A/N I am back! My apologies for the terrible posting times but I needed to focus on graduating. I have now completed my degree and therefore hope that I can update more regularly. Thank you to all who have read and reviewed previous chapters. This chapter is for you!
Bones was sitting in her office examining the X-Rays she had taken of the victim, hoping to catch something she had previously missed. It was becoming clear though that the thorough examination from yesterday was all that was going to be yielded from the body.
Booth was standing at the office door holding a club sandwich, "I got you lunch."
She did not really need an excuse to see him but bringing lunch was always a plus in her book. They were enjoying a quiet lunch discussing a new training regime. They had both found that since their abilities were unbounded they were becoming more restless and sparring was a good way to burn some of the extra energy.
Hearing a knock at the door she looked up to see Hodgin's standing there, grinning broadly holding a Scottish dirk. Booth looking a little worried took it off him, resisting the urge to give it a little flourish.
Booth seeing the mischievous twinkle in his partners could tell that she was aware of his desire. It was especially annoying because as an anthropologist; one with a knowledge of arcane weaponry she could do it without raising too many eyebrows.
"What you got for us Hodgins?" Booth asked, wiping his chin of sauce.
"Our killer was using a rare antique sword like this one."
Bones raised an eyebrow, "How rare?"
"I know of three in the area. This one, which was in the collection, one which is in Sotheby's vault and one is in a private owner's collection."
Booth was more alert now, as Hodgin's continued, "Well I gave the information to your colleagues and they should have a name for you."
Booth smirked and willingly indulged the scientist, "Your King of the Lab."
The title was only honouree but Wendell, Zach and Hodgins enjoyed actively competing for the title. Bones had waited until all the others had left, "I could never say this outside these walls but there is a supernatural connection. Not legitimate but people who want to dabble would make the mistake."
Booth looked curiously, "How do you figure?"
"The sword, the particles and the marks Cam found in the autopsy point to a sloppy ritual."
Booth raised an eyebrow at that, "Do you think it is what we were warned about?"
Bones shrugged, "Nope, I recognised the ritual from something Giles had talked about. The ritual is there but if they've done what I would expect then it wouldn't raise a demon."
Booth took the book and started to read it; if anyone had walked into the office he would have had a little to explain as it was in Dark Latin. From his brief glance of the ritual, he agreed with her assessment. Their lunch was interrupted by an excited Sweets, Booth rolled his eyes, "Will we get to eat one meal without being interrupted?"
She gave a delicate shrug, "It doesn't appear the odds are favourable."
Sweets barrelled on unconcerned, "I have your profile. He is a young man, late twenties-early thirties, educated but can't quite hold down a job. He is looking for ways to gain control and he'd be willing to try unconventional methods to achieve it."
Booth shared an amused look with his partner. He was honest enough to admit that every now and then again he enjoyed baiting the psychiatrist, "Like devil worship."
Sweets nodded, a little surprised, "Yes well obviously it will not work but he will have knowledge of the occult."
Temperance was desperately trying to keep an innocent face, after all, she should not enjoy teasing, "He's done more than that, I've found the supposed ritual."
It was a little odd for Booth and Bones, in their jobs they would have to be objective even though they knew it existed. Sweets must have picked up something in her tone, "Do you accept the Supernatural Dr Brennan?"
She was careful to frame her answer in a scientific answer, "As a scientist I have no proof and therefore I can neither accept nor reject it. However anthropologically, tales of the supernatural cross many cultures and the majority of tales have some basis in reality."
It was clear that the rational argument had struck a chord with the psychiatrist; he looked at the book, "Is this Latin? It's unfamiliar."
"A variant, scholars know it as Dark Latin."
Sweets left looking a little dazed not sure what confused him more. Booth left a minute later, reluctant but he knew he had to back to the office to work on the case.
Temperance was left in her office alone; she looked closely at the weapon. It was old and well made, as gave it an experimental twirl she could feel it was beautifully balanced. It was too bad that it was so heavy it was not as if she could use it without raising a few eyebrows.
She examined it closely and made notes on anything useful; reluctantly she left to return it to the collection.
Her intention had been simply to go up to the collection and return the sword to its missing plinth. There was just the small matter psycho standing in front of it demanding the sword. The guards would have maybe dismissed the threat, however, the average looking man had taken a woman hostage; threatening her life with a long sharp blade.
Bones took stock of the situation, ensuring that she kept the weapon out of sight. Secondly, Bones dialled Booth's number on her cell but leave it in her pocket so he could hear the conversation.
She had no real way of hiding the sword, so she stood behind the column knowing that for the moment that it would obscure the weapon. It was becoming clear that someone needed to take control of the situation, the man was becoming more desperate. The blade was close to nicking the woman's throat, "I need the sword, it won't work without it."
Bones rolled her eyes; it was bad enough that he was a murdering psycho but to be a whining, murdering psycho was just plain unbecoming. Remembering to keep the blade hidden she stepped forward and hoped Booth would not yell too much, "What seems to be the problem?"
