Chapter 7

Brennan charged from the elevator, Booth close at her heels. "You're sure he's here?" She tossed the question over her shoulder as she strode down the corridor.

"Bones, I promise Russ is here," Booth repeated patiently. "He's been brought to our medical quarters for a thorough examination but by all accounts he's fine." Booth reached out and gently pulled Brennan to a halt. Before she could pull free and continue down the hall, Booth nodded towards a closed door. "He's in there."

Temperance's breath seemed to catch in her throat as she stood before the door, her hand hovering above the doorknob. She glanced at Booth and smiled. "Thank you, Seeley," she said quietly, her voice thick with sincerity.

Booth watched her walk through the door and smiled softly as it closed behind her. "Any time, Bones."

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Bones stood in front of the closed door, her eyes searching desperately through the crowd of medical personnel for her brother. Deciding not to wait until she was noticed, she began shouldering her way through the group of doctors and nurses that surrounded the bed. All conversation halted when she reached her brother's side.

Moisture pooled in Bones' eyes and she dashed it away impatiently. She never cried like this. Not once in all the years since her parents left had she allowed herself the freedom to cry so freely. And now it was ticking her off. But Russ soon banished any self-disgust she might have felt. Temperance bit her lip as she looked at him. Her brother's clothes were filthy and the smell that still clung to them testified as to his whereabouts for the last eight hours. His eyes were closed but she could clearly see the dark circles around them and the taser gun marks stood out in angry contrast to his pale skin. She reached out almost unconsciously to stroke the hair back from his forehead and make sure he was really there. At her touch his eyes fluttered and opened. Russ looked up at her and smiled.

"Marco."

Temperance's laugh sounded perilously close to a sob as she leaned down and gently embraced her brother, burying her face in his shoulder. "Polo," she choked out, and finally gave in to her tears as she felt her brother wrap his arms around her and hold her tight.

Endless moments passed as the siblings just held each other, taking strength from being together. When they finally separated, the doctors and nurses had left and a curtain had been pulled around their cubicle to give them some privacy. Temperance sat gingerly on the edge of her brother's bed and took his hand.

"Are you really alright?" she asked worriedly, her eyes running over him with clinical intensity.

"Tempe, I promise, I'm fine," Russ assured her. "Other than these burn marks and an almost compulsive need to shower for the next week, I'm great." He laughed shortly. "And I don't think I'll be sleeping in the dark any time soon."

Bones squeezed his hand. " I know," she told him. "But it will get better. You have Amy and the girls. You'll be alright."

"Oh, God, Amy!" Russ exclaimed, pushing himself into a sitting position. "I've got to get home. She must be worried sick."

His sister placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Amy and the girls are here," she told him quickly. "Director Cullen had them flown to DC and put in a safe house. They're fine. And you'll see them as soon as you've been cleared to leave." When she saw he wanted to argue, she interrupted firmly. "Please, Russ," she said. "Do this for Amy. You know she would want you to make sure you're one hundred percent before you go to her.."

Russ smiled and shook his head ruefully. "Never could argue with my baby sister," he admitted lightly. "Alright, Tempe, we'll do it your way." He glanced over her shoulder. "Where's Dad? I thought he'd be here."

Temperance shrugged, a look of concern flashing across her face. "We haven't been able to reach him," she told him. "But don't worry. You know how Dad is. Gone for weeks at a time without a word and then popping back into town with no warning. And he usually brings gifts." She chuckled, her eyes losing their haunted look. "He still thinks we're kids."

"Yeah," Russ agreed fondly. "Let me know if you hear from him, alright? I really want to see him."

"Hey, sorry to interrupt but I wanted to bring you both some news."

Bones turned to find Booth standing just inside the curtain. "Russ, it's great to see you," he said sincerely.

"Seeley, I am absolutely thrilled to see you," Russ told him, laughter in his voice. Suddenly serious again, he looked the Agent in the eye. "And thank you for everything you did to get me back. I just hope you can catch that son of a bitch before he takes someone else."

"Actually, Russ, he's been taken into custody," Bones told him quickly. "We were able to trace the money we sent for your ransom and the FBI picked him up just a short while ago. You're safe."

Russ started at her for a moment, seemingly unable to comprehend what she had just said. Then his face crumpled and he bowed his head. "Thank God," he whispered brokenly. "Thank God."

Temperance leaned down to embrace her brother, silently sending her own thanks to a deity she wasn't at all sure was there.

"That's actually why I'm here," Booth informed them. "He's just been put in holding."

Brennan snapped upright, her eyes flashing with fury. "He's in this building?" she asked sharply. "I want to see him."

Booth was shaking his head before she'd even finished the sentence. "I don't think so, Bones," he told her firmly. "You'll get there, see his face, and go all kung fu scientist on him. Next thing you know, you're in the holding room next door to him."

Brennan clamped down on her temper and took a deep breath. "I promise I won't touch him," she swore. "I won't even ask to go into the room. Just in the observation room. I just want to see him, to hear what he has to say." When it looked like he was going to refuse, she went up to him and placed a gentle hand on his chest. "Please."

If Russ hadn't been so upset at the thought of his kidnapper being so close, he would have laughed. He could almost see the FBI agent melt.

Booth released a gusty sigh. "Alright," he said, his voice stern. "But Temperance, you have to promise that you'll just stay in the observation room. No trying to wheedle your way in to see him face to face, no pounding on the glass, nothing. Can you do that?"

"Please, Booth, I'm not a child," Bones stated in an affronted tone. When Booth just continued to stare at her, she sighed heavily. "Fine," she snapped. "I promise. Now can we go?"

"Now we can go," Booth said soothingly, his eyes alight with amusement. Looking over at Russ, Booth quickly became serious. "We'll be back, Russ," he assured him. "And as soon the docs clear you, we'll get you to Amy."

"You have no idea how much I'm looking forward to that," Russ replied solemnly. He turned his attention to his sister and smiled briefly. "Behave yourself, sis," he told her and laughed when she rolled her eyes.

Russ kept his smile in place until his sister and her partner had left the exam room. Finally alone, he allowed himself the luxury of his tears.

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Booth paused in front of the door to the observation room and looked intently at his partner. "Be ready for this, Temperance," he told her solemnly. "Seeing him in there isn't going to be like seeing all the other criminals you've helped arrest. This one is personal."

Temperance's eyes softened as she looked back at her partner. "I know, Seeley," she said quietly. "I'll be fine."

Booth nodded and opened the door, following her inside. Sweets was already there and, much to his annoyance, Booth found himself grateful for the kid's presence.

"Dr. Brennan, how are you doing?" Sweets asked solicitously. "Have you seen your brother?"

Bones answered him, though her eyes were glued to the figure chained to his chair in the next room, separated from her by only a few layers of bulletproof glass. "I'm fine," she murmured. "We're both fine." Her eyes briefly touched on Booth before swinging back to the Gravedigger. "Who is he?"

Booth shrugged, though the action was unseen by his partner. "We don't know," he admitted. "We've taken his prints but so far we've come up empty. And he's not volunteering any information. But we'll figure it out," he assured her. "The whole Bureau is taking this one personally. We're not going to stop until we have every question answered."

The door to the observation room swung open and Cullen walked in. Brennan immediately approached him, hand outstretched. "Thank you, Director Cullen," she said, her voice throbbing with sincerity. "Thank you for finding my brother. And the Gravedigger."

Cullen smiled down at the forensic anthropologist, her hand clasped in both of his. "Dr. Brennan, it was absolutely my pleasure," he told her. "I will remember for the rest of my life the look on that bastard's face as he was taken into custody. It was immensely satisfying to be a part of it."

"How did you find his house?" Brennan asked. "I know you were sent the bank information but I haven't heard how you actually found him."

Cullen shook his head and chuckled grimly. "While we know the name he provided at the bank was an alias, the arrogant bastard didn't even bother putting down a fake address for his account. There was absolutely no attempt to conceal where he lived. And he was so confident in his ability to fool us he hadn't taken any precautious around the house. He did have a gun," the director admitted, "but that was pretty much the extent of it. We're trying to find the taser he's used in the past and any other evidence that will help build the case against him. It's only a matter of time."

"I know you're there." The voice whispered through the speakers and everyone in the observation room stiffened at the sound.

"I know you're there . . . Temperance." The Gravedigger turned his head and flashed an evil smile at the reflective glass. "You're wondering who I am. Why I took you and your brother. And you're feeling pretty smug right now. The great Temperance Brennan saved the day, along with her faithful lapdog of an agent and her fawning minions."

Temperance felt her breath catch in her throat and the pure hatred radiating from his voice, at the loathing in his eyes. Booth came up behind her and put a supporting hand on her arm even as he wished for just ten seconds alone with the son of a bitch.

"Enjoy the feeling, Temperance," the Gravedigger continued. "Because this isn't over. You'll never get rid of me now. By the time I'm done with you, you'll be begging for death and . . ." His tirade was cut short mid-sentence as agents burst into the room and dragged him away.

"He's just letting off some steam, Dr. Brennan," Cullen said reassuringly. "He might not understand it yet, but this is over."

But Bones hadn't been able to take her eyes from the window. She kept hearing his voice in her head, the threats ringing in her ears over and over. She had seen evil before. She knew she had seen it just a moment ago in that holding room. She shook her head slowly. "No, Director Cullen," she said quietly. "I don't think it is."