LOVE HEALS 6

Brennen's eyes were dazed as she came to. Her body felt weak but she refused to give up. There would be no way that she would let her captors see her afraid. No way. Or weak. She would not let them see how weak she felt. How much their abuse had gotten to her.

She moved and felt Brainy Smurf in her breast pocket and concentrated on Booth. Booth would find her. He would not give up. He would find her. He would know that something was wrong. He would be able to track her down.

She straightened and James laughed at her. "Feeling brave all of a sudden?"

"You will never see me cry because of you."

"I don't have to. I just have to keep you out of the way for the next week and a half."

"And what about the others? Are you just going to let me go and get them?"

"You'll be their problem then. I'll be gone."

"Some friend you are."

"They know the game. I'm responsible for you now. They're responsible for you later."

"So why not just kill me now?"

"I don't like to kill unless I have to. You are not a have to case yet. And since everyone believes that you are gone visiting friends, helping them out then we don't have a problem."

"And this torture of me?"

"It's fun. It's been a long time. I got away with it once, why not do it again?" He came towards her and leaned in, his scent making her want to throw up. "And again..and again?"

Booth was tired. He hadn't been to sleep in nearly twenty-four hours and going through tapes and waiting for a match, was well, boring to say the least. But he knew that he recognized the man that Bones had unwillingly left with. He just had to wait until he found a match. He was confident that he would find one, sooner, rather than later.

His phone rang, disrupting him from his thoughts on Bones. "Booth."

"Hey it's Angela."

"What's up?"

"Kyle has a cabin that he's invited us all to go to for the weekend. I know you have Parker but Kyle said that it would be alright. Thought it might be fun. What do you say?"

"We'll see."

"Booth, I know that you and Kyle don't exactly get along but--"

"That's his choice not mine Angela. He's the one who hates the FBI and won't tell me why."

"He's a friend of Angela's."

"I know and that's why I've played nice. I'm glad she had someone there."

"Then come with us."

"We'll see. I'm working on a case."

"A case?"

He chuckled at her tone. He knew the squints got bored when there wasn't a case. "Not that kind of case. Missing persons. Got a lead and I'm waiting for a match to come up on the system. It's taking awhile."

"Try narrowing the search."

"I can't narrow it much more. I know I recognize the man who took B-the missing person away but I can't place him. She knew him to but nothing came up with anything in her record."

"Well, if I can be of any help--"

"I'll let you know. And I'll ask Parker about the invite. Tell Kyle thanks."

"I will. Bye Booth."

"Talk to you later Angela." He hung up the phone feeling slightly guilty about not telling Angela that it was Bones who he was looking for. But until he knew who had her, he needed everyone to believe that she was really with friends out of town. He didn't want to tip off her kidnappers.

Sighing, he placed his hands in his face when his computer beeped. He glanced up and murmured, "What the hell?" as he stared at the identification in front of him.