Chapter 7:
Mackland sat across from his patient and ran as many tests as he could think of that didn't require expensive medical equipment. He wished he could take Sam for an MRI but he knew the importance of keeping the teenager out of the hospital if possible.
The burn on Sam's hand concerned the doctor as well, and he was certain that was something of their world, not the world of medicine. He would have to come back to that later.
"Alright Samuel, you have a mild concussion I am sure you knew that, but you seem to be relatively fine cognitively and I am not seeing any physical signs that you suffered a stroke or anything serious."
"Th-th-then-n w-w-w..." Sam growled in frustration and looked to his brother for help.
"Then why is he talking like that if there is nothing wrong with his brain?" Dean asked.
"Well, besides taking him in and getting him an MRI to be certain-"
"Mac, we can't... we've been to the hospital in town before. Another injury? Another concussion? Someone will end up calling child protective services."
Mac sighed. Part of him was looking forward to the day Sam would be eighteen and these types of worries would be behind them.
"I get it Dean, we will make that plan C. For now there is one more thing I can try... its less medical though..."
"Okay so this is the psychic stuff Caleb was talking about?"
"Yes, and I will need Caleb's help."
Dean nodded and stood up.
"I'll get him." He looked over to Sam and smiled. "We are gonna get you fixed up kiddo."
Dean left quickly and Mackland turned back to Sam.
"Okay Sam, I need you to listen carefully, because I am going to need your permission to do this."
Sam frowned and looked up at the doctor.
"W-h-h-a-ttt y-you m-me-mean?"
"I know you have let Caleb hear your thoughts, you even let him help Dean wake you up when the incident with the Rawhead happened, but this is going to be a little different. We aren't really sure what we are looking for in there. So, we are going to need your full cooperation."
Sam picked up a notepad off his end table and wrote a note quickly. Mackland looked at the note.
"What does that mean Mac? Full cooperation."
"It means that we are going to have to do a little snooping. Try and find the cracks in your psyche that could be causing this. We may stumble across some things that you may not want us to see. We all have secrets Samuel, and normally we should respect those limits. In this case I can't guarantee I may not see some things that maybe you don't want me to. So, I am asking your permission to enter your mind."
Sam tapped the pen against the notepad for a moment before quickly writing.
"No other way? Is it just you who will see everything? Will Caleb?"
"Caleb won't see anything; I am just using him as a power boost. It will just be you and me in there."
Sam nodded and wrote his next note.
"Will you keep my secrets?"
Mackland paused for a moment and looked at Sam. He expected him to be uncomfortable with the idea, but the looks on Sam's face told him this was more than just vulnerability. There were secrets in Sam's world that he genuinely didn't want anyone to know.
"I don't want to make any promises I can't keep. How about this. I promise to keep all your secrets that will not directly harm you. I can't in good conscience promise to keep any secrets that about anything that may or have hurt you."
Sam paused for a moment to study the doctor. He could at least respect Mac's honesty. He wrote down his answer as his brother and Caleb reentered the room.
"I trust you, Mac. Do what you have to do. Just promise to talk to me first if you see something you don't like... I would like a chance to explain."
Mackland read the note, and then nodded his head before sliding the paper into the drawer of the end table. He turned to Caleb and Dean who had sat down, Dean on the bed next to the wall out of the way but close to his brother, and Caleb had pulled up a chair beside Mac.
"Alright, you boys ready to do this?" Mac asked.
"Sure, let's get this done Dad."
"R-r-r-ead-y." Sam said.
"Okay." Mac turned to Dean. "You can't get involved here Dean. Even if it appears any of us are in pain, you can't touch us or interfere in any way. If you can't handle that, I am going to have to ask you to wait downstairs for all of our protection."
Dean nodded.
"I can handle it Mac, I just need to be here. I'll watch out for you guys."
Mac nodded and took Caleb's hand in his right hand and Sam's in his left.
"Sam... close your eyes and relax. I'll meet you in there."
Meanwhile...
Harland Sawyer sat in the back corner of a scuzzy bar with a bottle of Jack Daniels in front of him whispering into his phone.
"I'm telling you Griffin... that boy is more powerful than we thought."
"So, the spirit did attack him? Just like a suspected?" Griffin Porter asked.
"Yes, went straight for him. Wanted nothing to do with me. So it seems you were right, that ghost was only attacked psychics. They must be able to sense it."
"Well now you know why I stayed as far from it as possible." The psychic said. "How powerful are we talking?"
"Well put it this way, I never finished my part of the ritual. I went back to the house once the calvary had left. The ghost is gone. The spirit touched Sam Winchester and seemed to have completely vaporized."
"My best guest, it tried to break young Sam's mind and he reacted in self-defense."
"I don't think it's that simple Griffin, from all the research I have done on Winchester's Sam has no idea that he has any psychic ability. I don't think it was self-defense."
"So, what was it then?"
Harland smiled sickly.
"Pure instinct."
"Sounds like the rumors might be true. Seems like Caleb may not be the only troubling psychic in the inner circle, a lot of evil has touched those boys. What about the silver? Any reaction?" Griffin said.
"It sizzled in his hand. Left a burn. That wasn't normal silver, where did you get that stuff?"
"I'll explain in due time my friend."
"So, what are we going to do?" Harland asked.
"Nothing for now. At this point I need to avoid drawing The Guardian's attention. Remember Harland, this plan may take years. But at the end we will return The Brotherhood to its former, untainted glory. Stay safe my friend."
Harland placed his phone on the table and poured himself another drink. He barely registered the larger shadow that appeared over him.
"Celebrating something Sawyer?" John asked.
Harland smiled and tilted his glassed towards The Knight.
"Just another job well done. That Poltergeist was put to rest."
John squinted at the other hunter before sitting down.
"I don't call an unconscious teenager a successful hunt." John growled.
"I'm not the one who sent him out there. You got a problem with what happened, take it up with The Guardian. Or maybe The Knight didn't give him the proper training."
"Is that your official story Sawyer? That my son screwed up?"
"Of course not. I told you; young Sam saved my life and banished the poltergeist. I would never blame a child for a mistake that cause his own injury."
"I doubt Joshua would agree with that."
Harland laughed darkly.
"Who are you to question my parenting, John? You and I are the same. We raised soldiers."
"We are not the same."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night boss."
John leaned in towards the older man.
"You will not be working any more jobs with Sam. One gets passed to you, you pass it on. I may not be able to prove it Harland, but you are lying through your teeth. Stay away from my boys."
John rose from the table and turned his back.
"You know John, you won't be able to keep them safe forever. If the rumors I hear about your youngest are even close to true it won't be long before you won't be able to pull them back from the fire. And Caleb will be diving right in behind them. It'll just be a matter of time before one of them gets in too deep with a monster... or another hunter."
John paused and turned back towards Harland.
"Is that a threat?"
"Not at all John. I'm just saying they will have lots to fear... on both sides of the war."
John laughed darkly.
"Those boys will never fear a hunter's gun. The Brotherhood, current and future, will make sure of that."
John exited the bar, and Harland watched as the door closed behind him.
Harland may be a member of the Brotherhood, but he had the distinct feeling that he would spend the rest of his life watching his back against the members of The Triad.