A World In Which I Was Me

Chapter 2

Thousands of miles from where Dean and Castiel were driving to find their vampires, a group referred to those who knew of its existence as the Initiative, had its base of operations. It was completely off the grid, not listed anywhere except a couple of fan theory sites, and the current home to three people that would forever change the Winchesters' life.

From the outside, it appeared to be nothing more than an abandoned building that hadn't seen a visitor in years, but on the inside, it was filled with technology that wasn't even known to have existed and some of the brightest minds to ever be created. The basement was probably the most important level because that's where the test subjects were kept. A metal spiral staircase led to the fittingly eerie basement.

In the middle of the room sat six glass cells connected in a way that might make you think they were on display. Three of these cells were occupied.

"So, any idea whose turn it is today?" Alex West, a 25-year-old girl from San Francisco with an extraordinary speed that couldn't be explained, laid on her bed in a nonchalant way that made her seem almost relaxed. She had brunette hair that tied roughly in a ponytail as if only to keep it out of her face, soft olive-green eyes, and partially tanned skin that fit the rest of her perfectly.

"Who cares? This shit just feels routine after a while." Jasper Cardale, a young man with no abilities but quote on quote 'great potential', leaned against the glass of the cell to the right of her. He had dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes, and the appearance of a Disney prince that could break your heart with one look. His voice was plain and defeated as he waited for a reaction from the others

"Shut the fuck up" Avis Ward, Ace to those she liked, faced away from the other two in her bed. Out of all three, she had been here the longest and was arguably the most unique. One of the last demigods on Earth. She had dark brown hair, rosy pale skin that looked almost unhealthy, and her eyes were a sort of tie-dye of a dark midnight blue and an ice blue. She was covered almost completely in scars, subtle bruising, and dried blood no one felt like cleaning off, but the most unsettling thing was how broken and mad at the world she appeared "Jasper you get taken maybe once a week, and Alex they take some blood and make you run laps. If you keep complaining I'm gonna drown you."

"Cheery as always Ace" Alex muttered and fidgeted with her pillowcase. Avis cracked a smile, neither could see, and shook her head. Though this was something she would never admit, ever since the other two came here, her situation had become more bearable. Having actual people to talk to, people to care when she would come back from a session with the Doctor possessing less of herself than when she left. They were a sort of family. But all things end.

***

"That was underwhelming" Cas sighed as he sat at the table of the dingy motel room they had bought for the night.

"One lousy vamp...hell as long as it stays dead after I kill it, I'll take it" He let out a soft sigh. Though Dean would never freely admit it, he missed the days when all they had to worry about were monsters and the occasional demon. Now it was as if the literal world was on their shoulders.

"You should rest, I'll update Sam" Dean nodded, barely paying attention after the word rest, and collapsed on the motel bed. Cas sighed and stared at his best friend as he slept, wondering what the man was thinking.

Sam, only one vampire, be home tomorrow. - Cas

He set his phone back down on the table and stood, walking outside of the motel room to get some fresh air. It was a brisk autumn night so the deep breaths Castiel took, if only to simply feel the cold air in his lungs, were visible.

Cas couldn't help but think of his life before the Winchesters. Sure, it was nice, he led armies, had friends, wasn't banned from heaven... but he wasn't his own person. And that was something he would never give up willingly.

A sudden ringing entered the angel's ears. But this wasn't angel radio, this was something different. His vision became fuzzy in a way he had never experienced before, and he fell to the ground. The barely visible outline of a man standing above him was the last thing Castiel saw before the world went black.