Things were dreary when the crime scene experts got to the scene. Everyone was shaken; there was nothing that could be done to keep themselves safe. They were tired, but wouldn't sleep. Sweets had been sleeping, and he got taken by the kidnapper. As it seemed all hope was lost, Zack called out from the lab.
Brennan rushed in, flanked by Booth. "Zack, what is it, did you find a sample?" Brennan asked as she approached the young genius.
"I have managed to locate a partial fingerprint, but the DNA I have gathered should be sufficient to narrow down a list of specific suspects to around… twenty."
Booth clapped the boy on the back. "Good work, squint boy. Come on Bones, we should tell the others." Brennan nodded and followed booth off the forensic platform.
They went to the employee lounge, where Angela and Hodgins were being kept under constant surveillance. "Zack found a partial fingerprint on the tissue with the chloroform on it. He says he can narrow down a list of suspects to twenty people." Hodgins relaxed visibly.
"Someone should be over there with him." Angela said, warily.
"This place is crawling with agents, the kidnapper would have to be an idiot to come here in broad daylight anyway."
"What I want to know is how the kidnapper could have done it. I mean, this building has so many alarms, not to mention the security guards. And Sweets locked the door to his office, how did they get in?" Angela wondered out loud.
"They must have had a key, which as far as we know only the security guards have." Hodgins said.
"But I am just so scared that if this guy could get in here un-detected, then this place isn't so safe after all." Tears began to roll down Angela's face.
Hodgins put his arm around her. "Well there isn't anywhere else for us to go, except maybe my place. I've got security cameras everywhere, and there's the basement." Everyone seemed to like the idea of retreating to Hodgins' mansion, and they were settling on it when Andrew Hacker walked in to the employee lounge.
"Good morning sir." Booth acknowledged. Hacker nodded in his direction, clearly wanting to get right to business.
"I heard the details of the case, I'm sorry for all the distress this has caused you. But I must insist that you stay at the institution for the time being." Everyone had stunned expressions.
"With all due respect Mr Hacker, but this kidnapper is picking us off like flies." Hodgins said, becoming quite aggravated.
"Be that as it may, this institution is still the safest place for any of you." Hacker replied calmly.
"Well, it wasn't safe enough to keep Sweets in his locked office." Hodgins said, his voice raised.
"We will take more security measures, but the fact is that my best crime squad has been called out three times in two days, there has been an explosion that harmed one of my employees, and the best way we can catch this son of a bitch is by staying close."
Booth knew where Hacker was coming from, and he didn't like what he was trying to do. "Sit, are you saying that you want to keep us here to test this guy, and see if he can still get at us?"
Hacker frowned. "That is not what I'm saying agent Booth. But we know the bastard can get inside this facility, so when he does we will be able to get him in the act."
"But what if something goes wrong and doctor Hodgins is hurt, or taken?" Brennan asked, also realising what Hacker was planning.
"The security on this case is the best the FBI has to offer, nothing could go wrong. Now please try and remain calm, and leave the investigation to us." With that, Andrew Hacker turned on his heel and left them in shock.
"I can't believe he would put Hodgins in danger to catch this guy." Angela grumbled to Brennan when they were in her office a little later.
"Well, Hacker was right, the FBI has security that could be call impenetrable. And with Zack working the case in the lab, I'm sure we won't have to worry for much longer." Brennan attempted to reassure her friend. This was not her area of expertise.
"The Jeffersonian's security used to be impenetrable, but that bastard still managed to take Sweets. And if Hacker knew that Zack had evidence, he would take it from him and give it to the FBI forensics, and that process could take ages." Angela argued. It was clear to Brennan that she was not going to be able to convince her friend that things would be alright. And secretly, Brennan had no idea if they were going to come out of this one unscathed.
"Well, Zack is an exceptional graduate student, and I have high hopes that he will be able to identify a culprit in good time. But Ange, Hacker knows what he's doing. I don't agree with him, but he has been executing operations like this for years."
Angela nodded, then smiled a little at Brennan. "Wow Bren, that was almost comforting."
Brennan laughed. "Booth uses excuses similar to the one I just used when I need motivation for solving a case. It works for me, so I thought that I would experiment the effects on you."
Angela raised an eyebrow. "Alright, telling people you are experimenting on them makes their good feelings go down the drain." Brennan looked confused.
"I don't know what that means." Angela smiled and hugged her friend.
"Thanks sweetie, that made me feel a little better. Come on, Hodgins will be getting bored with the limited conversation of his security escort." They left Brennan's office, both feeling a little better after their reassurances.
When they reached the employee lounge, Hodgins was arguing with his guard. "I'm just saying you don't have to be within two feet of me at all times."
The guard rolled his eyes. "Mr Hacker said those measurements specifically." Hodgins raised an eyebrow, clearly losing all patience.
"Don't you think that the term may have been ever so slightly exaggerated?" Hodgins said, raising his voice slightly with each word.
"Hodgins!" Angela caught his attention. He whirled around to glare at whoever interrupted him, but his gaze softened at Angela's look of concern.
"Hey Angela, Doctor Brennan, I was just um… having a conversation with my new security guard. His name is Carl. He likes to collect shoes." He gave his guard a sideways glance, and he was nodding energetically.
Angela smiled. "Um, ok, Hodgins, how are you feeling? You know, from Zack's assault on your face." She struggle to keep a straight face as she said it.
"I'm fine. You know, I've got… Carl to talk to. About shoes…" Angela smiled. Hodgins shifted a little in his seat.
"What's the matter?" Angela asked. Hodgins remained silent for a moment before confessing.
"I have needed to go to the bathroom for forty minutes now, and Carl won't leave me alone." The security guard chimed in.
"You are perfectly welcome to use the facilities, so long as you allow me to accompany you."
Hodgins turned back to Angela. "See the problem?"
Angela sighed. "Look, just go with Carl and make him wait outside." At Hodgins' pleading look, she turned to Carl. "Carl, will you wait outside the cubicle while Hodgins relieves himself?"
Carl thought for a moment, and Hodgins interrupted. "Oh come on, like the kidnapper is going to be waiting in the cubicle for me." Carl considered this and nodded.
"Alright, that sounds fair." They set off to the bathroom, and Hodgins threw Angela an appreciative look. Carl began a story about a pair of shoes he had once owned.
Fifteen minutes later, Zack wandered into the lab. "Might I ask where Hodgins is? I need his assistance in the identification of a particulate on the tissue."
Angela glanced up. "Yeah, he's in the bathroom. He's been in there for a while, maybe you should go and check to see he hasn't blown up at that guard." Zack nodded, and swiftly walked toward the facilities wing.
He returned a few moments later in a fast sprint. "Hodgins is gone." He said urgently. Angela got up and sprinted towards the bathrooms, and Brennan made to do the same, but stopped to help Booth stand (He had been resting from his injuries). Once the two arrived at the bathrooms, Angela was sobbing on the floor next to an uncomfortable Zack, who was attempting to comfort her.
"God damn it!" Booth shouted, banging his fist against the wall. Brennan began crying softly, but Angela's choking and sobbing drowned her out. Booth put his arms around Brennan, holding her to him so her legs wouldn't give out. Angela showed signs of going into shock, so Zack was muttering soothing words to her whilst trying to dry her tears with a piece of bathroom paper.
The security guard was in a heap on the floor, with the marks of a stun-gun burn adamant on his neck. He was unconscious, surrounded by the smell of his singed flesh. Booth called the head of security about the breach, and organised a search for Hodgins. The kidnapper could not have gotten far with an immobile Hodgins.
As he waited for the guards, Booth held Brennan in his arms as she shook with the realisation that her best friend was next on a stalker's list.
Right, I am sad to inform you that I have writer's block. I need suggestions, so fire them off in the comments section. My next update will be on Friday, pending on whether I can muster up a story line for the next chapter. Tell me if there is something you want me to add in, I am eager to get this story moving to that I can start another one (starring Zack Addy). Remember, if you want more B/B or H/A, just leave a review telling me so.
Until Friday my lovelies, Charlotte 3
HodginsH
