The Avatar's Master

8. Brother on the Beat

The next morning Mako was sipping coffee and reading the paper, the Republic City Herald Tribune, in his modest studio apartment. He had pulled a double the day before and had to work again today – it seemed his whole life was all work and no play lately, though if he was being honest with himself, he missed Korra and Team Avatar. Regardless, his detective work had him investigating something fishy, and possibly big. He just had to put the pieces together.

The headlines for the day included a brief mention of the speakeasy bust. They had confiscated all the cactus juice in the building, nearly two tons. But still, that was nothing in the larger scheme, and there was no culprit to pin it on, nor leads to follow, and the eyewitnesses had all been mum.

The tech and business section featured a large spread of Asami presenting the future of Futures Industries in the form of the luxury sport car he had pulled her over in yesterday morning alongside another model, a sedan station wagon designed for families. The headline read, "Sato unveils new rides; carries on father's legacy to the future."

Mako turned to page 6, which again featured Asami Sato, except she was pictured with two other men, one of which was Varrick and the other a man he didn't recognize. Off to the side was another, smaller picture of Asami cozying up to the unknown man. The headline read, "Sato seen with new boytoy" and the subhead underneath read, "Future Industries CEO, First Gentleman and playboy racer paint the town."

The three of them, Mako thought to himself. Interesting. And who was this mystery "playboy racer" anyway?

Just then, Bolin burst through the door, causing Mako to jump and spill some of his coffee.

"Good Morning, bro!" It wasn't even 7 and Bolin was already high on life.

Mako was wiping coffee from the picture of Asami and company on page 6.

"Bolin, how many times do I have to tell you to knock first before entering? Even if I don't answer, that little heads up gives me a sec to collect myself."

"Awe, I'm sorry bro." A loose piece of hair dangled between Bolin's big green eyes, which asked forgiveness from his brother in the familiar way Mako had seen his whole life. But Bolin was just as quickly distracted by the picture of Asami in the newspaper. "That's Asami and Varrick, and, and... who's that other guy? Is that Asami's new boyfriend?! What happened to Korra? Are they broken up? Tell me it's not true!"

"Relax, bro. Yes, it's true as far as I know. But I'm pretty sure Asami's not on the market. This headline is just too razzle dazzle," Mako said crossing his arms.

"Good," Bolin said. "Because I have something REALLY important to share with you. And I wanted you to be the first person I tell, because, well because you're the most important person to me in the world, aside from..." Bolin blushed. He crossed over the cramped studio, trying not to hit things on the way to the kitchen, so he didn't have to be all but straddling the door as he made his announcement. Bolin wasn't quite tall as he was broad, perhaps a little too broad for this tiny space. He took a deep breath and continued:

"I've been doing a lot of thinking, and I know what I want to do with my life."

"Oh, and what's that?" Mako said skeptically but also noting how serious his brother seemed this time around.

Bolin reached into the side of his shirt, bumping a dangling pan on the way, and pulled out an engagement ring with a, you guessed it, turquoise opal stone. Bolin had a gem bender craft it for him.

Mako lifted a crooked brow. "You proposin' to me bro?"

"No, silly." Bolin laughed, continued, "I've been living on Air Temple Island awhile now, and I love it. The food, the spirituality, the Kids. I know I'm an earthbender but I want to be an air acolyte. And... a stay at home dad. Basically, I want to be Pema. And I've decided to propose to Opal! Isn't that great?"

Mako was deciding how to react, but he loved his brother, and sometimes that meant telling it to him straight.

"Bo, you and Opal have been on the fritz awhile now. You hardly see each other to begin with."

"Yea, but I love her, and maybe this will convince her to move to Air Temple Island and fulfill her airbender duties there. I just want to support and be there for her any way I can." Bolin deflated a little.

Mako got up and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I support you bro. You're a good man. Any gal would be lucky to have you. And, you know what, I gotta admit you would make a great air acolyte. And father." He thought of the absence of their own father growing up and perhaps connected Bolin's eagerness to that in some part, though he had to admit his little brother would be great. A pushover and a softy, sure, but probably the best dad in the world otherwise.

"Yay!" Bolin clapped his hands together and gave Mako a big platypus bear hug, causing him almost to spill his coffee again.

But in that instant Mako realized something. He leaned over the picture of Asami, Varrick, and the mystery man and recalled what the officer said to him the night before about getting knocked out by a rich dame and her two male companions.

"Asami!" Mako said.

"Yes, that's Asami," Bolin added.

"No, I mean, the woman at the speakeasy who knocked out the officer yesterday... it was Asami! I knew the mark on the officer's neck looked familiar." And now I need to know who this mystery man really is, Mako thought to himself. He motioned toward the tiny closet by the door and grabbed the top of his uniform and threw it over his tank top and rushed out the door. "I'm on the beat, Bolin. Good luck and lock the door on your way out!"

With that, Bolin shrugged and poured himself a cup of mango juice – he didn't drink coffee – and sat down to read the paper, turning straight to the funnies and chuckling to himself as he read.

*

Back in Zaofu, Suyin was also reading the Republic City Herald Tribune. They got this and other large publications in Zaofu daily. The publishers in town received a nightly word for word telegram which covered the day's news and printed it fresh to be delivered to doorsteps first thing in the mornings. Suyin read the paper every day to keep her pulse on what was happening around the world, plus it was a way to spend valuable time with her husband in the mornings before they both ran off to fulfill their respective duties.

Suying got to page 6 and said "Oh dear." She placed the paper on the table face up as Korra approached, sweaty after finishing her morning training session with Kuvira.

"What is it?" Korra said. But then she leaned over Suyin's shoulder and saw exactly what Su meant – the picture of Asami being handsy with some guy.