Xavier Avana's Journey

April 2019...

Alona: I know when I am bested. The Shapers are no more.

Commissioner: Put your hands behind your back ma’am. No funny business.

*Alona does as she’s asked and she is handcuffed. The commissioner stars to lead her away.*

Xavier: Wait!

*Alona smiles as the commissioner turns her towards Xavier.*

Xavier: Where is Zenas?

Two weeks later...

*Xavier sped down the highway on his motorcycle, Cassie behind him holding on tight as they raced towards their next destination. Alona had said the Shapers were no more, that was a lie. There were still holdouts everywhere. One of them had Zenas. That was the only explanation. Not that Alona had said as such, but she hadn't needed to. He knew she would never tell him where to find the man that had started it all. The man that Alona and the others betrayed and drove away. Was he safe? Alona hadn't said so either. Xavier knew before he could move on with his life he had to take care of this last piece of Shaper business. He had to find the Shaper cells, dismantle them, and find Zenas so he could finally go home to his family. It had been a long journey, but Xavier had a feeling things were just beginning. It felt a little too easy the day they took down the Pentagrams, the pillars of Shaper society. Then Luke escaped custody. No one knew how he got out, but he disappeared like a shadow in darkness. Xavier wondered if he had quit, or was biding his time. It didn't really matter one way or the other. If he had to face Luke again he would. Whatever it took to bring his old friend home once and for all.*

Cassie: Xavier, next exit.

*Cassie's words brought him out of his thoughts. The two had started, with police help, tracking any sign of Shaper activity, so they could the organization down for good, the organization the two of them had helped build. They were once revered among the Shaper ranks. Now they were public enemy number one. They were okay with that though. Xavier made the turn. They were about ten miles out now. It was gonna be just the two of them. Police presence would cause the Shapers to flee and just regroup elsewhere. he and Cassie were an adept strike team. Get in, break them down, see if they can obtain intel, get out. He pulled the motorcycle into a field in front of a seemingly abandoned building. Typical Shaper set up. The more abandoned a place looks the more people tend to leave it alone. There were no guards out front, that meant this unit was sloppy, or they'd been made and it truly was abandoned. Either way, there would be a clue for Xavier, something to propel him to the next destination, there had to be. Xavier and Cassie locked the bike around a decrepit tree and made their way up towards the building. Xavier glanced around, but there was no place for any spies to hide. They got to the entrance and each took a side. Xavier motioned Cassie inside. The place was illuminated by moonlight alone so he quickly lost sight of her but soon she gave a low whistle. It was the all-clear sign. Xavier made his way in, a little frustration starting to boil inside him. Just an empty building. The Shapers here had gone, and they'd been gone for awhile too if the lack of tracks was any indication. They made their way to a staircase. Xavier motioned for Cassie to go up, meanwhile he would continue to scour the bottom floor. She started her ascent and Xavier went back to searching for anything, a note, a scrap of clothing, anything to prove the Shapers had been here. He had gotten pretty good at finding the little things these past two weeks. He hadn't had much choice. The Shapers were scrambling with four of the five Pentagons locked away and they were clearly trying to keep what they had left. Xavier couldn't just let it lie though. Maybe if Alona had told him where Zenas was, maybe if she swore to leave him and his family alone. He knew that wouldn't happen though. Moments later, Cassie came back down and shrugged her shoulders. She hadn't found anything. Xavier turned to leave the way they had come in when he saw it. Pinned to the wall where they had enter, it was a Pentagram's badge. It was a message. Xavier pulled it from the wall. He showed it to Cassie, before pocketing it. There was going to be nothing else here. Time to head to the next location. The two made their way out of the building and unlocked the motorcycle. They drove off into the night to continue the journey.*