A/N: Another long chapter. Hope you like. And look for something...a little...different at the end.
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The case that I'm tagging along on is really heating up. Although I'm not allowed to go into crime scenes or be there during interviews, Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth keep me as updated as I can be. And during the long hours on the road, I have been able to ask a lot of good questions, and I can tell you honestly, their constant banter has become a source of entertainment for me. I got the opportunity to ask Dr. Brennan about a nickname that Agent Booth calls her. My, I wasn't expecting such a 'Do too/Do not' argument, but it was solved, like all the rest, a quick glance at each other, some unspoken agreement, and then on to something else. And although this next statement will get me into trouble with Dr. Brennan, I must admit I agree with Agent Booth. I can see how the mistake is made. Yes, dear readers, that's all I'm going to say on the subject.
- SB -
Chapter Six-
On the Road Again
Dorms at Clemson University, Anderson South CarolinaBooth made his way through the halls of an all female dorm. Doors stood wide open, and young girls went in and out. Moving boxes, catching up with friends and, Brennan noticed, watching the special agent walk by. Brennan rolled her eyes as a tall girl with long blonde hair batted her lashes at him. Booth offered a few smiles here and there, but never slowed his pace. As he neared the end of the hall, he stopped and turned back to face the lines of girls watching him. He offered they all a wide charm smile. "Hello ladies," he called out, and the girls all became quiet. "Thank you. My name is Special Agent Booth, and this is my partner Dr. Brennan." A murmur went along the hall, but the fell quiet again when he raised his hand. "We just have a few questions to ask you, especially those of you that were here last year."
"What is you want to know, Hunky?" the tall blonde called out.
"Does anybody remember a man hanging around the dorms or campus?"
"You have to be more specific," the blonde said, walking up the hall. "A man like you, Sexy?" Catcalls went up and down the hall.
"What's your name?" Booth asked.
"Jamie," she answered. "Jamie Bennett." She smiled, as she reached out and traced a hand down his tie. "Why don't you and I talk more about this in private?" Jamie's eyes darted to Brennan, who stood with her arms crossed, and then back to Booth. "Just you and me?"
"Well, Ms. Bennett," Booth said, taking her by the waist and removing the hand. "It's Agent Booth. And Dr. Brennan is more than my partner, she's my bodyguard." Brennan quickly scanned her surrounding and noticed a young woman standing not far away to her right, holding a soda can. With lighting speed, a well-placed full round house kick sent the can high in the air and it landed halfway down the hall. Brennan fell back to her previous position- arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "It might be a wise idea to take a few steps back. She gets a little twitchy when people get too close." Jamie did as she was told, suddenly clasping her hands behind her back. Booth stole a glance at Brennan, who looked awfully smug, and then began to talk again. "As I was saying. A man that maybe didn't belong? Or that made you feel creepy?"
"Other than half the boys here?" someone called from the back. Booth offered a small smile.
"Other than that. Somebody you just knew didn't belong?"
"I saw somebody like that," a short girl with brown hair said, stepping forward.
"What's your name, miss?"
"Becky Ford, sir." Becky looked around slightly nervous.
"And what did you see, Becky?"
"Well, sir, at one of the last games last year, football game, that is. I was sitting in the student section of Death Valley, and there was this guy…wearing a red baseball cap. Odd, since everybody was dressed in orange and purple."
"I remember him," somebody else said, coming to stand near Becky. "Sarah Hernley. I wasn't sitting too far away from Becky that game. Dahlia Lundy and I went together. That guy kept looking over at us during the game. I remember that he had the whitest teeth ever. Anyhow, when we got up to go to the restroom, I swear he followed us."
"And what happened?" Booth asked.
"Nothing. We stayed in the restrooms for twenty minutes, just to be careful, and when we came out he was gone. And he never showed back up at his seat."
"Dahlia Lundy is dead," a voice called from the back. All the girls turned their heads to try and find the owner of the voice, but quickly snapped them back to Booth.
"Is that true?" Sarah asked. Booth pinched his lips together and then nodded.
"I'm afraid it is, we're very sorry to have to tell you that."
"How did she die?" Becky asked.
"We're not allowed to discuss that at this time. The investigation is still underway." Booth looked around the hall and then to Brennan. "If any of you remember anything, anything that might be useful, no matter how small, please call me." He pulled two cards from his pocket and handed one to Becky and the other to Sarah. Then he reached out, placed a hand on the small of Brennan's back and led her from the girls.
"Nice moves back there," Booth said, as he held open the doors leading out of the dorm and Brennan moved past him.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she answered, never looking over at him.
"That kung-fu foot work back there. Sending the can down the hall. Really got the girls attention."
"You're the one that said I was your bodyguard," she accused, turning and poking him in his chest.
"Hey," he said, holding up his hands in surrender. "I didn't say it was a bad thing. Kinda thought it was sexy myself." Brennan rolled her eyes, which caused Booth to laugh. His phone went off, and he was still chuckling as he pulled it out. "Booth." Brennan turned from him and continued to the SUV. She leant against it and took in Booth's side of the conversation. Shanelle folded her arms over the window jam and stuck her head out from the back seat.
"How did it go?" the reporter asked. Brennan shrugged.
"Got a little more information," she said, as she watch Booth began to pace. "That's never a good sign." Shanelle glanced at Brennan and then at Booth, just in time to see him run a hand through his hair. The agent pulled the phone away from his ear and snapped it shut.
"Hope neither one of you had hot dates tonight," he said, walking up to the two women.
"Why? What's wrong?"
"They found another body."
"Oh, no," Shanelle said. "Where?"
"Alabama." Booth glanced at his watch. "It's about a five hour drive. Should be there before it gets dark. Come on."
On a road, somewhere northwest of Gadsden, Alabama"I do not, Booth," Brennan argued, her arms crossed over her chest. Booth glanced over at his partner and couldn't hide his smile when he saw her pouting lips.
"You so do too."
"I do not." Shanelle watched the exchange from the back seat of the SUV with amusement. Booth chuckled and turned his attention back to the road.
"Do too." Brennan gave an aggravated sigh.
"Give me one example, Booth," she said, holding up one finger. "One." Booth rubbed his right hand over his chin, and straightened his left, pushing against the steering wheel to crack his back.
"Only one, eh?" Booth teased. "Okay, how about that time when we were at Wong Foo's?" Brennan glared over at him.
"I don't remember anytime at Wong Foo's, or anywhere else, where I acted like you and I were a…a…couple." She spat out the last word causing Booth to frown.
"Geez, Bones, the idea isn't that bad, is it?" Brennan sucked her teeth, and turned away from him. Shanelle smiled at the pair and slowly shook her head.
"When are we going to be at the site?" Brennan asked, never pulling her eyes from the scenery outside her window. Booth glanced at the clock on the radio and then back to the road.
"Another 20 minutes."
"Not a moment to soon," Brennan mumbled.
"So, tell me," Shanelle started, seeing the perfect time for a few more questions. "Are there times when you two can't agree on something?"
"All the time," they answered at the same time and then looked over at each other.
"And what do you do when that happens?"
"Fight," Booth said.
"And threaten," Brennan threw in.
"And then what?"
"Normally find some way to work it out," Brennan told the reporter.
"Even when you two are at the point where you absolutely disagree with each other?" Shanelle watched the pair as they both thought.
"We don't get there often," Booth ventured. "I respect Bones' opinion. It might be different from my own, but we look at things differently."
"Yeah," Brennan picked up. "If we have two different thoughts about the subject, normally we're both right in our own way. We just have to figure out how it fits together." Booth nodded his agreement.
"I see, so who gets their way more often?"
"Oh, Bones, hands down," Booth said.
"I do not."
"Do too."
"I do not." Shanelle rolled her eyes.
"Okay, okay, a different questioned. Tempe, do you like the pet name Agent Booth calls you?"
"Bones?" Brennan questioned. "I hate it."
"You do not," Booth said.
"I think I know if I hate something or not," Brennan snapped. "And I hate it."
"Do not."
"Do too."
"If you hated it so much, you would make me stop using it."
"Would make you," Brennan began. "I've tried to get you to stop. I've told you numerous times to stop calling me Bones."
"Yeah," Booth agreed. "You've tried to get me to stop. You haven't really given it the old Brennan heave ho, have you?"
"I don't know what that means?" Booth smiled over at her.
"It means, that if you were that opposed to the name, you would have beaten me to a bloody mess months ago."
"Would it work if I did that now?" Booth glanced over at Brennan who was offering him a sweet- a dangerously sweet smile.
"I don't think so." Booth pulled off the main road onto a dirt one. "Agent Bryce should be waiting somewhere up this mountain," he said. After a five-minute drive, Booth pulled to a stop behind a row of SUVs and pick up trucks.
"I know," Shanelle said, when Booth looked back at her. "Stay in the car."
"Now you're learning." He let the windows down as he and Brennan got out. After she grabbed her kit, they made their way to the edge of the woods where a young man, maybe mid twenties, stood waiting. Booth automatically stepped closer to Brennan as they walked when he saw the young agent run his eyes up and down his partner.
"Agent Booth?" the young man said.
"That's right."
"I'm Agent Aaron Beltran." Booth shook his hand.
"I thought Agent Bryce was meeting us."
"He's with the body. Told me I was to bring you and your…partner at once." Booth nodded.
"Lead the way." Beltran looked disappointed, but turned and began to lead them through the woods. The walk was short before Booth saw a sight he knew; A shot of white hair blowing in the wind around a dark tan face. "Glen," he called out. The older man turned around and a smile split his face.
"Seeley." Booth moved past Brennan and clasped the man's hand.
"Good to see you old man." Booth smiled over at Brennan as she came to a stop beside him. "I'll like you to meet my partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan. Bones, Agent Glen Bryce." Brennan offered the man a slight smile and shook his hand.
"Nice to finally meet you, Dr. Brennan," Agent Bryce said. "I heard Booth was working with a beauty." Booth noticed Brennan's cheeks go a soft shade of pink.
"So, what do we have?" Booth asked.
"The damnedest thing," Bryce said, turning from the pair. "A hiker found a body just up a ways. Covered in ant bites and bound- hands and legs. I'll take you to her."
"Has she been moved?" Brennan asked, as the body came into view. The ant mound was ten or so a feet away.
"No, ma'am." Brennan sat down her kit, opened it up and pulled out a pair of gloves. She took out her camera and snapped a few pictures and then bent down next to her.
"Looks like she's been here about as long as Lundy." Booth nodded his agreement and stood watching Brennan do her examination.
Hotel in Gadsden, Alabama
Dr. Temperance Brennan sat on her bed in her hotel room. The comforter was pulled off the bed, and laid on the floor. Her knees were drawn up, a pad of paper resting in her lap and her cell phone was pressed to her ear. "What do you mean, you're not coming home?" Angela asked from the other in of the line.
"We're in Alabama," Brennan said.
"What are you doing there? Did you and Booth decide to run away together?" Brennan rolled her eyes.
"Another body's been found, Angela, stay with me."
"Sorry. What do you need us to do?"
"The body is heading to you now. Have Zack do a work up. I need to know how she died, and who she is. Some samples are being sent as well for Hodgins."
"What do you need me to do, sweetie?"
"Keep the boys from killing each other." Angela laughed.
"Did you just make a joke?"
"I assure you it won't happen again."
"Booth is starting to rub off on you," Angela teased.
"He is not," Brennan protested. "Just pass along my instructions and call me when you have something."
"Will do, Boss Lady." Angela smiled and snapped her cell phone shut. Laying it to the side, she glanced down at the picture she was working on. Angela lightly touched her pencil to Brennan's face and finished her lips, giving her friend a small, soft smile. Angela was very happy with how it was turning out. Now, she thought. For Booth.
Back in Hotel, Gadsden, AlabamaBrennan closed her phone and let it drop to the bed. She quickly jotted down something on her paper, and when a knock came to her door, she didn't look up. "Come in, Booth."
"How did you know it was me?" Booth asked, opening the door and stepping over the threshold.
"You're rubbing off on me," she said without thinking. She looked up and found him looking at her with his brows together. "What?"
"I'm rubbing off of you?" Brennan shrugged.
"Angela."
"Ah." Booth sat down on the foot of the bed. "So, you left instructions for the squints?"
"Angela will call as soon as they have something."
"Good. You ready to grab some supper?" Brennan nodded, and sat her notebook aside.
"I'm starving." Booth smiled as he watched her stand from the bed and run a hand over her hair. "What?" she asked, catching Booth's eyes in the mirror that hung over the small dresser.
"Nothing," he answered, standing himself. "Let's go get Dr. Bryant and then food."
Next day, Hotel in Gadsden, AlabamaBooth woke slowly and stretched his arms over his head. With a loud yawn, he rubbed the heels of his hands over his face. Folding his arms under his head, a smile touched his lips. Memories of the night before played through his mind. Shanelle had asked some tough questions, but he found he had enjoyed the conversation. A knock came on his door, and Booth groaned, but threw the covers off, and reached for his pants. He pulled them on, and headed to the door. A quick check through the peek hole, then Booth slowly opened the door. "Morning, Bones," he said lazily. "Glad you decided to knock this time." Brennan felt her cheek grow hot as she raked her eyes over Booth's bare chest.
"Angela called," Brennan said, moving in the room. Booth closed the door and turned to face her.
"And?"
"They matched dental records. Her name is Pleasant Devereux." Booth walked back to his bed and sat down. He reached over to his phone and flipped it open.
"I'll call headquarters. See what I can find out." Brennan nodded.
"Are we going back to DC?" Booth shook his head and then talked into the phone.
"Mack, it's Booth, I need you to look into something for me." Brennan watched Booth as he talked. She took in the muscles on his chest, the way his eyes focused on the floor as he waited for Mack to come back to the phone. "Yeah, a girl named Pleasant Devereux. That's right. ASAP. Thanks." Booth snapped the phone shut and tossed it on the bed. "Let's give Mack a few hours. I'll call Glen and see what he can find out. I don't want to go home, just to come back here."
"Well, lets go talk to Bryce," Brennan said.
"Hold on a minute," Booth said, standing. "Let me take a quick shower. Then we'll head over."
"Well, hurry up then. I'll go get Shanelle."
Diner in Gadsden, AlabamaBrennan and Shanelle sat at a small table talking, while Booth was just outside, talking on the phone. Brennan watched him through the large window she sat beside. From time to time, Booth would catch her eyes and offer her a small smile, a smile that didn't reach his eyes, and then he would go back to jotting down information. Finally he closed his phone, and waved for Brennan to come out. She and Shanelle quickly paid the bill and joined Booth outside.
"They found Pleasant's parents. Don and Lovely Devereux, and they live here in Gadsden. She also went to the University of Alabama."
"Have they been told?" Brennan asked. Booth shook his head. "Great." Shanelle looked from anthropologist to agent.
"That means…you two tell them?" she ventured to ask.
"Yeah," Booth said. "We'll drop you back at the hotel." For once, the reporter didn't argue. The last thing she wanted to do was tell parents that the daughter has been found dead.
The Devereux HouseBooth pulled the SUV to a stop, and shut off the engine. He and Brennan sat there for a moment looking at the house, neither one wanting to be the first to get out.
"We have to go up," Brennan said, unfastening her seat belt.
"I know," Booth answered, doing the same. "It's just that…it never gets any easier, you know?" Brennan watched the dark cloud pass over her partner, and she reached out and placed a hand on his arm.
"It's not supposed to, Booth," she said. "If telling people this news became easy, for either one of us, then it's time to find a new line of work."
"You seem to handle it better than I do," Booth commented, looking over at her.
"I just hide it better." She offered him a smile. "Come on." Booth nodded, and the pair got out of the car. They walked up the front walk together, and when they reached the door, Booth knocked. After a minute, the door opened, and a man, late thirties with black hair, stood there.
"We ain't buying anything," the man said, and began to close the door, but Booth's hand kept it open.
"Don Devereux?" The man looked at Booth with wide eyes.
"Yes, that's right."
"I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth with the FBI," Booth said, pulling out his badge and showing it to the man. "And this is my partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan."
"The FBI? What is this about?"
"May we come in?" Don nodded and stepped out of the way.
"Lovely," Don called as his lead the pair into the living room. "We have company." Booth waited for Lovely Devereux to join them before he began.
"Mr. And Mrs. Devereux, we are very sorry to have to tell you this."
"It's about Pleasant, isn't it?" Don asked.
"Yes, sir, your daughter was found dead yesterday." Lovely let out a loud yell and buried her head in her hands. Don wrapped his arms around his wife.
"How? Where?"
"We're not sure about the cause yet," Booth said. "But she was found not far from here, in the woods."
"Why is this a FBI matter?" Don asked.
"We have reason to believe, sir, that the person who killed your daughter, also killed a young woman in South Carolina." Lovely shook in her husband's arm. Booth watched Don rub slow circles on his wife's back.
"What can we do to help?" Don asked.
"Did Pleasant ever mention a man? Somebody who made her feel uncomfortable?" Don shook his head.
"Not to me, how about you, Lovely?" The woman lifted her head and wiped at her now blood shot eyes.
"No, nothing. But she," Lovely sniffled. "She might have told her best friend. Wendy Packard. She…she lives a few streets over. Or maybe her boyfriend, Michael Lotts."
"Thank you both," Booth said standing. He pulled a card out and handed it to Don. "If you think of anything that might help, please call me. Again, we're very sorry for your loss." Booth and Brennan left the Devereux house, and walked toward the SUV.
"So, we're going to talk to the best friend or the boyfriend first?" Brennan asked, when Booth opened her door for her.
"Might as well head to Wendy Packard's place, since it's close by. I'll call Bryce and have him track down both addresses for us."
"Booth," Brennan began, as he climbed into the driver seat.
"Yeah?"
"We're going to catch this guy, right?"
"Bones, do you even have to ask?" He smiled over at her and she nodded.
"Guess not."
"We'll catch the bastard," Booth confirmed. "With the best working on it, how could we not?" Brennan rolled her eyes at his ego, but couldn't hide the smile. We really are the best, she thought.
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FBI Headquaters:
I carefully looked both ways…up and then down the hall. After I made sure that the coast was clear, I pulled out my lock picking kit and began to use my skill to open the door. However, as I reached for the knob, it turned in my hand. Very Careless, Agent Booth. I made my way into the office and quickly hurried to the desk. Jackpot! Right on top was a folder labeled 'ANTS'. I opened the folder, and using my nifty secret spy pen camera, I snapped pictures of the hand written notes. A noise from the hall made me look up. Damn! I looked around, and then ducked under the desk. I heard the door open, and Booth's shoes hit on the floor. "I thought I turned off the lamp," I heard him say, before he reached over and turned off the light. I stayed in my hiding spot, until I heard Booth leave and the door shut. After five minutes, I climbed out from the desk, took a few more pictures, and then quickly left the office. The pictures have been downloaded, and this is what Agent Booth has so far about the case:
Victim #1- Dahlia Lundy, age 20, sophomore at Clemson University. Daughter of Julie Lundy. Allergic to ant bites. A very sweet girl. Best friend is Melissa Beth Ginn.
Victim #2- Pleasant Devereux, age 19, sophomore at the University of Alabama. Daughter of Don and Lovely Devereux. Best friend is Wendy Packard. Boyfriend is Michael Lotts.
People we have interviewed:
# 1 – Julie Lundy. Couldn't come up with anybody who would want to hurt Dahlia.
# 2 – Melissa Beth Ginn. Also couldn't come up with anything.
# 3 – Jordan Ginn, Melissa's younger brother. Remembers a man in a red baseball cap.
# 4 – Becky Ford, goes to Clemson. Remembers a man in a read cap, as well. At one of the football games last season.
# 5 - Sarah Hernley, went to same game with Dahlia. Remembers man, also remembers white teeth. Man 'followed?' her and Dahlia to the restrooms.
# 6 & 7 – Don and Lovely Devereux. Also didn't know anything, but suggested Pleasant's best friend, Wendy Packard and her boyfriend, Michael Lotts.
What we think we know:
The Un-Sub is a 'creepy' man in a red baseball cap. Has really white teeth. Possibly stalks his victims before he abducts them. Walks victim into the woods. Bounds hands and legs, once around ankles, once around knees and once around thighs. Then throws victim into a fire ant mound.
First victim had a reaction to the ants, died within 5 minutes. The second victim was able to get out of the mound and crawl 'worm-like' to try and flee. The ant bites over took her.
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You know what to do.