Chapter 10

Cullen had arranged for a swat team to accompany Booth and his now newly assigned partner Agent Taylor. Booth's obvious objectiveness with Cullens decision for him to have this younger Agent at his side didn't sit well with the deputy director, so he decided for now to grim and bare it. He just wished he had time to do some kind of background check on the guy. As they clambered into Booth's suv Agent Taylor decided to ask some questions of his own

"Cullen briefed me on the situation but he didn't give exactly delve into much detail. Would you care to elaborate? Booth ignored him until he asked a second time. "Agent Booth if i'm going to be working with you then I 'm going to need all the facts."

"It's just temporary reassigment so don't get too comfortable. Once my partner is released from the hospital i'll be back working with her, so lets just focus on apprehending the suspect shall we" Then he began to tell it straight how he wanted things done. "When we get to our location I want you to stay behind me and let me do any talking do you hear me?"

Agent Taylor had heard great things about this former sniper turned Agent and even though had never met him before today, he had alot of respect for him. Now though he had felt the slightest of hostility, he had kind of felt quite intimidated by him. "Do you have a problem with me Agent Booth?"

Booth raised his eyebrows not understanding how first he would have come to this concluson and secondly where he got that impression. They had never met until today how could Taylor made assumptions like that already. "What makes you think I have problem? I'm just telling you how this operation will be carried out. Thats all."

Taylor tensed up rather hoping not to get on the wrong side of him. "I'm sorry Agent Booth I just thought that maybe since you have that Dr Brennan as a partner you were only comfortable working with the female variety." He hadn't meant for it to come out quite like that, but hey from what he heard from some of the other Agents she was up there in the hot department. Their topic of conversation was whether or not Booth had feelings for her. There had even been contests and bets to see when the long awaited kiss was going to happen.

Booth clenched his fists. What is it with people and their opinions of me working with a woman. He had first dismissed it as jealousy. He couldn't count the number of times his collegues had toyed with him over his 'relationship with her. Then there had been all the other times when he had reddened with embarassment when they had played on his emotions with the idea he liked her more then just a partner. "I don't think thats any of your business and if it's any conselation I work with her because she's a forensic anthroplogist and vital to the homicide cases I work on. If she had been a he I still would have treated him with the same respect."

Except you couldn't fall in love if she was a he - he thought silently. "Whatever you say" he announced, though a sastifactory grin settling on his face.

The building they now were parked outside of had demolition written all over it. A red bricked building with some broken windows, whilst the others were heavily boarded up. Booth pulled on his kevlar vest and handed the second one to Agent Taylor. "We don't know if this Benny is alone or who else he is working with, so I need you to stay alert and do what I say."

Agent Taylor nodded. The captain in charge of the swat team truddenled over "We've secured the area You can go in now."

Booth, Taylor and three swat members made there way up the steps. It had come to their attention that his apartment was located on the fourth floor, so this was to be a long trek.
As they finally stepped onto the landing Booth withdrew his weapon and carefully crept along the hallway keeping as close to the wall as possible. Approaching the door Booth made his presence known. "Benny Delirez. This is the FBI open up. There was silence. Another door across the hall opened up and a tall, thin man poked his head out wanting to know what all the noise was about.

"Can you please step back into your apartment "Taylor ordered.

The man reluctantly went back inside and slammed the door shut.

"After giving two more chances for Benny to open the door without success Booth gave the order for the swat team to break down the door. Booth aimed his gun along with Taylor. They inched around the door but upon their first visualisation they found the living room although a complete mess was empty. The Agents made there way to the kitchen, bathroom and last but not least the bedroom which again was empty. "Clear!" Came Booth's call.

"There's no-one here Booth" Agent Taylor stated. He waited patiently for Booth next order. The older agents face had a degree of annoyance on it to say the least."Agent Booth?"

Booth took a step back and landed his fist against the wall. "Well there goes our lead!" He huffed clearly agitated. His cellphone rang just as Booth was ordering everyone out. "Booth" he answered politley, yet still with a hint of displeasure

"Agent Booth, this is Dr Portman ."

Due to the newly aquired information involving the case he had forgotton to check back at the hospital. He was however curious as to why the hospital would specifically be ringing him unless... His heart missed a beat "What's wrong is it Bones?"

"Bones?" Dr Portmans voice sounded confused.

"I mean Brennan" he quickly corrected himself. "Is everything okay?" His breathing became erratic as he awaited the Doctors sudden announcement.

"I think it would be best for you to come down here rightaway" was all she said before disconnecting the call.

"Dr Portman.. DR PORTMAN!" It was then he realised she was no longer on the other end of the phone. "DAMN IT!"

"Agent Booth" the concerned look on his partners face toll him something was seriously wrong.

"That was the hospital..." he didn't have time to explain. He only could think of one thing and that was he needed to get to D.C General on the double.

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When Carlos arrived back it was eerily quiet. Where is everyone? He shrugged Who cares it's better this way. He had just finished his own thoughts when someone stepped out of the shadows and he was met with the familiar sound of a gun being cocked. He froze as the gun met his temple. "What the hell! Carlos yelled.

"Shut up and move" came a voice that Carlos didn't recognise. He was shoved towards a veranda where boss was having drinks with a female aquaintance whilst another unrecognizable male was lazing in the pool. "Boss I found this one snooping around."

"What!" Carlos interrupted "I was not..." he wasn't able to sucessfully get the words out before the butt of the gun was swiped across his head. "What the fuck!" He swung around to get a look at his assailant.

"ENOUGH!" Boss shouted, rather infuriated.

Both mens eyes shot up staring at Boss who before them menacingly. This is Dante and Romero they have been doing some work for me down in Rio, but I figured with your and Benny's insignificant mishaps latley, they will be more suited to getting the job done."

Carlos straightened himself up before touching the back of his head. His hand came away covered in blood as he realised what damage that Dante asshole had done.

"Don't make a mockery out of me. Dr Brennan wasn't taken care of was she? I also take it you have information as to where they've taken the girl" Boss crept closer his dark eyes piercing Carlos' very soul.

"Trying best to defend himself in front this man wasn't going too well "I-I Dr Brennan was a mistake. If Agent Booth hadn't turned up when he did she would have been dead. As for the girl I would have found her."

"Eventually" Boss thought he would add "Just as I thought. Well that information has been obtained from other sources." As for Dr Brennan I trust Benny has taken proper care of her by now."

"I haven't heard from Benny." A thought hit him How come Benny hasn't checked in yet? Surely he has had plenty of time to accomplish the deed.

Well for his sakes he better not have failed me. I have no use for him otherwise and he will easily be broken if he is interrogated by the FBI. Well as soon as he contacts you I want to be the first to know."

Carlos felt he had been spared any wrong doing for now but he still very much needed to get back into the Bosses good books. "So now you know where the girl is would you like me to go and get her."

"No!" Boss replied sharply. From now on you will be working with Dante and Romero and they will be in charge.. understand."

"What if i'm not comfortable working with these goons?" Carlos interjected.

Boss shifted back to his sun lounger and began getting back to business with his lady friend before answering "Then you'll be sleeping with the fishes" he smirked. "Now I want you to find that girl and bring her to me. "Dante, Romero I want her alive do you hear. I know how you are used to doing things back home but here you answer to me. If you so much as hurt one hair on her head then you'll be joining Carlos.

"What about Agent Booths son?" Carlos then asked.

"First things first Carlos. Once the girl is safe here in my custody then we will go about some payback on Agent Booth. I already have things in motion" he gleamed.

Just as all three men were about to leave they were joined by Diego and Munch. They too worked for the Boss and Carlos had already had successful dealings with his old friend Diego. After all had been the one who had presented him with the file on Booth and Brennan.

"Hey Carlos man!" Diego greeted." How are you?" He gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"I'm great what brings you here?" Carlos inquired.

"Boss got us taking some photos." He handed the white A4 size envelope over to Boss who quickly scanned through the pile. They were various pictures of Rebecca and Parker out and about. Leaving the house, at the park, shopping and on their way to daycare. He then came across another picture which he knew he had not ordered to be taken. "What's this?" Boss questioned angrily.

"Oops that is one of my personal photos" he explained, grabbing the picture of Brennan he had taken before her little accident.

"I didn't pay you to take personal photos Diego" Boss snapped.

"I'm sorry" he apologised, rather profusley too.

"Get them delivered to Agent Booth asap."

"Yes Boss" Diego answered.

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"Agent Booth!" Agent Taylor raced after him. Once that call had come it was like he was a man on a mission. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Yeah you'll need to report to Cullen that we're at another dead end."

"I don't mean that Booth. I mean don't you think I should come with you. I am your partner after all and I need to be kept in the loop as so to speak. Has something happened to Dr Brennan?"

Booth locked eyes with his "What would be helpful as my 'partner' is to get back to headquarters and report back to our Boss. He'll grill both our asses if he's kept out of the 'loop' Booth told him in a sacrcastic tone of voice.

Taylor took that as a dowhatimtold look. "What do I tell him about you going awol?"

Booth however didn't even answer as he clambered in his vehicle and sped away.

Agent Taylor stood there quickly dialling his cellphone. "It's me and I'm at the apartment now. Don't worry Agent Booth wasn't able to find anything. He's on his way to the hospital I think something dreadful has happened to that precious partner of his..." he laughed

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Booth was greeted by Dr Portman as soon as he arrived back at the hospital. "Doc whats going on?" A hundered scenerios plagued his mind.

"Mr Booth. Dr Brennan was attacked earlier. We were unable to determine what had happened until I found a syringe beside her bed which was found to have traces of Fentanyl in it. I believe it was injected directly into her IV line."

"Fentanyl?" He questioned. He only knew it was a narcotic and used as a painkiller.

"Yes. The dose was large enough to cause breathing difficulties and subsequently cause her heart to stop." The look on the Agents face was that of pure terror "Don't worry we were able to restart it and used naloxone to combat the fentanyl in her system. She's comfortably sleeping now."

Don't worry, Don't worry How could she expect him not to worry. This was the second time in the past 24 hours in which someone had tried to kill her. He had felt safe in the knowledge that at least here she was in the best place, yet someone had still managed to get to her without anyone noticing. Booth was relieved, but he had some serious questions as to how this person was able to just swan around the hospital let alone gain access to her room. "With all due respect Doc but i'm just a little concerned as to how someone was able to get past your security and find his way to my 'girlfriends' room.

"I really can't speculate at how he went about this but luckily the man responsible was caught in the act by one of our nurses. She alerted security who in due course were able to apprehend him and he has been detained."

"Where is he?"

"In the hospital security office on the second floor, but Agent Booth..."

He completley ignored her as he made his way to the security office. When he came face to face with this bastard he was going to tear him limb from limb.