Chapter 3: The Shadow of Doubt

As Mako continued to scan through Future Industries' project files, Korra's mind was already racing with possibilities. A problem with one of their projects could be a motive for Asami's disappearance, but there had to be more to it. Emily's description of Asami's behavior had sparked a sense of unease in Korra, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they were missing something. Just then, Mako looked up from his comms device, his brow furrowed in concern. "Korra, I think I found something," he said, his voice low. "One of their current projects, a new sustainable energy source, has been experiencing some... irregularities. Apparently, there were some disagreements between Asami and one of the lead engineers, a man named Dr. Zhang." Korra's eyes narrowed. "Disagreements? What kind of disagreements?" Mako hesitated before responding. "From what I can gather, Dr. Zhang had some reservations about the project's safety protocols, but Asami was pushing to move forward with it regardless. The two of them had a heated argument about it a few days ago." Korra's grip on her bending staff tightened. This was starting to look more and more like a motive for Asami's disappearance. She turned to Emily, who was watching the exchange with wide eyes. "Do you know anything about Dr. Zhang?" Korra asked. Emily nodded. "Yes, I've met him a few times. He's a bit... intense, but he seems like a good guy. I've heard he's really passionate about his work, though." Korra's eyes sparkled with interest. Passionate, or obsessed? She made a mental note to speak with Dr. Zhang as soon as possible. Just then, a commotion at the back of the room caught Korra's attention. One of the employees, a young man with a messy mop of hair, was whispering urgently to one of his colleagues. Korra's instincts told her that this might be important, and she excused herself to go over and listen in. "...can't believe they're not doing anything about it," the young man was saying. "I mean, Asami's been gone for hours, and no one seems to care." Korra's ears perked up. "What do you mean, no one seems to care?" she asked, her voice low. The young man turned to face her, his eyes wide with fear. "I just... I mean, the company's not exactly being cooperative, that's all. They seem to be downplaying the whole thing." Korra's eyes narrowed. This was starting to sound like more than just a simple disappearance. She turned to Mako, who was watching the exchange with interest. "I think it's time we paid a visit to the CEO of Future Industries," she said, her voice firm. "Let's see if they have any information about Asami's disappearance... or if they're hiding something."