Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Bound
Book 1 Chapter 1:

It was a nice sunny evening, Caitlin Padalecki sat on her porch swing and lifted her young son onto her lap to relax in the warm Texan sun. From here she could enjoy the smell of cookies that drifted to them from the kitchen, where Claire was still working. She wiped a tear from her cheek to avoided looking at the still smoking ruins that had been the second stable and looked down at little Jared who seemed worried.

“Please, Jared, you must remember and forgive me,” Caitlin said to him. “It is like in this story: God made the potato low on grease but high on calicum and many useful vitamins. And the devil took the peel, cut everything in small slices and deep fried it and spiced it with lots and lots of salt. The same is true for the bonds.”
Jared couldn’t understand yet, she knew, and she doubted he would remember her words. She angrily swiped at another tear. What would he think of her?

After nano bots had basically healed cancer and dementia humanity thought it had the upper hand with these diseases. That was when the very last disease hit.
It was called the omega disease.

It left the aggrieved party paralyzed while still fully conscious and able to feel all of the emotions. It was a progressive and degenerative disease and it spread fast. Teenagers, old people, men and women in their prime. The omega diseased stopped for no one But only the young kids till there eighteenth birthday and people older than sixty weren’t affected.

All the fancy nanites, the doctors and the scientist had been so proud of, proved to be useless. That was the world Catlin Padalecki grew up in. The first cases of the omega disease appeared when she was ten. Spreading fast and brutal; her best friend Annett died a painful death at eighteen and Caitlin vowed to herself that she would find a cure for this terrible illness.

Caitlin went to college. Her parent died in a car crash her second year in, leaving her a generously high insurance to bring her safely thru college. She still wanted to become a medical engineer because Caitlin still believed the cure was in the mini bots even if the established research had moved from this field.

When she was twenty two she met James Patrick Stuart at a party of a mutual friend. He was like Caitlin studying at UT Dallas to become a medical engineer and he was almost as brilliant as Caitlin. Together they pushed each other to dig deeper, search harder and work harder. But it took them another two years to become lovers. After they graduated with honors, James and Caitlin got job offers at the University of Texas, to continue their studies.

The omega disease was spreading and even after almost fifteen years of research there still was no cure in sight. Doctors and scientist still debated if it was a virus, a prion or something else altogether. Since the medicine was discovered and used nanites, classic research had regressed almost into nothingness only to have a resurgence now.

Caitlin and James were brilliant minds in the most important field. The numbers of infected grew daily and governments all over the world were becoming more and more desperate since omega started to affect their economies. Sometimes there was a shortage on coffee, the next week it was soap shortage and than you couldn’t get any fruits or vegetables.

Caitlin was 26 when she had a break thru. She and James were in their lab reading latest blood and tissue reports when suddenly it hit Caitlin. She just stopped reading stood up and went to an engineering lab. She locked herself up so no one would bother her and than she went to work.

She was an engineer Damnit!

Why should she find a medical cure when the solution could be technical? By the end of the week she had it finished and showed it to James.
“Caitlin, this is perfect! This could be the cure.”
“Well not a cure exactly but a treatment.” She answered her multicolored eyes sparkled and she pushed her long brown hair back.
“Have you told or shown anybody what you have done?” James asked and a greedy gleam appeared in his eyes.
“No, I mean we are hired as medical researchers and …”
“Exactly, I tell you what we will do. We quit our jobs here. I mean we both know that this research leads to nothing and than we can do our own thing. We get a patent on these … theses …”
“Tapes.”
“Tapes and we make millions of money.”
“There are millions of people waiting for help.” Caitlin objected, of course she wanted something out of her invention but first and foremost she wanted to help those poor omegas, as the people who had the illness was being called.
“And they should get it,” James was fast to assure his girl friend. “Caitlin, do you have any idea how bad the economy has become in the last four or five years? No more coffee or tobacco, solar cars are becoming a real thing because they don’t get the gas that's supposed to be transported. We have the solution to all these problems, and all I want is a little bit of that cake for us.”

So they did as James had proposed. They got the patent in their names because Caitlin alone couldn’t afford the horrendous fee and they founded Second Life, the company that would distribute the tapes once they were finished. Caitlin and James bought an old Ranch three hours out of Dallas in fucking nowhere, so they could work in peace.

And in the next few weeks and months were busy and hectic and exhilarating.

Caitlin was in the lab finishing the prototype and James was trying to set up appointments with possible investors. Money became tight when the neural interface needed more adjustments to connect it correctly to the brain. But James had always been a genius when it came to interfaces.

Caitlin knew she tended to focus too much to become single minded and nothing could distract her and even other gifted engineers could barley catch on or understand the problem Caitlin was working on.

It was a Friday and James was drinking tea (because coffee had become awfully expensive) in the kitchen when a tired looking Caitlin came in. Her full hair was pulled back in a pony tail and some strand had managed to escape but he eyes shined with excitement.
“I think I got it. Would you like to see it?”

The two went to the lab, there was a white plastic mannequin and all over the body were two inch wide strips. The dark black stripes were a hard contrast on the white plastic of the doll.

“Okay this is how it works: we know the omega disease paralyzes the whole body. What we don’t know is why but with these tapes it doesn’t matter why the muscles fail to receive the brain impulses. With these tapes the impulse goes from the brain over the tapes to the muscles and the patient can walk again.”
“What about sensibility in the fingers?” James asked.
“Subcutaneous hair wires will connect all body parts to the tapes. This is important because the tongue is also a muscle and most often affected and a black ribbon like this on a tongue looks quite strange.
As for the feeling that doesn’t get lost with omega, they can’t move but they still can feel.”

“What about the neural interface?” James came to the point that had provided the most problems.

“Yes that was really tricky. I was able to connect the interface directly to the cerebellum and thanks to the adjustments you put in,” here Caitlin stopped to press a little kiss on James cool lips. “The movement will be fluent and feel natural.”

There was a pause both of them becoming aware what they had archived.

After some moments of silence James cleared his throat and said, “So you put these on every morning and…”
“No, you put them once on and they don’t come off again. Because of the connection to the subcutaneous wires you can’t remove the tapes.”
“Oh. Okay.”

The next 12 months were a whirlwind of meetings, presentations and interviews. The tapes or bounds were the first treatment that helped all the people who had the omega disease. James loved the attention of the press and all the celebration it brought on. From the first six digit check he bought an apartment in Dallas, so he didn’t have to go back to their reclusive Ranch every time he was in Dallas.

Caitlin also enjoyed the attention she got, there was even a rumor about the Nobel price, but she was always happy to come back home to Ranch to ground herself, to find some peace. So Caitlin and James started to spend more and more time apart. Sometimes it was more than a week before they saw each other again. All t he talking about getting married when everything was finished and done had stopped and Caitlin was grateful for that.

She had made more money in a year than her parents had made in a live time and she decided to spend it on the Ranch. All repairs and additions were done by local craftsman and thanks to her new resources her new lab was modern and up to date. But since it didn’t fit in with the whole Ranch look she decided to build it under the stable that way she could pretend to go to the horses when she really went to the lab. She also insisted that the Ranch was autarky and self sufficient so she got solar panels to provide enough electricity for the house, the Ranch hands and most importantly the lab. After some debating with herself she also got a nice pool and patio in her backyard.

In a perfect world the story would end here but it was two years after Caitlin and to a certain extent James had moved to the Ranch when the trouble started. Or much better to say when the shit hit the fan.

Due to the omega disease the world economy was at an all time low. Supermarkets closed because there was nothing they could sell. Gas stations only opened every other day and than there were thousand of omegas who wanted the tapes. Caitlin had hoped, that with a treatment the economy would go back to normal but the damage made by sudden death due to omega ran too deep.

Caitlin never found out who proposed first James or someone from the government. In the end it didn’t matter. Many people couldn’t afford the tapes so in order to pay for the treatment the new founded National Health Provider asked the patients to work for a certain amount of time for the government and the government would cover the bill. It seemed like a fair trade and many other countries followed world wide with similar programs.

But James and Caitlin fought bitterly over this issue. Caitlin insisted that if someone couldn’t pay for the bounds he or she should get it for free. James told her to grow up, this was business.

That was the day James stopped being Caitlin’s finance, boy friend, friend and lover.

Providing the economy with cheap labor was all it took for a weak government to pressure most omegas in servitude. Some thought: “Well it’s only for two or three years, than I´m healthy and back to my normal life.”

Only the economy is a funny thing, it gets to use to cheap labor, so the contracts started to get longer. Where the first were only for two or three years the National Health Provider soon raised them to six or eight years. But it still wasn’t enough.

Getting free labor dropped the prices and a young healthy worker, or as they were now called more and more alphas could suddenly pay for a large house in a good neighborhood and two or three cars while still putting money away to get two or three kids thru college, because the real assets became not being affected by omega disease.

More problems aroused when after two three years the first omegas were released form their servitude. Many omegas complained about the harsh working conditions, even going so far as suing Nationals Health and the companies they had been rented to, calling their time working for National Health slavery.

Caitlin had withdrawn completely from the work at Second Life, spending all her time at the Ranch and her horses. She couldn’t understand how she hadn’t seen what a cold hearted bastard James was. She even suspected that he had chosen her back in College, so he could get rich.

The thing was that Caitlin felt like there was more to come.

The business reports she still received indicated that the economy needed the cheap labor the bonds provided and the government was under pressure to keep the economy running.

And than “Omega Gate” happened.

To prevent further law suits against companies using omega labor, some company lawyers together with the National Health Provider started to argue about the independence of the omegas free will. It was said that because of the neural interface an omega couldn’t be held responsible for his actions and needed a guardian.

So the Omega Act was brought in It was debated in Congress that omegas may have had a free will but because of the interface the omega could be made to do all a master or alpha ordered.

In a broadcasted hearing James personally showed the congressmen and women that with the right software and a radio transmitter he could move omegas against their will. Caitlin witnessed on the TV how a congress women and omega was forced by James to tap dance.

It was a sure thing and the new law to put all omegas under guardian ship passed in record time. A week later Second Life announced they would provide guardian ship for all omegas.

Caitlin turned off the TV and after she had finished throwing up, she walked to her lab trying to find her error. Caitlin was 30 and had just basically enslaved 40% of the population.

It was the year of the alpha / omega act.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2
Seventeen years later.

One of the most malicious things about the omega disease was it could happen anywhere and at any time. To Jensen it happened in his last year in high school, on his way to football training, a week after his 18th birthday. Suddenly his left leg wouldn’t move. He just managed to make it to the school nurse before his right leg also stopped moving.
“What is happening to me?” Jensen asked, his eyes wide with fear.
“I called an ambulance. They will take you to the omega center.”
“The omega center? No! We don’t even know if it is…”
“Do you feel your legs?”’ the nurse asked, not unkind but resigned.
“Yes,” Jensen answered.
“Can you move them?”
“No.”
“I’m sorry Jensen. I called your parents they will meet you in the center.”

The bright white room was warm and Jensen was lying on an examination table. Two nurses had cut away his clothes and ruined his favorite AC/DC shirt.

His fingers on his left hand started to tingle and he desperately began moving them. The table under him was soft and he was dressed in a hospital gown but he still felt exposed.

With a flop his left arm felt off the table and he wanted to lay it on his stomach only he couldn’t move his arm anymore. Tears streamed down his face. He knew his parents didn’t have the kind of money to pay for his tapes.

That only left one option.

The door opened and his mother, father and little sister came in. His mother’s eyes were red: she had obviously been crying. His little sister just looked frightened. She was twelve and with Jensen becoming an omega her chance of becoming one had just increased ten times.

“Jensen I’m so sorry,” his father said.
“No need to be sorry, Sir.” A young doctor interjected. “The National Health Provider is prepared for cases like this.”

Jensen understood his parents were fighting a losing battle. The moment his leg had stopped supporting him was the moment he became an omega.
“Who will be his guardian?” his father asked, defeated.
“Since you as his family is not able to provide for his treatment Second Life will handle all the paperwork and bills and will therefore become his guardian. They will take good care of him.”

His mother sobbed: “Sorry, I can’t watch this. I love you, Jensen,” and ran out of the room.

His sister turned around at the door. “I love you too Jensen,” she said and was gone. Jensen looked at his father and swallowed hard.
“I'll stay with you till the end,” his father whispered, holding Jensen’s tingling left arm. Jensen squeezed tight, while he still could.

By eight p.m. Jensen was completely paralyzed and Adam Ackles ringed for a nurse. She came in and informed them: “I’m sorry but the doctor has left for today. We will apply the bonds tomorrow.”
“Dad, please,” Jensen begged.
“I'll stay with my son.” Adam was not ready to leave his son behind.
“Okay, Sir,” she said, leaving father and son behind.

“Maybe if we ask…” his father started.
“Dad, no. I know we don’t have that kind of money. But I’m happy you stayed with me.”

What followed was the worst night of Jensen’s young life. Jensen could only lie there, thinking of all the could-have-beens that would never be and trying not to cry for his father’s sake.

The next morning another young doctor came in and introduced himself as Dr. Blake.

“Okay, I’m here for a Jason Ackles.”
“It’s Jensen,” his father corrected.
“Okay, so I need some medical information. Has he ever been ill? Did he have any surgeries?”
“No, he got the regular nanobot shots when he was a baby, and he once broke his arm.”
“Yes it is quiet common to give the nano shots at that age. It really helps the kids to grow up healthy.”
“So, Jensen,” Dr. Blake said, while looking at Jensen’s father, “since omega moves so fast, we’ve found it helpful to begin placing the tapes as soon as possible, to minimize your discomfort. We can talk about options while I put them on. You’re under no obligation.”
“Will it hurt?” Jensen dared to ask.
“Ahm… well, the bonds don’t hurt. Actually I was told they are quite comfortable. The entire procedure is in two parts, the tapes and the interface. For the interface and the wires we would sedate you.”

Jensen was wheeled out of the room. His father still held on to Jensen’s hand. They came to some kind of lab and two male nurses heaved Jensen off and carried him to another table. This one only looked like something out of a SF movie.

“Are you sure you want to stay?” Dr. Blake asked Adam one last time. “Most parents prefer not to see their children this way.”
“I'll stay with my son,” Jensen’s father answered.
After they laid Jensen on his back, one of the nurses took off Jensen’s hospital gown, leaving Jensen naked and exposed.

The doctor stepped up to the table; in his hand he had the infamous black tapes. They looked like the old fashion elastic therapeutic tape. The first he wrapped around Jensen’s left wrist, and the next he laid on Jensen’s left arm to connect with the one around his wrist, across his collar to his right arm. Around his right wrist he also put a tape.

It felt surprisingly okay, not constricting, just like ordinary medical tape. The next went from his collar down his chest and stopped a hand’s width from his groin. The 5th went around his waist and the next two ran down on the outer side of his legs connecting with the one around his waist. Two were also wrapped around his ankles and the last, after they rolled him over went down his spine, ending again at the waist band.

“How does it feel?” Dr. Blake asked as he stepped back to admire his work.
“Okay I guess,” Jensen said. He still felt incredible exposed and wanted to cover himself. One of the nurses put a modesty sheet over him and Jensen tried to look grateful for it.

“Before we continue, we have to finish the paperwork, Mr. Ackles.” His father nodded wordlessly and the doctor continued. “As I understand, you’re not able to pay for Jensen’s treatment or for his caretaking if you decide not to treat him.”
“No.” His father whispered defeated and embarrassed that he couldn’t take better care of his son. Jensen could see that his father thought he was betraying him, but he didn’t.
“The cost for a full body bond with the newest neural interface is 125,500 $. We usually work with Second Life, and they cover all costs and expenses.”
“What will they do with him?” Adam asked.

That was a valid question to Jensen. Omegas could be seen everywhere; forty percent of the population were omegas. They filled the shelves in the supermarket, they cleaned the school and public toilets, they filled up cars at the gas stations, they worked at farms harvesting and they worked at construction sites. Even one of Jensen’s teachers had been an omega, but as far as he knew her family held her guardianship. Jensen saw omegas everywhere but this didn’t mean he knew much about them.

Once in a while there were some news reports telling about unspeakable crimes that were done to omegas, but the government was always fast to assure the public that these were just a few bad exceptions. If prosecuted, the people hurting or mistreating the omegas always ended up with high sentences, proving once more to the people that the government took good care of the omegas. After a couple of weeks the story was forgotten and people carried on as usual.

“Honestly I don’t know,” the young doctor answered. “I just started here a couple of weeks ago. But there have never been any complains.”
“So with this form you give guardian ship to Second Life. This is necessary so “Second Life” can become your legal guardian before we can continue.”
“Can’t we do it later?” Jensen asked.
“No, I’m sorry. As long as you don’t sign over the custody we can not implant the interface.”

Right, Jensen thought bitterly, otherwise he might be inclined to just take off and run.
“I’m sorry.” Adam Ackles said as he firmly pressed Jensen’s finger against the sensor pad, and Jensen to legally transferred guardianship of his life to Second Life. Jensen’s fingerprints were taken as signature because he couldn’t move.

The papers handed the guardianship of Jensen Ackles to an agency called Second Life, but he wasn’t their only one. On this ordinary Thursday another two hundred and thirty-eight people became the ward of Second Life. Two hundred and thirty-eight people did the same thing as Jensen Ackles’ father did, sometime for their son or daughter, sometime for their husbands and wives and sometime for their parents.

Jensen woke up slowly. He felt a soft bed under him and somehow it didn’t feel familiar. Slowly his memories returned.
They had asked his father to leave shortly after he had signed the papers, arguing that he couldn’t stay for the implantation of the interface.

The interface!

Jensen opened his eyes. He didn’t feel any different. Could he move? Well that was easy to find out. Slowly he sat up and looked around. He had expected to be back in the same room but he wasn’t. It looked more like a military barrack. There were about ten more cots just like the one he was sitting on but only three more were occupied.

Two women and one guy were looking at Jensen. One of the women was around Jensen’s age, the guy was approximately in his mid twenties, and the other woman was mid thirties (which translated to pretty old in Jensen’s book).

“Oh, he’s awake,” the older woman said and handed Jensen a glass of water.
“Thank you,” he said. Jensen drank as the other three looked at him
“What’s your name?” the woman asked again.
“Jensen.”
“Hi Jensen, my name is Melissa, this is Carl and Stephanie.”
“Can I stand up?” he asked, uncertain.
“Sure.”

It was like nothing had changed. He didn’t feel different. He couldn’t help but laugh; he had thought his life had ended in his high school when his leg gave out under him but it was just like before.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3
In the Dallas midtown’s Second Life building, James Patrick Stuart was reading the latest reports. There had been a mining accident and 157 omegas had died. The mining company demanded replacements.
“Do they think they grow on trees?” Stuart growled. After checking his stock, he decided to send 75 omegas in the next few days and tell the mining company to invest a minimum into security or he would raise the rent for omegas.

Next on his list were the “special orders”: private persons who had, let’s say, different tastes. Officially those rentals were called servants but they were nothing more than sex slaves. Stuart knew that better than anyone since he was the one that had programmed the interface so the omegas had to perform as masters wanted.
“Oh, Frederic, you again.” He mumbled to himself. Frederic Lehne was one of the producers of the bonds and he had become incredibly rich in the last eighteen years.
“What do you want this time?” Stuart remembered very well the – specifications – Fred had ordered the last time. That was two or three years ago. His wishes back then had been for a young girl, blond and (of course) beautiful.

Stuart himself had programmed the special demands Lehne had asked for.

The most satisfying thing about Stuart’s programming was, for example, that if an omega couldn’t swim, Stuart could program the interface to move the tapes correctly and the omega would swim. On the other hand, the interface could equally prevent someone from moving and drown them, burn them, beat them. . .

This kind of power seemed to be attracting a certain type of clientele.

But the programming of the interface was why all omegas were excellent workers. If programmed the right way they would work non-stop. Some jerks in the government had insisted that after a fourteen-hour shift the omegas had to rest.

That was ridiculous in Stuart’s opinion; eighteen hours of work and six hours to sleep was good enough so Stuart preferred private omega rentals where there were less regulations. To program limits to their range was also standard, so they couldn’t just walk away or kill their owners –employers – in their sleep. Most of the time they worked, but they still had some time where the restrictions were minimal and the omegas could move as they wanted, even if they spent most of that time sleeping.

But about 5% of omegas only went off the tightly controlled regime of the interface for a short time, once a week or so, and that was only to keep the neural-spinal sensitivity from atrophying.

With a shudder James remembered the zombie-like omegas that had been the result of a continuous forced-interface regiment. He had nearly called Caitlin that time, but he had manage to solve the problem without getting her involved. Back then the omega needed to be connected to the computer via wires, but now James could programme every omega of Second Life remotely.

What had happened to Lehne’s last play thing, Stuart wondered. He called up her profile and stared at a young woman in her mid twenties. She was still beautiful, despite her dead eyes, but he noted she didn’t talk or move unless she was told to. She was now transferred and rented to a large farming enterprise; there she would work between twelve to eighteen hours in the fields. Sometimes that helped bring them back – sometimes not.

Lehne’s wish list specified a boy this time! James raised an eyebrow in surprise, but would certainly accommodate him. As young as possible, Lehn had written. Hmm, the youngest person to ever become an omega had been around fourteen, but usually they were anywhere between eighteen and thirty-two.

What else? Stuart quickly scanned the request form. Yes, the usual beautiful, blond, virgin, if possible. James looked at his new omega entries. There were four or five candidates that fit the profile, but one was also stunning beautiful. Dark blond hair, full lips, almost feminine features, and stunning green eyes. This omega came from a modest, conservative family so he might even be a virgin. James leaned back in his chair with a satisfied grin. He had found Lehne’s new toy.

James would upload the program to the interface during the night. The omega wouldn’t feel anything or know about it. Only when the master ordered a new move would the omega become aware of his modifications. Jensen Ackles had a lot ahead of him to become aware of.

Yes, he thought as he set up the program, god-like power could be addicting.

Two days after his implant, Jensen was pacing what he called it himself “not a cell”. He and his roommates didn’t see anyone except for the two times a day when someone brought them something to eat and drink. It was boring as hell and Jensen wondered why he wasn’t sent back to his family why did he had to stay in “not a cell”?.

Melissa and Stephanie cried a lot, missing their families and Jensen also shed some tears at night but he wanted to appear grown up and even if he felt like crying himself a lot, he wanted to be (look) strong.

On the third day the door opened and an official looking man in a suit came in.
“Omegas get up,” he greeted them. “I’m here to transfer you to your rentals. Melissa Arnolds you stay here in Dallas. You will be transferred to the cleaning crew of the Dallas Memorial Hospital.”

Her relief was obvious. Not only would she stay in her hometown, hospital omegas had many freedoms due to their work, and even her kids and family could visit her if they went to the hospital.

“Carl Jones, Minnesota Mining Company.” Carl paled.
“Stephanie May you will be rented to Florida Farming Corp. And last but not least, Jensen Ackles, private assignment with Frederick Lehne.”

A private assignment, what did that mean? But before Jensen could ask anything he found himself moving.

It was the strangest thing that had ever happened to him. It felt like he should be still sitting on his cot only he was moving, walking down a corridor and getting into a car where he buckled up and waited. The driver got in without looking at him and drove off.

Only dressed in scrubs, Jensen got cold pretty fast in the spring morning chill, but he was unable to ask for anything. The only sounds that escaped him were some whines.

His shock must have been obvious, because the driver said, without taking the eyes from the street:
“Keep cool omega. You’re fine; that’s just the complete lock up. You better get used to it. Your new master is quite fond of total control.”

That information didn’t really help to put Jensen's racing heart and mind at peace, but at least the driver turned up the heat a little bit.

The drive took quite some time and it was almost lunch when they arrived at their destination.

The white house—or, more accurately, the manor–was on a green hill, behind some heavily guarded iron gates. They drove up the hill but didn’t pull up to the marble pillars at the front, and instead they drove around to the delivery entrance.

Jensen was made to get out by the driver and walk into the kitchen, where he stopped. It was a strange feeling, being made to walk and stop. He had broken his arm once when he was 11, and he remembered very well when the nanobots had sedated his arm so he wouldn’t move it while they worked. Jensen had hated it and now it was similar only ten times worse.

“Is this the new toy?” an older woman asked. She was also an omega and obviously the cook.
“Yes. It’s a boy. Where is my lunch?” The driver asked the cook.
“I can see that. Your lunch is over there,” she said, pointing to a table. “What about him?” she asked.
“No he should see the master first.”

And with that Jensen started to move again. He tried to walk faster or slower, but it was like the connection between his brain and legs was cut or overwritten by the interface. Even though it was his first time in this house he made his way around with a kind of sleepwalking security. It was frightening to watch from the inside as his body moved around like this.

He stopped in front of a closed door and knocked.
“Come in.”
Jensen opened the door and found himself in a study. Behind a huge desk sat a man with dirty blond hair and frighteningly cold eyes.

“Stop.”
Jensen’s body stopped moving.
“Undress.”

What? No! But his body just moved, and when he was naked (except for the tapes) Lehne barked, “Crawl to me.”

Last week he had worried about homework and football, and now he was crawling naked on the floor! He reached Lehne’s chair.

“Position one.”
Jensen had no idea what the man was talking about but obvious his interface had. He kneeled on the ground, his legs a little bit apart, his back strait, and his eyes looking up.
“My perfect toy.”

Jensen spent the rest of the day kneeling by Lehne’s chair. After a few minutes his legs started to hurt, then to cramp, but Jensen wasn’t able to move them and if Lehne heard his distressed noises he either ignored or enjoyed them. Jensen didn’t know which would be worse.

Lehne had left more than an hour ago to have lunch with some friends and Jensen was starving. It had been more than 24 hours since he’d had something to eat. Suddenly he felt he could move again, the first time he’d been able to move on his own since he had left the omega center. His legs were numb but they followed his command. Slowly and carefully he got up and went to put his cloth back on.

Jensen looked at the phone on Lehne’s desk. He could call his parents and then they could . . . what?
Nothing!
They could do nothing: by law they weren’t even his parents anymore. And he couldn’t just call them and lie to them about how nice his new life was.

Jensen turned his back to the phone and opened the door. He hoped he would remember his way back to the kitchen. It took him a little longer than earlier in the day but he finally made it.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4
The other omegas looked at him a little surprise but greeted him warmly. The cook’s name was Samantha and the three beautiful young women were Emma, Alina and Susan; they took care of the house.

Jensen could barely take his eyes of the three. They were absolutely gorgeous: one blond, one brunet, and one black-haired, as if Lehne hadn’t been able to decide on a favorite color.
“I’m sorry. I'm hungry. Can I have something to eat?” Jensen asked.
The three girls eagerly fed Jensen, making him a sandwich and some scramble eggs. Only Samantha looked wary and kept her distance.

Jensen had finished his meal and was talking with Emma and Susan when suddenly the door was kicked in and Lehne was standing like an evil demon in the doorway.
“Who allowed you to move? Who allowed you to dress? Who allowed you to leave your place, toy?”
“I’m sorry I was…” Jensen started.
“Don’t you dare to talk to me! I’m your master and you will do as I say. Now strip!”

Jensen expected that the interface would take over any second but nothing happened. An evil smile appeared on Lehne’s face:
“No, no, little toy, you dressed on your own, you undress on your own. Shock!”

An electrical shock went through Jensen’s body and he hurried to undress. The four women tried to look anywhere but at Jensen, and pity was in their eyes. When Jensen was naked again, Lehne turned around and said:
“Follow me. No! Nobody said anything about walking. I’d like to see you crawling on the floor.”

So Jensen followed Lehne as best as he could on all fours. They didn’t go back to the study, which was in the west wing; instead they went to the east wing where all the private rooms were.

They came to large double doors and Lehne opened them and walked in without bothering to see if Jensen was following. As soon as Jensen stepped over the threshold, the interface took over. On his own Jensen would have never set foot in this room, let alone crawled in naked.

Off course he had seen “play rooms” on the internet. Hell, he was just eighteen and still trying to figure out if he liked girls or boys better. And now he was forced into a room that looked like a dungeon straight out of a bdsm movie, complete with a St. Andrews cross, chains and whips. There was even something that looked like a pommel horse out of his school gym.

“Come here. Position two.” Jensen’s body stood up strait with hands held out before him. Lehne didn’t waste any time, he cuffed Jensen’s hands and pulled them up, and up, till Jensen was standing on his toes.

“I think it is time we talked about your job here,” Lehne started. He had a nasty looking whip in his hand; on the many ends were pearls that gleamed in the bright lights of the room.
“You know, I used to have these anger issues and a couple of years ago they really got me in trouble. But then this omega thing happened and my business started to make money, like real money. And I learned if you are rich, like really, really rich, it can buy you everything.”

Before Jensen could comprehend what was happening, Lehne drew back and let that strange kind of whip come down on him. Jensen screamed as the cat-o-nine wraped itself around his chest and back.
“Your job.”
Whip.
“Is to be.”
Whip.
“My chewing toy.”
Whip.
“So I can act.”
Whip.
“Like.”
Whip.
“Every.”
Whip.
“Other.”
Whip.
“Fucking.”
Whip.
“Person!”
Whip. Whip.
“Shut up.”
Whip.
Jensen’s mouth closed and even if he was screaming there were barely any noises coming out of his mouth. Blood was running down Jensen’s back and chest, and Jensen asked himself if he would survive his first night as Lehne’s toy.

He must have lost consciousness, because when he came to, an early morning sun was streaming through the windows. He was still naked and had been laid on a thin mattress, and Emma was cleaning the room.
“I’m sorry Jensen.” She whispered without stopping her cleaning.
“We should have known it was a set-up. Master told me to tell you, you’re not allowed to wear anything more than these jocks unless he tells you. But you’re allowed to go downstairs for breakfast, and then you should present yourself in his study.”

Thanks to Jensen’s nanobots, all cuts were healed so not even a scar was left on his body, but he was still sore and the memory of the pain was fresh in his mind.
“Can I take a shower?” Jensen asked.
“The alpha didn’t say anything about showers,” Emma replied.
So that meant no, unless Jensen was willing to take another punishment for not following his master’s orders.

He put the jocks on and hurried downstairs for his breakfast.

This was what Jensen’s life became: kneeling naked in his master’s office and being tortured by night. Jensen learned firsthand how to burn someone, how to whip and beat someone till losing consciousness, because Lehne did all those things to him. He became accustomed to being naked in front of the others. Mainly it was just the four women and Lehne and an occasional guard or guest. He wasn’t allowed outside of the house and Sam ensured that Jensen stayed away from the guards so they wouldn’t touch him. Jensen knew she didn’t do it for his benefit, Lehne didn’t liked when someone touched his toy but since the guards were alphas he couldn’t punish only Jensen or Sam if she didn’t watched out. They both learned that lesson in his fourth week.

Once Lehne burned him so bad it took his nanobots three days to repair the damage. For as long as it took Jensen to recover, Lehne took his anger issues out on Emma, Alina and Susan. For them it was maybe worse, first he would beat them, than he would rape them, all the while staring angrily at Jensen. Jensen had learned during his first week in Lehne’s household as he took turns on them, with Jensen watching. In a strange way Emma, Alina and Susan wanted to keep Jensen healthy so they had to suffer only the rape and not the torture. Jensen felt bad for them but couldn’t help them.

Sometimes circumstances make you grateful for the strangest kind of things. Jensen hadn’t been raped by Lehne so far, but he refused to feel safe about that. If Lehne wasn’t interested in him sexually why would he keep him naked?

Jensen got his answer one evening six month after his arrival at the mansion. Lehne’s day in the office had been awful. Due to some problems two days worth of production had gone to waste.

It earned Jensen a harsh beating before lunch time and it only went downhill from there.

Lehne started drinking and he was a mean drunk.

By the time dinner rolled around he was cursing the stupid omegas in general and Jensen was bound over the whipping horse. Jensen feared the horse, because Lehne liked to bind his arms and legs so that even if he was allowed to move on his own, he couldn’t. He trembled and would have pleaded with Lehne if he could speak, but he had been ordered to stay silent.

“You faggot!” Lehne screamed at him. “You stupid whore! You like to seduce me?” Jensen couldn’t speak even if he wanted to.
“I know what you want.” Suddenly there was a blunt pressure at his exposed hole and Lehne pushed in. If it had been possible, Jensen would have screamed but all he could do was whimper. It really didn’t take long and in between Lehne had managed to put some lube on his cock, but for Jensen it was an eternity.

When Lehne had finished he pulled his softening member out of Jensen and left him bound to the horse. He didn’t release Jensen during the night, so Emma found him still bound, dirty and espoused the next morning.

Lehne slept off his intoxication the next day but it seemed like it had opened a floodgate and Lehne would rape Jensen more and more often, sometimes when he was drunk, sometimes under the pretense of being drunk, and sometimes as a punishment.

For Jensen it had been more than a traumatic experience. His only sexual encounters before he had become an omega had been a single make out session with Lucy Miller in her car and a blow job from Matt Daniels behind the school on a wonderful Friday night.

The last of Jensen’s security had now been ripped away. In the moments Jensen was free to move he now fought the urge to hurt himself, to cut himself; the pain becoming so intense it needed an out. Two or three times Sam caught him slicing his arms, but the cuts were shallow and healed before Lehne saw them. Slowly Jensen started to fear the day where he didn’t care any more and was willing to make it final.

There was no way out and no end in sight.

Lehne, a closeted sadist, used Jensen as an outlet for his aggression and sexual fantasies, blaming Jensen while raping him. Jensen was an omega and, to Lehne, an omega’s only purpose was to serve his master.

Time became meaningless for Jensen. Days, month, years. . . it didn’t matter because his purpose in the household never changed. Emma went away and then Andrea came, another young blond. Susan became Jasmine and Alina became Ashley.

And one day it was suddenly over.

Jensen was told to get dressed.

Jensen wasn’t stupid or broken enough to not have noticed that Lehne had lost his interest in him. At twenty-one (or was it twenty-two?) Jensen had lost his innocent, boyish looks. He was becoming a man and Lehne didn’t fuck men.

Chapter Text

Chapter 5
On a chilly day in spring, Jensen put on some loose fitting jeans and a shirt. It felt a little bit strange to wear clothes again and to sit in the kitchen and eat a sandwich.

“Watch out for yourself Jensen,” Samantha told him in a hushed voice. Jensen nodded.

There was a honking outside and for the first time in three years Jensen left the house. A white van adorned with “Second Life” waited outside and the security man just handed the driver some papers.
“Get in and sit down,” the driver barked at Jensen. There were eight seats and seven were already taken. Jensen sat down on the last seat and buckled up.

They drove for a while, and Jensen had expected that they would head back to the omega center but they stopped at some salvage yard where two omegas got out. At a truck stop the driver changed and another omega left the van.

There was no talking among the omegas; both drivers had forbidden it and locked them up. So they all sat in silence, unable to move in the van, and listened to the driver singing along with the radio.

It was getting dark outside and Jensen was getting hungry, but he was used to being hungry. Lehne had liked his toy thin. They were on a mountain road that winded its way uphill. Suddenly there was a black pick-up truck behind them, bumping into them.

A second truck pulled up next to them. Jensen had seen enough movies to know they wanted the van to stop, but the driver had other plans. The two other drivers were better and knew the road.

In a sharp right curve the driver lost the control over the van. Jensen had a moment to be thankful he put the seat belt back on before something hit Jensen hard on the back of his head and for a moment everything went black. He couldn’t focus, but he felt the car flipped over and over and over. There was screaming and a sudden silence as it landed on its roof. And everything went dark.

There were voices.
“Is there anybody? Hello?” the voices called.

Jensen looked around and the lifeless eyes of the omega next to him stared back. He unbuckled himself and crawled out of the wreck. There were people running toward him.

“Are you okay?”
“We have to get away from here.”
“Steve have you checked the others?”
“Yes. Chris, they’re all dead.”
“I’m sorry, boy, you’re the only survivor. Can you move?”
“Yes, I can,” Jensen stated, surprised. It was true. Jensen had complete control over his movements. Usually if an omega was transported, either a satellite or the driver took over the control of the omega’s movement. The moment the driver lost control over the omegas, a satellite should have taken over to lock them into place.

That appeared to have happened to the other omegas and was likely the reason the others were dead. Jensen remembered the hit on his head, and carefully he touched the back of his head. There was no blood but it hurt to touch. Why could he move?

The two strangers, Chris and Steve, helped Jensen up to the road.
“We have to hurry.”
“They will be here soon.”
Jensen was getting dizzy again and, as soon as he had reached the car, his legs gave out under him. He felt two strong arms around him and a voice said,
“Don’t scare me like this.”
And then everything became dark again.

Jensen woke up to the smell of bacon. Bright sunlight streamed through the window of a plain white room and Jensen saw high mountains and trees outside. His head hurt and on his hands and arms were fast healing cuts, but otherwise he seemed fine.

There was a knock on the door and Jensen sat up.
“Ah good to see you awake. Would you like some breakfast?” a young man asked. He was maybe a couple of years older than Jensen and had shoulder long hair.
“Yes that would be nice,” Jensen answered and followed him. He was on alert he didn’t know where he was or who this was and…

“My name is Chris. We met last night. The guy at the stove is Steve Carlson and the old man waiting for his breakfast is Jeff Morgan.”
They had reached a little kitchen and Chris pointed to another man with long blond hair and a man with salt and pepper hair and beard.
“He could move?” Morgan asked, sizing him up and down.
“Yes I could,” Jensen said with a big grin.

If becoming an omega had been Jensen’s second life, then joining the resistance was his third. Ash, the tech guy of their group, guessed that Jensen’s interface receiver had been damaged. The interface between his brain and body still worked, so he wasn’t paralyzed, but no one could force him to do anything. The problem was that with his limited resources Ash could only guess what happened to the interface.

Jensen hadn’t even known that there was a resistance, but he learned groups like the one who saved him existed all over the states. Jeff Morgan’s group had found refuge in the mountains of Pennsylvania. The satellites didn’t reach the hidden valley, so that the freed omegas could move on their own, but only Jensen was able to move of own his free will outside the hidden valley.

Jensen used his new found freedom. Three years under Lehne had made the young man hard on the outside. His new best friend, Chris Kane, showed him how to fight hand to hand and his partner, Steve Carlson taught him all about guns and weapons. Three month after Jensen had been freed; Morgan took him on his first rescue mission.

They freed six omegas that day and Jensen discovered another way to celebrate his freedom. Lea was so grateful to be free again that Jensen didn’t even need to seduce her. Jamie, Martin, Rick, Emilie and Cilia were equally grateful. Jensen thought he had a right to catch up on sexual encounters after being forced for such a long time.

He knew he was just fucking them and that they would never mean anything to him other than to get the sexual tension out of his system. He soon figured out he preferred to fuck young men over girls. Topping was a must because he never trusted any of his encounters enough to bottom. And since he was charming and good-looking no one really complained, so Jensen just used and left them.

He never talked about it, not to Jeff and definitely not to Chris or Steve. But they all figured it out. Jensen was trying to compensate about what had happened during his enslavement. The only thing Jeff said to him about it was after another successful mission:

“Don’t let sex become arbitrary, Jensen. It should be something special between you and your partner.”
“I had a lot of ‘special time’ with my former master, thank you.” Jensen answered, irritated, and he took a gulp of whiskey before he went to his bed.

Roughly a year after his first mission, Jeff sent him out on his first solo mission. Being back in a large city was a shock for Jensen. Enslaved omegas were everywhere, if you knew where to look. Freeing six or seven omegas when they raided a van wasn’t getting them anywhere, they needed to think bigger.

That night Jensen had a long talk with Ash and Jeff, but it would take them another four years to set everything in motion.

Chapter Text

Chapter 6
One of Jared first memories was of he and his mother sitting outside on the porch. The Texan sun bathed the Ranch in a golden light and he smelled the cookies his mother was baking for him. But something was wrong: his mom had tears in her eyes.

“Please, Jared, you must remember and forgive me,” his mother, Caitlin Padalecki, said to him. “It is like in this story: God made the potato low on grease but high in calcium and many useful vitamins. And the devil took the peel, cut everything into small slices and deep fried it and spiced it with lots and lots of salt.
The same is true for the bonds.”

It would be years before Jared understood that his mother wasn't talking about food.

Jared had no real memory of his father. He remembered being jealous of the cool-looking black tapes that wrapped around strong, tan arms, He remembered a nice big smile that made his mother sing with joy. His mother told him once not to ask about the tapes and his father told him they were nothing to be jealous about. He never heard of omegas and had no idea how they were treated outside his little bubble.

He had no memory of the fire and only vaguely remembered crying together with his mother for his father who never came back.

For Jared’s family had always contained: Jared; his mother, Caitlin; Chad; and Chad’s mother, Claire. Claire also had the black tapes but it meant nothing to him. This was his family, the people he relied on, the people he trusted.

Jared had a very sheltered childhood growing up with Chad at the Ranch. He loved the farm house, the stables and the hidden lab. For a long time Jared had never seen anything special or strange about the hidden structure. It made sense a modern lab would stick out in a traditional Ranch and his mother wanted the Ranch to look like a Ranch. It was simply where his mom worked. Didn’t many movies feature hidden or secret rooms? Jared never considered it unusual.

Chad was eleven and Jared was ten when his mother made absolutely and perfectly clear that the lab was a secret and outside their little family no one should know about it.

Jared figured the way he and Chad grew up, living on a Ranch one hour away from the next settlement, homeschooled and only allowed to use the TV or internet when supervised, it was no wonder it took him so long to figure out that omegas were basically slaves.

Thanks to his mom’s and Claire’s good homeschooling, Jared was able to skip one year so he could go with Chad to college. They had a room together in the dormitory. While Chad, Claire and Caitlin unpacked, Jared checked their classes.

“There’s a mistake,” Jared said, staring at the screen of his laptop. “They named me Jared Murray.”

Caitlin and Claire exchanged a knowing glance.
“Ah yes,” Caitlin answered, avoiding Jared’s eyes, “I meant to mention that. They must think you’re brothers. At first they had put Chad’s last name as Padalecki. It must be a mistake due to the fact that you both have the same home address. But it’s okay, the Dean knows about it and the administration has your right name.”
“Maybe I can go down there later and explain…”
“No!” his mother shouted out. Jared looked up, surprised. He hadn’t expected such an outburst over a simple bureaucratic mistake. “Just leave it that way,” she continued, trying for composure. “They wanted a fee of five thousand dollars to change it. Just leave it.”
“Cool,” Chad said. “Now you’re really my nerdy, younger brother. And now you have to follow all my orders.” He laughed trying to get the conversation back into safe waters. Later Jared would just add this to his mothers list of lies.

The first week of college was exciting. Jared and Chad tried to find their way around and make new friends. UT Dallas was huge, so it took Jared and Chad some time to come face to face with his mother’s past. It was in History of Science when Jared finally found out.

“In 1966 the first omega cases were discovered. But it took seventeen years till a cure was found. Can someone tell me who invented the bonds? Yes Ms. Miller?”
“Stuart and Padalecki,” a pale blonde girl behind Jared answered.

Jared spent the next week reading all about his mother’s involvement in the Omega Act, the bonds, the National Health Provider (NHP) and Second Life. Chad tried to talk to him.

“Jared we know her. You know her. She’s your mother for gods shake. Go and talk to her!”
“Yes, I thought I knew her. But she lied to me my whole life. The lab, Chad! The secret lab! It was right before my eyes and I never saw.”

“My mother is an omega and Caitlin never blocked or controlled her movements! Or remember the omega hands at the Ranch? Your father was an omega! She never treated them bad.”

“How should I know? For all I know she rented them. Hell, she might have even brought my father back to Second Life when she was finished with him.”

“Jared that is bullshit and you know it! Your mother never supported the Omega Act. That was why she lived so far away from everything.”
“No, Chad, she moved away so she didn’t have to see how her treatment enslaved the omegas. She could have prevented it. James Patrick Stuart is one of the people with the most influence in politics and the economy. ”
“Jared what is your plan?”
“I’m going home to talk to my mother.”

The talk was mean and ugly, with both too stubborn and too angry to really listen. All the self-righteousness a seventeen year old could hold was unleashed. It was the last time Jared went home for the next four years.

Chapter Text

Chapter 7
“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Amen.”
“Amen.” The little private graveyard held only a couple of graves: Jared’s grandparents, two Ranch hands, Jared’s father and now Chad’s mother, Claire, and Caitlin Padalecki.

It had been a car accident on their way to town. They both died on the scene. Jared held a shaking; crying Chad as they watched both coffins being lowered into the ground.
“Thank you, Father, for your nice words,” Jared told the pastor.
“You’re welcome Jared, your mother was a good woman. Same is true about Claire.”

Jared didn’t answer and just nodded. Over the last years, he and his mother hadn’t talked. In fact, it was the first time Jared had returned to his childhood home. He had been shocked to see how neglected everything looked. His mother’s pride had always been the nice stables and the breeding horses, but now there were no Ranch hands around. His mother and Claire had been the only people living at the Ranch for the last two years.

Now there were only a handful of horses left and paint was peeling from the buildings. It all looked run down.

“Come on, Chad,” he told his still shaking friend. “Let’s go inside and drink something.”

The house looked only slightly better than the farm. Obviously Claire had tried to keep the house clean and inhabitable.
Chad could see that Jared was shocked to see the Ranch in such a bad disrepair. Jared had preferred to spend his breaks with various girlfriends or boyfriends, at their homes, and had never allowed Chad to tell him what was going on back home.

“She loved and missed you, you know?” Chad said from the sofa, a cup of steaming coffee in his hands. “She wanted to explain…”

“Stop, Chad. I don’t want to talk about it. She was responsible for the enslavement of thousands and she lied to me. She never admitted to… she never showed any regret.”

There was a knock on the door and Jared went to open it. Outside was a bald man in a suit.
“Mr. Padalecki?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Fitzgerald. I’m an attorney and executer of will of your late mother. Can I come in?”
“Ah, yes, please. This is Chad Michael Murray.”
“The son of Claire Murray, the omega?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good, good. Listen there is not much to tell you. Caitlin Padalecki left you and Chad the Ranch in equal parts. Mr. Murray was also left a trust fund with ‘round about 1.5 million dollars at the First National Bank. Any other assets go to you, Mr. Padalecki. Here is a list. If you have any more questions please feel free to call me.
Mr. Padalecki, Mr. Murray, have a good day.”

Leaving some papers behind, he turned around and left the house, some moments later they heard a car driving away. Jared looked at the papers, not touching them. On top laid two envelopes, one reading “For Chad” and the other “To my son Jared”.

Jared and Chad had finished their studies at UT Dallas as medical engineers and had just started working at a nanobot clinic. There was no way that Chad or Jared would work for anything related to the bond system. They wanted to heal not to enslave.

After Jared had received the call telling him his mother died, he had come home with the intention to sell the Ranch and move on. But now he and Chad had inherited the Ranch and Jared didn’t know how Chad felt about selling it. They needed to talk but Jared felt too exhausted to do it today. Tomorrow was another day!

Jared woke up late the next morning, having trouble finding sleep last night. Chad was also up and had prepared some eggs and waffles. His letter lay open next to his plate.
“Jared you gotta read your letter.” Chad said following Jared’s gaze.
“Why? Because you couldn’t wait?”
“Yes! Damnit Jared, she took not only my mother in when she became an omega, she took me too. And now she left me a trust fund! I mean … Jesus… how rich are you guys? The Ranch – she loved it, I know but it barley paid the bills.”

Jared knew Chad was right, but the moment he had started to care about their money situation was the moment he had stopped talking to his mother.

They had been able to finish college on a full paid scholarship and Jared had never looked too deep into it, knowing it was his mother paying for everything via the scholarship founded by her. Jared knew Chad was right, time to grow up and face the truth.

He took a deep breath and came to a decision.
“Okay, let’s have breakfast, then we take the horses for a ride to the lake. I’ll read it there.”
“Good. I'll pack some sandwiches and water.”

They reached the lake after two hours; they hadn’t been in a hurry and had taken the scenic route. The lake lay in a small hidden valley surrounded by trees and soft grass. It was Jared’s and Chad’s favorite place.

After they had taken care of the horses, there was nothing else Jared could pretend to do, so he sat on a rock by the lake shore and opened the envelope. Inside was a letter and another envelope.

“My dear son Jared,” it began. “Since you no longer talk to me, I think this is the only way to tell you my side of the story. I can understand that you felt betrayed that I never told you about my involvement in the omega act.

“I was eighteen years old when my best friend Annett died of the omega disease. That was when I promised myself to find a cure. I developed the bonds as a treatment, till a cure was found. But the powers that be decided it was easier to enslave the omegas than to find a cure. Today there is basically no one researching to find a cure.

“James Patrick Stuart and I broke up over this.

“Your father was the first omega I took to the Ranch. He worked for me and at the Ranch he was free. As the master I granted all my omegas free range, only giving them a little warning when they were about to leave my premises.

“I never used the bonds as enslavement, but I did use the money I got as one of the main share holders of Second Life as well as many other companies involved in the slave system.

“If you ever wondered how I was able to pay for everything, now you know. I always dreamed about using their money to undo the slave system. But it never happened.

“I met your father at the omega center in Dallas. He had just gotten his bonds and I used my influence to get him assigned to our Ranch. We fell in love but we couldn’t get married due to his omega status. I became pregnant and when we had you, we were happy in our little corner of the world.

“For a little while I thought that I was forgiven. But then we had that fire when you were three and we lost your father. If I didn’t have you I don’t know what I would have done.

“Claire was the older sister of my best friend Annett. She knew about my work and about my involvement with the bonds, so when she showed the first signs of the omega disease she called me and I picked her up.

“You were almost four when she and Chad came to the Ranch. Claire persuaded me to continue my search for a cure. She took care of the Ranch, I went to the lab. I expected to be useless researching so far away form everything, but there weren’t any colleagues I could talk to anyway, no research I could read. I don’t know if it is forbidden to research a cure for omegas or if the government simply won’t provide financial help because they want to keep the omega system. In the last years I always dreamed about finding a cure together with you. Working with you, I hoped to prove to you that I was no monster and that my intentions were good. I made some progress and maybe you will now finish my work.

”You were such a smart kids. I feared the day you and Chad would find out about me but I couldn’t bring myself to talk to you. And Then you went to college. The only thing I could do was to give you some anonymity, so you became Jared Murray and only the Dean knew your true name.

“I know I betrayed you but I hope you can find it in you to forgive me one day. I will never forgive myself.

“I love you, Jared.

“Mom”

Jared had tears in his eyes, he looked around and saw that Chad was watching him.

“What did she say?” he asked.
“That she was sorry and hoped I would forgive her one day.”
“Same here only that she also left me 1.5 million dollar. What about you?”
“She mentioned some shares on companies but I think that’s in the other envelope. Let’s go home; I have a lot to think about.”
“Do you still want to sell the Ranch?”
“I don’t know, Chad. I just don’t know.”

“When was the last time you were in her lab?” Jared asked during dinner. They had gotten home one hour earlier and were now eating some kind of meatloaf Jared had made.
“Oh, I don’t know, years ago. Ten, twelve years. A long, long time.”
“I want to know what she was working on. Let’s go to the lab.”

“Where is the button?” Chad asked. They were in the stable and trying to open the hidden door. “It used to be the old light switch,” he added.

“I think I got it.” Jared called from the stall of his mothers favorite horse. There by the water supplier was a switch that seemed to be responsible for giving water to the horse, but opened instead the door to Caitlin’s lab. The entrance was hidden behind a wooden panel.

The difference between the dusty old-fashioned stable and the white stairs that led to the underground rooms was impressive. Jared and Chad entered, not forgetting to lock the door behind them.

Down here were three rooms: Caitlin’s office with a small kitchen area, the lab in the main room with computers and medical equipment and a storage room for the archive. Chad went into the lab, Jared to the office.

His mother’s perfume still hung in the air and Jared was suddenly hit with grief and sorrow. Why hadn’t he talked to his mother when it was still possible? Now it was too late. He sat behind her desk, and through a large window Jared could see Chad moving around the lab and checking the computer.

Searching the desk, Jared found one of his mother’s journal and started reading.

“I was such an idiot,” Jared told Chad.
“You won’t hear me objecting,” Chad answered.
“What would you think about quitting our jobs at the nanobot clinic and returning home? We could continue Mom’s work and maybe find a cure.”
“I would say that Caitlin would be very proud of you.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 8
Jared had studied one semester of psychology, but he didn’t need a degree to know he was compensating for his guilt that he had lost contact with his mom. There was no one else to blame but him and he had forever lost his chance to tell his mother he had forgiven her, even if it was not his to forgive.

Chad and Jared didn’t waste any time; they quit their jobs and moved back to the Ranch. They started to read through Caitlin’s research journals but Chad soon had to admit he couldn’t follow Caitlin’s explanations and theories, whereas Jared not only understood them but also took notes so he could look into solutions his mother might have overlooked.

Jared missed his mother and he wondered what it would have been like to work with her or to have someone who pushed him forward, someone who challenged him. Chad was great but Jared always needed to be the one to tell him what to do.

Half a year after their mothers had died, it happened. It was a cloudy day in late September. There was rain in the air, but Jared was down in the lab reading his mothers journal and oblivious to the weather outside. Chad was bringing him some coffee when suddenly his legs gave out under him. Chad lost his balance and fell hard to the ground spilling coffee and shattering the mugs.
“Chad!” With a leap Jared was by his friend’s side.
The two stared at each other both of them knowing what that meant.
“What can't you move?” Jared asked the scientist in him taking over.
“Left leg, torso, and arms a bit; only the right leg is completely paralyzed.”
“Yes, that’s typical. I'll get the car so we can get you to an omega center.”
“Will you come with me?”
“Sure, Chad. Don’t worry; you can pay for the bonds.”
Chad could only nod; he didn’t trust himself not to start crying if he answered.

The next three days were terrible for both of them: Jared driving back and forth between the omega center and the Ranch, trying to be supportive of the only family member he had left while at the same time taking care of the horses and the Ranch, and Chad losing the control over his body bit by bit.

On the fourth day Chad was completely paralyzed and a representative of Second Life was talking to them.
“Good day. I was informed by the National Health Provider that you were planning on paying for the treatment.”
“Yes that’s right.” Jared answered for Chad.
“I see. A young couple like you shouldn’t have to spend the rest of your days paying a dept Second Life is more than willing to cover for you.”

Jared needed a moment to understand all the implications of the representative’s words. He was about to answer when the man continued.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Many people don’t have that kind of resource and we of Second Life take good care of our omegas.”
“No! First, Chad is my family, not my partner. Second, he does have the money so your – your service will not be needed.”
Surprise at the rejection was obvious in the man’s face.
“The cost for a treatment is approximately 150,000$.”
“No problem,” Jared said. “So now you may leave since your service is not needed here.”
With a last mean look the man left.

“Thank you, Jared, I don’t know how I would get through this without you.”
“You’re welcome man, and I meant what I said: you are my family.”

Three days later Chad was released and they headed back to the Ranch. Jared had for some “juristic reasons” signed a form that he would provide the omega with food and shelter. Some days later a letter arrived telling Jared that he now had custody over the omega, Chad, and that the Ranch’s boundaries were now Chad’s when he was allowed free movements.

They were both deeply concerned to learn that even when he had the money his belongings and assets went to a guardian, in Chad’s case, Jared. Basically, all and nothing had changed. Like the other omegas before him, Chad had free movement around the Ranch and, on Jared’s insistence, Chad got an upgrade for the entire state of Texas. It was the largest available range.

Due to Chad becoming an omega, a lot of work piled up, and finding a cure was now more urgent than ever. They debated a long time if they should rent omegas to run the Ranch, clean, and cook. It would give Jared and Chad much more time to search for a cure but it would look like they supported the system that kept omegas as slaves.

In the end they decided to get three omegas, partly because they couldn’t get other people to move to the farm and work for them. Potential hires complained that was “omega work”. Omega Ben would take care of the animals, Jim would be responsible for the repairs and generally clean up the farm, and Sina would be their housekeeper.

The three were free to move on the premises but would be given a warning if they were about to leave the Ranch. Jim and Sina was a “married” couple (omegas couldn’t get married) but they had been together for over 15 years and were still very much in love with each other. How they had managed to stay together for so long, Jared had no idea.

They both expressed their deep-felt gratitude to Jared for having rented them together. Ben, on the other hand, was grumpy loner but he was also fantastic with the horses so Chad and Jared overlooked his attitude, which was mostly directed toward Jared.

All three were not allowed to enter the stable unless Chad or Jared explicit told them to do so. They also stayed in the cabins Caitlin had built for Ranch hands many years ago and not in the main house. It would give Chad and Jared some more privacy.

So during the day Chad and Jared went go to the lab, Jim repaired the buildings, slowly getting the Ranch back to looking good again, Sina prepared the meals and did everyone’s laundry, and Ben took care of the horses. Jared had hoped that he and Ben would bond over the horses, but no. Ben kept quiet, still and was sometimes almost hostile toward Jared. Jared had no idea why Ben didn’t like him but he had other things on his mind.

Do you know how my mother got the idea for the bonds?” Jared asked Chad. It was three months after Chad had gotten his bonds and the two of them were in the lab after a nice lunch with the other three.
“No. How?”
“It’s in her journal. She was an engineer and wanted to find an engineer solution to a medical problem. How about we do it again – like an absorption field of some kind, blocking the interface. With the right frequency it should be possible to block Second Life or any other agency while the omega maintains full control. We just have to find an omega and …”
Jared stopped dead at the look in Chad’s eye.
“No!”
“Yes, Jared. That is the perfect solution.”
“No! Chad, I won’t use you as a guinea pig on untested technology.”
“It’s my way to help you, Jared. And you won't be using me, this is my contribution. Half the time I don’t know what you’re talking about and the other time I don’t dare to believe you.”
“We would need to limit your movement rights, Chad, like to nothing.”
“I know. Jared, believe me, I know.”

It was ridiculously easy to take Chad’s free movement space away. Just a call to the omega center and Chad could only move if Jared told him so. Of course, the change didn’t go unnoticed by Jim, Sina and Ben. Especially Ben, he gave Jared the silent treatment while trying at the same time to get Chad alone so he could talk to him.

On the brighter side of things, the work with the absorption field was going well and Jared had a finished prototype by the end of the week. He insisted on testing it for another week before Jared was willing to try it out on Chad.

The day they first tried it out was on Chad’s four-month anniversary of becoming an omega.
“Chad, stay still.” Jared ordered. The bonds kicked in, holding Chad motionless.
“Okay, on my count: three. . .two. . . one. . . How does it—”
Before Jared could finish his question, Chad began to shake violently. As fast as he could Jared turned the generator off. The bonds kicked in and held Chad unnaturally straight.
“You may move,” Jared said, holding Chad up so he wouldn’t fall to the ground. “I’m sorry, Chad. I’m so sorry.”

He helped Chad to a cot so he could lay down and rest.

“I think it kind of worked,” Chad told Jared a little while later.
“What? It looked like I was electrocuting you.”
“Yes,” Chad admitted, “but for a moment it was good. I had the control.”
Jared frowned. “Maybe we have to modulate the frequency.” Jared thought aloud.

It took them another week, till Jared had found the right combination of frequencies, before Chad could move completely on his own.

“The next step should be to enlarge the field,” Jared explained to an exhausted Chad. While obviously not really dangerous, those seizures had drained his strength. More than once in the last three weeks Jared had to ask Ben or Jim to help him carry Chad from the stable into the house and into his bed.

But, overall, it was working. Chad could now move in a twenty meter radius around the generator. The problem was there was no signal to show that Chad was leaving the absorption field. From one step to the next, Chad was out of bounds and would get the seizures. As far as Jared had figured out, they came from a sudden overload in the interface.

It was almost a year ago that Jared and Chad had come back to the Ranch.
“Okay, Chad, today is the day, I set up maximum range on the generator. I want you to go outside and start walking.”

“But Ben, Jim, and Sina will see me.”
“That doesn’t matter. If it works, they will be free soon too.”
Chad nodded and started to walk, leaving the stable. Jared following him, reading the field strength on his tablet so Chad wouldn’t leave the field without warning. Jared had a theory that the seizures would increase the farther away Chad was from the generator.

Chad walked out of the stable, passing the main house, passing the cabins and the range where Ben was working with the horses, and Jared still followed him. Then, from one moment to the next, the field collapsed and Chad was on the ground, seizing so that even the bonds couldn’t hold him.
“Chad move!” Jared screamed. It would hurt only more if the tapes wanted to restrict him. Jared ran to his friend.
“I got you, brother, I got you.” Jared whispered in his friend ear before Chad’s eyes rolled back and he lost consciousness.
“Ben, get Jim and help Chad to his room,” Jared called, holding his friend till the two men carried him away.

Jared ran back to the lab. Why had the field collapsed? When Jared entered the lab he could see that the generator had over-heated and shut down. So they would need a stronger generator. How could he get one? The one they used has been his mother’s. He would talk with Chad as soon as he felt better, to see if he had an idea.

Jared copied the recorded output of the generator onto a stick. When Chad felt better, later, they could discuss the results. He switched everything off and closed carefully the hidden door behind him. It was enough for today; if he had read the data right it might be a break through and they could all celebrate tomorrow.

He was about to walk over to the main house when a movement by the barn caught his eyes. Was that Ben? He was about to enter the barn when suddenly a young, good looking man jumped in his way. The man had sandy blond hair, stunning green eyes and lips that would make a supermodel jealous. Jared smiled.
“Hi,” he said, “can I …”
“Good night asshole!” the man said before hitting him on the forehead with a hidden gun.

Chapter Text

Book 2
Chapter 1

With distaste Jensen looked down at the unconscious young man and, just because he could, he kicked him in the rips.

It had taken Jensen and his group much longer than anticipated to find the inventors of the bonds. While it was known that Caitlin Padalecki and James Patrick Stuart had invented them, there was little to no recent information about Caitlin.

Stuart had become quite a public figure, but Caitlin had remained private. Jensen had dismissed kidnapping James Patrick Stuart after three months of observation. The man was too well guarded. So they had started searching for Caitlin.

It took them three and a half years to find Caitlin’s hideout, only to find out Caitlin had died a couple of months before. But Jensen didn’t want to give up. He had worked too hard and too long to give up now.

That was when he met Ben, one of the four omegas working for the Padalecki´s. The only good thing about being an omega was that there was always some kind of trust and companionship among the omegas. Jensen had no problems gaining Ben’s trust and spilling information about the Padalecki household.

“This Jared guy is a perverted son of a bitch. True, he won’t touch me or Ben or Sina, we are just too old, but he has this young blond omega named Chad. He has to stay with the master day in day out. I don’t know what Padalecki does to this kid in the stable every day but it must be bad. Yesterday I had to carry Chad out of the stable and even then the master didn’t leave him alone. I saw him entering Chad’s bedroom that night. Only heaven knows what he did to him then.”

So Jensen had started to look into the Padalecki son. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Like his mother, he had studied medical engineering, like his mother he seemed brilliant, and like his mother he seemed ruthless about using his knowledge.

“Get the tapes. I want to do this while he is still out,” Jensen told Misha.

Misha was a doctor who had joined their group two years ago. Jensen and Misha had hit it off and had fucked like bunnies for almost a year before the passion had faded, leaving behind a strange kind of friendship. Misha was now in a serious relationship with a girl from their group and was trying to set up Jensen with every person that wasn’t married (and sometime even then).

“We have the three omegas in the kitchen, the other one is pretty much knocked out in his bedroom,” Chris reported, with a gun over his shoulder. He and his partner, Steve Carlson, together with Misha Collins were Jensen’s first choice when it came to building a team.

“Thank you Chris. Did you made clear that we don’t want anything from them, that we won’t do anything to them and that they shouldn’t be afraid?” Jensen asked. “We are the good guys.”

“Well, he didn’t choose these words, but he made clear that we are after the master,” Steve said, putting away his gun. “I think we can put the weapons away; that would calm them some more.”

“I'll think about it. Better to be safe than sorry later. Okay, help me get him undressed so Misha can put the tapes on.” Jensen ordered.

He had plotted this raid from the start. Jensen could remember when he had first presented Jeff his plan. “We find Caitlin Padalecki,” he’d said. “We put the bonds on her and then she can experience her ‘cure’ first hand. After that, we ask her for a way to free all omegas and by then it is in her own interest to help us.”
Jeff had nodded. “I like that, the one who caused all this will be the one to end it. Yes, you get my okay. Who do you want to take along?”
“Chris, Misha, Steve and Ash.” Jensen named his closeted friends, the ones that would follow his orders without much questioning because they trusted him to do the right thing.
“I need Ash here, and you don’t need him anyhow.”

So after a year of planning and one break-in into a local omega center to get some bonds and a new interface, Jensen had found out that Caitlin was dead. But her son had inherited her worst qualities and added a few of his own.

Together they carried Padalecki into the barn. Misha had set up the bonds and started now to put them on Padalecki. Soon the man was bound and Jensen felt a dark satisfaction seeing a so-called master in the black tapes.

“How is the young omega?” he asked. He worried about the young man. They didn’t know what the alpha had done to him, but Jensen had, thanks to his own experience, a very good idea.

“He’s still unconscious and his blood pressure is a little bit too high, but for a more accurate diagnosis I’ll need more equipment.” Turning to Padalecki he added, “He’s good looking.”
“What?”
“I said, he is quiet good looking.” Misha repeated pointing at the young man.
Jensen assumed that Misha could be right, but he refused to see the man that way.
“Shall we proceed with the interface?” Misha asked.
“Yes, but sedate him. We don’t want him to wake up in the middle of the treatment.”

If Misha was uncomfortable at putting a healthy young man in bonds he didn’t show it, he trusted Jensen to do the right thing.

Misha turned Padalecki with Jensen’s help, then he made a small incision at the base of the skull. He inserted the interface and connected it with the tape on his back. Misha didn’t expect to have to sew him up because the nanobots should already be closing the cut, but there was no nanite activity, so he sewed the little cut together.
“He has operational nanites. They have to be activated in case of an illness or wound or whatever.” Misha explained to Jensen.
“Can you activate them?” Jensen asked.
“Yes, I think I still have an activator somewhere. These little guys are quite fancy. You don’t see them often among omegas and there isn’t any real difference between these and the more common ones. I personally think it is a disadvantage that you have to activate them where the other ones work all the time. You actually can… ”

“Misha! Do it.” Jensen interrupted his friend’s rambling.

He looked with a grim satisfaction down at the almost naked man. For a moment all he saw was Lehne and his younger self, kneeling for hours, naked in the study. He had to shake himself; this was not the time or the place for a walk down memory lane. Padalecki would wake up tomorrow in a new life.

James Patrick Stuart studied the numbers again. This couldn’t be right. The resistance had started as the idea of a few, not something you had to take into account, but over the last three years the numbers of freed omegas had increased dramatically. They left behind burned vans and missing omegas. He wondered where they went and who had helped them. So far all he had were rumors about hidden valleys shielding omegas.

He didn’t even dare to ask if other countries had the same problem but he guessed yes. Who helped them? Where did they take them?

The economy was accustomed to an endless supply of cheap labor. The resistance was slowly but surely making an impact on a greater scale. They needed to be stopped and he had an idea where to start searching.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2
Jared knew right from waking up something was wrong. What had happened? He and Chad had tested the absorption field and the generator had overheated and then. . . He opened his eyes. He expected to be in a bed or at least lying down somewhere, but no: he was standing in the barn. The morning sun let the dust dance in the rays. From the position of the sun, it should be somewhere around 9 am. Did he sleepwalk? He tried to move but he couldn’t even lift a finger. He realized two things, he was—except for his briefs—naked, and someone had put bonds on him.

Why was he in bonds? And why was he standing, only in his briefs, motionless in the barn?
No!
Realization hit Jared hard. Why would someone do this to him? They must have also put an interface into him otherwise he would still be able to move.

“I see you realize you’re getting some of your own medicine. How does it feel to be an omega? Hm?”
The good looking young man Jared had seen yesterday was looking at him with hate and disgust.
Did they knew each other? Had Jared done something got him?
But he was sure he had never met him before. That must be a big misunderstanding.
“Hmg mg …”
Jared couldn’t speak. He wasn’t being allowed to speak; how should he tell this man that there must be a mistake.
The man laughed at his distress.
“Oh I forgot. I silenced you. You wanna talk, omega?”
Jared wanted to nod but of course he couldn’t.
“What? I don’t understand you.”
Jared whined.
“Well maybe it’s easier if I tell you what I want from you. You see, your crazy mother enslaved all those people, I know she is dead but I’m sure she still had some notes around. You give us her notes and research results and we leave. What do you say? Oh right: omega talk.”
“Fuck you. I’m not telling you anything.” Jared answered.

Even if he didn’t need the notes to continue his work, Jared wouldn’t give them to this psycho asshole. “Ah. Somehow I had expected that,” the man said with false sorrow in his voice, and then hit him square in the face.
“Tell me where the notes are.” Jared tasted blood and spit it out. He wouldn’t give this man anything.
It went on for hours like that. The position of the sun was the only timeframe Jared had. Jared grew tired but couldn’t move, his legs cramped, his back and head hurt. In the end the man snapped an iron collar around Jared’s neck, connected it to a long iron chain, and left Jared in the barn like a rabid dog.
“You’re allowed to move in the barn but not outside. Do you understand, dog? Oh, cool. I found your new name: dog.”

Jared didn’t answer. He moved his arms and legs carefully. The man threw him a last look then turned around and walked out of the barn. Jared knew he had to move so the interface could learn how to move his body. His mother had recommended some exercises that would help the neural interface to establish the movement of the body. So he did them.

He was getting hungry. In his estimation it was around four in the afternoon, so it was more than twenty four hours since he’d had something to eat and drink. There was an old rusty water tap close by, and usually Jared wouldn’t drink from it but he figured dehydration was worse. He even found a bucket he could use as a toilet.

It was getting dark outside. Jared could hear people talking but no one came to look for him. Where was Chad? Was he okay? And what about Sina, Jim, and Ben?
He was hungry again but he figured there would be no food for him today. The more pressing problem would be the cold during the night and he didn’t expect this guy to unchain him and let him sleep in his room.

As far as the chain allowed it, Jared moved around the barn searching for something that would keep him warm for the night. He found some old rugs, towels and thin blankets for cleaning, it wasn’t much but might prevent him from freezing to death. It was going to be a long, cold night.

Jensen had slept in one of the many cabins. Steve and Chris had also taken a cabin, while Misha had wanted to stay with the still unconscious blond omega. Sina was a fantastic cook and it was great to get regular meals without the bother of making a food run. So everything was working as planed not troubles with the freed omegas and if he could get Padalecki to talk they could be back in Hidden Valley by the end of the week.

Now he was back at the barn and Jensen had the man – no, the dog - at his mercy. Thanks to the bonds he didn’t need to restrain him: the tapes would hold him up till Jensen was finished with Lehne--Padalecki. He needed the answers and he would get the answers out of Lehne—no, not Lehne. Padalecki. The dog-- even if this meant he had to resort to the skills he had learned at Lehne’s hands.

Lighting himself a cigarette, he walked to the bleeding man. He had ordered him to hold still, so the omega would stay and take everything Jensen dished out. Or he could talk, but Jensen somehow doubted it. Padalecki seemed pretty stubborn.

“Our doctor informed me you got some fancy nanobots in you. They have to be activated. I wonder if you would scar if we forgot to turn them on.” He took his cigarette and pressed it down on dog’s forearm. “Where are the notes?”
The man’s breathing increased but, other than that, he remained silent.
“Well, I have a whole package,” Jensen continued. “We can work through it or you can tell me right now. Where are the notes?”
Silence.
Jensen lit the next cigarette.
They were half way through the package when Chris entered the barn. He looked from dog to Jensen and back, then he slowly stepped between Jensen and dog.
“The blond omega is finally awake. His name is Chad and you might want to talk to him.”
“No! Leave Chad alone! He has nothing to do with this,” Dog said his eyes wide with fear.

Ignoring the dog’s outburst, Jensen said,
“Yes I'll come up as soon as I’m finished here. Tell Misha to come down here so he can turn its nanobots on.”
Chris nodded and, after a wary glace at the omega, he left.
“You don’t want me to talk to Chad? Why? Are you afraid your toy will tell us what kind of pervert you are? Where are the notes?”

But after his outburst the dog had retreated to his silence, and Jensen left the barn. Chris was waiting for him outside the main house. Jensen had no interest to hear Chris’ lessons:
“Chris I don’t want to hear it.”
“I know and I don’t care. Jensen what are you doing? Torture? I thought we were the good guys.” He took a deep breath and continued, “I know your alpha …”
“You know nothing.” Jensen cut in, sharp. “We are the good guys; we don’t enslave innocent people. You knew what this mission was about; if you don’t want to stay you can still go back to Jeff.”
For a moment Chris looked like he wanted to say something but thought better of it. Then Chris headed off to the cabins.

Jensen looked after his friend. He knew he had changed quite a bit in the last years. He wasn’t a high school boy anymore; he wasn’t a toy anymore. He had become what he needed to become to get his revenge on Lehne and on society as a whole. He had become a soldier.

Jensen knew some other members of the resistance had complained about him to Jeff. And Jensen also knew that Jeff had seen this mission as a way to get Jensen away from everybody.

The kitchen was the only room in the main house Jensen had been in so far. Sina was almost finished with lunch preparations.
“Where is Chad’s room?” he asked her.
“Upstairs, second door on the right. Dr. Misha was with him ‘til ten minutes ago.”
“Thank you, Sina. That smells delicious by the way.”

He found his way to the bedroom and knocked.
“Come in.”
Jensen entered. Sitting up in the bed was a young blond man, he was pale and had dark rings under his eyes.
“Are you their leader?” he asked, looking Jensen strait in the eyes.
“Ahm, yes, this is my team.”
“Where is Jared?”
“He’s being interviewed.”
“I want to talk to him.”
“Sorry, not now, maybe later. How are you feeling?”

Chad sat back, mistrust obvious in his eyes, but he let it slide for the moment.
“Still weak. Dr. Misha recommended that I shouldn’t move too much. I think that is a good recommendation. Not that I could move much if I wanted to try.”

“What did he do to you?” Jensen asked quietly.

“You can trust him, Chad, he’s from the resistance,” a new voice said from the door. Jensen turned around and looked at Ben. He had come upstairs; maybe he thought it necessary to persuade Chad to trust Jensen. So far, Jensen hadn’t met an omega that didn’t want to get away from the alpha.

“I – I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’m talking about our master abusing you, torturing you and I think we both know how he showed you your special place at night here in the main house. Padalecki is a pervert who likes to rape young men. Now he’s getting a taste of his own medicine.” Ben had gotten louder and louder, and he continued with a menacing voice. “I really appreciate that he didn’t tell everything he knew, so Jensen here can – interrogate – a little longer. Fucking alpha talking to me, trying to be my friend, while raping you almost every evening.”
Chad had turned white, then green.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about! Are you torturing Jared? Get out! Get out! “
Chad made a movement like to get out of bed but he was still too weak to move his legs, and then Misha was in the room.
“Dr. Misha you have to make them stop hurting Jared!” Chad pleaded to Misha. Furious, Misha turned to Ben and Jensen:
“I think it’s better that you both leave,” he said and closed the door behind the two.

“I thought he would appreciate it more, to be free again,” Ben said to Jensen on their way back to the kitchen. Jensen agreed. Maybe Chad had some kind of Stockholm Syndrome going on; he would ask Misha his opinion later.

Sina had set the table for eight.
“I don’t think Chad will be down here anytime soon,” Ben told her.
“Oh no, the plate is for Jared. He didn’t have anything yesterday…” Sina trailed off, looking uncertainly from Ben to Jensen and back.
“No, he stays in the barn,” Jensen told her, “but you can make him a sandwich.”

It was late afternoon when Jensen walked back to the barn. He was about to enter when he saw Padalecki doing some kind of exercise. He moved around gracefully despite the collar and the chain. It looked to Jensen like some type of Tai Chi, his almost naked body stretching and turning. He stopped dead when he saw Jensen watching him.

The burn marks from their morning session had all been healed, and unmarred shin stretched over hard muscles. Misha had informed him that he hadn’t turned the nanites off. He saw no sense if Jensen continued this kind of questioning. But Misha was right, Padalecki was a handsome son of a bitch.

Annoyed with himself, Jensen asked:
“Are you done playing, dog?”
Jared squared his shoulders and looked at Jensen. He was a few inches taller than Jensen and looked down on him, annoying Jensen even more:
“Down, dog. Crawl!”
The tapes responded to his order and Padalecki was crawling through the dust.
“Is there something you would like to tell me? You’re free to talk anytime you like.

That night Jensen dreamed he was back at Lehne’s manor.
Lehne was beating him.
Lehne was burning him.
Lehne was torturing him, and Lehne was raping him.
He woke up screaming. Steve and Chris were there, talking to him, trying to persuade him to talk to them. But Jensen never talked: this was his shame and his burden to carry.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3
Jared looked up as his torturer, Jensen, walked away. Jared had collapsed to the ground as soon as he had been allowed to move. He curled in on himself, but Jared knew he had to move soon. He had to drink, and somewhere over in that corner was what was left of the sandwich after HE had stepped on it. But everything hurt. Jared could actually feel the nano bots going to work, repairing the damaged and bloody skin on his back and on his knees, after Jared had crawl around for what felt like hours. That was before HE had found a riding crop.

There was a movement by the door and Jared looked up fearing HE was about to return, but it was Jim. The omega looked at him, shocked.
“Master Jared! Let me help you!”

With surprisingly tender hands, he helped Jared to sit up and brought him some water.
“Just Jared, Jim. I told you, just Jared,” Jared whispered hoarsely to the older man.
“I tried to talk to them but they have weapons. I didn’t knew what… if I had known…” Jim started but Jared interrupted him.
“How is Chad?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since Ben and I brought him upstairs three days ago. But I know he woke up and talked to Dr. Misha and this Jensen guy. But he was so agitated afterwards that Dr. Misha gave him something, so he sleeps a lot now.”

Three days ago.
It had only been three days since Jared’s life had been turned upside down. Jim had said those people were abolitionists: strange way to show that they were against the bond system by putting Jared in bonds.

“I tried to speak up, Master Jared, I really did. But they have weapons! Guns and other weapons,” Jim explained. “I told them you were only good to us and …”
“Just Jared.” Jared interrupted, tiredly.
“… and that Sina and I were grateful that you took us. But Ben said you were like all the others and that you hurt and abused Chad and they believe him more than Sina and me.”
“It’s okay, Jim. They only hear what they want to hear. Don’t say anything more. I don’t want you to be in any danger.”

Jim left soon after that. He had Jared given the sandwich and promised to bring more food and a blanket. Now Jared was under his rugs trying to get as comfortable as possible, with the collar around his neck and the chain attached to it.

To occupy himself, Jared started to go over the data in his mind.

If he could get to the lab, maybe he could turn the generator back on and than the bonds wouldn’t work.

But, first, there were the side effects Chad was still suffering from and, second, the generator was broken. Besides, how would he get there anyhow?

Maybe the side effects were related to the distance the omega had from the generator? He had to remember this to check it later.

It was getting dark and cold in the barn and Jared was hungry again. The nanobots took their energy from their host. You usually were on a special diet if your nanites were working, to supply enough energy to your little helpers. But Jared wasn’t getting enough food, so he would loose some weight – no problem at all Jared thought sarcastically.

Oh god, he hoped this Dr. Collins didn’t do anything to Chad. Jared didn’t know if he was really a doctor or if the others just called him that.

The next morning he did his exercise again, and when Dr. Collins opened the gate of the barn. Jared continued, he could ignore the doctor.
“Are those cattas?” The doctor asked from the door.
“No, these are exercises my mother recommended for the interface, so it could learn how to move the body more fluently.”
The doctor nodded.
“How are you feeling?”
“Good. HE hasn’t been here yet so I still feel good. Do you know when my torture will start today?” Jared was proud of himself: even if this was all false bravado, no one could tell. Dr. Misha looked quite uncomfortable to be asked so bluntly about his treatment. Jared had no idea how this man could justify to himself and his profession what HE did to him and he had no intention to make it easy on him.
“You could just answer his question and give him the information.”

Jared stood up strait looking down at the doctor. So that was what it was all about.
“If you want someone’s help, you don’t enslave him. If you want someone’s answers, you don’t torture. No, doctor.” Jared shook his head.

“Thank you, Misha. I told you doesn‘t see reason.” Jensen said, stepping from behind Misha. “Personally I think he enjoys out little sessions.”
“Jared, please, just give him what he wants,” the doctor pleaded with Jared. Jared took a deep breath and prepared himself for another day in hell at HIS hands.

After Dr. Misha had left in hurry and after Jensen‘s usual, “Stay still, dog,” Jensen started to beat him, hitting the already sore spots again. Jared had to admit that HE worked methodically raising the pain to new levels.

But today something felt off, like HE was especially mad and mean. After several hours two things happened that would make Jared see his situation in a new light. It was the end of March and while it was still very cold at night, it was really warm during the day. Around noon HE took his shirt off and than Jared saw it: Jensen was an omega!
HE grinned evilly at Jared’s surprise.
So far Jensen had always worn long sleeves, but now Jared could see the black tapes bound around Jensen’s arms. How was Jensen able to move on his own will? Jared would like to …
“Yes I’m an omega, but no alpha tells me anything! I’m free! And we want to free all omegas. So Dog!”

An especially mean hit to his kidneys brought Jared’s attention back to HIM. “I get the feeling this is us getting nowhere, so I made this.” Jensen held up a cat o´ nine and somehow Jared had the feeling Jensen was eager to try it out.

It was really hot inside the barn. Jensen had closed the door so no fresh breeze brought any relief. The air was sticky and sweat was streaming down Jared’s torso. Wearily Jared looked at the cat o´ nine Jensen held in his hands.
No, this couldn’t be happening!
That was barbaric!

“Where are the notes, dog? Your last chance, Lehne, before I start with the cat.”

Who was Lehne? Jared had noticed that when HE was, really mad he would call Jared ”Lehne”. Jared had the feeling “Lehne” was another person.
Maybe Jensen’s former alpha?

Jared wasn’t sure he wanted to know what an alpha could have done to bring on all this rage!

Jared had learned to read HIM in the last few days. HE had been ill tempered when Dr. Misha had talked to Jared this morning, and HE had grown only more and more frustrated with each passing hour. HE stopped asking Jared if he wanted to tell HIM something. HE called Jared “Lehne” more frequently, and Jared had a very bad feeling about where this session would end.

“Your arms,” HE ordered.
He bound Jared’s arms together and then pulled them up till Jared’s arms were stretched over his head and he was balancing on his toes. HE let the cat o´ nine slides thru his fingers, then, without warning, HE hit Jared mid-torso.

For a split second Jared wondered why it didn’t hurt. Then the pain kicked in. Jared had barely a moment to gasp for air before HE drew back and hit Jared again, this time lower stomach and lower back. The strands of the cat wrapped around Jared’s torso, and the woven-in pearls cut through skin and muscles, leaving angry and bleeding welts behind.

Jared screamed, the pain becoming too much.

“Shut up, Lehne! You didn’t care that I was just a high school kid!”

Jared shut up when the bonds kicked in. He whimpered.

“I was just a kid!” HE screamed at him. Jared felt his briefs being torn to shreds.
“No!” Jared screamed but all that came out was, “nmpf.”

HE didn’t stop, hitting Jared over and over again. Blood started to run down Jared’s torso in little rivulets and HE still didn’t stop.
“I was a virgin and you raped me!”
“Nmpf!” Jared screamed.
Jared felt a dry finger at his entrance circling around.
“Nmpf!”

Suddenly HE stepped back.

“Move,” HE ordered. Jared looked at HIM, horrified. What was HE planning?

HE was pale and stared in similar horror at Jared, who was still bound and balancing on his toes. Jared was barley conscious anymore, but Jared was also afraid what would happened if he blacked out now. His vision was graying around the edges.

“I’m – I’m sorry,” HE whispered, still staring in horror at the bleeding and beaten form of Jared.

Backing away from Jared, he reached the door and ran out, leaving Jared still bound and hurting behind him.

A couple of minutes later, Dr. Misha and Jim came running in the barn.
“Oh my god!” Jim said. “I’ll hold him while you let the chain down.”

Jared felt himself being lowered, and he looked in Jim‘s eyes before everything went black.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4
Jensen ran out of the barn.
What had he done?
He had been about to rape this young man! How could he?
He was one of the good guys!

He ran to the main house, where Misha, Chris, Steve, Ben, Sina and Jim were all gathered in the kitchen.
“Misha, go! Take Jim with you and help Padalecki.”

Then he turned around and ran out again.

He needed to get away from the barn, from Padalecki, from what he had done, and from what he almost had done. He dropped to his knees at the far end of the pasture; four, five horses stared at him. He turned around and threw up.

Jensen wept for the boy he had been and the torturer he had become. How could he live with himself?

Out of nowhere, a bottle of water appeared.
“Drink, Jensen,” Chris told his friend.

Gratefully, Jensen took the bottle, drinking almost half of it at once.

“Talk to me, Jensen. This can’t be good for you. And it’s getting worse. This mission is taking it toll on you. I get why you insisted on. . . on questioning Padalecki your self but. . . but,” Chris seemed lost for words for a moment, then he continued, “ but it doesn’t work for us, the mission and you. I’ve known you now for five years and I know life hasn’t treated you fair but that’s not Padalecki´s fault. I watched you grow harder, meaner and I have to tell you, whatever your coping mechanism is, it isn’t working. You’re not the hard-ass, I-don’t-care soldier you think you are. Talk to me, I’m your friend.”

“I almost raped that boy in the barn,” Jensen whispered. To his credit Chris only looked slightly ill.
“But you didn’t.”
Jensen let the remark slide.
“I beat him, I whipped him and I – I …” Jensen broke off, unable to continue.

They sat together in silence at the end of the pasture looking over the Ranch: the main house, the cabins, the stable and the barn. Through his tears, Jensen noted that while the main house, the cabins and the barn were quite old (but thanks to Jim’s work, very well maintained) the stable seemed to be much newer.

It got dark and the moon shined down on Jensen and Chris.
“Let’s go back Jensen. We have to decide what to do next.”

A week passed.
Chad had recovered and had developed a connection with Chris and Steve. The three of them made a strange group of friends but it worked somehow. Jensen hadn’t seen Padalecki again, but Misha assured him that he had recovered, but preferred to spend his days in his room, away from the people who occupied his home.

After another terrible night filled with nightmares and flashbacks, Jensen made his way to the kitchen. The kitchen was empty except for Sina and Chad.
“Good morning,” Jensen greeted the woman; she just nodded in his direction, and Chad ignored him completely. Jensen didn’t blame them.

Steve came into the kitchen, sat across Jensen next to Chad and helped himself to coffee and eggs. “We have a problem,” he said.

“What is it?” Jensen asked, tired.
“I just talked to Sebastian, and he heard that Second Life is about to recalibrate the satellites so they can find the missing omegas.”
“Shit.”
“Exactly. Morgan is thinking about old mines or caves but he doesn’t know if that would work, and then there is still the transportation to organize. How would we get there in time?” Steve took a sip of his coffee and looked at Chad who was kind of staring into open space.

“Ahm. yes,” Chad said, after a minute. “How… I mean … you’re talking about the omegas you freed and took to your hidden valley, right?”
Steve nodded. There was no sense in lying since they were planning on taking the omegas with them when they left anyhow.
“What are the parameters? I mean, how big is the area that needs to be covered?”
“Why do you ask?” Chris had joined them at the breakfast table and had heard the end of their conversation.

Chad looked around but didn’t meet the eyes of Chris and Steve.
“I have the feeling there is something you would like to tell us,” Chris continued.

“You should tell Jared,” Chad blurted out. “Ask him. He might be able to help.

Steve and Chris exchanged a look and Jensen realized that even if Chad knew about Jared’s mistreatment, he had no idea of the extent. Chris looked at Chad.
“You know we have a small community in Hidden Valley,” Chris said. “There are around four hundred people living there and more than half of them are omegas. Last year we opened a school for all the kids we have running around. And it’s not only Hidden Valley. There are more than twenty other locations that also hide omegas.”
“Please Chad, if you have an idea we really need your help.” Jensen pleaded with the young man.
“I – I can’t help you. Jared can.” Chad said and Jensen deflated. Why would Padalecki help them? Why should he?
“Would you talk to Jared, Chad?” Steve asked, knowing he was playing foul. “Do it for the kids.” He pulled his phone out and scrolled down the photos. “Here. This is Mike and Jenny, and both of their parents are freed omegas. This is the new school Chris told you about. These are Daisy and Tom. Daisy was one of the first omegas we freed. And here are…”
“Okay I get it, you’re the good guys. I'll talk to Jared, but if he says yes and comes down, you better make sure he is not here.” Chad said pointing at Jensen.

Jared was in his bedroom. He felt better, actually he felt good again, but as long as his kidnappers lingered around, he would stay up here where he felt safer and hope they would leave soon.

A week had past since the dreadful day, he had passed out in the barn. When he came to the next morning, almost all the cuts and welts were healed, and Dr. Misha informed him that Jensen wouldn’t be questioning him anymore. Jared had stayed in his room. Chad had come by several times but Jared couldn’t talk about what had happened, so Chad had with only a very vague knowledge of the “barn incident”.

Jared blamed them all for not intervening earlier and for letting Jensen loose in the first place. Jared knew enough about Jensen and traumas to realize that Jensen suffered from PTSD, complete with flashbacks. It helped him to understand but did not motovate him to get out of his room.

There was a knock on his door and Chad came in.
“We need to talk! You have to get back in the lab and repair the generator.”
“What? Why?” Jared asked, irritated.
Chad explained something about school kids and hidden valleys.
“How do you know about all that?” he asked
“Chris and Steve told me.”
Jared couldn’t believe it. Had Chad lost his mind?
“Chad, they are not your friends. We are their hostages. Just because they don’t point guns at our heads, it doesn’t mean we are free to leave. If they tell you all this, it only means they don’t plan to just leave the Ranch, they will stay.”
Chad looked at Jared and shook his head. “No, you’ve got it wrong. I mean, they are like us. They want to do something about the bond system.”
“I’m their slave! HE put me in bonds! HE beat me! HE almost rap—” Jared abruptly stopped shouting at Chad. He couldn’t say it. A little quieter he continued. “I’m a slave, thanks to them. If anyone outside learns about that we will lose everything, Chad! I’m an omega, and that means I can’t be your guardian any longer and I would need a guardian too and who could we ask? You’re my family.”

Chad could understand Jared and sure, the resistance and Jared had a more than rough start but hiding up here wouldn’t help. They were all on the same side. They should work together, not fight each other. How could he pursue Jared?
“Nobody has to know,” Chad interjected and answering his question.

“Nobody can know or we would lose everything,” Jared said. “The next time I go for supplies, I’ll always have to worry about someone finding out.”
“Or you could sign the guardianship for Chad over to me.”
Jared whirled around.
Chad hadn’t closed the door and just outside stood Chris and Steve. Jared went over and slammed the door in their faces. Dr. Misha and Jensen were also out there waiting, as far as he knew.

Jared was furious at Chad for being so naïve and blind, and he was furious at them for eavesdropping.

“Did you know they were listening?” Jared hissed at Chad.
“No! Of course not. But I think it’s really important to them and you should talk to them.”

Jared paced.
Misha had promised he would be safe now, which Jared hadn‘t believed. But after days of no one coming in without Jared’s approval, he was becoming accustomed to the illusion. To see the intruders there, in his mothers house, hovering outside his room, left Jared feeling naked and bound again.
He held tight to his anger so he wouldn’t break down.
Jared hit the wall he before him, leaving a dent behind, and started pacing again, throwing angry looks in Chad’s direction. For the first time in his life Jared didn’t know what he should do.

“You can trust them Jared.” Chad whispered.
“After what they did to me? No!” Jared screamed.
“I think you really don’t have a choice here,” Chad said. “You must trust them.”

Jared hated to be weak. There was nothing wrong with asking for help and accepting it, but this was different. He had told Chad that he would think about it and that he would tell them his decision at lunch time.

The thing was: wouldn’t this give HIM exactly what he had asked for during Jared’s torture? Or maybe this was different. Repairing the generator to free omegas: it’s what he and Chad had dedicated their lives to, long before Jensen, the questioning, and the torture.

“I’ll help you but I have some requests.” It was the next day and they had just finished their lunch when Jared had entered the kitchen.
“What do you want?” Steve asked. He Chris, Misha, Jensen, Chad and the other three omegas looked at him, their looks conveyed everything from mistrust to open support. Jared didn’t looked at Jensen. He would just ignore him and talk with Steve and Chris.
“When Chad and I work in… in… the stable, no one comes in. We tell you when and where. I’m sure we are running low on many supplies, so I want to go to Dallas where we can get everything, and I want an appointment with my lawyer to sign up Dr. Misha as Chad’s guardian and my guardian stand-in, in case I get discovered.”
“That sounds reasonable,” Chris agreed.
“Is there anything more we ca do to help?” Dr. Misha asked.
“If I think of something I’ll let you know.

Chad and Jared went to work in the lab. So much had happened since they were down here together.
“I think the generator overheated and shut down,” Jared said into the silence. “We should try to start it again then we will see what happens next.”
“How fast can we make more generators?” Chad asked.
“How many are we talking about?”
“Twenty.”
“Wow, that is …wow.”
“I can pay for them, Jared. I know they are expensive.”
Jared shook his head. “First we have to figure out if this thing still works, then how long it works, on what range it works, if it needs a better cooling system, if it really shields the omegas from detection by satellites, and…”
“Yes, I get it we have a lot to do. Let’s get started,” Chad interrupted.

It felt good to work again, familiar. Jared had known, when he agreed to help, that time was a major factor. He would get up around five in the morning go down to the lab and start working. After three hours or so he would take a break for breakfast and work till lunch together with Chad. Then he would work from lunch till dinner time, around seven p.m., and then he would go back for another two hours.

This much working did two things: first, he had a working proto type in five days; second, he didn’t have much interaction with the other occupants of the Ranch.

So he was really surprised when Jensen stopped him that evening on his way to the main house.

“Jared! I really want to thank you for the work you’re doing here and I would like to apologize to you for…”

He didn´t get any further because Jared sucker punched him square in the face. Then Jared stepped around him and continued on his way to the main house as if nothing had happened.

The trip to Dallas was uneventful. Sina had made them a list what they would need for supplies and, while Chad, Chris and Jensen went grocery shopping, Jared and Misha had an appointment with Jared’s lawyer. The last thing on their to-do list was gathering the things they needed for Jared to build 20 more absorption field generators. When inevitable questions were asked, Jared told them something about getting his Ranch off-grid. The delivery should happen in the next few days.

Chad, Steve, Chris, Misha, Jensen and Jared were all standing in front of a generator.
“To save time we’re doing this together. Do what I say, when I say it,” Jared instructed them. The latest news said that the recalibration would happen within four or five days.

A blond guy had come over and talked to Jensen for hours. Chris had explained that this was Sebastian Roche, one of their most important informants because he worked for Second Life. Jared was tempted to go and talk to him but Jensen was always nearby, so Jared avoided him like the plague.

Jared was finishing the 18th generator when a large black truck pulled up to the main house and a man with salt and pepper hair stepped out. There was a big “hello” as he hugged Jensen, Chris, Steve and Misha.
“No weapons?” he asked, looking around.

“Well there was only one alpha and Jensen took care of him,” Chris answered throwing an uneasy look in Jared’s direction.
“There is nothing around for a day’s walk, and the next town is a one-hour drive away, so no surprise visits from there. We put our weapons away. No reason to scare these people,” Jensen added.

Jeff nodded approvingly. “Where is the genius that is going to save the resistance?” he looked expectedly at Chad who had stepped closer, and then at Jim and Sina who lingered at the kitchen entrance.

“Well that would be Padalecki,” Chris said, pointing in Jared’s direction.

It was obvious that Jensen, Misha, Steve and Chris were all uncomfortable. Jared had taken off his shirt the black tapes were a stark contrast to his tan skin, but it had been hot and the others knew about it, so fuck it if it made them uncomfortable.

Jared turned back to his work. If Jeff wanted to talk to Jared, he knew where to find him.

Chapter Text

Chapter 5
“We need to talk,” Jeff hissed in Jensen’s ear. “Alone.”

The group, and especially Jensen, had avoided the main house, only going into the kitchen for meals other than the time he went to question Chad and listen to Padalecki.
They now went into what seemed to be the family room. It was the first time Jensen entered this room, and it looked a little dusty but comfortable.
“How come the young Padalecki is in bonds?”
Jensen explained that Caitlin had died almost a year ago, but that he didn’t want to give up on his mission.
“I get that, but it still doesn’t explain why he is in bonds!”
“I thought – I thought that was the best way to persuade him to give us the notes.”
“What?!”
“Look, Jeff, Ben told me all these awful stories about him—that he held Chad as his sex toy—and I was sure…”
“Jensen, did you even bother to find out the truth? Look around you. Does this look like there is some wierd sex thing going on?”

Jensen looked around at the many photos featuring Jared and Chad, and it was obvious that they grew up together.
“I know I screwed up, Jeff. Believe me, I know. What do you want me to do?”
“Get Padalecki in here, I need to figure out if he hates us enough to sell us to Second Life and the national health provider or if he can be trusted to save the resistance and our freed omegas.”

Jensen went outside to get Padalecki, who was working on one of the field generators, and for the first time Jensen noticed how gaunt he looked. Jensen knew that he had been working around the clock but he had never realized what kind of toll it had taken.
“Morgan wants to talk to you,” Jensen informed him, and he pretended that he didn’t see the flinch when Padalecki heard his voice.

“I have a problem, Jared, and I really hope you can help me with it,” Jeff started.
The three of them were sitting in the family room, Jeff and Jensen on the sofa and Jared in the armchair before them. Padalecki nodded his understanding.
“You see, Jared, your work out there is going to save the resistance. Now, I wonder why you would want that.”
For a long, long moment Jensen didn’t expect him to answer, but after a moment he did.
“I knew nothing about the resistance. Heck, I didn’t even knew there was one. Then your people showed up at my Ranch, took us hostage and made me an omega. You’re right, I wouldn’t trust that person either. On the other hand your freed omegas have nothing to do with what HE did to me. Why should they suffer for his actions? And it will keep me hidden. By making me omega you condemned me. As long as there is the omega system I will always live life in fear that someone will discover the tapes.”

“But isn’t that what your mother did, all those years ago?” Jeff asked, not in a mean way, but merely stating a fact. Anger and hurt were plainly visible on Padalecki´s expressive face before he regained the control over his emotions and “Look at it this way: potatoes are low-fat and high in calcium—pretty good, health-wise—but if you eat it chopped up, deep-fried and covered it in salt, you’d think otherwise.
The same is true for the bonds. It took me a long time to understand what my mother wanted to tell me. She was… I think she found a treatment for the disease not a cure, but somehow they stopped searching and … well you know how it is.”

“You seem to have given this quite some thought.”

Jared sat up straight but didn’t answer.
“Thank you Jared,” Jeff said, “I found what I wanted to know. You may go and continue your work and if you need help please let us know.”
Jared got up and again he seemed tempted to say something but thought better of it and went back outside.
“What an interesting young man. How fast did you say he had the first generator ready, Jensen?”
“After five days,” Jensen answered.
“That is really fast; in fact, it’s too fast. I think Jared had the generator before we showed up.”
“But why didn’t he use it?” Jensen asked.
“I think he didn’t have time to turn it on. You told me they work in the stable. You locked him in the barn. Maybe there’s your answer.”
“Do you trust him?” Jensen wanted to know.
“He has too much to loose, so I think we can trust him with the generator. But I want to make his Ranch my new headquarters and I think he won’t like this idea.”
“Why here?”
“It’s the perfect location. Like you explained, there is nothing for miles. And if we ask nicely maybe we can persuade Mr. Padalecki to look for a cure.”

Jensen could almost smell the excitement. Jared had finished the field generators and members of other resistance groups came to pick them up. Change was in the air and it made everybody excited. Sina made it her goal to give all visitors fresh baked bread on their way out and at least one hot meal during their stay. Chad explained, together with Chris and Steve, how to calibrate and set up generators. Jim and Ben looked over the vehicles to make sure that the car wouldn’t break down on their way back, and Jeff and Jensen exchanged news with the other groups talking tactics and strategies.

The only one that wasn’t around was Padalecki. It took Jensen a couple of days to realize that the tall owner of the Ranch wasn’t working on the generators anymore. In fact, he wasn’t seen at all.
“Where is Padalecki?” he asked Ben the next morning. Two more generators would be picked up that day and the day after the last two would go, if everything went as planed.
Ben shrugged. “He took his horse early this morning and left. I don’t know where he went.”
Jensen got suspicious. “Can you get me a horse and point out the direction he went?”

It was easier to follow Padalecki than he had expected, because he obviously followed a path that winded around little hills and green valleys. After about an hour of following the trail, Jensen came to a lake with large trees surrounding it. The horse had been left to graze by itself, but Jensen didn’t see Jared.

He was about to call out when he saw the naked man stepping into the lake. With strong strokes Jared started swimming. Jensen’s mouth went dry. Padalecki´s wet body glistened in the sun and Jensen was painfully reminded that it had been quite a while since he’d had some action.

Not that he was interested in Jared that way. The man still looked gaunt but his body seemed strong as he swam through the water.

Jared had finished his swim; he got out and lay on his back in the sun to dry. The black tapes made it look like a dream out of some strange kind of BMDS movie. Jensen’s cock twitched in his jeans and he turned the horse to take the long way around the lake so Jared would see and hear him coming.

“What are you doing here?” Jared called when he got closer. He had stood up and put on his jeans but hadn’t bothered with a shirt.
“I wanted to check on you.”
“Are you afraid I would contact Second Life?” There was anger in Jared voice.
“No. Yes. But I was also worried. If something happened to you out here we wouldn’t know.”
Jared looked at him with a strange expression. “At least you’re honest now.” And then after a while he said, “I’m curious how come your interface doesn’t work?”
Jensen got down from his horse and sat down on a large rock by the lake. It was a nice place, peaceful.
“I was in a car accident and hit my head. After that I could move.”
“How?”
“I don’t know. Ash—he’s our tech guy—couldn’t figure it out with the kind of equipment he had.”
“You won’t leave, will you?” Jared asked.
“No. Jeff said the farm is a perfect place for our headquarter and not as far away as Hidden Valley. I’m so—”
“Don’t say sorry. You can’t just kick someone repeatedly and then say you’re sorry for kicking in first place. That kind of counteracts your apology. “

Jensen nodded and looked over the lake. Jared had taken a seat on one of the large stones several feet away and was watching the horses.

“It’s beautiful here,” Jensen said, breaking the silence.
“It’s my favorite place at the Ranch. Chad and I used to play in the woods and we both learned to swim in this lake. We used to have picnics over there with the whole family on Sundays. Mom…” Jared stopped talking and Jensen looked at him, a little lost for words. They weren’t friends.
“Aren’t they gonna miss you?” Jared asked after a long, long while.
“Maybe, but I like it out here. When I became omega I didn’t leave my master’s house for three years. So when I joined Jeff and his group I became quite an outdoorsman.”

They spent the rest of the day by the lake; Jared even wordlessly shared his water and his sandwiches with him. When the sun began to set, they quietly gathered their thing, got on their horses, and rode back to the Ranch.

Chapter Text

Chapter 6
“The generators are working perfectly,” Jeff informed them three days later. Sebastian had managed to changed the satellite schedule to create some kind of diversion, so that all generators were in place and working before the satellites changed their pattern.
“Our next step must be to find a cure,” Jeff continued. “Jared I believe that with your help we will find it.” It was evening and they were all sitting around the large table in the kitchen. “Jared, Ash will come here and he will bring all data we could gather. With him and Dr. Misha, I’m sure you can figure something out in that fancy lab of yours.”

Clong! Jared’s and Chad’s knifes hit the plates.
Jared had lost all color and was staring with open disbelief at Jeff.
“What?” Jeff continued, unmoved “You want me to believe that you build the field generator from scrap in the stable over there? I’m not a scientist but I know that we never had the right kind of equipment. You, on the other hand, presented us a solution within a couple of days. Ergo, you had the right kind of equipment. Taking into account what you studied and who your mother was, I guess you have a hidden lab in that cozy stable over there.”

“You’re not going…”
“Jared, I didn’t asked your permission. I’m giving you a chance to work with us. If not – well, I don’t have any problems with tearing down the stable till we find the lab. I bet in whatever condition it is, it is more sophisticated than anything Ash or Misha has worked with since joining us. Sina, could I have some more mashed potatoes?” Jeff asked, indicating that, for him, their conversation was over.

Jared got up and left the kitchen. Chad hurried after him.
“Jared! Jared, wait,” he called.
“What, Chad?”
“I know that sounded bad and that Jeff is a tough dog, but is it really that bad what he asked of you?”
“Chad, he didn’t ask, he ordered! They invaded our home, they took us hostage, they wont leave and now this guy ordered me— in my own home— to work for him. I know, I can refuse, but then what? Back to the barn with Jensen?”
“No, I couldn’t do that anymore,” Jensen said from behind Chad.
“Right, because we are now best buddies,” Jared hissed.

Jared only wanted to get away from the Ranch that was becoming less and less home every day. Jared went to the horse range, to sit on the fence and watch the horses.
“You know, I think you’re a lucky guy,” Jim said, sitting down next to him.
“What would make you think that?” Jared asked. He was feeling like everything was slipping away: the Ranch, his work, and his freedom. Everything was being taken from him.
“Well, big changes are about to happen and you can be the center of all that. Doesn’t that satisfy you and gives you a purpose most people seek but never get.”
“Its not my choice!”
“Many, most of us, are forced in some way. You have to earn money, you have to feed the family, and so on. If you’re truly free, you’re also alone.” And with that, Jim jumped from the fence and went back to his cabin. Jared sat there till way after midnight, playing all the pros and cons around in his head but not really able to make a decision.

Years ago someone had advised Jared to sleep on a problem and the first thing that came to his mind the next day would be the right decision. He tried, but first he couldn’t find sleep, and then, as he turned and tossed in his bed, his dreams were all about his choice. When he woke up he was almost more confused than the night before.

It was in large part egotism that helped Jared find his answer. He was sitting by his lake again, hoping and wishing that when he returned the resistance would be gone, so he could continue his search for a cure.
Jared stopped. They wouldn’t go. They were too happy with their new headquarters, but this didn’t mean he had to stop his research. It was his decision, and Jeff could say what he wanted, but it would be his research. And working with Misha and Ash. . . maybe it would be good to get a new perspective.

Ash was a crazy computer nerd and Jared liked him right from the start. It went against everything Jared had grown up with to show the hidden lab to someone outside his family, but he and Chad no longer making progress with the generator and he needed an outside point of view, .

“I think we should start with Jensen, maybe we can reproduce the malfunction of his interface,” Jared said, as he and the others walked to the stable.
“We don’t have the equipment,” Ash objected.
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Jared answered, opening the entrance to the hidden lab and walking down the stairs. The others gasped at the sight of a fully equipped lab and Chad couldn’t hide his proud grin.

“You came up with the idea of the generator here? How?” Jensen asked.
“Like my mother, I looked for a technical solution. I’m a medical engineer not a doctor.”
“Well we still don’t know what causes the omega disease. They are healthy as far as we can tell,” Misha remarked.

Starting with Jensen didn’t work. The receiver was broken, though, if Jensen were to be discovered by the national health provider or Second Life, it could be replaced within hours. So Jared started to go over Misha’s and Ash notes, as well as all the medical data the resistance had been able to gather.

Jeff had obviously expected that Jared would be able to find a cure within days or weeks, but when days turned into weeks and weeks into month he became more and more restless and demanding.
“How come there are no results?” Jeff snapped, almost four months after Jared had let them into the lab. “What are you doing down here every day? Do you realize that people are enslaved on a daily basis for the rest of their lives by the national health provider and Second Life?”
“No Jeff, I had no idea,” Jared answered sarcastically.
They were all sitting at the large kitchen table again and were about to finish their dinner. Jared, Misha, Chad, Ash and Jensen were in a terrible mood because one of Misha’s promising experiments had shown no results.
“But I think,” Jared continued, “that if the solution was easy, it would have been found years ago.”
“We just want to free the slaves,” Jensen started, only to be interrupted by an inpatient Jared.
“That is not the same as finding a cure,” Jared said. “You could prop….”

Jared stopped mid sentence, got up and raced back to the lab.

How could he have been so blind!
It wouldn’t cure but it would end the slave system.

The rest of them followed Jared to the lab and were now looking as Jared frantically searched through old notes.
“Can we help?” Jensen asked.
“Yes, sit down. I need to run a diagnostic on your interface.”

Jensen hated when they connected him to the computers, not that Jared could blame him because it allowed Jared to access the bond directly and move Jensen around like a puppet. It had happened a couple of times, when Jared had first thought Jensen’s defect interface could be the cure. Jensen sat down and let Ash connect him with the computer.

Jared left his search and ran to the screen where numbers now flashed across.
“Jared! Talk to us. Let us help,” Chad pleaded. He knew when Jared got that way he forgot everything around him.

“It was what Jensen said: freeing the slaves. That doesn’t mean finding a cure! For the first three years omegas lived happy with the bonds.”
“I’m not sure I can follow,” Misha said.
“It’s simple. To free the slaves we don’t have to cure them. We give them what Jensen has. Stop!” Jared pointed at the screen “Here, do you see this? This is where the connection is between the interface and the satellites or whoever moves the omegas. Ash just has to find a way to put this in …”
“…a computer virus or signal and spread it along their own communication system” Ash finished for Jared. “Jared that is brilliant.

“But I thought it wasn’t a cure,” Jensen asked, irritated and still connected to the computer.
“It isn’t,” Jared stated, carefully disconnecting Jensen again. “But if we could give what you have to all other omegas, it would free them, right?” Jared said slowly.
“Right.” Jensen answered.
Jared smiled brightly at Jensen and he smiled back.

“Okay, we have a lot to do,” Jared said, before the situation could get awkward.

Second Life had a security system build into the interface and usually it was dangerous for the omega to fiddle with it. But they had Jensen and Jared spending hours looking into the damage the accident had caused. Jared had avoided Jensen as much as he could, and he was no longer sure how he should react around Jensen now that they were spending so much time together.

After several hours in silence on their second day, Jensen spoke up suddenly. “Can we talk?” he asked. “It’s terrible to sit here for hours in silence; it gives me flashbacks.”
“Sure. Talk,” Jared said. He was to busy trying to locate a certain part of the program to pay much attention.
“At Lehne’s house I had to sit for hours naked in silence at his feet.”
Jared had stopped working when Jensen mentioned Lehne’s name. He hadn’t forgotten the name Jensen had called him.

Jared’s hands started to shake and he flashed back to the barn, seeing himself naked and bound and at the mercy of HE.

Jared realized that they were both fighting the same demon with different weapons.

“Tell me something about you, Jensen,” Jared asked, sitting down with a shaking voice, and Jensen looked at him surprised.
“I grew up in Dallas. My parents still live there. I have a younger sister.”
“Are you still in contact?” Jared asked, trying to get his shaking hand under control.
“No. At first because I didn’t want them to know I had become a madman's favorite chew toy, and then it would have been too dangerous if they knew about Hidden Valley.” Jensen hesitated. “I’m sure they wouldn’t like what I became.”

“You aren’t responsible for what happened at Lehne’s place.”

“No, but I’m responsible for what happened here and for my actions in the resistance.”

Jared nodded. “Was Lehne your first … master?”

“He was my only master; he got me four days after I became omega. Kept me until I was too old. I was being transferred to another workplace when the accident happened.”

Jared nodded. The shaking had stopped and he had himself under control again, he had found the part he had been looking for. He marked and copied the relevant section to give it to Ash later.

Two weeks later Jensen asked, “How far along are we? I mean, you seem like the only one who sees the whole picture.”
“Okay you see this?” Jared said. “That is the transmission code. It is different from person to person so nobody could ever hack them. This part here tells the interface that it is okay to accept orders from this transmission. Your code still works, that is why we can learn so much from it. But the hardware. . .your receiver is broken.”
“So we are trying to do what?”
“Ash is finishing a program that disconnects the interface and the receiver. We have to get the program to Second Life so the transmission code doesn’t matter anymore, and after we upload everything the omegas should be able to move on their own.”
“How do we know it works?”
“Tomorrow we’ll turn off the generator. That shouldn’t be a problem because we don’t have any freed omegas here except you. And then Ash will try it out on a volunteer.”
“And who is going to be the lucky one?”
“Me, of course.”

Jensen could only stare at Jared.
“No! It could be dangerous. Ash told me that you could get a stroke if something went wrong.”
“Then we need to make sure everything will be all right,” Jared was surprised at Jensen’s concern, but masked his confusion with a wink as he continued. “I thought you would like the idea of me as a guinea pig.”
Jensen’s face lost all color. Jared was right, when Jensen arrived on the farm six months ago, he would have seen this as higher justice. But now, Jared was. . . not his friend, but an ally he didn’t want to lose.
“You’re too valuable to lose you to something so simple. Let me do it.”
“You can’t. Your interface is already broken. I’m not willing to risk Chad or the others on this. End of discussion.”
“I’ll go and talk to Jeff. There must be another way,” Jensen said, almost desperate.
“Jensen, Jeff gave me his okay.”
“What? No, when?”
“When we started our research; he said he wouldn’t risk an innocent life and that for any test I would be the subject.”
Jensen got up. It was no use to talk to Jared. He had to see to Jeff.

It was after breakfast before Jensen could talk to Jeff, and Jeff only pointed out that Jared was sure it would work and he wouldn’t stand in Jared’s way. Jensen hadn’t seen Jared this morning and he guessed he was with Ash in the lab doing last minute adjustments.

Around ten Chad came into the kitchen.
“They will turn off the generator in eight and half minutes. And then Ash will disconnect Jared’s receiver.”
Jeff and Jensen got up and went to the lab. Jensen felt terrible He hadn’t been able to eat breakfast and now his stomach was upset. In the main lab Ash and Jared were discussing something about a retrieving protocol.
“I only found it this morning,” Ash said.
“Yes. You found it, you turned it off, and you even ran a test. Everything is fine,” Jared said.
“Everything okay?” Jeff asked, stepping to up to them.
“Yes,” Jared.
“No.” Ash.
“Care to explain?” Jeff raised an eyebrow.
“It looks like Second Life built in another security barrier. As a back up, they have a retrieving protocol that rewrites everything we change,” Ash told Jeff. “I just found it this morning.”
“Yes, you found it, you turned it off, and now everything is fine,” Jared repeated.
“What do you need to do?” Jeff asked, ignoring Jared.
“I don’t know. Test some more? I was just shocked that I overlooked it in first place,” Ash answered. He still looked a little bit shocked.
“Are you sure you checked everything?” Jeff asked, getting impatient again.
“Yes,” Jared said. “Three times.”
“Then you have my go-ahead.”
Jared nodded his thanks and went back to the computers.
Jensen felt even more sick. He had hoped Jeff would call it off, but now he had given his okay. Chad turned off the generator and then looked at Misha.
“Don’t move omega.,” Misha ordered Jared. And Jared stood unnaturally still. Goose bumps raced up Jensen’s spine as he watched Jared become just a puppet.
“We’re ready,” Chad said. He had been allowed to move, and Jim, Sina and Bob weren’t affected because they were only restriction to the farm limits.
“I will turn the receiver off in five – four – three – two – one.” Ash counted down. Everybody looked at Jared and nothing happened.
“Can you move?” Chad asked.
“Yes, I think I can.” Jared nodded and started to move normally. It took another minute but then the lab erupted in shouts of “Eureka!” and “We did it!”

“Good work Jared. Good work.” Jeff clapped Jared’s shoulder and Chad, Misha, and Ash hugged him.

Jensen found himself wishing he also had the right to touch Jared as casually.

Chapter Text

Chapter 7
“So how do we get the signal into Second Life and distribute it to all omegas?” Jeff asked. In honor of their success they had a bar-b-q and Jensen, Chris, Misha, Ash, Steve, Ben, Jim, Sina and Jeff were all sitting outside. Jensen had finally been able to relax after his second whisky.
“We give the signal to Sebastian,” Chris said. “He works there and has access to their systems.”
“Well, it’s not a like there is a virus we can upload into their satellites. The back-up system would override any signal we wanted to broadcast” Ash explained.
“So what do we then?” Jeff asked again.
“There are six major computer centers: Dallas, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Denver and Los Angeles. We have to upload the signal simultaneously in all six locations to make sure it is not detected by their security system.”

Jared and Chad joined them, Chad taking a seat while Jared remained standing.
“Another success,” Jared reported. “My receiver doesn’t work anymore. Second Life can’t reach me even if they tried. The signal destroyed the connection between the receiver part and the muscle movement part.”
“That’s great. Ash just told us we have to organize a nation wide operation,” Steve kind of answered.
“Okay,” Jared said, unsure of what else to say. They were all sitting around the table again, in his house, as if they belonged. He took a deep breath to control his suddenly rising temper. This was his home!
And they acted like everything belonged to them!
But the farm was his (and Chad’s).

That night Jared was haunted by nightmares. There was a house with Jeff in it and Jeff grew bigger and bigger, pushing a little boy that looked a lot like six-year-old Jared out of the house, pushing so hard Jared couldn’t breathe.
HE was torturing Jared.
And the barn was alive and wanted to swallow Jared.

He woke up with a yell. . . and had a plan.

“Does anyone need or want anything out of the barn?” Jared asked during lunch the next day. Jared had been restless all morning he didn’t want to discuss his plan, he just wanted to do it.
Everybody shook their heads no.
“Ben, would you bring the horses to the north range this afternoon, please,” Jared asked.
“Okay,” the older man answered.

They had a strange kind of relationship going on, since Ben had never apologize to Jared for misinterpreting what he and Chad had been doing and Jared couldn’t find the need in him to talk about it.

Jared was in the barn. It was late afternoon and, in about one hour, lunch would be waiting for him. There was no breeze that day and what little there was blew away from the stable, so the lab was safe. Even if the wind changed the barn was far enough away from the house and the stable to not endanger them.

He looked around and saw the hooks and the chains HE had used.

God, he hated that man!

On the working bench was an ax. Jared grabbed it and hit everything he could reach.

Two strokes and the chain broke. One stroke for the mirror, for the flogger, for the cat o nine. Jared hit everything he could reach, smashing memories of everything that had happened in here.

“Jared, what are you doing?”

HE was standing in the doorway just like the first day. God, he was beautiful and terrible, all at the same time.
“Leave me alone,” Jared growled back before continuing his path of destruction.

“Jared!”
Chad’s voice.

Jared turned around quickly and look at the two figures.
He knew he must look like a madman, with his bare chest glistening with sweat, and his hair either sticking to his forehead or falling wild in every direction.

“Get out!”

The ax smashed into a gas canister and got stuck, he yanked it out spilling the gas around him.

Jared turned around and walked out of the barn with the ax and the gas canister, and leaving a gasoline trail behind.

Chad and Jensen stepped away when Jared passed them. He was about twenty steps from the entrance when he stopped. Suddenly there was a burning match in his hand, and before Chad or Jensen could react Jared dropped it.

The little flame came to life and raced along the gas trail to the barn where it started to eat up the old wood and grow.

Jared stared at the flames, not ready to move, not willing to move. Burning away what HE had done. Burning, and cleansing.

By the time the roof collapsed, everybody had gathered but kept their distance from Jared who still held his ax. The others left when the walls crashed in, but Jared stayed. It was almost midnight when Jensen brought him a blanket and put it over his naked shoulders. The last flames died around three in the morning. That was when Jared turned away from the smoking ruins and went to bed.

“Do you think he can go?” Chris asked Jeff during breakfast.
“Of course can I go,” Jared answered for Jeff as he entered the kitchen. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“Well, I thought burning down houses…”
“I didn’t burn houses; I burned the barn and everybody at this farm knows I had every right to do that. I told Ben to get the horses away and I asked if some one wanted something out of the barn and then I trashed the place and I burned it. If I could do it again I would.”
Chris nodded his understanding and patted Jared’s arm on his way out.

It wasn’t easy to organize the other groups into the collective that was needed to implement their plan. Jensen had to visit the groups in Chicago, Seattle, Denver and LA to get them on board. Jared had to accompany him so he could demonstrate the procedure. Today they were with the group that would take care of Denver. This resistance group had taken refuge in old mines that went on for miles.

Jared had just finished talking to a young woman, Sidney, and she couldn’t stop thanking Jared and Jensen. Jensen smiled at Jared and he smiled—just for a second—back before the Sidney whisked him away to show him off to her friends.

“You two are a good team,” Kimberley said to Jensen. She was the leader of this group.
“What?” Jensen asked, staring in irritation at Jared’s broad back as Jared talked animatedly to the small group of women..
“You and Jared work great together.”
“Thank you. So, if it’s okay, I would like to go over the time schedule.”
Kim smiled at him. “He doesn’t know, right? So you’re not together? Well, yes, let’s talk about the schedule so you can save face. But one last word, if you don’t make a move soon and then this happens. . .” She motioned to the computer and Sidney. “. . .he will be gone.”
Jensen nodded. “We have a not so nice history.”
“I don’t know about your history, but he doesn’t seem to mind working with you.
Now give me your times.”

They were all on a tight schedule: New York, Chicago, Seattle, Denver and Los Angles were all in position and waiting for Jared’s and Jensen’s go-ahead. Steve was with Chris in New York and Jeff and Chad were on their way to Washington. Jeff would make an announcement, minutes after the signal had been emitted.

“What time is it?” Jensen asked.
“3 p.m. We have to move,” Jared said.
It had been a risk to have Jensen and Jared form a team. They both still had the bonds and could be recognized as omegas. In some areas omegas were forbidden. So Jared and Jensen were both in business suits. Jared had caught himself thinking that Jensen looked good in jeans and shirt but he also looked pretty sharp in a suit.

They entered the Second Life building.
“This way,.” Jared whispered. He had been here on several occasions, and the last time was to take Chad home.

Home – the Ranch didn’t feel like home anymore. Sure, there were his favorite places and his old room, but it didn’t feel secure. Jared didn’t need a psychologist to know why. But now was not the time to think about it; he had to concentrate. They entered the elevator and Jensen pressed the button for the 7th floor.

As fast as they could they got some overalls out of their briefcases and slipped them on. When the elevator doors opened again, two technicians got out. Thanks to Ash’s hacking skills they had working passports and could proceed right through.

“Time?” Jensen asked, and he seemed nervous, not that Jared could blame him.
“3:30 p.m. We’re right on time.”
They got closer to the main computer room when suddenly a voice from behind them called out.
“Who are you? What are you doing here?”
A security guard!
This room was supposed to be without a guard which was why Jensen and Jared had chosen this way.
“Maintenance group four. We’re supposed to check the AC. There were several complaints.” Jared lied easily.
“Okay, I’ll just check the …”
Jensen was on him in a second.
“Go! I'll take care of him,” Jensen called over his shoulder.
Jared ran to the next door that would lead to the computer room. He could hear the fight behind him and hoped Jensen could win without killing the guard. He concentrated on the digital lock before entering the numbers that should open it.

With a whoosh the door opened and Jared stepped into the cool, dark computer room.

The room was huge and Jared knew he had to hurry. He needed to get to working station eight. He jogged down the aisle. Where was number eight? Five – nine – three – twelve, but no number eight.
There! In a corner he spied number eight. Jared logged in, searching for the right protocol to upload the signal.
Now he just had to …
The alarm went off.
Jared had to work fast before the system would be put in security protocol.

He plugged the data stick in and started to upload. The beam slowly, so slowly, showed progress.
“Please confirm,” the screen asked.
“Hands up and step away from the computer.” Out of the corner of his eyes Jared saw the guard pointing a gun in his direction.
No!
He had come too far to fail!
He clicked “confirm” and saw the screen flash, “New protocol established. Transmission starts in 10 – 9 – 8 – 7 – 6 – 5 –”
“I told you to step away.”
“4 – 3 – 2 – 1.”
Jared held his hands up and turned around with a big grin on his face.

The guard motioned with the gun for Jared to move. They went out of the computer room. Jensen was sitting on the ground with his hands bound, his left eye slowly turning blue, and his nose bleeding.
“Did you do it?” he asked, and Jared nodded.
“Do what?” the guard asked.
“You should turn on a TV or radio. There is gonna be big news,” Jared said.

Three other guards came up, joining the first.
“Spies?” one asked.
“I don’t know. The tall one did something with the computer.”
“Then Stuart will want to question them personally.”
Jared tried again. “You should really turn the TV on. There will be an announcement”

“What is he talking about?” the other guard asked.
“Just turn on the TV.” Jared repeated.
“Here. Bind his hands,” The first guard threw some cuffs to his colleague and Jared held out his hands.

He hated to have his hands bound but there didn’t seem a way around it. With the two of them bound, the four guards turned to the desk and turned on the TV.

BREAKING NEWS flashed across the screen before Jeff’s face appeared.
“Good day, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Jeffrey Dean Morgan and I’m the leader of the resistance. Our purpose is to free the omegas.
“Today we launched a signal developed by Jared Padalecki that will enable all omegas to move of their own free will. As I talk, the first omegas should be able to move and within the next ten minutes all omegas in the United States should. If you feel dizzy please sit down, but other than that no side effects are known.

“The Omega Act is obsolete and we all expect the government to revoke this act of slavery. I’m in the possession of confidential information from Second Life which will expose the lie that omega treatment is extremely expensive. The average cost for the bonds is about $1,500. That is the true amount that every omega owes Second Life.

“Every omega has more than paid that price with their work and I expect compensation from Second Life and the national health agency for any overpayment.

“Other than that, I hope and expect all omegas to go home peacefully, there will be consequences for your slavers but that is for the courts to settle.

“Please remember: all people are equal with equal rights and duties. Thank you for your time.”

The four guards looked at Jensen and Jared.
“You uploaded this signal?”
“Yes.”
“Phil, isn’t your brother an omega?”
“Yes, and my little sister.”
Phil took the cuffs off of Jared’s hands and did the same for Jensen. Not one of the other three tried to stop him.
“I think Stuart has more urgent problems than some unannounced maintenance crew. Get out and thank you.”

Chapter Text

Book 3
Chapter 1:
Two years later.
It was the party of the year and the place to be.
The first election with omegas participating had been six month ago. After 25 years of ignoring them, the established parties were bending over backwards to tout their omega-friendly policies. But even while they had been ignored by the establishment, the omegas hadn’t ignored the political developments.

So within six months a new party, the Liberals, had emerged, founded by former omegas, members of the resistance, and politicians who had made names for themselves by speaking against the Omega Act in the first place. It was no wonder the Liberals had won the election with flying colors, and Jensen didn’t know a single former omega who hadn’t voted for them.

He grabbed two champagne flutes from one of the waiters and went towards Lucas, his date for tonight.
“He seems very young,” Chris said, stepping in his way.
“Is he already allowed to drink?” Steve asked leaning into Chris.
Jensen groaned. “What are you doing here?”
“We were invited, like all groups who uploaded the signal,” Steve answered, ignoring Jensen’s pained expression.
“So, Jensen, tell us, how is your job? We heard you work now for the International Omega Affairs.”

An unexpected side-effect occurred when Second Life, as an internationally operating enterprise, automatically updated and synchronized their computers. The signal had been copied to Canada, Europe, Australia, and so on, spreading the signal world wide and freeing omegas as it did so.

“Yes, there is a lot to do in order to grant omegas all rights again. But no, it was too bureaucratic for my taste so I got transferred to the Omega Compensation Force.”
“What? When?” Chris asked, not really surprised that his friend had given up the bureaucratic job.
“Two months ago. The wanted to have more omegas on the force and asked me to join. They knew I was a private omega, so there wouldn’t be any accusations that I didn’t know the horrors we suffered.”
“Did you go after him?” Steve asked carefully.
Jensen nodded grimly.
The Omega Compensation Force was where all mistreated and abused omegas could press charges. While a lot of those complaints concerned bad working conditions, the ones that Jensen dealt with were the private assignments.

When he had first had looked up Lehne’s name, he had found out that five other omegas had pressed charges against the man. It was with a sweet satisfaction that Jensen and his crew drove back to Lehne’s mansion, kicked in doors, and arrested the crying and begging mess that was Lehne. He awaited his procecution now and it was almost certain that he would be found guilty.

“Wow. That is very fascinating,” Chris cut in, in an effort to take the conversation to lighter topics. “Tell us something about your boy toy of the week.”
“His name is Lucas Till; he’s 21 and allowed to drink. So, if you would excuse me.”
“Hey! Cool down. We are on our best behavior,” Chris said raising his hands. “And you better introduce us because he’s coming over.”
Jensen took a deep breath. Sometimes his friends could be embarrassing.
“Steve, Chris, this is Lucas Till. Lucas, these are my friends, Chris and Steve. We were together in the resistance.”
“Ah, yes, nice to meet you. Jensen talks a lot about you guys.”
“Lucas, a pleasure to meet you,” Chris said.
They talked for a while, exchanging news and catching up with the latest gossip.
“Chad and Jeff are still at the Ranch, together with Jim, Sina and Ben. Jeff told me they now get more and more visitors who want to see where the resistance developed the signal. On some days there are more than 50 people,” Steve told them.
“Wow, that’s a lot.”
“Yes. And now Jeff and Chad are thinking about building some kind of museum or memorial so they could charge an entrance fee.”
Jensen had to laugh. “That’s efficient.”
“Have you heard from Jared?” Chris asked Jensen, and then added “We haven’t seen him for about a year.”
“As far as I know he’s in Dallas working for the Caitlin Padalecki Foundation. I talked to him a couple of months ago. But I know he keeps in close contact with Chad.”
“And you’ll see him tonight. Is that Gabriel Macht he’s holding hands with?” Steve smirked around his drink.
“Ah, yes, I think so,” Jensen said coolly, while he liked seeing Jared, seeing Jared holding hands with someone gave Jensen an unexpected ugly feeling in his stomach.
“Wasn’t Gabriel working on Second Life’s transactions? Then the two of them have a lot to talk about,” Steve continued.
“Why should they? Jared put all his money that was somehow related to the bonds in a foundation to help integrate omegas. He had even signed his half of the Ranch over to Chad.”

Jensen remembered very well the hours, days, and weeks that had followed their release of the omegas. Thousands of omegas had begun looking for their families and friends.

A very clever omega named Gabriel Macht had loudly pushed for a court order that had given all omegas their guardianship back. That had been the first legal step.

Jensen had started to organize shuttle services for omegas back to their homes and families. Three days after the launch of the signal, Jared had founded the Caitlin Padalecki Foundation to provide help, guidance, and money to formerly enslaved omegas. It was the first worldwide organization but not the last by far Kim had predicted, Jared and Jensen drifted apart—or, more accurately, Jared turned the moment he was free and ran in the opposite direction.

Of course, Jensen couldn’t avoid Jared and Gabriel for the entire evening.
“Jensen, Steve, Chris, good to see you. You remember Gabriel?”
“Yes, nice to see you again,” Steve answered. “Have you met Lucas Till?”
“No, a pleasure to meet you.” Jared smiled openly at Jensen and Lucas. “It’s so good to see you all. I talked to Chad and Jeff the other day. I was offered a job at the National Research Facility here in Washington, and I start in two weeks.”
“So you’re moving to Washington?” Jensen asked to be sure he understood right.
“Yes.”
“I don’t like that Jared’s moving out of Dallas but it’s a chance of a lifetime,” Gabriel said, resting his arm around Jared.
“I told Gabe that a lot of people can manage the foundation,” Jared started.
“But only a few can do the kind of research that you will do,” Gabe finished for him.
“In what field will you work? Finding a cure? Removing the bonds?” Jensen asked, needing to say something.
“The bonds still set us apart and wouldn’t it be great to get rid of theses reminders?” Jared answered, and Steve, Chris and Jensen were painfully reminded that Jared hadn’t been sick, and that Jensen had put the bonds on him to force him to cooperate.
“Why is it so difficult to take them off?” Lucas asked, “Aren’t they just tapes?”
“No, they are neural transmitters. Omega is a disease that paralyzes the patient. The bonds enable the patient to move again. So first we have to find a cure and than we can work on removing the bonds. And since they are connected to your brain and muscles, it’s not that easy,” Jared explained.
“If someone can find a cure, it’s you.” Jensen said softly, ignoring everybody else.

Jared and Gabriel had said their goodbyes soon after, and Lucas had outside for a moment.
“Do you realize that Lucas looks like Jared’s younger brother?” Chris asked hiding a smirk.
“Nonsense,” Jensen returned but secretly he agreed with his friend.

A couple of weeks later Jensen visited Jared in his new office. He had just returned from Europe and still felt a little bit jet lagged.
“They think we know all the answers because we freed the omegas. It’s really hard to explain that we didn’t expect our little signal to cause that kind of global disturbance,” Jensen complained as he sipped his black coffee. “Tell me something about your work. What’s the difference between the treatment of a new omega now and five years ago?”

“There isn’t.”
“Jared, that’s not helping. I’m trying to make conversation,” Jensen said, hiding a smile behind his cup of coffee.
“Oh, okay. The treatment is still the same: you put them in bonds. The only thing that has changed is that after the three days of calibrating the interface, the receiver part is destroyed so no one has control over the omegas but themselves.”
“So it’s all about technique?”
“Yes. If you ask me, they wanted some kind of slavery system all those years ago. You could build an interface without a receiver part, which is what we develop right now. But that could've been done right from the start.”
“How is it going finding a cure?”
“Slowly. Stuart destroyed a lot of research data from the early years before he ran to Fiji, or South America or wherever he went,” Jared answered putting his cup down.
“Why would he do that?”
“I think he knows what causes the paralysis but, for obvious reasons, he kept it secret.”
“How is Gabriel doing?” Jensen asked and he tried not to sound bitter. “I heard he had plans on suing Second Life.”
“Yes, I heard that too. But we haven’t talked for a couple of days.”
“Problems?” This time Jensen tried not to sound hopeful.
“Only the typical ones: we’re both working twelve hours and don’t have time to fly to the other. It was to be expected.”
Jensen nodded. Could he invite Jared for the weekend? He could ask Chris and Steve if they had time.
“Ahm, if you like, I have a barbecue planed with the guys this weekend, you could join us.”
“That would be great! Thank you. Did you know Dr. Misha joined us here last week?”
“Misha is here? No, the last thing I heard was that he worked in New York.”
“I get to pick my own team, so I asked for Misha and Chad. Chad will do the research at the Ranch, look through mom’s journals, and stuff like that.”
“Will you find a cure?” Jensen asked sincerely.
“I think so. I bet later on we will say: why did it take us so long to figure it out because it was right before our eyes.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 2
Jared loved his new job. He loved his new apartment. Hell, he even loved Washington. It felt like he was finally living his life again. After they had freed the omegas, he had only returned to the Ranch for short periods of time.. When he had signed over his ownership of the farm to Chad, his therapist had told him he was getting rid of baggage. When he founded and started working non-stop for the Caitlin Padalecki Foundation, his therapist told him he was compensating for his guilt at having the money in first place. Jared figured he was right.

Yes, it felt good to move in a new city, a fresh start. For a moment he wondered if meeting with Jensen and his friends was a step in the wrong direction. He would see how it went and then decide if this was a one-time thing or not.

It was a fun afternoon and a great evening. Jensen had rented a nice little house in a good neighborhood, they were in the back yard. Steve and Chris had brought their guitars and started singing.

It felt good to be around ….. friends. No matter how they had started Jared felt they were now friends and it felt good.

Misha had also come, and he, Steve and Chris tried to persuade Jensen to play and sing a bit. Jared hadn’t known Jensen could play guitar, much less sing, so he was pleasantly surprised.
“It’s getting late,” Chris said. “We should hit the road.”
Chris and Steve said their goodbyes and Misha persuaded them to give him a ride home because he was in no shape to drive.

Jared stayed to help Jensen clean up everything.
“That was a nice evening. Thank you for inviting me,” Jared said while drying the dishes.
“Yes it was. Maybe we could do it again?” Jensen asked hopefully.
“I would very much like that,” Jared answered.

Later when Jared lay in bed in his apartment, he wondered if Jensen had been flirting with him and how he felt about it. But since all he could do was smile without any trace of panic, he thought he was okay with it.

From that day on, Jared and Jensen met once or twice a week, sometimes with Chris and the gang, sometimes only the two of them.

It was a hot sunny afternoon; the blinds were closed and bathing Jensen’s bedroom in a golden light. Jared lay on the big comfortable bed. Jensen was sitting astride Jared’s thighs kissing his chest and grinding their erections together. Jared wanted to touch Jensen and caress him but suddenly his hands were bound. He struggled, trying to free them.
Jared looked up to ask Jensen for help, but Jensen was gone. HE was there.
The golden light vanished, it became dark and cold, and Jared was in the barn again.

With a gasp Jared sat up.
It was just a nightmare, but Jared had hoped he had left them behind. Cold sweat covered Jared’s body. His erection was battling his terror and Jared realized he had a decision to make.

He met Jensen two days later in Eads Park. It was a cloudy day and a cold wind blew over the trees. Thanks to the not so great weather, Jared and Jensen had the park mostly to themselves.

“I have a problem,” Jared began.
“Okay can I help?”
“Honestly I don’t know, but I think we should talk about it.”
Jensen’s open and friendly expression changed to uncertainty.
“I had a dream about you and me, we were having sex and…”
A little grin broke out of Jensens face, making it even harder for Jared to continue.
“…and at first everything was okay, great actually, but suddenly it changed. HE was there and I couldn’t move. I struggled and then I woke up.”
“HE?” Jensen asked, confused.
“That’s how I named my torturer. At first I didn’t know his name so I called him HE.” Jared explained.
“Do you have a lot of nightmares about HE?” Jensen asked. He was standing with his back to Jared so Jared couldn’t see his expression but he could hear him trying to control his breathing.
“No, not anymore,” Jared said. He reached out for Jensen but Jensen stepped out of his range.
“But you had them? Nightmares?”
“Yes. I saw a therapist for a while.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Jensen asked, finally turning around. Tears were streaming down his face that showed utter devastation.
“Because I … I think I’m falling for you and that scares me, because I know what you’re capable of doing to me.”
“Jared, I can’t say how sorry I am. I wish I could undo it, but that’s not possible.
I don’t know how to describe it, but in my memory its not you in the barn. I mean, I know it was you, but in my memory all I see is Lehne. My therapist called that selective suppression of memories. I never wanted to be that person in the barn and I will spend my life proving that to you I’m not that person.”

Suddenly Jared was in Jensen’s space, up close. Jared took Jensen’s head in his hands and pressed a tender kiss to Jensen’s lips. It didn’t last long because Jared pulled away but they stayed there for a long time still holding each other and looking into each others eyes.

Jensen couldn’t stop smiling. Jared had kissed him! He had kissed him! Jensen couldn’t believe that he was getting a second chance with Jared.
Of all people, Jared!
He was smart and funny and basically a genius. . .

“What are you smiling at?” Chris asked. He and Steve had decided to open a Texas bar with live music and a grill and now they just had to find the right location. Jensen was helping them checking out different places.

“Nothing,” Jensen said, trying and failing to wipe the smile from his face.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Steve stepped in. “I know you and Jared met this afternoon. Is there something you would like to tell your oldest friends?”
“If you really have to know. . . Jared kissed me.”

Without a word Chris pulled a twenty dollar bill out of his pocket and handed it over to Steve.
“We had a bet going: Chris said you would kiss him first and I said he would take the first step. I was right.”
“You’re betting on my love life?” Jensen asked, not knowing if he should be shocked or touched.
“Well we don’t have any hobbies,” Chris said as a kind of explanation.

The next weeks were like a dream coming true. He let Jared set the pace which meant a lot of making out and kissing, but it was clear that it was difficult for Jared to go further. But Jensen would wait till he was ready for more. He loved him and he would prove it to Jared.

Jared checked his computer screen in his office again and knew he was on the right track. Two weeks ago the computer department had been able to restore deleted files from Second Life. Thanks to Ash’s and Sebastian’s work, Jared was now looking through this data.

Mostly it was statistics about omega. It was frightening to see how fast the disease had spread back when it had started. There were statistics about when, where, and to whom omega had spread. What the hell was confidential about statistics? Jared was sure there was something that he just didn’t see.

A small number of people never had omega. It was such a small number that it was almost insignificant. One statistic showed the disease spreading among different religious groups and while there wasn’t really any difference, one thing stood out. After the invention of the nanobots and their success as vaccination, a small group of Amish people had insisted the nanobots were evil and had banished them for there followers. The statistic showed there wasn’t a single omega among them.

Not one!
What could that mean? There was more data like what kind of bots the omegas had and so on and then suddenly Jared saw the whole picture.
“Ash get Misha and call the Attorney General. I need a meeting by tomorrow. And call Chad; he needs to be here as well.” The rest of the day he confirmed his theory and worked on a good presentation.

It was 11 a.m. on the next day. Jared had worked till 2 a.m. then he had slept in his office for a few hours. Thank god he had a second suite in his office for occasions like this. He looked tired but presentable when he entered the largest conference room. He had talked to the local omega center and everything was set up.

Jensen, Misha, Chad, his whole team and some other representatives from the government were there, as well as the Attorney General.
“Funny,” Jared thought, “how things change.” Now he could set up meetings and people came and listened to him.

“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. As Dr. Collins might have told you, I found a cure.

“In the beginning when the omega first showed up, scientists started to search frantically for the cause. Bacteria, virus, and prion: everything came back negative. In fact, the patients were healthy apart from the fact that they couldn’t move.

“Ladies, gentlemen, this is Colin Ford. He’s seventeen years old and showed the first omega symptoms yesterday morning. Hi Colin, how are you?”

Two medics had wheeled a stretcher in. On it was a young boy looking a little bit frightened.
“Okay, sir.”
“Colin have you been ill or got hurt in the last four or five years?”
“No Sir.”
“Thank you, Colin, but you got your nano shots when you were a baby?”
“Of course, sir.”
“Okay, let’s get started.”
“Stop! You can’t try an unapproved treatment on a patient,” a young women from the ministry objected.
“If this doesn’t work, we can still proceed with the standard treatment of the tapes.”

Jared took a silver-colored box. “This is a standard nano retriever. You might have seen them in use if there ever was a reason to exchange your nanites,” he explained, holding it to Colin’s left forearm. It took a couple of minuets but then Jared announced, “
“So, according to my scan, I removed 99.7% of the nanobots. Colin, can you move?”

It took a moment for Colin to understand what he had been asked, but then he sat up, looking at his hands with wonder.

“Omega is a side effect of the nanites,” Jared explained. “As long as you grow up and are ill, sick, hurt, or even allergic or pregnant, the nanobots have something to do. But if you’re a healthy young man or woman and the nanobots don’t have anything to do but stay activated, they start attacking the brain muscle connection and paralyze their host. Almost like your immune system attacking your cells and causing an allergy or an autoimmune disease.”

Colin hopped of the stretcher and started walking “Can I go home?” he asked Jared with big eyes.
“Ahm, yes, but I’m sure there are many people who want to talk to you, okay, so keep close.”
Jared turned to his audience and asked, “Any more questions?”

The room erupted in loud applause. Jensen hugged and kissed him on the cheek. The Attorney General hadn’t moved and checked his notes.
“Who knew about this, Mr. Padalecki?” he asked after a moment and his voice carried throughout the room. “Before the omega liberation. Who knew?”

It became silent in the room again. They all had nanobots in their bodies. They all had believed that they helped, were secure, and were otherwise harmless.
“I don’t know for sure, sir, but the data I looked through were official statistics and Second Life declared them confidential. So I guess the higher ups there knew, and probably some people from the previous government. I don’t know, and its not my job to find that out. I leave that to others.”

“Good job Mr. Padalecki,” the Attorney General said, shaking Jared’s hand. “I will find out.”
“I know you will. Good luck.”
“What about the omegas that already are treated? Can they remove the bots? And what about the bonds? Can they be removed?” a young man asked in a hard voice.

“I haven’t tested the theory but I think removing the bots will cure them as well. But removing the tapes is tricky and complicated. They were developed to stay on the entire life. They are connected to the brain and nerves and muscles on a micro level.”

“So the already treated omegas will keep the bonds till they die?” a man, an omega only slightly older than Jared, asked.
“I’m working on a way to remove them and I hope…”

“Your family got rich inventing these bonds! I’m just grateful a twist of fate also got you in bonds, omega.” He spit at Jared.

It wasn’t the first time Jared had been verbally attacked for his mother‘s involvement. Even if he had helped to free the omegas, there wasn’t much gratefulness towards Jared. Acceptance and recognition for his achievement, yes, but no forgiveness for being his mother’s son..

Jared had hoped that would change with this discovery, but now he realized that as long as the omegas had to wear the tapes, a sing of their former slavery, his family name would always be associated with the omega slave system.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3
Jensen had watched Jared during the young man’s rant. He had seen how happy Jared had been about figuring it out, only to have it ripped apart by this guy. Jensen couldn’t understand these people. Instead of being grateful they still resented Jared.

Jensen knew a lot of Jared’s dedication came from a feeling of shame and responsibility and he knew what he had done to Jared had only added to these feelings. He had been happy to hear that Jared had sought help. But now Jensen saw the very moment Jared came to another decision.
“It’s important that people don’t mess with the bonds,” Misha had reminded everybody in the room. “They are subcutaneous hair wires, and tearing them out would cause really bad damage.”
“But we can announce we found a cure for omega, right?” Jensen asked to lighten the mood.
“Yes, and at least for the newly diagnosed omegas it will prevent them from being put into bonds,” Chad said.
“The government should also consider making a recommendation that people should consider nanobots that can be turned off and on, or should have them removed after treatment,” Jared added.

The announcement of a cure for omega was top news worldwide. Jared kept his name mostly out of it; it was “the institute” or “our research.” Jensen understood that Jared didn’t want fans but he thought that some kind of recognition was appropriate and would maybe help Jared see of the magnitude of his accomplishment.

But no.

Jared retreated. Before the omega breakthrough, the two of them had been on track towards something wonderful. There had been kissing and phone calls and time spent together talking. Now Jared didn’t return his calls and canceled their dates.

It was a Friday night, three months after Jared had found the cause of the omega disease. Again, Jared had canceled an evening with Jensen, and Jensen was drowning his sorrow in beer and killing as many aliens on his Play Station as he could, when there was a knock at his front door. He debated whether he should even open it when he heard Chad’s voice.
“Jensen, I know you’re home. Open the damn door before Jeff here kicks it in.”

Afraid for his front door, Jensen hurried to let Chad and Jeff in.
“Thank god you’re here,” Chad said as he and Jeff went into Jensen’s living room. “Where is Jared?” Chad asked looking around. “He told me you two had date night.”
“That had been thee plan but than Jared called and cancelled at the last moment. He said he wanted to finish something and that he would have more time if it was successful tonight.”
“Oh no!” Chad said. “He’s going to o it.”
“What are you talking about?” Jensen asked, alarmed at the expression on their faces.
“He’s working on a way to remove the bonds and the interface. There have been several attempts to remove them but none was very successful. Come on let´s go,” Chad said.
“Where are we going?” Jeff asked.
“To Jared’s lab. I think he’s about to do something stupid.”

Jared hung up the receiver. He wondered how much longer Jensen would put up with Jared keeping him at distance. It had all started so good: new job, new apartment, friends and a potential boyfriend, but after the young man at his presentation had attacked him, all his achievements seemed to pale. So he had thrown himself into his work.

The removal of the bonds was important to many omegas. Even if for some people they hadn’t been a symbol of enslavement, there were enough who said as long as they carried the tapes they were seen as slaves.

And there was Jared‘s unique point of view. He had never been ill and was really self-conscious of his bonds. He wanted desperately to get rid of them, but removing the bonds was both a medical and a technical problem.

It needed to be, first and foremost, an easy and cheap treatment, which excluded sophisticated surgeries. He found the solution watching an older SF movie with Jensen. The bonds had been constructed so that they were seen as healthy tissue and hence the nanobots didn’t attack them. Changing the programming to make the body’s nanobots reject the bonds wasn’t difficult, but keeping the nanobots from then attacking healthy tissue was a different matter.

Jared came up with a different solution. He invented a fluid that held nanites: the bonds could be removed by a robot arm and the nanites in the fluid would repair any kind of damage that the robot arm caused. Out of the fluid these nanites couldn’t operate and were useless, in theory. Jared had tested the removal of the bonds on animals and it hadn’t caused any kind of lasting damage. All he had to do now was to try it out on a human.

Chad was frantic and Jensen could understand why. True, some of the world best doctors had been able to remove the tapes in surgeries that took several hours. But the internet was full of horror stories where some doctors ripped the interfaces out and left a babbling mess or a dead patient behind. Jared was about to remove his bonds because of Jensen had put them on him. It was Jensen’s fault if one of the most brilliant scientists in the world ended up a babbling mess.

Jared had taken off his clothes and was now standing just in his briefs by the bathtub sized basin. The slightly pink fluid seemed to glow in the neon light of the lab. Carefully, so he wouldn’t slip, he stepped into the basin. The fluid was warm, a little bit slimy, and sticky.

He had programmed the robot arm and the nanites, had given himself something to calm down, and had a sedative lying near by so he wouldn’t feel any pain. He smiled grimly. If Chad knew what he was about to do he would…
“What do you think you’re doing, Jared?” He turned around and saw Jensen, Chad and Jeff running towards him.
“What are you doing here?” he asked stupidly.

“What do you think?” Chad answered. Jared stepped out of the fluid and felt Jensen’s heated look, but Jared refused to look at him. The last thing he needed was a hard on in front of Chad.

“It would work!” Jared defended himself. “We could erase the last traces of this injustice. I could get rid of the tapes and I wouldn’t be reminded every time I look in the mirror what HE did to me. I could be together with Jensen! Chad, I love him but every time we undress and he touches the bonds it feels wrong.” Turning to Jensen, Jared pleaded, “I’m sorry Jensen. Please. I think…”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” Jensen said, stepping up to Jared and taking him carefully in his arms. For the first time he was conscious of the bonds. Jensen like most of the omegas had never mind them, if anything he thought they looked hot, but he could comprehend that he and Jared held different points of view.

To him, the bonds had given him freedom; for Jared they were manacles. He kissed Jared tenderly on the forehead. God, he loved this man. He wanted to see what came next, he wanted to be around when Jared got the Noble Prize (Jensen had no doubt that Jared deserved it). He wanted to be the one that got Jared the dog he wished for. There was so much he wanted to do with Jared, and here Jared was, half-naked and freezing in a lab, with the memory of Jensen’s torture on his skin as an everlasting reminder.

Jensen and Chad helped a shivering Jared into his office next to the lab, where they sat him down on his couch. Jeff had found a blanket somewhere and Jensen laid it around Jared’s shoulders.

Jensen couldn’t understand how Jared could see himself anything but perfect, but he knew what he could do to help Jared.
“I'll go and get Jared…” he trailed off. Chad had sat down next to Jared and held him with one arm. Unnoticed, Jensen slipped out of the room. He knew he hadn’t had much time but he figured he didn’t need much.

He undressed as fast as he could and stepped into the fluid. Laying down he had one second to ask himself if this thing needed to be switched on before the nightmare started.

Jared leaned into Chad. He was so tired now that the medication was kicking in. Where was Jensen? He would like Jensen to hold him. Jeff had handed him his jeans and a shirt when all hell broke loose.

The alarm went off.
Jared could see that the robot arm was moving and there was something in the basin. Jared ran back into the lab with Jeff and Chad, and what he saw there was terrifying.

Jensen was submerged in the basin and the robot arm had started working, but since it was calibrated with Jared’s measurements, rather then removing the bonds gently, the robot ripped them out, leaving behind exposed muscles, nerves, and bones.

Without any sort of sedation, Jensen trashed and screamed. Jared ran to him. Stopping the robot arm at this point would do more harm than good. All Jared could do was to quickly sedate Jensen and try to recalibrate the robot while it was working on Jensen.

Jared grabbed the syringe with the sedative intended for himself. It was difficult because Jensen was thrashing but he pressed the needle into Jensen‘s neck so it would work fast. The result was instantaneous: one moment Jensen was struggling, trying to get away and the next he relaxed, losing consciousness.

The robot arm had started with Jensen’s left arm and was now attempting to cut through the bond to remove it.
“Chad, take measurements from his bonds I will try to override the automatic setting. Jeff, take note of the numbers Chad gives you.”

Jared worked as fast as he could, giving the robot new numbers to use. Amazed, Chad and Jeff witnessed how the cuts by the robot arm got more and more precise. Nevertheless, it took Jared three more hours to finish the removal, and in the end Jared had to operate the robot arm himself to remove the interface.
Exhausted, Jared sagged and stared stupidly down at his patient. Jensen would survive, though the nanites still had hours of work ahead. He had never realized how many freckles Jensen had, and he hoped the nanite solution would be able to replace those that had been sheared off. He wanted to touch each and every one.”

“What now?” Chad asked.
“We take him out of the basin, clean him up, and wait till he wakes up,” Jared answered. He was dead on his feet. He had taken the sedative before he had stepped into the basin and he had needed an anti-sedative to save Jensen, and this combination was now kicking Jared’s butt.
Chad nodded. Together with Jeff they took Jensen out, put him on a stretcher, and wheeled him into Jared’s office next door where they covered him in a warm blanket.

“Should we call an ambulance?” Jeff dared to ask after half an hour without Jensen waking.
“If I can’t help him, no one can. This is an absolutely new treatment and nobody apart from us has ever seen it work. Anyhow, I think we just have to wait till he wakes up and I think that will happen in the next 50 minutes.” Jared started to connect Jensen’s body to some old fashion monitors to watch his breathing and heartbeat.
“Sit down, Jared. You said it yourself: all we can do now is wait,” Jeff advised Jared when he continued pacing around Jensen's bed. Tiredly, Jared let himself collapse on a chair:
“Why did he do that? He could have killed himself,” Jared asked desperately. Chad and Jeff looked at each other.
“I think,” Jeff started carefully, “he feels guilty about what he did to you. And he didn’t know that the robot had to be programmed for every patient.”
Jared nodded, rubbing his face. He and Jensen would have a lot to talk about, and maybe if he really wanted this thing between them to work, the two of them should get professional counseling. But it would work.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4
Jensen woke up.
He was in Jared’s office and through the closed blinds the pale morning sun was shining. He sat up and this movement made the monitors behind him beep. Next to him, in an uncomfortable-looking chair, Jared also sat up and for a long moment the two of them stared at each other.

Than with one leap Jared was by Jensen, kissing him deeply and desperately.
“Wow! Looks like Jensen feels better. We'll go to your apartment and see you later.” Chad’s voice came from the door, but neither one cared enough to answer and Jared was sure Chad didn’t expect one.

Jare couldn’t stop touching Jensen‘s bond-free skin. After he made sure everything was okay and Jensen was healing as expected, the two of them had a nice breakfast in a diner close by, and he drove Jensen home.

The moment the door closed behind the two of them Jared stared to undress Jensen, staring in wonder at the beautiful man before him. His left arm still showed an angry red scar and only time would tell if it would fade.

Jensen was there right before him, breathing and moving, and Jared remembered how close he had been to losing him.
“You, too, please,” Jensen whispered, and Jared realized that while Jensen was down to his briefs Jared was still completely dressed but for his jacket.
“Before it gets too uncomfortable on the floor, maybe we could move to my bedroom?” Jensen added and sounded almost shy.

Together they somehow made it to Jensen’s bedroom, landing in a heap of limbs on the bed. Slowly and carefully, Jared kissed Jensens shoulders, his chest, his tights. Caressing his strong legs only to discover he was ticklish under his feet.

“Can I make love to you?” Jared asked a little bit breathless and amazed.
“Yes. I really want that, but I have never… I mean apart from … it´s been a while,” Jensen stuttered and Jared kissed him deeply, feeling his confusion.
“Lube is in the top drawer,” Jensen added, a little light headed.

Jared opened the drawer and found, with the lube, some massage oil…
“Turn on your stomach,” he whispered in Jensen’s ear, and then he put some of the oil on his hands, rubbing them together to warm the oil. When he put his hands on Jensen shoulders, Jensen sighed.

Jared began massaging his neck, his arms, his back, and then he moved to Jensen‘s legs. Soon Jensen’s body gleamed in the dimmed light of the bedroom and Jared could only be grateful that he was allowed to touch this beauty.

Jared poured some more oil on his hands and started again with Jensen’s lower back and his butt. Kneeling and rubbing oil all over his back. Kneading and rubbing oil all over his butt. It took his breath away when his oiled fingers brushed for the first time over Jensen’s hole.From Jensen’s surprised exhale, he felt the same.

Since Jared was “finished” with Jensen’s backside he asked Jensen to turn around. Jensen’s gorgeous cock was half hard and Jared almost changed his plans into riding Jensen, but he wanted to cherish him and make love to him. He could ride Jensen another time.
Ignoring Jensen’s cock for the moment, Jared started at Jensen’s shoulders and worked down to his chest. He trailed his warm oiled hand over Jensen’s hips, closing in on his thighs and giving Jensen’s member only the briefest touch. He massaged Jensens thighs, his calves, and his feet.

Then he lay down next to Jensen, touching him from shoulder to knees. He took Jensens member in his hand and started stroking it in soft, slow motions.
“Jared, please, more!” was Jensen’s whispered request.

Jared moved between Jensen’s legs and while he stroked him with one hand his other hand started circling Jensen’s entrance. Becoming impatient, Jensen pushed back, impaling himself on Jared’s probing finger. Jared couldn’t hide his smile when it became obvious that Jensen didn’t know if he should continue to push down on Jared’s long, strong finger or push forward into Jared’s hand stroking his cock.

Jared pushed a second finger into Jensen and suddenly Jensen was sitting in Jared’s lap, almost riding Jared’s fingers. Jared withdrew his fingers but, before Jensen could complain, Jared’s member was now pushing against Jensens hole.

Thanks to the massage oil everything was a little bit more slippery and relaxed. His first push into Jensen went in easily, and he started rocking in little motions, opening Jensen tenderly and slowly.

It was a slip and slide, gentle waves of a great ocean of pleasure and ecstasy carrying both of them to completion.

Later, when they lay in each other’s arms and Jared contemplated whether now was a good time to ask Jensen for a ride, Jensen said, “Jeff once told me it should be something special with your partner. I think till today I didn’t know what he meant.”

They spent the rest of the day in bed, sharing kisses and making love. The next day was a Sunday but Jared needed to go to the institute; he had to talk to Chad andcheck Jensen’s data. It was a little bit strange to return to the real world.
“Are you going to be in trouble?” Jensen asked during breakfast. It felt pretty domestic and unexpectedly felt great.

“No, I don’t think so. I’ll check the numbers again, and then Chad asked me to remove his tapes. After that he will remove mine. If everything goes as planed, I will be without bonds tonight and then I will announce a new treatment to remove the bonds.”
“I love you, Jared Padalecki.” Jensen said simply.

It took Jared and Chad the better part of the morning to program the robot arm with Chad’s measurements. With Misha’s help they set up the basin and the robot arm. Jeff and Jensen joined them to watch from Jared’s office. They brought some sandwiches and a bottle of champagne for when Chad was done.

This time everything went as planed and Chad was, not an hour later, bond-less.

“You did it Jared!” Misha whispered in amazement before they opened the champagne and toasted their success. Chad was still a bit tired since the nanites in the fluid also needed some of the patient’s energy, but he was still able to assist Misha in setting up everything for Jared.

Jared had insisted on at least three successful removals, and since he didn’t count Jensen’s there would at least be one other before they would announce anything. Jared stepped into the fluid, locking eyes with Jensen through the window.
“Okay,” Misha said. “I’m giving you now the sedative and I’ll see you again in about an hour.” Jared felt the needle in his arm and everything became warm and dark.

Jensen held Jared’s hand when he woke up. Then he took Jared home. They would meet on Monday again to plan the next steps, but for tonight Jared was his. He wanted to see Jared completely and absolutely naked and he wanted to hear him scream his name in pure ecstasy.

Dropping to his knees, he pushed Jared pants down freeing his member, and in one go he swallowed Jared down. Jensen's plan had been to make slow love to Jared like they had done last night, only when he saw Jared smiling up at him he could barley control himself. Whereas Jared’s lovemaking had been a tender ocean Jensen’s was fireworks and explosions. While sucking on Jared’s member, he worked a lubed finger behind Jared’s balls and slipped it in. Jared came, shouting Jensen name, and only the wall behind him prevented his suddenly weak legs from collapsing. But Jensen wasn’t finished. He used the little break to undress both Jared and himself and move them into the bedroom again.
Fucking--No! Making love—to Jared was the best thing that had ever happened and when Jared came again, screaming Jensen’s name, Jensen followed fast behind.

In the next few days, Jared, Chad, and Misha successfully removed four more tapes from omegas.

It became clear the treatment was a success.

Rumor had it that Jared Padalecki was planning to give the treatment only to those that could pay for it. Jared knew it was time for an announcement when people started waiting for him outside the institute and pleaded with him to treat them for his studies, despite their fear of being sold out again.

Before protests could start, they held a press conference.

The press conference was the largest Jensen ever had attended. Jared explained the procedure to the press and answered patiently all their questions. Some questions were also directed at Misha or Chad but the main focus was on Jared.

The relief was payable when Jared announced the procedure would be free for omegas. Any expenses would be paid by the government.

A young female reporter raised a hand.
“Do you expect the Nobel prize for your achievement?” she asked.
“That is not for me to decide,” he answered. “I saw the injustice the bonds had caused and I wanted to change that. I’m just grateful that I had such a fantastic team so I could help all omegas.”
“What are your plans for the future?”
Jared turned to Jensen and shared a big smile with him.
“I don’t have the slightest idea,” he said.

End