Bonds
Summary: Jane and Rigsby get kidnapped. Takes place before episode 3x16.
Rated T. General team fic.
Disclaimer. – They are like little action figures that I don't own, but have the incisive need to play with. CBS owns them and no money is, was, or ever will be made from this.
I don't have a beta. So all mistakes are mine. I tried to keep them to a minimum. I hope.
[Chapter 1]
He was a rock star.
He sang the last note of the hook and took a breath. The vibrations of the drums shook his seat. Each pluck of the bass flowed though him, while he tapped his fingers along the wood grain wheel to keep time. A grin spread across his face. Each guitar riff played lifted his spirits and he was ready to belt out the next set of lyrics.
He was hyped, ready take anything life threw at him.
The windows shook slightly from the vibrations of the Suburban's speakers. He was a rock star, the audience was himself and any vehicle who pulled up next to him at the stop light. It got him some giggles, snickers, and the occasional cheer, but he did not care.
Today was Friday, he had found the forty dollars he thought he lost, a wager won from Cho, and he had enough time to buy the team a fresh box of donuts from his favorite spot. His mouth watered at the thought, and their coffee wasn't half bad either.
Rigsby pulled into parking lot. The only space available was in the middle, providing him no shade from the blazing sun. It was only 8 something and it was already 85 degrees. Meteorologists were predicting record high heat and humidity. He took three steps away from the car and hurried for the bakery, trying to minimize the time between each not air conditioned place to the next. After a baker's dozen and a large coffee were purchased, he weaved between parked cars and parking lot traffic to get back to his vehicle.
It had only been a few minutes and the car was already an oven. Rigsby turned on the engine and let the ac hit him full blast. He sighed in relief. The heat didn't bother him, it was the humidity. His clothes were beginning to cling to him and he hated that feeling.
The band played, and he started another set for the audience as he sped down the I-5. The stereo shuffled the music in his play list from classic rock, to hip hop, to pop. He was about to sing the chorus to one of his favorite songs, when a light gray smoke came through the air conditioner's vents. He cut the band off, and heard a faint grinding sound coming from his car. The agent let out a swear and quickly pulled over to see what the problem was. He made it to the shoulder, then the car sputtered and died.
Rigsby fanned away the smoke that came from under his hood. He poked around the engine a bit, but there didn't seem to be anything wrong there. Looking underneath the car, he found leaking fluid. At first he thought it was water, condensation from the AC, but upon closer inspection it was a different color and had a slight sweet smell to it.
"Antifreeze..."
Rigsby sighed and pounded the car's roof once for good measure. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell as he absentmindedly kicked the gravel that covered the shoulder. The first call he made was for service.
The humidity blanketed him. He took a deep breath and loosened his tie, undid the top buttons on his dress shirt, and wished his hot coffee was iced instead. He snatched a donut from the box and began to chew.
After dialing another number he waited for the person on the other side to pick up. "Boss, it's me. I'm having car trouble. I called a tow truck and I'm waiting for it now. I just got the stupid thing serviced three days ago. I'm sorry. I'll catch a cab-"
"Hey!" A familiar blue Citroen pulled over onto the shoulder behind him. Jane got out of his car and waved. "You're leaking fluid there. You should probably check that."
"I know." Rigsby nodded a greeting and continued to talk on his cell phone. "Yes, that was him. Okay. Yeah. I'll tell him... The boss says you're late and you missed the mandatory meeting. Remember eight o'clock?"
"Tell her that meeting was a waste of time and if I didn't skip it, I wouldn't be able to drive you to work. So, it all works out," Jane smiled. "There's the tow truck."
"Boss, Jane said... Huh. Uh huh. Okay. I'll tell him. Yeah... Exactly how you said it? Uh. Okay. Hold on..." Rigsby pulled the phone from his ear and put his hand over the mic. "The boss says, 'Rigsby's a big boy and can get to work by himself and she was at that meeting with Bertram and she covered for you. so you owe...'"
"Tell Lisbon... Oooo donuts." Jane grabbed one out of the box.
"Someone called for service?" The tow truck driver interrupted. He wiped his hand on his navy colored coveralls before offering it out to the two. "The name is Randal. Hot enough for you fellas?"
"Eh, it could be worse. I could be at a meeting with stuck up bureaucrats telling me what i can and can't do instead of eating donuts. I'm Jane. He's Rigsby."
"The boss says you're an idiot. Also, we caught a case up in Tracy. She said get there quickly, but if you get a speeding ticket the bureau isn't paying for it." Rigsby added after he stuck the phone back in his pocket.
"Case? What are you guys detectives?" Randal asked as he hitched the SUV.
"We're state agents." Jane chuckled at the look Rigsby was giving him. "Okay fine, he's a state agent and I'm a consultant."
"State agents huh? Which agency? DOJ? CHP? Some of my friends are state agents."
"CBI." Rigsby answered proudly.
"California Bureau of Investigations. I have a buddy I served with who works for that agency."
"No kidding? Sorry, excuse me." Rigsby's phone rang again. He paced a few yards in front of the tow truck as he talked on his phone.
"I can fill that out for him." Jane reached for the paperwork that the tow truck driver was holding.
"Sure." the tow truck driver obliged.
"Our single homicide just turned into a double," Rigsby called to Jane.
Jane nodded and handed the clipboard back to the tow truck driver.
"Agent Rigsby, you don't have to follow me to the service station. You guys can get to it. I'll give you a call in a bit and we'll work out all the details," Randal told them.
"Don't I need to fill out some paperwork, or anything?"
"Your friend filled it out."
Jane grinned. "I was trying to save time. You were on the phone with Lisbon."
Rigsby reached for the clipboard and read all the information. Jane had filled it in completely and correctly, right down to the credit card number. He glanced over to Jane who had innocently shrugged.
"It's fine." He handed the clipboard back after signing on the x to authorize service.
Rigsby reached into the back seat and grabbed his over night bag and laptop. Jane on the other hand reached through the front passenger window and grabbed the box of donuts.
Once situated, they sped down the highway more than a couple miles over the speed limit.
"No music?" Rigsby projected over the rushing winds that came through the cars windows.
"Nah. I like to take in the sights and sounds as I drive. Put something in the player if you want."
Rigsby stared in awe. The car had an 8 track player. He hadn't seen one of these since he was young, while riding in his uncle's Cutlass.
"Wow."
"Came with the car."
"You never upgraded to something more recent?"
"My wife would joke about it. I saw no need. There are some cartridges in the glove compartment."
"Cartridges," Rigsby laughed. He grabbed a bright orange one and slapped it into the player.
Rigsby nodded his head to the beat. The rock star now had a back up signer.
They sang together as they sped down the highway. Three songs later the music became distorted, bleeding two different tracks together. Jane reached over and pulled the cartridge out of the player. The magnetic tape began to unravel and spill over onto the floor. He dropped it onto the floor board and left it there.
"Sorry. It tends to do that sometimes. Don't worry about it."
Rigsby reached for the dial and fiddled with the radio for a few minutes until he determined there was nothing worth listening to. Then he remembered about his iPod. He pressed the power button and was greeted by the battery icon. He smacked himself mentally for forgetting to charge the thing.
"Were are you going?" Rigsby looked up from the uncharged device as he felt the car slow down and turn abruptly. "We weren't suppose to get off the highway for another seven exits."
"Just testing a theory."
"What theory?"
"We'll see."
Jane began weaving through traffic and turning randomly at every other light and speeding past every yellow.
"Are we being tailed?"
"We'll see."
When he was finally the first person at the stoplight, Jane just sat there through two light cycles. The motorists behind him threw out angry curses and obscene gestures. Jane smiled and merrily waved at them as each drove past.
"Rigsby, we have a problem." Jane nodded towards the rear view.
There was a black Skylark still sitting there. Two men got out of the car with their guns drawn and headed toward the Citroen.
"I don't think they want to say hello."
TBC