A World Of Grey (Legend of Korra)

Chapter 50

Asami's thoughts strayed as she put the finishing touches to her makeup. Korra had been on her mind all night and she slept uncomfortably. When she closed her eyes she saw Korra's face just before the elevator doors were pulled shut, her expression one of poignant hurt. Asami woke to a collection of thoughts and feelings she didn't know how to sort through. She tried to focus instead on getting prepared for the day ahead, skimming over her documents once more over a strong cup of coffee.

A sharp knock on the door caught her attention as Asami was gathering her things together. Her mind immediately jumped to a conclusion, one she swiftly dashed. If she was certain of one thing it was that her prospective visitor definitely wasn't Korra, and that made Asami wonder who it could be. She was not used to having her morning rituals interrupted. Her curiosity piqued, she walked over to the door and, after unlocking it, pulled it open.

Mako stood there in front of her, uncertainty evident in his expression and the way his eyes flitted away from hers. Beside him was Chief Beifong. The look on her face was severe. She carried a black binder with her, one she produced from beneath the folds of her grey overcoat as Asami looked between them. Bewildered, her mind was utterly blank. She couldn't think of a single thing to say.

"We need to talk," Lin told her.

A tight feeling gnawed at the pit of Asami's stomach. "We do?"

The older woman's gaze was piercing. "I know who you are," she said simply.

--

They were on opposite sides of the coffee table, Lin sitting on one sofa and Asami the other. Mako was standing, arms folded as he looked down at the binder laid open in front of them all. His frown was deep, eyes concerned as he glanced back and forth between the two women. Asami sat forward, hands clasped together between her knees as her eyes swept over the papers spread in front of her. Evidence, irrefutable evidence, all of it, and yet it was still difficult to accept it for what it was.

"How did you get all of this?" she said, looking up at the stern faced Chief.

"I've been at this since before you could walk," Lin replied. "I have contacts in places you wouldn't dream."

Asami grimaced. She had always had a bad feeling about losing her grapple hook launcher, despite pushing it to the far corners of her mind when nothing seemed to come of it.

"When did you find out?" she finally asked.

"Three days after the attempt on Korra's life," Lin said. "Efforts to source the origins of your weapon pointed to the Fire Nation before hitting dead ends on every front. After the equalists attacked Korra, I started calling in some favours."

"They worked fast."

"I was owed to, big time. You left a money trail behind – a small one admittedly, but I know people who are good at sniffing them out."

Asami sat back. "So my identity is out there, then," she said quietly.

Lin shook her head. "No. The trail only led back to Future Industries accounts, not directly to you."

"Then how did you link the Equalist to me?"

"Educated guesses," Lin said. "The Equalist was a woman highly skilled in combat and you have extensive experience in several forms of self-defence, dating back to shortly after the time of your mother's unfortunate passing. I personally went through the police archive of blueprints confiscated from your father's underground workshop and was able to match the weapon we recovered to several admittedly rough prototype drafts. Also, the movement of money from Future Industries to the private military contractor who produced the weapon suggested executive level management."