She felt rather sorry for Lucian, seeing how she wasn't exactly the most talkative person in the world. She had spent most of her life being unable to speak with anyone that she found it difficult to speak. She thought that she would be able to speak more now that she was free but it still felt strange to interact with another person. Even when she had been around Azrai, they didn't really carry that much of a conversation. That was just how they had been with one another and she had been content. Lucian was different; it seemed that a small bit of conversation seemed to help him pass the time. She knew that she would have to become more outspoken, but it was rather difficult.

She didn't want him to think that she wasn't interested or anything, she truly enjoyed the time she was having. It was just hard to explain the feelings she had. It was all scrambled about at this point. Throughout the flight, she felt so many feelings and sometimes she wondered if she would be alright. Would she be able to move on from all that had happened? Sometimes she would think about the promising future she had ahead of herself and she was happy about it. At other times, she could feel this overwhelming sorrow take her away from the elation that she was feeling. It was even harder for her to deal with these new emotions because she had only experienced a few throughout her days in the village. Fear and sadness, those had been the only ones that she had known until she met Azrai. Now, she was bombarded with so many feelings that she felt like she was going insane.

Was it normal to feel the way that she did? She wasn't sure and she didn't want to ask Lucian for his opinion. She wasn't sure if she would have to explain herself to him and it would be a grueling task to inform him about her life, even though they had to time for her to do so. She was sure he wouldn't want to hear such depressing things; she could already sense his discomfort. Ever since they left the base, she knew that he was feeling a bit uneasy. She wanted to know why but found that it would be intrusive if she asked. How would she be able to make any sort of bond if she was unable to open up? Was it so hard? She knew the answer to her own question and she simply let out a gentle sigh. She made sure that she wasn't getting Lucian's attention with her mood. Surely he would take it as her just being a bit nervous about going to Canada. That was normal, right?

She tensed slight when he looked over at her, but she gave him a small smile. Her fingers let go of her hair, knowing that she was displaying a nervous habit of hers, which was not very ladylike. She wanted to tell him that nothing could really displease her because she was grateful for everything. She was still slightly surprised that they were going to give her her own place. It was actually very exciting, to have her own place, a place where she wouldn't have to be locked away forever in. That was a pessimistic way to look at it but that was simply how she thought. She would be able to leave whenever she wanted and she didn't have to worry about someone constantly watching her. No longer would she be sheltered and harmed, she would be able to experienced life. She smiled a bit to herself, the future was bright.

Her brows furrowed a little bit and she tilted her head. "What is jet lag?" That was definitely something that did not sound pleasant to her. Would the plane have a negative effect on her? She felt a bit nervous about what the term he had used meant though surely it wasn't too dangerous. She glanced out of the plane once more, not wanting to show too much of her anxiety. She glanced down to see the ocean and she was fascinated by it. She had never seen anything so blue before, her mouth hung open in awe. She could vaguely make out the white tips of the waves and as she looked farther ahead, she could see that it stretched out for miles. It was almost like the sky. She looked away from the ocean, feeling her legs beginning to ache a bit.

She stretched them out a little bit, trying to ignore the slight pain. They had been in the plane for a while now and it was only natural for her to start feeling uncomfortable. She wondered how Lucian could stay in a plane for so long but the conversation that they had when they were leaving Japan came to mind. He truly loved flying and she could understand why, there was something calming and terrifying about being so high off the ground. She let out a slight yawn, covering her mouth a bit to hide the tips of her canines. She knew that Lucian had yet to discover that she was not human and she would prefer to keep it that way. He seemed like such a nice man and she didn't want to taint the view that he had of her, whatever that may be.

She blinked a bit before looking over at him as he spoke to her once more. She gave him a gentle, reassuring smile while nodding her head slightly. "I believe that I will adjust fine. I truly appreciate the both of you," she said with sincerity. She was truly grateful to have met such selfless people, especially after leaving that forsaken village. She glanced down at her hands, fidgeting thanks to her nerves. There was a thought that plagued her mind and she wasn't sure how to bring it up. Her smile slowly faded as she continued to think.

What would she do for blood? She hadn't expected to leave Azrai so soon, or the others. Only Azrai, Ivan and Maverick knew that she needed blood to survive. Now that she was no longer around them, she had no one else to help her out. She would have to get in touch with Ivan somehow. She didn't want to reveal her secret to anyone else, least someone become terrified of her. If she would have had it her way, she would have never revealed her identity to anyone but things never went her way. She glanced over at Lucian, wondering what his reaction would be if he knew. The fear that she had filled her chest caused her wounds to ache. She winced slight as she gently touched her chest, a frown on her lips. Although they had given her blood before she left, she knew that she would need more soon. Her body had lost a lot of it today and in order to recover better, she needed to consume blood.

It was just a good thing that her body had yet to convey to her brain that she was craving it. She suddenly felt unsure if she would be alright on her own. How was she supposed to sate this hunger that she had? Who was going to keep her in check? Shizu let out another sigh as worry and filled placed a heavy weight on her chest; she briefly thought of Azrai and her blood that was now in his veins. She truly hoped that he would only have aggression issues, which had been more common in her village when she had given blood. If he picked up any other traits...she was sure that they would blame her. She had simply wanted him to be safe and alive. Was that wrong? Was it wrong that she had only mentioned the common side effects of the transfusion? There were many other things that could happen to him, expect for a transformation. She was sure that they didn't need Azrai in a demon form.

She really needed to talk to them about it. Would she be able to contact them? Surely, Lucian or Elias would allow her to talk to Ivan or Zachariah, just as long as she didn't speak with Azrai, right? That was all that mattered with her condition. No contact with Azrai for however long they wanted. She frowned once more as her emotions kept going up and down on this rollercoaster.

---------

They sat next to one another in silence for a while, the air around them feeling a bit awkward. What was he supposed to say now, aside from the conversation that they would be having a little later down the road? Ivan wasn't much of one to have all his worries gush out, it was more of subtle ways he let people know. He smirked slightly as Azrai spoke of the room and he shook his head. "I told Maverick to not let you stay there too long," he murmured while taking a swig of his drink. The bitter taste made his tongue tingle slightly and he embraced the feeling. Of course, it would take a lot more to get him inebriated. All these years of being Azrai's drinking buddy and friend hadn't been for nothing. Sometimes he almost wished he didn't drink so much but you know how things get. Once you have a couple of beer and you reminisce on the past and missions, things just went on from there. "We'll go outside once we finish this bottle, alright?" It was a small compromise that Ivan was making, allowing Azrai more time to rest and relax.

There really was no need to bring up all that had happened at this point. He knew that things could get heated instantly, especially if one of them said the wrong thing which normally happened. Ivan really wasn't in the best physical condition to start throwing punches and he was sure as hell Azrai was nowhere near that state either. He knew that his friend was just waiting for him to begin his lecture but Ivan preferred to drag things out longer than necessary. He liked making people suffer a bit, maybe he was a bit of a sadist at times. He really hoped that things were calm while they spoke about their last mission and the battle that had ensued. It would be a shame if he had to get into another scuffle, least he ruin his good looks. He nearly laughed at the joke he made to himself, knowing that Azrai would probably laugh too but decided not to say anything. He knew that Azrai was being far too serious, as usual.

He finished off his drink as Azrai asked him that question that been hanging in the air. He tensed a bit, not sure of he was really **** or simply thought that it was the best answer. He glanced at Azrai briefly before he let out a long sigh. Taking hold of his friend's empty cup, he poured him another glass and handed it back to him. Once the glass was taken, he poured himself another one too, while he thought of a response. "When have I ever not been upset with you?" Ivan asked, in a mildly joking tone though there was some truth in it. "Ever since the first day we met, you've **** me off." Ivan stroked his chin gingerly as he peered into the darkness. Was he really that upset or was it worry that made him feel this way? He was sure it was the latter of the two but if he told Azrai that he was worried, then he'd get an earful from the man.

"I don't think it'd be right to say that I'm upset..." Ivan said before taking a large gulp from his drink. "But I wouldn't say that I'm not upset either. It's complicated." Dare he say that he could understand why Azrai did as he had? That spending the last few moments with Shizu in the convenience store caused him to have some sort of realization. Surely, Azrai would not want to talk about Shizu and her last few hours in Israel. She would come up in later conversations, but for now it was best to avoid the inevitable topic. He briefly wondered what made Azrai think he was upset, when he hadn't said a word. Although, it could have been clearly seen when Ivan had gone to Japan to save his ass. For now, he would give him a partial answer to the question that had been asked because he was seriously trying to figure it all out himself.

Ivan was glad that the conversation was trying to be steered into a different direction at this point. He was never that good at trying to explain himself or having a serious conversation with Azrai. In the past, when he was mad, their fists had done the talking but that was childish, wasn't it? This time, things were a bit more severe and throwing blows at one another wouldn't solve a thing, expect for getting out some frustration. That was why they needed to have Zachariah and Maverick there to mediate between them or else things would get out of hand. Maybe when Azrai was all healed up they would fight but for now talking seemed like the best option. He wondered what would happen to their friendship now. It was on the line, wasn't it?

Ivan cared about Azrai like he was his own flesh and blood. He was one of the few who could deal with his impassive reactions and dry sense of humor. They had been friends for such a long time and although they fought often, nothing this serious had ever happened before. Well, not since Cassandra but that had also been different. Ivan had played no role in her death while he was the one who saw to it that Shizu left Israel. Yet, if Ivan had changed his mind about Azrai, he wouldn't have sought him out. He wouldn't have brought a bottle of wine as some sort of small peace offering between them, even if Azrai didn't see it that way. He had yet to turn his back on Azrai and he wouldn't just because of this, even if things were a bit strained right now. He could only hope that Azrai would be able to recover from Shizu's departure faster than he had from Cassandra's death, even though Ivan knew that even now, Azrai still thought of her.

Only time could tell and Ivan would be there to whip Azrai's ass into shape when it came down to it.

"For right now, there is no rush to rebuild anything. After all that everyone has been through Zachariah feels it necessary to take things easy," Ivan said slowly. He finished his drink, resting the cup on top of his knee. "I'm sure that he'll call us all together when he's ready to get down to business." He glanced over at Azrai, knowing that he wasn't that helpful. Zachariah had already stated that there was a lot of work that needed to be done but they were to remain off the radar for now. Ivan was sure that they were the talk of the underground organizations at this point. It was best to quietly rebuild and look out for anyone else who tried to go against God's will. "Anyways, we probably won't do anything until you're completely healed."

Ivan slowly stood up, stretching his aching muscles. He really should've followed Zachariah's advice and went to go get some rest somewhere else. He was feeling it in his bones and his body was still recovering from the battle, though he wasn't in that bad of shape like some of the others. "For now, let's get you some new clothes and outside, yeah?" He glanced down at his friend, hoping that their small talk and drink put him in a better mood. He had left whatever else that was in bottle for Azrai, knowing that it wouldn't really do too much to the man. "I'll go try to find something for you, so just wait here." Not like Azrai would be able to move too far with his current condition. He shook his head at the thought and left the room to go look for some spare clothes.

It wasn't long before he was back with a bundle of worn clothes. He knew that Azrai wouldn't be too picky since he was walking around in a hospital gown. He held out the clothes to his friend. "I was informed by a medic that you still had traces of poison in your blood. We'll have to give you another dose of the antidote soon until it’s gone," he stated in a tone that left no room for arguments. Ivan knew how much Azrai hated anything close to medical attention but it had to be done. Although Shizu's blood was working on healing him, Ivan didn't want to take any chances. "Once you’re done changing, we can go outside for a while." He was about to ask if Azrai needed help changing though he immediately knew the answer.

He clenched his jaw slightly, knowing that it was a death wish to ask if that stubborn mule needed help. "I'll be waiting outside the room for you." He exited the room, before letting out a long breath. Still, even after they spent a little time together, it still felt awkward. Hopefully it would clear up soon or else Ivan didn't know what else to do. He leaned against the wall, shoving his hands in his pockets. Did Azrai know that Shizu saved his life? He was sure that Maverick must have said something about it. Ivan wanted to know how it made Azrai feel. He wanted to ask Azrai about his opinion on everything that he had been told since he woke up, but that probably wouldn't do much good. He could already tell that Azrai was upset that she was gone but what more could they do?

It was too late to bring her back and the others here didn't feel comfortable around her, much to his dismay. He knew that Zachariah and Maverick wholeheartedly appreciated what she had done for the organization; he only wished the others could see past Shizu's true form. Ivan made sure that no one was bad mouthing Shizu before Azrai came up or else that would be a disaster as well. He just needed to get him outside so he could have a few moments to regain his senses. He knew that soon Lucian would be landing in Canada, so he would feel a little better knowing that they were safe. Maybe he would relay that to Azrai or was it best to be quiet about it? When would be the appropriate time to talk to him about Shizu?

Naturally, they would have this conversation sooner or later but Ivan wanted to understand on a deeper level. He already knew that Azrai wouldn't delve too much to his inner thoughts around everyone else. Should he tell him Shizu's parting words? Or would that make him feel worse? He rubbed his face; wishing things hadn't become so damn complicated. It was best to go through things one step at time, just like Zachariah had mentioned about rebuilding. There was no rush to tackle everything at once, no matter how tempting it seemed to be. Now Ivan could use a few breaths of fresh air too, for this headache that was developing was putting him in a foul mood.

---------

The drive hadn't been long thanks to his skills from playing crazy taxi. He was surprised that he hadn't gotten pulled over, but he was a hacker so it wasn't like he would get the law involved. No, he wouldn't allow anything to delay him from meeting them. Well, maybe getting pulled over would've passed the time but Elias seriously hated dealing with the law. After all, he broke into their systems on a daily basis to do what he was needed. They were too slow to even realize it and he would hate to have to deal with them in person. Honestly, he hated dealing with anyone in person unless it was absolutely necessary. Maybe it was because he was slightly socially awkward when it came to the general public but thanks to Lucian, he had been able to adjust over the years; only because Lucian didn't find it entertaining to be inside all day.

Elias sighed a bit as he parked his car before looking over at the clock. He let out a groan as he leaned his head back on the headrest. Why did time have to go so slow? He knew that he was here early but still, time should've moved by sooner. He had already decided where he and Lucian were going to have a drink at and what would be on the menu for food. They would go to one of their favorite bars in downtown Toronto and chat about the days when they were crazy teenagers. That would be the start of how things would be going back to normal, though he was sure that it would take a few days. As much of a perfectionist Elias was, he knew things wouldn't be easy, especially since they had a new person to look after. It wasn't like Elias wasn't excited to meet Shizu; he just hoped that she liked everything.

He knew that it must be hard for her to have to adjust to a new country all over again and the fact that she wasn't allowed to speak or see Azrai must be hard. All that they could do now was making sure she was taken care of and that she was happy. Surely it wouldn't be too hard, right? It was just like trying to get him out of his apartment, right? He still recalled when Lucian would have to drag him away from his computer in order to get some 'fresh air' as Lucian liked to say. He laughed a bit remembering how stubborn he used to be when it came to leaving his home, even as a child. He was glad that he had someone like Lucian in his life or else he would truly be a recluse.

Some people may question what kind of relationship he had with the pilot and Elias really didn't care what anyone thought. He was sure that the two of them knew where the stood with one another, even the lines seemed a bit blurred at times. He sighed once more, rubbing his tired eyes. He had been running on four hours of sleep ever since Azrai contacted him in Japan and he definitely could use some rest but there were more important things to do than sleep. After he got nice and drunk tonight, he would sleep for days upon days. He lifted his head off of the headrest and looked at the clock once more. He was seriously close to slamming his head into the steering wheel. This wait was killing him.

Falling forward, he thought about what they would do with Shizu. Would they drop her off at her new place? Would she be alright? Maybe they should invite her out as well, that way she could get used to what Toronto nightlife was like. Or maybe she just wanted to be alone. Elias was a big worrier, probably more than he needed to be but he couldn't help himself. When it came to Lucian flying around all over the place, he sort of developed the habit. Then when he met Ivan and Elias, they had dangerous jobs as well, so it continued to grow. Even some of his acquaintances called him 'Mother Hen' because he worried too much. He blamed everyone around him for making him worry, but in the end he really didn't mind. If no one else worried that much then they'd all be out of luck. Still, Elias tried to contain himself.

The hacker let out another sigh, ready for Lucian to land his plane. First he'd hug him then punch him then hug him again. He had been so worried after finding out that he had been kidnapped. He hoped that he wasn't ruffled up too much. Maybe they should reschedule their outing, Lucian must be extremely tired. Then again, he was sure Lucian would want to feel a bit normal after all that he had been through. Elias smiled slightly, knowing that Lucian was probably more than happy to be coming home, more than that ass would admit. Elias let out another sigh, he would get out of his car but if he did he would pace. Typically pacing made him look suspicious so he would wait until ten minutes....or thirty before they landed until he got out of his car.

_________________

Another hour went by.

Slowly but surely Lucian could feel his remaining energy was draining and he wondered if he should reschedule his little outing with Elias once he got back. As much as he wanted everything to go back to normal, to ease his friend’s worrying, he was completely drained right now. He barely had the energy to keep himself awake. Heading home and going to sleep was probably the ideal thing to do once he landed. Though he was use to staying awake for long periods of time, running on whatever the hell had been keeping him awake at this point was not something he enjoyed. Trying to keep a conversation going was partially to keep him awake, give him two things at once to focus on, even if there were long pauses between the times where each of them spoke. The pauses were not really helping, but knowing he had someone to talk to, to keep him from falling asleep, was enough to suffice in the end.

Lucian’s brow furrowed when Shizu asked what jet lag was. The question had not surprised him since she had evidently never travelled the world before, and looking back at the conversation they had about planes on their way from Japan the other day he assumed she had never flew anywhere. He had also gotten a strange feeling. During their conversation she had also mentioned that had been her first time in Japan, when Azrai had rescued her and a few questioned popped in his mind. They were the same ones that have plagued him since he had picked them up from Japan. Just how sheltered was her life? Who was she, why was she so important? There was something different about Shizu but he couldn’t place his finger on it or even decide if he wanted to know or not. It was probably for the best that he was left in the dark. However, if she would be staying in Toronto he felt he should know.

Such things would not be brought up for now, despite how much those questions were nagging at him to get out. He was far too tired and was surprised that he has not snapped at Shizu yet from how grouchy he was beginning to feel from fatigue.

“Well the world is round, you know, we’re heading into a different time zone. Israel is several hours ahead of Canada, and Japan is several hours behind Canada and a few hours ahead of Israel,” he said with a yawn. He hoped that was a good enough explanation, he really was not in the mood to do too much thinking as he wanted to save his energy for the rest of the flight. “Your internal clock will probably be ****ing up until you become adjusted… You seem like a pretty strong person, so I’m confident that won’t take long.” He probably should not have sworn in front of a woman but he was too tired to give a **** by this point. It probably made him seem less of a gentleman, and had he not been so out of it he probably would have kicked himself mentally. Not that he ever really was a true gentleman to begin with aside from a few small things he had to mentally beat into his mind to do. Again he really was not smooth with the ladies.

Perhaps it was a natural thing. Elias has been the only person he has ever gotten close to and at one point he had even centered his life around him. The man’s worrying could be a bit of annoyance, which was one of the reasons why he had, it drove him mad sometimes. He was always like that. If everything did not go his way or something in a mission was slightly off, dangerous, he would be a mess until everything got smoothed out again. Remembering all the times he had to deal with that sort of behavior whenever Azrai or someone got into a pickle made him smirk a little. To this day he still wonders why he had been so hell bent on getting Elias out of the house back then, but he truly enjoyed his company when they weren’t fighting. He knew his dear friend was not very social, hell he doubted the hacker would even be able to function properly around other people without him.

Maybe some of that awkwardness had inadvertently rubbed off on him somewhere down the line.

Silence fell upon he and Shizu once he took notice of her change in mood. Shizu has been through a lot the past few days he felt it was better to just leave her alone. She was probably still having some conflicting emotions about leaving Israel so soon. Lucian was not always a social creature himself, even if he wanted to pass the time, which he was mostly doing for her, he was wondering if he was doing more harm than good by keeping the conversation rolling. He sank further back against his seat and yawned again. Yawning was becoming more frequent and his eyelids were really feeling heavy now. Being this tired was extremely dangerous. He was probably too tired to keep a decent conversation going even if he wanted to. So he decided he would just remain silent during the rest of the trip.

It wouldn’t be too long before they reached Toronto; an estimated hour, maybe an hour and a half, and then they would get her all settled into her new place.

------------------

It really didn’t come as much of a surprise that Ivan was conflicting over whether or not he was upset about everything. That really had not helped things, but having no lecture, at least not right at this moment, came as somewhat of a relief. What Ivan had said about Azrai **** him off since the day they met was indeed true. It was part of their odd friendship, and why he wonders how the hell they were able to put up with each other some days. He knew that later on they would probably throw a few punches and either Maverick or Zachariah would have to step in and separate them before they landed each other back in the hospital. That was how things have always been between them, he knew his friend was just making him wait a little longer, there may or may not be calm when they finally spoke about what went down. Perhaps it was strange but he wouldn’t want to change that for the world. He was fine with it.

Ivan was the closest thing he had to a brother and he knew if somehow their friendship fell apart he probably would get himself killed. There were times he has been reckless and only Ivan had been the one to talk him out of doing something that had been border-line suicidal. That man was his voice of reason sometimes. Despite how stubborn he was towards a lot of things in the end if it weren’t for Ivan he would have been killed by one of his enemies by now. Hell, he probably would have done something even more reckless than he had back in Japan if he had not followed him. Of course he would never mention such a thing to him, perhaps that subtle ungratefulness was what **** his dear friend off sometimes but that was just how he was. Too stubborn and sometimes too prideful for his own good he would rather deal with things himself and not have anyone help him.

“I see…” He said softly in reply, unable to find a better response even though so many things were at the tip of his tongue just waiting to come out. When the refilled glass was handed back to him he grinned a little in thanks. He took a swig of his refilled drink, enjoying the way the liquid slid down his throat. Having alcohol really did better his mood. After years of drinking, not much really burned the whole way down any more and he doubted that, in his current condition, Ivan would allow him to have any of the good stuff even if he had found it. He was well aware that he didn’t really like how much he drank even if he had been his drinking buddy for so many years. Designated driver sometimes, too, though that had been mostly during the times where he had drank himself so numb he couldn’t even walk, which were rare even for him these days.

Over the years he has gotten worse with his drinking. He had tried to stop once, and even came pretty close to knocking the habit off completely after being sober for almost a year, but had been unable to do it. He broke down after a particularly tough mission, which had been followed by Cassandra’s death. He would have stopped for her… some part of him was still ashamed of himself for being unable to keep that promise. It seems he has a habit of making promises he cannot keep.

With an inward chuckle, he leaned back against the wall deep in thought once again. Perhaps it had been a little silly to ask Ivan if he had been upset with him, and that had been why he was unable to come up with a better response without going into the subject of Shizu. He really wasn’t sure why he asked that aside from what happened with Shizu, honestly. At the end of the day he had completed his mission and Shizu was on her way to somewhere safe. That was all he had wanted, was it not? He really was not someone who spoke about his emotions unless he was giving the minimum; he was a little guarded in that sense. He had quite a few trust issued evident by how long it usually takes for him to warm up to someone. Shizu had been that exception. Perhaps somewhere in his subconscious he was bothered by the fact that he had become attached to Shizu.

Instead of voicing that he just continued to drink while listening to Ivan. He was glad the subject had been changed, too. Hearing that Zachariah was in no rush certainly helped ease some of his restlessness, their leader was never one to be in a hurry to get things done. This had been a rough day and flying under the radar while they rebuild was definitely ideal. Azrai knew that his enemies were probably strengthening their forces, if they were to attack the organization they might not have another chance to rebuild. The battle with Sanctus Unum had taken a lot out of everyone and he was sure that Zachariah wanted to have everyone recover before he let everyone know what was going on and what changes might be made. After a battle like that, which was almost a repeat of five years ago, it seemed right to make changes or else the enemy would think them to be too predictable.

“I was beginning to wonder when you would suggest that we head outdoors.” He grinned and seemed a little livelier when Ivan mentioned getting some fresh air. It did fade a bit and he groaned when it was mentioned he needed some more of the antidote. As much as he was enjoying their small talk he really wanted to get the hell out of here. He was still feeling a little shaky even after a few drinks, the last thing anyone needed was for him to actually have a breakdown. He felt like he really was going to lose his mind if he sat here any longer. This place was far too stuffy and he wasn’t really accomplishing anything by sitting here in the dark. If it were up to him, he would just go home and sleep the rest of the day; he was feeling like **** though that was probably the poison still in his system.

Ivan was right to assume Azrai did not want any help changing, when he brought him some clothes. As soon as Ivan left the room he tore off the hospital gown and slipped into the clothes out of what was brought to him that suited him the best. The process took longer than he had liked but he was more than capable of doing it himself. Next came the task of standing. He had walked all the way to this room, and that had not been easy by any means, so it should be easy to stand, right? Wrong. He grabbed onto a nearby shelf and slowly got to his feet, having to take a break here and there when the pain became too much for him. He was glad Ivan had left the bottle with him, the alcohol was a sort of encouragement and it was already established it was enough to help him relax. When he finally accomplished standing he was glad, but soon regretted it.

His hand gripped the edge of the shelf tighter as he felt something unsettling sit in his stomach. The whole room felt like it was spinning which only caused him to hold onto that shelf for dear life. Feeling nauseous, his mouth salivating as if he was about to throw up, he used his free hand and clasped it over his mouth. A chill went up his spine and he cringed, fighting the urge to vomit as best he could. Was this a side-effect from the poison or was it something else? Since he has woken up, he has felt slightly off and he could not put his finger on why. He kept telling himself that it was the poison and the fact that he was extremely uncomfortable being around anything that even remotely resembled a hospital. But he couldn’t help but feel that something was just… off with him. Should he voice his concerns to Ivan? He had actually contemplated that, but decided not to in the end.

It took a moment for him to pull himself together, and he grabbed the bottle and drank some more if down before he left the room. He kept his posture as straight as he could to the best of his ability when he went to face Ivan.

“Let us head outside then, shall we?” He said with a slight smirk, he was happy to finally be heading outside. Despite how he was feeling it was written all over his face that he was glad to be going outside. He really needed some fresh air, the more he thought about it the more he felt like he was going crazy being cooped up. Too stubborn to ask for any support, he used the wall a little as he moved through the hall then realized that he had no idea where he was going. His impatience was getting the best of him. When he was brought here he had been barely conscious so he didn’t know the layout of this place at all. Of course any ‘normal’ person would admit they were lost, but not Azrai. He was far too prideful to tell Ivan he didn’t know how to get to the surface and simply stuck by him until they made their way to the stairs.

The stairs were even worse than moving through the halls but at least he had a railing to hold onto whenever the pain became too much for him. Once they were outside he really did feel a lot more relaxed and his mood seemed to improve significantly. He leaned against a wall located in the shade, relaxing his posture and letting out a sot exhale, taking in the scenery as well as the fresh air with open arms. Though the atmosphere of war subtly lingered in the air it was pretty peaceful compared to the chaos earlier. People were still cleaning up and trying to hide the fact that the battle had even happened, which looked to be going along smoothly. There really was a lot that needed to get done and could see why Zachariah did not want to rush things. Everybody seemed to be just as relaxed as he was, taking their leader’s advice, so he should do the same.

Then it happened.

There were several people talking nearby, all from the organization, within earshot. Azrai probably would have paid them no mind, but as soon as he heard Shizu mentioned his mood took a turn for the worst. They were talking about what they had seen on the battlefield, calling her a monster because of what she was and that was not sitting well with him at all. He could feel his anger beginning to rise as he eyed them with a sharp gaze, he found his temper to be extremely short right now and somehow he felt it was not just because of all he had been though the past few days. Part of him was hoping they would notice him and shut up, or, better yet, for Ivan to tell him to calm down or go and deal with those people himself. But things were never that easy and right then and there his anger had gotten the best of him. It was almost uncharacteristic of him to get this worked up since he was usually so calm even when angry.

Shizu was still a very touchy subject and to hear such things spoken of her, well, it had set him off needless to say.

Without warning he went for the closest person, completely ignoring the pain in his body, mind set on doing harm to someone or something, and slammed them against the wall, hands firmly grasped around the man’s neck. The man had an utterly terrified look in his eyes while Azrai spoke, “A monster you say? Shizu is no monster, I assure you. Are you not aware that she was part of the reason that we have won the battle with Sanctus Unum?” There was a bit of a growl in his voice. The other people that had been around had either backed off or were actually trying to pry Azrai away from the man.

------------------

Maverick decided not to catch up with Zachariah again once he finished taking care of a few more things around the base. Exhaustion had finally caught up to him. He was ready for a nap, and decided that was what he was going to do. Several room had been set up to be used as sleeping areas, much cleaner than the room Zachariah had taken a nap in earlier, he wasted no time slipping into one and flopping onto the nearest bed. He wrapped his arms around a pillow and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to relax further. A few people were also in the room, but paid him no mind as he shifted a bit to get more comfortable. Even when he was extremely tired, Maverick was someone who was picky about how he slept even if location didn’t always matter. If he didn’t have things a certain way then he would not be able to sleep.

“Maverick?” He heard the familiar voice of Zachariah call out.

“What?” Maverick groaned.

“I know you’re tired but need you again for a few minutes.”

“Alright…” With a heavy sigh he forced himself to get up and followed his leader into the room they had cleared out for a conference room. There were a few other people in the room, he gestured towards them. “Mind telling me what we’re doing? Who are they?” He couldn’t help but sound a little impatient, he didn’t try to, he would never show any disrespect towards their leader. It just sort of came out that way. He could tell that Zachariah had not wanted to disturb him but Ivan was already dealing with Azrai so he was the only other person available for whatever the man had in mind. This was starting to irritate him. The moment he wanted to get some rest, something else comes up. Here he had thought Zachariah didn’t want to rush things. No, he knew that wasn’t entirely it, he knew that there was a lot to get done and that their leader was trying his best to keep things stable until the time came for anything major to happen.

“At ease, Maverick, these people are some friends of mine who have agreed to help us rebuild. I just want you to show them around a bit. Is that alright with you? I have some other matters to attend to at this time.” Zachariah explained. They were going to need all the help they could get. Since he was feeling a lot better thanks to the nap he decided to use that to his advantage and set up a few things with people he knew. Ivan had taken care of most of their problems and Maverick was helping in keeping organized. Now, it was up to him, as their leader, to make sure that they were safe while they were here, so they would not have to move. If they worked hard enough perhaps this could be their permanent base. He would have to see how the others felt about it, of course, but that was his plan in the end. Otherwise they might have to have another base actually built for them which would be such a hassle during recovery.

Though he was reluctant, Maverick gave a nod and introduced himself to the men before leading them around the place. Here and there, they asked a few questions but were mostly silent. He wasn’t sure if he liked them but if Zachariah said they were trustworthy then he would trust his leader.

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Shizu wasn't sure that she quite understood what jet lag meant but from what Lucian said, it had to do with her sleeping cycle. It wasn't like she got much sleep anyways but things could change now that she didn’t have to fear that someone would try to assassinate her while asleep. Though she wasn't sure how it would affect her, he said that she would be able to adjust to it pretty fast, so she would trust his judgment. It still confused her about the different time zones and that only told her how little she knew about the New World and life itself. She suddenly felt slightly nervous, wondering if she would be able to grasp all that was around her. When she first the village, she had been so surprised at all the technology that was around her. It was fascinating yet terrifying, just how far back in time had her village been in. Her stepfather had obviously known about the outside world, but the villagers didn't and neither did she.

For now, she would just have to learn one day at a time.

As silence fell between them again, she had been thinking about Azrai and how her blood might have affected him. Her stomach was rolling and twisting into knots the more she thought about it. Maybe it would have been best if she stayed longer, teaching him how to control the urges he might have. Would he need someone there to guide him, to sympathize with him? She had gone through those stages by herself, learning to tune out the Oni side of her. She had learned to become human all on her own and it had been a difficult task. It was cruel of her to do what she had done to him. Even she would be unable to forgive herself. She had probably made things even more complicated than before. Here, she had been only thinking of Azrai and how to save him. She had been cruel by placing this burden on him but who could blame her? All she had wanted for him was to live.

Her mood continued to take a turn for the worst as she suddenly felt uncomfortable. Her stomach was aching and she felt slightly nauseous. Something was wrong but she didn't know what exactly it was. She let out a slow breath, trying to calm herself down. Maybe she was just getting too cramped in this plane; they had been in the air for hours now. They had to be close to landing because she could tell that Lucian was becoming restless as well. "Lucian," she said gently, while still trying to figure out the next words she was going to say. Should she tell him that she wasn't feeling well? Should she tell him that she was a demon? She was conflicted with her thoughts that she fell silent for a while. Coming out of her thoughts, she blinked a bit realizing how rude it was of her to say his name without saying anything else. "F-Forgive me," she said in an apologetic tone. "I was just wondering if it would be possible if I could contact Ivan once we land." She glanced over at him, a solemn look on her face. "There is something extremely important that I must discuss with him," she stressed her sentence slightly, signaling that she truly meant it.

This was not a ploy to contact Azrai, she knew better than to go back on her word. Although she truly did want to know if he was recovering well, she needed to tell Ivan about the other possibilities that could happen. She needed to tell him how to teach Azrai to cope with Oni blood. Then there was the topic of blood and what steps she needed to take to obtain it. Surely no one would be too thrilled with her attacking an innocent bystander, not to say that she would. That was just a dramatic scenario that she thought of. The guilt that she felt was almost unbearable and she slowly began to loathe the decision she made. She wondered if Azrai would begin to resent her for trying to save him. Would everyone else too? Would they abandon her, once they see what could happen to Azrai? The fear was chilling but she could understand why they would do such a thing if they wanted. She wouldn't be angry for their choice.

Perhaps she was being too pessimistic with her thoughts. They had all seemed to understand the consequences of the blood transfusion though she was sure they couldn't truly grasp it. They all had wanted to keep Azrai alive and that had been the only way to do so. The antidote had barely worked on him and her blood had been the only way. So, they wouldn't resent her that much, would they? Then again, humans were fickle creatures and she knew how easily they could turn on her. She had experienced it all her life. Her eyes narrowed a bit as she gazed out the plane once more. The more she thought, the darker her thoughts became. The silence that was shared between her and Lucian was ringing in her ears. The sound of the engine was beginning to give her a slight headache. She desperately wanted to be out of the plane and by herself.

She needed the time to sort through all her thoughts, try to understand the situation that she had placed everyone in. If she could just talk to Ivan, then she would feel at ease. No, that wasn't the truth. If she could talk to Azrai, she would feel better. She wanted to let him know that she was alright. She wanted to hear that he was alright as well. She needed to tell him to not let his aggression control him, to always remain calm. That was how she managed to not kill everyone off in her village. Then again, fear had been instilled in her at a young age so that had also helped cope with her demonic side. Though there had been times when she was so close to attack but she held back, she had always held back.

Was this decision for the best or the worst? She wondered what would have happened if she stayed. Would she be able to face Azrai after he found out what she had done for him? Would he detest the Oni blood in his veins? She wondered all of this but she probably would never know. She was thousands of miles away from him now, there was no point it trying to think that they could still be friends. This move had been to sever whatever was starting to form between them. That was why Ivan had been so compliant with her condition. She had already known from the beginning that Ivan was not happy about the attachment between her and Azrai. She was sure that it went against some rule within the organization. She was sure Ivan was trying to protect Azrai from her that was why she had to leave.

She was a monster, something that ruined lives. She already heard the words that the others within the organization had said about her. She had no right to be around them if they would live in constant fear of her. It had been best to leave, least she experience the same events that had happened in her village. She had to go to a place where no one knew what she was in order to live a peaceful life. If she had stayed, things would have not been pleasant. Toronto would be the place that she would start her new life, where she could live normally, well as normal as possible. Eventually, she knew someone would find out about her true nature but she hoped that it was either Elias or Lucian. But if they found out, would they fear her as well? She shifted in her seat, feeling uncomfortable. She really began to think it would've been better if she stayed in her village.

Then she would've never caused any of these problems. This guilt that was looming over her would have never come to be. Most importantly, she would've never met Azrai. She would've never become attached to him and it wouldn't have hurt this hurt. It wasn't like she resented Azrai for saving her; she owed him for this new life that he had given her. Even saving him wasn't enough to pay him back after all he had done for her. She had become attached to him so quickly that she hadn't expected this sorrow to fill upon departure. He had been the first person she could ever trust, he brought out new feelings that she had yet to experience in her village. Hope and happiness were only just the beginning. He had given her something that she thought was impossible, given what she was. No one would probably be able to understand how she felt about him and that was alright. No one would ever know either, because she had left him in Israel, where he would be safe and continue his life normally.

Letting out another sigh, she knew that she was being far too pessimistic, falling back into old habits when she was in isolation. That would have to change if she wanted to live a normal life. Maybe after she contacted Ivan she could move on and let go of everything that had happened, though she doubted it. Maybe she could just ignore it all and focus all her attention on her new life. That was something she had to do in order to keep her mind off of everything. Instead of falling into this state of depression, she would just have to kick herself into gear and focus of better things. No matter how hard the task might be, she had promised Zachariah that for Azrai's sake she would live a happy life, no matter what.

----------

Well, at least their conversation had gone rather smoothly, for now. He knew that there was a lot on Azrai's mind and he was still trying to put things together. It would be a while before Azrai decided to spill out how he felt, a long while and Ivan knew that he would be there just listening, as he always had. That was how their odd relationship worked. Azrai and Ivan would both keep things bottled up until they reached a breaking point. That was usually when they had a few drinks in them and words just started pouring out of their mouths, like vomit. As much as he hated telling what he had been holding back, Ivan wouldn't have things any other way. This relationship he had with Azrai simply worked. It worked better than any other bond he had created in his life. That was probably why Ivan had never left his side because he knew that he would never be able to find someone as close to him as Azrai was.

Azrai was like his own flesh and blood. He admired him more than anyone else, including Zachariah. Life in Russia had been rough, too rough for words. Once he had joined the military, things had become easier. Then he met Azrai, who showed him how things could be outside of his home country. That was when he decided to move to Israel. Not only because it was too keep Azrai out of trouble, God knew that he needed it, but also because Azrai had given him a new home and a new life. Ivan owed Azrai so much that he was sure that even his friend couldn't comprehend it. That was why he had aided him when Cassandra died. It was why he was always there first whenever Azrai was in trouble. And like all those other times, it was why he had separated Shizu and Azrai. Many people would not be able to understand his motives, but it wasn't like they needed to. Ivan simply did what he thought would protect those he cared about, even if it meant fighting along the way.

Ivan let out a low sigh as he waited for Azrai out of the room. The more time he spent thinking to himself, the more dangerous he realized it was. This was why he had to continue doing something or else he would lose himself in his thoughts. Ivan was typically a quiet man, always thinking about something. Now, he wished he could cease thinking and just ignore all the doubts that shrouded his mind. That would be pleasant at this point but he knew it wouldn't happen. Life wasn't that simple. Maybe this was God's way of punishing him for separating the two. Should he have let things follow its own path or did he choose the best solution? He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to sort out all the questions he had. He wondered if Zachariah would be able to give him some clarity. Their leader always seemed to have an answer. Then again, he would be relying too much on another person, which was not something Ivan enjoyed doing.

He already relied on Azrai far too much for his liking. If something ever happened to that man...he wouldn't know how to cope with it. It was truly terrifying to think that he could have lost his one and only true friend a few hours ago. That didn't mean that he blamed Shizu for what had happened nor did he really blame Azrai. He was just **** off at how the world worked. It sucked not having control over things but when had he ever had control over anything? He liked to think that he knew how to handle extreme situations, that was why he was so good at his job. Today simply showed him how things were just out of his hands. It terrified him though he knew better than to voice his thoughts. That was what he should have expected today, that all sorts of hell would break loose and it had. He sighed slightly, knowing that he was over thinking things as usual.

Ivan glanced at the door that had yet to open, wondering if he should see if Azrai was alright. However, he knew better than to try to show that he was worried about the shorter male. That was a death wish waiting to happen. He shook his head, hating how stubborn Azrai was and it truly irritated him that he didn't seek assistance when he needed it. It was like watching after a toddler sometimes, then again Ivan had no experience with children so he only assumed. He knew that Azrai wasn't happy about getting another dosage of the antidote but it had to be done. Ivan would rather be safe than sorry when it came to Azrai's life. Sometimes, he really just wanted to strangle him but he should be used to it by now. If they both didn't have such a temper, things would probably go a lot smoother but that would be boring.

So he simply waited until Azrai managed to get dressed and out of that dark room. He glanced down at his friend, quirking a brow at the smirk on his face. Well, it was good to see that Azrai was slowly beginning to cheer up. It was probably because he was getting out of the building for a few minutes. He knew that Azrai would want to go home soon but that would be a topic that Zachariah would have to handle. Ivan could deal with Azrai but Zachariah was the one who could convince Azrai to do something. Ivan could to but sometimes Azrai wouldn't even listen to him. He noticed that Azrai used the wall to walk but didn't extend any kind of help. It would get rejected anyways so there was no point in wasting his breath.

As they walked through the base, Ivan was pleased with what he saw. He could tell that everyone was working hard to get things in order and trying to slowly rebuild. He noted that there were a few empty drinks here and there. He was glad that everyone took the opportunity to relax for a few moments, he was sure they all needed it. The trek up the stairs had taken a while due to Azrai's condition. Ivan had slowed down his pace but still didn't offer his assistance. He would simply act if Azrai were to trip or something like that. Once outside, Ivan took this opportunity to relax a little more. Being underground for so long was a bit suffocating though it never really bothered if as much as it had Azrai. Inhaling the muggy air, Ivan could feel the tension from his shoulders releasing. Coming outside was a great idea.

He leaned against the wall beside Azrai, watching as more soldiers were cleaning up the area, hiding from the government that there was a huge battle. All they would probably get was a few bombings at that were all. Still, Ivan wished that even that information wouldn't leak but it was better than the whole world knowing about the bio-weapons. It was nice outside, even after the battle, it was refreshing. Ivan opened his mouth to comment on the weather but fell short as he could hear a few people talking. His heart began to pound, filling his ears. His eyes cut over to the group of men, as they continued to talk about the demon on the battlefield, Shizu. The mood around the two of them shifted and something told Ivan that things were about to take a turn for the worst.

He was ready to tell Azrai to go cool off somewhere but it was too late. It seemed to have happened in mere seconds as Azrai was soon choking the life out of one of the men. A loud curse left Ivan as he immediately followed, shouting at others to help. His mind was racing, was it the effect of Shizu's blood taking over? Ivan had feared for something like this to happen, who would've guessed that his temper would be so short. He reached Azrai, grabbing hold of his shoulder, trying to yank him off. "Azrai, let go," he said in a calm manner, knowing that if yelled the situation could get worse. He could see the poor man struggling with his breathing already. Another curse left Ivan and he tried to think of something to get Azrai to quit.

"Shizu wouldn't want you to attack anyone because of her," he said slowly. "Do you think this is something she would've wanted?" It was wrong of him to use her as bait but he had no other choice. It seemed as if Maverick hadn't told Azrai about the blood transfusion and the possible effects. He was sure Azrai would be more careful if he knew. That conversation that he had been desperately trying to hold off on would have to come to light now. He frowned knowing that Azrai was probably not prepared to talk about Shizu but it had to be done. He tried pulling Azrai off of the male once more. He didn't want to have to use too much force or worse, resort to a sedative. Azrai wasn't an animal and he wouldn't treat his closest friend like that.

What would come from this situation? What would Zachariah have to say about this? If Azrai couldn't control his aggression then he would be kicked out. Ivan wanted to avoid that at all costs but this situation was leading them down that path. Would it be like this every time Shizu was mentioned? Clicking on his earpiece, he let out a small sigh. "Zachariah, this is Ivan. We have a situation that calls for having that conversation with Azrai, immediately." Ivan didn't want to into details right not. He knew that Azrai didn't understand his aggression so he shouldn't be at fault. darnit, he should've said something sooner but instead he was too much of a coward to say anything.

"Azrai, let go," Ivan said in a stern tone. "You'll kill him if you don't."

---------

How long had it been since he parked his car? Elias couldn't really tell anymore, he had been sitting here in a sort of daze. He rubbed his eyes as a yawn escaped him, maybe they would really have to reschedule their outing tonight. The sleep deprivation was slowly beginning to kick in and if he even thought about drinking, he knew he would pass out after the first bottle. The best course of action seemed like picking the two up and getting Shizu settled into her apartment before having an intimate night with his bed. Man, going to sleep sounded like the greatest thing in the world at this point. He was sure that Lucian was probably thinking the same thing but seeing one another first was at the top of Elias' priority list.

He only had to wait a little longer until they landed then he would let Ivan know that everyone was in one piece. Maybe he would be able to get an update on Azrai's condition as well. As far as he was concerned, the antidote hadn't been enough to save his friend and that truly cause fear to strike his heart. What would they have done if Shizu hadn't been there? She probably didn't understand how much of Godsend she was but then again, she probably didn't know much about anything. Not to say that she was unintelligent or anything but Elias had been here since the beginning of the mission. Although both he and Ivan had protested against Azrai taking it on, Elias was there for him no matter what. Shizu hadn't even been a real person until Azrai took her out of the village and into Israel.

He wondered what kind of hell she had been through to not even be within the system. Elias had assisted Ivan on rescue missions before and he typically could find out anything about the victim but not with Shizu. Elias had created a life for her, which was something that he had never done for any mission before. So that caused him to wonder, what exactly was she? Why had caused her to be so sheltered her entire life? She was probably the most interesting person he had ever come across, and that was a big deal coming from him. Elias mostly concerned himself with the advancing technologies in this world, not people. There were only a few people that he had a genuine interest in and an even fewer amount that he cared for. Now, with Shizu arriving, both he and Lucian would have to care and provide for her, for the time being.

He wondered if he was suitable enough to handle such a task, then again who was. Who was able to handle such a daunting task? What all did she know and what didn't she? Where would they have to start with her? All these thoughts filled his mind and he wondered what exactly Azrai had in mind for her once his mission was over. Elias was sure that Azrai probably didn't know what he would have done either, but that man was smart, he would've thought of something. Elias may be a genius but when it came to people he was completely lost. It looked like that he and Lucian would have their work cut out for them, maybe he would look up what he was supposed to do with her. Leave it to him to rely on the internet for help.

Looking at the clock, he realized that they would be landing soon. His heart raced a bit as excitement filled his being. A sudden rush of energy came through him and he soon exited his vehicle, grabbing the coats that he had placed in the passenger seat. He wondered what Shizu would be like in person; he had only seen a picture of her and a small glimpse of her on the security camera at the hotel. He wondered what her personality was like or would it take a while for that to develop. He was truly interested in her and it was odd. Was this what everyone else felt about her or was he the only one? Maybe Lucian was interested in her life as well, because quite frankly, Elias had never been able to meet anyone like her.

He knew there was something about her, from the picture that he had received for her identification to how Azrai so fiercely protected her. There was something about Shizu and he would find out, it was like hacking really. He would simply dig and dig until he found out what it was that he wanted, it may take a while but he would find it. He grinned a bit as he walked away from his car, heading off to meet the two of them. It seemed like a new chapter would start in his and Lucian's life. Maybe they could develop a friendship with Shizu; Ivan hadn't said anything about them not being able to be in contact with her. She was simply to not be involved with Azrai anymore, which may prove to be difficult if the man every decided to pop in for a visit.

Then again, Azrai hated the cold weather in Canada, so maybe he wouldn't visit until it warmed a little more. Elias shrugged his shoulders, knowing that his friend was full of surprises. That note being taken, he would just have to be careful when dealing with Shizu and Azrai. He knew that he would have to make no indication that he knew of her whereabouts or the fact that she was a few blocks away from his house, the next time he spoke with Azrai. He felt kind of bad, for having to keep this secret from him but if it was to keep him alive and safe, he would. Letting out a sigh, Elias shook his head, wishing his job wasn't so crazy but he wouldn't change it for the world. Instead he would just follow the orders he was given and go on from there.

Right now, he would stand here awkwardly waiting for his friend and the woman that seemed to have shaken up the organization. Things would be interesting from now on, he could tell.

_________________

The closer they got to Toronto the more Lucian wanted to get out of this plane. As much as he loved flying he has never really done this much flying in such a short amount of time. It was making him irritable, but that could also be an effect of being so tired. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, as if he was trying to expel some of his tiredness. Shifting in his seat he glanced out the window and sighed softly. There was still nothing but ocean all around him. Thankfully that had not lasted much longer for he noticed the shoreline slowly coming into view. He smiled weakly knowing that he would be seeing Elias soon and that the man would most likely be right there waiting for them to arrive. The worrywart probably got there early, knowing him, eager to meet Shizu and make sure his one and only close friend was alright after such a long trip.

Honestly, this was probably the longest trip he has been on in awhile. It was definitely one of the roughest as well after having been held hostage and even interrogated a little. The smile that lunatic had on his face when he threatened to devour him was still etched into his mind. He shuddered, recalling those horrible memories, hoping that after today he could forget about all of that and just have everything return to normal like he liked it. He has never liked to get involved with the organization, he has even brought this up to Elias, but he knew how convenient it was to have a pilot around. The only thing he hated was when he somehow managed to get himself hurt. The fact that they had even found him was a little terrifying and he soon worried for the safety of he and Elias once Shizu was settled into her new home. Would all of this be more trouble than it’s worth?

What if more people wanted to come after them and the organization actually had to step in and do something? It was bad enough that she was probably going to be monitored. Elias has monitored a few people before, whether they were rescued by Ivan or someone else so he knew what it was like trying to keep someone safe. It certainly was not easy. If one organization wanted Shizu, whoever she was, whatever the reason she was so important that she was being given a new life, perhaps there were more who would seek her out now that she was out of Japan. Or maybe whoever she had been taken away from would try to find her and they would have to deal with that. They might be official Witness Protection but he would make sure that he and Elias did their best like they always did whenever they were faced with this kind of situation. Shizu would be kept safe no matter what happened.

Lucian looked over to her when she called his name, trying to make it seem like he wasn’t as grouchy as he felt. Even if his earlier display had pretty much said that he wasn’t in the mood for conversation he didn’t want to be rude. At first he thought she wasn’t going to say anything, but when she mentioned Ivan he sighed a little, “Alright, alright. I’m sure we can arrange that.” Ivan had said he wanted to be contacted once they reached Toronto anyway to keep him up to date on the situation. He was glad that Shizu had said something otherwise he might have forgotten, considering he was so reluctant to speak with the man. Shizu or Elias would have to do the talking with Ivan. Perhaps it was a little childish that he was never able to get his **** together whenever he was speaking with Ivan but that is just how it has always been. He has tried to be civil with him but they always ended up getting into some sort of argument, their personalities simply clashed.

“We should be there soon, the shoreline is getting closer.” Poor Shizu. She seemed so depressed that he almost couldn’t stand the sight of her. It was beginning to affect his own mood, which was not really helping his tiredness. Maybe that was why he was becoming a little grouchy. Maybe this would help ease her mood a little, knowing that she would be out of the plane soon. Even he was beginning to feel a little cramped sitting in his seat, eager to stretch his legs, and his restlessness was really not mixing well with his exhaustion.

When they finally reached the city an overwhelming elation suddenly filled him.

Lucian felt like he was about to jump out of his seat, but thankfully was too tired to show it and got right to making preparations to land once he got closer to their location. His demeanor changed a little and to the best of his ability he guided the plane, descending slowly towards the landing area, completely focused at that point. He was so glad that he was finally back home. Once he had landed the plane he shut everything down, sank back against the seat, and groaned, closing his eyes for a moment. He felt like he could pass out right there and was actually tempted to do so. With a yawn Lucian rubbed his eyes and forced himself to sit up again, feeling the protest in his joints as he moved to get out of the plane. Making sure that he had everything with him and ensuring that Shizu was situated, he stretched as soon as his feet touched the ground. It felt good to have some ground under his feet indeed of being in the air for once.

“How are you holding out? Do you have everything?” He asked her, making sure that she was still doing ok. As eager as he was to see Elias he was placing Shizu first. She was their top priority at the moment after all, they could have all the fun they wanted later, once she was at her new home. Even he was a little curious to see how everything turned out. As he had mentioned earlier if Elias had decorated it then it was probably pretty bland and she would have to redecorate with her taste. That was probably the plan, he wondered if they would be taking her out to go shopping for some house items and new clothes. Maybe she could be part of their happy little friendship somehow; she was one of the few people who seemed to like his company. He has always had a hard time getting along with people; he just had one of those auras around him. People didn’t like him.

They walked a little and then he finally pulled out the phone, “You still want to speak to Ivan? Here.” He dialed Ivan’s number, Lucian had everyone’s number memorized for the most part, and handed her the phone. Has she even used a phone before? “Um… just hold it up to your ear and talk like Ivan is standing right in front of you.” That was the best answer he could give in his current state. He was only getting that out of the way so he and Elias could have their little moment to speak with each other before they went home. Maybe they could even grab a few beers along the way. Lucian was really craving a beer now, more than he had before, though he was already feeling like he could fall flat on his face and sleep on the ground.

When they caught up with Elias he couldn’t help but smile. “Hell, you look just as worn out as I am.” He said with a smirk. “How long have you been waiting for us?” The answer to that was pretty clear already but even in his tired state, Lucian couldn’t help but tease is dear friend.

------------------

How many others in the organization thought Shizu was a monster? Just because she was an Oni certainly did not mean that she was, had they not seen those bio-weapons? They looked like humans and yet they had done some serious damage during the battle a few hours ago. If it had not been for Shizu then they most likely would have not held up against them as well as they had, though he barely remembered his own encounters. He remembers that he had been sniping and that he had been tackled off a building but everything after that, the things he had done while plowing through those weapons to reach Shizu, were somewhat blurry. That’s usually what happens when he falls into that state of mind, mostly because he tries to block things out so he doesn’t have to remember how violent he can be. Was he falling into that state of mind here? It almost seemed like it, it made the few people who were standing around uncomfortable.

When Ivan’s hand touched his shoulder he came to his senses a little. Ivan was probably one of the only people able to get him to come to his senses despite how stubborn he was. At first he had ignored him, too focused on choking the one who had called Shizu a monster, but when his dear friend spoke to him he listened. It took a moment for everything to sink in but once it had he relaxed a little and took his hands off the man. The man hurried away as quickly as he could. Ivan was right. Just as he always was… usually… At least in situations like this where he came this close to killing someone. He felt a little embarrassed… ok, actually he was pretty embarrassed that he had lost it like that. He had a feeling Shizu probably would not want him to lose his cool and kill someone because of some words. This really was not like him, he really should have known better than to lose control like that.

Had that poison done something to him, or was this something else? He really was feeling off right now and he wasn’t sure what the hell was going on. But even if it was probably wrong to use Shizu as bait he was right. What would Shizu think if she saw him lose his temper after being so calm with her during their time together? Would she think less of him, would she be terrified? He doubted the latter, she would probably just be disappointed if anything, but then again he couldn’t really say for sure. Back in that alley in Japan she had seen his violent tendencies for the first time and said nothing. In Jerusalem rather than be wary of him or afraid, she approached him and got him to stop. Until that point, only Ivan and Cassandra were able to get him out of that state. In fact it was because of those two that he was able to keep himself under control for the most part. Zachariah had tried once but he had gotten himself hurt…

He looked at the ground for a moment trying to find something to say. How was he going to explain himself? He didn’t know why he was feeling so off right now… Maybe he would be punished for this later or even worse… would he be kicked out of the organization? The thought of losing the one thing in his life that mattered the most to him, his best friend and the organization, the only life he knew, because of this damned mission and everything it has put him through, because he had lashed out for some unknown reason, frightened him more than he was willing to openly admit. He really didn’t want to lose anything he had. While the life he lived was extremely rough and evidently unforgiving as well he wouldn’t want to change it. Somehow he managed to stay pretty content, and everyone makes mistakes on in awhile. But was this the one thing that would get him kicked out? The thought was weighing heavy on his mind.

In all honesty he didn’t want to think about it but the possibility wouldn’t be dismissed. There was something about this that made him uncomfortable. Why was he becoming so worked up over Shizu? Was it even because of Shizu? He knew for a fact there were no deeper feelings for her… so why had he been so protective, even now? There was a lot of pent up energy that he wished he could let go of, part of him knew it was not because of Shizu. It seemed to build and there seemed to be nothing he could do to get rid of it. He had thought coming outside would have helped. Maybe it would be best for him if he did talk to Ivan about his thoughts on the situation before anything else happened. The topic was kind of inevitable to begin with, now that something like this happened they might as well get it over with as soon as possible, right? Or maybe he should go back and see if there was any alcohol left and drown in it, just to get things out of his mind.

That sounded more appealing right now, but his luck wasn’t that great, there was nothing lying around the immediate area. He would have to deal without alcohol for right now, much to his dismay. Sighing heavily he decided that standing out in the open like this probably wasn’t a good idea and slipped back into the shade to cool off. A small shock of pain moved through him and he staggered a bit before catching himself on the wall of the same building he and Ivan had been near before. He ran a hand over through his hair as he tried to clear his thoughts. Maybe he should head back into his hospital room and get that dose of the antidote over with before anything else happened. No. He didn’t want to go back into that room, he honestly would much rather stay outdoors. The whole point of coming out here was to help him relax and clear his mind a little so he wouldn’t go nuts in that room.

“I apologize, I have not been feeling quite like myself since I woke up,” he murmured after a long while, still unable to meet Ivan’s gaze. Was explaining himself the best thing to do? He had no idea why he had gotten so worked up and didn’t really have a good explanation. “I had not meant to cause trouble. Something inside of me simply… snapped and I do not know why.” He really could use another drink right now, or rather like twenty drinks, maybe he would feel better. Clearing his mind was difficult, mostly because his thoughts were only becoming more tangled the more he tried to think about something else. He didn’t like to talk about things even to Ivan but maybe talking about it was the best way to do it after all. If he didn’t get to the bottom of this then he was probably going to end up beating himself up over it. Or worse, hurt someone else or himself.

He really didn’t want that to happen. That little outburst was enough embarrassment for one day.

By this point, however, the conversation he was hoping could wait was about to be had with him. He was trying to figure out where he should begin. There was a lot that they needed to go over.Once they began the conversation would he be able to tell Ivan that he sympathized with Shizu? Would he be able to say that he knew what was it was like to have people be skeptical of him? He normally didn’t care for the opinions of others but being shunned was pretty painful. He knew he could be dangerous and has been told he needed to be locked away. It was another thing he was grateful for Ivan for, the man was his voice of reason despite how odd their friendship might seem and he really did keep him out of trouble. If it were not for him he would probably be locked away somewhere if not dead. Part of him wanted to bring it up but he wasn’t able to find the words.

He was sure that Ivan understood even if he didn’t bring it up, though, after all he’s been there for him for a long time and knew most if not all his darkest secrets. Out of everyone he has ever met, he has always found Ivan so easy to talk to. Maybe it was because they were similar in some senses, holding back what they really thought until it all became too bottled up to the point where it absolutely needed to come out. Whether they were talking after having a few drinks or using their fists, that was how things have always been. Perhaps they should have had this talk back in the room. Maybe, if they had, Azrai wouldn’t be feeling like something was wrong.

------------------

Zachariah’s extreme motivation with keeping this organization together was often both a blessing and a curse.

In the span of a few hours he had a few offices set up and even more space cleared out. Electronics were set up, so that way they were ready for Elias when he came out here to help. He was interested to meet the man face to face. Elias seemed like a very dedicate person especially with the way that he had been quick to jump on the opportunity to help with the battle against Sanctus Unum. His skills as a hacker would definitely be useful in the organization and he hoped to continue working with him and maybe try to talk to Lucian about sticking around more as well. He knew that the pilot and the hacker already helped Azrai fend off his enemies, perhaps they could help fend off the organization’s enemies as well. They might be able to find out if Sanctus Unum had any supporters and if so, how many. The people he had Maverick show around were good at finding information but sometimes extra help went a long way.

As much as he loved what he did sometimes Zachariah wondered if he tried a little too hard. There was a lot to get done and he was in no rush to do it but he couldn’t help but feel like he needed to get more out of the way than he needed to. It was to the point where he drove himself a little too hard sometimes, hell bent on keeping everyone safe. More often than not he doesn’t take his own advice and take a few moments to rest. A nap did help Zachariah’s exhaustion but it had only been a little less than an hour. Now he was beginning to feel that he needed a full day of sleep in order to keep going. His followers were always counting on him to keep things stable and he never let them down. Perhaps he wanted to feel like he was actually some sort of miracle worker. It would make things easier for everyone if he was, would it not?

Walking around the place, seeing everything coming together slowly but surely, it made him feel pretty good about himself. Several of his followers smiled at him and he returned the smile. The organization has been all he has had in life, growing up he has never had much of anything at all, and he would not trade it for anything. God has always guided his path, even if he did not always agree with things; he was not going to just throw everything away any time soon. Even if they had to rebuild a third time after they got comfortable here he knew that the organization would go on. He was worried about what will happen once he passes from this world. Who was going to come claim his throne and continue his teachings, who was going to keep things together and see that the organization lasts for years, and many more questions plagued him. Perhaps he should be use to that part of being a leader by now.

Part of him was and part of him was not; the thoughts usually didn’t bother Zachariah whenever he was reminded about how much he truly loves what he does.

When he heard Ivan speak to him through the earpiece he sighed and rubbed his eyes, then ran his hand over his face. “I will be there in a few minutes, take care of him until then.” He said, his heart rate beginning to pick up. This was the last thing he need. Out of everyone he trusted Ivan the most to keep Azrai under control so he wouldn’t have to worry about him. It was bad enough he was trying to have the talk of Shizu expelled and get more work done around the base. Dealing with Azrai was not what he needed, not to mention he knew for a fact Azrai would not be in the mood to talk about Shizu at all.

Zachariah strode hastily through the halls, hoping to get there was quickly as he could. His mood seemed to cut through the relaxed atmosphere like a knife. His mind was racing and to match that the look on his face was somewhat grim leaving his followers wondering what was going on. “Maverick!” He called out when he happened to cross paths with the man. “I hate to bother you again but Ivan is having some trouble with Azrai.” It was only right to tell Maverick though he knew he was driving the man pretty hard.

Maverick frowned, “What happened?”

“I wasn’t given too many details. It seems Ivan wants us to have that talk with Azrai about Shizu now.”

“That’s going to be fun.”

He could tell Maverick was not looking forward to this and he didn’t blame the man either. “I will call you when I need you again.” He looked to his friends, “I apologize for this.”

“It’s alright, Maverick here has been more than helpful.” The older male spoke, “We might be able to move on to phase to easier than I thought.”

“Good. Now, if you’ll excuse me I must catch up with Ivan.” With that, Zachariah left the small group and went to look for Ivan. Knowing them they had probably gone outside for some fresh air. He made his way to the stairs and began the climb towards the outdoors. Azrai was not particularly fond of staying in one area for too long especially when it came to hospitals. The man needed to rest and recover but he was too stubborn to rest just like everyone else here in the base and sometimes he wished he was not so stubborn all the time. He didn’t blame him for not liking being cooped up, though, even Zachariah was grew weary from being underground all the time. Once in awhile he liked to take walks on the surface, everyone needed sunlight every now and then. It was healthy to go outdoors; he might be able see the sunlight more frequently now that he was no longer battling against Sanctus Unum.

But one could only hope.

Once outside he took in a deep breath and immediately scanned the area for Ivan and Azrai, praying that nothing too serious had happened. Somehow he already knew the answer to that. He hoped that Azrai had not killed someone or had to be sedated in order to get him to calm down. They had to resort to that method only once and the amount of guilt he felt still plagued him to this day. He never wanted to have to do that ever again, nor did he ever want to kick Azrai out of the organization. If things were already getting bad he might not have a choice in the matter and that crushed him. Azrai was a valuable member to the organization that they could not afford to lose. His skills as a sniper and a hitman were needed in order to ensure the Holy Land does not fall into the wrong hands. He could not afford to have anyone unstable in his organization.

He knew Azrai was not unstable but with the Oni blood in him he knew it was going to take awhile for him to be himself again. If he would ever revert back to his old self. He hoped so, otherwise he knew he would have to do what needed to be done and ne did not want to resort to that. For now he did his best to push that all aside as he didn’t want to get into it right away. Azrai was definitely going to need to be monitored, perhaps he should not be allowed to go home for awhile or have Ivan stay with him to make sure he doesn’t hurt himself. He didn’t want to keep the man cooped up underground because that would only make things worse, the man would go stir crazy. There was no way he could keep that man confined especially since they couldn’t even seem to keep him in a room where he was safe to rest.

Unfortunately he didn’t know the whole story of why Azrai hated hospitals so much. Ivan had told him about it a little but Azrai has never seemed to want to talk about it so he always left the subject alone.

When he finally found Azrai and Ivan, he eyed them with a stern look and took in a deep breath to prepare himself for the worse. There were some murmurs around the area which he paid no mind to for the time being. When he approached, the look in his eyes stayed, “I won’t force you to come back inside, but I feel we should speak about this in private.” The conference room was all ready for use for the most part. He was hoping they could speak there since they wouldn’t be bothered but if Azrai, who did seem a little out of it, poor guy, wanted to stay outdoors he would allow it. He gave Ivan a look that said as much. What Azrai said surprised him a little, however.

“Perhaps we should… head back underground.” His voice was quieter than usual. Maybe it was for the best that he didn’t stay outdoors, as much as he would like to. There were still murmurs around even if Zachariah was doing his best to keep everything under control. He wanted to get away from that fearing he might lash out again. There was no telling what might happen… Right now he felt calm again but he didn’t want to risk it. Hopefully Zachariah could give him some sort of closure.

_________________

Shizu was glad that Lucian was kind enough to comply with her request; then again she would have probably bothered him until he allowed her to speak with Ivan. His words seemed to help her mood out a bit though it wasn't much. She simply would just have to wait until she spoke with Ivan until her mood changed. Perhaps being in the plane for so long was causing her to become like this. It brought back memories of being locked away in her room. She was honestly glad no one had seen her locked up like some kind of animal. It would have been rather humiliating for Azrai to have to come break her out of the compound. But now, she no longer had to worry about anything like that, she was free now and Lucian said she would have her own place. That was something to look forward to, right? She was curious to see what all had been set up for her. It caused a bit of anxiety to come into her chest just thinking about being on her own.

Would she be able to cope with being alone? She knew that she was already slightly paranoid and she knew she would continue to be so for a while. It was unlikely, but she still worried that someone would try to take her back to Japan. She wanted to tell someone about her worries but then again she didn't want to be a bother to them anymore. She was sure that Lucian wanted rest and there was no reason for her to get in the way of that. She was sure that once they landed, everything would go by quickly and she would soon be on her own. It was exciting and terrifying all at once. She had never really expected to be on her own so soon, but things happened for a reason she supposed. Surely, this was how things were supposed to be, even if it felt like it wasn't. She really shouldn't think much into it, she should be thankful for the things that Kami-sama has given her so far.

Just when she had thought he had turned his back on her. She glanced over at Lucian as he spoke, her heart fluttering in her chest. So they would be landing soon, after all this time. Once they landed, this would truly be the start of her new life. She had thought that she would be starting her life in Israel with the guidance of Azrai but that had changed almost immediately. She didn't want to think too much about Azrai at this point, even though she would be talking with Ivan shortly. It was still a bit painful to think of how they parted but it was for the best. She decided to distract herself with looking at the city growing near. She leaned closer to the window, staring down at the orange and yellow lights that lit up the city. It was a beautiful sight, the way the lights shone in the night. It reminded her of the first time she looked at Japan from the forest; the glowing lights had reminded her of fire. She smiled slightly, realizing how crazy she must have sounded. She wondered how she had sounded when she asked certain questions.

She sucked in a deep breath as Lucian took the plane lower towards the ground. This was another thing she disliked about flying: landing. Her stomach flopped around like a fish out of water as the continued to near the ground. She trusted Lucian and his skills as a pilot but she still felt nervous. She nearly lost it when the wheels of the plane touched the ground, shaking the plane slightly. Her eyes had been shut tightly, due to fear of a quick death. She slowly opened them, realizing that there was no pain or anything morbid like that happening. She let out the breath that she had been holding, releasing the arm rest that she had been clutching tightly. She tried to make it seem like nothing had happened though she was sure Lucian was concentrating with a safe landing than to pay attention to her. She waited until them came to a stop before she bothered to move.

She mimicked his motions by taking off her seatbelt and slowly climbing out of the plane. Her legs and lower back ached from sitting for so long and she winced slightly as she grabbed her bag out of the plane. She stretched a bit as she walked a little closer to Lucian. The temperature was definitely colder than what it had felt like in Israel but it was something that she enjoyed. "I am holding out fine," she replied in an awkward manner, the word phrasing he had used confusing her slightly. "I-I believe I have everything. Thank you." She smiled meekly at him, appreciating how attentive he was to her, despite his exhaustion. She followed closely after him, though not enough to cause him discomfort. It wasn't as if she was worried that she would lose him in a crowd, she was just feeling a bit nervous in this new place.

At least this would be the last time that she would have to be moved around or that was what she thought. She blinked slight surprised that he handed her that device he had been using earlier. She stared at him as he explained to her how it was used before glancing back down at it. She could hear it making a strange noise before she brought it up to her ear like Lucian had told her and waited for a while. She jumped a bit as a voice came through the device and she nearly dropped it. She frantically jumbled it around in her hands before holding it with two hands to her ear. “I-Ivan this is Shizu....I need to speak with you briefly."

----------

Elias was sure that the walk to the meeting spot was too quick and the fact that he still had to wait was maddening. How much longer did he have to wait? He never really liked waiting on anything to begin with but this was downright torture. However, it was all worth it. He stood there, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He surely looked like an idiot just standing here but it couldn't be helped. His thoughts were consumed with Shizu and the new life that they were giving her. Also, the fact that he would be seeing Lucian was the reason why he was so anxious. He better be in one piece or he would kill Lucian, well figuratively speaking.

He hoped that Shizu would like her new place, he wasn't the best at decorating nor did he know what women liked but still he had tried his best. He wondered if she would be willing to be their friend. He wasn't sure how well she and Lucian were getting along but that wouldn't stop him from trying. It seemed rather lonely to start a new life in a foreign country without a single friend. It would probably take a while for her to warm up to them but maybe they could all be friends. Elias was a bit of a strange guy, he was willing to admit it. He preferred the company of electronics rather than people and his sense of humor was pretty dry. Lucian, on the other hand, it was a miracle that Elias even liked him but then again they had grown up together. He understood Lucian and why he was the way he was, so if Shizu could get past Lucian's abrasive personality, things would work out.

His thoughts stopped as he saw two people walking over to him. Immediately, his eyes landed on Lucian, who seemed rather fatigued but in good shape. A smile broke out on his face and he moved to go closer to them. He noticed Lucian hand something to Shizu, which caused him to study her briefly. She looked rather petite and fragile. She was probably a very timid and shy woman. Aside from that, she seemed like a normal woman, pretty face and decent figure. She was just a bit shaken up was all, right? Then why had they gone through all this trouble for her? No, there was something else about her and Elias would discover it one day. Though there was little time to expand on how he would go about it as Lucian spoke to him. Shizu was preoccupied with dealing with the cell phone that had been given to her. He smiled once more before punching Lucian in the arm playfully.

"Yeah right, you know I look better than you as always," he said in a teasing manner. He snorted a bit, a slight tinge of embarrassment touching his cheeks. "I haven't been waiting long at all, maybe about fifteen minutes." Of course he knew that it was impossible for him to lie to Lucian. He was sure the pilot knew exactly how long he had been waiting for him and Elias didn’t want to get teased about it, even though he knew it would happen anyways. He glanced at Lucian, a look of worry filling his eyes. "How are you? You're not injured are you?" He knew that Lucian had been kidnapped and he only hoped that he hadn't been roughed up too much, all because he hacked into the wrong organization. It was a good thing that he had been in contact with Zachariah or else he probably would have never gotten Lucian back. That thought frightened him.

From now on, Elias would be better about knowing the organization before he went into their systems. He couldn't stand the thought of putting Lucian in danger again. His gaze fell to the ground, he became uncharacteristically sad. "I'm sorry I got you involved in this mess," Elias murmured feeling a bit guilty. God, what would he do without his childhood friend? He really didn't want to think about it but now that it had happened, he knew that he would have to be more cautious about everything.

----------

Ivan was glad that Azrai was in the right state of mind to listen to him. He was more than thankful to not have to use a sedative this time. That last time had been the worst, for everyone involved. He let out a small sigh as he looked at the group of men, who had started this conflict. "Get the hell out of here," he said in a chilling tone. The people gathered around the man that had been choked, taking him away from the two of them. He would have a talk with Zachariah about the whole Shizu ordeal and how people are talking about her, those ungrateful bastards. He glanced at Azrai, who seemed to be struggling with himself. He honestly felt bad for his friend, knowing that Azrai didn't understand what was happening to him. Ivan felt guilty for keeping all of this a secret from him for the time being then again, he hadn't been expecting any of this to happen.

"There's no need to apologize," Ivan said in a slow tone, knowing that Azrai was expecting to get in some kind of trouble. Ivan rubbed the back of his neck, not liking the way things were going. "We need to talk about a few things and once Zachariah gets here, we will. For now....there's no need to be sorry..." It probably was only confusing Azrai more as Ivan spoke; then again he wasn't good at talking about serious things, at least not without a few drinks in him. He let out a sigh, knowing that he probably would have knocked a few skulls in his Azrai hadn't been here. To hear them talk about Shizu like that was truly infuriating. How could they be so ungrateful? Sure, she wasn't a human but that didn't mean she was evil. She had practically saved all their lives, without her, they surely wouldn't have won.

When Zachariah and Maverick showed up, he was relieved. They would finally be able to get the dreaded conversation over and they could move on from there. "Moving inside would definitely be the best idea," Ivan murmured, even though he knew Azrai probably wanted to enjoy the fresh air more. It seemed like they all agreed on moving somewhere more quiet and Ivan lead the way. He wanted to get this over with, only because he wanted to know how Azrai would react. After the explosion of emotion that had left Azrai, Ivan wondered how he would handle this new information. As he led the way back to the base, his phone went off. He rummaged through his pocket and he glanced at the number. He grinned a bit, realizing that it was Lucian calling and he was relieved to know that they had made it safely to Toronto.

Flipping open the phone, he answered curtly. "This is Ivan." There was a moment where it sounded like someone was about to drop the phone and he wondered if Lucian was that tired. He tensed when he heard the soft voice of Shizu. After a few moments, he let out a steady breathe, knowing what she had to say was probably not pleasant. "Alright, please tell me what you wish to talk about."

"Is Azrai alright," she asked timidly.

"Yes. He's awake now," Ivan said softly, not wanting the others to catch on that he was speaking to Shizu, especially not Azrai.

"Good. Has he been acting strange?"

"Yes." He figured making his answers short would be the best possible way to do about the conversation.

"I see. Is he near you?"

"Yes."

"Alright then I shall make this quick." She shifted the phone a little bit in her hand. "There is something that you should know about the blood transfusion. When Oni blood is given to human, things will change. I only figured that there would be aggression issues that would arise but I left out some details...."

"What sort of details?"

"W-Well, there could be changes like accelerated healing and sensitivity to sounds and smells. Some changes are minor and others are more severe, which I worry about." She cleared her throat briefly. "There may come a time when Azrai will have these urges that are caused by bloodlust. In order for him to remain under control, he should meditate frequently. I know it sounds impossible for a human to pick up Oni traits but it may happen. It is a rare occurrence. It will be difficult for him to control it in the beginning but I am sure that he can handle it."

"Is there anything else that I should be looking out for?"

"You should only look out for things that are not normally characteristic of Azrai. But do not worry; the blood will not give him the ability to transform. It will only change him internally, if anything else."

"Well, I appreciate your concern, so I will pass it on," Ivan said, ready to finish up the conversation before anyone became suspicious of him.

"W-Wait, there is something else I wish to discuss with you."

"Alright, what is it?"

"What will I do for when I need blood...I-I have yet to tell Lucian or Elias..."

Ivan fell silent as he remembered when Shizu had first told him that she was an Oni. She needed blood to survive and it would be difficult to give her a person to feed every time she was hungry. "I'll tell them you're anemic and that should solve that problem. Is there anything else?"

"N-No," she breathed out. "Thank you, Ivan and I apologize for what I have done to Azrai."

"It's not a problem; you shouldn't worry so much about it."

There was a sudden awkward silence before Shizu spoke again. "W-Well I should leave now. Please tell Azrai how to cope and if you need anything...please contact me; I will help him through it."

"Understood."

Once she hung up the phone, Ivan let out a heavy sigh. That was certainly not something that he been expecting. Maybe he had thought she would somehow try to speak with Azrai but in the end she kept her word. He was truly impressed with her ability to be so strong after all she had been through. Ivan wasn't sure if he would be able to explain things as properly to everyone else but he would have to try. It was the least he could do, he was sure she had been worried about it the entire time she was flying. It was good to know that they had landed safely and even hearing Shizu’s voice was more comforting than Lucian's voice. He shook his head before he walked into the conference room.

Ivan waited for a while as everyone came into the room. He leaned against the table, crossing his arms over his chest. He let out a heavy sigh before he gave a long look at Azrai. "Well, I don't believe there is a simple way to say any of this to you, so I'm not going to beat around the bush." He was sure that he would get scolded for the way he was speaking but Zachariah always seemed to make words come out smoothly. Ivan however had wanted to get all of this off his chest for a while now. "You know that you were poisoned, yes? Well, Shizu had been poisoned as well, so we decided that taking the two of you off the battlefield was the best options." Ivan shifted his weight while he continued to talk, keeping his eyes on Azrai.

"You both were on the brink of death and we gave you an antidote to help get the poison out. Shizu recovered at an amazing pace but you on the other hand...." Ivan paused, feeling himself become caught with emotion. The feeling of losing Azrai was still too real for him. "You were not recovering at all. Once Shizu found out that the antidote wasn't working, she came up with a condition in order to save you. She was willing to give you her blood in order to save you but as soon as you recovered, she wanted to be moved as far away as possible." Ivan really wished he was better about saying all of this but he knew what had happened better than anyone else. "I agreed to her condition....so now you have her blood in your veins, which has caused you to feel unlike yourself."

Ivan stood up, pacing a bit, not liking the serious atmosphere that was hanging in the air. "So, that's why she's gone and why you're still alive." He frowned a bit, realizing that he probably made things worse but how much better could this conversation have gone? Ivan hated sugar coating things and Azrai deserved the truth, no matter how harsh it might sound. "She warned us that there would be aggression issues and advises you to meditate frequently to remain calm..." Ivan glanced over at Zachariah. "Am I forgetting anything else?"

Of course he was. He was forgetting to mention how worried she had been about Azrai or how upset she had been when she left. He also chose not to say that she was sorry for putting this burden on Azrai or of thankful she was for him. It would probably be too much for Azrai to process at this time. Ivan wondered how he would have reacted if he had let Shizu tell Azrai herself. Then again, it was best that he was the mediator between them. She already had enough on her plate with being in Toronto and Azrai had a lot to deal with here. Ivan was sure that things would work out eventually. He for one knew that that there was no feeling of resentment towards Shizu. Even if her blood changed Azrai some, she had saved him and that was all that mattered. They would all help Azrai through whatever changes that happened to him. After all, they knew there would be consequences to the transfusion. They had all decided that they would face this together.

"I think that covers why you've been feeling the way you have since you woke up. Do you have any questions?" It wasn't like Ivan would be able to answer them well, but he would use the information that Shizu had given him in order to do the best he could.

-----------

Shizu had hit the red button on the phone, after she finished speaking with Ivan. Somehow, she still didn't feel all too happy. Maybe it was because she still didn't know how Azrai was doing. It bothered her that she would be unable to know. She stared at the phone, wishing she could call Ivan back but that was impossible. One, she didn't know how to work the device. Two, she would be breaking her condition. With a heavy sigh, she looked over at Lucian and the person who was Elias. It seemed like that would probably be the last time she would be in contact with Ivan or anyone else in Israel. It was a rather depressing thought but now wasn't the time to be sad. She was starting her new life, wasn't she?

She moved over to the two men and held the phone to Lucian. "I have finished talking with Ivan. Thank you." She smiled gently at Lucian then looked at Elias. The hacker beamed happily at her and she was slightly taken aback by him though she returned a small smile. "I'm Elias and I shall be escorting you to your new place." He held out his hand to her and she stared at the appendage for a while. She looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "What am I supposed to do?" Elias looked a bit shocked and rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, you shake it....it's called a handshake." She timidly took his hand in hers and shook it briefly.

Elias smiled a bit though was a bit shocked to find out how little she knew. "Well, I guess there's no point in hanging around here any longer. Should we head to your new home?" Shizu glanced between the two men and nodded slowly. Elias smiled and looked at Lucian. "Oh I brought a jacket, if you get cold or something like that." Elias held up the jacket awkwardly not really knowing how to deal with people well. Shizu looked at the jacket and smiled gently. "Thank you." She took the jacket though it wasn't too chilly enough for her to put a jacket on. She figured it was simply the polite thing to do in this situation, seeing how she didn't know how to deal with people either.

Maybe developing a friendship with them would be a lot harder than she expected.

_________________

Despite how tired he was, probably because the man was someone he couldn’t help but smile at, he somehow managed to smile at Elias’s teasing though the smile was somewhat distant. Lucian would have teased him right back but discovered he didn’t have enough mental capacity for humor after all. His mouth opened to say something but all that came out was a huge yawn. He really did need to get some sleep, maybe they could go out tomorrow sometime and just relax, hoping that they could put all of this aside. Wanting to spend time with his best friend was not a reason for him to push himself. He has been through enough today, once they got Shizu to her new home he was going to go get some shut eye. Surely Elias would understand, the evidence of his exhaustion was right there, he knew he wouldn’t want him to push himself either.

“I’m alright. They didn’t kill me… or I was rescued before they killed me …” He murmured quietly, more than aware of how long the man had been waiting. All he had to do was look at the hack to tell that he had been going crazy while waiting. He decided spare Elias the teasing for now, though he should probably be prepared come morning. There was a lot he needed to get off his chest about what went on. He was concerned for his friend, just as his friend as concerned about him “You should be sorry.” He said slowly when Elias apologized, his tone stern, “From now on you really need to watch yourself whenever you hack into somewhere. I’m sure you did this for Azrai and Zachariah’s organization, but that doesn’t mean you should be reckless.” He almost sounded like a father scolding his son but he tended to be that way with Elias.

When Shizu had finished speaking with Ivan he was about to introduce her to Elias but the hacker had done that himself. He couldn’t help but smile at that a little. “He doesn’t bite.” He told Shizu when the two shook hands. A few years ago Elias would just sort of awkwardly smile at someone whenever he was told to introduce himself. It was nice to see him becoming a little more outgoing; he really was a nice guy once you looked past how awkward he could be. Knowing Elias, despite his awkwardness hindering him a bit, he probably wanted to make friends with Shizu, eager to get on that right away. Honestly Lucian wasn’t sure if he would be able to help in that regard. Shizu did seem like a nice girl but dealing with one socially awkward person was enough for him. He really didn’t want to be responsible for two; it would give him a headache.

Perhaps those two could find some way to make friends with one another, it truly would be nice to see Elias with some more friends that weren’t long distance friendships like Azrai or a few other people he knew of. The friends the hacker had around here and, not surprisingly, Lucian didn’t really get along with. It would be kind of refreshing to be around more people who did get along with him.

He had a pretty rough life growing up, just because his family was rich doesn’t necessarily mean he had it made so to speak, Elias was all he had. The two of them grew up together in Toronto, went to the same school minus college since their careers are different, and lived somewhat reclusive lives. The fact that Elias was a little socially awkward really didn’t bother him either though he knew he could be a hardass towards him from time to time because of it. Lucian use to be an angry person. Sometimes he would even take his rough life out on Elias and looking back he wished he could change that. When he found his passion for flying that had been his major outlet in life, almost completely erasing that angry person. In many ways Elias had helped in that as well, he was an easy person to relax around, no matter how strange it might sound.

It really as a miracle Elias stayed with him as long as he had and that was probably why he could openly say that he loved the man like a brother. He might tease him from time to time, but he cared a hell of a lot about him. People usually went their separate ways after childhood or high school, yet somehow they managed to stick together in spite of everything they have been through together. Part of him wished he could go back in time and punch himself for some of the things he has done. He wished he could have gotten off on a better foot with him, yet at the same time why would he change anything? Everything was perfect the way it was in the end. Taking the bad with the good in their friendship, as every friendship had some good and bad, ups and downs, that was why he was satisfied with how things were.

“I’m ready to get this day over with and go to bed.” He said quietly, yawning again as he accepted the jacket the hacker had brought for him. It wasn’t that cold out tonight but he slipped it on anyway and smiled at his friend. Elias had brought one for Shizu as well; the man was always pretty thoughtful even if it did mostly come from him being a bit of a worrywart. “Sorry, Elias, but I think we’re going to have to go out for those beers tomorrow. I really need some beauty sleep, there’s no use holding a conversation when I can barely keep my eyes open.” He frowned a bit in spite of his attempt at humor, apology in his tone, but it soon faded when he attempted one last small tease. “Look on the bright side, me being kidnapped got you out of the house.” He chuckled a little and gave his friend a pat on the shoulder.

He wished he wasn’t so damn tired; he was really looking forward to that going out for a beer. At least he could take comfort in knowing he had eased Elias’s worry. It was probably for the best that everyone got some sleep after what happened today, Shizu especially. She has probably been through enough for the day and just wanted to settle into her new place and be alone. If he was settling in somewhere new he sure as hell didn’t want to be overwhelmed by everything the moment he moved. Giving things time to unwind a bit would probably be more helpful to her, that way she could get a feel for things for herself and they would be there if she needed anything. Afterwards they could spend time together if she wanted to or run off and make other friends. Though, he wondered if eventually she would make her own friends and not really bother with him or Elias.

They were probably going to have to keep an eye on her for a long time but eventually she was going to be completely on her own. A small part of him, admittedly, wanted to see that happen. There was something about Shizu that intrigued him. She was not some ordinary woman that was for sure, something told him that she was not simply someone who had been sheltered all their life. He wondered if Elias was thinking the same thing seeing as he was probably the one who had given Shizu her identity after Azrai rescued her. Once they got together and relaxed while they drank their beers he might bring up such questions and get to the bottom of everything. Things were easier after a few drinks, as sad as it was. As much as he didn’t really want to bother with any of this who Shizu business, he was too involved now, it really couldn’t be helped.

He wasn’t really going to blame Elias for that too much either; it was just how things had turned out in the end. How as he supposed to know that he was going to get kidnapped?

Running a hand over his face to encourage himself to not fall asleep where he stood, Lucian looked to Shizu then Elias and said, “It’s been a long day, let’s get going then.” He has never been so eager to get home and sleep in his life. It was enough to make him feel like sleeping into tomorrow, and the next day, just so he could catch up on all of his missed hours. There was a chance that he wouldn’t be flying anywhere anytime soon which would probably make Elias happy. For the time being he had a feeling things would be calm, until Azrai got himself into some sort of trouble and he had to go sneak him out of whatever country he **** off or get rid of someone for him. That man really was a magnet for trouble, and as he had said when he first met up with him in Japan trouble he brings often finds them as well. That kidnapping was proof of that.

Lucian shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket and followed Elias to his car and immediately buckled himself in once seated. His body felt heavy, exhaustion weighing him down now more than it had now that he didn’t have to focus on anything. As much as he wanted to sleep he kind of wanted to be awake while Shizu was checking out her new place. He knew Elias would have done his best despite his teasing of him possibly decorating it pretty blandly. The hacker really didn’t have much sense for decoration, but he did aim to please and he did a pretty good job whenever he put his mind to something. To this day, Lucian still managed to be surprised at what Elias could do, which was another reason he liked seeing him get out of the house more. He didn’t like him being cooped up, shunning the world, thought not quite like he use to, hiding away those characteristics.

------------------

Even if heading back inside to discuss things was the better idea there was still a small part of him that really wanted to stay outdoors. He found that going down the stairs had been lot easier than going up, even though the trip still took longer than he wanted to. He was still in a lot of pain and it was difficult to do much of anything but at least he managed to reach the bottom of the well without anyone’s help. Maverick was keeping an eye on him, which wasn’t all that surprising considering he had been the most concerned out of everyone. As much as he appreciated Maverick’s willingness to help him out he really wished that he would not be so protective. He was not a child. Right now all he wanted was some personal space, his patience with everything was pretty thin right now, and he still felt pretty exhausted from everything he’s been through.

He really hated how these injuries were continuing to drag him down as they did nothing to help his current mood. While Zachariah and Maverick followed Ivan, Azrai lagged behind a little trying to gather his thoughts before the little meeting began. There was so much he wanted to get off his chest as well and had a feeling that Ivan might not give him the chance to do so. It was hard for both of them to speak about things when they didn’t have a few drinks in them, Azrai especially. He was already craving some more alcohol and was extremely irritable whenever he didn’t have that relaxation. Aggression issues or no, he tended to be bad company whenever he was grouchy and didn’t have any alcohol. Those few drinks he had earlier would have been enough if that **** hadn’t happened. It was getting to the point now where he could use a few more.

The conference room felt stuffy and made him extremely restless. He was listening to Ivan but his gaze was towards the floor, brow furrowed slightly in thought. It was nice to hear the full story and he now understood to a degree… Without Shizu he would have died, it was only natural that Ivan did whatever he could to prevent that from happening. Ivan was his best friend after all so he wasn’t going to hold anything against him. However, on the other hand, he wasn’t sure whether he was **** about the condition or not. He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes while he took everything in. He needed to find the right words to say before he gave a response, otherwise he would end up arguing. This was not something that he could afford to waste energy arguing about. Right now he wasn’t feeling as aggressive as he had earlier but he would rather be safe than sorry.

It felt like his darker side was trying to claw its way to the surface and shove the person everyone was more familiar with down inside, drowning him out almost completely.

He didn’t want that to happen.

Maverick didn’t seem to be comfortable with the serious atmosphere either; he seemed a little jittery though he kept quiet while Ivan was speaking. Every word that Ivan spoke, he made sure was engraved on his mind so he could come up with some sort of plan. It was needless to say that it wasn’t difficult to tell he was worried about how Azrai would react to it though he seemed calm right now. If he really was becoming more aggressive, he would definitely need to be monitored. Even Azrai knew this, though he was not thrilled about having someone watch his every move until they were sure he would not lash out randomly. It had to be done. If everything failed then he would most likely be kicked out of the organization and nobody wanted things to come down to that.

Zachariah on the other hand, was pretty calm. He stood with his hands behind his back and a very attentive gaze like he always did whenever he was listening to what his followers had to say. He and Ivan really were alike in some ways, and understood that there was no easy explanation for this. If there was something he could do then he would have spoken up, but when Ivan finished he simply gave him a nod of approval and a look that said he had covered everything, “I believe that will be all, Ivan.” He said softly. Glancing over at Azrai he noticed that he still seemed to be struggling with himself while he took everything in. He let the room fall silent, that way Azrai could speak up when he felt he was ready. It might take a few minutes or a few hours before he was comfortable enough to speak his mind.

Believe it or not, it had actually been Azrai who had taught him patience. Before he met him he use to be rather impatient, that had changed when he met Azrai. The man had been so guarded and unwilling to speak to him when they first met that he had to practically force himself to be patient. Eventually that turned into a practice, and now he was so much better at keeping himself together.

“No…” Azrai spoke softly after a long moment of silence, meeting Ivan’s gaze, “I do not have any questions. What you have told me answers everything I have been concerned about, I assure you.” But he really wasn’t sure if they really did answer everything. In truth, he just wanted to get this over with as soon as possible so he could go back to drinking for the rest of the day. He truly appreciated that Ivan was the kind of person who didn’t beat around the bush. Unlike Maverick, the man didn’t sugar coat anything at all, he preferred someone who was straight with him. But that did nothing to ease his emotions, the hurt he was feeling because he was not able to speak with Shizu face to face. He might be good at hiding himself, but there were times he worse his emotions on his sleeve, he knew Ivan was already aware of what was going through his mind.

Running a hand through his hair he sighed heavily and stretched. His body reminded him that he was still in pain, and he winced slightly, moving to lean against the wall. As honest of a person as Azrai was, even amongst close friends, even when he would talk to Cassandra about something it was hard to talk about himself. It was difficult for him to explain certain things to make people see eye to eye with him, or at least understand where he was coming from. He supposed he was pretty shy in that regard as well, maybe even a little self-conscious which was actually pretty rare for Azrai. He was on the fence about giving his side of the whole Shizu situation. Was it even worth giving his side or would there only be some kind of argument in the end? That question always ran through his mind whenever something serious came up.

Sometimes it would cause conflicts, which was something he really would much rather avoid.

There was another long moment of silence before he spoke again, “I am well aware that Shizu and I would have been separated eventually…” he began softly. “While I was in Japan with her, I had told her I would be the one to show her the ‘New World’ as she had described it. It was… nice to spend time with her and act as her teacher.” He pushed off of the wall, exhaled softly, and ran a hand through his hair again, signs that he was becoming extremely uncomfortable from both the position and being so open with everyone. They were probably curious and he knew he should continue, but mentally he was screaming at himself to run out of the room. He would find whatever alcohol was lying around, and just… drink, he really did not want to deal with this. He really hated being on the spot even though he knew he sort of brought on himself the moment he spoke up.

He glanced towards the door, itching to give into the desire to run off, but then Zachariah spoke up, “If it makes you feel any better, I will allow you to visit Shizu after you are in control of your aggression.” Azrai looked like he was about to say something, but the older man held up a hand, immediately cutting off anyone who wanted to question his decision. “For now you will need to be monitored, which will be done by Ivan and myself, until you reach a point where you’re feeling like yourself again. I will also be limiting the amount of missions you’re allowed to take on for the sake of the organization. I know your job as a hired gun is your only source of income, but I feel that you need to take it easy.” Zachariah looked to Ivan and Maverick, knowing that they would most likely agree with him.

What Zachariah had said took Azrai completely aback. He was standing there speechless, staring at him with disbelief, once again wondering how he should respond to all of this. Being monitored was not something he was thrilled about either, it was written all over his face. Seeing Shizu again on the other hand, he wasn’t sure if that would be a good idea. All he wanted was for her to live safely, away from any violence, free to do what she wanted; it was probably for the best that she did not get dragged into his lifestyle. He was a magnet for trouble so he knew that it was probably not good company. If she got hurt because of one of his enemies he would never forgive himself. As much as it hurt him, as much as he still wanted to make sure she was safe, he had a feeling she was better off staying away from him.

It might be him beating himself up and feeling bad about everything, but it was how he felt.

“If I had not taken on that mission, Sanctus Unum would have gotten their hands on Shizu and won the battle.” He paused and looked at the ground again, speaking softly, his voice showing a bit of emotion, “All I want is for Shizu to live happily… I do not want her to have to deal with violence. Perhaps it is for the best that we do not see each other again.” After all, his mission had been accomplished, and the number one rule was to not get attached. He had slipped back into that professional demeanor for a little while there while he further explained himself. “I have completed my mission and now she is in a place where she will be able to live happily. That is enough for me…”

But that was a lie, the truth was he did want to see Shizu again and wanted to know how she was doing in her new home. He wanted to talk to her about the Oni blood as well, though Ivan had pretty much covered everything. Which made him wonder, would Ivan been in contact with Shizu or would they all just sever ties and that would be that? It would be easier if they would just sever ties. He also had a feeling that she was being monitored as well, to be sure that nobody would come after her. It was tempting to ask about that but he was definitely not a stalker. Spying on people was creepy and he never understood how the people who did monitor others managed to go about their jobs. As protective as he was when it came to those he cared about he wouldn’t go far as to watch someone long distance.

Pushing those thoughts out of his mind, he went to speak again but was cut off by Maverick this time, “I know you’re upset, Azrai, but I know you’ll pull through. Having Shizu give you her blood was better than just letting you die, even if it changes you a little. I don’t think I need to say that twice.” He shifted his weight a little and took in a deep breath, which ended up turning into a yawn. “Damn. I don’t know about you, but I’m more than ready to call it a day. Some sleep really sounds delightful right now.” He added with a bit of an awkward chuckle. Having been running around doing things for Zachariah had him beat. He hated to sound impatient but he really was getting too tired to function. He was sure the same went for everyone else as well.

_________________

Elias could see how tired Lucian was, without him even having to say a word. It was simply the way that the pilot carried himself at this point that gave away how exhausted he was. The hacker winced at how blunt his friend was with him. Of course he hadn't been killed but he was sure that he would have been if Elias hadn't been in contact with Zachariah at the time. It was a spur of the moment thing but Elias had called Lucian to make sure he was alright and that had been his only indication that there was something wrong. What if Elias hadn't even tried calling Lucian? Dread filled his stomach and he felt himself grow ill with the thought. If he hadn't tried calling Lucian due to his excessive worry, then he could have very well lost the only person that mattered to him.

A slight frown touched his lips as he looked down, as Lucian scolded him briefly. His eyes took notice of the bruises around his wrists. The hacker's fingers moved on their own, brushing against the marks, knowing that those were because of his error. Guilt racked his chest and he moved his fingers away before the situation became awkward. "I know," he murmured with a slight pout. "I'm sorry, Lucian." He knew that there would be a time and a place to discuss all that happened. Elias was the type of man to let all of his fears and frustrations whenever he could. Now, the thing that they had to focus on was getting Shizu settled into her new place and resting. Elias was sure that Lucian would be given some time off from flying for now, which meant that they could enjoy their time together. There really shouldn't be a rush to go out and have a few drinks tonight, not with the current condition they were both in.

Elias smiled a bit as Lucian seemed to help coax Shizu into shaking his hand. It seemed that Shizu was one of the few people who could stand Lucian, so it was a big deal. In this day and age, many people tried to avoid people like the pilot but then again it could be that fact that Shizu hardly knew anyone. It was strange to meet someone who was just as, if not more socially awkward than he was. He watched Shizu was she seemed to squirm under the scrutiny of his eyes and how she kept her distance from the two of them. Elias partially blamed Lucian for making him try to be more outgoing. If not for Lucian, then he would never try talking to other people. When he did, he felt like he was getting nowhere with them but at least he was trying. He knew it would take a while for Shizu to warm up to him but that was fine with him. He knew that she would need some familiarity in this new country.

Would Lucian even want to be friends with her? Elias had merely been thinking about himself, wanting to make more friends and Shizu seemed like a good opportunity. Besides, he would be monitoring for her a while, so there wasn't anything wrong with trying to be her friend. Lucian, on the other hand, may just think that she was too much of a hassle then again Lucian had said the same thing about them being friends and look at where they were now. Maybe that would be something that they would have to talk about later on in the week. It seemed as if Shizu and Lucian were getting along well for the time being. Elias just assumed that things would have to work out on its own.

In all honesty, he wanted to see Lucian have a few more friends as well. It wasn't as if Lucian was popular amongst the few friends he did have and it was nice to see someone else aside from him being comfortable around the pilot. He knew how rough things had been for Lucian and Elias didn't want to say that his life was any better. His parents practically disowned him for choosing to stray from pursuing a white collar career. The thought of wearing a suit and tie everyday was horrifying to him. Though, things had always been rough with his parents, seeing how he was the only child and decided to have a more laid back personality than his strict parents. He had spent a lot of his childhood indoors thanks to his parents and the fact that he never could make friends well. But somehow, he had met Lucian and they hit it off. The pilot had gotten him to break out of his shell over the years and Elias was forever grateful.

Maybe the hacker wanted to do the same for Shizu. He wanted to show her that there was much more to life than being a recluse, though he was sure that she would want to explore. Many people used to think that Elias was a snob for belonging to such a high class family and never venturing out to make friends. It wasn't like he didn't want to; it had been he didn't know how. Everyone had given him this title, label of sorts and treated him differently. Not Lucian, he looked past that and treated him like a regular kid. Elias could still remember the school days when they got in trouble for being a distraction in class. Elias had gotten grounded when he got home but still, he had felt like a normal kid thanks to Lucian.

Even if there were times when Elias thought that things were falling apart between them, it all worked out in the end. He remembered how Lucian used to let out his anger on him and Elias took it only because he cared, not because he was afraid of the pilot. He understood how he felt and did what he thought was necessary, he allowed it all to happen. Maybe that hadn't been the best way to go about things but that was how Elias was. He never held it over Lucian's head when things got out of hand; Elias knew that more than a few times he had blown up on the pilot. It was hard to get him riled up, unless his parents were involved. But aside from their downs, their friendship had plenty of ups. Without all these experiences, they wouldn't be who they were today and Elias wouldn’t change it for the world. Lucian was all he had and he loved him like a brother.

Somehow, he hoped the Shizu could join their happy little circle. He had always wanted to dote on someone like a sister; after all he spent most of his time with grouchy men, like Lucian. He smirked at the thought before Lucian suggested that they rescheduled their night out. On that note, a large yawn left the hacker and he nodded in agreement. "I was actually going to say the same thing, but I don't think sleeping will help you with your looks," Elias teased mildly, unable to resist. He frowned a bit at the kidnapping remark and didn't hesitate to give the pilot a punch in the side to remind him that it was still a touchy subject. Sometimes he wondered why he put up with his smart ass comments but Elias really didn't mind it...most of the time.

When Lucian suggested that they leave, Elias nodded in agreement then looked at Shizu, who had been quiet for a while now. A part of him wanted to ask if she was alright but then another part knew that she was probably just as tired as they were. "Alright, let's get going before the Beauty turns into the Beast," Elias said with a chuckle, referencing to Lucian. It was nice to be able to pick at one another, even after all that had happened. Elias led the way to his car and muttered something about it being a mess, but he was sure no one really cared at this point. He was slightly nervous to show off the work he had done on Shizu's new home, he really hoped that she liked it. Once everyone was settled down into the car, he took off.

----------

Shizu watched how they interacted and smiled slightly. It was much different than how Ivan and Azrai interacted with one another and it was slightly refreshing. There was hardly any tension between the two of them and they seemed to flow well with one another. She briefly wondered if she would be able to connect with someone like that. She was sure that now that she had the freedom to go out and meet people she could, but it was all a matter of getting the courage up to talk to people. It was something that caused her to feel a bit uneasy but this was what she had wanted. She had wanted to be on her own, to be free. So she would just have to work on it a day at a time.

She nodded her head as Lucian suggested they leave and she followed after the men, knowing that they would be parting after they dropped her off. This would be her first night alone, as a free woman. She honestly didn't know how to feel about it. It was almost surreal to think that she would have a place to call her own. As she settled into the car, she felt her heart flutter a bit as they took off to the direction of her new home. She fiddled with her hair nervously as the car ride was silent; the exhaustion was thick in the air. At least she didn't have to sit in the car for hours. The drive to her new place was rather quick or maybe her thoughts had caused her to ignore the time it had taken. Elias pulled into a parking space alongside the road, stopping in front of a decent looking building. "Are you ready for your new place?" He asked turning to look at her. She nodded slowly though she was too nervous to put her confirmation into words.

They all seemed to take their time to get out the car, a yawn even escaped her and she felt a bit sore. She was actually looking forward to sleeping for once. There was a jiggling sound that caught her attention and she glanced over at the hacker, who had a pair of keys in his hand. "These are for you," he said handing the item to her, though he wouldn't tell her that he had a spare set. Whenever the time came to stop monitoring her he would have to go in and take out the cameras when she wasn't home. Shizu took the keys, staring at them in her palm. "Those are keys. They lock and unlock your door, so no one will break in. Uh, not like anyone would around this neighborhood, it's really safe," Elias explained frantically.

"I understand," Shizu said, still inspecting the keys though stopped as Elias began to lead them up the stairs to her home. "If you have any problems, I left some numbers by the phone in your house. This is only a few blocks away from my place, so I can be here as soon as you need me," Elias reassured her with a smile. Shizu nodded with a gentle smile, taking in the information. After two flights of stairs, they arrived in front of a door. "Well, this is it," Elias said with mild anxiety, not knowing how she'll react to his decorations. Shizu looked at the door then the keys in her hand, putting two and two together, she struggled with figuring out how the key went into the lock but eventually she figured it out.

Opening the door, scarlet eyes danced around the place, not really needing the light to figure out where everything was. Elias switched on the lights and Shizu blinked a bit to get adjusted to the change. She glanced around as they walked into the living room; there was a nice beige sofa and a coffee table. There was that black box...er...television that was neatly placed in the corner on a stand. She continued to move around, walking into the kitchen, noting the pale green walls and mahogany cabinets. Everything was very simple and pleasing to her as she continued to walk around. A small smile was placed on her lips as everything reminded her of nature, which she loved. She was honestly glad that Elias hadn't made it overly feminine as she truly never liked bright colors.

She continued to inspect the place, taking in everything slowly. She walked into the bathroom and bedroom, noting that none of the furniture was too much or less. It seemed that Elias had really tried hard to please her simple tastes and she wondered if he knew what she liked. Then again, he was probably playing it on the safe side with decorations. Everything in the apartment was a calm color, reminding her of the forests that she loved back in Japan. It was a very comforting feeling and she stopped in the middle of the living room and looked at Elias. The poor man was practically fidgeting under the worry that she would dislike something about the place. "I really like it here," she said gently and could visibly see him relax as she spoke.

"Really?"

She nodded as she offered a reassuring smile. "I really do," she murmured. "Thank you...I really appreciate all that you have done for me."

Elias shook his head. "It's no problem really." He was relieved that she liked the place and probably would have been devastated if she found something that she didn't like. With that feeling off his shoulders, Elias felt a bit better but knew that things were only just beginning. "Do...Do you think you'll be fine?" He knew that she had a long day and was still trying to get used to everything, he would feel bad if he left and she was feeling uneasy.

She thought about his question for a moment. "I assure you I will be fine, it will just...take some time to get used to, I suppose." She looked between the hacker and pilot. "You both should go rest; I promise I will be fine."

Elias wanted to really make sure that she would be alright but knew that it would probably annoy Lucian if he tried to hang around any longer. "If you need anything, please call, alright?" Shizu nodded her head as she followed the two of them to the door. "Thank you, for everything," she said to the two of them, a small smile on her lips. Elias smiled and waved, knowing that there really wasn't much he could say. He was never good with saying goodbyes, even when he was heading home after hanging out with Lucian. They just made him feel awkward. Once they left her place, Elias let out a slow breath as they headed towards his car. "Do really think she'll be okay?"

When they left, Shizu made sure to lock the door and she turned to look around her place. It was pretty quiet in here but she had wanted some time to herself right? She moved through the place, figuring that it would be best to rest for now but she felt anxious. She was finally by herself but she wasn't really sure what she was supposed to do now. She had spent most of her life in isolation and all she had wanted was to be free. But now that her freedom was here, she was lost. She didn't know how to cope with being on her own. Sure, she had said that she would be fine but really she was terrified. She had no idea what she was supposed to do. She had no idea where to start with her new life.

Walking into the bathroom, she looked at herself in the mirror. She looked different than she had expected. No longer was there a look of fear in her eyes. It was almost as if she was becoming normal. Aside from the sweat and grime that covered her, she could see that she had changed since she had left her village. Her fingers ran through her hair, knowing that if she really wanted to change she would have to change her appearance as well. It would be good, that way no would be able to find her easily. She moved around the apartment searching for something sharp. Finding a knife in the kitchen, she went back into the bathroom and grabbed a handful of hair. She took deep breaths bringing about some form of courage within her being to actually cut her hair. She didn't want it too short, but it fell down to the middle of her back so, chopping some of it off would change her a bit, right? It would make her feel like her own person, her stepfather had rarely let her hair be cut.

She wanted to erase all that was her past. Pulling the blade through her hair, she let the cut hair fall to the ground. One side of her hair fell to her collarbone; it was too late to turn back now. Once she finished, she cleaned up her mess and decided that she didn't want to sleep. She sighed as she explored what was all in her apartment though she simply just sat down and turned on the television. She flipped through a few channels until she found that one she had watched in Azrai's apartment. Resting her head on knees, she smiled a bit as she watched it. Even though she knew that it was best not to think about him, she couldn't help it. She still worried that he wouldn't be fine with what she had done to him. She worried that he would be angry with her decision. Maybe that was how it should be; if he was mad...he would forget about her or something like that.

Things happened this way for a reason right? She fiddled with her shorter hair, knowing that she would probably let it grow back or maybe she'd go shorter. She knew that now was the time to start finding herself and truly enjoying her freedom. She wished that she had been able to talk to Azrai face to face, one last time. With a small sigh, she continued to watch the television trying to get comfortable in her own place. She still had this fear that someone would wake her up from this dream, it was unreal to her. It would definitely take some time to get used to; she only wished she had someone to help her cope through these emotions. She was paranoid that someone would come and take her away. She was scared to be on her own for the first time in twenty-one years and she was lonely, she had no one to talk to. She knew that Elias and Lucian couldn't stay with her; they had their own life to tend to. She should have expected all of this, but it still caught her off guard. She knew that these feelings wouldn't last for long, but she for now it would take time.

She had wanted to sleep it all away, but found it impossible, so she stayed awake, staring blankly at the screen. It was at this moment she wished she had a bottle of sake. It would be a celebratory drink; even she didn't feel that cheerful about it. She let out a sigh, glancing at the time, it was getting closer to a new day, the first day of her new life yet she was wallowing in self pity. She should be happier but couldn't find it in herself to be that way. Her freedom should have made her feel invincible or something like that. Instead, she felt lost. She didn't know who she was at this point and didn't know where to begin. Well, she did cut her hair in order to signal the start of her new life. She looked back at the flicker screen as a new show came on and let out another sigh.

So this was freedom, huh?

---------

It was a bit surprising to hear Azrai open up about his thoughts on Shizu, even if it was a little. Ivan knew the man like he knew himself and to see him open up without a drink in hand was strange; though he could tell that Azrai was uncomfortable with being in this situation just as he was. At least Ivan had gotten all the information out that was necessary. Maybe later on in the future, when they went out to have a few drinks, Ivan would open up about Shizu and her last few moments here. The hesitation that she had and the hurt that was on her face, Ivan knew that Azrai probably didn't want to hear it all but Ivan felt like he should. He could tell that Azrai was just as hurt as Shizu had been; he wanted to give the man some kind of closure, if that was even the right word to call it. The feelings had been mutual, that much Ivan knew.

There was a slight wince from Ivan as Zachariah mentioned cutting back the amount of missions that Azrai would be having. As much as it pained Ivan, he knew that it was necessary. He had seen firsthand how quickly Azrai's temper could get out of hand, until that was all settled Azrai would have to be monitored. Ivan wasn't too fond of monitoring people; he usually left that up to Elias or someone else. However, this was a different situation and he would only want Zachariah or himself to look out for Azrai. He trusted Maverick but he wasn't really tough or patient enough to deal with Azrai. Ivan carefully watched Azrai as he took in their leader's words and it seemed to devastate the man, which Ivan could definitely understand. But this was all for a better future for Azrai and he could only hope that his friend would understand it.

Besides, Azrai still had some injuries that needed to heal completely before he went out on the field again. He wouldn't be of any use in the state that he was in right now. He was sure that they would argue…er…discuss it later on in the week. Ivan wondered if their friendship would be damaged because of this conversation and the situation that Azrai was now forced into. Would be feel any resentment towards Shizu? If it hadn't been for the Oni blood then his aggression would be normal. Ivan was the one who had initially agreed to the conditions so....Damn, his head was hurting just thinking about all that was happening. He was expecting Azrai to disagree with something that Zachariah had said to him but instead he said nothing about it. It was probably because he was too tired to argue, hell they were all too tired to argue about anything. Save that for another day.

Ivan briefly wondered if he should keep in touch with Shizu while they figured out how to deal with Azrai's condition. He was sure that she would have some useful tips but he didn't want to bother her too much, she needed to be on her own from now on. It wasn't like she needed to be involved with the organization anymore but...she could be useful. He better not try to think of things like that, it would just complicate this even more. He knew that Shizu deserved a nice and peaceful life. Even if she was being secretly monitored, she would be living the life that had been promised to her. Even Azrai seemed content with how things ended up, not that Ivan wouldn't try to get it out of him later anyways.

Ivan agreed with what Maverick had to say, it went without saying that the decision they had come to while Azrai lay dying was the best option. He was alive and moving around at this point, so it had been worth it. Ivan caught a yawn himself, feeling how tired he truly was and knew that he wouldn't be able to function that much longer. "I agree. I think it's about time we all call it a day," Ivan said in a tired manner. He rubbed his temples, feeling everything slowly start to wind down. "Let's let everything settle for now, I just want to sleep," Ivan admitted, knowing that he should have rested earlier when Zachariah had first suggested he do so. He regretted not taking that window of opportunity. He glanced over at Zachariah. "Is there anything else we need to discuss before tossing in the towel?" As much as Ivan wanted to rest, he would do anything that Zachariah needed him to before he took the luxury to get some shut eye. He knew that watching Azrai for a while would be a task but it wasn't like he minded, he was constantly around the stubborn grump anyways.

_________________

“Fuck you,” were the first words out of Lucian’s mouth while he followed Elias to his car, rubbing his side gently. It hadn’t been that hard of a punch but it still had been enough for the hacker to get his point across. Being rough with one another was part of their teasing; they would rough house with each other bit when they were kids. There were occasions were their rough housing resulted in Elias’s glasses being broken, which did not please parents at all and Lucian had been forbidden to speak to Elias. Which did not last long needless to say, nothing could ever separate these two, he was sure that they would carry their friendship to their graves with them. Now that they were older they have mostly grown out of rough housing and were simply just a bit rowdy with each other. Not that it was implied their rowdiness had been toned down any.

He was still feeling that punch when they got to the car.

In fact he was sure that if they were not both completely exhausted Elias would have punched him a little harder. He thought about it a little during the car ride trying not to fall asleep. There were a few times during the short he felt himself nodding off, and eventually he the exhaustion became too much for him and he passed out before he knew what hit him. One moment he was as wide awake as he would be in his current state and the next he knew he heard Elias briefly speaking with Shizu before they stepped out of the car. He stepped out of the car with them hoping they didn’t notice that he had fallen asleep. Unfortunately it was not enough for him to feel revitalized, he would need a good few hours for that. On the plus side at least he was a little more alert now.

Once they reached Shizu’s new home he smiled as she opened the door and followed her and Elias inside. Lucian immediately took in the decorations, smiling. The smile made him seem quite lively compared to moments ago though he wondered if that was just the few minutes of shut eye he had gotten. He, too, was finding something relaxing about the place. Elias really did do a nice job with everything just as he had expected though he still thought it was a little bland. He also noted how Elias really so worried about whether or not she would like the place that he was extremely restless. That wasn’t really surprising, since he was always aiming to please; he was always so worried about whether or not people would like anything he puts together. He would have said something to ease his friend’s worry if Shizu had not beaten him to the punch.

She liked the place, which was good. While he watched Shizu and Elias interact with one he couldn’t help but smile. This was a huge weight of his shoulders to say the least. He knew that if she said that she was not satisfied with even the smallest thing Elias would most likely spend the rest of the night trying to remedy that. Ever the people pleaser, the hacker was, but then again he liked to have everything perfect otherwise he goes nuts; Lucian busted Elias’s chops for that a lot, too. Elias always made sure, whenever he did, to let him know just how much he appreciated being teased much like earlier. It was needless to say that he was relieved he didn’t have to deal with his friend’s worry. After all Shizu had been through he was sure that Elias’s mild obsessive tendencies would be a bit overwhelming for her at the moment.

“You take care now, I’ll see you around. Feel free to call either of us if you need anything.” Lucian felt that he should at least say some sort of good-bye before they left. After spending the last few hours with her it just seemed right. Besides, would it not be rude to ignore someone who Elias wanted to befriend? Maybe she would join them whenever they would spend time with each other sometime in the future. He really would like to have some more friends himself, no matter how much he didn’t want to admit it, and was sure that Elias would want some more company as well. The only negative in that was neither of them were smooth with the ladies, but Shizu probably wouldn’t mind that. Hell if she had enjoyed Azrai’s company then he was more than positive that she would fit in with him and Elias just fine if she so desired.

As he walked with Elias back to the car Lucian thought about the question he was presented with. After awhile he decided the best answer he could come up with was, “I hope so” followed by a shrug. “She said she liked the place, right? Maybe she’ll settle in quickly and we won’t have to worry.” It was not very reassuring but he really didn’t know what else to say at this point. Lucian never really knew how exactly to react to these sorts of situations, even with the few people he had helped rescue in the past. Ivan and Maverick were better at this sort of thing as he was just the person who provided transportation most of the time. He hoped that Shizu would be alright and had confident that she would be safe in her new place. Nobody knew where she was, right, and as Elias had mentioned this neighborhood was relatively safe.

Since he didn’t really drive much, and was too tired to walk home, which was actually only a few blocks away from where they were, Elias had drove him to his apartment.

The two walked up to the doorstep of Lucian’s apartment complex as they always did after any other time they spent the day together. There was some normality in that, right? After this everything would be as if nothing had ever happened and they would go back to their normal lives. The rest of the week would be carried out as they usually went about things, with the inclusion of Shizu if she wanted. For a second he wondered if she would want to join them in their drinking, as a way to celebrate her new home, her freedom. It would be a nice way for the three of them to bond and perhaps help her adjust to her new surroundings. Canada could be a very interesting place at times, which was why he chose to stay here instead of permanently moving to Alaska when his job had offered it to him.

“Well,” he said softly, “I suppose I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” He paused for a moment. Taking a step towards the hacker, Lucian pulled him into a gentle hug. “Good night, Elias.” The hug didn’t last long since he didn’t give his friend any warning ahead of time, and he didn’t want to fall asleep on him. Elias wasn’t always one for hugs anyway. After a few seconds had passed he flashed one last smile and turned to head towards indoors.

It was nice to finally be home and leave the day behind him. His apartment was nothing fancy, you really wouldn’t find much in this city anyway no matter who was decorating it, but it has been his home for the past twenty years and he refused to live anywhere else. No sooner had he got in the door he kicked off his shoes, took off his jacket, and threw on some pajamas before heading into his bedroom. He immediately flopped onto his bed and closed his eyes after pulling a pillow under his head. Barely a few seconds later, he was out like a light.

------------------

In the end everything seemed to work out, which pleased Zachariah greatly. Perhaps it was because he was just as tired as everyone else in the room that this conversation seemed to take a huge weight off his shoulders He let out a slow exhale and relaxed a little. As he did, the atmosphere that seemed to linger in the room while Ivan spoke seemed to calm down a little as well. Even if Ivan was a bit gruff he still appreciated the fact that he didn’t have to step in and explain anything further. Azrai seemed alright with everything at least on the surface. It had been nice to see him open up a little, though he knew that would be all they would get out of him. He seemed uncomfortable overall but he didn’t really blame him since he had pretty much put himself on the spot somewhat unintentionally.

What didn’t surprise him was the fact that, despite seeming alright with how things turned out, Azrai was bitter that he wouldn’t be out in the field as much but it was for his own safety. He didn’t voice it but he could see it on his face. Whatever changes were going on with him needed to be worked out and his injuries had been pretty severe. Another dose of the antidote was needed as well, which he was sure the man would protest accepting. He didn’t want to force him to take it either, knowing how much he wanted to go home, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Especially now that he had he had Oni blood in his veins, he would need that antidote to counter the poison. They had come close to losing him once already and he didn’t want it to happen a second time.

“Alright, there’s still a lot that needs to be covered. However, since everyone can barely keep their eyes open let’s continue this tomorrow.” Yawning seemed to be contagious, because after Ivan had yawned Zachariah had yawned as well. Despite the nap he had taken he was starting to feel the fatigue beginning to wear him down again, he needed some sleep. Sleep sounded wonderful.

“I have to leave to go back home tomorrow.” Maverick cut in, slight hesitation in his voice. He wished he had spoken up sooner, but with running around trying to help the organization he almost forgot. “In fact I think the flight leaves sometime in the morning."

Silence seemed to fall over the room for a moment but it was not because of Zachariah.

Azrai had not expected to hear those words so soon and honestly it caught him a little off guard. He was so use to all four of them working together that sometimes he completely forgot Maverick was not always in the loop so to speak. This was probably part of the reason only Ivan and Zachariah would be watching over him, though he didn’t say anything. Maverick usually stayed longer that a day whenever he came to visit, but that was usually when they would plan for him to come out to Israel; he very rarely did last minute flights. Thinking back he did recall Maverick having some trouble back at home dealing with some things in his life. That had been why he was not able to come visit when they had tried to plan out a trip to get him out here before. He wondered if he was still going through that.

“That is… unfortunate,” he said with a bit of a frown.

“I know… I’m sorry.”

“I will make some arrangements so you can come back sometime soon.” Zachariah assured, frowning a little but keeping in good spirits to the best of his current ability.

“That would be great.” Maverick hated not being able to come out as much as he wanted to but that was just how things have been for the past few months. Out of everyone he was the one who sort of lived in his own little corner and didn’t really bother with much when it came to Azrai. He was one of his best friends, but again he really was not as close to him as Ivan was. Nobody really knew what was going on, he was always keeping to himself, He was in a custody battle with his wife for his son, and he was losing at the moment, on top of that he was trying to settle the divorce as well. Things have not been going his way in his life and it was really stressing him out. Once he did get everything settled he might just move to Israel like he should have years ago and help out the organization.

He knew he would not be the best choice to look after Azrai. It wasn’t that he couldn’t look after him; he has looked after him a few times before. It was just that Ivan was tougher than he was and has been around him more than he has so he knew how to deal with him. Whenever he was left to deal with Azrai he found himself unable to keep his composure mostly because he hated lying to him and was not good at being stern. He could be straightforward, he was pretty levelheaded most of the time, but he simply could not be stern like Ivan was. Sometimes he considered himself a bit of an outcast because he was unable to help Azrai like he wanted to. Even though he was a valuable member, who completed their friendship triangle, he still couldn’t help but feel he never did enough and wished that he was strong enough to change that.

Well, perhaps it was not exactly accurate to say he was not strong enough. He was strong enough. It was more like he wished he could be someone to help monitor Azrai as well, though he did understand that distance was the major issue in that. In some ways it was a double-edged sword. Ivan lived in Israel; he was much easier for Zachariah to contact. One of these days he was going to move to Israel. Part of the reason he was a little overprotective of Azrai was because he didn’t get to see him often and got worried whenever he hears he is in trouble. On the other hand sometimes he felt he was better off not knowing what trouble Azrai manages to find. One of these days he was probably going to have a heart attack if some anxiety attack didn’t get to him before that happened.

“Then it’s settled,” Zachariah spoke up again, smiling a bit. “I want to just say again that, despite everything, I’m glad that we all made it out of that battle alive. We still have a lot of work to do, but we’ll be back on our feet in no time, we always manage to bounce back.” Perhaps this was his way of saying that he was glad they had not lost Azrai. He was good at hiding things like that. Sometimes it was necessary for him to beat around the bush and be subtle in that regard fearing that he would seem like he was only concerned about one thing and not the organization as a whole. Pushing those thoughts aside he looked at Azrai, “I will allow you to go home after you’re given a second dose of the antidote, and request at least a few days rest before returning to help the organization."

As to be expected, Azrai groaned lowly when he heard he had to go back into the hospital ward but he said nothing and just folded his arms over his chest ready to get out of here. His impatience was showing. He really did want to just go home and sleep. Thanks to Shizu the poison had not killed him so he saw no reason for him to stick around. Everyone was just worrying too much in his opinion, but, that being said, even he felt that he needed to be on the safe side and take that antidote. There was a chance he might have to spend another day here, perhaps stay overnight, just to ensure he would be fine and the poison was out of his system. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, there was a small part of him that didn’t want to go back to his apartment yet anyway since Shizu was still on his mind.

The night they spent together there had been a very nice change of pace from when Ivan stays over. He was probably going to remember his time with Shizu for awhile. Deep down he wondered if she would just decide to forget about him once she was settled into her new life. If she did, then that would give him another reason to not visit her would it not? He was not told where she was and was sure that Ivan knew and was not telling him for his own good. Knowing Ivan he probably thought he would go try to find her or something, which would certainly not be the case. She was a free woman now and he had no right trying to hunt her down or pester her in any way. Still, shouldn’t it also be her decision whether or not she wanted to keep in contact?

In a way, he didn’t mind either way.

As everyone was leaving the conference room another thought struck him, “Wait…” he called out softly. He waited until everyone was giving him their attention, which he realized was not the best idea because he was feeling uncomfortable again. Taking in a deep breath, he exhaled softly and once more ran his hand through his hair, which was now beginning to look more disheveled because of it, “I…” he paused and took in another deep breath while trying to figure out the best way to go about what he wanted to get off his chest. Sometimes he hated how it took him awhile to speak his mind, not always being quick on the draw so to speak. “Tell me… will Shizu be receiving a proper education? I do take issue with her being taken away from here before being educated about the basics of society.”

“Ivan has already taken care of that,” Zachariah said with a reassuring smile. “She will be given everything that she needs to fit in. I know you’re worried about her, but trust me, we have it all covered.”

“I see.” As long as it was being taken care of everything was fine for him. He might not be the one helping her but at least she would be given what she needed, and that satisfied him. He would not hold any resentment towards her for what she did in fact he was grateful that she had saved his life. They might not have known each other long but she seemed to care about him, thinking back to when he had gotten roughed up in Japan, maybe she would not forget about him and they could see each other again. Then he would be able to tell her in person how he was feeling towards everything. For now, however, he would just take it easy and see what happened. “So, does this mean that I am… free to go home? Once I take another dose of the antidote of course.” He practically mumbled the last bit, showing how reluctant he was despite everyone wanting to be on the safe side, himself included.

Zachariah gave another nod and then everyone, anxious to get some rest, walked out of the conference room. While he moved about the hallways he examined them noting that everything seemed calm compared to earlier. He wondered if Azrai really was alright with this and had a feeling that he would ask to see Shizu again eventually. Despite seeming like he was fine with severing ties, he knew the man pretty well. That man was so stubborn. Part of him wondered if he should scold him for becoming attached like he had since it was indeed rare for him to get close to someone that fast. Perhaps the reason he had mentioned he would be able to see Shizu again was because it was nice to see him make some more friends, especially after what happened with Cassandra. He was sure that Azrai still had some questions he wouldn’t voice as well…

But he was going to put those thoughts aside for the time being. He needed some sleep after such a long and difficult day. Looking back to the battle he was sure he was going to be struggling with some emotions of his own for awhile but he could not let them drag him down. Everyone was in this together, and that being said he was confident that everything was alright. Azrai would probably have some trouble meditating in order to control his aggression; he had severe insomnia and tended to be almost unnaturally restless unless he was drunk. However, once he mastered that he was sure things would be fine. He would probably not be his same old self once he learned to control his aggression, but from what he gathered there did not seem to be any major changes to his personality. At least not all of him would be changed, right? As they say only time will tell in the end.

He wanted him to stay with the organization. To be honest if it did come down to kicking Azrai out he wasn’t sure if he would have the strength. He didn’t like to kick people out, unless he was given a really good reason to do so, and was sure that God would give Azrai the strength he needed to get through this. He prayed that He gave everyone strength. While he looked around he noticed how everyone seemed exhausted. He even took the liberty of telling a few people they were free to call it a day they looked that worn out. Talk of Shizu seemed to die down a bit and he also made sure to silence those who continued to speak ill of her. This was becoming annoying and if he had to he would need to address it in front of the entire organization. Maybe some people would be kicked out as well…

Damn, with everything that needed to be done he felt like he needed another drink or two now. Chuckling at those thoughts Zachariah got Ivan’s attention by placing a hand on his shoulder, making sure to speak softly so Azrai wouldn’t hear them. Luckily the man seemed to be lost in his own thoughts but he still did not want to take risks, “You know him better than anyone so I want full reports on anything that might seem uncharacteristic of Azrai, whenever something should occur.” He released Ivan’s shoulder, gave him a pat, and left him, Azrai, and Maverick alone to do what they wished for the remainder of the day.

He was done.

_________________

It was nice to see how well Shizu and Lucian were getting along, this could possibly the start of a new friendship, of course he would be a part of it too. He was sure that Ivan wanted the two of them to not only monitor her but help her adapt to this new life that she was given. Hell, even if Ivan had told him to stay away, Elias probably wouldn't. That would leave Shizu alone, making it hard for her to assimilate into society. Why else had Ivan sent her out here? Not only would the organization be able to keep an eye on her but she would have someone to talk to and seek out for help. He knew that Ivan wasn't a cruel man, even if he had to play the villain every now and then. Elias could only hope that he and Lucian would be able to help her out when she needed it. They weren't the most knowledgeable when it came to interacting on a social level. Maybe this was also a way to make them learn how to interact with other people. Elias was sure that Lucian wasn't thinking too far into the situation at this point.

Elias frowned slightly at the response that was given to his question. That was certainly not the best answer but it could have been worse seeing how it was Lucian who said it. The hacker let out a sigh knowing that he was probably worrying too much. He would talk to Lucian later about becoming closer to her, that way they could earn another friendship and she wouldn't be alone in Toronto. It was like killing two birds with one stone really. He stood outside for a moment, glancing up to where Shizu's place was. He was definitely worrying too much about this but he knew that if anything happened to her there would be hell to pay and then some. Getting in the car, he took Lucian to his home, thankful for the short distance between the two places as his exhaustion slowly began to kick in. The day was almost over and once he returned home, he was going into a coma for the next day or so.

Walking his friend up the steps to his complex, they stood there awkwardly. It was just the same as usual, he supposed. He nodded his head as Lucian spoke, before he tensed slightly at the brief contact. He returned the hug with a small pat, thankful that it didn't last too long. He always hated getting sudden hugs from the male, but this time he was relieved. He knew it may sound stupid, but this hug told him that this all wasn't a dream. That Lucian had really been saved from the kidnapping. "Yeah, sleep well, Lucian," he murmured softly, the emotions he had been trying to contain almost boiling over. He smiled slightly as the pilot went inside and Elias turned to head back home.

The drive was short and he couldn't say that he wasn't excited for the well deserved sleep he was about to reward himself. Getting into his place, he walked to his room and pulled up the cameras on his monitors. It wasn't as if Elias enjoyed watching people in their most private moments, he actually felt uncomfortable from time to time but he was one of the few who actually stuck through until the person was ready to be disconnected from the cameras. He glanced to see that Shizu was watching the television and he smiled a bit. It eased him to know that she seemed to be adjusting well, for now. Within the next few days, he would be bringing her tutor over and helping her find an occupation that wouldn't be too difficult for her.

Sighing he dimmed the brightness of his monitors, knowing that he could pass out regardless. He double-checked the security alarms, his tendency for perfection kicking in. He kicked off his shoes and shrugged off most of his clothes. He gently placed his glasses on his nightstand before sitting on the edge of his bed. Diving under the covers, he rolled around for a while until he was comfortable before letting out one last heavy. Soon after he closed his eyes, he passed out as his mission was done for the day.

----------

Ivan was glad that Zachariah wanted to call it a day. This conversation definitely had taken a huge weight off of everyone's shoulders. However, he knew there was still so much that they needed to do and the fact that they would be one man short on the field was a bit of a shame as well. However, after this war they had lost more than just one man on the field. He wondered if Zachariah would be up to recruit more people or to simply strengthen the numbers that they were left with. If they had another war like this in the future then they would definitely need more forces, but they would have to be stronger as well. Ivan would simply put that on the mental list of all that he needed to speak about with Zachariah later. Another sigh left him as he knew that there would be long days ahead.

There was also the fact that he would somehow have to convince Azrai to take another dose of medicine. He knew his friend was already tired of being here and the fact that he needed more medical attention would probably make him unhappy. Not like he wasn't unhappy already. He stopped thinking about Azrai as soon as Maverick spoke up. The sudden silence in the room caused his ears to ring slightly. Sometimes, he forgot that Maverick didn't live close by. He had suggested a long time ago that Maverick move to Israel simply because he would be close to everyone, but that man had refused. Maverick was an enigma to the organization, he only saw him whenever Zachariah called upon him. He hardly let anyone know what was going on back home and the fact that he would be leaving soon caused slight concern to fill him. He wasn't that close with the male to try to pry into his personal life either. He could only hope that things were alright, but knowing their lifestyle, things were hardly ever alright.

It was still a shame that he wouldn't be able to stay around for longer, but they had called him out here on short notice. It was only natural that he would have to return home. However, Ivan knew that Maverick would be unable to handle Azrai, especially when the male became difficult. Still, he was Azrai's friend and he knew that Maverick would be straightforward with him when it came down to it. Maybe Ivan could talk him into finally moving out here with the rest of them. Ivan knew that they could use someone like Maverick around when Zachariah was busy. Maverick seemed to attain that charismatic charm that Zachariah possessed. He knew that Maverick was a very valuable member and that many people would follow and listen to him; it was only a matter of time until his full potential blossomed. If he lived closer...it would be a lot easier to deal with the mess that they were in right now.

Ivan nodded his head in agreement at Zachariah's sentiments. Lord knew that he was more than thrilled that they all were alive, minus the few injuries that they had. At least they were alive. He could understand why Zachariah said what he had, knowing that he was glad that Azrai was still alive. Even if Azrai played the lone wolf lead far too enough, he was the glue that held everyone together. They were all connected because of him and if they had lost him...Ivan wasn't sure what would have happened. Would they have been able to truly recover from just a devastating loss? Ivan really didn't think that they would be able to do so, despite how well composed they all seemed to be. Surely, Azrai would be the death of all of them. Poor Maverick and Elias worried far too much about him. Ivan had been in far too many severe scenarios alongside the male and Zachariah had dealt with the same kind of scenario. Ivan wondered if Azrai knew how important he was in all their lives. Probably not since the bastard selfishly went the brink of death and back, nearly causing Ivan to have a heart attack.

Ivan shifted a bit as he was more than ready to leave, knowing that he would have to give Azrai another dose of antidote before they left and called it a day. He smirked a bit hearing his friend groan under his breath, but it had to be done. They needed to be more than careful with that poison; it nearly took him away from them. What would happen if it decided to act up again? It wasn't like they were being paranoid, well maybe just a bit, but it was for the best. Maybe Azrai would finally take it easy for a while. Ivan prayed to God that the man would finally listen to them and rest. Azrai would have fewer missions to take so that would give him more time to do leisure activities. Maybe he would pick up a hobby or something that was relatively normal. Ivan scoffed at the idea of Azrai playing golf or some kind of sport the retired people did. He wondered how well this whole thing would go; sure for a while with the lack of missions he would be able to heal up but after that...what then? Ivan knew that he would go mad without being able to do anything close to his occupation for a while. His apartment was pretty boring as it was, seeing how he was hardly there. Azrai's place was pretty much the same...Ivan shrugged a bit knowing that this would be more of a waiting game than anything else.

This could either be good or bad for all of them.

Ivan started to move to leave the room when Azrai spoke up once more, well someone was sure more talkative than usual. Ivan looked at him with mild interest at what else he wished to say today. He smirked a bit as he asked about Shizu's education. That was something that even Ivan knew to take care of right off the bat. He was sure that Elias had already found someone suitable for her needs. Even if it took a while for Azrai to speak his mind, Ivan was actually glad that he was being so open with everyone today. It wasn't like him to speak his mind and it was certainly nice to have him get a few things off his chest every now and then. Ivan let out a relieved breath as Zachariah gave the nod of approval for them to retire for the day. Ivan would supervise that Azrai got another dosage then escort him home and call it a day.

Ivan moved out to the hallway, he was about to move after Azrai, who wasn't moving that fast when a hand came to his shoulder. He stopped, looking at their leader, he noted the low tone he was speaking in. "I'll keep you up to date with everything," he murmured with a slight nod. He waved slightly as Zachariah moved away from them. He glanced at Maverick, who still seemed a bit unhappy with the fact that he had to leave. "It's a shame that you can't stay out here longer, but you look like you could use some rest for right." He placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze. It was a way of him saying that he was glad that he had made it out alive as well. "Come back out here when you can, yeah?" Before things back too awkward for them, Ivan let go of his shoulder before allowing Azrai and Maverick to say their goodbyes as well.

"Alright, let's get you the antidote and get the hell out of here," Ivan said to Azrai. Ivan had a date with his bed and he didn't want to stay at the base any longer than necessary. Of course, making sure that Azrai was alright was one of his top priorities, but still...his bed was calling him. Moving back to the medical bay, Ivan spoke with a nurse briefly for the antidote. After a few moments, the woman came back with the correct dosage and prepped Azrai's arm for the injection. Ivan was surprised that Azrai wasn't lashing out or trying to run away, but then again he was sure that Azrai was either too tired to deal with such things or didn't want to be reprimanded for those actions. Not like they needed even more problems today.

Once the antidote was given, Ivan felt a lot better. One, they wouldn't have to worry about the poison attacking Azrai anymore and two; they would be able to leave and find some sort of normalcy once more. "Let's go home," Ivan said in a tired manner, exhaustion slowly taking a hold of him. Now that he knew that he would be able to rest, he felt it more than ever. Heading out of the medical wing and up to the ground above, took a moment due to the fact that Azrai was still injured and a bit weak. Not that Ivan would point it out; he was probably not in the mood for jokes anyways. Ivan wasn't sure if he should say anything to the male or just go home in silence. Ivan wasn't sure if Azrai was in the mood for chatting, probably not, but Ivan didn't really enjoy the silence between them. He assumed it couldn't be helped; Azrai had a lot to take in at this point.

Getting into the car, he waited for his friend to settle in the passenger seat before starting up the engine and heading off towards Azrai's place. Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, Ivan wondered what would happen now. He would have to monitor Azrai for a while, which meant he couldn't take too many missions. Also, he had to make sure that Shizu was integrating into society well. There would be a lot of things that would have to be taken care of now. It seemed as if things would be busy for a while, not like Ivan minded too much. Things were better for him when he was busy. "I just want you to know..." Ivan started off slowly, not really sure of what he wanted to say, least he cause any tension between them. "I just want you to know that she will live a happy and safe life...I have made sure of it..." Ivan said in a low tone.

There really wasn't more he could say; Ivan mainly thought it would give Azrai some kind of closure of sorts. After all, he wanted to make sure that Shizu would be safe all for the sake of having Azrai at peace of mind about everything. Even if it wasn't much, Ivan felt like he had to say something, anything to appease the guilt that he still felt. Was it wrong for him to feel this way? Maybe somewhere along the ways he would get over it, but for now he felt some sort of guilt. He decided to stay silent for the remainder of the drive, knowing that he could only make things worse or awkward for this point on. The rest of the drive was in silence and before long; they arrived at the familiar scenery of his apartment complex. "Well, this is where we part....you straight?" Ivan looked over at Azrai, concerned about him still. Hell, until that man was all healed up, he wouldn't stop worrying. "I'll be seeing you later, get some rest, yeah?"

After they bid their farewell, Ivan headed back to his place which as a ways away. As much as he worried about Azrai, he still liked his privacy and a few miles put between them. Wouldn't it seem a little too weird if he lived extremely close to Azrai? They were friends and all but Ivan liked the fact that he didn't have to see his face a few blocks down the road. The drive back to his place didn't last for that long; his was preoccupied with everything that had happened thus far. Could anything have been avoided? No, Azrai would have taken the mission regardless of their approval or not. Shutting off the engine, Ivan sat in his car for a while, staring out the windshield. Letting out a heavy sigh, he got out, heading into his place. It was a bit cluttered, seeing how the last time he was there; he was rushing to get supply and gear before tailing after Azrai to Japan. He'd clean it up later for now he just needed to close his eyes and call it a day. He would check up on Elias tomorrow, maybe he would ask for a monthly progress report on Shizu. Even though he knew he shouldn't worry too much about her. However, he felt the need to make sure she was alright, especially for Azrai's sake.

Kicking off his boots, he went face first into his bed, a groan leaving him. His body ached and his mind was slowly starting to shut down. All he could think about was tomorrow. Tomorrow he would be productive and more functional than he was now. For now, he just needed to sleep. With that final thought, he shut his eyes, allowing himself to get the rest that he deserved.

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She had lain there for a while now, staring at the television screen. Blinking a bit, she realized how heavy her eyes felt. It seemed as if the exhaustion she had felt earlier and finally kicked in. Slowly, she sat up from the spot on her couch, rubbing her eyes. Letting out a slight groan, her wounds ached as she moved. Looking out the window, she could see that the sun was already starting to make the sky a bit lighter. How long had she been staring at the screen? She was sure for an hour or longer. Walking over to the television, she turned off the screen. She guessed it was about time to call it a night...or day. Lucian had stated that her sleeping cycle would be weird, so she only assumed that this was what jet lag was.

She yawned as she stumbled through her new home. It was still strange to her that she was on her own. It felt like this was all a dream. It felt as if she was going to wake up soon and this would all be gone, everything. She knew it was wrong to think like this, she should truly be relishing in the glory of her freedom. Yet, it just felt empty. Maybe she was going through some form of shock. Yeah, that was what this was, shock. It was finally setting in as well. She knew she should have felt this long ago. She had had her moment when they entered the forest but that had been a small episode. She shook a bit as she moved through the hallways, going back to her bedroom. She would just sleep it off, that would solve everything. She just needed some rest, the lack of sleep she had was causing her to react this way.

Making it into her room, she wasn't really sure if she should change or just go to bed as she was. In all honesty, she was too tired to change and she didn't want to reopen any wounds. With that thought and a slight sigh, she crawled into the bed, not really used to such luxurious items. It was certainly different from the futon she had back in Japan. However, she had a feeling that she could get used to the soft feeling of the bed. She curled up beneath the covers, trying to relax her anxious mind. She knew that it would be difficult for the first few months, but surely she could manage. After all, everyone considered her to be strong...so she must be, right? She was only strong because she had the support to do so. Now, she felt as if she had no one but she knew that wasn't the truth. Elias and Lucian would be here, they said to call if she needed anything right? She was sure that they would help her but they had their own lives, she shouldn't bother them too much.

She rubbed her face against the pillow, letting out a slight groan. She was thinking way too much right now, especially since she was trying to sleep. She had promised to Zachariah that she would live a happy life, even with Azrai out of the picture. As much as it made her sad, she never went back on her word. So would live a life just like that, so that way one day...One day she would be able to see Azrai again. She would work towards that goal to live happily so when they met again, she could show him all that she had learned. To show him that the mission he took wasn't for nothing; that she was worth it. Maybe this was to prove it to herself. All this time she had thought that she wasn't worth saving but she knew that she had the potential to be happy and free. It was time to stop thinking about it and actually do it. She fought for her freedom, so now she had to decide how to use it.

It sounded like a plan to her and soon her life would start. She knew that she would find Azrai again, maybe not for a few months or years but she would find him. She had to thank him for all that he had done, she had to show him that she was alright, and she needed to see that he was as well. It was unlikely that she would be able to see him sooner, so she would work hard towards that goal, as well. For now, she would devote her time to adapting to this new world and culture that surrounded her. She would learn to be independent and strong. Closing her eyes, she felt a surge of determination. The next time she opened her eyes, she would begin her transformation and with a little help from the people she had met, she knew that she could make it on her own. She now had a choice in her life; she now was able to do things by herself. After all these years, she had finally come to this point in her life.

This was her freedom.

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Maverick had given Ivan and Azrai a nod and watched silently as the two of them had left, being sure to see the two of them out. He didn’t like good-byes so he didn’t want to stay around the two for too long. Just thinking about going home was making him emotional, he needed rest, and he was going to get some rest before he left for home. Aside from the fact that he had been called here so suddenly, he knew his life was not the best. There had been a time during one of his visits where he was having a bad day and snapped, letting Azrai in on what had been going on. He had not heard anything more from him since that but he was sure it was bad if he had to leave so soon. In a lot of ways Maverick really was one of the most important people in this organization.

He was quite charismatic in his own way.

Even while he was exhausted he showed his dedication by making sure things were organized and running smoothly before he found a back room to sleep. His dreams were filled, much to his relief, with some positive thoughts. Now, all he needed was his dream to have a less stressful life, and moving to Israel, to come true.

----------------------

It was nice to finally be able to leave the base. Any more time in there and Azrai would have lost his damned mind. Ivan had been right to assume he really had been too tired to even reject the antidote injection; in fact he had barely felt the needle prick his skin when it was given. As much as he did not want to take it, and he had made that obvious to everyone even in his tired state, he knew it was better to be safe than sorry.

He felt the exhaustion take him over more the moment he sank into the passenger seat of the car. Out of habit he fastened his seat belt and looked out the window. When Ivan spoke to him, he cast a sideways glance but said nothing. Ivan was right to assume that there was a lot on his mind and that he indeed had a lot to take in. As much as he appreciated the closure, there was a small part of him that was still upset. He didn’t give his friend the satisfaction of a response because he still wished he could have said good-bye to her. Perhaps there was also a small amount of jealousy he was feeling because Ivan had been the one who arranged for her to live happily. Not being able to keep his promise made him feel like ****, though he would most likely never say anything.

The silence was probably enough to give that away anyway.

Once they arrived at his apartment, he couldn’t help but grin at the concern in Ivan’s eyes. Even when he tells people not to worry about him, or show concern, they still do. “I will be alright, I assure you,” he said before they parted ways. Whenever they parted ways it was never anything long or drawn out; half the time they didn’t even utter ‘good-bye’. What was the point of getting worked up when they knew they would be seeing each other again pretty soon? Well now that he thought of it, there was some irony in that seeing as he had come so close to death. They might not have lived close to each other, in fact he also liked the space between them, he didn’t feel suffocated by Ivan’s presence, but they saw each other five days out of the week. Most of the time, they were doing business for the organization but on occasion they would get together for an outing.

It was nice to finally be home. As soon as he entered the apartment he walked into the kitchen, pulling out a bottle of wine from the refrigerator. He poured himself a glass and went to sit out on the balcony for awhile. The fresh air, and being alone, was extremely refreshing. He was not really willing to sit inside just yet; he had been indoors, underground, enough for one day. Being outdoors was nice. Even if he was so tired he might fall asleep in the chair he was sitting in he could probably sit for hours watching the city. Part of him wished he could have shared this with Shizu, just sitting out here. The thought of having company since he was use to being alone was strange, but one day he wanted to just sit and converse with her some more. He would like to hear about how she was doing now that she had freedom.

He drank down the wine in one gulp and poured himself another glass. Drinking on top of being able to sit out here really calmed him down; otherwise he’d not have gotten sleep if he went to bed right away. This was the first time he cared so much about a woman since Cassandra. He really wasn’t sure what he thought about it; his mind seemed to want to shut down whenever he tried to draw some sort of a conclusion. He knew didn’t feel the same thing for Shizu he felt for Cassandra but stil… Maybe he shouldn’t think about it, but no matter what he did it was still on his mind. Perhaps because he had gone through a lot just to make sure that Shizu had her freedom. His wounds were a constant reminder of that. It was going to be awhile before he was completely healed up.

There was no doubt that he would go stir crazy just sitting around while he was healing. The thought of having nothing to do was already starting to eat at him.

The life he lived was the only thing he knew, there was no way he would be able to change that. Not being able to go out on the field was frustrating and terrifying at the same time. He knew he needed to recover but having an outlet was more important to him. Otherwise, if he was denied that outlet or left without something to do, especially for a long period of time, he knew he would just turn to self-destructive activities like drinking. It would not be drinking to simply calm his nerves, which was usually his main motivation, he would drink pass the time. His drinking was pretty bad to begin with. There was no telling what would happen if he fell back into the guy who would drink to get drunk, feeling there was nothing else to do with his life. He would have to make sure that didn’t happen somehow.

Maybe tomorrow, if he was feeling better, he would go to the shooting range or take a walk around the city. He did enjoy taking walks quite a bit. In fact taking walks around Jerusalem was what he often did in his spare time, whenever he needed some fresh air. With his injuries he knew going for a walk might not be the best idea when he should be taking it easy. That sure as hell was not going to stop him from going on a walk anyway. His legs weren’t broken; if he was able to get out of bed the next day he was going to take a walk. He was tempted to right now, actually, but he knew he was too fatigued. His mind was restless, but every bone in his body was telling him to get some more rest. He had already pushed himself enough this week anyway so he might as well get some rest.

About an hour had passed before his eyelids began to feel heavy and he came close to nodding off. It was about time that he got some rest for the day. He didn’t want to fall asleep out here, even if it was a nice day today.

After heading back inside he went into the kitchen and placed the wine bottle back into the refrigerator, deciding to save some, a yawn escaped him. A wave of exhaustion crashed into him like a ton of bricks yet again. It was enough for him to decide that it was better to head to bed. If he stayed awake any longer he might pass out on the spot, this has been a long day. He didn’t even bother to change into different clothes as soon as he entered his bed room. He just flopped on his bed and slid his arms under his pillow. A bad idea, since pain shot through his torso as soon as he hit the bed. He winced a little and lay there until the pain died down before rolling over into a more comfortable position. Then, he did his usual ritual of, taking a few deep breaths, trying to clear his mind.

There was going to be a lot on his mind for awhile, and one of the main things was that Oni blood now in his veins. He wondered what was going to happen with him now. What if he turned into an Oni? That thought had been nagging at him ever since Ivan had explained everything to him. To be honest, Azrai was quite content with being human and did not want to transform… He cut his thought short, frowning, suddenly feeling a little restless. He was not going to turn was he? Briefly, he thought of contacting Ivan but not only would his body not respond to any command given to it to move, he really didn’t want to bother him. Maybe the thought was utterly stupid anyway. Maybe he was just putting way too much thought into this whole thing. However, he was terrified of what might happen to him.

Perhaps he would casually mention it in conversation if it started to bother him too much. What he was most terrified of, more than he would ever admit was whatever changes that were going to happen occurring while he was sleeping. Hopefully nothing too bad would happen… It was evident he was not going to be the same, but he didn’t want to change regardless. Maybe he should just keep these things to himself now that he was thinking about it. It was bad enough that Zachariah was not allowing him to go on too many missions. He really did not want to have to give up the only life he knew. There was still so much he had to do for the organization. It wasn’t like they would not just get rid of him if he lost his mind… would they? No. He doubted that they would but still, what if he did have to be locked away?

He didn’t want that to happen either.

He wanted to keep showing that he was worthy to continue serving the organization. Zachariah had taught him so much since he had taken him under his wing, given him a reason to keep living. He would always be one of God’s soldiers. Has he not done any good for the organization? He had rescued Shizu after all. There had been something driving him to take on that mission to get Shizu out of that village. One day, he just knew that he would come across some other missions where he would shine. He would always be part of the organization, with the good he believes he does, the friends he had, that was never going to change, no matter what happens now.

Taking in a deep breath, he shifted his position slightly, relaxing his body some more, and closed his eyes. Even with everything that worried him he tried his best to push it out of his thoughts so he would have an easier time falling asleep. As soon as he did that, he passed out almost right away.

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The room was unnervingly silent. Whenever there was something important going on everyone knew better than to just start asking questions.

Their leader looked over the information several times before arranging this little gathering, and was certainly not pleased. The manila folder was practically thrown onto the table in front of the others, papers sliding out and some even falling onto the floor. “Does anyone know why I’m upset?” Their leader’s voice boomed. When nobody answered, their leader continued. “The Oni has been taken out of Israel. On top of that, Zachariah and his organization were weakened in that battle with Sanctus Unum.” Their leader’s voice was, despite being laced with anger, soft.

“Should we go after her?”

“Not right away. We need to prepare, to find out exactly where she is so we don’t tear the Earth apart, which may take quite some time. She’s protected by Zachariah so getting to her won’t be an easy task. That organization managed to take down Sanctus Unum. I won’t be taking any chances.”

“Understood.”

“Good. Now, you’re all dismissed. I have other business to take care of beforehand; I was just giving everyone a heads up.” With that, their leader walked out of the room. This really was going to need a lot of preparation. It may take months, perhaps a few years before they were ready. Striking while nobody expected it was the style of choice, and seeing how the Oni woman was something Azrai cared about striking when nobody expected would be the perfect way to get to him. Perhaps it was a good thing Sanctus Unum had been finished off, otherwise this opportunity would not have been presented at all.

Things were not over, not by a long shot.

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