"Y-you called me?" Mike asked. He had made Levi's character take on more stuttering. He felt it fitting to the circumstance.

"Yes," Mickey said. "I heard you suggesting someone leave their boyfriend."

"I was asking! I didn't understand," Mike pleaded.

Mickey stared at him for a minute in silence before saying,. "I don't think that's okay."

"I d-didn't know-"

"I think that you might need another lesson," The man smiled. "Will you talk to Clarissa?"

"N-no..."

Briggs stepped out then. Mike paled, backing away, playing his role as Levi fully now. "I don't believe him, Mickey."

"Neither do I..."

Briggs grabbed him then, tilting his chin up so that Levi was forced to look at him. "Are you going to talk to Clarissa? If you talk to her, we'll kill you."

"N-no! I w-won't talk to her, please. I promise, I promise!"

Mickey grabbed him by the arms, pulling him back towards a back room. "You promise?"

"Yes."

"I don't believe him," Mickey said as he grabbed Mike by his shoulders and moving him to the tub of water. "Will you promise not to contact Clarissa?"

"Yes! I d-don't, I mean I w-won't, contact her!" he said. "Please!"

Mickey grabbed him and shoved him under water. Mike struggled not to inhale any. Mickey let him out after ten seconds.

Knowing Levi would be terrified, Mike didn't hide any tears running down his face. "I-I w-won't, Braxton, please... I promise."

"I almost believe you," Briggs responded. "Perhaps we should ease off, Mickey."

"No, he's just scared. He doesn't actually mean it." Mickey shoved him under the water.

This time he was under long enough he felt himself gasp for breath. "I-I, I... I won't... I promise...please..."

"Okay, that's enough. Lock him in solitary for a night," Briggs ordered.

"Maybe one last time?"

"I think you're forgetting he's my boy, I know when he's broken, and he's broken as fuck. Let me talk to him," Briggs ordered.

"Right, right." Mickey backed away.

"I'm checking him out for an hour," Briggs said as he signed some papers. "Or so. We'll be back."

"Right," Mickey said.

Mike didn't say anything on the drive out of town. The drive lasted two hours before they pulled back at the beach. "Are you okay, Mike?"

"Do I look okay?" Mike asked, looking anywhere but Briggs. "I cried in front of you - what the fuck does that suggest?"

"Mike, damn it. That doesn't make you weak, you were playing Levi. I know that."

Mike sighed, "I know. I just... Damn it!" he said, grabbing a rock and angrily skipping it across the water. He paused before sinking into the grass. "I just am so sick of this case. I can't talk to anyone at Graceland, I can't talk to you, I can't talk to my therapist..."

"Oh, fuck," Briggs muttered as he hit himself on the head. "I totally forgot about your therapist... Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just... I'm tired of being so weak all the time."

Briggs grabbed Mike before he could throw other rock. "You are not weak."

"Really? Because it feels pretty damn close to it."

"Don't you ever think like that," Briggs snapped. "Remember, your character, Levi, has been through the war with me. He's been through hell. You've been through hell."

"I should be able to take it, though."

Briggs sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Come sit down," he said, gesturing over towards the sand. Mike hesitated, but did so.

"What would you say to someone who was in your shoes, but wasn't undercover?"

"That they should get out of here, and get help - but-"

"Would you call them stupid? Would you say they were dumb for staying?"

"In my exact shoes? No, I can understand-"

"You're not weak, Mike. I promise you, you're not weak. You're trapped in a situation that's sucky as hell because you're undercover."

Mike broke a relieved grin. "Thanks. I just feel so tense."

"I understand." Briggs yawned. "I know you have a worse role than me, and it sucks."

"Damn straight. Thanks for snapping me out of that."

"What are friends for? Now, you're not weak. Got -"

"I got it. So, surf's up?"

## break ##

Briggs nodded to the other man in the house. "Benedict?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't know what to do with my boy, man."

"What about it? I could take him, train him for a few days."

"That won't be necessary..."

"What are you so afraid of? I won't hurt him."

Briggs raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, I won't hurt him, much."

Hesitating for a minute, Briggs sighed as he thought it over. On one hand, it got Mike out of the shelter.

On a different hand - it would get Mike exposed to totally different people and further their role undercover.

"What assurance do I have that your training isn't going to fuck him up?"

"Look, we can adjust that anklet bracelet of his so it has video and tracking - you'll be able to see everything I do."

"Deal," Briggs said. What a better way to get evidence than that? "But we damn well better have some rules before you fuck up my boy."

## break ##

FOUR DAYS LATER

"Levi?" someone asked, standing next to Briggs.

Mike's head snapped up, and he frowned. "Y-yes?"

Nate appeared then. "What do you want with Levi?"

"You're just a slave, so shut up. Unless you want a week in solitary?" the man standing next to Briggs questioned.

"No..." Nate said, shooting Mike a look that said, I'm sorry, I tried.

Mike didn't acknowledge him, but focused on the two in front of him. "Y-yes?"

"I've been talking with Benedict, here. He's in charge of the shelter," Briggs said. "You'll be staying with him for the week."

"Wh-what?"

"Yes. You'll be going with him, and helping him out with some of the things he needs."

"Nate, who is your owner?"

"D-daniel," Nate responded, looking worriedly at the two.

"Damn, boy." Benedict sized him up before turning to Briggs. "Stay here a minute and give Levi the rules, help him put on his additional bracelet and I'll be back."

Briggs nodded. "Sit on the bed, Levi."

"W-what's going on, Braxton?"

"Benedict needs your help for the week," Briggs responded as he adjusted the bracelet on Mike's foot. "That bracelet will let me track wherever you are and see whatever it is you're doing."

"A w-week? I m-miss you, Braxton."

Briggs laughed. "Well, that's just too bad. Did you really think I cared about you?"

"I...I... you said..." Mike made sure his lip quivered.

"I don't love you right now," Briggs said. He smirked inwardly at Mike's acting; no wonder why the kid was put at Graceland. Kid had some damn good skills. "Perhaps you can earn it back by being good for Benedict."

"I... okay," Mike said as he looked at Benedict, who had just come in.

"You're coming with me, too, Nate," Benedict said. "Hands behind your back, Levi. Braxton, cuff him."

Briggs nodded as he cuffed Mike. "Just remember what I said about me being able to watch you everywhere-and the fact that I don't love you at all-and never will, if you fuck this up."

Mike nodded, exhausted. He had the feeling this wasn't supposed to happen but it wasn't like Briggs could explain now. Allowing Briggs to cuff him, he didn't say anything. He didn't hesitate to notice that Nate went through the same process.

The two were led out to a shelter bus.

Well, that was proof that the shelter was up in to it in its knees-what shelter for abused men would let the abusers drag the shelter residents out of there? Mike shot one last look at Briggs as he was being dragged out.

Damn, fuck...this wasn't good.

Shit.

,

### break ##

Sorry for not updating yesterday-I slept for 12+ hours and had the most bizarre dreams. So, anyway, here's the next installment.

Here's your challenge: Why does Benedict, the ringleader, want Mike so bad?