Blades and Fans

The Thief and the Bandit Part 2

The blaring alarm echoed through the compound, prompting soldiers to spring to their feet as the entire facility went on high alert. It didn't take the guards long to find the pistol that went off. The lingering smoke and the sharp scent of sulfur hung in the air, staining the steel of the weapon. Minister Qin narrowed his eyes as he picked up the weapon and held it to the light. His grasp tightened around the grip with his finger just barely brushing along the trigger. "Minister Qin," one of the guards began to speak. "All the prisoners have been accounted for, no one is missing," she said as she stood at attention.

"Then we have an intruder," Qin stated matter-of-factly as his index finger curled on the trigger slowly in frustration.

"We are scouring the compound as we speak, Minister," the soldier spoke again, her eyes now darting to his itching trigger finger before straightening her gaze. "If there is an intruder, we will find them."

"If?" Qin arched his brow and turned to the soldier with his lips twisting in annoyance. "There is no if," he said as Qin raised and leveled the gun at the woman's head. "Unless you think this gun went off on its own? If that's the case, maybe we should test that theory," he said as his finger tightened around the trigger.

"No Minister, it didn't go off on its own," The woman's heart raced as she stared down the barrel. The air seemingly sucked out of the room as everyone went silent. No one dared to even breathe as Qin's fingers began to squeeze. Then his arm began to lower and the soldier finally let out a sigh of relief.

Boom!

The woman fell sprawling on the floor in blinding agony. Qin shot her leg, the bullet tearing and searing flesh. She cried out, but none of the guards came to her aid as they remained at attention and awaiting orders.

After a moment as the Minister stared down at her, he watched her wither in pain. He tossed the gun aside and turned his eyes to the other soldiers in the room. "Clean this mess up," Qin grunted in disgust as a guard finally rushed over to pick the woman off the floor and carried her off. "Now find out who did fire this weapon and bring them to me," Qin snapped. He was already under a lot of pressure to make sure these shipments of guns made it to the capitol he couldn't risk any screwups. Especially after he had lost the drill to the Avatar's assault. Luckily, his other projects were successful, but that won't save him if this one fails.

"We will find them, Minister," one of the other soldiers proclaimed.

Qin narrowed his eyes before nodding in response. "Good... but have someone question the prisoners as well. Whoever the intruder is they may have had help. We cannot take any risks," He snapped before twisting his mouth again in thought. "Dismissed," he ordered and the soldiers in the room snapped to attention and went on their patrol joining the others in their search.

While soldiers left to scour the facility. Zuko and Toph watched from the rafters above, out of sight. Zuko narrowed his eyes as he heard Minister Qin. He was one of the diplomates who attended the war meeting all those years ago. He was one of the men that observed his first greatest shame. He watched when he was scarred and banished. "Look at him now," Zuko whispered under his breath. The Minister of war cruelly threatened his men while holding their people hostage to build his machines of war. It was disgusting was Zuko's only thought.

"You say something?" Toph questioned as she still shook her head, a bit ringing lingering in her ear. But she could sense the tension in his body, the way his muscles tensed and reacted to the man's voice. There was a history there.

"Nothing...," Zuko said through narrow eyes as he peeked around looking for a way out. He then motioned for Toph to follow as they scaled their way down.