Sigh, sorry about the major delays and such. Life is crap-tacular.

This part is kinda boring, but I promise Bones will show up soon. I promise!

Chapter 4

"Boy, being back in the camouflage sure brings back some memories," commented Booth as they headed up the hill. Paterson led the way followed by Booth and Hunter. The others opted to stay behind. Each of the three men carried the same amount of equipment that a modern soldier would have, except they wore heavy jackets to stay warm overnight. Paterson intended for them to test out the night vision equipment also. Paterson mapped out their journey on a GPS system and they were a three-hour walk from the intended site.

The journey was quiet with each man lost in the nature surrounding him. A layer of snow covered the terrain therefore slowing their pace slightly but they made there in three hours nevertheless. Paterson stopped in a clearing near the face of the mountain.

"Joel was out here yesterday placing targets. I own all of this land so there should be no problems with the shooting. Targets are set up at one thousand metres and increments of five hundred until thirty five hundred metres. I highly doubt we'll get to hit that far accurately but with you, who knows with you though." Each man shed their heavy packs and lay them on the snow-covered ground. Immediately Paterson started setting up the tripod while Hunter took out the binoculars for spotting. Booth meandered around the clearing trying to warm up his fingers.

"Booth, come here." The weapon was set up on the ground. "You can calibrate the scope if you need to."

Booth had hit everything up to fifteen hundred metres and went eight five percent up to twenty three hundred. After that Paterson suggested that they move forward a bit as the sun was beginning to set. After packing up their belongings they moved up on a thirty-minute walk to some another clearing. Booth had reset up the weapon and was focusing on the target ahead, which was bathed in an eerie green glow. The temperature had dropped, hovering just above twenty degrees and Booth was thankful for the warm jacket he was wearing. Just as he was about to take his shoot, nature called.

"I gotta go," he murmured quickly. He nearly jumped up and ran into the woods finding a fallen log covered in fungi. As he emptied his bladder, he noticed the faint smell of decay, an odor he had become well accustomed to since working with Brennan. He zipped up and hopped over the log and noticed something sticking out underneath. He squatted and removed a flashlight from the cargo vest he was wearing and shined it beneath the log where, to his dismay, he located a skull. "Damn," he muttered. He sighed and hollered for Paterson.

"What do you want Booth?" bellowed Paterson in return, his voice echoing through the area. "Get caught in your zipper?"

"Very funny, just get over here!" Booth heard snow crunching beneath heavy boots and Paterson appeared with Hunter in tow. Booth gestured to his find beneath the log.

"What the hell?" blurted out Paterson. "Are those human?"

"I've worked with a forensic anthropologist for the past two years. I will never match her intelligence, but that doesn't mean that I won't pick up a thing or two."

"Damn." Paterson shook his head. "This whole area is fenced off; no one in their right mind would come over here, better yet die!"

"Well you have to call the proper authorities, this could be only a suicide, an accidental death or even a murder."

"I do not want the authorities running around my property if they don't have to. Booth, Seeley, things happen." Booth noticed the pleading tone to Paterson's voice and raised an eyebrow. "It was a while back, there was a problem and…"

"Mike I cannot just stand here while remains are here. You have to do something."

Paterson kicked at a rock on the ground and then, as if a light bulb lit above his head, he looked at Booth with a huge smile. "You call you lady friend. I'll pay for her trip and anything she wants, hell I'll pay her for everything that she does out here."

Booth laughed. "She's loaded too buddy. And she doesn't like to be disturbed. But you know what, you can call her and you can ask her. How's that sound?"

"Sounds like a plan," smiled Paterson.

"You have no clue what you are getting in to."

"We'll see. Well I guess we should head back then. Hunter, mark the coordinates on the GPS please."