BOOK ONE: OCEAN BLUE

Chapter Nine

"Is she going to wake up?"

"It's been three days already, how much sleep does this woman need."

"What if she can't wake up? Do you guys think she'll wake up? What if we try waking her up?"

"Ikki! Shut up, congrats you woke me up!" Korzi yelled gripping her head in pain, "What happened?" she questioned.

"Oh, well, you got knocked out, Amon is a blood bender, Mako, Asami, and Bolin are in jail, and Korra was captured."

Korzi jolted up from her bed like a bolt of lightning, her eyes wide with concern. Without a second thought, she began rummaging through her clothes, not caring that she was half-dressed.

"What? What happened to Korra?" she demanded anxiously, her tone sharp and urgent as she struggled to put on her pants.

"Korra got captured, did you not hear Ikki, does your head hurt?" Jinora asked her older sister but she shook her head in reply.

"I'm fine, where are mom and dad?" she snapped pulling her shirt over her head.

Korzi didn't even wait for an answer she just ran out of her room to the courtyard outside.

"Dad! What happened? And why is Ikki blabbering around about jail, blood bending, and Korra being captured?"

"I'll explain later, just please Korzi for once in your life be quiet, alright, no backhanded sarcastic comments," he replied as he looked afar.

Korzi was about to argue but she followed his gaze to see Lin walking towards them with Tarrlok and Saikhan, and also with Mako, Bolin, and Asami, and someone she didn't know. Which confused Korzi because she thought they were in jail.

"Thank you all for meeting us on such short notice."

"Have you news of Avatar Korra?" Tarrlok questioned.

"We do," Tenzin answered before pointing at him, "You kidnapped her, Tarrlok!"

Korzi's eyes widened, her lips parting in disbelief as she took a step forward to retort. But then, she remembered her father's words and bit her tongue, keeping silent.

"I am shocked you would accuse me of such an evil act! I already explained: Equalists attacked us and took her!" Tarrlok replied smoothly, his words making Korzi's blood boil even more.

"But there were no chi blockers here last night. You planted the evidence, didn't you?"

"That is a ridiculous accusation!"

"It's true! He took her! I was here when Avatar Korra arrived last night, but Councilman Tarrlok ordered me to leave. I was on my way out when I saw Tarrlok bring her down to the garage," a council page blurted out.

"That is nonsense! Everyone knows you're nothing but a squeaky-voiced liar!"

"Why'd you wait until now to fess up?" Lin questioned the council page.

As everyone looked up at Tarrlok in shock, Korzi could feel the heat rising in her chest. She was fuming with anger and couldn't hold back any longer.

"You disgusting monster!" she yelled at Tarrlok. "How could you do something like that? And you have the nerve to lie to our faces and accuse innocent people!" she snapped as she blew air at him making him crash into a wall. She was about to continue but Mako stopped her.

"Calm down, we'll get Korra back, just don't kill the man."

"Tell us where you have Korra."

Tenzin and Lin readied themselves to attack, their bodies tense and focused. Tarrlok's eyes widened as he saw their intent. But before he could react, he unleashed a powerful blood-bending attack, forcing Tenzin and Lin to their knees.

Asami, Bolin, Mako, and Korzi tried to intervene, but Tarrlok easily overpowered them with his blood-bending abilities. Korzi let out a bloodcurdling scream as she fell to the ground, writhing in pain.

One by one, Tarrlok blood-bent them all until they lay unconscious on the ground. Lin was the last one to wake up after Tenzin who was still laying on the ground unconscious.

"Do we just leave him here?" Mako questioned making Lin and Korzi scoff.

"Wake up!" Lin yelled as she slapped him awake.

"I'm awake!" he yelled getting up. He gripped his forehead in pain but averted his attention to his daughter.

"Are you alright?" he questioned as she stood up.

"I'm fine dad."

"We've only been out for a little while. Maybe we can still pick up Tarrlok's trail."

Korzi gasped, "It could lead us to Korra! Let's go."

-----------------------

"My life is a disaster now, thanks to you," Tarrlok muttered.

"So your little bloodbending secret's out? And I know how you blood bent me without a full moon. You're Yakone's son."

He corrected her, "I was his son, but to win Republic City, I had to become someone else. My father failed because he tried to rule the city from its rotten underbelly. My plan was perfect. I was to be the city's saviour. But you, you ruined everything!"

"Tarrlok, the jig is up and you have nowhere to go."

"Oh no. No, I'll escape and start a new life. And you're coming as my hostage."

"You'll never get away with this!" Korra yelled pounding on the door of the box.

As Tarrlok reached the top of the steps, he was taken aback by the sight that greeted him. Amon, the Lieutenant, and a group of chi blockers were waiting for him. His heart sank as he realized he had walked right into their trap.

"It is time for you to be equalized," Amon said.

"You fool! You've never faced bending like mine."

Despite Tarrlok's intense bloodbending, Amon seemed to resist its effects and continued to move forward with a determined look on his face. Tarrlok's eyes widened in disbelief as he redoubled his efforts, but even that was not enough to stop Amon. With a great struggle, Amon pushed through the bloodbending and continued to approach Tarrlok. Finally, he reached him, and Tarrlok could do nothing but look up at him in shock and fear.

"What? What are you?" Tarrlok questioned in both fear and surprise.

"I am the solution."