X-Z-2

"Is that Shen's bomb?"

"You mean Shen's solution to third world poverty and end to nuclear power?"

"So far, it's only been used as a bomb."

"Bitar used it as a bomb, and he forced Shen to build it. We need to find 'em, so let's go!"

-Gabe Logan and Lian Xing discuss the purpose of the X-Z-2 during the destruction of Bitar's cave

The X-Z-2 (literally translated, 'Xian-Zhi-Chi-Er' from Chinese, "无限量子电池二", or 'Infinite Quantum Battery Device, Mark 2') was the brainchild of Doctor Shen Rei and the main plot device for which most of the factions in Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow were vying.

History

Designed originally to prevent hunger and poverty in third-world countries, the X-Z-2 eventually came under scrutiny from multiple nations.

• America wanted it to advance its status as superpower
• Syrian terrorists wanted to weaponise the machine
• The Chinese wanted to re-acquire Shen
• The British wanted Shen as well
• The Russians were also looking for Shen

Desperate to capture the professor before other nations could, Cordell dispatched Ghassan al-Bitar to the USS Mt. St. Helens, which he intentionally left alone without an escort in uncharted waters in the Indian Ocean. Using waves of thugs, Bitar overtook the ship and attempted to interrogate various personnel in order to access the secure holds in which the device was kept. Cordell later sent Special Forces to recapture the ship; they failed and Gabe Logan of the IPCA was then briefed. Despite Teresa Lipan's reservations, he agreed to go and succeeded in reaching the cargo holds, but failed to stop Bitar from escaping. Cordell, in a bitter twist of irony, himself later ordered that the ship be scuttled by Fifth Fleet to kill the terrorist. Meanwhile, Dr Shen defected and took a top secret research project with him, seeking amnesty with a Western nation. Considered by many to China's Albert Einstein, his invention promised to revolutionize the energy industry.

With the X-Z-2 safely in his hands, Bitar attempts to drive Western influence from his country by destroying the reason they are here, and subsequently destroys an oil field in Iraq using one device, proving that the device could be used as a weapon.

Eventually, following Gabe Logan's rescue of Lian Xing from al-Jamil's bunker, it emerged that Bitar forced Shen to produce numerous X-Z-2's and the last batch was being removed as the protagonists encountered Malak. Most of the devices were permanently entombed inside al-Jamil's bunker when Cordell's air strike flattened the compound. The surviving four had been rigged to charge at Nahl al Khabur. Bitar fled with one device when Gabe reached the charge room. The terrorist was cutting his losses, trying to ensure at least one device could be delivered onto its target. Shen, however, had sabotaged the last device, rigging it as a dud. Logan eventually destroyed the battery and incinerated Bitar in the explosion.

Ghassan al-Bitar and an al-Jamil thug with an X-Z-2 following the St. Helens' assault