Chapter 2
In 2011, Seeley Booth received a letter from Walter Reed Military Hospital requesting his participation in a research study. A biomedical scientist there was examining the comparative efficacy of two different reconstructive surgical techniques of mid-foot fracture repair, by studying patients' long-term recovery results obtained from plates and screws vs Kirschner wires. In 1991, Booth's falaqua-injured feet had been reconstructed using K-wires open reduction with internal fixation. Now, 20 years later, the Walter Reed medical staff wanted input about his real life experiences, compared to other veterans.
Booth hated discussing his capture and torture. After ripping the envelope open in the privacy of his man cave, he scanned the letter, scowled darkly, crumpled it vigorously and tossed it across the room in frustration. Upset by the dark memories, he failed to notice missing the trash can.
Several evenings later as the couple retired, Brennan delicately raised what she knew would be a touchy subject. She extracted the wrinkled letter from her nightstand drawer, and gently touched her husband's shoulder.
"Booth, I know you dislike recalling that period in your life, but I feel your testimony about your experiences since the Gulf War could dramatically benefit other veterans, as well as civilians hurt in traffic collisions and other people suffering long bone metatarsal displacement injuries."
Booth sighed, knowing his bone-wise spouse would gently present evidence, logical arguments and persuasive pressure until he agreed to participate. But on this, he resolved to hold fast.
"I'm well aware that sharing personal information is anathema to you, but you've dealt with foot pain upon standing each morning of the last two decades, and perhaps they've learned something in that time which could help you. Physical therapy can ease pain and stiffness, as you're well aware. Booth. Some newly-developed exercise protocol might exist to offer you beneficial relief even now.
Silence from her mate.
She dropped the subject for a few days, then tried again.
"Did you even read the letter from Walter Reed all the way through? Did you notice the departmental medical staff, research personnel, and faculty members from universities in the DC area who are working on this study? There's a name on page six I believe you would recognize if you hadn't rejected this letter out of hand."
"Good use of a colloquial phrase, Bones," Booth remarked, kissing his wife. "But I'm still not talking to anyone about that experience.."
"Look, Booth," she persisted, handing him the letter folded with page 6 on top, indicating an enumeration of scholars involved in the study.
Reluctantly Booth took the thick sheath of papers and read down the list of names, until he stopped where she had pointed.
"Oh. My. Goodness…. Donovan Decker? Is that a blast from our ancient past or what?" He stared in a amazement at the name listed in the brochure.
"We handled that case the first year we were partners, Booth. Remember using his father's code word, "paladin" to reassure the boy, and Cullen saying that the name fit you?"
"That boy lost his finger from the barbarism of mercenary private security thugs," Booth remembered sadly. "How old would he be now? 28 or so? Somethin' tells me he's gonna be surprised to see us…"
"Okay, Bones, you win. I guess I'm in regardless of how I feel. Why do you 'spose Donovan Decker became involved with a project like this?"
"Probably because he was inspired by the paladin who rescued him all those years ago, Seeley Booth," murmured Brennan softly, kissing her husband.
Several weeks later, Booth and Brennan walked into a conference room at the massive Army medical complex where he'd been treated two decades earlier. Booth still wasn't comfortable divulging his personal experiences, but realized that Brennan was correct; his testimony could help others with injuries like his.
His doctors, surgeons, and physical therapists had restored his ability to walk, as they'd promised. He'd never been pain-free since then, but felt blessed to be ambulatory, and grateful for their dedicated efforts. His old Army friend Judge Hank Luttrell was wheelchair-bound, yet led a full life serving others in the law.
The senior bio-medical engineering researcher on the veteran study, Dr. Donovan Decker was indeed surprised, pleased, and gratified to see the FBI agent again. He told Booth and Brennan that they were in fact the inspiration for his life's work; giving something back to improve the lives of other amputees.
"Losing my finger was painful, but nothing compared to the injuries suffered by some of the patients we treat," he declared. Before his assistant began recording Booth's testimony, Decker intervened and instructed the student that he would conduct this particular interview himself. As they talked, he related the events of the intervening years….
ooooooooooo
Once eight-year-old Donovan had been rescued by Agent Booth and the FBI SWAT team, his father willingly testified before the grand jury investigating government claims that KBC Systems had supplied sub-standard military flak jackets, confirming that the contractor rejected his penetration calculations as too cautious, and modified their body armor design to reduce costs. The KBC principals were indicted, fined and imprisoned for causing the combat death of 30 soldiers during a siege in Fallujah, Iraq.
Carl took his son home to rebuild their life without Polina, but their house held too many memories, so they moved to College Park, Maryland where the scientist joined the University of Maryland research mathematics faculty. Having inherited his father's analytical mind, Donovan excelled in science and math during high school.
Due to the loss of his finger while kidnapped, the boy became interested in prosthetics and won a national science fair competition by designing a rudimentary artificial pediatric hand. Attending Cornell University on a National Science Foundation scholarship, he completed a Ph.D. in bio-medical engineering by the age of 22, and dedicated himself to developing 3-D brain-controlled prosthetic limbs for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans at Walter Reed. He especially focused on the intricacies of artificial hand design, far more delicate and complex than prosthetics for the larger human limbs.
His father Carl had taught at UMd-College Park for 20 years, and would soon retire as a faculty member. But the older man had no intentions of becoming idle. He'd been offered a consulting position at Walter Reed, as part of his son's research efforts.
Donovan thanked the partners profusely for saving his life, and likely that of his father, and extended an invitation to visit his dad in the near future, as he also wanted to see them again.
Once the interview process was completed, Booth and Brennan returned to their car, and drove home.
"Well, that didn't turn out nearly as awkward as I'd imagined," Booth admitted. "It was a rather fulfilling afternoon, don't you think, Bones?"
Brennan looked over at him, tears sparkling in her eyes.
"Yes, Booth, it was. Sam Cullen was right all those years ago. Carl Decker's security word does fit. You truly are a paladin."
