Perhaps conversation was not the best approach to make the trip go by a little faster. For a long time after he had last spoken Shizu had been quiet, while he had found comfort in that silence he couldnâ€™t help but wonder if he was coming off as awkward. Considering the fact that Lucian has never been smooth with the ladies, he wouldnâ€™t be upset if she did want him to shut it. While he focused intently on flying he sank back in his seat and just stared at the clouds. Occasionally he would check to make sure he was still heading in the right direction or had to make a change in his path for whatever the reason.<br/><br/>Some might say that the sky was a boring place but here he truly felt like he was a peace. Sitting here flying in silence was probably the true comfort he had though he had to admit he was eager to get back home to Elias. It was difficult to explain or even get someone to fully understand the kind of bond they shared. Most people would think there was some sort of homosexual relationship going on between them, which would not be entirely off speaking in a friendship sort of way. That was just how close they were. That man was truly like a brother to him and he was starting to feel restless thinking about him. Only a few more hours to go before he touched ground and he simply could not wait, he wished he could somehow speed up their trip and get there already. He knew for a fact Elias was feeling the same way as well; the man was probably all over the place right now.<br/><br/>What would Elias do without him? He barely remembers the days when they had first met but he remembered the first time he had pried him away from his electronics for a day. The man seemed like he was going to fall apart being away from a computer but in the end they had truly enjoyed their time together. On that day Lucian was pretty much convinced that they would be friends for a very long time, if not forever, despite everything they had gone through before and after that day. There really have been many rough times between them, which he thinks about constantly. He was sure that nothing would be able to tear them apart unless it was something serious but even then he had his doubts. It was true that they were two different people who had very different hobbies. They both lived somewhat reclusive lifestyles, Lucian always flying here and there and Elias sitting in front of his computer, but that has never stopped them from being friends before.<br/><br/>Lucian, feeling more and more restless as time passed, had sunk back against his seat again. By now most people would feel cramped being shoved into such a small place for several hours but he was use to it for the most part. Car rides were what bothered him, but then again he often did not like being on the ground anyway. The sky was much more liberating and you didnâ€™t have to deal with moron drivers and bad traffic; he has terrible road rage and was an even worse back seat driver. That was part of the reason he had taken a nap during the drive with Ivan. He has tried to tone it down but people piss him off too much when it comes to driving. Flying from place to place was so much easier; otherwise he would probably just take a bus or hitch a ride with Elias if he had to go somewhere. Gas was ridiculously expensive these days anyway. Perhaps now that Shizu would be in their care he should probably invest in getting his car fixed in case he needed to get somewhere quickly.<br/><br/>When Shizu said Toronto sounded like a place she would enjoy and seemed excited about what Elias had set up for her, he couldnâ€™t help but smile. â€œWell, I certainly hope you will. Wouldnâ€™t want you to be displeasedâ€¦â€ He told her, shifting his gaze towards her for a moment while she messed with her hair; she really did need a bit of a trim now that his attention was drawn to it. He didnâ€™t think she was impatient at all, but again that could come from him not being smooth with the ladies. He merely took it as she wanted to just go out and explore.<br/><br/>Shizu really did seem like someone who had been through a lot and was satisfied by the small things in life that it was quite relieving. After all, the organization had done so much for her how could she not be appreciative? She had better be or he was taking her to Toronto for nothing, he would be utterly livid if she wasnâ€™t appreciative. It was kind of funny coming from him considering several people have made it clear he doesnâ€™t always seem appreciative. It was nice hearing that she was looking forward to living on her own and starting a new life. Lucian was sure that she would be fine once she got settled it. Moving from place to place, not knowing what the location was like, it really was a pretty scary thing he would admit. When he started out, flying was a pretty scary experience and he sure as hell had not expected to love it as much as he does now. Going from place to place, heading into the unknown, he worried about it back then and Elias hadnâ€™t helped much with his concerns either.<br/><br/>The man was really not all that clingy, ok maybe sometimes, but he knows how to deter him from doing something either way.<br/><br/>â€œIt shouldnâ€™t be too much longer, Iâ€™d say three or four hours at most. You might want to prepare yourself in case you experience some jet lag.â€ That was something he probably figured out during the flight from Japan to Israel, the difference in time. Now they were heading all the way across the ocean, which to him was always boring scenery and he could not wait until he saw some land. He had been flying for quite a long time so jet lag barely bothered him like it use to. His internal clock had pretty much gone to shit and there was no way he would ever be able to get on some sort of â€˜normalâ€™ sleep schedule. Even when he didnâ€™t have work to do he couldnâ€™t get on a schedule and just ended up sleeping a day straight. Feeling completely fine afterwards, he really didnâ€™t need that much sleep. Right now was that exception, he was tired, too tired to be flying, the only thing keeping him going was the fact he would be seeing Elias soon.<br/><br/>He wondered what all Elias had set up for her already, knowing what he did about the man he was sure that he had every little thing planned out. Shizu would probably be all settled in by the end of the month. That really would take a load off of everyone. He trusted Elias had everything set up but there was still this concern itching at the back of his mind that he could not place his finger on. Maybe it was the fact he wanted to make sure Shizu was safe, or maybe it was because he was still feeling a little down because he had agreed to take her out of Israel and drag her to a new place miles away. Whatever it was, the feeling was quite unsettling and made him a little uncomfortable. He rubbed his shoulder again while he thought of an answer, but came up with nothing.<br/><br/>A small part of him wished he could drown out the engine noise with some music. Background noise would be wonderful right about now, it would certainly help him take his mind off of everything and escape into his own little world. The silence had faded from comfortable to unnerving and it was making him feel uneasy. Maybe it was just because he was tired and wanted to get back home to his best friend.<br/><br/>When he got home, Lucian would probably take a shower and shave first thing he does after he sees Elias. He doesnâ€™t shave often to begin with but a nice, hot shower would really hit the spot. Along with an ice cold beer, of course, he really could not wait until he got a taste of some Samuel Adams, or Budweiser, depending on his mood. He would leave the decision to Elias, what they should have to drink, simply because he was far too tired to decide what kind of mood he was in. After that he would get some much needed sleep and wake up and hope things were back to normal. As normal as they were going to be until they got Shizu all situated, that is. How long would it take for her to get situated? Lucian imagined it would be quite awhile and silently hoped that she was the kind of person who adjusts quickly. After travelling to two different countries in the same week, he was sure she was. But in the end, he could only hope, he was sure the others were wondering the same.<br/><br/>â€œAre you sure youâ€™ll be fine on your own? If you ever need anything you just let either Elias or myself know and weâ€™ll do all we can for you.â€ He hoped that was a bit of reassurance on his part, though knowing his luck his foot probably just landed in his mouth. Would she even be allowed to speak to Elias and him?<br/><br/><br/>------------------<br/><br/>It was during times like these where Zachariah truly felt blessed to have such wonderful people as his friends and followers. Having such motivated people backing the organization truly made him feel better about himself, it was an honor. It was truly a gift from God to have things turn out alright for him in the end, especially after having to rebuild a second time after that â€˜eventâ€™ five years ago. That nap had really done him some good because he was more than ready to do what he needed to get the organization back on its feet. He wished that Ivan and Maverick would rest but he understood that they wanted to help and there was still the matter of speaking with Azrai, which he was not looking forward to. Knowing the man was probably upset with them he just wanted to give the man his space and keep working on getting the base situated for the time being. This had to be taken one step at a time, rather than tackle everything at once.<br/><br/>However, despite how blessed he was to have such hard workers he really did wish that he wasnâ€™t stuck with such stubborn people. Did they not know the meaning of rest? This had been a long day and they have already done so much. Perhaps he should stop hounding them and just let them do as they pleased, he wasnâ€™t their father. He was always looking out for them and only wanted them to be well rested. A quick nap had done wonders for him though he did still feel a bit worn out and wished he could sleep a little longer. His job was never done around here. It never would be, but he would never give this up for as long as he lived he would defend the Holy Land as Godâ€™s chosen soldier. His army would strike down anything that dared stand in their way. Fear would be seared into anyone who dared try and take him out. Once everyone had recovered, he would be sure to keep the organization well hidden, and he would make sure that they were stronger than ever.<br/><br/>As far as what Ivan had in mind, he gave a nod of approval to all of it.<br/><br/>There was only one unfortunate thing to come out of this. Whoever showed signs of going against the organization must be killed, he would not have a repeat of what happened with Raziel. This was something he should have done long ago, even now he was a bit reluctant to resort to this, but he was becoming more and more aware that he was going to need to step up his game in case more competition showed up. Religion was a touchy subject; so long as it existed people would always fight against each other. He was going to make sure his organization was kept stable to the best of his ability. That being said, he had heard some of the comments the others had made about Shizu and they were not sitting well with him either. When he gave his speech later on he was going to make sure that he included that he was not happy about what they were saying and lay into them about it. They really should be grateful that she had been on their side.<br/><br/>Unfortunately he would not be able to voice his plans right then and there. When the woman came and informed them that Azrai had left his room, Zachariah could hear Maverick groan with frustration while he rubbed a hand over his face. Zachariah also sighed heavily. Leave it to Azrai to be a pain in the ass whenever he was in a bad moodâ€¦ Then again, Maverick was starting to feel bad for not letting him out for some fresh air. Being in that room for as long as he had probably drive him crazy, he would be sure to make it up to him somehow once they were ready to call it a day.  He wasnâ€™t sure how he felt about Ivan beginning alcohol back with him either especially now that Azrai was up and, evidently, moving around. That manâ€™s drinking habits were some of the worst he has seen in his life but then again he hasnâ€™t grown up around too many alcoholics to compare him to. He didnâ€™t like seeing the man drink and he was sure that everyone else was feeling the same way.<br/><br/>Ivan seemed a little hesitant but it was only right that he was the one to go see Azrai right now. He was the only one out of everyone who was considered his best friend. They had an odd friendship that they managed to keep solid after everything they go through together. Maverick often wondered how the hell he ended up as part of that friendship, sometimes he felt a little out of place. Now when he looks at it he realized how valuable he was in their little triangle, how well they all fit together and work well with each other even though they were all different. He truly wished he could come out here more like this, cursing that he lived so far away. He would have to go home once everything was done, too, and would be sure to let them know he would try to come out to Israel more often. It was a nice change of pace from what he had to deal with back home on a day to day basis.<br/><br/>AS Ivan left Zachariah pulled Maverick to the side, placing something in his hands. â€œI want this to be put in a safe place. Pray that we donâ€™t need to resort to using it again.â€<br/><br/>Maverick looked at the gun Zachariah had given him and then nodded, â€œI know a good placeâ€¦â€ he said hesitantly. Even holding the thing made him feel uneasy, he wondered how Ivan felt while he had been holding this gun. Ivan had been the one to fire it and kill those things and he assumed Zachariah had used it to kill Raziel. Taking this gun somewhere and locking it away sounded like the best optionâ€¦ he was content with never seeing it again.<br/><br/>He left Zachariah to attend to whatever it was he needed and headed into a back room. This room was the most secure in the base at the moment. This would be the best place to keep this gun, until Zachariah decided to either dispose of it, which was close to the top of his wishful thinking list, or start working on improving it. As he tucked the gun away in a safe, he shuddered at the thought of the gun being improved and being used again. Maybe if he brought up his concerns, Zachariah would listen to him. He has always been the one to protest things. Perhaps they would just ignore him, though he knew they wouldnâ€™t just blow him off like he was someone insignificant, maybe they would tell him the gun would always be needed. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew it might be needed again but refused to accept it. Part of him wanted to smash the gun beyond recognition.<br/><br/>There was a hammer right there in the room that somebody had evidently left behind. His gaze lingered upon it for a moment, shaking his head when he realized that wouldnâ€™t really be wise. In the end his opinions would remain hidden within him and that was that.<br/><br/>------------------<br/><br/>It really was nice to get away from everything for awhile, though by now he was sure that everyone had realized he was missing. Azrai sighed and leaned against the wall a little more wincing a bit as pain moved through his torso. While he sat here in this room he thought a lot about the events that happened. Trying to figure out where he had gone wrong, why he had become attached, so he had something to tell the others once they all pinned him down and interrogated him, he let out a soft exhale and ran a hand through his hair. He was coming up with nothing that gave any sort of closure. It was frustrating, no matter what he would come up with it just didnâ€™t seem to click the way he wanted it to. Being so unstable thanks to the drugs and the poison and whatever else didnâ€™t exactly help either. Normally he would have just said fuck it and cleared his mind but thatâ€™s what happens whenever he is deprived of the alcohol he so desperately needed right now.<br/><br/>His mind would always get caught up on something and it would nag him until he was able to drown it out. Considering he was an alcoholic most people would just assume that he used alcohol as an escape, he would not deny that. However the reality of it was he beats himself up and jumps to conclusions so he needed alcohol to help keep him sane. All he wanted right now was to relax and just let the day pass already. Some fresh air would be nice as well since he was getting really sick and tired of being in here and wanted to see some sunlight. He was already beginning to feel like he was losing is mind sitting in this dark room and wondered if he should leave. Then again his body was still in so much pain that he wondered if he would be able to stand again. If he had some alcohol he would be able to block out the painâ€¦ without resorting to the other method he uses to block out pain. There was no need for him to fall into a murderous state of mind.<br/><br/>Azrai shook his head and lightly rubbed his eyes as he tried to clear his mind. Sinking back into the mattress a bit more he relaxed is shoulders and winced a little, breathing a little heavy from the amount of pain he was in. He still felt a little nauseous though it wasnâ€™t as strong as it had been when he had first retreated to this room. Being in this state was not something he enjoyed, eventually it would pass. For now he needed to focus on getting some rest and surprisingly he found it easier now that he was alone, in the darkness. Silence has always been something that comforted him especially when alcohol was not available to him. How the hell he had managed to make it this far was beyond him, but he supposed he had been so desperate to get away from everything. If there was a will, there was a way and he always seemed to find a way as strong willed as he was. Somehow he always managed to find a way to be stubborn to the point where he knew it drove everyone mad.<br/><br/>Especially Ivan, to whom Azrai often was the biggest thorn in ones side most of the time no matter how much the man put up with him. He wondered if their friendship would be threatened again because of this. No matter how much they argued with each other they always remained friends, but thisâ€¦ this was something different compared to what they have faced before. When they finally did have their conversation he had a few choice words for him, if it came down to it he was even willing to let his fists do the talking since the man knew how to get to him. They have been friends for a very long time and Ivan was the only one he has ever fully opened up to, he has just never been as close to Maverick as he was with Ivan. It never mattered how many fights they got into they were always friends at the end of the day. For some reason Azrai truly felt that things might change, that Ivanâ€™s opinion of him had changed.<br/><br/>He jumped a little when he heard the knock.<br/><br/>Speak of the Devil, when the man in his thoughts entered the room he shifted on the mattress a bit and sat a bit straighter, sighing at the sarcastic comment he made about the room. He wasnâ€™t really in the mood for sarcasm or he would have said some snarly remark back. He still felt a little shaky but hoped that by straightening his posture a bit more he wouldnâ€™t look as pathetic as he felt though his wounds had protested any sort of movement. If he wasnâ€™t feeling like shit he would have been a bit more responsive than he was currently. His gaze fell to the bottle of wine Ivan had brought with him the moment he held it up. At this point he didnâ€™t care about the brand, he just wanted alcohol. He would never sink to the level of drinking mouthwash or alcohol used for medical purposes, he wasnâ€™t that desperate. If he was then he would have drank down some of the bottles of medical alcohol that were in the storage room by now. Yes, Ivan did truly know him well.<br/><br/>It didnâ€™t surprise him that it had been Ivan of all people who had found his little hiding place. The man knew him better than he knew himself most days. He wouldnâ€™t have expected any less from him, though some days he did wonder how he still manages to put up with him. Especially with everything he puts him through, he would have expected him to just walk away but he never has. Not once, not even when he fell into depression and drank himself numb after Cassandra passed away. He quickly cleared his thoughts of Cassandra, knowing that it was best he didnâ€™t think about her. He still had feelings for her even after all these years. She was the one person he could not let go of, he still misses her some daysâ€¦ part of him hoped that it would not be as difficult to let go of Shizu. If he did have a hard time he was sure that Ivan would give him a kick in the ass to make sure that he didnâ€™t.<br/><br/>â€œDid you expect me to stay in that room for long?" He murmured quietly, not really sure what else to say. "I felt like I was going to lose my mindâ€¦ Some fresh air would be wounderful right about now.â€ As he accepted the glass he grinned faintly, his hands no longer trembling as bad as they had been before, seeming to perk up a bit though, and drank down most of the glass. He had a feeling he knew why Ivan was here, appreciating that he didnâ€™t sound as worried as he probably was, aside from just spending time with his friend. Azrai has always felt that Ivan always worried too much about him. Eventually Shizu would be brought up and he was already expecting a long conversation to come out of it. Most likely violent, too, but he hoped it wouldnâ€™t come down to that especially with his current injuries. He didnâ€™t need any more bruises to add to the collection. For now he was not going to bring it up to make it obvious he was anticipating it, just wanting to relax.<br/><br/>Having a drink did make him feel a little better. Wishing he had more, a soft sigh escaped him, he eyed the bottle before he finished off what remained of the glass and set it beside him for the time being His brow furrowed. He could already feel the headache from their argument coming on and tried his best to block it out for now.<br/><br/>He looked away from Ivan for a moment, he probably seemed a little tense, too, while he did, unable to look Ivan in the eye, â€œAre youâ€¦ upset with me?â€ Wincing as he moved his arm, he ran a hand through his hair and looked back to Ivan. He had tried not to make obvious but he couldnâ€™t help that his anticipation showed a bit. In the end he couldnâ€™t help himself, always someone who just liked to get things over with. He knew Ivan had not insinuated in any way or shape that he was upset with him or that he was going to bring Shizu up in their conversation but it would help ease his mind if he knew for sure. That said, he was not talking about the mission in particular, but rather him going off and getting as injured as he had just to protect someone in generalâ€¦ Ok, maybe he was asking if he was upset about everything that had happened, from his injuries to his attachment to Shizu which had caused him to fall into that dark state and come close to death.<br/><br/>Even if he was not in the mood to argue he just needed to know, perhaps it would help him find some closure before everyone else decided to give him hell once again for accepting this mission. Part of him wanted to start explaining himself right here and now but he doubted Ivan would listen to him. That was how arguments started, he would try to explain himself and Ivan would just think he was beating himself up or just being stubborn like always.<br/><br/>Maybe it was just best that they didnâ€™t talk about it right nowâ€¦<br/><br/>Perhaps he should try to change the subject. That way they could just keep a casual conversation and relax, but he knew that was not going to happen. Unfortunately he was just tooâ€¦ jumbled to think of something decent to steer away from the events that occurred over the past few days. He really didnâ€™t know how else to put it. Sighing heavily he shook his head, leaning back against the wall again and looked at the ground as if deep in thought. Having some decent clothes would be night right about now as well, he thought to himself as a shiver crawled up his spine. Now there was a conversation starter. For some reason he couldnâ€™t bring himself to speak his mind but then again he didnâ€™t want to hear some sarcastic comment from Ivan should he bring it up either. He simply was not in the mood for any of that right now no matter how hard he tried to put himself in the mood or at least pretend. Perhaps like everyone else, he was unable to relax.<br/><br/>â€œHave youâ€¦ heard anything from Zachariah about how we are going about rebuilding the organization?â€ He tried his best to pretend he had not asked his previous question by asking a different one suddenly. It was probably more than evident how out of it he was when he asked it. Being this out of it was rather unusual, but he just assumed it was because he was still recovering. He really didnâ€™t care right now; he just needed some time to relax even if he was feeling both restless and uneasy.<br/><br/>------------------<br/><br/>Zachariah had been walking around the base checking to make sure that everything was going smoothly. He was very pleased with what Maverick had done and was confident that this base would come together nicely once everything was set up. It was going to take some time, but he was confident that God would continue to watch over him and his organization. Every now and then he would poke into a few places and give a few orders, if something did not please him. He wanted everything to be perfect, even if there was a chance that this may not be their permanent base, if something was off he would not be happy. Slacking off was not something he liked, and when he came across a few of those he gave them a piece of his mind. Half of the hallway he had been in had heard the scolding and picked up the pace. He was not too much of a slave driver, not like Maverick, he would allow rests, but that didnâ€™t mean he tolerated it when people were slacking off.<br/><br/>Rounding a corner he came to the main area where everyone had helped themselves to the drinks Ivan had brought. His followers all seemed to perk up in his presence and in return he smiled at them. Though tired, his followers seemed to be reveling in their victory. Some of them had even simmered down and murmurs of Shizu had stopped.<br/><br/>There was still some alcohol left, so Zachariah grabbed a glass and helped himself. Sometimes a drink or two really did help him calm down a bit whenever he was having a rough day. After a day like today, he felt that it was especially needed. He leaned against the wall and slowly sipped at his glass, silently observing the conversing crowd in the area. That nap had done him wonders but this was the first time he had actually took some time to just relax for a moment. Sometimes he drove himself a bit too hard and he didnâ€™t take a lot of time to rest. Perhaps this was God stepping in for once telling him to stop for awhile, that things would fall into place slowly. If that was the case he would have accepted the rest either way. There was still so much to do, as Zachariah said he was not in a rush.