A/N: So I watched the episode 'When Extremes Meet'.

And subsequently freaked out.

And the only way I would be appeased was by reading Legend of Korra fanfiction. Soon even that wasn't enough.

So now here I am, with this fanfic. I really hope I got these guys in character...

Disclaimer, I don't own Legend of Korra. Enjoy.

Breakout

Chapter 1

Only Mako was awake now.

With so many innocent non-benders arrested, the metalbending police force had to conserve space. Hence, Mako, Bolin and Asami had all been thrown into the same cell. It wasn't very big- a simple unfurnished room with a locked door, a small, barred window and, of course, walls of metal.

The three of them had made small talk to occupy themselves while they waited for Korra to bail them out. The topics varied- friends, hobbies, life in general. The only thing they didn't talk about was family- Mako and Bolin had silently agreed that they would steer clear of that due to Asami's relationship with her father.

Eventually Bolin had fallen asleep. Asami stayed up a little longer, and the two had talked for a little while before she finally decided that she was tired. He had given her a peck on the cheek before she curled up on the floor next to Bolin, a weary smile caressing her face as her eyelids drifted shut.

He was the only one who had yet to fall asleep.

Silence pulsed through the room, a silence that Mako was used to. Scratch that, a silence in which he was comfortable with. He had grown acquainted with it after many days of standing sentinel over a sleeping Bolin, back when they had lived on the streets. It allowed him to think and have a little peace of mind- something his chaotic world didn't exactly grant him very often.

Night stretched on, and eventually he had no idea what time it was. He just knew that it was late enough- simply thinking about things had begun to bore him, so the most entertaining thing to do was watch his brother and girlfriend's forms rise and fall.

Girlfriend. The word struck him hard on the back when he used it to describe Asami, followed by a quick pang to the stomach as he thought about Korra straight after.

Mako reprimanded himself immediately. No. He was with Asami. Romantic complications had nearly screwed their chances in the finals. He had said it himself- he shouldn't like a teammate in that way.

Still, he had to admit that he'd enjoyed the kiss with Korra…

He shook his head in an attempt to erase the subject from his mind. He really, really shouldn't think about this- his life was complicated enough. He didn't need this kind of stupid confusion added to all of it as well.

Time dragged on. His mind soon wasn't pristine from the silence, but foggy from staying awake. Even he would have to fall asleep sooner or later.

A yawn broke out, and with that he readjusted his body to a more or less comfortable position and allowed his eyelids to drop…

It felt like he had just closed his eyes when he heard the yell.

"For the billionth time, let me out!"

Mako's eyes snapped open.

Was that…

He scrambled to his feet and looked out of the window. With all the buildings' lights out, grass in brisk pieces around the block and the midnight sky draped over it all, Republic City looked kind of peaceful.

At least, it would have been if not for the multiple bangs coming from a police car.

The headlights of the car did a 180 as it took a curve. The bangs seceded only for a moment. "You can't treat me like this, Tarrlok!"

The car disappeared from sight, leaving a very pale Mako.

His eyes threatened to pop out of their head and his heart invaded his eardrums. "Korra," he breathed.

For an incredibly vulnerable moment, the firebender could only stand, frozen with the same kind of fear when he had discovered Bolin being captured by the Equalists. First Bolin, now Korra…

The next moment he whirled around and fled to Bolin and Asami. He placed a hand on either one of them and began shaking them with sharp, jagged movements.

"Wake up," he whispered, the words sounding like a hiss in the silence. Neither one of them did. "Wake up!" Still nothing.

Mako gritted his teeth, trying to still the frantic worry that was beginning to drive him insane. He didn't have time for this- Korra didn't have time for this! He applied more force to his shaking. "Dang it, wake up!"

That did it. Asami sat up and rubbed her eyes while Bolin groaned and slowly but surely pulled himself back into the world of the living.

"Mako?" Asami blinked a few times, fending off drowsiness. "…What's going on?"

Mako gripped her shoulder, not only to catch her attention, but because he needed something to stabilize himself after his discovery. "Guys, listen- Korra's been kidnapped."

That got their attention.

Asami's jade pools widened. Bolin was suddenly quite awake, staring at Mako. "You're joking, right?"

Mako's face tightened severely, his looks a thousand times more piercing and sending a clear message to his brother. "You're… not joking."

"But I don't get it." Asami furrowed her eyebrows in thought. "Why would Korra be getting herself mixed up with the Equalists at a time like this?"

He lowered his eyes, his muscles constricting. "It wasn't Amon's who kidnapped her," he said, earning looks of confusion from the two of them.

"It was Tarrlok."

Now it was Asami's turn to stare at Mako while Bolin's jaw dropped. "Tarrlok did this?" he cried. His eyes darted around the place, as if wondering if whether or not the walls would turn out to be evil as well. "I mean, I've always known that Tarrlok was slimy and manipulative, but going as far as to kidnap…" he left the sentence unfinished.

Despair poured on Asami and forced her to hang her head down. "This is awful," she shook her head slowly. "What do we do?"

Suddenly Mako remembered the day he had met Korra- Bolin and Hasook had both been knocked into the water, and it was up to him to win the match. It had been all or nothing, with a step closer to the championship on the line.

Now, just like that time, he knew what he had to do. It was all or nothing, now not with the championship pot but Korra's life on the line.

Mako squared his shoulders and relentlessly looked at both Bolin and Asami. "Simple. We bust out of here."