My guess is to further their military prowess. They have a large faction to compete against, whoever these kidnappers are; Morningstar has collectives all over the globe.

(connor's affiliation with morningstar goes as deep as wanting to help out the people who gave them safe haven, but if a better option came along...? if the people who did this to them offered to get them back home? well. he has markus to consider. getting him home is his first and only priority.

everything else is filler.)

We could be standing in the middle of a feud, each arm caught and pulled by opposing teams. (flatly:) And my arms are starting to hurt.