CHAPTER 1. WATCH
Magnus Holmes watched the surveillance footage, his youngest son was clever, but Magnus was brilliant. He leaned back in his throne like black leather chair, rubbing his clean shaven face.
"Who is that Omega he's with?" Magnus demanded of his PA. The Beta glanced briefly at the screen and turned to his boss nervously.
"I'll find out sir." The PA quickly scribbled a note onto his black leather diary. The dark haired agent knew his boss hated any delay. He'd been summoned to the man's office twice today. Each time was to fire a new employee for performing some imagined slight, or for not showing up on time. Or perhaps there was a wrinkle in the employee's suit. E never knew exactly what set off the older man.
This was the third time he was made to conference with the brown haired government employee. The room was furnished like any office at the agency, although this one was less lavish. The man had a way about him; he kept everything simple and impersonal. Even the dark curtains were pulled closed, giving the room a doomed feeling.
"Good. You do that E. I want a full report. Discretion E, I don't have to warn you what happened to the last PA who failed me." The Alpha in the dark suit waved his PA off, continuing to watch his son; the youngest Holmes had always been such a problematic boy. Now it seemed there was a chink in the brat's armor.
Sherlock was throwing his dark head back and laughing, really laughing and his posture was relaxed. The way the eighteen year old Alpha was looking at the younger blond, and an Omega of all things, well it was surprising as hell.
Sherlock never showed interest in anyone or anything for that matter, the boy claimed that his biology didn't affect him like it did the rest of his gender. He apparently thought himself above all that.
Well wasn't this a turn up. Magnus narrowed his eyes on the nameless Omega; he could be the breaking of Sherlock Holmes. Perhaps a lesson would be learned, and his son would finally come to realize that no one was above their biology.
He would make the proper arrangements; his son should thank him for going to such lengths to ensure the Omega's social growth as well as Sherlock's.
Perhaps the Holmes name wouldn't be lost after all, once Sherlock realized how enjoyable knotting could be; Magnus would be able to set his son up with a preferable bondmate.
Mycroft had already made his choice, the stubborn older son was courting some young Alpha, and he was yet to reveal who. Magnus would find out soon enough, perhaps arrange for an "accident."
First things first as the saying went, first things first.
The chestnut haired Holmes grinned darkly; his sons had rebelled against their nature long enough.
Mycroft wasn't fooling Magnus he was moving up politically, trying to overthrow the elder Holmes. The head of the family would not be parted with power. Mycroft might think himself just as brilliant and a god of strategy but Magnus was always three moves ahead.
He had been sure to hide Sherlock away, detoxing, far from the ambitious elder brother's coddling reach. Mycroft had yet to find out just where Magnus had hidden the little rebellious brat. Oh, the oldest son tried to appear indifferent but Magnus saw right through it.
His sons would learn soon enough just who the head of the family was and they would learn to bow and to submit.
~0~
Sherlock made his way to the normal meeting spot; he tried not to look too eager. However John was the only break in the monotony of this horrid institution. The shade of the tall oak kept him out of view of the surveillance cameras. No doubt father would enjoy invading his privacy even more. Sherlock had already located the hidden cameras in his room. Predictable.
The younger Holmes waited trying to read the book on Chemistry he'd brought along, John liked to listen to him read out loud, and his knowledge of chemistry was rudimentary at most but he did try to keep up with Sherlock. John wasn't boring like the others, John liked to listen and he didn't have such fragile feelings. If Sherlock made a deduction John found them brilliant, amazing and clever, not like the others who called him a freak.
The young Alpha checked the small yard on the other side of the high barb wired fence. The other Omegas were milling around as usual but no sign of John.
After the half and hour of allotted Omega yard time was nearly up, Sherlock was standing, walking the fence line, his book forgotten near the tree. The Omega side had yellowed grass and no trees for shade, there were a few old and worn down play equipment like footballs and maybe lawn darts but nothing like the Alpha side.
The landscaping on Sherlock's side was kept neat and green. Several trees lined the property, and the stone walkways were kept swept and trim. Even the stone benches and picnic tables were kept clear of vines or wear.
Sherlock strained to see past the idiots now lining up like sheep, some cast nervous glances his way. Others refused to acknowledge him, they all wore the same orange jumpsuits, whereas the Alphas were issued blue scrub like uniforms.
One of the Omegas was watching Sherlock curiously, the teenager turned to her friends then moved slowly towards a football left near the fence. Sherlock read intent in her blue eyes. He turned his back to the fence, hands in his pockets.
She picked up the old nearly flat football. "You're Holmes right?" the girl with the blond hair whispered. Sherlock rolled his eyes and made a soft humming noise. "I know John considers you a friend. Stupid as that is. Alphas aren't meant to be anyone's friend. " Sherlock held back the cold remark just at the tip of his tongue, he wanted her to continue.
"He-is being punished. You won't see him for at least a week. They have him in the hole."
"The hole?"
"It's isolation, a dark cupboard, no light allowed, a bucket for a toilet."
"Why? What-" Sherlock hated the concern that leaked into his question. He didn't care, this wasn't caring. It was curiosity. After all John was shy, and quiet, he wasn't challenging or overly defiant.
"He-" The teenager paused "He said no." She held the ball her back to the fence, "Thomsen wanted to-well you would know. After all we are being reeducated and socialized." The Omega couldn't keep the disgust from her voice. Sherlock gripped the fence turning completely.
"What do you mean?" he demanded.
"They took his heat suppressors. Do you understand what that means? John turned eighteen two weeks ago."
"It was his birthday-" Sherlock wondered how he didn't know that.
"It's not like you would ask. You Alphas are all so wrapped up in yourselves. Seriously why are you even his friend? John is too good for some stuck up prick like you." She squeezed the nearly flat ball in her hands, turning to glare at Sherlock. "Thomsen came to collect him and John put a pencil through his hand."
"Collect-"
"He wanted to start the training early. So he tried to include John in with the usual round up, he takes all the "of age " Omegas. But if you ask me, the sick bastard just likes em young." The girl shivered.
"Where is he?"
"They keep them in the far corner the east block. Not like you can visit. They won't let anyone not even family in. Of course none of us have family or we wouldn't be here playing whore for you rich Alphas." She turned to walk away.
"Wait!" Sherlock growled, but the girl just hurried to join the line. Sherlock slapped the fence in frustration. He needed to help John.
~0~
John held his knees to his chest, it was suffocating in this hole, no sounds penetrated the walls, he counted the meals two days and two nights had gone by. They'd put him here none too gently, his side ached still from the hard kicks; at least the lump at the back of his head had gone down.
His mouth had gone dry, the cold oatmeal they'd shoved through the slit in the door hadn't been very filling and he wished he had water.
The sound of the latch sliding and then lifting made him tense, he scooted himself into the corner, careful not to knock the bucket for waste over.
Light flooded the room from the corridor; John prepared himself expecting heavy blows to fall on his shoulders and back.
"John?" a voice hissed. "John!? Get up you idiot. We haven't much time."
"Sherlock?" John's heart started to pound in his throat, the familiar scent of spice and cigarettes took the place of panic.
"No it's Father Christmas. Yes it's me. I see isolation has addled your already slow mind."
"Oi!" John growled getting to his feet, squinting his eyes still couldn't adjust to the fluorescence in the corridor. A hand grabbed his wrist and he was pulled into the fresh air then down the hall, his bare feet registered the cold tile beneath him, his heated skin cooled in the open air.
"Here. Take these." Sherlock thrust a water bottle and two yellow tablets at him.
"Are these what I think they are?" John whispered drinking the water greedily.
"Yes. Apparently," Sherlock edged around the corner, checking to see if it were safe to move forward. "It's easier to acquire heat suppressants on the Alpha side then the Omega's. And it'll be difficult to get away if your scent grows any stronger."
"How did you know?"
"Sssh." Sherlock pushed John into a utility closet two Orderlies in white were passing. One halted sniffing the air, the other kept walking, Sherlock held his breath keeping John directly behind him, hoping his own scent was overpowering enough. At the same time the young Alpha tried to block out the delicious aroma that was John.
After the two Alphas passed Sherlock exhaled unaware he was still holding John's wrist, his thumb absentmindedly stroking over John's erratic pulse. John leaned into his rescuer his head resting between Sherlock's shoulders, his breathing slowing.
"Thanks." John whispered shakily into Sherlock's bony back. "I owe you-"
"Well I was looking for a reason to leave this horribly boring prison, you only supplied me with ample motivation."
"You shouldn't have come for me. If they catch you-"
"John shut up." The blond shook his head and smiled. Sherlock felt his own heart sped up, this was the first time they were ever truly face to face without a fence to separate them. And John's state of undress, his skin pressed and burned through Sherlock's clothes, it was becoming hard to think clearly.
He inspected John's pale face, bruises lined his jaw line where fingers had gripped him cruelly. The pale skin around John's neck had been abused as well, hands had gripped John's forearms, his wrists and Sherlock wondered where else the Omega had been affected.
"It's all superficial. Apparently they don't like to hear the word no."
"Idiots." Sherlock snapped, John only nodded.
"I never thought I'd see you. Or be glad to see you." John tried to lighten the tension.
"John, don't talk. Lets run. We only have to get to the employee exit at the end of the hall, I've pinched a key card. Then we are free."
"Alright friend lead the way." John pulled his arm free, his cheeks flushing from the warmth that had spread through him under the Alpha's touch.
The blond teenager didn't want to be that Omega, the one that clung to his Alpha. Besides Sherlock wasn't his Alpha, the taller boy was John's friend, and even though he had gorgeous gray eyes almost silver close up, and delicate cheekbones, Sherlock wasn't interested in an Omega. He'd stated it before, he was Asexual, and he held no interest in anything but science and puzzles.
The two were sprinting for the door; John tried to keep up with Sherlock's long legs when he felt a stabbing pain in his back. He cried out startled, everything went blank, and a fire burned through his muscles. He found himself twitching from the shock of it on the cold tile floor.
"Got you Johnny boy." Thomsen's evil sneer recognizable anywhere. He held a taser gun with the electrodes embedded into John's back.
Sherlock had heard John's whimper and he threw himself at the smug Orderly. Thomsen didn't expect the Alpha teen to tackle him, or the deep growl of warning. The orderly had no idea where or who this dark haired kid was but whomever he was the bastard had a hard fist for one so thin.
John could only lay twitching helplessly, eyes wide, barely able to focus on the fight. Then he moaned trying to warn his friend of the nurse nearing with a syringe. Too late she caught Sherlock just at the base of the neck, the teenage Alpha swore as he slumped forward.
"Get him up there's a room for him set up special on request." The female Alpha ordered, straightening her white lab jacket.
"And what of Watson?" Thomsen spat hauling a limp Sherlock up to his feet.
"Him too. I suspect he was given heat suppressors by Holmes. We may have to pump his stomach first. Looks like these two were perfectly matched after all."
"What? He hasn't even attended one training session!" Thomsen almost whined. John tried to understand their words, but his whole body was aching, his head felt thick and his stomach threatened to turn.
"Just do it! It's on special orders." The nurse snapped, pulling the electrodes from John's back cruelly.