After arriving at the Earth Kingdom, Ba Sing Se, at the airport, Akashi and the task force's team extracted the prisoners.
Waiting for them was a team of envoys from the palace.
Akashi assessed their physiques, and with one glance, he could tell they weren't skilled benders.
Yet, the metalbenders smiled at them, as if they recognized them.
Well, to be fair, the Earth Kingdom predates the recent Republic City, and most of the police force originated from the Earth Kingdom.
Lin took the lead in speaking.
"These are the prisoners, Amon and Tarrlok." She said.
"I've heard that the anti-benders have at least four leaders," replied the leader of the envoys.
"We managed to capture two. The other two escaped." Lin furrowed her eyebrows, "But that has nothing to do with you."
"I was just advising you. You seem incompetent," replied the leader.
Lin clenched her jaw.
If not for her mental and physical satisfaction, she might have given in to her anger and severely injured that man.
"You have no idea how lucky you are." Lin tightened her gaze.
The envoys' smiles turned into frowns the moment their eyes fell on Akashi.
Akashi, with that glance exchange, concluded that they recognized his face.
He wasn't surprised.
'They know me. They didn't expect that I would be here as a member of the task force. They will report that to the old hag.' Akashi rubbed his chin and smirked.
"And why did you bring the airbender with you?" asked one of the envoys. "He's no longer a member of the police force. And he's unnecessary."
"It's no one's concern who's on my team. Akashi is a contractor, and he's aiding us. Not to mention, I wonder how you know that he's not a member of our police force." Lin stood her ground.
"We heard about the council meeting." He replied.
"Well, if you have such a wide network, don't ask me questions. Ask them." Lin said. "I'm going to take my men for a break. The journey was quite long for them."
The leader of the envoys seemed unpleasant with Lin's attitude. But he didn't pursue it any further.
"There is a motel nearby." He said. "That's the hospitality we can provide you."
Well, they were police members, not heroes, and wouldn't be hosted by the palace or anything. If anything, they were lucky to be given a budget by the Republic City to buy food.
A police metalbender pushed the chairs of the two bloodbenders. The envoys took them, dragging them to the palace.
After they left, Lin and the other police officers started complaining.
"Do you believe their attitude?"
"We're being treated like we're the bloodbenders."
"Gosh. That's why I hate dealing with kingdoms. If you work in the palace, you act as if you are above the rest of the world."
Lin walked alongside Akashi. "They are so lucky." She grumbled.
Akashi patted her on the shoulder, "Can't say that."
They wouldn't be lucky when they couldn't see the chaos surrounding them. Even if they had just survived Lin Beifong.
"You don't know me well," she said.
"Just let it be." Akashi sighed as he stretched his arms up. "By the way, how long are we going to stay here?"
"Two days, well, one day and two nights to be more exact." She said.
"That's enough time." Akashi replied.
"Enough time for what?"
Korra joined the scene, jumping on Akashi while placing her arm on the back of his neck.
"Enough to have some tourism!" Korra said, smiling at Lin. "He said he'd rent a nice place and would have fun there."
A few vines appeared on Lin's forehead.
She said, "I would like to join that fun as well."
"I don't know. You may break your back." Korra replied, "Shouldn't you be mindful of your health at your age?"
Lin closed her eyes and smiled.
The next second, Akashi found himself holding her from the waist as she stretched her arms at Korra, wanting to scratch her face.
"Let me! I'm going to do the thing that the Fire Nation failed to!" Lin shouted as more metalbenders barged in to stop something chaotic.
"Didn't go well for the Fire Lord," Korra replied calmly, as if welcoming the challenge.
As much as Akashi wanted to see fit chicks fight, and maybe join them, he knew that the consequences would be far if he let that.
It took some time, but eventually, no fight happened.
And Lin still insisted on going on with Akashi, against Korra's wishes.
"I missed the chance to put her in her place." Korra said, cracking her knuckles.
Akashi frowned, "After all I taught you about the airbending mentality, this is how you act?"
"Are you taking her side?" asked Korra.
"It's not about sides." Akashi thought for a second. "Anyways. Talking about old women, do you know the Earth Queen?"
"Yes," Korra replied, "Not exactly, but I have heard about her."
"She's a very dangerous and cunning person. Never trust a shit that she says." Akashi said.
"I haven't heard anything bad about her yet." Korra said.
"She tried to kidnap me once in the past, in case you are wondering." Akashi said. "By hiring Tarrlok."
"What?" Korra opened her eyes widely. "Are you sure that she's the one. Why would she send Tarrlok when she can send her own men."
With Korra being here, Akashi thought that the Earth Queen would use her.
And Korra, being the naive easy-to-use girl, would help her.
Anyways, Akashi had decided to let her doubt her.
Akashi looked at Korra, "So you are taking her side now?"
Korra chuckled, "I see. You brought another old woman to give me a taste of my own medicine."
"Anyways. Let's walk around the city. I want to see the city." Akashi said.
"Sure."
Surely, dating one woman was already a headache. But having a relationship with two. It's mentally and physically consuming.
-x-X-x-
The Earth Queen listened to the envoy leader as he reported some interesting details that she hadn't expected. The Avatar was here.
But what's more important was that Akashi had been here.
Him, Tarrlok, Amon, and her shared a long history.
Although the blame for grand schemes fell onto the hands of the bloodbenders, the earth queen could smell some stink in the air with the four of them in the same city, breathing the same air.
"And how are the bloodbenders doing?" she asked.
"They have been taken to temporary custody," said the envoy. "In the secret prison."
"I see…" the queen nodded. "Did they show any signs of resistance?"
"No. They are linked to all sorts of electrical devices. If they left their chairs by mistake, the devices would trigger and knock them out cold. It's one of Hiroshi Sato's inventions." Said the envoy. "After Tarrlok escaping, they thought about everything."
"So, Hiroshi managed to stay out of being caught," the queen nodded, already knowing that man was a part equalist. But she had no interest in him. She thought of some plan, and said, "Hmm… I smell stink around. The three enemies are around here. Call Avatar Korra here."
A/N: 10 Advanced chapters ahead at: Patreo n.com/Blazuki