The Institute

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone from Supernatural nor do I profit in any way. I just write for the love of writing about the boys and hurting them on the odd occasion.

Warnings:

Rated for language, violence and torture.

NO Wincest or Slash involved in this or any of my stories.

Author's Note: This is not a supernatural story as such, though the demon may make an appearance later on.

Just one little other thing no agencies or agents were brainwashed, manipulated or tortured in anyway. :0)

CHAPTER 6 - Physical Endurance or Death?

Mister Sloane and the other board members watched the interaction with the brothers with an undisguised intrigue. The observation room though crowded gave all of the men a clear view of the lab and the testing of subject twenty-two.

'Ha he has no idea who his brother is,' one man exclaimed excitedly, 'this is better than we thought Mister Sloane.'

'Yes, yes but it is only a beginning.' Sloane said thoughtfully, 'Delia bring Tobias in here.' He said into the intercom.

Within seconds, Tobias knocked on the door and walked in, standing next to Sloane they watched Dean trying to rouse Sam. 'Interesting Mister Sloane, this is working well ... in fact better than what we thought.'

'Yes, yes I am very happy but I want to step this up one notch. That little upstart thinks that he has us fooled with his inane attempt to hide his identity.' Sloane muttered more to himself than to Tobias. 'Has the brother shown any indication of dormant abilities?'

'No Sir, he passed through the initial testing during his induction without incident, if he has any powers there are more of a hunter, predator nature an alpha male as you will, he has an obsessive tendency to protect the weak, which includes his brother.'

'Excuse me doctor but just exactly how did you come to this?'

'During every employee's induction they have to go through a series of tests and psychological profiles before they are allowed to work here,' Sloane explained slightly impatiently. 'The brother was placed in the normal induction room with the others and was given the same testing as the others, he received no special treatment although we were already well aware of who he is.'

'Ah and during this process they are also tested for any signs of psychic ability?' the same man asked.

'Yes, yes now is there anything else or can we get on with the matter at hand?' Sloane glared at the men almost daring them to speak up, and then he turned to Tobias a small cold smile playing on his thin lips. 'Physical endurance is the next test?'

'Yes Sir.'

'Have the brother deal out the beating. If subject twenty-two is completely assimilated then it will not be aware of who is hurting him, the focus will be on how he protects himself. This is also a test for the older brother just to see how far he is willing to take his little charade.'

Dean straightened when he heard the doctor return and busied himself with his note taking, taking surreptitious glances at Sam whenever he could but there was no visible reaction out of Sam at all.

'Mister Hunt are you still with me?' Tobias asked keeping a carefully guarded look on his face.

'Yes Sir.' Dean asked a frown forming on his face, something felt wrong. He may not have Sam's sixth sense or whatever but he did know when something was about to get very hinkey.

'Very good replace the hood over subject twenty-two's head,' Tobias ordered acting as though this was going to be another normal test he turned his back and fiddled with his computer for a few minutes.

Dean took a deep breath and with a heavy heart picked up the hood and stood in front of Sam for a moment, glancing over his shoulder he noticed that the doctor turned away from them, taking the brief reprieve Dean stared up at Sam's eyes, they were wide but had a vacant look in them. Sighing heavily Dean lifted the hood and went to put it over Sam's head when he saw the glimmer of recognition in Sam's eyes fire for the briefest of seconds before the vacant stare was back.

Slipping the hood over his brother's face was fast becoming one of the hardest things that Dean had ever done in his life. Turning he cleared his throat and waited for further instruction determined to play this thing out until he could free Sammy.

'Very good, Mister Hunt, we are about to start a new phase of tests for subject twenty-two, I have been instructed to pursue the attempt to see what other powers subject twenty-two is hiding or has not recognised them.' He stopped speaking and walked over to a side table picking up a short riding crop he continued over to Dean, 'you are to inflict pain stimuli, using this first.' Tobias spoke casually as though he asked Dean to spoon feed Sam food, 'ten strikes across the chest and abdomen, none below the hip area and none above the shoulders is that clear?'

'Yes Sir.' Dean choked out, the realisation just hitting him; they expected Dean to hurt his own brother. Suspicion started to seep into his psyche then, and Dean found himself wondering just how much they know about the Winchester brothers.

'Subject twenty-two will be expected to either prevent the riding crop from connecting with his skin or to disarm you before you can hurt him. Is there something wrong Mister Hunt?'

'No, no Sir just taking in the instructions,' Dean stammered hoping that he sounded more convincing than he felt.

'One other thing Mister Hunt.'

'Yes Sir?'

'You are not to pull any blows; I want to make sure that subject twenty-two has a fair chance of deflecting them.'

'Yes Sir.' Dean answered taking the riding crop he positioned himself, silently begged Sam for forgiveness, and delivered the first blow not expecting any reaction from Sam.

As the leather riding whip connected with Sam's stomach he flinched and cried out startling everyone in the room. Dean's breath caught in his throat as he lifted his arm to inflict another blow across Sam's stomach. After six strokes, Sam's head lifted and his body tensed as though he could sense when the next blow was coming.

Dean felt a force pushing against him as he went to hit Sam again, this time the riding crop connected with air and dropped from Dean's fingers clattering to the floor.

'Mister Hunt?'

'A ... a force Doctor, he protected himself with a force.' Dean uttered in shock as he stared at his brother standing so still and wearing that dreaded black hood. Six long angry welts crisscrossed Sam's stomach standing brightly against the pallor of his skin.

'A force?' the Doctor smiled as he repeated the news, quickly he jotted down more notes, on both the result with sam and the way Dean acted during the first phase.

'Very good, you may remove the hood for the next phase Mister Hunt.' Tobias instructed Dean. Grateful for small things Dean reached up and slipped the hood off Sam's head, worriedly he snuck a quick look into his brother's eyes. The vacant look in those sea-green eyes had gone replaced by one of confusion and hurt.

Dean swallowed hard on the rising bile in his throat and turned his attention back to the doctor, 'what's next Doctor?'

'Remove subject twenty-two from the shackles and lie him face down on the table.'

'On the table?'

'Yes remember what I said earlier Mister Hunt I will not abide any inane or useless questions.'

'Certainly Sir,' Dean acquiesced unlocking the shackles he guided Sam to the table, 'get face down on the table subject twenty-two.' He ordered, his own guilt raising another level.

Sam silently climbed onto the table and laid facedown waiting for further instruction his head turned facing the doctor and Dean. Dean held his breath waiting for the next instruction knowing that it was going to be something completely wrong.

'Restrain it.' Tobias ordered tersely, his patience waning, he wanted to drop the pretence and start the hard testing on both of the brothers.

Dean fastened the leather restraints around Sam's wrists and ankles wincing internally with the knowledge of how much those welts would hurt with the added weight and pressure on them.

'Place the electrodes on the subject's neck, shoulders and down his spine at regular intervals.'

'Yes Sir.' Dean muttered, frowning he pressed the patches as gently as he could but he felt Sam shudder with each touch. How could his brother ever trust him again?

'Done Doctor, what do you want me to do now?'

'Fine, there are weights over on that bench I want them added to each wrist and ankle.' Tobias nodded to the bench on the far wall. 'Actually subject twenty-two is strong add two weights instead of one to each wrist and ankle.'

Dean hesitated and then picked up the weights trying to delay the process as long as possible but one look from the doctor made him shudder and he did what the doctor instructed him to do. Stepping back from the table he waited silently for the next instruction, he could see the fine sheen of sweat coating Sam's flesh as the strain started to show, the muscles in his arms and legs started to bunch and contort as the added weight pulled on his joints. Dean visibly jumped when he heard the pop of Sam's shoulder, knowing without looking that it was the one Sam had dislocated a few years ago.

'Very good, time this for me Mister Hunt, tell me when five minutes have passed from now,' Tobias smiled coldly.

The minutes dragged by slowly, second by second Dean kept glancing over at Sam, the strain now evident on his face as well as the fine tremor wracking his body. Inwardly Dean screamed for the pain they were putting his baby brother through, it wasn't fair, Sam did not ask for those stupid abilities, and he didn't ask to be tortured for them either.

'Mister Hunt, do pay attention.'

'Sorry Doctor I was concentrating on the timing, it is now five minutes.'

'Very good, now for the second phase to begin.'

Dean opened his mouth to ask why, weren't they already doing phase two but he quickly closed it again and put the timer down, and instead waited for the doctor to issue his new orders.

Tobias smiled at the apparent submission by the elder brother; perhaps both of them were malleable for training. 'Mister Hunt I need you to stand by the controls next to the table, when I give you the instruction I want you to flick the switch and deliver shocks through the electrodes. I want to see what the subject will do, if he shorts the electrodes or tries to remove the weights; he cannot possibly do both at the sametime.'

'Shock him?'

'Mister Hunt do I need to have you replaced on your first day?'

'No Sir.' Dean placed a shaking hand on the switch and waited for the first order, the nod was barely noticeable, but enough for Dean to understand what was expected. Reluctantly he flicked the switch and watched Sam's body jerk pitifully as the electricity coursed through him.

After three shocks, Dean went to flick the switch again when sparks flew from the computer consoles and a shock ran up along his fingers.

'Damn it.' He cursed under his breath he stared at Sam, his eyes widening in horror, 'doctor subject twenty-two is not breathing.'

'There is nothing to panic about Mister Hunt,' Tobias snapped, 'bring subject twenty-one in.' he ordered into the intercom. Two guards dragged Grace between them her eyes widening in horror when she saw Sam's lifeless body.

'Noooo!' She cried out, 'you've killed him.'

'He still has a heart beat, stop the theatrics subject twenty-one or you will find yourself in the same position.' The doctor threatened, 'heal him.'

Grace stared at the doctor and then turned tear-filled eyes to Dean who glanced down at Sam and then back at her, an unreadable mask on his face. Trembling uncontrollably, she placed her hands on Sam and ran them down his back. 'Can, can you remove the restraints and weights please?' she whispered looking up at Dean.

'Yeah sure.' Dean removed them immediately and then rolled Sam gently over onto his back. Grace gasped as she saw the bleeding welts on Sam's stomach, Dean felt his stomach flip-flop when he saw the smudged blood on the table and Sam's skin.

'Now subject twenty-one.' Tobias ordered his voice cutting through the tense silence.

Grace laid her hands on Sam's chest and forehead and closed her eyes, Dean's eyes widened in surprise as he watched her healing his brother. The welts closed and started to scab, the cuts on his wrists and ankles from the restraints disappeared as well as the rest of his visible injuries. Grace swayed and started to collapse, Dean moved quickly to catch her and tenderly lower her down to the floor. 'He is still ... he still may die.' Grace whispered as unconsciousness claimed her.

'What did it say to you Mister Hunt?'

'Subject twenty-one said that subject twenty-two ... that it may still die.' Dean said his eyes fixed on the ethereal young woman lying in his arms.

'Take them back to the cells and place her in his, she can do another healing when she regains consciousness.' Tobias ordered the guards, 'tell Summers to check on them during rounds.'

'Yes Doctor.' The guard nodded his head and gathered Sam into his arms before dumping him roughly onto a gurney. One of the other guards did the same with Grace and then they left leaving Dean alone with the doctor.

'You did well today Mister Hunt.'

'Thank you Doctor coming from you that means a lot.'

'I will have Jennifer here to show you to your quarters.'

'My quarters?' Dean asked confused.

'Didn't anyone tell you?'

'Tell me what?'

'For your first two weeks you live here in the Institute, it is just a security measure and also a way for you to completely understand what happens here and why.'

'Oh yes of course but all of my belongings...'

'Are already in your quarters.'

A young woman, tall and athletically built walked in and gave the doctor a small smile before turning to Dean. Pretty without being beautiful, she had shoulder length honey blond hair and deep blue eyes. 'Nice to meet you Mister Hunt.' She said in a monotone voice, Dean looked at her closely, noticing for the first time that even though her eyes were a deep sapphire blue they were completely and utterly blank.

'Jennifer is one of our first subjects.' Tobias explained, 'she was given her new name after she finished assimilation.'

'Ah okay, so she was a psychic as well?'

'Is Mister Hunt, she is a psychic she is just under complete control so that she cannot use her powers against anyone else.'

'Oh, so after subject twenty-two's tests and evaluations?'

'He will be assessed for possible assimilation; if successful then he will be given a new name and will live to serve.'

'Excellent.' Dean murmured hoping to sound believable.

TBC