The trip home kept him too busy to think. While the rest of the new recruits bonded with veterans, met their new teammates, and enjoyed the leisurely cruise, Finn was training. The moment he woke up, Papa was waiting with breakfast and a book. As soon as he finished eating, Papa went over the book and quizzed him while he performed an insane amount of pushups and situps.

After that, he went to the ship's gym for a two hour stint of training with Leon and an hour-long 'cool down', followed by twenty minutes in a sauna that might as well have been filled with magma. Then he was allowed to eat, although Reborn stole it whenever he let his guard down.

In the afternoon, without fail, Reborn knocked him off the side of the ship and he was forced to swim for his life in freezing waters until someone noticed him and threw him a life preserver. That made him a little upset since he'd nearly been pulled into the ship's turbines twice, but he'd already noticed the Leon-submarine hiding under the ship to save him if he was pushed too far.

Once he was dry and warm again, Reborn chased him around the ship with a cattle prod until he literally dropped and he usually didn't wake until the next morning when the whole schedule repeated itself. He didn't get to eat dinner even once during the cruise, but the results were noticeable by the time they reached shore. His luggage was as light as a pillow, his pants had to be belted to stay up, and a single glance at his bare arms made him smile. For once in his life, he had muscles worth being kissed.

Unfortunately, no one stepped up to do the honors. To the left and the right, under the guidance of team supervisors and overseers, people loaded up into vans, trucks, and buses to ship themselves to their new bases of operation. Wondering how he was supposed to get back to Las Vegas, Finn walked up to a man standing around with a clipboard and opened his mouth to ask, but he was immediately shut out. The man ignored him completely and ran off to correct a mistake with another recruit's transportation.

"Need a ride?" Turning around, Finn's lips parted in surprise at the sight of... of... What was his name again? "I'm Ray. Tonno's partner...?" Finn's expression cleared and he juggled his luggage to extend a hand in greeting. "I heard you registered as independent, but it's not a good idea to ride on the bus with the others. It tends to be filled with the temperamental guys, so the bus is usually late getting back. The arguments get out of hand in such a tight space. I've still got room in Tonno's truck, though."

"I -"

"We've got snacks and Tonno offered to buy dinner for everyone," Ray added with a wide grin that faded when Finn continued to hesitate. "Look. I'll be honest. Tonno was a little upset you rejected his offer and he wanted me to talk to you. I think you might have gotten the wrong impression from your visit and -"

"It was nothing personal," Finn interrupted. "I'm starting school soon and I've got two Tutors who act like they want to kill me everyday. I just don't have time for teamwork."

"We know," came the unexpected reply. "That's why Tonno wanted me to talk to you. He has a pretty good idea what you're probably going through because of Reborn and Papa and he said to tell you that he's not looking for a teammate or a trophy."

"Then what's in it for him?"

"I kind of wish you hadn't asked that," Ray said with a wince. "Tonno told me to be honest when I talked to you, so the truth is..."

"Is what?"

"He wants to piss off Xanxus," he mumbled sheepishly. Finn's eyes bulged. "Tonno is related to him. Tonno says he wants to help you just so Xanxus doesn't have the satisfaction of thinking he played a role in your success. It's sort of a family rivalry type thing. Tonno knows you're going to need help eventually and he just wants you to know he's on hand for anything you need - even if it's just a ride home. Just think of it this way: even Reborn uses the Family as a support base. He could probably manage without us, but having the Family at hand can smooth the way. This isn't any different. By offering you a place with us, we make sure that no one else gets their hands on you and tries to use you in the wrong way."

"Can I think about it?" Finn asked.

"Of course!" Ray replied with a wide smile. "Go ahead and ride with us, though. We can get you home ahead of everyone else and you can take the tour before the other independent recruits reach Headquarters."

Since the docks were mostly empty and the bus had already left, Finn didn't have a choice. He followed Ray to Tonno's armored truck where a very recognizable bunch of people were loading up the baggage they'd collected during the trip. With the exception of Tonno in the driver's seat and Maverick leaning on the front bumper, everyone wore suits. Mori-Mori's suit was tailor to fit her curves, although she wasn't familiar with the tight skirt. Every time she bent over for another bag, the fabric rode up her thighs and gave the group an open view of her panties. Welsh was a little better off, although he'd discarded his suit's jacket and his arms were bulging out of his short-sleeved undershirt like he was trying to imitate the incredible Hulk.

Yet, the biggest surprises were waiting in the back of the truck. Dressed professionally with her hair tightly pulled back in a braid, Ariana sat on a built-in bench with a bag in her lap. Next to her sat Ryan Jacobs, who pointedly looked away before their eyes could meet. Finn matched the sentiment, keeping his eyes locked on the ground before an unfortunate incident could occur.

"You should already know Ariana and Ryan," Ray said, patting him on the back as he climbed into the truck. "They've both been in the Family for over a year, but they just signed onto Maverick's team, so they rode along to pick up the newbies. Hey, Mori! Welsh! Have you met -"

"We've met," Mori-Mori grumbled as she tossed the last bag into the truck. Finn grimaced. She had to be mad that he hadn't spent any of the cruise with her. He'd have to figure out some way to make it up to her, although that would have to wait until later. For now, it was more important to figure out why Maverick's group was being transported by Tonno. It didn't make sense unless the Family's 'teams' were more interconnected than Finn originally guessed.

"Maverick is part of Tonno's team," Finn stated.

"Yup," Ray confirmed as he arranged the luggage so there was room for everyone to sit. "Tonno's team is mostly made up of independent Mafioso. Everyone follows their own rules, but they use Tonno as a barrier so they don't have to deal directly with the core Family. That's why he figured you'd fit in with us, although I hear Maverick was spitting nails when he heard Tonno had made his own offer. That's probably what they're talking about up front."

"There's no need to talk about me behind my back," Maverick said, poking his head around the open door. "If you're done loading, then sit down. We can talk while we're on the move." Keeping his eyes on the floor of the truck, Finn claimed the seat closest to the door. It was as far as he could get from Ryan Jacobs without walking home. Thankfully, Welsh sat next to him and the man's large frame helped block the view. Mori-Mori sat on the other side of Welsh, across from her sister, and Maverick took the seat opposite of Finn while Ray rode up front with Tonno.

Once the doors were shut and the truck started moving, the atmosphere became noticeably awkward. Prepared to ride home in silence, Finn crossed his arms over his chest and tried to get comfortable. He even closed his eyes to keep from incidentally looking at anyone, but Maverick wasn't interested in letting him nap.

"I've withdrawn my offer," Maverick said. "If you want to join Tonno's team, there won't be any hard feelings, Finn. I didn't know the full scope of your situation when I submitted the paperwork."

"And what's the scope of my situation?" Finn asked without opening his eyes. "You'll have to pardon me for asking, but I haven't talked about my situation with anyone. I'd like to know what everyone's been thinking."

"Uhh, I'm not sure how to answer that," Maverick replied. "I don't have any details, but I figure something big is going on. When I made my offer, I only knew about your rogue ability and the little I saw during our first meeting. I thought you might need a friend, but it seems like I underestimated you. Papa and Reborn argued over you. They wouldn't do that unless you were something extraordinary."

"There's nothing special about him," Ryan mumbled under his breath. Finn clenched his teeth together and kept his eyes closed. He wasn't going to be baited. Regardless of what Ryan or anyone else thought, he was going to become the strongest hitman in the world.

"There's something special about everyone," Ariana corrected. Her angelic voice gave Finn chills like it always had, regardless of his changed perspective of her. "Just because he beat you in front of Papa, you shouldn't hold a grudge."

"Tell that to him," Ryan said. "He's the one that made me look bad -"

"You made yourself look bad," Finn growled through his teeth.

"I've changed," he snapped. "I might have been a bastard in high school, but I was serious about Bridget. Thanks to you, I can't see her anymore. Every day since that fight, I've had to prove myself just so I could stay in the Family."

"You reap what you sow."

"Y-You-" Ryan didn't finish his sentence. Finn's eyes snapped open as the truck swerved to an abrupt stop, tossing the luggage messily across the floor. Before anyone could ask what was going on, a hail of gunfire impacted the side of the vehicle. Everyone ducked for cover, but the bullets didn't penetrate the armor siding.

"Finn!" Ray shouted as he opened the access hatch separating the cargo area from the front of the truck. Finn's head snapped up. "We've got company. The glass isn't going to hold for long and Tonno thinks it's too risky to send anyone outside. Do you think you can use your eyes to counterattack?"

"I'll try," he agreed. Scrambling to his feet, he jumped over the scattered luggage and ducked into the passenger's seat. In the driver's seat, Tonno was staring daggers at the cracks in his windshield. Outside the windshield-

Finn ducked as another hail of semi-automatic fire was unleashed by two men hiding behind the doors of an SUV. There was another car flanked to their right and a third likely positioned on their left.

"They're fucking up my truck," Tonno snarled. He looked ready to jump out the door and kill the gunmen with his bare hands, but a whisper from Ray made him control himself.

"We're running out of time," Ray prompted. Nodding in agreement, Finn peeked over the dashboard at the enemy- an enemy he needed to get mad at instead of being afraid.

They were an enemy who was trying to kill him-

No, they were an enemy trying to hurt Ariana and Mori. Those had to be the real targets. The rest of them were considered lambs that needed to be slaughtered. Yeah. That made him mad, alright. If it wasn't bad enough that they were targeting women, they were underestimating him.

Finn was being underestimated AGAIN. What? They didn't think he could fight back? Well, that showed how much they knew. He was going to be the strongest, damnit! Stronger than Ryan! Stronger than Maverick! Stronger than Papa! Stronger than Reborn!

Fuck anyone who got in his way.

Clenching his fist, Finn felt a certain amount of satisfaction as the first man flew backward, hit the ground, and didn't get up. The second one went flying a moment later. Looking out the passenger side window, the rear-view mirror cracked as two more enemies fell.

Before Finn could stand up to look out the driver's side window to deal with the enemies on the right, Tonno threw the vehicle in reverse and hit the gas until the right-side assailants came into view. Their rifles turned to follow the truck and they fired. Finn fired back with his anger, but the bullets were faster and the windshield didn't hold. A wave of Orange Flame rushed out of Tonno to grab most of the bullets as the enemy hit the ground, but two still managed to get through.

The first scraped past Finn's shoulder and embedded itself in his seat. The second hit Ray with enough force to spin him around. He cried out as he fell and Finn froze. He didn't know what to think and he didn't know what to do, but there were others in the truck who did. Tonno dove out of his seat, rolling Ray into his lap so he could see the damage. Ariana wasn't far behind, jumping over the pair so she could dig a medical kit from under the driver's seat.

There was blood. There were tears. Finn faintly heard Ray saying that it was only his arm, but Finn's ears refused to accept it. This wasn't a stage-prop like the body on the cruise ship. This wasn't a throw-away companion from a video game. This was Ray - a living, thinking person who'd been nice to him - and those bastards had hurt him.

The blood rushed to Finn's head and he was already getting out of the truck before he made the conscious decision to act. Stopping at the first fallen enemy, Finn unleashed his ability, glared with all the rage in his heart, and he didn't stop until the body stopped twitching. Picking up the man's rifle, he went to the next enemy and glared. Then the next. Then the next.

Along the way, he memorized the SUV's license plate numbers and collected wallets to go with the rifles, figuring the First would want some way to identify the attackers, but the bulk of his focus was set to eliminating the remaining threat. Once Finn was positive all six were dead, he stole a handkerchief from one of the corpses and put the middle SUV into drive. After the road was clear, he wiped his fingerprints from the steering wheel and returned to Tonno's truck.

Glancing into the cargo area, Finn made up his mind as soon as he saw Tonno. The guy was a mess, despite Ray's attempts to tell him that it was merely a flesh wound.

"I'll drive," Finn offered. Dumping the rifles and the wallets on top of someone's luggage, Finn returned to the driver's seat and put the vehicle in gear before anyone could argue.

Mori-Mori yelped from the back when he hit the gas, but no one complained. It was a good thing, because Finn didn't know what he'd do if someone tried to stop him. He didn't know a damn thing about helping someone who was injured, but he knew how to drive. It was something he could do and he had the urgent need to do something.

So he drove. He drove until the ocean was a distant memory. He drove until the sun began to set. He drove with the sound of the wind passing through the front windshield. He drove at the direction of the navigator who decided to sit next to him at some point. He drove until he saw the lights of Las Vegas and then... Then, he pulled over.

"What's wrong?" Ryan asked from the passenger seat. "We're almost home."

Finn couldn't answer. The lights of Las Vegas did something - something he couldn't voice. It was as if the entire world shattered around him. The clarity disappeared and his ears filled with a buzzing sound. The speedometer began to melt and the other cars passing on the highway began to look like a swarm of giant beetles. He felt the need to vomit, but he didn't have the strength. He could barely keep his head up. Sagging against the steering wheel, he fought the urge to pass out. He wasn't home yet. He couldn't pass out until he got home.

"Finn," Maverick said, suddenly appearing at his side. "You're going to be okay. You're just coming down from a Rush. It's something similar to a runner's high, but Mafioso get it when they survive a life-or-death situation. It'll pass in a few minutes. Ryan, move for a second." Finn heard Ryan move. A moment later, Maverick was dragging him out of the driver's seat and into the passenger's seat. "Shit. Why didn't you tell anyone you were hit?" Finn couldn't give him an answer. He hadn't felt it, although he was growing aware of the pain now that it'd been pointed out. "Ryan, drive. Get us home. Ariana! I need that medkit up here!"

"What happened?" she asked.

"Finn got scratched," he said as he prodded Finn's arm. "It's already clotted, but it looks pretty nasty. Clean it up for him. And Finn -"

"Un?"

"Nice work back there."

The praise was so unexpected that Finn's head began to clear. His eyes came back into focus so he could see Ariana kneeling next to him with a cotton ball and a bottle of alcohol. The moment she touched it to his wound, the extra pain opened the path so he could return to his senses.

"Um. I got their wallets and their license plate numbers for identification," he said. Looking over his shoulder, he gave a hesitant smile when he saw Maverick was hovering in the hatch. "I figured the guns probably won't be traceable, but maybe the First can reuse them. I didn't want to leave them laying around for anyone to pick up."

"That was quick thinking," Maverick replied. "Did Reborn teach you to do that?"

"N-No," Finn said uncertainly. Hissing as Ariana poured more alcohol on his arm, Finn tried to come up with an explanation for his actions. He had nothing, though. "It just seemed like the right thing to do. And I... I..." I killed them, he thought, but he couldn't say it out loud. Maverick seemed to read his thoughts, though. As Finn turned back to speechlessly stare at the dashboard, he patted Finn's shoulder and didn't ask any questions.

"Do you know why Papa and Reborn are so interested in you?" Ariana asked as Ryan pulled the truck onto an off-ramp. Finn nodded, although he didn't verbalize it. He knew Ariana was trying to distract him, but it wasn't something he wanted to talk about. People would only laugh at him if he said he was going to replace Reborn.

"How are things going with the Samurai?" he countered. Ariana's face lit up in red and the follow dab with the cotton-ball was particularly harsh.

"I heard you signed up for the Academy," she said, continuing the search for a neutral topic. In reply, Finn reached up and pulled open his stiff collar so she could see the Gauntlet emblem pinned to the inside. "Oh," she mumbled. "I should have guessed. It seems like you're being pushed pretty hard. Mori-Mori said Papa and Reborn didn't let you relax for the entire trip home."

"I have a lot to learn and I'm still at the starting line. I only have five years until -" Keep your mouth shut, Reborn's voice said in the back of Finn's head.

"Five years until what?" Ariana asked as she pulled out a roll of bandages.

"Who knows?" Leaving it at that, Finn focused his gaze out the passenger's side window to block further attempts at conversation. Ariana tried to get a real answer out of him, but he ignored her until Tonno pulled her away to check on Ray.

The rest of the trip passed in an uncomfortable haze of silence and a series of flashbacks that triggered less emotion than an ant. It seemed so surreal. He knew six men were dead because of him, but there was nothing. Even when he purposely searched his memory, the only answer he found was 'better them than us'. It wasn't right. He knew he should feel something.

He'd have to ask Papa about the Rush and find out if apathy was a normal side-effect.

But, first, he had to see his new home. They were waved through the entrance of a gated community at top speed and Ryan pulled the truck into the garage of the first house on the left. Getting out as the garage door slid shut, Finn held onto the passenger door until strength returned to his legs, but it wasn't his legs that were having a problem. The floor was rumbling.

Finn's jaw dropped as they began sinking into the ground on a garage-sized elevator. Stumbling around to the back of the truck where the others were unloading, he found Maverick waiting with a wide grin on his face.

"Welcome to Sawada Headquarters," he said as the wall disappeared and they were given an unbelievable view of a cavern stretching the length of six houses. Under the neighboring house, another enormous lift lowered a pair of black vans with people already pulling out their baggage. The lift after that held a limousine which was already unloading at ground level. "This is just the garage. Wait until you see the rest of it," Maverick added with a gesture for everyone to claim their baggage.

Grabbing his own, Finn left the rifles and the wallets for someone else to deal. Tonno stayed behind with Ray as a medic rushed forward once they were 'docked' with the ground. Finn followed the rest of the group off the platform. Mori-Mori, Ariana, and Ryan immediately split off, but Maverick led him and Welsh to a waiting golf cart holding a waiting driver.

"Welcome to Sawada Headquarters," the woman said in a pleasant voice once they were seated inside. There was something wrong with her tone, though. It had almost seemed synthesized.

"She's an android," Maverick explained as the golf cart began crawling across the 'garage'. "The First is still working on her voice box, so try to ignore the sound filtering until he can get it fixed. Hey, Imp. Finn and Welsh need the full tour, so step on it."

"You asked for it," she said as she slammed her foot on the gas. Finn choked and reached for a safety bar, but that didn't save him when she hit the brakes at the opposite end of the cavern. He nearly flew out of his seat and only Welsh's quick reflexes pulled him back in time. Jumping out before the robot could think to hit the gas again, Finn barely got clear before she sped away with tires squealing.

"I must have pissed her off," Maverick mumbled. "Remind me to apologize later."

At Maverick's gesture, Finn forgot about the robot and headed through a heavy steel hatch. Beyond it was a hallway that looked similar to a hotel hallway, from the beige wallpaper to the dark carpeting imprinted with the Sawada Family Logo. The only difference was the lack of a waiting bellhop, although Papa Tsuna's smile suggested he was willing to act.

"I'll take Finn from here," Papa said. Maverick bowed slightly in acceptance and hurriedly led Welsh away, leaving Finn at a loss. They weren't in Mafia Land anymore. Was it still okay for him to act familiar with Papa? "I won't bite," Papa teased with a wave of his cane to tell Finn to follow. "I heard about the attack. No - Don't say anything. You don't need to make a report. Tonno already called and gave me the gist of it. I just wanted to see for myself that you're okay. He said you were stuck in a Rush."

"I'm fine now," he replied.

"Good." Papa smiled and paused in an hallway intersection. "Then let me give you a quick rundown of this facility. We're currently on level three. Down the right hallway is the infirmary, where you'll go if you get even a scratch. We'll skip it for now, but I want you to get that arm looked at before you go to bed. Down the left hallway is the offices. You'll go there to check your assignments and fill out incident reports. They've also got an accountants and councilors on hand. It's mandatory to talk to them at least once a month, so you'll want to stop in within the next few days and schedule an appointment. Understand so far?"

Once Finn nodded, Papa led him further down the hallway to another intersection. "Shooting ranges to the right, cafeteria to the left." Moving on, he stopped in front of a three-way intersection next to a wall of elevators. "Game room to the right, gym to the left." Going into the elevator, Papa slapped his hand next to the control panel. "Level one is the war room and the main offices. Don't go there unless you're ordered to. Level two is also off-limits unless you're invited. It's the private gym and assessment courses. Level four and five are housing. You're on level four. Level six through ten are restricted and you have to have the right clearance on your MIC to access them. It's possible you'll be sent to one of them during the Gauntlet Program, but don't explore down there on a whim. You'll set off alarms. Understand?"

"Yes, Papa."

"Good boy," Papa replied with a smile. Thumbing the button for level four, he added, "You seem to have gotten control of your eyes." Finn rocked backward and his jaw fell open. "Don't tell me you didn't notice."

"I-I didn't," Finn gasped. Holding his hand out, Finn stared at his fingers in awe. He... He could feel it. He could feel the pressure his eyes were exerting and he could stop the effect at will. "How-?"

"It had to be the Rush," Papa shrugged. "Up until now, you haven't used your ability on purpose. When you finally did, something in your little head must have snapped into place. It's like riding a bike. Once you've actually done it, you can't forget the feeling."

"Is that why..." Finn didn't finish the sentence, but it silently finished itself: I don't feel anything about those guys I hurt?

"No," he replied as the elevator stopped. Papa stepped out and Finn followed him down the hall. "That's because you're not a natural hitman; you're a natural assassin. There's a difference. A natural hitman has the instincts to survive, but their reflex is defense. A natural assassin also has the instincts to survive, but their reflex is offense. They automatically react to neutralize an enemy in the same way a normal person would neutralize a cockroach. We've known you had that reflex for a while now. That's why you were listed with Varia-potential."

"How-"

"There were a lot of signs," he said. "But you have to face the truth sooner or later, Mr. Finn. Along with being a stalker, you're a psychopath. You're capable of dissociating yourself from the people around you. You feel like the entire world is a stage and the people in it are dolls created for your own benefit. Instead of focusing on the things you didn't feel, I suggest you focus on the things you did feel. Tonno said you reacted very strongly when you saw Ray was bleeding. Can I take that to mean you felt a connection with him?"

"Uh... well... I..." Finn shut his mouth for a moment so he could collect his thoughts. He was a psychopath? That was a new one. "Ray was... I mean, he's a nice guy and those other guys hurt him. I didn't know what else to do, so..."

"So you got rid of the dolls you didn't want to play with," Papa supplied. Finn was horrified at the description, but Papa took it in stride. "Don't worry, Finn. Every person has their own view on the world and I'm not going to belittle yours. It'll actually help you in the years to come, although I have to admit that it's good to know you have a path of redemption." Pausing at the floor's third intersection, Papa smiled. "In the future, I hope you'll be as reliable for me as you were for Ray."

"O-Of course," he replied. "You're one of the nicest people I know, Papa."

"Music to my ears." Papa laughed and pointed down the hallway with his cane. "Your room is thirty-three. You can use your MIC to get inside. Just turn on the television if you need anything else before morning." Papa started to walk away, but paused and looked back with a warm smile. "Oh, before I forget... Welcome home, Finn."