Training, Supernatural, NC-17
Fandom: Supernatural
Title: Training
Characters/Pairings: Sam/Dean(overall), John, Bobby, Ellen, Sam/OMC
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 3223
Summary: A sequel to Anything which was a Christmas request from nanakomatsu, Nothing, Something, To Be Good, Broken, To Be Strong, Nothing, No One, Alone, Yours, Mine, Better, Choice, Gathering, Betrayal, Taken and Remember. The hunters assemble in Sharon, and Sam's training gets kicked up a notch.
A/Ns and Warnings: Very dark. Includes torture and rape and very dark violence.
The car was far too quiet. It made John uneasy. He sat beside Dean and watched him. Ellen was driving and Bobby hadn’t said a word since they’d gotten into the car. Dean likewise hadn’t said a word. He hadn’t reverted to that eerie silence where he seemed to just stop existing until someone gave him an order, but he stared out the window, one knee drawn up to his chest.
The one time he’d looked at John, he’d looked…broken, haunted…there just weren’t any words for that expression. John sighed and looked out his own window. They were still a good half hour from the turn off to Sharon. Daylight had climbed up the horizon and settled in the sky, but it still felt dark.
Everything felt dark, if he let himself think about Sam…about his boy alone in the hands of the men who had managed to break Dean…because Sam…he wasn’t weak…his strength was just…different from Dean’s. And…there was the matter of his illusion…and the way he’d killed those men. As hard as it was for Dean, it had been a business…John was afraid that breaking Sam would be personal for Gorlian.
Of course…that also meant they might just get Gorlian, no matter what Dean said. If he wanted Sam…he might just be there. Maybe. John turned to look at Dean again.
“I’m okay.” Dean said softly without looking.
“We’ll get him, Dean.”
Dean inhaled slowly and turned, his eyes lingering on the back of Bobby’s head before they met John’s. “It’s going to be bloody.”
John nodded. “I know.”
“You need to make sure the rest of them know too. No one lives.”
“Dean-“
He turned back to the window. “No one. It’s the only way. They won’t stop. Getting Sam back is only the beginning. It isn’t over until we bring it all down.”
Sam fought to breath as the water beat over him, slamming into his face, over his chest, pounding against bruised flesh. He hung from his wrists in the cage as two burly men hosed him down and Thomas stood by, a black, leather swathed crop in his hands.
When he nodded the water simply stopped and Sam shook his head. The two men left the room and Thomas moved closer. “You broke the rules, slave. You made a mess of your cage and yourself. You will be punished.”
Sam held his breath in anticipation and just as he was forced to exhale it came, fire lancing across his wet ass. He jumped, his body swinging forward and then back, right into the second blow. He couldn’t keep from yelling as three more bit into his back.
Thomas came around in front of Sam, grabbing his face as Sam was slowly lowered. “You shit when and where I say. Do that again and you’ll get ten lashes.”
Sam forced his eyes to meet the handler’s. “Fuck you.”
Thomas’s hand grabbed Sam’s dick and yank down hard. “You don’t speak, slave. You are nothing. No one.”
“My name is Sam.”
He didn’t anticipate the punch that snapped his head to the side or the rapid drop to his knees. Then Thomas was behind him, holding his head, his thumb pressing into Sam’s mouth. “Drew, you’re up.”
One of the water guys came back in, stopping in front of Sam. “Show this slave what his mouth is meant to be used for.”
Sam bucked back, but Thomas held him tight, his thumb and the pressure of his fingers against Sam’s neck forcing him to open his mouth as Drew unzipped his pants. Sam’s head was tight against Thomas’s stomach as Drew’s cock moved in. He tried to close his mouth, tried to turn his head.
Drew laughed as the head of his cock passed Sam’s lips and Sam bucked again. “Nothing comes out of that mouth unless you’re given direct instruction.” Thomas said as Drew pressed in past Sam’s gag reflex and held himself until Sam was struggling for air. “You do not speak unless asked a direct question that requires a direct answer.”
Drew pulled out, but before Sam could adjust was shoving himself back inside. “You are nothing. No one. Alone.”
Sam closed his eyes and fought the urge to fight…he thought about his father…about Dean. This was nothing. He could handle this. He could imagine it was Dean, swallow…breathe…relax his jaw. Dean, who loved to hold his head while he came…He could block out the litany of words and just forget.
“John.” Ellen’s voice was soft and low and it brought John to lean forward. “That Caleb’s car?”
John followed the headlights off to the car in question. “Yeah.”
“Where’s Caleb?” Ellen asked as she eased them off the road.
“And Joe.” John was out of the car almost before it was stopped, tromping over gravel and dirt to peer into the windows. It was locked up tight. John frowned and looked up over the car at the property. A long dirt road led from a front gate back to what looked for all the world like a horse ranch.
Ellen stopped beside him and shaded her eyes to look across the distance between them and the first building. “You think they tried to get closer?”
“I don’t know. He should have called. He knew we would be coming.”
“Caleb aint the impulsive kind.” Bobby said as he joined them. “He’d be here waiting for us.”
“Unless he saw something. If he saw Sam, he might.” Dean said. Behind them other cars were slowing, then moving on…no point making it obvious, if someone was watching, and someone was likely watching. They would circle around, find other ways in.
John’s eyes were already picking out security cameras and guards and counting the people moving around in plain sight. Even with everyone, they wouldn’t be enough. Dean was right when he said it would be bloody.
John started when his pocket vibrated, then pulled out the cell phone. “Joe?” He squinted against the glare of the sun, then nodded. “Caleb?” He nodded again. “No, stay put. I’m going to need to…get back to you.”
He closed the phone. “Joe’s about halfway between here and the second gate…in the grass. Caleb went around the other side to make sure they didn’t have another way off the property. Nothing’s left since they got here.”
“So…what next?” Ellen asked.
“Recon. We need to know what we’re getting into.” John turned back to their car. “Ellen, I’m going to need you to be our center. We’ll get you to a safe distance and set you up in the van. We’ll set up in teams of two and start in from the perimeter at every side.”
Dean stood next to Caleb’s car, staring at the ranch. “Dean?”
“Not leaving.”
“You can’t stay here, Dean.”
“There isn’t time, Dad. I-Sam needs us now.”
Ellen put a gentle hand on Dean’s shoulder. “Getting yourself caught won’t help Sam, honey. Your daddy’s right. We need more information, or we’re just asking to get slaughtered.”
“I’ve got a really bad feeling about this.” Dean said, letting Ellen turn him around. “Like…it isn’t enough…and we’re too late…”
Ellen stroked a hand over his head and drew him back toward the car they’d come in. “Its okay, Dean. Sam is going to be fine.”
Dean blinked back tears and nodded shakily. John could see he didn’t believe it. Not for a minute. Neither did John. Or Ellen. He could see it in her eyes as she looked up at him.
John flipped his cell open and called to relay the plan to the rest of the hunters. He didn’t look at the ranch as they pulled away. He didn’t look at Dean either. If he did, he wouldn’t be able to leave.
It was dark. Cold. He was on his knees. His hands were behind his back. Words tumbled through him endlessly. Rules. Insults. Nothing. No one. Alone. Obey. Submit.
He shifted on his knees and was rewarded with a stinging pain in his shins. Don’t move. Every movement meant pain. Punishment.
It was disorienting…the dark, the sound that filled the entire space.
Something changed, the sound…the voice. It was different. Sam’s breathing sped up. It was Dean.
Dean’s voice. Nothing. No one. Alone. It was flat and dry…but Dean…A slave is obedient. Sam bit down on the leather in his mouth until it was cutting into his lips. A slave submits to his master. He’d hear the words before…but this was different. A slave wishes only to please his master
Sam could see Dean…on his knees, begging to be punished. Nothing. No one. Alone. The drugs they’d pumped into him made thinking hard…already he found his mind repeating the words as they were recited.
He’d almost prefer the beating…except he wasn’t sure he could take any more of that. His back and ass and thighs were bruised and covered in welts. His broken nose throbbed and his head pounded.
Abruptly, the lights came up and the sound stopped. Sam squeezed his eyes closed, trying not to anticipate what was coming next. He could tell this wasn’t the same program they’d put Dean through…modified to keep him guessing…sped up because James was unhappy.
Thomas entered the cage, tapping his crop against his boot. “On your feet.”
Sam squinted up at him and weighed the price of disobeying, but figured it would just get him more pain and lurched up. “That’s a good boy. Learning is fun, isn’t it?”
Sam glared at him and Thomas laughed. “Come on then. Master James wishes to see you.” He waved a hand at the door and Sam took a moment to realize he was meant to go through the door. Thomas shoved him and Sam stumbled, only barely ducking his head in time to keep from hitting it on the low door. “Fucking giant.” Thomas murmured as he followed, poking Sam with the crop to keep him moving.
It wasn’t a long walk, and Thomas stopped him in front of a set of double doors. They opened without sound and he pulled Sam inside, waiting for the doors to close before the next set of doors opened. The room those doors revealed was posh, elegant even. White carpeting and walls, with soft wood accents and a fire place casting a warm wash of red over beige couches and pillows. In a giant arm chair, James sat, legs crossed, his suit a perfect match to the room.
“Thank you Thomas. You may present him.”
Thomas inclined his head and pushed Sam forward until he was arm’s reach from James. “On your knees boy.” His hand on Sam’s shoulder encouraged obedience and Sam sank to his knees. “He hasn’t learned his postures, yet, sir.”
James examined his nails. “Well, it has only been eighteen hours or so, Thomas. I’m impressed with what you’ve done.”
“Thank you sir. You did say I could go as hard as I needed to get the job done…and you did mention breaking the record.”
James smiled wickedly. “Indeed. I’ll triple your bonus if you break it. I’m looking forward to the day this one presents himself to me.”
Sam growled around the gag and James flicked his eyes over him. “Hasn’t learned to keep quiet though?”
“Says the foulest things, sir. I’ve chosen to keep his mouth shut when it isn’t filled with anything.”
“Very good, Thomas. And we’ve filled it?”
“Yes sir. Drew and Dennis both.”
James nodded. “And his ass?”
Sam fumed, unconsciously pulling at the restraints keeping his wrists behind his back. “Yes sir…aside from Dennis and Robert during transport, we’ve had two others in him.”
“Very good. I’d like to keep to that pace for now.” James uncrossed his legs and looked at Sam. “Now, slave. I’ve had to go out of my way with you, had to change my pace and do things the sloppy way. I am not happy about this.”
He picked up a remote and pressed a button. “My consolation is that it won’t be long and I’ll have your brother back in my possession. I did so love to watch his lips around my dick.” A door opened and two men bullied a third into the room. “Now, to facilitate our progress, I’ve developed a new training technique.”
The man was hidden under a black hood and forced to his knees beside James, who’s hand went out to caress his head through the fabric.
Sam stared at him, then back at James. His breathing was erratic, irrational fear filling him. It wasn’t Dean. Not tall enough…and James had just admitted they didn’t have him. It was someone else.
James smiled. “I’ve got your interest, don’t I? I thought I might. This is our newest guest. He was caught outside our facility in Sharon. Snooping around. He’s not…our type…a little old for the training…and not what our clients are looking for. But, I thought I recognized him and after reviewing some security footage, I realized he could be useful.”
He pulled the hood off and Sam started. Caleb’s face was bloody and swollen, the gag cutting into his cheeks. He saw Sam and shook his head, pulling away from James’s hand as it stroked his head.
“I see you two do know one another. Excellent.” His eyes flashed with excitement as he looked back at Sam. “From this moment on, this thing is your responsibility. Every punishment you earn, will be given to him as well. For every blow you earn, he will receive two.”
Sam’s eyes flashed to Caleb’s, then back to James. He shook his head. “Oh yes, slave. Yes. And you will watch and listen. He will be kept in your cage and witness your obedience or disobedience. And we will start now. Thomas, remove his gag.”
Sam worked his jaw as the leather was removed. “You have been trained in the first rule. You will repeat it.”
Sam looked at Caleb until Thomas forcefully turned his head back to James. “What are you slave?” Thomas asked, his crop resting on Sam’s shoulder.
Sam clenched his teeth. He couldn’t say it…”No.”
He stiffened as the two blows landed, one on each shoulder. Before he could react Thomas landed four on Caleb’s shoulders. “What are you?”
Sam closed his eyes. He didn’t have to mean it. He could…He licked his lips. “Nothing,” he whispered it and Thomas gripped his chin.
“I don’t think your Master heard you. What are you?”
“Nothing. No one.” Sam gasped, squeezing his eyes shut.
“I think this will work nicely.” James said. “Now, turn and show me how Thomas has disciplined you. This is the presentation posture. On your knees, ankles together, knees apart, head down. If your hands were free you would use them to spread your ass for my inspection.”
Sam shook as he moved…as he obeyed. He could feel Caleb’s eyes burning on his skin as he settled into the position and lowered his head. “Very pretty, Thomas. Let’s be sure we don’t break the skin. I don’t want you marking him.” Sam hear the rustle of linen as James stood. “Take them back to their cage. Keep the whipping boy chained in the corner and gagged. Let’s see how this one can keep his tongue now.”
“Yes sir.”
“And, we’ll continue withholding food and water for the time being.”
“Yes sir.”
“This can’t be right.” John said, looking at the blueprints spread out on the hood of the car.
“Well, they wouldn’t necessarily have all that hidden stuff like Dean was describing on the official blueprints, right?”
“Suppose not.” John looked them over. “Okay. We go in here.” He pointed with two fingers to a building that was dressed up to look like stables, but which had a lot of power lines feeding in to it. His phone rang and he pulled it out. “Joe?”
He looked around the five or six hunters milling around. “No. He isn’t here. Isn’t he answering his cell?” He lowered the phone. “Hank, you seen Caleb?”
The hunter with the scar across his lower face shook his head. “No. Wasn’t he on recon?”
John shook his head. “He’s not at his post.”
“That’s not good.”
“Joe, come on back. We’ll find him.”
“We can’t keep losing folk like this.” Ellen said, approaching him with a cup of coffee.
“If they caught him, they’ll know we’re coming.” Bobby pulled his hat off and scratched at his head. “Could be a trap waiting.”
John nodded and scanned the area for Dean. He was sitting off by himself, on the trunk of one of the cars. “We have to assume they know.” Dean had been quiet again since they left the driveway into the ranch. John was worried.
“You can’t cut him out of this.” Ellen said, following his gaze.
“He’s so fragile right now.”
“And that’s his brother out there. The one who came for him, the one who found him.”
John sighed. “I know.” He pulled a hand through his hair. “I just…I’m a little lost here.”
She hesitated just a second, then pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around him and holding him until he could breathe on his own again. “We’re all here with you. Just…remember that boy needs you…maybe even more than Sam does right now.”
He turned back to the blueprints. “Okay. Here. And here.” He pointed to the second likely target. “Dean says that Sam’s probably relatively safe right now. That they use the first few days to disorient and weaken them…so…we wait until dusk. If they know we’re coming, let’s make them wait, and hit them when it’s to our advantage. After all, we hunt things that live in the dark.”
Ellen nodded, her hand still on John’s arm, warm and comforting. “Okay. Let’s lay out perimeter watches and trade off on two hour shifts. It’s noon know. Sun goes down in seven hours. We assemble in six. Whoever’s not on watch get some sleep. That goes double for you, and Dean.”
John wanted to argue…but he was exhausted. “There was a motel down the way. You take Dean and go. I’ll hold down the fort here.”
“You sure?”
She smiled at him and he was reminded how much he’d always loved her smile. It reminded him of Mary. “Go on. I don’t want you going in there all sleep deprived.”
He nodded. She was right. “Dean, come on. Call me if anything changes.”
Ellen nodded and watched him go. Dean followed without argument, without much movement that wasn’t necessary. She sighed and turned to her other patient. “And what about you?”
Bobby stared blindly at the ground. “I’m fine.”
“Bullshit.”
He looked up at her. “He’s my boy.” He leaned harder against the car. “He’s my boy and he…deserves to die. If Dean don’t kill him…god, how does this happen? How?” He crossed his arms and scowled. “How does my boy turn into someone who could do this?”
“You didn’t do this, Bobby. You have to let him take the blame.”
There were tears in his eyes when he looked up. “He’s my boy.” He stalked away, leaving her with the softly rustling blue prints and a schedule to create…and knowing that no matter what happened six hours from now, it would only be the beginning.
Title: Training
Characters/Pairings: Sam/Dean(overall), John, Bobby, Ellen, Sam/OMC
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 3223
Summary: A sequel to Anything which was a Christmas request from nanakomatsu, Nothing, Something, To Be Good, Broken, To Be Strong, Nothing, No One, Alone, Yours, Mine, Better, Choice, Gathering, Betrayal, Taken and Remember. The hunters assemble in Sharon, and Sam's training gets kicked up a notch.
A/Ns and Warnings: Very dark. Includes torture and rape and very dark violence.
The car was far too quiet. It made John uneasy. He sat beside Dean and watched him. Ellen was driving and Bobby hadn’t said a word since they’d gotten into the car. Dean likewise hadn’t said a word. He hadn’t reverted to that eerie silence where he seemed to just stop existing until someone gave him an order, but he stared out the window, one knee drawn up to his chest.
The one time he’d looked at John, he’d looked…broken, haunted…there just weren’t any words for that expression. John sighed and looked out his own window. They were still a good half hour from the turn off to Sharon. Daylight had climbed up the horizon and settled in the sky, but it still felt dark.
Everything felt dark, if he let himself think about Sam…about his boy alone in the hands of the men who had managed to break Dean…because Sam…he wasn’t weak…his strength was just…different from Dean’s. And…there was the matter of his illusion…and the way he’d killed those men. As hard as it was for Dean, it had been a business…John was afraid that breaking Sam would be personal for Gorlian.
Of course…that also meant they might just get Gorlian, no matter what Dean said. If he wanted Sam…he might just be there. Maybe. John turned to look at Dean again.
“I’m okay.” Dean said softly without looking.
“We’ll get him, Dean.”
Dean inhaled slowly and turned, his eyes lingering on the back of Bobby’s head before they met John’s. “It’s going to be bloody.”
John nodded. “I know.”
“You need to make sure the rest of them know too. No one lives.”
“Dean-“
He turned back to the window. “No one. It’s the only way. They won’t stop. Getting Sam back is only the beginning. It isn’t over until we bring it all down.”
Sam fought to breath as the water beat over him, slamming into his face, over his chest, pounding against bruised flesh. He hung from his wrists in the cage as two burly men hosed him down and Thomas stood by, a black, leather swathed crop in his hands.
When he nodded the water simply stopped and Sam shook his head. The two men left the room and Thomas moved closer. “You broke the rules, slave. You made a mess of your cage and yourself. You will be punished.”
Sam held his breath in anticipation and just as he was forced to exhale it came, fire lancing across his wet ass. He jumped, his body swinging forward and then back, right into the second blow. He couldn’t keep from yelling as three more bit into his back.
Thomas came around in front of Sam, grabbing his face as Sam was slowly lowered. “You shit when and where I say. Do that again and you’ll get ten lashes.”
Sam forced his eyes to meet the handler’s. “Fuck you.”
Thomas’s hand grabbed Sam’s dick and yank down hard. “You don’t speak, slave. You are nothing. No one.”
“My name is Sam.”
He didn’t anticipate the punch that snapped his head to the side or the rapid drop to his knees. Then Thomas was behind him, holding his head, his thumb pressing into Sam’s mouth. “Drew, you’re up.”
One of the water guys came back in, stopping in front of Sam. “Show this slave what his mouth is meant to be used for.”
Sam bucked back, but Thomas held him tight, his thumb and the pressure of his fingers against Sam’s neck forcing him to open his mouth as Drew unzipped his pants. Sam’s head was tight against Thomas’s stomach as Drew’s cock moved in. He tried to close his mouth, tried to turn his head.
Drew laughed as the head of his cock passed Sam’s lips and Sam bucked again. “Nothing comes out of that mouth unless you’re given direct instruction.” Thomas said as Drew pressed in past Sam’s gag reflex and held himself until Sam was struggling for air. “You do not speak unless asked a direct question that requires a direct answer.”
Drew pulled out, but before Sam could adjust was shoving himself back inside. “You are nothing. No one. Alone.”
Sam closed his eyes and fought the urge to fight…he thought about his father…about Dean. This was nothing. He could handle this. He could imagine it was Dean, swallow…breathe…relax his jaw. Dean, who loved to hold his head while he came…He could block out the litany of words and just forget.
“John.” Ellen’s voice was soft and low and it brought John to lean forward. “That Caleb’s car?”
John followed the headlights off to the car in question. “Yeah.”
“Where’s Caleb?” Ellen asked as she eased them off the road.
“And Joe.” John was out of the car almost before it was stopped, tromping over gravel and dirt to peer into the windows. It was locked up tight. John frowned and looked up over the car at the property. A long dirt road led from a front gate back to what looked for all the world like a horse ranch.
Ellen stopped beside him and shaded her eyes to look across the distance between them and the first building. “You think they tried to get closer?”
“I don’t know. He should have called. He knew we would be coming.”
“Caleb aint the impulsive kind.” Bobby said as he joined them. “He’d be here waiting for us.”
“Unless he saw something. If he saw Sam, he might.” Dean said. Behind them other cars were slowing, then moving on…no point making it obvious, if someone was watching, and someone was likely watching. They would circle around, find other ways in.
John’s eyes were already picking out security cameras and guards and counting the people moving around in plain sight. Even with everyone, they wouldn’t be enough. Dean was right when he said it would be bloody.
John started when his pocket vibrated, then pulled out the cell phone. “Joe?” He squinted against the glare of the sun, then nodded. “Caleb?” He nodded again. “No, stay put. I’m going to need to…get back to you.”
He closed the phone. “Joe’s about halfway between here and the second gate…in the grass. Caleb went around the other side to make sure they didn’t have another way off the property. Nothing’s left since they got here.”
“So…what next?” Ellen asked.
“Recon. We need to know what we’re getting into.” John turned back to their car. “Ellen, I’m going to need you to be our center. We’ll get you to a safe distance and set you up in the van. We’ll set up in teams of two and start in from the perimeter at every side.”
Dean stood next to Caleb’s car, staring at the ranch. “Dean?”
“Not leaving.”
“You can’t stay here, Dean.”
“There isn’t time, Dad. I-Sam needs us now.”
Ellen put a gentle hand on Dean’s shoulder. “Getting yourself caught won’t help Sam, honey. Your daddy’s right. We need more information, or we’re just asking to get slaughtered.”
“I’ve got a really bad feeling about this.” Dean said, letting Ellen turn him around. “Like…it isn’t enough…and we’re too late…”
Ellen stroked a hand over his head and drew him back toward the car they’d come in. “Its okay, Dean. Sam is going to be fine.”
Dean blinked back tears and nodded shakily. John could see he didn’t believe it. Not for a minute. Neither did John. Or Ellen. He could see it in her eyes as she looked up at him.
John flipped his cell open and called to relay the plan to the rest of the hunters. He didn’t look at the ranch as they pulled away. He didn’t look at Dean either. If he did, he wouldn’t be able to leave.
It was dark. Cold. He was on his knees. His hands were behind his back. Words tumbled through him endlessly. Rules. Insults. Nothing. No one. Alone. Obey. Submit.
He shifted on his knees and was rewarded with a stinging pain in his shins. Don’t move. Every movement meant pain. Punishment.
It was disorienting…the dark, the sound that filled the entire space.
Something changed, the sound…the voice. It was different. Sam’s breathing sped up. It was Dean.
Dean’s voice. Nothing. No one. Alone. It was flat and dry…but Dean…A slave is obedient. Sam bit down on the leather in his mouth until it was cutting into his lips. A slave submits to his master. He’d hear the words before…but this was different. A slave wishes only to please his master
Sam could see Dean…on his knees, begging to be punished. Nothing. No one. Alone. The drugs they’d pumped into him made thinking hard…already he found his mind repeating the words as they were recited.
He’d almost prefer the beating…except he wasn’t sure he could take any more of that. His back and ass and thighs were bruised and covered in welts. His broken nose throbbed and his head pounded.
Abruptly, the lights came up and the sound stopped. Sam squeezed his eyes closed, trying not to anticipate what was coming next. He could tell this wasn’t the same program they’d put Dean through…modified to keep him guessing…sped up because James was unhappy.
Thomas entered the cage, tapping his crop against his boot. “On your feet.”
Sam squinted up at him and weighed the price of disobeying, but figured it would just get him more pain and lurched up. “That’s a good boy. Learning is fun, isn’t it?”
Sam glared at him and Thomas laughed. “Come on then. Master James wishes to see you.” He waved a hand at the door and Sam took a moment to realize he was meant to go through the door. Thomas shoved him and Sam stumbled, only barely ducking his head in time to keep from hitting it on the low door. “Fucking giant.” Thomas murmured as he followed, poking Sam with the crop to keep him moving.
It wasn’t a long walk, and Thomas stopped him in front of a set of double doors. They opened without sound and he pulled Sam inside, waiting for the doors to close before the next set of doors opened. The room those doors revealed was posh, elegant even. White carpeting and walls, with soft wood accents and a fire place casting a warm wash of red over beige couches and pillows. In a giant arm chair, James sat, legs crossed, his suit a perfect match to the room.
“Thank you Thomas. You may present him.”
Thomas inclined his head and pushed Sam forward until he was arm’s reach from James. “On your knees boy.” His hand on Sam’s shoulder encouraged obedience and Sam sank to his knees. “He hasn’t learned his postures, yet, sir.”
James examined his nails. “Well, it has only been eighteen hours or so, Thomas. I’m impressed with what you’ve done.”
“Thank you sir. You did say I could go as hard as I needed to get the job done…and you did mention breaking the record.”
James smiled wickedly. “Indeed. I’ll triple your bonus if you break it. I’m looking forward to the day this one presents himself to me.”
Sam growled around the gag and James flicked his eyes over him. “Hasn’t learned to keep quiet though?”
“Says the foulest things, sir. I’ve chosen to keep his mouth shut when it isn’t filled with anything.”
“Very good, Thomas. And we’ve filled it?”
“Yes sir. Drew and Dennis both.”
James nodded. “And his ass?”
Sam fumed, unconsciously pulling at the restraints keeping his wrists behind his back. “Yes sir…aside from Dennis and Robert during transport, we’ve had two others in him.”
“Very good. I’d like to keep to that pace for now.” James uncrossed his legs and looked at Sam. “Now, slave. I’ve had to go out of my way with you, had to change my pace and do things the sloppy way. I am not happy about this.”
He picked up a remote and pressed a button. “My consolation is that it won’t be long and I’ll have your brother back in my possession. I did so love to watch his lips around my dick.” A door opened and two men bullied a third into the room. “Now, to facilitate our progress, I’ve developed a new training technique.”
The man was hidden under a black hood and forced to his knees beside James, who’s hand went out to caress his head through the fabric.
Sam stared at him, then back at James. His breathing was erratic, irrational fear filling him. It wasn’t Dean. Not tall enough…and James had just admitted they didn’t have him. It was someone else.
James smiled. “I’ve got your interest, don’t I? I thought I might. This is our newest guest. He was caught outside our facility in Sharon. Snooping around. He’s not…our type…a little old for the training…and not what our clients are looking for. But, I thought I recognized him and after reviewing some security footage, I realized he could be useful.”
He pulled the hood off and Sam started. Caleb’s face was bloody and swollen, the gag cutting into his cheeks. He saw Sam and shook his head, pulling away from James’s hand as it stroked his head.
“I see you two do know one another. Excellent.” His eyes flashed with excitement as he looked back at Sam. “From this moment on, this thing is your responsibility. Every punishment you earn, will be given to him as well. For every blow you earn, he will receive two.”
Sam’s eyes flashed to Caleb’s, then back to James. He shook his head. “Oh yes, slave. Yes. And you will watch and listen. He will be kept in your cage and witness your obedience or disobedience. And we will start now. Thomas, remove his gag.”
Sam worked his jaw as the leather was removed. “You have been trained in the first rule. You will repeat it.”
Sam looked at Caleb until Thomas forcefully turned his head back to James. “What are you slave?” Thomas asked, his crop resting on Sam’s shoulder.
Sam clenched his teeth. He couldn’t say it…”No.”
He stiffened as the two blows landed, one on each shoulder. Before he could react Thomas landed four on Caleb’s shoulders. “What are you?”
Sam closed his eyes. He didn’t have to mean it. He could…He licked his lips. “Nothing,” he whispered it and Thomas gripped his chin.
“I don’t think your Master heard you. What are you?”
“Nothing. No one.” Sam gasped, squeezing his eyes shut.
“I think this will work nicely.” James said. “Now, turn and show me how Thomas has disciplined you. This is the presentation posture. On your knees, ankles together, knees apart, head down. If your hands were free you would use them to spread your ass for my inspection.”
Sam shook as he moved…as he obeyed. He could feel Caleb’s eyes burning on his skin as he settled into the position and lowered his head. “Very pretty, Thomas. Let’s be sure we don’t break the skin. I don’t want you marking him.” Sam hear the rustle of linen as James stood. “Take them back to their cage. Keep the whipping boy chained in the corner and gagged. Let’s see how this one can keep his tongue now.”
“Yes sir.”
“And, we’ll continue withholding food and water for the time being.”
“Yes sir.”
“This can’t be right.” John said, looking at the blueprints spread out on the hood of the car.
“Well, they wouldn’t necessarily have all that hidden stuff like Dean was describing on the official blueprints, right?”
“Suppose not.” John looked them over. “Okay. We go in here.” He pointed with two fingers to a building that was dressed up to look like stables, but which had a lot of power lines feeding in to it. His phone rang and he pulled it out. “Joe?”
He looked around the five or six hunters milling around. “No. He isn’t here. Isn’t he answering his cell?” He lowered the phone. “Hank, you seen Caleb?”
The hunter with the scar across his lower face shook his head. “No. Wasn’t he on recon?”
John shook his head. “He’s not at his post.”
“That’s not good.”
“Joe, come on back. We’ll find him.”
“We can’t keep losing folk like this.” Ellen said, approaching him with a cup of coffee.
“If they caught him, they’ll know we’re coming.” Bobby pulled his hat off and scratched at his head. “Could be a trap waiting.”
John nodded and scanned the area for Dean. He was sitting off by himself, on the trunk of one of the cars. “We have to assume they know.” Dean had been quiet again since they left the driveway into the ranch. John was worried.
“You can’t cut him out of this.” Ellen said, following his gaze.
“He’s so fragile right now.”
“And that’s his brother out there. The one who came for him, the one who found him.”
John sighed. “I know.” He pulled a hand through his hair. “I just…I’m a little lost here.”
She hesitated just a second, then pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around him and holding him until he could breathe on his own again. “We’re all here with you. Just…remember that boy needs you…maybe even more than Sam does right now.”
He turned back to the blueprints. “Okay. Here. And here.” He pointed to the second likely target. “Dean says that Sam’s probably relatively safe right now. That they use the first few days to disorient and weaken them…so…we wait until dusk. If they know we’re coming, let’s make them wait, and hit them when it’s to our advantage. After all, we hunt things that live in the dark.”
Ellen nodded, her hand still on John’s arm, warm and comforting. “Okay. Let’s lay out perimeter watches and trade off on two hour shifts. It’s noon know. Sun goes down in seven hours. We assemble in six. Whoever’s not on watch get some sleep. That goes double for you, and Dean.”
John wanted to argue…but he was exhausted. “There was a motel down the way. You take Dean and go. I’ll hold down the fort here.”
“You sure?”
She smiled at him and he was reminded how much he’d always loved her smile. It reminded him of Mary. “Go on. I don’t want you going in there all sleep deprived.”
He nodded. She was right. “Dean, come on. Call me if anything changes.”
Ellen nodded and watched him go. Dean followed without argument, without much movement that wasn’t necessary. She sighed and turned to her other patient. “And what about you?”
Bobby stared blindly at the ground. “I’m fine.”
“Bullshit.”
He looked up at her. “He’s my boy.” He leaned harder against the car. “He’s my boy and he…deserves to die. If Dean don’t kill him…god, how does this happen? How?” He crossed his arms and scowled. “How does my boy turn into someone who could do this?”
“You didn’t do this, Bobby. You have to let him take the blame.”
There were tears in his eyes when he looked up. “He’s my boy.” He stalked away, leaving her with the softly rustling blue prints and a schedule to create…and knowing that no matter what happened six hours from now, it would only be the beginning.