Exit Wounds | Mako ¹

𝟬𝟴. anarchists

AIR | CHAPTER EIGHT

    𝐌ako figured out that there was a map behind the leaflets, and they were triumphant with that discovery. The trio including Pabu and Naga went to where the 'Revelation' thing that the protester said would happen. Cloud hid in the shadows, as well as the two benders beside her, behind a building, eyeing the shady groups of people entering the opposite building.

     "This is the place."

     Putting on some disguises, Cloud tucked her short brown hair behind her ears before placing a simple black flapper hat (that could hide the tattoos on her forehead) that goes with her whole outfit. The three changed their clothes since it would be too obvious to see them wearing their usual get-go. They had to blend in with the crowd.

    She trailed behind the duo as they walked toward the factory building, nearing the entrance, a doorman was checking the invitation of a citizen who was holding up a leaflet. Approving it, he moved aside to let the man in. From the corner of her eyes, she noticed Korra moving closer to the firebender and grabbed ahold of his arm, earning an annoyed look from the boy.

     "What are you doing?" Mako demanded.

    Korra hushed him. "We'll attract less attention this way."

     "What about me?" Cloud raised her brows, pouting at them, but Mako only frowned at her. The doorman crossed his arms as the duo approached the entrance with a certain brunette behind them, constantly tapping her foot on the ground, impatient and unnoticed.

     "This is a private event," He said gruffly. "No one gets in without an invitation."

     "Uh... invitation?" Korra said uneasily.

     Cloud sighed under her breath, and she pushed past the two of them, breaking them apart. She smiled innocently at the doorman, battling her lashes at him before handing out a familiar leaflet. The doorman smirked at her and gestured to the entrance as he moved aside to let her in. She flashed him an award-winning smile before she sashayed inside the factory building. The two friends she left behind were in awe, but Mako soon followed what she did and gave him the leaflet.

     "I knew a lot of people hated benders, but I've never seen so many in one place," Mako said as a marvelous brunette approached them, breaking through the crowds of people with a little pushing. "Keep your eyes out for Bolin."

    With a short nod, the trio ran off to their own ways. They made their way through the waiting crowd, pushing past the front row to get a full view of the stage.

     "Please welcome your hero," The announcer said as a hatch opened in the middle of the stage, light pouring out from it. "Your savior... Amon!"

    Amon emerged from the trapdoor on the stage with a line of Equalists behind him under loud approving cheers of the crowd. Cloud felt chills run down her spine at the sight of the so-called leader as a spotlight was turned on, illuminating the Equalist leader. She tugged on her flapper hat out of instinct, covering her forehead so her blue tattoos wouldn't be seen, suddenly feeling anxious.

     "They have granted me a power that will make Equality a reality. The power to take a person's bending away. Permanently."

     She barely paid attention to his speech, but the last sentence brought out the fear she had within her, and that was losing her bending. The audience gasped out loud at his words, and when she glanced to the side, she noticed Korra had horror etched on her face. The ability to take one's bending was far by the worst thing they'd heard, especially to those people with bending.

     "That's impossible." Korra shook her head, looking at Mako and Cloud. "There's no way."

     Cloud pursed her lips because she knew it was possible. The thing was, the only person she knew who could do the same thing was none other than the previous last airbender, the Avatar before Korra, and that was her grandfather Aang.

     "This guy's insane!" Mako whispered.

     "Now, for a demonstration. Please welcome, Lightning Bolt Zolt," Amon said as an Equalist guard led a tied-up man onto the stage. "Leader of the Triple Threat Triad, and one of the most notorious criminals in Republic City."

    The crowd booed at that but Cloud didn't care. Well, not until a familiar teenage earthbender was also brought up onto the stage that she felt her heart race faster than it had before. Bolin had a scared and anxious expression on his face that almost made her furious. They needed to save him from Amon and his Equalists' cruel hands, and fast. There was no way he was going to lose his bending.

     "There's Bolin." Korra started walking towards the front, but she was held back by the brunette and the firebender, one hand each grabbing her biceps.

    "Wait, we can't fight them all," Mako said firmly, a deep furrow between his brows. "We need to be smart about this."

    "Then come up with a game plan." Korra sounded annoyed, but her tone turned harsher as she spoke through her teeth. "Team Captain."

     Cloud pursed her lips and turned towards the stage, watching as Lightning Bolt Zolt was given the chance to fight off Amon but failed in the end. That's when the most shocking thing happened. Amon had taken his bending away, forever, which left her extremely bewildered and nervous.

     Shady Shin was up next, and she didn't even want to watch anymore as she looked back at the duo behind her. "Anybody got an idea?"