Title: Master Con 101
Characters: Neal & Mozzie
Rating: PG
Length: 300
Summary: Pre-series.  Neal has a lot to learn.


Neal's first few months with Moz were a blur. There was so much to learn: how to run a con, how to create a fake identity, how to wear a suit and tie.  Mozzie was full of advice and tips on what Neal should do to take his skills up to the next level.

And then there were the more boring lessons.

Neal was working on forging a driver's license (one of Mozzie's assignments), when Moz came in, struggling with a large blackboard in one hand and a heavy pile of books in the other. He first dropped the books on the table, right by Neal's elbow, then went to place the blackboard by the nearest wall.

Neal looked up from his work, annoyed.  But it was lost on Mozzie, who wasn't paying any attention.  With a barely suppressed sigh, Neal reached for the first book on the pile. "Fun With Math?" He looked back at Moz with a blank stare. "What's it for?"

Moz came back to the table, grabbing a free chair and dropping into it. "Reading," he said simply.

Neal frowned, then looked at the next books in line. Geography, model-building, elementary physics...  His eyes met Mozzie's. "Seriously?"

"Trust me." Mozzie tapped the pile with his finger. "One day you might find it handy to know how many $100 bills can you fit in a suitcase, or which temperate climate countries have no extradition treaty, or-"

Neal tried to stop the flow of words. "Yeah, Moz-"

But Mozzie plowed on, "Or how many tons of steel you'll need to build a skyscraper." He noted Neal's raised eyebrow. "Unless you want to go back to pickpocketing old women in the park."

Neal gave the pile a wary look. "Did you just rob a school librarian?"

Instead of answering, Mozzie grabbed a book from the bottom of the pile. "Let's start with this one." It was a book titled "Practical Chemistry".

Mozzie cleared his throat. "If you ever want to fake your own death, there are a few basic principles you'll need to remember..."