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 21 Hunter or Hunted?

Sam slept restlessly, his long limbs tangled in the bedding as he tried to fend off another dream, another night terror. Dean sat on the bed next to him not wanting to wake him and end up with a black eye but not wanting to let his brother to suffer anymore.

Suddenly Sam sat up, his eyes wide open but not focused, silently he got out of bed and dressed, Dean's worry deepened as he watched the jerking actions of his brother, so far he had gotten out of bed and dressed complete with his boots and socks without blinking. Curious to see what was going to happen Dean slipped his own boots on and stepped closer to Sam. he had never known Sam to sleepwalk, talk yes, scream yes, even wreck his bed in the throes of a nightmare but he had never seen him sleepwalk.

'Gotta go.' Sam mumbled as he started to walk to the front door, 'gotta find them.'

'Sam?' Dean whispered not wanting to startle his brother but concerned enough to try waking him. 'Sam dude where you going?'

Sam turned his head to where Dean's voice came from, 'I have to go find Dean.' he said tonelessly.

'Sammy I'm right here.'

'Find Dean and stop him.' Sam continued as he turned back to the door.

'Why do you have to stop Dean?'

'I was given an instruction.' Sam said, 'have to follow all instructions perfectly.'

'Where are you Sam?'

'Level three.' Sam said 'I have been given an order and have to go.'

'I am right here Sam.'

'I am not this Sam, I am subject twenty-two.' Sam said tonelessly as he opened the door and walked out.

'Fuck it,' Dean snapped, 'Bobby, Cal get in here now.' He bellowed before following Sam.

Sleepily Bobby stumbled from the adjoining room, 'Cal's not here, this had better be good ... Sam?'

'He thinks he's still at level three Bobby, he's following an order.'

'What order?'

'To find and to stop me.' Dean said flatly the numbness lay heavily in the pit of his stomach again. 'I've lost him this time Bobby I can feel it.'

'Just shut up and keep an eye on him.' Bobby said gruffly.

'Where did Cal go?' Dean asked breaking the sudden silence.

'Dunno he just sat up and said he had to go.' Bobby said, 'bout half an hour ago.'

'Fuck, why Sam? Why is it always Sammy?'

'Where's he heading now?' Bobby asked watching Sam turn and walk away from the footpath into the brush leading into the park lands.

'Dunno but ... oh no, no, no.' Dean cried out horrified as the image of Sam slicing his arm open came back unbidden and in glorious technicolour. 'Bobby he's armed.'

'Ah shit.' Bobby picked up his pace as they jogged to catch up with the lithe movements of Sam ahead of them.

Panting softly they stopped when they saw Sam standing very still staring out at the space in front of him, next to him stood Caleb.

Caleb looked up and made a stop sign to Dean and Bobby as they neared Sam, confused Dean went to speak but when he saw the rigidness of Sam's body and the fact that he stood on the edge of a sharp drop, Dean took a step back and waited barely breathing as Caleb tried to break through to Sam.

'Where are you going subject twenty-two?' Caleb asked forcing himself to speak in a commanding strong voice.

'Find the target and stop him.' Sam answered without any inflection in his voice.

'Who is your target subject twenty-two?'

'Dean Winchester.'

'Stand down subject twenty-two the target has already been apprehended.'

'I have to stop him.' Sam said taking a step closer to the edge of the precipice.

'Subject nineteen has apprehended the target; you are required to return to level three for further processing.'

'Return to level three.' Sam nodded and turned stiffly when he stopped; wincing with pain he turned and started moving back towards the edge, 'must find the target.'

'Stop subject twenty-two you are to remain where you are.' Caleb ordered, 'you are to follow my instructions.'

'I have to follow ... no must find the target.' Sam shook his head again gasping as the pain intensified. 'Stop, no I am behaving.' He cried out clutching his head he dropped to his knees. 'Stop make it stop.'

'Subject twenty-two look at me.' Caleb ordered kneeling in front of Sam to make eye contact.

Sam lifted his head and stared at the faceless person standing in front of him, 'I am behaving why am I being punished?'

'I can make it stop but you have to listen to my orders.' Caleb said softly, 'you are to return with me.'

'Return?'

'Yes can you walk?'

'Yes.'

'Very good subject twenty-two now stand up and come with me.'

Sam stood passively and waited for Caleb to move first then he fell into step slightly behind him, his head bowed and eyes fixed on the ground ahead of him, 'I failed in my task.' He kept repeating in a low mumble, 'failure.'

'You have not failed subject twenty-two, you were tested but you did not fail.' Caleb said trying to keep his anger from leeching into his voice. Bobby and Dean followed closely listening intently to the stilted conversation between the two young men.

'Who gave you the instruction subject twenty-two?' Caleb asked pressing Sam for more information, this time it had been too close for comfort. The tracker was gone but they still seemed to have a hold over Sam.

'The guard, he gave me the order from Mister Sloane.' Sam answered blankly staring ahead a frown forming on the pale face. 'I – I don't remember the guard, I – I mean which one.'

'Subject twenty-two are you alright?'

'Pain, hurts ... no more please I promise I'll behave please.' Sam cried clutching his head he backed away from Caleb, 'no I did what you wanted ... make it stop!' He screamed his gaze locked on Caleb, 'help me.' he gasped as he kept struggling with the voices and pain mingling in his head.

'Sam.' Dean cried out running towards his brother.

'Dean?' Sam whispered looking over at his brother before another violent eruption happened in his mind and he cried out in agony. Stumbling blindly he swerved away from the hands gripping him.

Dean felt his fingers graze Sam's arm as he stumbled, the look on Sam's face broke through the façade Dean tried to maintain and he felt the tears sting the back of his eyes as he watched Sam try to right himself. The bright lights growing brighter and bigger behind Sam didn't quite register in time.

Bobby grabbed Caleb as he fell backwards Sam pushing him away forcefully as he tried to clear his head.

They all stopped in motion as the seconds counted down, the lights grew bigger and brighter, the smell of burnt rubber permeated the air. Sam lifted his aching head slightly to look at Dean just as he heard the squealing sound of brakes behind him. He turned his head towards the sound, the world stopped for Sam Winchester as he registered too late what was about to happen.

'Dean.' His brother's name tumbled from his lips as he felt himself moving through the air, one impact quickly followed by another, he saw the sky beneath him and the ground above him but no pain, there should have been pain.

The freezing of time thawed and three men all moved towards one destination, 'Sammy?' Dean cried hoarsely unable to comprehend what was happening he skidded to a stop skinning his knees in the process, 'Sammy?'

'Dean?' Sam blinked a couple of times and gave him a wan smile, 'hey you okay?'

'I'm fine you ass, what about you?'

'Mmm head hurts, and my hip feels funny.' Sam said wincing when he tried to move, 'feel like I got hit by a truck.'

'Nearly dude, hey Sammy stay with me here, we're gonna get you some help.' Dean said as Sam's eyes started to close again, 'that's it Sammy up and at em.'

'Sorry Dean.'

'What for?'

'Such a screw up.' Sam sighed, 'the voice is gone.'

'What voice Sammy?' Dean frowned checking his brother for a head injury again.

'The one from the institute it's gone.' Sam frowned, 'I just feel ... empty.'

The sounds of sirens in the distance comforted Dean as he stroked his brother's face and arm keeping him talking as the paramedics drew closer. Caleb met them and directed them towards Sam and Dean while Bobby kept close to Dean resting a comforting hand on his shoulder while the paramedics checked Sam out.

'Hey I'm Billy and this is my partner Roger, can you tell me your name?'

'Sam, Sam Singer.' Sam sighed softly 'tired now.'

'That's okay Sam but we need you to stay awake a little longer okay.' Billy kept a firm grip on Sam's arm, 'Roger is just going to take your blood pressure and temp for me, can you tell me where the pain is?'

'Not really pain – painful unless I move my right leg.' Sam winced slightly, 'my hip feels funny.'

'You're doing great is there anything else Sam?'

'Head hurts I guess, tired so tired and cold.'

'We're gonna help with that in a minute Sam just need you to hold on okay.' Billy said momentarily leaving Sam's line of vision he came back with a spinal collar, 'I need to put this around your neck Sam just in case you hurt something in there okay.'

Blinking tiredly Sam muffled out a yes and then he started to seek Dean out, needing his comforting presence.

'I'm right here Sammy.' Dean said thickly unable to take his eyes off them working on his brother, his baby brother. He watched as they inflated a stabilising brace around Sam's leg and hip before they gave him an inhalator for the pain and transferred him to the gurney.

'Ah we're going to take Sam to the Braeside Emergency.'

'I'm coming with you.' Dean declared the look on his face defying the paramedics to argue with him. 'I'm his brother and I am not leaving his side.'

'Very well, ah Mister Singer?'

'Dean, Dean Singer Sam's my baby brother.'

'Okay Dean if you want to come, come now.'

'Go Dean, Caleb and I will look after things here.' Bobby said palming an insurance card in his hands, 'take care of my foster-sons.' He said to Billy adding an intimidating glare for effect.

'We will do our best sir.' The paramedic said as he closed the doors behind him and the ambulance screamed away.

'Something's wrong Cal but I just can't put my finger on it.' Bobby grumbled watching the van disappear down the dark road. 'Where's the cops?'

'Bobby I ... I had a vision before that's how I knew about where Sam was headed, but the way he was talking and the hit and run ... it just smacks of setup.'

'But how did they know where ... first, up we're not going to panic, let's get back to the motel, grab the truck and head to the hospital.'

'Sounds like a plan old man.' Caleb grinned solemnly.

'Nuff of the old man.' Bobby cuffed him on the back of the head as they started jogging back to the motel.

--------------

Dean balanced precariously on the edge of the bench holding Sam's hand as the ambulance sped through the dark streets; it seemed to be taking forever to get to the hospital considering the lack of traffic.

Suspiciously he looked up at Billy seated next to him scribbling madly on a clipboard and then peered at the front to try and catch a glimpse of where they were headed.

'What the fuck?' he muttered noticing that they were now on a country road. But, before he could turn around Dean felt a stinging in the back of his neck, 'son of a bitch.' He ground out collapsing lifelessly on top of an already unconscious Sam.

Billy checked his pulse and then smiled coldly, 'they're both out.' He called to his partner as Roger turned into the driveway heading towards the institute.

Screeching to a stop Roger jumped out and helped Billy strap Dean onto a gurney before wheeling Sam out of the back of the van, two other guards waited for them and helped push the unconscious brothers into the medical annex of the institute.

'Ah so oh wayward subject returns.' Sloane cooed happily, as he watched them wheel the boys into the secure area. 'Make sure subject twenty-two is treated for his injuries I do not want him to be permanently disabled in anyway. The brother ... keep him sedated for now and make sure that the straps are tight I do not want either of them getting lose anytime soon.' Sloane ordered coming to a stop next to Sam, running a hand down the unconscious man's arm he stared at him thoughtfully for a few moments before he shook his head and turned away, suddenly Sam's hand grabbed his wrist looking back down he stared into the glassy green eyes of his subject twenty-two.

'Kill me now.' Sam muttered, 'please just kill me.' he got out before slumping back down unconsciousness claiming him once more.

'I want subject twenty-two seen to immediately if those clowns have done anything permanent to him they will be disposed of.'

'The brother?'

'He has proven to be a warrior as well as a hunter, I have plans for him keep them together and keep them thinking that they are in a hospital for now anyway.'

'But Sir, subject twenty-two...'

'He was dreaming.' Sloane shrugged as he strode out of the room, his personal guards filing in behind him.

Dean opened slitted his eyes open and listened intently to the conversation going on around him, as far as he could tell he and Sam were in some sort of medical unit, they were both strapped down to the gurneys and both now prisoners of the institute. He had to think smart to get them out of this, alive anyway. Furiously he tried to work out how they were found so quickly and how they had this snatch and grab so orchestrated.

--------------

Bobby slammed his fist on the receptionist's desk in frustration, there had been no hit and run victims brought in the last two hours, after a quick phone call to the only other medical facility in the area, they got the same answer. There was no record of Sam Singer admitted anywhere in the county.

When Caleb described the paramedics and the ambulance no one knew them or the vehicle, the police came and went, with more questions and no answers. No one could tell them anything. Sam and Dean had both disappeared in the blink of an eye.

'Can you feel Sam at all?' He asked Caleb as they made their way back to the truck.

'Nothing Bobby, like he fell off the face of the earth.' Caleb shrugged upset with the way things went inside. 'What now?'

'Now ... now we scope out the institute.' Bobby said frowning he looked across the carpark at the two young women watching them. A look of fury formed on his face as he recognised them from the bar.

'Bobby?' Caleb looked at him in confusion as Bobby took off striding across the carpark to where they stood. Hurrying after him Caleb saw the two women and froze, 'what are you two doing here?'

'Waiting for you ... we heard on the scanners about Sam and Dean going missing.' Sandy said 'we want to help.'

'Why should we believe you?' Bobby snarled gripping her shoulders he squeezed tightly, 'you had better start talking girly.'

'Bobby, Bobby dude she's hurt.' Caleb pulled Bobby away from the young woman.

'Yeah well she'll be hurt a lot more if she doesn't tell me what's happened to the boys.'

'Okay, okay geeze old man don't blow a gasket.' Sandy smirked earning a dirty look from her sister.

'I'm so sorry sir please believe me we had nothing to do with what happened.' Grace said stepping between Bobby and Sandy.

'What do you know?' Caleb asked her.

'Can we go somewhere and talk?' Grace asked glancing around them fearfully, 'daddy has eyes and ears everywhere here.'

'We use my truck.' Bobby said still glaring at the two women not wanting to trust them.

Ten minutes later the four of them sat in a booth in the rear of a quiet diner, their coffees untouched as Sandy and Grace took turns into telling the men about their father and his institute. 'Daddy owns most of this town, and who doesn't work for him live in fear of disappearing one day.' Grace finished.

'So what about Sam and Dean?'

'Sam is an incredible talent, I couldn't believe the power I felt from him ... he was so nice to me I hated to deceive him but ... you have to understand that the serum daddy has it ...'

'Controls you.' Sandy finished for her sister, 'you feel as though nothing you do is of your own volition and then when it wears off you crave it.'

'That's why Sam has been so ill and confused?'

'Yep, he was given massive doses to try and control him. They had him completely dependant on it and he never knew.'

'Daddy has it put in the water he gives the subjects, they think it is just an energy drink.' Grace said glancing at Sandy and then back at Bobby and Caleb sighing she continued knowing that they couldn't stop now, 'when I was on the serum we did a horrible thing to Sam that I don't think he will ever be able to forgive me. I was daddy's little girl who followed her father's word to the letter. Since he stopped giving us the serum and we are both free of its affects Sandy and I have realised just what we have done.'

'Which is?' Caleb asked curiously.

'We, we set it up to look like a rape and murder.' Grace said her gaze downcast as she spoke unable to look at the condemning looks on the faces of the two men. 'They beat Sam so badly, I didn't know by the time I had healed myself it was too late, he barely survived the treatment after that.'

'So all of this confessing is good and fine but what do you two want?' Bobby asked tired of the act playing out in front of him.

'We want to get out and away from our father but in order to do that effectively we need help.' Sandy said appreciating the man's directness.

'We will help you rescue Sam and Dean if you help us get away from our father.' Sandy said levelly staring at Bobby.

'That all!' Bobby scoffed, 'and what's to stop the two of you turning us in as well?'

'Please I know that this will never help to repay Sam for his kindness and his deception but ... I would like to try and heal some of it.'

'I see, well one word of advice girls ... I have no compunction in raining all kinds of hurting down on the two of you if you even think of betraying those two boys again. You think your daddy is badass, then cross me little ladies.' Bobby said standing up, 'you two are not leaving our sight.'

'Bobby?' Caleb said looking up at the older man startled, 'where?'

'We have the adjoining rooms we lock em in ours and we take the boys' tomorrow we get to work in getting Sam and Dean back.' Bobby declared turning a dark glare on the sisters, 'do we have an understanding ladies?'

'Yes, yes sir.' Both girls answered together.

'Good then pay for the coffees and we'll get going.' Bobby said without another glance back strode out of the diner and stood by his truck watching the area carefully while he waited.

TBC