Moon Drops

Lineage Grows in a Downward Web of Corruption

A knock came at his bedroom door and Mako could hear his younger brother's voice from the other side asking if he was decent. Mako didn't respond. He didn't really want to be disturbed right now. The question must have been rhetorical, however, since Bolin entered the room anyway. Mako's brows knit tightly together as he glared at his brother.

"Heyyyy Mako~" Bolin greeted in his usual manner of enthusiasm.

Truly Mako was grateful for the naive optimism his brother had a tendency to unabashedly flaunt. His gratitude was an internal feeling however, and never seemed to present itself outwardly. Mako's voice was cold and harsh as he responded to Bolin's cheerful greeting, "What do you want, Bo?"

A wide smile formed beneath the younger's button nose. "I just thought I'd let you know that Korra's back," he said with a knowing look at his older brother.

Bolin had been genuinely concerned about his brother these past few weeks. He was worried that Mako was allowing unfriendly thoughts to stew and fester inside of him. Bolin had seen his brother do this many times before in the past, and the results were never good. He hated seeing his brother so angry and confused. He thought that maybe sharing with him that Korra had returned to Republic City would cheer him up. He had not expected Mako to leap off of his bed, however. Mako hastily donned an undershirt and a jacket, and fumbled around his room as he tried to put on a pair of shoes without sitting down. Bolin hadn't seen Mako this wound up in awhile. He crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame confidently. "Press is meeting her at Councilman Tarrlok's Estate," Mako flew past Bolin, the red of his scarf trailing behind him. Bolin called after him, "Hey! Where're you going?!"

Was that supposed to be another rhetorical question? The answer was pretty obvious: Mako was going to Tarrlok's Estate. He had a few things he had let weigh on him for too long that he needed to tell Korra. Mako swung a leg over his satocycle and quickly flipped the ignition toggle. Within moment he was speeding away from his and Bolin's latest apartment. As Bolin had warned him, when he arrived to Tarrlok's Estate the reporters were crowded around the gates. There were several servants, guards, and liaisons that were keeping the paparazzi from getting onto the premises. Mako tapped one guy on the shoulder. "Hey, is Councilman Tarrlok inside the Estate?"

The man snickered ruefully, "All but barricaded himself inside from what I hear. Him and Avatar Korra."

Oh perfect, the sarcastic commentary taunted from the back of his mind.

Mako pushed his way to the front of the crowd, where one of the metalbender guards was keeping security tight. Mako recognized him as Lieutenant Tsung. "Tsung? Hey! Tsung!" the lieutenant's attention had obviously been caught, "Mako? What are you doing here?"

Mako flashed his badge. "RCPD business. You gonna let me in?"

Tsung laughed heartily. He was going to let Mako in anyway, but he found it humorous that the kid was so willing to go to extremes as to lie his way in and abuse the detective badge. "I'm under strict orders from Chief Beifong to only let the Councilman and the Avatar's approved guests onto the Estate," the middle-aged man watched Mako's face morph into a sea of disappointment, "Easy there, Detective. Lucky for you, your name was on the list."

The metalbender used his earthbending and seismic sense to pull Mako under the ground and have him resurface on the other side of the wrought iron gate. Mako was greeted by a few attendants who offered him tours, food, and to take his coat. "Actually, can someone just take me to Korra. I really need to talk with her."