It was a relief that there were no more enemies coming after them and it was a blessing that Levi and his back up didn't decide to take advantage of their departure. As soon as they were all in the car, he peeled out of the area faster than he should have. He was normally not a reckless driver but he wanted to make sure that no one would follow them. There were plenty of tire tracks on the ground due to the snow but still they all split off in different directions. What if someone followed any one of the tire tracks? These thoughts came to him as he continued to drive away, he knew that Azrai would let him know once they were in the clear.<br/><br/>There was a subtle movement of him relaxing as soon as Azrai mentioned that there was no one else coming after them. He was still keeping his eyes open on the road, least someone pull up out of the blue and attack them. His gun was within his reach, just in case. He knew there was no need to tell Azrai twice to keep his eyes open. This past month had probably been more of a Hell than for anyone else, aside from Elias. He had been so concerned for Shizu even before they reached Toronto and with them coming up with no results in the search for her, he had been on edge ever since. Now that they have retrieved her, he would not let his guard until he was positive she was safe.<br/><br/>Ivan supposed that was one of the good qualities about Azrai, once he was committed to something he would stick it out through the end. He nodded his head after Azrai mentioned dropping by to see Elias, he figured that he really shouldn't speak with Shizu. If she would talk to anyone right now it would probably be Azrai. He figured that he and Shizu had a rather business like relationship, considering how they last left off. It was simply a good thing that they found her and that she was in better condition than he had seen women come out from in this situation. That was one of the few things that mattered right now. The fact that Shizu had someone after her and there was someone after Azrai was a major issue at this point. He would have to report this to Zachariah later on tonight, just so they could be prepared in case this was another Sanctus Unum scenario.<br/><br/>There were a lot of things that needed to be discussed in person with Elias. They had to figure out where they went on from here. They needed to be cautious and aware of everything that was going on around them. They needed to avoid this situation again though he had hoped this would all end soon. It was unlikely, but Ivan was hopeful. He let out a sigh as they went into the city, heading towards the hacker's house. The car ride had been silent and he would've hoped that Azrai and Shizu would have talked more but he knew that was a conversation that they would have to have by themselves. There were a lot of things that had been left behind in Israel between them and he wondered if they would talk about it.<br/><br/>He knew it wasn't his place to push anything, so for now he would focus his attention on the task at hand. They needed to figure out everything happening with Shizu and move on from there. Pulling up to Elias' place he turned off the engine. â€œHopefully, this won't take too long,â€ Ivan muttered out. â€œI agree, today has been long.â€ Getting out the car, he stretched a bit and turned to head up to the hacker's place.<br/><br/>----------<br/><br/>Once inside the car, Shizu felt a bit more relaxed, like things would finally be going back to normal. But could they really? She was really beginning to wonder if her life would ever be normal. It was like she was tying way too hard to lead a normal life and that now it was backfiring. She glanced out the window of the car as the scenery zoomed by them, Ivan not taking any chances for anyone to follow them. It felt strange to be in this situation all over again. It had been so peaceful for the last five months or so and now it seemed like it was all coming back, like some recurring nightmare. When Azrai mentioned that there were no longer any people following them, she was even more relieved. Maybe this was just a small bump in the road that they would be able to get over. She would be able to go back to her job and back to her studies. That was all that she wanted to do right now, just go back to normal.<br/><br/>She wondered if this was how the others had felt after all was said and done in Israel, she was sure that they all wanted things to go back to normal. That was why she had made the agreement with Ivan, that way they wouldn't have to worry about her. Even though she had become good friends with Elias and Lucian, she still didn't want anyone else to worry about her. Her life had been going well with the support of Elias and Lucian, she regularly saw them so they were constantly up to date with her life. She really hadn't ventured out to make many friends, though it wasn't like she needed a lot of communication in order to be happy. She was still socially awkward, which was why she had taken the job at the cafe. She was forced to talk and deal with different types of people, so that was like some kind of therapy for her.<br/><br/>She glanced over at Azrai as he spoke to her when she mentioned Elias, her gaze averted to her hands in her lap. She knew that Elias was worried about her and she could definitely hear the stress in his voice when she had talked to him on the phone. She felt this guilt in her chest, knowing that this could have been avoided in some way or maybe she could have gotten out sooner. She knew that he was more than likely beating himself over the fact that she had been kidnapped but that had been all out of everyone's hands. She wasn't sure how she felt about seeing Elias right now. She really didn't feel like her current condition would make him feel any better but she could understand why they would bring her by now. It still didn't mean that she wanted Elias to see her like this then again she hadn't wanted Ivan or Azrai to see her like this either.<br/><br/>She nodded her head in acknowledgment though she wasn't sure what she should say. It felt like Japan all over again, where she could barely figure out what to speak about. What could she say? She was sure that they didn't really know the answers to the questions that she had. Who were those people? What did they want from her? What did they want from Azrai? It was like facing Sanctus Unum all over again and she really didn't want to go down that road again. Especially after all that had happened, she had lost control of her Oni side, Azrai almost died, and then they had been separated. It was a very unexpected reunion that they were having and she knew there were some things that they needed to discuss. In all honesty, she had not been ready to meet him, hell she wouldn't have been ready to meet him for a while.<br/><br/>Shizu had been trying her best to get over the feelings that had developed for Azrai, she knew that it was unlikely that they would have been reciprocated due to many factors, so she knew it would be best to let it all go. Still, when she had seen him, she knew that all her hard work had been thrown out the window. She still cared about him though she knew it was best to keep that to herself. Sure, she had confided in Elias about her struggles but that was about it. He hadn't been much help due the lack of romance in his life but he had been a great listener. She had wanted Azrai to see her in a different light when they finally met up again, but she was placed back in the same position she had been in at the beginning.<br/><br/>As usual, the car ride was silent, the low sounds of the wind howling and the bumps in the road were the only things that contributed to the background noise. Shizu had spent most of her time thinking about how things would play out from now on. She was sure that there would be some changes coming but hopefully none that were too drastic. She knew that everyone wanted her to live a normal life and she wanted it as well. She knew that she prayed for it long enough it would eventually happen, just like her freedom had but she wondered how long it would take this time. Would she have to wait another twenty-one years? She knew that she couldn't wait that long for normalcy but she wondered how long it would really take. It was like Japan all over again and she didn't want to go down that road again. She knew that there would have to be a discussion about what to do to avoid that situation again. She was tired of not standing up for herself, this was her life and she would be apart of the decision making.<br/><br/>She glanced at the familiar scenery of the city that she had grow to love over that course of the last several months. She let out a heavy sigh knowing that she would have to see Elias. She agreed that t had been a long day but it had also been a long month as well. She had thought that she was never going to escape that place but she had and she had also helped the other women as well. When Ivan parked the car, they all got out of the vehicle. She looked up at the window that belonged to Elias, there was this uncomfortable feeling in her stomach. She knew how he was going to react and she had been prepping herself for it  but she still felt a bit nervous. She didn't want to know how much it had affected him because she still had that feeling that she was that special or important. It could be her past that caused her to feel that way and she knew it would take a while to heal from those wounds.<br/><br/>Walking up the steps to Elias' apartment, she shivered slightly though she knew that she couldn't wit outside here forever. Knocking on the door, it opened immediately and she was met face to face with Elias. It was slightly awkward as they simply stared at one another before she was pulled into a tight hug. â€œThank God you're alive,â€ he muttered out, holding her tighter. Shizu hugged him back after a few moments, she could feel him shaking against her. He looked as if he hadn't slept all month and his place was a mess, which was definitely unlike him. At least he had cleaned himself up before they arrived or Shizu would have felt really bad about what had happened, not like she didn't feel bad already. He lifted her up off her feet, pulling her into his place. She kicked her feet always disliking the way he could pick her up so easily. â€œElias,â€ she said in an exasperated tone. â€œPut me down.â€<br/><br/>â€œIf I do that you might disappear,â€ he said in a pouty manner. â€œI was so worried about you.â€ He looked down at her before putting her down. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked at her for a while, taking in all the damage that had happened to her. â€œI am so sorry, Shizu.â€ Biting her lower lip, she felt uncomfortable with how serious he was being. Elias was the type of guy who would be the first to make light of a situation and crack a joke. She had learned a lot about him and knew that he was a very emotional person, though he always had this cheerful disposition on his face. A small smile came to her face and she placed her hand on his arm. â€œI do not blame you and you know that,â€ she said gently to him. She looked up to Elias as a family member, one that she could depend upon and she knew that he would blame himself for a long time. She glanced over at Ivan and Azrai, noticing that they seemed in a need for a discussion.<br/><br/>â€œI will go grab some drinks for you all,â€ she said, heading off towards his kitchen.<br/><br/>Elias let out a sigh, before plopping ungracefully onto his couch. He rubbed his face for a few moments before looking at the other two. â€œThank you...for everything,â€ he started off.<br/><br/>Ivan took a seat on the arm rest, crossing his arms over his chest. â€œIt's not a problem and you know that.â€<br/><br/>â€œI still can't help but feel like I've let you all down,â€ Elias muttered, showing his emotions so easily.<br/><br/>Ivan shifted uncomfortably, still unable to get used to how easily Elias let down his guard. â€œI wouldn't say that you let us down though I do wish you had been more careful with everything. Still, there is no use in scolding you now, what's done is done.â€ Ivan let out a heavy breath, hoping this conversation didn't take too long. â€œWhat needs to be discussed is how should we handle things from here on out. It's obvious that Shizu is being targeted, for what...I'm not sure what they want with her but it is in our best interest to keep her safe.â€<br/><br/>Ivan knew that Shizu hadn't told Elias or Lucian that she was Oni and he knew that it would be exposed sooner than later. Levi and his back-up knew that she wasn't human now and that would play a big part in this situation now. They would have to monitor her even more now which probably meant that they would physically have to have someone with or around her, just to be safe. Iva almost wanted to talk to Zachariah again in order to see what he thought was the best plan of action but Ivan knew that he was still busy in Israel. They would have to handle this on their own, which was not something that was out of their hands. They would just have to be more vigilant until this all ended and hopefully it would blow over quickly.<br/><br/>â€œI understand that we need to be more careful,â€ Elias said. â€œDo you think I should set up the cameras again?â€<br/><br/>â€œThat would be a good idea,â€ Ivan stated, thinking about it for a moment. â€œAll the security systems that you took down needs to be put back up.â€<br/><br/>Shizu cleared her throat as she stood in the doorway with a tray of drinks, Elias let out a groan as she placed the drinks on the coffee table. She handed everyone a bottle of beer, her expression was unreadable as she took in the fact that they had been watching her. â€œShizu, look, it's not what you think.â€<br/><br/>â€œYou have been....watching me and that is all I need to know about the situation,â€ she quipped before taking a sig of her beer. Her nose scrunched slightly at the after taste but she refused to say anything else about the current situation at hand. If they had been monitoring her then that was what it was and she couldn't really get angry about it. There was still a part of her that made her feel uncomfortable that they had but she was sure that they had their reasons. She tried to be a very rational about what she had just heard but still she was slightly upset. She wasn't even sure how she felt about them setting up the security system again. It was her house...she had a right to say what went where but then again that would be selfish of her to do such a thing. She knew that they were only trying to protect her.<br/><br/>She appreciated the effort that they all put forth in order to protect her but she knew that she wasn't defenseless. She could probably handle her own given that she had the right training and guidance. She hadn't taken those self-defense classes or those gun safety courses for nothing. She wanted to be her own independent person. She no longer wanted to live with this fear that was holding onto her. She wanted to prove that she could make it by herself. Yet with this incident that had just happened, it showed that she couldn't really protect herself. She took another swig of her beer and let out a sigh. She really wasn't much of a drinker, but she found that it did help her relax.<br/><br/>â€œI would like to be a part of whatever decisions that you all will make...regarding my life,â€ Shizu said after the tense silence that fell over everyone. â€œThat is all that I ask for.â€<br/><br/>Elias nodded in agreement. He knew that he probably shouldn't have mentioned that he had set up cameras but eventually she would have found out one way or another. She was very quick to pick up on things, so it was hard to keep secrets from her. â€œWell, now that we have that out of the way. Where should we go from here?â€<br/><br/>Ivan took the beer, nursing on it from time to time. He knew that Shizu was probably unhappy with the fact they hadn't agreed to monitor her before she left. It had been stated that she was going to be watched from the moment she settled down, then this wouldn't have been a surprise to her. Then again, Ivan had wanted her to live a normal life with out the knowledge of being watched. The fact that she was taking it rather well surprised him but she had grown a lot over the last few months. He was proud of her for growing so fast, she could really have a normal life.<br/><br/>This last month had been rather taxing on all of them, everyone involved had been searching so hard for Shizu. The fact that they hadn't found her caused Ivan to feel as if he was lacking in his area of expertise. She was the one who had escaped on her own and called Elias, which took a lot of strength and courage to do. There had to have been more women in the building and the fact that she had also rescued them was admirable. The thought that she could be a part of the organization came back to him once more. He had thought of it before she had left to Toronto and now it had resurfaced, it was a god idea. Ivan felt that she could be very useful to their organization, though he was sure that many people would be against the idea.<br/><br/>Elias and Azrai may not be on bard, especially since they wanted her to lead a happy and safe life. Their line of work was not necessarily the happiest or the safest life in the world. Even though talk of Shizu had definitely died down after she left Israel, Ivan knew that if she came back the talk would begin once more. It was a shame to think that it would happen again but that was how humans could be. The truth was that no one could forget what they saw on the battlefield that day. The sight of Shizu in her Oni form was terrifying. It still sent chills down his spine thinking about how easily she had killed and how she had enjoyed it in that state. Still, that hadn't changed his view on her, he knew that she was a very sweet woman, especially with how she cared about Azrai.<br/><br/>Still, it was probably not the best idea ti bring up the idea of Shizu joining the organization. â€œWell, there are a lot of things to take into consideration. We still don't even know what they want with Shizu but Azrai mentioned that it was Levi...still that doesn't give me any leads.â€ He shifted while his brows furrowed in deep thought. â€œAzrai, do you have anything you wish to add?â€<br/><br/>------------<br/><br/>So maybe it wasn't a good idea to come at Levi as he had but still it was unfair to David. They had been business partners for a long time and this should not have been a secret kept between them. Of course, he knew that he was going to get hell from running away but would Levi have faced down that monster? He grunted a bit as he was slammed against the wall, not liking being man handled this way but he should have expected it. Levi was generally not a man who handled things violently but David knew that his plan, no his day, hadn't gone the way he had planned. So, he just let Levi get whatever he wanted off his chest, it was the best way for them to communicate more effectively. He was just thankful that Levi still wanted to keep him around and not do anything crazy like kill him.<br/><br/>His idea of turning around had played out rather well, though he knew that he would not be able to get away with turning around again. Levi was giving him a second chance and he would not take it for granted. Even if they had lost their second chance, the third time was a charm, right? There was nothing to worry about, once everyone calmed down, they would come up with a fool proof plan to retrieve the woman. He let out a faint breath of relief as Levi let him go and he straightened himself up a bit. He nodded his head in agreement as Levi suggested that they go back to the hideout and David followed him out of the building.<br/><br/>David took in the damage that had been done, he had to say that they were going against some formidable people, especially if they were the ones protecting the woman. From what David could tell, that woman didn't need that kind of protection but there had to be more going than what he knew of. He knew that he would have to get the full story from Levi eventually, especially if it meant risking his life. Normally, David didn't give two shits about what his partner wanted as long as he was getting paid. However, this time was different and David needed to know the plan and backstory one hundred percent. He was a people pleaser and he wanted to get the job done right, so Levi wouldn't blow up on him again.<br/><br/>Hopping into his car, he turned out of the area and drove off. He knew that they would need more people so he would have to get in touch with his contacts immediately once returning to base. They would need some people who did things without being told twice and ones who wouldn't piss of Levi. That wold be a hard thing to do seeing how Levi was very picky about those he could trust somewhat. David let out a slight sigh as he leaned back into his seat, thinking about all that had happened. Just what in the hell had he gotten himself into this time? Usually, he followed Levi's direction without hesitation but since he found of that woman wasn't human, it shook his world a bit.<br/><br/>He had never dealt with anything like this before, so he wasn't really sure where to form his plan from. It was not everyday that he came across a mark that wasn't human, hell, he thought that was all myths. The fact that Levi knew about her made him wonder how long he had been forming this plan. This was definitely going to push him to his limits. He could only hope that this time, he wasn't going to look in the face of death again. It was only an hour away, so this gave him time to mentally prepare himself for all the shit that was about to hit the fan with this mission.