Chapter One: This Cannot Be What It Looks Like
September 12th, 2016.
9:30 p.m.
Washington D.C.
F.B.I. Headquarters.
The sound of Booth's ringtone echoed in the office, and he reached over to answer the phone,
"Go for Booth." Sealy said as he listened to another's agent's voice over the receiver. "Alright, Bones and I will be there in 30 minutes," he said hanging up the phone. Booth hit number one on his keypad and speed dialed his wife, "Bones, we've been given a new case." Bones spoke from her office, "No, the Jeffersonian is on the way. I'll swing by and pick you up. See you soon." Booth hung up the phone, and grabbed his jacket as he exited the office to go pick up his partner.
September 12th, 2016
10:05 p.m.
Five Miles Outside Washington D.C. City Limits.
The pair pulled up to the crime scene, and got out of their black SUV. Police sirens lit up the open field around them in blue and red lights. About fifteen police officers were already on the scene as they walked up, and ducked under the yellow crime scene tape. Bones noticed the confused look on the officers faces around her as she walked through the crime scene. The pair went over to the officer who was in charge,
"I'm Agent Booth, this is my partner Dr. Temperance Brennan," Sealy said flashing his F.B.I. badge.
"I'm glad the two of you showed up," the officer said in relief. Bones and Booth looked at each other in confusion,
"I don't quite understand why you wanted the F.B.I. on this case," Bones said placing her hands in her coat pockets. "In fact, the details about the murders seem quit vague," Bones admitted. In the car, Booth had said that they would understand why the two of them were called when they arrived.
"We called in the F.B.I., because we have never seen anything like this before." He continued, "I was told that you two had one of the best closure rates in the Bureau, and I didn't think we could solve this on our own." Curiosity flashed across both their faces, as Booth looked over at his partner.
"Why don't you just show us the bodies," Booth said letting Bones take the lead in front of him.
"Alright, this way," the officer turned, and pushed past a small crowd of other cops who made way for the new comers.
As soon as the cops parted for Booth and Brennan to get by, the pair saw what was causing a stir amongst the police at the scene. In the middle of the field was a completely charred body that still had smoke rising off of it.
Brennan stepped closer to the body and kneelt down beside it. The burning on the victim was not like any other case she had worked on previously. There seemed to be no point of origin for the start of the fire on the body. The area around the body was undisturbed, which meant it was moved at some point to this location. Brennan also noted that in this deeply charred state that this body would have fallen apart upon being moved. Which led her to the thought of spontaneous combustion, but she knew logically that this was implausible. Temperance's scientific mind was aware that there had to be a point of origin, it just wasn't obvious with the naked eye.
She stood looking at Booth,
"This is interesting," Brennan confessed.
"Well, this is just the tip of the ice burg," the lead officer stated.
"You mean there is more?" Booth asked. The officer nodded,
"This way."
He took them about fifty yards farther into the middle of the field. Several orange flags stuck out like beacons, making it clear where the next crime scene was. As soon as the long time partners caught sight of the next body, the pair stopped in their tracks upon seeing what lay before them. Like the scene behind them there was a dead body lying in the grass, but with some distinct differences. Unlike like previous body this one was not burned, but was still shocking none the less. The face of this victim was mutilated beyond recognition; all the orifices on his face were closed as if sealed off to keep something out. But, this is not what caught Bones and Booth's full attention. What had both of their attention lay two yards from the outreached hand of the body.
A metal container, about three feet by two feet, was located on the ground at both of their feet. In that container is what Booth and Brennan now realized had all of the officers in a buzz.
Booth took his wife by the elbow and pulled her aside,
"Bones, uh," he looked back at the container, "I know this cannot be what it looks like."
Brennan nodded her head in agreement,
"Well, of course it's not. If you suggested that what is lying on the ground back there is really an…." She was cut off by Booth.
"I know it's not what everyone here thinks it is, but," he paused, "we do have a special division dedicated to this type of case."
"Wait, you do," Bones laughed, "I cannot believe that the F.B.I. would waste resources on a division such as that."
"Actually, the division just re-opened after several years of being shut down," Booth replied.
"Who would want to work these types of cases on a daily basis?" she questioned with a disapproving look.
"Actually, the two agents who worked in the division before it was shut down some years back. For some reason they were asked by an assistant director to come out of hiding and to come back to the F.B.I."
"Out of hiding?" Bones questioned. "Why would they be in hiding?" Booth hesitated before answering. Sealy knew all the rumors that swirled around the two agents that used to work the strange division, and he honestly didn't know what was fact and what was fiction.
"They were both technically fugitives at one point back in the early 2000's. I don't know all the details, but that matter has been cleared up, and they are no longer running from the F.B.I."
"And knowing all of this you want us to work with these people?" Bones said raising an eyebrow.
"They are experts with the para-normal phenomena. Plus," he half smiled, "I've always wanted to go down to the basement."
"The basement?" Brennan shook her head, "Who are these people?"
"Well, they are a little spooky, but I would be lying to you if I said I never thought about working an actual X-File."
"An X-File?" Bones sighed, "Oh, brother."