"Ugh! Typical Beifong behavior," Kya huffed, "Someone needs to teach that woman how to not freak out over everything."

"Wait a second, Beifong? This is that Lin? The one you used to talk about all the time and-"

"Shut up. I'm going to check on her," Kya said, deciding she'd rather deal with a pissed off Lin than answer any of Hansuke's questions about her. She pushed herself up off the couch and went to join Lin outside.

Lin was leaning up against the railing overlooking the street. She didn't pay Kya any attention when she came outside.

"Look, I'm sorry all this happened, Lin. Really. I'll make it up to you, I swear," Kya said, leaning over the railing to look at Lin's face.

"Did your friend at least tell you how to get out of here?" Lin sighed, figuring it was in her best interest to get out of the city before her name could get tangled up in Kya's mess.

"Not… yet," Kya admitted, biting her lip, "Actually, I really don't think we should go back in there…"

"I thought you said he was our best bet?"

"Yeah, I'll go talk to him, I guess… You just wait out here-"

"Absolutely not," Lin objected, "We are not going to have a repeat of the nursery incident. I'm not waiting anywhere."

"Fine," Kya groaned, not looking forward to Hansuke's inevitable comments and especially not looking forward to explaining them to Lin. She gestured for Lin to go back inside, hoping this would all be over quickly.

"Well, well. I didn't expect you two to come back anytime soon," Hansuke laughed as they came in the door.

"And I didn't expect to be here at all, but life's a bitch like that," Kya grumbled, flopping down on the floor across from the couch where Hansuke was still sitting. Lin threw her a bemused look and leaned up against the wall beside the door, "Just cut the crap, Hansuke. I need the best way out of Ba Sing Se right now and I know you know what it is."

"Of course, but I don't give that information away for free. Even to an old friend," Hansuke smirked, holding up his hand and rubbing his thumb against his first two fingers. Kya pulled a coin purse out of her pocket and dumped the contents out onto her lap, looking at the man across from her expectantly.

"Is that enough?" she asked, pushing it onto the floor. Hansuke leaned over and stared thoughtfully at the pile of coins, rubbing his chin.

"You're about twenty short of my normal fee, kid. I guess I can give you a break this time but don't go expecting this sort of thing from now on."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Kya deadpanned.

"Alright, then. I know a guy, works for the government. He takes a truck full of expensive meats into the upper ring every day from outside the wall. The guards are so used to him going in and out that they don't even check his cargo anymore. I'll tell him to meet you in the square across the way tomorrow morning at seven. He'll take you out of the city and you're on your way. Sound good?" Hansuke finished, sinking back into the couch and pocketing the money.

"You trust this man?" Kya asked, hesitant about trusting someone who worked for the government of Ba Sing Se.

"With my life," he replied.

"And what are we supposed to do until seven tomorrow?" Lin asked, finally joining the conversation. Kya had almost forgotten she was there.

"There's a motel about a block over. You could try that," he suggested.

"You took all the money I had, Hansuke," Kya reminded him, "How are we supposed to afford that?"

"You didn't bring any money?" he said to Lin.

"Not much. I hadn't exactly planned on spending the night here," Lin snapped, "Come on, Kya. Let's go. Tell your friend he'd better be there in the morning."

Lin glared at Hansuke as she turned to leave. Kya muttered a quick apology to Hansuke for her friend's behavior and followed Lin back out onto the street. All they could do now was hope Hansuke's friend was as trustworthy as he said and try to find someplace to spend the rest of the night.