Making A Comeback

Mortal took a step back when he smashed the syringe, then let out a sigh, "You damn idiot! Curse us from your jail cell if you must, killing yourself is just stupid!"

"What do you mean 'everyone will die within a month'?" Noct asked, "Who is 'they'?"

*Tirea grabs Gabe's hand*

<Who...would want us dead?>

*Aamon's laugh builds until it's hysterical, the strange echoing voices making it almost deafening. He also raises his arms to the ceiling. Both actions force blood from his mouth & wounds at an alarming rate.*

Aamon<Again, you mistake genius for madness! I am nothing, if not a scientist--a force that far surpasses Bending! For even though it is in the hands of a man I despise, my research shall live on, & one day achieve what could not be done in my lifetime--purging the world of religious zealots such as yourselves!>

*He clenches his hands into shaking fists just as the Metalbending Police bust through the doors & windows. Aamon leaps through their cables, his moves noticeably sluggish. Finally, his eyes & voice gradually return to normal as he looks back.*

Aamon<You are too late.>

*He grabs his head in both hands, letting out a gurgling roar. In a series of muscle spasms, he loses his balance & falls flat on his face. The keys slip from his hand & slide over to Euryale's feet, leaving a trail of pink water droplets in their wake.*

Gabe turned so she wouldn't have to look at Aamon's final moments.

Noct watches all of that on the verge of anger, "He never answered my question, that no good cur." She let out a sigh, and looked at everyone else, "Is everyone alright?"

Gabe looked at Noct and nodded, "Yeah, I think so."

*Tirea's grip on Gabe's hand strengthens*

<I think I'm alright.>

Astarte watched Aamon with morbid fascination, though she kept her healing water in place.

*The policewoman with the megaphone checks Aamon's pulse & shakes her head.*

V"Fine."

R"I'm just glad he didn't make it past me."

E"I'm pretty much all better, thanks to Astarte."

*Several of the cops latch their cables onto Aamon's corpse & begin dragging him out, but one steps forward.*

Cop<Well, well, well...2 days, & just as many bodies from you 2. And I see that civilians are involved, again.>

"Are you trying to imply something?" Noct asked the officer.

Mortal looked from Aamon's body to the officer talking to see if she recognized him, or her.

Astarte let her water linger, not content to stop the healing until she had to.

<Sorry...>

*She does not, however, he has a badge beside his Republic City PD badge, which identifies him as being a transfer from Ba Sing Se.*

Cop<Just that it's probably time for a...performance review. And until then, I'm not certain you should be on the guard for "Lightning Bolt" Zolt tomorrow.>

*Roatha points at him, then around to the shards of syringes.*

R"Hey, you're full of crap! For the record, Aamon killed himself. Just look at all of the stuff he's been shooting up with."

Cop<A convenient excuse. I also notice that he's not exactly unmarred.>

<Well, yeah, he was trying to kill us and wouldn't go down.>

"You know this is going to be cleared for self defense," Noctis said, "Mortal and Euryale were the primary reason things were not one hundred times worse yesterday, and if I had been alone I fear it would be my body dead on the floor. Going back further they were the ones to bring in Senthose."

Mortal just shook her head, "A performance review would be a waste of time. We didn't do anything wrong here."

<Prior public service is not an adequate justification. Besides, we have evidence that they've been in contact with Senthose before & after his escape, from reports by the presumed late Chief Beifong.>

E"You can't just open the Chief's files without her permission!"

<We obtained permission from the interim chief, Saikhan.>

E"That idiot."

<Perhaps he'd like to hear what you-->

E"Go ahead, it's not against the law. We weren't conspiring with Senthose, he called us to gloat."

<A likely cover story. Why you, specifically?>

*Tirea looks very confused*

<Some crazy asshole comes to kill us at our victory party and suddenly you're accusing two awesome people of being in league with another asshole?>

*Tirea's free hand clenches into a fist*

Gabe puts a hand on Tirea's shoulder to stop her from making a scene.

"It is true," Mortal said, "And why us? I bet it has nothing to do with us putting him away, and him holding a grudge."

"Did you say the current interim chief of police was Saikhan?" Noctis asked, "And while I'm at it, I'd like to know you're name as well."

OOC: Yes, he is deliberately ignoring Noctis.

<But why contact you before the arrest?>

*Tirea mouths "I'm sorry," at Gabe*

Noct chuckled, "I don't like being ignored officer." She then stepped in front of him to read his badge number.

"I don't have to answer these questions as they have nothing to do with my relationship to anyone involved in this crime, nor to the crime itself. If you want to continue this I'm going to want to see a warrant for my arrest," Mortal said, thoroughly done with this back and forth.

Gabe mouths, "It's okay," back to her.

*He abruptly turns around, & the others follow him out.*

<Not to worry...I believe you've already given me everything that I need.>

*Tirea looks rather annoyed*

<Thanks for your help, officer.>

Noct let out a sigh, wondering if it'd be worth the trouble to just track down any recent transfers from Ba Sing Se.

"Asshole," Mortal grumbled, making fists until her nails began to hurt her palm, "I can't believe they're doing this."

"Do you know why they would?" Gabe asked, "I always thought you two were popular at your precinct."

Astarte looked quite off-put, but stayed quiet.

*Euryale crosses her arms.*

E"I think it's just the Ba Sing Se divisions overreacting because of Saxeus's death. Still, we can't just ignore this. I'll write up a formal complaint tomorrow, & submit it at the end of my shift."

R"Hey, give me one of those forms, too."

E"You can't file a complaint that the officer 'is a jerkbender, & was mean to my friends.'"

R"Well, why not!?"

"You'd have to word it correctly," Noct said, "Call his conduct 'unprofessional', and 'accusatory'."

"I suppose I should write one too," Mortal said, "Though I might have trouble leaving out how much I want to punch him in his stupid face."