Rhea kept her head down as she wove between the other prisoners. She hoped none of them would recognize her. There was a reason she had always worn her mask.

"What do we have here?" A large hand grabbed her from behind and whipped her around to face a towering man with short cropped hair and an ugly scar sloping across his face.

Rhea's breath caught in her throat. She could recognize those angry dark brown eyes anywhere - Zan Li. He was a bounty hunter she'd arrested a few years back for killing Fire Nation soldiers. She'd given him that scar with one of her blades.

Zan Li looked her over carefully, as if sizing up his new prey. "Fresh meat. What did a little girl like you do to earn a place in the Fire Nation's highest security prison?"

Clenching her jaw, Rhea met the hulking man's gaze. "Are you sure you want to find out?" She raised an eyebrow.

A cruel smile broke across his face, contorting his jagged scar. He let out a thunderous cackle. "I like this one. She's got spunk."

Two or three other prisoners standing behind him muttered their agreement. Great he had friends. That'd make it so much worse when he found out the truth.

"You got a name kid?" Zan Li asked.

"Who I am doesn't concern you." Rhea stood her ground, forcing an air of confidence. "I'm not head to make friends."

He smirked. "Than you won't last very long." He eyed her skeptically. "Loners never do."

She held his gaze. "I'll be the judge of that." She tried to walk away, but Zan Li grabbed her arm.

"No." He tightened his grip. "I think I will."

Rhea ducked as he took a swing at her face. Bracing her feet against his waist, she flipped herself backwards, twisting his arm until he released her. She landed in a wide stance, her arms raised to defend herself.

Zan Li glared at her, his fist clenched, ready to fight, but he froze as he met her stern gaze. Fear crept into his eyes. "You."

One of the guards rushed over from the wall. "Break it up!"

Zan Li's expression shifted to a furious glare, but he turned and walked away with his fellow prisoners in tow.

Rhea watched him go. He knew who she was now. It was only a matter of time before he came after her again... with everything he had. She couldn't relax until she knew for certain Zan Li. She kept checking over her shoulder, expecting him to jump her with his colleagues.

She recognized several other prisoners, but none as intimidating as Zan Li. He had been her hardest mission. He'd come the closest to ever beating her. She had rested easy knowing he couldn't reach her from the Boiling Rock, but now he could.

She noticed other prisoners eyeing her suspiciously. Zan Li's outburst must have drawn attention... and sparked recognition. Things could not be going worse.

She returned the glare of a burly prisoner with thin piercing eyes. He looked familiar. Probably one of the many deserters she tracked down for Ozai. Now she was considered one of them. No worse... a traitor.

One of the crowd purposefully ran into her, knocking her to the ground and sneering as they disappeared into the mass of brown-uniformed people.

A tingle of pain ran up her arms. Rhea blew her hair annoyedly out of her face and pushed herself to her feet, ignoring the curious onlookers.

Another hand grabbed her from behind and she whirled, ready to take out her captor.

A girl with short brown hair and big brown eyes raised her hands in a sign of submission. "I don't want to fight you."

"Then what do you want?" Rhea asked suspiciously, still prepared to attack.

"There aren't a lot of girls in this prison. We have to stick together."

Rhea raised an eyebrow. "You really think you can trust me?"

"No," the girl replied plainly. "But I think a lot prisoners have been giving you scared looks and it seems we could both use an ally in here."

"What makes you think I need an ally?"

She shrugged. "Zan Li isn't a man you want to cross... and you just did."

Rhea stared intently into the girl's gaze. She had a point. If Zan Li would be coming after her with friends, it'd be nice to have some help of her own.

"Fair enough. Deal." Rhea extended her hand to the girl. "But I'll need to know your name."

"Naturally." The girl had a firm grip as she took Rhea's hand. "It's Suki."

A/N:
LESS THAN A WEEK!!!!!!!! Oh my gosh! It's been SO long since I've released two chapters so soon after each other!
I know this one's a little shorter, but this felt like a good place to stop.
What'd you all think?
I hope you enjoyed.
-Cheshire