Hey, guys... waddup? Been a while, huh? (Yes, I know, over half a year... please don't hurt me) I won't bore you with the details, but basically life happened. Also, this chapter refused to be written for the longest time for some reason. Anyways, I'm back, and while I can't promise I'll update once a week anymore, the updates will be fairly regular (I hope... I already started on chapter 10 if it makes you feel any better.) So please enjoy, and leave a comment, even if it's just to tell me how much you hate me. P.S. I went back and edited the previous chapters. Nothing major, just a few tweaks to make some parts flow better.

Chapter Text

The Lieutenant

Lee stared at the mask in his hands. He hesitated before putting it on, pulling the goggles slowly over his eyes. He was aware what the mask represented. While wearing it, he would do terrible things, all in the name of the greater good. While wearing it he had no name, no past. He was simply the Lieutenant, Amon’s second-in-command. He breathed in sharply, preparing himself for what was to come.

Tonight was the night. The culmination of everything they’d worked for so far. If tonight went well, their plans would enter Phase Two. He walked across the warehouse with firm, determined steps. All around him, his soldiers were loading and checking weapons, getting ready for their missions.

The goal was to effectively cripple the Agni Kais, Republic City’s most powerful Triad, in a single night. Terminate their operations, cut off their cash flow, take out their leaders. Quick and surgical. This also meant that they were going to have as many as ten teams out on the field at once, which made this operation a logistical nightmare.

The Lieutenant reached the back of the warehouse, where a private, closed-off section housed one of their greatest assets. “What do you have for us this time, Mr. Sato?”

Getting Hiroshi Sato out of prison and into their employment had been relatively simple. All it took was a convincing look-alike (aided with some minor plastic surgery) a waylaid prison transport, and quite a few bribes. It helped that the only person who could probably tell the difference between the double and the real thing, Hiroshi’s daughter Asami, hadn’t once in three years gone to visit him in prison. Getting him to agree to work for them had been too easy, once he was told of their organization’s goals.

“I’m actually really proud of this one,” Hiroshi said, pulling out what looked like a grenade from a case. “It’s essentially a fire extinguisher. Guaranteed to counteract any firebenders your teams encounter.”

“How many do we have?”

“I can have about three dozen of them made by the time the teams head out.”

“Excellent. Keep up the good work.”

The Lieutenant left Hiroshi’s “office,” briefly stopping by his own to pick up a few files. Those in hand, he made his way to the warehouse’s upper level, where the control center was. Inside, Noatak--no, Amon, he was Amon when the mask was on--was waiting for him. He was presiding over his army, watching the preparations underway from his vantage point.

“Sir, I have the reports from last week’s missions.” He always detested the theatrics they had to go through, but they all had their parts to play. “All civilian and police casualties fell within the accepted parameters.” Their part was that of the villains, and collateral damage was an inevitable side effect of that role. Still, they did their best not to go over the line.

“Good,” Amon said turning towards the Lieutenant. “How long until we are ready to move out?”

“Everything should be in place by 2000 hours. I assume you will be joining Alpha Team?”

“I am. I have to do what must be done. You understand this, right?” A little of Noatak’s warmth crept into Amon’s voice as he said this. He understood the necessity of their mission, but bending had always made him uneasy. And bloodbending, well… it was another level of perverse. But he trusted Noatak, and if he said that this was necessary, then it was.

“I guess I’m coming with Alpha Team too, then.”

Amon tensed. It was barely noticeable, but Lee knew Noatak better than anyone. He could perfectly picture the look of worry that was beneath the mask. “You shouldn’t. There are some things I don’t want you to see.”

“It’s too late for that. We agreed when we started this, that I’d be beside you every step of the way. Besides, I was standing right outside every crackhouse you hit.”

“Exactly,” Noatak said. “You were outside . You didn’t see what I did. What has to happen today… you’ll be right in the thick of it.”

Lee nodded, resolute. “Every step of the way,” he repeated.

Noatak took Lee’s hands in his and looked into his eyes. “All right. You are putting your trust in me. I should be able to do the same.”

“That’s all I ask.”

“Very well, Lieutenant,” Amon said, releasing his hands. “Go oversee the final preparations. I want the men ready to move out ASAP.”

“Yes, sir.” The Lieutenant saluted and turned on his heel, going back downstairs to address his men.

The Lieutenant gripped the truck’s steering wheel tightly. Alpha Team was in position outside Zolt’s estate, so it was a waiting game now. Amon was beside him and they had ten other men in the back of the truck, but even with all that, the estate was too-well fortified. If they charged in now, they would probably all get cut down before they reached the front door. That’s where the other teams came in. They would attack different Agni Kai operations across the city in an attempt to draw manpower and protection away from Zolt.

“Teams Bravo and Delta have engaged their targets,” the radio operator said. “That makes all teams present and accounted for.”

“Any movement from inside?” Amon asked the lookout.

“None yet, sir.”

Twelve minutes passed before the lookout spoke again. “I see movement. I count thirty-four men leaving the estate.”

Thirty-four. That was more than the Lieutenant expected, but less than he’d hoped. Than meant they’d still have at least twenty men to deal with inside. They waited another ten minutes to make sure none would make it in time, should word get out to them about the assault on the estate. The Lieutenant got out and opened the back of the truck. The men climbed out and stood at attention.

“Alright, men,” the Lieutenant said, “we want a quick, surgical assault. We’re operating under the assumption that Zolt kept all his firebenders close to him. Fortunately, our benefactor made us some new toys to counteract this.” As he said this, he pulled out one of the grenades Sato has shown him earlier. “Shoot to kill, but remember, we want Zolt alive. Weapons free.”

With that, the men headed towards the estate gates, placing small plastic explosives to blow it off its hinges, as the Lieutenant started a timer on his watch. Amon and the Lieutenant hung back, waiting while the men did a sweep of the garden. Several shots rang out and after thirty seconds, the Lieutenant heard a voice in his ear. “All clear.”

He and Amon walked straight towards the front door, the Lieutenant using a grenade to blow the heavy slab of wood open. Automatic gunfire came from the inside, causing the Lieutenant to scramble for cover, but Amon simply raised a hand and the firing stopped.

As the smoke cleared, the Lieutenant was able to see five men suspended in the air, their faces contorted in pain. He stepped through the threshold with Amon. “All units, converge on our position,” he barked into his mic. His men soon appeared around him. “You two,” he said pointing at the first through the door. “With me. The rest of you, search the house, room by room. Secure any possible escape routes.”

The Lieutenant jumped as a shot rang out. He looked up and realized that one of the bloodbent men had managed to raise his rifle and squeeze off a shot. His heart leapt to his throat when he realized there was now a smoking bullet hole on the wall, two inches from Noatak’s head.

Amon, however, didn’t even flinch. Instead, he made the man who shot at him point his gun at each of the other four Agni Kais he was holding. One by one, the man unwillingly executed his friends, until he was forced to turn his gun on himself. One last shot rang out and the man slumped over, dead. Amon lowered his hand, and five corpses fell unceremoniously onto the floor.

For some time, Lee could do nothing but stare, wide-eyed. He had been warned numerous times, but still, actually seeing the things Noatak could do… No--Amon did this, not Noatak , he thought, desperately trying to convince himself.

He was shaken out of his stupor by a voice in his ear informing him that the ground floor was secure. He looked down at his wrist. 4:34. “Good,” he replied. “Move on to the second floor.”

According to inside sources, Zolt’s personal rooms were in the third floor of the estate. If he hadn’t managed to escape, that’s where he’d be. The Lieutenant signaled the two men who were with him and Amon and the four of them moved ahead, making their way towards Zolt while the other eight secured the second floor.

As soon as they emerged on the third floor, they fell under a barrage of fire. Actual fire, not gunfire. Good. Firebenders meant they were probably close to Zolt. The Lieutenant pulled one of Sato’s new grenades and lobbed it in the firebenders’ direction. Moments later, the device exploded in a mass of foam that completely covered the benders. When they tried shooting fire again it didn’t get very far before it was smothered.

Amon strode forward purposefully, not bothering with theatrics as he did down in the foyer. Instead, he quickly and methodically used his bloodbending to break each of the benders’ necks. He approached the room they had emerged from, before quickly sidestepping as a bolt of lightning flew right past him. Once again raising his hand, he held Zolt in place. “Lightning Bolt Zolt,” he said. “We meet at last.”

To his credit, despite being in obvious pain, Zolt didn’t looked afraid. “If you kill me, you’re signing your own death warrant,” he said through gritted teeth. “My men will hunt you down.”

“Why would I kill you?” Amon whispered. “You are not a threat to me. Your resources are depleted. Your network is crippled. Most of your men are dead… or they will be soon.”

“Then what do you want?”

“To take the last bit of power you have left.” Amon forced Zolt to his knees. “Your bending.” He placed his thumb on Zolt’s forehead. Moments later, Zolt keeled over.

The Lieutenant looked at his watch again. 8:21. It was time to go. “Main objective has been accomplished. All units, report back to transport ASAP.” He walked over to Amon, who was still standing over Zolt. “Time to go,” he said.

Back at HQ, in Amon’s private office, Lee ripped the mask off his face.

“I’m sorry you had to see that.” He turned to see Noatak standing behind him.

“I told you. I understand the mission. I understand what you have to do.” Besides, the mission had been an unqualified success. They had effectively crippled the city’s most powerful criminal organization in less than ten minutes.

Noatak walked up to him and kissed him lightly. “That didn’t make it any easier, did it?”

“No, it didn’t,” Lee admitted. “But I love you, and I’m seeing this through to the end. So, what now?”

“Now, we begin Phase Two.”