suddenly—it ceased. The vents hissed once more, a long release, and the storm inside him simmered down.
"As much as I crave to have a rematch with you…." Steam folded his massive arms across his chest, metal shrieking faintly with the motion. His voice dropped with restraint, with hunger barely caged. "We have other matters right now"
With a slow hiss of his joints, he pushed back from the desk and settled onto its edge. The gesture was deceptively casual, but the weight of his presence pressed on the room all the same.
He gestured them forward with a curt wave of his hand.
"I'll tell you this upfront. Your officers aside—we do not have the Avatar"
"I expected as much" Lin answered evenly, arms crossing over her chest.
"What?" Qoru blinked at her, baffled. "You liar. You didn't believe me back at the station"
Lin didn't flinch, not even so much as giving him a glance. "Look at you. Would you believe you?"
"...Huh."
Qoru's mouth opened, then closed again. For once, no retort came. He only lifted his brows, conceding the point almost baffled but convinced after thinking about it.
"So" Lin pressed, her tone flat but edged with impatience. "Why am I even here? I assume you're not about to surrender"
Steam didn't so much as glance at her. His focus stayed steady.
Despite his rather brutish appearance, he's quite meticulous.
"We're well aware the Avatar is missing. Our Leader dropped all missions he had in order to search for her"
"Well, how touching" Lin muttered with clear sarcasm, rolling her eyes.
Steam ignored the jab. Instead, reached for a folder on the desk, plucked a handful of glossy photographs from within, and tossed them across the surface. The pictures fanned out, sliding to a stop just before Lin's reach.
"These" Steam said. "Were taken last night. Our Leader sent them before he cut communications"
Lin stepped forward, eyes narrowing as she gathered the photos in her hand. The images were grainy, shadows bleeding into shapes, but the setting was unmistakable: the underground lot beneath City Hall
Her breath hitched. And there, in one frame, blurry but damning, was the unmistakable silhouette of a man shoving something into the back of a vehicle. Even through the blur, his arrogance clung to him like a cloak.
"Tarrlok…" she muttered, her fist closing around the edge of the photograph.
"An obvious suspicion, really" Steam replied, tone almost mocking.
Lin caught it but let it pass. Her focus narrowed to a single question. "Why even show me this?"
Steam leaned back against the desk, the hiss of his joints filling the silence before he answered.
"To clear our name. Even if the Avatar has opposed us at every turn, Leader gave us strict orders that she remain untouched. Since he has judged she has not committed a sin worthy of condemnation… yet"
Lin's eyes narrowed. Being a Beifong came with more than just steel nerves; it came with her mother's instinct for lies. She listened for a tremor, a catch, a falter—but found none.
She slipped the photos into her coat pocket. "I owe you for this. If there's nothing else, lead me to where my men are"
Steam nodded, his mask hissing, then cut his gaze toward Qoru.
Qoru blinked at him, uncomprehending his intention, until Steam spoke again.
"Well?"
"Oh—right" Qoru startled, turning on his heel. "Follow me"
Lin did, her boots echoing against stone.
But she paused.
Something gnawed at the back of her mind, refusing to be ignored.
"Tell me something" she turned over her shoulder. "You clearly follow a path apart from Amon. Why serve him at all?"
Steam exhaled, a sharp burst of cold air venting from his mask.
"We have no loyalty to that bastard" he said simply, with the weight of the truth from the clear disdain in his voice. "We only follow our Leader. I suspect more than a few Equalists share this view"
Lin turned fully, curiosity cutting through her usual composer. "And what does he believe that Amon does not?"
Steam's metal fingers tapped against the desk, each strike ringing dully.
He hesitated.
Then said, almost reverently. "The people"
The answer left Lin unsatisfied, her brow knitting.
"Amon preaches Equality. But he cannot hide it… the faint personal vendetta behind his mask" but he went on before she could press. "He rallies the desperate, feeds them a dream of equal status, but in the end? He only cares for his cause, and he has no qualms sacrificing anything or anyone to achieve it"
Steam's fingers stilled, curling into a fist as he looked down at his desk.
"Our Leader… he obeys Amon to the point of madness. But his eyes never leave the people. What they want. What they need. That is why even as the blood pools around his feet, more come to him than to Amon"
Lin absorbed every word. And when she recalled the faces she passed in these halls—the workers sharing meals, the tired recruits, the teens learning in classrooms—she realized something chilling. They had not spoken of Amon. They only had the words of Zhen.
"Thank you for telling me" her voice softened despite herself. "I'll make su—"
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
The alarm cut her short, rattling the walls. Red light stuttered to life across the ceiling, casting the office in pulses of crimson.
Steam straightened immediately, hissing joints grinding as he snapped up the radio. "Report"
Sir! Prisoners are escaping! The new arrivals broke free and they're releasing the officers we locked up!
The response crackled through the radio.
Lin and Qoru both froze, catching every word.
But Lin, aware of who the cause is, could only press two fingers to the bridge of her nose, exhaling through clenched teeth.
"Those idiots…"
—————————————————————————————
[Meanwhile, In a Separate Part of the Facility]
FWOOSH!
While Lin and Qoru spoke with Steam, the younger half of the group had been led deeper into the prison block.
But patience had never been the strength of someone their age. Whether it was the itch to prove themselves or simply their hotheaded impulses, the plan was forgotten the moment danger reared its head.
"You know, you could've waited until we were in the clear first!" Bolin shouted, his voice echoing off the steel walls as he slammed his palms to the floor.
A slab of stone rose up in front of him, shielding them from the barrage of darts and bolas.
Mako crouched low beside his brother, lips pressed into a hard line.
His fist tightened until steam hissed between his knuckles. "I didn't think there'd be this many this far underground!"
He surged to his feet, thrusting his arm forward.
A burst of flame exploded from his fist, streaking down the hall and detonating against the Equalists charging toward them. The blast hurled smoke and dust into the air, but their enemies were already regrouping, hiding behind corners and reinforced walls.
In the shifting haze, the whir of spinning bolas cut through the air.
"Have you gotten them all out yet!?" Bolin yelled, bracing his feet.
With a grunt, he slammed his heel into the floor and dragged his arms upward, the stone wall groaning higher until it sealed off the entire width of the corridor.
Dust raised from the ceiling, grit stinging his eyes.
Behind him, the two girls worked feverishly at the cell doors.
"We're almost through the last batch!" Asami called, swinging one door open with a strained push. "But we need a way out—fast!"
"I cannot believe I was roped into this" Tenzin growled from the other side of the hall, his robes whipping as he drove back another squad of Equalists with a single, sweeping gust.
Cracks snaked across Bolin's wall.
With a curse, he stomped again, pulling up another slab to brace the first before it gave away. "Did anybody even remember which way we came from?!"
"Don't you know where the nearest exit is?!" Tenzin shot back, voice sharp as he thrusted both arms outward.
The gust that followed slammed two chi-blockers into the far wall.
The only answer came from the girl crouched down at the final lock, thin needles dancing between her fingers.
"If I knew" Sera snapped, eyes never leaving the mechanism. "I would've done this myself!"
A sharp click split the air. With a swift twist, she yanked the door wide, freeing the last of the prisoners they came for.
"You all better keep up, or we'll leave you behind!!" she barked, already darting down the corridor.
Her swift stride was almost inhumane. Needles glinted between her knuckles as she vaulted off the floor, landing soundlessly against the wall.
In a blink, she pushed off, springing lightly atop Tenzin's head. The Airbender barely registered her weight before she flipped away again, body coiling and unfurling in a single breath.
She touched down against the ceiling like a spider, upside down and balance with uncanny ease. Her needles flashed against the red lighting.
Fwoop!
Ghhk—!
The first Equalist seized where they stood with rigid bodies, trembling like statues about to crack.
"It's Miss Needle!" one of the chi-blockers shouted, panic cracking their voice. "Keep away from her!"
But they were too slow to act.
She dropped from the ceiling in a blur, as if gravity just remembered her. She landed catlike on the stone before darting straight into the knot of enemies.
They barely had the time to react, much less raise their weapons.
"I'm sorry about this, truly" she breathed, and her apology was as sincere as her throw.
The needles whistled outward in a perfect circle.
One by one, the Equalists froze where they stood. An instant battlefield of living statues surrounded her.
Sera straightened with an eerie calm amid the bloodless carnage, and slipped a fresh handful of needles from beneath her skirt.
With a quick glance over her shoulder, she barked. "Hurry up!"
The men were too stunned to respond. They stood frozen, still reeling from what they'd just witnessed, even as Bolin's stone wall cracked and splintered behind them.
"What are you all doing?" Asami snapped, already sprinting after Sera. She caught sight of their blank faces and rolled her eyes. "We have to move!"
"Oh right. Yeah" Mako jolted, smacking Bolin's arm. "C'mon!"
"Go! Go!" Bolin shouted, shoving the free prisoners ahead while Tenzin guided them with sharp, commanding gestures.
Sera remained in the lead, turning corners with impossible speed, needles flickering in her hands.
Equalists lunged from side passages, only to crumple and freeze mid-step as she passed. She wasn't lying when she claimed she had no idea where the way out of this labyrinthine facility was—but it was safer to keep moving than to be sitting turtleducks.
The other trailed behind, trying to keep pace. All except one
Mako's gaze drifted, slowing down to scan the rows of cells they passed, searching each shadowed corner.
But his distraction was a mistake. Especially in a place as complex as this.
THOOOOM!
The wall beside him exploded inward with a deafening roar. Rubble poured down like an avalanche, half-sealing the path and splitting the group in two. Bolin and the others were shoved back with the prisoners, while Mako found himself alone on the rear side.
And from the dust and stone came the hiss of a valve. The whine of gears. A towering shadow of metal and muscle stepped through the wreckage.
Mako's eyes widened—not in shock, but in recognition. The first Equalist he and Korra had ever faced.
The man they called by a moniker. Steam
"You!" he growled.
Recognition sharpened into fury. He drew back both fists, fire igniting along his arms before he thrust them forward in a blazing torrent. The flames roared so hot the others on the other side felt the heat wash over them.
"WHERE'S KORRA?!" Mako bellowed, pouring everything into the inferno.
But beneath the fire was a sudden flash of metal. A massive hand surged from the blaze, fingers wide, and clamped over Mako's face as if to snuff him out like a candle.
The flames died, smoke curling away. Steam stood unharmed in the heart of the firestorm, his exoskeleton gleaming, mask hissing with heat.
He lifted Mako clean off his feet with one hand, gas exhausting from every joint.
Mako clawed at the wrist pinning him, his glare unbroken between the fingers.
But Steam only chuckled, voice crackling through his mask.
"That is hot!" he said with something disturbingly close to delight. "You've got fire, kid! People might think I stole your lover"
The casual excitement in his tone sent a chill through almost everyone. Though one of them only felt familiar with it.
"Here you idiots are"
A sharp voice cut through the smoke. From the broken wall behind Steam, metal footsteps rang out.
Lin Beifong emerged, boots crunching against the rocks, hands tucked in pockets with a commander' poise. A young man trailed behind her, short swords unsheathed in each hand.
Her eyes swept over the group—her officers, the brothers, Tenzin, Asami, Sera, the chaos they caused.
She exhaled sharply, jaw tightening.
"How much more of our plans are you going to ruin?"
End