The Human Shop
The AO3 link
The Art Work
The Castle
Jared stumbled forward as the chains binding his hands and ankles were pulled. He took a deep breath, getting his footing back as well as he could and raised his arms, trying to shield his eyes from the too bright sun.
He had lost track of how long they had been in the dark, wet, nasty cabins, but if the pressure in his bladder was to judge by, it had to be more than 16 hours. He gave his eyes a few seconds to adjust to the new lighting before he was hit by the back of the gun, hot, white pain flashing through his abdomen, making him double over in agony.
"Move you poor bastard, ain't no reason to feel the sun now. You gon' be staying far from it boy."
Jared gritted his teeth so hard he thought he was going to break a few. It was hard not to fight back when he knew... 'No!' he told himself trying to catch his breath. He had more important things to worry about.
He started moving, not once looking back at the railway behind him and the train on it, keeping his eyes on the line of people in front of him. There had to be at least 50 other than himself, all young boys and girls, some very young, going towards the only building in sight.
Jared felt so out of place, like this little group was destroying the peace and the amazing calmness of the place. Their blood dripping on the too white snow, making some kind of pathway. He concentrated a while longer, memorizing the exact directions they were taking, for future references and then gave his attention to where they were currently going to.
It was more of a castle. Jared was pretty sure calling that silver, shiny masterpiece a building was an insult to the creator. The pointed tower tops at the four endings, the huge windows, painted with bright violet curtains, and the way it just glowed so brightly, reflecting the sun and the white of the snow, it was all so beautiful that Jared had to look away. The place looked like it was made of pure ice but it wasn't really cold. It was mysterious and drew you in.
It was breathtakingly beautiful. Just like he had heard of it to be. The place was so beautiful that you felt like you had to just go in and see the inside but as far as Jared was aware, you didn't just walk out of this place. Ever.
It all felt like a big trap. Like this was Hansel and Gretel and that was the house made of chocolate and candy and inside was the evil witch, who would just use you as it pleased. For a second Jared thought it'd be much better if you'd get eaten in comparison to the alternative. Compared to what he knew was happening inside those big gates.
Though he was pretty sure there had to be some kind of freak human meat restaurant somewhere around here. He tried to focus back on where the shielded guards were taking them, noticing they weren't going for the big front gates. "Which is what you should have seen coming Padalecki, use your damned brain." He could literally hear Jim, his superior, in his head.
God, why did it always have to be him to be sent on such cases? How come Chad or Gen never got anything like this? They got to go do 21 jump street when he had to physically face death every day on every single case.
"Stop nagging boy! You should be damned proud that they send you on these missions. Means you're capable of more. Now get on with your damn observation before you get yourself lost." He heard Jim in his head again. God, sometimes he wanted the old man to just shut up!
He shook his head to clear his brain and continued observing as they were taken to the back of the castle, where there stood a very dark, ugly, out of place iron door. Ok, this really sucked. Dark, ugly iron doors never promised anything good. Ever.
He sighed, trying to make out if any of his companions were seriously hurt and he was pleased to see everyone was just ok, walking on their own feet. He turned his attention to the guards, studying their black uniforms.
They were all shielded in black, head to toe. Black boots, black caskets, black gloves and black armor shields. They looked like they had stepped right out of one of those G.I.Joe movies.
Ok he really needed to stay off the action movies. And Channing Tatum.
Inside the iron door, as he had guessed, was every bad dream he'd ever had. As soon as he had stepped inside the smell had hit him and he had to try really hard not to throw up whatever that wasn't in his stomach the way the girl in front of him did. It smelled like rotten meat and Jared was seriously going to be sick.
It took him a few seconds to adjust to the new lighting and then he could take in his surroundings. This, this was exactly what he had been expecting.
The red lighting, the smell of blood and rotten flesh, the long chambers filled with cells and the faded sounds of plead and beg. Jared could hear every single cry of agony ever made in this place, filling his bones with cold and terror.
This was it.
He was in.
He was finally inside the famous J.A.H.S.
J.A.H.S
Jensen smirked as Danneel, his personal stylist fixed his new pink feathery scarf around his neck. It was the perfect touch to everything else.
"Now that's what I'm talking about Dani. Didn't I tell you months ago, that this was a good idea?"
Danneel rolled her eyes taking in the sight of his boss/best friend.
"Yes. You did. Good for you!"
Jensen's smirk grew wider as he glanced away from his own features in the mirror for a split second to look at Danneel through his tiny round glasses. Another piece of jewelry meant only for Jensen. Danneel was sure she’d think of it as hideous was it anyone else wearing them. But on the heavenly figure of Jensen it looked welcoming and even hot.
"I know myself honey. And this shade of pink is exactly what my skin had been asking for. It also looks perfect against my violet shirt."
He looked so smug, pleased with himself. He had every right to be. He was Jensen Ackles for god's sake. Or devil's for that matter. Didn't really make any difference in his amazing sense of fashion.
"Ok Mr. Ego!" Danneel breathed out a little annoyed. "Now, if you're done complimenting yourself and your sense of fashion, can you let the professional here do some actual work? I got a surprise for you."
That last phrase did exactly what Danneel had been expecting and she smiled pleased with herself as Jensen's eyes grew wide in glee.
"Dani! I knew you were capable of it girl. Come on, where is it?" He let out, suddenly like the five year old Danneel had made friends with over 20 years ago. She could still remember how excited Jensen had been to wear the purple top Danneel had given him after he had ruined his own shirt with melted ice cream.
Danneel reached in her purse and brought out a little violet bottle, shaped like a diamond. She gently put the bottle in Jensen's too excited hands.
"Hey... don't break it. It's one of the few left." She whispered as if the sound could actually break the fragile figure. Jensen took off the lead and brought it up to his perfectly sharp nose, his eyelids falling as he took in the smell.
It was perfect. He was sure he'd never get enough of the sweet smell. It smelled like Daffodils and Jasmines, mixed with a hint of mint. It was so Jensen that sometimes Danneel wondered if it would smell good on anyone else.
Just as Jensen was done experimenting the smell and wore the perfume, there was a single knock on the door, letting them know it was time.
Jensen smiled wide and Danneel wondered for the thousandth time if it was possible to go blind if she stared at those perfect white teeth long enough.
"It's time Dani. They're here. You want to join me today?"
He made it sound like he was going to unpack some furniture that had just arrived, things that would go perfectly well with everything else in this place. Glamorous and bright. Danneel knew better than to buy into it though. She could still feel the coil in her stomach just remembering the smell and the sounds from the last time she’d taken that offer.
"No... Um, I think I'm fine for today Jay. If you don't need me anymore I will go back home. I have to meet Mark's new girl, give her a 'do over' so she meets his expectations. I swear the two of you I will never understand."
"Oh Dani, you shouldn’t even try to understand me." Jensen winked and Danneel sighed, giving Jensen's cheek a light peck.
"See you tomorrow Jay."
She left the room, leaving Jensen to give himself a final once over. If Jensen had the same obsession in choosing the people around him maybe his life wouldn't be like this. And the worst part was that Jensen actually thought he had an amazing life.
He had buried himself in these snow white mountains for years now, pretending like nothing in the world outside mattered.
Whatever. It wasn't her place to decide anyways. Jensen wanted to be alone, that was his own choice.
J.A.H.S
Jensen was still smiling widely when he left his room, throwing a cheerful "Hi" at Misha.
Misha looked like he hasn't slept in days, so tired that Jensen thought he might actually fall asleep right there.
"When was the last time you slept Misha?" He asked narrowing his eyes. Misha stole his gaze away from the glamorous outfit Jensen had on, shifting in his lean cut black suit.
"I don't think that is any of your concern Jensen."
Jensen just narrowed his eyes some more, leaving Misha to wonder how that was even physically possible.
"Wrong answer Mish! You work for me so..."
"You pay me to keep you safe and that's what I'm doing. Unless you're worried about my health there is no reason for you to care." Misha pointed out, tilting his head to motion for Jensen to start walking. They had plans to get to.
"You forget again and again Misha. You work for me, I pay you and that means I'm in control of your life. If I say you need more sleep, you say yes sir and you get more sleep. I don't need to go through another long process of choosing another professional like you, whom i can trust. That's just so boring. So try and stay healthy."
Misha just stared at Jensen for a good moment before he could talk again.
"You don't own me Jensen."
Jensen smirked widely, winking at Misha.
"Sure I do, and you know that." He glanced away, looking out the window at the pure cold white covering everything.
"I own everything."
J.A.H.S
They didn't talk anymore as they took the fancy elevators down to the pit of the palace. Misha had always hated this part of the property and he had never come down here without Jensen, even then only so to protect his charge. Sometimes he even hated his boss for owning this shithole in the first place.
Jensen was so excited to take a look at the new 'goods' that had arrived just that morning. He took in the smell of blood and smirked wider as they passed the body parts' section on their way to the admissive hall.
He had designed these halls and chambers, all the corridors, the rooms and cells, down to every detail on his own. And he had enjoyed the process of filling them even more.
He smiled like he was the damn president or something as he approached the waiting line of girls and boys, Misha by his toe. He stepped forward, raising his gloved hands to examine the first girl’s hair. It was a pretty shade of blond, still light and shiny even after the harsh time Jensen was sure she’d been through. He stepped back, motioning at Misha to start the work.
Misha straightened his back, somehow more stiff than he had been before. He took the girl’s chin, pulling so Jensen could see her face.
He looked pleased as far as Misha could tell.
“Seraglio.” He said and Misha nodded, exchanging a glance with the guard standing close to him.
The guard didn’t waste any time, disengaging her chains from the others and shoving her through the left corridor towards a set of stairs. She was one of the lucky ones and he knew that.
Next in line was a young boy, couldn't be older than sixteen. Jensen studied him thoroughly over his tiny glasses, while Misha held him in place. The kid looked healthy, but not interesting in any way. Jensen smirked like he had just found a winning lottery ticket.
"Hospital." Jensen said and Misha couldn't help but feel sad for the boy. The way Jensen said the words, he must have thought of a real hospital when in reality it was just a stop on the way to the slaughter house. He would now be sent to get checked up, qualified as healthy. If he passed the tests, he'll be taken to a cell with a few others like him. They will be fed and hospitalized until there's a customer. Rich people, needing a new kidney or a healthy liver, a strong heart. He will be cut and torn into pieces, until there's nothing left to give and then, Misha didn't even want to think about what will happen to his lifeless body.
Pigs in a slaughter house. To Jensen that was all these kids were. He didn't even second guess his decisions. Every Monday, a fresh set of 'goods' were brought in and Jensen was the only one choosing their fates. Boys and girls, picked up from the streets, tricked or kidnapped, cut from their past lives, slavery the only thing waiting for them.
To Jensen it was all very simple. They were either sexy and interesting enough to be put in the Seraglio, or healthy enough to be used for their body parts. If someone didn't fit the pattern, they were left in cells down here, and not even Misha knew what really happened to them. He just knew the average time of survival was 2 weeks down here.
Sometimes he thought that maybe Jensen just enjoyed torturing these poor bastards. He just kept them here to get kicks out of it.
The process was going as always, Jensen calling the fates of every person after studying them shortly. Until his gaze lingered on someone for more than two minutes.
That was a first.
Misha's arm started to bother him, holding the guy's chin up for Jensen. He looked away from Jensen, studying the guy himself.
He was tall. Really tall. Like 6.4' or so. And he had broad shoulders, his body was well built and firm all over. He had long brown bangs, sharp jawline and nose and hazel eyes. He looked older than others too, maybe only a few years younger than Jensen. Ok, it was odd for someone like him to be here, but still it didn't really come as a problem to Misha. He could easily fit in either of the groups.
"Take him to my office." Jensen's deep voice startled Misha. It sounded rougher than usual and if the order wasn't so unusual in itself the tone would definitely raise a question.
"What?" Misha asked, stupefied and staring at Jensen with wide eyes.
"Did you have a stroke? My office! Now!" Jensen turned around, his voice still deeper than usual.
"And take the rest of them to the hospital." He said as he started walking towards the elevator.
No one saw Jared's pleased smirk as Misha disengaged his chains and shoved him in the same direction.
Chapter 2