The lab seemed stuffier than usual, causing everyone to shed their coats and turn on the AC. Angela stood stiffly in front of the Angelatron, waiting for a match. Booth had told her what Christine had been able to say so she could run it through the system. She bit her lip in concentration, Christine was smart, but she really wished she had said something about Michael. Was he alright? Where was he? Was he even alive?

Angela pushed her thoughts to the furthest corners of her mind, something hard for a mother to do when their child is in danger. Brennan stepped into the room cautiously, she was just as worried as everyone else, but if you didn't know her, she would seem fine. Angela turned to face her friend, giving her a sorrowful glance.

Brennan exhaled roughly, "Nothing yet?"

"No, I've run the description through the FBI database as well as all the nearby hospitals. No one has ever heard of, or seen, a man with Christine's description." Angela dropped into a chair tiredly.

"Are you saying Christine was wrong?" Brennan asked.

Angela shook her head, "I'm saying that, without an age, we have no idea who this guy could be."

Brennan stepped in front of the screen, watching faces flicker by every few seconds. She paused, "There's more than one kidnapper, correct?"

Angela met her eyes, "Yeah..."

"So maybe Christine was describing both of her captors."

"Oh," Angela muttered, "Oh! So if we can figure out which physical appearance goes with which person, we can find out who took our kids."

Brennan and Angela shared their first real smile in three hours.


Fabric was pushed into her mouth, making Christine gag at the dusty flavor. Narrowing her eyes at her kidnapper, her arm was broken. When she fell onto the concrete, she had landed on her arm, causing it to fracture. Christine winced against the pain in her arm as she tried to move it. Hopefully her dad had understood what she was talking about, or at least remembered what she had said. If they were to find out who these people were, it was crucial. Christine figured that if they were to ever call her parents again, she wouldn't be put on the phone.

Sturdy fingers pinched her chin, hot breath washed over her face, "Next time you try something like that, you wont just get a broken arm."

The cloth in her mouth kept her from whimpering.


A scream woke Michael up, his cheek digging against gravel in a puddle. No one had turned his chair upright, leaving him on the floor with no way to move. He grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, stretching his fingers out to feel around himself. The floor itself was concrete, most likely washed down from previous uses. His fingers brushed against something indented in the ground, rough holes evenly spaced apart. A drain.

Michael hastily felt for the bump or curve of a screw. In a few seconds, he found what he was looking for. The gritty feel of the turning axis dug into the tips of his fingers, causing him to grin. A harsh light caused his smile to disappear, his hands going back to their original position. He could only make out feet and a pair of legs. Why of all times did they have to check up on him at that moment? At least he might be able to figure out if there was a locking devise on the door. All he would have to do is listen.

The figure hunched over Michael, and gave a cluck of his tongue, "You hear your friend?"

The scream.

"If you try anything like that, we'll kill you."

Michael found his voice, "W-What did she do? Is she alright? Where is Christine?"

"Christine's fine," The way he said her voice... it sounded wrong, "She tried to tell her daddy some things we didn't want her to say."

There was a pause, "What was she screaming about?"

The figure pulled Michael's chair upright, "Use your imagination," and with that he turned to leave.

Michael needed to get back onto the floor, he needed that screw. "Y-You guys are ass holes!"

This caused the figure to pause, but he only gave a chuckle, "You trying to get me mad?"

Michael rolled spit around in his mouth before letting it fly, "Screw you!"

The mass turned around, folding it's arms in disapproval, "I would stop if I were you."

"When I find out who you are, I'm gonna kick your ass!" Michael spat.

Something he said made the man laugh, "You think you can kick my ass?"

Michael continued, "What? You afraid to see if I'm right?"

The silhouette grew closer and placed a hand on the chair back before plunging the other into Michael's stomach. The fist came again, and again, and again. Michael wheezed inbetween hits, cursing himself for doing something so stupid. This guy was holding the chair so it wouldn't go anywhere, he should've just waited until he left to tip it back onto it's side. The final blow was to the side of his head, causing his vision to shake and dim. Michael looked up to see his captor, blood swam in his mouth and dripped down the side of his face. He felt the need to puke, to get rid of whatever was in his stomach.

He spat on the floor, "Cheap shots. If you haven't noticed, I'm a little tied up at the moment. Maybe you can cut me out and we can finish this like real men."

Another laugh, "This kid's good." The laughing stopped, "But not good enough."

Michael watched him walk away, closing the door behind him, a bolt clicked into place. Most likely something on the outside. Even if he did break free, that didn't garantee getting through that first door. And when they found him walking around his cell, what would they do to him? What would they do to Christine? He pursed his lips in consentration, despite the danger and harm he would cause to himself and possibly Christine, he wanted to take that chance. Michael began swinging his weight to the sides of the chair, bracing himself as it finally tipped enough to topple over. His cheek landed roughly in a gritty puddle and his fingers found the same drain. Whatever happened, at least he tried.


Sorry for such a short chapter :p I just wanted you guys to see what happened... and I'm running on spur of the moment ideas. I know how everything's gonna go down later, but I don't know how to get there. :/ Oh well, I'm glad so many people like this :) Thank you for the comments and faves and alerts! (Any spelling mistakes were accidental, I used a computer that doesnt have spelling corrections :/)