A/N: I have to take a moment to thank my best friend and beta, my wonderful Eviler Twin. This chapter and the last would not have been possible without suggestions and ideas from her. I was dead for ideas and where to take this, and at least, for the next chapter or two I have some idea of what I'm doing. So thank you, darling! Mwah!

Chapter 9: Lessons

The drive to the other compound took them across town to another warehouse. The trip was quiet as Connors attempted to make small talk, as they rode side-by-side in the luxury Town Car, and Reid refused to respond. When they got out of the vehicle, Reid followed Connors through a side door, and was greeted with an interior very much like the main compound. Bare walls that were mostly cement, narrow halls, and countless rooms.

The first room they stopped at was a small study, with a rich wood desk polished to perfection, and bookshelves filled with everything from teen fiction to police case studies. Reid was sure they were just for show, as Connors didn't seem to show an interest in reading. Connors briefly introduced the room as his 'secondary office' before they continued on.

Next they came to a common area. Tables like those in a school cafeteria littered the space, and there were various weight-lifting equipment in one corner. Young men, and the odd girl, chatted in small groups, stopping only to give Connors a nod of respect before continuing. Connors smiled proudly at them, explaining to Reid, "These are just a few of the kids who will be joining my business once they graduate from their training. The rest are in class right now."

"Class?" Reid mused aloud.

Connors seemed to take that as a suggestion to move on, and he led Reid down a separate hallway, where they stopped at a door. Connors opened it without knocking and they were met with a classroom, the desks had been pulled away from the front, leaving space for the two students at the front to have room to manoeuvre. Everyone in the class paused, eyes falling to the doorway, and the eldest in the room bowed his head, and addressed the students. "Class, please show the appropriate respect to your future boss."

The students quickly bowed their heads, and mumbled "Sir" in admiration.

Connors smiled at the man who spoke. "Thank you, Tank. They clearly still have a lot to learn. Were we about to have a test?" He motioned to the two students at the front.

Tank nodded, "Yes, sir. Waste and Rubbish were about to see who was the better man."

Reid furrowed his brow, and Connors caught the expression out of the corner of his eye. "Their names, while they train. Their weakness. When they graduate, they get new names. Like Tank here, who is in charge of training hand-to-hand combat. Or their rank, as one of my drop boys."

Reid shook his head in disbelief. He had no idea what Connors was trying to achieve by showing this to him, but unless it was disgust, it wasn't working.

Tan smiled, "Would you like to stick around for the fight?"

Connors shook his head, "We have other things to see, and nightfall is fast approaching."

They left the room just as the two students attacked each other, a sickening crack of fist to skull echoing behind them. The next room Connors open the door to was similar to the previous, and two students were engaged in combat, this time they each held a knife.

The man at the front of this class barked an order to stop and both students halted their attacks, one of which was bleeding significantly more than the other. Connors smiled as he got the recognition from the class he believed he deserved, and then introduced the teacher. "Doctor Reid, this is Blade. He runs knife training. There's no one better with a knife than him, except perhaps Four, but Four isn't suited for this job." He motioned to the two students, "Carry on."

Reid shook his head, leaving the room in a hurry, not wanting to witness the rest of the fight. Connors took up the lead again as they reached a third door. When Connors opened this one he broke the seal on what was some expensive sound proofing, and they were met with the sound of gunfire. It took everything in Reid not to duck for cover as Connors calmly entered the large room. Reid took a breath and followed, eyes landing on what was an impressive indoor shooting range.

A third teacher was instructing the students on proper stance, and procedure, while giving them goals to complete. He noticed Connors and made his way over to them, bowing low when he reached them. "Sir, I wasn't expecting a visit today."

"This was unplanned. Doctor Reid, this is Bullet. Possibly the best shot in the country."

"Thank you, sir." Bullet said with another bow.

Reid stood uncomfortably as Connors and Bullet exchanged pleasantries for a few minutes, grateful when Connors finally led him back out of the room. "What exactly has the point of this been?" Reid asked.

Connors shrugged, "You said you wanted to see it."

"And you said you were already planning on showing me, which means you had a reason for it. Why?"

They walked down a corridor, full of doors on either side, just like in the other compound. "Dorm rooms." Connors explained, before answering Reid's question. "Because you need to see that this is good. These kids need structure, and I provide that." They connected to the hallway that housed the office, and Connors silently led them to it, waiting for Reid to take a seat before continuing. "These kids would be on the streets, in jail, or dead, if they weren't here. Here they get good food, friends, a roof over their heads, and education."

"Not proper education." Reid argued. "Most of them should still be in school."

"They weren't when I found them. Besides, what good would math do them in the real world? They need to learn how to protect themselves."

"And learn how to kill for you." Reid glared.

"Now now, Doctor, I don't appreciate your harsh tone." He waved a hand dismissively. "It's their choice to stay here, they could leave if they wished, but they don't. Surely that's because what I provide them is better than what they had."

"Or it's because you've brainwashed them into thinking they owe you something. Tell me, how do you do it. The brainwashing, I mean."

Connors raised a brow, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Come on, you can't think that being bowed to is normal, unless you're literally a King or Queen, which you are not."

"They bow because they respect me, no other reason."

"If they could see who you really are, they wouldn't. Now tell me how you do it." Reid insisted.

Connors glared, annoyed but Reid's persistence. "Perhaps you'd like to spend the night here, and find out first hand."

"Are you threatening me, Connors?"

"Not at all, just merely offering my hospitality."

"I'll pass thanks." Reid said with slight sarcasm. "You've had your hooks in me before; it will not happen again."

"So you're going to deny yourself the opportunity to learn what makes my operation tick. Isn't it your ultimate goal to find a way to destroy me? This could be your chance."

"Or it could backfire, and you could end up conditioning me to your will. I'm not putting myself at more risk than I already have." Reid stood so he was looking down at Connors. "You may think you're untouchable, but you're not. I will find a way to bring you down, I swear it."

"If it's the last thing you do?" Connors mocked. "Good luck with that, Doctor. You'll need it."

Reid scowled, "I'd like to go back to my car now. I've seen enough."

"But it's not yet nightfall; I believe I have you until then." Connors reminded, and Reid's expression fell. "The question is, what do I do with you until then?"

Reid swallowed, slight nerves spiking at the tone of Connors voice. Seconds ticked by until an idea struck Connors, and he smirked.

"Excuse me for a minute, Doctor." Connors slipped from the room, leaving Reid alone to ponder what he was up to. When he returned he had a smile on his face. "How would you like to see one of the dorm rooms? You don't have to stay the night, don't look so worried. I just think it would be a good place to pass some time, and you can see the quality of living I provide."

Reid frowned, "That'll take 3 minutes, tops."

"Perhaps." Connors replied, something in his tone Reid couldn't pinpoint. "But I think you should see one anyway."

Reid couldn't shake the feeling crawling down his spine that Connors had something up his sleeve. However, they could either argue about it until nightfall, or, Reid figured, he could just get it over with and move on. If there was one thing about Connors he could trust, it was that Connors was a man of his word; he would be free of Connors at nightfall and not a moment sooner, but also not a moment later. With a frown still on his face he nodded, "Fine. Let's go."

Connors led him back through the maze of hallways to the dorm area and opened the first door they came to. "This room isn't being used right now, so it's a little bare. Usually the kids have pictures or magazine clippings on the walls of things they like. And personal items, to make it more comfortable. I'm afraid you'll have to live without having a stack of books to keep you comfy."

"Not living here." Reid reminded.

Connors ignored that, stepping into the small room, and nearly blocking one corner from view with his large frame and fur jacket. "Please, sit on the bed. See how soft it is. And the pillows, fluffy no?"

Reid frowned deeper as he moved to the bed, eyeing Connors with suspicion. As he sat down on the bed, and noted that, yes, it was pretty nice actually; Connors moved back to the door and smirked. Reid watched him, calculating the distance between him and Connors. He stood and started moving back towards Connors.

"SIT!" Connors barked before amending, "…down, please."

Reid nodded, stepping backwards to the bed again. He might have been taller than Connors, but Connors was at least twice his size; if this became physical Reid knew he would lose.

"Good boy. Stay a while; I'll collect you at nightfall." Connors said as he started to close the door.

"You bastard." Reid said with a glare.

Connors shook his head in disappointment, "Now now, Doctor, I promised you wouldn't stay the night, and you won't. But you will stay until then, and frankly I'm tired of dealing with you. So you'll stay here, out of my sight and out of my way. Oh, and enjoy your present."

Reid's brow furrowed in confusion, and he looked around the room. His eyes landed on the corner Connors had blocked from view before. On a small stand stood a crystal clear phial, a syringe, and a tourniquet. Reid groaned and looked at the door, noticing that it was now closed, and there was no handle on the inside. "Connors!" he yelled, unsure if the other man could hear him. "This isn't going to work! I am not coming back to you, and I am not going to enjoy anything!"

He didn't get a reply. He was comforted by the fact that there was a small window set up high near the ceiling, so he would at least be able to estimate the time. He sighed and lay back on the bed, eyes moving to the phial. He wanted to move it somewhere out of sight, but he knew he couldn't touch it. If he touched it, it would be that much harder to resist.

Reid wasn't too worried about slipping and caving to the craving, he had the tools he needed to stay strong, but that didn't mean it was going to be easy. No, this was going to be the hardest thing he had to do since quitting in the first place. Slowly he tore his gaze away, focusing on the window. He was surprised when soft music started being piped into the room. He couldn't see the speakers but they were there, somewhere. It was relaxing, and then Connors voice came through the speakers as well. A pre-recorded message, talking of trust and loyalty and devotion. Reid quickly put the pillow over his head drowning it out, not about to fall into Connors trap. It was hypnosis at its finest, and it finally all made sense to Reid, or at least most of it did. This was just one of the ways that Connors got insides the heads of the kids he recruited.

Reid muffled the sound as best he could and settled in for a long few hours before he would be free of Connors. The thought occurred to him that it would be much easier to ignore Connors voice if he was passed out, but he quickly pushed that back and refocused on going through the lessons he'd learned in rehab. He could no longer see the window, so this was going to be harder than he'd initially thought.