Chapter 3

Michael Vincent sat on the edge of the vinyl seat, impatiently bouncing up and down a bit while watching out the window as the school bus slowed to a stop at his friend's corner. After much discussion among their parents, finally this semester, he and Christine were allowed to ride the school bus in the mornings. One of the adults still came from the Jeffersonian to pick them up after school, and they spent the afternoon in the lab's Young Scientist after school program , or doing homework together in Angela's office. They had been required to spend a few boring afternoons at the Jeffersonian day care center, playing with the little kids, when all of their folks were out of the lab for an investigation, but thankfully, those times had been infrequent. Both children considered themselves too old for day care, despite what their parents might think!

He craned his neck to see Christine board the bus, and waved to catch her attention. He was nearly always able to save her a seat next to him, and grinned expectantly as she hurried down the aisle toward him. "What did your mom say about camp?" he asked.

Christine's smile faded. "She is concerned about my safety and the caves. My dad said she had some bad experiences when she was younger in a cave or something, and she wants us closer to home than Ohio. My Grandpa Max used to live there. All I know is they want to check out some other camps. You know how my mom is, nothing is ever easy, she always has to check out every angle before she decides anything. Daddy says she does it because she cares about me and him so much, but sometimes I wish she could just let me go for it!"

"Well, if going to a different camp is what it takes for them to let us go together, then we'll just find another one," Michael said generously. "Spending the summer with you will be great fun, it doesn't matter where we are, does it?"

Christine smiled at her best friend. "You're right about that, Michael."

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Brennan leaned into Angela's office and spoke softly to her friend, "Do you have a moment, Angela?"

"Sure, sweetie, whatcha' need?" the artist asked, turning in her chair to look at Brennan, whom she noted looked very tired and wan for this early in the morning.

"It's this camp idea the kids came up with. Michael Vincent's insect sessions will be fascinating, I'm sure, but Christine wants to sign up for the spelunking and cave exploration segment of the camp, and I'm concerned about her safety. I do want her to have a good time, but she is so daring, who knows how far she'd venture into a cave passage, and I worry she'll get separated from the guides and wedged in a tight spot. I dreamed that happened and the thought kept me awake for several hours last night. I know Booth thinks I'm overreacting, but Hodgins understands about my fear of confinement. I CAN'T tell Christine about my foster experiences or the Gravedigger's crimes! But it makes my intestines clinch up at the thought of her prowling through a cramped cave! And the idea of the two of them being in the area of Ohio where my parents' bank heist gang operated is even more appalling. Hodgins said there are camps in Pennsylvania, but as you know, that's where my mother's body was found buried, and in West Virginia, but that's where Hugh Kennedy and Melvin Gallagher operated and they tortured Booth with a red-hot screwdriver. So how are our kids supposed to be safe in those places either?odHo" Brennan fretted.

"Sweetie, Jack found a three-week residential camp in Washington County at Howell Caves near Hagerstown and Antietam National Battlefield, sponsored by the Naval Academy, which offers excellent security and a variety of overnight excursions to various natural and wildlife locations in Maryland and Virginia. It is attended by military officers' and diplomats' children whose safety is harder to insure than for more anonymous children, so it seems perfect for our kids. They employ off-duty Navy SEALS as counselors for the small groups they take on these trips. The guys are low-key but well-trained to handle protecting their campers, if a threatening situation arises. They don't call attention to their extra scrutiny of the kids' surroundings, and relate well to children eager for adventure," Angela explained.

"Ange, you sound like a travel brochure, but the extra precautions taken by this camp do sound thorough and acceptable. Do they offer any opportunity to visit the camp or meet with the staff before we reserve a spot?" Brennan asked. "If I let Christine go somewhere we haven't checked out, Max is likely to show up unannounced and become an unofficial camp observer, and that would embarrass Christine greatly." the scientist remarked wryly. "My dad's precautions for Christine's safety would make me appear careless."

"I'll let Jack know you and Booth are interested in joining us for a tour," Angela offered.

"That sounds fine. I suspect we need to do it before the kids get impatient and make their own arrangements for summer camp!" Brennan remarked.

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The next morning, Christine literally bounced down the aisle of the school bus. "Michael, my mom says your dad found a camp she likes. They're gonna go check it out this weekend!"

"That sounds more like it, huh? This is gonna be a great summer, Chrissy!" Michael exclaimed happily. "What are you writing your science report about for next week?"