A Time Web, Gaoling Protocol and a Torque Wrench

Gaoling Protocol

In about half an hour all five of them climbed the staircase to Lin's apartment. Although, it soon became clear the apartment didn't just belong to Lin, since the first thing they say when they entered was a teenaged girl, sitting on the windowsill on the other side of the room, smoking. She cursed to herself when she noticed them.

Korra didn't even have to think about who this was, it was obvious when the dark-skinned girl jumped to the floor with the grace of a dancer. Suyin.

"Could you, just this one time, not be such a buzzkill?" she asked as her sister practically ran to her and yanked the cigarette out of her hand.

"I wouldn't have to do anything, if all your decisions weren't so damn stupid." Lin threw the cigarette out the window once it was put out. Then followed it by the whole pack her sister left on the windowsill, before closing the window.

"Agh, Spirits, I hate you! Weren't you supposed to be out celebrating some sappy anniversary or something?" Su only then turned to the rest of the people at the door. "Hi, Tenzin."

"Hi, Su," he added in a cheery manner. "It is our anniversary, but the plans changed."

"There's a triad member that's causing trouble, and I can't just ignore it," Lin explained. "Dinner will have to wait for another night."

"It's weird, I'm seeing Lin, but I'm hearing Mom." Su smirked, and Lin shoved her into the couch.

"It's just one night, Tenzin's fine with it."

"Are you fine with it, Tenzin? Are you?" Su continued to tease, but Lin ignored her and waved a hand to Korra, Asami and Jinora.

"They're under police protection tonight."

"Then why are they here, and not at the station? I do still live here." Su propped her legs onto the end table, but Lin shoved them off.

"Because I called the station and they have no free officers. You can suck it up for one night."

"What if they're dangerous? What if they like stab me in my sleep or something?"

"I'll be here to protect you."

"What if they wait until you fall asleep and kill me while your guard is down?"

"I won't sleep."

"What if they slip sleeping pills into your food, then kill me?"

"I'll send them a nice postcard..." Lin said as sarcastically as she could.

"You can't just pick up random criminals off the street, bring them to our apartment and call it police protection..."

"Well, when you do it, it's called dating."

Korra's mouth fell open at what she just heard Lin say.

"Besides, they're harmless, if a little rude." Lin turned to the door again. "You probably know this already, but this is my sister Suyin."

Korra needed a second to realize why Lin said it like that. They were probably like celebrities in their time. Everyone who read the paper knew how the daughters of Toph Beifong looked. That was good, if Korra slipped up and said something she isn't supposed to know, she can just blame it on the gossip.

"Half-sister," Su corrected. "We're as close to being sisters, as we are to being nothing."

"And you are?" Lin looked at Korra, and the woman faked a cough, stealing some time to think. Maybe she should give a fake name? But Lin had already seen the face of the future Avatar, would her name really do any more damage?