Endgame

*They are slightly looser, & they've broken off of the cop, but they're still not easy to get out of. With great difficulty, she can start to slide her arms below & get a grip on the bottom most curl of the cable. Meanwhile, Thiera lashes out with each water whip as the officer tries to get closer, so he steps back & fires off his gloves, punching through the whips, grabbing her wrists, & binding them behind her back.*

<You are all under arrest! Don't resist, or I will be forced to use lethal measures!>

*He spots a phone behind him & begins backing up towards it.*
=============================
Keter<Yes, of course. Farewell.>

*And so, when they reach Keter's mansion, the gates open to let them in. Once they park, a woman wearing brown trousers, a brown vest, a red scarf, & a white shirt comes down to greet them. By far, her most striking feature is her bobbed, blue hair, which she notices Ven, Roatha, & probably others staring at.*

<You like it? It's called "Verradye.">

R"It's...interesting."

V"...No."

*She smiles at Roatha, then glares at Ven.*
=============================
*And so the balloon eventually lands near the house on [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. A small girl wearing Air Nomad clothing with black hair in a bob, & a bun on her upper right side runs towards the house.*

<Daddy, daddy, daddy, the police are here! I'm sorry I wasn't in bed, do I have to go to jail?!>

*And so she hides behind Tenzin when he comes out. Lin lands the balloon & turns it off.*

Tenzin<I highly doubt they're here for you. Ah, Lin, you're looking radiant as usual.>

Lin<Cut the garbage, Tenzin. We just needed a place to land. I need to go back into the city.>

Tenzin<Will you need me to lend you a Flying Bison?>

Lin<Do what you want, I don't care.>

*So she stalks off. Tenzin sighs, then smiles at Mortale.*

Tenzin<Hello, Euryale, Mortal. This is my daughter, Jinora. Jinora, these nice ladies saved Daddy from danger in the past.>

*She quickly says, "Thanks," before running off into the house.*

Tenzin<I'm afraid she's rather shy. I'd love to introduce you to my wife, but I'll understand if you're too busy.>
=========================
<(Okay...yes...thank you....) Okay, I've just received an update. Someone has called in & says that they were at the hospital earlier, & overheard that the officer was providing security for somebody in the Lao family.>

<(That's...a lot of blue.)>
===
Damn it, why do I always want to get myself involved in things?

"Rather lovely actually," Hector said. Astarte stood around Roatha, looking like she was ready to collapse from sheer exhaustion.

"Stop him if you value your life, they won't let you walk away from this!" Dalia called out, struggling to get out of her restraints.

"The hair is great," Noct said, "But can we get inside? I think we could all use a rest."

--

"Perhaps some other, more relaxed time," Mortal said, "Though it is good to see you again."

<Thank you! I'm glad that MOST of you are appreciative. Of course you can come inside, right this way.>

*Roatha & Ven follow to the door.*

R"I can't sleep yet, we have to let Mortal & Euryale know that we're here, somehow."
=====================
Tenzin<Understood. If you go to that building over there-->

*He points.*

Tenzin<The Acolytes will offer you your pick among the Sky Bison. I'd offer to take you there myself, but I think it would be best if I didn't bother Lin.>

"Why is she so curt with you, anyway?"

Tenzin<I'm afraid that it would be too long of a story. Her issues with me started before I met Pema.>

"Wait a second...Lin & Beifong...Beifong & you...you 2 were a couple!"

*She points in the direction Beifong went & back. Tenzin haunches his shoulders in shock.*

Tenzin<Wh--what?! Where did you get that idea!?>

*Euryale folds her arms & smirks.*

"I can tell it's true. So...Pema stole you from Beifong. I'm surprised the Chief didn't throw her in jail."

*Tenzin dusts himself off.*

Tenzin<Well, she tried. Anyway, Pema didn't "steal" me from anyone. Lin & I had been drifting apart for some time. We both had...different goals in life, &-->

*He gradually spreads his arms, before shaking his head & balling his fists, his face growing red.*

Tenzin<Why am I telling you about this, anyway?! It all happened a long time ago, & we've all moved past it.>

"...Apparently Beifong hasn't."
=============================
*Thiera kicks out, sending some water to make an ice dome around the phone.*

"Please be quiet."

<What if she's right?>

*The cop draws a gun & levels it at her.*

<Now...we're all going to do exactly what I say. Understand?>
==========================
<(What's that? Oh....*Ahem.*) It seems we have an officer on the line. Would you care to introduce yourself, Sir?>

Kane<Kane. Is my name.>

<And what can you tell us about recent events?>

Kane<It is correct that we confiscated all of the Purist Weaponry as evidence, but it seems that Mortal & Euryale stole some to use against us. That's all those shots are about. It's nothing to worry about, I assure you.>

*Tirea and Monu follow, Tirea looking upset about something*
===
Two people are really bringing the police department to their knees?

"How are we going to do that?" Gabe asked, "We don't even know where to send a message so that it'll reach them."

--

Mortal smiles, and gives Tenzin a playful jab, "Sly dog. That aside, how do you ride a sky bison?"

"Would they be familiar with this place?" Hector asked. "I mean, would they think of coming here for a safe house?"

"Would a normal cop be holding nurses at gunpoint...?" Dalia asked.

*Thiera kicks out, & then hits the deck. Something unidentifiable hits the cop in the face & explodes in a cloud of green gas. He fires 3 times, striking near his foot, the wall behind Dalia, & the ceiling, before falling to the ground, unconscious. Thiera takes the gloves off of herself freezes them, & smashes them with a stray brick lying around. Aroma crawls towards her.*

A<What's going on!?>

T<I don't know. I used the anesthetics you were carrying. We have to lock down the hospital, & get everyone to safety. Do you think you can alert the Chief Healer for me?>

*Aroma nods nervously, then runs off, edging down the hall past Dalia.*
==========================
R"No. We're going to need a visual signal. Something that only they will recognize as conspicuous. And something that can be seen at this time of night, with no moon."
==========================
*Tenzin rubs his arm & looks frustrated.*

Tenzin<It's very simple. You climb onto the saddle on the bison's back, then use the reigns on its horns to direct it. You say, "Yip yip" to prompt it to ascend, & "whoa" to descend.>
===========================
<2 rogue police are that much of a problem?>

Kane<Well, firstly, they have allied with the remnants of the Red Monsoons. But, I want you to understand: We have everything under control.>

"What, you going to shoot up a bolt of lightning?" Gabe asked.

"Always smoke signals," Noct suggested.

--

"Yip yip?" Mortal asked, smiling, "That is kind of cute." With all the cute animal talk, and old romance, Mortal was in slightly better spirits.

"How visible will smoke signals be on a moonless night?" Hector asked.

"If you let me take care of him and get out of here, you can always pin it on me, you know?" Dalia said, hopefully finally out of her cables.

That is sure under control...something's not right here…
===
Monu:<A bolt of lightning will be pretty obvious.>

R"We could make a cloud. If one of the search lights shines on it, it will just look like some fog."

V"Then how will they know it's for them?"

R"Because we shape it like a dragon. Only not enough to be clearly manufactured, obviously."

V"That's taking a lot on hope & faith, there."
========================
*Euryale puts an arm around Mortal.*

E"We should be off, then. But before we go, you should know not to trust the police department, Mr. Tenzin. You might even want to take your family on vacation for a while, until all of this blows over."

Tenzin<I can't do that, I have a responsibility to this city. Now, what is going on, here?>
============================
Thiera<You need to get back to your room, Ma'am.>

*Thiera heads over & pries the gun out of the cop's hand.*
============================
<People HAVE been reporting less Triads on the street.>

Kane<Yes, we've made great strides purging them.>

<What about this new group, the Equalists? Their leader, Amon, seems to be saying that he will succeed where the Purists had failed--overthrowing the government, & even going a step further, by ridding the city of Bending. Do you have a response?>

Kane<Haha. Come on, are you also afraid of Spirits in your basement? We are not concerned with the Equalists. All they are is the bitter, confused remnants of the Purists, & gangs like that never last. We think their movement will fizzle out soon enough, & will never achieve anything major. But he's welcome to try, if he wants to be arrested.>

Monu:<I don't see a better option.>

"Hope and faith are a fugitives bread and butter," Hector said. "Let's try it."

"Alright, then," Dalia started off towards her room, pausing for a moment and looking back at Thiera. "Thank you. I owe you my life."
She continued back to her room, a hand rubbing at her stomach where the cables had hurt her older injuries.

"Why would a dragon shaped cloud get their attention?" Noctis asked, confused.

"Mortal is really into dragons," Gabe explained, "Still a long shot that she sees it, and knows what it means though."

--

"An officer, Kane, is corrupt and causing all sorts of mayhem," Mortal said.

R"Well, that's the point, I assume that she will automatically leap to the conclusion that it's supposed to be a dragon, & then that it must have been made for her. Where as others would just assume it means nothing. Anyway, the ayes have it, so let's get down to business."

*Roatha follows the assistant inside.*
==========================
Tenzin<Not to boast, but I am an Airbending Master. I highly doubt that he would be so dangerous that I should have to leave Republic City.>

E"It's not just him. All of the officers from Ba Sing Se are on his side."

Tenzin<Oh. That does sound like a problem.>

E"He wants to control the city. Saxeus was on his side, before Senthose killed him. So they'll probably be after the Council soon."

*Tenzin strokes his beard.*

Tenzin<And we have no way to prove the conspiracy to the rest of the Council, to get them to do something about it.>

E"Yeah. It's a pretty bum rap."
==========================
Thiera<No thanks are necessary. It is what I do.>

*Tirea follows him, Monu close behind*

Astarte followed close behind Roatha, HES going in after.

Dalia entered her room and headed over to any window, looking down at the scale of the drop.

Noctis couldn't help but giggle at the idea of relying on a grown woman to determine that a dragon cloud was made specially for her.

--

"But it is nothing we can't overcome," Mortal said, "We just need to stop Kane, and work out the rest later."

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

R"What in the world?"

<Ms. Aurora ordered me to provide extravagant refreshments & entertainment. She also gave me very strict instructions on what to wear, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell her about my appearance.>
=========================
E"Even if we do defeat Kane, I'm not sure that the rest of his agents will fall so easily. This isn't just another Triad. If we're going to beat them all, then we'll need help, & I think we should start by finding out where our friends went."

Tenzin<I wish you the best of fortune. I will call a Council meeting, & try to convince the others that something is amiss as soon as possible. In the meantime, the Air Acolytes can go into the city, & try to keep the violence from getting out of hand.>
=============================
*It's only the 2nd story, but it is onto a parking lot.*

"Excuse me," Hector said after a yawn. "It hasn't been the easiest road here. Maybe there would be somewhere to lie down?"

She looked for any way of lowering herself down and minimizing fall damage.

*Tirea glares at the lady, not in the mood*

Noctis weighed her options, and found that rebuking Keter's generosity would be fairly rude, "It sounds lovely, but perhaps we could put it off for a second while we try to warn our friends. It is important that we do so."

--

Mortal nodded, "That would be much appreciated."

<Sure, I don't mind. I can take people to the guest bedrooms, if anyone would like.>

*And so at least some of them presumably go to the roof, where Roatha crouches down near the lip of the building, watching searchlights pass over the nearby estates.*

R"Okay, so, we'll need the Waterbenders to turn the snow into a cloud. It can't look too realistic, obviously."
========================
*Meanwhile, Mortale, Lin, & Saikhan are speeding through the skies on a Sky Bison named "Bimo." The Sky Bison has specially had red sheets tied around it, because red is hard to see in the dark. They are also weaving through the buildings to keep from being noticed. Above them, they can see nearly a dozen airships flying around, sweeping search lights across the city. Below, they see cars patrolling on nearly every block.*

E"Ugh. How are we going to avoid these guys when moving through the city? We can't fight them all at once."
============================
*She can use the cheesy bed sheet rope method.*