Taking some of the advise from my reviews, I've tried to pace this chapter a bit better and included more of the characters thoughts. I hope you like it
"Are you sure you're alright here Bones?" Booth asks as he hovers near the door to her apartment after dropping her off from the hospital.
"I'm fine Booth." Brennan insists with a smile. She feels a little insecure being in the same place that Evan Mitchell, or Walter Rifkin, attacked her, but she has a strange need to prove to Booth that she's not vulnerable and can handle the situation herself.
"Okay, well…" Booth starts to move towards the door. "Call me if you need anything."
"Sure." Brennan nods.
"Right, I guess I'll see you back at work in a few days then." Booth opens the door and steps out into the hall. Brennan nods and gives him a smile to assure him she's fine. He finally leaves and Brennan sighs heavily. Looking around her apartment she can see that Angela and Hodgins did a good job cleaning up. She can't see where she bled onto the floors and the mess from the fight in her bedroom has been cleared too. Brennan spends some time unpacking her bag and then takes a quick shower. After re-dressing her stitches, Brennan walks to the couch and eases her aching body down. Flicking on the television she only bought recently after Booth ridiculed her for not having one, Brennan turns to the news to catch up on world events. The news story she comes across catches her interest.
"Police are hunting a group of convicts who escaped from a prison transport vehicle three hours ago. The vehicle was transporting the men to court when, in the warehouse district, prison guards were overpowered and the men escaped." Brennan stares at the screen as pictures of the men flash up and her heart begins to pound when she sees one all too familiar face on her screen. Walter.
Recovering from the initial shock, Brennan reaches for her phone and frantically punches in Booth cell phone number. He seems to take forever to answer.
"Bones? Need something already?" he asks, surprised to hear from her so soon. He's only just turned onto his street.
"He escaped." She states. "I'm watching the news right now and Walter Rifkin escaped a few hours ago." She can hear her own voice becoming frantic.
"Bones, slow down. What?"
"The news, it's on the news Booth." She tells him.
"I'm turning around Bones, just make sure the door is locked and don't open it for anyone but me okay." He says firmly. As he hangs up and swerves the car onto the other side of the road, Booth begins to fume. He can't believe he wasn't told about this. Someone is going to pay.
Booth knocks on Brennan's door. She must have been waiting for him on the other side because the door opens quickly.
"You okay?" Booth reaches out and strokes her arm. "Don't worry Bones, everything is going to be fine." He tries to sound reassuring but he isn't sure he does. Brennan folds her arms under her breasts and drops her head. Behind her Booth closes and locks her apartment door then pulls the chain to secure it. He turns to Brennan and rests his hand on her shoulder.
"I'm going to make a few calls and see if I can find out what's going on. I don't want you to worry Bones. I won't let anything happen to you." Booth leans down to meet her eyes and upon contact he flashes a little smile. "I promise."
Brennan busies herself making coffee as Booth makes a few phone calls. She can hear how mad he is about the situation.
"Why the hell wasn't I told about this sooner?" she hears Booth demand. "You know there's only one thing he's going to do now! Dr Brennan is highly at risk." Brennan shudders at Booth's words. She knows he doesn't mean to scare her but hearing Booth indicate that Walter is coming after her sends ripples of fear through her. Brennan has been in many life threatening situations but none quite like this. Booth turns to face her as he finishes his call and he can tell by her body language that something he said has upset her. Her shoulders are slumped and her head lowered. He's used to seeing her poised and confident.
"Bones?" he asks as he walks over to her. He turns her around by her shoulders but her head remains lowered. She's afraid to let him see the fear in her eyes. "Bones?" Booth lifts her chin with two fingers and forces eye contact.
"I'm sorry Bones. I didn't mean to upset you." He whispers. Brennan averts her gaze and twists away from Booth.
"What's the plan?" she changes the subject. He was getting too close she tells herself.
"I'm waiting for Cullen to call me." He tells her. "It shouldn't be long. We just need to sit tight."
"Right." Brennan crosses the room and turns up the volume on the television. The news is still reporting on the escape. She stands and watches, one hand holding the remote, the other protectively across her stomach. Just as Booth starts across the room to go to her his cell rings and the caller ID identifies Cullen as the caller.
"Sir." Booth answers. He listens as Cullen gives him instructions, nodding occasionally and glances over at Brennan once in a while. She is watching him intently, knowing her life is in the balance. "Okay, I'll check in later." Booth hangs up, sighs and turns to Brennan.
"You need to pack." He sighs.
"Why?" she asks.
"Cullen is putting you into a safe house until Walter is apprehended." Booth explains.
"A safe house?" Brennan asks.
"Yeah, round the clock protection in an undisclosed location." Booth explains.
"I know what a safe house is Booth." Brennan sighs. "Is it really necessary?" she asks. "I mean, he can't get to me if I'm at the lab."
"Bones trust me on this one okay. We don't know what Walter is capable of and the safest thing is for you to be under FBI protection." I don't want Walter getting within a hundred miles of you. Brennan debates what to do in her head for a few moments and realises she doesn't really have a choice.
"Fine." She replies before walking off to her bedroom to pack some clothes. Booth watches her go, his heart aching. He hates that she's in this position and all he wants is to make her safe.
Two hours later Booth pulls up at a suburban house. An FBI agent who identifies himself as Agent Caldwell meets them and escorts the pair into the house where another agent is waiting.
"Dr Brennan, this is Agent Frank." Caldwell introduces a second agent. Brennan shakes his hand and Booth offers a nod of greeting.
"Let me show you around." Agent Frank indicates for Brennan to go with him. Booth nods approval and Brennan reluctantly follows, taking her bag with her. Booth remains with Agent Caldwell to discuss security.
"This is the bedroom." Agent Frank opens a door and shows Brennan a plainly decorated room with a second door leading to a bathroom. "I know it's not much…" he trails off.
"I've lived in worse." Brennan states. After leaving her bag on the bed Brennan follows Frank through the rest of the house. It has a second bedroom with two single beds, a bathroom and kitchen and then they are back in the living room with Booth and Caldwell.
"It's not so bad huh Bones?" Booth smiles. Brennan doesn't reply, she just shrugs and sits down on the couch. "Okay, well I have to go meet with Cullen." Booth stuffs his hands into his pants pockets. "You okay?" he asks.
"Fine, wonderful." Brennan replies sarcastically.
"We'll take care of her." Caldwell assures him.
"I'll check in on you later." Booth tells Brennan before heading out. She is then left alone with the two FBI agents who set about telling her the rules and security measures for her time with them. As they talk all Brennan can think about is how restricted she is. It isn't that she wants to go running around town hitting bars or anything but she has next to no freedom, no time alone and she's being kept from her work at the Jeffersonian.
"Dr Brennan?" Caldwell asks, waiting for an answer to her question of whether she understands.
"Sure, of course." Brennan replies quickly. "I'm going to go lie down." She states, quickly rising to her feet and disappearing down the hall.
Or the next three days Brennan lives and breathes the safe house. Under the watchful eyes of Caldwell and Frank, Brennan eats, sleeps and via her laptop tries to accomplish some work from the lab and write a new chapter or two for her novel. With every passing minute Brennan finds herself becoming more and more claustrophobic. The only bright parts of her days are when Booth comes to check on her. Each visit she hopes he'll bring the news that Walter Rifkin has been taken into custody and she can go home. But each time she is disappointed. His latest visit brought nothing but a Starbucks coffee.
"How much longer is this going to go on?" she asks him and she sits curled up on the couch. Booth, sitting opposite her in the armchair sighs.
"Bones, I really don't know." He says. "Rifkin may be long gone but we can't take that chance without further evidence." Brennan sighs heavily. I know he's right but I'm not sure I can spend another day here.
"How are Caldwell and Frank treating you?"
"Wonderfully." Brennan replies sarcastically. "They're kind enough to give me about five minutes alone a day."
"They're just doing their job Bones." Booth tells her.
"I know but Booth, in all seriousness, I'm going crazy." Brennan uncurls her legs and sits up straight.
"I know this isn't easy Bones, but you have to trust that we're doing this to help you."
"I understand Booth, I'm just not used to being cooped up like this."
"You'll be fine." Booth pats her knee.
Brennan isn't sure what's come over her as she drives down the highway. She has no destination in mind, no plan, no idea what she's doing. She can barely remember leaving the safe house. She just remembers feeling intense claustrophobia and a desperate need to get out. Somehow she picked up the car keys Caldwell left on a table, sneak out a window and drive the dark FBI issue SUV out the drive without being noticed. As pairs of bright headlights flash past her Brennan realises she can't keep driving forever so when she spots a roadside diner she indicates and pulls off the highway, swing the SUV into the deserted parking lot. She sighs heavily, turns off the engine and steps out into the cold night air. A few minutes later she walks in the door of the diner and looks around. She has her choice of tables but picks the one right in the back so she is out of sight. As she walks over a waitress calls to her.
"You want some coffee?"
"Yes, please." Brennan replies. She quickly checks she has some money to pay then carries on to the table. After easing herself into the booth, she leans back and takes a deep breath. I'm free she thinks.
When Booth stops by the safe house that evening with dinner he is in for a shock. "What do you mean she's gone?" Booth demands. Both Caldwell and Frank stand looking ashamed and worried. "How long ago?" Booth sighs.
"A couple of hours." Caldwell tells him. "We have every available man looking for her.
"Why didn't you call me sooner?" Booth asks.
"You were in a meeting." Frank explains.
"And you're sure Walter hasn't got her?"
"Absolutely. No one came near the house." Caldwell tells him. "She snuck out, stole the car."
"We have an APB out on the vehicle." Frank adds.
"Bones." Booth sighs and shakes his head. Sometimes she can be so frustrating. "I'm going to go look for her, I want half hour updates." He instructs.
"Yes Sir." Caldwell replies.
Booth pulls into the parking lot of a roadside diner in desperate need for some coffee. He has been looking for Brennan fruitlessly for hours and with every passing minute he is worrying more; worrying that she's in trouble, that she's fallen into the hands of Walter or worse. When he enters the diner he heads for the counter and orders a strong black coffee. As he rests his back against the counter whilst waiting his eye catches someone in the corner and feelings of both surprise and relief wash over him. Almost hidden in a corner booth is the object of his search. A strange feeling of anger floods over him and he makes his way over.
"Bones, what the hell!" he shouts. Brennan lifts her weary head and rolls her eyes.
"Booth, what are you doing here?" she asks quietly.
"I stopped for coffee because I'm exhausted having been out looking for you for the last four hours." Brennan can clearly hear the anger and frustration in his voice.
"Well you found me." She takes a sip of her near cold coffee and leans back.
"Bones, you can't just walk out of safe house. Do you know how stupid you've been?" he asks. "Walter Rifkin is on the loose and most likely coming after you. You're putting yourself in extreme danger and for what? A bad cup of coffee?" he demands. He is finding it hard to control his anger because he is so desperate not to lose her.
"I'm sorry. You don't need to yell at me." Brennan whispers. Booth's steely face softens and he slides into the seat opposite her.
"I know you are Bones. And I'm sorry I shouted but you had me really worried." He explains. "Why'd you leave?" he asks. Brennan shrugs and fiddles with her coffee cup.
"I was going crazy there Booth. It's been three days and Walter is nowhere to be found. Maybe he's gone."
"We can't take that chance Bones." I won't take that chance.
"Tell me that when you've spent three days cooped up in a house with two FBI agents monitoring your every move. I just needed some space." Brennan sighs. To her surprise Booth reaches out and takes her hands in his.
"Bones." She looks up and meets his eyes. "I know this is hard but it's for your own safety. I don't want to lose you." He tells her. He tightens his hold on her hands and stares into her eyes. "I need you to trust me, okay?"
"I trust you." Brennan tells him.
"Good, then you know I'm not doing this just to irritate you." He finally lets go of her hands and quickly stands up. "Come on Bones, we need to get back." he holds out his hand and Brennan grasps it as she stands up. As they move away from the table, Booth wraps his arm around her and guides her to the exit. She finds herself leaning into him, the stress of the last few days really catching up to her.
Outside in the cold night Booth walks Brennan over to his SUV.
"Damn, I forgot my coffee." Booth sighs. "Stay in the car okay." He instructs. Brennan slips inside and closes the door as Booth jogs back over to the diner.
As Brennan waits for Booth she fiddles with the radio but jumps when she hears a tap on the window. When she turns around her eyes widen with fear as she sees Walter Rifkin waving at her with a crazed look in his eyes. She tries to get the door locked but Walter yanks open the door before she can. Brennan tries to fight him off but Walter forces a white handkerchief over her face and as Brennan inhales the fumes she knows she is being knocked out with chloroform. Booth, help me! Is all she can think as Walter drags her from the SUV.
The waitress has Booth's coffee ready and as he waits for change he glances out into the parking lot. The cup of coffee falls from his hand as he sees a terrifying scene unfolding before him; Brennan being thrown into the back of a black van. He runs out of the diner with his gun drawn and takes several shots at the van. But the van screeches out of the lot undamaged, with Brennan inside. Booth quickly leaps into his SUV and tears out of the lot to follow the van. As he drives he pulls out his cell and calls the FBI.
"This is Agent Booth." He states. "We have a situation here." Booth goes on to explain his location, the description of the van and the direction is headed in. His heart pounds as he thinks about what is happening to Brennan and how this is all his fault. I never should have left her in the car alone he thinks. What was I thinking?
Brennan wakes with a thumping headache and stinging eyes. As she adjusts to the dim lighting in her surroundings she recalls what happened to her and her breathing starts to become more rapid. Sitting up and feeling around, Brennan realises she is on a mattress with her left wrist handcuffed to a long chain which is secured to a wall. Panic sets in and Brennan jumps to her feet and starts yanking on the chain and trying to pull it off her wrist. Suddenly the lights go on and Brennan can see the whole miserable room. Then she hears a voice.
"It's pointless doing that." The voice is that of Walter Rifkin.
"Why are you doing this?" Brennan shouts into the room, not sure where Walter is.
"Because we're meant to be together but you just don't realise it yet." Walter says. "I left dinner for you by the door." He tells her. Brennan looks to the door and sees a jug of water and a plate of food on the floor a foot or so in from the heavy wooden door. "You'll need to eat to keep your strength up. We have a lot to do."
"I'm not doing anything with you!" Brennan shouts as she continues to yank on the chain.
"You'll come around. We just need some time together." Walter says, ignoring her agitated state. "You'll learn to love me as much as I love you."
As soon as the call comes through, the FBI shifts into overdrive. All available agents are called in and a massive manhunt begins. All avenues to investigation are taken and Cullen has sworn not to stop until Brennan is found. Booth is somewhat surprised at how Cullen has responded to this situation. He knows his boss wouldn't give up on someone but this type of response is usually reserved for situations when FBI agents are in trouble. It proves to Booth that despite his initial reservations, Cullen knows how important Brennan is. Booth sits at the back of the room while a briefing takes place. Agent Fielding advises the agents in the room that since Rifkin is on the run and didn't have much time to plan, he's bound to need supplies like food and water. So Rifkins' picture is circulated all over the city in the hopes that someone will recognise him having come into their store.
Booth knows he has to go tell the squints, Brennan's real family, about what's happened. He's dreading it because they've all been worried about her since this whole thing began. When he walks into the lab he knows his presence gives away that something is wrong. Angela, intuitive as always, picks up on it at first. She puts down her sketch pad and walks down the steps from the platform to meet him.
"Booth?" she asks. "Something's wrong, isn't it." She asks.
"Ang." Booth sighs.
"Booth." She pleads.
"What's going on?" Hodgins asks as he and Zach walk over to meet the two.
"Something happened to Brennan didn't it?"
"Booth?" Hodgins asks. Booth sucks in a deep breath.
"Rifkin has her." He states.
"What?" Angela looks distraught. "How?"
"She uh, Bones left the safe house and…"
"What do you mean she left the safe house?" Angela interrupts.
"It doesn't matter." Booth says. "I went to pick her up from a diner but Rifkin snatched her from the car."
"Where were you?" Hodgins demands. Booth looks remorseful as he reluctantly tells them he was in the diner.
"You left her alone!" Hodgins seems to be very angry.
"She left the safe house!" Booth argues back.
"But you left her in the car alone, this is your fault Booth." Hodgins shouts.
"Guys, please." Angela begs.
"No Ang, he has to know. Ever since he started taking Brennan out in the field bad things have been happening." Hodgins turns to Angela.
"This has nothing to do with Brennan's work in the field Jack." Angela says, somewhat tearful.
"Um Agent Booth." Zach pipes up. Booth turns to the youngster. "Is there anything we can do?" he asks. Booth is genuinely heartened by Zach's offer.
"No Zach, not right now." He pats Zach's arm. "Look, I need to get back to headquarters. I'll call as soon as I know anything." Angela nods but Hodgins just looks mad. I can't blame him. This is my fault.
Brennan begins pacing her prison cell, seeing how far the chain lets her walk. She can circle the room but she is stopped short of reaching the door. Not surprising she thinks. She sits down in front of the food and water and contemplates whether to drink or eat. She is starving and her mouth feels like rough sandpaper but she worries that Rifkin has put something in the water or in the food that will knock her out. She is terrified of not knowing what's going on in case he does something to hurt her. One of the worst things about my job is I see the worst case scenario all the time she thinks. I know what psychos like this do. After an hour or so, she isn't sure how much time is passing, she relents and takes a sip of water, then another. She only drinks enough to salivate her mouth, knowing that if something has been put in the water she won't get the full effect of it if she only takes a little. The food she pushes aside and decides not to try.
"Temperance, don't you like what I made for you?" Walter's voice echoes in the room.
"I'm not hungry." She states.
"Sure you are, you haven't eaten in a long time." He replies. "Try a little."
"No." Brennan replies defiantly.
"Fine, but you'll need to eat something soon. You of all people know that you can't stop eating and survive." I can go three weeks without food Brennan thinks. But only three days without water she reminds herself. She knows if she's held here longer she'll need to drink more water. But Booth will find me before then, I know he will she assures herself. He's never let her down in the past and she doesn't believe he'll let her down again.
For Booth, the next three days blur together as lead after lead pans out to nothing. Despite having all available agents on the case, almost no progress has been made. Booth has spent the last eleven hours scouring security footage from the various cameras in the vicinity of the diner again but so far nothing has turned up any clues. Just like the first time he went over the footage. Booth is beginning to lose hope and after another day of unsuccessful work he finds himself drawn back to the Jeffersonian. He feels like he needs to be close to what Brennan represents, what her life was…is about. His only worry is how he will be greeted this time. He has nothing new to give them and he knows how desperate they all are to find their friend. As he walks into the lab he feels all eyes turn to him. Up on the platform he spots Hodgins. Booth meekly walks forward and Hodgins walks down to meet him.
"Hey man." Hodgins offers a friendly greeting. Booth nods and stands awkwardly, his hands in his overcoat pockets. "Listen, I'm sorry about the other day man." Hodgins says. "I was out of order."
"It's cool. We're all worried." The two shake hands before Booth leaves to go to Brennan's office. He wants to be around her things, it keeps her alive to him.
As Booth sits on the couch in Brennan's empty office Angela watches and feels deeply for him. It's been four days since Brennan was snatched from the parking lot of the diner and she knows Booth is blaming himself. His appearance tells him he hasn't slept, probably since Brennan was taken.
"Hey Booth." She says tentatively from the doorway.
"Angela, hi." Booth replies.
"No news?" she asks as she walks over to sit next to him. Booth shakes his head.
"This is all my fault." He says. "I promised I wouldn't let him hurt her."
"Booth, you can't blame yourself." Angela rests her hand on his shoulder.
"I left her alone in the car." He says.
"Booth, the only person to blame here is Walter Rifkin."
"It's been four days Angela." Booth reminds her. Both know that statistically, the longer a person is missing, the more likely are the chances of them not returning.
"But its Brennan we're talking about." Angela sniffs back the tears. "She can kick anyone's ass." She tries to smile but deep down she knows time is running out, if it hasn't already. "She's going to be fine." Angela states. "She's going to be fine." She repeats before the tears come. Booth quickly folds Angela into his arms and hugs her tightly.
"I know." He says into her hair. "I know."
Brennan has no idea how long she's now been locked in this basement. There are no windows to show her sunlight so she can't even tell if it's day or night. Walter has been leaving fresh water and food in the morning and evening for her but she never sees him so he must be coming in when she's sleeping. Not that she's getting much of that. It's only because of tiredness and weakness from lack of eating that she sleeps at all. If she had her way she'd be awake all the time.
What hits her worst is the long periods of silence. These drive Brennan to the brink of insanity but when Walter does talk to her Brennan feels intense fear. He is clearly psychotic which means his actions are unpredictable and Brennan doesn't know how long she has before he makes his next move. I want to go home Brennan thinks over and over. I want to see my friends again. I want to see Booth again. She finds her thoughts turning to her partner repeatedly. At times she feels angry with him. He promised he wouldn't let anything happen to her but he went back into the diner for coffee leaving her alone and letting Walter snatch her. But she knows it isn't really his fault. In fact, if she hadn't left the safe house, this never would have happened. It's entirely my fault. My stupid independence let this happen. She finds herself in tears a lot, crying over her situation, the pain she feels from the chain on her wrist, and the thought that she might not get out of here alive.
Dum Dum Dum...What will happen to our heroine. Find out in the next and final chapter