HOLY CRAP! I asked if you guys were still there- and I'm just overwhelmed with your response. Soooo glad that you guys are still out there! Thank you thank you!
So to show my appreciation... I tried to get this chapter up fast:)
Hope you like it...
Disclaimer: Mention of physical assault and some language.
The sound of the teapot whistling alerted him that it was time.
With acute precision, he filled two small Styrofoam cups and headed down to the basement of his home. He drew his gun before he opened the door, a necessary precaution, and flicked on the lights. Everything appeared to still be in the same order in which he had left it. The beautiful doctor was still chained to the small cot and still asleep. She'd fought the better part of the previous day and night to stay awake, but eventually lost the battle. Walking down the steps, the floor boards creaked and she began to stir. Her cold eyes met his as he touched down on the basement floor.
"Good. I don't need to wake you up," He crossed over to her bed slowly and set the cup of tea down on the floor before backing away; almost like he was feeding a wild animal.
"I can't reach it," Brennan complained. Her wrists were bound to the head board by a hard metal chain.
"Sure you can, sweetheart," He just smirked at her. They both knew she could figure out a way to get to it, she was just trying to draw him close. Trap him; hurt him if she could. "That's a nice try, though."
She'd known it wouldn't have worked, but it wasn't like she had any other options. She surveyed over her body; since her move to the bed she'd assumed there would be some kind of sexual assault... but thankfully it looked like she'd remained untouched.
"Its Darjeeling," he took a sip of his own tea. "You probably think I'm here to ask you more questions..."
She didn't speak, but yes, that's exactly what she thought. The last thirty-six hours had been nothing but questions, all of which she had refused to answer, and many she just didn't even know the answers too. Over that period, she been mostly strapped to a chair which he occasionally turned over when he got frustrated. His demeanor was different now than it had previously been; perhaps the plan had changed or he eventually gave up trying to interrogate her.
"No more questions," He smiled almost warmly at her which only led to more confusion.
It was now, more than ever, that she wished she possessed Booth's skill for reading people. She knew his tactics were changing; she'd observed this many times from watching Booth with suspects, but she had know idea what it all meant.
"Do you have any questions for me?"
She did. Many questions. More than she could possibly account for, "I can't know that my questions will be answered honestly."
"No... no you can't. But surely you want to ask anyway, don't you?" He could see the desire in her eyes. She wouldn't be able to resist, she knew her survival might depend on whatever information she could gather.
"Who are you?"
"Jacob Broadsky."
"Why have you abducted me?"
"Have you ever heard of something called 'collateral damage', Dr. Brennan?"
"Its a euphemism for civilian casualties of military action," Her voice caught in her throat a little, but she pressed on. "Are you planning to kill me?"
"If your boyfriend doesn't end this war, yes. I will kill you," His voice was calm. Almost as if he was once again telling her the kind of tea he was drinking. "It's not something I'll enjoy doing. But sometimes things are necessary. It's not up to me."
Her heart began to race. She knew the possibility that she would be killed was high, but this had been the first talk of it, "Who is it up to, then?"
"Seeley."
"Booth wouldn't allow that to happen," The irrational side of her momentarily took over. "Booth would do anything to protect me..."
A smile creeped over his lips, "That's what I'm hoping for."
Nausea hit her. He looked so happy to hear her say that... "What do you want from, Booth?"
"How much of Booth's past in the rangers do you know about?" She didn't answer back. No more questions, "Seeley and I were in the Rangers together. We severed together in a fourth brigade combat team in Guatemala. We had two separate units; 12 soldiers. Special OPS assignment. Seeley was sent to take out the leader of a drug cartel group that had moved on to trafficking women and children. It was a shot from fifteen thousand feet, but he could have made it. The day before, we were ordered to fall back. Suddenly, our intelligence wasn't sure. But we knew... we both knew... so I told Seeley to take the shot. We would just say the order came in too late. But Seeley didn't listen. He reported me to be court marshaled and two days later my unit was ambushed. 12 soldiers, many who had families... all dead." He took a deep breath but his eyes never left hers. "If Seeley would have just taken the shot..."
"They would have lived..." She finished his words. Booth had never told her this story, but she finally fully knew exactly where all his guilt came from.
"I was court marshaled. Dishonorably discharged... but Seeley..."
"Booth feels enormous guilt over his..."
He cut her off sharply, "And he should. He killed my unit. The United States killed them. The country they were ordered to protect- killed them."
"Booth didn't-"
"His actions sure as hell did!" His anger flared than calmed again. "But he can fix this. It's you or him."
"How?" What was she? Was he using her as ransom or for information?
"Someone has to pay."
Oh!
Did you like my little twist with Broadsky? Hope you did. Hope you didn't see it coming either. I like to keep you on your toes:)
Oh, and just a fun side note... there will be no Zach becoming Gormogon in this story. Actually, no Gormogon at all.
Coming up next... Booth in action! Let's get Bones home!
