Air Temple Island(13)

"You need to go, I'll take my family and head for the fleet. You kids go hide till general Iroh arrives."

"If you're leaving I'm leaving! No arguments! You are the last air benders in the world, I will not let Amon get his hands on you."

"Thank you, Lin!"

"Good luck to you Master Tenzin and Captain Beifong, I'll try to stall them as much as possible so you can escape safely. Take those with you as well, if you are in a bind throw them at the airships."

"Promise me the moment things get too dangerous you'll leave and hide as well."

After they took the EMPs they left.

I looked at the people that remained, there was quite a lot of them. But they would be useless in stalling for time. So I told all of them to leave and take refuge. It took some convincing since they wanted to stay with me and help, but I told them that I had this and they would only hinder me if they stayed.

Just as more zeppelins came from the city in pursuit of the flying bisons the others said their goodbyes and left. I was now alone, one man against an army, I found it quite poetic. I went back inside and took the rest of my gear. There was not much left, to be honest, some smoke grenades and more bullets for my sniper.

As the ships got in range, I started to shoot them down. One by one they fell, but it was all meaningless, in the end, they manage to estimate my shooting distance and kept far enough away so that I didn't have a clear shot.

Seeing this I planned to leave since there was nothing more I could do, but then it dawned on me, what if Lin was captured just as she was in the anime? This time I managed to save the White Lotus members and made the equalists lose a lot of time. I even gave Tenzin a way to deal with the airships. Still, I wanted to be sure, Lin could be a useful addition to our squad if I managed to save her in time.

I went to hide and wait for them to take over the Island. I didn't need to wait a lot because in about half an hour after I stopped shooting equalists started to very carefully come to the island. After they saw that there was no danger and that I left they went and got their friends out of the makeshift prisons the earth benders made.

It was about midnight when Amon finally arrived. It was easy to recognize him since he was followed by a lot of high-ranking fighters. Most of them were great angels and the rest didn't have anything on their back, those were the older members, the ones that joined at the very beginning.

I made my way to him and kept to the shadows. There were quite a few people gathered in a circle with Amon in the middle and a figure on its knees, it was Lin. Seeing this I gave myself a pat on the back, I knew I made a good decision, and seeing this reinforced the feeling of satisfaction I had. Now came the question of how to save her, I could either go in guns blazing, take her and run away, or I could use my smoke bombs to make a smokescreen and stealthy take her away. While I was thinking of how to approach the problem Amon gave me the answer.

"Come out, Ethan, I know, you are there."

'Let's try to bluff my way out first.'

I came out of the shadows with my helmet off, making all the people present take a step back, all except Amon and Wu.

"Amon... So good to see you, Master Wu! If you could give Captain Beifong to me I would be on my way."

I take a step forward and all the people present get into their fighting stances. They knew how dangerous I was from the incident with Hiroshi and didn't want to take any chances.

"It's been a while Ethan, a pity that we had to meet in such circumstances. Truly a pity! You were one of my best man, one of the people that loved this city and wanted to help its people with all his heart. Now, look at you, no more than a lackey of the bender!"

"Haaaa, such hubris from a liar. To stand tall in front of these people while lying to them. It sickens me but what can I do? Oh, I know I can kill you!"

I pull out a pistol and I aim at his head. Making everyone piss their pants.

"But killing you here would make you a martyr and me the scum of the earth. Since I don't want to see your ugly mug any second more than needed and you don't want me to spill the beans I suggest you quickly release her so that we all live to fight another day."

"And why would I do that? You just said that you will not kill me? What stops me from capturing you?"

"While I can't kill you that doesn't mean I can't kill anybody else. I'll not lie, I don't have the heart to kill my own master and my disciples but I can't say the same thing about the others. I want to avoid a blood bath so help me and give her to me."

I take a smoke grenade from my bag and wait to see what he answers.

"I appreciate the proposition but I know that you will not kill anyone, you still see those people as your family and you would rather die than kill your family so I suggest you put the weapon down before things get out of control."

'Well, since bluffing my way out didn't work guns blazing it is.'

Throwing the smoke grenade in the air I shot it. In less than a second, the entire area is filled with smoke. I enter 'limbo state' and use the sound and the last position of everybody to get a clear view through the smoke. It was the first time I did this but the result was quite promising, I could more or less guess where all of the people were.

Caring an unconscious Lin over my shoulder I rush to the port throwing some more smoke to confuse the enemy. I get at the port and quickly drop all the guards there taking a boat. Once in the boat, I get the remote for the bombs out of my pocket and I detonate all of them. A series of loud explosions could be heard all across the island.

Thank to the confusion I have an easy time getting to Republic City, I directly went to the Under City, the place where all the homeless people spend their time as I got to shore.