High School Sweethearts Chp. 10

Chapter 10

    Aang and Katara ran down the stairs as soon as they heard Suki's shriek. The Gang is sitting on the couch in the living room, watching the news. It was talking about something that made everyone's heart sky rocket; the explanation to their horror filled faces.

    "The victim was found a few hours ago by a jogger and her dog," reporter Tom Zin said on the TV. "A wallet had been found with the body. No money was found, but the I.D. confirmed that it was the Super Electronics owner, Samuel Anderson." On the screen they had a picture of a man with dark hair and beard, blue eyes, and a weathered tan complexion. He looked to be in his forties or fifties.

    Tom continued. "The police had said they couldn't find any wounds or puncture marks to indicate the cause of death. They are having the scientist's examine the body to see if they can learn something. Until then, we are alerting the public to stay vigilant. Make sure all doors and windows are locked. There might a serial killer on the loose once again. We will let you know if we find anything. Thank you for watching K News. This is Tom Zin signing off." And the logo for the news showed briefly before Lin turned off the television.

    Everyone was still and quiet for a few moments; then Suki bursts into tears along with her mother. They hugged and cried: everyone else was dumbstruck. Zuko, Mai, Katara and Sokka had met Samuel a few times before. From what they knew about him and from the way he treated his family and their friends, he had been a heartwarming man. Despite the tough job of running Super Electronics Inc., he never let it get the best of him.

    Now he was gone, and the police don't know how it could have happened. Aang looked at Suki and her mom. He felt sympathy for the both of them; he knew what it was like to lose someone close to you. His parents meant the world to him. When he found out about their deaths, he didn't know what to do; he had even thought of running away. Looking at the faces of his friends, Aang could see the sorrow and grief plastered on their faces, looking about as lost as he had felt back then. Even Toph looked uneasy, and that was saying something.

    'This could not be happening' he thought. He had suspicions that he had had talked to Katara about before they met up with the others; something that scared them witless. And from what they just saw, it seemed to confirm those suspicions.

    He looked at his girlfriend and saw her expression. It was mingled with fear, sadness, worry, and realization. She was thinking the same thing as he was. Aang wished that he was wrong; but at the same time, if someone didn't figure it out, and soon, more lives were going to be taken.

    The crying had finally stopped and there was silence ringing in the room. Then Sokka, showing concern on his usually annoyed face, said gently, "Come on, Suki. Let's go upstairs." She looked at him with swollen red eyes and nodded before hugging her mom again. Then the Gang went upstairs. There they sat on the bed in mournful silence. The silence was thick with grief.

    Then Zuko said, "I don't get it." Everyone looked at him. He continued. "Did any of you notice a pattern? I read something like this before, about firm owners being killed. It almost seems like, from what we just saw, these people are killing firm or company owners." Everyone, besides Aang and Katara, looked surprised.

    Suki's eyes widen when realization dawned on her. She moved out of Sokka's arms. "Oh sweet Spirits," she murmured, and went over to her computer. After logging on, she opened her Internet browser and started searching for something, muttering to herself. The Gang watched her from the bed, wondering what had occurred to her. Finally she turned to them. Her face was serious. "I think you guys should see this," she said. Her friends crowded around her to see what had she found.

    Remembering that Toph was blind, Suki read the article out loud: "'FAMILIES OF THE LOST'

    In the event of the mysterious murders of two families in the same week, everyone is advised to remain calm but alert. The doctors had taken the time to examine the bodies of the parents and children, but no source of the deaths had been found. There doesn't seem to be any marks in them, no way to tell if there had been a struggle. After the examinations, the police and doctors had agreed that a special type of poison must have been created.

    'Among the deaths are two men who own different companies that has flourished in their time. We believe the killers had killed them for the large sums of money, for the firms had closed because of the lack of it. It took years to build up the businesses, but it was never the same after the bosses' deaths.

    'We also believe that the other members of the family had been killed so there won't be any surviving witnesses, in the case someone saw the killers doing their work.

    'So please, we urge everyone to be careful. Put locks everywhere, even on the fridge. If it is poison, like we suspect, it could be consumed, therefore leaving no wounds, or signs of distress.'"

    She stopped reading, face pale, to look at the others. They all looked pale and grim; even Sokka and Katara's skin color looked lighter. He came over to her to wrap his arms protectively around her shoulders. Everything had gone still and quiet; even the birds from outside seemed unwilling to disturb the silence.

    Then Sokka said, "This article..." His friends looked at him before he continued. "This article seems familiar." He turned to his sister. "Didn't we see something like this on the news a few years ago?"

    Katara, in Aang's arms, thought about it for a moment. Then her cerulean eyes widened with shock. "You're right, Sokka," she said. "That event happened about three years ago."

    Zuko slapped his forehead. "Of course! I heard this on the news too. That's why it seemed familiar while Suki was reading it."

    Even Toph looked thoughtful. "Wait a minute..." she mumbled. Then snapped her fingers. "That's it! I remember this being on the news too." Everyone looked at her in shock. She shrugged, feeling their stares. "What? Even I get curious sometimes." She glared at them, daring them to argue.

    No one did. They all looked thoughtful, losing themselves in their thoughts. Then Aang and Katara looked at each other before he cleared his to get everyone's attention.

    "Katara and I have been talking," he started. "We thought about what our parents' deaths might mean."

    "What do you mean 'our parents'? Sokka interrupted. "What happened to your parents Aang?"

    The younger boy knew that this question was going to come up sooner or later. He almost wished it was later; but Aang took a deep breath before going into the story: the man in black attacking him, Aang finding out about his parents' murder, learning more about fighting.

    "I always wanted to learn how to fight," he concluded. "So I had been training myself for a couple of years. My uncle found out and signed me up for classes. Anyway, after finding out about my parents, we moved here to get away."

    Zuko asked, "But what does this have to do with these deaths? What did your parents do for a living?"

    "They owned a law firm together," Aang answered. "They made a lot of money doing that."

    Katara said, "So this is what we think." The Gang looker at her, eyes intent. "We think that whoever had killed our parents is part of an operation for thieves. They target firms and companies because of the money they make. Do you guys remember that the companies had to be closed because of money shortage?" They nodded. "We think that's why the people were killed in the first place."

    "But how are they killing them?" Mai asked. "They say that the killers might've used poison; but what kind that would leave no traces?"

    Suki turned back to her computer and opened Google. Typing something in she muttered, "I might have an idea." The Gang crowded around again just in time to see her click 'Perfect Poisons'.

    Looking at the article, Suki said, "In this article, it says 'Poisoning someone to death in a way to avoid suspicion and police detection is a very complex process. Outside of highly controlled chemical munitions, there are very few substances available to the average murderer that can kill a human being as easily as the poisons of fiction. Famous poisons like arsenic, strychnine, cyanide, etc. require small, repeated doses to build up enough concentrations to kill without arousing the suspicion of the victim... in significant quantity, such poisons taste extremely bitter.' If the victims were poisoned, they could have used any of these substances to do the job."

    Everyone's facial expressions were grim, not liking the sound of this revelation at all. Sokka broke the silence with a question that's on everyone's mind. "Okay, so we have an idea on how these guys are doing it and why. The only question is: who?"

    They thought about it. Aang walked away from the group to go to the far side of the large window. He looked out of it. The trees stood close together like an army waiting to march. It reminded him of the black clothed men when they had attacked the teens in what seemed like a long time ago. Suddenly an image came into his mind. He gasped; his friends looked at him, worried. Katara came to him and touched his arm.

    "Aang?" she asked. "Are you okay? What is it?"

    Aang couldn't respond for a moment; then instead of looking at his girlfriend, he turned to Suki. "Do you have a piece of paper and a pencil and clipboard?" he asked.

    Suki looked puzzled, like the others, but she looked through the drawers to get what Aang needed. After handing them to him, Aang walked over to the bed and sat on it, concentrating on the image in his head. His friends were watching nervously, wanting their question answered but too shy to voice it.

    After a few minutes of tense silence, Aang finally looked up and motioned them to come to him. They complied, curious as to what had occurred in the boy's mind. Everyone, save Toph, looked at the detailed picture.

    Then Sokka laughed. "Hey look at that!" he said. "There's another artist in the group." The teenagers looked at him like he was crazy before Toph and Suki punched him on either arm. He yelped, "Ow! What?! I was just trying to ease the tension! Sheesh!"

    Everyone rolled their eyes at him before looking at the picture again. It was a picture of a snake in a thick lined circle, looking ready to strike. The head was sleek, with scales running neatly down the body.

    To everyone's surprise, it was Mai who gasped softly. "A Dendroaspis polylepis."

    Sokka looked at her strangely. "A Dendro-what?"

    "It's an Ancient Greek name meaning 'many scaled, venomous snake' or, in American, the 'Black Mamba'," Mai explained. "My parents worked with snakes when they went to Africa. They had always been fascinated by these kinds of reptiles. When I was old enough to understand, they taught me everything they knew. To be honest, I'm kind of fond of snakes. Anyway, the Black Mamba is a yellow-green and gun-metal gray colored-"

    "Then shouldn't it be named the 'Green-Gray Mamba' since it’s more green and gray?" Sokka interrupted.

    She rolled her eyes. "I'm getting to that, Meat Head." Everyone laughed at that before sobering up. "They call it the Black Mamba because of the ink black color in its mouth. When it feels threatened, the snake will open its mouth, showing its black maw. People never know if it's going to attack them or not. They can grow to be around 14 ft. long. They are the quickest and one of the most deadliest snakes in the world."

    Everyone thought about this new information the just uncovered. Then Katara sighed. "That would make sense," she said. Her friends looked at her. The girl continued. "Think about it: they used the Black Mamba for its speed and deadly venom as their sign; these guys are quick and deadly with their own kind of poison. It would make sense that they use this snake as their symbol."

    Toph nodded. "You have a point, Sweetness. If they think they're deadly, why not use something that equals to them?"

    No one had to answer that. They knew what these villains were capable of.

    Aang sighed and put down the drawing before saying, "Well, at least we know what their symbol is and what it means. The only thing left to do is find them and stop them."

    "What do you suggest, Aang?" Zuko asked.

    Aang looked at their faces before getting up and walking to the window again. To tell the truth, he didn't know where to go from here. What could a bunch of teenagers do against killers like these? But then he thought about what these teenagers, his friends, his 'family', had been through together. There was no denying the fact that they all had special skills: Katara for her kindness; Sokka for his brains; Toph for her vibrations sense; Zuko for his quickness; Suki for her agility; and Mai for her accuracy. As for Aang, he had courage, though he would never brag about it. But the one thing they all had in common was this: the bravery to fight for what is right. They had their own kinds of brave. Aang suddenly felt happy; joyful even, knowing that his friends will always be there for him and fighting for a good cause.

    So he took a deep breath and turned to face them. "We hunt them down," he said. Everyone raised their eyebrows, puzzled. Aang answered the question in their gazes. "Yes; we have to. We're the only ones who can. We each have our own abilities that can help us. Suki, what are you good at?"

    Suki said, "Technology and fighting. My-my dad taught me everything I know."

    Aang nodded. "Good. We could use that." He smiled kindly at her before turning to Zuko. "Zuko, what are you good at?"

    Zuko thought for a second before saying, "I can be pretty quick and silent."

    Again he nodded. "That's something useful too." He looked at Mai. "What about you?"

    She shrugged and said, "Knife throwing. I can hit any spot I aim at." She looked smug, almost proud.

    "Okay, good," Aang said. "You're quick too." He looked at Sokka. "What's your strongest point?"

    "Planning," he said without hesitation. "My dad taught me to plan accurately."

    Aang grinned. "Great. We'll need a plan if this is going to work." Sokka nodded and grinned in turn.

    The boy then turned to Toph. "What are you best at Toph?"

    The blind girl snorted. "You're seriously asking that?" She pointed to her feet. "I can feel vibrations. That's pretty wicked."

    Aang couldn't hold back a laugh. "You're right! You can use your gift to tell us if there are people in the hideout."

    Toph grinned and cracked her knuckles. "With pleasure."

    "What about me?" Katara interjected. They looked at her. She looked down at the floor. "What can I do that helps anyone? I can't fight, I'm not quick or accurate, I can't plan, I can't feel vibrations, I can't work complicated machines, and I'm not a leader." She sighed sadly. "What good am I?"

    Aang walked over to her and lifted her chin gently. What he saw broke his heart. Katara's eyes were wet and sad and alone. She thought there was no place in the Gang for her. When she looked into his warm gray eyes that look almost brown in the setting sun’s rays, her tears spilled down her cheeks.

    Aang gently wiped them away. "I'll tell you what you're good at: you're the glue that holds us together." Katara's brow furrowed in confusion. Aang went on. "You're the one who keeps us together as more than friends. You made us as a family. Remember what you told me, before I left after telling you about my parents?" She nodded. "You told me that you guys are my family now. You also have compassion deeper than the ocean; bigger than the planet we stand on. Back at the mall, when I thought I was a goner, you ran in, and gave me hope. You helped me live, you've shown love towards people that are different from you; you were never afraid to show your emotions. Whether you were scared, or angry, or happy or sad, you've shown these and more. And you are smart, in your own way. You don't pretend to be someone you're not. Bottom line is: you give people hope, no matter the circumstances."

    Katara was full out crying now. She never thought about it like that. And since Aang never lied, she couldn't help but believe him. His eyes gave away his emotions, and they were truthful. Letting out a sob, Katara jumped into Aang's arms and cried her heart out. Aang held onto her tightly, never wanting to let go.

    After what felt like an eternity, the couple looked at each other and smiled. Before the could kiss, Sokka cleared his throat obnoxiously and the pulled apart. No one said anything, so Sokka said, "Again: OOOOOGIES! Now that that's done, what are we going to do? In my opinion, we should for the planning tomorrow. It’s almost night time." The Gang looked out the window. Sure enough, the sky was turning purple.

    "Oh," said Zuko. "Sorry guys; I promised my mom that I would be home before nightfall. I have to go now."

    Mai nodded in agreement. "I told Ursa I would be there too."

    Suki said, "I'll take you guys home. I need to get out of the house anyway."

    So the Gang left the house after saying goodbye to Lin and into Suki's van. The ride was silent. Everyone felt tired from the day’s events. They dropped off Mai and Zuko; then they went to Sokka and Katara's house. Before the teens went in, Aang grabbed Katara's hand and said, "Can I stay with you guys?" He looked worried. His gray eyes kept moving to the woods behind the house like something bad was going to happen.

    Katara squeezed his hand and placed the other one on his cheek to make him look at her. She smiled. "Of course you can. But you'll have to call your uncle to let him know."

    Aang grabbed her wrist and pressed his cheek into her warm palm and nodded. He kissed her palm. "I will," he mumbled against her skin before waving to Suki.

    Then, as Suki left, he went into the house, holding his love in a protective embrace.