City of Secrets (The Lost Waterbender sequel)

A Murder in the Night

"All you have to do is tell us what it means," Toph said in the nicest voice I've ver heard her use. She was inside the police interrogation room with the firebender with the tattoo. He stared at her evenly and replied

"It means fire is blood. And that is all."

I was watching through a glass window, and when Toph turned to face us her face was one of irritation. I knew that her unsuccessful interrogation was pissing her off.

She turned back around to the bender, whose name we had yet to obtain.

"Did you know we found two bodies with that same tattoo?" She said innocently. I thought I saw the man stiffen, but I couldn't be sure. Toph, however, with her super-senses, let nothing get past her. She whipped around and slammed her hand on the table.

"So you do know something??"

The man seemed startled by her sudden swing in attitude and did jump. His hard expressions became more vulnerable, and I could tell he was scared of something.

Toph knew this too. Her expressions hardened and she leaned down until she was inches from his face.

"Your people are dying," she hissed. "And you might be one of them if you don't give me information I need."

The man took in a deep breath, grief clouding his vision.

"We don't know how Jhi and Leigh were killed," he said in almost a whisper. "Their firebending abilities were both incredible. But one night they went out to get a drink and they didn't come back. The bodies were found the next day."

"Who is we?"

He looked her in the eye. "The Black Flame."

"Who is the Black Flame?" Toph insisted.

When it was clear he wasn't going to answer, she moved on to the next question.

"Do you have any idea who could've done this?" Toph implored.

The man shook his head. "No idea."

"Which bar did they go to?"

He licked his lips before responding. "They said they were going to The Moon Spirits. I don't know anything else."

Toph, satisfied that he was telling the truth, allowed him to be set free. As she walked out of the interrogation room, she pointed to me, Raiko, and Sokka. "You three with me. We have a bar to visit."

•••

A couple blocks before we arrived at the bar, I halted everyone outside. I removed my White Lotus robes, revealing normal civilian clothes underneath. They all looked at me questioningly.

"If we all barge in there and start asking questions," I said, "we might not get answers. Raiko and I grew up being exposed to people like the ones that will be in here. Let us go."

Toph and Sokka both looked like they wanted to argue, but they both knew we had a good point. Raiko removed his robes as well and the two of us made our way toward the bar, blending in with the surroundings.

The first thing noticed was the smell. It smelled like sour beer and unwashed bodies. The figures here in the afternoon looked shady and irritated. The shabby pub was located near the area Raiko and I had broken up the fight earlier. The two of us made our way in the low lighting to the shabby bar, where we were greeted by the surly barman.

"What'll it be?" He grumbled. He was a small, skinny man with a pointy face and clothes that hung loose over his frame.

"Shot of firewhiskey," I replied, taking a seat. Raiko ordered the same. The barman set the two glasses in front of us. I dumped it down my throat and bit my tongue to prevent me from gagging at the burning sensation. I was no stranger to drinking, but fire whiskey hits hard.