"Contractor Akashi. You're cheating." Said one of the task force members, throwing a card to Akashi, who simply smiled and took all of the change spread on the ground.
"Previously the youngest sergeant. Currently a consultant." Akashi replied with a smug smirk.
Currently, he was playing cards with the task force members from the police station.
"Seriously…"
"Tsk. It's not fair to use your detective skills."
They complained at him.
Akashi laughed. "You guys talk about having tells and all. Yet, none of you focus on yourself. In case you wonder, a man's metal shows when they are stressed, not when they talk."
Behind him was Korra, placing her shoulder on his back while watching him play.
It had been many hours traveling to the Earth Kingdom.
As he entered the ship, Akashi had spent some time with Lin and Korra, before Lin went to manage her reports, working remotely through the radio.
As for Korra, she had spent time with Akashi. They kissed, talked, and more. But eventually, everyone got bored.
"So, you won again. How much?" Korra asked.
The rest of the police members stood up, breaking the game for a short break.
Akashi stretched his legs. "Around 500 yuan in change."
"Isn't that too little?" she asked, "At first, I thought that it was some serious money, seeing how you all acted."
"It's serious money," Akashi said, "It's like a week's salary for one of my employees. For us, wage workers, every hundred yuan counts. It can mean the difference between starving at the end of the month or not."
"Seriously, life is difficult for you guys." Korra sighed as if sympathizing with the police members. "You risk your life on the front line, and you're not paid very well."
"That's life." Akashi said, nodding.
"Wait a second. You have two businesses. Why are you talking like you're broke?" she asked, tightening her gaze at him.
Since she had hung out with broke people before — the Red Ferret team — she saw through Akashi's behavior.
"Hahaha. You are right. I forget sometimes since I hang around the police department." Akashi laughed, as if he had forgotten that he had gained a lot of money and had successful businesses thriving, and more to come. Not to mention he had 100 million yuan worth of bonds that were meant to increase in price in the future, and he would have a constant income source because of it.
"That's a problem. We should start thinking about ways to not make you think like that."
"Why?"
"Because it looks sad, makes you look sad, and I feel sad when I see you like that," she replied.
"Hmmm… let's then rent some large house, next to the Queen's palace. And have some sex." Akashi said.
Korra blushed hard. "Hush… don't talk loud."
Ever since that day, she hadn't initiated another sex attempt with Akashi. The cool-down from losing her virginity took her a week. Even with waterbending, though, it was pleasurable for her.
Akashi chuckled, finding her attempt to act shy cute.
He stood up and turned his head in one direction.
"Where are you going?" Korra asked. "You're not upset with me, are you?"
"No." Akashi said. "I'm just curious."
He was looking in the direction of the prisoners that were meant to be delivered.
At the surface, his job was to protect them.
But deep down inside, he was here to make sure that they got away.
Forget Tarrlok.
The real deal was Noatak. Someone who had fought back against his father because he had oppressed his little brother.
Someone like him, if he joined the resistance against the Earth Queen, or created one, could make a war.
And with a war waged, Akashi could participate.
He counted the amount of the bonus experience points that he might get if he got involved.
But the main reason wasn't only the experience points.
It was Akashi's inner desire.
As a cop in two lives, there was nothing that frustrated him more than someone getting away with something bad. Had it been outside his power and he couldn't do a thing, he would let it go and live with the pain in the background of his mind. But if there was something that he could do, he would not hesitate to bring himself some inner peace.
The Earth Queen had tried to kidnap him. Had sent assassins after him. Had funded the army of the Equalists to make them move early to get him as a prize. Surely, she had helped him thrive by handing him experience points, and he was grateful. But, he'd never accept her getting peaceful nights of sleep while he had gotten stressful nights because of her.
Now, that petty bitch would go after Noatak and Tarrlok. And the latter would be forced to go against her. With bloodbenders on the opposite force, no full moon required, the favors were in Akashi's side.
"Curious about what?" she asked.
As the answer was too complicated to explain, he said, "About my friends."
"Friends?" Korra asked. "Oh.. You mean the ones you — ahem. The ones I beat."
Akashi smiled at her. She remembered to take the credits for defeating the bloodbenders.
"Good girl." He approved.
"But why are you calling them friends? Haven't they attempted to kidnap you?" she asked.
"A mouth slip," Akashi shrugged, "Anyways, I'll go and see them. Wait for me while I talk to them."
They had been locked behind a metal door.
"It's too dangerous, I'll accompany you." Korra said.
"I need to ask them a private question." He said.
Korra looked at Akashi reluctantly. But she had trusted him enough to nod.
"I'm telling you then. If you are there for longer than three minutes and don't get out, I'll enter the Avatar's state and get in." She said, fully alert.
Akashi grabbed her from the back of her head and pushed his forehead against hers.
"Thank you very much, Korra. But I defeated them for a reason. Remember." Akashi assured her. Truth to be told, he appreciated the feeling of being loved. The feeling of someone worrying about him. It made him feel warmth…feel human.
She nodded.
Akashi left her in her spot and walked to the room with the prisoners.
At the entrance were two guards.
Akashi talked to them, stating his purpose, that he needed to comfort his kidnappers. Out of professional courtesy, they let him in.
He entered the prison, or rather, the chamber where the two bloodbenders were locked.
Both of them were tied to chairs, chained. Around their legs, there were shackles, and through his airbending, Akashi could feel the electricity in them. Both of the bloodbenders would surely get electrocuted for having the slightly funny idea.
The first one to give him a reaction was Tarrlok.
"You finally show up, bastard." He said, urgently. "What's with that bad treatment I'm getting! Get me a burger with cheese sauce and extra fries!"
He demanded.
After having been locked up by Akashi, Tarrlok could never be satisfied with the services that the Republic City had given. Not to mention that the food wasn't that great.
It felt as if it was a concentration camp.
"Remember. You are going to the real concentration camp, made by her majesty." Akashi said, sighing. "And she does have such a thing for the rebels that oppose her. But it's not talked about in the media."
Noatak didn't say anything and kept staring at Akashi.
Tarrlok, on the other hand, clicked his tongue.
"You know about it," Noatak said.
"I've heard rumors," he replied, "I've got funds from her for my campaign — which was ruined by this rascal, of course. I've heard stuff."
"And you never thought about mentioning it?" Noatak asked.
"At the worst case, she'd just recruit us to hunt this rascal again. So, why should I be worried about anything," Tarrlok said.
"Hahaha!" Akashi laughed. "Surely, she'd not peg you… that's for sure."
"What do you mean?" Tarrlok asked, horror filling his eyes.
"What I do mean, is that some words reached my ears. I'd forget about Tarrlok. But Noatak. You seem like someone who likes to fight against oppression, and you don't mind using a few lies in the process." Asked Akashi.
"And, so? All I did was trying to make a world where the weak and the strong are equal," said Noatak.
"But in the process of creating such a world, your people created weapons capable of defeating tens of benders. And in that world, who has the weapons, has the power, and makes the laws. It would turn from nonbenders against benders to weapon holders vs. armless people. What do you think would happen in such a world."
"In such a world," Noatak didn't want to admit it, but he had thought about it. "I'd be the ruler."
"And after your death?" asked Akashi.
Noatak tried to say something, but it didn't work.
But no matter how he thought about it, the end result seemed to be the same.
A strong faction would come to raise, and the weak would be oppressed again under them.
"There is a solution, however." Akashi said, "In this world, and in that world, for a long-ass peace."
"And what may that be, young man?" Noatak deadpanned, using the words 'young man' to mock Akashi.
"Unite the people against a real oppressor. And then, win. Not only you'd win, but you would teach a valuable lesson to the next generations when they face the same." Akashi smiled, "You'd be treated as a true revolutionary figure. In every time, when an oppressor raises, the people will come to unite and take them down, falling into long peace again."
"And why not kill the oppressor directly," Noatak asked.
"Because if you did," Akashi smiled, "people will divide. Every faction would try to gain power. The gangsters will take advantage of the chaos, and the weak will get caught in the middle. And then, some ruler, who may be another oppressor or not, would unite the people. Either through fear, or not.
"But all of that could be avoided if people united at first and the first oppressor got replaced by the one they agreed to follow."
Akashi walked to them and placed his hands on their electrical chairs, looking directly into their faces.
"And? Why are you discussing philosophy with us. I understand that you are saying we were wrong in our methods. But we did what we had to do." Tarrlok said.
"I think I understand," Noatak said to Akashi, "You can go now. Or else, your girlfriend would enter."
And as it was, the three minutes that Korra had allowed Akashi were over.
Akashi stretched his arms up and walked out of the room.
"What did you understand?" asked Tarrlok.
A/N: 10 Advanced chapters ahead at: Patreo n.com/Blazuki