...Any suggestions?

When all else fails, there's always bribery.

That doesn't sound very honorable either.

The people they're bribing will approve, though.

Explain?

Moral behavior is about more than just following a rigid, traditional set of codes - Zuko identified lying as bad, because the people they are lying to would consider it bad. Bribery - or paying for the information, if she'd rather look at it that way - isn't something the people being paid would object to. Their communities might, if it gets the Avatar captured - but that's not entirely Zuko and Iroh's problem. Their communities disapprove of the entire war, and of people who surrender or collaborate even without payment involved, after all.

Hmm. That might be fine, then.

They can give it a try. 

Hopefully it doesn't backfire horribly.

It doesn't! Amazingly enough. They're able to get the information they need, especially if they pay well, and the stories from the different people they pay off are similar enough to be believable. 

Huh.

Well, they have a direction now. Maybe her luck is turning after all.

The direction helps - but it's still hard to catch the Avatar, even if they're now doing a better job at keeping up. She's slippery, and her friends are increasingly talented - 

- And then Iroh approaches her one day with a grim expression, as they're docking in a port controlled by Zhao (who's gotten a promotion away from the frigid southern port).

"What is it, Aunt?"

"There's a rumor going around the soldiers here that Zhao captured the Avatar recently - Zhao hasn't left the port yet, though." And their most recent report of the Avatar's activity was late the day before. 

"That's- not good." Firstly, because Zuko needs to be the one and secondly- It's Zhao.

"...Not for our mission."

"I'll see what other information I can find."

Zuko will go as well.

Zuko's pretty quickly able to figure out that:

-1) All the soldiers here hate Zhao. Like, seriously all of them, it's honestly somewhat impressive.

-2) Upon his promotion to Admiral, Zhao immediately pulled rank on the local Colonel in charge of the garrison to force him to lend soldiers, especially the Yuyan Archers, to his hunt for the Avatar.

-3) The Yuyan Archers are undefeated, and they don't talk at all so no one's entirely sure if they also hate Zhao, but they don't exactly look impressed with him.

-4) The Avatar's being kept at Pouhai Stronghold, where Zhao is also in residence. 

Well. That's unfortunate. Not about Zhao's character, that matches what Zuko thinks of the man. She still doesn't know how he parlayed defeat in an Agni Kai against a teenager into a promotion, much less a position where he can command the Yuyan. But it would takes weeks for an army to crack Pouhai.

She doesn't have weeks. Neither does the Avatar. That she also doesn't have an army is... mostly irrelevant. Focus on what she does have.

Which is:
-a years-old memory of studying the plans to all the major Fire Nation-held fortresses
-experience sneaking around guards in the palace
-strong climbing arms
-a pair of dao Zhao has never seen her use
-an old theater mask from a play she and her sister went to

And what all that adds up... might just be the beginnings of a plan.

It's one she'll have a narrow window to execute - but that night, Zhao is apparently calling for an assembly of the fort's personnel (there's grumbling about this).

Good. No time to second-guess herself.

She's seen on the ship for dinner, but retires early. Once in her cabin, she changes quickly and climbs out the porthole to begin sneaking over to the cliffside where she'll climb up.

The watch is pretty light! And it seems to be mostly Zhao's own men - who aren't familiar with the area. She can get past them without too much effort... Which just leaves finding the Avatar. 

She'll check the prison block first.

The Avatar's down there, in the highest security cell, with no window and four guards on the only door. 

Four on one. And her with no bending. Yeah. Easy.

At least they're not expecting the sudden attack.