Mike groaned as he glanced at Ryan. "W-what do you mean, I can't go back to Braxton?"

"You just can't," Ryan responded. "We've arrested Braxton."

"W-what happened to my sister, I just want to make sure she's okay; Nathaniel said he called her…"

"You can't talk to her, she's full of shit. Honestly, it's your fault Braxton got arrested, if you wouldn't have been so loud, we wouldn't have been called!"

"I…"

"It's your fault, and NO, you can't talk to your sister. Or I'll kill her."

"I w-won't talk to her! Just d-don't hurt her," Mike pleaded, knowing Levi would be totally scared. "W-what about the shelter, I could go there?"

The man nodded, "That's where you're going."

"G-good, but I think Clarissa may try and come. She worries about me," Levi said.

"Then we have to leave now," Ryan said. He gestured to his gun. "Come on."

"I-I….hang on," Mike said. "C-can I have a minute?"

"Yeah, sure." Ryan stepped outside.

Mike quickly grabbed the phone, dialed Charlie's number, but didn't say anything. He put the phone back on the hook so it looked like it hadn't been touched. He quickly grabbed the stuff he had.

Ryan came in. "Almost ready?"

"Yeah," Mike said. "This shelter...Is it free? My stuff is all at Braxton's house."

"It's a homeless shelter for abused males. It's free."

"Good," Mike responded as he grabbed his backpack. Ryan signed him out, and it didn't escape Mike's knowledge that Ryan slipped the nurse $500.

"Now," Ryan said as they got in the car, "We need to talk. Or, moreso...I need to talk while you listen."

Mike remained silent.

"Despite what you may think this shelter is for your own fucking safety. You fuck up and I'll be after your ass. You listen, and you'll get to go back to Braxton. You fuck up, and I'll kill Clarissa."

"P-please don't kill Clarissa! I'll be good," Mike said, knowing Levi would freak out.

"You won't talk to her?"

"Right. W-whatever you want, Sir."

"Good." Ryan opened the door to the shelter. "Hi, Mickey. How are you?"

Mickey stood at 5'6, had blonde hair, and looked like he could beat anyone up. Mike wondered if Briggs knew about the fact that he was at the shelter, but decided he must have had too approve it. He looked at Mickey distrustfully.

"Hi. Backpack?"

Mike handed him the backpack, looking scared.

"Good boy," Mickey said as he dropped it in the closet. "Here." He handed Mike his shelter outfit. "Those are your clothes. Ryan, show him to the shower and then to his room. Levi, I want you back here in fifteen minutes."

"Yes, sir."

"Showered."

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Take him to his room."

Mike was finished in five. He glanced down at the outfit. It was nothing that stood out; just blue jeans and a shirt.

"Good, you're ready early," the man said. "I'm Mickey. I take it you're Braxton's?"

"Braxton's? But I thought-"

"I suppose you thought you were coming here to get away from him."

"I th-thought R-ryan said…"

"Bah. No, boy. You're coming here to get trained on how to survive a relationship with him, and how to address the needs of our organization."

Mike stared at him, blinking slowly as he tried to process the statement. "Organization, like a cult?"

"Damn, he doesn't let you out much does he? Never matter. You've seen your bed, you'll be working in the kitchen."

"Okay…" Mike followed him around for the tour, then was finally let back in his room. Twenty minutes later, a roommate came in.

"Hi, I'm Nate," the guy said. Mike looked at him carefully - he couldn't be older than twenty. He also noticed the back of his shirt read DANIEL.

"Why does the back of your shirt read Daniel, then?" Mike asked.

"What's your name?" Nate asked, ignoring the question as he ran a hand through his blonde hair.

"Levi…"

"Why does your shirt say Braxton, then?"

"I d-don't know…. Braxton is my boyfriend," Mike said, catching on even though he didn't let it show. So Nate, whoever he was, must be in a "relationship" with Daniel.

"Hah, that's a good one. I suppose you think he loves you, too," Daniel snorted as he sat on his bunk. "Look, kid. Braxton owns you."

"He owns me?"

"Yeah. It's how it works."

"Oh," Mike said, quiet for awhile as he stared at the wall-it was going to be a long-ass week.

## break ##

Briggs glanced at the man he had been investigating for the past two weeks. "I think you're forgetting that Levi is mine! It took me four months of hard work to train Levi how I want him. You'll undo that!"

"Relax, I'm not saying forever. I just want to know what makes him so obedient."

Letting out a sigh, Briggs sat down. "I go off at random times. I don't stick to 'this is right' and 'this is wrong' - it's carefully designed to make him worry about everything. Look, rather than you taking him, why don't I train your slave kid, Benedict?"

"I don't know…" Benedict paused.

"Then you can see why I'm hesitant about letting Levi out of my grip. I want him to go to the shelter, he needs to learn his place. But every time I leave him alone with just one person, he comes back more rebellious than before."

"I can understand. Especially that Clarissa bitch, am I right?"

"Yes. I never let him talk to her, but sometimes he does it against my will. I'd really like him broken of that. It's the only thing he won't cooperate with me on."

"We can certainly break him of that at the shelter," the man nodded. "Let's talk about the best way to do that…"

## break ##

Mike glanced at Nate as he walked in. "It's suppertime. I hear tomorrow you'll be starting in the kitchen."

"Yeah, that's correct. Word gets around fast doesn't it?"

"They start all newbies in the kitchen. Come on," Nate said as he lead the way. "You eat with your bunk."

"How long have you been here?"

"A week."

"You like it?"

Nate gave him a strange look before he got in line for food. "I get fed here. That's about the upside of the whole damn thing."

"Do you think you'll leave Daniel when this is done?" Mike asked as they entered the serving area.

"Hell no." Nate held out his plate for food before he walked back to his table. "You can't ask that shit here, man. I'm fucking serious, they'll kill you."

"Kill me?"

"Yeah. If you want to stay alive, do NOT suggest leaving Braxton."

"I...okay," Mike said as he took a bite of his food.

Well, this was certainly turning out to be an interesting case….

## break ##

Stay tuned to see what happens next...

Speaking of which, what's YOUR take on what happens next?