CHAPTER 4

Title: Cracking Bones

I'm glad you guys are liking this so far. Your reviews have been great.

Two hours had gone by since Brennan and Parker were locked in a small room of the basement. She tried to remain calm for Parker's sake, but truth was she was beginning to feel like a caged animal. Pacing restlessly, she cursed under her breath. What were they planning? If Hal's intentions were to kill them, they would have done so already. Maybe they were planning on death by boredom, she thought glumly.

"Dr. Bones?" Parker's asked slightly unsteady. The boy had barely spoken a word since they arrived.

"Hey, there's no need for formality." She told him, "just call me Bones."

"Like daddy?"

She smiled at him. "Yes. Just like daddy does." Closing the distance between them, she knelt down in front of the small cot, where he sat. "Now what is it you wanted to ask me?"

Parked hesitated for an instance, "are we going to die, Bones?" Temperance closed her eyes, fighting back the tears.

"No, baby." She whispered, taking him into her arms. "You're not going to die." She held him against her, and rubbed his back. His arms wrapped around her without hesitance. The unconditional trust he gave her was nearly her undoing.

Please… she silently prayed, to the God she never believed in. Protect this child. Help me to keep my promise.

Temperance froze, when she heard the door unlock. Pushing Parker gently behind her, she stood. Frank came through the door first, followed by Hal. Each had their guns drawn. Brennan felt her heart pounding against her chest. So this is it…

"Come over here, kid." Frank said, addressing Parker. As the boy began to rise, Temperance pushed him back down.

"What do you want with him?" She asked icily.

"That's none of your damn business. Now get the hell out of the way." He took a menacing step toward her.

Temperance stood her ground. "He doesn't go anywhere without me."

"I make the rules bitch!" The man shouted.

"Actually, I am fairly certain that he makes the rules." She said, pointing to Hal. She watched with satisfaction, as Hal's eyes widened at her insight.

Obviously she struck a sore spot with Frank, because the next thing she knew, his fist was smashing into her face. Purely out of reflex, Brennan's fist shot out catching him square in the nose. She felt immense pleasure, as the man held his bleeding nose, cursing profusely. It actually made her throbbing cheek feel a little better.

"Are you crazy?" He yelled, waving his gun in the air. "I have a damn gun, for Christ's sake."

Temperance eyed him coolly. "I don't care if you have a whole fucking arsenal, don't hit me."

The angry man began to advance on her, when Hal interrupted. "Enough!" He yelled, then turned to Frank. "Now is not the time to get into a pissing contest." He shook his head with disgust. "Just take the woman."

"But Hal…"

"I said take the damn woman!" Frank grabbed Brennan's arm roughly and began dragging her toward the door.

"Bones!" Parker cried, running at them. He threw himself at Frank, and sunk his teeth into the man's leg. Letting out a cry of pain, Frank kicked at the boy. Parker fell back, landing on his butt. As the bastard raised his hand to strike Parker, Brennan caught his arm mid swing, and flipped him onto his back.

"God damn it, this is ridiculous." Hal muttered, grabbing Temperance, he shoved her out the door. Then turned to Frank, who lay on the ground, momentarily stunned. "Get your sorry ass up. We don't have time for this shit."

Once they were upstairs, Hal threw Brennan to the ground roughly. "Listen up, Doc. You pull that shit again, and I will personally shoot that kid." He leaned down, until his face was inches from her own. "Do we understand each other?"

"Perfectly." She spat.

"Good." He threw a cell phone at her. "Now call Booth."


Booth paced the lab restlessly. It had been almost five hours since the abduction, and they still had no leads. Hodgins was still working on the dirt sample, it was proving more difficult than they thought. Not only that, but he didn't recognize the face from Angela's drawing. It just didn't make sense.

"Booth, why don't you go back to your apartment?" Cam asked. "I could come with you." That was the last thing he wanted. He knew he wasn't being fair to her, she only wanted to help. But the thought of being alone with Cam right now was more than he could take.

"Look," he said finally, "I'm not going to rest until Parker and Bones are back were they belong. With me." Ignoring the look of pain that crossed her face, he turned his back. He didn't have time to soothe her bruised ego.

Zack cleared his throat, uncomfortable with the tension in the room. He felt only relief when Booth's phone began to ring, breaking the silence.

"Agent Booth." He barked.

"Booth?"

The Agent nearly dropped his phone, when he heard her voice. "Bones? Oh God…" he squeezed his eyes shut, as tears threatened to overwhelm. "Are you hurt? How is Parker?"

"Parker is unharmed," she told him quietly. Booth noticed that she didn't answer his first question.

"Bones, where are you?" He asked. Why is she calling me? Did she escape? As Booth waited for an answer, he a loud crack, followed by a pain filled scream. Oh God…

"Bones? Bones!"

"Hello Seeley," a man's voice came through the line.

"Who is this? What did you do to her?" Booth shouted.

The man on the other end of the phone chuckled. "You never change, do you? Always the hero."

Booth's mind raced with this information. The son of a bitch obviously knew him, why couldn't he recognize the voice?

"Oh, and don't bother trying to trace this phone call. Got me one of those fancy untraceable ones. Cost me an arm and a leg."

"You listen to me," Booth growled.

"No you listen. I make the rules here. You abide. That is the way this is gonna work. I want 10 million dollars. I'll call you back in five days, and if you don't have the money… I start sending body parts." With that said, he hung up the phone.

"FUCK!" Booth screamed, whipping his phone at the wall. Turning on his heel, he stormed out of the room.

The squints watched Booth's departure, with a mixture of sadness and fear. The Agent never lost his cool; it was a terrifying thing to witness.

Angela dropped to her knees, body racking with sobs. She couldn't lose Brennan, she just couldn't. Hodgins leaned over and wrapped her in a comforting embrace. "She'll be alright, Ange." He whispered.


Temperance lay on the ground, clutching her broken ribs. She had been engrossed at the sound of Booth's voice; she never even saw the pipe coming. It had been part of Hal's plan all along. To prove to Booth that he was serious. After he was done reciting his unrealistic demands, Frank carried her down the stairs and tossed her back in the room. She landed with a painful thud.

"Bones?" She felt a small hand brush her hair back. Opening her eyes, she saw Parker kneeling down beside her. Moved by his tenderness, she opened her arms to him. The boy nestled himself in the crook of her arm. That was how they stayed for the rest of the night. Neither of them sleeping, just taking comfort in one another's embrace.

That's all for now. I'll try to update tomorrow. Weekends are kind of hectic for me. Any way, you know the drill. Please review.